Empowering Unsung Women in History
At the beginning of this year, I received notice that Ancestry.com was looking for stories of people with ancestors who were suffragettes. They wanted a two-minute video about that person. I jumped right on that. If you've read my novel UNDER THE ALMOND TREES, you know that my great-great-grandmother, Ellen VanValkenburgh, sued the county of… Continue reading Becoming a TV Personality
I love historical fiction, both reading and writing it. That stems from my deep appreciation of history. My grandmother told me stories of our ancestors back to the Middle Ages, which made each period of history more relevant to me. When I read historical fiction, I can imagine those ancestors walking the same streets. Now… Continue reading Top Ten Historical Fiction Elements
First published on PaperLanternWriters.com in March 2020 Everyone knows that the written word is powerful. A wide variety of examples exist that prove it. As an author of historical fiction, I have found primary sources to be the most powerful written word in research. One of my most precious possessions is a journal begun by… Continue reading The Power of the Written Word
This photo is of my grandfather's sisters, Ethelwyn and Gladys. I wasn't born yet when they visited in the 1950s from Scotland. This would have been nothing more than a picture of old women in my family album without my grandmother's story about them. Their brother, Aubrey, died of tuberculosis. Their parents only had enough… Continue reading Tell Your Story
Photo by Alexander Dummer on Unsplash I've always believed in the importance of family stories. This is a tradition passed on to me by my grandmother, a way of preserving our legacy. Grandma told me about strong women who came before me, showing her pride in her family and inspiring me. In turn, I share these stories with… Continue reading Find Your Story
