2020-04-30 19:26
Thinking of starting your first business? Like a global positing system, a business plan tells you what direction your venture needs to take. It also forces you to think about th… Read More
Blog Directory > Books & Literature Blogs > Melina Druga books-and-literature Blog >
Melina Druga Blog
melinadruga.com/blog
Tags:
virginia beach
sinking
critique groups
virginia
patron
columbian club prepares
critique
rheumatic
winwin
perils
Melina Druga is an author, freelance journalist, and history enthusiast. She blogs about history, the writing process, author interviews, and historical fiction book excerpts and reviews. She is particularly interested in the period 1890-1920 and how WW1 changed the lives of ordinary people.
2020-04-28 13:08
Like many creative individuals, I have created a Patreon account in hopes of generating some added attention for my writing endeavors. Now I’m ready to share my page with the wor… Read More
2020-04-27 13:14
“Halifax is waiting in funeral garb for the arrival of the cable ship Mackay-Bennett with its cargo of dead from the scene of the Titanic disaster,” the Montreal Gazette reported… Read More
2020-04-25 18:53
Photography has been a hobby of mine for many years. My family and I visited Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia in 2017 on a 90-something degree day with high humidity. This slide… Read More
2020-04-24 13:05
Critique groups are an invaluable resource for aspiring and established writers alike. These groups can be online or meet face-to-face, but either way they provide a valuable service… Read More
2020-04-23 19:14
Thinking of starting your first business? Home-based businesses have a number of advantages, such as lower overhead and no commute time, but self-employment is an around-the-clock job… Read More
2020-04-22 13:26
Rheumatic fever is not a disease you hear much about in the 21st century. It is a disease, however, that plays a minor role in my WW1 Trilogy as Hettie Bartlette’s father, Benjam… Read More
2020-04-18 17:29
Photography has been a hobby of mine for many years. My family and I visited Virginia Beach and the Newport News, Virginia, area in 2016 and 2017. This slideshow contains mostly… Read More
2020-04-16 19:05
Thinking of starting your first business? Once your business is operating, you will join the ranks of the self employed. People who aren’t self employed sometimes think it… Read More
2020-04-13 13:53
California possibly would be the best represented state at the World’s Fair in Chicago, the Los Angeles Times declared April 9, 1893. The state’s building would be the largest st… Read More
2020-04-11 15:01
Photography has been a hobby of mine for many years. My family and I visited eastern Massachusetts in 2015. This video slideshow features Salem, Peabody, Gloucester and the Bosto… Read More
2020-04-09 18:48
Thinking of starting your first business? Are you cut out to be an entrepreneur? This might be the first time someone has asked you that question. However, it is one that e… Read More
2020-04-08 13:58
The United States has the Founding Fathers. Canada has the Fathers of Confederation. Unlike the Founding Fathers, whose new nation gained independence thanks to war, the Fathers… Read More
2020-04-05 17:46
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is frightening, but we have been through this before – during the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918. As a student of history, I can’t help bu… Read More
2020-04-04 20:33
My family and I have visited Cleveland often. These photos were taken in 2010 and include images of Lake Erie and Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Indians. If you find this vid… Read More
2020-04-03 13:30
The debate has been raging since the invention of the eBook. Which do you prefer? Print or eBook? Personally I am torn on the topic. As a reader, I prefer print books… Read More
2020-04-02 18:15
Thinking of starting your first business? Funding is a common problem and perhaps the first obstacle many new business-owners face. Having a budget, keeping to your budget and sp… Read More
2020-03-31 13:00
Ann Markim has a love of animals. Ripley and Riley, her cats, are her companions. Before Markim retired, they commuted with her to her nature shop. Markim has a variety of hobbies.&nbs&hell…Read More
2020-03-30 13:15
“‘Shall Jim Crow Prevail?’ The Burning Question,” an AP story in the Dallas Express asked March 29, 1919. The question followed the bombing of two buildings in… Read More
2020-03-28 19:30
Photography is one of my favorite hobbies. This slideshow is a collection of my favorite nature shots. It contains flowers, insects, clouds, birds, water features and more.  &hell…Read More
2020-03-27 13:41
If you’ve opted to self published, there are several platforms you can use to bring your eBook and Print-On-Demand (POD) paperback to fruition. No platform is perfect, so let&rsq&hell…Read More
2020-03-26 18:00
Thinking of starting your first business? Do you have the personality necessary to be self employed? Before you write your business plan, ask yourself these six questions. … Read More
2020-03-25 13:06
In my novel, Angel of Mercy, Hettie’s birthday and her marriage to Geoffrey Bartlette correspond with the celebration of Victoria Day. If you’re American, you may be unawar… Read More
2020-03-24 14:44
So far, 2020 has been an exciting year, both on- and offline. Part of that excitement for me is that I am doing something credibly brave for an introvert. I’ve established… Read More
2020-03-17 13:11
Evan Anderson is a transplanted Southern Californian, originally from Los Angeles, living in the Catskills and Hudson Valley of upstate New York. He is continually surprised by the are… Read More
2020-03-16 13:39
“Horror in a Fire,” the headline on the Chicago Tribune read March 17, 1898, in reference to the destruction of the Ayer Building that was located on Wabash Avenue. The fire star… Read More
2020-03-11 12:54
Any discussion of Canada during the early 20th century would not be complete without including Henri Bourassa. Bourassa was outspoken and not afraid to fight for his beliefs. Bourassa was bo… Read More
2020-03-06 14:00
Writers are perhaps among the most self-conscious people I know. It may have something to do with writers putting a bit of themselves into their stories or feeling so close to their wo… Read More
2020-03-03 14:23
Tonya Jewel Blessing spends more than half of the year in education and youth work with an African tribe. During of the rest of the year, she speaks, sets up writers conferences and writes s… Read More
2020-03-02 14:51
Japan was interested in intervening in Siberia to protect allied interests and to punish Russia for leaving World War I, a war Japan said Russia began. However, this could change the c… Read More
2020-02-28 14:02
Not that many years ago, self publishing was traditional publishing’s ugly step-sister. It was associated strictly with vanity publishing – paying thousands to have paperba… Read More
2020-02-26 14:43
Robert Borden is the prime minister who led Canada through the contentious years of World War I. An attorney by trade, he entered politics in 1896 and quickly rose to leader of the Con… Read More
2020-02-18 14:28
Ryan Uytdewilligen loves movies to death! He’s a huge fan of the Oscars, and every year holds a party at his house. He can name you ever winner off the top of my head. Uytdewilli… Read More
2020-02-17 14:41
Republican senators eagerly agreed to a conference to discuss the Panama Canal Treaty, the Arizona Republic reported Feb. 18, 1903, bringing Sen. Matthew Quay’s dream of Panamanian sta… Read More
2020-02-12 14:20
Hettie Bartlette, the main character in my novel Angel of Mercy, was born in Ontario in 1892. Despite being 27 at the end of the third novel in the series, Adjustment Year (estimated p… Read More
2020-02-07 14:20
Authors often are asked, “What was the most influential book you ever read?” or “Which author inspired you?” I was an avid reader throughout my youth and young… Read More
2020-02-04 14:30
In addition to being a writer, Thierry Sagnier is an addicted reader, songwriter and musician, and a traveler. He is bilingual. Besides historical fiction, Sagnier has written nonficti… Read More
2020-02-03 14:30
Socialite Vivien Gould, daughter of financier George J. Gould and his wife, was prepared to marry her fiancé, Lord Decies with the “pride of wealth,” the Miami Herald repo… Read More
2020-01-31 14:05
I am often asked how to start a freelance writing career. There are two ways. One is to cold contact companies. The other is to apply to freelance writing positions. … Read More
2020-01-29 14:11
Having a family member “in service” or being in service yourself was common before the end of World War 1. Domestic servants were necessary to run the expansive homes of th… Read More
2020-01-21 14:23
Nora Ryell is a married mom of two grown sons. She and her husband love to travel. Their favorite destination is a cottage in Northern Ontario that has been in Ryell’s fami… Read More
2020-01-20 19:41
“Rebellion in Russia!” shouted the headline of the Fall River Globe in Fall River, Mass., on Jan. 23, 1905. Russian citizens had been fired on while protesting in the stree… Read More
2020-01-15 14:23
How did you celebrate your last birthday? Chances are you had a party that featured a cake decorated in candles. Did you ever take time to think where these traditions got their… Read More
2020-01-07 14:15
Wyle is the author of an untitled historical romance that was expect to be released in autumn 2019. #historicalfiction @KarenAWyle
The post An Interview with Author Karen A. Wyle appeared… Read More
2020-01-06 18:43
“Much Blood Will Be Spilled in That Vicinity Before Long, Critics Say,” the Los Angeles Times declared in a headline Jan. 8, 1905. That date was in the second half of the 1… Read More
2020-01-01 14:23
One hundred years ago today, people were celebrating the start of what would be dubbed in the United States as the Roaring 20s. What should have been a cause for celebration was s… Read More
2019-12-26 14:36
In her debut novel, Never Pleasing to the World: A Man and His Slaves, author Peggy Patterson Garland creates a fictionalized biography of Revolutionary War-era abolitionist Robert Carter II… Read More
2019-12-24 14:30
J. L. Gates has written young adult fiction in addition to historical fiction, a move he calls a “dumb idea.” “I rather stupidly wasted a couple of months writing a quickie… Read More
2019-12-18 14:23
The commercialization of Christmas began during the Victorian era. Retailers encouraged consumers to shop for the holidays instead of giving homemade gifts, and shop employees also dec… Read More
2019-12-12 14:17
Michael Finney makes his book debut with 1893 Chicago’s Columbian Exposition: Arts and Culture on the Doorstep of the 20th Century, a collection of photographs taken during the fair.&n&hell…Read More
2019-12-10 14:10
Hock G. Tjoa is married with two grown daughters. He and his wife are avid pet owners. Besides historical fiction, Tjoa has written two plays – Heaven is High and the Emperor Far… Read More
2019-12-04 14:12
Dreading that next trip to the dentist? You’re not alone. Patients a century ago, equally dreaded the visit, but thankfully, dentistry had modernized considerably by the early 20… Read More
2019-11-28 14:05
The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts approved the design for the new National World War I Memorial on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., in September. The U.S. World War I C… Read More
2019-11-26 14:36
When Kelli Wilkins isn’t writing, she enjoys a variety of hobbies including reading, traveling, gardening, visiting flea markets, and visiting weird/creepy/haunted places. In addition… Read More
2019-11-20 14:20
“Kids Say the Darndest Things” may be a television show, but kids have been saying what’s on their minds – and amusing adults – for centuries. In 19… Read More
2019-11-14 13:55
It took author Jeff Yocum 15 years to complete his historical fiction novel, Passover. While some of that time was in the planning process, he also conducted exhaustive resea… Read More
2019-11-12 14:39
Anthony Barton has a pet bat named Bulmer. In addition to historical fiction, Barton has written a non-fiction: Famous Teachers and Their Methods.Barton is the author of Press Gang!. He is t… Read More
2019-11-06 14:03
Families in the 19th and early 20th centuries often had large families. What affect does birth order have personality? This is a question I considered while creating the Steward… Read More
2019-10-31 13:02
In his debut novel, A Ferrie Tale, author David T. Beddow tells the tale of David Ferrie, a man who was suspected of having been involved in a criminal conspiracy to assassinate Pr… Read More
2019-10-29 13:45
Mary Van Winkle loves classic movies, and TCM is her favorite channel. She enjoys the styles, the music and the attitudes of the first half of the 20th century. In addition to historical fic… Read More
2019-10-23 12:46
Where is the best place to write? If you’re an author or aspiring author, you’ve no doubt been asked this question, often by colleagues. The answer isn’t that s… Read More
2019-10-17 13:08
The recently released novel, Washed Away by Jason Gray, Jr. tackles a very weighty subject. The historical fiction novel takes readers to the scene of the 1911 dam break in Austin, PA… Read More
2019-10-16 13:15
The English language can be very funny, and not in a humorous way. Funny in a strange way. In a weird way. How can one word sound the same but be spelled differently and have different meani… Read More
2019-10-15 13:10
Richard Roux has a variety of interests outside of his career. He enjoys hiking, fishing, hunting, playing ice hockey on an adult recreational team, binge-watching TV shows, and experi… Read More
2019-10-09 12:53
World War I ended in November 1918, but it hasn’t failed to capture our imaginations. Perhaps it is because it was thought to be “the war to end all wars,” or it coul… Read More
2019-10-05 13:40
Enter for a chance to win one of 25 copies of Angel of Mercy now through Oct. 8 or when all prizes are claimed. Enter now Hettie Steward is feisty, educated, ambitious and stubborn. He… Read More
2019-10-04 13:40
Heinous: Forgotten Murders From the 1910s has been selected to participate in the All Author Cover of the Month contest for October. If Heinous is in the top 100 at the end of the voting per… Read More
2019-10-03 13:01
The following is an excerpt of The Legacy by Ann Markim. The excerpt was provided by the author. Anna Jorgesen studied her reflection in the small mirror hanging on the wall of… Read More
2019-10-02 13:44
Most writers have a problem area. For me, it’s plural nouns: making them plural from their singular form. Some words are easy to make plural. All that is needed is to add an “s&r&hell…Read More
2019-10-01 04:27
P.J. Roscoe was inspired to write by tragedy – her son, Jac, died before he was born. Daughter Megan has autism and dyspraxia but lives an independent life. A Pagan, Roscoe also works… Read More
2019-09-25 13:20
As the new century dawned in 1901, fashion was quickly changing. Soon hemlines would rise while necklines would fall, and dress styles began to hug a woman’s body. Wedding… Read More
2019-09-19 13:06
The following is the first two pages of Downriver: A Tale of Moving Pictures Before Hollywood by Evan Anderson. The excerpt was provided by the author. Four women in black picked thei… Read More
2019-09-18 13:45
When I was starting out in the newspaper business in the late 1970s, I was under the assumption that the longer the story, the better the story. In the decades since, I have learned that isn… Read More
2019-09-17 13:51
Dennis Lee Havlin, who goes by the penname D. L. Havlin, has held a number of professions including licensed boat captain, football coach, customer service director and systems analyst. &hell…Read More
2019-09-11 13:10
Nonfiction can be used to inform as Jacob Riis did in How the Other Half Lives or Nelly Bly in Ten Days in a Mad-House, but literature has the unique ability of telling readers about the hum… Read More
2019-09-06 12:43
The following was written by a guest blogger. If you’re interested in guest blogger, click here. By George Fairbrother In 1945 and 1946, 3 million service personnel were d… Read More
2019-09-05 13:35
The following is a portion of chapter two from What Heals the Heart by Karen A. Wyle. It is the first meeting between Joshua and Clara. The excerpt was provided by the author. … Read More
2019-09-04 14:41
This is the basic truth: Everyone can write. This is also true: Not everyone can write well. And this: Even professional writers need a second set of eyes to scrutinize their work. Why? Beca… Read More
2019-09-04 12:43
The following was written by a guest blogger. If you’re interested in guest blogger, click here. By George Fairbrother Inequality was also reflected in the general health… Read More
2019-09-03 13:19
James Barry lives the life of a pirate. Well, sort of. His day job is a sailor and ship rigger on square-rigged sailing ships. This bygone era profession has allowed Barry… Read More
2019-09-02 13:27
The following was written by a guest blogger. If you’re interested in guest blogger, click here. By George Fairbrother Factors impacting on an ability to cope following ho… Read More
2019-08-28 13:24
Are you an avid reader? If so, when was the last time you left reviews on Amazon and/or Goodreads? If it’s been a while, you’re not alone. Many readers neglect to lea… Read More
2019-08-22 13:23
The following is a portion of chapter one from The Melody of the Mulberries by Tonya Jewel Blessing. The excerpt was provided by the publisher Capture Me Books. From THE CUSSIN… Read More
2019-08-20 13:35
Grace Willows is the writing team of Robin Woods and Julie Brookshier. The pair have been writing together for the past five years and have published 13 books. They specialize in conte… Read More
2019-08-14 13:38
The First World War was a conflict that lasted from 1914-1918. It had a deep physiological impact on those who lived through it. This gave rise to the term “Lost Generation… Read More
2019-08-08 13:44
The following is a portion of chapter one from Akela by Ryan Uytdewilligen. Akela is available on Amazon and can be found on Goodreads. The excerpt was provided by the author. &n&hell…Read More
2019-08-06 13:51
Jean Grant can’t pass up a good adventure. She loves the outdoors, hiking and kayaking and travels as much as time constraints and her budget allow. Her adventures include nation… Read More
2019-07-31 13:51
My latest nonfiction book, Heinous: Forgotten Murders From the 1910s, was inspired by news stories I discovered while researching A Tale of Two Nations. As I conducted my research, I d… Read More
2019-07-25 13:10
Author Paula McLain describes Helen Simonson as “a Jane Austen for our day and age.” This gave me reason to pause before I began reading Simonson’s novel The Summer B… Read More
2019-07-23 13:53
Cecily Wolfe works full time as a librarian in a public library and loves reading as much as writing. A single mother of two teenagers, she loves ice cream and potato chips, and can be… Read More
2019-07-17 13:06
Hello. My name is Henrietta Steward, but the people who are closest to me call me Hettie. I was born May 25, 1892, in Barrie, Ontario, and I’ve lived in this province my en… Read More
2019-07-11 13:30
The following excerpt is from L’Amerique by Thierry Sagnier. It is set in Paris following the end of World War 2. L’Amerique is available on Amazon and can be f… Read More
2019-07-09 13:00
Jaromy Henry grew up in Donalsonville, Georgia. The town was the stomping grounds for the Anglin brothers, the only people to successfully escape Alcatraz, and was the site of the Alda… Read More
2019-07-03 13:27
Many people will read a novel and then watch the film adaptation. Some people, such as myself, are introduced to novelists by first enjoying the movies based on their work. This… Read More
2019-06-27 13:13
Gene Masters is a retired Navy officer and his time on diesel-electric submarines partially inspired Silent Warriors: Submarine Warfare in the Pacific, his debut novel. “Silent Warrior… Read More
2019-06-25 13:33
Harold Titus has loved history for years. He majored in it at UCLA, and taught the subject off and on to eighth graders in Orinda, California. His minor was English, and he taugh… Read More
2019-06-19 13:12
This WW1 medical trivia post was provided by a guest blogger. If you would like to contribute a guest blog, submit your idea. Did You Know? WW1-Era Medical Trivia By Sara Dahmen One of… Read More
2019-06-13 12:44
The Adventures of Nancy LaPlante in the 19TH Century by Michel Poulin is different from any other book I have reviewed. Poulin is a mixed-genre author, and the majority of his novels involve… Read More
2019-06-11 13:11
A California native, Merrill Wigginton and her husband sold their Sacramento-area ranch and moved to Kalispell, Montana, in 2017. There, she enjoys hiking, participating in church, hel… Read More
2019-06-05 13:14
Warning: You’re going to want to read these nine steamy historical fiction romances in private. They are simply too hot for public consumption. These titles are a min… Read More
Subscribe to Melina Druga
Get updates delivered right to your inbox!