Sunday, September 7, 2025
Reading by Season by Eileen O'Finlan

Monday, October 7, 2024
Mixing Business with Pleasure by Eileen O'Finlan



Friday, June 7, 2024
Teaming Up for Author Talks by Eileen O'Finlan

Wednesday, February 7, 2024
Creating a Home Library - A Labor of Love by Eileen O'Finlan
I recently took on a labor of love in my home - turning an unused room into a library. "Labor of love" is definitely the right term. There is a tremendous amount of both involved.
After having the furniture that was in the room removed, I had to do battle with a slew of killer dust bunnies. I was able to banish them, but they took their revenge by inducing a lot of non-stop sneezing.
Next came removing all the books from all five bookcases in my living room as well as the books on the built-in shelves on either side of the fireplace and carrying them, one bag at a time, to the soon-to-be library. Following that, I carried each bookcase into the room. With so many books taking up the floor space it wasn't easy getting the bookcases into the room. I can't imagine what I'll do in the coming days when I bring in the books from five more bookcases coming from other rooms. I could load the books into the bookcases already there, but I really want to organize them first.
I've had to rethink my plans more than once. I originally wanted to put my antique secretary desk and my papasan chair in the library, but now I realize that even though I might be able to squeeze them in, they will make the room very overcrowded. Instead of the papasan, I moved in my bentwood rocker. I'll wait on the secretary and see how much room is available when I'm finished. (With the removal of the bookcases from the living room, there is now enough space in there for the papasan so all good!) I'm also planning to put the round rock maple table in the center of the room as a place to spread out my books, notes, and documents for my novel research.
That should give you an idea of the "labor" part. Now for the "love."
Having a home library has always been one of my heart's desires. Seriously, I could sit and gaze as shelves of books in the same way one gazes dreamily at a lover. (Add a cat into the picture and I'm over the moon!) So, the fact that this is becoming a reality has me in raptures. I can just picture myself gently rocking in my rocking chair reading a book or sitting at the table diligently researching my next novel. I nearly swoon thinking about it.
Labor of love? You bet! Lugging books, bookcases and other assorted furniture is a small price to pay for what it will be in the end.

Saturday, October 7, 2023
The Origins of Halloween by Eileen O'Finlan
NEW RELEASE!
By the early 20th century, Halloween was becoming established in America, though it was still very much an adult affair. That's not to say kids had no part in it. Children's Halloween parties became popular by the by the 1920s. On the downside, teen boys became so enamored of Halloween pranks that they grew in intensity and became so out of control that by the 1930s Halloween was nearly outlawed.
Civic organizations saved the day by offering parties, parades, costuming, carnivals, and contests to supplant the pranking. Handbooks, popular from 1915 to 1950 were written with instructions on how to celebrate the holiday. In the 1930s, neighbors pooled resources to create "house-to-house parties" in which groups of kids were taken from one house to the next, each house hosting a different theme - the precursor to trick-or-treating.
Finally, Halloween in America as we know it today came into its own shortly after World War II with the development of suburban neighborhoods and the ability to safely trick-or-treat for candy.
So, as you celebrate Halloween this year, remember you are taking part in a holiday with a long, varied, and fascinating history!

Monday, August 7, 2023
Coming October 1, 2023 - The Folklorist by Eileen O'Finlan

Popular Posts
-
Find my books here Saving Katy Gray is Book 3 of my When Paths Meet trilogy . All three books are about love and the messiness of family...
-
Amazon Barns and Noble Thanks for your suggestions and tips on how to handle my conference anxiety and for checking in to see how...
-
Please click this link for Susan's website or click this link for book information. In August, at Calgary's annual When Words Co...
-
https://www.bookswelove.com/search?q=Eden%20monroe I was excited to write my first paranormal novel for The Paranormal Canadian...
-
Click on the link below to purchase this award-winning series! https://www.bookswelove.net/kavanagh-j-c/ Rats. Who likes ‘em? NOT ME! So...
-
Remembering the young soldiers, from an article published in Calgary’s newspaper, The Herald , Nov 10, 2018, to commemorate the official ...
-
Relationships are a major theme in my writing. Each of my books focuses on how relationships are integral to the making of a good, or possib...
-
https://www.bookswelove.com/search?q=donalee%20moulton My new book, Melt , is a first for me. It’s the second in my new (and first) myster...
-
https://www.bookswelove.com/search?q=Paul%20Grant Brevity “I just leave out the stuff people don’t read.” That was Elmore ...