A package arrived at my house on Tuesday — two packages, actually. In one was a copy of my debut novel, Wish You Were Here, with a note from my editor, Jessica Wong, saying the book was “hot off the presses.” That’s a cliche any author will embrace. The second package contained several additional copies of my novel — but …
Guest Post: Debut Author Olivia Newport
Today my friend and fellow debut author, Olivia Newport, shares a quote with us. Olivia will be joining me, Katie Ganshert and Dani Pettrey for an a-ma-zing launch party on May 15th! Mark your calendars & plan to join us. “It always happens. When you give these little people power, it goes to their head like strong …
In Others’ Words: Words
“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” ~Mother Teresa My friend, Beth Jusino, probably didn’t even realize how her words encouraged me, but to this day, I remember where we were, what she said, and how I hugged those words to myself. At the time, Beth was an agent with Alive Communications, …
In Others’ Words: Give and Take
“One half of knowing what you want is knowing what you must give up before you get it.” ~Sidney Howard, American playwright This is spring break week for my youngest daughter. And yes, we are having some vacation fun. Sort of. I am the “sort of ” part of the equation. I have several major deadlines looming. I’ve learned that …
The 2012 Oscar winner for animated short film: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
httpv://youtu.be/Adzywe9xeIU My son, Josh, who is also a writer and an editor, shared this absolutely delightful video with me: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. It’s 15 minutes long — but oh, those 15 minutes went by so quickly. Enjoy.
In Others’ Words: Is to Laugh
“Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it.” ~ Bill Cosby, comedian Long, long ago, I was a mom of one little boy. This little guy had been sick for days.There was no leaving the house — we didn’t …
In Others’ Words: Criticism
“Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man’s growth without destroying his roots.” ~ Frank A. Clark, “The Country Parson,” journalist, editor & writer It’s the beginning of a new week. Odds are, I”l run into some criticism as I journey from here to the weekend. As a novelist, there’s always a good chance I’ll get …
A Departure of Sorts: Priorities
“A simple life is not seeing how little we can get by with—that’s poverty—but how efficiently we can put first things first. . . . When you’re clear about your purpose and your priorities, you can painlessly discard whatever does not support these, whether it’s clutter in your cabinets or commitments on your calendar. ” ~Victoria Moran, American writer & …
Why This Romance Writer Believes in the MBT Frasier Contest
Picture this: Me, in an overcrowded elevator at the 2010 American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Conference. I’m standing nose to name tag with a petite blonde woman. Her nose. My name tag. The conversation goes like this: Woman: Oh, you’re Beth Vogt. You finaled in the Frasier. Me (uncomfortable & now a bit surprised she could even read my name …
In Others’ Words: Getting Ahead
“The secret to getting ahead is getting started.” ~Mark Twain, American author & humorist And the rest of the quote goes: “The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” Duh. I tend to over-complicate things. Spend too much time staring at the big picture and letting …