Becky Wade's Blog, page 141

Inspired by Scripture

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Decorating for Christmas on a Budget (and a giveaway!)

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, ’tis the season for Christmas decorating!

This year has been unique… to choose the most flattering adjective possible. Because of all the uniqueness, for me, the Christmas season is more welcome this year than any other year in recent memory. I’m beyond ready!

Bring on the hope of Jesus’s birth, the tree, the lights, the music, the cookies, the stockings, the fun, the beauty. I don’t always decorate the weekend after Thanksgiving, but this year, I am.

Thus, here are….

Five Ways to Decorate for Christmas on a Budget

ONE: Garlands! In the past, I’ve created my own garlands by stringing thread through popcorn, cranberries, or both. Alternately, you can use hot glue to stick one wrapped peppermint to the next to create a candy garland like this one. Garlands aren’t just for your tree… swag them across the tops of windows, entry way furniture/ceiling, or chandeliers.

Photo Credit: Carol Browne Flickr via Compfight cc

TWO: Fun wrapping paper! Use it to cover an interior door, a bulletin board, or to “wallpaper” the back walls of your glass-front cabinets or bookshelves. Speaking of bookshelves… wrap a few of your books to make one of the most well-loved spaces in your home — the place where the books live! — festive.

THREE: In addition to lighting your tree, consider adding inexpensive Christmas lights to your mantel, the piece of furniture housing your TV, your bed’s headboard, your kitchen counters, or the runner down the center of your table. Suddenly, you’ll have several sources of magical lighting!

FOUR: Cozy Christmas throw pillows! During this season, more than any other, I’m a fan of gathering the family on a big, comfy sofa accented with a few affordable Christmas pillows. It’s the perfect place to slow down, relax with your loved ones, light a fire, and enjoy a holiday movie and hot cocoa.

FIVE: Holiday scents! Christmas candles and room sprays can be pricey, but here’s a simmer recipe (utilizing several spices already in your pantry) which you can simmer again and again in order to fill your home with the smells of Christmas.

I hope you enjoy decking the halls! I’d love to hear your budget-friendly decorating tips.



To kick off the Christmas season, I’m giving away two print copies of The Christmas Heirloom novella collection. Simply comment below to be entered to win. Open internationally! I’ll randomly select two winners on Tuesday, December 1st.

Thankful for You + Giveaway

Each year, I get to write the Thanksgiving post here at Inspired by Life & Fiction. It’s one benefit of being the author who posts the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month. There’s so much to be grateful for, even more in a year that has been far from normal…what is normal anyway?

This year I want to fix my gaze on the many reasons I have to be grateful.

The first is a big one. Just look at this photo.

I am blessed with an amazing family. Our kids are all doing great, and our daughter who had the health challenges with her vision is doing so much better. Praise God! We still have to do the weekly shots, but it’s maintenance rather than trying to get ahead of out of control inflammation. I am so very grateful. Our oldest son is applying to colleges and is going to have amazing options. Our oldest is an amazing young woman who has moved with such humble confidence and grace through what has been an unsettled year on college campuses. And our youngest makes our hearts smile while we pray he grows up to use his powers for good. My husband has a great job that expanded this year, and I learned how to flex as I taught in a crazy year while also launching one book and preparing the next for a January release.

I’m so grateful for this shelf which represents my books. I think it’s all but one or two, but I’ve honestly lost track. When I started writing in 2005, I prayed I might get the opportunity to see one of my books in print. Instead, every time I look at this shelf, I’m reminded of God’s amazing goodness and faithfulness. He doesn’t owe me one more book. Instead, I’m grateful for the opportutnity to work on each one. In fact as I write this post, I think God just directed me to the missing piece for my next proposed novel. My wheel’s are churning with another layer.

This is also a year where I am more grateful than every for you, our readers. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting a few of you (waving at Ruby!) face-to-face, but in a year that included quarantines and smaller worlds, it’s meant the world to know that I could connect with you here and in other spaces of social media and the internet. Thank you for reading our books. Thank you for spreading the word about books and authors you love. Thank you for asking your library to carry our books. Each of those and so many other gestures and comments are life-giving to those of us who spend a lot of time staring at an illuminated screen wondering if our words matter. That’s why I want to end this month with a giveaway that celebrates you. Just use the form below to enter. I’ll be giving away a copy of the Hidden Justice series. Another reader will receive a copy of Flight Risk.

As 2020 draws to a close, what are you thankful for? How has this year surprised you?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Even in 2020

Hi friends,

Happy Wednesday! Can you believe tomorrow is Thanksgiving? Today I’m super excited to have Toni Shiloh guest posting. I met Toni a number of years ago when I spoke at the ACFW-Virginia conference. We’ve stayed in touch since and we have the blessing of sharing a very sweet mutual friend. Welcome, Toni!

Even in 2020…

It’s the month of Thanksgiving and thankfulness might feel strange to have in the year 2020.

Being thankful. Having gratitude. Experiencing any form of joy really.

I mean, after all, this is 2020. A year that brought us a pandemic that doesn’t seem to be accepting its eviction notice. The year that made us want to avoid the news and anything negative. You know those repeat hurricanes, an election year, crazy hornets (I didn’t dream those up, did I?).

When Dani asked if I wanted to share a blog post with y’all, I thought sure. I’d be happy to share my thoughts and then I realized I couldn’t think of anything to say. So I thought, prayed, thought some more, and prayed some more. Through it all, one verse kept coming to mind that I wasn’t quite sure what to do with:

Then it hit me. I do have something to say, and something to be thankful for.

You see on the surface, 2020 has been a pretty horrific year for all the reasons I stated above and the ones I skipped over. But when I take stock of my life, my family, the friendships I have, my writing journey, all I can say is “thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” And honestly, I think gift should be plural.

God never stops at one, does He? We could thank Him for the gift of Jesus, for our salvation, and that would be enough to fill a blog post. But when I take the time to think of the little things, those things that have been deep seated in my heart that I was afraid to give voice to because I didn’t think they would happen, those gifts quickly add up and I really, truly do feel thankful.

Because I have a God that loved me enough to bless me with Jesus as my Savior. A God who loved me enough to not stop there. He blessed me with a husband (we hit 15 years this past June), two beautiful boys (that make me laugh all the time), friends (who weep when I weep, laugh when I laugh), a writing career that amazes me every single day (hello, Bethany House 2-book contract!!), books to read (have you read the amazing authors who write for this blog?), and so much more.

This week, I plan on being more intentional with feeling gratitude. Before 2020 ends, I want to be able to make a list of all the gifts God blessed me with this year. I want to remind myself that even in 2020, when it seems to rain cats and dogs, God is still good.

Tell me three things you’re really thankful for this year. Oh and I’ll pick one lucky commentator to win one of my print books of your choice (that includes international if the book is available on Book Depository. If not, e-book for international entrants).

Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and multi-published Christian contemporary romance author. She writes to bring God glory and to learn more about His goodness. Her novel, Grace Restored, was a 2019 Holt Medallion finalist and Risking Love is a 2020 Selah Award finalist.  

A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and of the Virginia Chapter, Toni seeks to help readers find authors. She loves connecting with readers and authors alike via social media. You can learn more about her writing at http://tonishiloh.com. 

Connect with Toni on Social Media (Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Bookbub) and/or sign up for her newsletter!

A Lot To Be Thankful For…

A Castaway in Cornwall releases in one week. Ideally, I’d be able to focus on promoting it, but instead I’m frantically trying to finish my rough draft of next year’s book. Oh, the balancing act, especially around the holidays! But I am not complaining; I’m so very thankful to get to do this job I love.

Speaking of being thankful, I thought I’d share a few verses that were spotlighted in a devotional given during our church’s recent Thanksgiving service. Instead of going through the whole Bible in search of everything we have to be thankful for [a LOT!] this dear brother drew on the riches found in Ephesians 1: 3-14.

Yes, it has been, and to continues to be a difficult year—in our house, too. I appreciated these timely reminders and hope you will too.

Even In 2020, We Have A Lot To Be Thankful For:



God has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing.He chose us before the foundation of the world.He predestined us for adoption to himself as sons and daughters.In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us.In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to…his will. When we believed in him, we were sealed [Forever!] with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance…to the praise of his glory.

To the praise of his glory, indeed!

And these six are just for starters. May your beleaguered heart (and mine) take time to be thankful for all Christ is and has done for us, this week, and all year long. Yes, even this year.

How are you staying thankful in 2020? What are you (especially) thankful for right now?

A Country Christmas (and a Giveaway!)

I know, I know… It’s Thanksgiving week and I’m already talking about Christmas. I promise I won’t skip over Thanksgiving in my heart—it is one of my favorite holidays and gratitude is an attitude I truly want to foster in my own life.

That said, I put our Christmas tree and decorations up last night so I’m in a Christmasy mood, plus I want to give away a copy of a beautiful new Christmas novella collection to one of our Inspired by Life…and Fiction readers so you’ll have it in time for Christmas reading.

I especially love the cover of this book because it reminds me of the barn on the farm I grew up on in Rice County, Kansas. I couldn’t find a photo of the farm before the barn was torn down, and as you can see, there are clearly no mountains where “my” barn was in the middle of the Kansas prairie, but still, that barn brings back so many warm memories for me! (And if you look carefully to the far left in the photo about one-third of the way up, you’ll see the little barn my dad built on the site of the old barn as a playhouse for the grandkids (with a place for his lawnmower and garden tools in the back).

One of my favorite Christmas memories is the year my parents’ twelve grandkids created a nativity scene with the little barn’s deck standing in as a stable. Tiny Baby Jesus was played by my nephew who’d been born December 17 that year. That “Baby Jesus” got married last summer.

Our four kids are, left to right, the littlest angel on the top step, the king looking at baby Jesus, and Mary and Joseph, who were teenagers at the time and good sports to participate. I crack up every time I see this photo at how seriously my little nephew took his role as a sheep.

P.S. A very happy birthday TODAY to the little angel second from left, my niece, who now is a missionary in Thailand with her husband and their three children.

On a trip to Kansas this past summer (on our way to the wedding of that “Baby Jesus,” in fact!) I snapped the photo above of the farmhouse where I grew up. The farm is no longer in our family and it doesn’t look as neat and tidy as my parents always kept it, but it still holds such a special place in my heart and truly made me who I am today.

The farmhouse was built by my maternal great-grandparents (that’s my great granddad and my granddad in the photo, and my mom and her little sister to the right by the fence in the photo). My parents bought the farm from Grandmother and Granddaddy when I was about three. It’s the only childhood home I have memories of.

Is there a certain home from your childhood that holds the most precious memories? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And your comment is an entry for the drawing for a copy of Love’s Pure Light. I’ll name a winner in the comments here tomorrow evening so be sure to check back and find out if it’s YOU!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and before we know it, I’ll be wishing you Merry Christmas!

Inspired by Scripture

This Sunday feature is brought to you by ClashEntertainment.com. You may sign up to receive a beautiful photo with scripture in your inbox each morning or view the verse each day online.

Cover Reveal: From not quite to perfect

Early in the writing process of a new book, I am required to turn in a form to my publisher with lots of different information about the work in progress. Included in this information are suggestions for the cover such as significant locations, items that play an important role, etc.

The problem for me, as a seat-of-the-pants writer, is that my story can change a lot as I write the book. That certainly was the case for my July 2021 release, Make You Feel My Love. For one thing, I believed I was writing the first book in a new series that would be built around an antique store. However, I eventually realized that this was a stand-alone novel, not the first of several.

When still thinking this was a series book, I suggested the antique shop be on the cover. But when the first comp arrived soon after I finished writing the book, it was immediately clear that my initial idea was all wrong for the story I’d written.

It wasn’t the antique shop itself that was important to the storyline but what was found in it. I began to visualize how the discoveries could be used on the cover. After a flurry of email exchanges with my editor and agent, including a few visuals (here’s one composite) …

… the designer came back with the absolutely perfect cover. And here is the final version of it …

The first time I saw this cover, my heart leapt. I know. Cliché, right? But it’s true. Even now when I look at it, I’m thrilled. 

I’ve been asked by authors whose first or second books have been released if the publication process is always as exciting as it is at first. While in some respects the excitement is different, it is still there.

There are certainly treasured moments, like when my editor, in her revision letter for Make You Feel My Love, wrote:

“The story wrapped me up right from the beginning. It’s full of life and encouragement and reminders of God’s love.”“Reading your writing feels like drifting down a peaceful creek, and I’m grateful for it!”

Another treasured moment is when a cover turns out just right, like this one.

To learn more about Make You Feel My Love, visit the book’s page on my website.

Does the cover make you want to learn more about the woman holding the violin? Do you want to discover who those people are in the old photograph? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Story Boards (and a Giveaway!)

Do you like Sleeping Beauty retellings? BESOTTED, the third and final book in The Fairest Maidens, is now available and is a unique retelling of the old classic fairy tale.

Each book of the series is fashioned after a fairy tale BEHOLDEN (September) is loosely tied to Cinderella,  BEGUILED (October) is developed around Snow White. And, as mentioned, BESOTTED (November) is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. 

One thing I really enjoy doing with my fairy tale medieval books is looking for pictures to represent the stories. With all of the pictures of handsome knights, medieval ladies, and beautiful castles, it’s fun to bring the characters and setting to life.

In fact, before I start writing a story, I usually search until I find pictures that I feel best mirror the characters.  Then as I write, I refer back to those images, helping to bring the characters to life in my mind.

Here are the three story boards I’ve created for each of the books:

BEHOLDEN

BEGUILED

BESOTTED

I also love the graphics that readers create to go with quotes from my books. They do such a fabulous job! I wish I could show you all of them, but here is just a sampling:

To celebrate the release of The Fairest Maidens, I’m having a giveaway! I’ll be giving away a paperback or ebook of ANY one of the three books in the series here on the blog to one lucky winner! Enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Do you like seeing what the authors visualize? Or do you prefer the anonymity so that you can visualize the characters and settings the way you want?

Five Surprises in Book Publishing with Amy Green

Hello, readers! My name is Amy Lynn Green, and Karen Witemeyer invited me to share with you to celebrate the release of my debut novel. Things We Didn’t Say follows Johanna Berglund, the witty and slightly blunt translator for a camp for German prisoners of war in Minnesota during WWII. And it’s an epistolary novel, meaning that it’s written entirely in letters, newspaper articles, telegrams, and other documents.

I’ve worked in publishing for eight years, so I thought I wouldn’t find many surprises when switching to the “other side of the desk.” I knew all of the fancy terms and acronyms, experienced most of the marketing process, and had even toured the printing press to pick up a book from the line while the binding glue was still warm to the touch. Nothing more to learn, right? Boy, was I ever wrong! Here are five new things I’ve learned already as an author.

One: Audiobook narrators know how to pronounce more words in a book than the author.

When Leah Horowitz, the narrator for the audiobook of Things We Didn’t Say, contacted me, I knew I had to interview her to learn more about the recording process. I’ll be sharing snippets of that interview on Instagram, but my favorite fun fact was that before recording, she reads the whole novel and makes a list of words she doesn’t know how to pronounce. Then, the audiobook’s research department digs in and sends her a list of phonetic pronunciations.

Because my book has occasional snippets of Japanese and German, she had a lot of work to do! I know I can’t say “Wo sich Fuchs und Hase gute Nacht sagen” correctly. (That means “where the fox and rabbit say good-night” in German, meaning the middle of nowhere. Isn’t that a lovely phrase?)

Two: Many books hit a snag in the cover creation process.

For mine, all of the marketing and editorial team members at the cover meeting loved a particular background option, but when the designer went back to her desk, somehow, in the half-hour meeting, another group had purchased exclusive rights to the image. Guess who? CANADA. (Okay, more specifically a Canadian tourism company, but I like to blame the whole country for dramatic effect.) The designer was able to find a similar image, and all was well in the end.

For other covers, designers have had to erase unexpected tattoos from a Regency lady’s arms or substitute the model’s straight hair for an employee’s curly hair when the author changed it during revisions. This supports my belief that designers have a special artistic magic. (I also host cover creation videos on Bethany House’s Instagram page about once a month—if you’re interested in learning more about the cover design process, you should take a look at them!)

Three: Designing the interior of a book is hard work.

We all notice the dramatic design work of covers, but have you ever thought that someone has to style all of the interior pages of a book too? Since Things We Didn’t Say is written entirely in letters, the Bethany House interior design team gave it the award of Most Time-Consuming

Fiction Book Ever. Why? Well, most novels have little flourishes between scenes and maybe a fancy font for chapter headings. Mine had: handwritten letters, crossed out text, telegrams, footnotes, censored sections, date headings, typewritten interview transcripts…and more. That’s a lot to keep straight!

Four: Writing 20th century historical fiction means you can talk to eyewitnesses.

It was a great experience to read dozens of actual letters from WWII, including several kept by family friends, but sometimes my research became even more hands-on. One of the fun surprises in researching this book was that Jerry Yoder, a director of the Camp Algona POW Museum in Algona, Iowa who gave me a tour, had actually met the German POWs who worked on his father’s farm during WWII. Talk about first-hand experience! And, even crazier, after the book released, my husband’s grandmother told me she had worked in a cannery with German POWs as a young woman—one I had researched and mentioned in my novel.

Five: Deciding who to dedicate a book to is hard.

This felt especially true for my debut novel. There’s so much pressure! After all, the dedication is right there on the first page of the book.

I ended up dedicating this novel to my parents, partly because they’ve supported and encouraged me in every way (personally, creatively, and spiritually), but also because Johanna in Things We Didn’t Say has two completely healthy and well-adjusted parents, which is pretty rare. I mean, think about the main characters in the last few books you’ve read. Probably not many of them had a caring mother and father who were both still alive at the start of the story. I figured, since I may never get this chance again in future books, it would be a good one to dedicate to Mom and Dad.

I hope a few of these facts surprised you too. It’s been a fun adventure so far! If you’d like to stay in touch with me, I’d recommend subscribing to my newsletter on my website. (I’ll soon be sending a bookish Christmas gift guide, packed with gems like literary sticky notes, Jane Austen tea, a subscription of watercolor-illustrated letters, and Shakespearean magnetic poetry.) Or, I’d love to have you join me on Facebook or Instagram, where I share book reviews, behind-the-scenes publishing facts, and pictures of absurdly early Minnesota snow.

Giveaway!

I’m also going to give away a copy of Things We Didn’t Say to a random commenter on this post. So here’s your chance—to enter, just comment with a question about my book or the book publishing process in general. I’ll show up to answer as many as I can!