by Donna Wichelman @DonnaWichelman Have you ever faced an unforeseen event and had to find the courage to trust God even in those difficult circumstances? Most of us have probably endured such a time. Sometimes, it comes out of the blue just when everything seems to go your way, and you’re riding high on the happiness train. We writers are not immune even when the deadline for our manuscripts is looming. On January 5, 2024, I had a reverse shoulder replacement surgery. All was going exceptionally well in my post-surgery period until I had complications due to a stress fracture. Photo 610 ..read more

April 2024 New ReleasesMore in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website Contemporary Romance: Love in Tandem by Becca Kinzer — She’s perfectly content leading a quiet life in her small hometown. He’s an adventurer with unquenchable wanderlust. The two couldn’t be any more opposite if they tried. But a tandem bicycle and a 500-mile road trip just might change all that. (Contemporary Romance from Tyndale House) Playing For Keeps by Deborah Raney — The love story of Art and Maddie continues in Playing for Keeps. But their fledgling marriage faces challen ..read more

by JPC Allen I’ll state the obvious: if you want to write a mystery, you must have a detective. But detectives come in all shapes and sizes, so you have a lot of room to develop an interesting main character. As you write, you might find your story is better if you have a duo of detectives. When I began my first novel, A Shadow on the Snow, my detective was 19-year-old Rae Riley. Since my mystery was aimed at teens, my amateur detective had to be one. But as I wrote, I realized Rae’s father, since he is the sheriff of their fictional Ohio county, had to join her in the investigation or else he ..read more

By Linda Dindzans @lindadindzans One recent early morning, I was fretting over fine points in the first rework of edits for my debut novel. Each word was critical. Should I change this may to might? Finally satisfied, I hit send. A Certain Man—a novel set in ancient Samaria at the time of Jesus—was on its way back to the editor. By nature, more Martha than Mary, I sighed and allowed myself one deep breath before turning to the next agenda item for the day—warming up my singing voice for the high soprano notes, then practicing some tricky spots in the composition Lux Aeterna by Morten Lauridsen ..read more

By JPC Allen I thought nothing could be more difficult than writing a novel during a pandemic. Trying to make sense of the world at that time dried up most of my creative juices. And what little that was left was consumed by becoming a teacher to my children. Was I ever wrong. I began to write my latest cozy mystery, A Storm of Doubts, in December of 2021 when my first novel in the series released. Not a good time for my family. My brother-in-law died after years of declining health. In January, I pushed myself to write but the paltry words I put on paper seemed more suitable for a fire. Then ..read more

by Suzanne Woods Fisher @suzannewfisher Picture this: three best friends, teenage girls, elbow-deep in petals and dreams, working alongside their mentor in a cozy flower shop. Then, bam! Something terrible goes down, and they bolt, leaving behind a trail of shame. Shame packs a punch, doesn’t it? Call it what you will—personal insecurities, perceived flaws, secrets, mistakes, unconfessed sins— it doesn’t just mess with your head; it’s a full-body experience. Studies show feeling ashamed can crank up your stress levels, leading to a laundry list of health issues from anxiety to heart problems t ..read more

by Angela Hunt When I turned fifty, I realized–with a start–that I would not live forever. That I probably had more time “behind” me than in front of me. I began to look at the books I write in a new way–considering that I have a limited amount of time in which to write, the books I choose to write should matter. REALLY matter. Of course, the Spirit can and does use anything, but I asked Him to guide me so that I spent my remaining time wisely. Then I realized something else–I have the spiritual gift of teaching, which I only use a couple of times a year, mostly when I’m invited to teach at a ..read more

By Loretta Eidson @lorettajedison Did you ever think you could become an author? I didn’t. Well, not until the tug in my heart pulled me in that direction. Who was I to join the team of such an overwhelming, impressive profession? Who knew the journey would be so challenging? Starting at the bottom forced me to face my fears of rejection, step outside of my introvert personality, and learn the trade. Turkeys & Eagles is a profound book written by Peter Lord, published by Christian Books Pub House on June 1, 1987. Peter claims reading this story can transform your life as the depths of the ..read more

By Marie E. Bast @mariebast1 To steal the heart of the reader, a story must have a solid plot line and the protagonist must believe a lie about him or herself, which will cause obstacles and hinder them achieving their plot goal. This problem will become obvious at the inciting incident and first plot point. Each chapter, like a golf ball rolling across the green toward the cup, has a specific job to push the story forward. Starting with the hook, the writer must capture the interest of the reader and carry it page after page until The End. Here’s how it’s done The story needs to construct the ..read more

by Julia Fenstermacher Growing up without my mother was hard. I did not realize how much I needed affirmation and acknowledgement until it came to me in my teen years. My Dad did his best to raise us three kids single-handedly. He was a purpose driven corporate ex-military man who traveled for work. When he was home, he cooked gourmet meals for us to entice us to eat our vegetables, beat us in scrabble and backgammon to make us better, and checked our report cards so that we could keep the car keys. He was a wonderful father, but not great at praise. But his girlfriend was. She floated into my ..read more