By Dana R. Lynn “You’re an author? How exciting! What’s your new book called?” “Deadly Amish Reunion.” When people ask me what I write, I used to feel odd telling them that I wrote Amish fiction, mostly Amish suspense. Sometimes their faces would light up. Other times, it was obvious they were trying not to roll their eyes. People are …
Straddling the Fence
By Donna Wichelman Mathew 6:24 –“ No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth” (NASB). If you are a Christian and a fiction author, perhaps you have squirmed over marrying the two identities and branding …
It Came Upon A Midnight Clear…
By Allie Pleiter When I set out to write a book about an “imperfect Christmas,” I had no idea how far from ideal the Christmas of 2020 would be. To be honest, it’s probably an overstatement to say I set out to write His Christmas Wish. It never really happens in such a deliberate way. Books reveal themselves to me. …
A Fresh Outlook
By Loretta Eidson Life has a way of clouding our vision. We get caught up in caring for family and long workdays juggling multiple responsibilities. In addition, many of us must get kids off to school or prepare for weeks of homeschooling. Housework, laundry, and yard work. We go through the mail, pay bills, and balance checkbooks. Did I mention …
A Balancing Act
by Shirley Gould Lately, life has been a balancing act as the coronavirus ended life as we know it and we faced major changes. Covid-19 caught us off-balance—totally unprepared. We have quarantined, worked from home, educated our children, and watched businesses close. Now we are social distancing, washing our hands, and wearing masks…and it’s not over yet. As writers of …
Inspiring Quotes for Wavering Writers (and Everybody Else)
By Frank DiBianca Writing a novel is not a piece of cake nor is publishing one. And the better we want it to be, the harder it is. But it is one of the most fulfilling and rewarding adventures we will ever embark on. Sometimes it helps to have a bit of encouragement, and our forerunners have provided much of …
What Driving Taught Me About Writing
By Lynn H. Blackburn It’s hard to turn a parked car. Ever heard that one before? I can’t remember where I heard it first, but it’s so very true. You can be in the car, behind the wheel, motor running, ready to go. You may even have the brute strength to force the steering wheel to make the tires twist …
Put Your Feet on the Desk
By Terri Gillespie “. . . and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” 1 Kings 19:12, NKJV I have a friend who was a vice-president of a major financial institution in Manhattan. He’s an incredible idea person—a real visionary. While overseeing operations for a ministry, …
Haircuts & Hurricanes
by Kathleen Denly This year has been full of surprises, and few of them pleasant. It can be difficult to understand what God is thinking during times like these. It can be tempting to believe what we are going through is so terrible it cannot possibly result in something good. Take my hair for example. It’s very thick and dense. …
A Well-Tended Tale
By Tanara McCauley My parents are gardeners. Not your average throw-a-plant-in-a-pot-and-let-it-fend-for-itself gardeners; they are certified members of the green-thumb club, with a significant portion of their yard dedicated to fruits, vegetables, and herbs of every variety. Their garden thrives, and they are neighborhood-famous for it. Of course, their success was neither accidental nor instant. They started small. They planted and …