Hi friend! It’s great to be with you for a little while today! Summer is in full-swing in the Ozarks, and as you may remember, I have much going on. Because of summer busyness, I’ve taken a bit of a blogging break, but I hope to resume my normal schedule soon. College gal’s home so that means catching up on …
When Our Story Worlds Come Alive
For writers, there’s nothing quite as thrilling as breathing life and love into our characters and stories. Our hearts beat for those creative moments when fact meets fiction in bold, new worlds. We’re eager to get words on the page and begin our journey. From the first moment I envisioned the sleepy, little town of Ruby, Missouri, ideas flowed. The …
ACFW 2016: 15 Tips for a Fabulous Conference
The American Christian Fiction Writers’ 2016 conference countdown is on! In less than a week, while my husband holds down the fort, I’ll join six hundred or so fellow writers in Nashville for ACFW’s annual conference. Oh, my word—I’m so excited! As in years past, I’ll caravan with a great group of ladies from MozArks, our local ACFW chapter. There’s nothing more …
How Writers Can Use Pinterest
A few weeks ago, you may remember I joined Pinterest. My opinion? I love it. As with anything new there’s a bit of a learning curve, but for the most part, Pinterest is fairly easy to navigate and get the hang of. Although I’m late to the Pinterest party, I’m glad I waited to join. As I said in my …
Good Things
Hello, my friend! Welcome! So good to see you here. If you’ve read the paper or watched television lately, you know we don’t lack for bad news. Well, you won’t find that here. Today we’re talking good things. First, a brief update. I’ve had a few unscheduled blog breaks. Remember those busy seasons I’ve mentioned? Well, I’m in one now. …
Five Reasons to Start a Newsletter
Wait! Don’t shake your head and say, “Nope! Not me!” Pause, take a deep breath, and let’s chat for a few minutes. Are you a writer? A creative? Someone with a passion for people? Do you like to share and encourage? See! I knew it. Today I want to talk about newsletters from a fiction writer’s perspective, but my thoughts …
As Christian Writers, How Do We Share Our Light?
For writers there’s a different sense of vulnerability than what there might be in other professions. We inject bits and pieces of our own soul into our prose. We strive for transparency without being too forthright. Novelists must relate to readers in clear, concise ways that denote professionalism, not detachment. We want to connect and not overwhelm. Obviously, we have to be …
Why New Seasons Can Kick-Start Our Creativity
Over our way there’s a crisp chill to the air as the new season ushers in change. There’s nothing quite like fall in the Ozarks—in these ancient hills and hollows where my ancestors lived and gave birth to dreams. I find my creativity level soars during this time of year more than any other. Maybe it’s the palette of pretty …
Everyone Has Questions
In college I had a professor who always opened class with “Remember, there are no stupid questions.” He was a kindhearted fellow, a gentle soul who extended a lot of grace to his students and everyone adored him. As you might expect, because of his open demeanor and his desire to help there were always a lot of questions. And …
What First Impressions Really Say
To coin a cliché, first impressions are everything (although we sometimes wish they weren’t). A few examples that jump to mind: The job applicant dressed to the nines—but showed up late. A delectable meal ordered out—and was delivered to the table cold. The beautiful, new home recently listed—too bad the interior work was substandard. All of us can think of those times …