A Writer's Retreat in Blowing Rock

An advertisement for a writers' retreat came across my screen, and I thought, I could use one. But as I read the details, I saw the author was charging $1,200 for a three-day, two-night weekend. I didn't need it that much. The following week, however, I received an invitation from an author-friend to join her and two other authors I knew, but had never met in person, to a writers' retreat in Blowing Rock, located in the North Carolina mountains. The fee was minimal, just barely enough to cover expenses. I believe God had a hand in all this, one of His many quiet blessings.

The retreat was wonderful: a magazine-worthy place to stay, plenty of peaceful time to write, brainstorming sessions on the business of writing, walks in the refreshing mountain air, and great meals from Heidi or Lynne. And best of all, the four of us got to know one another better.  It was just what I needed. Writing is such a solitary task that those moments of connection become all the more meaningful.

Heidi Gray McGill, Heather Branton, and Lynne Lanning are very special ladies. I came home to my usual busy schedule that included my grandson's wedding, family time, housework, car trouble, trying to write a chapter a day on my current manuscript, walking two miles a day, blogging, online events, and more, but I came home with a thankful heart, renewed energy, deeper friendships, and long-lasting memories. 

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Words and Wonders

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light (Geneis 1:3).

How did God create everything? With a word. Scripture tells us that at the beginning, God spoke, and light burst forth, waters separated, land appeared, and life filled the earth. His voice alone shaped galaxies and commanded order out of nothing. Creation unfolded at the sound of His authority, proving that when God speaks, reality obeys. “And God said… and it was so.” His words carry power, purpose, and life.

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life…(Genesis 2:7).

But when it came to humanity, God chose a different approach. He didn’t speak us into existence. He formed us. With His own hands, He shaped Adam from the dust and breathed His own breath into him. This was intimate, intentional, and deeply personal. God wanted a hands‑on experience with the ones who would bear His image. We were not merely spoken; we were crafted. That alone tells us how treasured we are. We were created to have a personal, intimate relationship with our Maker.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue… (Proverbs 18:21).

If God’s words hold such power, and we are made in His image, then our words matter too. What we speak can build up or tear down, bless or wound, bring peace or stir trouble. When we align our words with God’s truth, we reflect the One who created by speaking and formed by loving. May we choose words that encourage and give life, just as His words gave life to the world.

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Ava

My new release, Ava, published last week. As the first book in the Disabled Daughters trilogy, it introduces Ava Walsh, a young woman who has learned to hide her doubts behind a steady smile. Her father believes that moving to her aunt and uncle’s Nevada ranch will give his three daughters the future he fears he won’t live to see, and with the doctor’s grim warning echoing in her mind, Ava refuses to challenge him. If this journey west brings him peace, she’ll endure it, no matter her misgivings.

But the wide‑open frontier offers no escape from the truth she carries. Her injured back leaves her bedridden far too often, and she’s convinced no man would choose a wife who can’t do her share of the work. As her family uproots everything familiar for a land of dust, strangers, and uncertain promises, Ava wonders whether hope can truly be found in such a place. Yet the West has a way of surprising those who least expect it. When new possibilities and new affections begin to stir, she must decide whether to cling to her fears or risk the uncertainty new relationships bring.

Ava’s middle sister, Jo, will publish on July 3, and Chloe, the youngest, will release on August 4. Ava is available now—and all three books will be offered in print, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and Audible. If you enjoy heartfelt historical stories with courage, family loyalty, and a touch of Western adventure, this is a wonderful time to begin the trilogy. I hope you’ll meet the sisters, follow their journeys, and perhaps even share the books with friends who love a good story.

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Mustard Seed Faith

“And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you” (Matthew 17:20).

Like many believers, I used to read this verse and assume Jesus was telling us our faith wasn't big enough. But recently I came across a perspective that gave me pause. One commentator suggested that when the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us, He brings all the faith we will need. The issue isn't the amount of faith we possess; it's whether we use it or not.

Faith is a little like the muscles in our bodies. They grow stronger by being exercised. In the same way, faith deepens and matures when we put it into practice -- when we trust God in uncertainty, obey Him when it's costly, and lean on His promises when circumstances try to shake us. Each act of trust stretches us a little. stengthens us even more, and prepares us for the next step as we follow God.

I'll let you study and decide for yourselves what you believe Jesus is teaching in these verses. But regardless, let's make the intentional choice to exercise our faith. Let's speak God's truth over the mountains in our lives, even when they look unmovable. Let's step forward in obedience even when the path isn't fully clear. And let's remember that the power behind our faith doesn't come from us. It is the presence of the Holy Spirit within us. When we use the faith He has already placed in our hearts, we'll find that nothing God calls us to do is impossible.

And the Lord said. If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you (Luke 17:6).

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Disabled Daughters 

I've carried the idea for the Disabled Daughters trilogy for a long time, waiting for the right moment to bring it to life. In fact, the covers have been sitting in my files for nearly four years. This spring, everything finally came together. Now, all three books are written, edited, and available for preorder on Amazon.

The series follows the Walsh family after a tragic carriage accident that claims the mother's life and leaves the daughters with lasting injuries. Ava has a bad back, Jo's leg was shattered so she has a permanent limp, and Chloe can't use her right hand. Their father's health continues to decline, something that the doctors can't explain. When they tell him to prepare for the end, he makes the decision to take his daughters to Nevada to stay with his sister on her ranch. He believes his girls will be able to find husbands there, settle down, and raise a family, giving him peace in his final days. Read to see what happens.

Ava releases tomorrow, June 2. Jo follows on July 3, and Chloe will be available on August 4. This means readers won't need to wait long between books, and as always, each story can be enjoyed as a standalone. Ava is available now on Kindle, KU, print, and Audible, and the others will be.

I'm excited to share this new series. These sisters have lived in my imagination for years, and I hope their courage, resilience, and hope will stay with you long after you turn the last page.

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 Running the Good Race

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air. But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: (1 Corinthians 9: 24-27a).

When I taught school, I used to coach my students who volunteered to run in a mini-marathon relay sponsored locally. Five runners would each run a leg and then hand the baton off to the next one, except for the last one, who crossed the finish line. They would return, panting, exhausted, and sometimes, holding their sides, but they would run again the following year. 

Paul talks about running a good race, too. He understood the discipline, the strain, and the perseverance it required. He reminds us that everyone runs the race of life, but only a few receive a prize, so we should run in such a way as to obtain it. Paul wasn't urging competition among believers; he was urging commitment. He wanted Christians to run with purpose, giving it their all for Christ, not half-heartedly or distracted by other things.

Later, near the end of his life, Paul could look back and say with confidence, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7). That wasn't the boast of a man who ran perfectly, but of one who ran faithfully. He stumbled, he suffered, he faced opposition, yet he never quit. He kept handing the baton of the gospel to the next generation, and he kept pressing toward the finish line Christ had set before him.

We can learn from Paul's steady determination. The race God gives each of us may look different, but the call to endure is the same. We don't run in our own strength; we run in His. When the path feels long, or our steps grow weary, we remember that Christ runs beside us, strengthening us for every mile. And when we finally cross the finish line, it won't be our skill or speed that matters. It will be our faithfulness. May we run with confidence, keeping our eyes on Jesus, and finish well, knowing that He is with us all the way.

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Traveling with Books

We talk about readers getting to travel the world through books, but the same is true for authors. Writing lets me time-travel, be immersed in different cultures, and watch new landscapes unfold before me. I've always believed that serious authors can write about anything that inspires them. That's why, alongside my many historical novels. I've also written contemporary and even three Christian non-fiction books.

Most of my novels have been set in the United States, but that still gives me a wide canvas, and I've been in at least thirty-five states through my writing so far, and still counting. I also have five set in England, and I'll be starting another one in the next few days. I just finished a story set in the Great Smoky Mountains, and since I grew up with an Appalachian heritage, it felt like coming home. I had such fun with the book and that unique Appalachian dialect I know well. Now I get to step into a small Victorian-era town near Harrogate, England, and into a whole different world. But most of my books have been set in the Old West, and it continues to call to me, with more Western novels already in the works.

Every new setting inspires me as a writer and reminds me of why I love this work so deeply. Whether I'm wandering the rugged West, climbing the ridges of Appalachia, or strolling the cobbled streets of Victorian England, each story becomes its own journey -- one that I'm appreciative to travel and even more grateful to share. Wherever my next books lead, I hope you'll enjoy traveling there with me.

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