What are you reading right now?

Carareviews;, YA 6 Comments

I’m often sharing books I’ve read or am reading with you. Last week I read Randy Singer’s Directed Verdict (Amazing legal thriller!), Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore (A YA This Present Darkness), The Girl in the Glass by the amazing Susan Meissner (FANTASTIC!!!!! and preorder it now for its September release), and First Date by Krista McGee (very fun YA with …

Have I Disappeared?

Carafaith thoughts, life; faith Leave a Comment

What a question to ask, right? Have I disappeared? Am I living my life in a way that when people look at me they don’t really see me? Instead, they see fruit in my life that points them straight to my Savior? That what they do see of me is offered as a sacrifice to for my King’s glory? I’m …

Summer Reading Suggestions

Carareviews; Leave a Comment

It’s the time to grab books and head to the pool. Last week, I read two books in very different genres. Bonnie Calhoun’s novel Cooking the Books is a very enjoyable debut novel in the P.I. genre. Lena Nelson Dooley’s Maggie’s Journey is an engaging historical romance. Sloane Templeton’s life is chaos in Cooking the Books. Her mom’s died, she’s …

Pressing the “Hot Buttons”

Caraguest post, life; faith, Parenting Leave a Comment

Today I’m delighted to turn over my blog to my good writing bud Nicole O’Dell. I love her heart for tweens and teens. And my daughter adores her writing. Today she’s here to share a bit about a new series of books I’m excited to see…these books explore Hot Button issues. The ones we as parents can’t ignore and the ones …

Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan

CaraUncategorized Leave a Comment

At our house right now, my tweens are racing through Andrew Klavan’s books. Here’s what my daughter says: Crazy Dangerous is a well-written thriller. Sam is a regular boy who finds himself in extraordinary circumstances. He just wants to be a normal kid, but not pushed around anymore. Jennifer is a school mate with some type of mental illness. She …

Scavenger Hunt Stop #3

Caraauthor interviews, recipe 48 Comments

    The first ever Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt has ended and the grand prize winner, who will collect 23 new Christian novels with a value of over $250, is Elisabeth Scherer!      The winner of my drawing for a copy of After All is Shondra Brown! Your book is on the way, Shondra! Thanks to all who entered!     It’s too late to enter the …

Three Tips for Creating Compelling Characters

Carawriting advice 5 Comments

I don’t know about you, but characters often make or break a story for me.  As a writer, I try to remember what makes some characters and their stories more compelling for me than others.  Here are a few tips I try to keep in mind as I write based on the characters that I love to read about again …

Getting Our Facts Right…

Cararesearching, writing advice 6 Comments

I’m bringing this one back. Getting research right is so important. Our readers care. My friend Julie Lessman recently had a great post on this at the ACFW blog. So Recently, I received some really amazing feedback for one of my historicals A Promise Forged. First, you need to know a little about the story, set in 1943: When Kat …