The St. Louis, Missouri "Gateway Arch," our first scenic stop this summer Hello again, Writers, Readers, and History Fans! I had grand plans of writing extensively this summer. Clearly, that didn't happen. Continuing the transition back into full-time teaching has been pretty life changing, even WITHOUT moving states to worry about. I might share more… Continue reading Arkansas Traveler (Part 1)
Photo by Bart Ros on Unsplash Photo by Greg Bulla on Unsplash This Memorial Day, I'm thanking God for the freedoms I cherish, preserved by so many who made the ultimate sacrifice. Wishing you all the best, today and always, -Anne
April showers may bring May flowers, but I haven't experienced April snow showers for a good long time. Still, while my relatives in northern Minnesota are still looking at some snow shoveling, my yard is turning green and my trees (including the lightning-struck one) are starting to leaf out, so I suppose I can't complain!… Continue reading The 81st Anniversary of the Doolittle Raid
""An FDA analyst at work certifying early samples of penicillin. FDA played an important role as the U. S. worked with Britain to develop a practical means of penicillin production during WWII, testing the drug before its release for wartime use." Public domain image courtesy of the FDA, via Wikimedia Commons I was mostly being… Continue reading The Mold that Saved Millions
Today's the launch day for the e-book edition of Swords and Maidens, a fantasy anthology in which I've got a piece of World War II speculative fiction. To celebrate, I'm sharing a sneak peek of the beginning of my story and running a sale on my already published books! How do the Second World War… Continue reading A Book Launch, A Sneak Peek, and a Sale
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN 1940 (CH 884) A formation of Boulton Paul Defiants of No. 264 Squadron in flight, August 1940. L7026 ?PS-V? and N1535 ?PS-A? visible. Copyright: © IWM. Original Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205126775 I have one more book to share in my series of posts on "Speculative Fiction meets World War II," and it's one… Continue reading What If Hitler Had Successfully Invaded Great Britain? Len Deighton’s SS-GB
Image courtesy of "Gouvernathor" via Wikimedia Commons, under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Internation License. History is full of "what ifs." How many individual decisions and seemingly minor incidents have shaped the world we live in today? Over the last few weeks, I've been looking at books that blend speculative fiction and World War II in… Continue reading What if the Axis Powers Controlled the World? THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE by Philip K. Dick
"A close up of the Holocaust memorial in Berlin." Photo by Ilse Orsel on Unsplash History is full of "what ifs." What if Hitler had not chosen to open an Eastern Front and attack Russia? What if the forces on the Philippines had been prepared after Pearl Harbor was attacked? What if the U.S. forces hadn't been prepared… Continue reading What if the Allies Lost? FATHERLAND by Robert Harris
Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com I just got the word! The new anthology, in which I'm taking part, is up for pre-order! I suppose that means it's time to share some more details. First of all, here's the blurb. My piece of World War II speculative fiction definitely fits into the "and more" category.… Continue reading Cover Reveal!
If I could turn back time... Well, if I could, I might warn myself to stay a bit further back from ill students so that I wouldn't have spent the last few days on antibiotics. (Would I listen to my future self? Probably not. You can't really teach 6-year-olds from afar.) However, a bit of… Continue reading WWII Meets the 80s: Alexa Kang’s ETERNAL FLAME
As progress continues on my upcoming new release, today I'd like to share the first in a series of novels that combine the true stories of the Second World War with speculative fiction. This first post is actually about two novels: Blackout and All Clear by Connie Willis. Author Sarah Higbee and her blog, Brainfluff, introduced… Continue reading WWII Speculative Fiction: BLACKOUT and ALL CLEAR by Connie Willis
Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com I'm pleased to announce that I have a new short story coming out this February! It will be part of an anthology of short stories featuring around 10 other authors. It is going to be a bit different from my other published works. When my family made the decision… Continue reading There’s a New Book on the Horizon!
2023 has arrived, and even though the gray clouds remind me of Washington winter more than the dazzling snowscapes I envisioned, it's off to a pretty good start in the Clare household. We had a lovely Christmas break with many visits from family and friends, and my kids and I found a snow drift large… Continue reading Exploring the Oshkosh Public Museum (and a Small Piece of the National WWII Museum)
Dear Readers- Another season of Advent anticipation is drawing to a close. Tonight, my family and I sang "Silent Night" to candlelight and filed out into the frosty air planning for the celebration of Christmas tomorrow. As I put the finishing touches on the kids' stockings and get the last gifts wrapped and under the… Continue reading Merry Christmas
Welcome to the Advent Calendar Story Train, where you can read through 24 stories under the theme The Gift. Thank you for reading today's story. The next one will be available to read on December 22nd, titled "Kunundrum of Size." The link will be active tomorrow when the post goes live. If you missed yesterday's… Continue reading The Gift
Our back yard looks a little different this year. Flatter. Fewer evergreens. And SNOW! One of the biggest changes my family has experienced since this summer's move across the country is adjusting to a new climate. Winter in western Washington was the "rainy season." We'd have to wear layers, and the damp air could get… Continue reading Musical Interlude: “White Christmas”
Image courtesy of Kevin Woblick via Unsplash.com An Advent Count-Down with Free Fiction! December is here with the flurry of activity that the holiday season brings. Coming on the tail end of a hectic year, the frantic pace of the season leaves me longing for a chance to sit for a few moments, to just… Continue reading Introducing the Advent Calendar Story Train
My husband and I set up this little display in our new school. Students and visitors were encouraged to add "stars" with the names of veterans they'd like to recognize. We were pleased to see that due to high participation we'll probably need to make the board bigger next year. November in the United States… Continue reading Where Does Thankfulness Fit on the Calendar?
I did something that wasn't unpacking, cleaning, or schoolwork! A Saturday or two ago, I slipped away for a couple of hours into Oshkosh, WI, to explore a new museum. Just down the road from the rather better-known EAA Aviation Museum*, the Military Veterans Museum was a fascinating place to visit AND it provided some… Continue reading Exploring the Oshkosh Military Veterans Museum
Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, original link here. While Allied troops served around the globe in the Second World War, civilians served at home in dozens of ways—building and repairing ships, sewing uniforms, producing food, and keeping the factories going. In particular, the needs of the Home Front transformed the lives of many… Continue reading A Real-Life “Rosie”
"Wild Bill" Donovan- there's a link to a fascinating podcast about his life at the end of this post. First, Some Personal Stuff My last principal encouraged me to take the Clifton Strengthsfinder test. Essentially, it's an online standardized that claims to be able to pinpoint one's personality strengths by analyzing their answers to a… Continue reading A Life Update and a Story of Spies
While moving across the country has meant many changes for the Clares, one really lovely perk is living close enough to visit family. My kids have only visited my great-grandpa's old house once, years ago. I'm excited to take them there again for a quick stop during the waning days of this summer. Who knows… Continue reading Behind Great-Grandpa’s Walls
"Paratroopers of E Company, 506th Infantry Regiment in Austria, after the end of World War II, 1945" Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. Link to license here. "Band of Brothers" 20th Anniversary Symposium While the phrase "band of brothers" was coined by Shakespeare in the stirring "St. Crispin's Day" speech in his play Henry V, to… Continue reading An Online Event and Some Awesome Aerobatics
This summer we moved from evergreens, salt water, and mountains to corn fields, lakes, and prairies. Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash Moving from Washington to Wisconsin has meant many changes for my family. Personal changes have been the most challenging—changing jobs, schools, churches, homes, and saying goodbye to friends. Changes in local climate have… Continue reading Visiting The Hiker Memorial
Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash WHEW. Well, I've been absent for a bit! As I mentioned back in March, my husband and I accepted new teaching jobs for the upcoming school year. The positions are in the state of Wisconsin, so the last several months have been spent preparing for a move. This involved cleaning out our home… Continue reading Eight Things I Learned From Moving My Family Across the Country
""Sinking Sun": painting by Griffith Baily Coale, oil on canvas, 1942. Description: A U.S. Marine stands at parade rest on the bow of a PT boat as she moves slowly out to sea from Midway to give decent burial to Japanese fliers shot down on the islands during the battle. The red ball of the… Continue reading The Battle of Midway: Part I
Not every international conflict leads to destruction and violence. Our American Stories is featuring me in a 10-minute talk on a time when the U.S. and Britain almost went to war over a pig, but diplomacy triumphed. If you're interested in giving it a listen, here's the link! If you're interested in the story but… Continue reading How (and Why) We Almost Went to War Over a Pig
One of the very first U.S. aircraft carriers, the USS Lexington (CV-2) played a fascinating role in history. Today, I'm visiting the Our American Stories podcast to share a bit about it. Here's the link if you'd like to stop by and check it out! If you head over, let me know what you think… Continue reading The USS Lexington
My three children are voracious readers. While I love seeing their excitement as they immerse themselves in imaginary adventures and mysteries, the speed with which they read makes it hard to keep them in fresh books! That’s one reason why I was fascinated when my friend, author Jonathon Mast, told me about his plan to… Continue reading Publishing a Series through Kickstarter- a Guest Post by Jonathon Mast
This weekend marks the 77th anniversary of "V-E Day," the official declaration of Victory in Europe as the Second World War neared its end. While I've read descriptions of the euphoric celebrations, I think that some of the images from the day capture the story best. "The first flyers announcing the German surrender outside the… Continue reading 77th Anniversary of V-E Day
Photo courtesy of Anastasia Zhenina via. Unsplash.com If the unassuming cover of William F. McMurdie's memoir didn't catch my eye as I browsed the stacks of the local discount bookstore, his title certainly did. Here's the Amazon link! Hey, Mac (etc.) tells the tale of the author, back when he was eighteen year old "Bill" McMurdie.… Continue reading HEY, MAC! THIS IS SERIOUS BUISNESS! A GUY COULD GET KILLED!
Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash I had high hopes of sharing a new post with you this week. It's in process still, as moving preparations continue to swallow all of my life that school and family haven't already consumed. However, as I sorted through the mess that is my room, I came upon a little box that… Continue reading Tangible History
As my family and I prepare to move across the country this summer, we've started making our "must visit" list. What places do we need to explore again while we have the chance? This museum is a definite maybe—it was always a favorite and might be even better now that the kids have had four… Continue reading Exploring the Naval Undersea Museum
This post's timing is perfect as I'm heading off to my Spring Teacher's Conference today! Author, blogger, and tech teacher Jacqui Murray was kind enough to ask me to stop by her site and talk a bit about my experiences teaching in "Covid World" over the last few years. Below is the link if you'd… Continue reading Coping with COVID in the Classroom —
I first wrote and published this post in 2019. Three years and two published novels later, I'm still happy with my choice to use a pseudonym, though I DO think it's more fun to call it a "secret identity." -Anne It's confession time. I've been leading a double life. It's true. I go about my… Continue reading Anne Who? Three Reasons For Using a Pen Name
Hello Readers!Today, I'm guest posting over on A Bit About Britain, the site of author Mike Biles. Mike's site is a tremendous source for fascinating stories from history and information on locations that I'd love to visit someday. Below is the link if you'd like to pop over and read about a time when British… Continue reading The Pig War — A Bit About Britain
Benny Goodman and his clarinet. Public Domain image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons I'm in need of some good music this weekend. Those of you who visit regularly might recall that I received the offer of a new teaching position for next school year, one which would require my family to move to Wisconsin. After a… Continue reading Musical Interlude: “Sing, Sing, Sing”
Photo by Dariusz Sankowski on Unsplash I recently got into a social media conversation with a historical fiction writer who is just starting out. He mentioned that he enjoyed research—enjoyed it so much, in fact, that he was having a hard time knowing when to stop. He asked me how I know when my research is done. My… Continue reading When Does the Research End?
Combat! My husband has a knack for finding interesting viewing. When the first season of Combat! showed up amongst my gifts last year, I didn't know quite what to expect having neither heard of nor watched the show before. Now that we have completed watching the first season, with the second and third seasons waiting… Continue reading World War II on the Small Screen
"Anzio Invasion, January 1944. Troops and equipment come ashore on the U.S. Fifth Army Beachhead near Anzio, January 22, 1944. USS LCI-20 is burning at left, after being hit by a German bomb." Image courtesy of the U.S. National Archives via Naval History and Heritage Command. I first shared this post last October, but as… Continue reading 78th Anniversary of the Anzio Landings
Photo by energepic.com on Pexels.com Or third, or I suppose now I'm starting on a fourth... I first published this post after releasing my first novel in 2019. Since then, I completed the second book that I was writing about and released it as Where Shall I Flee? in November of 2021. Now I'm working… Continue reading The Challenges of Writing That Second Book
Not all angels have wings, and not all POWs were soldiers. Today Our American Stories is sharing a piece that I contributed, "The Angels of Bataan." Here's the direct link if you'd like to give it a listen. This piece was based off of my blog post, POW Angels.
Photo by John on Pexels.com Once again we’ve turned the calendar page to a fresh new year, full of possibilities. Looking ahead to plans for 2022 got me looking back at 2021. Just what did I actually accomplish in the past year? It seems like it went by awfully fast… Personal The beginning of 2021… Continue reading Looking Back and Moving Forward
Wishing you all a Christmas full of Peace, Joy, and Light. Until the New Year, Anne
“Christmas/New Year's card from the 15th Evacuation Hospital in Italy in WWII. This mobile tent hospital followed the front from North Africa to Sicily and Italy.” Image courtesy of Mary Sanchis, via Wikimedia Commons. License link here: Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International — CC BY-SA 4.0 There are few times throughout the year when… Continue reading Four Christmases at War
We've made it to another weekend! If your December is like mine, it's flying by in great leaps. Before it gets away from me completely, today I'm taking a moment to pause and update you on the results of November's NaNoWriMo challenge and to share a lovely opportunity I had to visit another writer's blog.… Continue reading 2021 NaNoWrap-Up and an Interview
"Original Caption: Naval photograph documenting the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii which initiated US participation in World War II. Navy's caption: The battleship USS ARIZONA sinking after being hit by Japanese air attack on Dec. 7,1941., 12/07/1941" Image courtesy of the U.S. National Archives. Today marks the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor,… Continue reading Remembering Pearl Harbor 80 Years Later
The capsized USS Oklahoma Today, the Our American Stories podcast featured one of my stories. On December 7th, 1941 six ships would be destroyed at Pearl Harbor. Two of them were the USS Utah and Oklahoma. Writer Anne Clare remembers their loss and the men who served on them in today's story. If you'd care to give it… Continue reading Sunk at Pearl Harbor: The USS Utah and the USS Oklahoma
I'd like to direct you to a couple of other authors' sites today! Author Dennis L. Peterson kindly invited me over to his blog for an interview. The first part of it is live today! Here's the link if you'd like to check it out and hear my thoughts on juggling this momming/teaching/writing life and… Continue reading An Interview and a Review
November has ended, and so has another year of NaNoWriMo. I'll be updating you on my results- and on what my students won for completing this year's challenge-soon. Today, however, I wanted to share a lovely promo that author Alexa Kang put together for the authors of The Second World War Club. This club is… Continue reading New WWII Fiction Releases
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