>Stringing Together a Novel

>For some people, novels arrive fully formed in their brains, via a dream or a story the author has been nursing for years. Broken Wings was more like a pebble here, a pearl there, a flicker of an idea that wasn’t quite flesh and bones. It actually had its origins in the stories my mother-in-law and dad told me about …

>Duststorms Then and Now

>This has been a horrible year for folks out in western Oklahoma and much of west Texas. Rainfall is measure in one-hundredths of an inch and every precious drop is welcomed. The drought and high winds have birthed many dust-filled days and wildfires. Thousands (maybe millions) of acres of land have burned along with many homes. More and more people …

>OKLAHOMA BOOK AWARDS

>Saturday night was the annual Oklahoma Book Awards Celebration presented by the Oklahoma Center for the Book. I was honored that Chasing Lilacs was a finalist for the Fiction category. So many great authors and illustrators come from my state, it’s hard not to feel a teensy bit proud. And while my book didn’t win, I was glad when the …

>It’s All Good

>Hello, lovely readers! I’ve been a little incog lately. Life has snowballed on me in the last few months. I wish I could blame it on something other than:a) lack of organizationb) wasting too much timec) overcommitmentd) lazinesse) being easily distractedf) bad weather It’s actually a combination of all those things. I’m not a multi-tasker and yet it may be …

>The Art of Brainstorming

> I’m so excited about this event! Perfect timing as I’m choosing my next book project. Some details and links for you: The seminar will be held Saturday, April 2, from 9:00 AM until 4:30 PM at Fellowship Lutheran Church, 6727 S Sheridan Rd, Tulsa OK, 74133. Registration is open now: $35 (including lunch) for the general public, $25 for …

>In Good Company

>One of the scariest aspects of writing (and there are many) is allowing your work to stand against other writers and books. It would be easy to simply say, “Okay, I have a book published; it’s lovely to hold and look at; people are saying nice things,” and just let it go at that. And yet, there is this tiny …

>Love and Laughter in SAVE THE DATE by Jenny B. Jones

> This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Save The Date Thomas Nelson (February 1, 2011) by Jenny B. Jones ABOUT THE AUTHOR: I write Christian fiction with a few giggles, quite a bit of sass, and lots of crazy. My novels include the Katie Parker Production series and So Not Happening. I would also like to take …

>Calling All Teen Writers

>If you’re under 25 years old and want to have a ton of fun with your writing, Stephanie Morrill at Go Teen Writers is running a contest this year. Every other week you get a writing prompt to get you started and can submit up to 100 words. The judges rotate with each round of competition. Yours truly will be …

>Heady Stuff – Pulpwood Queens’ Bestseller List for January 2011

>The first best-seller list for Chasing Lilacs!! I’m thrilled and hats off to Kathy Patrick, Tiara wearing and Book sharing founder of the Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys Book Clubs: the largest “meeting and discussing book club in the WORLD”! What I really love about Kathy is her non-stop efforts at bringing authors and readers together and her heart for …