Virginia Frantz grew up during the Great Depression only a few miles from where Max’s family lived from the early fifties on. Beaver County, OK was hit hard by the depression as was much of the country, but Virginia remembers it vividly and has written about it from time to time. Recently Ken Burns interviewed and filmed Virginia for the …
>Old Friends and New: Book Signings Part Two
> I went through all twelve grades with Angie Last weekend, I returned to another of the “home fires” – the town where my parents grew up and where my sister and dad still live. Although the times I’ve actually lived there have been short, it’s where I come home to – where many of my relatives lived and died. …
>Old Friends and New: Book Signings Part One
>I’ve wanted to write this post for a long time and talk about book signings. I’ve had a flurry of recent ones, and these have been quite personal since they’ve taken me back to the “home fires” parts of the country. Chasing Lilacs is set in the Texas Panhandle. I grew up there. My roots go deep there. It’s not …
>Chasing a Dream
> I’m guest blogging on the FaithWords blog today about my writing dreams. Here’s a snippet. As a young girl in Texas, I didn’t think of my life as being anything but ordinary. My dad worked in a petroleum plant. My mom sold Avon so she could save up for a piano and pay for lessons for my two younger sisters …
>Top Ten Reasons I Love the ACFW Conference
>This is the week I anticipate all year – the annual American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) conference. This year it’s in Indianapolis, so soon I will be In-di-an-a Bound! What’s so special about this conference? I’m glad you asked. Here are ten things I love about it, and I’m sure if I tried I could think of ten more, but …
>CAFE SPECIAL: Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
> Fall is in the air – along with cooler temps, a bit of rain . . . and Football! My friend Martha Grunau shared this recipe – says it’s delicious. She was making it for their OU Tailgate party last weekend. Works for me! Whether you have it for a tailgate or just watching your favorite team on the …
>My First Book Signing
>I thought I would lump my two signing/launch events together, but then I decided that my first book signing should have its own post. What a fun evening. My publisher set up the signing with the Mardel Christian Book store in Tulsa and provided beautiful posters and flyers announcing the event. And the host store was so accommodating, I kept …
>IMMANUEL . . . God With Us
>BLESSINGS TO ALL OF YOU – friends, loved ones, and faithful blog readers. May you receive all the best from God above and join in celebration of the birth of the Christ child. MERRY CHRISTMAS!
>CAFE SPECIAL OF THE WEEK – Sugar Cookies for Christmas
> It’s not to late to get in some Christmas baking! My good friend and awesome writer – Camille Eide – took time from her hectic schedule to whip up a batch of these for her family and allowed me to share her sugar cookie recipe. They sound delicious and may be just the thing you’ve been looking for to …
>SAY WHAT? Historical Tidbits on Language and Tradition
>My thanks to my good friend, Debbie, who sends me all kinds of mesmerizing, worthwhile emails. This one’s a keeper. Ever wonder where some of our unusual phrases and traditions came from? Take a step back to 1500 and read on . . . Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and they …