Category: history

“Coal Country Connections” & “You Dream Every Night That I am Home” are now available in bookshops

October 14, 2022

I’ve now written two nonfiction books about the coal region of northeastern Pennsylvania; the place my mother’s family comes from. The first, “Coal Country Connections” is based on the over 70 signatures in an autograph album from the 1880s owned by a woman from the region, and the book is about the lives of the … More “Coal Country Connections” & “You Dream Every Night That I am Home” are now available in bookshops

Remarkable synchronicity and goosebumps

September 20, 2022

One of my grandmother’s favorite sayings was “Everything happens for a reason.” In an article on the Psychology Today website, this phrase is described as a standard reply to “remarkable synchronicities.” Although I’ve never totally bought into it, this bit of philosophy has come in handy to explain hard to explain events or “remarkable synchronicities” … More Remarkable synchronicity and goosebumps

Best. Present. Ever.

December 26, 2021

On Christmas, I got the best present ever. I’ve had other best presents ever, including a shoebox crammed full of wonderful paperback books when I was a preteen, sweaters, afghans, wall art and other beautiful handcrafted items, and other gifts that weren’t handmade but were incredibly thoughtful. As we all know, this is Christmas #2 … More Best. Present. Ever.

A Civil War veteran was finally honored for his service on Veteran’s Day

November 11, 2021

Today is Veteran’s Day, 2021. It’s the first Veteran’s Day that William Boyd of the town of Jim Thorpe, PA finally has a military marker. William Boyd was a Private in the 4th Pennsylvania Cavalry in the Union Army during the Civil War, and for a time he was a prisoner of war in Richmond. … More A Civil War veteran was finally honored for his service on Veteran’s Day

Beyond the battlefield: how one little girl lost not only her father, but her entire family during the Civil War

July 5, 2021

Life can be really unfair. I’ve been doing research for a book that I’m writing based on the letters of the first husband of my great x4 Aunt Hester. John Williamson wrote these letters home to Hester while he was serving in the Union Army during the Civil War. He didn’t make it home. John … More Beyond the battlefield: how one little girl lost not only her father, but her entire family during the Civil War

How I was able to honor a hero with the help of a few good people

June 1, 2021

Somehow, with no idea of what I was doing, I was able to get a military marker for a Civil War veteran who had none. A cousin of mine (four times removed) was in the 4th Pennsylvania Cavalry during the Civil War and became a prisoner of war at Libby Prison in Richmond, from which … More How I was able to honor a hero with the help of a few good people

When the present blocks you from the past: one of the challenges of writing about the past

January 14, 2021

I never thought I’d write about history. I’ve always liked to write, sure, and I tried my hand at writing novels years ago. But when my grandmother died a few years ago and we found a little autograph album in her records, I unexpectedly found my reason to write. The autograph/friendship album was filled with … More When the present blocks you from the past: one of the challenges of writing about the past