Author's Journey
Draft Four: Seizing the Opportunity
I had the privilege of interviewing Hugh Howey and Robin Sullivan recently on my podcast, and their recurring advice of quality over quantity showed me a new level of patience in making sure I write the best novel I can. In this podcast, Hugh mentions how he didn’t hit it big until Wool (now optioned [...]
Creative Nook
The Amulet
Well, since I’m kinda digging the world, here’s another short story. The Amulet “I regret being the one to tell you this, but your father is gone.” William stared at his old nurse, hardly comprehending. “Gone?” “I’m so sorry, my dear boy.” The old woman held open her arms to him, inviting him to find [...]
Critical Views
Religion and Politics
As a rule, I don’t typically add my two cents to political or religious discussion in a public thread on a forum such as Facebook. As any etiquette column will tell you, religion and politics are two things you don’t discuss at the dinner table, and as anyone who has been involved in a political [...]
Life and Such
You Know You’re a Mother When…
It’s Mother’s Day! I always loved treating my mom on this special day when I was growing up, and now I’m honored to have my family doting on me. We all know, though, that being a mother comes with some rather–er–special treats. You know you’re a mother when: * You don’t have to set your [...]
Our Faith
Memorial Stone
Last year, I wrote about memorials and God’s faithfulness. This year, I’m making an addendum. Long ago, my family vacationed in the Ozarks. Yes, those Ozarks. I have relatives who had a cabin on the lake and we’d go up (or down. I really have no idea where the Ozarks are since I was always [...]
Random Things
A Muse Party!
My two-year-old loves Go Dogs Go! So in honor of a thousandth reading (surely we’ve reached that) and that all members of this family older than 1 yr having it memorized, I’m throwing a big Muse Party! Come on out and share about your muse! We wanna hear about big ones, little ones, black ones [...]
More Articles
Conferences can build your writing career
Writers’ conferences are among the best thing writers can do for career development. Yet the time, trouble, and expense of conferencing puts many people off. It’s certainly possible to build a career solely through Internet networking. Some of NAF’s own have done so. I haven’t, which seems odd. If anyone was likely to build a [...]
Characters In My Living Room–Part 1
I sat staring at the screen, my head in my hands. This shouldn’t have been that difficult. Really. What Varian needed to do was keep going. Yeah, he was a little distracted by this pretty Highlander girl named Kearah, and yeah, his uncle had just had a fit of despair and stormed away, but there [...]
Hosanna
Yesterday’s sermon explained the word “hosanna.” In brief, it is a Jewish word meaning “God save us!” (a cry for help) that gospel writers and, subsequently, Christians usurped to connote God did save us and woo-hoo! I should say the people who used it in the gospel of Matthew probably used it believing Messiah would [...]
Back In The Saddle…Again?
Whew. Give me a moment. Better make that two. … Okay, everything’s good now. Still catching my breath though. You see for the past month or so I’ve been working at a new job with really, really…really long hours. My internet “presence” went from non-stop to “Dude, where are you?” You feel me? I thought [...]
21 Questions on Forger of Dreams
A while back I did one of these on Hall of Masters,aka Secrets of the Dragon Seal, so I thought that I would do one for my other book, Forger of Dreams. 1. What’s your word count? 115k Currently, it’s my largest single book. 2. If you have finished, how long did it take you? [...]
To Be Read: Everything
I saw this picture the other day and had to laugh because it’s so close to the truth. I haven’t read NO books, but I certainly haven’t read as many as I normally would or ought to, and I can’t say Facebook isn’t at least partially to blame. That’s about what my To Be Read [...]
Amy and Rory and Their Incredible Awesomeness
Have I mentioned I love the TV show Doctor Who? Oh yes. I could be classified as a mild Whovian. Well…mild isn’t the word. Try diehard. And if you haven’t watched all six seasons so far, watch out in the following post. Spoilers! (And, because I just have to say it in a post dealing [...]
There Has To Be a Balance!
I’m faced with a dilemma. Here’s the problem. The villain in Dividing Spirits is a demon named Axriel. An ancient, Christian-hating, apocalypse type demon. When I first wrote the novel, I created Axriel to be hard-core, evil being. He had no redeeming qualities, he didn’t think nice thoughts, or show any weakness. He would foul, [...]
Inverting the Buffalo
“Using the Whole Buffalo” is a pretty common catch phrase, as is the old saying “Waste not, Want not.” They definitely passed through my mind as I watch my cousin trim a pepper a few years ago. But it was her house and she had been kind enough to invite over my brother and I [...]
