Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

Research with Writing Friends

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A few weeks ago, a group of writers from my local chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers took a field trip to break up our usual schedule of monthly meetings inside a conference room—a chance to see and do something different and to get outside on a beautiful Minnesota summer day. This year we went to visit an historic house in Taylors Falls, a fun river town some 30-40 miles north of … [Read more...]

Cover Candy (Guest Blogger, Laura Frantz)

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When prepping this post, I debated whether to title it “cover love” or "cover candy” and the candy factor won out. A good cover really should be as delightful as a big box of chocolates! It should “pop” in industry lingo. Cover art is my favorite part of publishing. When that much-anticipated cover file arrives in my inbox for the first time, I always say a prayer before I open it, hoping for the … [Read more...]

A Writer’s Passion (Guest Blogger, DiAnn Mills)

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How can a writer expect readers to be excited about a novel unless the writer feels the same passion? Does enthusiasm for story mean having passion for every word? Absolutely! Every grueling step of the process must be met with a committed spirit. Passion for Firewall kept me spellbound, as though the world around me had stopped while I wrote the novel. Research captured me with intrigue and … [Read more...]

A Weekend to Remember

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I often talk about how writing is a hard career for an extrovert. So often my writing is done in front of a computer and I wait for electronic feedback from my agent, editors, friends, readers. It can feel solitary because the face to face contact usually comes once a year at ACFW. This past weekend, my daughter and I changed that dynamic. We put over 600 miles on the car as we drove around … [Read more...]

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