Window Over The Sink

In criminal defense attorney Mandy Price’s experience, men are untrustworthy. Life is better when she concentrates on career.

by M.J. Schiller Thank you, Liz, for having me on the Window! It’s an honor being on the blog that I enjoy reading so much!  People often ask where an author gets their ideas for their books. Mine come from a number of sources. One book, it was the first line that came to my mind, and the story revolved around that. (Ironically, the line ended up being in the middle of the book.) Sometimes it’s a dream, sometimes it develops out of a song, and sometimes, like with my newest r

by Joe DeRozier Joe, caught being terrified. They walk by, casually turning their heads to look at my table while being very careful not to make eye contact. I usually push my books at Fall and Christmas events, believing my chances of getting sales are elevated being close to the holidays, but a few weeks ago I read about an opportunity to attend a Spring Spectacular. I wasn't sure how well I'd do because the targeted audience would be different. The holiday crowd can be per

... life has a funny way of taking plans like that and tossing them right out the window.

I'm happy to have Darlene Fredette back at the Window today. She's going to talk about Book 5 in her Redford Falls Series, but first she's going to answer some questions. I just love when someone agrees to do that, don't you? 1. What do you do on those days when you’re pretty sure the muse has died and you’ll never again write a publishable word? I don’t think my muse has ever died. I have too many stories in my head and too little time. However, there have been days when I n

What if the key to abundance isn’t giving more—but giving in balance? We’ve been taught that it’s more blessed to give than to receive. But what if receiving is just as sacred as giving? And what if the two were never meant to exist apart? The Giving on Purpose journal invites you to explore the powerful, often misunderstood connection between giving and receiving. If you’ve ever felt like you give endlessly—your time, love, energy, or resources—yet struggle to receive in ret

...the days that were 'wasted’ are the ones to regret the most.

by Sherri Easley I recently learned there is an actual word for something I’ve been doing my entire life. It’s called pebbling.  Apparently, penguins will offer small stones to one another as a sign of affection. It’s their way of saying I choose you, I like you, you matter, and possibly, let’s build a life together and raise little penguin babies who waddle dramatically into the sunset. And when I read about this, I had one immediate thought: Oh, no. I’m a penguin. Not the c

by Jana Richards I’ve populated the three books of the Twice in a Lifetime series with a bevy of secondary characters. But even though they’re labeled as secondary, I like to believe they are interesting, fully formed individuals who have important contributions to make to the stories being told. Take, for instance, Ellen Arnason. She’s the mother of Gabriel Daniels, the series’ main character. Ellen is vibrant, creative and a little eccentric. She’s also bipolar, and though

I'd been in a bit of writer quicksand. Several books that are works in progress got stuck in the messy middle. I needed a palette cleanser. What to do?

My long-gone, full-service Nana had given me all the tools I needed. I re-packed the letters, started to write, and thanks to Nana, I never stopped.

Nan and Me Friend and Tule author extraordinaire Nan Reinhardt and I have visited each other's blogs so often, we've kind of run out of ways to say, "Hey, over here! Look at me!" every time we fill in for a no-show guest or release a new book. This time, we decided to go with an interview. I think her answers are fun. And, after the interview, check out her new book!   1.   What is your favorite thing about yourself? And your least favorite? Hmmm… I think my favorite thing ab

by Darlene Fredette   Some readers may remember Secret Recipe’s earlier incarnations: Nothing to Lose  and A Recipe for Forever . Both versions were heartfelt romances about a girl down on her luck, searching for love and a fresh start. I adored the core of that story, but something in my gut kept whispering that Jess deserved more. More depth. More secrets simmering beneath the surface. So, when I regained the rights to the book, I finally had the freedom to explore that ins

An interview with Author Karina Bartow 1.   What is your favorite thing about yourself? And your least favorite? My favorite thing is that I can usually have a genuine laugh once a day, at least, through thick and thin. It makes life a lot more pleasant to find humor in various matters. My least favorite thing is I don't have a poker face, which makes it difficult to—obviously—play poker, pull off a surprise, or handle conflict well. I’d much rather laugh, if the circumstance

by Darlene Fredette Why we fall in love with book series…and why we never want them to end. A standalone novel can sweep you away for a few hours, but a series gives you a deeper connection. There’s something magical about opening the first book in a series. You think you’re stepping into a story, but before long, you realize you’ve stepped into a world. A well-crafted series doesn’t just entertain. It invites you to stay awhile. Welcome to Redford Falls My own series, Redfor

by Debra Jo Myers Winter. Many people love the beauty of snow falling, while others dread it thinking about shoveling or driving in it. We’ve had measurable snow already this winter, I thought it was a good time to talk about the wonder of snowflakes. Snowflakes are intricate and unique displaying stunning geometric patterns creating delicate works of art. You can find them in a variety of shapes, depending on the temperature they encounter falling through the atmosphere. No

by Cathy Shouse Since it’s the day after Christmas, I thought it would be fun to talk about toys, both the ones we were given and those we have given. I got the idea from a blog post I read recently. It made me think about toys in a new way. My family always made Christmas morning fun, and toys were a huge part of the excitement. We got “Santa” toys that were not wrapped every year. I’m thinking now the sacrifices they might have made to do that for three kids. I researched

by M. J. Schiller Hi! Reading all the posts from Liz’s Christmas guests has made me nostalgic for my days of Christmas Past. Usually, the day after Thanksgiving I’d begin decorating the house. We had a party every year in the first or second week of December, so everything needed to be in its proper place. Next would come the baking. I could never decide on what cookies to bake, so I’d end up with anywhere from 10-15 different kinds. This year, without the kids at home, I’ve

by Tanya Agler Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I remember my grandmother’s house at Christmastime. The tree had silver garland with an angel on top, the nut rolls were fresh out of the oven and sprinkled with powdered sugar, and the train layout took up almost the entire Florida room. My grandmother loved model trains and every year, she’d set up her model HO scale railroad on a layout with houses and businesses set up as a small town. There was a church, city hall, and a

by Margie Senechal I have come to the conclusion that baking is my love language--which is why I was late getting this post to Liz in time to get it posted. Okay, back to me and baking. Just for the record, I'm not a happy cook and consider it my nemesis that I have to conquer a few times a week in order to feed my family.  But, baking--   As the daughter of a professional cook and baker, you'd think I would've garnered many a tip. And you'd be wrong. My dad was an instinctua