News Flash!

I'm excited to report that my novel will be released in the next month or so. "Guide Me Home" is in the process of getting published during the next six weeks, so I wanted to share the news. Here is a peak at the new cover of my book.

"Guide Me Home" is a Christian historical fiction taking place in the 1920s in which a naive Lutheran school teacher, yearning to experience the Roaring Twenties, finds two men in her life. She falls under the charms of her neighbor, who tempts her with the Jazz Age. Her new pastor, who wants her to stay true to her Savior, teaches her what's really important in life. Which one will she choose?


Liz Tolsma, author of Snow on the Tulips says about this book: "Connie Cortright creates wonderful, rich characters and sets them in a little written about time period, the 1920s. Guide Me Home brings the Jazz Age to life in crisp detail. At points, you’ll want to cheer; at others, you’ll be moved to tears. All in all, a great debut novel, one you’ll want to pick up and not put down until you reach the end.”

 The book will be published in paperback and also on Kindle on Amazon.com . I'll keep you posted as to the date of release when it is determined.

Midweek Update - You Are Invited!!

The Southeast Wisconsin chapter of ACFW would like to invite any would-be writers to a one-day seminar on April 25, 2015 at Falls Presbyterian Church - W156 N7356 Pilgrim Road in Menomonee Falls. We'd love for you to join us to learn about writing from Tim Shoemaker.

The seminar is from 8:30 - 4:00 with a more detailed description of the seminar below. Or go to our page: Facebook - ACFW WISE. We hope you can join us.

We have author Tim Shoemaker coming to speak to us on the following topics! Register now! 

Session 1

Show-Don't-Tell- Often fiction writers are telling a story when they should be showing it. I won't tell you how to fix this... I'll show you.

Point-of-View- This is an area of fiction that trips up a lot of writers.  We'll show you how to avoid the POV mistakes, and how to write in a deeper POV. I'll explain it in a way where you'll get it--and your writing will improve dramatically.

Session 2

19 Tips for Stronger Characters- Learn secrets to creating characters that your reader will love.  I'll share some things you probably won't read in writing textbooks--but they work!

Action and Fight Scenes- Action isn’t just about car chases. It’s found in dialogue, interior thought, and more. Learn tips for writing action that will keep your readers gripping your book . . . and holding their breath

Session 3

Dialogue- Talk may be cheap, but poor dialogue in your manuscript will cost you.  We’ll learn how to dump the dull stuff and sharpen your dialogue skills.

Session 4

Creating a Scene- A story is told through a series of scenes. I'll show secrets to writing more powerful scenes, and how to connect the scenes in ways that will strengthen your fiction... guaranteed.

​Link to the registration form is: ​https://www.facebook.com/wiseacfw/app_206429986046631

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Milk Doors

Through the Milk Door?  What kind of journey is that?  What is a milk door? Why give a blog such a name?

As some of you know, I’ve been learning the art of writing a novel the past several years by working on two historical romances that are “works in progress”.  But in that progress, I’ve learned so many tidbits about early twentieth century life that our grandparents and great-grandparents lived through that I wanted to find a way to share these the many, many stories I’ve learned about life back then with my family and friends – thus, a blog.

Now, what’s with the milk door? My grandmother would’ve had no problem answering this question, and others like it, because she lived in the time when milk doors were an everyday item, probably as common as email “boxes” today.

Milk doors were found on houses that were built before 1940 or so. About a foot square, they were located close to the side door where the milkman would deliver glass quarts of fresh milk several times during the week. Used before the days of refrigerators, these doors allowed him to deliver milk well before the occupants were awake.

The doors opened from the outside to reveal a small area located in the walls. The empty bottles were left in the milk door with the order form for the day rolled and stuck in the neck of a bottle. The order would then be filled by the milkman (I don’t think there were any “milk ladies” back then!). There was another corresponding door inside the house that would be opened by a hungry boy or girl when it was time for breakfast.

Milk doors have disappeared from use in these days of supermarkets and convenience stores.  Still, we have a milk door in our 1928 house near the back door—a quiet and quaint reminder of days gone by. Last year when we moved in, we found the outer entrance for the milk door boarded up and several old locks placed on the door inside the house. Sadly, I imagine previous owners feared that this little door could be an entryway for thieves and sealed it up–a sad commentary on the days we live in.

I’ve read that these little doors were, in fact, sometimes used as emergency entrances for the owners when they were inadvertently locked out. A little child would be hoisted up and lifted through the milk door and unlock the back door from the inside. What an adventure for that tyke! I wonder what happened when the youngest child got too large to fit through the door!? Most of us can probably remember a time when we wished there was such a hatch out of our problems! 

In C.S. Lewis’s fantasy, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, four young children travel to the magical land of Narnia by passing through the doors of a wardrobe.  I’d like to invite you, dear reader, through my magical little door, a humble little milk door, to explore with me life and living in times past.  Come and pass through the milk door each week with me to wander in simpler, homier times.  I’d love your company!