Just a quick housekeeping note. I recently made commenting on the blog available to everyone, even anonymous posters, having been alerted that certain accounts were unable to post with the limitations I'd had in place. I also decided to leave that pesky word...

I buy a lot of used books about history. Most of the time it's Colonial, Revolutionary, early Federal and Native American history. But now and then I find I need a book on some aspect of Scottish history too. For the past couple of months, when I haven't been working...

A trip to the library to scoop up a bag full of books... An emotionally engaging story to listen to on the journey there and back...   I feel better already!

... Just ain't happenin'! Copy Edits for Burning Sky arrived today and work on them is underway. But a writer has to take a break sometime, and when I do here's what I'm reading: Love In A Broken Vessel Mesu Andrews Revell An Epic Journey of Intimacy, Rejection,...

I was discussing the tracking down of research material with a friend and fellow historical writer today, and while explaining why I prefer to have a physical book for reference over a website link (even if they contained the exact same material) I wrote the following...

Where do story ideas come from? Unlike actual babies, there are many different answers. I'm story weaving two books just now, one of them since the beginning of January. That one I've actually begun to write. There's a plot. I know more or less how it will end. I know...

Here it is at last, the cover of my debut historical novel. It was designed by Kristopher Orr. It was great working with him on the design (not that I contributed much, but we had some good conversations about various story and design elements, going back to August of...

Every year I find a new daily devotional to read through in the mornings. For this year I've chosen Jesus Calling, Enjoying Peace in His Presence, by Sarah Young. The above excerpt is taken from this past week's reading. These passages resonated with me, in...

Line edits to the left of me Copy edits to the right, here I am Stuck in the middle of you This morning I waved at my monitor while the finished manuscript for my second novel, to be published in 2014, scooted out the door through my inbox and went off into the world...

Not that I didn't buy and read more than my fair share of historical nonfiction in 2012. I did. And I'm not ashamed of it. But it's a new year now, I have more novels to write and edit, and always I'm on the look-out for sources to supply the solid historical...