The town of Graton is located in the beautiful and fertile Green Valley, which was first settled in the mid-1800s by pioneer families such as the Sullivans, Gregsons, and Winklers. When the railroad came through the area, realtor James Gray and banker J. H. Brush bought land and created one of the first subdivisions in Sonoma County. They named the streets after themselves and their children, and in 1905, Graton was born. Along with the agricultural industry in California, the town thrived...

Some sample anecdotes: 1) Simon and Schuster once published a children's book titled Dr. Dan the Bandage Man. As a publicity gimmick, they decided to include a half-dozen band-aids in each book, so publisher Richard Simon sent this telegram to a friend at Johnson and Johnson: "PLEASE SHIP TWO MILLION BAND-AIDS IMMEDIATELY." The following day Mr. Simon received this telegram in reply: "BAND-AIDS ON THEIR WAY. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOU?" 2) As a young woman, ballerina Margot Fonteyn wish...

Western films may have fallen from Hollywood's grace in the past few decades; however, a loyal following of obsessed fans and collectors remain. If you are just beginning a Western movie DVD collection or are a seasoned aficionado of all things Western, "Best Western Movies-Winning Pictures, Favorite Films and Hollywood 'B' Entries" by John Howard Reid is a must. This is the twentieth title in Reid's "Hollywood Classics" series. The research needed for a book of this nature is remarkable. ...

Taffinder Pulleine and Julia Dunn were married in Yorkshire, England, in 1870, and moved to America two years later. They are not the typical immigrants: Julia was privileged and had had a maid her entire life, and Taffinder had just inherited a sizeable amount of money. Craving some excitement, however, they struck out for a faraway land they had heard so much about.After ending up in Kansas, the couple began a life of farming, weathering tornadoes, and dodging hungry sieges of gr...

Some samples: 1) In 1949, journalist James Morris married Elizabeth Tuckniss. Later, Mr. Morris got a sex change and became Jan Morris. Because of the sex change, the married couple was forced to divorce, but they continued to live together. In 2008, in a civil service ceremony, Jan Morris, now a writer, re-married Elizabeth Tuckniss. Ms. Morris pointed out, "I have lived with the same person for 58 years. We were married when I was young … and then this sex-change, so-called, happened, so...

The editors of Writer’s Digest are pleased to share with you the winning entries in each category of the 80th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition, along with the Grand Prize-winning story, Boy Witch, by John T. Biggs.

Apopka, Florida, started out as a place once dubbed "Big Potato" by the Native Americans of the area and was formerly known as the "Fern City," but it is now most notably considered the "Indoor Foliage Capitol of the World." Once-thriving fragrant citrus groves have been replaced by climate-controlled greenhouses and fields of landscaped nurseries and subdivisions. The second largest city in Orange County, Apopka is located in the northwest region of the county. It functions today as a bed...

This is a novel about the Barham family history. It centers on the life of John Will Barham (1859-1938), my great-grandfather and his descendants, and is written hopefully in such a way that it was easy to read, understand, and enjoy.

Theirs was a bond born in nature. United by water, the early inhabitants at Christie Lake were drawn into a community that came to transcend politics, religion and sometimes even family. Over time they gathered to work, to play and to celebrate the beauty that was around them.  Located approximately 15 kilometres southwest of Perth, Ontario, Christie Lake is the third largest lake in what is known as the Tay Watershed.  Follow the community’s mailman as he uses the N...

Limited Edition, Iosco County, Michigan, some Early History of the area, with some family histories and including those of some local businesses and facilities.

Woodstock Revisited is an invitation to do what people have been doing for over 200 years: take another look at Woodstock. The summer visitors of the 19th century and the artists and weekenders of the early 20th century beganthe trend of exploring the Woodstock area. Eventually, many who revisited Woodstock time and again decided to pull up roots and make this small upstate New York town their permanent home. In today�s world, Woodstock has becomea refuge for a new generation of people loo...

North Ogden is a quiet community nestled in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains. The majestic Ben Lomond Peak silently towers over the city to the north with Lewis Peak standing guard to the east. Beautiful panoramic scenery is enjoyed in all directions. During the early 19th century, the city and surrounding areas were inhabited by the Spanish and Native Americans and explored by trappers. North Ogden City was established in 1851, and the challenges facing the pioneer families were num...