Mt Pisgah Cemetary PicMonk

A Cripple Creek Tribute

Research trips for my historical fiction takes me to museums, libraries, historical societies, archives . . . and old cemeteries. Like the Mt. Pisgah Cemetery in Cripple Creek, Colorado. Established in 1892, the Mt. Pisgah Cemetery is one of Cripple Creek’s oldest sites. Mt. Pisgah remains a natural setting with native plants and wildflowers. Depending upon the time of year, you might find wild …

In the Case of Sisters Blog

In the Case of Sisters . . .

  Then God created sisters. And He blessed me with three. I write. So it’s pretty easy to figure how what I’m wheeling around in my brown rolling case. A laptop computer, an AlphaSmart, and a USB cord. For Sis Cindy, it’s either a tea set or painting supplies. For Sis Tammy, it would be an otoscope and an audiometer since …

Dandelion on the Wind Pic

Castes of Yellow

Where do novelists find a title for a work of fiction? Anywhere, and everywhere. For Maren Jensen’s story, I drew inspiration for my book title from a favorite poem, Castes of Yellow by Viola Jacobson Berg. Mrs. Berg’s two books on poetic forms–Pathways for the Poet and Poet’s Treasury: Second Book of All New Patterns have served as resources I used to teach myself how to …

Cripple Creek Church History Cook Book

Writing Historical Fiction by the Cookbook

You’re not likely to find me flipping channels looking for the Food Network. Fact is, my hubby does most of the cooking and baking at our house. But don’t ask me to write about a new setting without a cookbook from the time period and location. For The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek Series, I pored over the Church History Cook Book from …

Women in History: Mary Claver Coleman

March is National Women of History Month. To join in the celebration, I’ve chosen to feature one of the “real life” women from my Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek Series in today’s post. Mary Claver Coleman was one of those wonderful finds during my research for Two Brides Too Many  My hero was a new doctor coming to Cripple Creek …

Bob’s Corner: No E-Reader, No Problem

Howdy from Bob’s corner! TODAY is Release Day for Dandelions on the Wind, the first novella in Mona’s new series, The Quilted Heart. The three mid-1860s stories are available this spring exlusively in e-Book format, but you don’t need a fancy schmancy handheld e-Reader to read Dandelions on the Wind. Since you’re reading this post, I’m guessing you already have a computer, iPod/iPad/iPhone, Android …

Mollie Kathleen Gortner GoldMineTours.com

Mollie Kathleen Gortner: A Cripple Creek Woman

The fascinating women of the 1800s were not dissimilar to you and I, even though their circumstances varied greatly and required extra doses of pluck. They loved and lost. They laughed and cried. They tried and failed. Many tried again and were victorious. Relationships and community mattered to them. Faith played an important role in their strength and resiliency. Mollie …

PlumPudding[1]

Research, Cookbooks, and Christmas Plum Pudding

Research can be many things: Fascinating, engaging, time-consuming, surprising, delightful. Even yummy. If you’ve been reading The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek novels, you know Miss Hattie attends First Congregational Church in Cripple Creek, Colorado. In Two Brides Too Many, the Sinclair sisters began attending the church. By the end of Too Rich for a Bride, Ida’s husband Tucker Raines …

fudge[1]

Make That 8 Sinclair Sisters Gift Ideas

Can’t believe I’d forgotten #8 when I first made this list! We all know books make great gifts. What makes an even better present? A themed gift package centered around a book. Since I’ve heard from a few folks who are gifting my Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek books this Christmas, I decided to add to the fun and put together seven …

Real Girls 31 Day

A Devotional Book for Girls

Before I began writing historical novels–The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek–for WaterBrook Press, I was writing children’s books for Zonderkidz. Featuring thirty-one women from both the Old and New Testaments—including Esther, Leah, Rhoda, Mary, Sarah, Ruth, Martha, Anna, and Elizabeth—each devotional centers around the woman’s faith-journey and includes a scripture verse, prayer, suggestions for further reading, and even an item called …