by Sarah Sundin On a chilly and blustery evening, my husband and I traipsed through a German gun emplacement in Jersey in the Channel Islands. I said to him, “Aren’t you glad I don’t write novels set in fussy tea rooms?” The look of horror on his face was priceless. Aspiring historical novelists often ask for my best tips on …
In Praise of Art Museums as Sources of Inspiration
by Glynn Young I’d heard that, as you age, you often become more interested in art. What I didn’t expect was to discover how that growing interest in art would affect my fiction writing. I wasn’t a stranger to art, but I can’t say it was a major preoccupation, either. I had two semesters of art history in college; I …
Waiting With Purpose
by Stephanie Cardel “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him…” ~Psalm37:7 (ESV) To me, the most difficult part of being a writer is all the waiting. At least, that’s what drives me mad. Not writer’s block. Not how competitive it is. Not rejection. Waiting. You put yourself out there and wait for critique, then an agent’s response, …
ACFW New Releases: February 2026
February 2026 New ReleasesMore in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website Children’s Middle Grade /Chapter: The Cowbird’s Truth by Erin Greneaux — What happens when the most dangerous enemy turns out to be yourself? Maya and Everly continue their quest to find the missing Virtue Gems, and this time, their greatest challenge may be each …
Balancing the Story, Bridging the Gap
by Aubrey Reiss Taylor @aubtaybooks I’m a bit of an anomaly when it comes to WWII fiction. From the start, I have passionately focused on German-Perspective stories, favoring characters and storylines that challenge stereotypes and turn the standard tropes on their heads. It’s not about denying ugly truths—it’s about sinking deep into their side of the story. The task of …
How Wall Street Taught Me to Write a Thriller
by Kristine Delano “For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.” Luke 8:17 I didn’t learn to write thrillers by studying crime scenes or participating in ridealongs. I learned by paying attention in boardrooms. Something happened years ago but the memory …
Writing Stuff (What You Need/What You Might Not)
by Susan Lyttek @SusanLyttek I have a stuff limit. I’m not exactly sure what it is, I simply know that after the house has acquired for a while, I reach a tipping point. Then I become mildly obsessed with decluttering, giving away, and tossing until things feel in balance again. It can be the same with writing stuff. Years ago, …
To Write with Purpose and Perseverance, Take a Page from the Magi’s Story
By Lana Christian @LanaCWrites The first half of Matthew 2 chronicles how the Magi found and worshipped the Christ Child. But Matthew ends their breathtaking story on a whispered footnote. Verse 12 says that, to avoid Herod, the Wise Men “returned home by a different route.” Our 21st-century minds tend to dismiss that as “they traveled a county road instead …
When Less is More
By Joni M. Fisher @authorjonimfisher Shakespeare said it best in Hamlet, “Brevity is the soul of wit.” Suggest, don’t tell all. Let the reader connect the dots. Great fiction is more like impressionist artwork than still photography. Beginning writers underestimate their ability to convey meaning, so they repeat a concept, explain it, or otherwise beat the reader over the head …
ACFW New Releases: January 2026
January 2026 New ReleasesMore in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website Action/Adventure: Fire Between Two Skies by R.F. Whong — Two eras. One relentless quest for truth amid desires and temptation. Across the centuries, two men are bound by parallel destinies that echo through time. Book 3 of this dual-time odyssey delves deep …