Hi friends, Happy Wednesday! Reading brings such joy to life. It transports us to faraway places and worlds. It takes us on emotional journeys. We laugh. We weep. We are moved by stories. But all stories need readers. They are the heart of why writers pen novels. Without readers, our stories would remain ours alone. Today I thought it would be fun to share some ‘you might be a reader if…’ I’d … [Read more...]
Endorsements: what do they mean?
This week, Lynn H. Blackburn joined me on Book Talk, and one of the things we discussed was endorsements. We've endorsed books by each other (I endorsed her Unknown Threat because I'd read and loved her Dive Team Investigations books, and she endorsed Lethal Intent.). While we were talking about why we endorse, I thought you might find it interesting, too. If I'm taking the time to endorse a … [Read more...]
I miss Libraries & Book Clubs
It's October and there are many things I'm missing as the pandemic drags on. These may be limited to Indiana, but maybe you can relate. I miss having some of my Purdue students to our home for cookouts or taco bar. I miss being able to worship at church without a mask. I miss wild hugs and even simple handshakes. I miss reading my students non-verbal cues that are covered by masks. I missed … [Read more...]
Favorite Website Features
Not long ago, I took an informal poll of readers' favorite features of authors' websites and found it very interesting. To that end, I'd love to know what you like best about authors' sites. What information you appreciate seeing when you visit an author's online home. In response to reader feedback, I added a "Bonus Features" page to my site which includes a slew of icons that lead to other … [Read more...]
What’s it Like for Authors to Meet Readers in Person?
Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend the Fiction Readers Summit in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I’ve never attended a big organized reader-author gathering before. Since I’m only a two-hour drive from Grand Rapids, I was really excited to be able to go. I wasn’t really sure what to expect from the event. But I figured at the very least, I’d get to meet some readers, hang out with writer … [Read more...]