Fips, Bots, Doggeries, and More is based on a journal written in 1838 by Henry Rogers, my great-great-great grandfather.  He, his wife, and her parents made a horse and wagon trip from Cincinnati to New York City, and Henry kept a daily journal, in which he recorded everything of interest that came under his observation.    In 1990, I received a typewritten copy of Henry's original journal as a Christmas gift.  I found Henry's observations fascinating, and began to research unfamiliar terms and learn about his time, thinking I might use him as a character in a novel. About thirteen years into my research, I drove the same route, from Cincinnati to Trenton, NJ, with my then 8-year-old daughter in tow.  Our two journals, written 165 years apart, come together in Fips, Bots, Doggeries, and More.   Given Moments celebrates finding hope, humor, and grace in life's unexpected moments.  This book evolved from my co-author's Life List, penned on the eve of her 50th birthday.  She was disappointed in the current state of her life, as she was divorced and unemployed.  After completing a list of 50 things she HAD done, she experienced a paradigm shift in her attitude.  She posted the list on her blog and called for others to complete Life Lists.  The 63 people who responded range in age from 3 to 79.  Their stories and ours are shared in twelve chapters entitlled "Love, Live, Learn, Confess, Escape, Survive, etc."  During the writing of this book, we saw how sharing our stories sets us free.   And I Can Tell You War Stories was created as a gift for my husband's grandfather.  Grandpa Lowry lied about his age and enlisted in the Navy at 15.  His recorded memories of his serivce on mine sweepers in the Caribbean and the South Pacific during World War II provide the narrative of the book.  I added some side research about the ships on which he served and the places he saw.  This book is a great example of how a loved one's memories, letters, or journals can be turned into a book that will be treasured for generations to come.  

Fips, Bots, Doggeries, and More won first place in the Nonfiction History category of the Ohio Professional Writers Association's 2012 competition.