 I can't tell you how many times I've read Anne of Green Gables. (My daughter has also now read it multiple times.) I started reading it when I was a young girl and have reread it many times (crying a bit each time). And yes, I've read the rest of the series at least twice more. It's such a beautiful story, full of fun and mischief and life lessons and the goodness of humanity.
But when I read it this month for my book club, I noticed it hit a bit different. You see, at the beginning of the book, Anne is eleven. And, right now, I am living with an eleven-year-old girl.
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Have you ever considered how the Christian faith is perceived by cultures other than your own? Dr. Ruth Wong, our guest author today, talks about how she weaves those perceptions into her latest story.  God’s son—one claim, two cultures
Every one of my books touches upon the Christian faith. That thread continues in my latest book, Fire Between Two Skies (special $2.99 promo at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2YZZ8LG; watch the teaser video at https://youtu.be/UE9egV5VlUs). Set against the fiery upheaval of the Taiping movement, the story explores a question that has long gripped me: how can the same claim—“I am the Son of God”—ignite such different responses in different cultures?  Every year, I love to set my goal on Goodreads. I keep it around the same each year because I usually hit within about ten of the year before. Well, this year I set it at 120. And Goodreads actually told me I ended at 107. Definitely the least amount I've read in several years.
But you know what? I'm okay with that. Because I also edited eight books. And wrote two books and a novella. And released a book and a novella collection. And was a mom. And a wife. And preschool teacher and tax preparer and Bible school teacher and several other things. So it's okay that reading slowed down a little because life was FULL. Today, I have the pleasure of introducing you to an author who claims I'm the one who taught her to write romance. I've had the pleasure of being content editor on both of her novellas, and with a new one releasing soon, we're chatting about that and other aspects of her writing today. Make sure you read all the way to the end because she's offering a *giveaway*.  Ellen, congratulations on your new book. I know this is your second novella. Which do you prefer? Novels or novellas, and why?
I love writing both, but I’d have to pick a novel over a novella because you have more words available to weave your plot. Mysteries and suspense are my favorite things to write but I like stretching myself into romance and historical genres occasionally. I think getting out of your comfort zone is a good way to grow as a writer. One of the greatest gifts of writing a novella in a collection was the collaboration between myself and the other writers. It’s been a blessing to work with these talented writers. Their creativity sparks my creativity, and we encourage each other to do our best work.  With a new year starting, there always comes expectations. I expect my first goal will be to pack away all the Christmas decorations again. But there's more than that. I'll start a new Bible reading program. This year, I'm doing a chronological reading. My parents gifted me a new bible that has maps and notes all through it and I'm looking forward to diving back in. Each year, I try to do a different version so that it has a bit of a new feeling to it and I don't simply skim words I've read a hundred times.
Also this year, I'd love to lose a few pounds and tighten my core back up a bit. It's so hard working several jobs that require sitting. I get in the habit of sitting and not moving around enough. But I know it would not only make me feel better, but also probably help with some anxiety I've been fighting. And lift my mood too.  Can you believe another year is gone? This one felt like it never slowed down at all. It was packed full of so many good things as well as lots of everyday things (which are often also good).
I still worked four jobs: tax preparation, preschool, writing, and editing (8 books--if you want to know more about them, see the post here). My children turned 9 and 11, and keep me busier than ever with soccer and Girl Scouts and school projects. I'm involved in both ladies' and children's ministries with our congregation as well as supporting my husband in his role as adult education deacon. Can you imagine waging a war over a Christmas tree? What if your tree might be one to grace the halls of the White House or Rockefeller Center? Well, my friend Delores Topliff is here chatting about her book that talks about just such a situation. I think you're going to love this cute Christmas story.  Like most authors, I enjoy each book I write, but Christmas Tree Wars was the most fun because I received the whole story came as an almost complete download one Sunday morning as I drove a country road in rural Minnesota. A Christmas tree farm lined one side of the road. A hayfield bordered the other with one lone, straight Christmas tree standing at its edge.
I don’t know how many thought layers can converge in a single moment of time, but they all did. I knew the Christmas tree farm owner would claim the tree on the other side, although he had plenty of his own. Underneath that story line, I glimpsed the account of Israel’s King David claiming Bathsheba, although he already possessed plenty of wives and concubines.   I started editing in 2022 on books to release in 2023. Four years in, and I still love it. Being able to help other people find things to improve and polish in their stories is so rewarding. And I love being able to read all the stories before anyone else. ;)
Here is a post about all the books releasing this year that I was blessed to do content edits on (that's looking for big picture things as well as a few nitpicky things like ages and eye colors and whether a character is standing who just sat down, etc.). Every one of these books is definitely worth a read, and I'm not just saying that because I had a tiny piece of helping them come to life. (I must be doing something right. My publishing company voted me Editor of the Year for 2024. That's two years in a row. I could hardly believe it.) Watching a book come from idea to something you can actually hold in your hands is always exciting. For an author. And for those who love her. And I can tell you right now, I love the author who is my guest today. Sarah Heatwole is part of our local author group, and I am cheering so loud as her first book releases this week. From the snippets I've read during our critique times, I can promise it's as beautiful as the cover. See what you think and make sure to read all the way to the bottom. She's doing a giveaway!  Thank you, Amy, for having me as your guest author. To your readers, let me tell you Amy is as much a delight in person as she is on this blog. She has been a great inspiration to me on this writing journey.
I have a book coming out in two days! Speaking those words seems surreal. This has been a faith filled supernatural journey; only by God’s grace have I been able to get this far. I didn’t aspire to be a writer. In fact, when I was a little girl, I remember driving up I-71 into the heart of Cleveland, seeing the skyscrapers and dreaming about my power suit and fancy office. As an adult, I spent years building my career, working my way up to Executive Director in an assisted living community–until it collapsed.  I decided to write a book this month.
Well, I looked at my editing and deadline schedule and decided this was going to be the best shot at writing Beauty School and the Beast. After all, I've written a book in a month before. Many times, actually. At least once, I wrote a book in 18 days. I could do this. I forgot something very important. This is December. |
This is a place for me to tell you about what I'm writing, talk about the process or where some of my ideas came from, or even have other authors come in and talk about their books.
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