I’m available to speak to groups and at meetings about the topics I’ve written about.
Three Ways to Experience Matilda’s Eden
Secrets of Matilda’s Eden
In 45 minutes to an hour, I’ll give your group the inside scoop of how I discovered Matilda’s story, my research into her real life, and the historical details I added that bring Matilda’s world to life for modern readers. Historical fiction book clubs and writers’ groups will enjoy this presentation.
Lessons from the Life of Matilda Greentree
“God Goes with You in Good Times and Bad” is a 30-minute inspirational talk with PowerPoint that is suitable for students aged 10 and up. Using passages from Matilda’s Eden, scripture, and my own Christian walk, this presentation is suitable for a co-op group time, a school assembly, or a midweek Bible club.
Hats, Dresses, and Customs of Matilda’s Time
This presentation includes a short PowerPoint talk and a traveling hands-on history display. Attendees (best for girls 12 and up and their moms) will learn about the fashions and customs of the early American Republic. They’ll have a chance to view items they’ve probably only read about (chatelaine, vinaigrette, housewife, etc.), drape themselves with gingham and calico fabrics, and try on a poke bonnet. A formal tea time with instruction in proper etiquette rounds out this fun event.
Socialist Utopias: Everything Old Is New Again
I’ve published three historical novels set in 19th-century utopian societies: Silken Strands, Destination Harmony, and Matilda’s Eden. I was awarded the Arlene Feiner Memorial Grant to study the Legacy of the Female Boatloaders, the women who migrated to the utopian community of New Harmony, Indiana, on the Boatload of Knowledge. I presented that research in New Harmony in 2024 and am working on a nonfiction book. What happened to the utopian vision that caused over a hundred communitarian experiments to pop up around the United States in the 1800s? What became of those socialist experiments, and is the current rise of socialist politics related to that movement? This is an eye-opening presentation for adults who love history and are brave enough to talk about political ideology–then and now.
Homeschooling
I’ve been involved with homeschooling since the early 1990s. I’m the Executive Director of Mid-Metro Academy, a Christian homeschool academy in Roseville, MN. I can speak about how homeschool academies work and benefit families and students; how and why to homeschool through high school; how today’s students can “catch the wave” of Artificial Intelligence rather than be swamped by it; and how to use my Celebrate America Unit Study.