Today’s my nineteenth wedding anniversary, and I can honestly say we’ve been through thick and thin, both literally and metaphorically. ;) It’s funny, because when I started creating the header graphic for this post, all I had in mind was the title. I originally intended to focus on book length—you know, thick books and thin […]
Front Matter, Back Matter, What Does It Matter? by Merrillee Whren
As you read the title of this post, are you wondering what I’m talking about? If you’re a writer, you know what I mean. If you are a reader and not a writer, do you know what this post is about? Just in case you might not know, I’ll explain. I’m hoping you will let […]
People That Make the Small Town Go Round
Hi all–happy Thursday! Can you believe July is almost over? Fall will be here before we know it. Today we’re talking about secondary characters in small towns. All small towns (in fictional stories–and maybe real ones, too!) have these characters. They take on different genders, characteristics and are as unique as each story, but sometimes […]
How Much Is Too Much?
Someone recently asked me about how much is too much Jesus in their Christian fiction book. It’s a legitimate question, and it’s one I’ve heard before, too. I have a couple of super simple answers, too, but it sort of depends on who I’m talking to. Not everyone gets my sense of humor. Answer A: […]
Opening Her Heart and Giveaway by Deb Kastner
That’s actually the lovely title my Harlequin Love Inspired editors chose for my January 2021 book and I’m super excited to see what they do with the cover, which will be the heroine with her golden retriever Sissy. But today it’s my own heart I’d like to open, baring my soul, so to speak. Frankly, […]
Natural Disasters in Romance Novels?
My husband and I just celebrated our 20th anniversary. We didn’t have big plans as we were going on a vacation next month, but of course all that has been canceled. I’m writing this post before the anniversary, so I imagine we’ll have a nice dinner. Our cats will celebrate with us. (Yes—3 cats!! We […]
Does a Series Ever Have to End? 99-cent 4-book Southern Hearts Series!
Does a Series Ever Have to End? 99-cent 4-book Southern Hearts Series! I love a good series! How about you? I’ve read a number of book series that I wish had never ended. I was so deep in the story world. I’ve read a series or two where I thought the author stretched the series […]
Christmas, Christmas, Christmas
I know, you probably saw the title, checked the date, and then thought why are we talking about Christmas so early? Easy! I have to decide how many Christmas novellas to write this year, and I thought y’all would be the perfect people to help me figure it out. :) You see last year I […]
Hot Tea and a Good Book? Plus #Giveaway
Hot tea and a good book? Love this idea, hate this idea, or fall somewhere in between? Sipping hot tea while reading a print or ebook is a lifelong habit that I have no intention of breaking. It’s one of the ways I relax and unwind and escape into fictional worlds with satisfying happily-ever-after romantic […]
Love Triangles by Merrillee Whren
Tropes are a big part of romance novels and romantic movies. One trope is the the love triangle. I enjoy watching the romance movies on Hallmark, and often there is a love triangle in the story. Right from the beginning you know which one the hero or heroine will choose. Most of the stories have […]