The Old Becomes New
In 1994, I stood in one of the large halls in a building on Ellis Island, reading the names, ages, and professions of the immigrants who came to America on…
Books
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Christmas in October: Books and a Giveaway
It’s almost Christmas time — I can’t believe I just typed those words! — so I thought today, I’d share three of my favorite Christmas books from the last couple…
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First Sentences—How Long Do You Give a Novel to Hook You?
A first sentence carries a lot of weight. In just a handful of words, it sets the stage, establishes a voice, hints at what’s at stake, and, if the author…
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Play It Again, Fam
If you could reread any book, what would it be? There are very few books I’ve read more than once. Of course, there’s the Bible. And just like His mercies,…
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Check This Out!
It’s still hard to believe when I see my own book on bookshelves. Depending on the system or the size, the library catalogs Christian authors in general fiction or in…
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Sucked into a Series
First, I enjoy writing series. Most of my series have had three books in them. My shortest series has two books in it, and my longest series (and most recent)…
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A Real Castle and a Better Kingdom
Hi, all. I’ve love to introduce you to Ann Swindell, author of the In the Castle Library series. Who doesn’t love castles and libraries, right? Put them together and good…
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The TBR Conveyor Belt
Lately, trying to keep up with my TBR (To Be Read) pile feels a lot like this: Can you relate? The truth is, I get through my Kindle TBR pile…
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Christy Finalists, a New Pettrey Thriller, and a Zoom Chat Date
BIG week in bookish news, friends! Awards, a new release to celebrate, and a chance to hang out with four historical romance authors LIVE. Let’s dive in! The 2026 Christy…
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Finding Sanctuary: A 15-minute book escape
August is almost over. Gulp! I’m still not quite sure how that happened. It’s that crazy time of year when life is speeding up. I’m trying to give myself permission…
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Writing for an Audience of One
“Would you write this book if you knew you were writing it only for me?” That’s the question I heard—twice—back in 2002 at the outset of my writing journey. I’d…
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Recipes and Reviews
I’m more savory than sweet, but a treat from my childhood was the million dollar pie that graced our table during the holidays. My mama let one of my characters…