By Joni M. Fisher @authorjonimfisher Stories, when beautifully written, become experiences. Readers follow along with or become the hero and take in the story world through their senses. As if in a dream, readers suffer, fall in love, doubt, panic, fight, and rejoice as if the struggle is their own. Readers separate themselves from their reality to dive into a …
A Love Story Worth Reading
by Roxanne Hicks While sitting in church one Sunday morning, I was struck by the profound words of a hymn. I don’t remember the name, but the concept will never leave my thoughts. “No greater love has any man than when he lays down his life for another.” This, of course, is in reference to the love of our Savoir …
Red Ink, Refined Hearts
By Jeffrey Friedel @JeffersonRiede Yesterday my writing coach returned my manuscript with comments and edits, and within five minutes I discovered an exciting new subplot called “Defensiveness.” Then I briefly considered spinning it off into a companion project titled “Avoidance.” But our discipleship group has been reading Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller, and it’s been exposing the hidden idols I …
Why Love Stories Still Matter…and Always Will
by Carrie Turansky We often think of celebrating Valentine’s Day with cards and flowers or preparing special treats for those we love, but underneath those traditions lies something deeper. Love stories endure because they speak to a longing God placed in every human heart, the desire to be known, chosen, and cherished. That is why romance has remained one of …
The Magical Gift of Imagination
by Ann H. Gabhart “When you start writing, the magic comes when the characters seem to take on a life of their own and write the words themselves.” — Alice Hoffman One of the questions writers often get when talking about their books and writing is what comes first when you are ready to start out on a new story …
Visible Virtues: Judging Justice
by Christine Sunderland Today is December 7, a “date which will live in infamy” as President Roosevelt stated in his address to Congress and the nation, speaking of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. This catalyst propelled our nation into World War II, hesitant as we were to get involved until then, despite the Holocaust and the rise of …
Four Tips for Creating a Teen Detective
by JPC Allen Since 2018, I’ve spent every day with my teen detective Rae Riley. She’s had a cameo in one short story and been featured in another as well as three novels. After working with her for so long, here are four tips for creating an engaging teen detective. A Reason to be a Teen Detective It’s better for …
Keeping the Muse
By Neva Bodin I spoke at a writers conference a couple of years ago about keeping the muse. I’m thinking all writers must have one. What is a muse? One source said the word originated in Greek literature and was introduced by Chaucer in his writings. It is “Any of the nine daughters of Mnemosyne and Zeus, each of whom …
Who Does the World Say You Are?
By Tara Johnson Writers, let me ask you a question today: Who does the world say you are? In her book The Wind in the Door, Madeline L’Engle explores a powerful truth: names matter. In the story, she shows that when someone misnames you, when they call you something other than who you really are, it diminishes you. It strips …
Take the Next Step
by Donald L. Reavis Twelve years ago today, my son and I reached the Canadian border on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Five months earlier, we had stood at the southern border, filled with excitement and apprehension. Ahead of us stretched a pathway that crossed sweltering deserts, snow-covered mountain passes, raging rivers, and scores of thunderstorms. After a few minutes …