Author Susan Bagby lives in Akron, Ohio. The retired speech pathologist is now a full-time writer of romance books. She has also been a songwriter for many years and started her first novel five years ago. Susan Bagby’s first book, Christmas Wish Upon A Star, was published in October 2022 with traditional publisher Sands Press […]
Across the Fence: Plattenbau
There are words with which a German immediately has specific associations. The German term “Plattenbau” (pronounce ‘pluttn-bow, meaning panel building) is one such word; I just hadn’t known that it made it into the English language. Plattenbau, often combined with the term “Siedlung” (pronounce ‘zea-dloong, meaning settlement), is the description of what is often considered […]
In the Book Nook with … Anna Schroeder
Author Anna Schroeder is from the Kitsap Peninsula, Washington State, and works as an ICU-registered nurse, specializing in neurotrauma and stroke. Currently she is working as a travel nurse in the local area, which lets her take lots of vacations with her family Anna has been creating stories since she can remember. She drew pictures […]
Across the Fence: Volkswagen and Fahrvergnügen
You probably have watched one or the other car advertisement on television, willy-nilly. Such as this one: Therefore, you might be familiar with the two American-English Germanisms, Volkswagen (pronounce ‘fawlx-vu-gn, meaning people’s car) and its slogan “Fahrvergnügen” (pronounce far—vah-gnoo-gn, meaning joy of driving). Did you know that Germans abbreviate Volkswagen as VW (pronounce fow-vay)? And […]
In the Book Nook with … D.L. Gardner
Author D.L. Gardner is retired and lives in the Port Orchard/Olalla area in Washington State. She has written all her life but was first published in 2011. Of her many awards the most recent were the Wishing Shelf Book Award for her audio book “An Unconventional Mr. Peadlebody,” The B.R. A. G. Award for “Rise […]
Across the Fence: Blitz
Do you like thunderstorms? I always used to like them, especially their approach. The dark cloud masses accumulating until they are darkening the entire sky, the sudden silence of Nature, the first sheet lightning, rumbling thunder somewhere in the distance, and then the first “real” lightning, a Blitz. This Germanism has made it into the […]
In the Book Nook with … Jennifer Nightingale
Author Jennifer Nightingale grew up in Seattle, Washington, has explored beaches and bays from British Columbia all the way to Northern California, and has been living in Astoria, Oregon, at the mouth of the Columbia River for seven years now. She has worked in various administrative capacities in the healthcare industry for over thirty years […]
Apple Squeeze Features Greater Gig Harbor Society Members
Steilacoom’s beloved Apple Squeeze will be back to its full former glory, this year, and – Steilacoom being the Town of Firsts – it will feature another one of these: the first appearance of members of the Greater Gig Harbor Literary Society with a booth of their own. The volunteer-operated 501 (c )(3) non-profit organization […]
Across the Fence: Oktoberfest
They are about to pop up everywhere these days – Oktoberfests. This Germanism is as Bavarian as it gets – the reminiscence of the then future-king Ludwig I of Bavaria’s October wedding to Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. Even the venue to which the citizens of Munich were invited is the same historical site today – […]