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Come Explore Orvieto with Me
The Reactionary, the final book in The Rogues trilogy, releases in 4 days! As I anticipate launch day and entrusting the last part of Portia’s story to you, I want to share some more snippets from my own journey to the Italian settings she encounters. Portia’s mission to secure communications with a possible international ally takes her to Orvieto, a…
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Book Trailer for The Reactionary
Cue dramatic music! The book trailer for the finale to The Rogues dystopian trilogy is here. The driving beat reminds me of the purpose behind this book and the motivations that propel the characters themselves. That driving force is hope. Hope for justice Hope for personal liberty Hope for family restoration Hope for love Hope for national reunification Hope for…
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The Beautiful Doors of Civita di Bagnoregio
A few weeks back, I had a little heart-to-heart with you about closed doors and open doors in my life. As we count down to book release day for The Reactionary, it seems only fitting to have a little fun with doors today! When I traveled to Italy to do book research, one of my favorite places to visit was…
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Love that Never Forgets
DailyPS.com is committed to providing a positive Paradigm Shift in our culture. When one of their editors asked me to write on the recent New York decision to legalize full-term abortion, I paused and prayed about what to say. So much has already been said, yet this heart-breaking news weighs on my heart. I hope my response is both compassionate…
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Thanking God for Closed Doors
When my older brother’s children would stay at my parent’s home, my mom and dad would often close some doors so that my nieces and nephews wouldn’t get into things they shouldn’t. Naturally, their little hands would reach for those doorknobs. There’s something about closed doors that we inherently dislike. The mystery of what’s on the other side tempts us…
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Skiing Life Lesson: Enjoy Going Downhill
Well, friends, I wish I could say my second time skiing began flawlessly, but it actually started with me falling as soon as I left the lift chair. The good news is that after half a day of practice, skiing started to click. I transitioned from mental pep-talk that involved telling myself not to die to actually breathing and whispering,…
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Where Do You Find Inspiration?
A common question people ask writers is where we find our inspiration. Regardless of your trade or career, you find inspiration for your craft somewhere or from something. However, the source isn’t always remarkable and doesn’t have to be. Today, I’d like to share some places I find inspiration to help encourage you to seek out your own. From Creation…
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Theme for 2019: Choose What is Better
Hello, dear friends! Even though we’re a few days into 2019, I still want to wish you a happy New Year. In fact, these “extra days” I’ve taken to consider a theme for this year reflect the theme itself. The Kristen you know is a planner, an organizer, a deadline-driven achiever. The Kristen of 2018 would have made sure she…
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Kristen’s Christmas Letter 2018
Hello, dear friends! I’m an old-fashioned girl at heart who loves sending and receiving Christmas cards in the mail. But since I’m preparing the largest bulk mailing of my life (i.e. wedding invitations), I thought maybe an electronic letter this year might be more prudent and achievable. That said, I hope you enjoy my Christmas letter and year-in-review. Please comments…
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Making the Manger Personal
Last September, I had the opportunity to travel to Italy with a colleague, work remotely, and research my next novel. During one of our day-tripping adventures, we visited a place called Civita di Bagnoregio, a place sometimes called “the dying town.” This city rests atop a hill that is slowly eroding, and the place itself is breathtaking. As my friend…
