In today’s culture of instant everything, a lot has changed. The way we eat. The way we shop. The way we read, write, and romance. What? The way we romance? Yep. (I’m going there today. I hope you don’t mind.) I’m not talking about the fifty shades of polka-dots kind of romance. (Because passion without love is lust.) I mean the good, ol’ …
Is there anything harder than waiting? Hmmm. I can think of relatively little. Think check-out lanes. Stoplights. Doctors offices. Payday. Think of those interminable, stress-filled moments right before a test. A speech. A meeting. Or…if you’re a writer, think seasons. That word at least puts the process in a polite frame of reference. Though waiting and seasons aren’t always synonymous, seasons are generally …
If you write, no doubt you’ve given some thought to your “brand.” (And if you haven’t thought about it, now’s the time!) “Brand” to an author is what water is to wildflowers. It quenches, sustains, and breathes life into an otherwise drab existence. Like our taglines, our brands are uniquely us. They’re the picture that comes to mind when folks hear our …
As a child, I knew I was different. When I was about seven, my second grade teacher confirmed it. (“It” not being tangible in terms of a label per se, but more a stark realization than anything else.) Mrs. K spoke with deliberate, adult-like precision and put it into perspective for my little girl brain. Her words transcended my finite knowledge of a …
I tend to be a detail-oriented person. I like to study people wherever I go–the mall, the bookstore, church, Starbucks, and even flea markets to name a few. Details excite me. They add dimension to the characters I craft. Sprinkling in a few particulars here and there at just the right time can offer a great deal. For instance: Suzy Sunshine seems so perky. She has …
I think most of us would agree that today’s world isn’t the same one we grew up in. Life moves at a frantic pace and we’re faced with different challenges than our grandparents were. (Notice I didn’t say “tougher.” Just different.) Because of this, when a women’s (free) self-defense course was offered at our church, I immediately signed up to …
Yes, today’s blog post title is a shameless play on words, but please, “bear” with me. (Stale humor–I know. Still recovering from weeks of little sleep. But…the good news is my mama’s on the mend.) A few months ago, I talked with someone about a subject near and dear to my heart. Writing, of course. In fact, it was that conversation that sparked today’s thoughts. …
Generally, I’m a happy person. I willingly choose joy. Now, does that mean I don’t experience heartache, doubt, or insecurity from time to time? Hardly. Like you, I’ve held hands with each of those at various life junctures. Some seasons have been a little more difficult than others. Just because I’m a Christian doesn’t mean that life is always fair, kind, …
Do you love your creative niche? Does your work space shout “fun!” or does it leave you breathless? …In a bad way? For years, my home office has been in transition. When we built our home 13 years ago, I (or…I should say my wonderful husband) put up seashore borders for me. I then placed a few photo frames, sentimental items, …
No, I didn’t forget about my blog post on Wednesday. I’ve been rather busy. Exhausted. Time-crunched. My mama had open heart surgery recently and things are a little up-ended at the moment. More than once in my sleep-deprived state, I’ve forgotten that I’m the apple of God’s eye and I’ve taken comfort in David’s prayer of blessing (Psalm 17:8). While I …
