This summer, my town in Texas, USA has experienced 60+ days in a row of temperatures above 100 degrees. To say I’m ready for a reprieve is an understatement! This time of year, as I (im)patiently wait for the weather to turn lovely as fall creeps into the States, I always think about my book […]
Telltale Tropes + Giveaway
Mention tropes around a group of readers or writers and everyone seems to perk up a little. Folks often have strong opinions about the best and worst and readily give their opinion when asked. But what do our favorite tropes reveal about us? By definition, a trope is a particular theme an author uses in […]
What I Don’t Know (Could Hurt My Book)
I know all about love and moments that make your heart skip a beat. I’m familiar with the sights, sounds, and smells of Western North Carolina in every season. I can describe a variety of weather, characteristics, and emotions. So, when I’m writing a romance set in the Blue Ridge Mountains in the summer, I […]
First Lines and Fresh Starts
Recently, I started drafting a new contemporary Christian romance book, thus ending a writing break that had lasted several months. The time off provided exactly what I’d needed—a chance to rest my creative muscles and not feel the need to produce. It was a lovely respite, but I knew the time would come that the […]
Books That Make Us Think + Giveaway
Today in America is the National Day of Forgiveness. In a country where we’ve set aside days to celebrate trivial things like corned beef, scarves, and crushing cans (all also today!), I can actually get behind taking time to focus on forgiving others. Books, too, can serve as reminders for important themes that need attention […]
Series Covers That Make an Impression
Earlier this month, K. Leah shared about the evolving covers of her Finding Home Series in this post. I’ve always loved her beautiful, soft, romantic covers! It got me thinking about other series whose covers have made an impression. Like K. Leah, I have a professional background in graphic design and have designed all of […]
Romance Off the Page + Giveaway
Deemed the “month of love” by many, February often makes people think of romance, grand gestures, and happy endings. As readers and writers of romance, I think it’s safe to say most of us enjoy escaping into the picture-perfect pages of love found in CCR books. Sigh-inducing endings. Foot-popping kisses perfectly staged as snow begins […]
Mixed Emotions of Reading (& Writing) a Series + Pre-Order!
Last week, I revealed the cover of the fourth and final novel in my Laurel Cove Romance (LCR) Series. I’ll tell you more about that in a bit, but I’m as my series draws to a close, I’m dealing with a mixed bag of emotions. Since 2014, when I began to write Someplace Familiar, my […]