Today I’m delighted to introduce you to my new friend Brandy Vallance. Her debut novel The Covered Deep released recently, and I read it after my friend Kristy Cambron raved about it. After I read it, I understood why. This book is an adventure novel in the lines of Indiana Jones or Romancing the Stone. Bianca, the heroine, is selected …
Meditations: A Spacious Place
As I was looking through my blog, I rediscovered this post. I love how God will use my writing to challenge me. I originally wrote this at the very end of October 2012. A few things have changed in my life since then. I’ve written a couple more books. I’ve been earning another degree. I’ve made the decision about my …
The Daughter of Highland Hall
If you’re a fan of Downton Abbey, you should read Carrie Turansky’s books. The Daughter of Highland Hall is the second of her books in the Edwardian Brides series, but stands on its own. At its essence it is a story of a young woman who is pressed by expectations so high there is no way she can meet them. …
Notes to My 14-Year-Old
In my life, I have received many gifts. Five I treasure are my husband and our four children. Recently our oldest turned 14. It’s a magical time. A time of self discovery. A time of owning our faith. A time of anticipation. Believe it or not, I well remember those days. They are days of transition. Days of confusion. Days …
On My Nightstand
I’ll be the first to tell you I have eclectic taste. That means I read pretty widely, across genres. Sure I have my go to genres, but I don’t exclusively read in one or another. Today my nightstand is loaded with several different books that I’ve started, but with classes as demanding as they are right now, I don’t have …
Jane Austen Flair: Giveaway A Lady at Willowgrove Hall
Sarah Ladd is a delightful author of British Regency romances. A Lady at Willowgrove Hall is her latest book — and a great addition to your library. When you open the cover, you’ll travel back to 1819 Darbury, England, and two people each carrying a dark secret…ones they can’t expose. But unless they do, they can’t find love. Sarah has …
Thoughts on Bravery
At different times different themes seem to appear in my life. Right now I am surrounded by people who are called to be braver than they ever imagined. The dictionary defines brave as: ready to face or endure danger or pain; showing courage. None of the people I’m thinking of think of themselves as brave. In fact they would probably tell …
The Promised Land
The last week, I’ve been wiped out — had a cough that steals my sleep and a complete lack of voice. I don’t do sick well…life never seems to stop for it. But I’ve tried. Really I have. I’ve also been thinking. God’s been pushing open doors in all areas of my life this month. It’s pretty exciting — if …
Collection Collaborations: 4 Tips to a Successful Book
I love working with other writers on a collection. There’s such an energy that develops as we work together, bouncing ideas and details off each other, an energy that is hard to replicate in a solo project. So why did it work?
Before Amen: a Fresh Look at Prayer
My Review: I am a woman who knows she should pray more. The doing it is the challenge. Max Lucado brings a fresh perspective filled with child-like faith to the study of prayer in his new book before amen. That’s what struck me about the book. The way Max Lucado highlights the true father-child relationship of prayer. I read passages …