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Nicknames At 11 years of age, I wanted to be a Native American and live in a tepee. I thought of the perfect name too. “Mom,” I asked, “can you call me Li’l Sunflower?” Mom seemed both surprised and amused. “Why do you want me to call you Little Sunflower?” “Just...
"The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks."--Luke 6:45 (BSB) Our words and actions reflect what fills our...
TIP #5 Use context to recognize, understand, and interpret literal and metaphorical language. Historical, social, cultural, and biblical contexts are essential for understanding literal and metaphorical elements in speech and writing. Accurate understanding should...
closed circuit (noun, Electricity). "a circuit without interruption, providing a continuous path through which a current can flow." (dictionary.com) When it comes to modern technology, a closed circuit is an incredibly useful thing. Closed circuits allow electricity...
When I received an email about Cracks in the Ice by Deanna K. Klingel , I could not wait to read it. While I enjoyed the novel, it was not what I expected. The synopsis on the back cover described the protagonist, Gina Mangalli, as a mafia princess, but the...
Ships, Secrets, and Survivors , the debut novel by Sarah Rodecker and Helena George, caught my eye when it was announced. It promised assassins on the run, swashbuckling pirates, and mysterious murders. As I had never read a pirate fantasy novel before, I didn’t know...
Whenever I come up with an idea, I immediately start planning my next novel. With my latest project however, I have learned to practice the art of shorter stories, or in my case, parables. A parable is “a simple story used to illustrate a moral or religious lesson.”...
"Remember that 'author' is always a temporary job description . . . Your permanent job description is 'writer' and that's what you are even when no one else is looking." --Author Kristoper Jansma (quoted in Before and After the Book Deal, pp. 333) Today's publishing...
TIP #2 Don’t interpret literally what is supposed to be understood metaphorically. Taking figurative language literally is a problem that leads to misunderstanding and misinterpretation. Does the photo above depict sunshine or shadow? A literal book title based...
I’ve been working from home for 21 weeks. This prolonged period of isolation has given me time to reflect on happier times in life: adventures and excitement in college, friendships forged in high school, and time spent reading with my mom as a child. Those were the...