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A Prisoner of Hope
Offering hope and encouragement for life, writing, and living a thoughtful life.

A Prisoner of Hope
Offering hope and encouragement for life, writing, and living a thoughtful life.
I post the first and third Tuesday of the month.
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Opportunity Alert: Online Writing Workshop
I love sharing great opportunities for writers to hone their skills or reach out in their next step toward publication by meeting with...

Megan DiMaria
Jun 15, 20212 min read


Opportunity alert: NEW writers contest!
I think it's good for writers to enter contests. This contest is specific to NEW writers. Often when you enter contests, you get...

Megan DiMaria
Jun 8, 20211 min read


Opportunity alert: agent pitch event!
But wait, there's more! More, you ask? Yes! Women Writing the West is hosting a Perfectly Painless Pitching Workshop. The event is a...

Megan DiMaria
Jun 1, 20211 min read


Why you should stop pressuring yourself
It's a wonderful thing to have dreams and goals. Knowing what we want and how to get there are key in accomplishing our mission. If...

Megan DiMaria
May 25, 20212 min read


Time to play!
I've got special visitors this week, so I'm giving myself permission to take a week off from posting on my blog. I hope you take some...

Megan DiMaria
May 18, 20211 min read


What do you hear when you're reading?
I know of authors who listen to certain soundtracks while they're writing to inspire them to write with emotion or to add authenticity to...

Megan DiMaria
May 11, 20211 min read


Advice: Go ahead, make someone's day (and why you should)!
It costs nothing to show someone else kindness. We all know the world is harsh, so be kind! We never know what other people are dealing...

Megan DiMaria
May 4, 20212 min read


Here's a new take: writing as part of a diet plan
Summer is fast approaching, and with COVID restrictions lifting, thoughts are turning to shedding our COVID fat. Have you considered...

Megan DiMaria
Apr 27, 20211 min read


Dear writer, you can't fake it until you make it: you have to do the work!
If you’ve ever hung out with me in person or on my blog, you know I’m striving toward another publishing contract. I’ve submitted some...

Megan DiMaria
Apr 20, 20211 min read


Snow on Tulips and Challenges you face
Take heart, sometimes challenges can be a good thing. I've been delighted to see my tulips pushing through winter's barrier. I noticed...

Megan DiMaria
Apr 13, 20212 min read


Give others the gift of kindness, and here's how
For the past several months, or perhaps for the past year, I've been quietly obsessed with kindness. I've read articles, blog posts, and...

Megan DiMaria
Apr 6, 20213 min read


Shh. I'll be back in a few weeks.
Have a meaningful few weeks, and think about the holy sacrifice that allowed us to come into relationship with God. Asking Jesus to live...

Megan DiMaria
Feb 23, 20211 min read


Backstory: in novels and my life
One of the techniques in writing is to flesh out the backstory of your characters. Authors will often keep a file of the character's life...

Megan DiMaria
Feb 16, 20214 min read


Relax, and read or write or take a walk
That's what I'm doing this week. I feel as if I've been rushing, rushing, rushing since the holidays, and I've given myself permission to...

Megan DiMaria
Feb 9, 20211 min read


My debut novel, Searching for Spice, is on sale now!
You can't imagine my surprise when I got an email from Tyndale House Publishers a few weeks ago. Tyndale published my first two novels...

Megan DiMaria
Feb 2, 20213 min read


Hang in there! Some encouragement for your journey.
If you know me, or if you've read my blog, you know that I persist in reaching for my dreams. Friends tell me that I'm inspirational. I...

Megan DiMaria
Jan 26, 20211 min read


Opportunity Alert for Clean or Inspirational Fiction
You know I love to encourage other writers, so I'm happy to pass along another great opportunity for those seeking publication. Winged...

Megan DiMaria
Jan 19, 20211 min read


Keys to creating a happy marriage
What were you doing 42 years ago this week? I was starting the rest of my life. At the time, I thought I was all grown up. But looking...

Megan DiMaria
Jan 12, 20215 min read


Tips to heal your heart in 2021
Did your heart take a beating last year? Mine did. Gunk was stirred up, memories relived, regrets remembered. I'm ready for a new...

Megan DiMaria
Jan 5, 20213 min read


Mindful strategies for a successful 2021
Here it comes: 2021! The beginning of a new year is when resolutions kick in. Already, folks are talking about the new diets they're...

Megan DiMaria
Dec 29, 20203 min read
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