Pile Up on the Writing Desk

 

Hi, everyone. Hope you're having a wonderful summer and you're beating the heat. Praise be to Willis Carrier for inventing a machine to save humid beings.

There is so much to get to from the writing desk this go around that I don't know where to begin. It's not only the heat outside that building, but also my writing projects, upcoming releases, and newly scheduled signings and presentations. 

While I work on promoting my latest books, The Pig War and the Pelican Girls and the upcoming Notable Women of Alabama (more on that in a moment), I got back to my freelance roots to research and write an article for the history magazine, Alabama Heritage. The article, The Great Civil War Bread Riots of 1863, appears in the Summer 2025 issue and traces the events that led to Southern women in Richmond, Virginia, and Mobile, Alabama, taking to the streets and violently rioting and ransacking stores to get the food and supplies they needed to keep their families alive. The issue is available online and bookstores. And I have to thank Susan Reynolds and the staff at AH for giving me the opportunity.

I was thrilled to learn this morning that my short story, Johnson Smith, We Love You, was selected to be featured in the upcoming issue of the Emerald Coast Review.

For those of you not familiar with my writing career, this is the story that started it all. It was first written in 1980 along with several other humorous stories about growing up, all loosely based on faulty memories. When I began my career in radio broadcasting that same year, in a style reminiscent if Jean Shepard, I read the stories on my overnight radio show. They were a hit. 

It was then that I decided to have them published. After dozens of re-writes, rejections, and my first experience with a very expensive and shyster editor to create an eBook, Living in a Banana Dream, I put the stories to bed and haven’t revisited them in a while. A few years ago, I did resurrect them for a series of podcasts called Joe Cuhaj's Shorts, that you can hear on my website. 

Long story short, I've decided to dust off the old Johnson Smith and sent it to the Emerald Coast Review, and here we are. I'll keep you posted and let you know when the article is published. 

My brand new book, Notable Women of Alabama, is on track and on time for release October 14th. The book traces the lives of 50 women who made a difference not only in Alabama, but the nation and the world as well. You can pre-order the book now. And if you are in the Mobile, Alabama, area in October, I have several signings and presentations on the way. See the calendar below.

            

If you're looking for a gift to give that reader in your life for the Christmas holidays, right now, Arcadia Publishing is offering 15% off on three of my local Mobile and the Alabama Gulf Coast history titles: Baseball in Mobile, A History Lover's Guide to Mobile and the Alabama Gulf Coast, and Hidden History of Mobile. Click the images above to receive your savings. And thank you!

Okay, that's all the news for now. On to the calendar of events! I hope to see you at one of these venues:

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

October 18: Ink and Insight at Bellingrath Gardens and Home

Joe will be reading selections from his local and regional books and signing copies of his latest book, Notable Women of Alabama, from 10:30am to 11:30am.

October 18: Page and Palette Author Book Signing

Joe will be signing copies of The Pig War and the Pelican Girls and his latest, Notable Women of Alabama from 1pm to 3pm.

October 23: Fairhope Public Library-Presentation & Book Signing, Notable Women of Alabama

Joe will present his new books, Notable Women of Alabama, from 4pm to 5pm followed by a Q&A and signing.

Cruisin' Through Summer

 

Hi, again, everyone! I trust you had a happy and safe 4^th of July weekend. As always, things have been busy here at the old Writing Ranch.

I’m happy to say that my latest book, The Pig War and the Pelican Girls, is doing well, thanks to all of you. Thank you! If you haven’t heard of the book, well, let me introduce you by sharing the book trailer.

My schedule is open for the remainder of the summer. If your organization is looking for a guest speaker or want to schedule a book signing, contact me and we can set it up. I’d love to speak with your group.

 

Speaking of signings, I’m pleased to announce the first book signing has been scheduled for my new book, Notable Alabama Women. The book will hit bookstores October 14^th. My first signing will be at the famous Bellingrath Gardens in Mobile October 18^th at 10:30am. I will be reading select passages from my regional nonfiction history books and will be signing copies of the new book.

 And speaking of Notable Alabama Women, either the book’s editor was being kind or I'm getting better at this writing stuff. LOL! The first round of edits for the book were very light, I'm pleased to say. Next up, the galley proofs will be sent for one final go round. The book, which profiles 50 women from or moved to Alabama that made a difference in the state and the country, is set for release October 14th!

 

I have been so focused on my nonfiction history and cozy mystery writing that I have neglected my outdoor recreation books. I was going through the archives the other day and found this video from seven years ago that I thought I would re-share. It pays homage to the unsung heroes who build and maintain the thousands of miles of hiking trails we all enjoy. These men and women are volunteers who use their free time so we can all enjoy the trails whether hiking, mountain biking, ADA accessible, the lot. If you pass a trail maintenance crew while hiking, thank them for volunteering and the work they do.

 

That’s all for now. Until next time…

Never a Dull Moment

 

Hello, friends! I hope all of you have been well. Here in the old writing room, there's smoke coming out of my keyboard and my fingers are blistered from all of the writing going on. OK, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but not far off. A lot has been going on.

First, I'm proud to unveil the cover of my new book, Notable Women of Alabama, which is due out October 24th. I think the designers at Arcadia and History Press out did themselves on this one. I'd like to know what you think. Just drop a comment below. This is my 20th book since I began this crazy journey back in 2000. You can pre-order the book now. 

  

Speaking of Arcadia Publishing and History Press, the publisher is now offering 15% off any of my Mobile, Gulf Coast, and Alabama history books. Simply click the link, add the book to your cart, and the discount will be displayed in your cart.

• Baseball in Mobile  
• Hidden History of Mobile 
• A History Lover's Guide to Mobile/Ala. Gulf Coast 
• Notable Women of Alabama (coming soon)

On the writing front, I was thrilled to have been asked to read and review Debra Goldstein's book, "With Our Bellies Full and the Fires Dying." It's a little different than your usual mystery books. It's an anthology of short mysteries, some as little as 800 words in length, but all with a tantalizing twist. Read my review on the Alabama WritersForum website.

I spent last weekend in 1943 visiting some friends, Judy Campbell and Art Foley. I tell you, those two. They are nothing but trouble. Everywhere they go, there is a murder and then they have to solve the mystery for the police.

Yes, I spent the weekend working on book two of the Crystal Bay Mystery series. After taking my final beta reader's advice on "Dead Air" and and did a major tidy up on it to send to the agents who requested it, it was time to work on the second book of the series.

That second book is tentatively titled, "A Wedding to Die For." I was working on it non-stop the last couple of days. Some have called me "obsessive," but I call it "immersion." No, I haven't given up on the history and outdoor rec guides (when I can,) but writing in the cozy mystery genre is liberating and sets the mind free with all of the plotting, character development, banter. I feel literally immersed in the time period and characters making it difficult to pull myself away.

OK, maybe it is a little obsessive. But when you're on a roll....

 I also spent a little time this past week heading down memory lane. There are a couple of 50th anniversaries coming up in my life (more on that in the next edition), but I had fun reliving my radio past and rediscovering a video I created for my book, Waterfalls of Alabama. 

45 years ago last week, I began my dream career in radio broadcasting. I uncovered an old cassette tape with the only aircheck I have left of those days when I worked my dream job from 1980 to the mid-1990s. This was recorded at the last station I worked at, WBCA in Bay Minette, Alabama. It's a collection of bad comedy bits, a few commercials, a sports play-by-play clip, and some ofmy morning show, "The Country Club." It was a country music station, after all. At times you can still hear me talking ninety to nothing like I was still in NJ. You can take the boy out of New Jersey, but....

 

And finally, a memory from 5 years ago when I was researching one of my favorite guidebooks for Falcon Books, Hiking Waterfalls of Alabama. The Auburn area is about as far south in the state you can go to see a decent waterfall. A distinct fall line in the area created one of the best in the region, Great Falls (the last clip in the video.)

 

Wow, this was a long one. If you made it this far, congratulations! :) Thanks for reading and joining me on my writing adventures. There's more to come. Drop me a line if you have any questions of comments. I'd love to hear from you.

Until next time...Cheers!

Soldier Girls

I would like to introduce you to another fascinating tale from my latest book, The Pig War & the Pelican Girls. Both general readers looking for a good story and armchair historians will find this collection of forgotten American history a fascinating read - 21 main stories plus 21 shorter footnotes to history, like this story about Civil War "soldier girls." The book is available now at your favorite local and online bookstore.

The next time you see a photo of a tough looking Civil War soldier dressed in uniform posing for the camera with gun or sword in hand, take a closer look. That soldier boy might just be a soldier girl.

The general historical overview of the Civil War paints a picture of it being a man’s war. Men took up their guns and were either drafted, volunteered, or forced into service to fight the incredibly bloody battles while the women were relegated to maintaining the farms back home or acted as nurses for the wounded. The truth is that women, on both the Union and Confederate sides, took up arms themselves to fight.

A wonderful story of these “soldier girls” is that of Private Franklin Thompson who fought with the Union’s 2nd Infantry Unit. Thompson was, in reality, Canadian born Sarah Evelyn Edmonds.

Sarah enjoyed the physical work and was described as energetic and adventurous. She loved to ride horses, became an excellent marksman, and a strong swimmer. When her family arranged her to marry an older man at the age of fifteen, she ran away and soon disappeared, taking up the male identity of “Frank Thompson.”

After moving to Flint, Michigan, the Civil War broke out and Sarah made the decision to volunteer to fight with the Union army. So how did Sarah pass the physical required to join the military? The requirements were hardly stringent: the volunteer must not be blind, lame, have all of their limbs, and not be subject to having fits. For the physical exam, they were not required to strip down, only to have a firm handshake. Sarah, with her physical abilities, was a shoe in to pass the physical.

Sarah was able to remain incognito by bathing in streams and creeks near the troop’s encampments and slept in her clothes. While she was assigned to being the regiment’s male nurse, she did encounter the realities of war taking part in both battles of Bull Run, Fredericksburg, and Antietam. Afterwards, she volunteered to become a Union spy. Shaving her head, donning a curly wig, and painting her exposed skin with silver nitrate, she posed as a slave named “Cuff” and infiltrated a group of Black laborers working in a confederate camp in Yorktown. After overhearing Confederate plans for an attack, she slipped away in the cover of darkness and relayed the intelligence to the Union army who made a surprise attack on the rebels and scored an impressive victory.

Eventually, Sarah deserted because she had contracted malaria and did not want to have her cover blown. Sarah relinquished her identity of Frank Thompson and married. When she attended the regiment’s reunion, the men were shocked and surprised that Frank Thompson was actually Sarah Edmonds.

What's New

 

Good morning, everyone. I hope you enjoyed your holiday weekend, but took the time to remember the reason for the holiday - the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

As always, it has been a busy time here in the old writing room. The big news comes from my cozy mystery, Dead Air. I was fortunate enough to pitch the manuscript to five notable agents this past weekend and I went five-for-five! I was blown away. I knew the pitch and the story were good, and thought that maybe one would want to discuss it further, but all five want a follow up.

It's a process - first you pitch the book. If they like it, they ask for more: a query letter, the first few pages or chapters, a synopsis, maybe the entire manuscript. They review it and decide if they want to pursue it any further. 

The hard part is writing the synopsis. Take a 60K word manuscript and tell the entire story in two pages. Yeah, it's going to be a long week. But I'm excited that it was so well received and gives new life to the manuscript.

As for my latest book, The Pig War and the Pelican Girls, Episode 5 dropped last week. This final episode, "The Bonus Army," tells the story of 25K World War I veterans who descended on Washington, D.C. in 1932. The protest turned into a riot with tanks and soldiers marching in. Years later, the event sparked the creation of the G.I. Bill.

You can stream or download the episode from my website, Public Radio Remix (PRX), or Podbean.

The book itself is doing very well. It's available at your favorite local and online bookstore. 

That's all for now. Until next time...

May 2025 Newsletter

 Hello again, everyone. I hope you all have been doing well. It’s been busy here in the old writing room. A lot has happened recently and a lot more is on the way.

 First off, I hope you have had a chance to catch the latest episode of The Pig War and the Pelican Girls companion podcast. Episode 4 tells the story of a fascinating lady, Stagecoach Mary, only the second woman and the only African American woman to deliver mail and supplies through the wild west of the 1800s for the U.S. Post Office. You can listen on my website (there are also video clips), on Public Radio Remix (PRX), or Podbean. The final episode will drop Tuesday, May 20th.

Speaking of The Pig War and the Pelican Girls book, we had a nice turnout for Independent Bookstore Day at the Haunted Book Shop in Mobile, and soon after, the book had a short write up in a local newspaper. The book is available at your favorite local bookstore and online retailer. If you order online, please consider Bookshop.org. A portion of the sale is donated to independent bookstores across the country.

As for my first cozy mystery, it’s a big week. I’ll be pitching to several agents this weekend. I’m a bit nervous since I’m jumping out of my comfort zone writing non-fiction history and outdoor recreation guides into a new genre. Fingers crossed!

 And speaking of mysteries, I had a great time meeting and interview author Tom Spencer at the Haunted Book Shop for his new novel, The Mystery of the Crooked Man. It is an amazing book and I highly recommend it to you cozy lovers out there. I wrote a review for the Alabama Writers Forum that you can read here.

 Oh, and for those waiting for the release of Notable Women of Alabama, it is scheduled for publication in October. More as we get closer.

 That’s all for now. Until next time…

The Pig War Press Kit is Available Now!

 

For media outlets, book retailers, or organizations, Joe Cuhaj is available for interviews, book signings, and presentation on his latest book, "The Pig War and the Pelican Girls." A complete press kit with more information is now available.