Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

Irish Twins? Well, almost!

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Join my family vicariously as (last night) we celebrated with Kurt and Kellie (our son and daughter-in-law—who we affectionately refer to as K2) as they announced—with a "light show"—that they're having their second child, a little girl, in January '24! WARNING: There is much excitement, especially from younger cousins who had already had a lot of sugar. LOL Notice K2's dogs, Malcolm & Rue, … [Read more...]

Christmas is Coming

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I know it's July, but I'm so excited about Christmas I can hardly stand it! A couple of years ago, I decided to get a holiday lawn ornament that would have something to do with faith--after all, I'd had reindeer and Christmas trees for a long time, and I wanted to tell my neighbors that we BELIEVED IN JESUS. So I found a festive lighted angel online. Trouble was, the angel had long … [Read more...]

Who’s Here for a Strong Heroine?

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I'm delighted to introduce you to talented author Carolyn Miller, who's guest-blogging for me today! Be sure to leave a comment at the end of the post for a chance to win a copy of her newest romance. (It stars a hockey player and if you've read My Stubborn Heart you know I'm a big fan of hockey playing heroes!) -Becky Imagine having hotdogs thrown at you simply for doing your job. Or being … [Read more...]

Our Words Matter, Book News & Giveaway

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Earlier this week I gave a keynote at a plenary session to approximately 350 court staff from across the state of Indiana on customer service and why they matter. As I left, I thought back to 12-year-old me who sat in a hearing room at the Nebraska Unicameral and was so impacted watching attorneys with a national advocacy organization testify on behalf of families like mine. Even at 12 I noted the … [Read more...]

Running the Publishing Gauntlet

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Happy Wednesday, friends. You might be wondering what on earth I mean by a publishing gauntlet. The word has different meanings, but the definition I’m referring to is:  Gauntlet: weapons that strike at an individual who is made to run between them. A race that poses an ordeal or is filled with obstacles. As Christians, we are called to run a race. One with great opposition that we must … [Read more...]

Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall

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After a particularly stressful time, we were able to go away together for several days. My husband loves history and I love the ocean, so we chose the East Coast states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. We soaked in lots of pilgrim history (Plymouth) and sunshine (Cape Cod) and visited with old friends near Boston. Then we drove north to New Hampshire and Maine, where we traded … [Read more...]

A New Window on My World (Literally!)

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“A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.” –Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own It’s a good thing I hadn’t read the above quote by Virginia Woolf before I wrote my first ten novels. Because I did not have a room of my own (or much money) back then. It wasn't until our kids started leaving for college that I finally got a dedicated office. Even though … [Read more...]

Summertime…

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… is made better with loved ones making memories. Almost a year ago, my youngest daughter (Jenn) took a job with the National Forest Service in California (a step to help take her where she wants to be in her career). It meant leaving her hubby and kids in Texas (all but one of the kids are adults and the youngest is a senior in high school). She got herself a camp trailer to live in, and she … [Read more...]

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