Spain in Renaissance times was a place of strict rules and class distinctions, with the Roman Catholic Church overseeing most aspects of life. Women in particular had well-circumscribed roles and spheres of activity, particularly among the wealthy. Losing one’s respectability … Continued
An interview with the Historical Novel Society on my series, Across the Great Divide
the period of the cattle drives was relatively short, beginning in the 1850s, largely suspended during the Civil War, and ending in the 1890s due to railroad expansion. In the beginning, a group of cowboys would drive a herd of as many as a thousand cattle from pastures in Texas, Colorado, Kansas, and New Mexico north and east to railheads. The towns at the end of the rails were those of western legend – Abeline, Dodge City, Wichita, Ellsworth, Cheyenne, Denver, Fort Worth, and Dallas.
The Whispering Women by Trish MacEnulty My rating: 4 of 5 stars You are pulled into the world of 1913 NYC, glimpsing through the doors and windows at the less-than-stellar lives of the upper class. MacEnulty gives a compelling vision … Continued
“Act Worthy of Yourselves” an Alternate Ending I wrote the short story “Act Worthy of Yourselves” that asks the question “What if Dr. JosephWarren had survived Bunker Hill?” as part of the Historical Writers Forum anthology “AlternateEndings” because frankly, Dr. … Continued
The man smiled, but his eyes did not. Handing Luther a paper, he said, “What you can do is get out of Indiana. We don’t want your kind here. I’m the sheriff and part of the Superintendent Board for the Colored just formed here in Madison. Maybe you can’t read that, but it says that you came into this state illegally, in violation of the Indiana constitution. You’re an escaped slave from Kentucky. War or no war, slavery is still legal in Kentucky, and unless you have freedom papers or permission from the state of Indiana to be here, you need to git! Someone recognized your wagon—you were at the riots in Evansville. The sheriff there sent me a wire. You’re a troublemaker. You fired a gun at white men. You slaves are just a bunch of escaped monkeys, trying to overrun us. You have twenty-four hours to get out of the state, or I’ll be back with chains and ship you to your owner in Kentucky.”
Imagine – what if? We all know the past is the past, but what if you could change history? We asked eight historical authors to set aside the facts and rewrite the history they love. The results couldn’t be more … Continued
The Historical Writer’s Forum, of which I am a member, is publishing an anthology – due November 1, 2022 – of short stories from eight authors, including me. The theme for the collection is What If. Eight talented history writers … Continued
Guest Post by Salina B. Baker When it comes to the American Revolution, most people have heard of men like George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson, who were instrumental in the founding of this country. But what … Continued
Factory workers in the 1930s and 1940s were often mistreated. This was particularly true for black people. In 1943, the workers at R J Reynolds in Winston-Salem had enough. They organized a union and called a strike. The worker’s grievances … Continued