I'm about to embark on what some people call a trip of a lifetime. We're leaving for Israel this afternoon. My husband has always wanted to go. I haven't. I'm a little suspect of someone in a biblical … [Read more...]
Winter Epiphany
God has been teaching me so much through this writing journey He’s invited me on. He gave me this interesting epiphany last Saturday. I’d finished reading The Hiding Place, a tremendous book that … [Read more...]
Reconnecting With Old Friends
After many years of being apart, Penn reconnected with Abby, her best friend from childhood, and Christmas is a good time to think about old friends. I just reconnected with an old friend from grad … [Read more...]
Holiday Traditions and Irish Encounter
On Thanksgiving night, while they’re still full from the day’s feast, Ellen and her family relax in front of one of their favorite movies, It’s a Wonderful Life. I took this tradition straight from my … [Read more...]
John’s Cirrus Plane
In Mars…With Venus Rising, John flies a Cirrus Plane, the plane with a parachute. Those planes are real. In fact, one was credited with saving lives just this week. Here’s the … [Read more...]
Authors’ Event
The Northern Tier Regional Library has asked me to participate in an authors' panel on October 15th. I'm so excited because I used to help plan these events there. Now I'm one of the featured authors. … [Read more...]
Penn’s Favorite Sports Teams
Penn Davenport, the protaganist in Mars...With Venus Rising, grew up in western Pennsylvania. That means she’s part of the Steel Curtain. She pulls for the Pittsburgh Steelers. America’s team, as my … [Read more...]
Brown Sugar Pecan Pie
In Mars...With Venus Rising, Penn’s aunts, Winnie and Jancie, make their pecan pies with corn syrup. Most Southerners seem to follow suit. Because of all the bad press corn syrup has been … [Read more...]
Speaking Pittsburgh
People think Southerners have a pronounced accent, but anyone who’s ever lived in Pittsburgh knows Pittsburghers have a distinct way of speaking. (Thank Goodness for the 14 years we lived … [Read more...]
Going Green
In Irish Encounter, Ellen's daughter, Olivia, leads her family to conserve water by catching run off cold water. This plot point is a real chapter straight from the Dougherty household. During our … [Read more...]
