The email drops in my inbox, and just from the subject line, I know what's coming. It's usually something innocuous enough like, "I just had a question about your books" or "Something's been bothering me..." There's really no indicator, but it's like I've developed a "Spidey sense" about it or Continue Reading
5 Ways to Ruin a Good Book
Ever tried to enjoy something and the person next to you couldn't resist telling you EVERYTHING wrong with it? Yeah. Me, too. What does this have to do with how to ruin good books? Well... imagine sitting in a room with me. I'm reading a book. I huff. I grunt. Oh, and I almost scream Continue Reading
What I Learned from a Quick Heart-to-Heart with Willow
Every day I get half a dozen emails about Willow asking questions, making observations, and begging for more. For those who have taken the time to encourage me, I really want to thank you! It’s so cool to open my email and see, “I want to BE Willow.” It assures me that I’ve accomplished my goal– Continue Reading
Time to Expand Horizons…
A friend did one of those "States I've Visited" things on Facebook today. I decided to check it out myself. I was curious just how many I'd seen. That's where it got interesting... I've seen a lot more than I thought I had! WOOT! Create Your Own Visited States MapSo, I got to wondering... Continue Reading
3 Reasons to read Youth Fiction
Last Monday, I wandered through Barnes and Noble. Okay, I confess, I was wandering a bit aimlessly because I was disappointed. After so many people finding Deepest Roots of the Heart at their Barnes and Noble stores, I really hoped to see it at "ours" (in quotes because let's face it: a store 90 Continue Reading
A HearthLand in Review
I wanted to take things back several episodes and give everyone a chance to catch up to where we are with HearthLand. So, this week, we're going to give away Episodes 19 and 20. Episode 19 will be free all day today (Monday), and Episode 20 will be free tomorrow (Tuesday). In Episode 19: Wedding Continue Reading
What’s the Big Idea? : Or 5 Ways I Get Inspired
I love getting emails from readers, and this week I got one from Kim asking about where I get my ideas. She wrote: I loved your Past Forward series - I was hooked from page 1. I have all the books in the Hearthland series so far but just started reading it last night. I hated having to wait for Continue Reading
Sarah Price’s “The Matchmaker”: New Release
I'm excited to share Sarah Price's latest release, The Matchmaker! And a PERFECT day for it since today happens to be my wedding anniversary (not to be mistaken for my marriage anniversary. hee hee)! I just finished the book and I really think she did a fabulous job of combining Austen's Emma with Continue Reading
Lizards in Holland? WHAT?
I don't know about you, but as a desert dweller, when I hear "lizard garden" and Amsterdam in the same sentence, it seems a little... incongruous. So, when author Anne E. Phillips (who happens to be a dear friend of mine) wrote a children's novel, The Lizard Garden, that takes place in The Continue Reading
Meet Ella & See What the Editor Says about Her
Today we have Christy the wonder assistant-slash-editor to give you her take on one of the first books she edited for me! Ella has a special place in many of my readers' hearts, and Christy is no exception. I did the editing for None So Blind, so for that reason alone, it holds a special Continue Reading
Romance: What’s the Point?
People who know me personally, know that I'm not much of a romantic. In fact, as much as I don't like to admit it, in Austen's Pride and Prejudice, I am probably most akin to Charlotte Lucas who said in the 1995 A&E film adaptation, "I'm not romantic, you know. I never was." In fact, I Continue Reading
Preach It, Baby! Uh, no. Don’t. Just Don’t.
One of the best compliments I get is when someone sends me an email or leaves a review that says, "I like how your books are clean and point us to Jesus, yadda yadda yadda, but are not preachy." So what's so bad about preachy Christian fiction? (I'm a Christian fiction author, for cryin' out Continue Reading
