Have you ever started a book and then it ends up changing directions in the middle or ends different from what you expected? I have this habit of trying to predict what I think will happen in a book, and it’s fun when the author proves me wrong. There are so many things that can […]
When Life Puts Clouds in Your Way
A few weeks ago, we were hit with one of those series of events where it felt like everything you’d worked for came to a crashing halt. We were hit on every front from health issues to financial fallout. All I wanted to do was fix it. I spent hours trying to figure out a […]
There Once was a Horse
Some of you may recognize this guy. For those who don’t know him, meet Hoss. Hoss is a blind quarter horse that I rescued two years ago. He’s the main inspiration for my upcoming Love Inspired book, THE COWGIRL’S LAST RODEO. I thought I’d share a little excerpt with you today to honor Hoss. This […]
(Re)writing the story
As an author, I don’t always get the story right the first time. In that aspect, writing often reminds me a lot of life in general. We start out thinking we know what is going to happen next, but then the characters (or life) throw us a curveball and we adjust our path to compensate. […]
New Release and a Giveaway!
I love new releases, whether they’re my own or another author. This week, I get to celebrate the release of Waiting on the Tides, and I’m offering a giveaway of one ebook copy of the book. Waiting on the Tides is my final story in the Independence Islands series, and while I’m sad to say […]
What is The End?
What is The End? I love how a simple phrase can have multiple meanings, and it brings us different emotions depending on the situation. When I’m writing, I love when I reach the end, especially if my characters have fought me throughout the entire story. When I’m reading, I might be sad to reach the […]
It’s a Reader Thing
When I first started writing, I had never really considered words like tropes or story arc. As a reader, I read what I enjoyed and didn’t consider the structure behind the story. That all changed when I began bringing my own stories to life and I learned–boy did I learn–that there was so much involved […]
Overcoming Adversity
Today has been one of those days where all I want to do is curl up with a book and read for a few years. I’m sure you all know what I’m talking about, and I won’t bore you with the details of what all went wrong today. And in the grand scheme of things, […]
My First Book
I’m sure that I’m not the only person who has a memory bank of firsts. When talking books, I still remember the very first book that I ever read. I was four and the book was Three Billy Goats Gruff, if you were wondering. I also remember the first contemporary Christian romance book that I ever read. […]
What Makes Characters Great?
What makes characters great? (And I don’t mean great as in a great person, though that’s a fun conversation too. I’m talking about writing characters who could walk off the page and into real life.) I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately as I work on another story. I’ve learned over the years of […]