Author: Marsha

I write historical fiction, mostly from the perspective of young people who are thrust in the midst of war.

Grateful for wonderful educators

Just read and answered a stack of snail mail letters from readers from various parts of the US. This note was included along with 27 letters from 6th grade students from a school I visited in November and it made my day! Thank you to educators who let authors know that their presentations and books have an impact! 

Pysanky!

It’s like I’ve been galloping breathlessly from manuscript deadline to edit to promotion to more deadlines and repeat. And of course in the midst of that are the usual family and personal things that we all go through. Something that calms me and helps with creativity is creating pysanky — Ukrainian Easter Eggs. But for the last dozen years I’ve been writing more than one book a year. Much as I longed for the creative solitude of making pysanky, the time simply has not been there. And then there were the sore hands. Writing takes creativity of course, but it also requires great physical effort to sit in front of a screen for hours on end, then go do research, take notes, go back to the keyboard. But I have a few weeks right now while I’m between school visits and tours. I’ve finished two novels and am waiting for edits. And my hands are not all that sore! So it’s pysanka time! I dug out my old equipment and bought new dyes. My goal is to make maybe 10. It all depends on when the next edits arrive.

The pysanka on the top of this pic is my first one, just out of the black dye and ready to be blown out and gave the wax removed. The one below is my second egg, just out of the yellow dye.

Here’s the first egg finished, plus the second egg out of the orange dye.

This is the second egg out of the red dye and about to get its last wax design before going into black dye. I’m starting on my third egg, roughly basing it on a pysanka I made about 13 years ago (above).
Here’s that second egg with all the wax now applied.
The second egg fresh out of the black dye. The third egg has a problem. See that white marking? The egg had a hot pink ink expiry date stamped on it. I removed it with water, vinegar and gentle finger scrubbing, hoping the shell would be okay, but the surface was damaged and that spot doesn’t take dye as well. Note to self: avoid date-stamped eggs from now on.
Here’s pysanka #2 with all the wax off.

What is Wonder Bread? Virtual visiting with students of Waukon IA

It was such a pleasure to have three one hour Skype sessions with Waukon students, each about a different novel in my WWII trilogy. My favorite question of the day? Why was the bread called Wonder Bread in Stolen Girl!

First up was 7th grade and Making Bombs for Hitler.
Next up, 8th grade and The War Below.
Last up: 6th grade and Stolen Girl!

A child escaping war: presentation modifiable for any grade level

  • Yellow Cedar nominee
  • AdriftAtSea_website
    Golden Oak winner

Students need tools to develop empathy for those among us who have fled war, terror and prejudice. Marsha’s two non-fiction books from the perspective of a real child escaping after war are a perfect tool to step into the shoes of a young person in the midst of this terrible circumstance. 

Young people are engaged by these true stories. Interviewing the real people behind these books had a profound effect on Marsha herself. Using her books Adrift at Sea and Too Young to Escape, Marsha can speak to students in an age appropriate way about this urgent issue. Sample grade ranges that work well for these presentations:

grades 1 – 2,  grades 3 – 4,  grades 6 – 8.

Marsha has also spoken to high school, adult groups and professional groups on this topic.