by Christine Sunderland @Chrisunderland A note from Christine: This post is dedicated to Charlie Kirk and his family Today is September 11, or “Nine-Eleven” as we recall it twenty-four years later, when the infamous and horrific attack by radical Islamists on New York’s World Trade Center buildings woke America from her sleep. It was a path chosen by those pilots, …
Surfing on Ink
by Dr. Dwight David Croy Work follows an exciting idea when writing. Life is often full of excitement with highs of adrenaline. The workflow of a writer is exhilaration, write a bunch, slow down, back to reality, slow down, concentrate on the mechanics, reality. Just like a surfer who catches the wave, rides high, determined, initial ideas die out, the …
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 …
Lessons from Birthing a Second Book
by Linda Dindzans My most recent blog compared the release of my first book A Certain Man with birthing a baby. The next book in the series, A Certain Mercy, is undergoing content edits. This manuscript has readily confirmed that writing a second book is like expanding your family by the birth of another child. When I was expecting my …
Fighting for Peace
by Sarah Sundin @sarahsundin Today is the 80th anniversary of V-J Day, commemorating victory in Japan in World War II. At last, World War II had come to an end. Many rejoiced that the killing had stopped and peace would return. Many cried in relief that their loved ones would come home. Many mourned for those they had lost. For …
Write Like a Four-Year-Old
by Dr. Dwight David Croy There is a very common story told about a four-year-old girl who was concentrating on drawing a picture of God. Very intense, very serious, putting her all into an important project in her mind. An adult teacher, thinking to help instruct the little girl in correct theology, said to her, “You know, according to the …
The Value of Writing Short Stories
by Glynn Young In the seven months since my last novel Brookhaven was published, I’ve been focused on talking about it, writing about it, publicizing it, sending out copies, and all the usual things you do to promote your book. I haven’t done much writing of anything else or anything new. An idea for a new novel has been percolating …
Keep Your Eyes on the Goal
by Rebecca Reed I don’t know about you, but I get excited when I think of a new story idea. I spend time thinking about characters, backstory, motivations, settings, and events. I call this “story noodling” and I love this activity. At some point, the newness wears off. Writing becomes less fun and more like work. I make excuses to …
When Success Doesn’t Follow You—Finding Identity as an Unpublished Christian Author
by Jeffrey Friedel, writing as Jefferson Riede @JeffersonRiede Scripture: “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.” ~Philippians 3:7 (ESV) There was a time in my life when I had the titles to back up my name. Lawyer. Executive. C-suite officer. I traveled the world. I stood in boardrooms. I rang the opening bell at …
How Understanding Hebrew Concepts May Revolutionize Your Storytelling
by Donna Wichelman In recent months, I’ve discovered the rich Hebrew concepts of Tohu V’Vohu and Shalom, which have revolutionized how I’ve started to think about my storytelling. This comes at a time when I’m starting to develop a World War II slip-time novel, called the Power of the Thorn, which takes place at a time in human history when …