If you’re a parent, have you experienced a moment where your kids remind you of your past choices? Humbling, isn’t it? Last month we were in Upstate NY visiting family and our son brought his girlfriend with him so she could meet his grandmother and see the hills of Upstate NY that we don’t really […]
The Way to A Reader’s Heart…
Happy New Year! Are you someone that does resolutions? Goals? Perhaps you have a word for the year? I’m writing a little before Christmas because I’ll be traveling and I haven’t quite figured how I should tackle the new year. I can say that wellness has to be on my list. This is the first […]
Being Late Led Me To My Future Husband + #giveaway
I can’t believe it, but on this day 22 years ago, I was upstairs in our church loft, wedding gown on, ready to walk down the aisle, watching guests arrive and park across the street as I peeked out the small window. Organized to a fault, I’d padded the schedule to make sure nothing, no-thing, […]
Real-Life Romance: Angelina & Dale PLUS #GIVEAWAY
As an observer of people, I enjoy hearing tales of real-life romance. I confess I still watch the royal headlines because I am rooting for both of Princess Diana’s boys and their marriages. Recently, I learned of a real-life romance closer to home that is one of the most beautiful arrangements of God’s hand I’ve […]
Single Parent Characters
One of the many favorite aspects of writing contemporary romances is the unexpected twists and turns God gives when I write. Although I have a skeleton plot for each book sketched out, little details emerge that catch me by surprise. Often those small things develop and take a life of their own. One example is […]
First Love
I was looking for inspiration when I read Krista’s post about Will and Hanna from The Engagement Plot. She mentioned the sparks and conflict between them, and how it made for characters close to her heart. I started my new romance, Anchored, and I think I need to start over because I’m just not feeling […]
A Christmas Surprise by Kimberly Rose Johnson + #Giveaway
Merry Christmas! Are you ready? Thanksgiving took me by surprise, but I think I’m prepared for Christmas. I confess, I cut baking out of my schedule a few years ago, and that definitely takes the stress level way down. One thing I love to do during the holidays is read Christmas-themed books. Because I review […]
The Office Romance
With summer winding down, I’m finishing up a middle grade novella with our teenaged daughter, but I’m already gearing up to start my rough draft for my newest contemporary romance series, Surrendering Opinions. This will be a 6 book series about “The Connor Six,” sextuplets kept in the national spotlight because of tragedy. Each sibling […]
Stuck in the Middle
When I first took this picture in Holmes County, Ohio, last summer, I had many ideas about how to use it. The swampy muck invokes so many thoughts for a devotional, but since this is romance, I can make this picture tell a story about writing contemporary romance. At least I can share how this […]
Home Again, Home Again
One of the best books I read to help my writing was From the Inside Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you by Rachel Hauck and Susan May Warren. One of the many topics they cover are the different categories of romance plots that are out there. “Home Again, Home Again” is a […]