My Tip for Getting Through the Hard Times by Dawn Kinzer

My Tip for Getting Through the Hard Times

This too shall pass is a familiar phrase. It’s so popular that when I did an internet search, I discovered hundreds of examples of where it’s been used in speeches, books, and social media memes.

Don’t worry. I’m not going to list them all here. 😉

Why has the expression been shared numerous times over history?

The answer is simple. It offers hope—and hope changes everything.

Changing Seasons by Sharee Stover

I love autumn. Everything about the season appeals to me, from the beautiful rich colors in the changing leaves and the crisp air to wearing fuzzy warm sweaters. And of course, pumpkin spice in abundance. There’s something so defining about the change from summer to autumn, a definite turning of the page so to speak.

But it never seems to last long enough. Before I’ve had a chance to enjoy the gorgeous morphing landscape, the leaves have fallen off the trees leaving bare branches for winter’s arrival. When October ends, I feel as though someone hit the fast-forward button. November and December just seem to whiz by. Or maybe it’s that I’m not prepared for the rush of the holidays.

Escape the Comparison Trap by Myra Johnson

My critique partner and I use a shared Dropbox folder for sending chapters back and forth. Whenever I open her next file to critique, which is usually the morning after she uploaded it, a little popup tells me how long since the file was last edited. Counting backward that number of hours, I am often stunned to find she was still working on her chapter as late as 2:00 a.m.! 

For a fleeting moment, I wonder, Am I such a slacker? I mean, this lady is not only a multi-published historical romance novelist but also a crazy-busy wife, mother, homeschooler, and part-time private school teacher. How does she do it???

Looking Back, Looking Forward: Time to Take Inventory of Your Writing in 2020 By Sondra Kraak

We are a mere two months from the turning of one year to another. In just weeks, it will be Thanksgiving, and then Advent, and then Christmas. That means for us writers, it’s time to take inventory of how the past months of writing have gone. 

Lending a Helping Hand

Last weekend, my husband was taking care of landscaping in the front yard. Alan had finished cutting the grass and using the weedeater. He was gathering his tools and preparing to put everything away. With the mower and weed eater back in the garage, he walked to the front yard to pick up the extension cord and wrap it around the holder.

A group of about ten children were playing in the yard next door and across the street. We are blessed to have a wonderful neighborhood filled with loving families.

Don’t Touch That Fence by Pattie Frampton

Don’t Touch That Fence

I wish she’d told me. As I gripped the cold wire to stare into the pasture at her horse, a chestnut brown gelding with a white marking on its forehead that looked like the number seven, I was enchanted.

And electrified.

Or at least the fence was.

I was a pre-teen city girl visiting my country cousin. I didn’t know there was such a thing as an electric fence. The purpose is to keep your animals safely inside, and the predators outside.

A fence is a boundary.

We all need boundaries, especially as writers.

Writing for an Audience of One by Elizabeth Goddard

The phrase “for an audience of one” is often referred to when talking about being a fan of your own work or, another way of thinking about it---creating for the pleasure it gives you.

Let’s face it, not many people write novels for the sake of writing a novel. Okay, well maybe some people—but most of us start that long, arduous journey of learning to write, making connections at conferences, and either pursuing self-publishing or securing an agent to land an editor, for the purpose of getting published. As mentioned, not everyone does this. Some write novels for the sheer joy of creating a story which they stick in a drawer. Honestly, I don’t know anyone like that. You might. But let’s go back to the term “publishing”.

Merriam-Webster’s Definition of publishing : the business or profession of the commercial production and issuance of literature, information, musical scores or sometimes recordings, or art.

So, yes, most writers want to get our words—novels, articles, poetry, whatever—out there for the world to see our work! Or at the very least we want to share our heart with a lost and dying world, trusting that our message will land in the hands of someone who needs to read it.

At Christian writers’ conferences, this question is sometimes asked—Would you still be writing if you were only writing for an audience of One?

Capital One.

As in, you’re not your own audience, but God is your audience.

For many, the answer is still a resounding “yes”. For those writers the need to write is a burning drive, a dream, a call, that must be answered. I fall into that category, and yet, if I’m honest, my answer to the question—would you still be writing if you were only writing for an audience of One?--would likely be no. Okay, so if there was never any hope of being published, I doubt I would have continued on that journey. Yet, if God truly called me to write, then of course I could do no less than answer that call. (I answered the call in 2001 when I joined American Christian Fiction Writers).

My point is that the question gets right to the heart of the matter. Why do you really want to be a published author? Fame? Glory? You’re driven to write? Because God called you to write?

Scripture says, “Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3 :23 CSB

Not for people. Did you catch that part? But for an audience of One.

Whatever your answer to this question regarding an audience of One, remember that ultimately everything we do should be done for God. It’s up to Him to bless you with a bigger audience, but in your heart of hearts—make sure you do it all for Him. For His glory.

Lives...and hearts...are on the line in eight brand-new Christian Romantic Suspense novels from the genre’s most explosive authors. 

Lethal Outbreak: Lisa Harris & Lynne Gentry 

Virus hunter Aiden Ballinger believes the source of the lethal outbreak that decimated a remote Tibetan village came from disturbing the permafrost. Desperate to rebury it before it buries the world, Aiden enlists Rachel Allen, a beautiful epidemiologist. But while Aiden and Rachel pursue the cure—and their feelings for each other—someone is hunting them. Whoever wants them dead will not stop until they are silenced. 

Collision Course: Elizabeth Goddard 

His cover blown, FBI Special Agent Reg Jacobson finds refuge on the other side of the country, but trouble follows him when he faces off with a woman from his past. Private Investigator Nicole Weatherly, hired to catch a thief, suspects Reg. When the bullets fly, Reg and Nicole must escape secrets from their pasts before their futures collide. 

Glimmer in the Darkness: Robin Patchen 

When Cassidy learns another child has been kidnapped from her hometown, she's convinced the man who took the girl she’d been babysitting seven years earlier is behind the recent abductions. She alone holds the key to finding him. Though James blames Cassidy for his sister’s death, he’ll help if there’s a chance to save a child’s life. Can Cassidy and James identify the serial killer in time to rescue his latest victim? 

Expired Plot: Lisa Phillips 

A man after justice. A local crime boss. The woman caught between. Undercover FBI agent Will Briar is working his way to the top of an illegal operation. But when he discovers the identity of the boss, everything changes. Hollis knows nothing is as it seems. Now she must either save her father and doom herself, or take a chance on the man who could be the answer…to everything. 

Ice: Lynnette Bonner 

Camryn Hunt witnessed a murder. Now she’s under the protection of handsome small-town sheriff Holden Parker. The gorgeous island location, and break from her dreary life, might be pleasant if the sheriff wasn’t so demanding. Determined that no harm come to Camryn, Holden secludes her at his home. He only wishes she didn’t intrigue him so thoroughly. Attraction only complicates things. Especially when the murderers arrive at his door. It’s going to take all his wits to save her. 

Never A Traitor: Jan Thompson 

The last thing Private Investigator Earl Young expects is to pose as a fake boyfriend to a whistleblower. His driving need to solve problems forces him to work with paranoid Sienna Halstead as she draws him deeper into her corporate world of secrets and subterfuge. The more time they spend together, the more attraction grows. When another whistleblower is murdered, Sienna knows she's next. How far will Earl go to protect her? 

Ben in Love: Luana Ehrlich 

Is CIA operative Ben Mitchell really in love with the daughter of a Turkish dissident? Titus Ray, his mentor, isn’t buying it; he thinks Ben needs intel on a Muslim cleric. But when Titus follows Ben to northern Virginia, he discovers Ben’s deception is more dangerous than he thought. With their lives on the line, can Titus convince Ben to abandon his plans before it’s too late? 

Liar Like Her: D.L. Wood 

When disbarred attorney Quinn Bello discovers a body that inexplicably vanishes, no one in her seaside town believes her—no one, that is, except newcomer Ian Wolfe, who for his own mysterious reasons doesn’t hold Quinn’s past against her. Together they search for the truth, but doubts about Quinn’s sanity and innocence increase as the danger escalates. Will they expose the heart of the deception before Quinn becomes the next victim? 

Scripture says, “Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3 :23 CSB Not for people. Did you catch that part? But for an audience of One.

Elizabeth Goddard has sold over one million books and is the award-winning author of more than 50 romance novels and counting, including the romantic mystery The Camera Never Lies--a 2011 Carol Award winner. She is a Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense finalist for her Mountain Cove series--Buried, Backfire, and Deception--and a Carol Award finalist for Submerged. When she's not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry. For more information about her books, visit her website at www.ElizabethGoddard.com. 

Prepping for NaNoWriMo by Patty Smith Hall

It’s the middle of October, and everyone I know is gearing up for NaNoWriMo or National Novel Writing Month next month. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, NaNoWriMo is a non-profit organization that challenges writers to write 50K new words of a novel in thirty days. Each year on November 1^st, hundreds of thousands of people from every walk of life begin to write. In case you’re wondering, that's 1667 new words every day (including weekends and Thanksgiving) so you’ve got to have a plan if you hope to achieve your goal.

Cruisin’ the Coast: A Lesson for Writers By Shannon Redmon

My husband and I just returned from the Cruisin’ the Coast Car show in Biloxi, Mississippi and the event transported us back in time. My husband is the classic car enthusiast and loves to look at all the different unique vehicles. I like to watch his face light up when he sees a cool car he likes. His favorites are the old Corvettes or any other Chevrolet car. 

My apologies to all the Ford lovers out there. 😄

The one thing that struck me the most was how each of the classic cars displayed a uniqueness, from the color of the paint to the individuals who drove them. From large wheeled monster trucks to suped-up low-riders crowding the streets, not to be outdone by showroom quality stingrays or rusted out rat-rods. 

Every car brought something unique to the table, not to mention the smile on the driver’s faces. 

The locals assured us the steroid hyped-up car show was something they looked forward to every year. They attended so they didn’t miss the burnouts, flame throwers, boat cars and even the gigantic flyer wagon cruising up and down Beach Boulevard. 

However, you might be wondering what a deep south car show has to do with writing.

Strategies for a Grateful Attitude By Patty Nicholas-Boyte

I think we can all agree that 2020 has been a year like no other that we’ve experienced in our generation. When I think of everything that has happened this year, I sometimes wonder if we will ever get to a place where we can call things normal again. 

I suspect I am not the only one feeling this way. I also suspect I am not the only one who has struggled with the writing projects I’ve been working on this year. What used to be a routine of mine to get up, spend time with God, and then pound out several hundred words before I got ready for work is now a struggle. On a daily basis I’ve had to work hard just to focus. 

These last few weeks in particular have been extremely difficult, but I have learned one thing that has been helpful. Be thankful for what I have been given. When I dwell on the negative, I will be a negative person. If I stop each day and be thankful for at least one thing, then I am a more positive person and I find that my writing is not as difficult, and I have even had moments where the words flow as before. 

Even in my hardest days I can find one thing to be thankful to God for how He has provided for me that day. The following are some of my strategies to remain grateful and positive during this last year. 

• 
  Smile. There is usually one thing in the day that made me smile. I try to write this down as a way to remain thankful, and at the end of the day I refer back and thank God for His goodness. 
• Prayer Journal. If you don’t have one, I highly recommend one. By writing down my prayers, and then, the answers to the prayers as they happen, I can see God working. When I am discouraged, I will often refer back to see God’s goodness and my attitude changes. 
• Organization. During the lockdowns, my life has only gotten busier if that is possible. I’ve always been a pretty organized person, but that was just my nature. I’ve found I needed to be intentional about organizing my time and being wise about choosing between two or more competing things that need my time. The best advice I ever received when making hard choices was to always choose the relationship over the task.
• Worship. Making sure I have worship music on at the start of the day puts my mind in a positive place, and places everything in perspective. No matter what happens, God is still on the throne and worthy of my worship. 
• Write. These days I often have to force myself to sit and write. While the first several minutes may be difficult, once I get a few words written, I find myself back in my characters head, and the story begins to flow. I am always more depressed if I give in to a negative attitude and let it keep me from writing and feel better when I’ve written, even if it’s only a few words, as long as I’m making progress. 

I know everyone is different and t
hese strategies may not work for you, but I hope it helps you to seek out what does work. Happy Writing

While the first several minutes may be difficult, once I get a few words written, I find myself back in my characters head, and the story begins to flow

Multi award winning writer, Patty Nicholas-Boyte lives with her Husband Brian in the mountains of North Carolina. She is a busy event planner for the Billy Graham Training Center at the Cove, and is a member of the Blue Ridge Writers Group and Word Weavers International. She is a mother of two grown daughters and grandmother of three. She writes Bible studies and devotionals as well as contemporary romance. 

She is a regular contributor to the Cove Blog.

Devotions are published in compilations by Lighthouse Bible Studies.
facebook.com/patty.l.nicholas
twitter.com/PattyNicholas2
https://thecove.org/blog

Who Am I? by JoAnn Durgin

Who Am I? 

Our family—my husband, our three children, and our five-year-old granddaughter—all flew to the Phoenix, Arizona, area for a family wedding earlier this month. After a weekend of reunions and celebrations, we then drove to Sedona and Flagstaff. What a thrill to view the fascinating red rocks of Sedona and the mighty Grand Canyon with our loved ones!

As we stood at the base of a hill in Sedona—the Chapel of the Holy Cross above us—and then as we overlooked the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, I was filled with a sense of wonder and extreme gratefulness. The incomparable glory of the Lord’s creation was in full display in those places. Words like “majestic” and “awe-inspiring” come to mind. In the face of such grandeur, it’s tempting as an author to ponder, “Who am I?” How can I, through my words, help others “see” the magnificence of almighty God?

2020 and the fight for NaNoWriMo by Lisa Phillips

Sounds like a pretty good story premise. Our intrepid dark, unpredictable hero who is prone to bouts of moodiness and a tendency to put people in timeout for 14 days ventures out to conquer the city of NaNo, a friendly neighboring locale he hasn’t seen in a while but would quite like to see again.

The only problem is, this NaNoWriMo hasn’t remained that familiar spot from previous ventures—the place of victory it once was. Though it might be the same mountain with its steady and relentless climb to the top, victory doesn’t look quite so sure this time. That hill looks a little steeper. The path looks a little more treacherous. Occasionally a boulder labeled, “lockdown” or another labeled, “online school” rolls across the path. Snow clouds gather, and the air seems to hold a little more chill the weather man calls, “you’ll have to wear your mask inside Starbucks even though you didn’t finish your drink yet.”

So what is this weary traveler known as 2020 going to do?

He’s going to prepare.

Yeah, yeah. He does that every October to get ready for his journey. He’ll scribble in a notebook, and have inspired plot ideas in the shower. He’ll dig out those long (but mostly useless) character questionnaires, and then remember to read the craft books and actually dig into the character’s real, inner journey—the one that encompasses real change.

Same old October NaNo prep.

Or is it?

This year looks a lot different for our intrepid traveler. He’ll have to find new ways of working. New places that are distraction free. Life probably looks a whole lot differently this year, and assuming things will fall into place may not work. 2020 has to see a few boulders start to roll before they even get close, and make a side-step out of the way.

Can he still achieve victory?

Sure.

Will he?

Maybe. Maybe not. And isn’t that the real story of 2020? Kind of like this:

A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps. (Prov 16v9)

Right now it feels like he’s directing 2020 through a minefield. The word, “unprecedented” comes to mind. “Never before” has x,y, or z happened in our lifetime. Who knows what will happen next? I’ve found myself homeschooling for the first time. Writing a chapter a day – at seven in the morning – and taking longer to write a book. Everything was canceled for a while, and yet it felt like I was busier than ever. Now that things seem to be coming back online, I’m wondering what will happen next.

So if you’re looking forward to NaNoWriMo out of a sense of nostalgia for years past…I’d caution you. Be VERY careful to measure what you’re able to commit to. This year is so wildly different from any other that it could blindside you, and all your plans get tossed up in the air like confetti.

If you do sign up, whether things go well or poorly, give yourself GRACE. Celebrate your accomplishments, and for the rest of it—toast your favorite beverage to, “doing a little better next time.”

Last year I thought I would do double NaNo. I ended at 75,000 words. Not bad at all—maybe even fantastic—but that would never happen this year. Not only am I homeschooling, I’m also attending a week long intensive conference mid-Nov.

But I’ll be on the sidelines, cheering everyone on…and then about the 13th, I’ll realize I need to write that 55k word book before I go on vacation Nov 27th. *shrug* 2020. Am I right?!

So if you’re looking forward to NaNoWriMo out of a sense of nostalgia for years past…I’d caution you. Be VERY careful to measure what you’re able to commit to. This year is so wildly different from any other...

Need some more info about National Novel Writing Month? Click here. Lisa Phillips has a penchant for high-stakes stories of mayhem and disaster where you can find made-for-each-other love that always ends in happily ever after.

She’s a contributing author in the DANGEROUS DECEPTIONS boxed set that released this week. The set is aiming to be a USA Today Bestseller, so if you’ve got a dollar and you adore Christian Romantic suspense then head on over to Amazon and snap up your copy now!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086WP9LX9

The Art of Juggling by Susan Anne Mason

I never realized that being an author would mean learning to juggle. Not that I hadn’t been prepared by my ‘pre-publication’ life. After all, I juggled being a wife, a mother, a daughter, and a church secretary. Plus, I wrote in my spare time.

And you’d think that with my twelfth published novel coming out on October 13th, I’d have this writer’s job down pat. But these last few weeks have proven me wrong.

Developing Three Persons in One by Marie Wells Coutu

“There are three people in yourself: who people think you are, who you think you are, and who you really are.” 

This quote is widely attributed on the Internet to William Shakespeare, but I’ve been unable to locate the actual source or anything that definitively proves or disproves its Shakespearean origin. (If you know, I’d love to hear from you.) 

Regardless who said it, hearing the quote recently got me to thinking. Not only is this is a good concept to apply to one’s life, but it also can help in developing fictional characters. 

Write Until They Take Your Pencil Away

I stood in a circle with other writers. We all noted that when we sat down to write, our minds froze. I admitted I held my breath as I wrote, which after four minutes or so, alarmed my wife. 

We pinned down the reason. We’ve looked forward to writing all day, and now that the long awaited moment arrived, we couldn’t squeeze out a word—much like going to the bathroom on command with everyone waiting. 

What should we do if we’re panicky writers? 

Three Fs of 2020 by Gail Johnson

Three Fs of 2020 

Have you struggled to find inspiration this year? I daresay we all have at some point. I'm sure we'd like to forget some events in 2020. But if we pray and look around us, we may find the needed encouragement in the oddest places.

Just Right? Or Just Write! By Patti Jo Moore

Are you a perfectionist? When you’re getting ready to write, does everything need to be organized and completely tidy? I’m sure there is a writer—somewhere—who has a special writing desk that is perfectly neat. No messy papers or post-it notes scattered, no books spread on the desk (or floor!), no coffee stains on anything, research materials, character information, and any other needed materials all arranged in perfect order, ready to be used by the writer to compose a wonderful (maybe even best-selling) story. If this describes you, I’d love to meet you—maybe even get your autograph! 😉

But for the rest of us, we seldom (if ever) have circumstances that perfectly align with our “ideal” writing time or space. Even those of us who are blessed to have a designated room in our home to call our writing office, there will still be obstacles when we want to produce those needed words. If you have children at home, then it’s likely you write when they’re busy with their own activities. For those of you who work at a job besides writing, it can be very challenging finding that “right” time to write. When I taught kindergarten, I still had children living at home and cannot imagine trying to write a complete manuscript in those days! Whew! Even if you have plenty of time to write with no interruptions, there might be health-related issues that interfere with your writing. It can be a challenge to be productive if you have a throbbing headache or any physical illness/discomfort.

Give Your Audience What They Want by Milla Holt

Somewhere in the world there may be people who would love to eat a peanut butter, egg salad and jellied eel sandwich. Perhaps this is your favorite lunch, and you know you can make the best peanut butter, egg salad, and jellied eel sandwich ever. Let’s say you want to share your creation with the world and maybe even earn some money off of it. Finding people who will eat your sandwich is possible, but it will be hard. You will fight an even more difficult uphill battle if you want supermarket chains to sell your special signature sandwich on their shelves.

In the same way, if you want to write experimental fiction that bucks every trend, you may struggle to locate your fans and have an even harder time selling your work to an agent or traditional publisher.

I’m going to pause for a minute here and acknowledge that not every writer wants to sell a lot of books. Many writers put pen to paper for the sheer joy of creative expression and don’t care about being published or earning an income from their writing. That’s a completely legitimate type of author, and more power to you if this is who you are. This piece isn’t for such writers, though. I’m writing to authors who want to sell their work either to an agent or publisher, or direct to a paying audience. I’m also writing mainly to writers of fiction.

If you want to sell, you need to present something that people want to buy. “Writing to market” is a phrase that you’ll hear a lot if you hang out in online writing groups. It stems from Chris Fox’s book of the same name, although the concept has existed for decades, if not longer. It means, simply, writing a book that fits the expectations of a defined audience of readers. The principle ties very closely with the idea of writing in a specific genre.

Readers come to a work of fiction looking for a particular experience. If they’re into romance, they want to share the emotional journey of a couple falling in love and fighting through challenges to be together. Mystery readers get into a book to enjoy plot twists, red herrings, and tantalizing clues as a sleuth tries to unmask a criminal. Thriller readers are after edge-of-the-seat suspense with desperately high stakes. Writing to market means delivering those experiences to readers.

For example, the couple in a romance has to end up together and live happily ever after. If they break up or one of them dies (a la Nicholas Sparks), you’ve written a love story, not a romance. In a mystery, there had better be a crime committed and a group of potential suspects, any of whom could have done the deed. If you buck these expectations, you risk leaving your readers unsatisfied. They will punish you with poor reviews or, more likely, just never buy anything else you write.

If you want to sell books, it’s important to know your audience and study what they want so that you can give it to them. If you master the art of fulfilling reader expectations, you’ll have a much easier time building a fanbase who will keep coming back for more.

Writing to market gets a lot of flak, and you may be rolling your eyes. Some authors feel that it will make their writing formulaic, predictable, and not special enough. But a formula doesn’t have to be a bad thing. There’s a reason why every standard cake has certain basic ingredients: flour, sugar, eggs, fat, and a raising agent. But beyond that fundamental formula there is a world of variety and a hungry audience.

Never has a carrot cake fan eaten a slice of their favorite dessert and complained that it followed the recipe too closely. Can you imagine it? “This carrot cake is waaaay too formulaic. I was hoping for a dash of anchovy paste and crayfish in there. What a disappointment.” No. People who want carrot cake want carrot cake. That’s why they picked yours up.

Oh, and one more thing. Writing to market means being aware that your book won’t please everyone. Some people just don’t like carrot cake. Others are allergic to gluten, eggs, or dairy. That’s okay: they can get their dessert from someone else who’s making things they like, or which they can eat without getting ill. Wish them well, but don’t worry about them: just focus on pleasing your carrot cake afficionados.

As an author who wants to sell books, I embrace genre. I aim to give readers the emotional experience they are looking for when they come across my books. I study genre expectations closely, and I hit all the main beats. At the same time, I do my best to make each story fresh and unique. It can be done, and it’s part of the creative challenge.

Sometimes, I add walnuts to my carrot cake. On other occasions, I’ll leave out the nuts and include dried apricots instead. One day I’ll use cream cheese frosting, but on another day I’ll do a vanilla buttercream. People who love carrot cake still get the sweet treat they want, but it’ll be different enough to be enticing.

If you want to sell, you need to present something that people want to buy. #SeriouslyWrite

~~~~~~~

Milla Holt loves carrot cake and contemporary Christian romance. Look her up on https://millaholt.com, or follow her on Instagram @millaholt, or www.facebook.com/millaholt

Lessons Learned in Love

The boss’s daughter is off-limits. Especially when she steals the job that should have been his.

Vanya has never measured up to her parents’ demanding standards. After a crushing humiliation at her last job, she jumps at the chance to prove herself when her father entrusts her with a leadership role in his company.

Tendo has had nothing handed to him on a silver platter. The son of a refugee, he’s had to claw his way up every rung of the career ladder. Then the CEO’s daughter swoops in to take the job that should have been his. Tendo wants to resent the pampered princess, making his growing attraction unexpected—and entirely unwelcome.

Vanya feels grossly unqualified to manage the brilliant and ambitious
Tendo, especially when she realizes that she’s beginning to admire him
for a lot more than his professional qualities. And although he knows
he’s falling hard and fast, Tendo is proud of being a self-made man. A
relationship with the boss’s daughter is exactly the sort of special
treatment he despises.

But as Vanya’s and Tendo’s worlds collide, they discover the power of
honesty, grace, and trust—and the possibilities of a future built
together.

LINK: https://books2read.com/u/mKDDqZ

Teach Us to Number Our Days by Emily Conrad

After a traumatic experience, the phrase "teach us to number our days" kept echoing in my mind.

I'd been reminded that time is short and we never know when our heavenly Father will call us into eternity.

But numbering my days only seemed to introduce fear and anxiety into my life. I knew that wasn't what God wanted for me.

Don’t Underestimate the Value of Your Newsletter By Cynthia Herron

 

Cynthia Herron

Part of an author's platform is having a newsletter that goes out regularly to our readers. But where to start? Fellow Mountain Brook Ink author, Cynthia Herron, is here today with some tips to get you started and help you build momentum and a following. Read on! ~ Annette

Dear writers, do the words “author newsletter” strike fear in your heart?

Depends who you ask, of course. To our readers, we certainly hope not! We love you. We want you to love us, too. We hope you enjoy hearing from us.

To my writing friends who tremble at the mere thought of adding yet another thing to your must-do list—no worries.

I’ll admit, when I started my newsletter several years ago, I really didn’t have a clue what to do or where to start.

Charity Over All by Melinda V. Inman

Charity Over All 

God has us here for a purpose. He has given us the task of writing what is good, what is right, and what is pleasing to him. We have a mission from God during this time of upheaval, just as writers did during the 9/11 disaster, the Civil Rights Movement, previous times of war, and other national crises during and before our lifetimes.

As Coretta Scott King said, “Struggle is a never-ending process. Freedom is never really won; you earn it and win it in every generation.” Where do we fit in the struggle?