Tues. May 25 A Place Called Congo

Last night I mailed off my current manuscript of A Spent Bullet. I want to thank “my editor cousins”  Joy Reeves Pitre, Julie Holland Johnson, and Coleen Roberts Ritter.  Thanks Ladies! Today I shift into total African mode.  I’ll be sharing openly as we plan, pray, and get ready to go on Thursday to Congo/Rwanda. …

I recently posted a blog about telephone “party lines.”  These multiple lines, where several homes heard every ring, were the source of great stories (as well as great tension among neighbors.) Read and enjoy! Party Line comments The Dry Creek party line had 16 phones on it.  You could listen to every call that every …

Mon. May 17 The Graduation Story

“A Father’s Love” It’s graduation day at East Beauregard High. My beautiful niece Kendal Campbell graduates tonight.   One of our reader’s favorite stories is “A Father’s Love” from Wind in the Pines (2004).  It details a memorable graduation in 2004.  It’s my most popular type of short story:  it’s out-loud laughing funny but ends …

Sat. May 15 A Ft. Worth Mystery

For nearly four years I’ve visited Clay and Robin Iles in Ft. Worth, TX.  Clay, our oldest son,  is a student at Southwestern Baptist Theoglogical Seminary and Robin is the wonderful mother of two of our grandsons, Noah and Jude.  (Little brother Luke will join the clan in late June.) During our visits, I’ ve …

Mon. May 10 Notes on "Platform-Building."

I spoke last Saturday to a wonderful group of writers at the Dallas-Ft. Worth Ready Writers Group.  My assigned topic was “platform.”   This is the term writers use for getting the word out about their writing and books. My major platform is speaking.  I speak 2-3 time weekly to groups of every size and background.  …

Tues. May 4

Making New Friends This Saturday I’ll be in Dallas visiting with the Dallas/Ft.Worth Ready Writers Group. It’ll be an opportunity to make new friends and learn with other writers. To read about my visit and learn more about their group, visit   http://dfwreadywriters.blogspot.com One of the best parts of my speaking/writing ministry is the opportunity to …

Whippoorwill Day: From The Wayfaring Stranger

Below is Chapter 2 from The Wayfaring Stranger.  It introduces heroine Eliza Clark and shares about her love affair with whip poor wills. The oldtimers of Louisiana’s No Man’s Land had many superstitions and sayings about birds:  whippoorwills, owls, cardinals, wood ducks, and crows.   If you know of any, let me know. Here is the …