A Lovely Vase Used for an Unorthodox Purpose
We live on a golf course, across from the women’s tee for the 11th hole. Older gentlemen also use this tee, so I call it the “old folks’ tee.” I don’t know what the formal name is for the tee closest to the hole. There are two tees that precede the old folks’ tee on […]
From Old Photos to Aura Frame
I’ve written many times about photographs taken from my childhood or from my children’s childhood. When I was young, black and white snapshots were still the norm. My grandfather got a color camera sometime while I was still a toddler, but my dad didn’t get one of those snazzy new (and expensive) devices until I […]
A Story I Want to Tell My Granddaughter: Boom-Boom Bunny (or Birdie)
When I was first born, my parents brought me home to a tiny pre-fabricated house on Roberts Street in Richland, Washington. It had two bedrooms, but apparently my room was very small. I don’t remember living in that house, and I’ve never seen any pictures of my bedroom there, so I can’t say whether that […]
Portland, Oregon, Fires in 1872 and 1873: Plot Points for My Next Novel
Some of my novels have followed historical events quite closely, and others are almost entirely fiction. For example, Lead Me Home follows the route of an actual wagon train quite closely, Now I’m Found features a section on the California Constitutional Convention, and Safe Thus Far follows an actual Oregon militia unit’s expedition. I have […]
Northwest Arkansas: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, and Other Attractions
My husband and I drove to Northwest Arkansas last weekend, just to get away from home for a few days. Our primary objective was to re-visit the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. We’d been there in May 2012, but hadn’t spent a lot of time at the museum, which had just opened in November […]
Reflections on the 2023 Historical Novel Society Conference
I attended the Historical Novel Society North America conference last week. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend in person in San Antonio. But I listened to many of the virtual presentations, and I downloaded materials from others. I have 90 days to watch the presentations I couldn’t watch live, and I vow I will […]
WHEN HEART SHALL FAIL Is Published!
It’s finally published! When Heart Shall Fail is now available on Amazon (paperback and ebook) and Barnes & Noble (ebook only). This novel seemed to take forever to edit, but I am really happy about the final product. I hope readers are as well. I am grateful to all my critique partners and beta readers, […]
Weston Bend State Park: A Short Hike and a Small Summer Adventure
My husband and I have done very little traveling since the pandemic hit. Health issues (non-Covid-related) and shut-downs have kept us close to home. This past Memorial Day weekend, the weather was perfect, and we didn’t want to be cooped up in the house. We were determined to find something to do outside, so we […]
The New Northwest: A Platform Advocating for Women’s Suffrage
As readers of this blog know, I have included Abigail Scott Duniway, a historical Oregon pioneer, as a character in my last two novels, and I intend to include her in my next novel. She moved to Portland, Oregon, in 1871, in order to start a newspaper, The New Northwest, which she published until 1887. […]
Swapping Kids in Madras, Oregon
In response to my last email newsletter, one reader wrote me about how her family regularly switched children from parents to grandparents for visits. That reminded me of how my family did the same when I was growing up. The childhood swaps I remember best were in Madras, Oregon. Madras, Oregon, is pronounced MAD-ras. I […]