Thriller Thursday: Tuberculosis Terror

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Thriller Thursday: Tuberculosis Terror

Thriller Thursday Welcomes Allison Brennan

I'm excited to bring you my interview with Allison Brennan at the new blog. Please update your links and follow status so you don't miss updates. Thanks!

New York Times Best Selling Author Allison Brennan talks plotting, being a writing mom, and how new authors need to approach the changing industry.

Thriller Thursday: Deepest Circle of Hell

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Here's the link to today's Thriller Thursday: The Deepest Circle of Hell

Manic Monday: Old Lady Flips Me Off - A True Story

Don't forget Turning The Page Has MOVED. Please update your links and follow the new blog for updates.

You can find today's Manic Monday post about angry grandma's here.

Saturday Mash-Up

In honor of the BIG MOVE, I'm posting a special Saturday Mash-Up at the new blog. Some really funny and inspirational links included. Please stop by and update your links and follow me for updates.

Saturday Mash-Up at Turning The Page

Have a great day!

I'VE MOVED!!!!!!!!!!

Hello all! After seeing how few responses the past few posts were getting and yet seeing the page view go up, I started investigating. Turns out a lot of people were having trouble leaving comments on Blogger, and I'm not the only one. So I finally bit the bullet and transferred the site to Wordpress. Still working out the kinks, but all the posts are there, including today's Thriller Thursday post.

Please come follow me at my new home!

http://stacygreenauthor.com/

Thanks!

--Stacy

Thriller Thursday: The Courtesy Due My Rank, a Civil War Murder

General Davis, Circa 1862.

Along with my love of suspense, true crime, and thrillers, Civil War history is another favorite, so today we're talking about a Civil War murder committed by Jefferson Davis.

No, not THE Jefferson Davis, the one and only President of the Confederate States of America, but Jefferson C. Davis, an officer in the United States Army. Davis served in the Mexican-American War, the Civil War, and the Modoc War. A proven soldier, Davis was inside the walls of Fort Sumter in 1861 when the rebels fired the first shots. A tenacious soldier, he was appointed Brigadier General of Volunteers in 1862. Despite his distinguished history, Davis is remembered for the similarity of his name to President Jefferson Davis and for murdering a superior officer during the Civil War.

In 1862, exhausted and emaciated, Davis left the Army on sick leave but returned to defend Cincinnati, Ohio. He soon found himself in Louisville, Kentucky reporting to Maj. General William Nelson.

Davis was a quiet man, but he was stubborn and known to have a temper. A biographer once described Davis as "aggressive, feisty, and confrontational with a fiery and combative spirit." Small and compact, Davis knew how to handle himself in a fight.

Jefferson C. Davis, standing second from right, with General Sherman and his staff.

In contrast, Maj. General William Nelson was over six foot tall and weighed around 300 pounds—no small feat in the lean days of the Civil War. Four years older than Davis, Nelson had gotten his start as a midshipman in the Navy and then quickly rose to rank during the Civil War. Known to be a bully, Nelson had been nicknamed "Bull" during his Navy days.

Major General William Nelson.

Not exactly a match made in heaven.

Davis was an Indiana boy, and Nelson a staunch Kentuckian. The two states didn't get along, and Nelson often referred to Hoosiers as "poor trash." A veteran soldier, Davis resented reporting to a man who'd only recently been given command of troops. Nelson ordered Davis to organize and train the "home guard," an assignment Davis would have been insulted by.

It didn't take long for the two men to clash. When Davis reported to Nelson at the Galt House, a fancy hotel serving as Army offices and Nelson's quarters, the Maj. General asked Davis for the number of troops gathered and how many weapons they needed. After only two days on the job, Davis later said he couldn't possibly have answered differently. Nelson was furious.

Maj. General James B. Fry

Maj. General James. B. Fry witnessed Nelson rise and glared down his nose at the diminutive Davis. The following is his description of his encounter:

"But you should know, I am disappointed in you, General Davis. I selected you for this duty because you are an officer in the regular Army, but I find I made a mistake.'

"Davis arose and remarked in a cool, deliberate manner:

"'General Nelson, I am a regular soldier, and I demand the treatment due to me as a general officer...I demand from you the courtesy due my rank.'

"Nelson replied: 'I will treat you as you deserve. You have disappointed me. You have been unfaithful to the trust I have reposed in you, and I shall relieve you at once. You will proceed to Cincinnati and report to General Wright.'

"Davis said: 'You have no authority to order me.'

"Nelson turned toward the Adj. General and said: 'Captain, if General Davis does not leave the city by nine o'clock tonight, give instructions to the Provost-Marshal to see that he shall be put across the Ohio!"

Needless to say, egos were severely wounded and all hell was about to break loose.

General Wright temporarily defused the situation, but when General Buell took over for Nelson, Wright sent Davis back to Ohio. Davis settled in and began planning an attack against rebels in Kentucky. On September 29, Davis entered Galt house to report. When Nelson arrived, Davis demanded an apology. Indiana Governor Oliver Morton and General Fry overheard the exchange.

Indiana Governor Oliver Morton

Fry said Nelson answered Davis's demand with a loud, "no!" and "said in a loud voice for all to hear, 'Go away, you damned puppy. I don't want anything to do with you!'"

Thoroughly insulted and embarrassed, Davis wadded up the paper he was holding and threw it in Nelson's face. Nelson slapped Davis with the back of his hand, made a nasty comment to Governor Morton, and stomped toward the staircase. Unbelievably, Davis took a pistol from a nearby friend, walked to within three feet of the towering Nelson and shot the unarmed general in the chest.

According to witnesses, Nelson dragged himself up the stairs before collapsing. "Send for a clergyman," he gasped. "I wish to be baptized. I have been basely murdered."

Davis was immediately arrested, but he insisted that while he wanted an apology, he had no intention of murdering Nelson. I'm not sure how you shoot a man point blank in the chest without intention, but I digress. Some officers screamed for Davis' immediate hanging. General Buell, an admirer of Nelson, called the act "a high crime and gross violation of military discipline. He intended to take quick action, but time was on Davis's side.

General Buell

Because time was short and quality officers in need, Buell didn't have the resources for a court marshall. He wanted Davis to be tried in Washington. Davis's friend Governor Morton lobbied on his behalf, and Davis was released with in a week. Some accounts also have General Wright coming to Davis's aid and gaining his release from prison. He escaped conviction because the Union Army was in desperate need for experienced field commanders, and within fourteen days of murdering Nelson, Davis received division command in the Army of the Cumberland.

General Davis, circa 1865.

Davis did receive a very tiny punishment for the murder: he never reached a rank higher than brigadier general of volunteers. He did earn a temporary promotion to major general of volunteers on August 8, 1864, then was appointed commanding officer of the XIV Corps, a post he retained until the end of the Civil War.

Controversy continued to surround Davis during the Ebenezer Creek passing. His racist attitude toward freed slaves was deplorable. On December 9, 1864, Davis ordered a bridge removed before the refugee slaves following his army could cross. Hundreds of slaves were either captured by Confederates or drowned in the Creek.

Davis with his staff in Washington D.C. in 1865

Davis stayed in the Army after the war. He was the first commander of the Department of Alaska. True to his crusty nature, he forced the Russian settlers of Sitka, Alaska out of their homes because they were "needed for Americans." In the Modoc War, Davis's field prowess was an asset, resulting in the successful Battle of Dry Lake.

Crown Hill Gateway, Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Jefferson C. Davis died in 1879 at age 51 in Chicago. He was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana. Crown Hill is the place for Indiana's soldiers and celebrities, and it's a beautiful cemetery. On a personal note, my great-great grandfather Peter Fisher is buried at Crown Hill. He served in the Civil War, and we're lucky enough to have his Colt Revolver.

Jefferson C. Davis Grave Site, Crown Hill. Image credit Seth Musselmen.

Clearly this was a case of egos and tempers out of control. In the days when gentlemanly conduct was highly valued, it's astounding Davis wasn't tried. Do you think General Davis should have served time for the murder, or did the needs of the Union Army outweigh justice?

#Row80 Round Four KickOff Check-In

Happy #Row80 Day (click here if you don't know what Row80 is)! It's the first check-in, and of course the party's going strong over at the #Row80 hashtag.

I don't have a recent photo for the contest, but I had to share this one.

Tell me those aren't some rockin' bangs. And the clarinet completes the coolness.

My week has gotten off to a slow start, but I knew it would. My parents were visiting so I didn't get much writing done, and that's okay. I did manage to get 500 words in on The Prophet last night, and I'm heading to library in a bit to write. I decided that getting out of the house might be a great way to be more focused on writing days. I will write 1000 words today.

I'll also be working on a very cool Thriller Thursday post this afternoon.

On the life side, today is day one with no pop (soda for you strange ones), and I'm back on my more strict eating schedule. We'll see how that goes.

What about you? How's your first week of Row80 Round 4 going? Don't forget to stop over at the Twitter #Row80 hashtag to say hi. If you're new to Row80, introduce yourself!

This picture really has no tie-in to the post other than the squirrel theme.

But it was too funny not to share!

In case you missed Monday's post, here are my Round 4 #Row80 Goals:

Writing:

Begin querying Light and Dark by November 15. Some of this hinges on my final critique partner getting the time to read the MS, but I'm determined to have sent FIVE queries out by the end of Round 4.

Write a minimum 3000 words/week on my new suspense thriller, The Prophet. If I can manage that pace, the first draft will be about halfway complete by Christmas.

Continue to blog three times a week and work on spreading the word about Thriller Thursday. Those posts really tie into my genre, and I want to add focus to them.

Continue to support my blogging/writing friends on their individual journey's.

Life:

Stick to my healthy eating schedule. Do a better job of watching my carbs.

Continue with yoga. Build workouts to at least four times a week.

Spend more time reading with my daughter.

Focus on the positive things in my life: friends, family, my chance to write.

Focus on the stuff I CAN change about myself instead of worrying about what I can't.

Tempting Tuesday: Chicken Burgers?

My parents are visiting today, so Tempting Tuesday's going to be short and sweet. I bought a pound of ground chicken for a recipe and wound up not using it, so I had to come up with an alternative. I decided to try for a healthier burger, and the results were delicious!

1 Lb Ground Chicken

3 gloves minced garlic

1-2 Cups 2% sharp cheddar (or whatever cheese you like)

1-2 Tsp basil to taste

Red pepper sauce to taste

Sea salt (real salt) to taste

2 tsp Cookies all purpose seasoning

Sara Lee Mini-Buns (100 calories each)

Real butter with canola oil. I use the 50% less calorie kind

*real butter is healthier for you than margine. Just use less!

Tone's Garlic Bread Sprinkle with Cheese

Mix all together and make patties. Preheat oven to 350. Heat a non-stick skillet (or use your grill, just make sure to use cooking spray with either) and cook patties on each side for about eight minutes. It's easy to tell when the chicken is white and done. A lot of juice will cook out, and the outside of the patties will get a nice, crispy coating.

Just before they're done, lightly butter each side of the bun and then season (lightly) with the Tone's Garlic Bread Sprinkle. Put on a cookie sheet and let the buns cook for 4-6 minutes, depending on your oven and how crisp you want them.

Put it all together and enjoy! You can also add green onions and real bacon bits to the mix. I just didn't have any. For a nice side, try roasted cauliflower lightly coated in olive oil and seasoned with Cookie's all purpose, chili powder or curry. Bake until you can easily pierce with fork.

Let me know what you think of the burgers. Do you have any good recipe's for ground chicken? I'm always on the lookout for something different!

Manic Monday: Liebster Awards, Row80, and YOU!

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you had a fantastic weekend. Our weather here was beautiful, and I got some serious plotting/writing done on The Prophet, so I'm happy.

Today's post is a Mish-Mash (to steal Kelly Hashway's phrase). First, I have to give a huge thank you to the wonderful Jenny Hansen for bestowing me with the Liebster Award.

Liebster is German for "beloved person." Jenny said some very sweet things about me, and I'd like to return the favor. Jenny and her blog, More Cowbell, are always fun and positive. She's a fantastic cheerleader and a great teacher as well.

I'd like to give the Liebster to these blogging friends:

Jessica Patch: Her blog is fun and uplifting, and she's always willing to help out a fellow writer. She recently signed with Rachel Kent of Books and Such Literary, so huge congrats!

J. Thomas Ross: J is lucky enough to have access to some great conferences and writing groups, and she's always willing to share what she's learned.

Donna Galanti: First off, HUGE CONGRATS to Donna for signing with Echelon Press. I'm so happy for her! I want to give her the Liebster because Donna was one of my first "writing" friends. She embraced me when I was just starting out and gave me a lot of great guidance. Her blog is always informative, and she has fun author interviews.

Amber West: Amber not only posts great posts about which TV shows are worth your time, but she also has wonderful Friday Inspiration posts. She recently launched the #Gowithout campaign for charity, and I'm proud to take part.

Finally, I want to mention two great bloggers that already have Liebsters. Catie Rhodes is my critique partner and friend. Her blog is one of my favorites, covering everything from cool 80s movies, Texas history, true crime, and freaky paranormal stories. Tiffany White is another blogging friend, and her blog (along with Amber West's) is the go-to place for finding great, new television shows. Thanks to these ladies for all their support!

Last but not least, it's almost time for the "Rock the ROW" Twitter party! On October 5th, the #Row hashtag will be THE place to be. Jenny Hansen has all the details here. "Rock the Row" is our opportunity to celebrate our accomplishments from #Row80 Round 3, and it's also the kick off for Round 4. If you haven't taken part in Row80, I definitely encourage you to. It's a great way to stay motivated to reach your writing AND life goals.

If you don't know what #Row80 is, take a minute and check out Kait Nolan's post. She's the brain behind #Row80.

Round 4 begins today, October 3rd, and runs through December 22. That's 80 days to get some serious work in. I went easy on myself in Round 3, so I'm upping the stakes this time.

Yes, it's Calvin and Hobbs day at Turning The Page. :)

My Round 4 #Row80 Goals:

Writing:

Begin querying Light and Dark by November 15. Some of this hinges on my final critique partner getting the time to read the MS, but I'm determined to have sent FIVE queries out by the end of Round 4.

Write a minimum 3000 words/week on my new suspense thriller, The Prophet. If I can manage that pace, the first draft will be about halfway complete by Christmas.

Continue to blog three times a week and work on spreading the word about Thriller Thursday. Those posts really tie into my genre, and I want to add focus to them.

Continue to support my blogging/writing friends on their individual journey's.

Life:

Stick to my healthy eating schedule. Do a better job of watching my carbs.

Continue with yoga. Build workouts to at least four times a week.

Spend more time reading with my daughter.

Focus on the positive things in my life: friends, family, my chance to write.

Focus on the stuff I CAN change about myself instead of worrying about what I can't.

What about you? Will you be joining #Row80?