Category: historical fiction

Especially for Educators: “Back Matter Bounty for the Classroom: Part 3” by Beth Anderson

August 15, 2025

I felt like this last part should be titled “From whence it came and where it goes,” but that just seemed a bit unwieldy. Every manuscript I tackle teaches me more about researching, so I often add a note on what was special in the back matter—sometimes a short note, sometimes longer. It’s valuable for … More Especially for Educators: “Back Matter Bounty for the Classroom: Part 3” by Beth Anderson

Especially for Educators: “Back Matter Bounty for the Classroom: Part 2” by Beth Anderson

August 8, 2025

Though much of the fascinating information I glean from research never makes it into the story, some of it earns a place in back matter if it has the potential to engage and benefit educators, librarians, parents, and, most of all, young readers. Images and graphics are always a favorite! GIVEAWAY! Leave a comment below … More Especially for Educators: “Back Matter Bounty for the Classroom: Part 2” by Beth Anderson

Especially for Educators: “Back Matter Bounty for the Classroom: Part 1” by Beth Anderson

August 1, 2025

As I worked on the back matter for what hopefully is book number twelve, I thought about all the fabulous kinds of information that awaits teachers in these often overlooked sections. I’ve explored back matter in posts and gatherings for writers, but I’ve never done it from an educator perspective. SO… I decided it was … More Especially for Educators: “Back Matter Bounty for the Classroom: Part 1” by Beth Anderson

Behind the Scenes: “The Sweet Spot Where History and Fiction Meet” by Nancy Churnin

September 8, 2023

As a children’s author drawn to nonfiction topics, I know the most difficult part of writing a book about real people and events in the past is to figure out the best way to tell a story to make it matter and connect to kids today. THAT is everything. And that challenge can lead a … More Behind the Scenes: “The Sweet Spot Where History and Fiction Meet” by Nancy Churnin

Mining for Heart: “Finding the Focus for Rivka’s Presents” by Laurie Wallmark

June 16, 2023

While many people are inspired to write a piece of family history, a memory or heartfelt reverence for ancestors’ endeavors isn’t usually enough to create a great picture book. Laurie Wallmark’s patient pondering to find the focus along with her expert knowledge of how to write an engaging story resulted in her latest release, RIVKA’S … More Mining for Heart: “Finding the Focus for Rivka’s Presents” by Laurie Wallmark

Behind the Scenes: “Building Franz’s Phantasmagorical Machine”

April 29, 2022

This post is another in my author’s journey. Though my initial attraction to Franz Gsellmann’s story came from the child within, and the writing brought more layers of connection, as I reflect back on it now, I’ve found something deeper.  To celebrate the release of FRANZ’S PHANTASMAGORICAL MACHINE, we’ve got a GIVEAWAY! Just leave a … More Behind the Scenes: “Building Franz’s Phantasmagorical Machine”

Cover Reveal! Cloaked in Courage: Uncovering Deborah Sampson, Patriot Soldier

March 20, 2022

Women’s History Month bonus! COVER REVEAL! The gorgeous and creative cover for CLOAKED IN COURAGE: UNCOVERING DEBORAH SAMPSON, PATRIOT SOLDIER is out in the world! Yes! Another revolutionary woman! REVOLUTIONARY PRUDENCE WRIGHT (released 2/1/22) is set at the opening of the American Revolution, and Deborah Sampson’s story takes place during the last 2 years of … More Cover Reveal! Cloaked in Courage: Uncovering Deborah Sampson, Patriot Soldier

Cover Reveal! Franz’s Phantasmagorical Machine

October 29, 2021

I was a kid blessed with a father who had a workshop—a section of the basement with work benches, tools, hardware, and LOTS of scraps! I could go down there to create, experiment, and “invent” (crude versions of things that had already been invented). I distinctly remember a stirring device I built with a crank … More Cover Reveal! Franz’s Phantasmagorical Machine

Mining for Heart: “A Difference of Color” by Larry Dane Brimner

September 10, 2021

Sometimes, a story idea won’t let go, but, like Larry Dane Brimner, until I connect on an emotional or experiential level that hits me in the heart, it won’t become a story. Here, Larry shares how he found his way into his latest book: Without Separation: Prejudice, Segregation, and the Case of Roberto Alvarez, releasing Sept. … More Mining for Heart: “A Difference of Color” by Larry Dane Brimner

Cover Reveal! Revolutionary Prudence Wright

July 2, 2021

With the Fourth of July around the corner, I thought it’d be a perfect time for a sneak peek and cover reveal for REVOLUTIONARY PRUDENCE WRIGHT: LEADING THE MINUTE WOMEN IN THE FIGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE. We all learn about Paul Revere’s ride and the battles at Lexington and Concord where the first shots of the Revolutionary War were … More Cover Reveal! Revolutionary Prudence Wright