"Flamenco & the Sitting Cat" is the title of the first of my soon-to-be self-published novels. The 'Sitting Cat' part of the title refers to the geographical shape of Iran... I grew up with only classical music -- and flamenco music and dance. My father, who left Barcelona in his mid-20s, wanted it that way.… Continue reading Flamenco Fusion→
I love Spain! It's no accident that one of my soon-to-be self-published novels is called, "Flamenco & the Sitting Cat." A dream to sightsee on foot, León, Spain, was the next to last stop of a fun-filled vacation that my husband and I began with a weekend in beautiful Barcelona and then a stop in… Continue reading Ancient and Modern: Lovely León, Spain→
Who will your search turn up? Photo thanks to Ryan McGuire of Gratisography.com
Writers and readers alike, for times we’d like to look into our histories, author Margaret Lossi offers tips for how to get started. My two novels are works-in-progresses! Lossi says that when it comes to looking up one’s family background, be prepared for surprises…
Warning: family history can lead to emotional discoveries.
It may seem counter-intuitive, but you begin at the end! That is, you begin with you.
Check your birth certificate, verify your parents. It may seem like a given, but just sometimes people find they are adopted, or their mum is really their grandma. It pays to check.
Check your parents birth certificates, to verify your grandparents. Then work your way back through the generations, verifying birth certificates.
These first steps build the strong foundation of your family tree, so worth doing well.
It is not a case of how far back you can go, but the quality of your data
You may wish to answer a family question. I knew my parents were second cousins, so wanted to find out about this link. Set yourself a goal to work towards. Whatever your motivation, make sure you verify each…
Does the threat of a book being banned ensure that it's among the finest books written? Check out the fantastic examples cited by the smart folks in this 29-second video (and pat yourself on the back if you smile when "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is discussed -- *see end of this post… Continue reading Let’s Make Every Week Banned Books Week! by da-AL→
