I have always admired strong women: Women who take a stand that defines them through life. Elizabeth caught my attention when I bought a slip of paper on which she wrote the words: “Men are what their mothers make them.” That comment, framed and hanging on the wall outside my writing room seemed to call…
Elizabeth Cady Stanton definitely had a mind of her own. She had no interest in things that women were supposed to find fascinating. Instead, she had an insatiable desire to involve herself in chemistry, law, mathematics, the freeing of slaves, and improving the rights of women. In 1823, many laws were unfair to women. This…
What comes to mind when you think of Thanksgiving? Some of you may think about the Pilgrims and Indians and the feast they shared on this day long ago. But if you are more food oriented, you probably think about the scrumptious food you will have with friends and family as you celebrate this day.…
Arsenic, cyanide, and strychnine are the classic poisons. The seemingly innocent little old ladies in Arsenic and Old Lace, one of my favorite movies, used these three poisons in their deadly elderberry wine. One gallon of this toxic wine contained one teaspoon of arsenic, half a teaspoon of strychnine, and just a pinch of cyanide. Unsuspecting…
Miss Polly had a dolly, but instead of a real dolly, it was her daughter, Nina, that she protected from everyone and everything. Instead of being allowed to play with other children and get dirty, she was paraded around to show off how beautiful she was. Then she finally gets to talk to a boy,…
Are you looking for idioms and words that can be used to set a creepy tone to your scene or story? Do you want to use words that will send shivers up your readers’ spines? Is it your desire for those who hold your book in their hands to be frozen with fear? Will they…
Did the Protestant Reformation improve the quality of the lives of wives? Or did it make it worse? When the Anabaptist Swiss immigrated to the U.S. during the 17th and 18th centuries, what three faiths did they bring with them? Why did the Anabaptists believe that the powers of church and state should remain separate?…
The Protestant Reformation was not a time of peace. Travel back to the years 1524 and 1531 to a village in Switzerland near Zürich. This tumultuous time of change makes its presence known firsthand to the Schneebeli household in 1524 when the latest baby arrives two months early and leaves this world only a few…
Murder takes place in a small Denmark town, one where the last murder took place twenty-five years ago. This time, there’s not just one murder. But there is a horrific crime that was committed many years ago on this scenic little island that no one talks about. 1977 – Astrid has been locked in a…
Nursery rhymes are written for little children, so they should be sweet and innocent, right? Little children should not have experienced the horrors and reality of life yet, and these rhymes made to entertain them should not talk about them either. But not all nursery rhymes have innocent meanings. “Ring Around the Rosie” is one…
