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Backstory Blog

Helen Inherits

November 26, 2019
My second novel, Bachelor Girl, was inspired by this obscure headline about a surprise bequest.

All the Single Ladies

November 19, 2019
Before she was called a “spinster,” a single woman living independently was known as a “bachelor girl.”

Black Manhattan

November 12, 2019
Historical fiction is enriched by reflecting the true diversity of American history.

Col. Jacob Ruppert

November 05, 2019
He’s remembered now for signing Babe Ruth, but in his time Ruppert was a larger-than-life New Yorker.

Gay New York

October 29, 2019
From drag balls in Harlem to pansy clubs in Greenwich Village, the gay world of 1920s New York was vast and varied.

Motion to Purchase Wigs Approve

October 22, 2019
This obscure note in the archives of the American Jewish Historical Society hinted at a legacy of medical research on children.