I don’t always travel over Spring Break. Sometimes, as a teacher, it is more relaxing to just stay home. This year, however, following the quarantine times of 2020, my family was itching to go somewhere–anywhere! We chose a cabin in the mountains of Tennessee as our destination and began scouring Airbnb and VRBO for potential…
My little piece of Scotland
The 3 Sisters – Highlands, Scotland
Review: Escape from Paradise by D. Richard Ferguson
book cover – Escape from Paradise by D. Richard Ferguson
To contest or not to contest… Is the effort worth the reward?
Author considering entering a writing contest.
Song of Light by Sandra Saidak: A Review
On the blog today, a book review of Song of Light, a YA fantasy by Sandra Saidak
Editing Hacks: for the beginning writer
I wrote my first complete novel in 2012. It took two years for me to realize that what I thought was good writing, was actually, well, not so good. Oh, it wasn’t that the plot was uninteresting, or the premise was untenable, or even that the characters weren’t deep or well-drawn. It was the mechanics…
How Coaching is like Writing a Novel
Running a race is similar to writing a novel.
2020 Reads that Upped my Writing Game
2020 was a banner year for my reading habit. At least it was good for something, right? I read/listened to 152 books this past year, a new record for me. If you’re a voracious reader and you don’t keep track of the books you read, I highly recommend you start. It’s gratifying to look back…
2021: A Year in Balance
2021: A Year in Balance – planner, computer, glasses, writing journal, pens
Series Review: Frostblood, Fireblood, Nightblood by Elly Blake
The Frostblood Saga by Elly Blake
A NaNo 2020 Wrap-up
Underwrite? Overwrite? Which is your nemesis? I’ll talk about that in my NaNoWriMo 2020 wrap-up as well as give some resources for writers.
Fall = Foliage and NaNoWriMo
Fall = foliage and NaNoWriMo blog post @ rebeccareedwrites by Rebecca Reed
Scottish Ghosties
Interested in Scottish Faeries, legends or folklore? This blog by Rebecca Reed introduces you to a few. Photo by Céline Geeurickx on Unsplash
Connecting Experiences: Memories of High School Band
Band is a shared experience that promotes positive connection and a feeling of belonging.
Building Fantasy Worlds – from the Experts
In the last blog post I wrote about my own world-building efforts for my fantasy novel. In this post, I want to share some insights from the experts and masters of the fantasy craft. These are experts according to my taste. Some of you may disagree, but I believe their success speaks for itself. Let’s…
Worldbuilding for Fantasy
I’m writing a fantasy series. This past week I’ve suspended my writing in favor of planning, plotting, and worldbuilding. Some of this I achieved alone in the solitude of my office. But the best ideas come when I am working with another–especially my daughter. We discussed power and the needs of the citizens of my…
Help! Past or Present?
Help needed. Writer seeking input for WIP I’ve got my idea. I have characters. There’s a basic plot and a little over 23,000 words. There’d be more words if I didn’t have to keep going back to fix the tense of my verbs. It was never a problem before. I’ve always written in third person…
The Witches of Eileanan by Kate Forsyth: Book Review
The Witches of Eileanan by Kate Forsyth book review on Rebecca Reed Writes blog
Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon, A Review
Check out this review of Amy Harmon’s latest novel, Where the Lost Wander.
Shadowfell series: A review
Thank you, Chirp! I might never have discovered this delightful series had it not been for a discounted copy of Shadowfell on my Chirp email. Let’s face it, when you devour between two and four audiobooks a week, you just can’t pay full price for them. That’s where Chirp and the Daily Deals from Audible…
Book Review: Well Spring Series by James L. Rubart
Freedom isn’t Free – but the price has been paid. You must accept and believe. The Well Spring Series, three novels by award-winning and bestselling author, James L. Rubart, are not new releases. I’ve owned the first one, Soul’s Gate, for over a year in e-book format, but caught it in audio a few months…
Hope for a Dove – a short story
Hope for a Dove Two come for the seventh – raven and dove. One to be trained, the other to love. Beware the beak where brightness dulls. Mourn the heart as it falls. When perched above, sacrifice made, watch the trees for a Warrior babe. – Great Battle Prophecy April 1900, Glasgow, Scotland Catriona wiped…
Book Reviews: The Bone Witch and Everything You Are
The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco The Bone Witch was not what I expected, but turned out to be so much more. Much of the story is still unclear as there are two more books in the series. I was enchanted by the magic that Tea and Lady Mykaela use. Dark magic used for good….
Ceud mìle fàilte – A Hundred Thousand Welcomes
A hundred thousand welcomes: Scotland and excerpts from my WIP The Patterner’s Test. Learn some Gaelic and enjoy the sounds of Scotland.
Trust the Reader
One of the hardest things I’ve learned recently as I’ve worked on editing my latest work in progress (WIP) is that I need to trust my reader. Instead of telling readers what to think or feel, and detailed feelings of the characters, I need to let readers filter the character’s words, actions, and experiences through…
Backstory: When and How Much?
Every author is a connoisseur of story. The problem can become where to begin our wonderful tales, and how much stuff that happened to our characters before the story started do we need to tell our readers so they can understand what is going on now and why it’s happening. There are two basic types…
Stay Connected while remaining Physically Distant
In previous periods of crisis, people gathered. 911. Various wars and conflicts. People rallied or protested or both – in groups. The COVID-19 pandemic presents a completely different situation. We are asked to separate and remain apart. We are isolated and told to be “socially distant.” As we physically separate, we must find other ways…
Birthdays and Significance
Birthdays and Significance: Do you look back over your life and wonder if success will ever find you? What if success were not what you were called to, but rather significance? Read on for more thoughts.
Defeat Doesn’t Have to be Your Story
Being a human is hard. 2. Being a human with a family and a job is harder. 3. Being a human who aspires to be a published author can be downright discouraging! You could fill in lines two and three above with almost anything and make the comparison work. No matter what words you choose…
Gifts from Christ-following Authors
I write fiction with Christian themes and messages. Many other authors do the same. The genre “Christian fiction” is an interesting distinction, and sometimes I think it is merely a gate-keeping phrase that tends to keep people out instead of drawing people in. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate knowing the kinds of scenes I…
Passion 2020 in the Benz
Passion 2020- A challenge to live a life of significance
A New Standard
Have you ever longed for something new? For a change? Maybe of jobs, homes, scenery, hair color? It could be anything. I believe that if we’re honest, most of us have at some point in our lives wished for change or a break. Most of my students wish school were over for them. They long…
Thinking about a Balanced Life at Christmas
Have you heard of the upside-down Christmas tree phenomenon? When this trendy idea came to my attention, I was not sure what to think of it. My first reaction was, why? After a bit of research, I discovered that this may have been a tradition way back in the Middle Ages to represent the Trinity….
Putting the Spirit of Christ Back in Christmas
This blog was first published on https://sarahhamaker.com/wp/putting-the-spirit-of-christ-back-in-christmas/ I have added a few pictures, but please visit her blog to see the original and read some of her other wonderful parenting blog posts. How many times have we heard complaints like, “young people don’t know the true meaning of Christmas anymore”. Or, “Christmas is all about…
A North Carolina Thanksgiving
I know the Thanksgiving holiday has passed and most of us are hurrying to ready ourselves, our families, and our homes for Christmas, but today I thought I’d reflect a little on the past. For one thing, today is my birthday. I turned fifty-four years old today. Everyone should be proud of me for knowing…
NaNoWriMo – 2019 – A Journal
NaNoWriMo AKA National Novel Writing Month. This is my second year of participation in this event. Last year I was a new novelist, still very wet behind the ears, so to speak. I was a slow writer and did a lot of editing as I went. The lesson I learned from last year’s participation was…
Cariño – a Way of Life
As a Spanish teacher, I come across many cultural ideas that are often different than the ones I grew up with as a product of midwestern America. Cariño is one of them. Cariño is the idea of caring or loving those around you. I first came in contact with this word as an interpreter at…
Writing Proposals: An Encouragement
The first time I was asked to write a proposal for a writing project, I had no idea what the person was talking about. A few hours of research later and I still wasn’t sure what exactly I was supposed to produce. Various agency websites had proposal templates, blog posts about proposal formats, blog posts…
How to Deal with a Bully: Guest Post by Linda Sammaritan
Cyber bullying has made the headlines in recent years. As if bullies were a new phenomenon. But bullying is as old as the first family’s existence. The Bible only details the final showdown, but I imagine Cain and Abel had several go-rounds over the years. The boys had a history. Abel probably stood toe-to-toe with…
The Widow’s Test: An original drama-The Celebration!
What happens when a wealthy widow fakes her death in order to determine the most worthy heir? A comedic drama of course! This year’s fall play at West Central was co-written by senior student, Natalie Kennedy, who proposed the original concept, and co-director, Rebecca Reed. Natalie stars as the wealthy widow, Ms. Lillian, who takes…
What kind of faith?
There are many kinds of faith. Most everyone has some type of faith in something or someone. What kind do you have? More importantly, will it save you?
Attractive San Antonio
What a beautiful city! The area around the San Antonio River that flows through the historic district is a goldmine. Known as the River Walk, it is a huge tourist draw, and contains restaurants, bars, shops and hotels. Originally constructed by the WPA in the late 1930s, it has served as a way to minimize…
Seeking God’s Presence at ACFW
Last week I wrote about many of the fantastic authors and friends I met or reconnected with at this year’s annual ACFW Conference. That part of the conference is truly a blessing, but I failed to capture the true essence of the gathering. We all came essentially to connect with Jesus. To ask his blessings…
American Christian Fiction Writers – 2019 – San Antonio
ACFW’s annual conference was: informative, exciting, renewing, brilliant, star-studded, amazing! I departed Indianapolis bound for Atlanta at 7 am Thursday, September 26th full of anticipation and excitement. And a few nerves. The trip to Atlanta was pleasant. I totally recommend Delta Airlines. The crews and flights were fantastic! One thing I love about ACFW is…
Concrete Reminders in a Spiritual Fight
Ephesians 6 reminds us that there are spiritual forces at work that we cannot see. They are real. They are powerful. They are malignant. They are dark. And they exist, albeit in an invisible state, alongside the humans on planet Earth. These are the forces with which we are at war. They are our true…
The Prodigal Daughter: A recommendation
A new book released on September 24th and written by father/daughter duo Rob and Danielle Koke promises to raise the veil on addiction and provide insights into the mind and heart of an addicted person. Check out the book trailer here. My own story contains brushes with addiction and with many other addicted persons. The…
Movie Recommendation: Overcomer
This new category of mine will most likely be underused. I rarely watch, let alone, go to the theater to watch, movies. But recently, my husband and I took a little time off to see Overcomer. I had several friends recommend seeing it. As a track coach, I identified with the difficulties presented with teams…
Lives for Sale
I accompanied my husband to a livestock auction today. Each year we sell about half of the calves our herd of nineteen cows produces. Today was the day of the sale. We sorted and loaded nine calves into the trailer and set off. Once the calves were unloaded and the trailer parked, we entered the…
