Candace Simar's Blog, page 9

BOOK REVIEW of SHELTBERBELTS By Charlie Johnson: SHELTERBELTS By Candace Simar 267 pages Published by North Star Press My taste in reading favors people; real people. I’m not much for murder mysteries or romances. Give me ordinary folks who live ordinary lives but yet have their own stories to tell. You can’t get much more ordinary […]

I’m honored to be named a finalist in this year’s Willa Literary Awards for Historical Fiction.  It’s like getting a silver or bronze at the Olympics, and I couldn’t be happier.  The best of all is that I get to make an unexpected trip to the Women Writing the West Convention in Santa Fe, NM, […]

"Love of the Written Word, The Life of a Writer" interview with award winning author, Candace Simar

Isn’t this a great idea?  The Grand Rapids Friends of the Library in collaboration with the Loon Country Quilters created this beautiful 3ft X 5ft wall hanging.  The  signatures of 20 Minnesota authors are embroidered on the spines of the different books.  I was thrilled to be included with Mary Casanova, John Coy, Nancy Carlson, Monica Ferris, Brian Freeman, Pete Hautman, […]

  I may not be taking the stage into Fort Abercrombie this weekend, but I will be going there.  I’ll have a book table all weekend, with a presentation at 2pm on Sunday about the early history of the region.   Building homesteads on the prairie wasn’t easy.  I’ll share my research about how the immigrants survived […]

What fun for Shelterbelts to be named a finalist for the 26th Annual Midwest Book Awards. The Gala was held at Luther Seminary. We dressed up for the occasion and joined family and friends to celebrate. The judge’s comments were most encouraging. Thanks Midwest Book Awards for a great experience.        

  Keith and I had great fun visiting Sons of Norway Lodges in Sarasota, Tampa, Fort Meyers and Clearwater last month. How fun to meet fellow Scandinavians, many with Midwestern roots.  Special thanks to Shelley Cooper for her wonderful hospitality at Estero Island.  Also thanks to Edith and Fred Olsen for hosting us in Bradenton.  After the Sons […]

Visiting Shiloh was one of the highlights of my recent Florida Book Tour.  I’m researching this famous Civil War battlefield for my present writing project, and doubly interested because Keith’s ancestors fought at Shiloh with an Iowa regiment. Keith’s relative was captured at the Hornet’s Nest, and later died as a prisoner of war.  We were able […]

     This family photo inspired a chapter in Shelterbelts.  These neighbor women worked in the kitchen during my grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary party at Tordenskjold Lutheran Church in 1956.  The church had electricity but no indoor plumbing.  These good women hauled large cream cans filled with water from their homes and lugged them down the […]

2015 has been a whirlwind with the release of Shelterbelts, the marketing events and next project.  What fun to meet readers from across the country. Keith and I spent a wonderful March in Arizona where I spoke to libraries and a Sons of Norway group.  Thanks to the Sun City Lodge for great hospitality and warm […]