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 …
Book Review Week: WITH EVERY LETTER by Sarah Sundin
I’ve been anticipating Sarah Sundin’s new series from the moment I heard about it – Wings of the Nightingale. Can you guess what it’s about? Nurses! In WWII. The first book in the series is With Every Letter, and of course I signed up when she sent out a request for influencers. Not because I have a lot of influence, …
Word Weavers and Friends
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 …
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. …
Roadside Memories: Part 2 – The San Jacinto Courts
During the release month of Stardust, I had the privilege of being on a number of blogs to talk about my book, the writing process, and so on. Usually I offered a drawing for a book giveaway to people who commented. Imagine my surprise when one day I read a comment from someone who said that her grandfather built a …
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 …
A Word From a Polio Survivor
One of my favorite quote is from Johann Wolfgang VonGoethe: Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness, concerning all acts of initiative (and creation). There is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of …
Stardust Blog Tour Wrap-up
Now that Stardust has been flung out there, I’ve realized whatever happens next is in God’s hands, which is a very good thing. I’m glad to say that the response has been amazing! Much of the credit goes to Sarah at FaithWords who set up the Blog Tour, and to you, my readers, who’ve tweeted and shared on FaceBook. And …
Pioneer Days, 2012
After months of anticipation and preparation, Pioneer Days in the hometown of Guymon, OK, finally arrived. Sometimes the anticipation exceeds the enjoyment of the actual event, but not this time. I’m so proud of my dad who was chosen from a field of candidates to be the Parade Marshal for this year’s parade. We had to submit a bio which …
Countdown to Release Date for Stardust
This title is actually somewhat of a misnomer as Stardust has shipped early from some outlets and has been spotted in a few Barnes and Noble stores already. My author copies are here, and so it begins. May 15 is the actual release date, and that’s when the real hoopla gets rolling. Early reports are fantastic. Some sweet reviews. This …