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It’s the Little Things
“The Lord is with you, while you are with Him; and if you seek Him, He will be found of you.” –2 Corinthians 15:2 The other day my sister called me at noon. I wasn’t expecting the call. In fact, I had a whole day of plans already mapped out. But she was in town…
Time Management 101: Deadlines
How to handle deadlines! 1. My family used to MOAN during deadline month. They basically never saw Mom. For the last few books I’ve been trying spread out the deadlines. I schedule in daily writing times for every project through the months, and I do my best to meet those goals. If I can accomplish…
What are you passionate about?
Your husband? Hopefully. Your kids? Yes. God. YES! What about the stuff you do in your daily life? Can you honestly say you’re following your passions? This is a quote from Debbie Macomber’s book Knit Together. If you haven’t read it I highly recommend it. It’s about Debbie’s journey to becoming a NY Times Best-selling…
The Battle We Can’t See
If you’re like me, you most likely get pulled in multiple directions on a daily basis. Interruptions abound and your self-identity is as apparent and flittering as the steam on the bathroom mirror. And that’s if you even got a shower that day. You’re a mother, a wife, someone’s assistant-boss-you fill in the blank, the…
Truffles by the Sea
Truffles by the Sea is Julie Carobini’s second offering. I loved this book! Gaby, Bri’s best friend from Chocolate Beach (mom lit and another great read), is the star of this book, and her life is a mess! I can’t think of one more thing that could go wrong in this poor woman’s life! Her…
Quick Fiction Fixes – Show don’t tell emotions, part 2
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! Show don’t tell: Writing emotions…
Valentine Help for the Romantically Impaired
No doubt many of you have husbands who are quietly planning a Valentine’s Day Extravaganza that will sweep you off your feet and make you fall in love all over again. This post is not for you. This post is for the rest of us, who are married to guys who are barely aware that…
Time Management 101: Get a Puppy!
Before I get into the meat of “how I do it all” I just wanted to add this to the last tip… If you really, really want to get a lot of writing done, get a dog to lay on your feet. Last January, we got a new puppy–1/2 Scottie, 1/2 Pomeranian. He was tiny…
Violence Against Women
Okay, now that the title of this post has snagged your attention, here’s an issue I wrestle with in my own writing. How do you feel about portraying violence against women? A rape scene, a beating, a murder. I would imagine the answer will differ between the sexes and what end of the writing you’re…
Kisses From Heaven
Some days are filled with kisses from heaven. Those times you can catch the heartbeat of God, feel the breath of His approval, sense the longing of His gentle correction. At our Catlett Christmas, I got a very vivid reminder that this dream of writing is a gift straight from His heart that He has…