Fruit (A Writer’s Prayer)

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Bob Hostetler here, offering another prayer for writers: Holy Spirit, cultivate and proliferate your fruit in my writing. Let love permeate my words. Help me experience joy in the writing, and let my readers experience joy in reading. Use my writing to spread shalom. Give me patience in the writing. Let goodness characterize what I write, and gentleness how I write it. Make and keep me faithful to you, to the publisher, and to the reader from beginning to end, and let God-given self control guide my every thought, impulse, and decision as I write, revise, edit, and review, in…

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What I will pack in my suitcase.

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Hola from Janet Perez Eckles…Igniting Your Passion to Overcome A knock at my hotel room startled me. “Room service,” a voice said. I hurried to let her in. “Only need fresh towels,” I said. “I’ll be fine.” She brought them in and I smiled at her. “Thank you. What’s your name?”

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The Call That Changed Me

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Hi everyone, it’s Judith Couchman, recovering from a snowstorm in Colorado! If ever I felt stupid initiating a phone call, this was it. As I listened to my cell phone ringing into cyberspace, each pulse mocked me with a repeated warning: You can’t do this. You can’t do this. You can’t do this. I readily agreed with each ring’s caution: it mimicked the fear pounding in my chest. But before I could hang up, Erica answered.

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Tips from the Pros: Tracy Higley

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Greetings from Sarah Sundin in California! Today I have the joy of interviewing historical novelist Tracy Higley. I met Tracy several years ago at Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference, when we were both hoping to be published. Tracy has made quite a mark with her novels set in ancient times – from Egypt to Pompeii, from Babylon to Petra – and she has travel videos on her website from her research trips! Tracy, how many books do you have published? What are a few of your latest titles? Thirteen books published, including recent titles The Incense Road trilogy (Star of…

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Say Thx!

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One of the best ways to build relationship is to be THANKFUL!  Others want to lend a helping hand to those who are grateful and appreciative! Look for ways to thank those that surround and support you. As an author thank your publisher, and all who work for them; thank book store owners, meeting planners, blog site hosts, magazine editors, radio and TV producers, pastors—and even other authors who have said or done kind things for you. This is the time of year to send out thanksgiving cards with a note of appreciation, a Christmas card with a personal note…

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Try Breathing Praise

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Dianne Barker here with a few thoughts about praise. “Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord…” (Psalm 150:6). Everything that has breath? That includes me. And there are no exclusion clauses.

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Characters and Their Mannerisms

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Good morning on this Friday in autumn. Welcome to the CAN blog on writing from Gail Gaymer Martin  Today I want to talk about another element of creating characterization through using character mannerisms. When you think about people you know, notice what they do with their bodies, hands and facial expressions as well as their stance, stride and actions.  Mixed in with the natural way we move and act, we can always see a few personal mannerisms. These are often related to their person’s attitude or emotional response. Here’s some things to think about. Characters and Their Mannerisms  A man cracks…

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Yes! Have the Breakfast Too!

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Hello from Kathy Collard Miller in the Southern California desert where it’ll soon be cooler weather! “Mommy, I’m ready to go over to Irene’s!” I cried out. I had my pajamas and toothbrush! It was going to be my first overnighter at my best friend, Irene’s house, across the street. I could hardly contain my excitement. I felt like such a big girl to be able to spend the night at someone’s house. A big step for a first-grader! My mother accompanied me across the street and Irene and I had a great time that evening. We didn’t go to…

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