Trivia Answers, Prize Winners, and More!

Happy Friday, everyone! 

I wanted to thank all of you who attended my Author Chat Party on Facebook last night. What fun we had! I was able to learn so much about my readers, and hopefully you were able to learn a few things about Out of the Ruins and the Golden Gate Chronicles series. My prayer was that the party-goers would be blessed by the conversation. You can still read through the transcript of the party on my FB author page. Keep in mind– like so many things online–the transcript runs backward in time. The welcoming posts will be at the bottom and the closing comments at the top. When did we all learn to read upside down? 

Several people won prizes, including books, gift cards, and posters. One lucky reader (Tina T.) took home a Kindle Fire HDX! Have you seen the list of winners yet? You can find it on the Litfuse blog, here!  

One of my favorite parts of the evening was the trivia game. How did you do? Here are the questions and answers.

We started with five trivia questions related to the history and setting of Out of the Ruins. 

1. In 1906, a common treatment for leukemia was arsenic. 
   TRUE—Arsenic was the primary therapy until replaced by radiation and chemotherapy. It’s still used in some cases today.

 

• In early X-ray experiments, doctors used lead vests to protect themselves from the radiation.
  FALSE—they actually tested the machines on themselves. Repeatedly. Many died from the very diseases they were seeking to cure.

 

• After a quick foreshock, the main shock of the 1906 quake lasted two minutes and 15 seconds.
  FALSE: It only lasted 45-60 seconds, according to the USGS.

 

 

• In the fires that followed the earthquake, firefighters used dynamite to clear firebreaks.
  TRUE—although it wasn’t very effective in stopping the flames and actually started additional fires.

 

 

• Golden Gate Park (where many earthquake refugees took shelter) was named after the Golden Gate Bridge.
  FALSE—It was named after the Golden Gate Strait, which was probably named by John C. Fremont around 1846. Construction on the famous bridge didn’t begin until 1933.

 

And four extra trivia questions about me. 

1. I once worked as a National Park Ranger.
   TRUE: Mount Rainier National Park in 1993 and 1994.

 

• My furry muse is a golden retriever.
  FALSE: Mystery is a dachshund-mix. I also have two cats, Oreo and Ty.

 

 

• I enjoy decorating crazy birthday cakes for my kids.
  True. I’ve done Poke-balls, ballet slippers, mermaids, TARDISes—and many, many more!

 

 

• I studied journalism and literature in college.
  False: I majored in geography and did my graduate work in geosciences. 

 

I also provided party-goers with a sneak peek at Book 2 of the Golden Gate Chronicles, Beyond the Ashes. You can still find discussion of the story on the transcript, but the cover image has been removed. I know–such a tease, right? Don’t worry, you’ll see it again as we get closer to that book’s release date. But it’s still almost a year away! How will we wait that long? The book is in its final rounds of edits and production with my publisher, Abingdon Press. We want to be sure that when it reaches readers Beyond the Ashes is the BEST it can be. I’m so excited for you to read it! It might be my favorite book, yet. (Shhh, don’t tell my other book babies). 

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