The Victorian Diet

Last October I turned 50. My sixth decade began with shingles on my face and in my eye, which took about 6 months to vanquish. I gained ten pounds and was diagnosed with high blood pressure, started a new law firm, and finished a book, so it’s safe to say there have been ups and downs. A Read More

Good Vibrations

On the recommendation of a friend, I recently watched the movie Hysteria, a Victorian romp (you’re thinking there’s no such thing, aren’t you?) about the invention of the vibrator. I refuse to say it was hysterical, but it was pretty funny. Underlying it, however, is the very real history of women’s sexuality, and the utter Read More

Because You Can Never Have Too Much Hockey

This post is late because of hockey. This weekend my son was in a youth hockey tournament at our home rink, so not only did he play in three games, I scored two other games, and then we watched the championship game, which sadly, he wasn’t in. Six hockey games in three days. It is Read More

Firefighting in the Victorian Era

In my first two novels, I burn down three buildings. This has provided a source of amusement to my critique partners. At our last critique group meeting, suggestions for marketing swag included matches (emblazoned with a suitably catchy saying, such as Light a Fire with Marin McGinnis) and candles that smell like burning wood. Ha. Anyway, as Read More

Technology in the Victorian Era

So a couple of months ago I sat in on my son’s 5th grade Science class. They were watching a documentary on the Apollo space program, called In the Shadow of the Moon. It occurred to me as I watched that I was the only one in the room who was alive during the first Read More