Women’s Fiction Day
I’m excited to be participating in Women’s Fiction Day, sponsored by the Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA). To celebrate the occasion,......
07 June, 2022 / No comment
Blog Archives
Women’s Fiction
I’ve always had trouble identifying the precise genre of my Barton Family Series. With the help of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, I......
02 June, 2022 / No comment
Kathy’s Random Reads
I’ve been focusing my reading on the World War II era, since the novel I’m currently working on is set during that time.......
24 March, 2021 / No comment
“Novel” Quotes
I keep a log of character descriptions that make the novels I read come alive to me. Here are a few that I’ve......
17 March, 2021 / No comment
The Best Cook in the World by Rick Bragg
The Best Cook in the World by Rick Bragg This is a delightful book that is as much about blue-collar Southern culture as......
17 March, 2021 / No comment
In the Fullness of Time
AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE It’s 1913. Hattie Robinson has married the widowed Charles Barton and left teaching to raise Charles’s sons and manage the......
10 March, 2021 / No comment
Hattie’s Place
Hattie’s Place is a story about a young Southern girl, Hattie Robinson, as she comes into womanhood and seeks to find her......
10 March, 2021 / No comment
Women and World War II: Beantown Girls by Jane Healy
Ordinary Women/Extraordinary Acts Reading and writing stories about ordinary women who do extraordinary things is a favorite past time of mine, and the......
08 March, 2021 / No comment
Women and World War II: The Cigar Factory by Michele Moore
The Cigar Factory by Michele Moore The Cigar Factory is the story of two devout Catholic families living in Charleston during the world......
08 March, 2021 / No comment
Women and World War II: A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende
Love and War A love story, A Long Petal of the Sea, begins during the Spanish Civil War and spans a half-century and......
08 March, 2021 / No comment
Women and World War II: Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
Manhattan Beach is a novel of suspense, wrapped around a triangle of characters whose lives become extricably intertwined on a winter day......
08 March, 2021 / No comment
Women in World War II: Home Front Girls by Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan
Friendship by Mail Homefront Girls is the story of two American women brought together by a twist of fate, told entirely through their......
08 March, 2021 / No comment
Women and World War II: Lady Clementine by Marie Benedict
Woman Behind the Scenes Lady Clementine by Marie Benedict. This is a novel that explores many of the familiar historical events surrounding the......
08 March, 2021 / No comment
Women and World War II: The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes This book is set in the 1930’s prior to the outbreak of World War II.......
08 March, 2021 / No comment
Kathy’s Book List for Novels on Women in World War II
As a reader and author, I am fascinated by the stories of strong and independent women who challenge the gender norms and......
08 March, 2021 / No comment
Women and World War II: In Farleigh Field by Rhys Bowen
https://amzn.to/2mfIJEx Review of Engaging Historical Novel I just finished reading a delightful book, In Farleigh Field:A Novel of World War II, by Rhys Bowen. Bowen’s work......
06 March, 2021 / No comment
Women and world War II: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
https://amzn.to/2u61yOL World War II Fiction with Heroic Female Characters Readers who like historical novels with heroic female characters will want to read The Nightingale......
06 March, 2021 / No comment
Women and World War II: The Orphan’s Tale, A Novel by Pam Jenoff
https://amzn.to/2NxR82r Set Amidst the Ravages and Persecution of war in WWII Germany The Orphan’s Tale: A Novel by Pam Jenoff is a compelling......
06 March, 2021 / No comment
Accepting the Lie as the Truth
If a lie is repeated often enough and loud enough, and every effort is made to suppress the real truth, people will believe......
11 January, 2021 / No comment
Women and the Vote: Hope Rests in Tennessee
Republican Convention On June 8, 1920, the Republicans opened their convention in Chicago. Thirty-five states had ratified the Susan B. Anthony Amendment,......
18 August, 2020 / No comment
Wilmington’s Lie: Confronting our Skeletons in the Closet
It was 1898, a tumultuous mid term election year. White planters and business leaders had vowed to remove the city’s multiracial government......
18 July, 2020 / No comment
In the Fullness of Time is Available on Audible
Finally, the audible version is here! In the Fullness of Time: One Woman’s Story of Growth and Empowerment, written by Katherine P. Stillerman......
17 April, 2020 / No comment
“As Thy Days, So Shall Thy Strength Be”
Letters in Uncertain Times This stack of letters I’ve been reading dates back to the World War II era. They’re from the correspondence......
17 March, 2020 / No comment
West Virginia Votes to Ratify the Nineteenth Amendment!
On March 10, 1920, West Virginia voted to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment. By August of 1920, thirty-six states had ratified the amendment,......
10 March, 2020 / No comment
The Women’s March 1913
On March 3, 1913, the eve of Woodrow Wilson’s first inauguration, the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) organized a parade down......
03 March, 2020 / No comment
Women’s History Month–Valiant Women of the Vote
March is Women’s History Month! Here’s What we’ll be blogging about: We’ll continue the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of women in......
01 March, 2020 / No comment
Valentines for Women’s Suffrage
In the fight for Women’s suffrage, Alice Paul and the Women’s Party sent Valentines to the men elected to Congress. The tactic......
14 February, 2020 / No comment
One Hundred Years of Women’s Suffrage: February is a Big Month
It’s February 1920 and a big month for suffrage. Six states will come on board, as their legislatures ratify the Nineteenth Amendment,......
07 February, 2020 / No comment
Great-Soul Southern Suffragists: South Carolina Votes No
No stronger character did the long struggle produce than those great-soul Southern Suffragists. Carrie Chapman Catt On January 20, 1920, the South......
28 January, 2020 / No comment
Telling the Story of One Hundred Years of Women’s Suffrage: Here’s Where We Stand
It’s January of 1920. The previous year saw huge gains in the struggle for women’s suffrage. But There’s a long way......
13 January, 2020 / No comment
Let’s Tell the Story: One Hundred Years of Women’s Suffrage
100 Years It’s January 1920. The clock is ticking. Will women finally get to vote on November 2 in the 1920 Presidential......
09 January, 2020 / No comment
Aging In Place Part III: Endings and Beginnings
Order of the Longleaf Pine Since I posted about our Aging-in-place project in August, a major change has occurred in our lives. On......
31 December, 2019 / No comment
Last Day for Four-Under-Forty Sale
In case you didn’t get the message: From Black Friday through Cyber Monday, I reduced the price of all of my paperback novels......
03 December, 2019 / No comment
Producing an Audio Book: Guest Post from Kelly Jackson
Today’s post is from an interview with Kelly Jackson, the narrator of my recently published novel, Rising Above It. As an author, I’m......
24 November, 2019 / No comment
Rising Above It Now Has an Audio Book
My recently published novel, Rising Above It, has just been released on Audible.com. It is also available on iTunes and Amazon. You......
15 November, 2019 / No comment
Book Review of The Water Dancer by Ta-nihisi Coates
The Story Ta-nihisi Coates’s debut novel, The Water Dancer, resonated with me on so many levels. There is the story itself—an intriguing tale about......
15 October, 2019 / No comment
Self-Publishing on Audible.com Part 2
In Part One of Publishing on Audible.com, I wrote about how I used Amazon’s ACX to locate two talented narrators to produce two......
01 October, 2019 / No comment
Self-Publishing on Audible.com Part I
There’s Nothing More Engaging than Skilled Narration I’ve always been a huge fan of audio books. When I was commuting back......
27 September, 2019 / No comment
Rising Above It: A Novel of Love, Loss, and Survival in the Great Depression
AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE Hattie Barton’s life changes forever on October 24, 1929, the historic day of the New York Stock Market crash. She......
13 September, 2019 / No comment
Meet Me at Winston-Salem Bookmarks Festival
Author’s Table–11:00-12:00 I’ll be attending the Bookmarks Festival in downtown Winston-Salem on Saturday, September 7. Meet me at the Bookmarks Festival Author’s Table,......
02 September, 2019 / No comment
Join the Launch Team for Rising Above It!
My new book, Rising Above It, is releasing on September 17. As we gear up for the launch I’d love for you to......
19 August, 2019 / No comment
Aging in Place: Part II
The Stump is Finally Gone Yesterday we hit a mile marker in our aging-in-place project. The mighty oak tree that was cut......
17 August, 2019 / No comment
Official Release Date of Rising Above It
Circle Your Calendars for September 17 September 17 is the official release date of Rising Above It: A Novel of Love, Loss,......
14 August, 2019 / No comment
Aging in Place
Everything on One Floor My husband, Bill, and I made the decision several years ago to adapt our Winston-Salem home to our aging......
08 August, 2019 / No comment
Soon to be Published: Rising Above It
Fourth Novel in the Barton Family Series I’m delighted to announce that Rising Above It: A Novel of Love, Loss, and Survival in......
06 August, 2019 / No comment
Summer Reading
The Barton Family Series Are you looking for something engaging to read at the beach or by the pool this summer? Are you......
12 June, 2019 / No comment
BACK TO BLOGGING
I took an extended break from blogging while completing the manuscript of my fourth novel, Rising Above It. It’s finally finished and in......
12 June, 2019 / No comment
Reflections on The Big Silence
The Big Silence Last week, I spent four days at St. Francis Springs Prayer Retreat Center, where I participated in the Big Silence,......
28 January, 2019 / No comment
Historical Fiction: Who Shot the Sheriff?
Subplot for Rising Above It I recently came across one of Greenville, South Carolina’s most fascinating murder cases while reading digital copies of......
09 January, 2019 / No comment
Digital Newspapers: A Treasure Trove for Writing Historical Fiction
Writing Historical Fiction In writing twentieth century historical fiction, I’ve discovered that online digital newspapers can be invaluable for finding the details......
04 January, 2019 / No comment
Back from Break and Ready to Begin the New Year!
via GIPHY Happy New Year! In case you didn’t notice, I took a break from blogging and other social media for the......
03 January, 2019 / No comment
Prepping for Novel Writing: Outlining for Genre Fiction and Literary Fiction
Slow WriMo I’ve been really stuck prepping for National Novel Writing Month. That is, until I found the resources that I’m about to......
19 October, 2018 / No comment
Book Review of Leadership in Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin
What Makes a Good Leader? When I researched the national political climate for my first novel, Hattie’s Place (1906-1909), I found a great......
10 October, 2018 / No comment
Confirming My Identity with Facebook
Reaching Potential Readers As I continue to seek ways to market and promote my writing, I’ve started experimenting with Facebook ads. That’s how......
29 September, 2018 / No comment
Book Review of Fear by Bob Woodward
Bias and Unidentified Sources I’ve previously posted book reviews of two best sellers relating to the Trump presidency– Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff and......
19 September, 2018 / No comment
Rick Bragg’s Tribute to Pat Conroy
You can’t be a good Southerner without being a hypocrite I attended the Bookmarks Festival of Books and Authors in downtown Winston-Salem......
09 September, 2018 / No comment
Bookmarks Festival Authors
Bookmarks Festival of Books and Authors Over the past two weeks, I’ve been reading some of the books whose authors are scheduled to......
05 September, 2018 / No comment
Marketing and Promoting Over the Mountain
Steep Learning Curve One of the purposes of my blog, For the Love of Writing, is to share my journey as an author......
14 August, 2018 / 2 Comments
Seven Reasons Why You Should Become a 2018 WriMo
If you’ve ever wanted to write a novel, you really need to consider signing up to become a 2018 WriMo. I know what......
07 August, 2018 / No comment
Book Review of The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
https://amzn.to/2LTII8p The Plot When Daniel Sempere turns ten, his father, a bookstore owner, takes him to a secret place. It’s called “The......
05 August, 2018 / No comment
Book Review of A Gentleman in Moscow
Engaging Character-driven Novel I’ve finally written this historical fiction book review on A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I listened to all four hundred......
23 June, 2018 / No comment
Historicalnovel.com– Katherine Stillerman’s Official Website
I’m excited to announce that my new website, historical novel.com, is up and running. Thanks to Nu Expression of Winston-Salem for creating an......
20 June, 2018 / 1 Comment
Harriet’s World: Birmingham 1961-1963
My new novel, Over the Mountain, is historical fiction set in Birmingham, Alabama, in the early sixties. I’m posting a few images of......
11 May, 2018 / No comment
Over the Mountain is Indie Reader Approved!
My latest novel, Over the Mountain, received a rating of 4.5 stars from Indie Author Review. Read the full review at https://indiereader.com/2018/05/over-the-mountain/ You can......
02 May, 2018 / No comment
Non-fiction Book Review of A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership by James Comey
https://amzn.to/2HIyipD Partly Confessional and Partly Exposé James Comey’s best-selling memoir, A Higher Loyalty, is partly confessional and partly an exposé of President Donald......
27 April, 2018 / No comment
Over the Mountain: Fiction or Memoir?
Fiction vs. Memoir Okay, I guess it’s time to address the questions being fired at me about my new novel, Over the Mountain:......
07 April, 2018 / No comment
Over the Mountain is off to a good start!
Best Seller in Category Over the Mountain has been out for a little over two weeks now, and sales are going well, especially......
27 March, 2018 / No comment
Jane Friedman’s New Book is About the Business of Writing
https://amzn.to/2pCdIwy The Business of Writing I’ve been reading Jane Friedman’s blogs and following her on social media since I began looking for ways......
24 March, 2018 / 2 Comments
Over the Mountain
AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE “I skipped a generation in the Barton Family series to write Over the Mountain. Later, I followed my plan to......
19 March, 2018 / No comment
How to post a book review on Amazon: It’s the best gift you can give an Indie author!
Indie Authors Depend on Reviews Chances are, you’ve been barraged on Twitter and Facebook with requests from one or more indie authors to......
18 March, 2018 / No comment
Over the Mountain is Now Available on Kindle
http://amzn.to/2oYbwzq The web page is now up and fully operational on Amazon, with the addition of the Kindle version and the......
11 March, 2018 / No comment
Over the Mountain is Published!
Over the Mountain, is now available on Amazon in print for $11.99. The link to purchase is http://amzn.to/2GbkHDK . The “look inside”......
10 March, 2018 / No comment
Over the Mountain is Soon to be Published!
The Ubiquitous Volkswagen Beetle For many of us of a certain age, the Volkswagen Beetle was a ubiquitous sight on the landscape......
20 February, 2018 / No comment
Historical Novel: Last Laugh by Beth Tally
http://amzn.to/2sdqt4G Historical Novel with a Clever Plot Leaves us Wanting More When remembering the Viet Nam era, anybody of college......
07 February, 2018 / No comment
Ending of CreateSpace Author Services Delays Publication of Over the Mountain
CreateSpace Offered One-Stop Shopping I was coming along nicely with my final edit of Over the Mountain. It’s my third novel that continues the......
01 February, 2018 / No comment
Book Review of Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House
A Fly-on-the-Wall View In Fire and Fury, Michael Wolff weaves a compelling story. It’s about the inner workings of the Trump White......
13 January, 2018 / No comment
Two More Publishing Milestones Met, And It’s Only January 5!
Title Finalized and Revision Completed In the first week of the New Year, I reached two major milestones in my goal to......
05 January, 2018 / No comment
Serve Hoppin’ John for Prosperity and Good Luck in the New Year
Traditional Low Country Southern Food Hoppin’ John is a traditional Low Country Southern food, reputed to bring good luck and prosperity in the......
01 January, 2018 / No comment
A Recycled Christmas Poem
Christmas is Coming Down Christmas is coming down. The ornaments and decorations and Christmas mugs are safely nestled in the cardboard dividers Inside......
29 December, 2017 / 1 Comment
Grateful to Celebrate Fifty Years of Marriage
Every Day Together is a Gift Saturday, December 16, was an important day for my husband Bill and me. It marked the beginning......
17 December, 2017 / 1 Comment
NaNoWriMo 2017 Dropout but Still a Winner
2017 Na-No-Wri-Mo As November 1 approached, I was pumped up about drafting a novel for 2017 National Novel Writing Month. The story would......
05 December, 2017 / No comment
Promoting a Book on Twitter
About a year ago, I began using Twitter as a marketing tool to promote my second novel In the Fullness of Time.......
07 October, 2017 / No comment
Win the Book-Naming Contest!
Enter to Win Two Books I’m almost finished revising my third novel, and I expect to send it off to Kirkus Review for......
16 September, 2017 / No comment
#AmWriting #NeedReaderSuggestions
I’ve taken some time off from blogging to work on my third novel. It’s set in the early 1960’s, and is about a preacher’s......
06 September, 2017 / No comment
Book Marketing: What I Did Differently the Second Time Around, Part II
In the last blog, I talked about lessons learned from marketing and promoting Hattie’s Place. (http://bit.ly/2tAjgrD). This time, I’ll share some marketing resources......
26 July, 2017 / No comment
Marketing A Book: What I Did Differently the Second Time Around
Marketing a Book Marketing a book is one of the most challenging aspects of the writing process. A year ago, I published......
20 July, 2017 / No comment
Beach Reading: Mistress Suffragette
https://amzn.to/2NdKqOb Two Novels About the Suffrage Movement Having recently published a novel about the suffrage movement of 1913-1919, Diana Forbes’ debut novel......
18 June, 2017 / No comment
Beach Reading: The Sunshine Sisters
The Sunshine Sisters Last week, I attended a book talk by best selling author Jane Green, held at the Forsyth County Library. Bookmarks, a......
15 June, 2017 / No comment
Nonfiction Books Worth Reading: Introduction to the Bible
https://amzn.to/2zHpQUI Free Online Courses from Yale Divinity School In 2013, shortly after I had retired and decided to pursue a second career in......
24 May, 2017 / No comment
Nonfiction Books Worth Reading
Books that address emotional and spiritual wellness and growth always interest me. When I found and read the two listed below, I decided......
20 May, 2017 / No comment
Nonfiction Book Review: On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder
https://amzn.to/2zAzYym If the main pillar of the system is living a lie, then it is not surprising that the fundamental threat to it......
19 May, 2017 / No comment
Book Review of London for Immigrant Suckers: So Long Yugoslavia by Kolya S.
London for Immigrant Suckers was recommended to me by http://www.TheFussyLibrarian.com, a website that pairs readers with their favorite genres, and promotes e-books of authors......
28 April, 2017 / 3 Comments
In the Fullness of Time is an Amazon Best Seller
https://amzn.to/2NMUvSL In the Fullness of Time sold 126 copies on Kindle today and attained a Best Seller badge on Amazon. The book is number 1......
31 March, 2017 / No comment
Promotional Tour: In the Fullness of Time
As a part of a promotional tour for In the Fullness In of Time, I have reduced the price of the book on......
26 March, 2017 / No comment
A Word of Thanks
Thanks for your help in making the March 18 http://OnlineBookClub.org Book of the Day campaign for In the Fullness of Time......
19 March, 2017 / No comment
In the Fullness of time: Online Book Club Book of the Day
Today’s OnlineBookClub Book of the Day, In the Fullness of Time, received a 4/4 star review and has gotten numerous endorsements from OnlineBookClub members.......
18 March, 2017 / No comment
Sardis Café: A Fresh Way to Observe Lent
My son Bob is pastor of Sardis Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. It’s a small, spiritually progressive fellowship, whose doors are open......
16 March, 2017 / No comment
In the Fullness of Time: March 18 Book of the Day
On Saturday, March 18, my new novel In the Fullness of Time, the sequel to Hattie’s Place, will be featured as Book of the Day......
14 March, 2017 / No comment
Book Review: Autumn by Ali Smith
https://amzn.to/2NG7tCr A Literary Novel About the fragility of mortal lives I just finished reading Autumn by the Scottish author Ali Smith. It’s her......
08 March, 2017 / No comment
In the Fullness of Time is Published!
In the Fullness of Time, the long-awaited sequel to Hattie’s Place is now available on Amazon at https://amzn.to/2AapLJo The book can be purchased in print......
02 March, 2017 / No comment
Literary Historical Fiction: Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
Original, Unique, Poetic, Ambitious in Purpose…Sometimes Over My Head I purchased the Kindle version of Lincoln in the Bardo. It was immediately after......
21 February, 2017 / No comment
Recommended Reading: News of the World by Paulette Jiles
. https://amzn.to/2zmO3zx Both Inspiring and Intimidating As an author attempting to grow as a writer, reading News of the World by Paulette......
12 February, 2017 / 1 Comment
#AmEditing: Is there anything more tedious?
I’ll Gag if I Have to Read Another Word of it Again This is how I’m feeling right now as I comb the......
07 February, 2017 / No comment
Book Review: The Skinny on Losing Weight Without Being Hungry
Back in 2009, while watching the Late Show with David Letterman, I learned about the The skinny on Losing Weight Without Being Hungry. Letterman introduced......
31 January, 2017 / No comment
Ouch, Millennials! Your Tweets Bashing Baby Boomers Really Hurt.
Worst Generation on the Planet? Recently, I’ve become more active on Twitter as a way to promote my writing through social media. (See my......
28 January, 2017 / No comment
Responding to Our New National Reality
Friday–Inauguration I’m one among a vast number of Americans seeking to make sense of the new political reality. That reality was clinched by......
26 January, 2017 / No comment
The Women’s March: A History Lesson on Holding the Party in Power Accountable
https://www.womensmarch.com/sisters Women’s Rights are Human Rights On January 21, the day following the inauguration of the forty-fifth President of the United States,......
20 January, 2017 / No comment
Writing Historical Fiction: Lessons from In the Fullness of Time
The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same Writing historical fiction convinces me of the truth in the adage “The more......
08 January, 2017 / No comment
Editing is Completed: I’m Almost Ready to Publish
I’m excited to report that I’ll soon have a publishing date for In the Fullness of Time: One Woman’s Story of Growth and......
07 January, 2017 / No comment
Favorite Facebook Recipes from 2016
Great Looking but How Tasty are They? So many wonderful-looking recipes are posted on Facebook! And now that You-tube provides the means to......
30 December, 2016 / No comment
Happy Holidays
Wishing you joy, peace, and love during the holiday season and throughout the New Year. SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave...
25 December, 2016 / No comment
NaNoWriMo 2016 Winner!
NaNo Winner I did it! I wrote a little over 50,000 words in less than thirty days. Now I have a very sloppy......
28 November, 2016 / 1 Comment
Thanksgiving Menu Served Up with a Touch of History
Thanksgiving Menu 2016 Turkey and Gravy Cornbread Stuffing Green Bean Casserole Squash Casserole Corn Pudding Sweet Potato Casserole Hash Brown Potato Casserole Spinach,......
19 November, 2016 / No comment
Revolution of Love
the invitation has arrived to step into our courage and our full humanity from this day forward the harm can only unfold and......
10 November, 2016 / No comment
Gaining Perspective on the Election Results: Too Soon?
Waking Up to Find Our Nightmares are Real The election is over, the majority have spoken, and the forty-fifth president of the United......
09 November, 2016 / 1 Comment
Election Day Reprieve
In my last blog, I mentioned that I had been called for jury duty in Forsyth County District Court on, of all days,......
08 November, 2016 / No comment
Update on Na-No-Wri-Mo
25,000 Words in Six Days! It’s day six of National Novel Writing Month. I’m proud to say that I’ve already written 25,000 words......
06 November, 2016 / 2 Comments
Countdown to National Novel Writing Month
Na-No-Wri-Mo Begins at the Stroke of Midnight on Halloween It will happen at the strike of midnight tonight, after all the little ghosts......
31 October, 2016 / No comment
Na-No-Wri-Mo Panic
Countdown Ten Days Only ten more days before National Novel Writing Month begins and I will attempt to complete 50,000 words in thirty......
21 October, 2016 / No comment
NaNo Prep Recipes
NaNo Prep In making preparations for my marathon to write 50,000 words in November, (see Almost Time for NaNoWriMo), I’m searching my recipes......
12 October, 2016 / No comment
Almost Time for National Novel Writing Month
National Novel Writing Month begins on November 1, and I’ve decided to take the plunge and participate. If you’re interested in joining me......
11 October, 2016 / 2 Comments
Using Twitter as a Promotional Tool for Authors
@scott_hampson The cartoon above pretty much summed up my reaction to Twitter–that is until I read Daniel Parsons’ #The Art of Twitter: A......
02 October, 2016 / No comment
The Writing Process: Outline or Hope and Grope?
The Carolina’s Largest Festival of Books and Authors I had the pleasure once again of attending the annual Book Marks Festival in downtown......
19 September, 2016 / No comment
Off the Grid
I’ve been off the grid from blogging for the past two months, completing my new novel, In the Fullness of Time. My goal was......
17 September, 2016 / No comment
Marketing and Promoting a Book : Five Pieces of Conventional Wisdom I Should Have Taken to Heart
Publishing Means You’re Only Half Way Up the Mountain Writing and publishing a novel was always one of my life’s ambitions. That’s why......
24 July, 2016 / 2 Comments
Online Book Club Book of the Day
I wanted to give you a heads up that Hattie’s Place will be featured as the Online Book Club Book of the Day on Sunday, July......
16 July, 2016 / 2 Comments
Listen to the Voices of Peace
Global Terrorism Database The Global Terrorism Database has tracked six hundred and seventy two terrorist attacks around the world in the past year......
13 June, 2016 / No comment
Emotional Intelligence for a Compassionate World: Wearing Our Golden Rule Gloves
Emotional Intelligence for a Compassionate World I just completed an online course, Emotional Intelligence for a Compassionate World. It’s sponsored by the Charter for Compassion Education......
16 April, 2016 / 1 Comment
Making a Difference: Charter for Compassion
Do Something Positive First, and Then Speak In my last blog, I wrote that I would refrain from expressing through social media my......
14 April, 2016 / No comment
Making a Difference
It Only Made Me Feel Better In my blog Why I’m voting for Hillary , I addressed my outrage and concern over the political......
09 April, 2016 / No comment
Whole 30 Update: Behavior Modification Gone Awry
I’ll Find a Way to Have Something Sweet or Die Trying I never have bought into the behavior modifications suggested for dieters. For......
28 March, 2016 / No comment
Why I'm Voting for Hillary
I’m likely to regret this, but I can’t keep quiet any longer without putting my two cents-worth in on the upcoming elections. Those......
03 March, 2016 / 2 Comments
Whole30 Update
Whole30 Update I finished thirty days of Whole30 a little over a week ago. Since then, I’ve been transitioning back into eating from......
11 February, 2016 / No comment
Empowered Women: The Story of the Woman's Party
As background research for my second novel, I have just re-read The Story of the Woman’s Party by Inez Haynes Irwin. The book......
09 February, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 30
Whole30 Day 30 This is it! The last day of Whole30. I’ve eaten healthy, natural foods for one month and completely eliminated sugar......
31 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 29
Whole30 Day 29 You can tell from my food diary that I’ve not been very creative about my meals lately. I’m definitely suffering......
30 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 28
Whole30 Day 28 Two more days! I’m getting restless to finish up this month and begin adding back some of the foods I’ve......
29 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 27
Whole30 Day 27 I’ve been amazed to find that all of the commercially prepared chicken and beef broths contain sugar or some......
28 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 26
Whole 30 Day 26 I love to fix barbecue chicken thighs and legs in the crockpot, but I couldn’t find a barbecue......
27 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 25
Thirty Days Has September…January Has Thirty-One Oh, my gosh! I had totally forgotten that January has thirty-one days. I knew that February comes......
26 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 24
Whole30 Day 24 We got through the snow without power outages here in Winston or on any of the Baptist Retirement Homes......
25 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 23
Whole30Day 23 This blog is gonna’ be short and sweet today. I’m bored with Whole30 and about to go stir crazy here......
24 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 22
Whole30 Day 22 Breakfast–Eggs fried in clarified butter, fresh berries with coconut cream Lunch–Pork chop and sugar snaps from last night, dates......
23 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 21
My attitude has improved and I’ve been successful in counting calories without being obsessive. At day 21, I can see the light at......
22 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 20
Whole30 Day 20 A new day and a fresh start! I made an effort to count calories and to stay under 1300, plus......
21 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 19
Whole30 Day 19 I went in to Dr. Bravo’s office this morning for my bimonthly treatment of Remicade for rheumatoid arthritis. Shelia......
20 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 18
It’s Monday, the traditional day to implement new habits and goals. Mine are to cut back on snacking portions and stick to the......
19 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 17
Breakfast–fried eggs with hash browns made from leftover potato from last night. Lunch--Tossed salad with rotisserie chicken, avocado, Whole30 ranch dressing; roasted plantains.......
18 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 16
Breakfast–Omelette, bacon, and sliced tomatoes prepared by Bill. It’s so nice when someone else cooks! Lunch–Remainder of scallops and veggies from last......
17 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 15
Fifteen days. Halfway through the Whole30 program. It seems like a lot longer than 15 days! Breakfast–omelette with veggies from last night (onions,......
16 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 14
Whole30 Day 14 Two weeks into the Whole30 program and I’m starting to reap the benefits! My joints are not as stiff......
15 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 13
Whole30 Day 13 Breakfast–Fried eggs with potatoes from last night, sautéed in clarified butter; homemade apple sauce. Lunch–Luncheon with friends–grilled salmon......
14 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 12
Breakfast–Eggs fried in clarified butter; asparagus Lunch–chicken tenders,sweet potato, Brussels sprouts Snack–Lara bar Dinner–shrimp scampi, baked potato with clarified butter,spinach with sautéed garlic......
13 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 11
Whole30 Day 11 Breakfast–Eggs fried in clarified butter; ham; berries Lunch–Ate out with my Crisis Control buddies–baked chicken, asparagus, side salad with oil......
12 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 10
Whole30 Day 10 Here’s a great chicken recipe from the Barefoot Contessa that I was able to use for three different meals last......
11 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 9
Whole30 Day 9 After yesterday’s drama, I woke up refreshed and feeling great. I honestly believe this diet regimen is having a positive......
10 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 8
Day 8 Pitfall!!!! Oops! I experienced my first real pitfall today, and just when I was feeling so good about my progress. I’d......
09 January, 2016 / 1 Comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 7
Whole30 Day 7 I’ve made it through the first week and am beginning to settle into the regimen. Food prep is still time......
08 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 6
Whole30 Day 6 Breakfast–I met with a bit of a challenge in that I began attending a Bible study on Acts that meets......
07 January, 2016 / No comment
Kid Power Bands: A Way for Children to Keep Fit and Help Others
I discovered these UNICEF Kid Power Bands and bought them for five of my grandchildren for Christmas. The kids loved them and instantly......
06 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 5
Breakfast–Half of a Frittata, made with 6 eggs, onion, baby spinach, and tomato sautéed in clarified butter (Saved the other half for tomorrow’s......
06 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 4
Whole30 Day 4 Breakfast–Eggs fried in clarified butter; other half of potato from last night, sautéed with onion. Lunch–First time to eat out!......
05 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 3
DAY 3 Breakfast–3 eggs fried in clarified butter, blueberries and raspberries. Lunch–I was starved when I got back from church and downed a......
04 January, 2016 / No comment
Non-Fiction Book Review of Amazing Place by Marianne Gingher
http://bit.ly/2JoKlVI One of my Christmas gifts from my Durham-soon-to-be-moving-to-Charlotte children, was a book entitled Amazing Place. I’ve just finished it, and I highly......
03 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Day 2
DAY 2 Lots of positive feedback from friends and family now that I’ve gone public about my goals. Thanks, everybody. Feeling a little......
02 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Diary: Or, How I am Kicking off the New Year
Whole30 Day 1 For the next thirty days, I’ll be following the Whole30 eating program, which focuses on unprocessed, natural foods such as......
01 January, 2016 / No comment
Whole30 Program: Let’s Get Fit for the New Year
Fit and Healthy in the New Year Christmas is over and it’s time to get serious about healthy living again. How do I......
29 December, 2015 / No comment
Christmas is Coming Down
A Christmas Poem Christmas is coming down. The ornaments and decorations and Christmas mugs are safely nestled in the cardboard dividers......
29 December, 2015 / No comment
A Christmas Memory
Every Christmas season, I polish up my mother’s silver candelabra and set them out in the dining room. Given our informal lifestyle and......
12 December, 2015 / 1 Comment
Ex Parte Tillman: History Makes Good Fiction
A Story Made for TV In my last blog, Historical Backdrop: The Facts Beneath the Story, I wrote about Ben Tillman and his opposition......
20 November, 2015 / No comment
Historical Backdrop: The Facts Beneath the Story
Historical Background I’ve been reading to gain knowledge about the social and political climate in the post war South to understand why the......
11 November, 2015 / No comment
Dr. Cheng tells Colbert: I’m not A Calculator, I’m a Mathematician
A segment on the Late Show last night combined three subjects that always hold my attention: Stephen Colbert, education, and books. Colbert was......
05 November, 2015 / No comment
Just Cause Confronts Lost Cause
Woman Suffrage Movement 1913-1920 I’ve been reading extensively on the woman suffrage movement between the years of 1913 and 1920, as those dates......
01 November, 2015 / No comment
Go Set A Watchman Doesn’t Spoil To Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill A Mockingbird, which came out in 1960, remains among the top picks for all time great Southern Fiction. Not so its prequel, Go......
30 September, 2015 / No comment
Writing Honestly About the Past
Developing a Strong and Independent Main Character One of the challenges I find in writing women’s historical fiction is that of developing a......
22 September, 2015 / No comment
The Incomparable Pat Conroy
Southern Writers Love to Tell Stories About Themselves At the Winston-Salem Bookmarks Festival on Saturday, I arrived early to get a......
13 September, 2015 / No comment
Notes from David Baldacci
Keynote Speaker for Festival of Books and Authors 2015 I had the pleasure of hearing David Baldacci speak last night at the keynote opening......
11 September, 2015 / No comment
Writing Through Writer’s Block
First You Tell It. Then You Know It In my last post, writers-block, I mentioned that I was suffering from writer’s block and that......
30 August, 2015 / No comment
Writer’s Block
Terminal Case of Writer’s Block My second historical novel is in progress. For lack of a working title, I’m calling it Novel #2.......
22 August, 2015 / No comment
Building an Author’s Platform with Help from Self-Publishing Review
Five Star SPR Review In my blog of July 4, I mentioned submitting Hattie’s Place for review by Self-Publishing Review. SPR is a professional reviewing......
12 August, 2015 / 1 Comment
Don’t Ever Underestimate the Power of a Woman!
Alice Paul Works for a Federal Amendment In my last post, Dancing Backwards in High Heels, I wrote of the long and......
02 August, 2015 / No comment
Dancing Backwards and in High Heels
Anne Richards, Governor of Texas, made this remark in her keynote speech at the 1998 National Democratic Covention: After all, Ginger Rogers did......
26 July, 2015 / No comment
Themes of Strong Women and Empowerment
I am Woman As a student of history, I learned early on that the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848, marked the beginning of......
19 July, 2015 / No comment
I can read it but I can’t write about it!
As a reader and viewer, I rarely shy away from content displaying violence, cruelty, or explicit sex. As long as the action advances......
14 July, 2015 / No comment
Reading with the Eye of a Writer
Tis the good reader who makes a good book. Ralph Waldo Emerson Reading to Improve Writing Cuts Like a Two-Edged Sword......
10 July, 2015 / No comment
Building an Author Platform
Building an Author Platform Previously, I shared how I accomplished one of my goals in building an author platform by setting up my......
04 July, 2015 / No comment
Building an Author’s Platform: Blogging
Book Marketing Plan Includes Author Platform Based on the blogs and articles that I’ve read, the most frequently-repeated piece of advice for developing......
01 July, 2015 / No comment
Marketing and Selling a Novel
Thrust into Unfamiliar Territory The time has come to stop blogging about my vision for public schooling, quit sharing Brunswick stew recipes, and......
27 June, 2015 / No comment
Thanks, and have a free read on me!
In appreciation for the encouragement and support of my subscribers, I’m making both of my books available through Kindle, at no cost, beginning Thursday, June......
24 June, 2015 / No comment
Best Brunswick Stew
Getting a Bit Off the Subject I have strayed a bit from the subject of my blog, which is to document my journey to......
23 June, 2015 / No comment
Learning By Doing
Dewey’s Philosophy of Student Engagement vs. Rote Memorization I was seven, when my parents rented out our home in Charlotte, North Carolina. They......
22 June, 2015 / No comment
Our Fathers’ Legacies of Love and Acceptance
The Many Sizes and Configurations of Nuclear Families Nuclear families come in so many different configurations these days. Traditional parenting roles take on......
20 June, 2015 / No comment
Hattie’s Place is on Kindle
Hattie’s Place is now available in Kindle format from Amazon for $2.99. If you have already purchased a hardcopy, you can order it for......
12 June, 2015 / No comment
All of Our Kids Deserve a Twenty-first Century Education
The Way We do School Remains Unchanged The main character in my novel Hattie’s Place (soon to be available on Kindle) is based on......
10 June, 2015 / No comment
Hattie’s Place is published!
Hattie’s Place is now available at http://bit.ly/2NPB1gf In 3-5 business days it will appear on Amazon.com. and will first be available in print-on......
03 June, 2015 / 2 Comments
Netflix Airs New Season of Grand Hotel
May Cure Withdrawal Symptoms from Downton Abbey If you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms from Downton Abbey and wondering how on earth to fill your......
30 May, 2015 / No comment
Beach Reading
Anyone who says they only have one life to live must not know how to read a book. Author unknown As I await......
24 May, 2015 / 2 Comments
The Greatest Generation
You can probably tell that I have strayed a bit from the main purpose of my blog, which is to document my journey......
19 May, 2015 / No comment
What About Us Baby Boomers?
Track that Critter Down! Lately, I can identify with our old Beagle “Doonesbury. “He used to pick up the scent of some......
18 May, 2015 / No comment
Indie Publishing: The Book Cover
Cover Proofs Today I received the proofs for the cover of my book Hattie’s Place and couldn’t wait to open the files. As a part......
04 May, 2015 / No comment
The Cost of Indie Publishing
I Published My Book for Fifty Dollars I published my first book for fifty dollars. Retirement: A Journey not a Destination was a......
02 May, 2015 / No comment
Writing a Query Letter to a Literary Agent
Finding a Literary Agent If you have a piece of writing that you want to publish, one way to do it is through......
26 April, 2015 / 1 Comment
Selecting a Publishing Method
Choice of Publication Methods During a one-hour phone conference, my Kirkus editor reviewed the options for publishing my manuscript of Hattie’s Place. She......
24 April, 2015 / No comment
Editing My Novel
The Writing was Completed and it was Time to Edit I had essentially finished writing my first novel. Or, at least that’s what......
14 April, 2015 / 2 Comments
The Trouble with the Schools
Editorial from 1908 Pertinent Today The Trouble with the Schools could easily be the title of an editorial from my Sunday morning newspaper,......
02 April, 2015 / No comment
A Woman in a Man’s World
The main character in my novel is Hattie Robinson. Hattie is idealistic, opinionated and often outspoken. These are traits that put her at......
28 March, 2015 / No comment
I Discover the Keowee Courier
Library of Congress Digital Collection of Newspapers I’m researching the historical background of my novel. Thus, I needed to get a sense of......
25 March, 2015 / 1 Comment
Hattie’s Place: Historical Setting
The Story in the Context of National and State Goings-on Once I decided that the setting and time frame for my novel would......
20 March, 2015 / 20 Comments
The Nonnie Project
For a number of years, I’d been working on a collection of stories about my maternal grandmother, whom all of us grandkids called......
13 March, 2015 / 4 Comments
Hattie’s Place
After almost two years, I have completed my first novel. I am getting it ready for publication now, and it should be available......
05 March, 2015 / No comment
Welcome to My Blog
Welcome to my blog! For the love of Writing is the place where I’m documenting my journey to become a published author. It all......
26 February, 2015 / No comment
First Try
After retiring from my position as a middle school principal in 2011, I took a whole year to chronicle my life journey thus......
04 February, 2015 / No comment
You Wrote It: Now what’cha Gonna do with It?
My enthusiasm over completing the final revision of a personal memoir, Retirement: A Journey not a Destination, was somewhat dampened by the question of what......
03 February, 2015 / No comment
I Discover KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing)
I had recently purchased a Kindle reader because the idea of having a virtual library at my fingertips intrigued me. That’s because my......
01 February, 2015 / 1 Comment
Createspace.com
I Find CreateSpace About the time I was ready to publish on Kindle, I found Amazon’s Create.Space.com and discovered that I could......
30 January, 2015 / 4 Comments