Real Life is Better Than Fiction

Today's awesome homeschooling/mom/author is H. L. Burke. Thanks for joining me today! How long have you been homeschooling? Roughly three years. We're a military family and move around a lot, frequently in the middle of the school year, so we kind of need to be able to take school along with us at short notice. How long have you been writing? Forever, pretty much. I've been looking for excuses to share stories since elementary school. I was a homeschool student myself, so I had to start the “school” paper. I kind of took a break when I got married then started writing again about four years ago seriously planning to publish. I always intended to go indie. The traditional way just takes way too long, and I'm impatient. What gave you the writing bug? I'm a talker. I like to talk. Writing is like talking, just slower. Do you remember the first story you wrote? I dictated a short story about rabbits (which I illustrated) to my mom when I ...

The last several months have been a little rough. Besides losing my father, I lost two friends, one very unexpectedly. It hurts to know that I will never see their smiling faces again except for old pictures and in my memory. While I mourn their losses greatly, I know I will one day see them again. Songs come on the radio and remind me of each one. Those songs bring tears to my eyes, however, those tears are not altogether sad. I know they are no longer hurting. I know they no longer have to battle with this world. I know they have been reunited with loved ones who have gone on before. I know they are worshiping their Savior. How do I know these things? 1 Thessalonians 4:13, "Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope." I have hope. For the last several years I've had an acquaintance who grieves greatly over the loss of a loved one ...

Another busy homeschool-mom-author is up on the blog today. Welcome, Robin Merrill! How long have you been homeschooling? 5 years How long have you been writing? Since I could write, but professionally, 17 years. What gave you the writing bug? Not sure! Do you remember the first story you wrote? Yes. I was in third grade and I handwrote an 18-page story about meeting Amy Grant. My poor teacher! What type of books do your write? My first love is poetry, but I also write fiction and devotionals. How do you find time to write? Not sure! I sometimes write late into the night. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? I always want to be honest in my writing, and sometimes that offends people, but I don't mean to! Do your kids help with your creative process or give you ideas? They certainly try. They are always giving me ideas, and I do read my stories to my fourth-grade daughter, who has found some plot holes for m...