Fun with Research by Eileen O'Finlan

 

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A lot of research is involved when writing historical fiction. Most writers of this genre will say that the research is nearly as much fun as writing the novel. I am no exception. I love doing historical research. For me this normally includes reading a lot of historical non-fiction both primary and secondary sources, watching videos, visiting pertinent historical sites and museums, and talking with professional historians. All of this is usually very interesting and informative.

Recently, however, I found myself doing research unexpectedly and sort of by accident.

Lately,  I have been reading and taking copious notes on the American Civil War, everyday life during the mid-19th century, and specifically, the history of Worcester, Massachusetts at that time in preparation for writing the third novel in my Children of Ireland series. The first book in the series, Kelegeen, is set in 1740s Ireland during An Gorta Mor (the Great Hunger aka Potato Famine). The second book, Erin's Children, is set in Worcester in the 1850s after some of the characters from Kelegeen emigrated. The third book (no title yet) will also be set in Worcester but in the 1860s. Most recently I have been going through the Worcester City Annual Reports for the 1860s. The names of several of Worcester's prominent citizens appear from time-to-time in these reports.

In something totally unrelated, or so I thought, my neighbor and I recently went on a night time tour of Rural Cemetery, the oldest cemetery still in use in Worcester. Billed as Rural Remains, the tour was given by Preservation Worcester. Never having been on this tour before, we assumed it was Halloween- oriented since it was to take place in an old cemetery at night in late October. I suppose that actually was the intent. However, for me, it quickly turned into a research opportunity.

As the tour guide walked us by lantern light and flashlights through the winding paths of the old graveyard, she called our attention to the grave sites of some of Worcester's early prominent citizens. It wasn't long before two of those citizens stepped out of the shadows to greet us and tell us their stories.

Imagine my surprise upon meeting Doctor John Green, one of Worcester's earliest physicians and the founder of the Worcester Public Library and his brother, pharmacist Meltiah Green. In the annual report for 1865, which I had just been reading, the Mayor of Worcester noted the death that year of Dr. John Green and his generous donation of hundreds of books to the library including nearly all the books that made up the medical library. Now, here was Dr. Green standing before me. History come to life! (Well, sort of)

Dr. John Green (left, played by John Riccio) and Meltiah Green (right, played by Fran DeNicola).

As we moved on, we soon encountered another pair of brothers, James Prescott Hamilton and Edward Bangs Hamilton. James was a successful banker, eventually becoming the President of Worcester County Institute for Savings Bank. His brother, Edward, did not fare so well. After a serious injury he became addicted to opioids and eventually murdered his family then took his own life. This was a sad and sobering tale that is all too human.

James Prescott Hamilton (standing, played by Shane Sampson) and Edward Bangs Hamilton (seated, played by Patrick Crawley)

As the tour continued we visited with George Bancroft, a historian, statesman, and founder of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland along with his sister, Eliza Bancroft Davis, wife of Governor John Davis.

Eliza Bancroft Davis (played by Ana Santos) and her brother George Bancroft (actor's name not given)

Then it was on to two sisters, Anna L Foster and Cora Mercy Foster. Though neither ever married and both were sixth grade teachers, these ladies were as different as they could be. Anna loved to travel and longed for the finer things in life. Cora was more of a homebody. She eventually became a Jehovah's Witness. Due to her religious views she refused to salute the American flag which led to no little controversy in the school where she taught.

Anna L. Foster (left, played by Erica Cawley) and Cora Mercy Foster (right, played by Monika Mangsen)

One of Worcester's mayors graced our tour. The respected and well-liked James Barnard Blake was elected mayor six times. At age 18, he entered his uncle's firm, Blake and Darracott, which had charge of Worcester Gas Works, the first gas works in Worcester. Sadly, one evening just before Christmas in 1870, he went to visit the gas works when a spark jumped from his lantern causing an explosion that took his life.

Mayor James Barnard Blake (actor's name not given)

Our tour ended with a visit from Caleb and Roxana Metcalf. After the devastating loss of their three year old son, they dedicated their lives to the education of children by founding the Highland Academy for Boys in 1856. With the onset of the Civil War, the name was changed to the Highland Military Academy and remained open until 1912.

Roxana and Caleb Metcalf (actors' names not given)

Others on the tour may have found being greeted by ghosts who appeared to have just stepped from their graves a bit spooky, but for me it was a fascinating glimpse into the lives of some of the people who shared the city with my characters and, in some cases, may even have an impact on their lives.

We All Are Growing Older by joan Donaldson-Yarmey

 

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A centenarian is a person who has lived to be 100 years-of-age or more.

       A super centenarian is someone who has lived for 110 years or longer and 90% of the super centenarians are women. One in one thousand centenarians reach the super status but only 2% of them attain the age of 115 years or more.

       According to studies most of the centenarians have many character traits in common. They have been strong, resilient, and optimistic people all their lives and still are. They have a sense of control, are more relaxed, adapt to changes, seldom get angry, and are emotionally stable. They don’t indulge in self-pity.

       Throughout their lives they have dealt with emergencies better than most people and they have coped quickly without much hostility or aggression. Getting their emotions back to normal and accepting everything as part of life have been two survival techniques they have used. They get their life on track again before physical and mental damage can be done, because that is one of the essentials to successful aging.

       Women have a different personality than men and this could be why 80% of all centenarians are women and 75% of those are widowed. Most are living on their own, either alone or with the help of a family member or home care.

       The Guinness Book of World Records has had a category for the oldest person in the world since 1955, which was usually filled by women. It began the separate classification of oldest man in the year 2000.

     Jeanne Louise Calment was the oldest recorded person to have lived. She was born on February 21, 1875 in Arles, France. She died on August 4, 1997 at age 122 years and 164 days. She claimed it was port wine, olive oil, exercise, and a sense of humour that made the difference. She had a brother and sister who died before she was born. Her other brother lived to ninety-seven years. Jeanne’s only child, a daughter died at age thirty-six, and Jeanne’s grandson also only lived to thirty-six.

       *Kane Tanaka of Japan was born on February 21^st 1875 and died April 19^th 2022. She lived for 119 years and 107 days and is the second oldest person ever next to Jeanne Calment. She is the oldest Japanese ever.

       *Sarah Knauss of the United States was born on September 24, 1880 and died December 30, 1999 at the age of 119 years and 97 days. When she celebrated her 119^th birthday her daughter was ninety-five-years-old, her grandson seventy-years-old, great-granddaughter almost fifty, great-great-granddaughter in her late twenties, and her great-great-great-grandson was four.

       One of the reasons for Sarah’s longevity could be explained by one of the staff at the home where she lived. “Sarah has an attitude of live and let go. She has a real serenity. She's also very kind. She's very grateful.”

       *Lucile Randon of France ranks as the fourth longest living person at 118 years and 340 days. She was born on February 11^th, 1904 and died on January 17^th, 2023. She was known as Sister Andre and also has the honour of being the oldest survivor of the Covid pandemic. She tested positive a month before turning 117.

       *Lucy Hannah lived from July 16, 1875 to March 21, 1993. She was 117 years, 248 days old when she passed away. Lucy was the second oldest verified person to have ever lived in the United States and the world’s fifth oldest person to have ever lived. She was never the world's oldest living person because Jeanne Calment was five months old when Lucy was born and Jeanne was still alive when Lucy died.

       *Canadian Marie-Louise Meilleur was born on August 29, 1880, thirteen years after the confederation of Canada on July 1, 1867. She was 117 years, 230 days of age when she died on April 16, 1998. Marie-Louise had ten children and at the time of her death had eighty-five grandchildren, eighty great-grandchildren, fifty-seven great-great-grandchildren and four great-great-great-grandchildren.

       Marie-Louise cited hard work as the reason for her longevity and she did enjoy a glass of wine. She also quit smoking at the age of 90.

       The average time that a person has served as the oldest living person in the world is 525.5 days.

       If these people can live to be over 115 years or even 120 years, why can’t everyone? They prove how long our bodies should work. In my book, The Art of Growing Older: It’s Not Age, It’s Attitude and Ability, I talk about my quest to live as long as possible and what I have done right and what I have done wrong in my journey. The book also points out that everyone should be able to live long and healthy lives.

The Art of Growing Older by Joan Donaldson-Yarmey

 

 

 

 

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https://www.bwlpublishing.ca/donaldson-yarmey-joan/

I am 75 and my husband is 77. In August we headed north, in our motorhome, on a three week trip to Tuktoyaktuk, NWT, Canada, to see the Arctic Ocean. I put my feet in the ocean while my husband dipped his shoe.

Some people think we were too old to have made the trip. I think I am never too old to do anything.

This book tells how I went from thinking 40 was old to realizing that I could do anything at any age. It just takes attitude and ability both of which I have in abundance.

And I am not the only one. My mother was 86 when she went to Europe with my sister and climbed the 251 winding steps of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. I was on a bus tour through Spain, Portugal, and Morocco and one of the other passengers was a 94 year old woman who was with her daughter, son-in-law, and grandson. On one of the walking tours we took we made over 22,000 steps. She kept up with everyone because she had the attitude and ability to do so. Everyone can do the same. Age should not stop anyone from doing anything, because age is just a number. And a number shouldn't rule our lives.

Here is the blurb from the back cover:

After her ninth grade class served tea to a bus load of visiting seniors who were to be the students adopted grandparents for the afternoon, Joan Donaldson-Yarmey decided she didn’t want to grow old and have to be adopted by someone. So at the age of fifteen she resolved that she would end her life when she reached sixty-five.

Over the years, Joan read books, surfed the Internet, and watched documentaries about aging and learned that human beings have the ability to live to be over one hundred years of age and to be healthy and alert while doing it. This book is her journey from that decision at age fifteen to realizing that she didn’t have to grow old, that at a certain age some sick, decrepit person would not step into her shoes and take over her life. She is now in her mid-seventies and so healthy that she never gets any sympathy from her family and friends because she has nothing, health wise, to complain about. She has no illnesses, no aches or pains, and takes no medication, not even ASA or ibuprofen.

Read about Joan’s journey in what she playfully calls her futuristic aging memoir and find out what it is that she believes is her fountain of aging.

Canadian Authors-Prince Edward Island by Joan Donaldson-Yarmey

  

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     I am a proud Canadian author of over twenty fiction and non-fiction books in my long writing career. But I am just one of thousands of published writers from this huge country. Canada has had a long and illustrious history of producing world renown authors and books going all the way back to the 18^th century.

     Frances Moore was born in England in 1724. She was a well-known poet and playwright in England before she and her husband, Reverend John Brooke moved to Quebec City in 1763, for John to take up the post of army chaplain. During her time there Frances wrote The History of Emily Montague, a love story set in the newly formed Quebec province.

     The story is told through the voices of her characters by way of personal letters between the two. This is known as epistolary (of letters) type of writing and it was popular during the1700s in Europe. The Brookes’ returned to England in 1768 and the novel was published in 1769 the London bookseller, James Dodsley. The History of Emily Montague was the first novel written in what is now Canada and the first with a Canadian setting. Frances died in 1789.

 

 

Prince Edward Island

Lucy Maud Montgomery was born in Clifton, now New London, Prince Edward Island on November 30, 1874. Her mother died of tuberculosis two months before Lucy’s second birthday. Lucy was put in the custody of her maternal grandparents in Cavendish by her father who later moved to Prince Albert in what is now Saskatchewan.

     This was a very lonely time for Lucy. She spent much of her childhood alone so she created imaginary friends and worlds. Lucy kept a diary and when she was thirteen years-of-age, she wrote that she had early dreams of future fame. After completing her education Lucy moved to Prince Albert and spent a year with her father and step-mother. While there she had two poems published in The Daily Patriot, the Charlottetown newspaper.

     Lucy returned to Cavendish and obtained her teacher’s license, completing the two year course in one year. She went on to study literature at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She worked as a teacher which gave her time to write. From 1897 to 1907 she had over one hundred stories published in magazines and newspapers.

     Lucy had a number of suitors over the years and turned down two marriage proposals, one because he was narrow-minded, the other because he was just a good friend. She finally accepted a proposal from Edwin Simpson in 1897 but came to dislike him. She found herself in love with another man, Herman Leard. She refused to have sex with him but they did become quite passionate in their kissing and petting. She finally stopped seeing Herman in 1898 and was upset when he died of influenza in 1899. She also broke off her engagement to Edwin Simpson.

     Ms. Montgomery moved back to Cavendish to look after her ailing grandmother and began writing novels. Her first novel, Anne of Green Gables, was published in June of 1908 under the name L.M. Montgomery and was an instant success, going through nine printings by November of 1909. Lucy stayed in Cavendish until her grandmother’s death in March 1911 and shortly after she married Ewen (Ewan) Macdonald. Ewen was a Presbyterian minister and they moved to Leaskdale in present-day Uxbridge Township in Ontario where he took the position of minister at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church. The lived in the Leaskdale manse and she wrote her next eleven books while there.

     Lucy and Ewen had three children, the second one being stillborn. Lucy’s second book, Anne of Avonlea was published in 1909 and The Story Girl, came out in 1911. She went through several periods of depression and suffered from migraine headaches while her husband had attacks of a major depressive order and his health suffered. She almost died from the Spanish flu in 1918, spending ten days in bed. She began an Emily trilogy with Emily of New Moon in 1923.

When Ewen retired in 1935, they bought a house in Swansea, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto which she named Journey's End.

     On April 24, 1942, Lucy Maud Montgomery was found dead in her bed in her Toronto home. The primary cause of death recorded on her death certificate was coronary thrombosis. Montgomery was buried at the Cavendish Community Cemetery in Cavendish. In 2008, Lucy’s granddaughter, Kate Macdonald Butler, said that because of her depression she may have taken her own life through a drug overdose.  

     Writing was Lucy’s comfort and besides the nine books of the Anne series she wrote twelve other novels and had four short story collections published. Nineteen of her books were set in Prince Edward Island and she immortalized the small province with her descriptions of the people and community. Each year, hundreds of thousands of people from around the world, come to Prince Edward Island to see the place that Lucy loved so much, and to visit Green Gables, the house and farm where ‘Anne grew up.’

     Lucy Maud Montgomery was made an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by King George V in 1935. She was given a special medal, which she could only wear out in public in the presence of the King or one of his representatives such as the Governor-General. Montgomery was named a National Historic Person in 1943 by the Canadian Federal government. On May 15, 1975, the Canadian Post issued a stamp to Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables. The Leaskdale Manse was designated a National Historic Site in 1997. Green Gables, was formally recognized as "L. M. Montgomery's Cavendish National Historic Site" in 2004.

     In terms of sales, both in her lifetime and since, Montgomery is the most successful Canadian author of all time.

 

Milton James Rhode Acorn was born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, on March 30, 1923. At the age of eighteen, he joined the armed forces and was stationed mainly in England. On an ocean crossing, he was injured as a result of depth charges. He returned home and received a disability pension. He moved to Montreal in 1956 where he self-published a chapbook of his poems titled, In Love and Anger. His poetry was also published in New Frontiers, a political magazine, and in Canadian Forum magazine.

     Milton moved to Vancouver in the mid-1960s and helped found the ‘underground’ newspaper, Georgia Straight, in 1967. The newspaper is still in publication. His collection of poetry I’ve Tasted My Blood, was published in 1969 and he received the Canadian Poets Award in 1970. He wrote three more books of poetry and in 1976 received the Governor General’s Award for The Island Means Minago.

     Acorn liked to be a man of mystery. He disguised and altered his background so that biographers and anyone wanting to find out more about him did not learn anything that he did not want uncovered. Because of the many different versions he told of his life it is difficult to know where reality ended and fiction began. He was also considered to be a hostile and quarrelsome man. However, Milton Acorn was deemed to be one of Canada most well-known poets by the early 1970s. Thirteen collections of poetry were published before his death and five more were published posthumously.

     Three documentaries were made about Milton Acorn: Milton Acorn: The People’s Poet (1971; In Love and Anger: Milton Acorn-Poet (1984); and A Wake for Milton (1988).

Milton suffered diabetes and moved back to Prince Edward Island in 1981. He had a heart attack in July 1986 and died on August 20, due to complications from the diabetes and his heart attack.

     Milton Acorn was known as the ‘People’s Poet’. The Milton Acorn People’s Poetry Award was established in his memory in 1987. It consists of $500 and a medallion and is given to an exceptional ‘People’s Poet.’

 

Teaming Up for Author Talks by Eileen O'Finlan

 

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One of the most fun things authors get to do is go to libraries, bookstores, and other places to talk to interested readers about their books. It's even more fun when we get to do it with other authors. Early this spring, I got to enjoy talking about Erin's Children, historical fiction set in Worcester, Massachusetts, with my friend and fellow author, Mary Anne Kalonas Slack. Mary Anne's debut novel, The Sacrificial Daughter, is also set in Worcester and, while it's not historical fiction, it does, like Erin's Children, feature an Irish family. We felt that was enough for us to do author talks together. Apparently, we were right because we've had great turnouts with very enthusiastic attendees.

More recently, I have done a talk with fellow BWL author, Eileen Charbonneau. Eileen and I have teamed up before and we truly enjoy it. This time we're talking about our most recent releases - my novel The Folklorist and Eileen's novel, Spectral Evidence which she co-authored with Jude Pittman and which is part of the Canadian Historical Mystery Series. Both are historical fiction. The Folklorist centers on the New England Vampire Panic while Spectral Evidence incorporates the Salem Witchcraft Trials. Since we are focusing on the folk beliefs about witches and vampires that came to America along with the European immigrants, we've titled our talk, "Witches and Vampires: When Old World Nightmares Invaded the New World." 

Most of the people in our audiences have never heard of the New England Vampire Panic and, though nearly everyone knows of the Salem Witchcraft Trials, most are surprised to learn that one accused husband and wife managed to escape from prison after having sent their children off ahead of them. In Spectral Evidence the children are sent to relatives in Newfoundland where they try to adjust to a society very unlike their own. We both enjoy enlightening talk attendees on these little-known events from New England history and about how they connect with other places outside of New England.

It is always a pleasure to talk to readers about our books. It's especially enjoyable to answer questions, listen to comments, and interact with readers. You never know who might be in the audience and what gems they may want to share.

Case in point:  Early in May I did a presentation with Mary Anne and another author, Ed Londergan, at the Hibernian Cultural Center in Worcester. In it I talked about my research on the history of Worcester including the fact that a resident of one of the historical districts gave me a private tour of his 1850s house which is nearly the same now as when it was built. Afterwards the President of the Hibernian Cultural Center told me that he and his wife are in the process of restoring an 1852 house and asked if I would like to see it. It was adjacent to the building we were in so I got an impromptu tour of a once- magnificent gem in the heart of the city right then and there. I have a feeling it will make an appearance in the next book in that series.

Eileen Charbonneau and I have started our Witches and Vampires book tour in the comfort of home. For me that was the Gale Free Library in Holden, Massachusetts, and for Eileen it was the Village Square Bookseller in Bellows Falls, Vermont, each being in the towns in which we live.

Presenting at the Gale Free Library in Holden, Massachusetts

Interacting with the audience at Village Square Bookseller in Bellows Falls, Vermont

While doing our talk in Bellows Falls, we found that one attendee was a direct descendant of Rebecca Nurse, one of the people hanged for witchcraft in Salem. During the Q&A portion of our talk, he told us the fascinating story of how he came to find out he was related to her. Again, an unexpected delight while on tour!

Now it's time to take it a bit further afield. In August, after we present at the Rockingham Public Library on the 9th, we will head north to the Champlain Valley area of Vermont. On this leg of the tour, however, we will be joined by another writer, Jane Willan, author of the Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn Mystery series. Having another author onboard necessitated a change in title, so it will become "Witches, Vampires, and Murder!" We are booked for a talk at the Pierson Library in Shelburne, Vermont in conjunction with the Flying Pig Bookstore on August 12th and are in the process of lining up more dates for the 10 days we've allotted for this leg of our tour. In our down time we'll be enjoying our own mini-writer's workshop as well as a little site-seeing.

We haven't forgotten that October is truly the best time of year for talk of witches and vampires. You can catch us at Tidepool Bookshop in Worcester, Massachusetts on the evening of October 29th. Follow us on Facebook to keep up with newly added dates and locations.

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The Making of a Trilogy by Eileen O'Finlan

 

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When I wrote my debut novel, Kelegeen, historical fiction set in Ireland during the Great Hunger (aka Potato Famine) I wasn't planning on writing a sequel. I thought all the way through that it would be a stand alone. It wasn't until I completely rewrote the first draft that thoughts about what might happen to the characters after the story's ending started coming to mind. I was nearing the end of the rewrite when I made the decision that a sequel was necessary. I even ended Kelegeen in such a way as to lend itself to a continuation.

Next came Erin's Children. Erin, in this case, is not a character, but refers to Ireland (think erin go bragh), and her children are those who emigrated to escape starvation. 

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My first inclination was to set it in Boston as many Irish settled there at the time. I live in central Massachusetts so Boston is just under two hours from me. I figured I could get out there a few times as part of my reseach. Fortunately for me, I mentioned it to someone at work who told me of a great book about the history of the Irish in Worcester. 

Worcester is the city in which I work and very close to where I live. I changed my mind and, instead, decided to set it here, and I am so glad I did. What a great time I had researching the history of the city in which I've spent the majority of my life! I learned so many fascinating things, many of which I was able to incorporate into the story. After publication, I even had a request from a group of readers to give a walking tour of one of the sections of the city in which a large portion of the book takes place. It was a real joy and a wonderful way to connect with readers.

As with Kelegeen, when I finished Erin's Children I thought I was done with these characters. But, also, as with Kelegeen, they refused to let me go. So now it's on to research for the third in this Irish trilogy. I can hardly wait to dive into more of Worcester's past. This time the focus for the book will be on the next generation, so I'll be looking at the post American Civil War era of the 1870s and 1880s. 

For many writers of historical fiction the research is just as enjoyable as the writing, and I am no exception. Now that I have completed work on my next historical novel, The Folklorist, which will be released by BWL Publishing in October of 2023, I can focus on a deep dive into late Victorian-era Worcester. Yes!

Writing with Pets by Eileen O'Finlan

 

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As people who share their homes and lives with pets can attest, their furry companions are often involved in everything that goes on at home. For me, that includes writing. My two cats, Smokey (now a Rainbow Bridge Angel Kitty) and Autumn Amelia even inspired my latest book, All the Furs and Feathers. In some ways, they helped me write it since I often took my cues from their personalities.

It's one thing to pay attention to the pets, think about how they might respond given various fictional situations, and put it in a story. It's quite another to have them physically involved while trying to write that (or any other) story.

About a year ago, I became a Rover.com sitter and began boarding small dogs in my home for weekends while their pet parents were away. Two of them, Chewy and Bruce Lee have become regular clients. They are getting used to me spending time on my laptop while they are staying with me, though if a writing session runs too long in their estimation, they make their feelings known and cut it short. However, the last time they were at my house, Bruce Lee decided that rather than trying to drag me away from my writing, he'd help out. Here's how that went:

Does this mean he's now co-author on my next novel?

Not to be outdone by the dogs, Autumn Amelia has been spending more and more time huddle as close as she can get to my laptop whenever I'm working on it, inching ever closer to the keyboard. A strict editor, she keeps a close eye on my writing. I can tell when she thinks her editing skills are needed. Here, let me show you in pictures how that progresses:

Autumn settles in, ready to start assessing my current writing session.

Hmm...this could use some help.

Autumn thinks she can write it better so she takes over

It's well-known that pets bring us many joys and having them in our lives offer a number of benefits. Who knew writing help was one of them!

Shelf Life by Eileen O'Finlan

 

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One way to know if you are a genuine bibliophile (aka bookworm) is by how much you love your bookshelves. This is more important than how many bookshelves you have. That could simply be determined by the amount of space available in your home. Therefore, it may not accurately project the depth of your love for books. It is more about how you feel when you look at the shelves you have. I have been known to spend time gazing lovingly at my shelves of books, taking them in as the things of wonder that they are. A warm, cozy feeling wells up in me as I contemplate my book collections. It's no surprise that I nearly swoon upon entering a library or bookstore. But the bookshelves I can view in the comfort of my own home are the best simply because they are mine. 

I have always dreamt of having a library in my house. Given the number of books I own, I suppose I do have one, but I mean one specific room dedicated to books. As yet, that is not a reality for me. Nonetheless, I take great pleasure in turning my entire house into a library. With the exception of the hallway, there is not a single room in my house that does not contain books. There are even a few shelves on the walls in the kitchen holding stacks of cookbooks. 

Despite the four bookcases in my living room...

     

                            (An antique from my grandmother's home holds non-fiction history books)

(A bargain at a second-hand store holds non-fiction and poetry)

                                                         (An online purchase hold fiction) 

(A rotating bookcase handmade for me by a very dear friend holds biographies)

... the shelves in the front entryway...

      This set of shelves holds a mix of fiction and non-fiction history books)

... the bookcase in my den...

(This one holds the books in use for research on the topic of whatever historical novel I'm writing at any give time.)

... the bookcase on the sunporch, and the five bookcases in my half-finished basement, I still have trouble finding places for all the books I collect so I've had to get creative.

The eight shelves lining either side of the fireplace once held a tea set, framed photos, and an assortment of knick-knacks. Four of those shelves have given up their accoutrement to make way for books.

(Mostly fiction on the shelves; Art & Photography books on one side of the mantel and Irish history on the other)

                                 

I have recently been thinking that I may have to find another spot for the tea set even if it means packing it away. There are too many books waiting for a good home. Many are currently piled in artful stacks around the house.

You may rightly ask if I've read all these books. Alas, I collect them much faster than I can read them. I also donate large amounts of books to the local library once I have finished reading them unless they are likely to assist me in research for a future writing project. This allows others to love them, too, and frees up space for more books. But no matter how full my bookshelves are, I find there's always room for more and even one small space on a shelf calls out to me for a book. This and the swelling of my heart that occurs when I take them all in, tells me that I am, without a doubt, a true bibliophile and proud of it!

                                                   

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Writing in Multiple Genres by Eileen O'Finlan

 

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I've heard it said that writers should only write in one genre. Why? I read and enjoy more than one genre. Why shouldn't I write in more than one? For me (and, I dare say, for most writers) characters and story ideas pop up in my head unexpectedly. I can't help what genre they fall into.

Though I began my writing career with historical fiction and that will probably constitute the bulk of my writing when all's said and done, sometimes the characters who visit my head are not historical. Sometimes they're not even human. Take for example, my newest release, All the Furs and Feathers, the first book in the Cat Tales series. Though the animals in this book are highly anthropomorphized, not a single human is in the story. Nor are any mentioned. For the animals of All the Furs and Feathers, humans don't even exist. Obviously, this is not historical fiction. It's fantasy. Not the epic sort of Lord of the Rings, but the cozy sort. I couldn't anymore banish the characters in it from my head than I could banish those in my historical novels.

So what's yet to come? Definitely more historical fiction. There's one in the works right now and another taking shape in my mind. As for fantasy, there will be more of the Cat Tales series to come, but there may be others as well. A few months ago I awoke from a dream that featured characters I haven't been able to get out of my thoughts ever since. I picture them in period clothing, but they live in a world that does not and never has existed. Fantasy!

The parade of characters that march through my mind on a regular basis range from historical to fantastical to contemporary. So for the moment, historical fiction and cozy fantasy are my focus. What else may come depends upon my cerebral visitors and how insistant they are about their stories being told.

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