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No luck…

I was looking for information on a man named RWJ Reed of Nome when I found this article. RWJ Reed is mentioned briefly in it, but I didn’t learn much about him. However, the article’s story… my first thought afterward was, “You’ve no manner of luck, my friend,” from Pirates of the Caribbean. Don’t wantContinue reading “No luck…”

Water water everywhere…

I know I just posted a few hours ago, but… I was just writing a bit of the novel when something came up. Margaret was going to replenish the resivoir along side the stove when I realized I’m missing something. Something big. WHERE IS THE WATER COMING FROM?! So I turned to Google, and itContinue reading “Water water everywhere…”

Writing Milestones: 20,000 Words

I don’t often update anyone with my writing progress. You hear about my research (or my frustration with research, ha!) but not about the book it’s going toward. I originally started it as a picture book, another in my historical airplane series, but Nome in 1920 really captured my imagination. The 1920s was a fascinatingContinue reading “Writing Milestones: 20,000 Words”

Midnight League of the Arctic Circle

American’s past time: baseball. Okay, so I’m a little late. Here it is almost September, and I missed opening day by… a lot. But I’ve been working on my chapter about the summer solstice, and decided to incorporate a midnight baseball game, so here I am. I’m not a fan of sports, but if I’mContinue reading “Midnight League of the Arctic Circle”

The Future is Now

My husband and I have started going through the steps of building our own home. It would be a country home about 15 minutes from town, on a 10 acre parcel, with a couple hills that provide a nice view of the farming valley. We just visited the site yesterday, and standing on the hill,Continue reading “The Future is Now”

Chum, Choho, Chinook

For those of you who are not anglers or meat-eaters, chum, choho and chinook are all types of salmon found in *drum roll please,* Alaska! One of the characters in my book is a fisherman out of Nome. I got to thinking about him this past weekend, and wondered how large of an operation he’dContinue reading “Chum, Choho, Chinook”

Black History in Alaska

About ten years ago I worked in a data-entry job near Detroit. It was my first full-time job in the United States, and so the first time working in a truly diverse environment (I had a full-time job in Japan, but it was as diverse as classic animated Disney movies, and I was the minority).Continue reading “Black History in Alaska”

Of Middy Tops and Flannel

Today I have to start out with a bit of a reflection. When I was growing up, anywhere from 1 day old to about 20 years, I had limited self-awareness where fashion is concerned. Going into middle school I still wore bright pink cotton shorts with sparkly flower t-shirts because that is what was putContinue reading “Of Middy Tops and Flannel”

When Google Fails (part II): Study Pictures

Google, Google, Google… usually so adept at anticipating my needs. Coming of age “rituals” of teens in Alaska? When Nome got electricity? Linguistic features or regional vocabulary? Nada. But if the information isn’t out there, I suppose I can’t blame Google. It would need to be digitalized somehow for Google to find it. In “WhenContinue reading “When Google Fails (part II): Study Pictures”

Nature, Humans, and Airplanes

A few days ago I finished the first draft of my Alaska Expedition book. It’s just short of 3,000 words, but I expect with editing it will reach up to about 5,000-7,000. I have the basic plot down, but I would like the story to have a strong sense of place and time. 1920 Nome,Continue reading “Nature, Humans, and Airplanes”