By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Traveling is a part of my life as a writer, and I love it. Over the years, I’ve simplified my packing method, and I’d like to share with you 9 easy ways to ensure your next trip meets expectations with a perfect plan for taking just what you need. Here are 9 easy ways to make

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills First of all, big accolades to everyone for the great entries from last week’s blog.  It was fun to see all the creative things people came up with based on the picture I supplied.  Are some of you now ready to continue your start and complete the adventure in story form? Here are the three randomly

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills You can Win! I love story. It’s been my passion since before I could hold a pencil. Maybe you’ve thought about writing for a long time but just couldn’t get started. Yet communicating through the written word will not leave you alone. This is your opportunity to get started now. All you need to do is

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Tweet this: Once Upon a Time It wasn’t a dark and stormy night. Thunder didn’t rumble, and lightning didn’t streak across the sky. In fact, it was a summer day in Houston—99+ and the pool felt wonderful. My grandchildren and I were laughing, splashing, and enjoying Popsicles. “Mimi, will we always be able to swim in

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Tweet this: Work Hard Play Hard Last week, I was on faculty at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference at Ridgecrest, North Carolina. A beautiful conference center nestled in the Smoky Mountains. We had over 400 conferees. Wow! Lots of learning for fiction and nonfiction writers, taught by multi-published writers who are valued in the

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Tweet this: Memorial Day – A Time of Remembrance Memorial Day didn’t originate as a family time of picnics, parades, and good times. I wanted to share with you a snippet of history and provide a few ideas how you and your loved ones can commemorate the day. The remembrance of those who’d died in service

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Tweet this: Great Graduation Gifts It’s that time of the year when high school and college seniors are taking steps into the future with graduation ceremonies. We want to honor them, but what gift ideas are meaningful and practical? We want a fun and useful gift, something different and exciting. But what? When I received graduation

by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Tweet This: Strong Women, Strong Roles Readers often ask how I choose my heroines. My goal is to create women who accept nontraditional roles and succeed with dynamic outcomes. These are Glock-totin‘ gals with southern charm who understand grits aren’t just for breakfast. These women embrace their femininity with an added boost—they aren’t afraid to go

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Tweet this: Celebrating Writer Milestones Every writer has her own definition of achievements, and most of us celebrate success in different ways. I posed two questions to some of my author buddies. Loved their responses and I think you will too. What is a writing milestone for you and how do you celebrate? Lynette Eason –

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Tweet this: Stepping Out of Our Comfort Zone Last week Houston experienced the worst flooding since 2001. With the torrential storms and downpours that brought 16 to 20 inches of rain came tornadoes. My neighborhood, friends, and church family were impacted, but we were fine. The devastation that hit the community was measured by the number