It was inspired by a true story: Polish parents urging their daughter to travel to America and marry a recent immigrant who wanted a wife from his homeland. The girl was already attached to a young man in her hometown, and her sister took pity on her and agreed to take her place. But what if there had been no sister...?
​    As Polish men immigrated to the United States, they longed for a wife to share their fortunes - a woman from their own homeland, who shared their language, culture, and background. So they wrote home.
    "I would like to marry Zoska," one young man penned. "So, please, send me Zoska."*
    And girls like Zoska went, to make a home in a new land, sometimes for a man they had never met before in their lives. And they not only built homes; they built America.
    The Reluctant Bride is an immigrant story, a love story, a story of hope and hardship. It's the story of America. And I can't wait to share it with all of you!
*The Story of Ellis Island by R. Conrad Stein

There's nothing more convenient than a paperback you can spread before you. Now you can use this handy guide anywhere while you read or write! 

Don't you love that cover drawing by Ruth? I just want to move in and start hanging pictures!

It was a pleasure to be interviewed by Homeschooled Authors about my book, Lighten Our Darkness. Sarah Holman and the rest of the crew do such a great job promoting home educated authors, current and alumni, and I'm so happy to have my second interview with them published! Read more here:

The air-raid siren was sounding, and the dusky London street was suddenly filled with the rush of people hurrying for the nearest bomb shelter. The neighborhood was not untouched: a recent bombing still tainted the air with the smell of burning, and the stark skeletons of bombed-out homes stood gaunt against the swiftly darkening sky. Above the waiting city, the black bulk of barrage balloons hung like dark specters, their trailing steel cables crisscrossing the air. Though a stranger, the young man did not hesitate to fall in with the passing flow of anxious residents; no one would turn a fellow human being away from safety during an air raid.
But on a roadside bench, contrasting jarringly with the headlong flight of all the others, a small figure sat huddled and motionless. Neither the hurry of the crowd nor the persistent howl of the siren seemed to penetrate the aura of silent loneliness about that quiet form.
~ Lighten Our Darkness, Chapter 1


War. Romance. A man fighting for right. A woman without a country. And a night that will change their lives forever.
I'm still in love with this story!

Buy your copy now at Amazon.com.

The Apprentices were ready for a makeover - and here they are! With a new cover and a newly formatted interior, my first release has been beautifully updated, and I couldn't be more pleased with the result. This is still one of my favorite stories, so hurry over to Amazon.com and get your copy now!

I'm so pleased to welcome you to our new blog devoted to what we love best: History and Literature! We'll be sharing our favorite bits of history, book news, and more, so don't touch that dial!