Hunky heroes and plucky heroines in clean, contemporary, small town romances in the real — and imaginary — worlds.
How to make a story longer when you’ve already figured out the storyline and it’s too short? It’s not easy but it can be done. I know because when I segued from short stories to novels I just about went crazy figuring out how to do exactly that. The answer isn’t to pad your scenes. …
Continue reading A reader’s question: How can I make a short storyline longer?
The first of the Johns Falls series, Shh-- Don't Tell, was written over the course of almost a year because it was the first of the series and I didn't know Johns Falls all that well yet. Now I know the fictional town like the back of my hand and can take characters through it …
Continue reading It’s still summer. And still warm. And secrets are still secrets.
Did we warp our daughter forever when she was young by getting her a horse? And then another horse? I wonder because when I visited her last, I counted five of the huge things in her corral. Of course, with horses, she also has a very large barn with barn cats and hay and a …
Is it better to write at a set time or just when inspiration strikes? There’s no one right answer. When I first began writing, I make myself write every day starting at a set time and continuing until I ran out of steam. I did not enjoy it. Time passed and I found that I …
Continue reading A readers question: Should I write on a schedule or just when inspiration strikes?
I've been thinking back to my first full-length book for Winged Publications. It was Spirit Legend, the first of the Legends trilogy, and I wasn't sure Winged Publications would be interested in it -- or any of the Legends trilogy -- because it's not strictly a Christian book. But, fortunately, Winged Publications has two imprints. …
I like goats, always have, ever since we had a couple as a kid. Okay, one of them wasn't the nicest goat in the world and when he died we didn't care. But the nanny --- Nancy, of course --- was the kindest animal ever and gave us milk daily. So when my daughter got …
How do I model a character after someone real without giving away their identity? Easy. Describe that person exactly as you know them without any specific, identifiable details. No names, dates, or anything else that will point directly to them. Don’t worry that your description itself will be a ‘give-away’ because everyone sees people differently …
My work in progress, The Snow Queen, the second in the Wilderness Women series, is about a couple who are stranded in a remote cabin during a blizzard with dwindling supplies and no help of rescue. I had it all plotted out. Names, locations, what would happen and when. Then I sat down and started …
Hey, I've reached the age of retirement. Or so I thought. Foolish me to think I could actually spend my days sipping lemonade on the deck and communing with the deer, bears and mosquitoes that frequent our neck of the woods. Instead, I'm full-on busy as a part of a family business making and selling …
What would I like to see more of in New Adult novels? My answer? Everyday realism. Maybe that’s not what young adults are looking for when they choose a work of fiction to read and I understand completely that people often choose a different world to visit when they read a book. But you asked …
Continue reading Question: What do you wish to see more of in young adult novels?
