A Playlist for The Sunflower House
I used dozens of pieces of music to write The Sunflower House, since music is a huge part of my creative process. Music always get the words flowing because it helps me get into character.
How U.S. Eugenics Policies and Racial Laws Inspired Adolf Hitler
The dream of a white, blond-haired, blue-eyed ‘master race’ didn’t originate with Adolf Hitler. This idea was implemented in the United States decades before Hitler rose to power by American eugenicists, who sterilized tens of thousands of Americans through the 1970s, barred the marriage of […]
Finding Light in the Darkness
I’ve been thinking about light and dark this week, thanks to my chat with John Charles of The Poisoned Pen bookstore. John found The Sunflower House to be a hopeful book. I was glad to hear it, because I struggled to find hope during my research.
Writing About Hope
I didn’t set out to write about hope, not consciously. Yet early reviewers of The Sunflower House call it a hopeful book. As it turns out, the reason why hits really close to home. (This one’s for you, mom. ❤️)
What’s Your Muse?
What’s your muse? For me, it’s always been music. Music is the most reliable way to tap into the emotions I need to write honestly.
Finding My Voice (Again)
When it comes to crafting voice, emotion is even more important than technique. You have to be in touch with your MC’s joy and pain.
Harsh Nazi Parenting Guidelines May Still Affect German Children of Today
If you’ve read The Sunflower House, you likely found Schwester Ziegler’s nursing rules (and those of Hochland Home) to be harsh and harmful. They were based on a popular Nazi-sanctioned book. In 1934, a German pulmonologist called Johanna Haarer wrote “The German Mother and Her […]
Grateful for Every No
More than 200 rejections over 20 years? Yeppers! It’s been a long, wild, winding road to publication.
The Deep Dive: Research
Taking a deep dive into research always helps me craft an authentic voice for my characters, because it gives them the freedom to move through a world in full color.
So Many Reasons to Love Your Local Library
What do I love about my local library? Too many reasons to count, but here’s a starter list: