I’m getting ready to write the second draft of the next book in my Abundance series. At this stage, one of the things I look at in particular is whether or not my hero and heroine are likable. In fiction, one way to make a character more likable is to have them do something kind […]
Pay it Forward
I have been writing since I was old enough to know that words tell a story…about four years old. I have such vivid memories of standing in my basement in Chicago, leaning against the washing machine, and scribbling across a notepad because I had a story to tell. Of course, the scribble was just gibberish, […]
Perfect Love in an Imperfect World
You know that verse, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)? Man, it’s so easy to get stuck on those middle two words “fall short,” isn’t it? Especially if you’re a recovering perfectionist like me. Failing and falling short are hard to come to terms with when you’re […]
Twenty-Twenty Hindsight
Do you have twenty-twenty hindsight that makes you look at your own life and circumstances more critically than usual? Do you think of questions that begin with any of these starters? It would be easier now if I had… Things would be different now if we were… I wish I never did… Those things crossed […]
Making Memories + Giveaway by Melanie D. Snitker
I think we can all agree that family connections – whether blood-related or not – are incredibly important. They teach us unconditional love. They help us hone our bargaining skills and improve our patience. They also build memories that make a difference in our lives – moments together that helps guarantee we will each live […]
Real Life Renovation
Fair warning, this post has LOTS of pictures. :) For the last two months, we’ve been renovating our bathroom. And not solely for pleasure. We had a leak in the drip pan. (Don’t ask me to explain it, because I don’t know how plumbing works.) My husband found it when he went under the […]
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Well, not MY big, fat, Greek wedding, but the first Greek wedding I’ve attended… That happened on Saturday when the daughter of my husband’s cousin got married. It was fun, fun, fun! Today, I want to tell you all about it. The morning started off with a frantic dash to town for hubby and me. […]
Love sees with the heart
In reader groups, I’ve seen many readers complain that there are very few romances with less-than-model-perfect heroes and heroines. I’ve written a romance with a plus-sized heroine (Teapots & Tiaras), a highly unconventional heroine with a stuffy upper-class hero (Least Expected), an eighty-something heroine (Innamorata), and a couple of stories where the heroine needs a […]
Plan Your Summer Book-cation
May is nearly over, people! Can you believe it? The second most jam-packed month of the year is almost done. School will be out soon, vacations are being planned, and the weather is finally warming up after the eternal winter we had this year. Can you tell I’m excited?! I don’t know if you have […]
Female Friendships and Romance Novel Expectations
One of the most common complaints about contemporary romance I see in various reader-based groups is some variation of “they give people unrealistic expectations for romance.” I guess I kind of get it. Real life romance doesn’t always look like what we see in the pages of a novel. (Although, I would also say there […]