When you read this post, my husband and I will be traveling, and I probably won’t be able to respond to comments until we stop somewhere for the night. The picture above was taken while we were visiting Spokane, Washington, for a family reunion. Two of my brothers still live in Spokane, the other in […]
You Had Me at Hello
Let’s talk about the first lines of a book. In the industry, they are called the hook. Probably because, like an angular, the author wants to hook the reader right away and reel them into the story. As a reader, I love a really well-written first line/paragraph. They aren’t make it or break it […]
Anchored Hearts, God’s Timing, & #giveaway
Guest Post by Julie Arduini Thank you, Valerie, for letting me share today! When you last heard from me, I was stepping down from IR to grieve my mom’s sudden passing and tie up her business affairs. That took most of 2021, and writing was not a priority. In fact, there were days I wondered […]
A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, Or Is It?
How many words would it take to describe the picture above? Could you do a good job with the description? Could you actually describe the beauty in that picture to someone who couldn’t see? I would say there are times when a picture is worth a thousand words. On the other hand, there are times […]
The Five-Year-Old
The other day, Narelle, Elizabeth, and I (along with some guests), recorded the StoryChats podcasts for June. Yes, we record four shows in one day. Yes, we record well in advance. (Blame my husband’s work schedule for that. The rest of us do.) I’m not sure which episode, exactly, we were recording at the moment. […]
Let the Countdown to Olive Begin
Olive is almost here! Are you as excited as I am? Okay, I get it. That’s like asking a friend if they’re as excited as you about the amazing piece of cake you just ordered. Or steak, for that matter. (Oooh. I’m suddenly hungry…)😊 Anyway – I just got the manuscript back from my editor […]
Let’s Hear it For the Boy (Or Girl!)
Any Footloose fans out there? Okay, this post isn’t going to be about the 1984 movie starring Kevin Bacon where he plays a big-city kid who moves to a small conservative town where dancing is prohibited by the town’s powerful preacher. Even though it is a classic, and I’ve not only seen the original movie, […]
Learning the Language of Love
For my upcoming release, Hearts and Goals, (oh look, it’s out tomorrow!) I had a lot of fun with the Montreal setting, a city I visited a number of years ago with my husband. As Aussies, we loved the historic downtown and French vibe, and especially the botanic gardens (my husband is a horticulturalist, so […]
Olive: She’s More Than Just a Name #Giveaway
If you’ve read Skye (Rainbow Falls Book One), you might remember how it ended. The guy gets the girl, and the girl gets the guy. (What can I say? It’s romance.) The closing line – just in case you didn’t absolutely memorize it (what were you thinking?) – is: Rainbow Falls would always be the place […]
On A Beach Somewhere
When you read this, I will have just returned from a beach vacation. Even as I write this I’m anticipating digging my toes into the sand while I let the waves rush over my feet. I can see myself reading a book, if my granddaughters will let me, but I might be building a sandcastle […]