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AOA Teacher Authors Message of Hope
The following article was featured in my school’s company newsletter, and the editor who conducted the interview graciously gave me permission to share it here with you. I’m so blessed to work at a place that supports my writing! *** The genre of dystopian young adult fiction has become highly popularized in recent years with blockbuster novels like The Hunger…
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Praise God in Soggy Circumstances
Summertime brings some of this Florida girl’s favorite things: from beach volleyball to stunning sunsets to outdoor adventures. Along with its golden glory, the season also presents undesirable side effects like thunderstorms that rain out weeknight runs with friends and weekend water plans. Anyone who’s lived in this state long knows what I mean. While I would choose sunshine over…
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Live Wholeheartedly
I love how God connects friends over the years and over the miles. More than a decade ago, I met Lyndsey when she married my older brother’s best friend (a great friend to my whole family). Today, they have a beautiful family of their own and live out west, but I keep up with them over social media. Lyndsey also…
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A Cord of Three Strands
If you follow me on social media, you’ve probably seen the rescue kitten that now runs my house (only partially joking there). Good news is that low-to-no budget toys are often what makes kitty happiest. The other day, Mom gifted my little Ness with a red crochet strand with a jingle bell at the end. Turns out, it once belonged…
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3 Reasons to Thank Dad on Father’s Day
To most, the man across the table from me is nothing but an old broken Tooler with knobby fingers and dirty nails. To me, he is everything left that’s kind and lovely in the world. – Portia, The Revisionary At the beginning of The Revisionary, Portia and her father Abram Abernathy only have each other, but she’s made a plan…
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The Pixelated Lens of Fear
Fear isn’t just something that plagues children. Although we might laugh about monsters in the closet now, the truth is that we all struggle or have struggled with fear at some point. Only, our fears morph into more subtle villains, masked with titles like rejection, self-doubt, and failure. Or, they may even be seemingly laughable “little” things that tempt us…
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The Revisionary – New YA Novel Now Available!
Hello, friends! I’m thrilled to share The Revisionary with you. It is now available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle formats. I want to invite you to celebrate with me this week! On Tuesday, June 6 (release day), you’re invited to listen in on a radio interview I’ll be doing on Blog Talk Radio. Tonight at 7 pm (Correction:…
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The Places Graduates Go: Deserts and Gardens
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.“I don’t much care where–” said Alice.“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat. Do you recognize this conversation from Alice in Wonderland? If you’re graduating, maybe you feel a little bit like Alice.…
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The Places Graduates Go: Mountains and Valleys
You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So… get on your way! Dr. Seuss penned these well-known verses which have become synonymous with graduation. They capture a sense of achievement and the anticipation of climbing the mountain ahead. Mountains are awesome to climb (We’ll talk about that in just a minute.), but there are…
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Memorial Day: Honor to Whom Honor is Due
This Memorial Day, I think back to my visit to Arlington National Cemetery. Lined with row after row of headstones, those grounds demand respect. People don’t talk loudly but whisper in hushed tones. During the changing of the guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns, visitors stand and silently watch the meticulous inspection of the new guard and the…
