Christine Poe's Blog

Moonlight On the Shenandoah was such a fun book to write. The story had been building inside me for some years and when I finally sat down to write it, the characters took over and the story told itself. Sounds weird but it did. My inspiration all along was the Civil War era grave on our property. I always wanted to know the story behind why there was a single grave in our woods. I did some research in town and the story just popped into my head. I hope you enjoy reading this tale of lost loves, unsettled debts, and a sometimes humorous ghost. Enter to win a copy at Goodreads.com, and please if you do read the book, be kind and leave feedback on here, on Amazon, or even on my website. I appreciate it. Good luck!

Okay, so this has nothing to do with writing, but I need to vent somewhere. I started helping my ten-year-old granddaughter collect and clean up retired/hard to find BA dolls, dating from 2006 to present. Mostly on eBay. Here's my gripe. Honesty. It is very important to me. I am open and honest, and I expect others to be the same. Sadly, I am always being disappointed. But onward with my plight of late.

We have purchased several dolls and done well in repairing or fixing them so they work. Anything from eyebrows drawn on with magic markers (poor thing looked like Brook Shields!) to corroded and rusty battery cases (a royal pain in the behind but do-able if you are patient and detail minded) to dolls who have so many marks/damage they are not repairable.

Only two dolls have come that we haven't been able to fix. The first wasn't too expensive, but we were sad we couldn't repair her at all. The second doll, I paid a fair price for since it was considered "non-working but supposedly "in good overall shape". I asked detailed questions and the seller responded, but wasn't completely truthful. The seller never stated the doll's neck was broken, so she wasn't fixable from the get-go and he knew it and now has my money.

I know I should fluff it off but it angers me. Of course, I wouldn't have bought the doll, knowing what I do about them and knowing the broken neck would not be fixable at all. But he knew that important detail and lied, or hid the fact from unsuspecting buyers.

eBay is a great place to find bargains, but there are some shifty, pig-headed, money-hungry jerks out there that ruin the whole wonderful experience eBay has to offer. Will I continue to use eBay? Yes. I love buying and selling there. But now I feel hesitant. So Buyers beware and always, always ask if that danged doll has a broken neck before you buy!

I hope everyone has a wonderful romantic Valentine's Day. Just for a fun note about me...my very best Valentine gift ever was the birth of my oldest son. Nothing compares to holding that sweet bundle in your arms for the very first time. He's been a blessing to me all his life. So Valentine's Day is special for that reason alone. It's a day for for lovers, but it is also a day to remember those we love.

And if you're in the mood for an awesome ghost story take a peek at my latest release Moonlight On The Shenandoah from The Wild Rose Press. The hero is a descendant of the ghost, the heroine a descendant of the ghost's fiance. With the ghost's help, the heroine and heroine meet and fall in love, while they attempt to settle the mystery surrounding the ghost's demise. It's a great time-travel back into the Civil War era through the ghost's eyes. Based on the area where I live and my respect of all things eerie or unexplained, this book is testimony to true everlasting love.