I love this time of year. I always have. While in some ways the season is bittersweet, in other ways, it’s a quiet reminder of beauty yet to come. In a burst of renewed energy, nature sheds her summer cloak in favor of a brief, but vibrant, mantle of color. Although I’ve lived in the Ozarks all my life, God’s …
I grew up watching The Waltons and Andy Griffith re-runs. Life on Waltons Mountain and on the quiet streets of Mayberry seemed ideal. The folks there were friendly, faith-filled, and neighbor-oriented. As far back as I can recall, I knew those were towns I wanted to base my fictional series on. I wanted folks (readers) to be able to sit back, kick …
I met author Mary Vee at the 2011 American Christian Fiction Writers conference in St. Louis. We hit it off immediately. (In fact, I’m guest-posting for Mary today and I encourage you to pop over to see exactly how we met. It’ll make you smile.) I asked Mary to share her heart today and talk about her writing journey. I know …
Last week I shared some of my favorite ACFW 2012 memories with you. For those who were unable to attend, Michael Hyatt was the keynote speaker at this year’s conference and so the atmosphere was super-charged with excitement. All year I’d looked forward to hearing Mike Hyatt speak. Like many, I’d read his bestselling book, Platform: How to Get Noticed in a Noisy World, and I …
We’re born into this world defined by someone else’s perception. From the moment we make our grand entrance, labels are thrust upon us based on who we are born to, and not who we actually are (a child of God). As we age, things shift a bit. Additional factors are thrown into the success/failure pot. We become known as Sally Sue, the …
For many of us who returned from the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) conference, we’re still trying to play catch-up. My time spent in Dallas with fellow writers and industry professionals was awesome, but I’m still a wee bit exhausted from the whirlwind of activity. And wouldn’t you know? I developed an upper respiratory infection over the past two days. …
Moi and friend/agency-mate Jill Kemerer Re-entry after the ACFW conference is somewhat hard to describe. It’s a rollercoaster of emotion: exhaustion, elation, and bittersweet relief. The months leading up to conference time are full of barely contained excitement. We’re eager to see our friends and make new ones. We look forward to workshops, worship, and those “divine appointments” with editors, agents, …
After months of preparation and planning, ACFW week is finally here! Officially, the American Christian Fiction Writers’ conference starts Thursday, but many of us are arriving a day ahead so we’ll be as fresh as a daisy come Thursday morning. For those attending the conference for the first time, you may have subscribed to the Newcomers’ Orientation Loop through ACFW if you are a member. …
As the season begins to change and the warmth of summer melds into Fall, there’s a buzz of excitement in the air. For the 700+ creatives who are attending the American Christian Fiction Writers conference in Dallas next week, the buzz is more like a happy roar. The ACFW conference is one of THE largest annual writing conferences in the world. Authors, …
I think as writers, it’s only natural that we project a certain amount of ourselves into the stories we create. Some may refer to “it” as voice, style, or even vision. We breathe life into our characters by way of our own experiences and revelations. Since we’re all unique, it’s important that we stay true to ourselves, and write what we know, …
