Tag: literature
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Mornings at Character Café — with Charlotte Harper
We are living on a farm, the Storey’s farm near Keswick. My mother’s childhood friend’s home. It’s been an adventure since the moment we were picked up at the train station by Ian Storey, and I had to ride in the back of the wagon sitting on a hay bale.
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Ivy’s Time in Durham
Despite my effort, Pigeon would not thrive. I fed him buttermilk with the tiny bottle every hour. And I followed all of Mrs. Hudson’s directives, which led to some messy proceedings. I thought perhaps the kitten was cold in my bed chamber, the second floor of Birmingham Hall being quite drafty with September’s bluster. I…
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A Morning at Character Café — featuring Ivy from A Brighter Dawn
Oh, Ivy. I didn’t expect you would be up to dropping by Character Café for a while. I cannot tell you how sorry I am for your loss. Thank you, Amy. It is all still surreal. I cannot wrap my head around the fact that my parents are gone. As I began reading your story,…
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Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day at Character Café
Featuring Characters from Voices in the Sanitorium Over a decade ago, I had a tea party with two of my best friends on the grounds of the former West Mountain Sanitarium located on the hillside above Scranton, Pennsylvania. Thus began my fascination with the history of tuberculosis and specifically the staff and patients who had…
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Mornings at Character Cafe — featuring Lottie from the Brides of Pelican Rapids series
Welcome to Character Café, Miss Charlotte Kennedy. Oh, I’d be obliged if you’d call me Lottie. We don’t hold to formalities these days, as much as my Pa wishes it weren’t so. Pa would like to pretend the War of Rebellion never took place, Magnolia Glen wasn’t stripped of all its silver and jewelry, Mama’s…
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A Morning at Character Café with Jessie Whyne
Jessie Whyne! It is so nice to meet you. I’ve heard about your detective agency and your successes in solving mysteries. To me, you are like a real-life, grown-up Trixie Belden. Oh my goodness, I was obsessed with Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew as a child. Can you believe that I was so convinced I…
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Another Morning at Character Café — Featuring Ben Findlay of A Not so Persistent Suitor
Meet Ben, a junior reporter with the Cincinnati Times-Star in 1884. Well, junior reporter is an exaggeration. Since refusing to date his boss’s daughter, Ben is back to type-setting and writing advertisements. With everything that has happened, he has had to end his courtship with the lovely Cora. Ben sure needs a pick-me-up from Character…
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Chronicles of Courage — Episode 4
Christmas at the West Mountain Sanitarium In the 1930s As I researched Voices in the Sanitorium, I spent many hours poring over old newspapers. What an adventure each edition of The Scranton Republican and The Scranton Times became! The most mentions of the hospital on West Mountain always happened during the months of November and…
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SPECIAL EDITION! Wisdom from a Wordsmith Episode 32 PLUS a Chronicle of Courage Heroine!
Meet Marisa Masterson! Describe your challenges as a child. I was blessed with a mother who read to me every night. Reading, though, did not come as easily to me. I am a mumble reader. Unless I read it out loud, it’s difficult for me to understand what I read. You can imagine this caused…