The Skylight Caper ~ Plus HUGE Giveaway

In the few days between the deadly arson at Montreal Blue Bird Café and the murder of the Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics in 1974, three thieves entered the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts through a skylight. They stole artwork valued, at that time, for more than two million dollars.

The horrors of the arson and the deaths of the Olympic athletes understandably overshadowed the art thefts even though this wasn’t only the largest art theft but the largest theft of any kind in Montreal’s history.

 

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA), also known by its French name, Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal, is Canada’s oldest and largest museum. It was founded in 1860 by Francis Fulford, an Anglican bishop.

Montreal Museum of Fine Art

At the time of the theft, the skylight was covered with plastic and its alarm disabled because of renovations going on at the museum. 

 

Sometime after midnight on September 4, 1972, the thieves climbed onto the roof then slid down a rope they dropped through the skylight. They tied up the guards, gathered their loot, then realized their initial plan to go back out through the skylight using a complicated pulley system was impractical. Eventually, they went out a side door and set off an alarm.

 

Not that the alarm stopped them. The unidentified thieves got away with eighteen paintings and thirty-eight other pieces that included jewelry and figurines. 

 

Since the thieves have never been caught, it’s unclear if they knew about the lapse in security ahead of time. Was it an inside job? Or was the Montreal Mafia or Quebec separatists behind the theft? Maybe the thieves were students from the nearby École des beaux-arts de Montréal.

 

These are a few of the theories considered by the police, but their investigations didn’t lead to any arrests. One stolen work, Brueghel’s Landscape with Buildings and Wagon, was returned as part of a ransom negotiation that went nowhere. But none of the other stolen items have been recovered.

 

The case files were scheduled to be shredded in 1984 when Alain Lacoursière, an art-theft specialist with the Montreal police, took over the investigation. He eventually came in contact with an anonymous informant, known to Lacoursière only as Smith, who may know more about the theft than he ever revealed to the investigator. 

 

In 2011, the mysterious Smith sent an email to Lacoursière, by then retired, with a link to a Mercedes-Benz advertisement from Hong Kong. In the video:

 

“bank robbers steal a briefcase from a bank vault, then escape in a Mercedes. They elude capture but leave the briefcase behind; inside is a long-lost stolen da Vinci painting” (Sezgin). 

 

The most valuable painting taken by the thieves is Rembrandt's Landscape with Cottages. Valued at $1 million at the time, the painting is now estimated to be worth more than twenty times that.

Rembrandt's Landscape with Cottages

If only investigators knew where to find it!

CELEBRATION GIVEAWAY

 

To celebrate reaching 3 MILLION views, HHH is hosting a HUGE giveaway of over 60 books in 18 prizes, so there are many chances to win! 

 

One grand prize will consist of ten books, two readers will win a second prize containing five books, and there will be fifteen winners of a third prize containing two books each. 

 

There are several ways to earn entries, such as following or commenting on the HHH blog each day. 

 

To enter ~ http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ce16d9c612/

 

Thank you for being part of the HHH community, and best wishes in the giveaway!

I'm giving away two of my WWII novels: Where Treasure Hides and The Cryptographer's Dilemma. I'm also giving away two historical novella collections: Homefront Heroines and The Erie Canal Brides Collection.

My Bio ~ Johnnie Alexander imagines inspiring stories in multiple genres. A fan of classic movies, stacks of books, and road trips, she shares a life of quiet adventure with Griff, her happy-go-lucky collie, and Rugby, her raccoon-treeing papillon. Visit her at johnnie-alexander.com. 

Photo Credits ~

Claire and Marc Bourgie Pavilion, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, formerly the Erskine and American United Church ~ Photo by Jean Gagnon ~ File: Elise Erskine and American 04.jpg; Created: 23 July 2011 (Creative Commons).

Rembrandt's Landscape with Cottages. Black-and-white image from the artist's 1968 catalogue raisonné.

Source of Quote: 

 

Sezgin, Catherine Schofield (May 20, 2011). "Part Two: Alain Lacoursière, the Mercedes-Benz Commercial Video, and Madonna and the Yarnwinder". ARCAblog. Retrieved August 30, 2017.

The Posters That Sold WWI to America & A Huge Giveaway

By Kimberly Grist

President Woodrow Wilson won his re-election bid with the 1916 slogan, “He kept us out of war.” He believed that the war in Europe would be a quick one. Knowing that America is a melting pot, made up of people from all the nations involved, Wilson didn’t want to create conflict by taking sides which could create tension, thus tearing the country apart. The U.S. remained neutral but still participated in trade with the allied nations.

Germany realized the only way to win the war was to keep the United States from supplying Europe with food and ammunition. They knew that by sinking American ships, they would force the U.S into action. Their gamble was they would win the war before the U.S. could send troops to Europe.
Photograph of the Lusitania, from the Illustrated War News, May 12, 1915


In 1917, Germany resumed unrestricted warfare by sinking seven U.S. ships and tried to recruit Mexico to join against the United States by promising to help them recover former territories, making Wilson’s vow of neutrality impossible. On April 2, 1917, President Wilson addressed Congress appealing that the United States enter the war as “the world must be made safe for democracy.” Four days later, the United States declared war on Germany.


Convincing the American people of their need to support the war effort would not be an easy task. On April 14, 1917, President Wilson established an organization called the Committee on Public Information to promote the decision. Who could say no to the pointing finger of Uncle Sam?
The CPI communicated through magazines, newspapers, books, phonographs, movies, sheet music, and, my favorite, posters. The illustrators used advertising strategies and graphic design to engage and stir up emotions reminding citizens who and what our nation was trying to protect.

James Montgomery Flagg created this poster, which was featured on April 19, 1917, during “Wake Up, America” Day in New York City. The poster features a sleeping woman dressed in stars and stripes and symbolizing a sleeping America while threatening storm clouds gather in the background.

No Time to Waste

In 1917, the United States had a combined military force of approximately three hundred thousand, one of the smallest in the world. Enlistment posters called for patriotism and sacrifices. Over the next 19 months, the military will have grown to over four million and one of the largest in the world.

Sowing The Seeds of Victory

Citizens at home were called upon to tap into their patriotism to ensure food supply and distribution could continue during the war. Phrases like “The Spirit of Self-Sacrifice Will Win the War” were common. Conservation came to life as families conserved food by participating in “Meatless Mondays” and “Wheatless Wednesday” and grew their own vegetables in what were often called "Victory Gardens."

New Release 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B4F2TKS2


There is no ocean so great that love can’t cross.

I recently felt a nudge to do something completely different than I ever intended. Does that ever happen to you? Admittedly, most of the time, I choose to avoid anything that might take me outside my comfort zone. But this time, I accepted a new challenge, expanding my research and writing in a new century during WWI. My new release, Adella, is the result, and I’ve come away with a fresh perspective about the struggles our country went through during the first part of the 20th century. Surprisingly some conflicts and even pandemics with startling similarities to today.

 
About Kimberly Grist:

Fans of historical romance set in the late 19th -century will enjoy stories combining, History, Humor, and Romance, emphasizing Faith, Friends, and Good, Clean Fun.
Connect with Kimberly:
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Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kimberly-Grist/e/B07H2NTJ71

To celebrate reaching 3 Million views, HHH is hosting a HUGE giveaway of over 60 books in 17 prizes, so there are many chances to win! One grand prize will consist of 10 books, two readers will win a second prize containing 5 books, and there will be 14 winners of a third prize containing 2 books each. There are several ways to earn entries, such as following, or commenting on the HHH blog each day. Thank you for being part of the HHH community, and best wishes in the giveaway!


http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ce16d9c612/?

The Adams House, a Modern Marvel and yet Abandoned

By Kathy Kovach

Adams House Museum, Deadwood South Dakota

Sitting on a prime piece of land, four parcels to be exact, is Deadwood, South Dakota’s crowning architectural glory. The Adams House. Many articles had been written about it in its heyday. One local newspaper reporter wrote: “When completed the residence will equal in point of beauty anything of its kind west of Omaha.”

Harris Franklin was a Jewish immigrant who had become successful through wholesale liquor and later diversified into cattle, gold mining, and banking. He, his wife, Anna, and his son Nathan moved to Deadwood in the Dakota Territory in 1877. He purchased the aforementioned land and commissioned Jewish architect Simeon D. Eisendrath to design their new home.

Bells not located in Adams House

Built in the elegant Queen Anne style, it included wonders such as central heat and plumbing, with hot and cold running water. Electricity powered the home, and servants were summoned with electric bells. The most modern addition was the telephone. Gorgeous oak trim and stained-glass windows adorned the house, as well. When the Franklins took residency in 1883, they were truly the talk of the town.

The first social gathering in the elegant home was for their son who married Ada F. Keller on September 14 the year they moved in.

Anna Franklin later hired a Chicago firm to redecorate her house a mere three years after moving in. Soon, her health failed, and on January 10, 1902, she died. Three years later, Harris sold the house to Nathan and Ada for a token $1.

Deadwood, South Dakota

Nathan Harris continued his father’s legacy as a successful businessman and, on two different occasions in 1914 and 1916, was elected mayor of Deadwood. He and Ada raised their only daughter, Anna Mildred, in the stylish home. At some point, Mildred moved to New York, along with her grandfather Harris, and by 1918, Nathan and Ada decided to relocate there as well to be closer to their daughter and his father.

Enter William E. (aka W.E.) Adams and his wife Alice who bought the house for $8,500 in 1920.

Tragedy struck several times under the new occupancy. Five years after moving in, Alice was diagnosed with cancer. Even so, she traveled to California to visit her daughter, Helen, who was pregnant. While Alice was there, she died. Helen went into premature labor, also perishing along with the baby girl. W.E. was distraught as he had also lost a daughter thirteen years earlier. All alone now, he donated $35,000 to Deadwood to create the Adams Museum to honor his family.

Adams Museum

Sometime afterward, the 73-year-old W.E. married 29-year-old Mary Mastrovish Vicich. They had only been married seven years when W.E. succumbed to a stroke and passed away. Mary couldn’t stay in the house after the death of her husband, and she vacated the premises suddenly—it’s said she thought it was haunted—leaving everything intact, including music sheets on the piano and cookies in the cookie jar.

The house was closed up for fifty years.

Finally, in 1987, the house was bought and restored. By 2000, it was opened to the public and everything, including the cookies, was just as Mary had left them.

To see the elegant home at 22 Van Buren Street in Deadwood, South Dakota, one would never know the tragic history. However, the daily tours apprise visitors of happy and sad times within the walls of the Adams House.

Celebrate with us! 

To celebrate reaching 3 Million views, HHH is hosting a HUGE giveaway of over 60 books in 18 prizes, so there are many chances to win! One grand prize will consist of 10 books, two readers will win a second prize containing 5 books, and there will be 15 winners of a third prize containing 2 books each. There are several ways to earn entries, such as following, or commenting on the HHH blog each day. Thank you for being part of the HHH community, and best wishes in the giveaway!

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ce16d9c612/?

Titanic: Legacy of Betrayal

A TIME-SLIP NOVEL

A secret. A key. Much was buried on the Titanic, but now it's time for resurrection.

Follow two intertwining stories a century apart. 1912 - Matriarch Olive Stanford protects a secret after boarding the Titanic that must go to her grave. 2012 - Portland real estate agent Ember Keaton-Jones receives the key that will unlock the mystery of her past... and her distrusting heart.

To buy: Amazon

Kathleen E. Kovach is a Christian romance author published traditionally through Barbour Publishing, Inc. as well as indie. Kathleen and her husband, Jim, raised two sons while living the nomadic lifestyle for over twenty years in the Air Force. Now planted in northeast Colorado, she's a grandmother, though much too young for that. Kathleen is a longstanding member of American Christian Fiction Writers. An award-winning author, she presents spiritual truths with a giggle, proving herself as one of God's peculiar people.

Website
Blog With A Giggle
CraftCinema

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 Houston: City of Bayous + Huge Book Give Away 

by Martha Rogers

By the turn of the century had grown into a city that sat mainly on Buffalo Bayou, but it had spread out to include other bayous in its city limits. Those bayous gave a diverse landscape to the the city and it soon became known as Bayou City.

Allen's Landing, situated on the Buffalo Bayou became a hubbub of activity. This is the landing in the early years of the 20th century.  

Along with it being a port city now, Houston also built ships to provide shipping companies with larger and better vessels to transport goods. Below is the launching of one such ship.

The discovery of oil at Spindletop changed the entire face of Houston economy. Now, oil companies vied for space to build refineries along the ship channel. There would be safe from the hurricanes coming in from the Gulf of Mexico. One such storm in 1900 had all but demolished Galveston, and Houston became determined to keep that from happening and made sure these new refineries had as much protection as possible. Sinclair Oil built the first major refinery in 1918.

After that, more and more oil companies came, and by 1929, at least forty oil companies located offices here in Houston. Iincluded in those were Texas Company (now Texaco), Humble Oil and Refining (now Exxon) and Gulf Oil Corporation along with Sinclair. These oil fields and refineries changed the face of Houston. Below is a typical oil field in the early 20th century. This one is along Goose Creek in 1919.

By 1930, Houston had become the largest city in Texas with a population of around 292,000. Three newspapers had been established. The Houston Post, founded in 1880, Houston Chronicle in 1901 and the Houston Press in 1911 gave the citizens of Houston news from around the nation and kept people informed of things happening in the city. 

Four radio stations were also established to help bring news and entertainment to Houston. The first four were: KPRC in 1925, KTRH in 1930, and KXYZ in 1930. Urban living had already expanded to suburban Houston to include Pasadena in 1892, Houston Heights !892, Deer Park in 1892, Bellaire in 1911, and West University Pace in 1919. One of the most famous became so because of the wealth of those who lived there. Mike and William Clifford Hogg and Hugh Potter started River Oaks in 1922. Architect John F. Staub designed beautiful homes of mansion size on curved streets with large green lawns and trees. Even more have sprung up in the second half of the century and on into the 21st century. Here is one of the signs advertising River Oaks with a picture of a typical River Oaks home.

Automobiles caught on fast in the city and by 1911, 1,031 had been registered but that multiplied rapidly so that by 1930, 97,902 cars had been registered. Speed limits were fifteen miles per hour in 1907, one-way streets added in 1920, and traffic signals in 1921. Of course the growth of automobiles led to air pollution, urban sprawl, and traffic jams leading to the massive growth of freeways that never ceases to stop expanding and growing more complicated.

As the city grew, so did its diversity. The Houston Medical Center, NASA, and universities came into the mix with Rice, University of Houston, and Texas Southern University being the larges and most prominent. Houston became home to one of the largest rodeos in Texas with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo as well as the center for sports with the baseball team the Houston Buffs around mid-century. That's expanded to include profession football (the Texans), and soccer (The Dynamo) as well as a major league baseball team the Astros. College and high school sports are well represented as well.

Skyscrapers changed the profile of the downtown area with more being added later in the century with shopping malls and business centers located all over the city. People new to the area sometimes have a difficult time figuring out exactly where the "downtown" portion of Houston is.

These two pictures show the difference between the first two skyscrapers and later in the century. 

Houston in 1927

      Later in the century:                   

Houston continues to grow both in area and population so that what once were towns near Houston abut the city limits and crossover into neighboring counties such as Fort Bend and Montgomery. 

I've lived in large cities all of my life, first in Dallas and then in Houston. I've heard good things about small towns, but I'm not sure I'd be able to live in one. How about you? City living or small town country living?

Great News for Readers:

To celebrate reaching 3 Million views, HHH is hosting a HUGE giveaway of over 60 books in 17 prizes, so there are many chances to win! One grand prize will consist of 10 books, two readers will win a second prize containing 5 books, and there will be 14 winners of a third prize containing 2 books each. There are several ways to earn entries, such as following, or commenting on the HHH blog each day. Thank you for being part of the HHH community, and best wishes in the giveaway!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ce16d9c612/?

My Give-Away Book for the contest.

After a life-threatening accident causes Joshua Thornton to rethink his life as a riverboat gambler, he has a chance encounter with the one man, a minister in is home town, whose unforgiving spirit chased Joshua away from his home after a foolish prank injured the minister and damaged the church. With the reverend is his daughter, Alicia, the one girl who captured Joshua’s heart years ago and has never left it. When Joshua learns his father’s shipping company may be in financial trouble, he decides to return to Havens Port in hopes of helping his father save the business. Alicia, who has always loved Joshua, is forbidden to have anything to do with Joshua because of his sinful past life. When tragedy strikes the town, Joshua proves himself to be a hero, but is it enough to transform the heart of the man Joshua scarred for life and allow two young people to follow their hearts.

Martha Rogers is a multi-published author and writes a weekly devotional for ACFW. Martha and her husband Rex live in Houston, Texas where they are active members of First Baptist Church. They are the parents of three sons and grandparents to eleven grandchildren and great-grandparents to six. Martha is a retired teacher with twenty-eight years teaching Home Economics and English at the secondary level and eight years teaching Freshman English at the college level. She is a member of ACFW, ACFW WOTS chapter in Houston, and serves as President of the writers’ group, Inspirational Writers Alive. 

Making a Name for her Husband - Nancy Cooper Russell

 

By Suzanne Norquist

I’ve written many blogs about women who made names for themselves. Nancy Cooper Russell, nicknamed Mamie, made a name for her husband. Today, his western paintings, sketches, and sculptures can sell for millions of dollars.

Charles Russell gave her the credit. “The lady I trotted in double harness with,” he once said, “was the best booster an’ pardner a man ever had. She could convince anybody that I was the greatest artist in the world, an’ that makes a feller work harder. Y’u jes’ can’t disappoint a person like that, so I done my best work for her… If it hadn’t been for Mamie, I wouldn’t have a roof over my head.”

Nancy Cooper’s life had been a struggle from the beginning, but she was a fighter. Her father left her mother before her birth in 1878. As soon as she could walk, she worked with her mother and grandparents in the family tobacco fields.

Later, her mother remarried, but her stepfather wasn’t much better. By age sixteen, Nancy was orphaned and living in Helena, Montana. She found work with the Roberts family who treated her like one of their own. She even called them Ma and Pa.

One night, in October of 1895, they invited cowboy artist Charles Russell over for dinner. Fourteen years her senior, he had already led the life of a bachelor cowpuncher. By then, he had decided to make his living as an artist – a meager living, for sure. He often traded drawings or sketches for credit at the local bar or grocery store. Everyone liked his easygoing nature.

His friends knew Charles was smitten when he gave Nancy his beloved pinto pony, Monte. In September of 1896, the pair married—nearly a year after their first meeting. She had turned down his first proposal, and it had taken him a while to convince her.

The couple moved into a small cabin on the Roberts’ property, where Charles barely made a living.

After a year, Nancy convinced him to move to Great Falls, where he would find more of a market for his paintings. Taking matters into her own hands, she sent friends away so Charles could work. Needless to say, she wasn’t popular among his friends, but he still adored her.

One day, a local businessman who had been selling Charles’ paintings said that he’d sold them for six times the asking price. That’s when Nancy took over the business end of things, setting prices and arranging showings. Eventually, she guided him on his choice of subjects, size, and medium of his works in response to buyer preferences.

Charles didn’t mind. As an artist, he had no interest in the business of pricing and selling his work. However, when they bought an upscale home in Great Falls, he built a traditional cabin on the property to use as a workshop.

The higher Nancy priced his work; the more people wanted to buy. She arranged showings in large cities in the east. Charles hated New York and referred to it as “the big camp” with “too many teepees.” Still, he went with her to the showings. He created the art, and she sold the pieces.

Nancy and Charles were never able to have children and adopted an infant in 1916. Charles dotted on his son, Jack, while Nancy focused on selling art.

Nancy’s drive for a bigger business never waned, not even as Charles aged and wished for a slower pace. He died of a heart attack in 1926.

She promoted his art for the rest of her life, sending her son to boarding school, which led to an estrangement. Although a brilliant businesswoman, she struggled in relationships, even turning down marriage proposals so that she would remain Mrs. Charles Russell. She died in 1940 and was buried by Charles’s side in Great Falls.

I admire her for her business savvy, determination, and drive, which greatly contributed to making a name for her husband. She over came incredible odds to carve out a wonderful life for herself, Charles, and their son. By all accounts, Charles and Nancy had a beautiful love story. 

***

To celebrate reaching 3 Million views, HHH is hosting a HUGE giveaway of over 60 books in 17 prizes, so there are many chances to win! One grand prize will consist of 10 books, two readers will win a second prize containing 5 books, and there will be 14 winners of a third prize containing 2 books each. There are several ways to earn entries, such as following, or commenting on the HHH blog each day. Thank you for being part of the HHH community, and best wishes in the giveaway!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ce16d9c612/?

***

”Mending Sarah’s Heart” in the Thimbles and Threads Collection

Four historical romances celebrating the arts of sewing and quilting.

Mending Sarah’s Heart by Suzanne Norquist

Rockledge, Colorado, 1884

Sarah seeks a quiet life as a seamstress. She doesn’t need anyone, especially her dead husband’s partner. If only the Emporium of Fashion would stop stealing her customers, and the local hoodlums would leave her sons alone. When she rejects her husband’s share of the mine, his partner Jack seeks to serve her through other means. But will his efforts only push her further away?

For a Free Preview, click here: http://a.co/1ZtSRkK

 

Suzanne Norquist is the author of two novellas, “A Song for Rose” in A Bouquet of Brides Collection and “Mending Sarah’s Heart” in the Thimbles and Threads Collection. Everything fascinates her. She has worked as a chemist, professor, financial analyst, and even earned a doctorate in economics. Research feeds her curiosity, and she shares the adventure with her readers. She lives in New Mexico with her mining engineer husband and has two grown children. When not writing, she explores the mountains, hikes, and attends kickboxing class.

She authors a blog entitled, Ponderings of a BBQ Ph.D.

 

George Rogers Clark Doubles U.S. Territory + HUGE Giveaway

 By Tiffany Amber Stockton

Last month, we delved into the history and development of Bluegrass music and the inspirations behind it stemming from the ballads of Scotland and Ireland. If you missed last month's post, you can read it here.

Today, it's back to some names of individuals who contributed greatly to the expansion into the Frontier west of the Appalachians.

AMERICAN FRONTIER PIONEER

When stories from the Revolutionary War are told, towns like Lexington and Concord or events like Crossing the Delaware and winter at Valley Forge are brandished everywhere. How often do you hear about the American Frontier, though? Sure, Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett are the names of many bigger-than-life folk tales, but what about the heroes who are often overlooked?

Although Daniel Boone made great strides toward opening up the frontier on the other side of the mountains by leading hundreds through the Cumberland Gap, he didn't succeed alone. Many other frontiersman with equally expansive visions played vital roles, and George Rogers Clark was one of them.

Born to wealthy landowners in Virginia, he spent most of his early years right on the westernmost border of what outlined the United States at the time. He was a red-headed giant (I like him already! *winks*) and commanded quite a presence with his confidence and knowledge, but he was also adept at persuasion. When the Revolutionary War began, he convinced Virginia to declare Kentucky a county of Virginia in order to secure supplies, then convinced Patrick Henry to send him and a small army to capture British outposts along the Ohio River.

There was a ruling from England that settlers could not expand west across the mountains, but colonists didn't exactly like those restrictions, so the adventurous pioneers moved out there anyway. In retaliation, the British engaged Native Americans to attack any settlements, leaving most settlers unprotected. That's where Clark stepped in to gain support.

His efforts led to the overtaking of multiple forts along the Ohio River (often with no exchange of gunfire) as well as negotiations with several Indian tribes, convincing them to stop fighting for the British. By the end of the War, Clark had amassed a substantial amount of land for the United States through mostly peaceful engagements, nearly doubling its existing territory. The area he secured through his military leadership would become modern-day Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky, with Michigan and Wisconsin also included.

Unfortunately, as the highest ranking officer leading those campaigns, he often had to personally sign for supplies. When he appealed to the state of Virginia to cover the costs, no one wanted to take responsibility for those wartime debts. He died penniless in 1818. Only his heirs were able to finally receive a settlement from the government four years later.

Even though his accomplishments were discounted during his lifetime, the role Clark played in America's westward expansion is definitely recognized today.

Fun Fact: In 1783 Thomas Jefferson asked Clark if he would lead an expedition to explore the western part of the continent. Although Clark decided against the invitation, he later brought his youngest brother William to Jefferson’s attention. That's right. William Clark, the man who partnered with Meriwether Lewis to explore the Louisiana Purchase lands. :)

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:

* What was your favorite part about today's post?

* If you live in any of the current states from the Northwest Territory, are you aware of any monuments, statues, plaques, etc. that honor George Rogers Clark?

* Who is a lesser-known hero in *your* area that might deserve bigger notice than the history books have granted?

Leave answers to these questions or any comments you might have on this post in the comment box below. For those of you who have stuck around this far, I have started a new pattern of sending a FREE autographed book to one person each and every month from the comments left on this blog. You never know when your comment will be a winner! Be sure to come back to this post to see if you've won.

Return to this blog every day for fascinating historical influences, but for my next contribution, visit on the 9th of September to learn about Simon Kenton, a man who saved Daniel Boone's life!

For those interested in my "fictional" life as an author and industry news about other authors, subscribe to my quarterly newsletter. Receive a FREE omitted chapter from my book, A Grand Design, just for subscribing!

To celebrate reaching 3 Million views, HHH is hosting a HUGE giveaway of over 60 books in 18 prizes, so there are many chances to win! One grand prize will consist of 10 books, two readers will win a second prize containing 5 books, and there will be 15 winners of a third prize containing 2 books each. There are several ways to earn entries, such as following or commenting on the HHH blog each day. You can also enter with your email address at Rafflecopter using the link below. Thank you for being part of the HHH community, and best wishes in the giveaway!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ce16d9c612/

Here are the 5 titles I donated to the giveaway:

Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having a very active imagination and cited with talking entirely too much. Today, she has honed those skills to become an award-winning, best-selling author and speaker who is also an advocate for literacy as an educational consultant with Usborne Books. She loves to share life-changing products and ideas with others to help improve their lives in a variety of ways.

She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, along with their two children, two dogs, and two cats in Kentucky. In the 20 years she's been a professional writer, she has sold twenty-six (26) books so far and is represented by Tamela Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. You can find her on Facebook and GoodReads.