Legacies Giveaway Winners

Congratulations to the winners of our three giveaways honoring the one-year anniversary of When Losses Become Legacies: Juli Hawkins won the Mother’s Day giveaway, writing about her mom, “My Mom was strong, loving, always putting us three children ahead of herself, raising us mostly on her own

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Win a Book, Read It, and Review It!

Book reviews are akin to manna for authors and readers alike. They help readers determine whether a title is worth their time and attention. For authors, they drive visibility and sales. Yet reviews can be elusive, especially for independent authors. This week’s giveaway looks to change that

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Man’s Search for Logos

Messages of isolation, division, and discouragement have bombarded Americans since 2020. If we dwell on the bad news leading most stories, we might think we have little to nothing in common with our neighbors. Kansas City Chiefs’ kicker Harrison Butker summarized it well in his commencement address

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Who’s That Guy? Enter to Win a Book!

As we continue celebrating the one-year anniversary of When Losses Become Legacies, this week’s giveaway challenges you to name the person in the picture below, and how he’s related to the Legacies book. Enter by Sunday, May 21, through the comments on this post, or on my

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A Giveaway to Honor Mom

Welcome to three weeks of book giveaways! This week’s contest will honor our moms. Between now and Mother’s Day—Sunday, May 14—submit one sentence that captures your mom. Whether she’s here or on the other side of time, we want to hear about her distinctive qualities. Comment directly

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When Losses Become Legacies Turns One

My latest book, When Losses Become Legacies: Memoirs on Grief, God, and Glory, is turning one. To celebrate, my co-author, Christy, and I are hosting a print-book giveaway for each of the three weeks starting next Monday, May 8. All of the contests will be open for

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Chicago on My Mind

My family and I left the Chicago area this summer. It was time. Like other areas of the country, Chicagoland has changed, not for the better. Many policies are either unfriendly or downright harmful to families. Crime has soared. Since this time last year, overall crime is

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Reflections on 9/11

Last fall, my family and I visited the Flight 93 Memorial Park in Shanksville, Pa. My son, an airplane enthusiast and student of 9/11 history, suggested it. Everything about the park is a reminder of September 11, 2001—from the Tower of Voices to the Wall of Names

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Blue September: Twenty Years After 9/11

Two decades have passed since 9/11, and I still haven’t seen a sky as blue as it was on the East Coast that morning. The crystalline backdrop stood in stark relief to the day’s senseless horror.  September 11 unfolded into a day of contrasts: sheer evil and

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