Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

Spring Thaw

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The robins are back! I’m not sure where these red-bellied birds go for the winter, but I saw one for the first time this morning. A sure sign of spring. So I decided to look for other signs as I took my morning walk. Some trees now have buds. Green shoots are poking up from the cold ground along with a few brave crocuses. The ugly patches of dirty snow are nearly all melted away. And ice no … [Read more...]

When private love letters…aren’t so private anymore

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My Darling Wife… On his thirty-third birthday in 1868, General William Hicks Jackson proposed marriage to Selene Harding, granddaughter of the founder of Belle Meade Plantation in Nashville (the setting of my Belle Meade Plantation novels). The General had his eye on Selene for quite some time. But he wasn't part of Nashville’s social circle, and Selene had the attentions of many eligible … [Read more...]

It’s about time…

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Okay, be honest: did anybody oversleep yesterday? Show up for church an hour late? Forget to turn your clocks back? We've been known to be an hour early for church when Daylight Savings Time ends in the fall, but we never forget in the spring! Never! Oh how I love that extra glorious hour of daylight! I must admit though, that changing over to Daylight Savings Time is a temporary full-time job … [Read more...]

A Gift From the Past

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My parents live in California, where I was born and raised.  They come to Texas for frequent visits, however, and on one recent visit my dad gave me a savings bond that my Great Grandmother Monninger had given to me when I was little.  He'd filed it away for safekeeping alongside other documents and as the years -- then the decades -- slid past had forgotten about it.  When he came across it a few … [Read more...]

Spiritual NICU

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It is a pleasure to welcome my friend, Christine Bierma, as my guest on this week's post. Christine is a talented young writer who posted this touching story on her blog, atrustworthysaying.com. We both know Baby Lucy's parents and continue in prayer for this precious little one who was born at only 28 weeks. Recently I've spent many days inside the halls of the Rush University NICU while a … [Read more...]

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