by Julie Zine Coleman @JulieZColeman Getting old stinks. Nearing the end of his life, my ninety-one year old father-in-law took a fall and landed in the hospital. That meant medical tests, shots, and other intrusive treatments. He was miserable. He just wanted to go home and be left in peace.…

By Cherrilynn Bisbano @bisbanowrites I encountered many avoidable mistakes as a submissions reader and junior literary agent. Some of these blunders I made in the past, like sending one email to twenty agents. This is frowned upon in the literary world or misspelling a name. I would be remiss if…

by Rhonda Rhea @RhondaRhea Lash down. I repeat, we have a lash down. This is not a drill. Go to DEFCON 2. I was at a conference, just stepping up to the mic. Two seconds in, and wouldn’t you know it, one fake lash goes down. All weekend long, those lashes…

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Writing a story about an actual person or event provides an opportunity for readers to explore, invoke sensory perception, and imagine themselves as those who lived through a notable time in history. A real or fictitious character who embarks upon the established adventure sets the stage…

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson We're just back from the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. It's always one of the high points of my year, but it's also an exhausting experience. And that exhaustion isn't limited just to those directing a conference or on staff. It affects those attending as…

by Blythe Daniel @BlytheDaniel Recently our family was going through some old photos of when our children were young. We were looking at what they said they wanted to do when they grew up. This was before they made a declaration of faith in Christ and were considering how to…