Jeanne Gehret's Blog: http://SusanBAnthonyFamily.com/

Every year, as the aroma of pumpkin pie and roasting turkey fills my kitchen, I find myself humming that familiar tune—“Over the river and through the wood, to grandmother’s house we go!” (Full song below.) In my mind’s eye, snow sparkles on the fields, sleigh bells jingle, and I feel that joyful shiver beneath the lap robe as the horse picks up speed.

The song’s lyrics, written by Lydia Maria Child, first appeared as a poem in 1844, when Susan B. Anthony and her brother Daniel were young adults. Child, one of New England’s most admired authors and a bold abolitionist, captured the warmth of family gatherings in a way that must have felt familiar in that community. Though the Anthonys had left Adams, Massachusetts, years earlier, the poem’s images still echo the sort of wintry visits they might once have made to their grandparents’ home there. I can almost picture young Susan—perhaps with a baby Daniel in tow—bundled against the cold and wiggling with anticipation as the sleigh or wagon glided toward that welcoming doorway.

For more about the Anthony family’s story, take a look at this background piece.

Visits to “the Old Hive”

In Susan and Daniel’s childhood, Grandfather and Grandmother Anthony lived only half a mile away, close enough for a brisk walk in summer but a sleigh ride in winter. Susan called the homestead “the Old Hive,” which suggests to me that the family often gathered there.

By 1826, Hannah and Humphrey had seven grown children and a growing brood of grandchildren. They likely spread a table overflowing with laughter, chatter, and plenty of family stories on ordinary visiting days—occasions that might have looked very much like the “Thanksgiving” scenes we picture now. Like us, visiting relatives probably brought their share of the meal—maybe warm rolls wrapped in cloth, a tart cranberry relish, or a pumpkin pie cooled by the cold November air.

A nod to the facts

Before I mislead you into linking the Anthonys’ sleigh ride to a holiday ritual, I must mention that Hannah and Humphrey probably did not celebrate Thanksgiving as a formal holiday. That’s because they were strict Quakers. Their faith discouraged singing and marking holidays in the way we do now. Nonetheless, the Old Hive seems to have been a place of industry, hospitality, and family affection. We do know from Susan’s diaries that she and Daniel, in their mature years, did mark birthdays and other holidays with gifts. It’s historically accurate to imagine their simple meals, shared in a spirit of gratitude that didn’t depend on a particular date on the calendar.

It’s also worth remembering that Thanksgiving wasn’t declared a national holiday until 1863. Even so, many New England families were already observing days of gratitude and feasting long before that date.

So this Thanksgiving, when my own kitchen fills with delicious scents and family laughter, I’ll be humming that childhood song again. Gathering around our own table, we’ll pause before the meal to give thanks—practicing the attitude of gratitude that never goes out of season.

To keep the Thanksgiving spirit going, here’s a short reflection from last year on gratitude in crisis.

For references to “The Old Hive” and its inhabitants, I’ve consulted newsletters provided by Virginia Duval, Adams Historical Society. Please enjoy these excerpts from a book about the Anthony family genealogy, featured in the Adams Historical Society newsletter in December 1991 and January 1992.

Read Excerpts

 

A song that stirs the senses

Did you know that Lydia Maria Child’s original lyrics contained twelve stanzas?  Singing (or reciting) all twelve would certainly keep eager children from the other refrain that’s so familiar during travels: “Are we almost there?”

Here’s the whole poem:

Over the river and through the wood,
to Grandfather’s house we go;
the horse knows the way to carry the sleigh
through the white and drifted snow.

Over the river and through the wood,
to Grandfather’s house away!
We would not stop for doll or top,
for ’tis Thanksgiving Day.

Over the river and through the wood—
oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes and bites the nose,
as over the ground we go.

Over the river and through the wood,
with a clear blue winter sky.
The dogs do bark and the children hark,
as we go jingling by.

Over the river and through the wood,
to have a first-rate play.
Hear the bells ring, “Ting-a-ling ding!”
Hurray for Thanksgiving Day!

Over the river and through the wood—
no matter for winds that blow;
or if we get the sleigh upset
into a bank of snow.

Over the river and through the wood,
to see little John and Ann.
We will kiss them all, and play snowball
and stay as long as we can.

Over the river and through the wood,
trot fast my dapple gray!
Spring over the ground like a hunting-hound!
For ’tis Thanksgiving Day.

Over the river and through the wood
and straight through the barnyard gate.
We seem to go extremely slow—
it is so hard to wait!

Over the river and through the wood—
Old Jowler hears our bells;
he shakes his paw with a loud bow-wow,
and thus the news he tells.

Over the river and through the wood—
when Grandmother sees us come,
she will say, “Oh, dear, the children are here,
bring pie for everyone.”

Over the river and through the wood—
now Grandmother’s cap I spy!
Hurrah for the fun! Is the pudding done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!

*

Read on for a special celebration announcement, and the opportunity to read my books for free!

Please pin and share!

Celebrating 200 posts!

If I’d known when I started this blog in 2014 that it would still be going strong eleven years later, I would have been thrilled.

Actually, I’ve been writing about the Anthony family much longer—since 1993!

Thank you for sharing this journey with me. Writing about this very special and dynamic family is one of the joys of my life.

Free Books for the Holidays

Enjoy some holiday reads (including my novella The Heart of Christmas, featuring Annie and Daniel’s first Christmas together) and discover other amazing authors through this promo.

Would you like to read and review the Dauntless series for free?

I recently started using the Booksirens ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) service, which is a place for authors and reviewers to connect. Readers get plenty of amazing books to choose from in exchange for an honest review. If you’d like to check it out, here’s a bundle you may be interested in with books like mine:

Historical Women’s Fiction ARCs You’ll Love – November 2025 Batch

Since reviewing is one of the absolute best ways you can help authors, I would deeply appreciate it if you would join my ARC team by signing up to Booksirens for free and selecting my books to read and review. Thanks in advance!

The post Over the River and Through the Wood: Thanksgiving with Susan B. Anthony’s Family appeared first on Jeanne Gehret Author.

Several years before the Civil War, Daniel Read (D.R.) Anthony—a fiery Quaker from upstate New York and brother to Susan B. Anthony—was already fighting for freedom on the Kansas-Missouri border. Raised in a family that harbored freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad, D.R. carried his belief in human equality westward, where violence over slavery erupted in “Bleeding Kansas.” Here, his moral convictions collided with the brutal realities of frontier warfare, forging the fierce reformer and soldier he would become.

D.R. Anthony’s years on the Kansas-Missouri border strongly influenced the rest of his life in Leavenworth, which sat on that state line. He served as a guerilla warrior before the Civil War and an army colonel at the onset of the conflict. Before, during, and after the war he demonstrated by word and deed that he considered African-American people equal to whites.

Because this conviction preceded so much of what he said and did, today I’m beginning here a series about his many activities for racial equality. The series will involve up to four historical articles in this space, interspersed with other topics.

So what started D.R. Anthony on the path of racial equality?

First and foremost, his parents raised him that way. I’ve written much about his upbringing as a Quaker, which may have prompted his family’s friendship with Frederick Douglass and participation in the Underground Railroad.

But he also lived in a political climate much like ours, when lawmakers were rescinding human rights policies that had been in effect for decades. Let’s look at the progression of legislative changes for a moment.

The Missouri Compromise of 1820

This law decreed that no state north of the 36°30′ line could practice slavery.

According to the National Archives, “This legislation admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a non-slave state at the same time, so as not to upset the balance between slave and free states in the nation. It also outlawed slavery above the 36º 30′ latitude line in the remainder of the Louisiana Territory.”

But in 1854, when Dan Anthony was 30 years old and living among several conductors on the Underground Railroad, the Kansas-Nebraska Act became law. Senator Stephen A. Douglas introduced this bill by saying that territories wishing to join the United States could decide for themselves whether they wanted to enter as slave or free states. This choice, called popular sovereignty, aimed to allay the growing conflict over slavery, but it only made it worse. This is where Kansas comes into the picture.

How the Kansas-Nebraska Act backfired

The border of Missouri that adjoined Kansas practiced slavery. When the Act went into effect, pro-slavery people flooded across the Kansas border and stuffed ballot boxes. In response, abolitionists from the North emigrated to Kansas in an effort to establish a majority of citizens who abhorred slavery.

In 1854, D.R. joined the first party of the Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Company, which founded the town of Lawrence, Kansas that became the antislavery capitol of the territory. After summering in what was then the Wild West, he decided that making his home there was not feasible. Though he returned home to Rochester, NY., his interest in Kansas never waned.

A family effort

At the same time, Daniel’s second-oldest sister, Susan B. Anthony, had quit her teaching career to throw in her lot with a group of reformers who advocated against liquor and for the rights of African-Americans and women.

How the Anthonys must have grieved when they received news of the Sack of Lawrence in May of 1856. Within months, the youngest brother Merritt (then 22) left for Kansas to fight slavery alongside John Brown.

Painting of John Brown from the Kansas State Capitol Building.

When word reached the East that Brown’s forces had suffered defeat near Merritt’s 8×12 foot cabin in Osawatomie, the Anthonys feared for their youngest’s life. D.R., whose insurance office sat within a stone’s throw of a telegraph, greeted his family with the joyful news that Merritt had lived through the massacre.

A year later, D.R. returned to Kansas, taking up permanent residence in Leavenworth, 60+ miles north of Lawrence.

You’ll find more about these events—and can order your copy—in my earlier novel Secrets to the Wind. I’ve decided to keep the sale price going until next Friday, November 4—just to be sure everyone can enjoy the full backstory of my new book, Born of This Fire.

D.R. Anthony’s convictions were tested and tempered on the Kansas-Missouri border, where the question of freedom could no longer be debated—it had to be fought for. These turbulent early years not only challenged his pacifist Quaker roots, but also transformed him into one of Kansas’s most outspoken champions of equality.

In the next article of this series, we’ll journey into the heart of Bleeding Kansas (1854–1861), when Daniel’s ideals met fire, fury, and the making of a new nation.

If you enjoy uncovering hidden stories from America’s past, subscribe or leave a comment below—your interests and insights help keep history alive.

Stock up on FREE Christmas stories!

Load up your eReader with these amazing titles across genres, including my novella, The Heart of Christmas, a companion story to Secrets to the Wind.

The post From Quaker Roots to Guerrilla Warrior: D.R. Anthony’s Early Crusade for Freedom appeared first on Jeanne Gehret Author.

My Born of This Fire characters still had things to say when I typed “The End.” 

Once the people who live inside of my novel got their hands on finished copies, they started publishing their reviews. Their comments range from tender to teasing—and a few made me laugh out loud.

Annie thought I gave her too many heartaches. Daniel said I didn’t tell half of what he accomplished. Emily had something to add about the ending.

Post-war Emily reads Born of This Fire.

A spirited conversation across time about Born of This Fire

As I listened to those folks’ voices again, I understood they were responding the way that living people do when they see their stories written down. They wanted to defend their choices, clarify their motives, and make sure their truths were told.

This week, my newsletter subscribers will start receiving the full set of those “character book reviews,” along with silhouette portraits of each character based on their true portraits, which you can enjoy here.

Join my inner circle

If you’d like to read the characters’ reviews and other private insights from my writing desk, stroll on over to this page and sign up for my newsletter. (You’ll get the series prequel for free, too!)

Subscribers receive personal reflections, historical discoveries, and exclusive material I don’t share in this space. And they’ll be the first to meet the new voices appearing in the next Dauntless Series novel.

Breaking News! Born of this Fire hits #1!

For those who want to know, at five days after launch, the novel achieved #16 in Civil War biographies on Amazon. And on day six, it hit #1 in the History of American Civil War Regiments category!

 

In addition, the book has already received good reviews on both Amazon and Goodreads, like this excerpt from Nancy Massand’s review on Amazon:

“If you love historical fiction that probes the embers of fiery characters long gone to bring them to life, kindling a romance with sparks that amuse and delight, you’ll love Gehret’s Born of This Fire. She seamlessly blends her historical and fictional arcs to create a wonderful tapestry of lives and loves in a town that helped shape America’s history.”

Many thanks to those who are making this happen! Join the discussion by getting your copy now and posting a review.

Read and Review

 

In the next issue of this article, we’ll return to our usual format. No one will enjoy that more than I!

Want more historical fiction books?

Here are some free stories for you to enjoy, including sample chapters of Born of this Fire.

The post Characters inside Born of This Fire sound off! appeared first on Jeanne Gehret Author.

Annie Anthony’s love and courage blaze to life in my new historical novel, Born of This Fire.

Born of This Fire—Book Two of the Dauntless Series—launches today! As it does, I’m celebrating a transformation wrought by fire—both within the story, and metaphorically through the writing process. And the launch! I’ve spent the last two days dealing with a computer meltdown. But the book is releasing, either way. Let’s get to that part, since it’s much more interesting than my technical troubles:

Annie Anthony’s journey is one of love, courage, and the refining power of adversity.

In early 1864, Annie Osborn Anthony arrives in Leavenworth, Kansas as a new bride to Daniel Read Anthony, while Civil War tensions are still running high. Life on the edge of a slave-holding area is a far cry from her upbringing in Martha’s Vineyard—but she and Daniel share not only love, but abolitionist ideals. These are soon challenged by the real stories of people on both sides of the war. When the reality of life on the frontier collides with their untested marriage, will all they hope for be burned to ashes, or will the fires of war be the forge that welds them together for good?

In Born of this Fire, Daniel’s fiery convictions meet Annie’s quiet strength in a Civil War marriage tested by distance, danger, and ideals. If you love character-driven historical fiction filled with heart, history, and redemption, you’ll feel right at home in Annie’s world.

Order your copy today in paperback or eBook—and step into the world of the Anthonys.

Get Born of this FireA Story Born of Real Lives

This novel draws on the true history of the Anthony family, whose courage shaped America’s reform movements.

Susan B. Anthony championed women’s rights.Daniel R. Anthony fought slavery and defended a free press.And Annie Anthony—his wife—embodied the quiet endurance of women standing beside visionaries.Their intertwined lives remind us that rebuilding always begins in the human heart.Help me order

 

Born of This Fire is now available in paperback and eBook.

Visit the Born of This Fire book page to:

Explore testimonialsListen to the story’s playlistRead sample chaptersI want it now!

 

And finally, share my joy at launching my trilogy’s Book Two with this video of soaring down the waterfall, filmed to celebrate this happy launch day.

Jeanne

 

 

Explore the Dauntless Series further:

Secrets to the Wind (Dauntless Series Book One) is on sale until November 1. It sets the stage for Annie’s dreams of a comfortable life beside her Civil War hero—dreams that marriage soon transforms.

Get in on the Secrets!Free story for you: Songbird in the Marsh

Read the preview to the Dauntless Series here in Songbird in the Marsh. Witness Annie and Daniel’s first meeting centered on the cause that would draw them together.

Get the story for FREE!

 

 

Still hungry for historical fiction?

Here are some other free stories for you to enjoy, including sample chapters of Born of this Fire.

October Clean, No-spice Free Reads promo.

The post A marriage tested. A woman transformed. Born of This Fire. appeared first on Jeanne Gehret Author.

How do you celebrate 50 years of marriage? Jon and I marked our milestone by sailing up, up, and away in a hot air balloon! Floating high above the fields felt both exhilarating and a little terrifying—exactly like releasing a new novel into the world.

During that unforgettable weekend with our family—who gifted us with this amazing adventure—my beloved geek and I savored time together and reflected on the happiness of having all our dear ones close by. I understood how the joy of my family and the joy of my writing life have always grown side by side.

And that’s when it struck me: launching a book isn’t all that different from launching a balloon. (Be sure to enable your computer to view these colorful images.)

Just like preparing to go up, up and away, a book launch unfolds in stages:

Laying the groundwork with a rough draft

Our hot air balloon ride began with this mass of fabric waiting to take shape.

Adding detail and depth until the characters come alive

Team members tether hot air balloon as fire begins to inflate it. To the left, wicker basket awaits passengers.

Gathering support from editors, beta readers, and a book launch team

 

Fueling it with passion until the story is ready to rise

Hands clasped to share the joy after we’ve followed two others into the basket. Fueled by fire!

And then—with heart pounding—set it free!http://jeannegehretauthor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Balloon-Rising.mp4

 

 

Born of This Fire, my historical novel, takes flight…

…on October 17! Visit this separate book page to preview chapters, hear the playlist, and see what early readers are saying—then order your copy and join the adventure!

This story about marriage on the Kansas frontier follows Annie Osborn Anthony—sister-in-law of Susan B. Anthony—as the Civil War winds down. Torn between loyalty, faith, and fear, Annie must endure hardship and find courage while her husband, Daniel Read Anthony, courts both admiration and controversy.

Looking for more about Susan B. Anthony herself? Then you’ll enjoy the novel’s account of her six-month stay with the Kansas Anthonys, including: segments of her first speech in Leavenworth, her wry observations of Annie’s housekeeping skills,  and proof that she can still keep her younger brother firmly in line.

Now’s a good time to order Secrets to the Wind (Daniel’s courtship story with Annie Osborn) so it’s fresh in your mind before you dive in to Born of This Fire. It’s on sale on Amazon till November 1! Read all about it on its separate book page.

If you can’t get enough of going up up and away, here’s a side note for you: A Brief History of Hot Air Ballooning.  Planning on a hot air  balloon adventure yourself? We loved this company.

Fun stuff coming in the next few days! Watch this space!

The post Up, Up, and Away! Book Launch Meets Balloon Ride Adventure appeared first on Jeanne Gehret Author.

It’s here! After years of research and writing, I finally get to hold Born of This Fire in my hands.  Watch the unboxing and share my joy in this book’s arrival! This new arrival is my author copy; its launch to the public will take place on October 17. You can, however, preorder it now!

Though this is my eighth book, publishing a book is a lot like having a baby — you welcome and love each one for its unique qualities.

Script-in-Hand Players (aka Wordcrafters)

I’m pleased as punch to join the talented folks in my Wordcrafters writing group to read aloud selections of our scribblings. Many of these pieces–including my latest book–made their debut in this group’s critique sessions. Come get a preview of my novel as Wordcrafters presents two different segments of Annie’s introduction to Leavenworth.

Two Performances!Date: September 13, 2025Time: Noon – 1 pmLocation: Central Library of Rochester, which is made up of two buildings at the corners of South Avenue and Broad St. This reading is in Kate Gleason Hall in the new building.

And

Date: September 20, 2025Time: Noon – 1 pmLocation: Central Library of Rochester at Rundel Memorial Building (the old one) in Harold Hacker Hall

My Coat That Traveled the Globe

When I was a child, my mother donated my outgrown coat to a church clothing drive. Just for fun, we tucked a note into the pocket asking the new owner to write back. Months later, an airmail letter arrived—from someone living in the Gaza Strip. Mom and I spread a map across the table to locate this faraway place she explained was often marked by conflict and need.

 

That coat was a small act of giving, but the story behind it traveled across the world. Even now, decades later, I remember the thrill of that letter—and reflect on the sobering  truth that Gaza is still a land of conflict.

Lessons in Reuse and Resourcefulness

Though my parents had enough to keep us comfortable, they were pioneers of “reuse, repurpose, recycle” long before it became fashionable. They crafted a child’s table and chairs from discarded curbside finds, and they taught me to strip, refinish, or paint furniture where history had left too many scars to see its inherent beauty.

In the process, I learned to recognize the marks of solid wood, to distinguish antique furniture from the faux finishes of modern pieces, and to appreciate the beauty of tiger maple—a wood prized in many vintage finds. To this day, I much prefer the richness of real wood and the stories it seems to hold.

Antique Furniture, Hidden Stories

My fondness for pre-owned goods continues. I love browsing estate sales, vintage markets, and Facebook Marketplace, where treasures often come with untold stories. One of my favorite finds is a heavily carved piece that reminds me of something King Arthur himself might have owned.

This love of previously-loved objects influences my fiction as well. In my upcoming historical novel, Born of This Fire, Annie Anthony stumbles upon a hidden diary tucked inside a piece of secondhand furniture. What she discovers inside doesn’t just broaden her perspective—it threatens to upend her marriage, her town, and her future. Historically, such items weren’t uncommon; after raids, jayhawkers often carried looted goods across the Missouri River into Civil War Kansas, where they were resold as “previously owned” furniture.

The Intimacy of Diaries

There’s no better way to understand someone than through their diary. Shortly after my mother passed, I found her travel journal, filled with tender reflections on visiting us for the birth of our daughter. In my research for Born of This Fire, I uncovered diaries and letters that revealed much about 19th-century life in Kansas. A soldier under Daniel Anthony’s  command wrote about him in ways that revealed as much about the writer as about Anthony himself.

For Annie, raised as a sheltered heiress on Martha’s Vineyard, a diary becomes transformative as she gets to know Kansas. For the first time, she encounters slavery  just across the Missouri River. The city itself bears deep divides—even the Planters Hotel maintains separate bars for pro-slavery and anti-slavery guests.

Annie has never known an African-American person until she meets Emily, a formerly enslaved woman who has gained her freedom by crossing the river into Kansas. Annie’s openness to Emily is both her strength and her undoing, as she soon learns that listening to voices from the past can change everything.

Conclusion: When the Past Speaks

From a coat that crossed the ocean, to reclaiming antique furniture, to diaries that whisper across centuries—previously owned objects carry powerful stories. They remind us that history isn’t abstract; it’s written into wood grain, ink, and memory.

Book review

James, by Percival Everett

By now, you’ve probably read many reviews of Percival Everett’s James—and perhaps even the novel itself. Even so, I found it so compelling that I feel moved to comment on a few themes that struck me as especially important. Listening to this story as an audiobook allowed me to experience the main character’s two styles of language, which I appreciated.

First: Huck’s adventure vs. James’s survival.
For Huck, the journey often feels like a lark, the kind of escapade a boy might recount with excitement. But for James, every step is a matter of life and death. Huck’s sudden appearances, while innocent on the surface, regularly jeopardize James’s desperate struggle for freedom. At one point, James even considers slipping away from the boy to save himself. Yet he chooses otherwise, and the reason for that choice is only fully revealed in the book’s deeply satisfying conclusion. Everett underscores James’s selflessness toward Huck again and again. Still, to keep James from seeming too saintly or one-dimensional, Everett shows him committing an ugly, unnecessary act of violence—reminding us that James is as complex and flawed as any real man.

Second: the power of reading and writing.
One of the most striking motifs is James’s near-obsessive care for his pencil, an object that nearly brings him to ruin. His vast knowledge of classical literature belies the outward assumption that he is an illiterate slave. This quiet defiance highlights the power of literacy. Everett himself has called reading “subversive” because it allows a person to encounter ideas without an intermediary—forming one’s own judgments, turning them over, comparing them with personal experience, and arriving at one’s own meaning. In this way, Everett underscores both the danger and the liberation of literacy, and his own responsibility as a writer to give readers stories worth wrestling with.

Finally: Everett’s unflinching portrayal of slavery.
Some scenes are so brutal that I wished I could unhear them. Yet they serve a purpose: to plunge us into the interior life of a man who was never meant to have a voice or a platform. Alongside the cruelties are countless adventures and sharp, ironic, and often funny observations that soar right over Huck’s head until almost the very end.

James is not a book for the faint of heart. It is, however, a book for those who want to grapple with survival, morality, and the transformative power of language. This novel broke my heart and opened my eyes in ways I didn’t expect.

Step into captivating worlds of romance, mystery, and adventure with this free historical fiction showcase. Whether you’re a fan of sweeping historical dramas, tantalizing romances, or compelling short stories, this collection offers something for every reader. View the books and stories here.

The post How a Hidden Diary & Old Furniture Reveal 19th-Century Life & Historical Fiction appeared first on Jeanne Gehret Author.

A few weeks ago, we stepped aboard the Chautauqua Belle, one of the last operating sternwheel steamboats in North America, and took a trip back in time. Our two-hour round trip from Mayville, NY to the Chautauqua Institution and back promised a day of sun, water, and history—and it delivered.

We boarded under a cloudless sky, the Belle’s broad red paddlewheel already churning the lake into a white froth. As she gave a loud whistle, we watched the paddles begin to ease us away from the dock. The breeze was warm, the water glittered, and the pace slowed to that of the nineteenth century.

Our excursion reminded me of the day  Daniel Read Anthony and his friends in the Emigrant Aid Society stepped off a steamboat onto Kansas soil in July 1854. Their plan? To populate the state with antislavery men and women who would sway the vote to make Kansas a free state. Though the conflict grew bloody, in 1861 that dream became a reality.

Sternwheels like the Chautauqua Belle regularly stopped at Anthony’s home in Leavenworth, KS on the Missouri River. These vessels were perfect for inland rivers because they could operate in water as shallow as eighteen inches. Besides that, the one big paddlewheel at the rear (as opposed to one wheel on each side) wheel was less likely to hit sanbard, snags, or rocks that characterized that river.

Scenic Shores and a Historic Institution

The shoreline slid past—shaded porches, weathered docks, flags stirring lazily in the wind. Gulls circled overhead. From the breezy lower deck, we listened to the steady splash of the paddlewheel was as soothing as a lullaby.

Halfway through the cruise, the Chautauqua Institution came into view. Behind me, you can see the Institution’s graceful Victorian buildings, tree-lined promenades, and the hum of activity on the shore. Founded in 1874 as a summer retreat for learning, arts, and spiritual renewal, it’s part of a wider tradition.

From Martha’s Vineyard to Chautauqua: Voices for Change

The famous Cottage City on Martha’s Vineyard (pictured above) began much the same way. In 1858, Annie Anthony’s fellow islanders stood in a seaside crowd there, listening to Josiah Henson, the formerly enslaved man whose life inspired Uncle Tom’s Cabin. His voice carried over the salt air, calling for justice and freedom—proof that gatherings like these, whether on the Vineyard or at Chautauqua, were about far more than summer leisure. They were places where ideas stirred, convictions deepened, and lives were changed.

After a pause to admire the Institution’s shoreline, we turned for home. The afternoon sun slanted low over the hills, and the water turned silver. Passengers leaned on the rail, lost in the rhythm of the wheel and the quiet sweep of the lake.

Cruising the Chautauqua Belle isn’t just sightseeing. It’s the sound of a steam whistle echoing over the water, the hiss of an engine, the brush of history against your cheek. If you find yourself in western New York, step aboard—you’ll leave with more than just a pretty view.

If you enjoyed this mini-travelog, watch this space for my upcoming article in The Historic Traveler, an online destination for people who love travel, history, and historic novels. My story’s still in the writing stage, but in the meantime you can enjoy the current edition.

The post Cruising Lake Chautauqua on an Authentic Sternwheel Steamboat appeared first on Jeanne Gehret Author.

I’m thrilled to announce that Born of This Fire is now available for pre-order on Amazon!

This story has lived in my heart for a long time, and now the cover brings it to life in a way that feels both beautiful and meaningful. Let’s take a look.

A Woman on the Threshold

At first glance, Born of This Fire‘s cover radiates warmth—but there’s tension beneath the surface. That’s Annie Osborn Anthony, standing with her back to us, poised between the safety of a Victorian parlor and the fire-lit frontier town outside. The parlor reflects the world she left behind on Martha’s Vineyard. The glow outside? It’s not just literal fire—it’s the blaze of war, justice, and the painful choices that shape her marriage and future.

Fire as Metaphor

Annie’s dress, her posture, the light—they’re all rooted in 1860s realism, but the symbolism runs deep. The floating embers remind me of all the women whose lives were disrupted by war, and how Annie must decide whether to protect her heart or let it be transformed.

I can’t wait to get this book into your hands in mid-October. It will also be available through other retailers and released in paperback alongside the ebook.

Until then, I hope the cover gives you a glimpse of what’s inside. View the book description here and sample chapters here. Watch for Born of This Fire discussion questions and playlist soon!

*Bleeding Kansas refers to the border wars before the Civil War between the neighboring states of Missouri and Kansas. Here’s a great article on that.

Want to Join My Launch Team and Be Part of the Journey?

Ready to hop in the hot air balloon and help this book lift off? Being on my launch team involves just three easy steps:

After you indicate your interest, you’ll receive a free ebook of Born of This Fire. Read and enjoy!Grab your own Amazon copy on October 17 or 18 (only $4.99).Write an honest review by the 28th of October. Paying for your own copy signals Amazon that yours is truly an independent review.

That’s it! I’ll even send you a fill-in-the-blank template to help you with the wordsmithing, if you like.

Just for fun, team members will receive an invitation to an optional zoom meeting with me to take a peek behind the scenes of this newest book in my Dauntless Series.

Ready to receive your free copy? Just email me at Jeanne@JeanneGehretAuthor.com and write “Join” in the subject line.

Other Stories for Your Reading List

In these curated collections, you can find “The Urgent Plea from Susan B.,” the prequel to Born of This Fire.

Take a look at these Short Stories & Novellas…

View the Stories.

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Free stories about fiesty women through the ages

View the Books

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History’s Bold Daughters

Get These Books Fast!

The post Born of This Fire is coming! appeared first on Jeanne Gehret Author.

Launching a book amid a messy life 

We’re halfway through the six-month launch period of my novel Born of This Fire. Part of me would love to just finish and publish, but I know this slower pace gives the book a stronger start.

Since May 31, I’ve been deep in the behind-the-scenes work: formatting pages, writing back cover copy, prepping media kits, and planning launch week like a general organizing a small war.

Launch or life? Hard to tell some days

All this, of course, happens during peak family season—birthdays, anniversaries, grandkids, a house move, reunions, and enough trees to prune to fill a small orchard. If you’re a woman over 50, you get it: some days you’re running the show, and other days you’re just trying to remember where you left your glasses. Or your phone.

Still, I wouldn’t trade this beautifully messy life for a faster book launch—because this is the life that shapes my stories.

So yes, the launch is right on schedule. Below is a teaser to give you a small preview of my cover, and next comes the more public part of the launch. And in between… maybe I’ll see you at the party store picking up paper plates.

Next month: Check in for the full book cover reveal on August 1! Can’t wait to show you!

Victorians launched young lives through education 

It’s been a while since we peeked into the Victorian era—the world the Anthonys called home. As you watch the following video on 19th-century schools in Great Britain, consider how the American system of education evolved. (At this point, I don’t know. Another topic for research! If you know, please share your comments in the chat below.)

And after you’ve enjoyed the video, picture young Susan B. Anthony commanding a classroom, her father drilling spelling words, her sisters leading recitations, and her brother Daniel trying to keep a straight face while teaching rowdy students.

Yes, teaching ran in the family. Susan even became headmistress of a girls’ academy; Daniel tapped out after a few years. Can you see them with chalk in hand, trying to maintain order and dignity while wrangling a room full of squirmy students?

Footnote on my last newsletter: One observant reader reminded me that Susan B. would have been impatient to see better parity between the sexes toward equal pay for equal work. Right on!

Three Book Promotions for You

Step into a world of gripping plots, unforgettable characters, and page-turning suspense with the “Thrills, Chills & Plot Twists” book bundles!

Beginnings of Love: Sweet Romance & Women’s Fiction Origin Stories

View the Collection Here

This promotion ends July 26th

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From Historical Fiction to Cozy Mystery and Family Sagas… these “Midsummer Delights” will keep you glued to your Kindle.

Included in this offering is my novel, Secrets to the Wind. View the Books (Promotion ends July 30th)

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Take a look at these Short Stories & Novellas…  Included is my story, The Urgent Pleas from Susan B.

View the Stories in this Collection

The post Lessons, launches, and life in motion appeared first on Jeanne Gehret Author.

 

As fireworks light up the sky and flags ripple in the breeze this July 4th, Americans celebrate independence—the hard-won freedom to shape our own destinies. But amid the picnics and parades, it’s worth asking: Whose freedom was truly secured in 1776? And what would a revolutionary like Susan B. Anthony say about the state of women’s liberty today?

Susan devoted her life to expanding the very ideals proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—to include women. If she were alive this Fourth of July, she’d find many reasons to cheer.

Women now vote, hold office, own businesses, and influence national conversations. She would surely be gratified to see so many women participating in the democracy she once fought to enter.

Voting Rights: A Dream Realized, But Work Remains

Susan wouldn’t stop at celebration. In her famously forthright style, she’d ask tough questions: Is equality real, or just a word we recite on holidays?

She would likely begin with the right she held most dear: the vote. After being arrested in 1872 for casting a ballot, she spent the rest of her life fighting for women’s suffrage—a battle not won until 14 years after her death. She’d marvel at today’s female voters, lawmakers, and activists, but she’d still urge women to step further into leadership, shape policy, and hold the nation to its founding promises.

I explored her campaign for women’s suffrage at length in my easy-reading biography Susan B. Anthony and Justice For All.

It’s intended for those wanting a quick snapshot of Susan’s life, students writing book reports, and even immigrants studying to become citizens. For those of you following my Dauntless Series,  it gives an overview of what Susan was doing during Daniel and Annie Anthony’s life together.

The Modern Workforce: Breaking Barriers, But Not Ceilings

She’d also scrutinize the workplace. Susan spent her early career fighting for equal pay for female teachers and believed that financial independence was key to true freedom. Today, she’d find women in nearly every profession—doctors, lawyers, engineers, scientists, professors, pilots, police officers, judges, military generals, and tech executives. Fields once completely closed to women are now filled with female leaders, inventors, and visionaries.

Still, she’d be quick to point out that wage gaps remain, and the highest echelons of power still tilt male. To her, this persistent inequality would signal unfinished business in the march toward liberty.

She would also observe that pay gaps still persist. As someone who spent her early career demanding equal wages for women teachers, she’d be disappointed to see that, more than a century later, women—especially women of color—are often paid less for the same work. She would see this not merely as a labor issue, but as a moral one. Fair wages, after all, were central to her vision of independence.

Education: A Victory Susan Would Celebrate

Education would be another point of pride. A fierce advocate for girls’ learning, Susan would be pleased to see women not only attending college but outpacing men in graduation rates.

Still, she might ask why so few are in positions of power in STEM fields or the highest levels of academia and leadership. In her view, equal opportunity must also lead to equal influence.

Fashion and Freedom: From Corsets to Confidence

And then there’s clothing—a seemingly small issue that Susan treated as symbolic. She once adopted the bloomer costume to protest the restrictive fashions of her time, believing that corsets and hoop skirts reinforced women’s social confinement. Today, she would applaud the freedom of movement offered by modern dress, from sneakers to pantsuits.

But she might raise an eyebrow at skimpy, body-hugging trends, not out of prudishness, but from a concern that such styles prioritize appearance over substance. She would ask, “Are you dressing to express your dignity—or to meet someone else’s expectations?” For Susan, the deepest kind of independence was always about making choices that reflect inner worth, not external pressures.

Equality Beyond Borders: A Global View

Finally, this tireless crusader for justice would turn her gaze globally. As a woman whose activism eventually took on international dimensions, Susan would call attention to the millions of women around the world who still lack basic rights. Freedom, she believed, is a universal birthright—not a privilege of geography.

This July 4th: Let’s Celebrate—and Continue the Work

So this July 4th, as we celebrate national independence, let’s also reflect on personal independence. Susan B. Anthony’s legacy invites us to ask not just what our country can do for women—but what each of us can do to ensure liberty and justice for all.

Because if Susan were here today, she wouldn’t be satisfied with fireworks.
She’d want to see progress.
And she’d remind us, with her signature clarity:
“Failure is impossible.”

Announcements

In the midst of naming and editing Born of This Fire, I got some unexpected good news—Secrets to the Wind has won not one, but two awards! I’m honored, a little stunned, and deeply grateful.

Secrets was a semifinalist for the Chanticleer Laramie Award for Western fiction, highlighting its setting in the Wild West. And it was a finalist for The American Legacy Book Award in the Family Saga category. I can hardly wait to continue the saga with my next book.

Writing historical fiction is often a quiet, solitary process, so moments like this are extra meaningful. So are your encouraging emails and phone calls. Sometimes they come just when I need them most! Thank you to everyone who’s cheered on Annie’s story—you’ve been with me every step of the way.

Book Lists Just For You

Beginnings of Love: Sweet Romance & Women’s Fiction Origin Stories

View the Collection Here

This promotion ends July 26th

_______________________________

From Historical Fiction to Cozy Mystery and Family Sagas… these “Midsummer Delights” will keep you glued to your Kindle.

Included in this offering is my novel, Secrets to the Wind. View the Books (Promotion ends July 30th)

_______________________________

Take a look at these Short Stories & Novellas…  Included is my story, The Urgent Pleas from Susan B.

View the Stories in this Collection

 

 

The post What Would Susan B. Anthony Say About Women’s Equality Today? appeared first on Jeanne Gehret Author.