Dianne Neal Matthews started daydreaming about being a writer in first grade, when she learned the joys a chunky pencil and lined tablet can bring. In her mid-forties, she finally attended a writers’ conference (Write-to-Publish, Chicago area). When the Warner Press editor read Dianne’s short piece about a spiritual lesson from her cat, she said, “I think you may be a natural devotional writer.” That meeting led Dianne to begin writing devotionals for the backs of church bulletins.

Two years later, at that same conference, Dianne received the 2001 Best New Writer of the Year award for an article published in Focus on the Family magazine. Five years later, her first book earned her the Writer of the Year award. The One Year On This Day (Tyndale House) is based on holiday origins, historical events, and pop culture trivia. It has since been updated and is available as On This Day: 365 Meditations on Holidays & Historical Events.

Since then, Dianne has published three other devotional books: The One Year Women of the Bible (Tyndale), Drawing Closer to God: 365 Daily Meditations on Questions in the Bible, and Designed for Devotion: A 365-Day Journey from Genesis to Revelation (both by Baker Books). Designed for Devotion won a 2013 Selah Award. Dianne also collaborated with Ron L. Deal to write Daily Encouragement for the Smart Stepfamily (Bethany House).

Dianne has been a contributing writer for Guideposts’ Mornings with Jesus since the 2013 edition. Other compilations include Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace; Christmas Classics: True Stories of Holiday Cheer & Goodwill; More Christmas Moments; Writing So Heaven Will Be Different; and the newly released Arise to Peace: Daily Devotional. She is also a regular contributor for The Quiet Hour quarterly magazine (David C. Cook).

Her articles and devotions have appeared in LIVE, The Christian Communicator, Focus on the Family periodicals, and Guideposts magazine. Dianne frequently writes guest posts for bloggers and content for websites including More to Life and CBN.com. She has also written Bible studies, newspaper features, and she even sold a poem once.

Please visit her at www.DianneNealMatthews.com or connect through her Facebook Author Page (https://www.facebook.com/DianneNealMa...).