Exciting Announcement!

Coming in early November 2023… The long-awaited Book 3 in the Rocked in the Cradle of Coal series will be available on amazon.com!

For those of you who fell in love with little Katie in the Best Seller, Peeling Potatoes (Book 1), and shed a tear for nine-year-old Wasyl in Tell Me About My Father (Book 2), I hope you will enjoy From the Mine to the Mansion just as much.

Book 3 follows big sister, Ann, as she says good-bye to school and childhood at the age of thirteen to work for a wealthy family uptown. Quitting school to help support their family was a common practice for the children of immigrant miners. Coal mining in the early 1900’s has been called “slave labor.” It meant working long hours in dangerous conditions, low pay, and injury or death a looming possibility. Boys and girls were expected to contribute to the family’s survival.

Experience 1913 through Ann’s eyes as she navigates the divide between rich and poor while living in both worlds. “From the Mine to the Mansion” is a tale of class, courage, and unexpected alliances as Ann discovers that the power of friendship can be found anywhere.

It’s not too late to order that last-minute gift!

Still, need a gift for a special someone? Are you concerned that it might not arrive in time? An eBook delivered directly to their own electronic device is a great gift idea, especially for children who have an entire winter break ahead of them to fill. Why not give “Peeling Potatoes: Katie’s Story,” an Amazon Best Seller, to the young reader on your gift list?

Summary: In this historical fiction novel for middle-grade readers, it is 1914. Katie lives with her widowed mother and four siblings on the edge of a coal mine near the river. Her young life is about to change. She must start school one year early so Mama can work full-time. Katie doesn’t speak English, she’s shy, and she’s a year younger than everyone else in the class. She wants to be brave and help her family. Can she do it?

This view of early 20th Century immigrant life as seen through the eyes of a child is loved by young and old alike. Readers of all ages can identify with Katie’s adventures and mishaps while learning historical facts woven throughout the story. It will spark curiosity and conversation between the generations, allowing you to share stories about your own family’s history with the child in your life.

To learn more about this book, take a look inside, and to order please go to: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B4KTJL3F

Another Reason to Love Animals!

Did you know that according to a study following over 1 million children over the first 10 years of their life, children living with dogs, or on a farm, have a 54 percent lower chance of developing asthma over children without animal exposure? These amazing results were published in JAMA Pediatrics in 2015. The theory is that exposure to a varied population of animal microbes in the home may somehow influence the gut microbiome, and change human immune response in the airways.