Since it's Christmas morning, I wanted to introduce you to our newest family Christmas tradition -- one that grew out of writing a book. In my latest book, Where Treetops Glisten, the heroine in my novella works at a candy shop that opened in Lafayette, Indiana, in 1912. The name's changed (today it's McCords), but they still make the same Christmas candy canes the same way they were made a … [Read more...]
Saying Thank You to Servicemen and Women
This week I've been thinking about the time my Dad and his National Guard unit were called to active duty. I vividly remember the challenges my family faced when my dad's unit was activated for Operation Desert Storm. I was 16 when my dad got activated -- two days before Thanksgiving. But I was 17 when he returned right around Easter. I didn't recognize my dad -- might have had something to do … [Read more...]
Birth of a Book with Giveaway
As an author there is something magical about that moment when one of my favorite people (the UPS man) drops off boxes. Regardless of what's in the box, it feels like Christmas. What did I order and forget about? What new treasure awaits wrapped inside a nest of bubble wrap? Then there's the time when he drops off a couple boxes and I note a label that suggest it's more than just another box. … [Read more...]
Looking Back: God’s Miracles in my Writing
I love #ThrowbackThursdays on Facebook. I love looking at photos of big hair and bell bottoms. I love noting changes in my friends and in my kids. (They were such cute babies!) Likewise, I enjoy taking time to look back and see how my writing has changed. More than that, I like to replay how God showed up, meeting me as I worked. When I was researching for my novel, Arms of Deliverance, one of … [Read more...]
The Path of Obedience
For the last week and a half, I've been part of a blog tour of Christian fiction writers of World War II novels. We came together to honor the 70th anniversary of D-Day. I invite you to join the tour by clicking on the image above. It's been such fun (and fascinating to learn about what motivates people to write the stories they do. With each of us it was launched by a story spark. Maybe it was … [Read more...]