Book Talk: Toni Shiloh Listen to the episode with Toni Shiloh Life doesn’t always go the way we want it to. If you’ve lived any amount of time, then you know that. What I love about Toni Shiloh‘s novels with Bethany House is that they are spiritual or Hollywood fairy tales. They capture that idea of finding a prince or …
Looking for Something to Read? Reviews and Giveaway
Looking for Something to Read? If you’re like me, then you probably always have at least one, if not two, three or four books that you are reading. Many days that’s one or two audiobooks. One or two novels and one or two nonfiction titles. I’m always reading as well as writing. It’s really like breathing. Then when I find …
Book Talk: DiAnn Mills
Book Talk: DiAnn Mills Listen to the episode with DiAnn Mills It is my absolute delight to introduce you to my writing friend DiAnn Mills. I met DiAnn at my very first ACFW in 2005 when I attended one of the workshops on plotting and brainstorming. I have loved her and her books ever since. In this episode, we talk …
Avoiding the comparison trap?
One of the things I’ve been piloting in my day job is a program for graduating senior women to help them with the transition from college student to first job and the first six months. This week we met for our first Zoom session post graduation. Beyond it being wonderful to see these young women who I’ve invested so much …
Book Talk: Crystal Caudill and Angela Ruth Strong
Book Talk: Crystal Caudill and Angela Ruth Strong Listen to the episode with Crystal Caudill and Angela Ruth Strong Have you ever wondered what it’s like to write in a novella collection when the authors intentionally connect the stories closely? That’s exactly what Crystal Caudill, Angela Strong, and I did for our collection We Three Kings which releases in September …
Book Talk: Kathleen Denly
Book Talk: Kathleen Denly Listen to the episode with Kathleen Denly Today it is a pleasure to introduce you to my writing friend Kathleen Denly. Her historical fiction is set in 1850s San Diego County California, and you’ll enjoy getting to learn more about her passion for discovering little-known aspects of California’s history and transforming it into a story. We …
Book Talk: DiAnn Mills
Book Talk: DiAnn Mills Listen to the episode with DiAnn Mills It is my absolute delight to introduce you to my writing friend DiAnn Mills. I met DiAnn at my very first ACFW in 2005 when I attended one of the workshops on plotting and brainstorming. I have loved her and her books ever since. In this episode, we talk …
Characters: Slides from ACFW workshop
This post includes the slides I used in the June 12, 2023, Characters: Making Them Unique workshop for ACFW. If you would like to have me speak at your event, please contact me through this form. Resources/books I referenced: Lethal Intent by Cara Putman Across the Shores by Cara Putman, Carolyn Miller, Angela Couch and Kelly Goshorn Beyond Justice by …
Book Talk: Rachel Hauck
Book Talk: Rachel Hauck Listen to the episode with Rachel Hauck Connecting with my friend Rachel Hauck is always a joy, and it’s always a delight to have her on Book Talk. This episode is no different. When we hit record, you get to eavesdrop on our conversation about stories as art and characters as joy. Rachel starts with a …
7 Tips for Book Club Success
As I continue to write books, one of the things I’ve been thinking about lately is how can I as a writer interact more with book clubs? I love the dynamic that occurs when book lovers start talking about a book they’ve all read. There is something magical about watching readers interact with my characters and story. It’s a mix …








