Stephanie Kate Strohm's Blog, page 7

You know how in America we have Civil War Reenactments?

photo courtesy discoverohio.comI just found out that in England, you can reenact an even older part of history - the Battle of Hastings!
photo: Carl de Souza/AFP/Getty Images
photo courtesy bbc.co.uk
Is it just me or does that look incredibly dangerous?  I mean, they are charging at each other with sticks!  Sure, I guess Civil War reenactors fires guns at each other (they're blanks, so no worries there), and I'm sure these are like...

I'm back!  It's been a long time, I know, but I did end up with a complete rough draft, so summer blog hiatus was worth it!  But now that summer blog hiatus has bled into fall, it is time for me to return - because we need to discuss one of the very few memorable heroes in the glorious history of the Nutmeg State, Connecticut, my homeland.  I speak, of course, of Nathan Hale.

Courtesy Ian C. FriedmanSo who was Nathan Hale?  If your history of Colonial Connecticut isn't exac...

Dear Blog,

I'm sorry I've been neglecting you.  I've been busy working on a book and traveling and stuff.  SO RUDE, I know.  I'll return to you soon, I promise. 

this is exactly what I look like when I write, only blonderLove,   Stephanie

I just got back from Alaska!
The Great Alaska Lumberjack Show
I made lots of friends!
(real blog posts to come soon)

One of my favorite book blogs almost always asks the authors they interview if they have book playlists, and the answer is usually yes - it certainly is in my case!  Something about having thematic music makes writing easier and even MORE fun.  Maybe it's because I like to picture what I'm writing like a little movie that obvs needs a soundtrack.  Or maybe because finishing each chapter is like finishing a run and I need motivational music!  Either way, the playlist is a must. ...

Today in 1983, Dr. Sally Ride became the first American woman to travel into space.  She was an astrophysicist (boy, that's a word I had to spellcheck 7 times) who helped build a robot arm, so yeah, she was pretty cool. 

doin' space stuff


In 4th Grade I did my space project on Sally Ride.  I even had a totally awesome blue space jumpsuit just like the one in the picture!
space perm
Unfortunately 4th grade me didn't quite master this rockin' 'do. 

Today in history, two of my favorite things collide: Thomas Jefferson and dueling.

by Thomas Howell Jones
Two disclaimers:  One, I obviously don't actually support dueling.  I am glad that as a nation we have hung up our swords and dueling pistols, because we should try to solve conflict through deliberative dialogue, ammiright?  BUT from a historical perspective, dueling is, well, kind of awesome.  Or fascinating.  Let's go with fascinating, that seems more academic. ...

Andrew Jackson may be my greatest nemesis, but he was one active old bugger. No form of transportation is safe from Old Hickory. On June 6th, 1833, Andrew Jackson took his first train ride, and became the first president to ride an Iron Horse.

railroad in the 1830s
Where was he going?  Baltimore.  It was a 12 mile long trip.Why?  Up to no good, I'm sure.   Ok, fine, he probably just wanted to ride a train.  He's not always nefarious.

In other news, today in 1998 this pre...

Not too surprised by my results...

Take the Jane Austen Character Quiz here!

Find out which Austen heroine YOU are! (who would Libby be? a Catherine/Marianne hybrid, perhaps?)

Happy birthday to one of my favorite blondes Birthday Princess