I've been focusing on getting several projects done this week. One involves roses, one involve rodeos and I'm also working with seven other writers on a military continuity that will be out next year. So I've been holed up in my office a lot, with chocolate and coffee to see me through. Meantime, outside my window the rain is falling as Tropical Storm Cindy comes calling along the Gulf coast. I do … [Read more...]
Why I love writing about K9 police and their canine partners
I write a lot of books about K9 police officers and their four-legged partners. My first such book was a stand-alone for Love Inspired titled A Tender Touch. I became fascinated with the dogs that are trained to protect and serve. They go through intensive methods to teach them to search and rescue, find drugs and bombs and to track down dangerous criminals. They can pick up scents from twenty … [Read more...]
Is On-Location Research Necessary for Creating an Authentic Book?
This month I’m celebrating the release of my third lighthouse book, UNDAUNTED HOPE! While UNDAUNTED HOPE is connected to the first two books in the series, it’s also very easy to read as a stand-alone novel (at least that’s what readers who haven’t read any of the other books are telling me!). I’m super excited about this particular book because when I was in the process of writing it, I was … [Read more...]
When Life is Research
As I've been working on the fourth book in my Chicory Inn Novels series, I've been very aware of how much of the research for these novels, more than any others I've written, has been simply living life! So many of the scenes in these novels come from my experiences as a daughter, mother, grandmother, granddaughter, daughter-in-law, wife, sister, aunt... I've truly pulled from just about every … [Read more...]
Real Life Fairy Tale Romance …
I have some photos to share. I know, I know they look like images for a possible book cover, but these are photos of my oldest daughter Leslie and her fiancé Honza. They just got engaged last week! And the truth is that they can thank NOVEL WRITING for their coming together. Well, sort of ... First: the photos ... Second: The Story ... In 2000, I traveled to Europe with two … [Read more...]