How To Read Any of My LDS Living Articles
I’ve been doing articles for LDS Living about once per month. The best way to see all the articles I’ve written up until now is to visit my bio page on their website. That page will also be updated as new articles are published. Enjoy!
Introducing one of LDSLiving.com’s newest writers…
For readers interested in my religious nonfiction, check out my latest publication–an article on LDS Living about faith vs. fear and what a year of being in limbo taught me about the two. https://www.ldsliving.com/what-it-really-means-to-have-exceedingly-great-faith/s/12360
Types, Shadows, and Casseroles – Launch Party, Swag, and More
My LDS inspirational book, Types, Shadows, and Casseroles: Finding Christ in Your Daily Life has been about 10 years in the making, but I am so thrilled to announce that not only is it available in paperback and hardback, but the e-book is officially available as well! All three are available on Amazon right now, and should be available through Ingram (and other retailers that use Ingram) in the coming weeks. If you’re not religious and are just wanting some fun fiction, I’ve used different author names to help you know what you’re getting with each book of mine. If…
New story available for free: The Double-Snatcher
Greetings! I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted, but I’ve been using my time away from you wisely. Not only have I successfully moved my family cross-country for my husband’s new job, but in April, a friend reached out to me with a new publication opportunity. For the last 6 months, I’ve been brainstorming, drafting, and editing a Middle Grade epistolary novel (i.e. told through letters). The full work (40k+ words) has been submitted to the publisher for final edits. I’ve seen some of the preliminary artwork, and it’s going to be so fun! It features a young…
Critique Groups – Pros and Cons of Five Different Styles
In my last blog post, we talked about the advantages of having a critique group, some ideas about how to find a group to join, as well as a slew of questions to consider if you plan to start your own group. As I mentioned last time, there’s no right or wrong answer to any of those questions. There are only things that work better for some people and things that work better for other people. Knowing what works for you and finding people to join your group who thrive with those same circumstances are the biggest factors in creating…
Critique Groups: Where to Find Them, How to Start Them
A good critique group (also called a writing group) can be invaluable to a writer. Not only are they often your first line of defense to know if your story is on the right track, but they make great cheerleaders and accountability partners. Many a critique group has gone on to lift each other into the ranks of publication and find success together. I constantly hear stories on podcasts and at writing conferences (or read in a book’s acknowledgment section) about how a successful author owes so much to their critique group and how they aren’t just writing partners but…
Weak vs. Strong Verbs
In my quest to de-vilify the verb “to be”, we talked last time about the difference between passive voice and progressive tenses. Today, we’re turning our focus to weak vs. strong verbs. The verbs you choose for your sentences are powerful tools for establishing tone, theme, character, and your own author voice. The prevailing advice in the writing community, which I largely agree with, is to use strong verbs instead of weak ones. But what makes a verb strong and what makes a verb weak? And is there ever a time you’d want to use a weak verb? Let’s take…
Passive Voice and Progressive Tense: What Every Writer Should Know About “Is” and “Was”
Years ago, I received a beta read from another writer that shocked me. They highlighted every use of is, was, or were in my text and chastised me for using the passive voice so much, advising me to cut every instance of it. Here’s the kicker though: none of the examples they marked were passive voice. That bolded statement above? The one that contains the verb “were”? It’s not passive voice either. Since that beta read, I’ve seen far too many authors on social media confused about what counts as passive voice and advocating that any conjugation of the verb…
Humor: What’s in a Name?
Welcome to our fifth and final installment in our humor series. If you missed the other posts, you can find them here: Humor Post #1, Humor Post #2, Humor Post #3, and Humor Post #4. One of the easiest ways to signal to your reader that they’re in for a hilariously good time is to set the tone through the names you choose for your characters, locations, or important items. Even if your book isn’t an out-an-out comedy, using a funny name here or there can add some levity to give your reader a break before you plunge them back…