Do you have a memorable family story that your mother or father likes to tell? Is there some truth to the “walked uphill both ways in ten feet of snow” tale? Tracking down the source of a story and doing some research to put yourself in the time and place can yield surprising results. In this new addition to my series, “The Adventures of Cowboy Bob” I give a fictionalized account of a story I heard many...

How do you write a family history that your family might actually read? Turning your pedigree chart into a sentence is a sure way to turn them off. Instead, think about writing a scene to enliven your story. I had heard my dad talk about “pickin’ cotton” as a boy. He didn’t leave a written record, but I created this scene from my memories of his stories. My dad passed away six and a half years...