happy 4th to you!

Our regularly scheduled episode of Morrow's World has been moved to next week in honor of the 4th of July. Since the 18th-century is my favorite time period, July 4th has special meaning to me. Thought I'd share some of my favorite pictures here. As I edit The Colonel's Lady for the last time before turning it in August 1, I'm writing about the American flag when it had thirteen stars and soldiers wearing Continental uniforms like the one below.

My Colonel McLinn is quite dashing in uniform - look at all those buttons! I've heard General Washington was a sight to behold in uniform, also, especially astride his horse. He had a natural dignity that made people pause and take notice. If I could leap back into history, I'd like to have been at Valley Forge or one of the battles of the revolution or the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Isn't this the most charming colonial house? The struggling widow, Betsy Ross, was running her own upholstery business in Philadelphia when George Washington came to her and asked her about sewing an American flag. Since she was quite savvy with her scissors, she cut him a lovely star to show him the design she had in mind. He agreed and the rest is history:)

We're headed to the lake on Sunday for a cookout with Randy's family. Though it usually rains, the boys will take their swim gear, anyway. The fireworks display over the lake is quite spectacular!

Do you have plans for the 4th? If you could travel through time to the 18th-century, what event would you like to have been a part of or witnessed?

Our giveaway winner this week is...
Lisa!

Happy 4th of July to you all!

Freedom is never given, it is won. ~unknown

praise

These colonial hats make me smile so thought I'd share with you. Straw hats just say summer to me. And since ours hasn't started yet, I keep dreaming:) Of course I'm hearing from friends around the country that summer is in full swing. Author friend Sarah Sundin enjoyed a 101 degree day in California yesterday at the pool. Michelle and Regina say it's 90-something in Kentucky. Here it's a cool 53 and raining ~ again. I've always had a hard time with Washington weather (though it is wonderful for writing). It just plain makes me blue. So thought I'd post about praise.

I've been reading Streams in the Desert for my devotional each morning and it seems to be a perfect fit for my life right now. Here's a portion of today's reading:

Nothing pleases the Lord as much as praise. There is no greater evidence of faith than the virtue of genuine thanksgiving. Are you praising God enough? Are you thanking Him for the countless blessings He has bestowed on you? Are you boldly praising Him even for the trials in your life, which are actually blessings in disguise? And have you learned to praise Him in advance for answers yet to come?

Hmmm...I'm so thankful for healthy kids, a weekend away, a wedding this Saturday, the 4th of July, a stack of books to read, grilling hot dogs (even in the rain), blog buddies, a clean house, roses in bloom... Really, the list is endless when you think about it! But I have a harder time giving praise for the stomach bug last week, the birthday I forgot, credit card fraud that resulted in several expensive plane trips charged to our account, the picture that fell off the wall and shattered, the unexpected death of a friend... And then there are the praises for answers yet to come: future books, conversions of dear friends or loved ones, Christian mates for my children, safety, good health, employment, etc.

Can you praise Him for a current blessing, a trial, and a future answer yet to come? It's kind of a fun exercise and flips your perspective on the trials that come into our lives. I'm going to try to praise Him more and memorize this verse, among others. If you have a favorite praise verse, I'll add it to my list.

My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises! ~Psalm 57:7

retreat

"On this route you traverse a considerable wood, and after having passed over two hills, you discover a country house of an elegant and majestic simplicity."
~J.P. Brissot de Warville upon visiting Mt. Vernon in 1788

As a stay-at-home, homeschooling, mom and author, I don't get away very often. Last year I took some book trips which I loved. This year I haven't been away but have been feeling the need. And I found the perfect place for my history-loving heart. Given my infatuation with George Washington and the 18th-century, I've been wishing I could fly to Virginia and spend a couple of days at Mount Vernon. So I did ~ sort of:)

If you look at the top picture closely, you'll swear Virginia has sprouted some huge snow-covered mountains and the Potomac River has turned into the sea. Alas, this isn't the south but Washington state's amazing attempt at recreating George Washington's beloved homeplace. It worked very well for this writer:)

This beautiful inn is only about 45 minutes from our house. The owners, Dan and Janet Abbot, are admirers of Washington and have dedicated each room - um, bedchamber - to a certain phase of his public or personal life. I was happily ensconced in the "Surveyor's Retreat." Washington was a surveyor for the Virginia colony in his younger days before he married Martha.

There were so many things I loved about the place ~ blackberry french toast, fresh fruit parfaits, egg souffles, incredible coffee. Lavender fields lining the entrance. A mountain and water view. The cupola and weather vane. A library filled with books, old and new, on 18th-century life and historical figures. A circular staircase, sun-drenched porticos, a chess set of Patriot and British soldiers... Everything was so graceful and peaceful and lovely.

I've been wanting to iron out a few wrinkles in The Colonel's Lady before my deadline next month. Nothing like a change of scene to do it. Thanks to the inn's library, I found just what I needed to make the story sing. If you ever visit in future, you'll find Morrow and Lael there on the shelf:) I returned home inspired and thankful (but wishing I could stay at the George Washington Inn forever).

Many places provide inspiration. You don't need a trip to find it. Sometimes it's as simple as a favorite chair by a sunny window in your home. Or a walk in the woods or your garden. God is so good to give us green pastures and still waters. Have you had any lately or felt the need for some? If so, where would you go?

The Seeker winner...

Today's winner for a new, signed copy of The Seeker is...

Regina!

Congratulations to Regina and a big thank you to Ann for providing a copy of her latest release. For those of you who would still like a chance to win yet another copy, please stop by Ann's blog and comment there. She has some great giveaways going on and always picks interesting topics to blog about.

See you Monday!

giveaway friday!

Our giveaway winner for a signed copy of Courting Morrow Little this week is...

Nancy!

If you'll confirm (lauran@tfon.com) your snail mail address, I'll mail the book right out. Happy reading to you!

I'll announce the winner of The Seeker by Ann H. Gabhart this Sunday. Till then I'll be away from home on a little prayer/writing/brainstorming retreat. Can't wait to tell you about it when we meet again!

Bless you all!

morrow's world

Have you ever given any thought as to what you would have been doing as a woman in the 18th-century? Most women were stay-at-home moms even then - homeschooling their children and taking care of their often big families. Few women owned businesses. For the most part, colonial law prevented women from being independent though they were able to work as seamstresses and own millinery shops. There were quite a few poets, artists, and writers among them but they used male pseudonyms for the most part or stayed anonymous.

I made Morrow a seamstress in Courting Morrow Little because it suited her personality just as much as Lael was unsuited to be a teacher in The Frontiersman's Daughter. Elfreth's Alley actually exists in Philadelphia and is thought to be the oldest continuously inhabited street in America. I thought it was a charming place for Aunt Etta's millinery or mantua (gown-making) shoppe. Benjamin Franklin lived there as well but no one really knows which house was his. There's the sweetest little courtyard along the alley and one house has a spinning balcony, a tiny porch on the second floor where, in pleasant days, the lady of the house set her spinning wheel.

Some fun facts about milliners/mantua-makers:
~Milliners sometimes used bread to rub out stains in clothing
~Ready-made clothing was not considered fashionable
~Red dye was the most expensive for fabrics and came from ground cochineal beetles
~To attract business, some advertised they could sew a gown in one day!
~In summer, women wore green silk half-masks to protect their skin from the sun
~Some cities had as many as fifty tailors and seamstresses

Below is a short video that shows what you'd have to endure to be in fashion back then. Wonder what our colonial sisters would think of our Levis and t-shirts and flip flops?!

Lady Dunmore Ball Gown

surprise giveaway!

I'm so pleased to surprise you readers with a giveaway, compliments of my author friend, Ann Gabhart. This is her brand new release and it's bound to be as wildly popular as her first two bestselling Shaker novels: The Outsider and The Believer. All three of these stories are set in Kentucky's historic Shaker Village. I had the privilege of endorsing The Seeker and I think it's Ann's best novel to date.

If you'd like to be in the drawing, please leave a comment here and tell me so. I'd love to hear why you think the Amish/Shaker genre is so popular right now and why it appeals to you. I have my own ideas and will share them but wanted to ask you readers first as I always learn something! The names will go in a separate Shaker bonnet and I'll announce the winner this coming Sunday, June 26th. Then Ann will sign a hot-off-the-press copy and mail it out.

~Please join me Wednesday for another peek at Morrow's world
~On Friday I'll be drawing our second winner for a signed copy of Courting Morrow Little
~On Sunday I'll announce the winner of The Seeker

Bless you all!

early american life

I couldn't wait to tell you about this little treasure. If you're a history lover like me, specifically early American history, this magazine is a must-see. It appeared in my mailbox this weekend, thanks to another beloved reader, and I promptly left the 21st-century and time-warped to the 18th. Since I'm currently dreaming up another story world, this provided a whirlwind of ideas and inspiration.

If you write historical fiction, this is an amazing resource. If you just want some colonial eye candy, this fits the bill, as well:) Don't let the staid covers fool you. Inside is a treasure trove of articles on historical figures, crafts, fashion, furniture, homes, customs and the like.

I must confess that I have a love-hate relationship with magazines. Some make me covetous (Southern Living) while others make me homesick (Kentucky Monthly). I actually felt convicted to discontinue the first a few years ago but subscribe to Kentucky Monthly as they review my books. I also love cooking magazines but stopped A Taste of Home and others because I don't have much time to read them - or cook! Oh, those were the days:)

Do you subscribe to or buy any favorite magazines? Or are you mostly a book lover?

Remember this, that very little is needed to make a happy life. ~Marcus Aurelius

things reader friends do...

Getting the mail each afternoon doesn't always feel like Christmas:) It's so refreshing when something amazing and jaw-dropping pops up (other than a bill). And something did! These beautiful address labels just arrived. The big ones are for mailing packages like books and the smaller ones are for letters, etc. One of my dear readers on the east coast gifted me with these. Bless you! She was even savvy enough to contact my publisher for permission which they gladly granted. I don't expect gifts from readers so am always humbled and surprised when they come.

You all are gifting me all the time and probably never think anything of it. Every time you buy one of my books or blog about it or post a review or take time to read and comment here is HUGE. I've been on the other side when no one commented and I had no readers. I'll never forget those days. They were discouraging and made me wonder if coming out of my writing closet was worthwhile. Now it's a true wonder to get to know you personally. Bless you for that privilege. God is so good to have brought us together!

Meanwhile, summer is in full swing and there are so many good books releasing. I'm going to be doing a double book giveaway of two signed copies of Kaye Dacus's wonderful The Ransome Trilogy soon. If you haven't read Ransome's Honor or Ransome's Crossing, you really must. They're Regency romances that deal with a very handsome, oh so honorable Royal Navy captain and the lovely Julia Witherington and other intriguing, very memorable characters. You'll go on a high seas adventure without leaving the comfort of your chair:)

Without further ado...

Our first blog giveaway winner is: runner10
The Family Fiction giveaway winner is: Becky Wheeler Guinn

If you want to join in an interesting discussion of The Frontiersman's Daughter, please pop in over at Amber's blog. Will be fun to see who shows up and what's said. Who knows? Captain Jack might even be there:)