Most of us here in the book department at GUIDEPOSTS spent the past week in Denver at the International Christian Retail Show, which is a big convention for Christian books and merchandise.

It’s always fun to wander the floor and see what new gadgets will be in Christian bookstores, and to see what great books will be on the shelves this fall.

This holiday weekend, my parents are heading off on a cruise to Alaska. This trip has been my mom’s dream for as long as I can remember—she’s wanted to see the glaciers and the Northern Lights for a long, long time.

They never quite managed to swing it, though, between two busy jobs and three kids and a mortgage and expensive college tuitions. My parents always put us first, and their own dreams got put on hold while they made sure we were taken care of.

It’s about a church-going soccer mom, who, having survived breast cancer, decided it was time to finally do what she’s always wanted with her life, and became a Private Investigator (a la Nancy Drew).

It’s a sweet and inspiring story about turning your life around and living richly and enjoying every moment, and it’s also really funny and well-written. I’m very excited about it—I think it’s going to be a great book.

I was working on a new series idea this week, and I kept trying to think about what the plots would be and who the characters were.

As I wrote out my thoughts, I kept finding the plots straying. The characters wouldn’t do what I wanted them to. I thought I was working on a romantic series, but what kept coming out was the set-up for mysteries! I kept wanting to have the characters stumble into mysteries, not love.

We’re in the early stages of launching a new fiction series, which may just be my favorite part of my job (I know, I know. I say that about everything. What can I say? I like my job!)

This series revolves around four nurses at a very special hospital. These men and women are caring, qualified, and compassionate, and they are also inspired by their faith to make sure that every patient gets the best possible care.

I’m helping to judge a writing contest for beginning writers for the American Christian Fiction Writers, and it’s reminding me why I love what I do.

Today the newest volume in the Home to HeatherCreek series landed on my desk. I always get such a thrill when I see one of these in finished form. By the time we ship these books out, we’ve been working on them for over a year, and it’s the most satisfying feeling to see something you’ve worked hard on and poured your heart into turn out beautifully.

One of my favorite parts of my job is that I get to learn about and read about different places all over the country.

I was brainstorming new fiction ideas today, and I was thinking about what makes people feel drawn to a story. Obviously, there are many things that pull you in to a book: a great, memorable character, a gripping plotline, a strong hook, standout writing.

Last week I had the great privilege of attending the Mt. Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference, and I’m still recovering. It was a great week—the quality of the writing was great, and I met some wonderful people, and heard about several books I’d be honored to publish. Christian book publishing is a small world, and it was great to connect with old friends and meet some new ones.