I’ll tell you a secret—all my stories (even the long nonfiction ones) start with wide-lined, loose-leaf notebook paper and a blue Bic pen. These are my favorite writing utensils for early drafts. I like them because they’re not precious. I don’t have to worry about writing words that rhyme or sentences with cadence. I can […]
Strongheart: The Story Of A Wonder Dog
Here’s the first chapter from a middle grade novel to be published by Schwartz-Wade Books based on the life of a real dog, stage named Strongheart—the first canine star in Hollywood. THE PUPPY It was another carefree day, and Etzel had lots to do. He tipped over the water bowl, turning the barn floor […]
Designing The Family Romanov
Many people have asked me about the design of The Family Romanov. Why not scatter those archival photographs throughout the text as is usually done in nonfiction books for young readers? Because this book demanded something different… something daring. Let me explain further by revealing the three reasons behind my design choice. I wanted the […]
Mary Todd Lincoln’s White Cake
As part of my research for The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary, I baked Mary Lincoln’s white cake. In truth, it wasn’t very good (although this could be the baker’s fault). It came out heavy and dry, more biscuit than cake. No wonder Mary liked to serve it with smashed strawberries. It […]
Writing Fiction and Nonfiction
The difference between writing fiction and writing nonfiction? I liken it baking a cake. In fiction, I’m pretty much allowed to whip up whatever I like. I can choose ingredients, put together any combination of flavors to create a delicious dessert. With nonfiction, I’m also expected to whip up something yummy. But I’m expected to […]
Bald Eagle vs. The Turkey
“I wish the bald eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country,” [Ben Franklin] said when he heard of Congress’s 1782 decision. “He is a bird of bad moral character; he does not get his living honestly. You may have seen him, perched on some dead tree, where, too lazy to fish […]
Book Design
I always come up with the book’s design. It’s such an integral part of the story I’m telling, another way to extend the material. Thus, I always, always have a firm vision of story’s physical appearance. With the “scrapbook” biographies, I not only researched and chose all the photographs, but I laid the book out […]
Organizing My Research
Oh, how I wish I could tell you I’d discovered a surefire way of organizing my research. Sadly, I can’t, because I haven’t. I try, but…well…the mountains of material I amass can be just so hard to wrangle, especially for a naturally disorganized person like myself. If you peeked into my office today you’d see […]
The Lincolns at The Barnum Museum
In October 1862, Mary took Tad to New York City. They were gone nearly a month, visiting friends and enjoying the comforts of the city’s best hotels. A highlight was their visit to P.T. Barnum’s American Museum. For a twenty-five-cent fee they saw mastodon bones, an Egyptian mummy, and the famous Feejee mermaid (purported to […]
Fart Proudly
Because of its subject, this essay by Ben doesn’t often appear in his life story. Written in 1781, it poked fun at the Royal Academy of Brussels. Every year the academy posed a scientific question and gave a prize to the scientist who could figure out the answer. Ben thought the questions stuffy, pompous, and […]