The book I′m most proud of is Letters from Vinnie — the publisher, Stephen Roxburgh, and his associates, Nancy Hogan, Helen Robinson, and Joy Neaves, are professionals in every sense of the word. Mr. Roxburgh taught me an important lesson: in the writing of historical fiction, story must come before history. His advice has served me well.

                                                                        From book to film . . . 

Fall of 1999  Published in hardcover by Front Street Books.  It earned six awards--including a Boxed Review in Booklist and mention in the New York Times Book Review.

Fall of 2007   Re-released in softcover by Calkins Creek Books, an imprint under Boyds Mills Press.

November of 2009   Optioned by producers in California for adaptation into film. Their goal is to make an HBO miniseries or feature film.

                                                My blog updates the news about the film adaptation.

The same producers have been working on a documentary about Vinnie Ream--they mentioned I'll be interviewed as part of that production.

In addition, Ann and Dan Ashe have taken a poem/song from this novel to produce a cd of Vinnie Ream's music--that cd will be available soon through Asheworks. They have used, as well, Vinnie's actual sheet music in the making of their cd.

                                                               Letters from Vinnie tells the story of . . . 

 Vinnie Ream, an actual historical figure who was a teenager at the start of the Civil War. Through fictionalized letters spanning eight years, from the time the Ream family moves to Washington, D.C., to the eve of her departure for Italy, Vinnie chronicles her life to a friend named Regina . . . .

In 1861, Vinnie is 13 years old and already recognized as an accomplished painter, musician, and poet. Tiny in stature, she is noted for her beauty, but she refuses numerous suitors so as to find enough time to contribute to the war effort – using her mezzo–soprano voice, she sings to distract the soldiers who suffer in hospitals, and to raise funds to purchase clothes, food and medicine for Lincoln′s army.

At the age of 16 Vinnie turns her talents toward sculpting. Within weeks, she makes known her "heart′s fondest ambition" — to create a likeness of Abraham Lincoln. Although the President wonders why an artist would choose such a "plain subject" he allows the sixteen–year–old to work in a corner of his office for five months — a clay bust is finished on the very morning of Lincoln′s assassination.

 Soon after, Vinnie is commissioned to sculpt a life-size statue of the "Martyr President" in plaster, a sculpture that the Radical Republicans threaten to destroy if she doesn′t support their plot to impeach President Johnson. Vinnie stands up to the Radicals, finishes the plaster image and sets sail for Italy where she will recast the statue in white marble.

If you should ever visit the Rotunda in the Capitol building in Washington, D. C., you will be greeted by Vinnie Ream′s marble statue of President Abraham Lincoln.

                                                                                  Read a few pages . . . 

by going to Amazon Books, you can "search inside" a copy of this book. The search will bring up the hardcover book, but the softcover is identical except for a few added words on the cover.

                                                                                            Awards

• 1999 - Endorsed by Dr. David Madden, then-Director of the Civil War Center, Louisiana State University
• 2000 - Oklahoma Book Award Finalist
• 2000 - Books For The Teen Age – New York Public Library
• 2000 - Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People by both the National Council for The Social Studies and the Children's Book Council
• 2000 - 2001 South Carolina Young Adult Book Award Nominee
• 2001 - Best Children's Books of the Year Award Bank Street College of Education
• 2003 - First Place Winner for Juvenile Fiction National League of American Pen Women

• 2009 - an anthology of writings, music and art collected under the title, Happy Birthday, Mr. Lincoln: A Commemorative Collage, was published by the National League of American Pen Women. The anthology was endorsed by Congress through the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. 
  An excerpt from my novel was chosen as the first selection in the anthology.  In 2009, the anthology received a prestigious honor:  the George Washington Medal of Honor from the Freedoms Foundation of Valley Forge. 

                                                                                            Reviews

This book was also endorsed by Mr. David Madden, then Director of the United States Civil War Center, Louisiana State University. 

Letters from Vinnie received mention in the New York Times Book Review.

                                                                 Some of the other reviews include: 

 

                                                                                     Ordering information 
Hardcover: Front Street Books – 1999 – $16.95

Softcover: Boyds Mills Press – 2007 – $10.95

Books are available by calling toll–free: 877–512–8366

Schools are discounted 40% with orders of five or more books.

Copies are also available through Amazon by clicking the buy now link on the books page.