Visit the History Corner with Eric Huebner ~ and YES...I've been tagged!

 

Before I launch the History Corner, I want to address that last week I was tagged by two awesome lady authors –
Brandi Boddie & Jessica Patch.

Please visit their blogs. I guarantee you will find both women ~ inspiring, refreshing, witty, and downright funny at times.

I promised that this week I would play along. The rules were to answer a few questions and a task to upload. (Note – I did not make up these questions, they were passed along from way back) After answering the questions, I'm supposed to tag a few others.

Do you think you’re hot?

What?!? Ask my husband.

Upload a picture of the wallpaper that you are using.

Twilight on Little Round Top ~ Gettysburg, PA
Photo by Loree Huebner

I love this picture. I took it. Little Round Top is one of my favorite places on earth to be at sunset.

When was the last time you ate chicken?

Tuesday. I made an awesome chicken piccata in a white wine sauce.

What song or songs have you listened to recently?

I usually don’ t pay attention to the overhead satellite music pumped in to where I work, but I did find myself humming and singing to these songs yesterday  ~ One Step Up And Two Steps Back – Bruce Springsteen version, Deacon Blues – Steely Dan, The Waiting – Tom Petty, and Jump – Van Halen.

Do you have nicknames? If so, what are they?

Poo (okay stop laughing) – Husboo calls me that.  Also, Mamoo or Moo for short (I said, stop laughing) - The kids call me Mamoo. We were all at a Blues & Jazz fest about 7 years ago where The Mighty Blue Kings were performing. They sang, Big Mamou. I’ve been Mamoo ever since. Now, I love to pick up the phone and hear, “Hey Mamoo…”  My bff calls me L…that’s it, just simply L.

Okay, I know that I am supposed to tag a few others, but I’m not going to. I’ve been around the blogosphere and seen that many people have already been tagged…and retagged...and tagged again.  It’s a holiday weekend, so I will just be IT…and that’s that.

THE HISTORY CORNER

Gettysburg, PA
Photo by Loree Huebner

With 2011 starting the sesquicentennial of the Civil War, I thought on occasion, I would give you a little bit of history of the happenings of approximately 150 years ago - You don’t have to be a buff to appreciate the importance of this time in American History. I want to have a History Corner appear occasionally on my blog along with regular posts. 

This week I am proud to introduce you to my husband and soul mate, Eric. After sharing our love of God, a wonderful family, and our life together ~ we share the passion for writing, and love of American history and the Civil War. I'm hoping to add him on the blog, on a more permanent basis for an occasional History Corner. 

Anyway, for now, please welcome to the History Corner - my husband, life and love ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Eric Huebner.

Thank you, Loree, and thank you to all the readers for taking the time to stop by.
The answer to the tagged first question above is YES. Enough said on that.

Last week Loree and I went to a White Sox vs. Cubs game and had a great time. US Cellular Field in Chicago was nearly full with about 34,000 fans cheering every pitch. The next time you are in a stadium, look around at the crowd so you can get a sense of what 30 thousand, 60 thousand, or 100 thousand people looks like.
    

The reason for my preoccupation with numbers is that this coming weekend is the 148^th anniversary of the battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg. I am no war monger, but war has been an important factor in the shaping of our nation, particularly the Civil War. Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle ever fought in the Western Hemisphere. About 165,000 men from the north and the south (5 full stadiums) fought for 3 days – July 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd, 1863 - with 51,000 casualties (or 1.5 times the size of the crowd). Imagine 51,000 people. Now imagine 51,000 men casualties - dead and wounded, strewn across a landscape only a few miles long. How could people do such a thing? We must always keep in mind the tragedy that is war and only engage when there is absolutely no alternative.
    

In 1863 the stakes could not have been higher. After a year of striking success, Robert E Lee led his Confederate army on an invasion of the North. Should he defeat the Union army on Northern soil, he could dictate terms from a position of strength. Would the United States remain united or would the Confederacy become a separate nation built upon a foundation of slavery?
    

President Lincoln said, “Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other,” however “God cannot be for, and against the same thing at the same time.” Voltaire wrote, "God is always on the side of the big battalions" which in this case appears to have been true. The Union army won the battle of Gettysburg after Pickett's charge was repulsed on the third day of battle. The following day - July 4, 1863 - 30,000 Rebels surrendered to General Grant at Vicksburg. The war would rage on for almost another 2 years, but the South would never recover from the summer of 1863.
    

This weekend, watch the movie or a documentary about Gettysburg if you can. If you have time, there are scores of books on the shelves at your library or bookstore. When you hear about the incredible numbers involved at Gettysburg and Vicksburg, remember that those stadiums of people were volunteers, people like you and me, fighting for what they believed in - ready to give that "last full measure of devotion." 

Until next time - Three cheers and a tiger,
Eric

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! HOPE EVERYONE HAS A WONDERFUL AND SAFE HOLIDAY! REMEMBER ALL THE SOULS WHO STAND UP AND FIGHT FOR FREEDOM UNDER GOD -THEN AND NOW.

Between you, me and the gatepost, 

~ Loree ~ and Eric   

From Here To There - Among the Bravest of the Brave

Title page of our article in - Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History

Side note before I start this week's post ~ During this past week I've been tagged by two awesome authors ~ Jessica Patch and Brandi Boddie. Thank you, ladies! Next Friday I will post my "I've been tagged post." Watch out...you could be tagged next.


This past Monday, Eric and I finally received copies of the magazine that published our Civil War article, Among the Bravest of the Brave – The Battle History of the Ninth Indiana. The article was published in the Indiana Historical Society’s magazine, Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History. The article and artwork looks just beautiful! The ten page spread came out last week in the Spring 2011 issue of Traces. We were also pleasantly surprised to see the 9^th Indiana Regiment featured on the front cover. Awesome!

Cover of Spring 2011 issue of Traces

This whole process is so exciting for both, Eric and I. It’s been a long road to our first major publication.

FROM HERE TO THERE

We started with a 4,600 word article we had written together nearly 18 months ago. We’ve been plugging away at several articles for the 150^th anniversary of the Civil War.

In March of 2010, we queried the 9^th Indiana article to the Indiana Historical Society. The article was perfect for their magazine. Traces is emphasizing Indiana during the Civil War over the next 4 years of the Sesquicentennial. About 10 days later we received an email from the accomplished senior editor that the IHS was accepting our article for publication. Of course, we were informed that the article would most likely appear in the magazine sometime in 2011. We were overjoyed to say the least. I felt like Joe March in the movie, Little Women – 1994 version, when she received word that her first story would be published in a magazine. “I’m an author!!”

After the initial acceptance, then came the waiting.

A year and nearly a month after acceptance, we got a hard copy of the article to look over and a contract to sign. As far as the article, we only noticed a few minor revisions. We were also told that the article would appear in the Spring  2011 – June issue. We signed the contract and were promptly paid for our work.

Just before Memorial Day Weekend, we received the proofs of the article with the artwork. That’s when we finally saw what the piece would look like. It was 10 full pages! After looking over the proofs, we made our final inspection and a few minor changes. (I think there was a period left off of a sentence) I felt like I was holding my own novel in my hands. I got the taste of what it would feel like to have one of my books published. I am extremely proud of our article and it has given me the bug to really buckle down and get finished with revisions on my books. Eric and I are also about to query another article to a national Civil War magazine as well as another Hoosier article to the IHS. We’ll see what happens.

I just wanted to share that milestone with you. As we write and query our novels, we must celebrate every publishing victory, large or small, on our journey. They range from completing a difficult chapter to writing an awesome query that sparks the interest of an agent…getting through tough revisions…selling a book…receiving a call from an agent…writing a blog post that gets you new followers…meeting your daily word count…starting a new book…finishing a 90,000 word manuscript…etc.

This week we did the dance of joy. I can't tell you how elated I am to see our names in print. It's a good feeling.

So what writing or publishing milestones, large or small, have you met lately?

I would love to hear from you.

Between you, me and the gatepost,

Loree

I also wanted to thank all of you for your thoughts and prayers for Lauren. I dedicated last week's post to her in hope that it would get the information out there. As of this post time, she still is missing. Please continue to keep her and her family in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you.

The Bud of an Idea

Budding Maple Trees in Indiana - Photo by Loree Huebner

Just in the last few days, I’ve noticed my old and dear maple tree out back, undergoing many changes. Overnight, the ugly and messy reddish-brown buds have popped into tiny green leaves. As I pondered on the wonders of spring and life renewing itself, the thought came to mind how a small bud of an idea blossoms into a story.

Are you budding with ideas these days? I sure am! Do you feel the natural seasonal rhythms that God has instilled into the earth? Does it affect how you write? When you write? I just love how the earth wakes up from its winter sleep. I feel an awakening too…a time for renewing mind, body, and soul. Do you feel it too? I would love to hear from you.

Between you, me and the gatepost,

Loree

Gettysburg National Military Park - Photo By Loree Huebner

With 2011 starting the sesquicentennial of the Civil War, I thought I would give you a little bit of history - the happenings of approximately 150 years ago. You don’t have to be a buff to appreciate the importance of this time in American History.

This week in the Civil War April 1861:

April 12^th 1861 – The Civil War began with the bombardment of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. After much posturing by both sides, the Southern forces under P. G. T. Beauregard, attacked the Federal Fort in Charleston Harbor commencing hostilities. Although there were no casualties, the Federal troops were forced to surrender largely due to lack of supplies. While the Southerners were able to capture the fort, many historians agree that President Lincoln was clever by maneuvering the Rebels into firing the first shots. Neither side wanted to appear to be the aggressor.

A friend sent me this:

Dear Kindred,

One hundred and fifty years ago today at 4:30am the Great Civil War began. Take a moment out of your hectic life to remember all of those who sacrificed and suffered during this horrific era of our country's history. May they rest in eternal peace.