This time of year we’re consumed with purchasing, wrapping, and giving gifts. We stretch our budgets, schedules, and sanity to position piles of colorful boxes and bags underneath glittery trees. And if we’re honest, we wonder about gifts we’ll receive. Will they be anything we want and like? As writers, in between we struggle to put words on paper and meet deadlines, wondering and worrying if we’ll finish everything on time. Why did we agree to write during Christmastime, anyway? Why push ourselves through this? Because we’ve been handed a remarkable gift. A gift from God. Midst the stress, we…
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Tips from the Pros: Marlene Banks
Merry Christmas from Sarah Sundin! Today I have the joy of interviewing author Marlene Banks, whose novels span from the Civil War to the Wild West to the Roaring Twenties to today! You’ll love what Marlene has to share about keeping your focus where it belongs. Marlene, how many books do you have published? What are a few of your latest titles? Seven published works, including Ruth’s Redemption, Son of a Preacherman, Greenwood and Archer, Gunmen of Nicodemus, and the Bea Happy series.
Tips From the Pros with Janet Chester Bly
Good morning. Davalynn Spencer, here, and absolutely thrilled to be introducing our encore interviewee, Janet Bly. Years ago when writing was merely one of my unrealized dreams, I intersected with Janet and her husband, Steven, through the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys for whom I worked. The Blys graciously offered guidance and suggestions – via that nearly extinct method of communication called hand-written letters and postage stamps. I’ve never forgotten their generosity of time and their heart for Christian authors.
Identifying Your North Star
Marketing Tips From Cheri Cowell The Star of Bethlehem, sometimes referred to as the Christmas North Star, revealed the birth of Jesus. The star appears only in the Gospel of Matthew, where astrologers from the east are led to the Christ child. As writers we, too, have a North Star–perhaps several North Stars–that lead us on our journey. Christmas is a perfect time to examine our various North Stars and reaffirm our dependency on our True North Star..
Tips from the Pros: Bob Hostettler
Greetings from Sarah Sundin in California! For some reason, I feel I should use Elizabethan English, but I’d fail so I won’t try. Today I’m pleased to interview Bob Hostetler, multi-published author of many classic titles you’ll recognize. His most recent book delves into Shakespeare and the King James Version—and today he’s sharing some of the delightful ways he’s used his topic to connect with readers. Bob, how many books do you have published? What are a few of your latest titles? The Bard and the Bible: A Shakespeare Devotional is my 45th book. It’s a one-year devotional that draws…
Look Around
Quilting Encouragement with Mary Tatem Look Around A recent visit to Yosemite National Park kept us craning our necks to look up at the magnificent granite mountains that surrounded us. Regardless of which direction we faced, immense pillars of stone reached to the sky, dwarfing even the tall Pines and occasional Sequoia. Beauty surrounding us. From the sounds of water crashing from tall mountain ledges to the caw of iridescent Ravens foraging for food, our ears were as absorbed with the of beauty as our eyes. We left for home, our hearts bursting with thankfulness for the world God made…
FIVE REASONS I’M THANKFUL I’M A HYBRID AUTHOR
Happy Thanksgiving Eve, everyone! This is Darlene Franklin (Darlene’s website) from Hillcrest Nursing Home. Two years ago, I dipped my toe into the realm of self-publishing/working with a small press after Love Inspired closed the Heartsong Presents book club line.
Tips from the Pros: C. Kevin Thompson
Greetings from beautiful Mount Dora, Florida, where we’re starting to chill out. Of course, for us, “chill out” means temperatures that dip into the fifties at night and still climb into the seventies during the day. Today, I have the privilege of introducing you to novelist C. Kevin Thompson, who is also celebrating the season in comfort because he lives in a town just down the road from my own. Welcome, Kevin! How many books do you have published? What are a few of your latest titles? …
Tips From The Pros – Dianne Neal Matthews
Greetings from Kevin Thompson in the fastest growing, snowbird production facility in the union. I want to introduce you to our Tips From The Pros Spotlight Author, Dianne Neal Matthews! I met Dianne at the Florida Christian Writers Conference a couple of years ago. She was having connectivity issues right before a scheduled workshop, and I was able to help her (although, if memory serves, I wasn’t much help). Nevertheless, Dianne gave me a signed copy of her most recent devotional. Such a kind gesture. Welcome, Dianne! So, tell us about your books. How many books do you have published, and what are a…
How Five Little Words Can Changed Your Writer’s Heart–and Your Life!
“Nutty with A Dash of Meat” Jeanette Levellie here with a secret to how five little words can change your writer’s heart–and your life! In all the years since Debbie left L.A. to move to Denver, I never told her how the five words she taught me changed my life. Two decades flew over us like a streak in the inky sky before I thought to thank her for those five words. When we moved into a beautiful new home, she said them. When my kids received awards, and I had my first paying article published, she spoke them. Even when…