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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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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A Belated Note for VE Day: Uncle Emile, the Ritchie Boy Who Helped Save Us All

Note: I’m sharing this on both my genealogy blog and the site for Nothing Really Bad Will Happen, since it ties into the true family history that inspired the novel. May 8, 1945—Victory in Europe Day. For millions around the world, it was a moment of celebration: Nazi Germany had surrendered, the war in Europe […]

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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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