If you’re reading this, you probably enjoy email newsletters, Substack posts, and news articles, like I do. Yet, the endless stream of information pouring into our phones, tablets, and laptops every day, is enough to sink the Titanic.
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As promised, this week I’m giving you a behind-the-scenes look at my Substack. For each newsletter/post I publish, I receive stats on the number of emails opened, views, clicks, likes, comments, etc. It’s fun for me to look back at the end of the year to see what resonated most with my readers. Perhaps you’re curious too, or you need a second chance to catch a trending post you may have missed.
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Before I get to my 2025 BestStack, I’ll share reviews of books I’ve read over the past two months. As usual, I have a mix of genres, but surprisingly, only one (and a half?) fiction book.
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It’s All Saints’ Day throughout the world—a day when Christians remember the saints that have gone before. Below, I share seven books that I’ve read recently, and it’s occured to me that each of my five-stars reads introduced me to characters who—though not saints in every sense—display a measure of saintliness that absolutely sets them apart.
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I recently had the opportunity to chat with Lisa Granger on her podcast/radio show, “A Woman’s Heart.” Lisa was so warm and welcoming that—although we’d never met before—it felt like I was talking with a longtime friend.
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The audiobooks on my drives to and from Minnesota, as well as books I’ve read for the “Sister Wolf” book club (at Beagle and Wolf Books in Park Rapids, MN), have been a welcome distraction from the excitement and stress of wedding planning. I’ve got some reviews and recommendations for you, so let’s get to it!
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While I get real satisfaction from turning real pages, I also really enjoy audiobooks. I love that I’m able to do other things (i.e. knit, clean house, and DRIVE!) while reading a book. I’m curious how common audiobooks are with my readers.
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Last Saturday, in nearly 90-degree heat (thankfully with a canopy for shade, a nice breeze, and lots of water), I attended my first local author fair, “3rd Street Festival” in Park Rapids, Minnesota. Since I call this up-north lake country “home” for much of the summer, I now qualify as a “local,” and I’m loving it!
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A guest post interview by my writer-friend, Michelle Rayburn. Michelle interviewed me about the release of my new book, Empty-Nest Joyride.
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This week, I discovered the secret ingredient to pulling off live video. Surprisingly, it has nothing to do with camera angle, although making sure your face is well-lighted and not silhouetted by a bright backlit window helps. And it’s not having a memorized script, although being familiar with your topic is a plus. It’s not even about your hair and makeup, but if that builds your confidence, go for it.
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Empty-Nest Joyride made her debut into the world today and she’s ready to fly! One thing I’ve learned is that launching a book is not for the faint of heart! There were a few times this week I thought my brain might explode with all the different tasks I was trying to juggle. But giving birth was never easy, was it?
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The past TWO months have been a little crazy as I finish up editing, publishing, and will soon be launching my book! So, with limited time for reading, I only finished TWO books. Because I have only TWO books to share, I’ll give you a few more gems to add truth, beauty, and goodness—or at least a little entertainment—to your life.
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What’s worse? Picking a paint color or choosing a subtitle?
I struggle with paint colors. But I’ve discovered that choosing a subtitle is worse by far. Who knew?
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Like daffodil and tulip bulbs that sleep quietly underground for a season, there’s a special project that I’ve been keeping under wraps. Unlike flower bulbs which pop up after a few months in hiding, this project—once just a dream—took root over six years ago. And it’s finally ready to bloom!
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It goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyway): there’s much turmoil, change, and upheaval in our world these days. And it’s hard. I managed to distract myself with some sister time and a mother-daughter visit over the past week, but whenever I turned on the news, I was hit with harsh reality again.
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I did something this week that I haven’t done in a long time. I spent the week as a total and complete homebody. For six days, I didn’t leave the house. Not even to get the mail. No, I wasn’t sick or laid up after hip surgery (like last year). I simply had nowhere to go.
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Looking back over this BookStack, I couldn’t help noticing the first three books I read were historical fiction, all with strong female characters at the center. I savored the history lessons and was reminded of the sacrifices our foremothers made, and of how far women’s voices have come. I’m thankful I live in a free America in 2024.
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The podcast preview arrived in my inbox just hours after our conversation was recorded. Not wanting anyone else to hear how inarticulate I might be, I stuck my Airpods in my ears and hit Play. How would my voice sound? How many times had I fumbled? Would our conversation help anyone? Or would my rambling way with spoken words turn listeners away?
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