For readers not familiar with Christian fiction there’s the preconceived notion that if it’s Christian it must be all hearts and flowers. Or boring. Or something. For example, a friend once asked why I wanted to write for the Christian market and not the secular one. It was actually something I’d thought about a lot. “Well, a Christian is who I am. …
Prep Mode for What Comes Next
We’re in prep mode at our house. Summer’s flown by and now we’re prepping for school. There’s the usual busyness—a new haircut, an annual physical, clothes shopping, tennis lessons, calendar updates—and all that goes with the start of a new school year. While our educator son prepares for his second year of teaching, our teen daughter transitions to a new …
When Brands Go South
In today’s world where we’re surrounded with a buffet of opportunity, I’m always intrigued by people’s choices. “Branding” and the methodology behind it fascinates me. Why do certain brands work? Why do others go south? How successful is rebranding when confidence is compromised? As a writer, I’m conscientious of everything that goes into my work. My website. This blog. What …
10 Things You Should Know about Christian Fiction Novelists
During our writing journey, it’s interesting to see people’s reactions when discussing our craft. Occasionally, the conversation may go something like this: “What is it you do anyway?” “Well,” (we may slug back our favorite beverage as we gather steam for what we know is coming) “I’m a writer.” “A writer, huh? That’s nice. I’m going to write a book …
Summer Greetings from the Ozarks
Hi friends! Summer greetings to you and yours from our neck of the woods. Hope your week’s off to a great start! This is the time of year when things get pretty hot and sticky in the Ozarks. The temperatures soar and so does the humidity. (Perfect hair days are a figment of the imagination at least until early fall.) …
Why an Interesting Setting Enhances a Great Story
When selecting a book to read or buy, like most folks, my eyes automatically scan the cover for telltale clues about the book’s content. Many times if the cover art is intriguing, I’ll give the book a second glance and I’ll at least peruse the book a little longer. I’ll probably read the back cover copy and get a feel for the …
What Makes a Story Work?
Did you ever set out on a road trip or a vacation and somewhere along the way miss a turn and realize you were lost? Maybe that’s why I don’t drive in big cities. Turning around in the middle of a six lane freeway is a bit of a stretch when there’s traffic crisscrossing in front of me in all directions. Today we have GPS …
Will You be My Friend? (The Delicate Dance of Social Media)
“I don’t know if I can do this social media thing.” Liz* massaged her temples and closed her eyes. “It gives me a headache. I feel like I’m in high school again.” I empathized. I remembered a time some years ago when social media was as appealing as a root canal. I’d taken a writing hiatus to care for our …
When Success Eludes and Why We Should (Still) Go for It
I’ve noticed a theme in some of my favorite blogging circles. Energy lag. Exhaustion. Burnout. For writers especially, this seems to be the time of year where our resolve wears thin. Maybe we’ve had some let-downs. Perhaps, we’ve faced rejections, rewrites, and restructured goals. Maybe we wonder if it’s all still worth it—if this thing called “success” is really worth …