Shelley has a B.A. in Creative Writing from the University of California at Santa Cruz and an M.A. in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania. She sold her master’s thesis to a major commercial publisher after she graduated in 2002, and it subsequently became a double finalist in the 2004 National Readers Choice Awards. Grounds to Believe, her debut novel from Steeple Hill Books and the first book in her Elect Trilogy, won the 2005 RITA Award for Best Inspirational Novel of the Year from the Romance Writers of America. The second book in the trilogy, Pocketful of Pearls, became a RITA Award finalist the following year. Between books, Shelley enjoys playing the piano and Celtic harp, making historical costumes, and spoiling her flock of rescue chickens rotten.
Continue to read »
Feb
18
08
No Comments
Feb
11
08
Author Jane Kirkpatrick is a clinical social worker who spent years directing a mental health clinic, then more years working on an Indian reservation with families of children with special needs. She says, “When I was old enough to know better, my husband and I moved to 160 acres of rattlesnake and rock in eastern Oregon to try our hand at ‘homesteading.’”
Her writing achievements include winning an award for the Outstanding Western Novel of 1996 (an award won by Barbara Kingslover and James Michener among others); having that same book, A Sweetness to the Soul be named to Oregon’s Literary 100: 1800-2000 identifying the 100 best books published about Oregon in the past 200 years. Other books have received awards such as BookSense 76 National Bestseller Pick and Best Novel of the West from Western Writers of America. Also, Literary Guild, Doubleday, Book of the Month and Crossings Book Club selections.
Continue to read »
Feb
04
08
MaryLu Tyndall dreamt of pirates and ships during her childhood days on Florida’s Atlantic Coast. She holds a degree in Math and worked as a software engineer for fifteen years before testing the waters as a writer. Her love of history and passion for story drew her to create the Legacy of the King’s Pirates Series which includes the three books, The Redemption, The Reliance, and The Restitution—not only book titles, or the names of pirate ships, but themes depicting God’s mighty intervention in the lives of heroic and often misguided characters. Even before being published, The Redemption was a finalist in both FTHRW Golden Gateway and Vintage Publishing Inspirations contests. Most recently, The Redemption is a Christy award finalist. MaryLu now writes full time and makes her home with her husband, six children, and two cats on California’s coast, where her imagination still surges with the sea.
Continue to read »
Jan
28
08
Deb Raney is at work on her seventeenth novel. Her books have won the RITA Award, the HOLT Medallion, the National Readers’ Choice Award and the Silver Angel from Excellence in Media. Playing by Heart was also a finalist for the Christy Award. Deb’s first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title. She also serves on the advisory board of American Christian Fiction Writers.
Continue to read »
Jan
21
08
I first met Sharon Dunn about four years ago at a writers’ retreat. Sharon is the author of the award winning Ruby Taylor mysteries. Her books can be summed up as: A little mystery, a little romance, a whole lotta fun. The first book, Romance Rustlers and Thunderbird Thieves was a finalist in the Inspirational Novel of the Year and book two, Sassy Cinderella and the Valiant Vigilante, won the Book of the Year award from American Christian Fiction Writers. Her newest release Death of a Garage Sale Newbie is the first in the Bargain Hunters mysteries. Sharon lives in Montana with her husband of 20 years, three children, three cats. When she isn’t writing, she is taking kids to activities, making pets out of the dust bunnies under her furniture, and working part time at a college.
Continue to read »
Jan
21
08
Author Wanda E. Brunstetter’s books are wildly popular, have been on numerous bestsellers lists, and have won many very prestigious national awards. I’ve done book signings with her and can tell you she has a huge following of devoted readers. She enjoys writing about the Amish because they live a peaceful, simple life. Wanda’s interest in the Amish and other Plain communities began when she married her husband, Richard, who grew up in a Mennonite church in Pennsylvania. Wanda and Richard take every opportunity to visit Amish communities around the country and have become friends with several Amish families. Wanda hopes her readers will learn to love the wonderful Amish people as much as she does. Wanda has written more than 25 novels, as well as several hundred articles, stories, poems, and puppet plays. She’s also written an Amish devotional and an Amish cookbook!
Continue to read »
Jan
14
08
This month I had the pleasure to interview bestselling author, Tricia Goyer. An incredibly busy author, I appreciate so much her taking the time to chat. She’s written five novels, two non-fiction books, and one children’s book. Tricia was named Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference “Writer of the Year” in 2003. In 2005, her book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion. Also in 2005, her novel Night Song won ACFW’s Book of the Year for Long Historical Romance. In 2006, her novel Dawn of a Thousand Nights also won Book of the Year for Long Historical. She’s written over 250 articles for national publications and hundreds of Bible Study notes for the Women of Faith Study Bible. Tricia lives in Montana with her husband and three kids where she homeschools, leads children’s church, and mentors teenage mothers.
Jan
07
08
This month I had the pleasure to interview bestselling author, Kristin Billerbeck. A fourth generation California girl who’s made a name for herself writing Chick Lit !
Continue to read »
Jan
01
08
“Oh, I never read ‘Christian’ fiction. It doesn’t hold my interest.”
Being an author of Christian fiction, I was surprised to hear this comment from an avid reader at a recent book signing. I winced, but recognized an opportunity to spread some good news.
What this reader, like many who haven’t tried Christian fiction lately, didn’t realize is that things have really changed over the past few years. Today Christian fiction is one of the fastest-growing fiction markets. I guarantee the broad selection of top titles will hold your interest.
Continue to read »
Oct
02
07
“Oh, I never read ‘Christian’ fiction. It doesn’t hold my interest.”
Being an author of Christian fiction, I was surprised to hear this comment from an avid reader at a recent book signing. I winced, but recognized an opportunity to spread some good news.
What this reader, like many who haven’t tried Christian fiction lately, didn’t realize is that things have really changed over the past few years. Today Christian fiction is one of the fastest-growing fiction markets. I guarantee the broad selection of top titles will hold your interest.
The popular staples of “sweet romance” and “a slice of Christian life” that once dominated the market are still available, but more and more book proposals dealing with contemporary issues are being purchased by big publishing houses anxious to acquire them.
Continue to read »