Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

The Plot Thickens | Ruth Axtell

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Each Sunday "Inspired by Life...and Fiction" shares with our readers a Christian novelist's newest book and the garden spots where they find inspiration.   Ruth Axtell loves writing about the 19th century, whether it’s Regency or late Victorian England. Ruth studied comparative literature at Smith College, spending her junior year at the Sorbonne in Paris. After college, she … [Read more...]

Living With Chaos

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We're currently in the midst of having our kitchen renovated. For those of you who've gone through kitchen remodeling, I can hear your kind words of sympathy right now. Thank you. Please pass along your condolences. I need all I can get! :-) You know what it's like to have a kitchen that looks like this: You know what it's like to eat for a couple of weeks here: (in the … [Read more...]

Take Time to Remember Your Story

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I'm blessed that my 84-year-old grandmother lives with me. My grandma is full of spunk. She is witty even though she can't remember what day or month it is. (She still thinks it's January and last Sunday she dressed for church in a heavy sweater before I made her change!) This photo is my Grandma Dolores and my Uncle Joe who served in World War II. Even though he was thirteen years her elder … [Read more...]

Belmont Mansion Returning Treasures

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The Belmont Mansion here in Nashville, Tennessee recently acquired over 200 new pieces that belonged to Adelicia Acklen, the mistress of Belmont Mansion, the setting of A Lasting Impression and A Beauty So Rare. These items have been in the Acklen family since being removed from the Belmont Mansion in the 1880s. But as you can imagine, the curator and staff of the mansion are welcoming them … [Read more...]

Grand Tour

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You won’t believe where I am. I can hardly believe it myself! Like a wealthy heroine in a 19th century novel, I’m on a Grand Tour of Europe. But this trip isn’t purely for pleasure, although I’m certainly having a lot of fun! My husband Ken and I are here in the Netherlands after a stopover in Copenhagen to watch as our son Benjamin is awarded his PhD in Biblical Studies from the University of … [Read more...]

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