After months of figuring out ambiguous clues in Fine Print, deciding they were too obscure, adding a bit more clarity, removing clarity, and adding a bit more in again, you’d think the last thing I’d want is a new mystery to read. Yeah. Not hardly. I found myself digging through page after page Continue Reading
Book Reviews
3 Compelling (if Ridiculous) Reasons to Avoid This Author
So Wednesday morning, at o’dark-thirty, I got horrible news. The day only got worse from there. What began with a publishing mess morphed into a missed deadline, compounded into wasted time, and finally ended with a helpful reminder email.You’ve got a book review due.Drat!If it didn’t mean Continue Reading
3 Delightful Things You’ll Love about Phoebe’s Light
“I’m a Quaker.” To be honest, I hadn’t thought of people being Quakers anymore, but there she was, a girl from my town walking to school talking about being a Quaker right then in 1986! I tended to think of Quakers as historical figures. William Penn. Dolly Madison. Then I thought of Benjamin Continue Reading
What Happens to Your Life When the Word Is the Standard
We sat across from each other in the booth at Denny’s. While she looked at the menu and chatted about something funny she saw on Facebook, I second-guessed my decision to get her opinion on my dilemma. What I had to ask wouldn’t be popular—even with someone as clearly committed to Biblical thinking Continue Reading
What’s Wrong with This Sequel & How to Fix It?
I remember everything my favorite music teacher taught me about music. Odd, though, I don’t remember her name or anything she told me about my own playing, but about music, I remember. I can hear her as if I’m still standing in her little studio, violin tucked under my chin, wrist hanging from the Continue Reading
The First Just the Write 10 Best Novel Awards
“Who won the Christy Award?” “I don’t know, but did you hear who won the Carol Award?” “Nope—but I did hear that… oh, what’s his name. The guy who wrote that one about the cult living in a New York high rise? He won the Illumination Award!” “And my favorite author won the Christian Book Continue Reading
3 Reasons Why You’ll Love Lead a Merry Dance
April Hayman sat across from me at Denny’s, planning her next novella in The Christmas Lights Collection: Making Spirits Bright. “I think I’m going to make this year’s novella about Trip going on a cruise— a honeymoon cruise.” The words got my attention. I mean who doesn’t love the idea of a Continue Reading
Why I Wanted to Love Solve by Christmas More Than I Did
“Well, did you finish it?” How I didn’t want to answer the question. When I did, she’d ask if I liked it. But, I couldn’t exactly say no, and anything other than yes would be deception—a lie anyway. I just didn’t want to answer. “Chautona? Did you finish it?” I tried not to show my thoughts Continue Reading
What the Dickens Is So Merry about This Christmas Novel?
The book cover appeared in my newsfeed on several sites. Facebook. Instagram. Twitter. In a Facebook group, someone mentioned it. 12 Days at Bleakly Manor. As much as I love them, I don’t often buy Christmas books. I just write them. Weird, I know. But the minute I saw the cover, I knew I’d buy Continue Reading
So, What about Romance makes Annie Want to Run?
The synopsis glowed at me from my laptop. Reality TV star. Golden, glittering life crashing down around her. Running away. Finding an Amish inn. Meeting new friends. Unique, interesting. Of course, the title made me nervous—Runaway Romance. With a title like that, it’d have sap and mush… Continue Reading
What I Loved about The Heart of an Agent
My family were the Pinkertons—the detectives.” I’ll admit it. When my friend told me that, I just kind of nodded. I’d never heard of “the Pinkertons.” It took about two minutes and the help of Google to get a feel for what it was all about—a super-cool detective agency that worked more as Continue Reading
5 Reasons to Read These Wonderful Austen-Inspired Novellas
A few months ago, I got an email from my “Regency expert.” The woman I go to with any Regency question. Her question? Did I want to take a look at her Mansfield Park inspired Christmas story? Let’s see… my favorite Austen heroine and her misunderstood sweetheart? YES! I’ve been waiting for Continue Reading
