Blog
New Contract Signed! Book Releases October 2026
Confession — this happened back in April… 😬 So why didn’t I share the news back then? Well, I’ve been writing at full speed. Unlike “Until Our Time Comes,” where I worked on the manuscript for well over 20 years, this second novel is on a bit tighter deadline...
Embracing the Latest Chapter
This past week, I attended the Oregon Christian Writer's Summer Conference. Well, sort of. This conference has been a part of my life -- a major part -- since 2009. I met some of my very best friends there. I found my amazing literary agent there. I worked for the...
Really? Three Years Since My Last Post?
Yes. Nearly three years to the day. Interesting how the last post and this post correspond to a specific event in my life, the annual Summer Conference hosted by the Oregon Christian Writers. I wrote then, and I'll reiterate now, this event has had a huge impact in my...
Notebook Reviews: I have a problem.
Testing the waters here. I’ve really, really gone over the deep end when it comes to trying out every.single.notebook I see. I’m looking for the just right: Spine (does it lay flat?)Cover (is it soft and/or sturdy?)Paper quality (is it thick enough not to bleed ink,...
Starting Where You’re At
Writing is a muscle. A discipline. A calling, yes. But a practice. The more you do, the more readily it can come. The more smoothly. Not all the time. Writer’s block is a thing for a reason. But the blank page. The atrophy of “not having written”. These things can...
Lessons from Anthony: Check Your Expectations
In Rising Strong, Brene Brown shares how our expectations can set us up for disappointment when the reality turns out to be different from our (sometimes lofty or idealistic) expectations. This really hit home. Perhaps it’s the novelist in me. I frequently paint...
Puppy + Baby = Embracing Chaos
We did a rather silly thing this past week. And her name is Dany. Dany (short for "Daenerys Shelterborn") is an 8-week-old Shepherd/Cattle Dog/pitbull mix and she comes to us at such an interesting time in our lives. She's a sweet girl and very good (and smart) for a...
Dots and Threads: What is your ONE thing?
Funny things happen when you seek direction and clarity in your life. Sometimes you wander, grasping into a fog that may seem never-ending. Sometimes, lightning-bolt moments happen during a conversation, during a shower, during a movie. Sometimes, a book jumps out at...
Why, hello again!
Hello, blog. Long time, no see. It's been what? A little over a year? Gosh, you've changed. Me? Oh, you won't believe everything that's changed for me in the past year. Where do I even begin? I'm a whole new person. I'm complete. I'm, as Elizabeth Stone said, "forever...
Chicken Chronicles: The Flock of Five
The five chicks we picked up earlier this year are growing like crazy! They've been set loose among the general pop and are adapting slowly to the new routines. 🙂