The Legend of Stuckey’s Bridge

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Lori Crane

I’m working on a book called “The Legend of Stuckey’s Bridge” and just tickled over the goose bumps I’m giving myself. As fast as it’s writing itself, it will probably be released by Sept 2013, Amazon and Kindle.

I grew up in Meridian, Mississippi and have family who live just off Stuckey’s Bridge Road. I’ve heard the legend my whole life.

Legend

In the late 1800s, Old Man Stuckey ran an inn on a stagecoach route along the Chunky River. He could often be seen on the bridge, waving his lantern to passing flatboats, carrying produce and cotton up and down the river, and flagging down coaches who had been traveling all day. He offered weary travelers a soft bed and a hot meal.

According to legend, he buried their bodies along the banks of the river.

In 1901, the Virginia Bridge & Iron Company began rebuilding the dilapidated bridge and found the remains of Stuckey’s victims. The sheriff and his posse hung Stuckey from the very bridge he used to attract his victims. They left his body hanging for five days before the noose was cut and his body splashed into the cold water below.

Ghost?

To this day, there are rumors of the bridge being haunted by his ghost. A man carrying a lantern has been seen on the banks. An image of a lifeless corpse hanging from the bridge has been witnessed. The sound of a large splash under the bridge has been heard.

Today

Stuckey’s Bridge is currently closed to automobile traffic due to needing repairs. As remote as the location is, I doubt it will ever be repaired, but it is on the National Register of Historic Places, so maybe someday it will get the attention it needs.

Two things strike me about the story.

1) Old Man Stuckey must have been a serious psychopath or sociopath (Psychopaths are genetic, sociopaths are created, but both have the same personality traits). Since there are no records of his existence and no Stuckey family name in the county at that time, I wonder where he came from and what kind of background he had that made him so nuts. I think he was even crazier than Norman Bates—more along the lines of Hannibal Lecter. Yikes!

2) I’m almost half-way through writing the story, and I still haven’t given him a proper name. My heart and mind are wide open to discovering/creating his given name, and hopefully it will hit me before I finish the book. I’m also a little nervous about opening up my psyche to such an evil presence. Heebie Jeebies!

If you visit Lauderdale County, Mississippi and venture out to Stuckey’s Bridge,

once you’ve crossed it, DON’T TURN AROUND!

“The Legend of Stuckey’s Bridge” facebook fan page.

(Photo credits in order as they appear: Lori Crane 2012, Wikimedia Commons 2008, Nathan Culpepper Photography 2006.)

And now back to my regularly scheduled life…

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Lori Crane

I’ve been working on a book since October and just clicked that fabulous little “send” button to ship the manuscript off to my editor. That is one of the two instances when an author can breathe for a moment. The other is when you click the “publish” button. Sigh.

Every time I reach either moment, I am reminded of the movie, “Romancing the Stone,” where Kathleen Turner places a five-inch thick, type-writer written, finished manuscript on her kitchen table, lights a candle, and pours herself a glass of wine. Maybe that is why I’m tempted to open that bottle of Crown Royal sitting in my cabinet.

But do I relax and bask in the glow of the finished product?

No, of course not. I’ve spent the last four hours researching the Dalton Gang for my new book.

But, hey, I’ve learned a ton about the Dalton Gang today!

What I found interesting about them is they did not set out to be outlaws. They were all initially U.S. marshals. There were four brothers in the gang. One lived in California on his successful farm with his beautiful wife. His name was Bill, and he is not in the above Wanted Poster. I assume his wife wouldn’t let him go that day.

Anyhoo, he was involved in politics, and the local farmers were trying to keep the railroads from running through their farms. When his three brothers (the hotties pictured above) showed up, their manly testosterone levels escalated, and they came up with a plan to teach the railroads a thing or two. They attempted to rob a train, but being inexperienced, bumbling train robbers, the result was a total fiasco. They fled empty handed under gunfire.

Somewhere between that humiliating failure in 1890 and their terrible deaths in 1892 while trying to rob TWO banks – across the street from each other – at the same time – in broad daylight – which resulted in a shoot out – and most of the gang dying, their fine morals and upbringing obviously went astray. Boys will be boys.

The photo above is from Wikipedia. The middle two are Bob and Grat. (Emmett did not die that day, but he was shot over 20 times, survived, and spent 14 years in prison.) These boys were killed in the 1892 shoot out. Their boots were removed. They are all in handcuffs. Who took their boots?? And why are they handcuffed?? And what’s up with the gun in the photo?? So, they had a town photographer, but no town doctor to know if they were dead or not, hence the handcuffs??

Anyway, the book is not about them, it only starts with them. But I’ve had an interesting day researching them nonetheless.

♥♥♥ Hearts Through History Blog Hop ♥♥♥

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Lori Crane

Happy Valentine’s Day! Welcome to the Valentine’s Blog Hop!

24 Authors have united to tickle you with their favorite historical mushy anecdote. You can hop from page to page and enjoy the warm, fuzzy feelings. At the end of this post is a list of participants to help you hop from site to site.

You can also win prizes on each page. Be sure to comment on each page to win great stuff.

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Whether medieval times, tudor times, the old west, or today, nothing is as exciting as the promise of new love!

This is an excerpt from my new book, “An Orphan’s Heart.”

Texas 1884. Ellen has just arrived at her brother’s house for a visit and is playing with his daughters.

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I am so wrapped up the little girls, I don’t even notice him sitting quietly at the table.

“Ellen, I’d like to introduce you my brother. This is Sam Meek.”

The man rises from the table to greet me, and I am immediately taken aback by his rugged good looks and his warm smile. Our eyes meet and lock. Suddenly I feel as if I’m drowning in a pool of green—the richest green of a mountain side, the darkest green of the deepest water. Everyone and everything disappears. The only thing I see is him.

He offers me his hand. “It’s very nice to meet you.”

“And you, sir,” I take his hand and feel the warmth of electricity flow through every vein in my body. I pull my hand away from his heat and just as quickly regret the action. I wish to feel it again, but there is no way to touch him again now. I glance down and admire his tan forearm covered half way by his rolled-up shirt sleeve. “I am very sorry about the loss of your mother,” I offer my condolences as I try to compose myself.

He doesn’t respond for a moment. I look back up at his face and he gazes deeply into my eyes. “Thank you. It is very sad for all of us.” He doesn’t pull his eyes away. We are locked in eternity.

Mollie brings some coffee to the table, breaking the spell Sam Meek has created, and she motions for us to have a seat.

“Would you like something to eat?” she offers.

“No, thank you,” I shake my head, finding it hard to take my eyes off the stunning creature in front of me.

“Sam?”

“No, I’m fine, but thank you,” he says, not breaking our gaze. “I’m going to have to get to sleep in a little bit. I’m exhausted.”

I feel myself sink into the chair but have no idea if I’m actually sitting. The thought of him leaving the room is disheartening, and I am surprised a man I just met is having this kind of effect on me.

“So, how was your trip?” he turns his attention toward his coffee cup as Mollie fills it.

“It was amazing. When I was younger, I traveled through a small town in Alabama that had a train station. I was so enchanted by the women in their fancy hats coming and going, I vowed to myself I would someday travel on a train to a distant place.” I smile. “And here I am.”

“Sounds nice.” He takes a sip of his coffee, watching me over the brim of his steaming cup. His voice sounds like silk.

I can’t take my eyes off of him. I watch the way he sips his coffee. I watch his strong, callused hands place the cup back down on the table. I watch his tongue lick a stray drop from his lips. I watch his tanned throat as he swallows. He is stunning.

“Did you sleep on the train or did you stop somewhere?”

“I spent the night in Mobile and New Orleans, but the rest of the trip was on a sleeper train that had bunks. The rocking motion of the train was actually very soothing.” I sip the strong, bitter coffee then glance at him as I place the cup back on the table.

“Well, I’m glad you had a good journey.” He stands. “I’m sorry to interrupt our coffee and conversation, but I really need to get some sleep. I can hardly keep my eyes open.” He is breathtaking. “It’s going to be a long day tomorrow with the funeral and all.” He grabs his hat from the side table. “Relatives have been coming into town all day.” He nods to me. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Ma’am. I’d love to speak with you more about your journey, and I will see you again tomorrow.”

“Nice to meet you, too, Mr. Meek.” His movements are exquisite, like a stallion running through a field, like an eagle catching his prey, like a…

“Please, call me Sam.” He grins, showing the slightest dimple under the dark stubble on his cheek. His eyes sparkle in the firelight.

I nod and smile. I’m sure I’m blushing, but I can’t stop staring at him.

He bids a good evening to Mollie and Willie, and just as instantly as he appeared, he is gone.

I’m speechless. My heart is pounding in my ears. My palms are sweating. I can’t seem to catch my breath. I wish I could follow him. I look down at my coffee cup and shake my head. When I look up, Mollie and Willie are both staring at me. I blush with embarrassment.

“Well,” says Mollie, “You two seemed to have hit it off rather nicely. I’m glad you are here, Ellen.” She smiles.

I nod my head and sheepishly glance toward the closed door, wishing Sam would come back into the room with an excuse that he forgot something.

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“An Orphan’s Heart” coming May 2013 in paperback and eBook.

Click here to visit and LIKE “An Orphan’s Heart” facebook fan page to stay up-to-date

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TWO GIVEAWAYS

There are currently two books in the Rodgers family series – “Okatibbee Creek” and “An Orphan’s Heart.” To win a free copy of either book please comment below. The books will be in eBook form in the format of your choice. Two winners will be chosen. Winners will be chosen and notified February 20. “Okatibbee Creek” will be delivered by email immediately. “An Orphan’s Heart” will be delivered by email on or about April 30. Winners will be posted on this page on or about February 20. Comments are set to moderation, so it may take a short time for your comment to appear.

FEBRUARY 20, 2013 UPDATE: Winners are Faye Johnson and Anna Belfrage. Congratulations! Please check your email and claim your prize.

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Thank you for stopping by. Please hop over and visit other authors!

Dear Historical Fiction Writer: How Much Is True?

Posted on January 19, 2013 by Lori Crane

Dear Historical Fiction Writer: How Much Is True?

That is the question historical fiction writers are most often asked. It takes a huge amount of time researching the characters and documents for a historical fiction novel. The obvious items are names, dates, and places, but the not-so-obvious are social questions. What was going on in the world at the time? What about the town? The family? Fashion? Industrial? Politics? Agriculture? Relationships? Economic status? These specifics are very time consuming. There are too many questions to speak of generally, so let’s narrow it down a single person and see if we can make sense out of the documents of one person’s life.

In the historical fiction novel I am currently working on, “An Orphan’s Heart,” we know the following about Ellen Rodgers. She was born in 1853 in Mississippi. In 1860, the census shows her living with her parents and four siblings in Mississippi. Her parents died within a month of each other in 1862. Ellen was nine. The 1870 census shows her living with her aunt Elizabeth Rodgers Graham in Alabama. The 1880 census shows her back in Mississippi, living with her two sisters. There is no 1890 census because it was burned in a fire, but I did find a relative who sent me a copy of Ellen’s 1890 obituary. Ellen died at the age of 37 in Texas.

There are a few social ideas we can deduce about the above facts:

1) Children at that time in history would usually be left in the custody of the eldest male family member. Ellen’s parents died in the middle of the Civil War. Since Ellen ended up with her aunt, we can assume any male who would have taken custody, if there was one, was probably off fighting in the war.

2) Travel to Alabama and back to Mississippi would have probably been by wagon. Her locations were 110 miles apart. Ox-pulled wagons traveled 10-15 miles per day, making the trip 7-10 days. Horses moved faster, perhaps 6-8 days. Indians were not too apt to steal horses in the area like they were out West, and there was a river to travel along to have a fresh water supply, so it they had them, they probably used horses.

3) The most logical way to get to Texas in the 1880s would have been by train. Travelling the route from Meridian, MS to Mobile, AL, to New Orleans, LA, to Houston, TX, and then up to Runnels County would have been probable through a combination of three lines; The Mobile and Ohio RR, the Louisiana Western RR, and the Houston and Texas Central RR, and would have taken about five days. It would have involved changing trains, staying over in towns, layovers for supper, and sleeper cars.

There are more than a few personal questions:

How did Ellen end up in Alabama in 1870? Why did she go back to Mississippi? Why and when did she go to Texas? Why did she die so young?

Those answers lie in other members of the family.

Probate documents show Ellen was indeed in the custody of her uncle Hays Rodgers. He returned home at the end of the war in 1865. About 1866/67, he moved his family to Alabama. His sister, Elizabeth, was already living there. That’s how Ellen ended up in Alabama. She arrived at about age 13 or 14 and was 17 in the 1870 census. But why did she go back to Mississippi?

That answer lies in Aunt Elizabeth’s records. Elizabeth died in 1875. There is it. Ellen has now lost another adult she probably considered a mother. Sometime before 1880, she went back to Mississippi. Perhaps her uncle escorted her, perhaps she traveled alone.

Also, back in 1866/67, her two brothers went on a wagon train to Runnels County, TX with their maternal uncles. That is Ellen’s connection to Texas. But, when did she go and why? And, how did she die there at the young age of 37?

The answer to that lies in Mr. Sam Meek and Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Bell County, TX.

Ellen’s brother was married to Sam’s sister. When Ellen went out there, either to visit or to live, she naturally met Sam. They were married in 1885 (making her arrival there about 1884ish). Ellen and Sam had twin boys who were stillborn in 1887. They had a daughter in 1888. And they had a second daughter on August 5, 1890. Ellen died eight days later on August 13, 1890. Since there were no medicines to fight off infection in those days, she more than likely died of complications or infection following childbirth. Sadly, the baby died a couple months later in October. They are all buried at Pleasant Hill Cemetery.

Now, we can weave together the life of this young woman. Here’s where the “fiction” part comes in. What kind of personality would you give Ellen? Would she be strong? Shy? Bold? Reserved? As the author, it would be your choice. How about her aunt Elizabeth? What kind of house did they live in? How about her relationship with Sam? You can examine his family and come to your own conclusion about what kind of man he was. You can look at the historical time, locations, house styles, economy, but the final call is yours. Who stood vigil at Ellen’s death bed? What happened to the surviving daughter? That question requires more research. Would you research further or would you end the story with Ellen’s death? Is there a moral to the story, something to be learned, a reason for her short life?

So, there you have it. How much is true? All of it…and none of it. Was she strong? Shy? Bold? No one will ever know. Does she have an interesting story? Yes. Is it worth giving her a personality to tell her story? Yes.

Available at Amazon

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I am her legacy. The beginning of “Okatibbee Creek.”

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Lori Crane

Someone asked me how I came to write a historical fiction book, what sparked my interest in the main character? I had been working on my book for eight months, so I kind of lost track of how it all started. At the same time, I was also asked to do a talk/reading/book-signing in February, and I spoke with my husband about the important points of my impending talk.

He said, “You should let them know how it all started. Why did you write it?”

So, I put my thinking cap on and tried to remember…

She was just a name in my family tree. Mary Ann Rodgers. My third great grandmother. I discovered that she lost her husband, Rice Carpenter, in the Civil War in 1862. How sad to lose the one you love, but hey, it’s war, people die. After he died, she remarried in 1864. I looked at the 1870 census and found she was married to William Jolly and was living with his children, her children, and three children they had together. It was a house-full! But at least their three children were proof they must have liked each other, right? That’s good. I was interested where William came from, so I traced him back and looked at his 1860 census. In 1860, he was living with his wife Harriet, their four children, and a woman named Nancy Carpenter who was 69 years of age.

Nancy Carpenter? The only Nancy Carpenter I know is Rice’s mother, whose maiden name was Nancy Rice. Why was Mary Ann’s mother-in-law living with her future husband?? Were they neighbors? Was she their cleaning lady? I clicked on Nancy Carpenter and saw her relationship to the “head of house” was listed as “mother-in-law.” She was William’s mother-in-law? What?? She was Harriet’s mother?

So, I went back and looked at Rice’s family, and sure enough, his sister Harriet was married to William. Rice died 31 Dec 1862 and Harriet died a month later on 30 Jan 1863. Their spouses, Mary Ann and William, brother-in-law/sister-in-law, married in 1864. Well of course they did. They had known each other for many years, hadn’t they?

The more I looked at the Rodgers and Carpenter families, the more I was amazed by the sheer number of family members they lost to war and typhoid. At the time of my research, I remember counting SEVENTEEN, but I’m sure there were many more I missed. I couldn’t wrap my head around that kind of heartache and quickly became impressed with Mary Ann’s strength. How would you react if you lost two or three family members this year? You would probably need Prozac. How would you respond if you lost a dozen? I wouldn’t even be able to get out of bed. Seventeen in one year? I can’t even fathom that.

Years, numbers, and names from census records are just that – years, numbers, and names – unless you put yourself in their shoes. Then they become tears, children, and heartaches. We all come from those strong women. We are the living proof of their strength. If the boat sank, the story would be over. But it didn’t, and we know that because we are here. We are the survivors. I dug deep down in my heart and soul and decided to tell her story, a story she would be proud of. I wanted her to know that she didn’t go through all of that in vain. I am here. I am her legacy. Her story has been told to make us all stronger. We are the products of strength, fortitude, and integrity, as well as tears, heartache, and pain. We are the children our grandmothers fought so hard for, and I want Mary Ann to be as proud of me as I am of her.

That’s where my book came from.

available at Amazon

“Okatibbee Creek” facebook fan page

2012 – The Year of Validation

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Lori Crane

2012 has been a most interesting year. Since my children were little, my years have been measured by childhood accomplishments: that’s the year he started high school, that’s the year she started piano. There have been family measurements too: that’s the year we went to the Grand Canyon, that’s the year we sold the house, or that’s the year Grandma died.

This year has been different. There have been no measurements. We didn’t move, no one died, there were no graduations, no great happenings, no exciting journeys around the globe.

This year has, however, been filled with humbling personal victories for me.

If you have ever read my blog, you know I’m into genealogy. I’ve been tracing my family for 30 years. I try to be as accurate as I can, but I realize memories are fuzzy, documents are mis-dated, names are misspelled. This is a fact in genealogy research, so I don’t worry myself too much with perfection of details. Example: I have known since childhood that my grandmother was 59 when she died. When I ordered her birth certificate this year, I found that her birth date was not the year we all thought. She was actually 60 when she died and her tombstone is wrong. See? You just can worry yourself with details. It takes nothing away from my love for my grandmother either way.

So, in 2012, I submitted my genealogy paperwork to three different organizations for membership. I didn’t feel one way or the other about the memberships, but when I was accepted into all three, I realized that my research has indeed been correct and now has been validated by others. More than becoming a member of these organizations, I have been patted on the back for my years of research. I am pleased to say that 2012 will be marked as the year I became a member of the United States Daughters of 1812, the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and the Daughters of the American Revolution. Even better than that, the three memberships are under three different lines in my family tree.

I’ve also held a lifelong desire to write my memoirs for my descendants. I always craved more detail about my great grandparent’s lives, and wished they would have left me something. So, since I was very young, I thought I would someday write my memoirs in case my great grandchild felt the same. Sadly, I don’t really have a fabulous and interesting life, so I have very little to write in a memoir. I’ve spent many hours over the decades with pencil and paper in hand and never could find a way to start.

2012 became the year of writing a memoir! Not mine. My third great grandmother’s. I spent most of the year writing her life story and turned it into a book. I am currently holding the very first printed copy of the paperback and look forward to the official release of “Okatibbee Creek” in a week or so. I’ve written stories and music my whole life, but I have never completed a novel before, so I am speechless to be holding this book. The fact that it is a family history, a memoir, the family book I’ve always wanted to write, the family history I’ve always wanted to read, gives me great pleasure and validation – validation of my family history, validation of my dreams, validation that 2012 was a year well spent.

It is bittersweet to say goodbye to 2012. It will be remembered as: that’s the year I was validated.

My new video book trailer for “Okatibbee Creek”

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Lori Crane

I’m tickled pink over my new video book trailer for “Okatibbee Creek.”

This was my best blog ever, don’t ya think?

The Next Big Thing

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Lori Crane

I’ve been tagged in The Next Big Thing.

The Next Big Thing is a blog interview for authors to give everyone a sneak-peak at a work-in-progress.

Authors writing more stuff…Yay! Okay, let’s get busy.

What is the working title of your next book?

“An Orphan’s Heart” — planned release date Spring 2013.

Working on the cover….

Where did the idea come from for the book?

I finished writing a historical fiction novel called “Okatibbee Creek,” where Mary Ann finds herself alone during the Civil War, raising her four children and her brother’s five orphans. One of the orphans was Ellen. While I was researching the orphans (yes, “An Orphan’s Heart” is also historical fiction), I found that Ellen moved around a lot by herself, and I was intrigued with a woman traveling alone at that time in history. I also found that she had only one child who lived until 1986 and died at the age of 98. Ellen and her daughter spanned U.S. history from the Civil War until relatively recently, which I can’t quite wrap my head around. I ended up speaking on the phone with the daughter’s grand-daughter, who is currently 73 years of age and living in Abilene, TX. After that, I was hooked on telling Ellen’s story.

What genre does your book fall under?

Historical fiction.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Zooey Deschanel for the lead and a bearded Matt Dillon as her husband.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Ellen, with the broken spirit of an orphan and the soul of a gypsy, travels alone across the late 1800s rugged and dangerous United States, searching to ease the loneliness that fate has burrowed into her heart and hoping to find the only thing that is truly important…love.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I self-publish under Lori Crane Entertainment, Inc.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

It took about five weeks. I worked on it every day. I tend to write just the story, then go back a second time and describe the people and environments. I go back a third time and add color, description, more conversations, and connect all the dots. Usually somewhere in the second pass, the story changes direction. I don’t know why that always happens, but I get more clarity of the plot and the characters after the initial rough draft is completed. The fourth time through is my author edit. I then send it to a real editor, and when I get it back, I can freshly see the holes and connect even more dots. Then the proofreader. Then I go through it about three more times in different formats. By the time it’s finished, I never want to see it again.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I don’t know a specific work, but I imagine any female character trying to make it on her own, especially with the flavor of the Old West.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

I love genealogy and am completely in awe of my ancestors. I laugh, cheer, and cry as I give them life through their documents and records.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

This is the second book in the Rodgers family series. The first, “Okatibbee Creek,” will be released in paperback and Kindle December 2012. If you fall in love with those characters like I did, you will also want to read “An Orphan’s Heart,” to continue the love affair. (Shameless plug: There will also be a third book in the series, “Elly Hays,” coming Fall 2013.)

Now, I’m off to tag five more authors to write posts of their own about their Next Big Thing. Stay tuned for details once they have all agreed…

My New Book “Okatibbee Creek”

Posted on November 4, 2012 by Lori Crane

My new book!! How excited am I???

Release date: December 2012.

Available in paperback , Kindle and Nook.

Based on a true story.

Mary Ann Rodgers is a happy child of a wealthy farmer in the early 1800s in Mississippi. She marries her childhood sweetheart and creates a wonderful life for herself and her children. When the Civil War begins, her world slowly shatters, not only from the economic trials and ravages of war, but from a typhoid epidemic that sweeps through her community, devastating her family. Between October 1861 and March 1863, she loses more than fifteen family members; including her beloved husband, four brothers, both parents, and her one-year-old baby boy. She takes in her brother’s five orphans, and along with her own children, struggles to raise them alone in an old general store that was her husband’s dream. Though with no paying customers and no way to re-supply her inventory, she is fighting her own war and losing.

When General Sherman’s Union Army marches through her town on their way to destroy Meridian, she has no choice but to fight back. And fight back she does – not only with her rifle, but with her change in attitude and her rebellious spirit. Following the death of her husband, she is left with no option but to marry the only man who can help her – her widowed brother-in-law, William. Adding his four children to the eight she is already raising is a daunting task, but her marriage to William turns her life around in surprising ways. She becomes a strong and resilient woman who understands better than most the meaning of life and the importance of love and family.

Okatibbee Creek is a novel of historical fiction based on the life of my third great grandmother, including supporting documents and family photos at the end of the book. It will have you crying and cheering through a real-life story of love, loss, and survival.

“Okatibbee Creek” facebook fan page.

“Okatibbee Creek” video trailer.

Lori Crane

award-winning author. musician. cute shoes.

Category Archives: My Books

The Legend of Stuckey’s Bridge

And now back to my regularly scheduled life…

♥♥♥ Hearts Through History Blog Hop ♥♥♥

Dear Historical Fiction Writer: How Much Is True?

I am her legacy. The beginning of “Okatibbee Creek.”

2012 – The Year of Validation

My new video book trailer for “Okatibbee Creek”

The Next Big Thing

My New Book “Okatibbee Creek”