New Year’s Resolutions
December 30, 2006
As the year draws to a close, it’s time to look ahead to 2007.
I have three major goals for the coming year:
1) Keep my family history files organized as I continue my genealogical research.
* I have created a separate file for every family member. Since so many of my ancestors have the same name, I put the birth and death dates along with the name on the label to make it easy to keep all the Adam Mitchells and other same-named relatives straight.
* Each file contains copies of articles and other written material, printouts of information found online, and hand-written notes of things I’ve been told.
* This comes in especially handy when I’m working on one generation or branch of the family and happen on something relating to someone in another generation or family line. By filing it in the appropriate folder, I can easily find it when I need it.
2) Publish Adam’s Daughters: Book 2 in the Westward Sagas. (I’m already a couple months behind because of serious family illness.)
* Review and self-edit the manuscript as I write so what I send to my editor is as clean as possible.
* Accept final cover art by January 15.
* Put cover art, blurb, and advance order form on Web site by January 31.
* Finish first draft of manuscript and send to editor by February 15.
* Complete final editing and send to designer by March 15.
* Create advance reading copies and send to reviewers by April 1.
* Approve final design and send to printer by April 15.
* Receive books from printer by May 15.
* Introduce book at Adam Mitchell Seminar on May 31.
3) Continue speaking on genealogy, history, and writing family history:
* Maintain memberships in Texas Authors Speak and the Writers’ League of Texas Speakers Bureau for speaking opportunities.
* Promote speaking through the Western Sagas Web site.
* Schedule an average of 1 or 2 speaking engagements per month.
Since I own a business, am active in several organizations, spend time with family, and share my life with Lulubelle, the above items should be enough to keep me busy. And these goals don’t even include the promotion I will do on Adam’s Daughters … or starting Book 3 in the second half of 2007.
I hope you achieve all your goals and resolutions and that 2007 is your best year ever.
Genealogy Resources from the LDS Church
December 27, 2006
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (also called Mormons) make certain promises, known as covenants, they believe can unite families after death. Since ancestors must be identified before these covenants can be made, genealogy is very important to Church members. You can learn more by reading Why Family History?Â
A friend of mine shared with me that her mother grew up in the LDS Church. Although she converted to another religion when she married, the mother treasured the genealogical research she had done on her family at the age of 12-13 (in 1937 and 1938). She had completed a family tree going back to the mid-1800s. The pages are brittle and yellowed, but the little book her mother made is a cherished legacy for my friend and her siblings.
Because family history is so important to it, the LDS Church has developed the largest genealogical library in the world in Salt Lake City, Utah. There are also more than 4000 local family history centers in 88 countries, all staffed by volunteers. Although the library started in 1894 to help Latter-Day Saints with research on family history and genealogy, the Church now offers its genealogy services free to anyone. The Family Search Web site states it gives access to “the largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.”
Although I am not Mormon, I have benefited greatly from the LDS genealogy resources. For the third book in The Westward Sagas, I have gained a lot of insight into life in Texas during the time period of the story from a journal by a LDS clergyman. This minister took one of my ancestors (one of many Margarets in my ancestral line) into his home after she was widowed. I have done research at the two family history centers in San Antonio and appreciate the great help I have found there.
If you haven’t used the resources of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I recommend you visit Family Search to research online or to find the location of the family history center nearest you.
Carnival of Genealogy
December 18, 2006
If you have a genealogist on your gift list, find out what genealogists are wishing for at the Carnival of Genealogy.
You’ll find touching, informative, and humorous wish lists, and if you’re a genealogist yourself, you’ll see what others recommend.
Genealogy Seminar Reminder
December 16, 2006
I just registered for the genealogy seminar sponsored by the San Antonio Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, mentioned in an earlier post.
The cut-off for advance registration is February 15, 2007, and the seminar takes place on March 22, 2007 in San Antonio.
I’m looking forward to this seminar and hope to see you there!
Contest
December 14, 2006
If you’d like a chance to win an e-book edition of Spring House, sign up for my quarterly contest. The next drawing will take place at the end of January.
Signing up also puts you on my newsletter list for occasional updates. I won’t release your e-mail address to anyone, and you can cancel your subscription to the newsletter any time.
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Logo Credit: From the Imagination and Graphic Artistry of K.A. M'Lady & P.M. Dittman