My kids and I wandered into the fiction section at the bookstore, attracted by the bright cover art and the promise of good stories. I noticed that my two kids (I have one boy and one girl) went to different areas of the shelves. “Show me which covers you like the best,” I suggested. Without hesitation, … Read More
historical fiction
Walking the beach or working? You tell me.
Writers spend a lot of time staring at a computer screen. Waaaaaaay too much time. We research on the internet, we write, we edit, we network, and then we write some more. It’s good for us to get out in the sunlight once in awhile. This week, I’ve traveled from my home in Oregon up … Read More
Friday Book Review: Hidden Affections by Delia Parr
What’s the only thing worse than being a divorced woman in 1831? How about being a twice-divorced woman? Delia Parr explores this intriguing plot line in her newest novel, Hidden Affections. After being scammed and then divorced by one man, Anabelle Tyler seeks a fresh start only to be forced into a marriage with an … Read More
An Update on the Writing Process
Many friends have asked why I haven’t said much about my books lately. Part of that is intentional–now that I am working with an agent and am negotiating with publishing houses, I know professional eyes are watching. There’s nothing like knowing people are observing you to make you want to be (at least pretend to … Read More
Tasting our History–Fairley’s Pharmacy
Writing historical fiction can be challenging. How do you write a scene in a prohibition-era soda fountain (for my up-coming novel, Mistaken) if you’ve never tried a cherry phosphate and can’t even imagine why anyone would order something called an “egg cream?” The answer? A road trip that involved consuming more calories than anyone should–all in the … Read More
Friday Book Pick: Too Rich for a Bride by Mona Hodgson
It seems fitting that since everyone is buzzing about the royal wedding, that today’s book pick has an image of a bride on the cover. Too Rich for a Bride is book two in the Cripple Creek series, written by Christian author Mona Hodgson. Almost exactly a year ago, I posted a review of book … Read More
Friday Book Pick: Mine Is the Night by Liz Curtis Higgs
Mine is the Night is a enchanting interpretation of the biblical story of Ruth set in Jacobite Scotland. Author Liz Curtis Higgs, perhaps best known for her series, Bad Girls of the Bible, has penned a beautiful historical novel that is impossible to put down. The newly widowed Elisabeth Kerr and her aging mother-in law … Read More
What’s Twenty Years?
Courtesy of e-vint.com I’m working on a new writing project (you can learn about it under my new “books” tab, above) that is set during 1926–the height of America’s “Noble Experiment,” better known as prohibition. Most of you know that for the past few years I’ve been buried up to my elbows with writing a … Read More
Friday Book Pick: The Damascus Way by Davis Bunn and Janette Oke
The roads in Judea, Samaria, Galilee and Syria were treacherous and travelers risked bandits, murderous zealots, and sandstorms as they struggled to reach their destinations. But, on the road to Damascus–everything changed. The Damascus Way is a sweeping saga that gives readers a glimpse into the uncertain lives of the people of “the Way,” the … Read More
1906 Film: A Trip Down Market Street
The internet is an amazing tool for the historical fiction writer. I’ve found wonderful old books, photographs, newspaper clippings, personal letters and journals. Some of my favorite finds are videos. But, since I’m writing about the early 1900s, they can be tough to come by. Moving pictures were still in their infancy. One of the most spectacular (from a … Read More