Honoring the journey—then and now
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Reconstruction Diary Meditations: How to Be Stuck: A Lesson from 1866
“Wednesday, March 21, 1866 Last night we had thunder and lightning, and a shower of rain which continued through the night. I did not go out visiting this morning [or] in the afternoon. Lizzie and I went up to town and purchased some dry goods. Good calico is 23 & 30 cents per yard, lower…
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The Biggest Mistake Historical Fiction Writers Make – And How to Avoid It
Writing historical fiction is the dream of so many aspiring authors – but it requires real research! Back when my high school juniors were writing stories related to the American Civil War, it was the little details that tripped them up. One student wrote about a doctor reaching into the medicine cabinet and pulling out…
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Staff by Staff: How Piano Lessons Taught Me to Tackle Life’s Challenges One Measure at a Time
I should’ve known I could do it. I’ve seen others do it. One of my kids played the drum set for years, and seeing him perform in a couple of bands proved to me that it’s possible. But I didn’t think I could. No, the chances that I could make my hands do two different…
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Reconstruction Diary Meditations: Words of wisdom in stressful times – from 1866!
Sunday, March 11, 1866 We looked for the Ohio teachers on the morning train but they did not come & no word from them. We received a letter from home; they are well as usual. Change is going on among our friends & acquaintances: some are married, some are consigned to the tomb, since our…
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How AI is infecting our lives: From students to writers and everyone in between
Retired teacher and writer Barb Miller and editor Sally Shideler talk about the perils of AI in daily life, in education, and in writing, and how we all must be careful consumers of its wares. Folllow me on Facebook: BarbaraSwanderMillerWrites
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From double-sided cabinets to persimmon pudding: Four generations in and out of the kitchen
When my mom was a girl, children weren’t exactly welcome in the kitchen with the grown-ups. But I love having my granddaughter as sous-chef!
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From Classroom to Keyboard: My Writing Routine
My Social Media Manager/daughter Sally Shideler scolds me. She’s the one who uploads all the posts I create for Facebook and Substack and WordPress. She’s the one who looks at my analytics and discusses strategy for promoting my book to readers and publishers. She’s the one who does the stuff I don’t enjoy. It’s a…
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Wrapped in a blanket of Quaker faith
The crickets weren’t chirping. The birds huddling in the trees didn’t sing. No roosters crowed, and no soft breezes wafted through the open doorway.
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Reconstruction Diary Meditations: Did my ancestor suffer from seasonal depression?
Diary Entry: Saturday, February 3, 1866 The forenoon of today has been spent making a bonnet to wear, and owing to a headache feeling unable to do much more. Anna French is better today. At two oclock an ambulance wagon came round to take us out riding and eight of our family took passage for…
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Finding Silence: A Quaker’s Refuge in a Catholic Adoration Chapel
I’m not Catholic. But I’ve come to appreciate several elements of Catholicism. With the closest unprogrammed–or silent–Quaker meeting about 30 minutes away, sometimes I need a dose of Catholicism, or at least my version. Unprogrammed Friends meetings near me are hard to find these days. I know of only two within an hour’s drive. To…
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