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More than 150 years ago, slaves fleeing from the South crossed the river into Ohio, fighting for physical freedom. On three different occasions over the past eighteen months, I have camped on a slice of land along the banks of the Ohio River in search of spiritual freedom. In October 2017, I felt a nudge …
“April is designated as the Month of the Military Child; a time to honor the sacrifices made by military families worldwide.” In my last post, I explained that I am following a nudge to write a Contemporary Romance series about Wounded Warriors. My proposal for a three-book series is currently on the desks of editors …
Since deciding to pursue publication for my manuscripts, I’ve been told the following: Write what you know. Write what’s on your heart. Write the story that scares you. I attended the ACFW Conference in September. Two editors requested my contemporary romance proposal while a third editor strongly encouraged me to write another Amish book. Despite …
In recent weeks, I’ve been having doubts about this calling I have to be a writer. Why? I made writing a priority in my life over two years ago, but there hasn’t been much interest in my books from traditional publishing houses. Will I ever get published? I’m a stay-at-home mom with kids in middle …
Happy New Year! As we celebrated the holidays with extended family and friends, I was asked about my writing journey. I thought I’d share some of this year’s highlights here. In January, Literary Agent Julie Gwinn of The Seymour Agency offered to represent me. She has provided endless encouragement and guidance throughout the past twelve …
In five short days, I’ll board a plane a head to Dallas for the 2017 American Christian Fiction Writers Conference. As I polish my pitch and print materials, I’ve been reflecting on my experience at last year’s conference in Nashville. Throughout that weekend, I was a sponge, noting various tips and tricks on the pages …
Over the past four years, I’ve visited Ohio Amish Country about a dozen times. People often ask me for recommendations as they plan their own trips, so I created a list of my top 10 favorites in Ohio Amish Country. 10. Rebecca’s Bistro If you’re not in the mood for Amish fare, head …
While packing for a week’s vacation in Michigan, I received an email from my agent. She had heard from The Editor, the one who had expressed interest in my writing after reading my novella, and she wanted my thoughts about his reaction to my first full-length novel. This was the moment I’d been waiting for …
I attended the Christian Fiction Readers Retreat this weekend in Cincinnati. My favorite part of the event was the presentation by inspirational authors Becky Wade and Dani Pettrey. While speaking to us about planning, writing, revising, and publishing a book, Becky illustrated the creation of a novel with M&Ms. When I asked for permission to …
In October of 2013, I was invited to be an assistant to New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Shelley Shepard Gray. At that time, I was a full-time stay-at-home mom to two young daughters in elementary school. I was familiar with Shelley’s writing because my mom would read her books and then pass them …