Audio sale ~ please sail away to Scotland with me!

INDIGO

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Thirty-three years ago today, I married my real-life hero, Randy. So, here’s to many years of marriage, a lifetime of hills & valleys, &  the man who inspired more than a few romantic heroes along the way.

Or should I say, before & after Photoshop?

Happy anniversary to my real-life hero, Randy!

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Research is something I enjoy almost as much as writing—& for a historical fiction author, it’s key to authentic storytelling.

I once read an engaging novel set in Jamestown Colony & was humming happily along when suddenly a dance scene commenced…& the characters began waltzing.

WHAT?

I share that story knowing full well that my own novels are not 100% anachronism or idiosyncrasy-free. No historical novelist gets every single detail right. But authors owe it to our readers—& to our own reputations—as well our respect for history, to research deeply enough to understand the century we’re writing about: its customs, foods, clothing, news, language, social conventions, transportation, technology, & the everyday details that make a historical world feel real.

For me, the research begins months before I write a word of the novel. I start collecting books & give myself time to soak up the era, the setting, & the people I’ll be spending nearly two years with. I want to know their world so well that it becomes second nature.

I wish I could master Scrivener, but I’m still hopelessly old-fashioned when it comes to research. I prefer handwriting everything on legal pads & in pretty notebooks. There’s something about putting pen to paper that sparks creativity— it slows me down & I also remember what I’ve handwritten far better than what I’ve read on a screen.

Last winter, I twisted my husband’s arm to turn our youngest son’s room into a little library. We’ve only managed two walls of bookshelves so far, but here’s a peek at my favorite vintage collection.

I adore vintage books & would line the entire house with them if I could. There’s something wonderfully inspiring about being surrounded by the books, ideas, and stories that came before us.

Perhaps that’s one reason I love writing historical fiction so much.

I’m writing for readers today—but I’m also quietly hoping someone will still be reading these stories a hundred years from now.

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I love this reminder of just who God is. THE author. Not just of creation but our faith. Every good & perfect gift is from above. He is love. Light. Hope. Eternity. And so much more.

Amen.

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I’m so honored to find The Belle of Chatham among the finalists for the renowned Christy Award!

My first Christy final was for Love’s Reckoning back in 2013. I remember sitting beside my agent at that glittering gala in St. Louis. Though I didn’t win, simply being a finalist felt like such a gift.

Fast-forward a few years, and I’m deeply grateful for my wins—& now, another final.

I used to think I’d stop writing if I won just once. But I’ve come to see it differently. As long as God gifts me stories to tell, I want to keep trying to shine even the tiniest fictional light into a world of darkness.

For His glory. In the end, that’s all that truly matters.

Thank you to the Christy Award for your dedication recognizing and encouraging edifying fiction—& thank you, dear readers, for making these stories possible. 💛

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I got so tickled—tickled pink, or rather indigo!—when an author friend sent me this review she’d come across for one of my novels.

I tend to avoid reviews, though I know some authors read theirs carefully to learn how they might improve their writing. I’ve simply found that what one reader loves, another may loathe, so I don’t find reviews particularly instructive in that regard. Reading is so subjective.

I don’t enjoy sushi, but my boys love it. That doesn’t make sushi inherently good or bad—it simply means it isn’t to my taste. Reading is much the same.

That said, I deeply appreciate every positive review, even the very brief ones that simply tell me what a book meant to that particular reader. Those mean more than you know.

But every so often, a long—& in this case, lengthy—review comes along that is so delightful & hilarious that it simply begs to be shared.

I’m not sure which review site this came from, but thank you, thank you to the reader who took the time not only to read my book but then to craft such a stellar review. I do think there’s a book in you!

Juliet and Leith thank you, too. 💙

Thank you to all of you who take the time to post good reviews—or even gracious reviews when a particular book wasn’t quite your cup of tea. 

It truly is a way of helping share Christ’s message of redemption & hope.

If authors are “paper missionaries,” as Janette Oke so beautifully called them, then readers are bright lights shining clearly in a world of darkness (Philippians 2:15). Every thoughtful review helps make that light a little more visible, helping godly, edifying fiction reach another reader who may need the story—or the hope within it.

So thank you for reading, for sharing, & for being part of this little ministry of words. Your encouragement means more than I can express. 🤍

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Writing has always seemed more worship. Not publishing, writing. God gifts us all to do His work in unique ways & we have to trust His outcomes. Our focus must be on working from the soul for Him. That gives clarity of mind & perfect peace in a chaotic, competitive “look at me” world. My small creative efforts might not mean much to many but they mean the world to Him & in the end that’s all that truly matters .

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Reading the pages a final time before print! 393 in all. What to expect in modern literary lingo…

🌸 he falls first
🌸 cottagecore heroine
🌸 missing persons
🌸 forced proximity, slow burn
🌸 opposites attract
🌸 Georgian noir
🌸 happily ever after

Prayers appreciated. So hope you enjoy every word!

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Last spring in my newsletter I asked readers what future books they’d like for me to write. I had so many wonderful responses that were encouraging & inspiring! Then I met with my publisher, Revell, & do we have news for you! Back soon to share details. Just wanted to post this ahead of time in my excitement. So thankful for the gift of writing & open doors for bringing you historicals you love to read!

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