Years ago, one of the first things I discovered as I stood in the background at a writer’s conference, listening to a room full of attendees talk, was I needed to learn writer’s lingo. I cringed at the thought of someone asking me about a pitch when all I could imagine was the pitcher at a ballgame. That couldn’t be right. My introverted self didn’t want to speak to anyone because I had no clue what they were talking about, and I didn’t want to show my ignorance. What do I mean by writer’s lingo? Look at it this way….
Called to Write?
Somewhere deep inside, a longing to write stories that might touch the hearts of readers wells up and won’t go away. This desire holds a passion to develop characters who can usher God’s love to others in a non-threatening and non-preachy manner. Whether through historical, women’s fiction, suspense, thrillers, or whatever the genre, inspirational stories can stir the true Breath of Life into the depths of a well-designed plot. The hero and heroine are free to discover life happens through their adventures, and there is hope for the future, even in the real world, outside of fiction. God is our…
September 2023 ACFW New Releases
September 2023 New Releases More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website Contemporary Romance: A Louisiana Christmas to Remember by Morgan Tapley Smith, Betsy St. Amant, Lenora Worth — Three heartwarming, interconnected stories of faith, love, and restoration, brought to you by three Louisiana-native authors. Will a rare snowy Louisiana Christmas bring restoration and hope to the hometown and hearts of three women from the town’s founding family? In A Louisiana Snow by Morgan Tarpley Smith, meet Mattie: A passionate visionary who learns to forgive and finds love in unexpected places… In Restoring…
Overwhelmed or an Opportunity by DiAnn Mills
Side note: Before you dive into DiAnn’s timely article concerning Overwhelmed or an Opportunity, let me announce and congratulate her. Today is the release day for her new novel FACING THE ENEMY! If you haven’t already pre-ordered this amazing romantic suspense book, today is the day. The Amazon link is below. Overwhelmed or an Opportunity Do the challenges of life leave you overwhelmed? Or are you using challenges as an opportunity? How our bodies are affected by stress and tension determine a healthy or unhealthy body. Stress and tension are not always bad experiences. Stress is the body’s reaction…
Caregiving Straight Talk Finale by Loretta Eidson
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading the real-life stories over the past five months. This series stemmed from me caring for my husband through his struggles from exposure to Agent Orange while in the Navy. I had cared for others before, but not to the extent his condition required. This series touched my heart to the depths of my soul and I pray it touched your life and gave you insight into the lives of caregivers. Today concludes my Caregiving Straight Talk series. I want to thank all who were brave and gracious enough to share their hearts with the world:…
Time Stand Still by Janet Morris Grimes
It’s Graduation season. Nothing brings me to tears faster than the first few strands of Pomp and Circumstance. No matter the venue or whether I know one of the graduates personally, it’s such an incredible feat and brings to the forefront how long it takes to find success and how many people we need in our corner to pull off such an accomplishment. As the celebratory photos are splashed all over social media, I often see parents utter this plea. “Time, stand still.” It’s a public admission that time is indeed fleeting; and our limited years with our children are…
Caregiving Through the Patient’s Eyes by Lori Vober
In January 2003, at the age of twenty-nine, I suffered a devastating hemorrhagic stroke. The stroke was caused by an undetected malformation of blood vessels on the right side of my brain, and I underwent emergency brain surgery the night of my stroke to stop the massive bleed. I woke up seventeen days later from a drug-induced coma, paralyzed on the left side. In the blink of an eye, our whole lives had changed. I am an only child, and my husband, Dainis, and I were just shy of our fifth wedding anniversary when my stroke occurred. I spent two…
Senior Housing – Where to Begin by Amy Loos
Choosing a new place for a loved one to call home is not for the faint of heart. Often, friends and family are thrust into looking at senior housing during an emergency or a health crisis. Emotions are high, fear is rampant, and questions are endless. So, where do you begin? My advice is to be wise and avoid emotionally driven decisions. In fact, the Lord calls us to seek Him in all we do, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” …
When Illness Won’t Let Go by Loretta Eidson
My husband gasped for breath, and there was nothing I could do but call 911. We barely made it to the hospital. He was drowning from the fluid that had built up around his lungs and heart. The diagnosis was congestive heart failure. After removing nine liters of fluid, his smile returned, and he breathed easy. Full-time caregiving fell into my lap that day. Over the next six years, his health continued to decline because of the adverse effects of exposure to Agent Orange when he served in the Navy. His ability to drive ended, much to his regret, and…
We Don’t Have What It Takes to Care for Our Parents by Kathy Howard
When my husband and I were young parents, we designated that carefree time of life before the arrival of the first offspring as “BC” – before children. Before children we enjoyed spontaneous outings, a little extra spending money, and a good night’s sleep. But “after children”, everything changed. Grocery store trips required hours of preparation. Paychecks often ran out before the next payday. And we regularly navigated our days in a sleep-deprived state. Caring for little ones was tough. Then they grew to be teenagers and parenting stretched us to new lengths. Now, with our children grown, we can look…
