Congratulations to Chris Swoboda! Chris’s name came out of the hat as a winner in my Revolutionary Giveaway. The other six winners entered via my Facebook Author Page.
Chris, please contact me privately via my website form.
Thanks to all who entered!
For more information about Gunpowder and Tea Cakes: My Journey With Felicity, click HERE.
For more information about Betrayal at Cross Creek, click HERE.
Did you know I’ve written two American Girl books set during the Revolutionary War? In addition to Gunpowder and Tea Cakes: My Journey With Felicity, I wrote a mystery called Betrayal at Cross Creek.
I’m celebrating by giving away seven sets of both books, signed and personalized. To enter, leave a comment below by midnight, Wednesday March 8. Winners will be announced on Thursday afternoon. Winners will be selected at random from all entries here and on my Facebook Author Page.
Good luck!
Congratulations to: Rita Aguilar, Gloriasue Arriza, Susan Carozza, Kathi O’Brien Hackett, Angela-Scott Holland, Melissa Keith, and Lois Scorgie. Each will receive a free trade paperback Chloe Ellefson mystery book of their choice, signed and personalized.
Thanks to all who entered the A Memory of Muskets 75 Days in Top 1% Gratitude Giveaway! Winners were chosen at random from all entries here and on my Facebook Author page.
Thanks to my most wonderful readers, the seventh Chloe mystery is doing well!
In honor of A Memory of Muskets ranking in the Top 1% of all US Book Sales for 75 days, seven lucky people will be chosen to receive a signed and personalized trade paperback copy of one of my seven Chloe Ellefson mysteries—winners’ choice.
To enter, leave a comment below before Midnight US Central time this Sunday, November 20th. Winners will be chosen at random from entries here and on my Facebook Author page. Winners will be announced on Monday.
You can learn more about the Chloe series on my website. Good luck!
Congratulations to: Carol Burger, Jacki Evenson, Stephanie Lembke Flessert, Prentiss Garner, Kate Graczyk, Marge Kempft, Saralee Larson, Connie Bolick Lee, Anne Reese Marshall, and Rhonda Simatic Nall!
These ten readers were chosen at random—from over 500 entries!—to win an Advanced Review Copy of the next Chloe Ellefson mystery, A Memory of Muskets. Huge thanks to all who entered!
Congratulations to Coley! (Also to Amy Borden, Betsy Cline, Tammy Strey Hirt, Sharon Speck McCay, Emily Neilsen, Jo-ann Pendolina, Tina Roberts, Bella Kristy Stevents, and Sandy Strange Walton, who entered on Facebook.) All are winners my Gratitude Giveaway.
Coley, please message me privately via my website form with your email, postal address, and choice of book. You can learn more about my American Girl titles here.
Thanks to everyone who entered!
I’m wrapping up my latest American Girl project, and celebrating with a Gratitude Giveaway! To enter, leave a comment below by midnight on Tuesday, July 12. On July 13th I’ll pick 10 names at random from all entries here and on my Facebook Author Page. Each winner will receive a signed, personalized copy of one of my 19 American Girl titles—winners’ choice. Good luck!
Have you read the Little House books lately? Readers have told me that after reading Death on the Prairie: A Chloe Ellefson Mystery, they were inspired to revisit the classic series that inspired my mystery.
That delights me. And what could be more fun for Laura fans than having a chance to chat about the books?
Next week, I’m starting a new feature here on the Sites and Stories blog—Chloe’s Book Club. We’ll move through the Little House books one by one. I’ll share my thoughts about them, and I do hope that you will share yours.
First up, of course, is Little House in the Big Woods. If you haven’t read it lately, now is the time…
(Photo by Kay Klubertanz)
And then, please join me here next Thursday, March 17!
When I mentioned an upcoming residency on Facebook, several people asked, “What’s a writer’s residency?”
A residency involves collaboration between a writer and the community. Every experience is unique, but in this case I had the great good fortune to enjoy a residency with Write On, Door County.
The organization’s mission is to facilitate and promote writing in Door County by nurturing the work of writers, supporting readers and audiences, and developing opportunities that encourage broad participation. In two short years Write On has accomplished great things, with more projects underway.
My visit began with a week of solitude to write in beautiful Door County, Wisconsin.
A warm welcome.
I arrived with a looming deadline for my current American Girl project, so I spent the first several days pounding the keyboard. With no distractions, I got it done in good time.
This was my writing nook. I loved my writing nook.
Then I switched gears to begin serious work on the 8th Chloe Ellefson mystery.
Write On includes almost 40 serene acres. When I needed thinking time, I wandered the property.
Gorgeous hoarfrost.
Write On has plans to create a center where writers will be nourished, readers encouraged, and the stories of our land shared for generations to come. The design is awesome—for example, instead of demolishing this old farmhouse, the silhouette will be preserved. (Hard to describe, but the plans are impressive.)
My visit happened to coincide with a special program held in honor of UNESCO’s International Mother Language Day , February 21. (The date corresponds to the day in 1952 when university students in present-day Bangladesh were killed while demonstrating for recognition of Bengali as one of two national languages of East Pakistan.)
Write On sponsored a poetry reading at the Miller Art Museum in Sturgeon Bay.
Jerod Santek, Write On’s Executive Director, explains the background of this important event.
Local residents read poetry in Polish, German, Spanish, Urdu, Bengali, Hindi, Hungarian, Romanian, and Walloon. Listening to languages I do not speak let me hear their cadence and rhythm. The program was lovely and thought-provoking.
The following weekend I was involved in a program with the Peninsula Music Festival‘s FebFest. Almost a year ago organizers invited me to participate in a concert of Nordic music, inspired by the Scandinavian themes in the Chloe Ellefson mysteries—especially The Light Keeper’s Legacy.
Four musicians performed pieces by Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, and Swedish composers.
(Peninsula Music Festival photo.)
I read excerpts from the Chloe novels that emphasized the power of place, and closed with a poem.
(Peninsula Music Festival photo.)
We talked about artists of all kinds who were inspired by their landscape. We talked about the elements music and writing share. It was a special afternoon.
Judith Jackson, Karen Nelson, Lori Meyer, Janet Sutter, and me.
On my final day I taught a workshop called Writing Your Family Stories, Your Way. It was a diverse group, united in a wish to capture family history. I hope everyone left inspired to keep writing.
I certainly did! I’m grateful to Write On, Door County for this opportunity.
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Write On, Door County offers many special programs. Not local? Combine a vacation to Door County with a writing workshop. Check the Programs page for more details.
Congratulations to Sue Basler, Ellen Bogner, Claudia Daniel, Patricia Jones, Michelle Bie Love, Jane Nelson, and Bonnie Schaefer! Each won the Chloe Ellefson mystery of their choice.
Winners were chosen by random drawing from entries here and on my Facebook Author page. Winners, please use my contact form to reach me.
Thanks to all who entered! We’ll have another giveaway soon.
