Civil War
-
Opium Beds and Butterflies
In an interview with On The Road, Diana Gabaldon touches on “kernels” in writing. This is where you have some little bit of something that triggers and image or thought in your writing and you build a scene around it. Listen to the interview, it’s well worth it. I’ve run into several of those while…
-
Blogging A-Z Z Is For Zouave
I appreciate more than you all know how you have supported me through this. I know the posts have been long and windy, taking up valuable time. Bless you for it. Zouaves were originally certain French light infantry regiments, which served in French North Africa. Not only did they have distinctive uniforms, but they had…
-
Blogging A-Z X Is For Xanthic
I like sprinkling “gems” of description through my writing. I don’t go into great detail about every person and every item, though I do offer more than many writers do. Instead of describing a round, yellow green apple of medium size, sometimes it’s more efficient to just say, “He bit into the Granny Smith apple…
-
Blogging A-Z T Is For Toads and Frogs
We’re almost through the month. That’s good and bad. We’ve almost burned through another month of our lives! What do we have to show for it? Something good I hope. The schoolhouse was packed. I feared there wouldn’t be enough seating even though we’d hauled out all the desks and crammed every chair and bench…
-
Blogging A-Z R Is For The Great Rappahannock Snow Battle
This snow battle won’t make it into Rain Crow as the book will probably end sometime at the end of 1861, but if there is a second or third book, I will surely find a way for Lorena or Baron to be present. During the winter of 1862-1863 the snow fell particularly deep and moist…
-
Blogging From A-Z Petticoats and Pinafores
I’m so far behind today on comments here and elsewhere, but I shall persevere! Oh, my stars. Petticoats and pinafores. Ringlets and ruffled drawers. Little girls were so sweet. Now, I’m not quite that old, but I well remember my aunt fixing my hair in rag rollers to make ringlets for church. Once the ringlets…
-
Blogging A-Z N Is For Neckcloth
I adore Victorian fashion and etiquette. Men wore more colorful garb than a person might imagine. I think the Netflix show Ripper Street does a very good job on costuming. Etiquette rules were very well defined. A lady never lifted her skirt high enough to show more than one ankle while stepping up. A gentleman…
-
Blogging A-Z M Is For Mistress
Jeb Stuart was well known for his audacious raids. In one raid they captured quite a bit of gear from a Union camp, including a trunk belonging to a Union captain. Later, he decided to sit down with his setters Nip and Tuck and go through the trunk. Inside, he found some interesting letters. Aside…