It’s 4:55 a.m., and you’ve just been pulled awake again by your officer’s order. “Stand to!” You rub your aching eyes and ready your rifle. You’re standing in a trench with slimy sandbags in front…
This Day in History: March 30
Yes, I do have a March history post for you, though it’s three days late! On this day in 1858, an inventor secured a patent for a new invention. It’s one people take for granted…
A Salute to Sisters
Without my sisters, my first finished story would never have been started. Without my sisters, Voice of the Ashes would not take place during the English Reformation. Without my sisters, I would not laugh so…
This Day in History: February 18
1678. John Bunyan, a Baptist preacher in England, has recently been released from prison. His crime? Leading services forbidden by the Conventicle Act of 1664, which defined ‘conventicles’ as religious services of more than five…
Looking Back
Have you ever hiked up a steep trail, and then stopped at the top to look back and see how high you’d climbed? How about finished a good book? You read the last page, and…
This Day in History: January 28
On January 28, 1547, Henry VIII died, leaving an empty throne and a religious mess in England. He had been crowned at seventeen and reigned for nearly thirty-eight years. He had ruined the lives of…
Rewind, Rewrite
Today marks a year since I finished the first draft of Judah’s Battle. Crazy. Time flies, whether you’re accomplishing things or not. My goal had been to finish the second draft by the end of…
The Villains
A protagonist without an antagonist is like crackers without cheese. Nice, but boring. Antagonists often show the other side of life—the evil; the horrific; the sinful, heartbreaking story of a life gone wrong. They are…
Glass Pens
Upon receiving the gift, her face lit with a sweet smile. My sister almost immediately pulled out the delicate tool – a glass pen – and dipped it into colored ink. It glided smoothly in…
Sergeant
Here I am, a legend in my hand, My brow furrowed at the odd command. “Take Point C with everything it takes.” The mission is a suicide attempt! I look round at my men, cringe…