by Martha Rogers Christmas is my favorite time of the year not only because of the Savior’s Holy birth, but also because of other birthdays. Today is my husband’s seventy-seventh birthday and two of our sons as well as our great-granddaughter all have December births. We celebrate all month long. Our youngest son believed everyone in the world celebrated his …
Writing in a New Field
by Diana Wallis Taylor Stories are what I love. I’m a fiction writer. So why did I take on a project that is not fiction, and tackle a book on Halloween? What were my motives? Due to my background in the occult as a child, and my mother and grandmother’s involvement, the dark side isn’t unfamiliar territory. My publisher knows …
Passion, Purpose, & Praise
by Deborah Lynne How many of you had specific goals to reach in 2013? (Of course the year isn’t over yet-just getting close.) Did you accomplish what you set out to do? How many of you had specific goals to reach in 2013? (Of course the year isn’t over yet-just getting close.) Did you accomplish what you set out to …
What’s God Saying To You?
by Jordyn Redwood I think, particularly as Christian authors, we view our books as a way to get God’s Word out in a non-threatening manner. Novels are easier to hand to someone than a Bible and generally an easier area of conversation. However, two recent events are causing me to change my view on that a little. Recently, my minister …
Writing with Christmas Passion
by Dan Campbell I love Christmas. I’m not sure when it happened or why, but from the time of my earliest memories I have watched in wonder at all the beauty and splendor of the season; the trees, the lights, the tinsel, the snow (oh the snow), the timeless carols, apple cider and eggnog. I am all grown up, with …
A Word about Communion
by Rebecca DeMarino Like many writers I’ve been choosing a “word for the year” for a few years now. Sometimes the word chooses me. It will be the word I meditate on, pray about and try to include in a conversation throughout the year. Ideally, I would do these things every day. But to be honest I have to remind …
Are you an Anthropomorphist?
by Stan Crader I sat down at my desk with the intention of adding a few words to my next novel, Approach The Bench. And then I saw a note to myself that I need to finish the family Christmas letter. While in the process of closing the file to my book and looking through my documents folder for the …
Second Act: When Success Comes Late
by Suzanne Woods Fisher My dentist likes to ask about my writing whenever I come in for my six-month check-up. Toward the end of the last visit, he made a grave error. “Imagine,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. “Getting published at your age!” I was outraged! Silently, of course, because his tools were in my mouth. First of …
Praying Through the Burnout
by Casey Herringshaw Every writer, at some point, during their novel-creation career will most likely experience some period of burnout. It creeps up like a naughty third-wheel cousin and steals all enthusiasm you might have cultivated for this story. It often doesn’t matter how much you love a story or the characters, sometimes it’s all the emotional energy we pour …
Joy Before the Blessing
by Melissa Tagg I’ve often admired Samuel’s mom in the Bible. (I’m talking Samuel the “Here I am, Lord, send me” guy.) She stops eating…she weeps…she prays…she makes a vow to God. And when God blesses her with the son she asked for, she keeps her vow. But I recently reread the first chapter of 1 Samuel and I noticed …