As a writer, there are some books that when I start reading them, I think, I wish I would have written this. Not because it’s on the bestseller list, although that would be nice!, but because it’s an original idea and well executed, and you know that people are going to love it. This is [...]

Did you ever have a weekend and think, WHERE DID IT GO? In my case, it was a great weekend–started off with my hubby’s b-day on Thursday, Zoo Friends’ Day on Friday, b-day special lunch on Saturday, and Mother’s Day BBQ on Sunday. But that doesn’t leave a lot of time for anything else, let [...]

I loved everything about Moonlit. Debut author Jadie Jones does an excellent job building a loveable and flawed heroine, Tanzy Hightower, while also creating a suspenseful plot, love-to-hate bad guys, and a jaw-dropping ending (as in–I e-mailed her to say: WHEN IS BOOK TWO COMING OUT??). I stayed up late into the night to finish [...]

My writing friend, Megg Jensen, is one of the most ambitious and go-getter authors I know. I admire the way she has taken ahold of her career and NEVER looked back. I am always super excited to be a part of her promotional efforts and getting the word out about her YA books. Today, we [...]

If you read my blog, you know that I am REALLY into helping and supporting women and children around the world after reading the book, Half the Sky. (Check out Half the Sky by clicking here.) My dear friend, Kelly Ellison, whom I have featured here before, has started her own foundation, The Relief Foundation, [...]

I have a special treat for YOU (not the kiddos!)–parents, writers, home schoolers, teachers, and librarians–this first Friday in May–a romance novel giveaway! For my “other” role as a book reviewer for The News-Gazette, I was lucky enough to interview romance writer, Valerie Bowman, who is writing the “Secret Bride” series, which are regency romances. [...]

I’m really excited to announce that Finding My Place: One Girl’s Strength at Vicksburg won 2nd place in the “Show-Me” Book Awards category at the Missouri Writers’ Guild conference on Saturday night. Any Missouri Writers’ Guild member can enter their adult or children’s book that was published the year before in this category, and they [...]

This originally appeared on a great blog by Anne E. Johnson, JESTER HARLEY’S MANUSCRIPT PAGE, where she reveals her own writing as well as highlights several fiction authors in all genres! Check it out here: http://anneejohnson.blogspot.com/ When I do school visits, I often talk to students about “potato ideas.” These are ideas that are not [...]

Adam Shepard is a very interesting man. That’s him to the right with a mustache that he grew as part of his list of things he wanted to do in his life. This list became a new book, One Year Lived, where Adam recounts a year of his life that he spent traveling and reading. [...]

I’m excited to host memoir writer, avid reader, and blogger Juanita Nobles today to discuss her book, A Heritage of Faith. I met Juanita for the first time when I spoke at a writers’ group she belonged to in a community south of St. Louis. Then she took a blogging course from me through WOW! [...]