Susan Denning's Blog: News and Notes
June 25, 2020
Greetings
I hope this blog finds you all healthy. Like many of you, I have been in lockdown for several months. During this time, I have learned life skills I never knew I needed, like sewing face masks, depositing a check through my smart phone (that thing really is smart), and I have almost mastered the art of ordering groceries online, with the exception of my order for twenty pounds of flour- if anyone needs some of the white stuff, let me know.
I have also assembled cheese ravioli with YouTube guidance from the “Pasta Grannies,” baked cinnamon rolls with “Artisan Bread with Steve,” and made genuine Greek moussaka and spinach cheese pie following instructions from my friend Bill. Hmm, looks like there might be a trend here.
I have also had time to explore all the resources Goodreads offers to authors online, even self-published authors. One such a resource is the Goodreads Blog. I know what blogs are, but creating one seemed a daunting task for someone who is not technically savvy. In addition, my familiarity with authors’ blogs is limited to famous authors who post reports on their book signings, videos of their fabulous TED Talks, and articles from popular magazines featuring their latest adventures. My reality is- no research staff, no publisher, and no personal assistant- just me. Therefore, I spend most of my days and some nights in front of a computer researching century-old documents, period newspapers and archived letters and diaries to ensure my books are historically accurate, hence, the years-long efforts that have gone into each book.
Then, Eureka! I discovered the theme for my Blog!
I am currently working on my third book in the series. While my second book, Embrace the Wind, ends in 1875, my third book jumps forward to 1883. It begins with Aislynn’s adopted daughter, Amy, graduating from high school. As she moves into adulthood, Amy travels to New York City, where Aislynn’s story began. As I research this new book, I discover intriguing facts. Some of these are essential to my stories; some I find are just fascinating morsels of history. I think my readers will find them fascinating, too. So, peridoically, I will post an article with my writing updates and an interesting piece of history.
This inaugural blog focuses on a chapter in New York City history that relates to this time of the Corona Virus. Recently some of my neighbors in Washington DC expressed concerns about people spitting in public areas and spreading the virus. When I heard this, my memory was sparked. When I began working for the City of New York in 1973, I remember seeing remnants of street signs warning people not to break the “Spitting” law.
At the time Amy arrives in NYC, Tuberculosis, also known as Consumption, killed 1 out of 7 people. Due to the inherent density of city living, urban areas suffered disproportionately from this disease, exactly like our cities are suffering with the Corona Virus today.
In 1882, German bacteriologist, Robert Koch, linked TB to a bacterium. He believed the disease was transmitted through infected sputum being expectorated when people spit! In this era, it was the habit of many to spit on sidewalks, on the floors of public buildings and in street cars. Like COVID-19, the aerated spittle could enter the nose and the mouth causing infections.
As spitting concerns rose among the public, many health organizations began lobbying the government for protective laws. In 1896, an ordinance was passed in New York City to make spitting in public an offence subject to a fine which could reach $2.00. However, TB continued to be a plague until 1943, when biochemist Selman Waksman discovered an antibiotic treatment.
As we wait for a treatment for the Corona Virus, immunologists predict this pandemic will not be the last. To mitigate the spread of these viruses, architects are looking for ways to create a new type of urban housing which gives residents abundant sunlight, circulating fresh air, and easy to disinfect surfaces. They can find inspiration for these newfangled apartments on East 77th St in NYC. The Cherokee Apartments began its life in 1912 as a refuge for families experiencing TB. It’s a truly unique building. Each apartment has high ceilings, floor to ceiling windows, cross ventilation, and open stair cases. The four-building complex surrounds a large courtyard. My husband and I toured one of the apartments in 2007 when we were searching for a new home. As we frequently find, history can be very relevant today. The spitting law and this century old historic building are just two examples.
For more information on spitting laws and the Cherokee, click the following links:
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/5...
http://cherokee-nyc.com/history.html
Till next time,
Susan
Far Away Home
I have also assembled cheese ravioli with YouTube guidance from the “Pasta Grannies,” baked cinnamon rolls with “Artisan Bread with Steve,” and made genuine Greek moussaka and spinach cheese pie following instructions from my friend Bill. Hmm, looks like there might be a trend here.
I have also had time to explore all the resources Goodreads offers to authors online, even self-published authors. One such a resource is the Goodreads Blog. I know what blogs are, but creating one seemed a daunting task for someone who is not technically savvy. In addition, my familiarity with authors’ blogs is limited to famous authors who post reports on their book signings, videos of their fabulous TED Talks, and articles from popular magazines featuring their latest adventures. My reality is- no research staff, no publisher, and no personal assistant- just me. Therefore, I spend most of my days and some nights in front of a computer researching century-old documents, period newspapers and archived letters and diaries to ensure my books are historically accurate, hence, the years-long efforts that have gone into each book.
Then, Eureka! I discovered the theme for my Blog!
I am currently working on my third book in the series. While my second book, Embrace the Wind, ends in 1875, my third book jumps forward to 1883. It begins with Aislynn’s adopted daughter, Amy, graduating from high school. As she moves into adulthood, Amy travels to New York City, where Aislynn’s story began. As I research this new book, I discover intriguing facts. Some of these are essential to my stories; some I find are just fascinating morsels of history. I think my readers will find them fascinating, too. So, peridoically, I will post an article with my writing updates and an interesting piece of history.
This inaugural blog focuses on a chapter in New York City history that relates to this time of the Corona Virus. Recently some of my neighbors in Washington DC expressed concerns about people spitting in public areas and spreading the virus. When I heard this, my memory was sparked. When I began working for the City of New York in 1973, I remember seeing remnants of street signs warning people not to break the “Spitting” law.
At the time Amy arrives in NYC, Tuberculosis, also known as Consumption, killed 1 out of 7 people. Due to the inherent density of city living, urban areas suffered disproportionately from this disease, exactly like our cities are suffering with the Corona Virus today.
In 1882, German bacteriologist, Robert Koch, linked TB to a bacterium. He believed the disease was transmitted through infected sputum being expectorated when people spit! In this era, it was the habit of many to spit on sidewalks, on the floors of public buildings and in street cars. Like COVID-19, the aerated spittle could enter the nose and the mouth causing infections.
As spitting concerns rose among the public, many health organizations began lobbying the government for protective laws. In 1896, an ordinance was passed in New York City to make spitting in public an offence subject to a fine which could reach $2.00. However, TB continued to be a plague until 1943, when biochemist Selman Waksman discovered an antibiotic treatment.
As we wait for a treatment for the Corona Virus, immunologists predict this pandemic will not be the last. To mitigate the spread of these viruses, architects are looking for ways to create a new type of urban housing which gives residents abundant sunlight, circulating fresh air, and easy to disinfect surfaces. They can find inspiration for these newfangled apartments on East 77th St in NYC. The Cherokee Apartments began its life in 1912 as a refuge for families experiencing TB. It’s a truly unique building. Each apartment has high ceilings, floor to ceiling windows, cross ventilation, and open stair cases. The four-building complex surrounds a large courtyard. My husband and I toured one of the apartments in 2007 when we were searching for a new home. As we frequently find, history can be very relevant today. The spitting law and this century old historic building are just two examples.
For more information on spitting laws and the Cherokee, click the following links:
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/5...
http://cherokee-nyc.com/history.html
Till next time,
Susan
Far Away Home
News and Notes
This blog will share periodic news about upcoming books in the series and include intriguing historical facts I discover as I continue my research.
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