When I am working on a novel, I have no time for recreational reading. Since I write historical fiction, I burn up many hours poring through source materials: newspaper archives, biographies, letters, memoirs, military records, insurance policies, genealogy charts, maps, history books, etc. My mornings and afternoons are consumed doing research and crafting prose, and … Continue reading The Legacy Continues
Opera
Memories and Montmartre
Last Saturday, a photo service emailed me a “memory.” It was a picture I took of tombstones in a Paris cemetery. The caption, “Bring your memories to life,” made me laugh. Six years ago, I had finished writing the draft of A Moon Garden and was becoming frustrated at my lack of success in finding … Continue reading Memories and Montmartre
Flying Blind
The first sound I heard when I awoke yesterday was the honking of the Snow Geese passing over my roof. I went outside and observed wave after wave of them, flying in formation above my house. There must have been hundreds. That’s the great thing about living directly under the Pacific Flyway. A couple of … Continue reading Flying Blind
Music and Memories: Living Along the Void
Just before my father turned 80, he decided to sell his ocean-front condo in Florida. Dad was living in an over-55 community, and he was getting depressed seeing so many of his friends and neighbors become infirm or die. His kids expected him to move to a smaller condo in an independent living residence. To … Continue reading Music and Memories: Living Along the Void
London, Again
It was exciting to be back in the amazing city of London. The last time I had been there was in the winter, mere days before the lockdowns went into effect. Never having been there in summer, I didn’t know if the large crowds I was seeing at my usual haunts were normal for this … Continue reading London, Again
Crying time
London bound One year ago today, on February 27, 2020, I was on a plane bound for London. There were a few more documents I wanted to review at the National Archives and one book I particularly had to see at the British Library. Two weeks after I got home, travel was restricted. As much … Continue reading Crying time
Life without regret
Before my sister decided to be a candidate for the state senate, she called Dad, seeking his advice. He told her that she may or may not have regrets if she decided to run, but it was a certainty that she would always have doubts if she decided not to do so. He was right, … Continue reading Life without regret
Roxane Gilbert 