The Loss of Rod McKuen

I took the news of the passing of Rod McKuen with a lump of sadness. The hero poet of my coming-of-age years left a mark on my heart. His scratchy voice came through the stillness of a dorm room urging me to listen to the warm, to lean in to that wandering spirit, to dream of dandelion days. He spoke …

Sweet Deal

In five weeks, Sweet Dreams, hits the streets, but it’s available now for pre-order! I’m busy setting up book signings, talks, a launch party, and some fantastic giveaways! As I anticipate the release, I have so many hopes and dreams for this book – one that has a lot of who I am in it. It’s not my story or …

Remembering Patsy Cline

Fifty years ago today, America lost three of its most beloved county singers. Patsy Cline, along with fellow Grand Ol’ Opry stars, Lloyd (Cowboy) Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins, and Patsy’s manager, Randy Hughes, died in a plane crash that shocked the nation. The group, along with several other entertainers, had done three benefit shows in Kansas City on March 3, …

Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt

WELCOME to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt! I’m Carla Stewart, one of the stops for the debut edition of the Christian Fiction Scavenger hunt. I’m thrilled to partner with eleven other authors for this fun event. If you’re just starting, you can find the rules for the scavenger hunt here. If you get lost or need directions at any time, …

A Step Back In Time

Last weekend I had the privilege of being the visiting author at the Olive Warner Memorial Library in Hooker, OK. It’s just a tiny town in the Oklahoma Panhandle, but my grandparents went to church there when I was a child, and one of my great uncles and his wife lived there many years so it wasn’t totally unfamiliar. What …

Roadside Memories: Part 3 – Filming the movie Giant

If you’ve just joined us, this is the 3rd installment of a series about vintage motor courts. You can read about my fascination with them in Part 1 and the memories of Susan (Sue) Cunningham whose father built the San Jacinto Courts in Marfa, Texas in Part 2. 1955 was a year of excitement for the folks in Marfa, Texas. …

Coming Home

I’m the first to admit that I’m a sucker for nostalgia. I have things tucked in corners, along cabinet tops, and in nooks and crannies that attest to my love of times gone by. And my novels are meant to take readers to that place in their hearts called “home.” So, it’s not by coincidence, I dare say, that the …