During this week, I am on Sabbatical – taking a rest from ministry as a home stay-cation. When I looked at my calendar for April – May and the soon-to-be-released third book of the Reverend G series – I knew I needed to do some proactive regeneration. A Sabbatical is essential for renewing creativity. Usually …
Have you ever told God, “No!” How did that work out for ya’? Ten years ago, God nudged me to write a book about the Biblical character, Abigail. He especially wanted me to focus on the fact that Abigail lived in an abusive marriage yet was strong enough to do what was necessary to save …
As research for my current WIP, I spent a Friday morning at a local coffee shop. Kansas Coffee Company sits on the corner of Park and Cherry in downtown Olathe, Kansas – across from the Johnson County Courthouse. I like this place because the owners support local artists and keep my Reverend G books stocked …
Oscar Wilde opined that life often imitates art, but once in a while, the philosophy reverses and art becomes life. I’ve seen it happen with my Reverend G series and recently, it happened again. In the third Reverend G book – to be released late spring, 2015 – Reverend G purchases birthday cards for her …
As a writer, I know better. But it happened anyway. As we prepared for our recent family vacation, I packed all my paper goods – legal pads, journals, notepads in a special bag. Then helped my sister pack up her Subaru Forrester and carefully secured my “writing” bag in her trunk. Other luggage piled on …
What is it with us writers? We have such a hard time admitting to our vocation, our “calling” to write. Several of my coaching clients struggle with this topic – and truthfully, sometimes, so do I. We are challenged to call ourselves writers because we haven’t won the Pulitzer or landed our books on the …
Last weekend, I cleaned out a file cabinet that contained almost 40 years of articles and story files. These were the manuscripts I sent to magazines, some that aren’t even in business anymore. As I sorted through the files, I tossed old drafts and reams of research that is no longer current or credible. I …
In her book, “The Artist’s Way,” Julia Cameron encourages creatives to schedule a regular artist date. The idea is to do something creative that is not your usual medium so that you can return to your own art, refreshed and renewed. It had been several weeks since my last artist date, so I looked forward …
I’ve been asked to participate in the Author’s Blog Chain. Sally Jadlow tagged me. Visit her blog at www.sallyjadlow.com. Sally writes poetry and devotions. Her book “The Late Sooner” chronicles the land run in Oklahoma while her “God’s Little Miracle Books I and II” describe the many miracles Sally has observed as a corporate chaplain. …
A few weeks ago, I finished the first draft of my memoir. While I know I will add more pages – when the future unfolds itself – I feel a sense of accomplishment. I wrote it because I wanted to leave some type of legacy for my beloved son. I wanted him to know about …