I was recently honored to be a finalist for the Oklahoma Book Award. I didn’t win, but it got me to thinking about contests and writing competitions and what they all mean. By nature, I’m somewhat competitive at least in academic matters. I think that at some point early in my childhood it was obvious that I was not going …
A Gangster, Mint Juleps, and a Pair of Hens
Research is one of the most fascinating parts of writing to me. Oh, the details that turn up that give wings to my imagination. Last week, Max and I threw our suitcases in the SUV and took off. We had a destination in mind, and I’d printed off a few of the places I wanted to visit, but mostly we …
>MOUNT HERMON Christian Writers Conference
>On Thursday, my savvy and very cool critique partner, Myra Johnson, and I will be heading to Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference near Santa Cruz, California. Oh my. It feels like a dream come true—five glorious days and nights with four hundred writers pursuing our craft, laughing, learning, and hanging out. The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of …
>I’m Proud to Present
> I am very excited to tell you about a beautiful book just released from Guideposts Books. One of the featured stories is by a friend of ours in Texas. Joe Brillhart and his wife Gayla meet Billy Graham at the Mayo Clinic when Joe’s daughter, Traci, was undergoing treatment there. Away From Home is a wonderful story about how …