"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain."
Vivian Greene
WELCOME TO MY WORLD
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As a young girl, I loved reading Gene Stratton Porter’s books. Two of her books that are my lifelong favorites are A Girl of the Limberlost and The Keeper of the Bees. I like her books because of their complex plots, their rural settings, and their focus on the importance of nature in our lives. The story of Elnora in the Limberlost Swamp dealt with a young country girl overcoming great odds to succeed in life and in love, while the story of the beekeeper focused on a World War I veteran regaining good health through the positive effects of nature.
Although Gene Stratton Porter’s writing was often called overly idealistic, her novels were tremendously popular with readers around the world.
I think her positive message that there is good in the world is still important today.
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Nowadays, I read a variety of different genres, including historical romances, contemporary romantic fiction, novels set in the old West, suspense novels, and mysteries.
Some of my favorite modern authors are:
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Pamela Morsi (www.pamelamorsi.com), who now writes contemporary “heartwarming stories set in Small Town, USA” after starting out as a historical romance writer
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Kathy Herman (www.kathyherman.com), a Christian suspense romance writer who has written several series. My favorites is the Ozark Mountain Trilogy set in NW Arkansas.
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Stephen Bly (www.blybooks.com), who writes historical and western novels as well as contemporary fiction
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Linda Lael Miller (www.lindalaelmiller.com), who writes historical and contemporary romance novels
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Jan Karon (www.mitfordbooks.com), who is known for her series of books set in fictional Mitford, North Carolina, and featuring Episcopal priest Father Tim Kavanagh
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Jodi Thomas (www.jodithomas.com), who has written both historical and contemporary romantic fiction set in western locales
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SELF-PUBLISHING USING AMAZON DIGITAL SERVICES
When I first started attending regional and national writers’ conferences, I found that the whole publishing industry was changing so fast it was hard to sort out the information and understand it.
Authors were finding it harder and harder to obtain an agent, to get picked up by a publisher, and to actually make it into print and earn any money off their books. Although there is a bit of a learning curve with KDP, it gives authors almost unlimited control over the book format.
Personally, I love their service and have not had any problems, but there are a lot of rules.
Read and follow them if you use this service or you might find your books banned.
