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 occasionally as a guest on other blogs, usually about facets of my Chloe Ellefson adult mystery books published by Midnight Ink. There’s a lot here - have fun exploring!
My Blog Posts
Below are excerpts and links to the 2017 posts on my Sites and Stories blog and my guest posts on other blogs. Enjoy!
Figgy Hobbin |
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"I love exploring traditional foodways, especially if they have an ethnic flair. Not surprisingly, the protagonist of my Chloe Ellefson Mysteries does too. The latest book in the series, Mining For Justice, is all about the Cornish miners and their families who helped turn rough mining camps in what would become southwestern Wisconsin into communities. One of the Cornish treats Chloe discovers is figgy hobbin—although historically, it wasn’t..." more>> Posted December 28, 2017 on the Sites And Stories blog. |
Norwegian Cookies |
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Chloe Ellefson writes: "Almost everyone has favorite food traditions that emerge around the holidays. Even people who don't spend much time thinking about heritage often treasure Grandma's cookie recipes. My parents pride themselves on being among the dwindling group of Wisconsinites who can claim "pure" Norwegian heritage. Some of my earliest Christmas memories involve food. My mom really goes nuts for the holidays! Here are some of her favorite Norwegian Christmas cookies." more>> Posted December 18, 2017 on the Killer Characters blog. |
Pendarvis - Part 2 |
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"Another building featured in the mystery is the row house on the upper property. The upper rooms on the right are used for staff offices (including Claudia’s in Mining For Justice). The cabin on the left end was home to the Martin family. When renovating the row house Robert Neal and Edgar Hellum created a replica Cornish pub called a Kiddleywink in the cellar." more>> Posted November 21, 2017 on the Sites And Stories blog. |
My Favorite Holiday - And Giveaway! |
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Chloe Ellefson writes: "Thanksgiving is, without a doubt, my favorite holiday. I often focus on the bad stuff. You've heard me complain about problems with my megalomaniac boss, Ralph Petty. He's director at the historic site where I work, and does his best to make my job a lot less fun than it should be. I've had family challenges." more>> Posted November 17, 2017 on the Killer Characters blog. |
Pendarvis - Part 1 |
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"It’s lovely when readers tell me that after reading one of the Chloe mysteries, they toured the historic site or museum spotlighted in the book. Pendarvis, the site featured in Mining For Justice, the 8th Chloe Ellefson mystery, is a great place to visit! For those who aren’t able to make the trip, here’s a mini cyber-tour of the site. (Warning: includes mild spoilers.)" more>> Posted November 15, 2017 on the Sites And Stories blog. |
Bal Maidens |
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"Many of the Chloe Ellefson mysteries, which are set in the 1980s, include a plotline set further in the past as well. The 8th adventure, Mining For Justice, features Cornish immigrants who arrived in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, in the 1830s. Most were mining families, attracted by news of lead deposits in the southwestern part of what is now the state of Wisconsin. I knew I wanted to create a strong Cornish woman..." more>> Posted October 23, 2017 on the Sites And Stories blog. |
A Sixth Sense |
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Chloe Ellefson writes: "Do you believe in extrasensory perception? That phrase refers to the ability to receive information in a way other than sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste. It’s a bit of a misnomer, because most scientists agree that all humans perceive information in some additional ways, such as experiencing pain. Most scientists do not agree that what we broadly call ESP, or a Sixth Sense, is real. Well, although I don’t like to talk about it, I’ve been having ESP experiences since I was a child." more>> Posted October 17, 2017 on the Cozy Up With Kathy blog. |
What's A Guy To Do? |
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"Roelke McKenna here. I'm in a bind. Nothing is more important to me than taking care of those I love. One of those people is my lady-friend, Chloe Ellefson. As she told you last time, she's spending a week in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, to help a fellow curator at Pendarvis Historic Site. That gig starts tomorrow. I drove her to Mineral Point a day early to help our friend Adam, who's restoring an old stone cottage built in the 1830s by Cornish immigrants. He asked us to help dig out his root cellar. He's been finding..." more>> Posted October 17, 2017 on the Killer Characters blog. |
Chloe Ellefson, Reluctant Sleuth |
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Chloe Ellefson writes: "Let’s get one thing straight right up front: I’m no Miss Marple, always on the lookout for suspicious behavior. I work as curator of collections at a large living history site called Old World Wisconsin. I’m happiest when I’m on the hunt of a rare artifact, or digging into obscure records in hopes of finding some hidden clue to the lives of people who died long ago. more>> Posted October 6, 2017 on the Laura's Interests blog. |
Not A Good Start |
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Chloe Ellefson writes: "All I wanted was a pleasant week away. Was that really so much to ask? I work at a huge living history site called Old World Wisconsin. I love the museum. I love my job. My boss, not so much. He excels at making life miserable. So I was pleased to be "loaned" out to a sister site called Pendarvis..." more>>
Posted September 17, 2017 on the Killer Characters blog. |
Mining For Justice - Early Launch Events |
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"Mining For Justice, the 8th Chloe Ellefson Mystery, is officially slated to be released on October 8th. But we’ve got three special early launch activities planned." more>> Posted September 11, 2017 on the Sites And Stories blog. |
What Could Possibly Go Wrong? |
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Chloe Ellefson writes: "I love my guy, but he can be a bit overprotective. That's to be expected, I guess. Roelke McKenna is a cop. It's his job to anticipate trouble. Me, I prefer to look on the bright side. That's why I'm excited about my new temporary assignment. I'm employed at a large historic site called Old World Wisconsin, but this week I'm on loan to one of the state's smaller historic sites. Pendarvis is in Mineral Point..." more>> Posted August 17, 2017 on the Killer Characters blog. |
Why Mining For Justice? |
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"I have more story ideas banging around in my head than I’ll ever find time to explore. My files about possible historic sites and museums to explore in a Chloe Ellefson mystery are ever-growing. So why did the Pendarvis Historic Site in Mineral Point, WI, rise to the top of the list?" more>> Posted August 10, 2017 on the Sites And Stories blog. |
Chapter A Day |
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"I am delighted to report that the 7th Chloe Ellefson mystery, A Memory of Muskets, was chosen to be shared on Wisconsin Public Radio’s beloved Chapter A Day program. Or as my husband put it, “Holy toboggans! Chloe’s latest adventure is on the radio!” more>> Posted August 4, 2017 on the Sites And Stories blog. |
Beat Stress. Bake. |
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Chloe Ellefson writes: "I have a maniacal boss, a rewarding but demanding job as curator at a living history museum, and a complicated relationship with a man I adore but don't always understand. I've had lots of practice managing stress. My stress level has inched a bit higher recently. In the middle of trying to plan a special event about the role German immigrants played in the Civil War, a reenactor turned up dead. On site." more>> Posted July 17, 2017 on the Killer Characters blog. |
Wisconsin's Civil War Draft |
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"The 7th Chloe Ellefson Mystery, A Memory of Muskets, features the challenges faced by newly-arrived immigrants during the Civil War. Two plotlines show how German-born immigrants struggled in the 1860s and how a living history site like Old World Wisconsin can interpret those struggles a century and more later. One challenge that divided Wisconsin’s German-American community was the announcement of a draft in 1862." more>> Posted June 29, 2017 on the Sites And Stories blog. |
A Sampler for Rosina |
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"Historical objects play an important role in all of the Chloe Ellefson mysteries. Often, finding an intriguing artifact in a museum collection inspires me to weave it into a story. Less commonly I go looking for an artifact to fill a specific fictional need. That was the case when I decided that Rosina, a fictional German immigrant..." more>> Posted June 22, 2017 on the Sites And Stories blog. |
Should I Take A Chance? |
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Officer Roelke McKenna writes "I finally got to meet Chloe's boss Ralph Petty the other day. I've been hearing about Petty Atrocities for over a year, and she's right about one thing: Petty is a complete jerk." more>> Posted June 17, 2017 on the Killer Characters blog. |
Telling Everyone's Stories |
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"I have been visiting Williamsburg for 50 years. When I was a kid, most of the stories told were about the white men who struggled and took enormous risks in their effort to create an independent country. What our Founding Fathers did was amazing and important. But there are other stories to tell, too." more>> Posted June 15, 2017 on the Sites And Stories blog. |
Rosina's Cabin |
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“The Old Roelke place” featured in the Chloe Ellefson mysteries is a fictional farm set near Palmyra, Wisconsin. The original cabin on the property plays a key role in the 7th mystery, A Memory of Muskets. I based the cabin on the one built in the 1850s by..." more>> Posted May 26, 2017 on the Sites And Stories blog. |
Happy Constitution Day! |
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Chloe Ellefson writes . . . "If you have a drop of Norwegian blood, you know what May 17th is: Syttende Mai, or Constitution Day. Since both of my parents are directly descended from immigrants from Norway, I have a whole lot of Norwegian blood. And in my family, Syttende Mai is a big deal." more>> Posted May 17, 2017 on the Killer Characters blog. |
Chloe’s Book Club: The First Four Years |
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"The First Four Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder is a book I sort of wish I’d never read. This book was not originally published as part of the Little House series. The manuscript, in penciled draft, was discovered after Laura’s death in 1957. Roger MacBride, a Laura scholar and close friend of Rose Wilder Lane, wrote..." more>> Posted May 15, 2017 on the Sites and Stories blog. |
A Lingering Presence |
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Chloe Ellefson writes . . . "Not long ago my guy, Roelke McKenna, showed me his old family farm and invited me to move in. I've never seen him happier. Buying the farm was a huge step for him. Reaching this stage in our relationship was a huge step for us. Knowing I need a certain amount of personal space, Roelke suggested I use the original cabin on the property as my retreat, somewhere to read or paint or whatever. I adored the idea, until..." more>> Posted April 17, 2017 on the Killer Characters blog. |
Chloe's Book Club: These Happy Golden Years |
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"The cover of Happy Golden Years reveals the ending, but the book doesn’t begin happily. Instead, Pa is driving Laura across the prairie on a bitterly cold day. Only yesterday she was a school girl; now she was a school teacher. This had happened so suddenly. I remember reading this as a child and being astonished that a fifteen-year-old..." more>> Posted April 10, 2017 on the Sites and Stories blog. |
Heirloom Gardening |
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Chloe Ellefson writes . . . "I really didn't know much about the importance of heirloom vegetables, fruits, and flowers until I started working at a large living history museum, Old World Wisconsin. What I've discovered is that botanists believe we've lost over 90% of our genetic diversity in the last century or so." more>> Posted March 17, 2017 on the Killer Characters blog. |
Flax To Linen |
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"I like to include folk art or craft in the Chloe Ellefson mysteries, and A Memory of Muskets is no exception. Rosina, the main character in the historical thread, is a newly-arrived German immigrant with little time for purely decorative handwork, so I decided to feature the process of creating linen." more>> Posted March 15, 2017 on the Sites and Stories blog. |
A Revolutionary Giveaway - Winners! |
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"Congratulations to Chris Swoboda! Chris’s name came out of the hat as a winner in my Revolutionary Giveaway. The other six winners entered via my Facebook Author Page." more>> Posted March 9, 2017 on the Sites and Stories blog. |
A Revolutionary Giveaway |
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"Did you know I’ve written two American Girl books set during the Revolutionary War? In addition to Gunpowder and Tea Cakes: My Journey With Felicity, I wrote a mystery called Betrayal at Cross Creek. I’m celebrating by giving away seven sets of both books, signed and personalized. To enter..." more>> Posted March 7, 2017 on the Sites and Stories blog. |
Chloe's Book Club: Little Town on the Prairie |
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"As a child, this was not one of my favorites—probably because Laura was growing up faster than I was. I’ve found the book much more satisfying as an adult. One of the most poignant moments for me comes on page..." more>> Posted February 28, 2017 on the Sites and Stories blog. |
Colonial Girls At Work |
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"While doing research for Gunpowder and Tea Cakes: My Journey With Felicity, I discovered that a few girls in colonial Williamsburg may have been doing work I once thought was open only to boys. Cool!" more>> Posted February 23, 2017 on the Sites and Stories blog. |
Bringing Laura Ingalls Wilder's Stories to Life in Quilts - Part 2 |
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By Linda Halpin. "It turns out my connection to Laura wasn’t done. Many years after Quilting With Laura was published, I met Kathleen Ernst in one of my classes. Kathleen had written several books for..." more>> Posted February 21, 2017 on the Sites and Stories blog. |
Gunpowder and Tea Cakes |
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"Gunpowder and Tea Cakes is my first book about Felicity Merriman, the American Girl character who lives during the Revolutionary War. It also features a modern girl who travels back in time and meets Felicity in her home town of Williamsburg, Virginia." more>>
Posted February 16, 2017 on the Sites and Stories blog. |
Bringing Laura Ingalls Wilder's Stories to Life in Quilts - Part 1 |
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By Linda Halpin. "Like many, my adventure with Laura started in grade school when I was captivated by her stories. This was long before television brought her to life. She lived in my head, made real by her story telling. As a child, I too began sewing..." more>> Posted February 14, 2017 on the Sites and Stories blog. |
Laura Ingalls Wilder Bday Giveaway Winners |
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"Congratulations to Jennifer Motl! Jennifer won a personalized copy of Death on the Prairie: A Chloe Ellefson Mystery. (All of the other winners came from my Facebook page, where we had over a thousand entries!) Thanks to all who entered!"
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Laura Ingalls Wilder 150th Bday Gratitude Giveaway |
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"Laura Ingalls Wilder was born on this date in a log cabin in the ‘big woods’ near Pepin, WI. Laura’s beloved Little House books were some of the earliest I read as a child, and certainly influenced my career. In gratitude, I’m giving away 15 personalized copies of my Laura-related Chloe Ellefson mystery, Death on the Prairie. To enter the giveaway..." more>> Posted February 7, 2017, on the Sites and Stories blog. |
Chloe's Book Club Returns |
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"I enjoyed discussing the Little House books with readers after Death on the Prairie: A Chloe Ellefson Mystery was published last year. I’ve had some requests to pick up where we left off. What better time to start than Laura Ingalls Wilder’s 150th birthday month? Dust off your copy of Little Town on the Prairie, and in a few weeks..." more>> Posted February 6, 2017 to the Sites and Stories blog. |
Chloe 8 Reveal! |
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"I am delighted to share the news that I hit “Send” last night, turning in the manuscript for the 8th Chloe Ellefson mystery, Mining For Justice. Chloe Ellefson is excited to be learning about Wisconsin’s early Cornish immigrants and mining history while on temporary assignment at Pendarvis, a historic site in charming Mineral Point." more>> Posted January 30, 2017 on the Sites and Stories blog. |
A Cold Place to Sleep |
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Chloe Ellefson writes . . . "Maybe it's my Scandinavian blood, but for the most part, I enjoy winter. Still, when the temps dip below zero, I like nothing better than cozying up to a warm fire. I hope I never take such pleasures for granted. An experience I had last winter taught me a lot about simple blessings. The Minnesota Historical Society was developing plans to turn an abandoned industrial flour mill in Minneapolis into a museum." more>> Posted January 17, 2017 on the Killer Characters blog |
