Pacific Northwest History
When Britannia Ruled the Northwest: April Presentation at Folio
I am happy to announce that I am one of four presenters at an upcoming event at Folio: A Seattle Anthenaeum. For those who don’t know Folio, it’s part of a national community of 21 membership libraries in North America that provides a full schedule of programs and discussion groups, as well as library collections…
Read MoreBattling the Northerners: Stories that Shaped Widow Walk
During the summer of my second year in medical school, at the invitation of a classmate who also was a Pacific Northwest transplant, I had the opportunity to work with him as a salmon fisherman on a “reef net” boat. That summer, I met several Lummi Tribe Native Americans who live in the area right on…
Read More“Historical novelist turns NW history into best sellers”
New Day Northwest, a show that airs on King 5 TV, takes a look at the award winning Widow Walk and Isthmus books, which showcase NW history in novel form.
Read MoreHow to Create an Award-Winning Book Cover
My book ‘Widow Walk’ won the USA Books News’ Best Book Cover Design Award in 2013. Widow Walk is set in mid-nineteenth century Pacific Northwest region, called the Oregon Country, which included parts of present day Washington state and Vancouver B.C. Author and publisher Kelsye Nelson interviewed me last week. We talked about the processes…
Read MoreAnnouncement: Full Prize List for March Land Rush Campaign
Join the Land Rush to enter a drawing for a chance to win one of these fabulous prizes: [fontawesome icon=”fa-star” circle=”yes” size=”medium” iconcolor=”#a88458″ circlecolor=”#ffffff” circlebordercolor=”#e8e8e8″ flip=”” rotate=”” spin=”no” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ class=”” id=””][title size=”6″ content_align=”left” style_type=”single solid” sep_color=”” class=”” id=””][title size=”6″ content_align=”left” style_type=”single solid” sep_color=”” class=”” id=””]THREE-DAY WRITING RETREAT[/title] “There is nothing to writing. All…
Read MoreDoes Isaac Rest?
DOES ISAAC REST ? It has been rumored that spirits haunt the fertile Ebey plateau. Some have said that on moonlit nights, looking southward from the crest of the tiny cemetery where the headless body of Isaac Ebey is interred with those of many other mid-nineteenth century Whidbey Island settlers, a pale specter can be seen…
Read MoreReader’s Guide and Book Discussion Questions for Widow Walk
At the request of our publisher, we are adding a reader’s guide with questions for discussion groups and book clubs. Ten of these have been added to the forthcoming paperback edition of Widow Walk. Widow Walk Book Guide and Discussion Questions: 1. Widow Walk has been compared to Last of the Mohicans and Cold Mountain. How is…
Read MoreTattoos: A Long-Standing Native American Tradition
In Widow Walk many of the First Nation Haida, Tlingit, Bella Bella, Bella Coola and Kwakiutl characters wear prominent tattoos and other body decorations. In one scene, a Makah woman, slaved to a Salish tyee (chieftain), recognizes the distinctive markings of the naked Haida warrior she encounters while retrieving water from a stream. She…
Read MorePort Townsend: History and Role in Widow Walk
Port Townsend, was named in 1792 by explorer George Vancouver after his friend the Marquis of Townsend. Located on the northeast tip of the Olympic Peninsula, it was inhabited solely by Native Americans throughout the 1700’s and early 1800’s. The Chimakum people were the predominant group. The Klallam Indians controlled the land that encompassed the area…
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