You might think that this is the first time a woman has won a national following running for U.S. President, but in 1940 a woman did just that. Even more amazing in today’s political climate, her campaign attracted fans from both parties. Her name was Gracie Allen, and she was half of the popular Burns […]
Continue readingToday I’m a guest of author Suzanne Adair on Relevant History, where I describe some of the lesser known hardships faced by American women who flooded into the workplace during World War II. These went beyond scarcity of hosiery and unavailability of new girdles. (If you can imagine not wearing a girdle being a hardship.) Stop by. […]
Continue readingWhen the pace of change, especially in technology, makes you dizzy, consider changes American women went through from the eve of World War I to the eve of World War II. A few of those changes become “accidental characters” in the mystery Don’t Dare a Dame, when a private eye in Ohio is hired to learn […]
Continue readingBefore World War II plunged countless American women into factory jobs and vacancies left by men who had gone to fight, the two careers most open to women were teaching and nursing. They required professional training, and women who underwent it were looked up to in their communities. Today, author Anna Castle shares the story of her […]
Continue readingIn the years just before World War II and through the anxious years until it ended, the writings of three women influenced American politics and social issues, were quoted for their razor-sharp wit, and kept mystery lovers up reading past their bedtime. They were all named Dorothy. “The first thing I do in the morning […]
Continue readingOne of the icons of World War II, and a presence in the live of American service men and women from then to now, turns 75 today – the USO. It was the brainchild of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who saw the need for an organization to boost morale and provide recreation to American G.I.’s. […]
Continue readingWhen M. Louisa Locke and I discovered we’d be promoting books in our respective historical mystery series at the same time, we had an idea: Wouldn’t it be fun to ask our two women detectives — one a proper lady in Victorian San Francisco, the other a gritty young private eye in 1940s Dayton, Ohio […]
Continue readingThis week is a busy one for 1940s private eye Maggie Sullivan. First, read her answers in Part I of an interview today on M. Louisa Locke’s blog where we jointly interview our two characters. Part II will appear here tomorrow (Jan. 21). Then learn more about Maggie Sullivan and the series in this […]
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