by Shirley E. Gould Christmas is upon us! It happens every year…the food, the search for gifts, company parties, Christmas programs and family gatherings crowd our schedules, devour our finances and sap our strength. We can get overwhelmed in the twinkle lights and tinsel. The lines get blurred. Today, the grinch teams up with Scrooge to divert us from the …
Tips for Researching and Writing an Authentic Novel
By Amy Clipston I’ve written Amish fiction for more than ten years now, since I received my contract for my first book, A Gift of Grace, on Dec. 14, 2007. I decided to try to write Amish fiction after being inspired by a novel written by another Amish author. Since I grew up in New Jersey and had visited Amish …
ACFW New Releases: October 2018
October 2018 New Releases More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website. Contemporary Romance: A Christmas to Remember by Julie Arduini, Valerie Comer, Janet W. Ferguson, Kimberly Rose Johnson, Deb Kastner, Elizabeth Maddrey, Lindi Peterson, and Ginger Solomon — Eight authors from the popular blog Inspy Romance each share a Christmas-themed novella to …
Words, Words, Words
by Shirley E. Gould When I was in elementary school, I learned a saying… Sticks and stones may break my bones, But words will never harm me. This childhood saying was meant to encourage kids to not allow what other classmates say to hurt their feelings. But words do hurt! They stay in our memory and mold what we think …
ACFW Conference Prayer: Keynote Speaker Debbie Macomber (Day 38)
2018 ACFW CONFERENCE 40 DAYS OF PRAYER DAY 38 PRAYER – TOPIC: Our Keynote Speaker, Debbie Macomber Jeremiah 1:9–Then the Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. Dear Lord, we ask You to touch our beloved keynote speaker, Debbie Macomber. May you bless …
Writely Dividing
By Kathy Parish Come with me into a very small Sunday School room in a small country church. There are no catchy posters decorating the walls. There are no reference books and no dry erase board as a teaching aid. For we have traveled back in time to 1961. There are one or two fifth graders in the class, taught …
ACFW New Releases: August 2018
August 2018 New Releases More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website. Contemporary Romance: Out of Their Element by Angela Breidenbach, Robin Lee Hatcher, Vickie McDonough, and Deborah Raney — They are totally out of their element! Four mismatched couples find unexpected romance. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published) The Redemption Road by Christa …
Instant in Season and Out
By Shirley E. Gould I love salt! I love salty chips and popcorn. I love salt on my watermelon! A touch of salt on my vegetables makes them better. One thing I don’t love is a bland dish with no seasoning at all. It’s not tasty—plain. But, going overboard with seasoning can make food inedible. Whether it’s Cajun seasoning in …
With Whom Do You Write?
by Chandra Lynn Smith I started working on this blog entry weeks ago. There was a lot of writing and deleting and walking away from my computer. My efforts at writing eloquent words and imparting sage advice to fellow writers failed. So, I changed directions. Instead of offering advice, I want to encourage. No matter where we are on our …
The Miracle of Hope
By Catherine West Today I’m celebrating the release of my sixth novel! My third published book through Harper Collins Christian Publishing, and since the title is Where Hope Begins, I thought hope would be the perfect topic for today’s post. “Hope begins in the dark. The stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right …