Blogs
How Did the Civil War Change the United States for Good?
Photo by Sonder Quest Having the answer to the question "How did the Civil War change the United States?" Is helpful because it helps us understand our American roots. Valuing history through writing historical fiction is a good way to learn from our past. This is...
Defining We the People: Why the Civil War Was Fought
Photo by Jen Theodore The American Civil War was a brutal conflict that lasted from 1861 to 1865. Despite almost two centuries since, it still remains a defining chapter in American history. The character of the war was manifold, having been fought over deeply...
Valuing the History Through Writing Historical Fiction
Photo by Tanner Mardis on Unsplash By writing historical fiction, we can place great value on history while imbuing it with great meaning and significance. Writing historical fiction plays a crucial role in deepening our grasp of the past and animating historical...
The Rise of Historical Fiction: Why This Continues to Thrive
Photo by Mr Cup / Fabien Barral on Unsplash One might expect that literary trends lean towards more direct, bite-sized forms of storytelling. Yet, the enduring popularity of historical fiction suggests otherwise. This genre blends the factual foundations of the...
This Day in History, April 9th
The first thing I do every morning when I open my copy of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel is check what we Milwaukeeans fondly call the “Green Sheet.” It’s the time-honored section of the paper that features comics, puzzles, and news about the arts, but my favorite...
My thoughts about Mr. Victor Hugo
Because my husband, Mark, worked as an IT specialist for many years, he is extremely tech savvy. I have sometimes remarked that he likes computers more than people. Therefore, he reads things on his Kindle while I sit with my books, turning pages and marking...
I’m a writer, not a talker
I have said it many times and it gets more true the older I get: I am a writer, not a talker. In fact, I usually embarrass myself whether I am engaged in casual conversation or attempting to espouse on any topic from current events to a history lesson. My words get...
Patriotic Memories: Why Remember the American Civil War
Photo by Chad Brocker Patriotic memories are very important in reading historical fiction, and in The Bone Pile series by fiction novelist and author Sharon Turner, patriotism is delivered. For much of the world, what happened between 1861 and 1865 might just be...
Why Historical Fiction Matters: Learning History Differently
Photo by Scott Umstattd The reason why historical fiction matters lie in its purpose of allowing the readers to see what happened in the past in a different light or a brand new set of eyes. Sharon Traner, author of The Bone Pile Series, is a huge history buff....
Me and Names
I always wanted a big family and I have one—eight children with an ever-expanding third generation of grandchildren. I couldn’t be happier. My life is fulfilled and joyous. but having such a large family presents one problem—at least for me—getting the names right!...