Every school year we pick a theme and as a family we memorize it. It’s framed and sits on our mantle. Once the year ends it’s moved to a shelf in the basement and is replaced by a new theme. Our 2018/2019 theme is “Don’t shine so others can see […]
Embarrassing moments
I have several stories from my childhood that my children think are so funny. Listening to them giggle over my mishaps makes me excited to someday work them into a book but for now I’ll share one with you so you can be an insider if it ever pops up […]
More Fun Feedback
Interesting to get feedback from different readers. Here’s another interview! Name: Nancy Larimer Where are you joining us from? I live in California. Let’s have a few “get to know you” questions first! How many books do you read on average a week? I read different amounts of books depending […]
Ravioli and Writing
Just the other night I sat on a bar stool in my kitchen as I watched my children and husband make homemade ravioli. I pitched in here and there but mostly I observed. It went something like this. The first batch of dough didn’t turn out right so they laughed […]
Another Fun Reader Interview
And here’s another fun interview with one of my readers. Enjoy! Name: Trisha Robertson Where are you joining us from? I’m joining you today from Michigan. Let’s have a few “get to know you” questions first! How many books do you read on average a week? I typically read 2-3 […]
Reader Interview!
I’ve done lots of interviews lately and thought it’d be fun to let someone else have the experience, so I sent this “interview” out to several readers with this note: “Follow the directions but don’t stress about any of it. it’s just for fun!!! Answer anything you want however you […]
Tyler Versus the Raccoon
We have a lazy tom cat that likes to sit on our back porch. He has a cushioned bench that is all his own and the kids feed him pretty much any time they notice his bowl is empty. We all love this cat. He’s the perfect cat in many […]
Greatest Writing Compliment EVER
I must warn you this post is going to be oddly vague and, for that I apologize, but there is no way around it. I am in the middle of a very stressful situation with one of my children. It’s messy and heartbreaking and stressful. For a few days I […]
Vulnerability
A few early copies of The Hope of Azure Springs are beginning to trickle out into the real world. It’s a strange feeling knowing that the words I labored over and lost many hours of sleep trying to get right are now being read by strangers that don’t know me. […]
Attention All Book Clubs
I LOVE book clubs. I’ve been in a few different ones over the years and not only did we enjoy talking about books but there was usually good food and great company. While my husband was working on his doctorate a group of the wives formed a book club. We’d […]
Subscribe Here!
I’m so excited to be putting together my first newsletter and I’d love it if you’d subscribe! As an added bonus, everyone who subscribes to my list gets my free mini-book The 6 Love Languages of Writing which I had fun writing. It gives a bit of insight not only […]
Behind Every Good Book There is a Sister
My title might not actually be true but in my experience writers need sisters and I am blessed to have multiple sisters. I remember feeling a little sheepish and silly admitting to anyone that I was trying to write a book. In fact I can remember lacing my fingers together […]
What in the World is Beta Reading?
I am so excited to welcome Kailee Diaz to my blog today. Though we have never met in person I consider her a friend. We both love babies and books. I think that makes us kindred spirits. She was good enough to read a manuscript I am working on and […]
Stepping into the Waters of Book Marketing
I don’t pretend to be an expert at anything bookish. In fact I’m learning as I go. Recently promotion for my debut has begun. I check my email every morning to see if there is anything from Revell’s fabulous marketing or publicity people. It’s kind of like checking to see […]
Restless Writer Syndrome
About: Very common among writers, particularly among those that are anxiously awaiting publication. Chronic: Can last for months or a lifetime (I hope not) Diagnosis: A friend or spouse will likely notice how often your train of thought wanders to bookish things. They’ll hear you counting down until release day […]
The Making of a Cover
Covers are so important. The way they look — the way they make us feel — can attract us to a new book. They can be the deciding factor in a sale. When we read a book we often refer back to the cover to get a sense of setting […]
Big News!
The Hope of Azure Springs was a one book deal. I didn’t expect more than that so I was nothing but excited. My editor and I got to work polishing it up and things went along like scheduled. Then we got talking about other books and ideas and she decided […]
Yoda-esque
I worry that sometimes people hear the beginning (because there’s still more to come) of my writing journey and think that I never met any discouragement along the way. While that would have been lovely, it is simply not true. Though I did not walk the unpublished road for a […]