Can you imagine meeting King Charles wearing a second-hand dress? That’s exactly what Caroline Jones did earlier this year. Her dress cost £8.50 (£ is the symbol for pounds in British money). I used an internet link and converted it to dollars. That day it equaled $11.49.

Caroline’s invitation came as recognition for her charity work for Cancer Research UK. Every day she finds a thrift store outfit, takes a picture, and puts it on her Instagram feed. Then it goes on sale at her local Cancer Research UK shop.
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Copy and paste in my Source link: https://www.msn.com/en-au/lifestyle/other/i- wore-an-8-50-dress-to-meet-the-king/ar-AA1IpLVy
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​Her Instagram Feed: https://www.instagram.com/knickers_models_own

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Part 1—The Story: Caroline’s story started when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Mary volunteered regularly at her local Cancer Research UK shop. When she was going through chemo, she asked her daughter to cover her shift. That’s when Caroline started doing the shop’s window displays. 

When her mother died, Carolyn did her first social media campaign in January 2015. How? She shared a year of photos of herself wearing thrift shop bargains. She came up with a name for her charity and then set up a JustGiving page. Her target, £1,000.

This year Caroline is repeating her campaign using her preloved outfits, and I have a feeling it’s already more successful. Afterall, it caught the attention of England’s King and Queen,

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​Are you ready for some bargain basement deals? Try your local thrift store! Think of it as a treasure hunt. When I looked at the original article, Caroline Jones had 11 tips to get you started…



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​​                   #1. Don’t be afraid to clash.

​OOH! I have trouble with this one, but I like Caroline’s suggestion. Pick a basic color and build from there using accessories and make-up. Use them to give your foundation a twist.
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One of her favorite designs, to pull a triple floral using your dress, bag, and earrings. She said if the dress pattern is too ditzy, go for a bigger one in your accessories. The trick, to balance the outfit so that you’re happy with it. If you aren’t, keep adjusting until you are.


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 Now Caroline’s talking my language! I love to use jewelry in my outfits. Caroline said she spends 70% of her time thinking about it. Not me. I keep trying things on until I’m happy. When you’re not feeling your best, keep accessorizing until you are. When I dress happy, I feel happy. 



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No, Caroline didn’t pick this image. I did; it’s from a 1913 ad.  I doubt Caroline gets her underwear from the thrift shop, and I won’t get mine pre-loved either. Wherever you get yours, she said to make sure they’re comfortable and give you good coverage. To quote her, “definitely spend some time on your underwear. It’s something we should all be doing. It makes you feel really good,” and who doesn’t love feeling good?!
 
 
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                                                                                                                                                4. Don’t get hung up on sizing. ​

​​Caroline doesn’t even look at it. She focuses on the cut of the cloth and how it looks. She tries on whatever appeals to her, whether it’s a men’s shirt or a maternity dress. PS—when she posted that dress on Instagram, people wanted to know where to find it. It looked that good on her!


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​                           5. Go for bold color. ​

​Remember the rainbow! Caroline loves color and rarely wears black. Why? It makes her unhappy. Check her Instagram account, and you’ll see color everywhere. Caroline starts an outfit with navies, grays and earth tones. Then she layers in those bright colors.
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Me, I love black. I only buy pieces when they catch my eye and convince me I’ve got to have them. Then I mix in elements from the store or my closet, until I’m happy with who’s in the mirror.


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I wonder if Caroline buys hers at a thrift shop. I’m not sure I would. She recommended 2 brands…Falke tights…with extra fabric to help them stay up, and they’re on Amazon too. YAY! The other, Heist Studios, in the UK. Sorry. And her tip that I’d never heard before, put moisturizer on your hands and legs first. It prevents snags. I’m dying to try it out!
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Caroline also likes ankle socks that match the color of her eye shadow or jewelry. She’s been known to pick up souvenir socks and fishnet pop socks. Fishnet pop socks, who knew?! Caroline says at 56, she’s allowed to play with color and messaging. Me, I think fun is priceless at any age.


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​                                                            7. Be playful. ​

​And yes, Caroline’s worn a Snoopy T-shirt on her Instagram page, but you’ll also find her in bowties, tiaras, pillbox hats, and fancy dresses. Thrift shops are a great place to play with your clothes. Where else would you find a cape? But if you think you need one, keep the lines under it simple and neat.
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                                                                                                                        ​8. Embrace the skirt. ​ 

​Caroline loves them, but she also knows a lot of ladies don’t. They’re afraid if they tuck in the top, their hips will look bigger, and no one wants that! Caroline says it’s all about the drape of the fabric, getting the proportions right for you, and drawing the eye up. In this photo, I’m drawn to the hat first, then the shoes. I see the skirt last. Caroline uses jewelry and make-up to get the same effect.
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PS—I think I should try the same strategy with pants.

If you’re experiencing temperature changes from the weather or menopause, light layers are wonderful! I found these two shots of Caroline on Instagram. Jackets are great! When you’re hot, you pull them off, and when you’re cold, put them back on again.
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And don’t forget, they look great draped over pants and skirts.


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                                                                          ​10. It’s all about proportions. ​

If you have curves, you might look away from a bias-cut dress. They’re cut diagonally and run across your body. If you have broad shoulders, spaghetti straps and halter necks might not be a good choice.

So what works? Nice wide straps, cap sleeves and boat necks. You’ll look better in them and feel better too.

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​I haven’t looked for a long time…I love leggings.

Caroline’s suggestions, first measure the zipper length with your hand. Caroline likes a long one, like the length of her hand. She wears anything from stonewashed to dark shades. She loves the cut of wide-leg button-fly Levi 501 ‘54s. Would you believe they’re based on a pair of jeans made back in 1954? And now, they’re back!
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Whether you pick wide-leg or boot cut, take a look in the mirror to see if you like the way you look.
After reading and sharing these tips, take a chance and walk through your local thrift shop. Who knows, maybe you’ll find a treasure! Me too!

 This is one of John Trumbull’s most famous paintings, the Signing of the Declaration of Independence. The problem—they’re not signing. See the five men standing? They’re the ones who drafted the Declaration and they’re presenting it to the Second Continental Congress. It hasn’t even been voted on yet.

I had the same problem trying to show what happened on August 2, 1776, when the delegates did sign it.  The first time, I had to piece my research together to tell their story. The second time I discovered they weren’t all there that day. Seven men were missing, so I had to cut up my chapter and sew it back together again. 
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Part 1 – An Unexpected Discovery: Then in April, I found a new problem…I had the men signing in the wrong order. Uh-Oh! Here’s my cutting story…

I’m always looking for a new book to help me picture the heroes of the Revolution and the men who signed the Declaration. I found them in Extraordinary Patriots of the United States of America: Colonial Times to Pre-Civil War. Meet our heroes from Ben Franklin to Sam Houston, to Jewish and African American patriots. It even includes the Declaration and the Star-Spangled Banner.  And that’s where I found chapter 1 on the cutting room floor.

I read this paragraph. I copied, then bolded and underlined the important part for you…

“On August 2 the delegates began signing the engrossed copy, which measured 24 ½ inches by 29 ¾ inches. the signatures of fifty-six men filled the parchment. Hancock centered his bold signature below the last words of the text.  The other delegates’ signatures started on the right and ended on the left in the order of their state’s location. The New Hampshire delegates began the list, and the Georgia delegates ended it. Some of the men who had voted to declare independence on July 4 never signed the final document.”

That bolded part stopped me. It made me want to forget I read it, but once you see something, you can’t unsee it. I couldn’t believe the founders started on the right side and ended on the left. That’s the opposite of how we read and write…LEFT TO RIGHT…And it’s the opposite of how I wrote Chapter 1.
Then to make it even worse, they started in New Hampshire and ended in Georgia. They went north to south. Of course, I did the opposite. Again.
But just reading it in a book, that didn’t make me cut up my manuscript. First I did some  googling…
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Here’s where I started. This site helped me find the number of late signers, so I trust it. BTW, they said seven.                    Link: The Signing of the Declaration of Independence - The American Founding
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And this is what they said about the order…

Beginning with New Hampshire, the signers’ names start on the right column of the document working geographically from the northern states to the southern states. Though the names of the states are not mentioned, by following this pattern one can figure out which delegate is from which state. 
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And if that wasn’t enough, my critique partner, Heather, googled and sent me a screen shot. It was the nail in the coffin. When you have three sources with the same facts, you have to give in and make a change, and that’s exactly what I did!

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Part 2 – Planning the Cut: After I decided to revise Chapter 1, I planned how I’d actually do the cutting. It took more time to plan than to do the rest of the revision. The first step, to take another look at the actual Declaration of Independence. This one came from Wikipedia. It’s “a version of a 1823 William Stone facsimile—William may well have used a wet pressing process.”

​How? He pressed ink from the original Declaration onto a contact sheet. He used it to make engravings. Then he printed out his facsimile. 

This is the most important part of the Declaration for me, those fifty-six signatures. As you look across the names, notice the six columns. This time I started on the right. I typed up a document and saved it in my Chapter 1 Word file. It has all fifty-six names. 

And the last name in column 6, that’s the missing man from New Hampshire—Matthew Thorton. I knew when I wrote my first draft that he didn’t sign on August 2, but I didn’t know why. I still don’t.

When I got to his chapter, #38, I discovered there were six other men who signed late. I wrote a post about how I cut chapter 1 that second time and put it back together.

PS – I stopped my list here for brevity's sake. If you google the signers of the Declaration, you can find and read all of their names.  
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Part 3 – Making the Cut: This is a screenshot of my revision plan for my 22nd draft. I know, I couldn’t believe I had to make major changes, but I’m all about getting the story right.

I put my notes in red, Start here or New Hampshire. It guided me on the correct order for those signatures. I’m all about the easy button so I moved the old #1 state to 13, and vice versa. I loved the middle…nothing changed!

This conversation took place right after I discovered the sequence was wrong. It got my juices going and helped me get excited about making those cuts.

It took another hour or two to revise and incorporate the changes. The goal, to make the signing so seemless that it feels like it was always written that way.

Then I spent 2 or 3 days going through the chapter to fine tune it. I listen to it over and over again until it’s smooth like silk and tangle-free.
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Part 4 – The Path Forward: Heather read Draft #23, and she has a ton of revisions for me to look at. On the other hand Callie, my Texas mentor and small publisher friend, suggested cutting one small scene in the second and third paragraph of page 1. She said the rest is ready to send out on submission.
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So, who do I listen to? Both! I’ll cut that small scene, and I’ll go back through Heather’s comments. I’ll revise the ones that resonate with me, and I’ll let the rest go. If I don’t, this chapter will never be perfect, and I’ll never get it published. 

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​And the road ahead? Chapter 1, 2, and 3 are on the back burner for now. So are 5 and 6. This week I’m working on 4 and 7. The goal is to make a round of revision through all 10 chapters. When I finish, I’ll take another sweep through all 10 again.

Catholics from the founding of our country on have faced discrimination. Think of the FBI targeting a Catholic Church that used a Latin service. Think Catholic presidents. I thought there was only one, JFK, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, but it turns out there was  a second…Joe Biden.

When I was growing up, it was common knowledge… don’t date Catholics. Why? If you married a Catholic, you’d be forced to raise your children that way too. BTW, I dated two.

But there’s a new first for US Catholics…a Catholic Pope from the US. The discrimination came from the Church itself. For decades, they feared too much American control of society, religion, and even politics, if an American was Pope. Read on, here’s a little background on the newest Pope, Leo XIV. 
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My sources:
Biography of Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost - Vatican News
Pope Leo XIV - Wikipedia
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​Part 1 – The First US Pope – A Brief Biography: See the man in the middle? That’s our new pope, the Bishop of Rome, Robert Francis Provost. He was born in September 1955, near Chicago Illinois. He’s not a coastal elite. He’s a man from the heartland who’s only four years older than me. His parents had French, Italian, and Spanish roots. Mine had German, French, and English ones. He had 2 older brothers. I had a younger brother and sister. All of those things make him relatable to people like me. 

See the house? It’s tiny, but that’s where young Robert grew up. I wonder if his neighbors ever dreamed that they lived beside a future pope. I imagine not.

‘Bob’ grew up in Dolton, Illinois. It’s on Chicago’s South Side. As a kid he was part of the parish of St. Mary of the Assumption. That’s where he went to school, sang in the choir, and served as an altar boy. Would you believe he dreamed of becoming a priest? He even played Mass at home with his older brothers. Wow!

His first step, moving to Michigan for high school. It's where he studied at the Minor Seminary of the Augustinian Fathers. For college he moved to Pennsylvania to study at Villanova, an Augustinian University. His first degree was in math, but he also studied philosophy.

Later in 1977, he moved to Missouri to become a novice/novitiate in the Order of Saint Augustine. Four years later he made his solemn vows. Think of it like graduation, but Bob wasn’t a priest. Not yet. The next school meant another move, back to Chicago for his theological education at the Catholic Theological Union. By 1982, his superiors sent him to Rome to study Canon Law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas. By mid-June, he was officially ordained as a priest. Congratulations, Father Prevost!
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This is South America. That’s where Father Prevost moved next. He was a missionary in Chulucanas, Peru from 1985-1986.  Peru is on the western central coast of South America. It’s in olive green.  Prevost returned to Illinois in 1987 to finish his doctorate.

In 1988 Prevost flew back to Peru. This time he went to Trujillo to serve the Augustinians as a missionary. He also took on ten different roles over eleven years. In 1999 he returned to Chicago where he served in five different jobs. He stayed put until 2013.

In 2014 Pope Francis sent Prevost to Peru again. This time to Chiclayo. Within a month Prevost was ordained as a Titular Bishop of Sufar.  He picked an episcopal motto, ‘in the one Christ we are one.’ Less than a year later Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of   Chiclayo. As bishop, Provost served in six other positions from 2015-2023 too, until the Pope found him a new job. Did you know Prevost also has dual citizenship? From Peru and the US.
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Becoming a Cardinal! In 2023 the Pope called Provost to Rome. His job, to recommend new bishops to Pope Francis, who’d have to approve them of course. His last job was Cardinal. From 2023-2025, he served in fifteen other roles as well.

Pope Francis died on April 21, and Provost was elected on May 8. From what I’ve seen and heard, I believe our new pope will talk the talk and walk the walk as a servant of Christ. Robert will grow and change as he adjusts to his new job, as Pope Leo XIV, just like everyone else who gets a promotion.



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​Charley was born in September1737, in Annapolis, Maryland. He was the only son and heir to a wealthy family who suffered discrimination because they were Catholics. At age ten he and his cousin John were sent to study secretly at Bohemia Manor in Cecil County. At age twelve the cousins were sent to study publicly at St. Omers, a Jesuit school in France. He wouldn’t return home for sixteen years, until he was 26. In between Charley studied the classics in Paris; then law at the Inner Temple in London. This portrait was painted before he came home in 1765.
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When Charley returned, he found himself the owner of 10,000 acres. The property’s name, Carrollton, became part of his name too. Why? To make himself different from all the other Charles Carrolls in the family. Within three years Charley married. He had seven children, but he only watched three grow up.

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Politically Motivated! As a Catholic, Charley couldn’t run for office or serve as a lawyer, but he knew how to write. He entered politics in 1773 when he wrote some letters as ‘First Citizen’ for the Maryland Gazette. He became known as a citizen patriot. A year later his fellow citizens elected him to the 2nd Maryland Convention, and that ended the ban on Catholics in politics.

Charley’s next assignment, traveling to Canada with Samuel Chase, Ben Franklin, and his cousin John. Their job, to get Canadians to join us in fighting the British. They said no thanks. Charley and Chase returned home. They convinced hesitant Maryland delegates to vote for independence, and Charley became a delegate to the 2nd Continental Congress. He was the only Catholic to sign the Declaration.
Here’s his signature…
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Charley didn’t stop there. He helped write Maryland’s first state Constitution and Declaration of Rights. It was adopted in 1776. He went on to serve in the state Senate from 1776-1800. (Wikipedia said he started in 1781.)

Charley continued to serve in the Continental Congress until 1778. He left when his term ended so he could spend more time with family and join in state government. In 1789 Charley became one of Maryland’s first two US Senators. He left at the end of 1792 because he had to choose where to serve. Maryland made a law that its representatives could only serve one government—state or national. Charley chose Maryland, of course. 
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I’m not sure when this painting was done. The internet tour guide for Charley’s Annapolis house said it was painted for his granddaughters. They married English aristocrats and wanted a painting to remember him.
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Charley left the Maryland Senate in 1800. That’s the year Thomas Jefferson was elected President, and his party too. They swept to victory in Maryland and across the country. 

But don’t worry! Charley didn’t wither away. He invested in banks, canals, turnpikes, bridges and water companies. AND, he helped build the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Think B&O! Charley never wasted money—he used it to grow more.

Charley spent his final years on Lombard Street in Baltimore. It’s now the Carroll Mansion and museum. He also built St. Mary’s Catholic Church on his land in Annapolis. It became the city’s first official Catholic Church.

On July 4, 1826, Charley became the last living signer when both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on the same day. Charley lived another six years, dying in November 1832. The country gave him a National Day of Mourning. He’s buried at his country home, Doughoregan Manor.

My Sources:
Charles Carroll of Carrollton – The Signer | Charles Carroll House
Charles Carroll of Carrollton - Wikipedia
 

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​Part 3 – The First Catholic Bishop – A Brief Biography: See the older man? At 71, he’s watched America grow from a colony into a country. John Carroll is a minor character in my middle grade novel… he’s Charley Carroll’s cousin. His claim to fame, he became the first Catholic Bishop in the US. Here’s his story…
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John was born in January 1735, in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. He was the third son of a wealthy Catholic family. His oldest brother died as a baby. Daniel was born second and became the family heir. He played a part in writing the Constitution. John was the youngest, but two years older than Charley Carroll. The cousins studied at Bohemia Manor; a grammar school run by Jesuit priests.
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A year later John and Charley traveled to St. Omer’s College in France. John stayed for six years. When he turned 18, he joined the Jesuits, the Society of Jesus. Within two years John began studying philosophy and theology at Liege, another Jesuit school. He joined the priesthood at 34. His first job, teaching his two favorite subjects at Liege and St. Omer’s. John’s path reminds me of Pope Leo’s.

Father John’s life changed when Pope Clement XIV disbanded the Jesuits in 1773. With his job gone, John left Europe for Maryland. There was no church, but Catholics could still worship at home. So John traveled through Maryland and Virginia serving as a Jesuit missionary.
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In the spring of 1776 Charley invited Father John on a trip to Canada. Why? The Continental Congress hoped the Jesuit priest could convince French Canadian Catholics to join the fight for independence. He didn’t change their minds. Charley stayed for the Battle of Quebec, and John traveled home with Ben Franklin. John said it was a fortunate experience. It was… Years later Ben recommended John as the first American Bishop.


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After the war Father Carroll met with five other Jesuits. They wanted to keep working as missionaries and hold onto their homes too. They asked the pope for someone, like a bishop, but without the title and all the power. The pope agreed. In 1784 he picked Father John as the Superior of the Missions in the United States.

John moved to Baltimore. He championed schools, Catholic or not. He also championed freedom of religion and played a role in shaping the first amendment, the one about religious freedom. He was lucky. His brother Daniel could pass John’s ideas onto the delegates writing the Constitution.

Problems within the church led Maryland priests to ask for a bishop. They even had a say on who it would be. Would you believe John got 24 out of 25 votes? In November 1789, Pope Pius VI made John the first American Bishop.
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​See John become a bishop at Lulworth Castle, England in August 1790. John arrived home in December and made St. Peter’s in Baltimore his home church. A year later he held a synod, a meeting of 22 priests from five countries. His biggest concern—training new priests. That was the reason St. Mary’s College and Seminary was established in 1791.

Not everything came easily. In 1798, Bishop John won an important lawsuit, the Fromm Case. Evidently a few Catholics were questioning his authority. The decision said, “The Bishop of Baltimore has the sole episcopal authority of the Catholic Church in the US.” It’s good to get moral support when others are questioning your judgement.

When John suggested a Catholic priest as a minister to the Indians, Washington not only agreed. He got Congress to hire and pay a small yearly salary for one. After his death, February 22 was set aside as a day to celebrate Washington’s life. Bishop John sent word to his clergymen that Catholics could participate too.

​See Bishop John build a cathedral. John laid the cornerstone in July 1806 after he paid $20,000 for the land. John wanted his church just right—B.H. Latrobe drew seven designs before John finally approved one. 
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Remember the painting of John? It’s from 1808. That’s when he became the Archbishop of Baltimore. John’s bishops lived in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Bardstown. Archbishop John was a beloved figure. Would you believe he was asked to lay the cornerstone for Washington’s Monument in Baltimore in the fall of 1815? He said no; he knew his end was near.

On November 22, he received the last sacraments. His funeral Mass was held at St. Peter’s, his home church. Archbishop John was laid to rest at St. Mary’s Seminary. Nine years later in 1824 his cathedral crypt was ready to receive him. My guess, Charley Carroll came to say goodbye to his cousin. They’d come a long way from grammar school at Bohemia Manor.
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My Sources:
John Carroll | Catholic Answers Encyclopedia
Baltimore-cornerstone - John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore) - Wikipedia

Did you watch The Masters? It was the golf tournament on last weekend. Sunday’s round was full of moments with the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, especially for Rory McIlroy. He was playing to win Golf’s Grand Slam. He almost lost—he bogeyed the last hole, lost his lead, and had to play a sudden-death playoff. Thank goodness he won!

Part 1 – The Commercial Hooks:  But that’s not why I’m writing about the Masters. It was all because of a commercial that hooked me three ways on Sunday. The first hook, the song, The Halls of Shambala. I remembered it from 1973. I was a freshman in junior high, middle school today.

The second hook, kids! Kids playing golf, putting the ball in the hole, or rolling it by. The third, the reason for the ad from Bank of America, they’re sponsoring a year of golf for kids across the country. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if someone who learns golf thanks to them, becomes the Master’s Champion in another ten to twenty years? This was the perfect commercial!
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​Sorry, I googled, but I couldn’t find a screenshot that lets you click on the commercial. Bank of America already pulled it down. But I can share this link: bank of america commercial for halls of shambala - Search Results | Facebook

It takes you to the screenshot above, and it plays Halls of Shambala by Three Dog Night. If you scroll down, the comments are more about the song than the tournament. I guess their fans were thrilled to hear it on national TV again. 
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As for this screenshot, I looked for young golfers who were as cute as the kids in the commercial. I went through like ten pages on Pixabay, and these were the best images I could find. Sorry ☹

  

                                                                                    Part 2 – A Song Is Born: ​​

​Halls of Shambala was written by musician, singer, and songwriter Daniel Moore. Two different artists recorded and released their own version of Moore’s song within a week of each other.
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The lyrics were written about Shambhala, a kingdom that existed only in myth, but it was written about in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism. The kingdom is supposed to be hidden somewhere near the Himalayas, either within its peaks or just beyond them.
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But Daniel Moore’s song version was about a mystic temple in Peru. Its name, the temple of the White Lodge. Daniel found it in Alice Bailey’s 1934 book, A Treatise on White Magic.
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                                                         Resource Link: Shambala (song) - Wikipedia
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Part 3 – First Out; Reached #31: B.W. Stevenson released his version first, probably at the end of May or beginning of June. It was a minute shorter and had a country pop rock sound to it. Stevenson’s version reached #66 on the US Pop Singles chart and #31 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Sorry, I couldn’t find a photo of B.W.

                                                         Resource Link: Shambala (song) - Wikipedia
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Part 4 – Last Out, But Hit #3: The version you heard from the golf commercial, that was Three Dog Night. They released Shambala early in June, and it stayed on the American top 40 chart from June until the end of August. AND, it hit #3 on both the Pop Singles and Adult Contemporary charts. Where does Second ever beat First?! In the Halls of Shambala.

Fun fact, this is the first song Three Dog Night released as a single. They added it later to their ninth album, Cyan. You’ll also find it on their anthology and compilation records.

Meet the boys in the band from 1972. Back row, from left to right: Joe Schermie, Floyd Sneed, Michael Allsup, and Jimmy Greenspan.

The front row, left to right are the founding members: Danny Hutton, Cory Wells, and Chuck Negron. Between 1969 and 1975, Three Dog Night scored 21 Billboard Top 30 hits. Three of them – #1s.

                Resource Links:  - Shambala (song) - Wikipedia    and - Three Dog Night - Wikipedia

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Part 5 – Welcome to Shambala:​ This was the only screenshot I could find. It’s from the story of Kalki’s birth place. Kalki is the final incarnation of the god  Vishnu. His arrival signals the beginning of a new Golden Age. If you’d like to check it out, click here: Shambhala - The Birth Place of Kalki

My link said Shambhala comes from a Sanskrit word. It means ‘place of peace or place of silence.’ Legends say only people with pure hearts live there. That it’s a place where love and wisdom reign. Where there’s no suffering, want, or old age. It sounds like Heaven to me.
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Some say Shambhala has a thousand names. Hindus call it Aryavartha, the Land of the Worthy Ones. The Chinese name is Hsi Tien, the Western Paradise of Hsi Wang Mu. Russian Old Believers call it Belovoyde, and across Asia it’s known by its Sanskrit name – Shambhala, Shamballa, or Shangri-la. Whatever its name, it’s where I want to go. 

I was born in 1959, and so many things I grew up with, that were made here in the USA are gone. The factories who made them, gone. Moved to another country. Employing other people to make them.  The link below has 18 things that left our shores. 
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#1. Rawlings Baseballs: They’re THE supplier for Major League Baseball. Born in 1887 in St. Louis, Missouri. Their founders, George and Alfred Rawlings.
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In 1969 Rawlings moved their factory from Missouri to Puerto Rico, then Haiti. Now they’re in Costa Rica. I guess baseballs are no longer as American as apple pie. 


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#2. Gerber Baby Food: Oh, my! I grew up eating Gerber. My kids did too.
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Gerber was born in 1927 in Michigan, that state up north. They merged with a Swiss pharmaceutical company, Novartis, in 1994. Nestle bought them out in 2007, but my link said Gerber is no longer made in the USA.

CORRECTION: Yes, it is. Bonus source #1 said Gerber’s still made in Ohio and Florida. In Canada and Europe too, but source #2 said you’ll find Gerber around the world. In Mexico too. 
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​#3. Etch A Sketch:. I had one growing up, and so did my husband. Etch A Sketch was born in Bryan, Ohio. The company, Ohio Art, moved its factory to Shelnzhen, China in 2000. It’s a pity . . . something created by Buckeyes is now made in China.



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Now Chucks are made in Indonesia, but I wondered about Converse, so I googled. If you buy anything with a Converse label, they’re made in China, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Malaysia. Not in the USA.

Converse became part of Nike in 2003. They’re both American companies, in name only. Their headquarters are in the US, but their shoes are made somewhere else.

Bonus Sources: Where Are Converse Made? In The US? - The Men Hero
​Is Nike an American Company? - Shoe Effect


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 5. Steel Rebar: Have you heard of rebar? I hadn’t, so I googled it. Rebar is a special steel bar or mesh made from small steel wires. Its purpose—to strengthen and stabilize concrete and other materials. You’ll find it in platforms, walls, floors, and ceilings.

If you’re in construction, you use rebar. You can buy some kinds in the US, but you have to import the others. 

                                      Bonus Source: What Is Rebar and Why Is It Used? - Handyman's World
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​#6. Shirts: The major manufacturers have left the country. The last one, C.F. Hathaway shut down their factory in Maine in 2002 after 165 years of doing business. There are still small shirt makers in the US, but the big guys are all gone.



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#7. Mattel: It’s the largest toy company in the world, the stuff of my childhood. Mattel shuttered its last US factory in 2002. Now China makes about 65% of Mattel’s toys. That includes Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, Polly Pocket, American Girl, and so many more.

Mattel’s headquarters are in California, and it has factories all over the world including China, Mexico, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Like everything else, production is cheaper overseas.

                                             Bonus Source: Where Are Mattel Toys Made? - AllAmerican.org


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​​ #8. Minivan Chassis: I know what a minivan is but had no idea about the chassis. It’s the bottom of a car, where the rubber meets the road. Think wheels and axles. I used Legos to teach my second graders about them, but I never used the word chassis. Car companies stopped making them here in 2003. 

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#9. Vending Machine Parts: The key parts of my favorite machine aren’t made in the USA anymore. Two of them – the bill and coin dispensers.

             Tomorrow: Four more products no longer made in the USA



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#10. Levi Jeans: If you’re American, you’ve probably worn Levis. They were an icon here for 150 years, until December of 2023. That’s when they moved their factories to Latin America and Asia.

What’s Latin America? I looked it up. It’s the parts of the Americas that once belonged to the Spanish, Portuguese, or French colonial empires. So, what’s that? Basically everything south of Mexico, including Central and South America. Plus, the islands of the Carribean.

Bonus Source: Latin America can also be defined as all those parts of the Americas that were once part of the Spanish, Portuguese or French colonial empires.
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​#11. Radio Flyer Wagons: Everyone I know, including my children grew up with a little red wagon. They were all made in the US until 2004. That’s when Radio Flyer closed its plant in Chicago and moved to China. 




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#12. Television: I grew up with TV. I went from black and white to color. From a small screen to the huge ones we have today. In the 60s TVs were made in the USA. Not anymore. The last American manufacturer, Five Rivers Electronic Innovations, closed in 2004. Now, TVs are made somewhere else.

So, who makes TVs? The AI list included South Korea, China, Vietnam, Poland, India, Mexico, Russia, and Indonesia. But I found A FEW made in the USA.

1. Silo Digital is in Chatsworth, California. It specializes in LED TVs, and it’s been the leading ‘manufacturing scene’ (whatever that means) in the USA for the last 10 years.

2. SunBrite TVs are based in Thousand Oaks California, but they have plants in North Carolina and Texas. Their specialty, TVs for outside places, but they have indoor ones too!

3. Element Electronics sounds like a hybrid to me. They have an assembly plant in South Carolina to make their Smart TVs, but their Android and Roku units are made in Asia.

4. Sharp Electronics Corporation, really? They started in Montvale, New Jersey in 1962, but they are a subsidiary of Sharp from Japan. My source said, ‘you really can’t get televisions that are more “Made in America” than Sharp!’ If that’s true, why didn’t my source list the plants in the US?

5. Toshiba is another Japanese subsidiary that has some assembly lines here in the states. They do carry the Made in the USA label, but they don’t name the states they’re in.

​6. Seura is an American brand found in Green Bay, Wisconsin.  

 Bonus Source: TVs Made In the USA: American Brands Complete List [2025]


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#13. Cell Phones: My original link said that in 2008, 1.2 billion cell phones were sold world-wide, and NOT ONE was made in the USA. So, where are they made? I googled, and here’s the Top Ten list:

1. China once made 80% of the world’s phones, but it dropped to 50% in 2023 when some companies left the country.

2. India is where business went. Phones are now their 5th largest export.

3. Vietnam was in 2nd place, until India passed them. Now it’s in 3rd place, and they make 10% of the world’s mobile phones.

4-10. These six countries make the remaining 20% of mobile phones. In order…the US, Japan, Germany, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom. How did the US get into 4th place? Maybe other countries make the parts, and Americans assemble them, but that’s a guess.

    Bonus Source: The Top 10 Mobile Manufacturing Countries (Updated 2025) (US) - MobilityArena

                                       

                                                          The photo below is a welding kit. It has 4 key parts.

Top Right – Crucible. It’s used for melting metallic elements before they can be cast. Crucibles have to have a higher melting point than whatever’s inside.

​Top Row Left – Sand Mold. There are 3 pieces for each rail type and 3 different kinds of rails.

Bottom Left – Igniter. It has a wind resistant design, and it produces temperatures as high as 1500 Celsius. Water boils at 100. YIKES! You need 1 igniter for each weld. That’s where you melt 2 pieces of metal together.
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Bottom Right – Welding Portion. That’s the metals—aluminum and iron oxide powders, that are put into the crucible then melted together. 



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Put it altogether, and this is what rail thermite welding looks like. I hope welders use protective equipment to stay safe and keep their cool.

Bonus Sources:
Cast Manganese Steel Crossings: Applications and Benefits - MFG Shop
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Rail thermite welding | Railroad Thermite Welding | Welding Kit And Crucibles Available
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#15. Dell Computers: Dell’s last major plant in the US closed in 2010. Now they outsource their production to Asia. Why? To stay competitive, in other words to keep prices down. American workers in the 2000s made too much money. That made Dell computers expensive, so they sent their factories overseas where they could find cheaper workers.

#16. Canned Sardines: The little fish that are great on crackers, they aren’t canned in the US anymore. They’d been an American product from 1875 until April 2010. That’s when the last cannery, Stinson Seafood from Maine, shut down.

Where do canned sardines come from now? More than half are from Morocco, a country in Northern Africa. They produce more than 850,000 tons each year. That’s a lot of tuna!

                                  Bonus Source: Most of the world's canned sardines come from this country


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#17. Flatware: Oh, that’s silverware! My link said Sherrill Manufacturing, the last plant in the US, stopped production in 2010 because of economic troubles, and that they hoped to restart their business again.

Surprise! Flatware is still made here in the US, and I found four companies that do it. The first, Liberty Tabletop, and it’s made by Sherrill, in Sherrill, New York. Yes, they’re back in business again! Farmhouse Pottery is also in New York. Wallace Silversmiths are in Wallingford, Connecticut, and Knock Flatware is in Newton, Kansas. Three cheers for flatware made in the USA!
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                                  Bonus Source: The 4 Flatware Made in The USA 2024 (Complete List)


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#18. Incandescent Light Bulbs: Invented in the USA, but the last big factory closed in September 2010. Why? Congress passed a ban on them that began in 2014.

I googled if incandescents are made here, and it turns out it’s still a political thing. In 2023 the Biden administration put in a controversial regulation—They banned General Service Lamps too, AND incandescent light bulbs couldn’t be manufactured or sold here either. If a business refused to obey, they’d forfeit their stock. OUCH!

In January 2025 President Trump signed an executive order about energy efficiencey, AND the government is reevaluating light bulbs. So…the good old incandescents might be back, or not. But if they are, you might still need new lamps to use them.

BTW, this isn’t a complete list of products, but we’re in a period of change, so maybe, some will come home again.
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                                            Bonus Source: Are Incandescent Light Bulbs Coming Back?

​Did you ever reread a story and discover there’s more to it? I read this for Saturday Reads in March of 2023. But when I read it out loud for fourth graders at Cridersville Elementary, I knew I had to write about it. For you, for them, and for me too…I was curious.

The Water Princess in the story spends her morning walking to the well. She returns home in the afternoon. That’s about 4 miles a day, or a hike through 70 football fields lined up back-to-back. That’s a long way.

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Part 1 – Meet the Real Water Princess:  Her name, Georgie Badiel. The book said it was based on her childhood. The real Georgie didn’t walk to the well every day, only during summer vacations with her grandmother.

Georgie grew up, became a model, an author, and an activist. Today she lives in New York City, but she has never forgotten those childhood walks to collect water. Now she has a platform to help people back home. It’s dedicated to building and restoring wells in Burkina Faso.

This screenshot is from her board of directors. The link:  Team — Georgiebadielfoundation
 

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Part 2 – A Foundation for a Princess:  This Georgie Badiel’s Foundation’s home page.
The link: Georgiebadielfoundation

Georgie said, “I used to walk 3 hours to fetch water for my family.
My goal is to break that cycle.”​
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​Georgie's Mission = CLEAN WATER in Burkina.
Ensure the SUSTAINABILITY of the water system
through WOMEN ENGINEERING program.

When you can provide clean water to someone, it impacts every aspect of life.

If you’d like to watch this video, click on: Mission — Georgiebadielfoundation
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Part 3 – Where the Princess is Working:  Georgie Badiel’s Foundation works in Burkina Faso. The link: Where We Work — Georgiebadielfoundation

Burkina Faso is shown in red and green, with a star in the center. It looks small on the map, but it’s about the size of Montana.

Burkina Faso has way more people. Montana only has 1million, and Burkina Faso, 20.9. That’s like 21 times more!

Burkina Faso was once a French colony. Its official language is still French, but half the people speak Mossi. Its citizens are called Burkinabe, and its capital is Ougadougou.
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Its neighbors—Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin and Togo to the southeast, Ghana to the south, and the Ivory Coast to the southwest. BTW, Georgie was born in the Ivory Coast.

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Remember those 2 women? The foundation teaches them basic engineering, how to restore, and maintain those wells. Why women? They’re the ones who collect the water, so they need to keep it working.

Would you believe Burkina Faso has 9,775 broken wells? Georgie’s foundation wants to insure their new wells are maintained and cared for, so they manage them until the women are ready to take over.

The Links:
How We Work — Georgiebadielfoundation
Women Engineering — Georgiebadielfoundation
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                                                                    The Link: Georgie Badiel-Liberty - Home


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Part 4 – Another Water Hero: I thought I was done with the Water Princess, but I saw something on Fox News that made me keep going. One of the reporters did a charity event for Africa 6000 International. I listened, and I was hooked. It was a story I had to tell!

Africa 6000 was born in 2007. That didn’t catch my attention, but this did—6000 children died EVERY DAY in 2007 because of waterborne diseases. What a heartbreaking statistic.

The good news, that number has been cut in half…down to under 3000 kids. But that’s still too many, and it’s still heartbreaking.                  Their link: Our Mission - Africa 6000 International   
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​Africa 6000, their mission is the same as Georgie Badiel’s. To deliver clean water to the thirstiest people in Africa. Their charity builds long-term, solar-powered water wells that can be accessed and maintained successfully by the people who live beside them. Africa 6000 hires and trains teams to drill wells and drive support vehicles. 

Meet Jesse Waters. He’s the Fox reporter who introduced me to Africa 6000. He only had 30-60 seconds to tell his story, but it was compelling. He said the number of children dying was closer to 2000 now. Imagine building a program that saves the lives of 3-4000 children every single day. THAT’S an accomplishment!
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Imagine that clean water makes medical clinics and schools possible. Picture water flowing to your garden or farm. And dream that you and the people in your village are trained and empowered to keep those wells working. THAT’S powerful! Plus, women and children can go to school, can learn to read and write. And me, I’m proud to introduce you to this incredible program!

These 2 maps show the success Africa 6000 has had. Do you see those blue circles with white dots? Each one represents a well built by Africa 6000. They’ve done a lot of work in18 years!
Here’s an interesting fact I learned from Africa 6000—Did you know…A whole family in Africa exists on 5 gallons of water a day? Each American, every single one of us, uses 175 gallons EVERY DAY! Wow, Americans are blessed! ​

​In August of 2024, I decided to break my novel of 57 chapters into a series. The first book will go from chapters 1-10, from the Declaration of Independence to the end of the Revolution.

I went from writing a chapter a week to endless editing and revision. Would you believe chapters 1 and 2 have gone through over 20 revisions since June? I’m working to polish the first 3 chapters to send out on submission. Each chapter is about 13 pages, with 5-10 comments a page to work through. That’s a lot of revision!


​                                               I used to paste them in, then revise. Here’s my new shortcut . . . 
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Part 1 - A Simple Revision: This is my download from Google Docs. It’s in Microsoft Word. That’s where I do my work.
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The screenshot below came from Chapter 1. Ben Franklin and John Hancock are on their way to sign the Declaration of Independence. Heather’s comment is to the right. She asked about the tea thrown overboard.  BTW, the real Boston Tea Party happened on December 16, 1773. 
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Here’s what I did . . . I left the paragraph and the  comment where it was. Then I copied another set below the original one. (See? They both start with ‘Ben chortled.’)

Then I copied and pasted Heather’s comment between the two paragraphs. I bolded it for you. She suggested I replace good English tea with fresh English tea.

It seems like an easy switch, until you do the research. The East India Tea Company got their tea from China. Fresh tea leaves wouldn’t have made it to England, or the colonies. They were dried for the journey. 
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I could have replaced good with dried English tea, but I didn’t. This is a story about the founders, the men who signed the Declaration. Not tea, so I left it the way it was, for now. The current version is in the screenshot below, but it could still change. If Heather suggests something better, I’ll take a look.
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Part 2 - A Complicated Revision: This screenshot came from Chapter 2. It’s a conversation I imagined between Charley and John Dickinson. Both men served in the Continental Congress.

John was the chairman of the Committee for the Articles of Confederation. He represents most delegates. They wanted our first constitution to give more power to the states than the national government. Charley took the opposite side now, and in the distant future when the Articles fail, as he predicted. 

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Here’s how I edited the first paragraph. I only copied the comment from ‘pursed his lips.’ It’s bolded, and it’s 7 paragraphs long. Heather had 3 more comments in the rest of that original paragraph, plus  4 more comments in the next 2.

This was THE most complicated revision in all of chapter 2. That’s why I picked it to share with you. Would you believe this page took 2 days to revise. YIKES!

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​After 2 days of revision, this is what I sent to my critique group. Heather will see it next. The original lines started with pursed his lips. I added 6 new lines and the revision ended with supported his concerns.

Basically I stretched the conversation between Charley and John Dickinson. I showed their emotions through actions. Then I named that emotion in words. I also added the details Heather thought a reader would want to know. She reminded me that the reason I write/revise is for you, my reader. 

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Part 3 – Two Files That Get Me Unstuck: Look below and you’ll see three Word files that I keep on my desktop. Two of them have similar names; they both begin with Chapters 1 and 2.
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The bottom one from December is my working copy. I edit and revise on it. I used it to screenshot all the examples you found in this post.

Above it, my original copy from Google Docs. It has the original words from my last revision. It also has all of Heather’s comments. This is the first time I’ve ever put it on my desktop.

When all the revisions are done, I pull up my working copy, listen to it on narrator, and look for places that don’t work. Sometimes I change a word or two; sometimes more.

When I get stuck and can’t decide what to do, I pull up that original copy. I look at what was, Heather’s comment, and what’s on the new page. And, PRESTO!

OK, it’s usually not that fast, but I get an idea to try. Whatever I decide, I edit, listen, and repeat until the paragraph sounds just right…until Heather looks at it again. 

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The document on top, Pray first, I’ve had it on my desktop for a year or two. Would you believe I used it today? I’m working on Heather’s comments from the beginning of chapter 3. She asked me to describe the outside of Old St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Philadelphia. I don’t know if Charley ever attended St. Joseph’s, but he was Catholic…so it’s highly likely. 
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I worked three days on the first page of Chapter 3, and I was still stuck. Still unhappy. So I pulled up my file, this screenshot, and I read it once again. Turning to God and putting my faith in Him always puts things in perspective. It helps me decide what to try next.

Reading through Pray first made me finally realize I don’t know enough about what St. Joseph looks like. That information doesn’t exist online, so I emailed the librarian at St. Joseph’s University and asked for help. Then I put a plug in page 1. I can’t move on until she answers my questions.
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So tomorrow…I’ll try my luck on page 2.

I love Mrs. Frizzle! Her outfits are so much fun! They focus attention on whatever she’s teaching, from her earrings down to her shoes.
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I can never match her style, but it’s fun to try! Take a look at how I dress for my weekend videos. Can you match them together? Good luck!
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Part 1; Matching People: Here are three screenshots from three videos. Two are about famous people. Match my outfit in screenshot 1, 2, and 3 to the people I was talking about.
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One is about how we can all follow our dreams, like Dr. King did. A second is about Vice President, J.D. Vance. And the third is about Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. himself. Can you match the people I talked about to my outfit? Look closely for clues! 
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Following dreams, that’s Photo #2. White clouds on a navy shirt made me think dreams, and clouds are in the video too.

​The Title: Following Your Dreams.                               
The Link: (1) Facebook    

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​Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is Photo #3. My black turtleneck, sweater vest, and cross necklace helped me read his most famous speech. 

Book Title– I Have a Dream.
​The Link: (1) Facebook​
 
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​Part 2; Matching Holidays: Here are two screenshots from two holiday read-aloud videos. One is the scary holiday children love to celebrate. The second is all about hearts and love. It’s another childhood favorite. Can you match the holiday to my outfit? Look closely, and you’ll find a few clues! 
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The first holiday photo, Halloween. That’s when children dress up in costumes. Some, are scary! Usually I wear orange and black, but this sweater features a few webs and spiders too. SCARY!
                        The Book Title- Dino-Halloween.                                    The Link: Facebook 

And the second, Valentine’s Day. Did you notice my heart necklace and the rose-colored sweater?
                        The Book Title- Valensteins.                                               The Link: Facebook   

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​These two screenshots are from the same holiday. Christmas, of course! But the read-alouds are different. One’s about Santa. The other’s about Baby Jesus. Which outfit matches their read-aloud?

The first screenshot, Baby Jesus. Did you see the star and the wise man? This is my Christmas Day read-aloud.                 The Book Title- The Christmas Story.                                                           The Link: Facebook 

And the second, Santa! Did you see him in his sleigh with the reindeer? It’s my Christmas Eve read-aloud.                             The Book Title- A World of Cookies for Santa.                                        The Link: Facebook  


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Part 3: Matching Places: Here are three screenshots from three places I wrote about . . . the royals of ancient Egypt, estuaries in New Zealand, and tales from Wapakoneta. Can you match my outfit to the place I wrote about? Check the color and jewelry in each screenshot for clues!
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Estuaries in New Zealand, that’s Photo #1. I picked the tan color in my sweater with hints of brown and black because it reminded me of the estuary photos.
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The Title: Take a Trip to New Zealand.
The Link: Facebook

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And Wapakoneta, that’s Photo #3. Wapak was home to the first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong. I picked a blue/black paislley print. It reminds me of space. The necklace, it’s made of medallions with Neil’s footprint, the one he left on the moon in 1969. Over fifty years later, it’s still there, just the way Neil left it.

The Title: Tales from Wapakoneta.
The Link: Facebook      

​As I grow older, my faith grounds me in a way it didn’t when I was younger. It helps me take adversity in stride. It helps me navigate the highs and lows of life, but most of all, I have a sense of peace I didn’t have when I was younger.

​Part1 – The Faith of a Few Buckeyes: I was surprised to find this link a few days after  the Cotton Bowl. Ohio State players kneel in prayer on field before Cotton Bowl victory

Faith is a private thing for me. I usually don’t talk about mine, but I’m happy when people share theirs on TV. This article had links for three videos of OSU football players demonstrating their faith. I picked two of them to share.

1 – This image came from the first link in the article (second paragraph). I stopped the video and did a screen shot. It’s the moment when nearly every Ohio State player was on the field. They knelt and prayed before the Cotton Bowl pregame started.
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I love my Buckeyes, and I think this is one of their finest moments. Win or lose, to focus your head and heart in prayer before the first play of a big game, that’s a very good thing.
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#2 – This is the second link (paragraph six). I didn’t see this video until I read the article. This is another screen shot, but it was taken after THE game, the one with that team up north. Yes, Michigan won, and some Wolverines tried to plant their flag in the middle of the stadium, the Shoe.

This shot took place during the middle of that post-game chaos. Would you believe two Buckeyes and one Wolverine knelt in prayer? It’s one of the loveliest examples of faith I’ve ever seen.

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​ Part 2 – A Prayer Change : It all started for me when Olivia Newton John died. That was back in August of 2022. I read that she started saying the Lord’s Prayer each night during her final bout with cancer. She hoped it’d bring her closer to her daughter, and I read it worked.

​I thought if Olivia could pray the Lord’s Prayer, I could too. Now I pray it every night before I go to sleep. Three years later, it’s changed the way I pray. 

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#1 – I began to start with gratitude; then I’d end with the Lord’s Prayer. I never planned it. Gratitude just bubbled up in me each night, and I started thanking God for the blessings He sent my way. Big things, little ones. It didn’t matter. What did – expressing my attitude of gratitude to Him.

#2 – Over the years I stopped asking God for the things I need or want. They haven’t changed in years so I trusted God knew about them. That He’d grant them if/when it was time. Then a year ago, I read that we need to keep asking for those things. It gives me peace to know they’ll be granted in His time.

So now as I lay in bed, I begin my nightly prayers with gratitude, then my wish list. I end them with the Lord’s Prayer. Most nights I’m asleep in 10-15 minutes, and that’s a wonderful thing for someone who’s struggled with sleep issues.

  
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When you query an agent or publisher, you pitch your manuscript to them. Comp titles are part of that letter. Comps are books published in the last three years. They’re similar to your manuscript, and they give the agent/publisher an idea where your story could fit into the marketplace.

Part 1 - Why This Title? My middle grade novel is about the men who signed the Declaration of Independence. The first ten chapters follow them to the end of the American Revolution. One Dead Spy is a graphic novel about Nathan Hale. It starts when he joins the Continental Army, and it ends with his death, September 22, 1776.
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My manuscript and this spy novel are both works of middle grade historical fiction. They’re both set during the Revolution. Charles Carroll of Carrollton is my main character, and you’ll meet the first nine dead signers through his eyes. Nathan Hale, the spy, tells his story to a British officer, and the hangman.
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Part 2 - The Real Nathan Hale: No, not the author/illustrator of this book. I’m talking the REAL dead spy. The one who died almost two months after the founders signed the Declaration on August 2, 1776. And no, only John Hancock and Congress’s secretary signed on the Fourth of July.

I couldn’t find a painting of the real Nathan Hale, but I found his statue from City Hall Park in New York City. I also found a sketch from the day the British hung him. That’s where my comp title begins, with the hanging. Now, the facts from a link attributed to the CIA . . .
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Nathan came from a prominent Connecticut family. He attended and graduated with honors from Yale in 1773. He got a job right away teaching in New London, Connecticut. When the War began in 1775, pre-Declaration, he immediately joined the militia. Within five months he was promoted to First Lieutenant. That’s how far Nathan goes to tell his real back story. It goes into his bad luck, which I didn’t find, but remember, my source was a CIA file. Maybe it’s still top secret, LOL!
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Part 3: Who Was Henry Knox? I’ve heard of Fort Knox in Kentucky and Knoxville in Tennessee, but lately I’ve wondered how they got their names. Then I read One Dead Spy, and they were named after Henry Knox.

So who was he? One Dead Spy said he owned a bookstore, and that he was in charge of artillery during the American Revolution. Bookstore and artillery, they just don’t match, so I looked him up. His story is fascinating!

Henry’s dad died when he was nine, so he worked as a clerk in a bookstore to support the family. The owner inspired his love of books and learning. Between shifts, Henry taught himself French, philosophy, and math. Would you believe he even studied the wars of ancient Greece and Rome? 
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Knox didn’t just read about war. He joined a Boston street gang and learned to fight. Then a local artillery company. He turned his knowledge and experience against the British.

By 1771 Knox owned his own shop. Its titles included books about military history and strategy. He loved chatting with the soldiers who stopped by. A year later he started the Boston Grenadier Corps and joined the local Sons of Liberty. He was on guard duty for the Boston Tea Party and joined the militia in time for the Battle of Bunker Hill. He set up the fortifications and directed his cannons at the British.

The battle turned into a siege. That’s when Knox got a brilliant, but crazy idea. He’d make the 300-mile trek to Fort Ticonderoga, New York, then return with the cannons and supplies the Americans captured. The crazy part – Knox reached the Fort on December 5 and returned with 60 tons of cannon, plus other munitions. For bonus points, he hauled them through the icy Berkshire Mountains and across a frozen lake. Knox delivered them on January 27, 1776. After his cannons started firing, the British army and navy decided to retreat to Halifax, Nova Scotia. 

Knox continued on as the artillery chief for the New York and New Jersey campaigns. By the winter of 1778-79, he had a new job, head of the first artillery and officer training school. He drilled over 1000 soldiers during that horrible winter. His school inspired the military academy at West Point.

In 1780 he served on the military tribunal that sentenced John Andre to death by hanging. Andre was the spy who got Benedict Arnold to turn traitor. A year later Knox and his French counterpart helped end the war. They positioned the cannons at Yorktown. BTW, this is a portrait of Henry painted in 1806, long after the American Revolution ended.

​                                                     Source: National Museum of the United States Army
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                              PS – Nathan Hale, the real dead spy, made the trip to Fort Ticonderoga
                                                  and back with 60 tons of artillery, in the dead of winter 
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Part 4: Meet The Ohio Digital Library: It’s where I find the books for Saturday Reads. But I picked it for One Dead Spy because I can read it online, on my computer screen. That means I can make the page bigger. Much, Much BIGGER than my kindle screen. And that’s an amazing tool when you’re trying to read the cartoons in a graphic novel!
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​                                                                           The Ohio Library’s Description:

​Experience the New York Times bestselling graphic novel—now as a deluxe, oversized edition featuring 15 brand-new pages of mini-comics

The Bigger & Badder editions of Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales continues! Nathan Hale (the author's namesake) was America's first spy, a Revolutionary War hero who famously said "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country" before being hanged by the British. In Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales, author Hale channels his historical döppelganger to present history's roughest, toughest, strangest stories. This book tackles the story of Nathan Hale himself, who was an officer for the American rebels in the Revolutionary War and was eventually hanged for spying. This special edition of One Dead Spy features a larger trim size, a deluxe package, and 16 pages of bonus material, including research photos, sketches, and mini-comics from the author.

Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales are graphic novels that tell the thrilling, shocking, gruesome, and TRUE stories of American history. Read them all—if you dare!