Pleasance? Is that a real name?
Pleasance. That’s an unusual name for a heroine… even for a story set in 1879. Where did it come from? Did you make it up?
A Double-Topped Quilt: Remembering a Love of a Lifetime
GRANDMA’S WEDDING QUILTS Series debuts today with the release of THE PREQUEL, a short introduction title by Kate Cambridge. My contribution to this 12-volume series (including the prequel) is Pleasance’s First Love. In this article, I share the gem of an idea, true-to-history, that came from researching quilts in Colorado in the 19th century. Who knew a quilt could have two “tops”?
BOOK REVIEW: It Happened At The Fair
My honest evaluation of Deeanne Gist’s 2013 publication, IT HAPPENED AT THE FAIR, a Christian Historical Romance Novel set in 1893 Chicago’s World Columbian Exhibition. I present my Top 5 reasons for rating this title with 5 stars! Includes public domain photographs of the fair’s buildings, original Ferris Wheel, inside an exhibition hall, and more.
BOOK REVIEW: Buying a Bride by Marcia A. Zug
Marcia A. Zug’s 2016 publication, Buying a Bride (New York University Press) is a timely narrative of the history of mail-order brides, from colonial days in the Americas (French and English) through the growth and westward migration of the United States, and into contemporary times. The nonfiction work is an easy read, informative, amusing, enlightening, and draws heavily from original sources. Ever wondered about the TRUTH behind mail-order brides–whether in today’s news, as a setting for favorite Old West Romances, or even pre-Revolutionary War? This five-star nonfiction book is for you!
BOOK REVIEW: Wired Love: A Romance of Dots and Dashes
4 STARS for the 1879 title, Wired Love: A Romance of Dots and Dashes. As an amateur historian determined to learn what I could about the telegraph and its impact on American society, how it worked, and the challenges telegraphers faced, this sweet (innocent) love story fit the bill!
