Empowering Unsung Women in History
When researching for my historical fiction book, Nothing Here but Stones based on the Jewish Colony at Cotopaxi, I searched hard for research materials about the Jewish experience in the west. I found two very special books that helped me to better understand the experiences of Jewish women who immigrated to remote areas of the… Continue reading Guest Author: Nancy Oswald
Luis Maria Peralta Adobe, San Jose, CA San Jose is the oldest city settlement in California. It was founded in 1777 when 66 settlers were sent there from San Francisco by the Juan Bautista de Anza expedition. The Luis Maria Peralta adobe is the oldest building in San Jose. Nestled amongst high rises and trendy… Continue reading Local History: The Peralta Adobe
Recently I visited the book bindery in Colonial Williamsburg. The bookbinder creates beautiful hand made books, both paperback and with leather covers. As an author who has self-published four of my own books, I appreciate an excellent product. As a leatherworker, I appreciate a properly bound leather book. Having said that, no one would ever… Continue reading The First Self-Publisher
Every culture has superstitious beliefs. As a child, I was encouraged not to step on sidewalk cracks lest I break my mother's back, to throw spilled salt over my shoulder, and not let black cats cross my path. While researching my book Aloha Spirit, I learned about Hawaiian superstitions because one of my characters is… Continue reading Hawaiian Superstitions
Fort Snelling is in Minnesota, but I am researching a time when it was part of the Michigan Territory, just after the Black Hawk War ended in 1832. My interest was piqued by an ancestor of mine who was born at the fort in 1836. Her father was the acting sutler at the fort. Her… Continue reading Fort Snelling
