In celebration of Women’s History Month (March) and International Women’s Day (March 8), it seems like a fitting time to talk about the amazing women who impacted the history of Mount Rainier National Park. While writing my upcoming novel, The Road to Paradise, I was inspired by the incredible stories of women who both challenged themselves … Read More
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. (The Declaration of Independence). As an American and a history-lover, I encourage you to take a quiet moment today–before the … Read More
Every novel has a seed of inspiration that launches the author into storytelling mode. For Through the Shadows, it was the story of the great San Francisco missionary, Donaldina Cameron. Cameron, a tireless servant of Christ, rescued as many as 3,000 victims of human trafficking in Chinatown in the early 1900s. While most people turned a blind eye to … Read More
I wandered aimlessly through the Oregon antique shop until a framed set of three portraits stopped me in my tracks. The man’s ragged beard reminded me of the famous naturalist, John Muir. I glanced at the tag. “Old Man Photos,” was the only description. I hate seeing orphaned photos. Everyone has a name, a story. As … Read More
Today I want to flip open those dusty history books and dig into some of the joys of historical research. That’s right–joys. I know many of you cringe at the very idea, but for a few of us odd history geeks, stumbling over the perfect historical fact or reference is like finding a golden ticket. … Read More
I’m a huge fan of documentaries, particularly those made by Ken Burns. His entertaining and educational style has brought history alive for recent generations. I was pleased when his documentary about Prohibition released just after I finished writing Mistaken, my debut novel. His most recent work, Cancer: The Emperor of all Maladies, once again touches … Read More
One exciting thing about being an author is meeting readers who connect with your books because of their own family histories. After publishing my Prohibition-era novel, Mistaken, I heard from readers who remembered their parents or grandparents telling stories of illegal stills, a family bootlegger, or having worked as federal Prohibition agents. Many of these stories … Read More
As many of you know, today is the anniversary of the Great San Francisco Earthquake which occurred on April 18, 1906. All week I’ve been posting eyewitness accounts of the disaster that occurred 109 years ago. I hope you’ve enjoyed these glimpses into the lives of the people who survived. Also, in honor of the … Read More
In honor of Saturday’s anniversary of the 1906 Earthquake, I’m devoting each blog post this week to survivor stories. Today is the LAST DAY to enter the giveaway for my two novels based during the disaster, Out of the Ruins and Beyond the Ashes. Don’t miss the information at the bottom of this post. The contests will close at … Read More
In honor of Saturday’s anniversary of the 1906 Earthquake, I’m devoting each blog post this week to survivor stories. If you’d like to enter to win copies of my novels based during the disaster, Out of the Ruins and Beyond the Ashes, don’t miss the information at the bottom of this post. As horrific as … Read More