About 15 minutes from where I work, there are wonderful old remains of an authentic 1850's Texas fort. And with a name like Fort Phantom Hill, I thought it would be the perfect topic for blog the week after Halloween. In November of 1851, five companies of the 5th Infantry were dispatched to establish a post on the Clear Fork of the Brazos River at a place known as Phantom Hill. It was built to … [Read more...]
My Newest Obsession
Over the past year, I've developed a new obsession. No, it's not eating more chocolate. (I already have that obsession!) And no it's not reading multiple books all at once or watching every season of Downtown Abbey. (I already do those too!) No also to baking, scrap-booking, crocheting, drawing, and gardening (although in another life, I'd love to do all of them). So what is this new … [Read more...]
Why I Love Writing About World War II
Growing up my favorite uncle was my Uncle Joe. He was a bachelor and lived in a small house in the mountain town of Weed, California. Uncle Joe had a beautiful garden and a house plant with vines so long that they wrapped around his kitchen. He bought us kids mini cans of 7-up, and he always had records with Mexican music playing. He had so many records that they were stacked from floor to ceiling … [Read more...]
Research with Writing Friends
A few weeks ago, a group of writers from my local chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers took a field trip to break up our usual schedule of monthly meetings inside a conference room—a chance to see and do something different and to get outside on a beautiful Minnesota summer day. This year we went to visit an historic house in Taylors Falls, a fun river town some 30-40 miles north of … [Read more...]
Happy 4th of July (and a Giveaway!)
If you're like me, you probably have a busy day ahead of you celebrating the 4th of July holiday with family or friends. My two brothers are visiting along with their wives and children, and I'll be hosting the BIG cookout tonight. Thankfully, our kitchen is almost back to normal! Our countertops were installed earlier in the week, just in the nick of time. With new cabinets, counters, … [Read more...]