Mary Hamilton
The Stuff We Keep Shortly after our parents passed away and we went through the process of disposing of their belongings, my husband and I watched many of our friends go through the experience. We’re at That Age. It’s never easy to sift through someone else’s lifetime collection of Stuff and decide what’s worth keeping, …
Most of our Stuff will have little or no meaning to our children. What give meaning and value to the things we hold dear?
The Stuff We Keep Shortly after our parents passed away and we went through the process of disposing of their belongings, my husband and I watched many of our friends go through the experience. We’re at That Age. It’s never easy to sift through someone else’s lifetime collection of Stuff and decide what’s worth keeping, …
The Stuff We Keep Shortly after our parents passed away and we went through the process of disposing of their belongings, my husband and I watched many of our friends go through the experience. We’re at That Age. It’s never easy to sift through someone else’s lifetime collection of Stuff and decide what’s worth keeping, …
If my dad were alive today, this would be his 103rd birthday. He was a wise and kind man, and I’m going to put this story out there because when it took place fifty years ago, we were in the middle of the civil rights movement of the 1960s and ’70s. with racial tensions much …
Author Charles Martin hooked me with his first book and I’ve been a fan ever since. His novels contain deep wisdom and turns of thought that make me pause, mouth open. I’ve often said I would read a grocery list if he wrote it. I put off reading his newest release. I’d heart it dealt …
If you’re new to this website, welcome. I’ve taken a break from blogging while I work on my next novel–which is taking much longer than I anticipated. If you’d like to receive more current news and information, sign up for my monthly newsletter. That’s where I chat with my readers and followers, sharing what’s happening …
Five years ago on my birthday, Mom entered the hospital for the last time. And five years ago today, she entered eternal life. Though I often think my dad had the greatest influence on my life, realistically that credit goes to my mother. She was the wife of a pastor and camp director raising a …
Is it age or…? The older I get, the slower my brain seems to work. I wish I could rattle off two and three stories a year like other writers. Apparently, I have it backwards, cranking out one story every two to three years. My brain just doesn’t have the RPM’s. In fact, I find …
This week, our Life Stories question has to do with siblings. Summer temperatures in the 100 degree range are pretty normal in my part of Texas. Which is why I try to schedule an annual pilgrimage to visit my five siblings in Wisconsin and Minnesota during July or August. By then, I’ve had enough …
Going home. The phrase can bring a variety of responses and emotions. When I’m looking for a new book to read, I’m often surprised at the number of novels written on the premise of returning home. The story may involve the death of a family member who wills a house or a business to …
I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Glenn Haggerty for several years, since we were both in an online critique group with ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). It’s been fun to exchange tips and woes with him as we each progressed in our journey toward publication and beyond. So I’m excited to interview him now as …
My husband’s great-grandfather and uncle served in the Union Army during the Civil War. The uncle wrote 250 letters home to his wife detailing where he was and what he was doing. Last summer, my husband and I joined his cousin and wife on a trip to several of the battlefields where they fought. This …
Lessons from the Civil War, Pt. 2 Wayne’s Great-grampa Mart and great-uncle Robert were mustered into the Union army in Springfield, IL in August 1861. They trained there before heading to their first encampment at Cairo, IL in September 1861. Lincoln Museum If you ever find yourself in Springfield, be sure to visit the Lincoln …
I’ve discovered a hobby in recent years. Photography, especially nature pictures. I like trying to catch scenes as colorful as possible without having to use a filter. It’s a different kind of storytelling. Since this is the last Tuesday of February, I’ll share a photo I’ve taken and update you on my writing progress. Some …
A dear friend passed away recently, and as I reflected on our friendship, I found myself needing to express how much she influenced me over the many years I’ve known her. She left behind a beautiful legacy of faith and love, humor and good books. I hope you’ll read about one of the ladies to …
A dear friend passed away recently, and as I reflected on our friendship, I found myself needing to express how much she influenced me over the many years I’ve known her. She left behind a beautiful legacy of faith and love, humor and good books. I hope you’ll read about one of the ladies to …
since I posted anything here. But I’ve got some exciting news! First, have you seen this awesome giveaway from BookSweeps? You can win my first book, Hear No Evil, plus books from an amazing collection of 15+ middle-grade fiction authors. To make the deal even sweeter, there’s a Kindle Fire thrown in for the Grand …
Do you have a love/hate relationship with your job? Some days you love it. Other days you hate it. That pretty much describes how I feel about writing. I love it when the scene presents itself like a movie in my mind and I can’t get the words on the paper fast enough. I love …
Dear Readers, Apparently, I’ve not been gifted with the ability to write regular interesting blog posts while also composing a novel. For this reason, I will be taking a break from this blog. I may occasionally alert you to new books from other authors, but I myself will not be posting regularly to this …
This week, I’m excited to introduce a brand new author. Glenn Haggarty and I met through an online critique group when we were both starting out writing middle grade fiction. I owe a part of my successful publishing to his critiques, and I was certain his story would be published one day. RUN was released earlier …
