There you are, you’ve got a blank computer screen, and the smallest tickle of an idea, something you’ve read, or seen, some question you think might be interesting tackled in a book. But where do you go from there? How do you turn a blip of an idea into a full novel,
Throwback Thursday — Get the Russia Book that Started it All (for FREE!)!
It all started in Siberia . . . with a birthday greeting . . . from published author Susan K. Downs.
We all dream of that moment when someone “discovers” us and partners with our dreams.
Happy Birthday, Susie May. Would you like to write a book with me?
From Russia with Love
This year marks the tenth anniversary of my first novel being published. Happily Ever After came out in 2003 just as we returned home from the mission field in Russia, and I still remember staring wide eyed at the cover thinking…how on earth did this happen?
See the truth is that I never set out to get a book published.
Winner Announced from My 'It Had to Be You' Visa Cash Card Giveaway
Congratulations to the winner of my It Had to Be You giveaway, Heather Young! Heather, you’ve won a $100 Visa cash card and copies of It Had to Be You and Take a Chance on Me! My assistant will be in touch with the details.
Five Secrets of Best-Sellers
Best-selling story will have a hero or heroine who is both strong . . . and damaged . . .
J.K.Rowling, John Grisham, Karen Kingsbury, Tom Clancy, Jane Austen, C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkein, Robert Ludlum: all best-selling authors, from different genres, markets, even eras. How? What sets their stories apart from others that make them a must-buy for readers?
When a Finished Book Arrives in the Mail
I admit it—I love reading my books . . . after they’re published. During the writing and editing process I can get so overwhelmed with every word, every sentence, every piece of dialogue.
But when it arrives, bound, pretty, and finished, it’s done. I can’t fix it any longer.
Do you want to leave a legacy?
You’re invited to a very special weekend: From Memories to Memoir…The Naniboujou Create a Legacy Weekend
Do you have stories from your childhood itching to be told? Did you come from a legacy of storytellers whose tales have disappeared and need to be preserved for the next generation? Is there an event in your life begging to be set free?
'It Had To Be You' $100 Visa Giveaway
I’m celebrating the release of my newest Christiansen Family novel, It Had To Be You, with a $100 Visa cash card giveaway and offering readers a free book club kit.
One winner will receive:
- $100 Visa cash card
- Take a Chance on Me and It Had to Be You
Where I Get Inspiration
I get inspiration everywhere—the news, Facebook posts, sermons, radio talk shows, conversations. It’s always about a question, something that makes me think . . . what if?
I got the story about Izzy (My Foolish Heart), the talk show host to the lovelorn from a Brad Paisely song,
'It Had to Be You' Reviews
Just wanted to take this week’s blog post to thank you for all your support of It Had to be You! My publisher has been sending me reviews that have popped up over the past few weeks, and with each review I read, my smile grows wider and wider.