While writing Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Taker, I had such great fun finding ways to incorporate some of the many, many 19th century cookbooks I came across along the way! From Eleanor’s cleaning skills to Mrs. Curry’s menus and cooking tips, all were inspired by or taken from cookbooks of the time period. Over the next …
One of my favorite parts of writing historical fiction is getting the chance to set a story where my characters can have chance encounters with real people from history. In my book Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Taker, although I’ve invented all the primary characters, I’ve sprinkled the story with cameos from some of the most well-known, …
I’m afraid I don’t have much to add to the brilliance that is Agatha Christie’s autobiography. Instead, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite quotes from my reading, particularly those pertaining to writing. I hope they encourage and inspire you as they have me! “The whole point of a good detective story was that it …
This short story actually began life as the prologue to my book Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Taker. I thought it’d be fun to share with you this fun little adventure that started things off. What makes this story even more fun, in my opinion, is that it was inspired by a real article from The Spokane …
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas is one of my favorite stories of all time. I was first introduced to this 1844 novel via the 2002 movie with Jim Caviezel and Guy Pearce. It’s an incredible story of love, revenge, justice, and ultimately, mercy. I had never read the full novel, though I think …
I’ll be honest, I don’t read a lot of non-fiction that isn’t about history or has something to do with research for my historical fiction books. I just don’t have the time. But then one of the authors of a mommy blog I follow, Jamie C. Martin, published a book called Introverted Mom. I snapped …
Published in 1975 under the title Bid Time Return, the novel that inspired the 1980 adaptation known as Somewhere in Time caused all subsequent publications to be renamed. I’ve always loved the film, but I’d never read the book. After reading Time and Again by Jack Finney (1970), in which the narrator accomplishes time travel …
If you don’t like to read, you should give this book a try. If you love to read, you must give this book a try. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry is the story of a life embedded with literature and in itself is a woven literary masterpiece. I paused after reading the first 20 …
I love to re-read Agatha Christie mysteries. There are so many wonderful ones, and if I wait long enough, I sometimes forget exactly how the mystery works itself out. 😉 The reason I made a point of re-reading this particular one, however, was because it is in this book that Agatha Christie gives a decided …
Most people are familiar with a certain knitting spinster amateur detective who uses her remembrances of the past to solve mysteries. What most people don’t realize is she was not the first! Meet Miss Amelia Butterworth, and no, from what I can find, she’s no relation to the syrup. 😉 This Miss Butterworth is perhaps …
