Blog

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As a curious observer of life, I blog on writing, marketing, my prairie - anything that interests me in the moment. I like to have conversations with readers, so don’t hesitate to leave a comment. I'll respond.

Incredible Women in Historical Fiction

By Carol / 17 April 2014 /

As Alex Myers wrote his book Revolutionary, the story of a woman who disguised herself as a man to fight for the Continental army during the Revolutionary war, he found himself wondering what women his…

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Go Away Home – Book Cover & Release Date

By Carol / 02 April 2014 /

World War One-era historical fiction on track for July launch. It’s been a long journey writing my first novel – somewhere in the four to five-year range – but I’m excited to tell you the…

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The Art of War – The Art of Loving

By Carol / 26 February 2014 /

Movies, reading & walking across Iowa uncover surprising connections. Art and history, love and war intersect as I continue my virtual trek across Iowa. There can’t be many who haven’t heard about the movie Monuments…

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How real are your memories?

By Carol / 11 February 2014 /

Research indicates our brains edit the past to accommodate present views. When we build a new memory, we gather little bits of information and store them together, say researchers at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of…

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Want to be sure they know what you think?

By Carol / 04 February 2014 /

Write a letter they’ll read after you’re gone. In these days of electronic communication, fewer people put pen to paper. Gone are the days when everything from the mundane to the momentous made its way…

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What to do with 30,000 "excess" kids?

By Carol / 28 January 2014 /

Dealing with homeless children 100 years ago In the 1800s, boatloads of immigrants arrived in U.S. port cities. They came seeking the American dream; the reality they faced was often more a nightmare.  Large families,…

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What did rural life look like in 1910?

By Carol / 13 January 2014 /

Early 20th century photos inspire writing. Whether writing memoir or novel, I’ve found photos a great source of inspiration. Today, almost everyone has the ability to take photos. Digital cameras allow us to take pictures…

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Who's reading historical fiction?

By Carol / 10 January 2014 /

Results of second annual reader survey released. If you’re a reader or writer of historical fiction, you may enjoy digging into the results of the 2013 Historical Fiction Survey. In the second year of the…

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A waffle iron for Christmas?

By Carol / 21 December 2013 /

The humble gift of long-lasting love. As Christmas Eve rolls around, I check to make sure I have all the fixings for our waffle supper.  Waffles mark Christmas Eve in our house as surely as…

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The "invisible divide" that splinters families and nations

By Carol / 14 November 2013 /

What makes a family? What makes a nation? What holds them together? What tears them apart? My guest today, author Christoph Fischer, explores those ideas in his books, The Three Nations Trilogy. I recently read…

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