Category Archives: fictional characters

WHEN RESEARCH GETS IN THE WAY

Have you ever read a book and found a glaring error? I’m not talking about a misspelled word or a grammar mistake. How does it make you feel as a reader if the author has obviously not done her research … Continue reading

Posted in backdrop for characters, cemeteries, creating setting, fictional characters, historic details, historical fiction, readers, Research, Research for fiction, settings, unexpected plot twists | Leave a comment

CHARACTERS WHO PLAY HIDE AND SEEK

Brainstorming a new story is always fun, especially when the characters jump off the page, shake my hand and introduce themselves, and then proceed to tell me their entire life history. After a couple of cups of coffee, I feel … Continue reading

Posted in Brainstorming characters, creating characters, fictional characters, historical fiction, minor characters, Research for fiction, secondary characters, seeking, unexpected plot twists | Leave a comment

NEW AND OLD

As excited as I am when a new book releases, I am every bit as excited when my publisher releases some of my previous books as a three-in-one repack. Okay, I’m just a little over-the-moon giddy! New: In October, the … Continue reading

Posted in backdrop for characters, Brides of Georgia, conflicting emotions, creating characters, creating setting, fictional characters, Harbinger of Healing, historic details, historical fiction, New releases, north Georgia fiction, novella collection, Trail of Tears, War Between The States | Leave a comment

SECONDARY CHARACTERS–Who are they?

When writers brainstorm a story, their focus is usually on the main characters—who are they, what are their goals and motivations, what makes them tick, where are they going, and how are they going to get there? But more often … Continue reading

Posted in backdrop for characters, character photos, creating characters, creating setting, fictional characters, historical fiction, minor characters, names of fictional characters, point of view, secondary characters | Leave a comment

STORY TITLES FROM SCRIPTURE

Writers are asked all the time where they get ideas for their stories, or how do we come up with names for our characters. The answers to those questions vary from one author to the next. One time a lady … Continue reading

Posted in ACFW Author, creating characters, fictional characters, historical fiction, Hope's Dwelling Place, novella collection, Story titles | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Sharing A Brain

A number of years ago, I attended a writing workshop focused on injecting more emotion into the opening scene of a story. The leader of this workshop, DiAnn Mills, used an effective tool for teaching this writing skill—she tapped into … Continue reading

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WRITING DURING THE HOLIDAYS

Being a writer often means working on my own timetable. I don’t punch a time clock and I don’t work “regular hours” like many who report to work at an office. But I put in as many—sometimes more—hours than someone … Continue reading

Posted in creating characters, critique partners, fictional characters, Finding time to write, holiday planning, holidays, Not enough time, scheduling | 3 Comments

WHO IS THIS PERSON?

Who hasn’t read a book and encountered a character that seemed familiar—as if you’ve met that person before. A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about finding images—vintage photographs—to represent the characters in my historical fiction. Those pictures help me … Continue reading

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WILL YOU TELL MY STORY?

One of the most frequently asked questions I hear is: “How do you come up with your characters?” My normal answer is “My characters have to speak to me before I can get to know them, and in order to … Continue reading

Posted in ACFW Author, character photos, creating characters, fictional characters, historical fiction, Research for fiction, story board, writing tools | Leave a comment

ANNOUNCING…THREADS OF TIME

THREADS OF TIME is a seven-story collection of romantic novellas that span more than 150 years following the journeys of a quilt and the comfort it offers to the many hands through which it passes.  Authors: Constance Shilling Stevens (Connie … Continue reading

Posted in ACFW Author, critique partners, E-book, fictional characters, historical fiction, new release, News, novella collection, Research for fiction, THREADS OF TIME, War Between The States | 13 Comments