Often, new writers plunge full steam ahead into their fledgling careers, barely giving thought to everything writing entails. Pursuit of “the dream” and all the glorious fantasies that go with it play out in delightful, creative scenarios because, after all, that’s what writers do best—we live in bold, imaginative worlds where anything is possible. It’s only when—oh, say, maybe five, …
Good News Calls for Chocolate
Ohh, my goodness. After the torrential downpours and record flooding the Ozarks had over the past week, it’s time for some good news. Combine good news with chocolate cake and we have a party! You may remember, I scaled back on blogging over the past month, as I craved some much-needed R&R. I continued writing during that time, too, so …
Should Writers Blog?
I started blogging in 2011, and to date, have written 700+ blog posts. Whew. That’s a lot of blogging! While I’ve repurposed some of those posts, much of my content is new, fresh, and relevant. As I’ve evolved and grown as a writer, so have my blogging skills. Since this isn’t a writing blog (it’s a creative outlet to uplift …
The Very Best Thing About This Writing Gig
The writing life is hard, my friend. There are highs and lows and in-betweens. There are good things. Bad things. God-ordained things (blessings in disguise). For a moment, let’s revisit the not so good things. A writer’s world is a solitary one…and most often, silent (unless there are littles still at home). We lose ourselves in our story worlds, and …
Pausing to Press Reset
Fall. In our little corner of the world, the official start to the new season arrived this week without much fanfare. While it marked the beginning of change, we still have yet to see colors shift or temperatures drop. In fact, the mercury’s hovered around the 90 degree mark for the past several days, and most of our trees (except our …
We All Start Small
The billboard caught my eye. A mama, a daddy, and a cute, cuddly baby. The caption? We all start small. Melted. My. Heart. How true. The billboard touted one of our area hospitals, but what resonated and stayed with me as I drove past was that single, simple truth. We all start small. Of course I loved the slogan concept …
ACFW Post-Conference Wind-Down
Today marks almost two weeks since I returned from the 2016 ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) conference. (For a recap see this post.) Wow. It doesn’t seem possible. During that time, I’ve written a few blog posts, sent out my September newsletter, and followed up on important business matters. A few days ago, I actually finished unpacking (I know), and …
ACFW Conference Countdown
As of today we are nineteen days out from the national ACFW conference! Wow. Thrilled! How did it sneak up so fast? Despite the busyness just now (my father recovering, baby bird flying the nest), I’m anticipating one of my favorite writing conferences of the year, and counting down the days until I see old friends and new in Nashville. …
Summer of Change
Like weather patterns, seasonal shifts are part of the writing life. Some seasons are warm and colored with joy. Other seasons are rainy and unsettled. Over our way, we’re in a season of quandaries and busyness. In fact, most of the summer has been filled with what-ifs and moving forward, despite some uncertainty. It’s been a summer of change. My daddy hasn’t …
ACFW Conference Prep
Today, we’re approximately five and a half weeks out from the annual American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) conference. I’m excited! While there have been some highs and lows this summer, I’m so grateful for God’s watchcare and provision. As always, I’m reminded of blessings I sometimes take for granted. Like for instance—reliable transportation, a comfortable home, good health, and a …