I turn 49 in just under a month. Which means that this time next year, I’ll be a breath away from clocking 50. I know; I did the math and it’s shocking. :-) So, I’ve been thinking about what I can do to mark this major milestone. My tightening jeans and a set of awful […]
Forgetting the Facts
I’ve written ten books. That’s only a modest achievement compared to many of my fellow authors. Still, it’s enough that I’ve now started to forget many details in my stories. One of my readers once surprised and delighted me by making an online quiz based on the first novel I ever wrote. I did the […]
Are Writers Usually Introverts?
“You might be an introvert if you were ready to go home before you left the house.” I know little about Criss Jami, the author who made this quote, but I can totally relate! In all the personality tests I’ve taken over the years, I always land on the far end of the introversion scale. […]
Making Trouble… And Loving It
I’m outlining my next book right now, following the process that I’ve used for all my stories. That means I’m busy concocting problems for my lead character. I want her to have at least one deep, heart-level problem that’s sabotaging her life and stopping her from becoming the person God wants her to be. And, […]
The Problem With Pets
I’ve got a problem with pets. It’s not that I don’t like them—I love animals, and we’ve had pets in the past. But all my memories of pets are linked to the pain of loss. It began when I was four. Following a major family crisis, my mother, siblings, and I were staying with my […]
We Don’t Talk About That Story…
Some months ago, Jaycee Weaver wrote a blog post about the love-hate relationships authors have with their first books. Along with other InspyRomance authors, I shared with Jaycee about my first ever published book which, while flawed, still has a special place in my heart, and I love it despite its awkwardness. There is, however, […]
The Best Opening Chapters & A Giveaway
First lines are a big deal. Novel writers spend inordinate amounts of time painstakingly crafting the perfect opening sentence. While I do like a good first line, the first chapter is way more important to me. I always read a novel’s opening chapter via the online bookstore’s “preview” feature. I’ll buy the book only if […]
Back to the 90s
I’m currently writing a short book set about 25 years ago. It’s a prequel to my Seasons of Faith series about couples who are in their 40s. My work-in-progress tells the story of how one of the couples fell in love when they were in their 20s. Writing a book set in 1998 seemed like […]
When Books Imitate Headlines + A Giveaway
One story is currently dominating the news headlines in the UK. A member of the Royal Family has been exposing all manner of dirty laundry—including unmentionables—in the runup to his new memoir, which was a bestselling book even before it was released. An early reviewer of my latest book, Within the Storm, asked whether I’d […]
Don’t Give Up the Day Job
Whenever I’m filling in an official form, my pen (or cursor) hesitates over one question: “occupation.” I could put a few things in that space, and they’d all be true. I’m an author. But I’m also a stay-at-home mother, a homeschooler, and an audio typist. Like the vast majority of authors, writing isn’t the only […]
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