There is so much exciting book stuff going on right now, that I’m not sure where to start–with the surprise eBook sale of OUT OF THE RUINS *or* the second BookSweeps giveaway with 15+ inspirational historical fiction authors? I know I just came at you a couple of weeks ago with a BookSweeps giveaway, but … Read More
Today I want to flip open those dusty history books and dig into some of the joys of historical research. That’s right–joys. I know many of you cringe at the very idea, but for a few of us odd history geeks, stumbling over the perfect historical fact or reference is like finding a golden ticket. … Read More
I’m a huge fan of documentaries, particularly those made by Ken Burns. His entertaining and educational style has brought history alive for recent generations. I was pleased when his documentary about Prohibition released just after I finished writing Mistaken, my debut novel. His most recent work, Cancer: The Emperor of all Maladies, once again touches … Read More
One exciting thing about being an author is meeting readers who connect with your books because of their own family histories. After publishing my Prohibition-era novel, Mistaken, I heard from readers who remembered their parents or grandparents telling stories of illegal stills, a family bootlegger, or having worked as federal Prohibition agents. Many of these stories … Read More
As many of you know, today is the anniversary of the Great San Francisco Earthquake which occurred on April 18, 1906. All week I’ve been posting eyewitness accounts of the disaster that occurred 109 years ago. I hope you’ve enjoyed these glimpses into the lives of the people who survived. Also, in honor of the … Read More
In honor of Saturday’s anniversary of the 1906 Earthquake, I’m devoting each blog post this week to survivor stories. Today is the LAST DAY to enter the giveaway for my two novels based during the disaster, Out of the Ruins and Beyond the Ashes. Don’t miss the information at the bottom of this post. The contests will close at … Read More
In honor of Saturday’s anniversary of the 1906 Earthquake, I’m devoting each blog post this week to survivor stories. If you’d like to enter to win copies of my novels based during the disaster, Out of the Ruins and Beyond the Ashes, don’t miss the information at the bottom of this post. As horrific as … Read More
In honor of Saturday’s anniversary of the Great San Francisco Earthquake, I’m devoting each blog post this week to survivor stories. If you’d like to enter to win copies of my novels based during the disaster, Out of the Ruins and Beyond the Ashes, don’t miss the information at the bottom of this post. Shortly … Read More
Many people have asked what inspired me to write a novel about the 1906 earthquake. The answer is simple. The stories. I love historical documentaries and when I watched American Experience: The Great San Francisco Earthquake, I was gripped by the stories told by elderly survivors. They’d all been children at the time, but their memories were … Read More
Do you remember a day in your life when everything changed? How about a day in our nation’s history? What springs to mind–Pearl Harbor, JFK’s assassination, Septemeber 11? For many San Franciscans, that memorable date was April 18, 1906. The region was rocked by a massive earthquake, touching off an inferno that consumed much of … Read More