Looking for a Good Read in the Pandemic?

Are you looking for a good book to fill some of your time in the Pandemic? Why not try my genealogy mystery Death Finds a Way

Death Finds a Way: A Janie Riley Mystery by Lorine McGinnis Schulze

Janie Riley is an avid genealogist with a habit of stumbling on to dead bodies. She and her husband head to Salt Lake City Utah to research Janie's elusive 4th great-grandmother. But her search into the past leads her to a dark secret. Can she solve the mysteries of the past and the present before disaster strikes?

Available  on Amazon.com and and Amazon.ca

No Toilet Paper Where You Live?

Coronavirus causing shortages? No toilet paper where you live? No Sears catalogue or phone book? No fresh leaves? 

 

My book "Death Finds a Way: A Janie Riley Mystery" available on Amazon, can do double duty - as a good read, then a substitute for that timeless outhouse Sears catalogue. 

 

200 pages goes a long way but be cautious of paper cuts. Note that I do not recommend the Kindle version for this use.

 

 

 

 

Looking For a Good Summer Read?

Look no further! My genealogy mystery novel "Death Finds a Way: A Janie Riley Mystery" is exactly what you need.

Janie Riley is an avid genealogist with a habit of stumbling on to dead bodies. With her husband Steven, Janie heads to Salt Lake City Utah to track down her elusive fourth great-grandmother. But her search into the past leads her to more than she bargained for. Her discovery of a dark secret brings her closer to danger. Can she solve the mysteries of the past and the present, and untangle a web of lies before disaster strikes?

Don't wait, order your copy now while the sun is hot and the beach beckons. 

Don't Disturb - Author at Work!

This is what an author does at the cottage in the spring. Bundle up, sit outside and let the waves and wind be your muse.

Working on the second draft of my new genealogical mystery novel "A Grave Secret" Hoping to have it published this year as a second in the Janie Riley series.

My first book featuring Janie was "Death Finds a Way" where Janie was lucky enough to be in Salt Lake City on a research trip.  But being Janie, many more adventures awaited her beyond just looking for her 3rd great-grandmother.

This time Janie flies to the most haunted village in Kent England to search for her 4th great grandparents, John and Susanna Philpott. What will she stumble on this time? Ghosts? Murders?

Sorry but you'll have to read the book to find out!

Be sure to bookmark my author site LorineSchulze.com for updates.

Kind Words From Interment.Net

Back in August 2016, Steve Johnson of Interment.net was kind enough to publish a brief blurb about my genealogy mystery book "Death Finds a Way"

I'm late (very late!) in talking about his column but please take a look at New Genealogy Mystery Novel Debuts: "Death Finds a Way"

Top 100 Genealogy Books

Did you know that Amazon has books on Genealogy? There are technical genealogy books, fiction genealogy books (mysteries, adventure, historical and more), DNA for genealogists, tutorial and helpful genealogy books and so on.

I like to start at Amazon's list of the Top 100 Genealogy Books which is updated hourly. That's right - hourly. Spoiler Alert! My mystery novel "Death Finds a Way: A Janie Riley Mystery" is at the Number 25 spot as of August 20, 2017 at 11 am EDT. And since I kind of love co-incidences, notice that my book has 25 4 1/2 star reviews :-)

I'd love to get it to Number 1! Failing that, if I could get it to the first page (#1-20) that would be super!

"Organize Your Genealogy in Evernote in 10 Easy Steps" (by yours truly) is not doing as well. It's in Number 68 spot!

So even though I'd love for my readers to boost my book by purchasing a copy OR giving it a decent review if you already own it, my main goal with this blog post is to encourage you to take a peek on Amazon for genealogy books you might like to read!

Excerpt from Death Finds a Way: A Janie Riley Mystery

A few of the many reviews of Death Finds a Way: A Janie Riley Mystery:

"Reading this book was like curling up on the couch with a good friend." Shani M.

"...some surprising twists enhanced the story line and offered some surprises. It should be noted that even a non genealogist would enjoy this mystery. Lorine McGinnis Schulze has produced a great first time mystery book and I am looking forward to future Janie Riley stories." Dianne S.

"Being a genealogist and knowing many of the things talked about and places visited made reading this book a lot of fun. Can't wait for the next one to come out!! " Cathy N. 

 "I loved this book and couldn't put it down!"

"Death Finds a Way" kept me engaged with the story right to the end." Susan



Excerpt from Chapter One

The Steamer Baltic, April 5, 1878

Sixteen-year-old Katie shivered in the cool morning air and pulled her woolen cloak tighter as she nudged her brother. Tendrils of glossy blue-back hair escaped from her hood and she impatiently pushed them back. “Joey!” a soft cry escaped Katie’s lips. “Look! That must be New York!” Brother and sister were standing on the deck of the ship that had brought them from Queenstown Ireland. The bow plunged through the murky water and the shoreline loomed closer. “Finally,” muttered Joey, “I can hardly wait to get off this damn thing and on to solid ground again!”

The passage had not been an easy one. Joey had been ill for most of the voyage across the Atlantic. They were both happy to be on deck where the smell of salt air filled their nostrils. Being stuck below in steerage was miserable. Katie wasn’t sure she would ever get the smell of urine, vomit, and other body waste out of her nostrils. Babies with colic screamed long into the night, hungry children cried for hours, and passengers who were sick moaned and retched with horrible gagging noises. Women cried out in fear on hearing the ship groan and creak as its wooden hull protested with every wave that hit. Katie had taken to wrapping her cloak around her ears at night so that the dreadful sounds were muffled.
She shivered again, partially from the cold and partially from nerves. They were starting a new life in a foreign country. She remembered vividly the day Joey came in from the fields and she had to tell him that their beloved ma was gone. Pa had died of the fever just a few months before and their ma had followed not long after.

Now here they were here in a city where they knew no one. Joey had a few pounds to see them through until they could find work but Katie was terrified it would not be enough. She hoped that the emigration agent had been telling the truth when he said jobs were there for the taking in New York City. She prayed she could find a position as a maid or downstairs kitchen girl in a good home, while Joey figured that with his strong muscles and young back he’d work on the docks or help in a stable. He was good with horses and even though he was only 18, no one knew more about gentling or taming a horse than he did. 

The cool wind had reddened Katie’s cheeks and they felt numb. She was glad the bad weather had finally lifted and she had something to look at besides waves and gray water. The sun was just coming up and Katie imagined she could feel a slight warmth from it already. She could hear the cries of gulls overhead, this sign of land bringing comfort to her.

Joey nudged her. “Katie, look! I think we’re coming into the harbor.” He pointed to an island on one side, mainland on the other and the narrowing gap of water between them. Their excitement, coupled with apprehension, built. What would happen now? How long would it take to get off the ship, find their baggage, and get on their way? But on their way where? Katie reminded herself that they did not have a place to stay or employment waiting for them.  

She saw that they were heading to the island and soon they were anchored. Passengers were told to gather on the deck while officials undertook a quick inspection of their hair and mouths. Joey whispered that these were Health Inspectors checking for disease. Anyone who was found in an unhealthy state would be kept in quarantine. An hour later, the inspection was over and a few sobbing women and young children had been taken away. Katie silently said a grateful thank you for not being one of those rejected.

The ship was once again heading away from the island and Katie could see a large circular building up ahead. When the ship anchored, other officials came on board and began checking each passenger’s baggage. More hours passed and Katie felt faint from hunger. The bit of bread and meat she’d eaten at last night’s supper was gone from her stomach, and it was now long past their usual breakfast time.  Joey kept reassuring her that they were fine, it was almost over and soon they’d be on their way but she was beginning to doubt it.

Finally the exhausted passengers were herded into smaller boats. She clung tightly to Joey’s sleeve, terrified that in the crush of milling bodies they’d be separated. Joey thrust a small piece of bread and some money into her hand “Take this,” he whispered fiercely, “and if we get separated, find a spot where carriages come, and wait for me there. I’ll find you.”
With trembling hands, Katie stuffed the money into the pocket of her full skirt, where it nestled beside the embroidered hanky her ma had given her for her last birthday.
“Joey, I’m scared!” Katie’s voice shook slightly.

What happens to Katie and Joey? What adventures await them? Find out in the genealogical mystery novel "Death Finds a Way: A Janie Riley Mystery" available on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca as a Paperback or E-Book

Visit my author website for details of my upcoming book in this series - "A Grave Secret"

New Year's Genealogy Resolutions for 2017

At the end of 2015 I wrote a blog post How Did I Do in 2015 and New Year's Resolutions for 2016

What were my 2016 goals and did I achieve them?

2016 GOALS & RESOLUTIONS

One of my goals in 2016 was to continue growing my Twitter profile with quality followers, and find time to work on Instagram and Periscope. But mainly in 2016 I resolved to continue to focus on my writing - both non-fiction and fiction.

DID I ACHIEVE THOSE 2016 GOALS

1. Twitter
I started 2016 with 10K followers on Twitter. I continued to work to grow that number with quality followers and as of December 2, 2016 I have reached 11.8K (11,800). Growing my Twitter reach is important to me but it was not my main focus in 2016, nor will it be for 2017

2. Instagram & Periscope
After a great deal of study and applying myself on both these Social Media outlets, I determined that, while they are fun, they are not a useful part of my business model. I believe Periscope could be but due to my limited physical mobility, the optimum way of using it is too challenging for me.

3. Writing Genealogy & Mystery Books

I'm very pleased that in June 2016 I published my first fiction - a genealogy mystery book about a middle-aged genealogist who has a penchant for stumbling on dead bodies as she researches her ancestors. In "Death Finds a Way: A Janie Riley Mystery" readers meet Janie Riley. Janie and her husband head to Salt Lake City Utah to research Janie's elusive 4th great-grandmother. But her search into the past leads her to a dark secret. She must solve the mysteries of the past and the present before disaster strikes.

Death Finds a Way is available as a paperback on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca and the CreateSpace eStore  Also available as an e-book on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca

As well as my venture into mystery novel writing, I completed and published several genealogy-history books in 2016.

2017 GOALS

My goals for 2017 are easy to formulate. I plan to focus even more on my writing. Presently I am 3/4 of the way through a first draft of Janie Riley's second adventure which I hope to publish in 2017. "A Grave Secret" and follows Janie's journey to the most haunted village in England as she searches for her 4th great-grandparents.

Of course I will continue my genealogy research as well. I look forward to new challenges and opportunities in the New Year!  What are your goals for the coming year?

12 Christmas Gifts for a Genealogist

Here's a list of a dozen gifts your favourite genealogist might like for Christmas. Maybe you could even sneak one or two for yourself!

1. Ancestry.com subscription
2. DNA Kit 10% off AncestryDNA Nov 29-Dec 14 in U.S.A. or Ancestry DNA in Canada
3. Echo Smart Pen by Live Scribe for recording Family Stories and Memories. I love my SmartPen which I bought on Amazon. I use it to record my 93 year old auntie's stories of her childhood, then I plug it into my laptop and the digital record transfers. Using the pen while auntie speaks, I make jot notes in the special notebooks. Then I can play the recorded stories by touching any word in the notebook. Very cool!
4. Legacy Family Tree Webinars subscription
5. Rootstech 2017 Registration
6. A loupe for magnification so you can scrutinize old photos and documents for clues.
7. A Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, Nook, or other e-reader so you can purchase genealogy books and read them in airports, waiting rooms, on the beach or pretty much anywhere
8. A subscription to the Genealogy Magazine of your choice. I like Family Tree Magazine, but the one you drool over could be very different.
9. A beautiful journal for writing your own memoirs. I love Iona Handcrafted Books and have asked my hubby to buy me another one this Christmas as I'm on my last one. Tip: If the checkout won't accept a non-USA order, just email or phone as they do accept international orders.
10. A Shutterfly gift certificate  I love Shutterfly for creating family photo books or calendars. It's also great for simply getting copies of your family photos so you can share them with family members
11. Acid Free Storage boxes for your treasured family photos and original documents
12. A copy of the Genealogical Mystery Novel "Death Finds a Way: A Janie Riley Mystery" by Lorine McGinnis Schulze, available in Paperback or E-Book. In this debut novel, middle-aged Janie Riley is off to Salt Lake City to research her ancestors. Little does she know that murder and mysteries await her!

Winner of the DEATH FINDS A WAY Giveaway

Olive Tree Genealogy is pleased to announce the winner of the random draw for my book Death Finds a Way: A Janie Riley Mystery was Susan Gingras Calcagni.

Congratulations to Susan! Death Finds a Way is a genealogy mystery book set in the past and the present, and my first venture into fiction. I'm excited about the positive reaction from genealogy and mystery enthusiasts! With a 4.5 star rating on Amazon.com this is a genealogy mystery book you don't want to miss! 

If you are not familiar with the story here is a summary:

Janie Riley is an avid genealogist with a habit of stumbling on to dead bodies. With her husband Steven, Janie heads to Salt Lake City Utah to track down her elusive fourth great-grandmother. But her search into the past leads her to more than she bargained for. Her discovery of a dark secret brings her closer to danger. Can she solve the mysteries of the past and the present, and untangle a web of lies before disaster strikes?

Read some of the reviews for the book on my author page  My other books (non-fiction) can be viewed on my Blog Book page.

Genealogy Mystery Book Death Finds a Way Giveaway!

A Giveaway for Thanksgiving! Olive Tree Genealogy is giving away the genealogy mystery book Death Finds a Way: A Janie Riley Mystery by Lorine McGinnis Schulze

Janie Riley is an avid genealogist with a habit of stumbling on to dead bodies. With her husband Steven, Janie heads to Salt Lake City Utah to track down her elusive fourth great-grandmother. But her search into the past leads her to more than she bargained for. Her discovery of a dark secret brings her closer to danger. Can she solve the mysteries of the past and the present, and untangle a web of lies before disaster strikes?

With a 4.5 star rating on Amazon.com this is a genealogy mystery book you don't want to miss! 

Death Finds a Way Giveaway starts on Thanksgiving Day November 24 at 12:01 a.m. EDT and ends at 11:59 p.m. EDT Black Friday November 25. The winner will be announced on Olive Tree Genealogy blog the day following the contest.

Entry Requirements: For a chance to win you must do two things:

1. Share this blog post. For example, you might share on a social media site such as Twitter, Facebook or Google+. You could provide a link to this blog post on your own blog, or share on a mailing list.

2. a) Send an email to otg.giveaway@gmail.com and tell me where you shared the news of Olive Tree Genealogy Giveaway.
    b) Be sure to put Death Finds a Way GIVEAWAY as the subject of your email

Contest Rules:
1. No purchase necessary.
2. One Winner will be chosen at random from entries received. See details above for entry requirements
3. The winner will receive a paperback copy of the book Death Finds a Way: A Janie Riley Mystery.
4. Giveaway contest starts Thanksgiving Day November 24 at 12:01 a.m. EDT and ends at 11:59 p.m. EDT Black Friday November 25.
5. You are responsible for anything in regards to the legality of entering a contest in the area in which you live.
6. The winner will be notified via your provided contact information and the winner's name will be posted on Olive Tree Genealogy blog.

Please note that only entries received at otg.giveaway@gmail.com can be accepted.

You might also like to see the other books written by Lorine McGinnis Schulze at http://LorineSchulze.com

Death Finds a Way Available as an e-book or Paperback

Death Finds a Way: A Janie Riley Mystery by Lorine McGinnis Schulze


Janie Riley is an avid genealogist with a habit of stumbling on to dead bodies. With her husband Steven, Janie heads to Salt Lake City Utah to track down her elusive fourth great-grandmother. But her search into the past leads her to more than she bargained for. Her discovery of a dark secret brings her closer to danger. Can she solve the mysteries of the past and the present, and untangle a web of lies before disaster strikes?

Available now as a paperback on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca   Also available as an e-book on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca

See my author website www.LorineSchulze.com for reviews and details of my upcoming Janie Riley mystery!

Do You Like My New Website?

Introducing.... my new author website LorineSchulze.com

My readers might know that I've been writing books and articles for many years. I've written and published over 2 dozen non-fiction books, and in June of this year I ventured into the field of fiction with my debut genealogical mystery novel, Death Finds a Way.

Readers were asking me for more details about my previous books, my published articles, my television and webinar interviews, etc., and thus my new website was born. This was a fun website to design and I hope my readers like it! Why not take a look and let me know what you think?

Oh, and if you have read and liked my book Death Finds a Way, would you take a moment to pop over to Amazon and give it a review and rating? Your support is very much appreciated!

Born 100 Years Apart But Will Their Paths Cross?

Katie Donnelly had no idea of the twists and turns her life would take when she left Ireland for New York in 1878. 

Janie Riley, born almost 100 years later, was only going to Salt Lake City to research her 4th great-grandmother. She too had no idea of what other adventures awaited her.

Will their paths cross? What, if anything, will bring them together?

Janie Riley has a habit of stumbling on to dead bodies. Once in Salt Lake City, her search into the past leads her to more than she bargained for. The discovery of a dark secret brings her closer to danger. Can she solve the mysteries of the past and the present, and untangle a web of lies before disaster strikes? 

Find out in my new Genealogy Mystery Novel "Death Finds a Way: A Janie Riley Mystery" now available on Amazon.com 

But first read a bit of Katie's story: 

The Steamer Baltic, April 5, 1878 

Sixteen-year-old Katie shivered in the cool morning air and pulled her woolen cloak tighter as she nudged her brother. Tendrils of glossy blue-back hair escaped from her hood and she impatiently pushed them back. “Joey!” a soft cry escaped Katie’s lips. “Look! That must be New York!” 

Brother and sister were standing on the deck of the ship that had brought them from Queenstown Ireland. The bow plunged through the murky water and the shoreline loomed closer. “Finally,” muttered Joey, “I can hardly wait to get off this damn thing and on to solid ground again!” 

The passage had not been an easy one. Joey had been ill for most of the voyage across the Atlantic. They were both happy to be on deck where the smell of salt air filled their nostrils. Being stuck below in steerage was miserable. Katie wasn’t sure she would ever get the smell of urine, vomit, and other body waste out of her nostrils. Babies with colic screamed long into the night, hungry children cried for hours, and passengers who were sick moaned and retched with horrible gagging noises. Women cried out in fear on hearing the ship groan and creak as its wooden hull protested with every wave that hit. Katie had taken to wrapping her cloak around her ears at night so that the dreadful sounds were muffled.

She shivered again, partially from the cold and partially from nerves. They were starting a new life in a foreign country. She remembered vividly the day Joey came in from the fields and she had to tell him that their beloved ma was gone. Pa had died of the fever just a few months before and their ma had followed not long after. 

Now here they were here in a city where they knew no one. Joey had a few pounds to see them through until they could find work but Katie was terrified it would not be enough. She hoped that the emigration agent had been telling the truth when he said jobs were there for the taking in New York City. She prayed she could find a position as a maid or downstairs kitchen girl in a good home, while Joey figured that with his strong muscles and young back he’d work on the docks or help in a stable. He was good with horses and even though he was only 18, no one knew more about gentling or taming a horse than he did. 

The cool wind had reddened Katie’s cheeks and they felt numb. She was glad the bad weather had finally lifted and she had something to look at besides waves and gray water. The sun was just coming up and Katie imagined she could feel a slight warmth from it already. She could hear the cries of gulls overhead, this sign of land bringing comfort to her.

Joey nudged her. “Katie, look! I think we’re coming into the harbor.” He pointed to an island on one side, mainland on the other and the narrowing gap of water between them. Their excitement, coupled with apprehension, built. What would happen now? How long would it take to get off the ship, find their baggage, and get on their way? But on their way where? [Excerpt from "Death Finds a Way: A Janie Riley Mystery" by Lorine McGinnis Schulze]


Information on the author and her books, articles and interviews can be found at LorineSchulze.com

Death Finds a Way - My First Genealogy Mystery Novel is Coming Soon!

If you like genealogy and you like mystery stories, I think you're going to like what I have to share with you. I'm so excited I'm almost exploding! My very first genealogical murder mystery novel is set to be published this month!

That's right. I've written a novel, a 193 page mystery novel, about a genealogist who becomes involved in a murder in Salt Lake City Utah.
 
It has been five years in the making, involving endless cups of tea, hundreds of hours of brainstorming with my husband, and over two dozen edits from first draft to final version. In the middle of that five year period I shoved the manuscript into a drawer, not sure how I could ever finish it. Two years later I took it out and with a renewed burst of energy and excitement, carried on writing!

Yesterday I received my proof copy and today I am checking that copy to make sure it is ready to go live! I'll be letting you, my wonderful readers, know as soon as it is available for purchase. I'm anxious, nervous, but also super excited to see if you like it.

My Proof Copy!

Death Finds a Way is the story of Janie Riley, an avid genealogist with a habit of stumbling on to dead bodies. With her husband Steven, Janie heads to Salt Lake City Utah to track down her elusive fourth great-grandmother. But her search into the past leads her to more than she bargained for. Her discovery of a dark secret brings her close to danger. Can she solve the mysteries of the past and the present, and untangle a web of lies before disaster strikes?

Be sure to check out my new author page at LorineSchulze.com

I'll be posting here on Olive Tree Genealogy blog and on my author page as soon as my novel is available - probably in a few days!