by Diane Holmes THE PHONE CALL Jackie, our daughter, left for Botswana, Africa, on October 23rd, 2017, the day after her 55th birthday. The next news we got was a phone call from Barry, her husband, on November 15, asking that both Lyell and I be present and the phone…

by Debra DuPree Williams @DDuPreeWilliams As writers most of us have read, underlined, highlighted, and even, heaven forbid, dog-eared Steven James’ Story Trumps Structure. Apparently, the average American reader agrees with Mr. James. In a recent article appearing in the Review section of the Wall Street Journal, Adam Kirsch tells…

By Penny Reeve I wonder, did you set writing goals at the start of the year? And if you did, have you had a chance to take stock and review them yet?  The planner I use regularly incorporates a review process as part of its core features. Because of this,…

by Lynn H Blackburn @LynnHBlackburn It's hard to turn a parked car. Ever heard that one before? I can’t remember where I heard it first, but it’s so very true. You can be in the car, behind the wheel, motor running, ready to go. You may even have the brute strength…

by Sandy Kirby Quandt @SandyKQuandt As a writer, have you ever tried to fit into someone else’s clothes? I don’t mean literally, I mean have you tried to fit into writing things God intended for others to write? It doesn’t quite fit. It’s either too big, or too small. The…

By Cindy K. Sproles @CindyDevoted Sitting on the cusp of a new book release, the reality of good book reviews weighs heavy. The natural questions of acceptance raise our worry level just a smidge. Will readers like the book? Will they even post a review? What about the hate reviews?…