Really excited about the next few days! My literary agency is holding its annual marketing seminar this Sat. in Nashville (and if you’re not repped by them, you can attend on Sun (same program repeated) for a fee: http://www.chipmacgregor.com/marketing-and-platforms/last-chance-join-us/) So, I thought maybe I’ll go down to TN early and get a quiet place to…
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Happy 75th Anniversary Wizard of OZ!
While it’s been 75 years since MGM introduced the movie, my readers know the story has been around a lot longer than that. This fall will mark 114 years since L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was published. But most folks are more familiar with the movie, and I have to admit it’s…
A Chance Encounter
I have met the most interesting people at Irish festivals, but at last weekend’s Dubin Irish Festival I did not expect this. Listen, for you never know what wonders you may meet when you do. It’s a lesson I’m continually learning. It’s way too easy to judge people by their appearance or mannerisms, or to…
Hear Me Talk About Annie’s Stories on This Show!
Always a delight to be on WATD, Boston, with Rob Hakala and Lisa Azizian. You can listen here!
Win an Autographed Copy of Annie’s Stories
I’ve launched this Goodreads giveaway! .goodreadsGiveawayWidget { color: #555; font-family: georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; background: white; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget img { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0 !important; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0; color: #660; text-decoration: none; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:visted { color: #660; text-decoration: none; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget…
What Men Read in 1901
One of my favorite parts of researching Annie’s Stories involved figuring out what Stephen Adams would have read, besides The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which he read because he knew Annie Gallagher was interested in it. (You can see this on the cover.) Jules Verne and H.G. Wells came to mind, but I had to pick…
Back to School with Annie Gallagher
Being a former teacher, I like to ponder how readers might be prompted to learn more about history after reading my Ellis Island Series. I’ve added to my “Teaching History” page. Check it out and let me know if you have more ideas! If you are on Twitter, you can help let others know about…
The Story Behind Annie’s Heart Pin
If you’ve read Annie’s Stories, you know in the story she receives a special heart pin. The pin is actually on the cover. It’s a little hard to see, so I’ve pointed it out to you below. If you have a copy of the book, you can see it easily if you know where to…
The History Behind the Fictional Author’s Mark in Annie’s Stories
Annie Gallagher’s stories were marked with a symbol. If you’ve read the novel you know that this symbol held great importance for determining the value of these stories (to everyone but Annie that is. For her they were priceless since her father wrote them.) You might wonder how I can up with the idea that…
Dorothy’s Visit to Oz Was Not Just a Dream
Not in the book version, anyway. There are several differences between L. Frank Baum’s book and the movie version with Judy Garland. Most people will point out that the slippers were silver not ruby. That’s interesting, but I think a more major difference involves the dream. The author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz book…