by Connie Mann on February 14, 2012
Happy Valentine’s Day! Though I love chocolate and roses as much as the next woman, I fully realize relationships and romance are about more than just one day. It may seem an unlikely source, but I’ve learned a lot about love from our dog: No one is perfect If you’ve been in a relationship for [...]
by Connie Mann on January 31, 2012
Years ago I saw a sign at a doctor’s office that read: All of our patients bring us joy. Some when they arrive; others when they leave. Ouch. True though, isn’t it? Whether we are consciously aware of it or not, we affect those around us. Whether our sphere of influence is large or small, [...]
by Connie Mann on January 26, 2012
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about this idea of “success” lately and I stumbled across a great quote: “Many people avoid discovering the secret of success because deep down they suspect the secret may be hard work.” I admit I have been guilty of that kind of thinking. Instead of working on my [...]
by Connie Mann on January 21, 2012
Many of you know I had the privilege of traveling to Romania last summer as a writer for the Wycliffe News Network. I met so many wonderful people and had the privilege of hearing their incredible stories. The stories that affected me most were the accounts of religious persecution and oppression under communism. I heard [...]
by Connie Mann on January 17, 2012
It’s the third week of January and I don’t have my yearly goals written out or a plan in place to reach them. For a gal whose to-do list generally has its own to-do list, this is rather nerve-wracking, to say the least. Just thinking about it gives me heartburn. But somehow, I haven’t been [...]
by Connie Mann on January 3, 2012
I spent the last day of 2011 in my office, but I wasn’t writing, setting goals or doing other literary-type things. My end-of-year task was rather boring and mundane–but one that can breed incredible, far-reaching results. I purged my office. For those with meticulously neat work areas, this makes no sense, because straightening your creative [...]
by Connie Mann on December 29, 2011
The week between Christmas and New Year’s is generally one of reflection for me. I take down the previous year’s calendar and compare what I had planned to do with what I actually did–or didn’t–accomplish. Then I put up the new calendar and start thinking about goals for the coming year. But this year, before [...]
by Connie Mann on December 16, 2011
Christmas is hands-down my absolute favorite time of the year. I’ve always wanted to write a Christmas story, but I’ve never had an idea for one that compelled me to take action. Until now. Most story ideas flit through my mind and disappear, but the inspiration behind my novella, The Christmas Gift, showed up and [...]
by Connie Mann on December 2, 2011
We all have defining moments, things that happen that mold and shape us, that change the course of our lives. A list immediately comes to mind, right? Some of these moments are huge and wonderful and arrive accompanied by trumpets and fanfare — like weddings and the birth of children. Others roar in like a [...]