Congratulations to Kim H. (anxious58), Linda Hilton, and Jillian Schlosstein! Each will receive a signed, large print copy of the 10th Chloe Ellefson Mystery, Fiddling With Fate.
Thanks to all who entered, and for your lovely comments!
Congratulations to Kim H. (anxious58), Linda Hilton, and Jillian Schlosstein! Each will receive a signed, large print copy of the 10th Chloe Ellefson Mystery, Fiddling With Fate.
Thanks to all who entered, and for your lovely comments!
The Hardanger Folkemuseum‘s traditional exhibits are amazing, but there is more to see at this museum in Utne, Norway! Up the hill from the museum proper is an open-air division. Two of the buildings there were original to the grounds, but most have been moved from other locations in the Hardanger area, and restored. It’s a gorgeous setting.
The buildings have been arranged to suggest a cluster farm, which was common in the 1800s. Several families often shared a courtyard or common area while farming their own holdings beyond.
When I was planning Fiddling With Fate, the 10th Chloe Ellefson Mystery, I chose to feature the Hardanger Folkemuseum in part because of the open-air division. My favorite building is Tveismestova (Tveisme House), which inspired the fictional Høygård used in the novel.
Warning: Mild plot spoilers ahead!
Tveismestova is the oldest building in the museum’s collection. Scholars believe the home was constructed between the 13th and 14th centuries.
As tour guide Klara explained in the book, In the old days, people believed that a dead person’s soul would try to return to the house where it had lived, using the entrance where it last emerged. So bodies were removed through the hatch, which was kept closed at all other times. That way the soul wouldn’t return through the door.
The house has only one window, which replaced the original hatch. In one of the final chapters in Fiddling With Fate, Chloe approaches the house from this side, and peeks in the only window.
Tveismestova had a turf roof, constructed on top of a layer of birchbark…
…but some the buildings in the open-air division had slate roofs. This is the type of slate tile Chloe picks up in the book.
The real Tveisme Farm was struck by more than one tragedy. An avalanche struck the farm in 1781, killing the farmwife. The house, barn, and sheep barns survived, but the farm was moved to a safer location nearby–all except the old original house. When the farm burned down five years later, only the cabin remained.
Once moved to the Hardanger Folkemuseum in 1931, it had many stories to tell.
The 10th Chloe Ellefson Mystery, Fiddling With Fate, officially launches on September 8th! That’s quite a milestone.
And the story includes a major milestone for main characters Chloe and Roelke, too.
Chloe was born and raised in the charming town of Stoughton, Wisconsin—where Fiddling With Fate begins and ends. Chloe’s backstory, everything that makes her unique, is rooted there. So what could be better than letting Chloe readers explore her heritage with people who are actively working to preserve Stoughton’s history and Norwegian cultural traditions?
To that end, I’ve partnered with the Sons of Norway-Mandt Lodge, with help from the Stoughton Historical Society, to plan a unique event.
The celebration will begin at 3:00 PM, Saturday, October 26th. Attendees will visit the Society’s museum to hear about Stoughton’s history, Norwegian settlement, and its role in reviving the folk art of rosemaling (rose painting).
At the Mandt Lodge there will be folk art demonstrations and a live performance of Hardanger fiddle music. Afterwards we’ll enjoy a traditional cod dinner and Norwegian dessert.
I’ll provide a richly illustrated program about the people, artifacts, and historic sites featured in Fiddling With Fate.
Event Time & Date: Saturday, October 26, 2019, 3 PM – 7:30 PM.
Price: $20.00 per person. Registration is limited, and pre-registration is required. Click HERE to access a registration form.
I’m enormously grateful to my friends in Stoughton who are making this event possible. I hope you can join us!
And to see all of the events scheduled for September and October, please visit my Calendar page.
The 10th Chloe Ellefson Mystery sends Chloe and her fiancé, Roelke McKenna, to Norway. Given the book’s title, it’s probably obvious that the plot involves Hardanger Fiddles.
Historians believe that violins arrived in Norway by the 1600s, probably from Germany and Italy. The first known Hardanger fiddle (the Jaastad fiddle) dates to 1651. The Hardanger region in SW Norway became famous for its fiddle makers—and fiddlers!
When Chloe arrives in Norway, the director of the Hardanger Folk Museum introduces her to the instrument:
“How much do you know about Hardanger fiddles?
“Not a lot,” Chloe allowed humbly.
“This region is, of course, the birthplace of the hardingfele—the Hardanger fiddle. They have understrings that resonate when the top four are played. That gives the instruments a unique sound.”
“Haunting, I’d call it,” Chloe offered.
Later, a fiddler explains why the instrument was so important in rural Norway:
“Hardingfele tunes once measured everyday life. Music was deeply rooted in rituals and traditions. There were specific tunes for every aspect of a Hardanger wedding. There were tunes for planting, for harvesting, for celebrating a good yield.”
As beloved as the instruments were, there was a time when Hardanger fiddles were considered, by some, to be “the devil’s instrument.” They were associated with parties, heavy drinking, and casual sex.
One particular tune, Fanitullen, was supposedly taught to a fiddler by the devil himself.
Some zealots went so far as to destroy any fiddles they could find.
Such violence must have been wrenching to the fiddlers and fiddle makers, especially because Hardanger fiddles are gorgeous, decorated with intricate inked designs and mother-of-pearl inlay.
Many also feature an elaborately carved figure at the scroll on top of the instrument.
Some fiddlers and makers emigrated, bringing their skills to the new world. The Helland brothers, who arrived in Wisconsin in 1901, became famous for their fiddles and violins.
And happily, the traditions continue today. I had the chance to learn more about Hardanger fiddle construction when Madison, WI resident Karen Rebholz made a presentation at Livsreise in Stoughton.
I’m not a fiddle player, but I loved exploring the music and traditions while writing Fiddling With Fate!
To learn more, visit the Hardanger Fiddle Association of America. You can also find lots of performances on YouTube.
Congratulations to Megan Barry, Merry Chapman, Carol Pasbrig, Sue Wendt, Christine Witherill, and Moscato Zingler! Each won a signed Advance Review Copy of the 10th Chloe Ellefson Mystery, Fiddling With Fate.
Thanks to all who entered! Winners were chosen at random from all entries here and on my Facebook Author Page.
The official release date for Fiddling With Fate is September 8th. Happy reading!
Adele Brise was born in Belgium in 1831, and immigrated to Wisconsin with her family in 1855. The Brise family settled about 16 miles northeast of the city of Green Bay in Robinsonville, now Champion, Wisconsin.
Little is known of Adele’s early years, but she was remembered as a devout young woman.
In October, 1859, apparitions of the Virgin Mary occurred to Adele as she was walking through the woods. Mary instructed Adele to teach local children in the faith. Adele devoted the rest of her life to that charge.
Many church leaders doubted the veracity of Adele’s story. Her friends and neighbors believed, however, and Adele’s father built a chapel nearby. In time it was replaced with a larger chapel, and facilities for students.
In 1871, during the Great Fire, some area residents fled to the grounds. They processed around the chapel carrying the statue of Mary. Conditions almost overwhelmed them, but Adele instructed them to pray. When the firestorm finally passed, everything around the chapel grounds had been destroyed. The outside of the fence was charred, but the grounds were undisturbed.
Adele’s vision was not accepted by the church before she died in 1896. Finally, over century later in 2010, the apparitions were formally approved. Today, The National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help is the only Marian shrine in the United States on the site of an approved apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
I read about Adele while doing early research for The Lacemaker’s Secret, the 9th Chloe Ellefson mystery, which focuses on Belgian immigration to Northeast Wisconsin. I wanted to include Adele’s story. As a non-Catholic, I also wanted to be respectful.
Before making any final decisions, I visited the site itself.
It includes a small museum that tells Adele’s story.
The site includes a contemporary church, home to an active congregation. The sanctuary is beautiful.
Around a corner and down some stairs is the Apparition Oratory.
These crutches near the entrance are testament to reports of visitors being healed of illness or affliction after a visit.
To me, even more powerful was the absolute, reverential beauty of the small chapel.
I knew that if Chloe visited the chapel, she couldn’t help but be moved as well. I decided to have her visit at an emotionally low point, so she could find solace.
The grounds are also peaceful and inviting.
This is Adele’s grave.
The building below is a roadside chapel that was moved to the site and restored in 2003.
Visitors are welcome to visit any day of the year, from 7 AM to 7 PM.
* * *
To learn more about The Lacemaker’s Secret, or my other books, I invite you to visit my website.
Click here for a more detailed account of Adele’s story.
I’m celebrating last fall’s successful launch of the ninth Chloe Ellefson Mystery with a Giveaway! Nine winners will receive a signed and personalized trade paperback copy of The Lacemaker’s Secret.
To enter the Giveaway, leave a comment here before 11:59 PM (Central US Time) on Wednesday, January 30, 2019. One entry per person, please.
Nine winners will be chosen at random from all entries here and on my Facebook Author Page. Winners will be announced here on Thursday, January 31. Good luck!
Sometimes you just need some comfort food—something steaming and fragrant and utterly delicious.
The 9th Chloe Ellefson Mystery, The Lacemaker’s Secret, begins at just such a moment.
“Something is burdening you,” Libby told Roelke McKenna. “Spill it. Now.”
“Nothing’s wrong.”
Libby’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t believe you.”
Roelke turned to the kitchen counter where an old-fashioned percolator burbled with promise. Trust his cousin to just know. He’d had another rough night, but he didn’t want to talk about it.
. . . Libby turned and cracked the oven door. A rich wave of banana, vanilla, and cinnamon swirled into the room.
“Please tell me that’s Libby’s Legendary Banana Bread Pudding.” Roelke’s favorite Sunday-morning treat at his cousin’s house.
I came up with this recipe for Banana Bread Pudding on a frigid Wisconsin morning. It pairs beautifully with the delectable maple sauce, so don’t skip that step!
Pudding Ingredients
3-4 ripe bananas
4 c. 1-inch bread cubes (French, Italian, or any other sturdy type)
3 large eggs
2 cups milk (soy or dairy)
2 t. vanilla extract
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1/2 t. ground cardamom (optional)
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)
Note: Because the sauce is sweet, I used no sugar in the bread pudding itself. If you prefer a sweeter version, add 1/4 c. or 1/2 c.
Maple Sauce Ingredients
3 T. butter
2 T. sugar (raw or granulated)
1 T. cornstarch
3/4 c. milk
1/4 c. maple syrup
1-1/2 t. vanilla extract
Instructions
Grease a 2-quart casserole. Pre-heat oven to 375.
Place the bread cubes in a large bowl.
I used half a small loaf of Italian bread. Bread that’s a day or two old will retain its texture better than soft bread.
In another bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Stir in milk, vanilla, and spices. Add sugar, if using.
Set one banana aside, slice the others into this mix, and stir to coat. Add this mixture, and walnuts if using, to the bread cubes. Gently stir.
Stir the pudding into the casserole dish. Slice the final banana over the top.
Use banana that are ripe but firm if you want to retain their texture. Over-ripe bananas can be mashed and mixed with the bread mixture.
Bake for about 40 minutes. Towards the end of the bake start the maple sauce (directions below).
Remove the casserole when the pudding is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center emerges clean.
Fresh from the oven.
When the pudding is partly baked, begin the Maple Sauce by melting the butter in a small saucepan. Mix the sugar and cornstarch together and stir into the melted butter.
Add the milk and maple syrup, whisking continuously. Continue stirring until the mixture comes to a low boil. Let simmer until thickened, about a minute or so.
The silky-smooth sauce just coming to a simmer.
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Serve the pudding warm, topped with the warm maple sauce.
I think Libby and Roelke would enjoy this version of Banana Bread Pudding. I hope you do as well!
When I first started considering a setting for a Chloe Ellefson mystery about Wisconsin’s Belgian immigrants, I knew it would primarily feature the Belgian Farm restored at Heritage Hill State Park.
Then I discovered that a Belgian Heritage Center existed in southern Door County. I made arrangements to meet with a Board member and learned about the excellent work being done at the Center. That visit changed the trajectory of the story, because I knew Chloe would enjoy a visit too!
The building which now houses the Center, the former St. Mary of the Snows Catholic Church in Namur, WI, came very close to demolition.
When a group of local residents (many of Belgian descent) learned that the church was slated to be razed, they organized around the idea of acquiring the building and creating a space that would celebrate Belgian heritage. They managed to purchase the church from the Catholic Diocese in 2010.
Today, the Belgian Heritage Center is a shining example of what a few dedicated volunteers can accomplish.
The Center “tells the story of the Belgian settlement in Wisconsin and works to preserve unique elements of Belgian culture such as foods, beverages, customs, architecture and the Walloon language.”
Visitors will find some formal exhibit areas that tell a broad story.
Other exhibits focus on individual photographs…
…and artifacts.
The panel below is one of my favorites. I’ve read several accounts of women carrying very heavy loads of grain to distant mills in order to provide bread for their children. The Belgian women had a unique way of carrying the sacks of grain, as illustrated. Visitors can now simulate the experience.
The building also has space for programs.
The Center hosts a variety of speakers and special events. Volunteers have produced a growing collection of videotaped interviews with local Belgian-Americans, and are involved with efforts to preserve the Walloon language.
For more information, visit the Belgian Heritage Center website.
And for more information about all the Chloe Ellefson mysteries, visit my website. Happy reading!