We binge-watch episodes of our favorite shows and binge-listen to episodes of our favorite podcasts. Why not binge-read episodes in our favorite genre? In July 2021, Amazon launched Kindle Vella as a way to offer avid readers an alternative to reading news or surfing social media on their phones for short spurts of time. I’m…
Tag: #YAfiction
An Interview with Candice Yamnitz
I’m so blessed that Candice Yamnitz is a member of my American Christian Fiction Writers online critique group, the Storyteller Squad. A Chicago native, this strong Christian mom of three gives gentle but honest critiques and generously shares her vast knowledge of social media. She has 6,200 Instagram followers! Her beautiful debut YA novel, Unbetrothed,…
Tinsel in a Twist
Ribbons and bows! I’m excited to interview fellow Storyteller Squad member, Laurie Germaine, about her newly released young adult Christmas novel, Tinsel in a Twist. It’s a thrilling sequel to Tinsel in a Tangle. Tinsel, a clumsy elf and reindeer whisperer, has embarked on a dangerous adventure to help her boyfriend, Santa’s grandson, sort out…
A Perk and a Privilege
After I posted that Redemption Press had published The Demons Among Us, a flood of calls… and emails… and texts… and social media messages washed into my smart devices. It’s been overwhelming and wonderful. I’ve heard from people I haven’t spoken to in years—people whom I thought had forgotten all about me and my writing…
Deep breaths
During a Bible study, my teacher cautioned the class about praying for patience. “Since God answers our prayers, but not always in the way we expect,” she said, “He might place us in a situation that tries our patience in order to teach us a lesson.” Over the years I’ve found that advice to be…
5 Steps to Creating a Book Trailer
A book trailer! All the marketing gurus advised me of its merits to authors of young adult books: teens love visuals, they love YouTube, and they click on the buy links more often than after they read book summaries. I sighed and rolled up my sleeves. I’d created employee communications videos in a former job,…
Angels and Demons
In my young adult speculative novel, The Demons Among Us, the characters’ eyes are opened to the reality of angels and demons. They experience both when they least expect it, and are left shaken by the force of the spiritual realm. Do you believe in angels? Demons? I do. I’ve never seen either one, but…
Summer Reading for Teens & Moms
Yay! School’s almost out, and teens can read whatever they want. Now’s the time to put together a summer reading list and place the books on hold at the library. I’ve noticed that it’s taking longer and longer for books on hold to become available, so move fast. When my kids were teens, I constantly…
The Mother Lode of Book Reviews for Teens
Earlier this week, I asked my Facebook friends (most of whom are moms and grandmoms) how they selected books to purchase for their teens. Their responses varied, but most replied that they liked to read online reviews. What a coincidence. Last Saturday, the Storyteller Squad, of which I’m a founding member, gathered on a video…
Baking & Bonding
In my young adult novel, The Demons Among Us (launching in September), the sixteen-year-old main character, Joy, is learning to cook. An early scene with Joy and her mom baking homemade sweet potato fries is loosely based on the times my daughter, Julia, and I share a kitchen. Even though she’s now married and lives…