• A Small New Thing: My Newsletter

    I’m starting a newsletter. If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know I already share updates on my blogs, and I’m not exactly shy about posting when something is brewing. So why add a newsletter? Because the internet has become a scavenger hunt. Between social media algorithms, disappearing posts, and the general…

    Read More

  • When Your Editing Software Loves You… Then Tries to Ruin Your Life

    Me vs. ProWritingAid This morning, I made a terrible mistake: I ran two ProWritingAid reports back-to-back. If you’ve never done this, imagine getting a standing ovation and a slap across the face in the same ten seconds. That’s the vibe. I started with the Virtual Beta Reader report for Countess of Cons, which basically sent…

    Read More

  • From Ancestry Message Board to Arson Files: Uncovering Catherine Seeley’s True Motive

    NOTE: This post has also been cross-posted to my genealogy blog, https://whoweareandhowwegotthisway.com/ I didn’t set out to write about a con artist. I wasn’t even researching criminals. I was trying to get the facts straight about my husband’s great-grandmother, known in the family as Catherine C. Fitzallen. I was scrolling through an Ancestry message board,…

    Read More

  • Me and My AI: A Performance Review (Spoiler: I Passed)

    I recently asked my AI assistant, ChatGPT—affectionately known as Scripty McPromptface—how it would describe my ability using it. Because if you’re going to collaborate with an artificial intelligence, you might as well ask for your annual evaluation. Scripty’s Report Card Apparently, I’m not too shabby. Scripty said I use it “like a seasoned collaborator, not…

    Read More

  • From Family Tree to Novel: The Real Lives Behind My Books

    NOTE: I first shared this story over on my genealogy blog, but I wanted to post it here too for those who follow my adventures in writing! On Saturday, October 4, I had the pleasure of being a vendor at Family History Day, sponsored by the Connecticut Society of Genealogists. I always enjoy chatting with…

    Read More