Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

A Cheap Date

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Not long after my husband and I moved to Wichita, we decided it would be fun to explore the city's coffee shops. Living for most of our marriage in small towns, our options for places to eat or get a cup of great coffee were very limited. Still, through our forty years of marriage we've tried to always make time for dates with each other. But since Ken started his new business, our budget has … [Read more...]

The Plot Thickens | Gail Gaymer Martin

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Each Sunday "Inspired by Life...and Fiction" shares a Christian novelist's newest book and the garden spots where they find inspiration. Gail Gaymer Martin is an award-winning novelist with over 3-1/2 million books in print and more than fifty novels and novellas. Her non-fiction book, Writing The Christian Romance, is from Writers Digest Books is available online. Gail gardens with … [Read more...]

The Many Ways Readers Bless Authors

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Readers, did you know that you can be a blessing to authors in so many different ways? During the release of my new YA book, An Uncertain Choice, I've been blessed in countless ways by my readers (new and old)! It's been an exciting few weeks with lots of enthusiasm for my new book which has been really fun to see. Readers have reached out to me in various ways, but I don't think many of … [Read more...]

Once in a Lifetime

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Have you ever taken a trip that left such an impression, you knew it would linger with you forever? I've had a handful of those experiences. The first was a mission trip I took with my mom and brother to Nairobi, Kenya when I was 16 years old. Seeing people who lived in poverty yet sang with enthusiastic joy to the Lord and offered hospitality with a generosity of spirit that still puts me to … [Read more...]

Books: Snapshots of Our Lives

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John and I are in the process of adopting four girls, ages 14, 12, 12, and 10, from the foster care system. They are beautiful, smart, and funny. We've had two day visits and one weekend visit with them, and John and I are just scratching the surface at discovering who these amazing young women are. At the same time John and I are trying to share our lives, our likes, our values, . . . and our … [Read more...]

Lovely Budapest, Hungary & Vienna, Austria

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Last week, my husband and I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Budapest and Vienna with 29 Belmont MBA students. It was a fun—and mostly enjoyable (more on that below)—week. Here are some glimpses... The first evening upon our arrival, we enjoyed a delicious dinner cruise on the Danube River. Isn't the Hungarian Parliament Building (circa 1904) stunning at night?   The … [Read more...]

Spring Fever

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Everyone I know has Spring Fever, including me. The sun is shining, the sky is blue, and the snow is melting at last. The steady drip of snowmelt from the eaves outside my office sounds like a drumbeat, summoning me to come outside and play. The season of new beginnings is here. And it’s a new beginning for my next writing project, too. My contract schedule has me handing in my manuscript … [Read more...]

The Plot Thickens | Creston Mapes

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Each Sunday "Inspired by Life...and Fiction" shares a Christian novelist's newest book and the garden spots where they find inspiration. When Creston Mapes isn't writing contemporary suspense novels, like his upcoming Sky Zone, he works as a freelance writer for clients such as Coca-Cola, The Weather Channel, Focus on the Family, ABC-TV, and many others. Creston and his family have … [Read more...]

My Long Lost Cousin

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Not long ago, I was scrolling through my facebook newsfeed.  There's no possible way that I can keep up with all of my friends' posts, so I tend to zoom through as many as I can for five minutes here and five minutes there.  I came upon this picture: I thought, Cute!  They must be twins.  I happened to read the caption, written by a lady named Kathie.  It read, "I find this such an … [Read more...]

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