historical fiction writer, amateur photographer, retired computer guru and math geek
Every year, we try to take a small vacation to get away from the winter doldrums. We don't always escape the weather, but just a change of scenery is enough to get through until spring. This year we headed south--that is to the Southern Tier of New York--and we tried something new: we took the … Continue reading Trumbull’s Corners
You show me a woman who hasn't fantasized getting in the car and leaving home and I'll show you a woman who doesn't drive." ~Susan Sussman, in her novel Time Out From Good Behavior Show of hands, moms: who has never clenched her car keys so tightly they made red indents in her palm, and … Continue reading Car Keys
The phone rings early Sunday morning. It must be my dad—we often share answers to the Sunday Crossword.But today his voice shakes, his emotions barely in check. “Mom is worse.”I can almost hear his tears. Mom’s cancer is back. Just last month she’d assured us everything was as it should be and we believed her—until … Continue reading Saying Goodbye: A Memory
We took our annual vacation in the Adirondack Mountains the first week of September. This year we took a detour from our usual spot at Chimney Mountain and rented a lovely cottage on Lake Algonquin in Wells, New York. The lake is circled by Route 5 which makes for a nice 3.6-mile walk--something we did … Continue reading Snappers!
I was a pretty good student in high school. I loved math and science. I got high grades in English. But I hate, hate, HATED history class! Maybe it's because a lot of history involved memorizing dates, and I am not good at memorizing unless you draw me a picture or give me a mnemonic. … Continue reading Confessions of An Historical Fiction Author
Almost everyone has that one thing: the topic that gets you on your proverbial soap box to tell the world your passion. Mine is child abuse: not just sexual. Physical, emotional. Whatever kind of manipulation is used against a child to make them feel "less than." When I was a kid, corporal punishment was common. … Continue reading Soapbox
In April of 2008 I started writing a blog. My good friend, Max, wrote a blog and did a podcast and we often got into discussions about one thing or another. Podcasts weren't for me but I thought, why not try a blog? At the time I wasn't thinking about writing novels, I just wanted … Continue reading Fifteen Years and Counting
I’ve been reading John Pavlovitz’s If God is Love, Don’t be a Jerk. Like some other non-fiction books I’ve read lately, I’ve found it interesting and thought-provoking. I was intrigued to find that the evolution of Mr. Pavlovitz’s beliefs are similar to my own journey in faith. When I was a child, my family attended … Continue reading My Evolving Higher Power
Last weekend, most of us performed the semi-annual task of changing the time on our clocks. "Spring ahead...fall back" is the chant. Duly noted and accomplished. But is spring really right around the corner? According to the calendar, yes. The spring equinox officially occurs Monday, March 20, at 5:24 p.m. But is it really spring? … Continue reading Spring Ahead?
Morning is writing time for me. I work best in the mornings so I try to put in two to three hours of work before noon. Photography is usually reserved for vacations, although my camera is rarely far away when I'm out. But when the days are cold and snowy, my go-to occupation is knitting. … Continue reading Rescue Me
Susannah Willey Writes 