So, a couple of years ago, I heard about commonplace books again (something I vaguely remember being mentioned in my childhood--for reasons, I can't remember). So, I decided I wanted to do this. But how? Ronald Reagan's file boxes of index cards so tempted me. I mean, wow. How cool is that? I Continue Reading
So, Did I Find a Great New Series?
Like anyone, I love when I find a new author’s work, love it, and then discover there are half a dozen more books… in the same series! WOOT! It’s like my favorite thing. So, when I requested a review copy of Ashley Dawn’s Shadows from the Past, I might have squealed a bit when I saw the Continue Reading
The Best Thing about Motherhood Is Learning from My Kids
The Facebook post looked like one many of us have seen. A picture of toys and shoes strewn across the floor followed by the caption of a harried mother. The poster? My oldest daughter. She’s a wise girl. She’s also rather raw and “real” in the best sense usually. She’s human. She got that from Continue Reading
Why Would Grief Make You Dance with Jesus?
Why Would Grief Make You Dance with Jesus? I don’t know the answer to that. But I suspect it’s similar to why tears heal. Or, perhaps it’s just backwards—that when someone “dances with Jesus” in heaven, someone here grieves a loss. But Dance with Jesus claims to take the reader from grief to Continue Reading
How to Destroy Your Life in 3 Super-Easy Steps
I wanted this to be “Ella’s Best Tips for Creating an Exciting New Life.” And to be fair, when you have no memory of life at all, anything is exciting. I get that. Still, if anyone knows how to “reinvent” herself, it’s Ella. So, I sat down and talked to her. This was supposed to be an interview, but Continue Reading
What Happens When North Korea Puts You in Time Out?
The cursor winked at me. Mocked me. I’ll admit it, my head connected with the trackpad on my laptop. The cursor skittered across the page leaving spaces and a choppy mess of Bs and Vs in its wake. She stepped into my room and stood there. “What are you doing?” “Writing a book Continue Reading
How Do You Talk Your Best Friend Out of an Insane Idea?
He wasn’t supposed to be a major character. I pictured him sweet. Kind. The sidekick best guy friend who showed up to save the day now and then. Because everyone needs a sidekick best friend to save you from yourself, right? But the first thing Joel Hudson did was kick off an inciting event in Continue Reading
How a Dear Friend Inspired an Interesting Minor Character
I met her on a homeschool message board—one of those old-school things where great long multi-nested threads went on and on about everything from math curricula to that oh, so annoying, “But what about socialization?” question. She was a quiltmaker. So was I. She loved dressmaking. So did I. Continue Reading
How One Fluffy Read Betrayed Me & Why I’m Thrilled
The post promised a great historical read—FREE through Tuesday, August 14. Well, the last time Smitten Romance informed me (through a friend) that I’d love this “great historical book,” I’d found myself lost among the pages of Among the Poppies. So, I dashed off to Amazon. Then I saw it. Free for Continue Reading
When a Unique Premise Really Is Enough
A sign greeted us as we entered, but not just any sign. This four-foot silver-framed blackboard hinted at the amazingness within. It makes sense, actually, because it was the launch party for the Kingdom of Ruins, and we were about to enter “the lands within.” Author D.C. Marino knows how to Continue Reading
What Do You Do When You Release 2 Books on the Same Day?
Confession. This post was supposed to say something like “two months in a row.” And that would have been back in April! Then it became, “In the same week.” Yesterday, I thought it would be “Two Days in a row.” But no. Never to do things the ordinary way, I would be the one who just happened to Continue Reading
What I Loved about These Books & How I Fail at Specials
The place? Facebook—Avid Readers of Christian Fiction. The thread? Got no clue. I can’t remember what the thread was about anymore. But something about it caught my attention, and I began scrolling through the pictures posted by readers who wanted to share their suggestion. Or, maybe it was one Continue Reading
