One of the sweetest benefits of being a writer is getting to know other authors, and one of the dearest people I’ve met on my writing journey is Sharon Hinck. Not only is Sharon a gifted storyteller, but she also excels at teaching, mentoring other authors. I admire her joy for God and aspire toward that same joy. I’m blessed …
The Winner of MOTHER OF PEARL is …
Kay M! Congratulations, Kay! I know you’ll love Mother of Pearl by Kellie Coates Gilbert. Please contact me at BrendaBryantAnderson(AT)comcast(dot)net to give me your mailing address. Thank you to everyone who stopped by and commented. I loved hearing about your favorite books. 🙂
A Heart Offering
“Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give.” Exodus 25:2 What can I offer to God? What does my heart prompt me to give? Oftentimes it’s more than just the dollars and cents in the offering plate. What gifts can I offer or return …
Heart-Healthy Devotions
When I began writing Hearts at Risk over two years ago I couldn’t imagine the journey it would take me on, including its recent final in the ACFW Genesis contest. To be honest, I wrote it to satisfy the market. My general fiction (with a male protagonist) wasn’t garnering interest, largely because of the male protagonist, and my women’s fiction …
Fabulous Fall Fiction – Plus Book Giveaway!
*For Book Giveaway – Read post then see details below* It’s no secret that I’m a picky reader. For me to completely enjoy a novel, it has to have the perfect storm of intelligent prose, believable dialogue, intriguing story, authentic characters, and a satisfying–does not equate to happy–ending. So far in 2012 I’ve read 111 books and of those only …
Billy Elliot The Musical – A Show with Heart
My daughter has loved Billy Elliot the Musical since she first saw it on Broadway a few years back, so when I had the opportunity to get tickets to the production at the Ordway in St. Paul, there was no doubting who would accompany me. We weren’t disappointed. If you’re not familiar with Billy Elliot, it’s about a preteen who manages …
Novel Anticipation – October 2012, Part Two
Since the ACFW Conference, I’ve been working non-stop on polishing Hearts at Risk, my Genesis finalist and oft-requested manuscript and have had little time to read. As of right now six of the books from my Novel Anticipation list are still sitting on my shelves waiting to be read, and today I’m adding three more to that shelf. All the …
My Not-So-Thick Skin
As writers, one admonition we continuously hear is: develop a thick skin. It’s a tough business, one usually filled with more put downs than adoration so it makes sense to construct that thick layer of skin. I actually thought my skin was pretty tough until … Those final round Genesis critiques came back. Whoa. Can you say eye-opening? Now, to …
Novel Anticipation – October 2012, part one
With fall swooping in, God’s been very busy with his paintbrush. I’m loving the vibrant colors He’s using, not to mention the perfect 60 degree sweatshirt & shorts weather. I can’t think of a better time to sit back with a book and read, and October brings such a vast selection that again I’m breaking my Anticipation blog into two …
A Letter of Thanks …
Dear Reader, By now you’re most likely aware that Amy Matayo won the ACFW Genesis Award in the Contemporary Romance category (my category). Congratulations, Amy! While I was initially disappointed I didn’t win, that feeling didn’t last long. It really is an honor and a blessing being in the top three of the popular category. I was also very glad …