Famous Horses in History – Mister Ed by Donna Schlachter with Giveaway

Mister Ed television show promo

** All images of Mister Ed and cast are courtesy of Wikipedia


With television still in its early stages, imagine the excitement of a show about a horse that could talk. But was choosy about who it chose to speak with. Yes, readers, that horse is—or was—Mister Ed, and the show aired in syndication from six months in 1961, until CBS realized it was a good investment with plenty of young viewers. While this primary audience had little to no spending influence, their parents did, and so Studebaker-Packard sponsored the program, targeting its advertisements to the drivers in the audience.

Many claim the show’s title character is based on a character in a short story by Walter R. Brooks, originally published in the 1930s and1940s. Mr. Brooks was best known for his series about Freddy the Pig which also featured talking animals that interact with humans.

Most television series debut on a major network then are sold in syndication when the viewing audience falls short, so that Mister Ed came to television in the opposite way is a rarity.

Francis the Talking Mule had already regaled viewers in the 1950s, so while Mister Ed was a relatively new concept, he wasn’t unique. Francis also only talked to one person, creating a variety of frustrations and laugh opportunities, including plenty of gags.

George Burns, comedian, singer, and dancer, financed the pilot for Mister Ed, and the first episode was filmed at his studio in Hollywood, costing around $70,000 (worth about $780,000 today). Jack Benny, a friend of Burns, was involved in the background.

Similar to the Francis series, Alan Young played the part of the klutzy architect, Wilbur Post, while Bamboo Harvester, a palomino gelding, played Ed. Ed was cast as reluctant to speak to anybody other than Wilbur, which created many hilarious situations. Ed was also mysteriously well-read and well-educated, was a bit of a rascal, and his human-like behavior astounded those who knew him.

While most everybody loved Ed, Wilbur had at least one character who didn’t—his father-in-law. Apparently, his klutziness and half-hearted attempts to be friendly always backfired around the older man.

Wilbur didn’t know why Ed could talk, and his vocal abilities were never explained. In the first episode, when Wilbur tells Ed he doesn’t understand, Ed speaks the show’s only remark on the topic: “Don’t try. It’s bigger than both of us.”

Interesting facts: 

• Bamboo Harvester didn’t film the first pilot—a chestnut gelding did. But he proved too unruly, and was replaced, with a new pilot being filmed.

• Allan Rocky Lane did the voice-over for Ed.

• Sheldon Allman provided Ed’s singing voice.

• Ed’s stablemate, a quarter horse named Pumpkin, served as stunt double, later appearing in Green Acres

• Initially, Ed’s trainer used a piece of nylon thread in Ed’s mouth to get Ed to move his lips. But eventually, Ed learned to move his lips when the trainer touched his hoof.

• The story about peanut butter in Ed’s mouth to make him move his lips was concocted by Alan Young as a way to keep the truth a secret to increase interest and to not disappoint the kids.

Mister Ed retired in 1966 when the show was canceled, and spent the rest of his life with his trainer, Lou Hilton. He passed away in 1970 at the age of 21. Details of his death are unclear, and several stories have made the rounds including accidental overdose of a drug that was used to manage arthritis pain, and natural causes. He was cremated, and his remains were spread on the Hilton Ranch in an undisclosed spot, although other stories have cropped up over the years about various burial sites.

Readers: Leave a comment about the Mister Ed Show, and we will randomly draw for a winner of an ebook copy of Hollow Hearts. Please cleverly disguise your email address so the online 'bots don't get you. For example, donna AT livebytheword DOT com

 

 

About Hollow Hearts:

Can a widow and a loner discover a new beginning in the midst of tragedy, or are they bound to remain alone forever?

About Donna:

A hybrid author, Donna writes squeaky clean historical and contemporary suspense. She has been published more than 60 times in books; is a member of several writers' groups; facilitates a critique group; teaches writing classes; and judges in writing contests. She loves history and research, traveling extensively for both, and is an avid oil painter. She is taking all the information she’s learned along the way about the writing and publishing process, and is coaching committed writers eager to tell their story.



Resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mister_Ed

https://saddleupcolorado.net/blog/secrets-behind-mr-ed-not-just-the-horse-talkin-

The Volkswagen Beetle

By Michelle Shocklee

I'm not a car enthusiast. I've told my husband and sons, who are car enthusiasts, that as long as I have something reliable to get me from Point A to Point B, I'm happy. (I also think the prices car dealers charge these days for a new car are beyond outrageous, but that's a soapbox for another day.)

Volkswagen; photo from Google

But if I were given the opportunity to choose any car in the world, I would choose a red vintage Volkswagen Beetle, also known as a VW Bug.

Why, you ask?

When I was a little girl, our family had a tan VW Bug. (Daddy would have never bought a red car!) Mom drove us five kids around town in it, going to school, cub scouts, church, and half-day Kindergarten for me. Sadly, a drunk driver rear-ended our little Bug one afternoon while Mom and I waited to turn onto our street. Mom suffered a broken back and a broken neck, but I only had a concussion since I'd been laying down in the backseat pouting about something instead of standing in the front seat, which was my usual position. Mercifully, Mom recovered after many long months, but our VW Bug was totaled.

Because I have such happy memories of our Bug, imagine how horrified I was when I learned that the person I had to thank for my cute little dream car was none other than the evil Adolph Hitler. 

Back in 1930s Germany, Adolph Hitler gained more power every day it seemed. Proud of Germany's new infrastructure, which included many highways, Hitler wanted German citizens to have an economical vehicle so they could enjoy the country he was creating. In 1934, he ordered car designer Ferdinand Porsche to begin work on the Volkswagen, which is German for "people's car." The Spanish War of 1936-1938 shifted production resources to military needs, so it wasn't until the war ended that Porsche and his team could get back to their work developing the iconic design of the Bug (Kafer in German). 

Early model of the VW Bug; photo from Wikipedia

A note of interest about the design: it was originally conceived by Béla Barényi, a Hungarian engineer, in the 1920s. He was able to prove in court in 1953 that Porsche's patents were Barényi's ideas, and therefore Barényi has since been credited with first conceiving the original design for this car.

One of the recognizable hallmarks of the Bug is its unique shape. Yet its rounded body wasn't designed for looks but for strength. A curved piece of metal has more strength than a flat piece. Another notable difference from other vehicles is the placement of the air-cooled engine in the back of the car. Although less powerful than other cars in its class, the VW Bug's engine was simple, economical, and easy to repair. Air-cooled engines don't have water pumps, thermostats, hoses, or a radiator, and the dry weight of an air-cooled engine is much lighter than a comparable water-cooled engine.

By 1946, VW Bugs were being mass-produced in Germany. However, Hitler's war on the world had soured many people against anything coming out of Germany. The company basically had to reinvent itself if it was going to stay in business. Volkswagen searched and found an advertising agency that would create ads focused on building brand advocates. Conceived by the New York agency Doyle, Dane, and Bernbach, the advertising campaign began in 1959 and was one of the best in the world during the sixties. Unlike glamorous, over-the-top American car ads, VW Beetle ads were usually in black and white and were witty and funny. It helped the Beetle to become the fourth highest-selling automobile of all time. 

When the 15,007,034th car rolled off the line at Wolfsburg in 1972, the Volkswagen Beetle surpassed the Ford Model T as the longest-running and most-manufactured car in history. During the original Beetle's 65-year production run, more than 21 million were built world-wide. Not bad for a cute little Bug, eh?

I'm currently working on a new historical time-slip novel set in the 1940s and 1970s. Can you guess what kind of car my heroine drives? 😎

Your turn! If you could choose any car to drive, what would it be?

Michelle Shocklee is the author of several historical novels and is a Christy Awards and Selah Awards finalist. Her work has been included in numerous Chicken Soup for the Soul books, magazines, and blogs. Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of two grown sons, she makes her home in Tennessee, not far from the historical sites she writes about. Visit her online at www.MichelleShocklee.com

UNDER THE TULIP TREE
*2021 Christy Awards Finalist*

Sixteen-year-old Lorena Leland’s dreams of a rich and fulfilling life as a writer are dashed when the stock market crashes in 1929. Seven years into the Great Depression, Rena accepts a position interviewing former slaves for the Federal Writers’ Project. There, she meets Frankie Washington, a 101-year-old woman whose honest yet tragic past captivates Rena. Frankie’s story challenges Rena’s preconceptions about slavery, but it also connects the two women whose lives are otherwise separated by age, race, and circumstances. Will this bond of respect, admiration, and friendship be broken by a revelation neither woman sees coming?

For purchase options, visit www.MichelleShocklee.com

Nashville and the Lunch Counter Sit-Ins of 1960

By Michelle Shocklee

Nashville; photo from https://www.thevisionsite.com/

Nashville, Tennessee is known for a lot of things. Music, entertainment, food. It also has a rich history that dates back to the 1500s when various Native American tribes roamed the land. But like most southern cities, Nashville also has a checkered past when it comes to racial issues and civil rights.

Prior to the Civil War, Tennessee experienced a 15% increase in the slave population between 1850 and 1860. By the latter year there were over 275,000 slaves in the state. When it came time to decide on secession, the majority of the population voted to secede from the Union, with the issue of slavery at the heart of the vote. 

Fast forward one hundred years and things haven't improved all that much. Although slavery was abolished in 1865, segregation continues in schools, public transportation, hotels, and in many places of business, including lunch counters found in stores like Woolworth's, Walgreens, and major departments stores. It's difficult to imagine being denied service based on ones race, but it was a common practice back then.

However, on February 1, 1960, four brave, black college students sat down at the lunch counter at the Woolworth’s in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina, where the official policy was to refuse service to anyone but whites. Denied service, the four young men refused to give up their seats. Police arrived on the scene but were unable to take action due to the lack of provocation. The Greensboro Four, as they were dubbed, stayed put until the store closed, then returned the next day with more students from local colleges.

Sit-in, Nashville lunch counter, 1960

Courtesy U.S. Library of Congress (00651469)

By February 5, some 300 students had joined the protest at Woolworth’s, paralyzing the lunch counter and other local businesses. Heavy television coverage of the Greensboro sit-ins sparked a sit-in movement that spread quickly to college towns throughout the South and into the North, as young blacks and whites joined in various forms of peaceful protest against segregation in libraries, beaches, hotels and other establishments.

By the end of March, the movement had spread to 13 states and 55 cities, including Nashville. Though many were arrested for trespassing, disorderly conduct or disturbing the peace, national media coverage of the sit-ins brought increasing attention to the civil rights movement.

Nashville's sit-in campaign targeted downtown lunch counters such 

as this one at Walgreens drugstore.

On February 13, 1960, twelve days after the Greensboro sit-ins occurred, college students entered S.H. Kress, Woolworth’s, and McClellan stores at 12:40 p.m. in downtown Nashville. After making their purchases at the stores, the students sat-in at the lunch counters. Store owners initially refused to serve the students and closed the counters, claiming it was their “moral right” to determine whom they would or would not serve. The students continued the sit-ins over the next three months, expanding their targets to include lunch counters at the Greyhound and Trailways bus terminals, Grant’s Variety Store, Walgreens, and major Nashville department stores, Cain-Sloan and Harvey.

The Nashville sit-ins lasted from February 13 to May 10, 1960. The campaign, coordinated by the Nashville Student Movement and the Nashville Christian Leadership Council, was notable for its early success and its emphasis on disciplined nonviolence. Over the course of the Nashville sit-in campaign, sit-ins were staged at numerous stores in the central business district. Sit-in participants, who mainly consisted of black college students, were often verbally or physically attacked by white onlookers. Despite their refusal to retaliate, over 150 students were eventually arrested for refusing to vacate store lunch counters when ordered to do so by police.

The first violent response to the protests came on February 27. The protesters that day were attacked by a group of white people opposing desegregation. The police arrested eighty-one protesters, but none of the attackers was arrested. Those arrested were found guilty of disorderly conduct. They all decided to serve time in jail rather than pay fines. On April 19, a bomb destroyed the home of Z. Alexander Lobby, the defense attorney representing many of the protesters. The bombing of Lobby’s home triggered a mass march to city hall where 2500 protesters demanded answers from Mayor West.

After weeks of secret negotiations between merchants and protest leaders, an agreement was finally reached. On May 10, six downtown stores opened their lunch counters to black customers for the first time. The customers arrived in groups of two or three during the afternoon and were served without incident. With that agreement, Nashville became the first major southern city to begin desegregating public facilities. The Nashville campaign became a model for other civil rights protests in the 1960s and 1970s.

Lunch counter in 2018 in the new Woolworth's on 5th
Photo from Google

Today, history, food, and entertainment have all come together in the form of a restaurant in the same location as the original store. Woolworth's on 5th offers a "welcome table" to everyone. Hubby and I haven't had a chance to eat there yet, but when we do, we'll remember the brave men and women who demanded respect and made it possible for all to be served.

Michelle Shocklee is the author of several historical novels including The Planter's Daughter and The Widow of Rose Hill. Her new historical time-slip novel, Under the Tulip Tree, will release in September 2020.  Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of two grown sons, she makes her home in Tennessee, not far from the historical sites she writes about. Visit her online at www.MichelleShocklee.com.

THE WIDOW OF ROSE HILL

Widowed during the war, Natalie Ellis finds herself solely responsible for Rose Hill plantation. When Union troops arrive with a proclamation freeing the slaves, all seems lost. In order to save her son’s inheritance she strikes a deal with the arrogant, albeit handsome, Colonel Maish. In exchange for use of her family’s property, the army will provide workers to bring in her cotton crop. But as her admiration for the colonel grows, a shocking secret is uncovered. Can she trust him with her heart and her young, fatherless son?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078CN65FH/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1

Outside the White House: The Rose Garden

John F. Kennedy, Jr., April 26, 1963. Cecil Stoughton. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston. Public Domain

Roses have been cultivated at the White House for at least a hundred and fifty years. Before the Civil War, a complex of buildings, such as a milk house, ice house, servant quarters, and offices stood where the West Wing is today, outbuildings catering to the First Family's needs. In addition, there stood several greenhouses--growing food and flowers--including a "rose house." 

White House Greenhouses, 1889. Johnston, Frances Benjamin, 1864-1952, photographer. Public Domain.

The rose house was a rectangular glass structure, and inside, roses were planted in rows, watered by pipes. The roses were utilized to decorate the White House.

May 20, 1961. Robert Knudsen. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston. Public Domain

In 1902, the outbuildings and greenhouses were removed to make way for the West Wing, and Edith Roosevelt created a "Colonial Garden" for the First Family's personal enjoyment. She had sweet peas, quince, and black-eyed susans planted here, as well as jasmine, which she and President Theodore Roosevelt enjoyed on warm evenings as they sat in rocking chairs on the South Portico.

In 1913, First Lady Ellen Loise Axson Wilson, wife of Woodrow Wilson, established the space as an rose garden. Other presidential families altered the garden to suit their preferences, but roses have been a constant bloom here for over a hundred years, which is how it got the name, Rose Garden.

The Rose Garden of the White House covered in snow, Nov. 15, 2018 (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead). https://goo.gl/images/dzJqoT

In 1961, however, President Kennedy wanted the garden to be updated into something more than a private family garden. He and the First Lady had recently visited Europe, and he'd noted that the White House didn't have as quality a garden as many that he'd seen in France, England or Austria. He felt a beautiful garden at the official residence was imperative, and assigned Rachel Lambert Mellon the task of renewing the Rose Garden.

Aerial view of the Rose Garden, July 8, 1962. Robert Knudsen. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston. Public Domain.

Mellon got to work, ensuring a 50-by-100 foot lawn would be central in the garden, a size large enough for a thousand people to attend receptions or ceremonies, but small enough to be covered by a tent, if necessary. The lawn was bordered by flower beds of American specimens, planted in a French style. Each flower bed is planted with Katherine crabapples, Littleleaf lindens, and thyme hedges. The garden is anchored at each of its four corners by Magnolia trees found along the banks of the Tidal Basin.

Rose Garden in Spring. Public Domain

Among the roses, seasonal flowers are added for color and variety. In the spring, jonquils, grape hyacinth, and tulips lend a cheery aspect. In the autumn, flowering kale and chrysanthemum bloom until early winter. The garden had become more formal, as well as brighter.

George W. Bush's dog Barney frolics in the Rose Garden, Autumn 2006. Public Domain.

In Kennedy's mind, however, the garden would no longer be simply for the First Family's enjoyment, but would serve public needs, as well. Presidents Wilson, Hoover, and Coolidge used the space to meet informally with press, to meet guests, or be photographed, but Kennedy wanted the garden to accommodate more functions. To that end, steps at the west end near the Oval Office were redesigned so they could also function as a platform or stage. Across the garden, a flagstone terrace was laid beneath one of the Magnolias where the President could hold a small luncheon or sit with guests.

To that end, Kennedy welcomed Project Mercury astronauts in the garden. Sports figures are often hosted here, including the Stanley Cup champions the Caroline Hurricanes after their victory in 2006, by George W. Bush. Numerous news conferences take place in the garden, as well as dinners and ceremonies. 

October 10, 1963. NASA Administrator James E. Webb (center) cites the space achievements of the Project Mercury Astronauts who received the 1963 Collier Trophy Award in a ceremony held at the White House on October 10, 1963 in the Rose Garden. President John F. Kennedy (left) and Vice President Lyndon Johnson accompanied Webb at the ceremony. Five of the Mercury Seven astronauts are visible in the row behind James Webb. They are (starting from JFK's left): Alan Shepard, Donald "Deke" Slayton, John Glenn, Virgil "Gus" Grissom, and Scott Carpenter. Public Domain.

Perhaps one of the most famous uses of the Rose Garden was the 1971 marriage of Tricia Nixon to Edward F. Cox.

Public Domain. https://goo.gl/images/AWMxZ8

While the Rose Garden is often used for public events, it nevertheless remains a space of beauty, contemplation, and relaxation available for the First Family's use.

President Obama strolls through the Rose Garden. (Note: a play structure for his daughters is visible to the left of the magnolia tree.) Public Domain. https://goo.gl/images/EhG7Ew

***
Susanne Dietze is the RWA RITA-nominated author of over a dozen romances, including A Mother for His Family and the newly-released Cameo Courtships. You can learn more about her on her website, www.susannedietze.com.

Inside the White House: The Diplomatic Reception Room

When many people think of oval rooms in the White House in Washington D.C., they think of the Blue Room--and rightly so. It is a beautiful room on the state floor, site of the official White House Christmas Tree each December.

But the White House boasts two more oval rooms, one above and one below the Blue Room. The one downstairs holds great importance in matters of state: The Diplomatic Reception Room.

The Diplomatic Reception Room.  Public Domain.

This ground floor room is used as an entrance from the South Lawn, for the family and for visiting heads of state after an official State Arrival Ceremony on the South Lawn. Foreign ambassadors also present their credentials here.

Originally, the ground floor rooms of the White House were used by domestic staff for various tasks; this room was a place to polish silver and mend clothes. In 1837, however, the Van Buren administration installed the White House's first central heating system, and the furnace went here.

In the 1902 renovation by McKim, Mead, and White, the heating system was replaced, and the ground floor rooms were refinished. This oval chamber became a finished living space, but it was mostly used as a passageway until 1935, when Franklin Roosevelt turned it into a sitting room. He had the chimney opened so he could sit here for his famous "Fireside Chats."

FDR during a "Fireside Chat" on Jan 11, 1944. https://goo.gl/images/Aua6vK

The room was again refurbished during the Eisenhower administration (around 1960). Antiques in the Federal style were chosen, and the room was used to welcome guests as well as host receptions.

When Jacqueline Kennedy was first lady, the room received another makeover, one that gave the Diplomatic Reception its unique look: the Zuber et Cie wallpaper.

An unidentified White House worker hangs panels of antique wallpaper in the Diplomatic Reception Room, September 8, 1961. Robert Knudsen. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston. Public Domain.

August 28, 1963. Robert Knudsen. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston. Public Domain.

The antique French scenic wallpaper was produced by Jean Zuber et Cie in Rixheim in France around 1834. The Zuber et Cie wallpaper, officially titled "Scenes of North America," features 32 scenes based on engravings from the 1820's. Printed on small sheets of paper with wood blocks, the scenes include Boston Harbor, West Point, Niagara Falls, the Natural Bridge in Virginia, and New York Harbor. 

Detail of the Zuber et Cie wallpaper. Public Domain.

Since the room lacks natural light, the colorful panorama gives the room a brighter aspect. The blue and gold color scheme of the furnishings contributes to the welcoming air. 

Floral arrangement and close up of the wallpaper. April 10, 1962. Robert Knudsen. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston. Public Domain.

Beginning in 1983, the rug also began to complement the space not only with its coloring, but its symbolism: the rug's  border incorporated emblems of each of America's 50 states.

President Barack Obama is briefed by Lisa Monaco, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, on the investigation of the 15 April 2013 bombings in Boston, in the Diplomatic Reception Room, April 18, 2013. Note the state's symbols on the rug's border. By Pete Souza. Public Domain.

First Lady Melania Trump has replaced the rug, and now, instead of the state's emblems, the rug's border features each state’s official flower.

The new rug is more beige than yellow. https://goo.gl/images/pfjdis

Many important introductions and beginnings have occurred in this room. One such recent occasion was when Malia Obama's prom date arrived to pick her up. He was ushered into "The Dip" (as it is often called) to meet the First Family. One can only imagine how nerve-wracking that must have been!

***

Susanne Dietze is the award-winning author of over a dozen romances with Timeless Heart,. You can learn more about her at www.susannedietze.com.

White House Weddings: Lynda Bird Johnson

Lynda Bird Johnson became the eighth child of a sitting president to marry in the White House, on December 9, 1967, when she was 23.

The Johnson Family in the Oval Office. Public Domain

The elder of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s two daughters, Lynda caught the bouquet thrown by younger sister Luci at her August, 1966 wedding, making her “the next to wed,” but the media was already keeping a close eye on Lynda’s romantic relationships. She had previously dated actor George Hamilton and was engaged to Bernard Rosenbach before she met Charles S. Robb. 

Robb, 28, was a military aide at the White House and a Captain in the U. S. Marine Corps. He was scheduled to serve in Vietnam, so the wedding was arranged so the couple would have a little time together before he left. 

Preparations were noted by the press, and taxpayers wondered who’d foot the bill for the wedding, but the President is said to have joked that he would have to take out a substantial loan to pay for the nuptials. Lynda presented her seven bridesmaids with a bird-shaped gold pin inscribed "Lynda 12967," and Robb gave his groomsmen a gold cufflinks.

The wedding! Public Domain

The ceremony was held at 4 p.m. in the East Room, which was decorated with topiaries and red ribbon. Bishop Gerald Nicholas McAllister officiated in front of a wall screen of seasonal evergreens and lit white candles. The bride wore a $1200 long-sleeved, high-necked gown designed by Geoffrey Beene, with no lace—quite different from the wedding dress worn by Lynda’s sister Luci at her wedding a year and a half previously. Lynda’s veil was long, and she carried a bouquet of white flowers.

Her seven bridesmaids wore long-sleeved, seasonally-red velvet gowns, but the color might also have been chosen because the bride liked the painting “Red Boy” by Francisco de Goya—the color of the bridesmaid gowns became known as “Goya Red.” Matching velvet bows with streamers were pinned in the bridesmaids’ hair and they carried bouquets of matching red flowers. (Photos are copyright protected, by they really were lovely. Click here.)

After the ceremony, the bride and groom left under a saber arch formed by six Marine captains. The wedding party followed, and they all adjourned upstairs for photos. The 650 guests were asked to leave the East Room for a short time so the space could be “flipped” for the reception. Staff set up tables and a dais for the orchestra. Once ready, the room was re-opened and guests were welcomed back in for cocktails before the buffet was served. (Supposedly, the champagne bill alone was $5000.)

The couple returned, received guests, enjoyed their meal, cut the cake (a pound cake flavored with lemon and mace), and had their first dance. Music was provided by the Peter Duchin Orchestra, including a song written for the wedding called "It's Always Lynda." 

Later, Lynda changed into a going away outfit and she and Robb left the reception, flying off in a helicopter.

The Johnsons with daughters and grandchildren, Christmas Eve, 1968. Lynda is on the far right. Public Domain

Robb served with distinction in Vietnam, and became a lawyer when he returned. In 1978, he became Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, and in 1982, Governor of Virginia. Later, he served two terms as Virginia’s US Senator.

Chuck Robb while US Senator. Public Domain

Meanwhile, Lynda chaired the President’s Advisory Committee for Women during the Carter Administration, working to promote equality for women. She later became chair of the Reading is Fundamental Board, America’s largest organization promoting children’s literacy, and worked as a contributing editor to Ladies Home Journal, as well as serving in her parents’ foundations.

Lynda Robb with former President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalyn Carter. Public Domain

The couple had three daughters, Lucinda (b. 1968), Catherine (b. 1970) and Jennifer (b. 1978), and reside today in Virginia.

**

BIO: Susanne Dietze began writing love stories in high school, casting her friends in the starring roles. Today, she's the award-winning author of over a dozen historical romances who's seen her work on the ECPA and Publisher's Weekly Bestseller Lists for Inspirational Fiction. Married to a pastor and the mom of two, Susanne lives in California and enjoys fancy-schmancy tea parties, genealogy, the beach, and curling up on the couch with a costume drama and a plate of nachos. You can learn more about her and her books, including mail-order twist My Heart Belongs in Ruby City, Idaho: Rebecca's Plight, on her website, www.susannedietze.com.