War of the Worlds: 5 Facts you didn’t know about the Fake Newscast
On October 30th, 1938, a radio broadcast on the CBS Radio station "The War of the Worlds" supposedly led to widespread panic all over the United States -- at least that's what the newspapers said. When you look at what really happened, it was the newspapers -- not Orson Welles and his cast -- that 'faked' the facts! What was War of the Worlds? Welles's broadcast was based on H.G. Wells's 1898 novel The War of the Worlds. The original setting for this story was 1890s England, which Welles changed for the radio broadcast to 1930s New Jersey. They chose…
5 ⭐️ Books I Read This Summer (and some great authors I recommend)
I've had a summer of great reading and connecting with great authors. With fall on its way (no! not yet!) lots of book clubs are talking about what they'll read in the coming months. In this post, I'm share some of my favorite reads, some new-to-me authors, and some old friends whose books always satisfy. (Make sure to check out the great sale on Code Name Edelweiss below!) Shadow in Moscow, by Katherine Reay. I haven't met Katherine but I'd sure like to. As soon as I heard about this story, it was an immediate buy – the Cold War,…
Spring 2023 Reading Recommendations
An AI story in the style of Stephanie Landsem
There's a lot of talk about Artificial Intelligence these days. As an author who's novels were used without my permission to teach Chat GPT how to write, I'm concerned about where this new technology is going. Will there come a day when real authors who put their hearts and souls into their work become obsolete? Out of curiosity, I did a test of Chat GTP and asked it to write a short story in the style of Stephanie Landsem. Not surprisingly, it gave me a Biblical story set by the sea of Galilee. You can read it below. What do…
Previous Articles
War of the Worlds: 5 Facts you didn’t know about the Fake Newscast
On October 30th, 1938, a radio broadcast on the CBS Radio station "The War of…
5 ⭐️ Books I Read This Summer (and some great authors I recommend)
I've had a summer of great reading and connecting with great authors. With fall on…
Spring 2023 Reading Recommendations
An AI story in the style of Stephanie Landsem
There's a lot of talk about Artificial Intelligence these days. As an author who's novels…
7 things you didn’t to know about the Edelweiss (plus how to grow them at home)
Edelweiss, 🎶 edelweiss, 🎶 every morning you greet me. Small and white, clean and bright,…
Protected: Did It Really Happen? Where Fact Meets Fiction in Code Name Edelweiss
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Code Name Edelweiss: Live and In Person!
Thank the Lord we can once again meet in person! I'm scheduling book signings, speaking,…
The Hero Rats who save lives in Cambodia
You read that right. Rats who save lives. Let me back up a bit. Cambodia…
The Christmas Countdown Book & Swag Giveaway
Friday Fun: How much do you know about the 1930s?
I should be writing . . . or sharing some of my Christmas giveaways with…
Why Are WWII Novels Such an Enduring Genre?
Take a look at any bestseller list for historical fiction and you can't help but…
Ready for Love Virtual Event
Are you single Catholic woman ready for a Godly relationship? If so, I want to…
How Did It Happen? Adolf Hitler’s Rise to Power
Adolf Hitler: A hundred years ago, no one knew his name. Now, it is synonymous…
On Being An Historian
When at the wise age of twenty, I decided to change my major from biology…
An Adventure in Wyoming
Learning from the Great Depression: Hacks for Making Ends Meet in 2022
In 1938 -- just like today -- nobody can afford to fill their tank. But…
#Fridayreads Historical Fiction Book Binge!
It's been a while since I posted book recommendations, but now that Code Name Edelweiss…
Five Quick Ways to Show Love to Your Favorite Author
If you love a particular author, here are some easy ways to let her/him know!…
How to Get my Books (and other great books) at Your Library
Do you you know you can suggest titles for your public library's permanent collection? You…
What is coming next from me: Code Name Edelweiss
Wondering what is coming next from me and when? This post answers all those questions:…
Fear not! I have your next great read.
As an author, I get asked for book recommendations a lot. And sometimes I'm stumped.…
Interview with the Narrator of In A Far-Off Land Audiobook
One of my favorite author-moments was opening up an email one morning from the narrator…
I’d like to thank the Academy . . . a surprising look at the history behind the Academy Awards.
I admit it . . . I haven't watched ANY of the movies nominated for…
Why Christian Historical Fiction?
"You're a writer, that's so cool! What do you write?" It's a question I get…
Epiphany: What Do We Really Know About the Wise Men?
Writing the story of Adrina, the Magi’s wife, for Gaze Upon Jesus, (get the story…
Enter into the Nativity: My Gift to you this Christmas
This nativity set was a wedding gift from my brother and sisters. I cherish it…
Five Fun historical facts about The Twelve Days of Christmas song
If you've been listening to Christmas music since the day after Halloween, you no doubt…
Spectacular Christmas Book Party Recommendations
Remember you can get many of these books from Baker Book House and use the…
November is Full of Good News
The Spectacular Book List for All Your Christmas Gifting
Christmas is coming, and what's a better gift than a book? But sometimes it's hard…
Mexican Repatriation of the 1930s (a deeper look and sources)
The sight of the deserted plaza stoked his anger like dry grass fed a brushfire.…
5 Ways to Pray for a Prodigal
I've talked to a lot of readers in the past few months who see themselves…
Nazis in Hollywood? It really happened.
The 'historical' part of historical fiction is sometimes the hardest part to believe. A couple…
What I hope my readers ‘get’ from In A Far-Off Land. (Hint: it has to do with Jesus)
Were Taxi Dancers a real thing in 1930s Hollywood?
Summer Reading Time Is Here
What are you reading this summer? I love summer reading and I've got a lineup…
Of Book Releases and Whatnot
Whew! In A Far-Off Land has been released into the world! I've been hearing from…
Five Days until the Premier of In A Far-Off Land and One Last Book Giveaway
I can't believe it's almost time for the red carpet, the searchlights, the paparazzi. In…
The Penultimate Giveaway
It's the next-to-last giveaway. And that means In A Far-Off Land is almost in your…
The Countdown Continues and so do the Giveaways
Just eighteen days and counting until the book of my heart, In a Far-Off Land,…
Double Giveaway and Less than One Month to Go!
A Giveaway of The London Restoration
This Giveaway is Over. Thanks for participating! I can't wait to gush again about the…
Six Weeks until In A Far-Off Land Premier and Giveaway #8
This giveaway is now over. Congrats to Moon Phoenix over on Bookbub, you've won a…
Double Giveaway: The Curator’s Daughter and Surviving Savannah
Giveaway of Clouds, A Memoir by Laura Sobiech
What a treat it is for me to feature my dear friend Laura Sobiech for…
A Castaway In Cornwall Book Giveaway
I'm so happy to introduce fellow Minnesota author Julie Klassen for this week's endorser giveaway.…
Giveaway #3: Courting Misfortune
This Giveaway is over but make sure to watch for my upcoming giveaways every Thursday…
Orchard House Giveaway
This Giveaway is unfortunately, over. But check back every Thursday from now until May, 2021,…
Shadows of the White City #Giveaway
This giveaway is over but there's more book giveaways to come! Welcome to the first…
Of Gratitude and #Giveaways
Slightly Spooky Reads
I don't often read spooky books, but when I do I read them in October.…
Faded Memories: Old Time Movie Theaters
Review and Giveaway: Clouds, A Memoir
Book Reviews: Joining the Tyndale author ranks!
Book Reviews: stories of WWII and a giveaway
This Giveaway is over, sorry! This time, I'll be choosing a winner from my Facebook…
Leo (or Slats, or Jackie, or Telly . . .) the MGM Lion
The roar of the lion before some of our favorite films has been going on…
Book Reviews: Stories about Friendship and a Giveaway
Check out the giveaway for The Last Year of the War below! (This giveaway is…
Book News: In A Far Off Land
2020 is full of uncertainty, but at least one thing is for sure: 2021 has…
Historic Epidemics: the Dancing Plague of 1518
As my last post on the Historic Epidemic series, this one is a little less…
Historic Epidemics: The "New Normal" after the Black Death
How could any good come from a pandemic that devastated the known world? Hard to…
Historic Epidemics: Sweden and the Black Death
Historic Epidemics: the Plague Doctor
The Black Death. The Bubonic plague. The Great Pestilence. The Great Mortality. Whatever name you…
Historic Epidemics: The Face-Mask Mandates of 1918
Are masks the answer to getting back to a 'new normal' after COVID19? During the…
Historic Epidemics: The Spanish Flu Didn’t Come From Spain
As we shelter at home and follow the rising numbers of infections and deaths from…
Historic Epidemics: Malaria in the Vatican 1623
A short-lived illness that left 38 people dead in Italy in 1623 can hardly be…
Parrot Fancier’s Fever–Part 2
Bradshaw Crandall, Beautiful Lady with Parrot, circa 1929, Public Domain In my last post,…
Historic Epidemics: Parrot Fancier Fever Part 1
COVID19 isn't the first epidemic to hit our world, and it won't be the last.…
Walk In Her Sandals: Meet Huldah
Huldah is many things: A friend, a mother, a mother-in-law, a widow and a simple…
Gaze Upon Jesus: Meet Adrina, the Magi’s wife
Writing the story of Adrina, the Magi's wife, for Gaze Upon Jesus, I discovered that…
Gaze Upon Jesus: meet Anna the Prophetess
"Some of the priests called me a prophetess. Others called me aged or even addled.…
Gaze Upon Jesus: Meet Lila, the Innkeeper's Servant
Gerard van Honthorst Nativity Lila may be my favorite character in this group of stories.…
Gaze Upon Jesus: Meet Elizabeth, Kinswoman of Mary
Elizabeth, the kinswoman of Mary, was living a simple life in a small town in…
Gaze Upon Jesus: Meet Mary, the Mother of the God
I must admit, the thought of writing a story from the perspective of Mary filled…
Cooking with Martha: The Flavors of Biblical Israel
As they continued their journey he entered a village where a woman whose name was…
Hagar and The God Who Sees
I'm pleased to welcome writer and speaker Jennifer Slattery to the blog today.…
Jews Vs. Samaritans: Origin of Conflict
We all know the phrase 'good samaritan'. In our day and age, it means someone…
Why the Local Well Was the Facebook of Biblical Villages
Photo from: carulmare, SANO di Pietro Woman of Samaria, 1400s As I like to say,…
Gifts That Keep Christ in Christmas
Gift giving can be difficult. If you're like me, you want to keep Christ…
Walk In Her Sandals: Meet Miriam
Miriam is a courageous woman of Jerusalem who joins her son, James, as he…
Walk In Her Sandals: Meet Zilpah
Zilpah is Anah's grandmother and the mother of Miriam. Although she is ancient, she sees…
Walk In Her Sandals: Meet Veronica
Veronica is not mentioned in the Bible, but in the tradition of the Church she…
Walk In Her Sandals: Meet Anah
Anah is the first 'daughter of Jerusalem' we encounter in Walk In Her Sandals. She…
Looking Forward To Lent
I look forward to Lent. After the excitement, busyness, and sometimes overindulgence of Christmas,…
Something to Read for Christmas
I've always loved this simple formula for gift-giving. With all the pressures of Christmas decorating,…
Are You Ready to Walk In Her Sandals?
"What if you could have been a witness to the events of the last…
If you liked THE THIEF You'll Love RISEN
I’m not a movie critic, but I do love movies. Meaning, I love good movies with…
The Tomb, A Novel of Martha, Blog Tour Giveaway
The Tomb, A Novel of Martha Blog Tour is a two-week long event…
Martha of Bethany's Honey Cake Recipe
"Every woman in Bethany wishes they could make cakes as light as the clouds, like…
When His Breath Fades Away: How did First Century Jews Mourn for the Dead?
When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four…
When his Breath Fades Away: Burial Rites of First Century Jews
During the last few weeks, I've been finishing up edits on The Tomb, a…
A UK Adventure: History, Hiking, and Selfies
How does a trip to the UK with 4 teenagers sound? Exciting? Energetic? Exhausting? Absolutely. And…
Blog Tour: What is My Writing Process? (And a giveaway!)
Many thanks to the lovely and talented Rebecca Kanner for including me on this relay…
What animals belong in the Creche?
Given my interest in Biblical history, it's no surprise that Christmas decorating at my house…
Unwed and Pregnant in Ancient Israel?
This post received an honorable mention from the Catholic Press Awards when it was published…
From Laxatives to Brain Surgery: Ancient Medical Practices
In the Old Testament, illnesses were often God’s punishment for sins: “Yahweh will afflict…
What was Ritual Purity in First Century Judaism?
As I’ve said in previous posts, I’m in no way a Jewish scholar. Yet learning…
Christians and Jews: A Common Foundation in the Word of God
First, let me say that I don't claim to be an expert on Judaism. Still,…
A Fall Gourmet Dinner, Biblical Style
When we think of Biblical food, we often think of simple fare: the bread and…
Joy, Beauty, and Generosity in Brazil
South America: it conjures up visions of jungles, political unrest, and poverty. What was I…
Why I'm heading to South America with a Backpack and Sleeping Bag
You won't be hearing much from me in the next two weeks. No facebook posts,…
What do demons in the Bible tell us about Jesus?
For the past two weeks,I've shared some of my research into demons and demonic possession…
How does one become possessed by a demon?
Voodoo Doll, 4th century : photo credit: Marie-Lan Nguyen via Wikimedia Commons "There are two…
Demoniacs in the Bible: real or not?
What is demonic possession? It is tempting to try to explain away what the Bible…
Jews Vs. Samaritans: What’s the Difference?
The Good Samaritan In The Well, the conflict between Jews and Samaritans is part of…
Jews Vs. Samaritans: Insult and Injury
Last week, we saw how the conflicts between the Jews and Samaritans began. So how…
A Real Life Love Story (updated)
Update to post June 6, 2017: Dad went to heaven three years ago, and waits for…
What Community Do You Rely On?
Lots of people don't read past The End in a book. That's fine for them,…
7 Sacred Images of Holy Week
The next few days are the holiest of the liturgical year. Please join me in…
What Did Jesus Really Look Like?
“He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in his appearance…
Yays, Nays, and LOL tweets from The Bible episode 2
As I mentioned in last week’s post, I give The Bible miniseries on the History…
5 ways The Bible wins and 5 . . . well, not so much
In which I interrupt my previously scheduled blog post to say a few words about…
Wine in Ancient Israel
The word wine is mentioned over 200 times in the Bible, either in a real…
Engagements and Weddings in Biblical Israel
With Valentines Day approaching, romance is in the air. Romance leads to love and —sometimes—love…
What did the people of ancient Israel call their homeland?
It lies between the Arabian Desert and the blue waters of the Mediterranean. A small…
How your family dinner can be like first century Jerusalem
Not long ago, as my family of six sat down to dinner, I had a…
How the Biblical Diet Was Anything But Dull
Barley, goats' milk, pomegranates, almonds . . . it sounds like the newest health food…