Eight and a half months. That’s how long it has taken to birth my second to-be-published novel. That doesn’t mean it is ready for press by any means. It just means the story has left my brain and taken up permanent residence …
The Attitude of Christmas
I’ve been banging my head against a brick wall, waiting for a breakthrough. Not literally, of course. But every minute of work on my current novel has felt this way. I wanted to get it done. Fast. Early. I wanted it to be at …
Racing Cars?
A friend asked me recently about the new novel in progress. “What’s it about?” she said.I always feel a little funny answering that question, but I did. “About a girl who ends up driving a race car. In 1916.”Now you must …
Working Together–Separately
My husband is working from home today. Now I know some women who enjoy that kind of thing. I’m not necessarily one of them.As much as I love my husband and enjoy being with him, I do not like it when we are both trying to …
A Change of Venue
I’m longing for the library these days. Not to peruse shelves or check out books, although I’m still in need of some research. No, what I’m longing for is the complete quiet and lack of distraction. Lately it’s been getting …
Back at Home
It’s been a surreal two days. After ten years of writing, never knowing if anything more would come of it than a sense of having accomplished writing a novel, I found myself in meetings with Bethany House, my publisher, at …
A Balancing Act
I have an interesting week coming up, one that is filled with activity that requires a balancing act like I’ve never before attempted. It has the potential for great fun—or a total meltdown. I’m meeting with my publishing …
Making Some Sense of It
It’s good to recognize our strengths and weaknesses, our giftings as well as those things that are clearly not. In these past six weeks I’ve had the opportunity to do two things I never imagined I’d do: mentor writers …
Can You Hear My Knees Knocking?
Both of my parents are teachers. My two sisters, also. Good teachers, all of them.I am not. It’s why I didn’t get a teaching certificate along with my history degree and why I don’t homeschool my kids—a very good decision …
Scripted Freedom
Now that the time has come to write my next novel and to read through the various edits required for my first one, along with the occasional freelance editing and the small responsibilities at my kids’ school, I’m finding …