Every woman deserves to have her story told. I am drawn to write about strong women and brave girls who persevered in following their passions and achieving their goals. My debut series, “Threads of Courage,” centers on three extraordinary women and their compelling stories.

Book One, Cut From Strong Cloth, pays tribute to my ancestor, Ellen Canavan, who struggled to become a successful textile merchant in Philadelphia while the Civil War tore the nation apart.

Book Two, Last Curtain Call, honors Annie Charbonneau and a group of miners’ wives who became swept up in the violence of the 1894 Western Maryland Coal Strike.

Book Three, Counting Crows, relates the story of Maggie Canavan, who arrives in Greenwich Village in 1918 to study art but becomes immersed in seeking justice for sweatshop factory girls.

In 2012, I started my blog <https://www.strongwomeninhistory.com>. I wanted to highlight the stories of other extraordinary women who tried to improve the world. The women I choose are relatively unknown, like Isabelle Romée. But their stories will touch your heart.

My nonfiction book, B-52 DOWN, not only tells the story of the 5-man crew whose USAF plane crashed in a blizzard in 1964 with two nuclear bombs on board, but I shared the stories of their wives as well—all strong women.

My newest book, Opening Closed Doors, is a children’s book. I share the surprising story of Josie Murray, an unsung hero of the early Civil Rights Movement who fought to end segregation at her public library in Virginia.

All my books are available in bookstores, online, and on Kindle. I am an often-requested speaker for civic groups, book clubs, and local history symposiums and have shared my stories on both sides of the Atlantic.

You may not know I was the Hula Hoop Champion in 6th grade. But I finally gave up spinning hoops in exchange for spinning stories. Today, my husband and I live in North Carolina and still love how the Blue Ridge Mountains are the first to greet the dawn. We do not own any Hula Hoops.