Love is worth the risk
In my stories, I always strive for historical accuracy. I have three great critique partners who are quick to point out anachronisms—“Are you sure they drank whisky from a glass in 1370? Perhaps a mug or goblet?” and “That word wasn’t in use in 1370. Find another.”—and keep me from blundering too badly. But the […]
Ok, I admit it. I’m a sucker for kind words. The authors I know do what they do for a wide variety of reasons. I realized long ago that I tell stories so people will read them. Nothing keeps me going like finding out someone has read one of my books and liked it. I […]
Monday morning dawns cold and clear and the author stares at a blank screen firmly forbidding self to wallow on Facebook or find a good card game. What to do? There are a number of old fashioned motivators of a disciplinary nature: Deadlines. Nothing stiffens the spine like responsibility for a deadline that impacts others. […]
When I saw Caroline’s suggestions about interesting research for BY CLEAR WATER a chuckle bubbled up inside me, because the research for this book got totally out of hand. I lost myself on the southern route the Texas Argonauts took from Texas to California during the gold rush (the trail Leslyn and Matt traveled in […]
I outlined my passion for women’s education in my last post. Why did society not only overlook but actively oppose women’s education? For one thing, it was not uncommon for parents to fear that an excess of education ruined a girl’s chances of a good marriage. The church fretted about the decline of the family […]
Every writer’s work is fueled by their passions. One of mine is educational opportunity for women. Historically it didn’t exist. I’ve written extensively on the subject in this blog in the past.** I had the good fortune to attend an excellent girls’ high school and wonderful women’s college, both of which pushed excellence and valued […]
Ah the annual ritual of goals and resolutions! I’ve reached the stage in which I pull out the previous year’s list, give it a good whack and take stock of my life. They are, after all, life goals. I call the resolutions “basic disciplines.” Life, being short, requires that we a) stay awake for it […]
Welcome to the sixth stop on the Belles Holiday Wassailing Tour. Surely you are still in a party mood, even after five previous stops!The Duchess of Murnane and her brother, the Earl of Chadbourn, the hero of A Dangerous Nativity welcome you to Eversham Hall. The duchess fears she is indisposed and not up to […]
Waes Hael one and all—good health to you! Wassail is a drink involving ale, sugar, eggs, spices and sometimes wine. Sometimes it is called Lambs wool. Wassailing is also the custom of going house to house with Christmas greetings, more or less what we would call caroling, with hopes of being invited in for a […]
Ok so my table won’t look like the one pictured. I won’t use paper plates and napkins with turkeys on them either. Seventeen pounds of turkey are in my refrigerator section defrosting and I have enough cranberries piled up to get us through to Easter. Various dishes have been assigned to various relatives. Bring it […]