It helps me to see my characters when I’m writing a story. So, often, at the very beginning of a project, I’m on the search for faces that fit the person developing in my mind. I’ll cut out or print out pictures of people and pin them to a bulletin board or have an album …
My favorite art form as a child was finger painting. I loved mixing the colors, making designs, wiping them away, and starting over. I also liked making clay bowls from mud. Maybe it’s something about getting my hands dirty. I’m not sure. One thing I longed to do and never could was draw something well …
I enjoy reading and writing contemporary and historical fiction. For a long time, I wrote only historicals. During my “B.C.” years, my stories were set in California between 1846 and 1880, a period of history that still fascinates me. When I became a Christian, I couldn’t write for three years. It was a painful time …
There have only been two times in my writing life when I have known the title of a book before I started writing: And the Shofar Blew and The Masterpiece. In the case of the first, I had no idea what a shofar was or how it would play out in a story. I didn’t …
Our town of Santa Rosa has many small, and a few large, churches. When I say large, I’m not talking Mid-west or Texas-in-the-thousands-large, but hundreds. Our area has been called “faith unfriendly” by movie distributors, and few Christian movies make it to our town. Churches stand alone. With a few exceptions, they don’t get together. …
Crossing the Jordan is a local non profit in Santa Rosa. We are boots on the ground, receiving and distributing donations directly to the fire victims and preparing for the aftermath. Tens of thousands of donations have come in and we are in need of cash donations for additional truck rentals and gas. Please consider assisting …
Rick and I have spent the last two weeks with close friends on a road trip through six states. Our route: Dallas, Vicksburg, New Orleans, Biloxi, Montgomery, Birmingham, Nashville, Memphis, Fort Smith, Oklahoma City and back to Dallas. We covered 2500 miles, saw numerous National Parks, landmarks and museums, and enjoyed perfect weather. All the …
The thistle and weed patch that was our “lawn” has been roto-tilled, the top layer of thistles with roots cleared away, gopher mesh installed, and several inches of top soil added. Sod now lies like an Irish green field. Gorgeous! So pristine! A few days later, I spotted a mound of dirt on the edge …
On a recent, regular check-up for Sarge, our German Shepherd, the vet found an enlarged spleen. An X-ray and sonogram showed how enlarged, and the danger of a rupture that could cause massive internal bleeding and death. We didn’t think twice. Take out that spleen! As Sarge was prepped for surgery and his belly shaved, …
When I grew up, I heard mixed messages. A girl who has sex before marriage is considered promiscuous. A ruined reputation means a ruined life. And then, the warning: Boys will be boys. With all the social advances and new laws, one would think the messages have changed. I’m not so sure. We still see …