Becoming Beatrice
Becoming Beatrice is a YA historical fiction novel that will resonate with today’s young readers through the evergreen themes of romance, friendship, racism, multiculturalism, bullying, independence and overcoming personal challenges.
Longing to escape her restricted life in 1890s Oakland, California, feisty 17-year-old Beatrice Blake confronts her mother and deserts her fiancé to accept a teaching job in the frontier mill town of Snohomish, WA.
But her dream of independence quickly turns grim when she proves unable to control her rowdy school children, the town’s people accuse her of triggering a lumberman’s death and of bringing smallpox. As her personal crisis deepens, Beatrice rises to the challenge and begins to listen to her own heart.
Langley
My newest book, Langley, is a photo history of the city of Langley where I live on Whidbey Island. It is part of the Images of America Series from Arcadia Publishing.
This book showcases over 200 photos and the stories they tell of the town’s first 100 years. For example, in 1920 Langley elected an all-women town administration, the second municipality in the nation to do so. Langley also boasted a thriving art colony established by Margaret Camfferman, a member of Seattle’s “Group of Twelve.”
Brushed by Feathers:
A Year of Birdwatching in the West
Intriguing factual essays written for the casual nature lover and the experienced bird-watcher. Accompanied by vivid line drawings and quotes from noted naturalists, Brushed by Feathers is a muse for all.
Month-by-month the book introduces the common birds in the West — from backyard feeders to forest and waterway habitats. More than 150 western United States and Canadian birds, in locales from Kenai, Alaska to southeastern Arizona are included. The book offers bird folklore and native traditions as well as insights into bird identification, migration, breeding, changing plumage and much, much more.
Community at the Crossroads:
The History of Bayview on Whidbey Island
The European settlement of Bayview Corner began in 1860 when early pioneers arrived at the head of Useless Bay to log trees and settle homesteads. Soon Bayview became the crossroads for everyone traveling up Whidbey Island, a long winding island in Puget Sound.
Community at the Crossroads: The History of Bayview on Whidbey Island offers fascinating stories of early farmers who turned 600 acres of tidal marsh into flat fertile farmland. The book explains how the locals built a community hall that attracted people from all parts of Whidbey Island and how Harold Johnston ran the old Cash Store for over five decades. The history, the stories of local families and a collection of old photos blend into a delightful depiction of a community full of change that still manages to stay the same.
Down to Camp: A History of Summer Folk
on Whidbey Island
With vivid imagery and down-home style, this book describes five generations of summer visits to a simple walk-in beach cabin on a spectacularly beautiful speck of land on Puget Sound. Around 1900 the families first traveled by boat down the Snohomish River to camp on Whidbey Island, thus "down to camp." The continuity of family heritage on this beach provides an almost genetic tie to the bounty and beauty of the land.
Down to Camp: A History of Summer Folk on Whidbey Island is not just about this particular family on only one beach. It is about the craving within us all to find a sanctuary from the fast-paced city life, to reconnect with our latent creativity and to rediscover the joy of building a sandcastle.
