Hey guys, I first shared this recipe on Pam W's blog last year. 

   Thanksgiving is coming!  What better time to share a trusted recipe?  This recipe of mine is not going to replace green bean casserole or orange cranberry relish, but it may help you to be a better writer.

              If you want to write, you need to work up an appetite by reading.  Read many styles of writing, not just your favorites.  You can learn great techniques from other authors.  If you read library books, you can brush up on reading free of charge, yet the payoff will be huge.  I believe reading is the single most important ingredient in this recipe aside from the Lord.  Reading helps you soak up grammar, spelling, style, flow, dialogue and setting. 

            You may have heard that you should “Write what you know.”  This means you should write from your own experience.  I would tweak the recipe a bit: write the kind of book that makes you smack your lips and beg for seconds.  I love to read about real people, so that’s the kind of books I write.  As a Christian, I believe the Lord inspires me to write the way I do.  Look at the Bible: there are many writers, many styles, and many subjects, yet the Lord inspired every one.  The Lord has planned your writing career since the beginning of time, and he’s been leading you by enriching you as a reader.

            As you write, remember the most important person: your hungry reader.  When you read, do you like it when a mystery writer holds back on clues?  Or how about when you find a mistake in a non-fiction book?  When a novel is filled with boring characters, do you keep reading?  Is it realistic when characters laugh at something that’s not really funny?  How disappointing to sit down for a feast and then leave the table hungry.  The most important part of writing is not throwing together random ingredients like you’re trying to get dinner on the table at 6 o’ clock sharp.  It is assembling all the best ingredients with love—revising your work by fixing mistakes.  Trim away the fat!  When you revise your writing, you show that you care about your reader.  Your writing is not done until it’s well done.

            Before you serve up your writing, do a taste test.  You don’t want to invite company over when you’re trying out a new dish.  Trade your work with another writer or two.  Don’t be shy.  Critique partners can make helpful suggestions on how to fix something you may have missed.  If you trade with someone who seems harsh, pray about it.  I have two critique partners who read each manuscript, and I do the same for them.

When you critique someone else’s work, make a sandwich.  Start with a healthy slice of honest praise, add a dollop of helpful suggestions, and top it off with another slice of praise.  Yum!  After all, what we as writers most want to hear is that someone enjoyed our work.  What could be better?  So take my suggestions to your test kitchen and try them out.  And don’t forget—all the best cooks add their own flourishes to tried and true recipes. One last tip: remember to ask the blessing before you serve your readers.  It won’t be long before readers will relish what you write.

All rights reserved.  You may reprint this article by contacting me by email and asking for my permission.  All other use is strictly prohibited.  In other words, you can share this recipe, but ask me first and say where you got it!  Thanks.        

...and it's really stressful for me.  Time to go back to work for the school year, time for my daughter to head back to college, time to get back into it.

I guess I don't do very well with transitions. 

So here's an image of summer to tide us over as we (meaning those of us involved with school in any way, homeschool or otherwise) ease back into it.  My daughter and I spotted this sign at the Ohio State Fair.  It will either intrigue you or repulse you.  It sure stuck with me!

Frugal Femina interviewed me and asked some great questions.  A giveaway is coming up, too.  Please visit with me at Katie's place, and bookmark Frugal Femina to take advantage of the fabulous deals she's catalogued for you.  You'll be amazed at the free offers she's found.  She shares frugal tips, too, and she even has yummy recipes and meal strategies. 

So head over to Katie'$ place and leave a comment, pretty please? 

I've been delaying this post, trying to think of a way to make it special.  Next week, I'll post a couple of virtual field trips, one to the William Tecumseh Sherman House (Civil War general)  in Lancaster, Ohio, and one to the Levi Coffin House (Quaker 'captain' of the Underground Railroad).  Both day trips were fascinating, and thanks go out to my husband, who shares my love of history and who patiently waits while I take photos to share with you.

But those didn't seem right for post 100, somehow.  How would I decide which one was the better trip?  So instead, I believe I will say thank you to new blogging friends.  Some of them have held giveaways which I won, and by the way, entering giveaways is a fun way to make new friends and find new blogs.  Go to Google blogs in the Google drop down menu, search the word giveaway without quotes, and enter whatever you may be interested in winning, putting the phrase in quotes--"beach towel," for example.  Somebody's bound to give away what you'd like to win sooner or later! 

Some of my new blogging friends have held book giveaways for me, and some have done a blog tour, which means a group of bloggers read my books and review them all in the same week.  It's pretty interesting to see how several people can read the same books, yet each focuses on a different facet.

So, without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to some of my newest blogging friends.  I'm including links so you can be friends with them, too!

The first one is Kristin at These Little Girls of Mine!  She is a dear.  I won a Christian CD by Leeland, a group who is from Kristin's hometown.  I loaded it right into my car and listened last night to wind up our day of driving completely around the outerbelt visiting two auto shops for our kids' cars (a longer story than I want to tell).  Kristin's CD was a blessing!  Read the story of how she picked her winners on the linked post--funny!  Special note--if I'm not mistaken, she bought the giveaway items especially for her 200th post giveaway.  That's really nice.  Thanks, Kristin! 

Weird coincidence on this one!  Just as I searched for  Frugal Femina's  first name so I could post about her here, a new email popped up from Katie herself!  She wants to interview me.  Talk about coincidences!  I said yes.  But back to Katie--bookmark her blog!  She is constantly posting fabulous freebies and special offers as she tirelessly works to save you money.  She does giveaways, too, and that's how I won a copy of Busy Moms' Devotions to Go.  I just received it yesterday--pocket-sized to fit in my purse, chock full of nuggets that the Lord wants me to call to mind.  Katie is just getting started with FF, so go on over and follow her.  Betcha you'll save some money.  Example--if you go to a participating Chick-fil-A this Friday, July 10, dressed like a cow, you can get a free meal.  Katie very practically tells us to call first.  No use dressing up like a heifer and hoofing it to the mall if your local Chick-fil-A is not in on the Cow Appreciation Day promo. 

Next, meet se7en: The Life and Times of a Homeschooling Mom of se7en.   I met the Seven Little Hoods in the About section, but this busy mom shall be referred to only as se7en, because that's her preference, and by golly, for once, her needs are coming first.  :-)  I won her giveaway for a kid's Bible study of the Book of Ruth, and I'm really looking forward to reading it.  How funny, when se7en responded to my email that included my mailing address, she was excited that a real live author was reading her blog!  Oh dear, that's nothing compared to my excitement over her super-cute choosing method that picked my name--be sure to click the link to meet young Hood #6.  And really nothing compared to my humbled excitement that this busy mom is taking time and energy from her 101 daily activities to mail my book all the way from Cape Town, South Africa.  Truly, I am not worthy, but I'm grateful.  Thanks, se7en. 

Now, meet Liana Laverentz, who is featuring an article I wrote called Not Just the Facts, Ma'am.  Liana came across the article at The Christian Examiner and asked me if she could repost it for her readers.  I was happy to comply!  It feels good to know she feels I can help other writers.  Thanks, Liana!

And last, but certainly not least, the wonderful folks at Christian Fiction Review Blog CFRB  aredoing a blog tour for bothof my books.  Several bloggers are participating--don't forget to click on their buttons at the bottom of this link, okay?  Thanks, CFRB!

Well, those are some of my new friends.  Oops, one more--author James E. Robinson.  I agreed to participate on the other end of a blog tour for his book, The Flower of Grass , meaning I reviewed it.  Listen, if you are looking for a wonderful book, read my review of Jim's book and then buy the book.  You'll be glad you did.  As always, if money's tight, take the book info that's at the top of the post, including the ISBN, and request that your local library branch purchase it.  Print out my review and take it with you--librarians usually want to see a review.  Then you can read the book free, but the good news is, libraries usually purchase multiple copies, so Jim won't be left out in the cold.  :-)

Thanks to all my new friends, and may I tell you of many more in my next milestone post!

Here's how to enter for a chance to win a free signed copy of The Light Across the River! 

First, read Susan Marlow's review .

Next, sign up for The Christian Pulse Newsletter.

And last, enter here.

That's it!  The Christian Pulse has been very gracious to host this giveaway for The Light Across the River.  I hope you win!