March 2015 New Releases More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website. Contemporary Romance: 8 Weddings and a Miracle Romance Collection by Janet Lee Barton, Lena Nelson Dooley, Nancy J. Farrier, Pamela Griffin, Diann Hunt, Loree Lough, Tracie J. Peterson, Sandra Petit and Gail Sattler — Weather the storms of life alongside nine …
Correct Order
By Lynn Hobbs Usually, I write and edit one book or one short story at a time before beginning another. Like some authors, I have a lot of interruptions. In trying to allow for a smooth transition to ‘jump back to where I left off’ in whatever I am writing, I list ideas I want to consider before I stop. …
What I learned about writing from Samson’s Dad
By Melissa Tagg When I was a kid we had these VHS tapes of animated Bible stories. We watched them over and over. The one I remember most? Samson. And I think the reason I remember it so well is every time I watched it I had a crazy hope that it’d turn out differently. That Samson would be smarter. …
Distractions and Curiosity
by Ramona Richards I ran late with this blog post because distractions seem to be a rule of thumb at work right now. We’ve had a lot of transitions, and I’ve taken over the Christian Living line as well as the fiction line. Finding my way with new projects, many already in progress, has been slightly chaotic. In addition, I’ve …
Telling vs. Showing
By Bonnie S. Calhoun Telling vs. showing has always been one of the great debates of modern fiction writing. Telling an emotion feels detached and impersonal, and keeps the reader at arms length, by not sharing the emotion with them. To draw your readers into the new world, to make them feel what the characters feel is the goal of …
Conference Season Ahead
By Donna Schlachter As writers, we spend many hours in solitude, pecking away at the keyboard, looking up information on the Internet, or researching at the library. Conference season gives us the chance to come out of the office and get with like-minded writers. Depending on where you live, how much time you have available, and how much money you …
Mzungu
By Shirley Gould As a missionary in Kenya, East Africa, I was affectionately called an mzungu. (To say it properly, hum the m, then say zoon goo.) When I asked my Kenyan guard what that meant, he would laugh nervously and shy away. When he would pass by, I would ask again, “What is an mzungu?” He would say “Oh …
What’s True Love?
By C.E. Hilbert “And wuv, tru wuv, will fowow you foweva… So tweasure your wuv.” The Princess Bride (1987) I adore this quote from the cult classic Princess Bride. But, really what is “true love“? Is it the feeling that a mother has for her newborn? Is it that moment when you realize that your life is incomplete without another …
Can Readers See Your Heart?
By Lisa Godfrees As writers, it’s safe to say that we all have a heart for a good story. Otherwise, why do we write? And why would writers be some of the most avid readers? As Christian authors, what we give our readers has to be more than a great story. People read Christian fiction because of the hope it …
How to Create and Cultivate Community
By Emilie Hendryx I can’t help but draw similarities between life as a Christ follower and life as a writer. They both take dedication, belief, creativity, and community among other things. It’s that last one that I really want to draw out though. Community: A group of people holding a particular characteristic in common. I’m part of a church plant …