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Behind the Scenes: My Civil War Writing Soundtrack
You know I'm about to start writing another Civil War novel when I receive four more Civil War movie soundtrack CDs in the mail from Amazon! My most recent special deliveries: Lincoln, Gone with the Wind, Gods & Generals, and Dances with Wolves. I love writing with music in the background that stirs emotion and evokes a sense of Civil War drama. Here is my complete Civil War playlist. So far. :)
Movie soundtracks are wonderful because the difference between a slow, contemplative song and a fast-paced "action" scene song remind me that as a novelist, my scenes...
The Great Equalizer
by Donna Tallman
Gently and quietly he clicks the door shut on his sedan so that even the breeze is unruffled. He deliberately walks toward the oldest row of graves in Section 60. His perfect posture looks military-trained, while the lines on his face mark him Vietnam era. Always focused forward, the eyes of the man in his sixties hone in on one of the markers at the far end.
Finally, he reaches the right one and slowly kneels in the grass. The grieving father bows his head. Some have said that hospital waiting rooms are the great equalizers of life – that injury and sickness...
Free Because of Sacrifice
by Donna Tallman
Step by determined step I walk on through Arlington Cemetery. A car passes on my left, then another and another. The procession of mourners drives by in slow motion making its way to the grave site. A color guard stands at attention near a freshly dug grave. A bugler waits for his call, and a squad of seven riflemen stands across the field for their moment of tribute.
Cicadas hum just below the surface of unspeakable grief. I hurry under a tree, not suitably dressed for a funeral nor invited by the family; but here by circumstance in my nation’s field of...
Kathleen Maher's Irish Stew
UPDATE: The winner, using random.org, is Laurel! Congrats! Today I am so excited to have Kathleen L. Maher with us to share her family recipe for Irish stew. She is also graciously giving away a $15 gift card to Amazon to one lucky commenter! But first, allow me to tell you about her new Civil War novella, Bachelor Buttons. Here's the blurb:
The daughter of immigrants who fled the Irish Potato Famine, Rose Meehan...
Liberty Give-Away Winners Announced!
Thank you so much to everyone who entered The Liberty Give-away! Your comments were all so inspiring, and I wish I could have you all over for coffee some time. Using random.org, the winner of the Liberty Give-away (handmade rug and two movie soundtracks!) is: KIMBLERY DREW River North tossed in a bonus give-away of an ebook version of Wedded to War to one lucky commenter, and that prize goes to: DebiHIS Ladies, I will email you shortly! Stay tuned, everyone, we are going to have another give...
A Liberty Inspired Give-away!
I am so excited to offer today's give-away to one lucky reader! Widow of Gettysburg has officially launched, and I hope that many of you have your copies already in hand. Now, wouldn't you just love to enhance your reading experience? Christy-nominated author and craftista Joanne Bischof has created a handmade rag rug for this give-away package, just like the rag rugs in Liberty Holloway's farmhouse, and I'm contributing two CDs of...
Military Appreciation Month! A Story, A Give-away, and Practical Prayer
The month of May is Military Appreciation Month! And I sure do appreciate our military. Being a former military wife myself, I can relate to the challenges and joys our military families go through. But even now that we lead a civilian lifestyle, I will never stop appreciating the sacrifices the military makes for the rest of us. Do you have time for a little story?
A couple of years ago I was working on Stories of Faith and Courage from the Home Front, and one...
