The numbers are staggering. In a recent article in the Register Guard, a Eugene, Oregon newspaper, more than seven thousand children are reported to be in foster care in Oregon. The demands on state workers to find homes and provide services to these kids grows greater every day. Many consider these numbers a statewide crisis. […]
Faith Matters
A Horse from History
No horse rescue ranch would be worth a story if not for a horse. When I chose to place the setting of my novel in Harney County in eastern Oregon, I was motivated by knowledge of a protected herd of horses, who ranged on Steens Mountain near Kiger Ridge. The herd is believed to be the […]
Finding Inspiration
Finding Inspiration How does an author find inspiration? This week as I finished the proofread copy of my second novel, Love Calls Her Home, I needed to stop and ponder that question. I thought back to the story’s beginnings several years ago. At that time I was particularly bothered by the ongoing war in Afghanistan […]
Happy 90th Birthday
One of my long time friends, as well as one of my biggest writing encouragers, turned ninety this week. I hoped to schedule a lunch in honor of her big day, but she was already booked. Family members were coming from Minnesota, Alaska, and Utah to help her celebrate. I would have to wait until […]
Welcoming 2018
The New Year is upon us. Three hundred sixty-five days waiting to be lived, surprises to be discovered, hopes and dreams to be realized. I’ve enjoyed 2017. I’m reluctant to let it go. My debut novel, An Anchor On Her Heart, published, my second novel, Love Calls Her Home, will follow in March, and […]
A Night on the Town
Publishing my debut novel, An Anchor On Her Heart, earlier this summer brought many fun surprises, but this past week I experienced an event I’d never imagined. I participated in an author panel at a Christian bookstore where customers came to purchase books and have them signed by the author. Eight […]
One Parade, Two Miracles
Dubbed the oldest and coldest, Springfield Oregon’s Christmas parade, a tradition for more than six decades, almost didn’t happen this year. The event’s coordinator announced mid-October that lack of […]
Exciting News–Book #2
One of the greatest satisfactions when publishing a book is seeing its cover for the first time. My debut novel cover, An Anchor On Her Heart, was everything I could have imagined it to be. This past week, I watched with wonder as the cover for my second book in the Mended Hearts series, Love […]
A Different Black Friday
I skipped Black Friday. I’ve done my share of after-Thanksgiving shopping in the past. When my children were young, buying toys and clothes at holiday prices helped provide a more substantial Christmas. I’d rise before dawn and slip out while my family still slept. I’d return in time to make breakfast. The fun of seeing […]
In Everything, Say Thanks
When the Pilgrims celebrated a harvest festival in 1621, fifty-eight of the original one hundred and two remained alive after surviving that first dreadful winter. Native Americans had come to their rescue earlier that year, helping them grow crops to harvest. A second ship arrived from England, bringing recruits and supplies they desperately needed. That Thanksgiving […]