by Roxanne Hicks My husband and I live on the edge of the Rocky Mountain range and are blessed with abundant wildlife which also call this home. On any given day, we’re likely to watch a variety of animals scamper, or amble, through our pastures. One morning while sipping my coffee, I witnessed a good-sized flock of wild turkeys pick …
Small Things
by Lisa Kelley @LisaKelleyWrite Sometimes, it can seem nearly impossible to find time to put words on the screen. If you have a full-time job like me, the hours you have to devote to writing may be few. Often, I set aside my vacation time as dedicated writing hours. Such was my plan this past December. I struggled last year …
Five Tips for the Tight Pacing That Will Engage Your Reader
by Allie Pleiter Every writer’s goal is to engage and enthrall their reader. We want them pulled deeply and quickly into the story so that they can’t wait to turn the page. Accomplish this, and you’ll have won a loyal fan who not only follows you to the end of your story, but eagerly await your next book. But how …
Travel and Fiction—An Awesome Duo
by Marguerite Martin Gray Are you an avid traveler? I’m an avid traveler and reader. These activities easily go hand in hand in my life. If anyone says “Let’s go!” I’m there with my bags packed and full of enthusiasm. It really doesn’t matter the destination—local, state, national, or international. I’ll lead or follow as long as I’m going. Traveling …
Redemption Arcs
By Diane E. Samson Do you find certain themes popping up in your work? In writing for young adults, themes such as self-discovery, love and acceptance often emerge from the pages. But my favorite is a good redemption story. No matter the genre, if there’s a lost character who finds his way, I’m all in. (I’m looking at you Ebenezer …
Visible Virtues: Tangible Temperance
by Christine Sunderland @Chrisunderland Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent for many Christians. It is a day when we act out what we believe to be true, that we will live and we will die and we will be resurrected by Christ. And so an ashen cross is drawn on the forehead as we hear the words, …
Engaging Book Clubs with Engaging Discussion Questions
by Sarah Sundin @sarahsundin As readers, we delight in socializing with fellow book-lovers. As writers, we delight in connecting with readers. The continuing popularity of book clubs provides an opportunity for authors. By crafting engaging questions about your novel, you can help book clubs have amazing discussions that build community and love of story. Since I belonged to a book …
How My Novel Originated in the Family Bible
by Glynn Young @gyoung9751 When I was young child, I asked my father what the package was that sat on a shelf in his closet. It was wrapped in brown grocery bag paper and tied with twine. “That,” he said, “is the family Bible, and one day it will be yours.” That day came during a visit home to New …
A Writer’s Perspective on the Benefits of Chaos, Bedlam and Scandal
By Roxanne Hicks When a younger writer, I hesitated to plunge my characters into perilous events. Like a doting mother, I dressed everyone in clean clothing and admonished them to stay out of the mud. Scandalous outings, unscrupulous friends, and disgusting habits were a taboo. A writing coach asked me, “Where is the excitement or conflict in your story if …
Chasing Perfect Optimism
by M.D. House @real_housemd Jesus was an optimist. That seems a trite thing to say, doesn’t it? It was easy for him to be positive all the time, right? He was the Messiah, for heaven’s sake. He had a direct line to God, and angels were on call to help him. And yet, he often wept—not just for what was …