I’m exploring the world of a new book I’m diving into. It’s the same world I’ve explored several times already as I head back to the Appalachian Mountains in Kentucky to bring some new characters to life. I like going to the mountains for stories. The new one that I’m dreaming up right now will be my fifth book with …
A Day with Avid Readers on Instagram
On Thursday, I had the fun chance to take over the Avid Readers of Christian Fiction Instagram page for a day. Sort of a writer for the day. I shared about my writing with an emphasis on my new book, The Song of Sourwood Mountain. I had earlier been interviewed on Writer’s Desk. You can check out that interview post …
Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #11
Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #11 Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt! If you’ve just discovered the hunt, be sure to start at Stop #1, and collect the clues through all the stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top 5 grand prizes! The hunt BEGINS on 3/14 at noon MST with Stop #1 …
Sourwood Mountain – The Song – Hi-ho diddle-um-a-day
I just had a friend let me know that there is actually a song of Sourwood Mountain. I didn’t know that, but it’s making me smile. I could have had one of my characters singing it. I really missed the boat on that one. I did use some folk songs in my book, These Healing Hills. I had my nurse …
Story Quotes from The Song of Sourwood Mountain
Sometimes things can get a little crazy when I’m working on a new book and doing things to get the word out about an upcoming release. Both things can be fun and exciting. Well, especially looking forward to having a new book out for readers. The work in progress can be a little more stressful when the words are being …
Christmas with My Characters
May we not spend Christmas or observe Christmas but rather keep it. ~ Peter Marshall Christmas Day has come and gone. Seems each year it comes quicker and is overtaken by a New Year just as fast. Since we had our family Christmas gathering early this year, Christmas seemed to come and go faster than ever. But that’s just the traditions and busyness of Christmas. Christmas can dwell …
Last Chance to Enter My End of the Year Book Giveaway
The last time always seems sad, but it isn’t really. The end of one thing is only the beginning of another. ~Laura Ingals Wilder, These Happy Golden Years Thanks to those of you who have dropped in here during the month of December when so much is sometimes going on with Christmas gatherings, special church services, and maybe new books …
Which Cover Was a Favorite?
“I always think that it’s wrong to put images of my protagonists on the cover of my novels because readers can identify with characters only if they are given the chance to imagine them independently.” ― Orhan Pamuk, The Innocence of Objects Cover art is so much fun to see and to talk about. We’ve all been told that you …
The “What Next” of Storytelling
Yesterday, April 27th, was National Tell a Story Day. Don’t ask me how you get something named a National Day because I don’t know. But every day has a few national somethings. Sometime last week it was World Book Day. Then there was Speak like Shakespeare Day. Naturally, we all just pay attention to those days that catch our interest …
“The Packhorse Library Was a Special Gift from God”
“The Book Woman is coming!” One of the things I really liked when I was researching for my book, Along a Storied Trail, was how I kept coming across stories of how much the mountain people loved the packhorse librarians they called the book women. For many of them the packhorse libraries were their first experience with libraries since their communities didn’t …