From Family Tree to Novel: The Real Lives Behind My Books

On Saturday, October 4, I had the pleasure of being a vendor at Family History Day, sponsored by the Connecticut Society of Genealogists. I always enjoy chatting with people who love family history, and inevitably, someone asks how I choose which ancestor to write about. For my first novel, Nothing Really Bad Will Happen, the […]

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Catherine Kenney: Solving the Mystery of a Runaway Bride (and Mother-to-Be)

I’ve been chasing my husband’s great-grandmother, Catherine Kenney, since 2015. She left behind a trail of contradictions that made her one of those maddening ancestors who seemed determined to hide in plain sight. But after years of digging, thanks to Scripty (my AI pal) I’ve finally cracked the case: where she was born, who her […]

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IAJGS 2025 – August 10-14 -Part Two

Wednesday I spent two and a half hours in the Expo Hall at the Authors’ Table. Technically, I was only assigned a one-hour slot, but I figured I’d stay until I got hungry or someone else needed the table! I met some lovely people, including Daniel Horowitz, the Gala speaker for the next evening. (Not […]

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IAJGS 2025 – August 10–14 – Part One

Saturday We arrived at the Courtyard Marriott around 7 pm, and within five minutes of dropping our bags, we were seated at a table in Connor’s Restaurant. I ordered enchiladas—a very uncharacteristic choice for me—which turned out to be a mistake. (Let’s just say I began eyeing our limited supply of Tums with concern.) Conference […]

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When AI Crosses a Line: A Lesson from a Steerage Scene That Looked All Too Familiar

Posted by Deborah Samuel Holman, Author of Nothing Really Bad Will Happen and the upcoming children’s version inspired by it NOTE: This post also appears on my author and book blogs—because it touches all three worlds. When I began adapting my adult novel Nothing Really Bad Will Happen into a version for my 6-year-old grandson, […]

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RootsTech 2025 – Day 2 Recap

We woke to a gray snowy scene outside our window. Thankfully our hotel is just a minute walk away. Before I head to the first session let me tell you something…I’ve got a secret. Which I’ll be divulging tomorrow. For now, let’s just say I’ve had to embrace my second “career.” So, this session was […]

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Rootstech 2025 – Day 1 Recap

Mistakes I Have Made: Confessions of a Repentant Genealogist Day 1 of RootsTech was packed with insightful sessions, and I’m kicking things off with one that really resonated with me—because, let’s be honest, we’ve all made mistakes in our genealogical research. Cheri Hudson Passey delivered a fantastic and, at times, painfully relatable session on the […]

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Family History and Me – My Family "Bramblebush"

As Family History Month winds down (Yay! I’m 28 for 28 posts!!) I decided to share why I started doing genealogy. My family is a little bit complicated. My father divorced my mother when I was 7 and remarried three times. I have three full-sisters from his first marriage, a half-sister from his second marriage, […]

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Society Saturday – Jewish Genealogical Society of Connecticut (JGSCT)

I belong to one genealogy society – the Jewish Genealogical Society of Connecticut (JGSCT.) I’m not much of a joiner. I like to do research and I love to learn new things, but I’m pretty reluctant to do so if it involves getting off my couch. (Just ask my husband!) So, why did I join […]

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