Today I put the finishing touches on a short story for Christmas. I’ll be shipping it in my newsletter by the end of the month. If you haven’t, be sure to subscribe to my free newsletter. Don’t miss “A Good Christmas.” The story is set in a small town in eastern Kansas in 1933, the …
Do you remember climbing your first tree? I climbed a small mimosa tree at my great aunties’ house when I was in early elementary school. I even tried to climb the big pines in their front yard while they watched, but was too small. Climbing a tree can give you a new perspective and a …
I was thrilled to be selected as one of seven semi-finalists in the American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Contest. The contest recognizes unpublished authors in several genres. The finalists and winner will be announced in mid-August. I’ll share more details after the winner is announced. (Can’t mention the title, etc., until the contest ends.) I …
I cranked out a new flash fiction story today. I will be publishing the next issue of the newsletter this week or next. I’m excited about the flash fiction piece. I decided to do something historical from the point of view of a child. I’ll be interested in reactions. Don’t miss it. Subscribe now. My …
Does a writer friend talks about NaNoWriMo, or the shortened version NaNo? Worried they are spouting lines from an ancient Mark and Mindy episode? Or you may suspect he or she is sleep deprived and jumbling words. Possible, but not the reason these mysterious terms are uttered. NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. A nonprofit organization by that …
I’ve been head down researching and outlining my next book, codenamed Warrior. Today, I tweaked the chapter outline one last time and plunged into writing the draft. I started at chapter 19. I’m trying an approach taught by James Scott Bell in his book Write Your Novel From the Middle. This approach starts with the …
Time swept by like a raging flood this month, carrying all my good intentions away. I planned to post another episode of Claire’s Story at the beginning of the month, followed by the final episode in the newsletter by the end of the month. But other things took priority. ACFW Conference I attended the American …
To celebrate a milestone for my historical novel Growing Up Ozark Poor, I am posting this photo. I don’t know who she is. She may be a relative from the Ozarks. I found the photo in a box containing my Grandmother’s genealogy records. However, it isn’t labeled. I love the look on her face and …
Feeling good about my progress on Growing Up Ozark Poor! So far I’m 66% complete on the Editing phase. I made it through one section of major rework. Have a couple more to do. My mantra is “Kill . . . show . . . deepen.” First, I seek to kill the passive voice. Second, …
Crafting my first novel is a learning experience. I’ve learned a lot about the publishing industry and have more to learn. I’ve also learned a lot about writing fiction. I give thanks for beta readers. Elaine, Rachel, Denise, Debbie, Brittney and Amy provided helpful feedback. My current editing pass (the fourth) will improve the characters, …