High Hopes

I am preparing to leave my husband this afternoon. Don't worry. I'll be back.

My sister and I are going to Harrisonburg, Va., to spend Thursday researching Burkholders and attending the annual Writer's Conference at Christian Light Publications on Friday.

On Thursday, I hope to find the last pieces of evidence I need to fully prove Peter Burkholder did not die in Pa. in 1799 but was still living in Va. until 1811. I am positive I am right because this week, thanks to the Library of Virginia website, I located the patent issued to Peter for 555 acres of land in Rockingham County in 1801. Dead men do not buy land! I also want to get copies of his estate settlement papers. With those documents in hand, I will be able to insert the last footnotes on my Burkholder article and finally complete that winter project.

On Friday my sister and I will attend the morning and afternoon sessions of Writer's Conference. We will not stay for the evening session because she needs to be home for Saturday. During the time I am there I hope to get an update from the editor on the current position of my new book in the publishing lineup and the projected release date. Perhaps I might be able to get a sneak preview of what they have in mind for the cover.

I'm setting off with high hopes and we shall see how many of them are realized when I return Friday night.