Doesn’t it seem like some books deserve a soundtrack? When I first visited Yosemite National Park in 2016 to do the on-the-ground research for Where the Fire Falls, I was already looking for something that might make my hero, Clark Johnson, stand out. The heroine, Olivia, is a flamboyant watercolor artist–would Clark pale in comparison? … Read More
The long-awaited release day has arrived for the first of my Vintage National Parks novels, The Road to Paradise! I’m so excited to see this book get out into bookstores, libraries, and especially into the hands of readers. I’ve dreamed of this novel ever since my days working as a ranger at Mount Rainier. Hopefully … Read More
In honor of Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d post a teaser from my 1920s romantic suspense novel, MISTAKEN. As expected with any romance novel, there are many sweet moments from which to choose. My favorites are often found in the early days of a relationship–those awkward moments when a man and woman are circling about … Read More
On July 16th, we celebrated the launch of my debut novel, Mistaken, with a huge 1920s party. It took quite a bit of planning and preparation, and I must confess–I did much of my research on the internet. From Pinterest, to blogs, to Google… the ideas were out there! Now, in homage of all those … Read More
We traveled north to Port Angeles, Washington this week for a family reunion, and I had the opportunity to revisit some of the locations I used in MISTAKEN. For those of you who have read the book, I thought you might enjoy seeing how these places look today. Above, I’m posing on the lovely walkway … Read More
While writing my Prohibition-era novel, Mistaken, I did plenty of research on 1920s soda fountains. And tasty research it was, too! If you’ve always wanted to sample some of these old favorites, you’re in luck. I’m going to be running a series of posts on old-time soda fountain recipes you can make @home. Just so … Read More
“…It was an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again.” The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald. Gatsby–a man of hope? I walked out of the theater feeling anything but hopeful. A verse of scripture … Read More
Courtesy of Colonial Williamsburg Foundation How did you learn about history? Did you memorize lists of dates from dusty old textbooks or did you dive into historical novels like Little House on the Prairie and The Red Badge of Courage? Today, history is refusing to stay confined within the covers of books and teachers and history … Read More
(Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress) I am ridiculously excited about this upcoming documentary, set to air on PBS October 2nd-4th. Directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, Prohibition is a three-part, five-and-a-half-hour documentary film series that tells the story of the rise, rule, and fall of the Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and … Read More