“Awesome,” bellows a woman. I had just confided that her former university had published my first two books, and it changed my life. Bessie Coleman was a daring pilot, the first African American woman to have a flying license. She was fearless and determined. But like all of us, she needed encouragement. Bessie was the […]
Inspiring strong women
The path before us was forged by strong women from the past. My mission is to inspire strong women with strong women, from history and today.
I’m a historical fiction author uncovering the hidden history of the influential women of their time.
Cleopatra (69 BC – 30 BC) Was More Than a Sex Kitten
I step around a cluster of women at the gym, each trying to gain attention by wearing as little as possible. It’s the latest thing at my gym. I wonder what happened to focusing on increasing strength and endurance, not gathering looks from others. Cleopatra ruled Egypt for 21 years. She knew how to build […]
Suffragist Anna Howard Shaw (1847 -1919) Faced Her Critics
My heart pounds. A friend is telling me my career is about to take off. It’s exciting because finally my writing will be out there. But it’s also scary because my novels will be open to criticism. Writers, who already have a vivid imaginations, can easily imagine the worst. Anna Howard Shaw campaigned tirelessly for […]
Activist Rose Schneiderman (1882-1972) Knew About Organizing
With swelling pride, I honk my horn and give the women a thumbs up. This morning’s drive took me past four schools where teachers, predominantly women, are on strike. As a teacher for eight years, I know it’s a hard job. Teachers don’t get paid enough, and now many in local districts are on strike. […]
Quadriplegic Hilary Lister (1972- 2018) Was a Sailor
Tears spring to my eyes. I’m drinking my morning coffee at 5:00 am, scanning the obituaries in the New York Times. There’s one of a 46-year-old British woman. Her life blows me away. As a girl, Hilary Lister played rugby and hockey, but noticed pain in her knees when she was a teenager. Doctors puzzled […]
R-E-S-P-E-C-T for Singer Aretha Franklin (1942-2018)
Singer Aretha Franklin died today. Here was a woman with a mountain of talent, but she was more than just a set of good pipes. She had strength and character. Talking about her life in a 2007 New York Times interview, she said: Tough Circumstances: She was an unwed mother at age 15. (Wikipedia states she […]
Physician Elizbeth Blackwell (1821-1910) Persevered
I’m slumped in the chair, my feet propped up, staring at the ceiling. At the Willamette Writers conference last weekend, I decided my path to get my novels published. It’ll be a long journey, with lots of work ahead of me. I feel overwhelmed. Elizabeth Blackwell did not get overwhelmed, or at least not enough […]
What It Takes to Be A Traditionally Published Writer: Pitching
I write about strong historical women. I need inspiration in my own life, because being a novelist is a tough business. There’s long hours with potentially little pay while you strive to get it right. Selling your work is part of writing. If you want a big traditional publisher, you need an agent. A lot of […]
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