Fiction
Falling in love without falling into bed
Several years ago I read a book called The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman that I immediately saw could not only help me in my day to day relationships with my husband, family and friends, but could help me in planning my plots and coming up with characterizations for my stories, especially since I…
Romantic Suspense
Jill Elizabeth Nelson here. I write romantic suspense. I do not write suspense. I do not write romance. It is romantic suspense. Well, I do write in other genres, but today’s blog is about a subgenre in which I’ve been published, and what differentiates it from related genres. So just what IS the difference between…
Using Stories to Reach Readers
by Ron Estrada I’ve undertaken a post in a new ministry in our United Methodist Church. It seems the Methodists are going through a transitional stage, a return to our roots so to speak. More for most of us, it’s a heavy sigh of relief. But it’s not just the UM Church undergoing a change,…
Guest Blogger: Meredith Efken on Advice for Newbie Fiction Writers
1) Don’t be in a hurry to submit work or query editors/agents. Learn the craft. Love the craft. Obsess about the craft. Aim to make your work art, not just “sellable.” 2) Educate yourself about the publishing industry, especially the fiction industry. Pay attention to what’s going on and how things work, and who’s who.…
Guest Blogger: DiAnn Mills When Characters become Friends
A mixture of emotions swept over me last week when my third and final book in the Texas Legacy Series stepped into the marketplace. I’ve grown to love these characters – everything about them. I love their stubborn moments, their victories, their defeats, the way they love, and even the way they hate. They fight…
Quick Fiction Fixes – Writer’s Voice, part six
We’re all busy, whether working full-time or chasing/chauffeuring kids around all day. Yet we’re also writers, striving to get our words on paper and then polish it to a sparkle. This column gives quick fixes for fiction manuscripts specifically for busy writers. Pick and choose what works best for you! Developing your writing voice, part…
Serenity Weekend
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! And what mom doesn’t need a serentiy weekend, time away to regroup and refresh for this wonderful rollercoaster we call motherhood! So to get you thinking about nourishing yourself (or the moms in your life) here’s so refreshing news from best selling author, Lisa Samson. Lisa Samson loves to nourish writers, face-to-face,…
Quick Fiction Fixes – Writer’s Voice, part five
We’re all busy, whether working full-time or chasing/chauffeuring kids around all day. Yet we’re also writers, striving to get our words on paper and then polish them to a sparkle. This column gives quick fixes for fiction manuscripts specifically for busy writers. Pick and choose what works best for you! Developing your writing voice, part…
Capturing Your Memories in a Journal
As parents, we follow our kids around with cameras trying to record those happy moments of childhood. Snap! First tooth. Snap! First steps. The milestones show up in baby books and photo albums (or for those of you less organized, like me, they show up in shoeboxes, with good intentions!). Yet even more important than…
A Goal Attained
Saturday I accomplished a life-long goal. My husband and I joined more than 30,000 of our closest friends (not!) and ran the Indianapolis mini-marathon. It was an amazing accomplishment to run 13.1 miles. Especially considering three months ago I’d taken a break from running. I don’t think I fully understand what I learned through this…