The familiar idiom “back in the saddle” means to return to something after an absence; to make another attempt after failure, interruption, or setback. I only published one blog post in the past year, and I haven’t worked on a manuscript since last spring. But as the Public Relations Officer for our Band Boosters, I …
Writing
Amish Fiction Multi-Author Panel Discussion & Signing
Diane Craver, Shelley Shepard Gray, Cathy Liggett, Mindy Steele, and I are compiling a list of fun questions we will answer at our Panel Discussion and Signing event next month. There will be giveaways and books for sale! Do you have questions you’d like to hear us answer? Send those questions to Laurie at lauriestroupsmith@gmail.com. …
Going Once, Going Twice…Sold!
In Pockets of Purpose, Book #2 in The Pocket Quilt Series, an Amish auctioneer has surgery to remove a cyst from his vocal cords. Complications from the procedure interfere with his healing, leaving him searching for his passions and purpose. Continue reading to learn more about the inspiration behind the story. Mt. Hope Auction I’ve attended …
Soup is Good for the Soul
In The Tale of Despereaux, Kate DiCamillo wrote, “There ain’t no point in making soup unless others eat it. Soup needs another mouth to taste it, another heart to be warmed by it.” I feel the same is true with the stories of our lives. Oftentimes we feel like we are the only ones going …
#Fiction Friday: Mindy Steele
Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of meeting author and agency sibling Mindy Steele. We chatted on the telephone about reading, writing, and her debut novel To Catch a Hummingbird that will be released on May 25. Keep your eyes open as she has three additional books coming out in 2021! Author Bio Raised …
Where Should These Puppies Live?
For the past two months or so, I’ve been writing a new contemporary romance that involves a Coast Guard veteran, a dog trainer, and a litter of adorable lab puppies. I’m five chapters away from finishing the book, but I need a name for the small Ohio town where the story takes place. Please vote …
In the Name of Research
Right before school started, our daughters and I drove east on Ohio State Route 32 to Adams County. We wound our way through the countryside, crossed an old covered bridge, and soon spotted an 18-wheeler, loaded with wooden pallets, pulling away from a large lumber yard. Later in the week, my agent suggested I write …
#FictionFriday: Amy Willoughby-Burle
I recently had the pleasure to chat with my friend Amy Willoughby-Burle about reading, writing, and her most recent release. In The Year of Thorns and Honey, Amy writes about faith, family, and forgiveness. Her characters discover that “life can be as sticky as it is sweet.” If you enjoy a sweet romance, you’ll want …
#FictionFriday: Amy Hueston
Did you enjoy traveling to Pinecraft with Mariah and meeting Aunt Birdie’s spunky miniature schnauzer Sunny in Pockets of Promise? Then allow me to introduce you to my friend Amy Hueston, author of Paws for Concern. In her debut cozy mystery, you’ll join Samantha Armstrong in Palm Beach, where you’ll meet Sweet Pea, an adorable …
Agency Siblings
During this time of uncertainty in the world, perhaps you need a way to escape, to fill downtime, or to learn ways to manage anxiety and relationships as we shelter in place. Through my agent Julie Gwinn, I am linked to a tribe of amazingly talented authors who have books scheduled to release soon or …