This is Sawtooth country and home to Lena and Evan, the fictional couple of two of my stories, Comes The Winter and Redeeming Lies. Visits here never fail to inspire me. Unlike the abbreviated spring of 2017, this year Idaho enjoyed a full season, staying green and cool into mid-June. Our family just returned from a vacation into Idaho's central mountains where we were able to hike without the oppressive heat of earlier excursions. The picture featured above is taken at one o

"When we read, we start at the beginning and read until we reach the end. When we write, we start in the middle and fight our way out." This is a quote credited to Vickie Karp. I think this observation is insightful if not brilliant. If the "middle" is the moment of clarity in our protagonist's character arc, the description works well. After building my story world over the past month for A Light From Friday Harbor, I wrote the final chapter before completing the middle. I k

Lynn Winchester is the fourth contributor to the short story series, Whitcomb Springs. Her first story has the intriguing title "Walk The Lightning". Recently, I invited her to answer a few questions about her writing craft. Some answers surprised and delighted me. I hope you'll learn a little more about one of your favorite authors here. Welcome, Lynn! What was the inspiration behind "Walk The Lightning"? I wanted to write a story about a man who was lonely but who was waiti

Today, I'm joined by MK McClintock, award-winning author of historical fiction, and the imaginative force responsible for the origin of the Montana series, Whitcomb Springs. The first question concerns that inspiration. Thank you, MK, for joining me. What inspired the town of Whitcomb Springs and its founding family? I have another series out, Crooked Creek, set in post-Civil War Montana Territory. The first four installments are short stories, and I had so much fun writing t

Award-winning author, Christi Corbett, joins us today with news of her latest release in the Whitcomb Springs series, "Retribution Road." Welcome, Christi! You've experienced considerable success by winning both a Rone Award and the Laramie Award for your debut novel, Along the Way Home. Writing a short story must be somewhat of a challenge. What was your experience transitioning from novel to short story? Retribution Road was my first attempt at a short story. I’ve already w