I recently read Leigh Bardugo’s The Familiar, a historical fantasy novel. Where Bardugo's Ninth House was a five-star read for me, I'd place The Familiar at four stars. I liked the story, and the main character Luzia grew on me as the story progressed. I didn't love the Hunger Games-type magic show, and though I … Continue reading The Secret Weapon of Historical Novelists: Research That Captivates
Research
Delve into ‘Victory Garden’ and the Suffrage Movement History
One of My Favorite Books As much as I love the Loving Husband Series and the Hembry Castle Chronicles, one of my books that really stands out to me is Victory Garden, a novel of the American women's suffrage movement. I've been so caught up writing about James and Sarah for the past few years … Continue reading Delve into ‘Victory Garden’ and the Suffrage Movement History
Unleash Your Creativity: Why You Need a Commonplace Book
What Is A Commonplace Book? Lately, I've been seeing many posts about commonplace books. Once I discovered what commonplace books were, I was surprised I hadn't kept one before. Then I realized that I have kept commonplace books, only I called them quote journals. Maybe you have too. Commonplace books can act as second brains … Continue reading Unleash Your Creativity: Why You Need a Commonplace Book
Watching the Salem Witch Trials
Life in the Massachusetts Bay Colony To get myself back into the flow of life in the Massachusetts Bay Colony while I’m writing And Shadows Will Fall, I just rewatched The Crucible, which is a story I love. Whenever I teach American literature, one of my favorite lessons is always when we read and watch Miller’s work. … Continue reading Watching the Salem Witch Trials
Must Read Books About the Oregon Trail
Are You Reading The Duchess of Idaho? Here is a huge thank you to those of you who purchased The Duchess of Idaho, a time-travel love story set on the Oregon Trail. The Duchess of Idaho was #6 on the Time Travel Romance chart on Amazon and #4 on the Amazon Hot New Release chart … Continue reading Must Read Books About the Oregon Trail
What Was Life Like on the Oregon Trail?
Photo by James Lee on Unsplash Daily Life on the Oregon Trail One of the benefits of researching the Oregon Trail is that there are numerous primary sources written by the travelers themselves. Many of the pioneers undertaking the dangerous trail west, primarily women, kept diaries or wrote long letters to family back east. A … Continue reading What Was Life Like on the Oregon Trail?
Researching The Oregon Trail: The Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort
The Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort in Downtown Las Vegas Visiting the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort I finally made it to the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort in Downtown Las Vegas. I’ve been living in the Las Vegas area for nearly 20 years now and this is the first time I’ve visited the Mormon … Continue reading Researching The Oregon Trail: The Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort
Creative Inspiration On The Oregon Trail
Researching the Oregon Trail Now that I’ve spent some time building up my general knowledge about the Oregon Trail, I’m starting to learn more about the culture of the era, which is always one of the most fun parts of writing historical fiction for me. I enjoy discovering how people lived during whatever era I'm … Continue reading Creative Inspiration On The Oregon Trail
What Did They Eat On the Oregon Trail?
Searching For Recipes From the Oregon Trail One of the first things I did when I began researching life on the Oregon Trail was look up the recipes they cooked on the trail. Since they had limited ingredients and limited supplies to cook with, the food had to be simple to make yet still filling. … Continue reading What Did They Eat On the Oregon Trail?
Bookish Inspiration About The Oregon Trail
Revisiting the Loving Husband World It's crazy how much fun I'm having going back to one of my favorite worlds, James and Sarah Wentworth's world in the Loving Husband Series. And here I thought the story was done with Her Loving Husband's Return! Where Down Salem Way was a prequel, the new book, titled The … Continue reading Bookish Inspiration About The Oregon Trail