A Belated Note for VE Day: Uncle Emile, the Ritchie Boy Who Helped Save Us All

Note: I’m sharing this on both my genealogy blog and the site for Nothing Really Bad Will Happen, since it ties into the true family history that inspired the novel. Emile Speeger - In front of Eva Braun's house - 1946 May 8, 1945—Victory in Europe Day. For millions around the world, it was a … Continue reading A Belated Note for VE Day: Uncle Emile, the Ritchie Boy Who Helped Save Us All →

The Importance of Telling the Stories

https://picryl.com/media/statelibqld-1-170591-serpa-pinto-ship-75dbbe Friday night we watched the PBS show, U.S. and the Holocaust: Insight and Understanding. Having seen the original three-part series when it first aired, I found it enormously educational and emotional, especially with the inclusion of a clip of the Serpa Pinto, the converted freighter my paternal great-grandparents sailed on to the U.S. in … Continue reading The Importance of Telling the Stories →

Want to Win a Free Writing Workshop?

Hi to all my writer friends! Today’s a big day – The Emotion Amplifier Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Stress and Volatility has just released, and as part of the Street Team, I’m helping to get the word out about a HUGE giveaway Angela and Becca are running to celebrate! This guide is a … Continue reading Want to Win a Free Writing Workshop? →

I’m a Published Author – Thanks to My Village!

Note: This has been cross-posted to my genealogy blog Who We Are and How We Got This Way.After nearly eight years, my novel, Nothing Really Bad Will Happen, has been published on Amazon! It has been quite the journey. As my Daily Writing Sprint friend Pam aptly put it, "It takes a village to publish … Continue reading I’m a Published Author – Thanks to My Village! →

What a Week It’s Been!

I'm cross-posting this to both my blogs, so I apologize in advance if you subscribe to my book blog as well as this one. I wanted to catch you all up with what's been happening with my novel Nothing Really Bad Will Happen. As of Tuesday, March 12, my book has been live on Amazon.com! … Continue reading What a Week It’s Been! →

How Did I Miss This??

I know I'm a "big-picture" kind of girl, but—geez—this was a BIG MISS! My daughter Meghan is reading her advance copy of the book. She called me a bit ago, asking about the scene where I write about Sigmund and his suitcase. Meg has a stack of family suitcases showcased in her upstairs hall and … Continue reading How Did I Miss This?? →

Two More Days!!

I posted this AI-generated image a few days ago on Facebook. I think it portrays my current state-of-mind pretty well. I remember being soooo excited when I got pregnant (both times!) and then, as the pregnancies neared their ends, I was over it. All I could think of was worst case scenarios. Would Caitlin have … Continue reading Two More Days!! →

Success! What Happens Now?

The day I have been waiting for finally arrived yesterday, February 25, 2024. The novel passed the final review on Amazon and will open for sales on March 12!! What did I do while I waited? Since I have decided to go "all in" with my new "career" as an author, I made business cards. … Continue reading Success! What Happens Now? →

A Small Set-Back

How does that saying go—Don't count your chickens until they're hatched? Yesterday, I woke up on top of the world, ready to order the final proof copy of my book, after tweaking the cover one last time. I logged into my KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) account and uploaded the new cover image. I moved through … Continue reading A Small Set-Back →

Proof #2 Received!

Holey Moley, is Amazon fast! I ordered the second proof version on Friday, February 16 and received it yesterday, February 18! Like most Print-On-Demand (POD) services, Amazon contracts with printers around the country (maybe the world?) to expedite shipping. My last proof copy was made in Middletown, Delaware. This copy was printed in North Haven, … Continue reading Proof #2 Received! →