Girls Rule

I’ve joined a promotion with over 50 other authors who have books with strong young female protagonists. All of them are free on Kindle Unlimited and can be accessed Here. Speaking of strong young women, if you haven’t read Bloody Lessons, the third book in my Victorian San Francisco Mystery series that introduces Nate Dawson’s younger sister Laura, you might want to check out the audiobook version of this book, which is still on sale at the low price of $2.99 until October 31 on AppleBooks, Nook, and Chirp.

Uneasy Spirits Free and Bloody Lessons Discounts

I like to promote the second book in my Victorian San Francisco series, Uneasy Spirits, in October, because it is such a perfect read for those people who like a little taste of the supernatural with their mysteries. Even though in this novel, Annie is tasked with unmasking a fraudulent spiritualist, her encounters with the young girl, Evie May, are just a bit disconcerting. In addition, this book let me explore the ways that San Franciscans, especially the Irish, celebrated Halloween in the late 19th century. So, until October 5, you can get the ebook version of Uneasy Spirits FREE on Kindle, Kobo, Nook, AppleBooks, and GooglePlay. For those of you outside of the US, this link will help you find a version on international retailers.  And for those of you who buy the Amazon ebook edition, the audiobook version is Read more…

In loco parentis: A comparison of 19th century and 20th century coeducation

Introduction: I confess, that like many historical fiction writers, I often choose my characters and plots as a way to explore certain subjects. For instance, my primary goal in starting to write my Victorian San Francisco Mystery series was to further explore and tell stories about the women I had studied for my history doctorate. Consequently, during the past ten years I have researched jobs women held in a variety of occupations including domestic service, spiritualism, public school teaching, the printing industry, and department stores. However, while doing the research about public school teaching for Bloody Lessons, the third book in my mystery series, I discovered that the University of California had opened up its door to women in 1870, and I decided that at some point I would like to see what life was like for women attending a coeducational Read more…

Bloody Lessons on Kindle Countdown

In Bloody Lessons, it is the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day, 1880, and the teachers of San Francisco are under attack: their salaries slashed and their competency and morals questioned in a series of poison pen letters.  Annie Fuller, the reluctant clairvoyant, has been called in to investigate by Nate Dawson, her lawyer beau, and the case becomes personal when they discover that Laura, Nate’s sister, may be one of the teachers targeted for attack. In this installment in the Victorian San Francisco Mystery series, readers will find the same blend of a cozy mystery and romantic suspense, played out against the historical backdrop of late 19th century San Francisco, that they found in Maids of Misfortune and Uneasy Spirits.  If you are new to this series, you will still enjoy spending time with the lively residents of Annie Fuller’s boarding house and visiting Read more…