America’s Future

Today I had the sublime opportunity to talk to a group of students. Yes, I knew it was launch day for Stardust, but I’d been talking to a teacher for awhile, and the students at her small central Oklahoma school would soon be dispersing for the summer, so we set a date for me to visit. What a splendid way …

>Novels: MY TOP FOUR PICKS THIS YEAR

>As I might have mentioned earlier, my “best of” lists include mostly books that were published in 2009. However, by my own rules, they qualify if I first read them this year, and I want to give them their due praise. There were a LOT of great books in 2009, but even as I looked back, there were four that …

>Bless a Young Writer

>Sara Mills, a gifted young writer, lost her husband last week. As a gift to her, many in the writing community are promoting her books and asking our blog readers to buy them, share them, and show your support for a grieving mom. This interview is from Cara Putman’s blog and used with permission here. This interview ran on Monday …

>The TRUTH Revealed

>Today’s the day to reveal which of the things about me is a lie from the game Two Truths and a Lie. #1. Taking a private tour of the crown jewels. TRUE. Max had friends in New Orleans who were friends of Bob & Margaret Melling. Mr. Melling, a former Beefeater, was the curator of the crown jewels, by appointment …

>My Review of THE PASSION OF MARY-MARGARET

>As promised. . . my review of Lisa Samson’s latest book. For story information and a bit about Lisa, please see previous post. I’ve long been a fan of Lisa’s writing–her quirky characters, everyday situations that capture the imagination with stellar writing that takes you off ordinary paths into lesser explored territories of the holy and the righteous. The Passion …

>GIVE ME A COWBOY

>When I began writing eight years ago, Panhandle Professional Writers in Amarillo, TX was the nearest writers’ group to our home in the Oklahoma Panhandle. There I met some of the friendliest, most talented and helpful people on the planet. PPW was the womb where my writing dreams were nurtured and grew. So now I’m delighted to tell you about …

>BEST READS OF 2008

> In a blog interview this year, I was asked what inspired me as a writer. Several things came to mind: music, being with other writers, listening to God’s voice. As I rethink what I said in that interview, I have to say that my love affair with books—my lifelong attachment to reading is what inspired me to begin writing …

>ENGAGING FATHER CHRISTMAS by Robin Jones Gunn Up on CFBA

> This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingEngaging Father ChristmasFaithWords (October 30, 2008)byRobin Jones Gunn REVIEW OF THE BOOK: If you love British settings as I do, you will enjoy this delightful novella. From the performance of A Christmas Carol to the quaint coffee shop run by Miranda’s boyfriend’s family, you feel the spirit of Christmas. Ian, her boyfriend, has …

>The Sense of Place, Part 3. THE SHAPE OF MERCY by Susan Meissner

>Knowing that everyone is busy with Thanksgiving plans, I’m posting this a bit early in keeping with the discussion about sense of place. Here we go. I’ve been a fan of Susan Meissner’s fiction for some time. I met her at the ACFW conference in 2007 when I had an author critique session with her. She’s wise and smart, very …

>WINNER OF Patti Lacy’s AN IRISHWOMAN’S TALE

>CONGRATULATIONS to Doreen, who is the winner of Patti Lacy’s wonderful Irish story, AN IRISHWOMAN’S TALE. Thanks, Doreen and all the others who stopped by the cafe and entered the drawing. Watch for more giveaways in the future. And a special thanks to Patti Lacy for sharing this haunting, yet heartwarming story with the world.