Go… go… GO! Get the—” A hand claps over my mouth. Red faces all around me. Glares. Snickers. Angry fans who turn to give me their .02 until they realize I’m five. Yeah. I was rooting for the wrong team. You know… my brother is playing for one. We’re on “our” side of the bleachers. But Continue Reading
Book Reviews
What Happens When You Find Yourself in a Book?
The page turned before I realized that I’d done the turning. Another. Another. On those pages, I saw a girl I used to know—one passionate for the Lord and His people. I recognized her indignation at injustice and her inconsistencies. Another page turned. And another girl—I recognized myself Continue Reading
What Book Jumped to the Top of my 2018 Wish List?
How the conversation with myself goes when I have a book I've been dying to read. Me: Just one more chapter. Conscience: Why? You know how it’s going to play out. Me: Because it doesn’t feel like I know. Conscience: That makes no sense. Besides, you have a novella to Continue Reading
The Hard Truth about “The Return”: My Biased Review
So what do you do when you have three books due, one to edit, a filthy house, and a year’s planning to consider when you remember that you are supposed to review a book. By tomorrow. What? You spend the evening reading a book, of course. It’s kind of natural to have one eye on the clock or Continue Reading
What Did I Think of Wounded in the Church?
We looked at each other, the Bible verses, and back at each other. Kevin sighed. I wanted to cry. And to be honest, I regretted ever diving into studying that particular theological position. If we acknowledged and embraced it. Our lives would change forever. Hours later, in the darkness of our Continue Reading
Have You Ever Wondered What Inspires a Novel?
A few years ago, I joined the “Blogging for Books” program with Multnomah. Every few weeks, I’d get an email from Liz Johnson or another gal (I want to call her Abby), offering a new book to read. And when Liz left there to become an author, she sent me (and I assume others) an email thanking me for Continue Reading
What Book Is So Fantastic That I Read It Twice in a Row?
Prince Edward Island Dreams. Well titled. The page rustled as I turned to read the last words. Satisfying—not just in that everything worked out the way I thought it should, but the deeper, richer elements coming together at the right moment… not just some moment. I set it down, my thumb swiping Continue Reading
My Top 10 Anticipated Summer Reads & Why They Made the Cut
Every day it seems—twice a day, even. The post appears on Facebook, Instagram, even Twitter. “Show us your TBR pile!” Also, for those who've managed to avoid all that internet speak, “TBR,” just means to be read. Beautiful pictures of stacks of books… They make my heart sing. Oh, they do. But they Continue Reading
Why Finding Love Surprised and Delighted Me
The other day, someone asked me if I knew of a good, quick read or three she could take on a summer trip. Her criteria? “It needs to be a quick read—preferably with a realistic romance. But not just a clean romance. I want some solid faith in there, too.” She doesn’t ask for much, right? Look, Continue Reading
3 Important Things You’ll Find in My Favorite Books
The scent of books mingled with coffee lures you in through the doors. You wander down past the array of clearance items, gift bags, goofy book-themed gifts, and hit the discount racks. Bestsellers. Science Fiction. Mystery. After wandering through the rows of beautiful “repurposed trees” for a Continue Reading
What Book Would Make the Best Last Literary Meal?
Okay, let me just be super transparent here, okay? Last meal. When I saw that question on this week’s blog challenge, I kept wanting to ask, “What do you know that I don’t?” It’s strange. I’ve never been afraid of death. Okay, I’m not so keen on the dying part. Not unless I get to do something Continue Reading
How the Most Annoying Pet Peeves Inspire the Best Stories
I have a secret to share. Better listen closely, because I'll only admit to this once. The ghosts of authors past will haunt me in my nightmares if I dare to do this as it is. But you see, authors aren't just hyper-creatives who crack open the rooms of their imaginations and allow you a glimpse Continue Reading
