There is so much wisdom and wise counsel in the book of Proverbs. Like many believers, I spend time a lot of time in this book. Sometimes a single verse or a few verses grabs my attention. Other times, I’ll read an entire chapter. Often, what I read will speak …
In the fall of 2021, I posted a blog with the title “Be a Giver.” As I pondered a blog for this week, this blog came to mind. I believe God is telling me to refresh it and repost it. We are entering the time of year when giving seems …
This is the latest in a periodic series about the common obstacles writers face. Both experienced and newbie authors deal with building characters who are believable and real enough for the reader to want to follow for several hundred pages. For some writers, this can be the most challenging obstacle …
While I was waiting for direction, life interrupted.
This week, I want to discuss ways we can improve our stories. One instructor called it “Spiffing up our writing,” and it works for me. One definition of spiffing up means composing and revising stories that draw the reader into the world we’re creating. How do we do that? We …
I’ve shared in other posts how I receive inspiration for a story. The most common way is from an image that pops into my mind. Many times, I can’t remember what I was doing, reading, thinking when the idea came to me. I gave up asking myself, “Where did that …
Today, I’m sharing the first page of a story from another brave author, who shall remain anonymous. Thank you, bold author for taking a risk to seek feedback on your story. The story is set in 1970 and describes a soldier returning from Vietnam. What follows is the original as …
In my last blog, I wrote about reassessing where we are in our life journey. Click here. When we consider our writing life, it’s easy to focus on the negative things, the hard things. As I reassessed, I also thought of the good things about being a writer. Thus, the …
I’ve been doing a lot of contemplating and pondering lately. About my writing. About life. About God. About making changes. Not really at a crossroads, but definitely a time of reassessment. Why? What’s the point? For me, it’s about getting priorities straight and getting myself right with God. I’m learning …
This week, I’m posting a book review, something I haven’t done in a while. The book is A Sunlit Weapon by Jacqueline Winspear. I give this novel five stars. It is the 17th in the Maisie Dobbs series. Once again, Ms. Winspear does not disappoint us. The story opens with …
