Becky Wade's Blog, page 17

The Best Part of Being a Novelist

As you are reading this, I am in Phoenix hugging the necks of a whole bunch of writer friends and feeling both sad to say goodbye, and filled to the brim with joy and inspiration because of the wonderful time of fellowship we had over this past weekend. We met at the beautiful Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center in Carefree, AZ and the weather was just perfect!

Our sessions were held in this building with beautiful views outside to the landscaping.

I am an extrovert and I’m not sure I could have continued writing for 30-plus years if not for the wonderful friendship of other writers like these.

During one of our sessions on Friday.

Many from this group used to get together every summer the same week the Christian Booksellers Association convention was held. We’ve met in New Orleans, Atlanta, Orlando, Denver, and probably other places I’m forgetting. Things have changed in the publishing industry, and the convention no longer offers a set time and place for us to gather, but we find opportunities to meet up as we are able.

These dear friends are one of the very best parts of being a novelist, and I am beyond grateful for the inspiration, education, and camaraderie their friendship offers me. Even when we can’t be together in person, I interact with many of these writers daily or weekly online in various author groups.

Today, Ken and I are headed to California to camp and visit his brother’s and sister’s families who live there, but I’ll leave you with some photos of our time together with some writers I’m sure you know, including our own dear Cara and Robin!

Left to right, Melanie Dobson, Roxy Henke, Robin Lee Hatcher, Susan Meissner, Deb Raney, Cara Putman

Karen’s Favorites

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The authors of Inspired by Life…and Fiction are offering a new weekly post featuring some of our favorite things. We hope you enjoy getting to know a little more about us—and we’d love to hear your answers to these “favorites” questions in the comments below.

Favorite Holiday: Christmas, because I get to see all my adult children and have family board game marathons.

Favorite Vacation Spot: Mountains, preferably with waterfall hikes and historical sites to explore. Took a great trip to South Dakota and Wyoming two summers ago with my hubby.

Favorite Dessert: Chocolate chip ice cream (We actually named my childhood pet dalmatian Chippie in honor of this favorite dessert!)

A Hot Topic: Artificial Intelligence

In my February 7th post, I mentioned that I’m taking a college course this spring semester called “Writing in the Age of AI.”

Unless you’ve been living under a rock—not to mention never using a computer or smart phone—you are aware that AI is next to impossible to avoid in 2025. There are the Large Language Models such a ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and CoPilot. There are grammar and spell checkers like Grammarly. There are writing apps like ProWritingAid and Autocrit. Apple introduce Apple Intelligence last fall, and it now summarizes my emails and texts on my iPhone as well as offers writing tools to improve my emails, notes, whatever.

There’s a lot of fear in regard to AI. In my world (the world of publishing), readers and writers are nervous about AI taking over. There’s anger from writers and publishers that the LLMs were trained on intellectual property without payment. There is fear of large scale plagiarism, and many wonder what jobs will be lost because of this new technology.

Cover art for original version of Speak To Me of Love

I get it. When I started writing, all covers in the romance mass market began with an artist painting the scene in oils. I even have two original oils used in my book covers that are hanging in my home (see photo above for one of them). But then personal computers got faster and smarter and suddenly cover art was being done digitally instead of with oil paintings. All those artists who’d been painting cover art for years had to either learn to create digital art or find another venue for their work. There will be changes once again because of AI. But as someone famous once said, the only constant in life is change.

I first began paying attention to AI about a year ago. And here is what I have learned. It benefits nothing to be afraid. What is needed is education and lots of it. AI isn’t going away. And like any technology there will be bad actors who misuse it. But don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater. We must hope and pray that most will use it ethically. AI is a tool that can work well in many different toolboxes, but it is just a tool. It is not an answer in and of itself. There are both benefits and dangers.

I’ve learned a lot about AI over the past year, including where it succeeds and where it fails. I’ve learned a lot more in the weeks since my college class began. One thing I’ve learned is that we can’t let AI destroy critical thinking. We’ve got to continue using our old gray cells because we are the humans in the loop.

And humans are made in the image of God. Artificial intelligence can’t compete with that.

~robin

On-Site Research

There is something so thrilling about seeing things my characters would have seen had they been actual people instead of just figments of my imagination. I love being able to research historical settings in person when possible. I don’t get to do this with every book, but since my stories are set in Texas, research trips are often within reach. Many times I rely on historic maps and local histories to get the lay of the land since not all towns have preserved their historic buildings. But if I have the chance to see elements with my own eyes, it is such a blessing.

One town that is less than an hour’s drive from where I live has done an excellent job at preserving their local history, and I decided it was past time I featured this town in a book. In fact, I’m setting my entire next series there. Albany, Texas.

The Fort Griffin Fandangle is a historical, musical production that has been put on by the people of Albany for more than 85 years.

Albany has a rich history, one that is reenacted annually at the Fort Griffin Fandangle. Albany has ties to Fort Griffin and the settlement known as “The Flat” that sprang up nearby. This settlement became one of the most lawless places of the western frontier. You might recognize the names of some of its temporary residents: Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Billy the Kid, and Bat Masterson. It was also a supply post for cattle drives heading north to Dodge City. But citizens looking for more a more civilized place to live, began buying up lots a few miles away, giving birth to the town of Albany. When the railroad chose to come through their town in 1881, Albany grew, and the The Flat withered away.

The first book in my Secret Society of Spinsters series features a heroine who is a temperance reformer and a deputy tasked with keeping the peace. Several scenes take place around the courthouse square. And wth my deputy living in the local jailhouse, a large number of scenes take place in that location as well. Guess which two historical buildings are the most well-preserved in Albany? Yep. The courthouse and the old jail.

Albany, TX Courthouse

Not only is the courthouse gorgeous on the outside, but they have preserved much of the historical details on the interior as well. Beautiful dark wood, winding staircases, and a second-floor courtroom that looks much like it did in the 19th century. They still use this courtroom today, but I love that they have preserved the history of the place. Even down to replicas of the carpet that was used.

My hero has to arrest my heroine at one point, and when she goes before the judge, I used as many details from this visit as I could.

The old jail, has been expanded and turned into an art museum. The original building still stands, and even though it is filled with modern art, the stone is still there, the bars are still on the windows, and the layout is available to fuel my imagination. In fact, I had to rewrite a couple of my scenes because I had the jail cells on the first floor, when actually, they were on the second floor. The jailer’s office and personal quarters were downstairs.

Old Jail Building, Originally Built in 1877.

I haven’t seen cover art yet for book one of this new series (Taming Lady Temperance) but I’m hoping they will try to work the courthouse or the old jail into the background.

Do you enjoy visiting historic sites?

A peek into my (very distant) past

This is a story of boxes lost and found. Or rather found, because I really didn’t know they were lost! 

When we sold our house in Rockwall after our move to Austin in 2015, I found some things we’d forgotten up in our attic when we were checking over the house before closing. They were boxes of things. My mother graciously let me leave them in her attic. 

This summer, my nephews were all leaving for college in the fall so Mom and Dad had them come over and clear out their attic entirely. And there were my collection of boxes, which were then deposited at my house. 

I’ve been staring at them ever since. Until last week when I finally decided I needed to dive in and see what was to keep and what to throw away. 

The first box I opened contained things mostly from my elementary school years! That is quite a long time ago now, folks! It was such fun to sort through things I haven’t looked at in decades. I pulled out some of the photos of me in elementary school because I think my granddaughters will enjoy them. I also pulled out my cheerleading outfit from elementary school, as well as my Bluebird uniform! 

They’ll enjoy other things I found in there, too, but those will be for me to bring out and show them—like my elementary school report cards, my “Michigan” pillow I sewed in third grade, my fourth or fifth grade research paper (handwritten in cursive!) about the Battle of Gettysburg, and my ribbon for honorable mention in the ponytail contest for my age group (I was 3!) from the Michigan State Fair!

One of the most wonderful things I found was an envelope full of thank you notes from my third grade classmates to my dad! Apparently, my teacher that year had parents come talk to us about their jobs. The notes are both sweet and hilarious! 

I found an autograph book, too. Do you remember those? Mine was received Christmas of 1976. I would have been almost ten. Some pencil entries had faded to almost unreadable, but the entries are funny and sweet. Except for two that were quite poignant. Both my best friend (and next door neighbor) and my sister (two years younger than me) wrote that they hoped we would stop fighting and be better friends. Wow. That will humble you, even all these years later!

I still have several boxes to get through. I wonder what treasures await me there? 

Have you ever found a box of things from your distant past? What was the most unique or emotional thing you re-discovered? 

From Start to Finish by (not Tamera) but Joe Alexander

A year ago, my husband, Joe, felt a strong nudge to begin writing down some of his—and our—family history for our grandchildren, Leo and Ari.

As he wrote, he found himself sharing lessons he hopes to one day teach each of them himself, Lord willing. Yet knowing that none of us will be here forever, he was grateful for the opportunity to put pen to paper.

Early on, I read his first few pages, then chapters, and encouraged him to keep going, knowing how much I would treasure such insights into my grandparents or great-grandparent’s lives. To have a written record of their experiences, their reflections on the successes and failures in their lives, to have a window into their hopes and dreams, and, most importantly, into their faith journey with the Lord. What a gift that would be.

In short, the words kept coming, and the pages and old photographs kept accumulating, until they finally turned into something far more than Joe ever imagined at the outset…

More about the book

Thanks to Ken Raney (Deb’s oh-so-talented husband) for helping us create the cover. Joe originally had an image of a young boy setting out on a journey in his mind. The boy was headed to catch a train, carrying a man’s briefcase and wearing a suit that was a bit too large for him. MidJourney and Ken helped bring that image to life.

As Joe shares in the book, “If I’ve learned anything at this point on my journey, it’s that the less we focus on helping ourselves and the more we focus on helping others, the more we accomplish—and the more meaningful and satisfying our life’s journey is.”

One early reader comments, “It may not have been the author’s intention, but the golden thread that runs through Joe’s memoir is gratitude. Living a life of gratitude may be the best lesson his grandchildren will learn from this book! (Carol Jones)” And I agree. Writing a book is a journey (just as reading one is), and God met Joe on the page time and time again, and he’s richer for the experience.

I appreciate the honesty and humility in Joe’s writing, along with his trademark sense of humor. Good-natured sarcasm is almost considered a spiritual gift in our family, LOL, so be forewarned. And while I wouldn’t classify his narrative as oversharing exactly, you’ll definitely know far more about our last forty years together than you may want to. But hey, if someone can learn from our mistakes and missteps, if they can be encouraged by how God, in his mercy, has led us through some difficult times, I say share away, babe!

Of course, I’m proud of Joe for this accomplishment. But far more, I’m grateful that our grands, once they’re grown and perhaps become curious about who came before them—which often happens later in a person’s life—will have this collection of life lessons and personal insights that will, prayerfully, help them to walk more closely with the Lord.

Me & Joe

Have you recorded life lessons or family history for your children or grandchildren? If not, perhaps this will encourage you to do just that. Do you have written memories from your grandparents or great-grandparents about their lives—their faith struggles and experiences? If you do, what a treasure!

Happily immersed in rewrites in my chilly corner of Nashville,

Tammy

Print available now
Ebook and KU available this Thursday (2/20)

Can it be tax time again?

Do you do your own taxes? I’ve done our family taxes for years–collecting receipts, deciphering records, puzzling over confusing IRS instructions (honestly, they should hire a professional writer to write those instructions, not accountants), etc. And here it is, February again, and time to start thinking about filing those tax forms.

I understand that the government needs money to function, pave our highways, etc., I do. But I saw a meme the other day that struck me–it showed that we are taxed when we earn our money, taxed when we spend it, taxed when we save it, and taxed when we withdraw it from savings. The founding fathers hated taxes, and they did NOT create an income tax–that came later.

On days like this, I’m in favor of a ten percent income tax rate across the board. Cut the exemptions, let’s all pay the same percentage and be done with it.

But that isn’t likely to happen–people love their deductions, and I have to wonder if charities would see a tremendous decline in donations if the tax deduction were eliminated (even though we’re supposed to give from the heart, not for the purpose of a tax deduction).

So if you’re doing your taxes along with me, my hat’s off to you! May your task be easy, your tax be light, and your refund as large as the law will allow.

Hugs!

~~Angie

Becky’s Favorites

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The authors of Inspired by Life…and Fiction are offering a new weekly post featuring some of our favorite things. We hope you enjoy getting to know a little more about us—and we’d love to hear your answers to these “favorites” questions in the comments below.

Favorite Holiday: Christmas! I love it all. The decorations, the songs, the parties, Christmas day brunch in our pajamas, and the fact that my older kids come home for the holiday.

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Favorite Vacation Spot: Too many to name, so I’ll chose one from this past year. My husband and I road-tripped through the redwood forests of northern California in June. It was so astonishingly beautiful there that it inspired me to set my next book in that region.

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Favorite Dessert: I may be the only IBLF author who eats gluten free/dairy free, so I’ll share my favorite Paleo chocolate chip recipe here. I have a sweet tooth and have made this recipe (courtesy of Paleo Running Momma) many times.

Oh Happy Day!

My inspiration for my current series was this… 

Three brothers. Two of them—Jeremiah and Jude–raised beneath the shadow of the scandal their wealthy, famous parents created before their birth. Then there’s Max, the housekeeper’s son, the one Jeremiah and Jude viewed as a friend while all three were growing up on the same property in Maine. When the boys were teenagers, they (and everyone else in America) learned that they share the same father. Max is Jeremiah and Jude’s half-brother. Boom! Another scandal.

I clearly remember the moment when the title for this series came to me. I was driving to Branson in September of 2021 to spend the weekend with Courtney Walsh and Katie Ganshert. I knew we’d be brainstorming all of our current stories, so on the way there, spent concerted time behind the wheel thinking/dreaming about the series I wanted to write next. Sons of Scandal dropped into my head and I believe I audibly said, “That’s it!” I knew instantly that I’d found my series title.

That weekend, Courtney, Katie, and I brainstormed the books that would eventually become The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley, The Fabrication of Eden Pruitt, and Memory Lane. (If you haven’t read those titles, add them to your TBR!)

And now, TODAY, in February of 2025, the final book in the Sons of Scandal series has released. Uneasy Street–done! Max’s book–published! That inspiration I had in 2021–brought full circle and fulfilled. Oh happy day!

I’m thankful! It’s SO rewarding, and also just slightly bittersweet, to bring another series to a close.

In other news, I blogged about my TV interview in this post. Several of you asked for me to circle back and provide the link to the interview once it aired. So I’m doing just that! If you’d like to watch the 5-minute segment, you’ll find it here.

Finally, if you haven’t yet read Memory Lane and Rocky Road (or have read them but would like to own them on your Kindle) then I’m happy to spread the news about this wonderful sale…

Thanks for encouraging me along my writing path, everyone! I’m wishing you a very happy Valentine’s Day!

Reading Challenges

Hi friends – Debb Hackett here, standing in for Dani. I was wondering if many of you do reading challenges. We are all readers here, right? Whether you’re also a writer or not. 

So, let’s explore the world of the challenge. On the one hand, I can get pretty tired of endless targets and don’t need more in my leisure time. But on the other hand, reading challenges have enriched my reading life quite significantly. 

Three types of challenges – numbers, authors, or book type.

Numbers. The simplest thing is to set yourself a numerical target. I have friends who aim for one book a month and others who hit triple figures by December. This might seem a little basic as challenges go, but you know what – last year I was in the reading doldrums but determined to hit my target of 60. I thought laterally and began listening to audiobooks while driving or walking. Bingo. Target restored and a whole new world discovered. 

Authors. A fun thing to do can be to mix up who you read. Perhaps you stick to the same half-a-dozen go-to writers – I certainly have those in my annual reading plan (I use that word very loosely). But I am now challenging myself to branch out, using word of mouth, award-winning or cover/back cover appeal as my guide. So far, I’ve added Gabrielle Meyer, Charles Martin, and Sara Brunsvold to my ‘oh brilliant’ list. 

Book type. Die-hard suspense reader? Hopeless romantic? Do you only see value in nonfiction? We love all of you in your literary diversity. But take a chance. Cross genre lines. Delve into something you wouldn’t usually read. Take a recommendation then leap between different pages. You just never know what blessing you’ll find waiting. 

And if all of that sounds like too much work, fine. Stagnate! Just kidding. There are ready-made challenges all around. Blue Ridge Reader Connections posts one each month, with prizes, and a number of authors also post them. Because the only thing more fun than a challenge is a little camaraderie as you go.

*at the time of writing I was three books ahead of my numeric target for 2025. Woohoo.  

Your turn – do you set yourself a reading challenge or participate in an organized one? Let us know in the comments and maybe we’ll join you.

Writer, broadcaster and speaker Debb Hackett has been a radio journalist for more than twenty years. Married to a test pilot, Debb lives just outside London, England, with her husband and their two daughters. Her first work of fiction won the Foundation Award at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference and was an ACFW Genesis Award finalist. When she’s not writing, Debb can be found leading worship, cheering for Green Bay or skiing. If you can swing by her house while she’s making scones, that would be a win. She blogs at: https://debbhackett.com