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Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

On-Site Research

February 20, 2025 By Karen Witemeyer

There is something so thrilling about seeing things my characters would have seen had they been actual people instead of just figments of my imagination. I love being able to research historical settings in person when possible. I don't get to do this with every book, but since my stories are set in Texas, research trips are often within reach. Many times I rely on historic maps and local … [Read more...]

Filed Under: History, Writing Tagged With: Albany Texas, Historical Research

A peek into my (very distant) past

February 19, 2025 By D'Ann Mateer

This is a story of boxes lost and found. Or rather found, because I really didn’t know they were lost!  When we sold our house in Rockwall after our move to Austin in 2015, I found some things we’d forgotten up in our attic when we were checking over the house before closing. They were boxes of things. My mother graciously let me leave them in her attic.  This summer, my nephews … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Family, Friendship, History Tagged With: elementary school, lost things found

From Start to Finish by (not Tamera) but Joe Alexander

February 18, 2025 By Tamera Alexander

A year ago, my husband, Joe, felt a strong nudge to begin writing down some of his—and our—family history for our grandchildren, Leo and Ari. As he wrote, he found himself sharing lessons he hopes to one day teach each of them himself, Lord willing. Yet knowing that none of us will be here forever, he was grateful for the opportunity to put pen to paper. Early on, I read his first few … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Assorted & Sundry, Books, Faith, Family, History, Inspired by Scripture, Reading Tagged With: From Start to Finish, Joe Alexander, New Releases, Tamera Alexander

Burns Night Supper

February 5, 2025 By D'Ann Mateer

So my husband and I did a thing we never in a million years thought we’d do.  We hosted a dinner party for twenty in our home.  And not just any dinner party, mind you. No, we had a full-on Burns Night Supper!  Do you know what a Burns Night Supper is? Well, let me enlighten you if you don’t!  Every year on January 25, Scots all over the world—and especially in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Family, Friendship, History, House and home Tagged With: Burns supper, Robert Burns, Scotland

Another Boston Trip in the Books

July 3, 2024 By D'Ann Mateer

You might notice this post has gone up later in the day than usual for me. That’s because we are heading home from another great trip to Boston and it was a late night last night! But more about that later.  Last year, one arm of my husband’s company began offering historical tours to their supporters. These tours focus on things through the lens of our religious freedom, which is the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: History Tagged With: 4th of July, Boston, US history

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