The Thousand Islands Gilded Age
The American Gilded Age was a time of rapid technical advances, industrialization, and thousands of new inventions from about 1870-1910. Mark Twain coined the term in his 1873 novel The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today that satirizedthe era of social problems that were masked by a layer of thin, gold gilding. All of my books are based during the Thousand Islands Gilded Age, when the wealthy came and scooped up the islands and built lavish summer homes, mansions, and castles.
It was an era of economic growth. Since wages were higher than Europe, massive immigration drew about twenty million to the U.S. shores. Unions fought to stop child labor and establish an eight-hour work day. Social reforms included women’s suffrage, prohibition, and other civil changes. In the cities, labor unions became important in regulating industry, while trusts grew stronger in several industries. Education, prohibition, and racial inequalities dominated politics as did economic affairs of money supply and tariffs.
Unfortunately, it was also a time of unequal distribution of wealth where the rich got richer and the poor working class suffered. Many young women worked as servants until they married, and that’s what my stories are about—those nameless, faithful women who cooked and cleaned and served tables for the rich and famous. These “downstairs” women had fascinating stories to tell, and I plan to tell many of them.
The Gilded Age titans of industry changed our world—people like John D Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, J.P. Morgan, Cornelius Vanderbilt, George Pullman, and others who were sometimes called “robber barons.” But there were others who quietly made a difference—people like Frederick Bourne who took the Singer sewing machine around the globe as highlighted in my novel, Devyn’s Dilemma.
When city growth ballooned during this time, so did the economic problems of housing, the poor, and many social problems. Factories, railroads, finance, and mining were just a few of the growing industries during this time, while immigrants and others moved West and filled jobs in mining, farming, ranching, and building railroads. The number of public schools multiplied and so did membership in churches, especially in Catholicism due to so many Irish, Italian, and other immigrants. But the Panic of 1873 and the Panic of 1893 depressed growth for a season and brought political and social strife.
During this era, technology and industrialization grew the economy. Mechanization created less expensive products. The steel industry exploded, and the first transcontinental railroad opened in 1869. For the first time one could travel from New York to San Francisco in just six days. By 1880, railroad mileage tripled and brought the nation closer together. Markets became national and the world smaller.
During the Gilded Age, America led the world in innovation. A half-million patents were issued for new inventions including hundreds by Thomas Edison, Westinghouse, and others. Thanks to inventions such as delivery of electric power, the world became lighter, safer, more convenient and comfortable, and all around better.
So this is why I write Thousand Islands Gilded Age stories. To share the rich heritage this era gave us and better understand what it was like. What fascinates you about this time? I’d love to know.
Meet author Candy Arrington
Candy Arrington is a writer, blogger, and speaker. She frequently writes on the topics of faith, health, personal growth, andmoving through, and beyond, challenging life circumstances. Candy has over twenty years of experience writing for publication. Her publishing credits include three nonfiction books and hundreds of articles, stories, and devotionals in numerous print and online outlets. Read Candy’s blog, Forward Motion, on her website https://candyarrington.com/
Tell us about your newest book.
Life on Pause is one of those books you can’t successfully write until you’ve lived it. From traffic jams to extended life pauses, most of us don’t handle waiting well. We’re frustrated by having our plans and goals put on hold and chafe at delays. In learning how to approach waiting with patience and trust, we are able to view waiting as a gift rather than a burden. As a bonus, contributor stories provide insights on waiting well.
What inspired you to write Life on Pause: Learning to Wait Well
My husband and I have experienced many seasons of waiting during our 40-year marriage. Some were prolonged waiting periods, others days or weeks. It was during these times that we learned to trust God, relinquish control, practice patience, and not rush ahead when God says wait. Following our most recent life pause, I wrote an article for CBN.com. Later, I used that article to pitch the book idea to a publisher.
How would you describe this book to someone in a 30-second blurb?
We live in a world of drive-thru dining, instant information, and next day delivery, so we find life pauses frustrating. Instead, perhaps we need to view waiting as preparation for the next opportunity, a time to develop patience and perspective.
Why do you write?
I write because I can’t not write. God provides ideas, outlines, words, sentences, paragraphs and I would be disobedient if I didn’t follow through with writing what he gives me.
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing a book?
Mornings are my most creative and productive time, so I try to take advantage of that as much as possible. However, I’ve learned to utilize even small snippets of time instead of waiting for uninterrupted hours that sometimes don’t happen.
What is the hardest part of being an author?
Discipline. Many responsibilities and activities vie for my attention. It’s often tempting to let writing slide to the bottom of the list when other endeavors seem urgent. Giving writing the necessary time requires discipline and prioritizing.
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
The best part of my writing life is having readers tell me my words helped them navigate challenging circumstances and gave them hope. When I hear from readers, it encourages me to keep writing the topics God lays on my heart even if they are difficult.
What’s one unusual fact about you?
When I was a teenager, I traveled to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Africa with my college-age cousin to visit his missionary parents and family. I was there for a month and saw amazing sites—Victoria Falls, Wankie Game Reserve (now Hwange National Park), and flew via helicopter to a mission hospital located in “the bush.” I’m so thankful I had the opportunity as a teen to visit this part of the world.
How have you changed or grown as a writer?
When I first began writing, I thought I could write everything—poems, children’s books, devotionals, fiction, nonfiction. After attending several writing conferences, I learned I had a lot to learn! In the last twenty years, I have narrowed my focus to nonfiction, discovered my best topics, and found my writing voice.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
Aftershock: Help, Hope, and Healing in the Wake of Suicide (B & H Publishing Group)
When Your Aging Parent Needs Care: Practical Help for this Season of Life (Harvest House)
What are you working on now?
Currently, my focus is on promoting Life on Pause, but I am also considering several topics for another nonfiction book.
Website: https://candyarrington.com/
Link to book: https://amzn.to/3xvcYuP
Social media links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Arrington.Author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CandyArrington
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/candyneelya/
Meet author Linda Hoover
Linda Hoover lives in west central Ohio. She earned a degree in psychology from Anderson University where she learned the voices in her head were actually characters from stories waiting to be told. Linda got her start writing columns and a middle grade serial for the South Charleston Spectator. As a recently retired librarian, she enjoys being a fulltime author in her home office, despite interruptions from family members and pets.
Tell us about your newest book.
In 1880 Boston, Julia Phillips’s father betroths her to wealthy Lucien Harris to cover up a tragic secret. She wants to marry Jacob Anderson, but her family will be ruined if she doesn’t comply. Will God make a way for Jacob and Julia to have their heart’s desire?
What inspired you to write Heart’s Desire?
I aspire to make my faith-based stories fun and entertaining, as well as encouraging. In this book,
my hero and heroine came to mind first. They want to be together but she’s upper class, he’s middle. So, the challenge is to take them on their journey from hopeful beginning to happy ending while dealing with all the obstacles, and there are several, along the way. When I researched what city to set the story in, I was drawn to Boston, which I love for its Revolutionary War ties, and for all the activities the characters could be involved in. I had a lot of fun writing this story.
What genre do you focus on and why?
I focus on historic romance. I’ve always been interested in history, especially the 1880s to 1920, and I enjoy a story with romance. I can get lost doing research, usually acquiring much more information than I need. The clothes they wore and the activities they participated in are fascinating. I’m not saying I’d want to live in the past, but it’s fun to write about it.
Why do you write?
I’ve had stories in my head since I was little and started writing them down when I was eleven or twelve. This probably sounds crazy, but I get frustrated and cranky when I can’t spend time writing. The stories need to be told.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
My main character is Julia Phillips. I can’t point to an exact reason for choosing her name other than it fits her. Her personality and appearance say Julia.
What is the hardest part of being an author?
I’d say the hardest part is being pulled in so many directions. I would be happy spending all my time writing, but I also need to keep up with social media connected to my books, send out newsletters, and generally deal with the business end of writing. I could spend days reading books and articles on the craft of writing. And then there’s a little thing called “Life.”
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
The best part is creating stories people can enjoy and hopefully be encouraged by. Since I retired, my favorite place to be is my home office.
How have you changed or grown as a writer?
I’d like to believe my writing has gotten better. When I look back at earlier works, it makes me cringe. I know so much more about the craft of writing than I did to begin with.
What is your favorite pastime?
I love to read adult and young adult historic fiction, but fantasy is also a favorite.
Collecting recipes and trying new foods, especially desserts, is something else I enjoy.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
My first book is Mountain Prophecy, a young adult novel set in the Appalachians in 1918.
Lighter Than Air is an adult historic set near Brighton, England, in 1900.
Heart’s Desire is my newest book and is set in Boston, 1880. It’s the first book in the Heart’s Desire series.
What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m working on Heart’s Journey, the next book in the series. I’m also working on a novella to give away to readers who subscribe to my newsletter.
Website: http://www.lindahooverbooks.com
Link to book: http://www. amazon.com/author/lindahoover
Social media links: www.Facebook.com/lindahooverauthor
Thousand Islands Vacation Planner
After reading my Thousand Islands Gilded Age books, dozens of you have said that the Thousand Islands is now on your Bucket List. So, to help you plan for your great adventure, I thought I’d give you some ideas of what to do while you’re there.
The Thousand Islands sit in the St. Lawrence River on the border between northern New York State (USA) and southeastern Ontario (Canada). There are 1,864 islands, but to be an island, it has to have one living tree and stay above water 365 days a year. That can be a challenge when the water can rise several feet each spring.
As I write in my books, there’s a lot of rich history in the islands. Gilded Age castles, mansions, and grand summer homes abound. Pirates and bootleggers once ruled the river where vacationers can now enjoy boat tours around the islands, see the area’s beauty, and experience nature at its finest. If you take a boat tour, you’ll pass by Pullman Island, setting for my novel, Katelyn’s Choice, and the place where it all began when President Ulysses S. Grant visited.
Accommodations are many, from hotels to motels to campsites to private homes. You can find lodging on Air B&B and other sites. You can even rent entire mansions like Casa Blanca that was the setting for my book, Reagan’s Reward. You also stay at Singer Castle, the setting for Devyn’s Dilemma!
If the borders are open (ahhh…COVID), be sure to bring your passport and see the Canadian side of the islands. You can drive over the beautiful Thousand Islands bridge or take a ferry from Cape Vincent to Wolfe Island, Canada, the largest of the islands and the setting for two of my novels, The Fabric of Hope and Christmas Charity. In case the borders aren’t open, I’m focusing on just the American side.
Susan’s top picks:
- Take a boat tour. There are several companies and lots of choices to see Millionaire Row, Singer Castle, Boldt Castle, Rock Island Lighthouse, and dozens of islands and Gilded Age mansions. You can take a sunset cruise, or a lunch or dinner cruise, too. All are fun, educational, and memorable.
- Visit Singer Castle and Boldt Castle. Wow! The history and magic are worth every moment you spend there.
- Visit the Cornwall Brothers Museum in Alexandria Bay, and the Thousand Islands Museum and Antique Boat Museum in Clayton.
- Visit the War of 1812 historic Sackets Harbor, and the Rock Island Lighthouse and Tibbets Point Lighthouse.
- Leave your diet behind. Dine by the river’s edge and be sure to stop for ice cream at one (or several) of dozens of roadside ice cream huts. Yum!
Finally, be sure to enjoy the quaint downtown areas of Alexandria Bay, Clayton, and Cape Vincent. Whether you like boating, fishing, swimming, diving, mini-golf, batting cages, go-karts, arcades, a hedgerow maze, zoos, aquariums, golf, tennis, or guided fishing charters, there’s so much to do. And do you enjoy special events? Try these: Bill Johnston’s Pirate Days. Powerboat Poker Run. Blues in the Bay Festival. Fourth of July Fireworks over Boldt Castle. Fish Day in the Bay. Roaring ’20s Weekend. The Cape Vincent French Festival held near Bastille Day on the second Saturday in July.
Ready to make plans? I am. Hope to see you there.
Meet author Leeann Betts
Leeann Betts writes contemporary suspense from Denver, Colorado and wherever her characters drag her. She is the alter-ego of Donna Schlachter, who describes Leeann as cute and perky and everything she’s not.
Tell us about your newest book.
Discover how keeping secrets from each other threatens four women’s friendships, wedding business, and own ability to find love in Loveland, Colorado.
Business partners Felicity Anderson, the cake baker; Kiki Bell, the seamstress; Cassie Blackthorn, the coordinator; and Chef Saffron Fare are best of friends in a town that is a romantic wedding destination for many couples—who work together at Weddings by Design to make every bride’s special day perfect. Could each falling into their own romance be the key to working out their differences and learning to trust each other—and God—with their futures?
What inspired you to write “Always a Wedding Planner”?
A friend and I were brainstorming, and I came up with this idea, a play on “always a bridesmaid, never a bride”. At first, four stories told by four different authors seemed a leap, but as we pulled the team together, we really felt we could do it. And Barbour Publishing thought so, too.
How would you describe this book to someone in a 30-second blurb?
Four delicious stories about secrets, weddings, and romance. What could be better?
What genre do you focus on and why?
I usually write cozy mysteries, because that’s what I love to read. However, even when I’m not writing a mystery, my stories tend to have a touch of romance. In my contribution to this collection, “The Worst-Kept Secret”, both my hero and heroine have separate secrets. And the harder they try to overcome them, the more things go wrong.
Why do you write?
I say I write because the stories are in my head, the characters live there, and if I don’t get them on paper, I’ll bust. But really, I write to show others the same second—and third, and fourth-chance God I’ve come to know. Because, really, we all need at least one more chance.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
My heroine is Cassie Blackthorn. She is not your normal svelte bikini-model type. Instead, she’s taller, a little on the chunky yet fit side, determined yet insecure, because she’s an introvert in an extrovert’s business. Her name is a play off my stepmother’s, who I dearly loved. My hero is Brady Millman, the extreme extrovert whose secret revolves around drug addiction. I chose that name because of a recent guest who stayed with us from Australia.
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing a book?
I write every weekday when I’m writing, because that keeps me in the story. Any research or storyline questions that pop up are dealt with on Saturdays. Sundays are the Lord’s Day, and I don’t write or research then unless for some reason I’ve fallen behind. I find that one day of complete rest from the story makes me excited to start again on Mondays.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
I do have other books. Thanks for asking. You can find them at: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=leeann+betts&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
What are you working on now?
I’m letting Book 3 of the Mysterious Ink Mystery Bookstore series percolate a little in my noggin. No pressure—it releases in June.
Website: www.LeeannBetts.com
Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/Always-Wedding-Planner-4-Collection/dp/1643529196/ref=sr_1_35?dchild=1&keywords=leeann+betts&qid=1618265460&sr=8-35
Social media links: www.allbettsareoff.wordpress.com
Meet historical biographer Craig von Busek
From college campuses and churches to boardrooms, and from radio to television and webcasts, Dr. Craig von Buseck has been in the public eye for more than 35 years. As a sought-after keynote and conference speaker, Craig has spoken across the US and overseas. Craig is an award-winning, multi-published author and serves as the Managing Editor for Inspiration.org. He holds a Doctor of Ministry and an MA in Journalism from Regent University. Learn more at vonbuseck.com.
Tell us about your newest book:
In the greatest victory of his life, Ulysses S. Grant overcame bankruptcy and fought cancer to save his family from ruin. With Mark Twain as his publisher, Grant wrote an American classic – his Personal Memoirs – confronting Jim Crow racism while securing the future of his wife after his death.
In writing his Personal Memoirs, Grant also fought the “Lost Cause” view that the war was not about slavery, but state’s rights. Like Lincoln, Grant viewed the Civil War as a divine punishment for the sin of slavery. “There had to be an end to slavery,” Grant explained. “…we were fighting an enemy with whom we could not make a peace. We had to destroy him.”
U.S. Grant was underestimated throughout his remarkable life. Then his reputation and legacy were maligned by pro-Confederate ‘Lost Cause’ writers. In the last 30 years, historians have begun a reexamination of Grant’s contribution to American culture and the cause of freedom. Through the release of Victor!, von Buseck hopes to be part of restoring Grant to his rightful place in American history.
What inspired you to write Victor! The Final Battle of Ulysses S. Grant?
In the late 1990s, I purchased my own VHS set of ‘The Civil War’ by Ken Burns. It was in this excellent documentary that I first heard the amazing and inspiring story of the final two years in the life of Ulysses. S. Grant. I decided to write the book, but then in 2012 I learned that someone else had written the story. So I went to work on my book I Am Cyrus: Harry S. Truman and the Rebirth of Israel. After that was released in 2018, I still couldn’t shake the Grant story. In order to make it different from the previous book, I decided to write flashback chapters to some of the key Civil War battles as Grant is writing about them in his Personal Memoirs. I have been told by several who have read the book, including a retired Colonel from the US Army, that these flashback chapters make the book come alive with interest, connecting the A and B stories in a dramatic way.
What genre do you focus on and why?
My primary genre is history and biography. When I was young, during the 1970s, America celebrated its bicentennial. While being moved by this nationwide celebration, I was also captivated by the Broadway musical, 1776, which had been made into a movie. That birthed in me a lifetime interest in history. I was attracted to historical writing as I discovered one amazing story after another from the past. The power in telling these true stories is that there is no way to ignore or downplay dramatic events in history as merely hyperbole or wishful thinking. Many times in history we see where God brought someone through a trial in life or delivered a particular group or nation in the midst of trial or war, and there was no other answer as to how that happened other than that God intervened. There are times in life where it seems we are between a rock and a hard place and we see no other way out of our dire circumstances other than the intervention of God. By telling the actual stories of how God did this for key historical figures, I believe I am both bolstering the faith of believers, while also challenging non-believers to consider opening their lives to God’s love.
Sometimes, the stories are not so dramatic. I also am drawn to moving stories that show godly character, love, or just amazing events that make you wonder.
Why do you write?
During keynote speeches at writers conferences, I sometimes say, “If you ever thought, ‘prison might not be so bad, because it would give me time to write,’ then you should call yourself a writer.” The great Olympic sprinter, Eric Liddell said, “When I run, I feel God’s pleasure.” I feel the same way about writing, only I would add that I also feel this pleasure when I’m writing.
In addition, I write for these reasons: First, writing allows you to go in-depth into a subject in a way that nearly no other medium does. Second, writing can touch someone’s heart and then, hopefully, impart their thinking toward a relationship with God. Third, your writing can possibly outlive you, being passed down to the generations to come. Finally, I just love to create stories, to plot books and scripts, and then to write them. I love the creative process. You cannot have a TV show, a play, or a movie without writers. So writers rule!
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing a book?
I have found that I do my best writing early in the morning. So I will get up and write for a couple of hours and then go into work. If I’m under a deadline, I will then do one or two hours of writing or editing after work. Then I write for most of the day on Saturday, unless there is some pressing needs at the house. I try to take Sunday off as often as possible.
What is the hardest part of being an author?
At this point in my life, being an author is like working two full-time jobs. If it was just the writing that I was required to do, that would not be so bad, because I love to write. But it’s also the editing, the marketing, the web updates, and the business aspects that make this an entrepreneurial business. So it can be exhausting and one must pace one’s self or you can burn out.
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
I love the process of discovering a great story and then determining whether it can be written as a book, a play, a TV script, or a screenplay. I love to plot a true story to adapt it to a biography or to narrative non-fiction. It’s always fun to discover the true-life plot points and match them to the needs of the genre.
I believe I was created to write in the same way my father was created to be a portrait painter. On more than one occasion, he said to me, “Craig, if they took away my oils, I’d use acrylics. If they took away my acrylics, I would use watercolors. If they took those away, I would use crayons. If they took away my crayons, I would find a stick and doodle in the dirt. You see, I’m not an artist because that’s what I do for a living – I’m an artist because that’s what God created me to be.” I feel exactly the same way about being created by God to write.
What’s one thing your readers should know about you?
For me, it is important that the final product of my writing be as true to the historical facts as possible. In my book I Am Cyrus: Harry S. Truman and the Rebirth of Israel, my goal was to write an interesting and entertaining biography that would keep the readers turning the pages – while at the same time crafting a defense of the rebirth of the nation of Israel that could be successfully argued before the Supreme Court. With this goal in mind, it took 5 years to do the research and writing of the book (while working a full-time job), and I included more than 1,200 end notes to support the text. My new book, Victor! The Final Battle of Ulysses S. Grant, took 2 ½ years for the research and writing, with more than 1,100 end notes.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
The folks at Iron Stream Media / LPC books, who published both I Am Cyrus and Victor! asked that I write a companion teaching book on the leadership of U.S. Grant. That book, Forward! The Leadership Principles of Ulysses S. Grant is also being released this spring. While Victor! took 2 and ½ years to research and write, Forward! took 2 ½ months! So it’s been a busy season.
Some of my other books include Nobody Knows: The Harry T. Burleigh Story, which is a narrative biography of one of the first great African-American composers; Praying the News, which I co-authored with Wendy Griffith, co-host of The 700 Club; Seven Keys to Hearing God’s Voice; and Netcasters: Using the Internet to Make Fishers of Men.
What are you working on now?
My son, Aaron, is a graduate of the Regent University Film School, so he and I are adapting the Victor! book into a screenplay. I am also putting the final touches of an adaptation of my book Nobody Knows as a Broadway-style musical. I’m working on a children’s book called Lion’s Field. Wendy Griffith and I are beginning the process of writing a follow-up book on the power of prayer in today’s turbulent times. I also plan to start a series of shorter inspirational books from history – the first being Stories of Courage and Honor from The Civil War.
I have also recently launched a weekly online program called Stories & Myths to examine some of the great stories of history and to debunk some of the biggest myths. You can watch this every Thursday at 7 p.m. (eastern U.S. time) on my Facebook or YouTube channels.
Website: vonbuseck.com
Link to book: GrantVictorBook.com
Social media links:
youtube.com/channel/UC4XngihXgoXse2Jrr4N5LpQ
instagram.com/buseckcraigvon/
amazon.com/Craig-Von-Buseck/e/B001K8JB1U/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_8
bookbub.com/profile/craig-von-buseck
linkedin.com/in/craigvonbuseck/
mewe.com/i/craigvon_buseck