AUTHOR'S NOTE
I started my blog, Sites and Stories, to celebrate historic sites - the stories they tell, the stories they inspire. My posts often provide behind-the-scenes glimpses of places and themes featured in my books. I also write monthly for InkSpot, a group blog shared by some of the adult mystery authors published by Midnight Ink. There’s a lot here - have fun exploring!
My Blog Posts
Below are descriptions and links to some of the recent postings on my Sites and Stories blog, to some of my posts on the InkSpot blog I share with other Midnight Ink authors, and to my posts on blogs where I have been a recent guest. Enjoy!
Speed Dating For Writers |
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I recently attended Malice Domestic, an annual celebration of the traditional mystery. Participating authors were invited to enter a drawing to earn a place on the roster for Malice-Go-Round. "It's like speed dating for authors," explained Barb Goffman, who organized the event... more>> Posted May 22, 2013 on InkSpot, the Midnight Ink authors' blog. |
Whistler In The Dark: The Stories Behind The Story |
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When I attended interpreter training at Old World Wisconsin in the spring of 1982, the Curator of Textiles showed us a photograph of a Wisconsin woman wearing trousers beneath a knee-length skirt. The image shows a woman in a farmyard, staring straight at the camera, with a man and child behind her... more>> Posted May 19, 2013 on Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
Highland Fling: The Stories Behind The Story |
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I attended my first Highland Games at Macalester College in St. Paul. I loved visiting the cultural tents. I loved watching the dancing and the heavy athletic events. The highlight, though, came when the massed pipe bands took the field. The music and energy seemed to pulse deep inside me. I got a lump in my throat, and had to blink back tears... more>> Posted May 12, 2013 on Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
Remembering Marty |
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Old World Wisconsin opened to the public last week, as it has every May since 1976. As always, the new season brings a variety of changes intended to improve visitor experience. But this year also marks an unwanted and profound change. For the first time ever, Marty Perkins isn’t watching spring unfurl at the historic site... more>> Posted May 7, 2013 on Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
The Night Riders of Harpers Ferry |
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This is the story behind the story. When I was a kid, I attended a summer camp perched on a cliff above the Potomac River and the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, and a short hike away from Harpers Ferry... more>> Posted April 24, 2013 on Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
One Extraordinary Librarian |
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Like all writers and readers, I owe a huge debt of thanks to librarians. As a history junkie, I’m particularly interested in the pioneers in that profession. I recently attended a special event called “The Women of Mill City” at the Mill City Museum in Minneapolis... more>> Posted April 24, 2013, on the InkSpot blog. |
The Runaway Friend: The Stories Behind The Story |
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After I started writing for American Girl, I always hoped that my editor would invite me to write a Kirsten book. The story of European immigrants moving to the Upper Midwest is very close to my heart. more>>
Posted April 14, 2013 on Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
Gathering: Memoir of a Seed Saver |
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If you’re a gardener—or even if you’re not—I highly recommend Gathering: A Memoir of a Seed Saver, by Diane Ott Whealy (Seed Savers Exchange, 2011). When considering topics and themes to explore in my second Chloe Ellefson mystery, The Heirloom Murders, I decided to highlight heirloom gardening. I began working at Old World Wisconsin in 1982 with little knowledge of gardening... more>>
Posted April 9, 2013 on Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
Midnight In Lonesome Hollow: Stories Behind The Story |
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I have always loved the southern Appalachian mountains. Although I’ve lived in Wisconsin for many years now, I went to college in West Virginia, spent many summers in western Maryland, and have enjoyed many hikes and rambles through the mountains in the southern states. My editor at American Girl knows that, so when she invited me to write a second Kit mystery... more>>
Posted March 31, 2013 on Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
The Women Of Mill City |
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The Mill City Museum in Minneapolis, Minnesota, celebrated Women’s History Month with a fascinating and multi-layered special event. I find it easy to imagine the lives of historical rural women. City women, not so much. Perhaps that’s because most urban historic sites interpret the lives of wealthy people who lived in fancy homes. Local citizens often rally to save a treasured... more>>
Posted March 29, 2013 on Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
Historical Fiction? |
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Recently, a reader asked if my Chloe Ellefson Historic Sites Mysteries are historical fiction. The first three books in the series are set in 1982. I was in my early twenties then, so for much of the cultural context, I simply tap my own memories. For me, and for some of my readers, the '80s were the good old days. On the other hand, some of my readers weren't born until well after 1982... more>>
Posted March 27, 2013 on the InkSpot blog. |
Old World Murder Giveaway! |
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Round 4 of the “25 in 25″ Giveaway! This week I’m giving away three copies of Old World Murder, the first book in my Chloe Ellefson Historic Sites mystery series. Old World Murder is a traditional mystery, with no explicit sex, violence or gore... more>>
Posted March 24, 2013 on Kathleen's Sites & Stories blog. |
Author Interview: Kathleen Ernst |
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Q. You live in Wisconsin but grew up in Maryland. How did your early life influence your desire to become a writer? A. I grew up in a house where books ranked right up there with food and shelter. My mom was a librarian, and my dad was a voracious reader... more>>
Posted March 21, 2013 on Linda Sandifer's Writing Out West blog. |
Meet Caroline Giveaway! |
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Round 3 of the “25 in 25″ Giveaway! This week I’m giving away three copies of Meet Caroline, the first book in the series about American Girl’s newest historical character. Caroline Abbott’s stories take place during the War of 1812... more>>
Posted March 17, 2013 on Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
Nålbinding, Part 3 – Going Solo |
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In recent posts I provided a brief glimpse of the history of nålbinding, and an overview of my class at Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum. I left Iowa knowing that I needed to practice the stitch until it was firmly imbedded in my brain... more>>
Posted March 16, 2013 on Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
Hearts Of Stone - The Story Behind The Story |
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I’m often asked where my interest in the American Civil War comes from. Growing up in Maryland, I had lots of opportunities to visit Civil War battlefields. Since Maryland was a border state, I also had plenty of opportunities to consider the experiences of people on both sides of the conflict. And in addition to learning about the soldiers’ lives, I always tried to imagine what it was like for civilians who found themselves in the midst of... more>>
Posted March 10, 2013 on Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
Nålbinding, Part 2 – Getting Started |
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As I mentioned in a recent post, when I learned that Kate Martinson taught workshops in nålbinding at Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah, Iowa, I signed right up. When the class began, I quickly learned that the trickiest part is... more>>
Posted March 9, 2013 on Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
Trouble At Fort La Pointe - The Story Behind The Story |
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I thought about writing a story about the Great Lakes’ fur trade era for a long time. Lake Superior is beautiful, and the region’s history is fascinating. From 1650 to 1850, the fur trade was the most important “business” in the area that now includes... more>>
Posted March 3, 2013 on Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
Nålbinding, Part 1 – An Ancient Technique |
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I’m a fiber arts junkie—especially when it comes to old forms of needlework. So when I saw a woman demonstrating a technique I didn’t even recognize during a special event at Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, I skidded to a halt... more>> Posted March 2, 2013 on Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
The Amazing Race |
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I recently turned in the manuscript for the fourth Chloe Ellefson mystery, Heritage of Darkness. There’s still work to do—final corrections, proofing, writing acknowledgments—but the book is basically done. Phew. Reaching this stage always makes me feel as if I’ve just completed the last sprint of a long and challenging race... more>> Posted February 27, 2013 on the InkSpot blog. |
A Silver Celebration: 25 Books in 25 Weeks Giveaway! |
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Each week for 25 weeks I’ll be giving away multiple, personalized, signed copies of one of my titles, including each of my Chloe Ellefson, Civil War, and American Girl books. That’s 25 opportunities for you to win one of my books! more>>
Posted February 24, 2013 on Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
A Giveaway for Caroline Fans! |
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The publication date for Traitor in the Shipyard is February 26, but I’m giving away three hardcover copies this week! To enter the drawing, leave a comment here (or on my Facebook page) by Wednesday, Feb. 20. Winners will be announced on... more>>
Posted February 17, 2013 to Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
Gratitude Giveaway! |
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My latest Chloe Ellefson mystery, The Light Keeper’s Legacy, has received the 2013 LOVEY Award for Best Traditional Mystery! To celebrate, I’m giving away three special-edition Chloe Ellefson Mysteries totebags... more>>
Posted February 7, 2013 to Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
Caroline's Winter Fun |
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Do you like winter? Caroline Abbott does. I do too, which made the third book of the Caroline series, A Surprise For Caroline, a lot of fun to write. When the book opens, Caroline is facing a new challenge. Two other girls are staying in the Abbott home... more>>
Posted January 31, 2013 to Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
Just Keep Writing! |
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Last November I wrote a post I titled Gratitude about why I feel grateful to be a working writer, despite the inherent challenges. Most comments were positive, but I did receive one message from an aspiring writer whose basic message was, “Easy for you to say, oh published one.” I did try to stress that making my way along the writer’s path has not always been easy. Perhaps a few more examples will help... more>>
Posted January 30, 2013 on the InkSpot blog. |
The Library Box |
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What did the library box look like? The question came up last week when I visited a book group to discuss the 3rd Chloe Ellefson mystery, The Light Keeper’s Legacy. A library box is featured prominently in the story, linking the historical timeline to the modern one. A reproduction library box also happens to be my favorite object in... more>>
Posted January 21, 2013 on Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
Traitor in the Shipyard |
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Writing the six-book Caroline Abbott series for American Girl gave me lots of opportunities to develop fascinating aspects of history into plots. Even so, the story of Sackets Harbor during the War of 1812 is so rich that I had to leave lots of things out. All along, I hoped that I’d be invited to write a mystery for Caroline. And I was... more>>
Posted January 6, 2013 on Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
Happy New Year! |
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For many years I belonged to a critique group. We organized an annual weekend retreat so we could focus on whole novels instead of the twenty pages we each brought to our monthly meetings. And for quite some time, one retreat ritual was the declaration of our writing goals for the coming year... more>>
Posted January 2, 2013 on the InkSpot blog. |
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A Single Candle |
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Earlier this month I wrote about the 23,000 candles lit at the Antietam National Battlefield’s Memorial Illumination each December. Today I’m writing about a single flame. My mother’s parents always burned a bayberry candle on Christmas eve, a symbol of... more>>
Posted December 30, 2012 on Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog.
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23,000 Candles |
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A powerful and poignant tribute to Civil War soldiers takes place each December on the rolling hills near Sharpsburg, Maryland. The Antietam National Battlefield Memorial Illumination honors those men who fell during the battle of Antietam in 1862. more>> Posted December 16, 2012 on Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
Gratitude |
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Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love the focus on what’s truly important: pausing to reflect on our blessings, especially such simple joys as good food and family or friends. No commercialism, no distractions. (OK, I understand that football can distract... more>>
Posted November 28, 2012 on the InkSpot blog. |
Books That Shaped America |
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I had the honor and pleasure of participating in the 2012 National Book Festival in Washington DC in September. One of the highlights was a visit to the magnificent Library of Congress, where I got to see the exhibition called “Books That Shaped America.” more>>
Posted October 31, 2012 on the InkSpot blog. |
Location, Location, Location |
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When I began creating the Chloe Ellefson Historic Sites mystery series, I had the setting nailed down long before I developed my protagonist. I conceptualized the series because I missed the historic site where I once worked as... more>>
Posted October 24, 2012 on Beth Groundwater's blog. |
On A Hunt For Clues With Chloe Ellefson |
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Here on the island, my day begins with sound. Sometimes I wake to the blare of a freighter’s horn as it passes through the narrow Rock Island passage below Pottawatomie Lighthouse. Sometimes I wake to the chorus of a thousand birds, reminding me that humans are the visitors here. But lately, the faint echo of children’s laughter... more>>
Posted October 23, 2012 on dru's book musings blog. |
Caroline's Map |
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I discovered map samplers while doing research about girls’ lives during Caroline Abbott’s time. I knew right away I wanted to include one in Caroline’s stories! One of the fun things about writing historical fiction is... more>>
Posted October 19, 2012 on Kathleen's Sites and Stories blog. |
When Past and Present Collide |
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I’ve been a history junkie since childhood. My librarian-mom kept me supplied with historical fiction, and family vacations always included stops at historic sites and museums. As an adult I've worked as... more>> Posted October 15, 2012, as a guest on Sheila Boneham's Blog. |
The Lure of a Lighthouse |
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What is it about lighthouses? I’ve lost count of the number of people who’ve said something along the lines of “Your new Chloe Ellefson book is set at a lighthouse? I love lighthouses!” I love lighthouses too. more>> Posted October 11, 2012, as a guest on the Escape With DollyCas blog. |
Invisible Women |
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Anonymous was a woman, they say. Anyone who loves history—or who has waded into the murky waters of genealogical research—knows that it can be much more difficult to learn about historical women than men. more>> Posted October 3, 2012 as guest on Cricket McRae's Hearth Cricket blog. |
