Pam Crooks's Blog, page 7
July 31, 2025
When the Past Surprises a Writer: Copying Documents Before Photocopiers by Martha Hutchens
Being a historical author comes with its pitfalls. One common problem is figuring out how people handled not-so-daily tasks in the era you’re writing about—especially when it leads you down a rabbit hole of research! You can never predict what tiny bit of historical minutiae will have you stuck for hours—or days. In my ... Read more
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July 30, 2025
Hometown Hoedown – Shanna Hatfield
Howdy, friends! It’s my turn to share a little about my hometown. I chose to write about the town that was my hometown all through my growing up years. Vale, Oregon Our farm was actually a dozen miles out of town, but when I was a kid, getting to go to Vale was a much ... Read more
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July 29, 2025
Hometown Hoedown & ebook giveaway – Karen Kay
Howdy! Well, I’d love to tell you I was from Montana (my husband is). But, the truth is that I grew up in a small town (then about 2000 people) in mid to southern Illinois. In Illinois, anything south of Chicago was considered southern Illinois. This picture was snapped when I was about 3 or ... Read more
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July 28, 2025
Hometown Hoedown – Jill Kemerer
Howdy! I’d love to share that my hometown is in Wyoming or Montana, but we’ll all have to settle for my hometown in the Midwest! All joking aside, I love my hometown. I didn’t grow up here, but it’s been my home for the past thirteen years. We lived here for a few years when ... Read more
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July 27, 2025
Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Jo-Ann Roberts
I descend from a family of excellent Italian cooks and bakers, and in the case of my grandparents, specifically my maternal grandfather, Luigi D’Ambrosi, prolific gardeners. After he married my grandmother, Olivetta, a widow with four children, they set up housekeeping on Willow Street in Rensselaer, NY, just over the Hudson River from Albany. To ... Read more
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Robin Lee Hatcher Has a Winner!
What a fun time we had with Miss Robin! I wish she could come every week. Newspapers are fun to chat about. Now for the Drawing………. One commenter will get a print copy of To the Editor With Love! And the winner is………… DEB VOLKMAN Yippee! We’re happy for you Deb. Now watch for Miss ... Read more
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July 24, 2025
NEWSPAPERS IN THE OLD WEST–AND A GIVEAWAY! by Robin Lee Hatcher
Headlines on the Frontier When we imagine the Old West, we often think of wide-open plains, dusty boots, and rugged towns born almost overnight. But tucked into nearly every small frontier settlement was a heartbeat of civilization—the local newspaper. These humble print shops played a vital role in the daily life of townspeople in the ... Read more
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The Old West Time-Life Books
When I was a child of about 12-years-old, my mother subscribed to a then popular historical, science, and cultural book club put out by Time-Life Magazines. There were series such as Voyage Through the Universe and Lost Civilizations. But the one we owned was by far one of the most popular: The Old West. The ... Read more
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July 23, 2025
Robin Lee Hatcher is Next Up!
A real treat is in store for us! Miss Robin Lee Hatcher will arrive Friday, July 25, 2025 with a new book! Have you ever wondered what those newspapers in times’ past were like? How the editors were treated? Or what they put in them? Wonder no more on Friday. Miss Robin has it all ... Read more
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July 22, 2025
Keeping A Sod Home Pest Free
My great grandmother lived in a sod house once upon a time. In the family album is a photo of her standing next to the tiny dwelling with a baby in her arms. Studying it, as I often did, I couldn’t help but wonder how she kept her house pest free. When I lived in ... Read more
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