All my novels in the Nara series, including the newest one, deal in some way with crimes involving art. Hotel Saint Clare refers to the art collection of the hotel owner for whom Nara works after leaving her teaching job. In The Gate House, centuries old pieces, including stained glass windows stolen from local churches, are hiddenContinue reading “Chasing Art Thieves”
Tag Archives: World War II
History Is Real
One of the challenges of studying or writing about historical figures, real or fiction, is imagining them to be as real as we are. Somehow people of the past lose their reality as flesh and blood, and seem to reside only on the printed page or in the flatness of a photograph. It takes aContinue reading “History Is Real”
Fiction Meets Real Life
In my latest novel “Lydia’s Story,” the main character helps a group of Jewish children escape France during World War II. I just came across this website, “Ariege Pyrenees,” that shows the real life route across the Pyrenees that many people — Jews, downed RAF and American airmen, and others in danger from theContinue reading “Fiction Meets Real Life”
Reading Outside the Box
I read mostly mysteries and suspense novels, because that is what I write and because I review books for Suspense Magazine. But occasionally I read something outside of those genres. I find that a different type of book and writing style can spark my own writing and stretch my creativity. Last night I downloaded TheContinue reading “Reading Outside the Box”
Giving Birth to “Lydia’s Story”
My newest novel, Lydia’s Story, is now available all the major book sellers. If you are a writer, you know what a wonderful rush comes along with writing those words. If you are not a writer, just think of any major project you have embarked on in your life — giving birth to a child,Continue reading “Giving Birth to “Lydia’s Story””
Why Set My Story in World War II?
My newest novel, Lydia’s Story, is a sequel/prequel to my first novel, The Gate House. It is a sequel because the same main characters, Nara Blake and her family, continue their story of life in a small English town, where too much seems to happen. It is a prequel because the book also tells theContinue reading “Why Set My Story in World War II?”
Time to Write; What to Write
If you haven’t got an idea, start a story anyway. You can always throw it away, and maybe by the time you get to the fourth page you will have an idea, and you’ll only have to throw away the first three pages.- William Campbell Gault There have been probably thousands of blog posts, articles and evenContinue reading “Time to Write; What to Write”
Book Review and Other Thoughts
Now that both my parents have passed away, I find myself increasingly interested in the World War II era. And now that The Gate House is scheduled for re-release in May, I am almost ready to submit the sequel to The Gate House, which has a working title of Lydia’s Story. Lydia is the great-grandmother of Nara, theContinue reading “Book Review and Other Thoughts”
Journal Writing Tuesday
Who writes letters anymore? A quick email, a text or a phone call is more the way to go these days. There are two things going on in my life right now that have caused me to think about the slower pace of life in years that have passed not so long ago. The firstContinue reading “Journal Writing Tuesday”