About Me

Hello! I am an award-winning author, freelance journalist and travel blogger with more than four decades of experience penning educational and informational content for both print and electronic media.

I gravitate toward stories about Travel, U.S. History, Lifestyle and the Military, as well as Animals/Pets, Outdoors and the Environment.

As a novelist I have won more than two dozen literary awards, and as a freelance writer I’ve been featured in such diverse platforms as Vietnam Magazine, The Epoch Times Travel Section, Atlas Obscura and ROVA Magazine.

The ability to discover new places and experience the culture of small towns is what makes road-tripping my preferred method of travel. I love immersing myself in authentic Americana and sharing the true heartbeat of the country with my readers by traveling the back roads whenever possible.

I’m A Member Of The Following Professional Writing and Travel Organizations:

? North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA)

? International Food Wine and Travel Association (IFWTA)

? Military Writers Society of America (MWSA)

? Novelists Inc (NINC)

? To share my travels and show readers how much fun and interesting history can be!

? I want to inspire others to jump in their car and take a road trip to experience, see  and connect with the past.

? History doesn’t have to be boring!  Join me in taking a trip back in time.

Here’s what you’ll find on Past Lane Travels:

? Stories about the culture, history, heritage and traditions of America.

? Insider tips on the most scenic and historic sites to visit on your way to a “touristy” destination.

? Fabulous food that highlights the culture of different regions in the USA.

? Advice and insight on travel gear, hotels and trip planning.

? Destination information and advice.

Some Fun Facts About Me:

☑️ I still heat my home with wood and do most of the splitting myself.

☑️ I LOVE yard sales, thrift stores and antique shops.

☑️ My first career was a veterinary technician at a horse hospital. My second career was a newspaper editor. I also spent 16 years working as a part-time stagehand at a performing arts theater.

☑️ I don’t like wearing shoes.

☑️ The house I currently live in did not have an indoor bathroom when I bought it—only an outhouse. (But it has indoor plumbing now)!

How Past Lane Travels Came To Be…

Most people know me as a historical fiction and suspense/thriller author, but I’m also a history geek and road trip lover — especially the back roads of the USA.

I’ve learned so much as I travel throughout the country to do research for my novels that I wanted to share the “extra” information that doesn’t make it into my books. And that’s why Past Lane Travels came to be.

When I say that I do “research,” I may go a little overboard compared to other authors. I like to experience what my characters experience and that means walking in their footsteps… or trying to at least.

For instance, I’ve camped with thousands of other “soldiers” at Civil War reenactments, gone target shooting from out of a helicopter, flown with Vietnam veterans in a Huey, and tramped across more battlefields, cemeteries and dirt roads than I can count.

I also love small towns, antique shopping, old hardware stores and just sharing my history and travel discoveries with others.

I hope you enjoy taking a trip into the past with me by tagging along on Past Lane Travels.