Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Writing Life”
In the beginning, there was an idea… that turned into a story… that turned into a paragraph… that became a chapter… then a manuscript… then a beautiful book on the shelf. Sounds simple, right? I won’t lie. The process of writing a book isn’t what I would deem EASY, but it is worth it. And it is doable, even if you …
I’ve been working on a project for my day job centered around this idea: “What does it mean to be courageous?” And it got me thinking about the beginnings of the Heart of a Warrior series. This series began in a fourth-grade classroom while I was substitute teaching. They were taking a quiz, and I had just watched a news update on …
One of the most common questions I get about the Heart of a Warrior series is: Why Navy SEALs? I usually give one answer or another: My brother considered becoming a SEAL at one point. One of my favorite movies, Tears of the Sun, showed me what flawed men and a flawed mission can sometimes accomplish when our perspective changes. …
Since October, I’ve had a heart fixed on the stars. I sat under a cold Minnesota sky with writer friends all around and watched stars sparkle while a fire danced and crackled in front of me. Since childhood, the stars and the night sky have been my thing – my time with the Lord, my time to dream and be …
Goodbye, 2016, and hello, 2017. As Shakespeare said, “Parting is such sweet sorrow.” Bidding farewell to 2016 feels very much that way to me. Last year, I… Married off my baby sister and welcomed a brother-in-law into the family Learned I’m going to be an aunt! Moved to a new place and set up my first dream space (aka an …
December marks a year of Surrendered in the hands of readers and a of a season of brainstorming for me. Many of you have asked when you can expect another book and here’s the answer: I don’t really know. The plan is to release something next year. I’m hoping for two somethings, so stay tuned and we shall see. I …
I remember the footage all too well, the announcement that an earthquake had struck a tiny island nation, the waiting and wondering if people were alive. It’s been five years, and in that time, I’ve experienced what the Lord is doing in the aftermath. Today, I’m hosting a giveawy in support of 3 Cords, a ministry that provides jobs to …
Time for an update on my writing progress! Shadowed is with endorsers, Surrendered is underway, and the next proposal for the Heart of the Lion series is finished (as of today). Which means…it is almost time for the ACFW conference! This is the first year I will be attending as a published author. I love meeting other writers and can’t …
“How’s the writing going?” my coworker asked this week. Usually, I have a tailor-made answer ready for this. “It’s going.” “I’m getting there.” “I love it. It’s hard, but I’m excited about it.” “I’m overwhelmed. But at least it’s for a good reason!” But this time? This time, I groaned. Out loud. Before I could catch myself. The truth is …
“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.” Anne of Green Gables After a much needed break, it is back at it. Back to writing and editing Shadowed. Back to daily workouts and saying “no” to a few extra events. But all that …