After the release of one book comes the exciting prospect of creating the next. So many questions to answer. Yes, it will be historical, but what year and where? Then there’s my characters. I need to know their backstories, even the details my readers will never know but I must because those shape who they are now. Then there’s their all-important names and goals, sorrows and joys.

I’m currently researching the story of women homesteaders in South Dakota in the early 20^th century. It’s a story I’ve wanted to tell for years but wasn’t ready until I recently heard about a friend’s grandmother who did just that. It wasn’t only men who claimed their 160 acres from the Homestead Act of 1862. (Land was distributed through the Act from 1868 to 1955.) Women weren’t always dragged away from friends and family in the east to live a life of maddening isolation on the prairie, as was so often taught us in the past. Many women chose to embrace the challenge, the adventure. It was one of the few ways a woman could declare her freedom from men and own land of her own.

For women to do so, there were a couple of rules: She had to be either single or head of household. Meaning, if married, she needed to show her husband was unable to provide due to illness or injury. She could be a widow, and many were, bringing her children to work alongside her. The government didn’t want to give any of the limited available land to a woman with an able-bodied husband, and they didn’t want a wife to be able to claim the land neighboring her husband’s claim, thus giving them twice the allowed acreage. She had to be at least 21 years of age, same as the men. And, like the men, she had to be a citizen or an immigrant who had formally declared her desire to become a citizen. No one who fought against the Union was allowed to claim land. Free slaves could, allowing them the chance to start a new life.

Claiming your 160 acres was not free, and the work was not easy. You paid a locator to help you find available land that suited your needs, then paid a registration fee to the local land office. You had to build a structure to live in if you weren’t lucky enough to get land with one already there from someone who gave up their claim. Typically a dugout, soddy, or claim shack. Then you had to “prove up” the land over a course of five years. This meant an upfront investment in animals, equipment, and seed. Furniture and food for yourself until that first crop came in . . . if something didn’t happen to destroy it. If you weren’t blessed with a lot of money to invest, you had to find employment to work along with your claim. Some women taught school in their home. Others found jobs in town as a teacher, seamstress, waitress, or cook.

The prairie was a beautiful, but harsh, place to live. Extreme weather and constant wind. Insects, snakes, and other dangerous wildlife. Not to mention, you couldn’t always trust the other people. Especially if you were a woman living alone. But it was also a place of community. Neighbor helped neighbor. A woman homesteader might trade her bread baking skills to the man on the next claim if he’d plow her land for her. Some shared livestock and farming equipment. There were many social functions among the claims and in the towns to ward off the isolation. Holiday celebrations, Sunday afternoon card games. If someone had a guitar or violin or harmonica and could play a decent tune, dances were common. Some women brought pianos with them. Over time women formed sewing/quilting circles, literary and church societies. It was the women who made sure there were schools/teachers available for their children, as well as churches. (To civilize the men?)

Not everyone thrived in their endeavors. Crops failed. Homesteads burned in prairie fires or blew away in a tornado. Both man and beast froze to death when lost in a blizzard, or drown trying to cross a raging river. Death from illness or injury was common. But those that did succeed said later they would do it all over again. These people embodied the spirit that built this great country and it made them, all of us, stronger.

When the five years were complete, homesteaders were granted a deed declaring the land belonged to them free and clear. For the women, that meant their land would always be theirs, in their name, until they decided otherwise. For that reason, many of the women did not marry until after they’d “proved up” and claimed their land. At a time when women had very few rights, owning land gave them power. It was something no man could take away from them.

My next book, tentatively titled “Under The Endless Sky”, will be available in 2.

No matter how many books an author publishes, each new release is exciting. That’s how I feel now that my fifth novel, “Love Through Time”, has released. A romantic western time travel with a touch of paranormal, this story has something for everyone.

Annie March is devastated when she catches her fiancé in bed with another woman mere weeks before the wedding. But when she decides to go on the honeymoon without him and meets a handsome cowboy, a whole new world of possibilities opens before her.

Rancher Rod MacCray is attracted to the beautiful Annie from the moment they run into each other on a busy Deadwood street. But when he offers to take her to the ghost town of Custer Creek and show her the renovations he’s made to his four-times great-grandparents’ hotel, their lives are changed in a most unexpected way.

While in pursuit of a pair of ghosts, they fall through a broken staircase and wake up in 1880 Custer Creek running from an armed posse. Can they find their way back to their own time before Annie is hung for murders she did not commit?

Paperback available through Amazon and Ebook through Amazon and https://books2read.com/u/bME9A7

Selling our books can be more difficult, more time consuming, than writing our books. That’s saying a lot. Yes, there’s Amazon and other online book sellers, but authors still have to work the PR circuit, getting the word out anywhere they can. Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), blogs and websites, etc.

There’s also friends, family, and friends of family. Love you guys! Can’t say that enough.

Then there are the meet-and-greet, signing events. I’m currently signed up for four different events this year, with a fifth on my radar for October, and a sixth in November. You can find me at:

LLSN (Local Ladies Social Network, Inc) at Bell Tower Shops in beautiful, warm, and sunny, Fort Myers, FL, on Saturday, January 20th, from 10 to 3.

Local Author Meet and Greet at the Bonita Springs Public Library in equally beautiful, warm, and sunny, Bonita Springs, FL, on Saturday, March 23rd, from noon to 3.

Wild Deadwood Reads at The Lodge, Deadwood, SD, on Saturday, June15th, from 9:30 to 3:30. This is a big event with close to 100 authors of various genres. Some of your favorite cover models will be strolling about, signing autographs and taking pictures. It’s the same weekend as Wild Bill Days and there’s so much going on for the entire family. Much to see, much to do, in the gorgeous Black Hills of South Dakota.

Romantic Galena Reads at the historic (and reportedly haunted) DeSoto Hotel in Galena, IL, on Saturday, September 7th, from 10-3. This is Galena’s ladies’ weekend so there’s a lot planned by the city to make for a fun girls’ vacation.

My fifth event will be the Bloomer Arts and Crafts sale in October, Bloomer, WI, and held at the school.

The sixth, if held again this year, is at a brewery in Manitowoc, WI, in November.

Hope to see you at one, two, or all of these events. I’m aiming to have my next release available by Deadwood. It’s an historical/western/time-travel/paranormal romance. A little bit of everything for the reader who isn’t sure what they’re looking to pick up next.

HOME OF THE FREE BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!

For authors, speaking to a book club is always a treat. Whether we’re someone who finds it easy to talk to a group, or someone who is most comfortable with our own company, getting in-person feedback is a rush. Especially when it’s positive and they’re anxious to read more.

I recently had the opportunity to talk to two different groups about my stand-alone, “Mary Bishop”. It was interesting to learn which character was a favorite, or which scene evoked the strongest emotions. Some opinions led to nods and laughter, while others an agreeing sigh.

Of course, most of the questions were for me. How long have I been writing? (As long as I can remember.) Where do I get my ideas? (Anywhere and everywhere. A person, an event, a scene in a movie or history book. You never know what will light that spark.) And they always want to know what I’m working on next. (A western time travel with a dose of the paranormal set in the Black Hills of South Dakota.)

If you belong to a book club, consider inviting a local author, particularly the indie published, to come talk to your group. You won’t be sorry. And you might just discover your new favorite must-read.

If you’ve been following my blog, you know my book “Lizzie: The Home Coming” was released the end of April. The end of one book means the start of another. It’s both an exciting and scary time. Exciting because I get to choose from a number of ideas always floating around in the back of my mind. Exciting because it means new research and getting to know a new set of “friends” that will be a part of my life for at least the next year.

Scary because there’s always that little voice whispering in my ear, questioning whether or not I can do it again, whether or not I can write another novel length project my readers will enjoy.

I started that next project this week. It’s a western time travel tentatively titled, “Love Through Time”, and takes place between a 2023 Black Hills ghost town and its booming 1880 gold mining counterpart.

When Annie March is suddenly thrown back in time and into the life and body of Cora Landon, the new schoolmarm of Custer Creek, Dakota Territory, how does she find her way back to the world where she belongs? And after meeting the handsome Rod MacCray, does she prefer to stay?

Have you ever read a book that didn’t deliver in the end? Last night I finished a book I was excited to read. The author’s setting was intriguing, one I’ve been planning to use myself in the future. Her scenes were descriptive and intriguing, compelling. I read later than usual because I had to finish it. Then came the ending . . . the twist was satisfying, but otherwise it left me upset. Of the two lead female characters, the one had her happily-ever-after, but not the other. I’m not going to name the author or the title because some may find the ending just what they expected, what they believed it had to be.

I did not.

What do you do when this happens to you? My husband suggested I never read this author again, but I don’t think that’s the answer. Her other books could be perfectly satisfying to me. I merely don’t agree with this one. I was invested in this character and was cheering how she found happiness after a sad abusive childhood. Her death back in the place she had escaped all those years before made me angry. I won’t even leave a bad review. My emotions regarding the ending are mine and mine alone, and had nothing to do with the writing. I merely won’t recommend it to a friend looking for a good read.

As a writer, the ending we choose, and how it’s written, is as important as the beginning. Maybe even more so. With an almost endless number of writers and books available, we’re asking readers to choose ours. To give us their money and their precious time. I hate to think that one of my books might fall flat for even one reader.

So, for all of you who have read one of my books, or might read one in the future, I hope I did not disappoint.

It’s an exciting day. Book three of The Pine Lake Girls, “Lizzie: The Home Coming”, is now available in both ebook and paperback on Amazon! Order your copy now and learn the answers to all your questions from Book one, “Alice: The Betrayal”, and Book two, “Betty: The Rebel”.

It’s 1919, and one friend’s betrayal has put all three Pine Lake Girls in danger.

Lizzie Finley is overjoyed with the arrival of her newly adopted daughter, but she’s terrified of a secret she’s learned from her mother’s past. A secret she fears will ruin her future if discovered by her friends and neighbors.

Alice Barnes has started a new life with Harry’s brother, Jack. Married and carrying his child, Alice’s future is bright, but the shadow of Betty’s betrayal still haunts her past.

When Betty Barnes returns to Pine Lake, forced to flee Minneapolis and her husband Harry’s murderous rage, she turns to the only two people she feels she can trust to protect her and her unborn child.

Is this the opportunity Lizzie’s been searching for to heal the rift between her two best friends? Can Alice ever forgive Betty? Or is it truly the end of the Pine Lake Girls, friends forever?

How do you feel about Daylight Savings Time (DST)? Would you rather we have a permanent DST and none of this changing back and forth? Being retired from my day job, I find I personally don’t care one way or the other because I’m neither going to work/school in the dark or coming home from work/school in the dark. But I know it is a hot topic with most people feeling strongly one way or the other.

I was curious as to the history of DST and found the following on www.timeanddate.com.

The concept of DST began in Germany in 1916, as a WWI energy saving measure. Many of the European countries quickly followed suit. The US inaugurated what they called “Fast Time” in 1918. Robert Garland, a Pittsburgh industrialist, was enamored by the idea after a visit to the UK and pushed for its institution here. It was repealed seven months later, although some cities chose to continue: including Pittsburgh, Boston, and New York City.

In 1942, President Franklin D Roosevelt enacted year-round DST, which he called “War Time”. It lasted from February 9, 1942 to September 30, 1945, and went by: Eastern War Time, Central War Time, Mountain War Time, and Pacific War Time. After the Japanese surrendered in Mid-August 1945, “War” Time was changed to “Peace” Time.

From 1945 to 1966, there were no uniform rules and this caused a lot of confusion. Particularly with scheduling trains, buses, and broadcasting. So, the Uniform Time Act of 1966 was enacted. DST would begin on the last Sunday of April and end on the last Sunday in October.

The oil embargo of 1973 led to year-round DST beginning in January 1974 and ending in April 1975. The intent was to study seasonal change on oil consumption. There were a lot of complaints from people, and the discovery of only a moderate change in oil consumption. (I was in high school at the time and walked to school. While it wasn’t unusual for me to walk home in the dark if there was a late play practice, I didn’t particularly like walking to school in the dark.)

After 1976, there were several revisions enacted. From 1987 to 2006, DST lasted seven months. Our current schedule came to be under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and has been followed since 2007. It begins on the second Sunday in March, and ends on the first Sunday in November.

The US is one of seventy countries that currently operate under a DST schedule, with only two US states opting to not participate: Hawaii and Arizona. Hawaii uses Hawaii Standard Time. Most of Arizona uses Mountain Standard Time, with the exception of the Navajo Nation, which extends into Utah and New Mexico, both of which do participate. Indiana abstained in 1970, but voted to rejoin in 2006.

There is an ongoing debate on whether or not to do away with DST. On March 15, 2022, the US Senate unanimously passed the Sunshine Protection Act which would allow a state to opt to a permanent DST schedule. (Under the current law, they can only opt out.) The act would need to be approved by both Congress and the President, neither of which has happened at this time. In anticipation, nineteen states have enacted or passed legislation that would allow them to opt for a permanent DST schedule: Kentucky, Mississippi, Georgia, Montana, Alabama, Minnesota, Utah, South Carolina, Georgia, Idaho, Wyoming, Louisiana, Delaware, Maine, Oregon, Washington, Tennessee, Florida, and California.

As I said in the beginning, I don’t have a strong personal preference. But I can see both sides of the debate. It all depends on when you prefer to have that extra sunlight, morning or evening. If I had to choose, I guess I’d go with DST. I’m not a morning person, so when I do have to get up and it’s still dark, it’s a definite struggle. Yet, I’m getting to the point where I’m not a fan of driving at night. And I’m more likely to be driving at night than getting out of bed early. So . . .

What do you think? If it was on the ballot tomorrow, how would you vote?

We’re almost a month into another new year and most of us have probably already broken all our resolutions. Mine might not be broken, but they have taken a bit of a beating. Why do we even make these promises to ourselves? Promises like losing weight, working out more, being an overall better person?

I’m as guilty as anyone. This year it was all the usual promises, plus the vow that I would write a minimum of 1000 words a day on my next novel. That’s roughly 4-5 pages. Doesn’t sound so hard, right? Well, that depends on the day and the scene/chapter. I recognized from the beginning there would be days this wouldn’t be feasible. Days like Christmas, or when I have the chance to spend an afternoon playing with my grandson. (He’s only little for a short time.) There was the weekend I had a stomach bug I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. But there were also the days I decided to check out a new Netflix series over my morning coffee with the promise to only watch one episode, yet spent the entire day binging the first season. Then, I loved the show so much, I started right in binging season two the next morning.

Rather than looking at this as a failure, throwing up my hands and saying maybe next year. It just means I start over as if today was the first day of a new year. Every day is the first day of a new year. So, I’m back on the horse with a few stricter rules for myself (all those streaming services are for evening watching). If I fall off the wagon, or it’s a day where there are other more important things to do (i.e., playing with my grandson), I forgive myself and keep going the next day.

Every morning you wake up is a gift. Use it wisely and start all over. If it doesn’t work out, remember, tomorrow is another new day, and you can try again.