[Linda Thompson] Reflections on V-J 75 and WWII’s End: Why Is America Worth Preserving?

Reinforcements wade ashore at Saipan, June 1944 Today marks the seventy-fifth anniversary of a momentous occasion. When the Emperor of Japan announced his nation’s surrender on August 15, 1945, the deadliest war in history finally drew to a close. And yet, given the challenges we face in the here and now, I am concerned this

[Dana McNeely] Who Can You Trust?

But after a while the brook dried up, for there was no rainfall anywhere in the land. Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.” ~ I Kings 17:7-9 Trusting God in Good Times and

[Angela Ruth Strong] Save the Pets

I have to admit I was a little surprised when a reviewer said Ranger was her favorite character in A Latte Difficulty since, you know, Ranger is a dog. But this made me think of all the pets I’ve written into books. Honestly, I added dogs to my CafFUNAted Mysteries for two reasons: 1.) I

[Melanie Campbell] In God’s Timing

This picture…it’s an answered prayer. A little over a year ago I began writing One Way Home, the second book in my Whispers of Grace series. In the story, Sharon, a recovering alcoholic, lives with her only daughter and granddaughter. Part of the story line is about their relationship. The character of Sharon is inspired

[Mary Davis] It All Began One Afternoon

Do you enjoy short stories? In The Damsel’s Intent, which just released June 1, the main character Nicole’s grandfather is mentioned often, but we never see him. I thought it would be fun to meet him and his soon-to-be wife. Not having known anything about Nicole’s grandmother before writing this, I see where Nicole got

[KD Holmberg] The God Who Sees

Last month I wrote about Hagar, the headstrong handmaid of Sarai, in The Present Moment. She conceived a child with Abram and quickly despised her mistress (Genesis 16:4b NKJV). Sarai retaliated by attacking Hagar with unrelenting cruelty. Hagar ran away when life became difficult and sought refuge on a desert road of tawny sand and

[Dana McNeely] What Are We Waiting For?

Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River. Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food.” So Elijah did as the Lord told him and camped beside Kerith Brook,

[Janalyn Voigt] St. Patrick’s Day Post – Attitudes toward the Irish in America

Themes crop up in stories whether or not the author means to include them. I didn’t set out to write about prejudice in Montana Gold, but the topic is hard to avoid when writing about the American West. Hills of Nevermore (Montana Gold, book 1) opens the series in 1863, a time of tremendous upheaval.