Safeguarding your JOY

 

Some of you have may heard that I’ve been celebrating a personal victory this past week. After four years of writing and pursuing publication I’m getting my moment in the sun. I’ve signed a publishing agreement with WildBlue Press and will be releasing my first of three books this fall! A romantic mystery about grace and second chances called Beauty for Ashes.

After a long road of building friendships, refining my craft, dodging countless rejections, and growing in my passion for story here is it! The CALL. I should be on top of the world, right?

Well, of course I was/am thrilled to be realizing my dream but how many of you know that the world doesn’t exactly freeze in that moment. And that glow you are basking in can dim pretty quickly when say, the sewer drain backs up in your basement, the air conditioner peters out on the hottest day of the year, and the service light illuminates from your dashboard all in the same day… the day after you announced that long awaited triumph. Pfft! The NERVE! Those everyday disasters have absolutely no respect for your big moment! And it sure doesn’t take long for the crap (sometimes literally) to start piling up and little by little, robbing you of your joy.

But the thing I’ve come to realize as a mother constantly navigating the minefield of life is this…

JOY is NOT CIRCUMSTANTIAL.

Do you remember that little jingle we all sang in Sunday School? “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart! I’ve got the…”

We might not have realized it then but that song was preparing us for the truth about joy. Where it’s found. And where it isn’t. Joy isn’t found on our sleeves. Not in that gorgeous new outfit that makes you feel like a million bucks. It’s not found skin deep either. It can’t be nicked away by everyday wear and tear. Bills and stress and the daily grind. (Though that can certainly make us weary.) It’s not even bone deep, only broken under the right angle and pressure. The pain that lances here often lingering and debilitating.

It’s deeper, protected by muscle and tissue, skin and bone, the cage of your ribs like a vault safeguarding your heart. And even there, at the source, it’s nested deep down.

Right there where your Savior resides.

Am I excited that God is going to use my words and give them a stage? Absolutely! Is my joy contingent upon it? Is it contingent upon my success? Not a chance. Because lasting joy is only found in communion with the Giver of your dreams. Not because of what he can do for you, but because of who he is.

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

Everything else, friends, is just frosting. Now, since I have a notorious sweet tooth, sit down and have some cake with me. Tell me, what are you celebrating in your life?

 

Happy Friday!

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

 

Amy Leigh Simpson is the completely exhausted stay-at-home mama to the two wild-child, tow-headed toddler boys, one pretty little princess baby, and the incredibly blessed wife of her hunky hubby.

She writes Romantic Suspense chalked full of grace that is equally inspiring, nail-biting, and hilarious. And a little saucy! Okay fine, a lot saucy. :) She is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers, and now uses her Sports Medicine degree to patch up daily boo-boos. Her greatest ambitions are to create stories that inspire hope, raise up her children to be mighty warriors for Christ, invent an all-dessert diet that works, and make up for years of sleep deprivation. 

She is represented by Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary, Inc.

 

When Your Friends have Book Deals . . . And You Don't

 

Reality check! Our emotions aren’t always pretty. We’ve all undoubtedly been on both sides when the green monster rears it’s ugly head! Jealousy. No one is immune but luckily we are not solely run by our inner-caveman. We have highly evolved reasoning skills and coping mechanisms. Whoo hoo! Go us! And yet, we still hear authors lament broken friendships as a casualty of their success. Almost as if we are bound together by our mutual flightless struggle, yet when one of the birdies catches some air they are leaving the rest behind. No room for superstars in our nest of brooding, misunderstood artists. Bullocks!

The thing I LOVE about the writing community is the antithesis of this jealousy issue. From the newbie to the best-seller, we ALL actually rely on each other in so many ways. In publishing the big fish helps carry the risk the publisher takes in signing the debut author. The award-winning author endorses your book or gives you a shout out because someone once did it for them. And conversely, the dedicated blogger reviews that best-selling book. Posts and tweets about their favorite author’s newest release. The middle of the roader hones their skills under the tutelage of the masters. Getting a leg up when they start floundering and succumbing to the heavy-hitting rejections. It may feel like a hierarchy at times but in reality, it’s a family. Each one of us starting as kidlets looking up to the big brother, or the mom and dad, or wise grandparent to mentor us along the journey until we can walk on our own and carry the torch they passed along.

No matter what you are feeling, we are better and more successful as a team.

And while it may suck that someone else has a book releasing and you don’t, it only sucks because you don’t have a book releasing right now and they do. If you don’t give up, your time will come. Perseverance is key. So while we wait…let your friends have their day in the sun.

So here’s what you do:

1.  Muster up some enthusiasm! Start with a “Congratulations!” and work your way toward more genuine happiness. Baby steps.

2. Street team like a superfan! Post, share, retweet! Help spread the word!

3. Be the bigger blogger! Have your friend guest post on your blog. This is great networking and gives your friend their due in the spotlight.

4. REVIEW and SHARE! Because books live and die by their reviews. Help give a friend a fighting chance to climb the ranks in an utterly saturated marketplace like Amazon where great books might easily fall through the cracks.

5. BUY BOOKS! Don’t expect a handout. BUY THE BOOK. Buy extra! Throw a giveaway! Give some as gifts. Do what you secretly wish someone would do if it were YOUR debut.

6. GUSH! Be a gusher. No matter how good it is, someone is going to hate your book. You will get dinged by a reviewer. You will be rejected over and over. And quite frankly, the writing life can be really discouraging at times. So when you have a kind word, say it. Say it with enthusiasm and give that tortured writer the validation they need to keep on going when the weariness and doubts are winning.

7. BE happy for them. Make up your mind to be happy and then do it. Mind over matter. Your time will comes and your community will have your back!

 

Alright… How about I practice what I preach a bit here? GIVEAWAY TIME!!!! And since this post is inspired by my immense pride for my crit partner and bestie Pepper Basham whose DEBUT novel The Thorn Bearer was just released yesterday, if you help spread the word I’ll buy someone a copy of her book!

 

 

 

Here’s how we’ll play this!

1. Leave your email address in the comments section (Or your facebook addy so I can message you there).

AND

2. Share this post on Facebook with a SHOUT OUT for Pepper Basham and the giveaway for her outstanding book The Thorn Bearer!

I’ll draw a winner out of a hat and gift some lucky winner a beautiful read for Mother’s Day!

Is Writing in Multiple Genres For You?

Today I am so excited to welcome to the Alley one of my favorite debut authors--and quite frankly one of the coolest chicks I know--the incredible, smart, versatile, and sassy C.E. (aka Carla) Laureano!


The single most frequent question I get asked by other writers is: how did you get published in two genres simultaneously? It’s usually followed by the statement, “I’ve always wanted to write multiple genres, but everyone tells me to pick one and stick with it.” I’m proof that it is possible to write in more than one genre at the same time. But the bigger question is, should you?

I didn’t actually intend to start out publishing in two genres, but a series of most likely unrepeatable circumstances ended up bringing me two offers simultaneously—for two different book series in two different genres. Never one to turn down an opportunity or a challenge, I accepted both, with the caveat that we had to arrange my release dates not to conflict with each other. I was already writing three books a year, and the second books in both series were already partially completed. Surely I could manage to write another two and a half books in two years?

Carla's Debut Contemporary Romance

The thing I didn’t realize is that two book contracts don’t mean twice the work. They mean an exponential amount of work. I’m often working on three, four, even five books at the same time in various stages of production. At one point, I was marketing my first romance while editing my first fantasy, rough drafting both the second fantasy and the second romance, and plotting the third fantasy.

Add in a heavy amount of promotion for each series—including multiple guest posts per week, social media chats, and my own blog—and it’s easily two full time jobs on top of my regular schedule. That leaves very little time for little things like eating and sleeping, oh yeah, and breathing.

 

Does that mean I would have done things different? No, not necessarily. But I also recognize that this pace is not something that everyone can sustain, nor do I recommend that everyone try. I tend to be happiest when I’m busy and multi-tasking, and I spent most of my career in a high-volume, high-stress corporate environment. Even so, the pace takes its toll. I have to be intentional about taking time for myself to recharge and connect with family and friends. However, to be successful at writing in two genres simultaneously (especially if you’re writing under a pen name for one or both), you have to treat each genre like a separate endeavor. You can’t slack off on marketing one genre while you’re busy with another; otherwise you’ll lose the readership you tried so hard to build. In my case, the overlap between my contemporary romance and fantasy readership is not as large as it would be if I wrote contemporary romance and romantic suspense. This is where the one-genre authors have a big advantage: they can devote their full attention to developing and maintaining one readership while writing books only for that readership.

So, some questions to ask yourself before you dive into the madness of multiple-genre publishing:

1) Do I have the time, energy, and emotional wherewithal to devote to what amounts to TWO full time jobs, on top of my regular day job and family responsibilities?

2) Can I shift gears from one project to another without losing focus? Will it be a problem for me to write a contemporary romance while editing a mystery?

3) Do I have the energy to maintain social media and marketing presence for two separate audiences?

4) Am I prepared to drop one genre/series should the other one prove to be much more profitable and demand more of my time?

All this assumes, of course, that you are pursuing traditional publication for both genres and that your publishers don’t require restrictive non-compete or first-rights clauses. Some authors choose to maintain a traditional publishing deal for one, while self-publishing the other. This has the advantage of letting you work your indie deadlines around your traditional publisher’s schedule. But it also means the entire responsibility for editing, cover design, formatting, marketing, and sales will fall on you for one genre.

Bottom line: pursuing publication in two genres can be a great opportunity when undertaken as a part of a thoughtful business plan with a full understanding of the challenges that are entailed. But for many writers, especially those with day jobs or multiple responsibilities, taking it slow with one genre at a time may be the best choice.

Is there anything else you want to know about my experience writing multiple genres? Ask me below!

I’m happy to share my thoughts.

About Me

C. E. Laureano has held many jobs—including professional marketer, small-business consultant, and martial arts instructor—but writer is by far her favorite. She was a finalist in the speculative fiction category of American Christian Fiction Writers’ 2012 Genesis contest, and she is active in ACFW’s South Denver chapter. Author of one previous novel—the 2014 RITA Award double-nominee, Five Days in Skye—Laureano lives in Denver with her husband and two sons.

Connect with her: Web | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Pinterest

 

 Don't miss her Fantasy DEBUT!!! 

 

Oath of the Brotherhood 

An island at the edge of the world. An ancient prophecy. A reclusive warrior brotherhood. When evil encroaches, who will find the faith to fight it?

To his clan, Conor Mac Nir is a disappointment—gifted with a harp, but hopeless with a sword. To the beautiful young healer Aine, he’s one whose gift calls out to her own . . . and captures her heart. To the reclusive warrior brotherhood called the Fíréin, he may be the answer to an ancient prophecy . . . if he can be trained to fight. Can Conor and Aine find their true path as an ancient evil engulfs the isle of Seare? Must Conor sacrifice everything he loves, even Aine, to follow the path God lays out before him?

 

Buy now at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook.com

LOVED having you as our guest on the Alley! We are so excited about all your success!

-Amy & the Alley Cats

 

Five Ways Committing to a Career in Writing Will Change Your Life

In honor of her debut e-book The Disappearing Key, we have the lovely Wendy Paine Miller back on the Alley this week for a sneak peek into her new book, and her dazzling mind.

Here's Wendy:

Ah, the life of a writer. The best job in the world. But did you know the second you align yourself with a writing career you’re signing up for life transformation? How you say? I’m about to tell you.

Humble Pie

You’ll taste it, you’ll swallow it. Heck, you’ll probably even roll in humble pie a time or two if you remain with your BIC (butt in chair) long enough. And although it will feel like it, this is never a bad thing. Because you’ll remember the days of rolling in humble pie when you’re making millions on all twelve of your books. It’ll protect you from getting an Oz-head.

Devotion Meter

There’ll be moments you’ll pound the keyboard out of frustration, moments tears will stream down your face as you challenge yourself to come up with a single answer for why you give homage to the craft. Nothing measures your level of investment better than being tested. If it were easy everyone would do it. But not everyone is called. The called stand out from those who dabble when words begin to hide, rejections stack up, and online reviews keep shining a faint solo star. The called don’t quit.

Clarity of Intentions

As a writer, you’ll think more. About words. About how you spend your time. And then you’ll have to make some decisions. Commitment to the craft of writing has a way of sharpening your outlook. Ask anyone who has gone through their manuscript over seven times and they’ll tell you. Whether it’s word selection, discernment learning to say no, carving out midnight hours to plot, or a grueling editing session, allegiance to this vocation forces you to clarify your goals, your words, your time. . .

Spike in Resourcefulness

You’ll begin to scratch your head in wonder at the realization story ideas can spring from anywhere. A doctor’s visit. People-watching at the park. Witnessing an exchange at the zoo. You’ll grow scrappy and eager. No interaction is wasted. No relationship is safe from your writer brain massaging it into malleable material. Oh, and you’ll ask more questions. Don’t ask me, it’s just part of it. Trust me, if it you haven’t begun to pepper strangers with questions yet, you will.

Perspective 

Writers get something. Not even going to try to guess chicken or egg on this one? Do writers write because they see beneath the surface 24/7 or because writers spend copious hours crafting stories are they more prone to notice small nuances?

Either way, you’ll begin to see a story in every person. Experiences will be imbued with greater meaning.

Who knows, you might even begin to judge less and empathize more.

Ah, the life of a writer. The best job in the world.

Have you noticed any specific (perhaps unexpected) ways your life has changed since becoming a writer?

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Check out Wendy's book!

Gabrielle Bivane never expected parenting a teenager would be this hard, but she never expected stillborn Oriana to live to see fourteen, either. The night of Oriana's birth, Gabrielle and her husband Roy fused their genetic and engineering geniuses to bring back all that was lost to them—at a cost.

The secret must be kept.

Oriana Bivane senses she’s not like the other girls her age, but the time has come for her to change all that. She’s tired of secrets, but does she confide in the wrong person?

The life-giving key, suddenly missing, must be found.

Wendy is a native New Englander who feels most alive when she’s laughing, reading, writing or taking risks. She’s authored nine novels and is currently writing what she hopes will be your future book club pick. Her work has been published in numerous anthologies and online sites. Wendy lives with her husband and their three girls in a home bursting with imagination and hilarity.

What's Up the Street for Next Week?

Contest season is slowly winding to a close!

Did you make it before the Genesis deadline?? I got my two entries in. (Party!)

How many did you get sent in? Even just one is AWESOME! And if you skidded in at the last minute as the door was sliding close you are MUCH braver than I am. ;-)

Don't forget to check out the Frasier too. That deadline isn't for a week or so more, so you have a little bit of time. ;-)

Couple BIG things to celebrate this weekend! One is former Alley Cat SARAH FORGRAVE has SIGNED her first contract with B&H publishing! WAY proud of you, Sarah!

Another contract to celebrate: former Alley guest poster AMY MATAYO has also signed a three book contract with B&H! B&H is SCORING the great authors this go around. Way to go, ladies!

Mary has finished her novel and entered in the Genesis.

Amy is interviewing Candace Calvert on Friday.

It's a good time around here!

We have a great week of writing tips planned out for you, so be sure and stop by and comment and join the event that is writing.

What do you have to celebrate this weekend?

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Kathy Harris

I'm super excited to host my fellow debut author this month, Kathy Harris! Kathy's first novel, The Road to Mercy, released this month along with mine from Abingdon Press. It's been great fun sharing this journey with Kathy and I'm so excited to introduce you to her today!

Krista: Who is your favorite fellow debut author this month.... er... I mean... If you could only read one author's books for the rest of your life (outside of God obviously....) what author would it be?

Kathy: Hmmm . . . Let me see. Hold on, I know the answer . . . give me a minute . . . I remember now! It’s Krista Phillips!!! And, by the way, I’m very, very excited about sharing a debut month and party with her. J

Krista: Oh, you're just trying to butter me up for something! But yes, I'm excited to share our debut month together too! FUN! 

I SUPER admire your guts to touch on a very hard and controversial issue in The Road to Mercy... abortion. Were you ever nervous about writing about such a touchy subject?

Kathy: Funny enough, I wasn’t. The story just seemed to flow. I didn’t set out to write a book about abortion. I set out to write a book about generational blessings and the value of one human life. I was actually surprised when the plot took the turn it did.

I will share, however, that I was afraid of writing about pregnancy/abortion from a medical standpoint, because I’ve never been pregnant. I had to do a lot of research. God also blessed me with a beta reader who could substantiate a lot of what I had written.

Krista: I totally get the extra research party, and yeah for beta readers!!

In the spirit of your book title... what is your DREAM car, make/mode and color? (get it... road... car... *ahem*)

Kathy: Assuming “dream car” means that money and gas mileage are no object, I would chose a Hummer. The big one. In black.  :-)

Krista: OH MY GOODNESS! My dream car has always been a "big ol' black truck." Seriously. How funny is that!?! (although right now, a nice swanky minivan would do nicely!) 

So, what was one thing you learned about yourself or about writing in general while writing The Road to Mercy?

Kathy: I learned that it’s possible to write a book even if you have only small segments of time each day to devote to it. I completed most of The Road to Mercy writing one scene a day.

Krista: Amen to that!!! One scene a day, I need to start doing that!

How long did it take you from first that first spark of "I want to be a serious, published author" to "WOOHOO I'm signing my contract!"? Did it take longer than you thought it would... or was it shorter than you imagined?

Kathy: Much longer than I expected! I finished my first manuscript in 2004. It took about four years to complete. I finished my second manuscript (The Road to Mercy) in 2010 and signed a contract with Abingdon in September 2011. So . . . my debut book was about ten years in the making. In retrospect, the time passed quickly, because I’ve enjoyed studying the craft and hanging out with and learning from other writers. 

KRISTA’S POP PLOT BRAINSTORMING QUIZ:

Rules: I give you three things and a genre. You think of a quick story plot in that genre that features each of the three things integral in the plot, and give it to us in back-cover-copy synopsis form. *rubs hands together*

And because by day you work in the music industry, I thought we'd have a little music theme today!

Here we go....

1. An Justin Beiber bobble-head doll that has a little suction at the bottom so it sits on the dash of your car...
2. A stringless, broken violin
3. An old towel that someone kept as a souvenir from a Guns N' Roses concert that the lead singer wiped his sweat on.

Genre: Historical... oh, fine I won't be that mean. CONTEMPORARY Amish fiction. *grin*

GO!

Kathy: Ooooo. You’re bad, Krista. Where do you come up with these things? Okay . . . here’s my story (and I’m sticking to it). By the way, let’s call it Light-hearted Contemporary Amish Suspense:

When Sari Giles awoke, she was lying on top of a pile of trash in the trunk of a fast-moving car. In the strangled light that filtered through the crack above the backseat, she recognized a Justin Beiber bobble-head doll, a stringless, broken violin, and a stained Guns N’ Roses towel—all riff-raff from her brother William’s “fresh produce and contemporary collectibles market.”

“What are we going to do with them now?” Sari heard William’s ex-girlfriend shouting from the front of the car.

“Them?”

Before Sari could fully ponder the question, the vehicle veered off the road, rolling her backwards into something solid behind her. She turned to face the rear of the car and gasped as she looked into the wide-open eyes of her brother, William, staring back at her.

Spoiler Alert: He’s not dead… just kidnapped along with her :-)

Krista: VERY good!!!!

Thanks SO SO SO much for joining us in the Alley today, Kathy!!  

Discussion: Kathy's book centers around a recording artist in the music industry. What's your favorite music artist and why? Does music ever inspire your fiction? 

***************************GIVEAWAY*****************************

Kathy has agreed to giveaway TWO fabulous prizes to one lucky commenter today!

A copy of her novel, The Road to Mercy

and

A Kayrn Williams' ONLY YOU CD  

Comments made through Sunday, September 16th at 11:59 PM are eligible to win. US only. Winner will be announced next Saturday in the weekend edition.

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Kathy Harris is an author by way of a divine detour into the Nashville entertainment business. She graduated with a B.S. in Communications from Southern Illinois University and has spent the past two decades employed as a marketing director in the Nashville music industry. Abingdon Press released her fiction debut titled The Road to Mercy, in September 2012. Kathy regularly interviews literary and music guests on her blog at www.DivineDetour.com.

Meet Debut Author, Regina Jennings

Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a history minor. She has worked at The Mustang News and First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. She now lives outside Oklahoma City with her husband and homeschools their four children.

I first met Regina in the ACFW Large Crit Group. Not only was I impressed with her magnificent storytelling, I was excited to read a novel set in my ol' stomping grounds...South Texas. It was no surprise to me that two years later, when I met Regina in person at ACFW conference, there were Bethany House posters featuring her debut novel displayed just beside us. Her story, Sixty Acres and A Bride, made its way to retailer bookshelves last month, and once you pick it up, you'll find it difficult to put down! Before we hear from Regina, here's a little blurb for those of you who haven't read it yet:

She's Finally Found a Place to Call Home... How Far Will She Go to Save It?

With nothing to their names, young widow Rosa Garner and her mother-in-law return to their Texas family ranch. Only now the county is demanding back taxes and the women have just three months to pay.

Though facing eviction, Rosa falls in love with the countryside and the wonderful extended family who want only her best. They welcome her vivacious spirit and try to help her navigate puzzling American customs. She can't help but stand out, though, and her beauty captures attention. Where some offer help with dangerous strings attached, only one man seems honorable. But when Weston Garner, still grieving his own lost love, is unprepared to give his heart, Rosa must decide to what lengths she will go to save her future.

Regina, tell us a little bit about the beginning stages of your story. Where did you get your inspiration for Sixty Acres and a Bride?

I was writing a Ruth and Boaz skit for a church production and had big plans for it—secondary characters, subplots, and a love story that didn’t get ironed out until they’d been married for a spell. Right as the dialogue started to jell I learned that the skit could only be fifteen minutes long. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Boaz was being played by a father of three and Ruth by our Youth Minister’s fiancée. No chemistry allowed.

The production was awesome—the first cowboy Ruth and Boaz skit that anyone had ever seen—but I wasn’t ready to say good-bye to the characters. By then Ruth and Boaz had been replaced by Rosa and Weston and they were begging for their story to be told.


That is awesome! I love theatre! Rosa and Wes definitely come to life as if we were watching a play. Besides the stage, what other ways you apply the saying, "Write what you know"?

My favorite historical setting is Early Modern Europe complete with the explorers, the Reformation, and the Tudors. I’d love to spin a tale of courtly intrigue, but just writing a book was going to be hard enough. I didn’t need the added challenge of putting on fancy, aristocratic airs. Instead I chose a setting and a voice that was very familiar to me. Both my family and my husband’s family have strong agricultural roots and the Texas vernacular isn’t too far from Oklahoma-speak. I’m much more at home with 1880 Texas ranchers than I would be with Elizabethan courtiers. Even Rosa wasn’t too much of a stretch thanks to our yearly mission trips to Mexico.



After reading the book, I can definitely say you have grasped the Texas vernacular to a "T"! ;) With the wonderful detailed plot and the purpose-driven writing in Sixty Acres and A Bride, I'd love to know if you are you a panster or plotter.


I’m somewhere in between, possibly a panster in denial. I like to have the major turning points plotted out before I get very far into the story (my editor appreciates that, too), but as I start writing I revise—sometimes turning the plot in a totally new direction. I reckon my final answer is that I always have a map showing me where I’m going, but I might switch maps mid-journey.


Sounds very familiar. My plots always end up in a different direction once I get right down to it. I have found being plugged into the writing community has helped me understand more about my panster tendencies.:)


What has been the most helpful advice or class you've taken as a writer?

Joining a critique group was life-changing. I started with my local ACFW group (OKC Christian Fiction Writers), but needed more than one session a month to be ready for conference, so I got plugged in to the online ACFW critique loop. Not only did I make some fantastic friends (including Angie!) but I learned how to apply the advice I was reading in articles and on blogs.

I agree, ACFW has a wealth of tools for writers, and some pretty fabulous members to connect with! Thank you so much, Regina!


Regina's Contact Info:

Email: reginaljennings@yahoo.com

website: www.reginajennings.com/blog

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ReginaLJennings

Twitter: twitter.com/#!/ReginaJenning
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Angie Dicken first began writing fiction as a creative outlet during the monotonous days of diapers and temper tantrums. She is passionate to impress God's love on women regardless of their background or belief. This desire serves as a catalyst for Angie's fiction, which weaves salvation and grace themes across cultures. She is an ACFW member and CEO of a family of six.