This year, a modest house on Centerville Lane will celebrate its 100th birthday (or so the assessment records say). And ironically, the word “birthday” holds a very special meaning for this old home. Think 159 of them . . . . Options for pregnant mothers were limited in Gardnerville during the World War II years. You could have your baby the […]
Sandberg’s Lodge on the Old Ridge Route
When we visited in 1992, all that was left was a sturdy stone wall and a few cracked rectangles of concrete. But in the 1920s, Sandberg’s Lodge was a bustling wayside stop for travelers on the old Ridge Route between Los Angeles and Bakersfield. Some say Old Man Sandberg was a heck of a guy. […]
Carson City’s Vanishing History: Please Help Save Adele’s!
A beautiful piece of Carson City history may soon be — history. The former Adele’s restaurant, that popular upscale eatery that has graced N. Carson Street since 1977, could soon be razed to enlarge the gas station next door. Folks are scrambling to save this century-and-a-half-old landmark. But the deadline to raise an estimated $100,000 […]
3 Writing Tips To Make Your Writing Sing!
Ever hit a long-winded passage and turn the page, hoping the story would pick up later? I see a few hands out there. This month, I wanted to share three quick writing tips to avoid page-turning-reader syndrome and let your writing sing! (1) Look for “padding” you don’t need. An easy place to start: those extraneous, repetitive, extra, unnecessary, duplicative, […]
Newly-Discovered History at Mormon Station
Next time you drive past Mormon Station State Historic Park, keep an eye peeled for a small, white, garage-looking structure just north of the stockade. When Mormon Station acquired the 1.2-acre property adjacent to the Fort in 2002, that’s exactly what they thought this small building was: just a “barn or garage.” Initial estimates dated it to […]
Markleeville’s (Unofficial) Sister City: Newman, California
Did you know tiny Markleeville, California has a sister city? Well, not an official one. In fact, the two towns probably have no idea they’re even related. But Newman, California and Markleeville share a common heritage. The link that binds them? The man who gave the town of Newman its name. Here’s the tale! Simon Newman (Neumann) was born in 1846 in Willmars, in the Bavarian […]
Memoir Writers: Who Inspired You?
It’s easy to think of our memoir as just our own story. But how many other paths crossed yours to make you who you are today? Probably thousands and thousands! In this pool table game of life, we’ve all taken hits from a few random cue balls. Our trajectory has been disrupted by unexpected forces that coaxed us, prodded […]
Food & Family History: Special Memories Often Start in the Kitchen
Serendipity gives me goosebumps. Just as I was about to write this post about “food memories,” I stumbled on a terrific example of this exact form of family-history writing. “From Billee’s Kitchen” is a great, simple collection of not only recipes but memories. Compiled in pdf form by Melissa Corn Finlay, it honors her grandmother, Billee […]
Jonas Winchester’s Wild, Crazy, Adventurous Life – Part 2
So, how did Jonas Winchester get to California? Ah, that’s a story in itself! (And if you missed Part 1 of Winchester’s wild and crazy story, here’s where to read it!) The eighth of 13 children, Jonas Winchester entered the world on November 19, 1810 in Marcellus, New York. At roughly age 16 he was apprenticed […]
The Wild, Crazy, Adventurous Life of Jonas Winchester (Part 1)
Jonas Winchester was one of a kind . . . . The year was 1871. Hope was in the air, in the tiny mining town of Monitor, California. “General” Jonas Winchester and his wife had recently arrived from back East. And word was that the Globe Gold & Silver Mine was finally going to be […]
Six Great Gifts Just for Memoir Writers (Plus 3 Helpful Tips)
’Tis the season (or soon will be) for gift-giving. And don’t forget those upcoming New Year’s Resolutions. (Hope yours will include writing!) Whether you’re thinking about a gift for a fellow writer, or perhaps a motivational gift for yourself, here are six fun gift ideas. And keep reading to the end for three helpful writing tips to keep your inspiration […]
Speaking of History: 4 Tips for Giving a History Talk That’s Actually Interesting
Show of hands: Who positively hated history class in school? Virtual high-fives, my friend . . . history class was soooo boring! Yet this is how crazy life can be: now I write books and give talks about it. So what’s changed? Well, I finally discovered history isn’t about memorizing names, dates, and wars. Nope. […]