A Runaway Marriage: The year was 1886, and Mary Cosser and William John Swail knew what they wanted – each other. But the would-be bride’s parent were apparently less than excited about the match. The fact that Mary was just 16 while her sweetheart was eight years older might have had something […]
Bertha Benz’s Wild Ride
The year 1886 was a busy one. . . and not just for the heroine of my current novel. Since I’ve been writing about 1886, I thought it would be fun to peek at some of that year’s biggest news. And while some folks would consider the launch of Coca-Cola as that year’s […]
The Story of Warren Wasson
Today, it’s hard to imagine a gun battle taking place in the middle of Genoa. But that’s exactly what happened back in 1860, in a raucous dispute over property. And amazingly enough, there’s a silent reminder of that altercation you can still see today. Young Warren Wasson […]
Henry Van Sickle Stories You Never Heard
Two Forgotten Henry Van Sickle Stories . . . . If you’re from Carson Valley, you’ve probably heard the name Henry Van Sickle. After all, he was one of the first settlers in soon-to-be Douglas County, Nevada, arriving in September 1852. And if you live here you’ve probably passed his famous Van Sickle Station, […]
How Jacks Valley Got Its Name
With as colorful a name as ‘Return Jackson Redden,’ he was destined to leave a mark on Carson Valley history. Leave a mark he did, though few know his story today. But here’s a clue: Redden settled in 1851-52 at the mouth of Jack’s Valley. You guessed it. […]
A Successful Memoir Author Shares Her Tips
Q&A With Memoir Author Leslie Ferguson: It’s been quite a roller-coaster ride for memoir author Leslie Ferguson. Over 15 years in the making, her memoir “When I Was Her Daughter” was finally released in late 2021 — to great acclaim! Think multiple podcasts, signings, great reviews, and a personal appearance at the […]
Dutch Nick: Part 2
Tarantula Juice & Other Tales from Empire, NV Dutch Nick’s saloon in early Empire, Nevada was infamous for its ‘tarantula juice’ – a homemade concoction of wood alcohol laced with strychnine, tobacco juice, prussic acid, and other foul ingredients. Some say the name derived from the drink’s after-effects, said to resemble the […]
How I Rescued a Traveler’s Diary from 1835
I stumbled across a small, hand-written diary in an antique store in May, 1988. I’d never run across an old diary for sale before, and had no idea what this one was about. All I knew is what it said on the tag: “1835 handwritten trip journal.” The diary […]
1835 Traveler’s Diary
Like a free excerpt? Over thirty years ago, I discovered an old traveler’s diary in an antique shop. Written in 1835, it recorded the travels of a New England gentleman as he explored the “west” (today’s Midwest), searching for land and opportunity. Click here to read a free excerpt! * […]
Baby Face Nelson at Walley’s Hot Springs, NV
Yes, that Baby Face Nelson. . . . What better place for a wanted man to spend a quiet month hiding from the feds than the cabins of an out-of-the-way tourist resort. Walley’s Hot Springs, Nevada, to be precise. On October 1, 1934, Lester Joseph Gillis, aka George […]
Memoir Writing Tips from Margaret Agard
From High-Tech to Arctic Circle – and Peacocks Too! Margaret Agard is right up there among my memoir-writing heroes –with not just one memoir, but two and a half under her belt. (Number Three is currently in the works, and she’s contemplating a possible Book Four!) Her life has included plenty of […]
Dog Sled Rescuer: Elmer Von Schaible
Old-timers still remember Elmer “Slim” Von Schaible. Because once you met Elmer, you could hardly forget him! For one thing, Elmer stood an astonishing six-foot-seven-inches tall. For another, he eked out a primitive existence in the Eastern Sierra hills for more than 20 years. His camp site shifted with the seasons and his whims, rotating […]