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

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

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

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

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

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 it’s hard to let go of the writing…and Jim Thorpe

I announced a couple of days ago that I’m finally done (after nearly five years) with my writing Work-In-Progress. My WIP, as I affectionately called it, can’t even go by that name any more. What should I call it now? FIP? As in Finished Project? Even though I say it’s finished, I can’t seem to … More When it’s hard to let go of the writing…and Jim Thorpe