Appalachian Blessings
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Writing original characters–or not
It seems like readers are forever asking writers, "Is xxxx character you?" My published writing friends get this question, even I have gotten this question from my few pre-publication readers. My mom confessed to trying to figure out who ALL the characters were in The...
Visiting–An Appalachian Way of Life
I'm worried that the art of visiting is drifting into obscurity. I was writing a scene earlier this week and a character invited guests to "come in and sit a spell." This was a common phrase when I was growing up. Even if you were just dropping something off, hurrying...
Happiness isn't enough
I read a comment from a newly married celebrity this weekend about how he and his spouse didn't argue because they have the same goal--making each other happy. And I thought to myself, well, that doesn't bode well. It sounds nice, right? Two people who only want to...
Does the meaning of your character's name matter?
I've known what my name--Sarah--means forever--God's Princess. And since a princess is what I always wanted to be (more for the clothes than anything else), I always really liked that. Which got me thinking, when naming characters in novels, does it matter what the...
Appalachian Wednesday–The New River Gorge Bridge
In my second novel a character visits the New River Gorge Bridge, playing "tourist" in WV. I drive over that bridge every time I travel between my home in NC and the family farm. I generally don't give it a whole lot of thought other than to admire the spectacular...
Dreaming big, but not big enough
In Sunday School yesterday we were talking about what God has in store for us and how we don't dream nearly as big as He does. And I admitted something that I hadn't vocalized before. Most of the time, when I think about the big plans God has for me, I assume that I...
Summer Solstice = Extra Time?
It's the first day of summer. The Summer Solstice. Here in Western NC the sun rose at 6:15 a.m. and will set at 8:49 p.m. That's 14 hours and 34 minutes of daylight. Compare that to the shortest day of the year when we have 9 hours and 45 minutes of sun. If it's out....
Happy Sesquicentennial West Virginia
Tomorrow is West Virginia Day and 2013 is a real milestone--the state's 150th birthday. Once part of Virginia, western Virginia became its own state in 1863. Many residents of Virginia who lived west of the Allegheny Mountains weren't happy when the state seceded from...
Meet Sarah
