Recently I shared with my friend Ann Gabhart how my Ozarkian roots influenced my début novel Her Hope Discovered. Here’s a snippet of what I said: You might guess that family is very important to me. So is my heritage and the region where I was born and raised. The Ozarks are where “my people” are. When we’re children, I …
Let’s Celebrate! Ring in the New Year with HER HOPE DISCOVERED
Today as Christmas 2018 winds down, I pray you and yours have enjoyed a fantastic holiday season filled with loads of love and good cheer! Over our way, we celebrated the birth of our Savior with family and friends. We attended church events and dinners, made new memories, and savored fun, food, and fellowship with loved ones. As usual, Christmas …
Hearth and Home: A Memory Past or a Present Hope?
Until about 6th grade, I grew up in Small-town USA. It was a sleepy, little town defined by traditional values and faith. With a reverent sense of hearth and home, we had our share of eccentrics and ordinaries. Everyone knew everyone and we knew all the juicy tidbits about everyone whether we wanted to or not. We knew who our …
Research Trips Add Dimension
I spent a good part of yesterday out and about with my sister. It’s always fun when I can combine research, writing, flea markets, and tea rooms, and quality time with loved ones. Since I spend much of my time in front of a computer screen, I’ve become more conscientious of factoring in “me” time/free time throughout my week. It’s the healthy thing …
An Old-Fashioned Christmas
I grew up in a small town where no one knew a stranger. Often, a wave, a nod, or a handshake was our way of greeting each other on the sidewalk. If we meandered by a strange face, we’d stop, chat, and five minutes later we’d made a new friend. We knew your first, middle, and last name. We knew …
Yesterday's Dance
I suppose one of the reasons I enjoy reruns of “The Waltons” is because, in some ways, it takes me back to my childhood when life seemed simpler and things moved at a slower pace. Family took center stage, most everyone we knew went to church, and parents didn’t fear for their children’s safety if they went to visit a friend down the street. Where I lived …