Like the other Mantle Rock authors, I write from a Christian world view. That means whether or not the Gospel is explicitly stated in the stories, God is always woven into the plot. Because of the Christian component, I begin a writing project and writing sessions with prayer. Sometimes the prayer is as simple […]
Making the Most of Your Writing Time
No doubt about it. Life is BUSY! If we aren’t careful, we can run ourselves ragged trying to keep up. If you’re like me, you often feel pulled in every direction, trying to balance family activities, work responsibilities, church and community functions, and household duties. And I have to wonder, WHEN CAN I WRITE?! To […]
Ask Yourself Why
One of the things that I love most about the fantasy genre is how you can escape into the story as if you were there along with the characters. I’ve always been a reader. Some of my earliest memories are hiding under the covers with a flashlight, so I could stay up all night to […]
A Bit of a Shock
Touch is a powerful tool. Especially in romance novels, we all wait with bated breath for the first time the hero and heroine accidentally bump into each other, the first time their hands meet, the first time they kiss. When written well, the descriptions of these events leave us slightly breathless, our heart rate up, […]
ALWAYS LEARNING
As young adults, my husband and I became local missionaries with Child Evangelism Fellowship. We held teacher training classes for adults, and we taught children in Good News Clubs, Released Time, and Vacation Bible School. Probably the most difficult students we had were the older-than-us teachers who, because of their years of experience, decided we […]
The Power of the Written Word
Is the pen truly mightier than the sword? Words are powerful. They evoke emotions, stir us to action, share valuable insights, and ignite our imaginations. Words can build up, or tear down, encouragement or discourage, depending on how they are conveyed. Writers know well the power of words. The way a passage is written […]
From Home Exchange to Daydreams to a Novel
With St. Patrick’s Day approaching, I thought I’d share a glimpse into how Irish Encounter was born. In the summer of 2000, my family took a home exchange to Ireland. We stayed for three weeks in Galway and then moved down to Bandon, County Cork, for three more weeks. During our stay in this beautiful […]
Everything in Order
A few weeks ago, I was blessed to be able to have lunch with some missionaries who have been working in Papua New Guinea. The country has about 4000 people with about 850 different languages. The little village where these missionaries have been living has about twenty people who speak the language Mum (pronounced Moom). She has been […]



































































































































































