Sandy's blog, paHis features a delightful assortment of Pennsylvania related topics - history, customs, news, and more. Recent posts include info on Centralia's mine fire, Amish customs, and products native to the Keystone State. Her posts offer interesting tidbits and links; I always learn something new.
Hi Sandy, welcome to Write Now! Why did you start blogging? How long have you had your current blog?
Thank you, Karen! I started my blog as a way to connect with people who might be interested in buying my books. I’ve written my blog, paHis, since September, 2011, when I wrote about Blue Jacket, a Shawnee Indian. A rumor said that he had been Marmaduke Van Swearingen, a white boy from Pennsylvania. My great-grandmother would have been a descendant of Marmaduke’s uncle. DNA tests proved the legend wrong.
Now there's a bit of interesting history, or local lore, depending on how you look at it! What is the main theme of paHis?
My blog is mostly about Pennsylvania, past and present, but I also write about another topic dear to my heart, homeschooling.
Both subjects are near to my heart as well. Have you gained any benefits through blogging?
First of all, I enjoy local people telling me that they like reading what I write. Second, I’ve gotten to connect with some wonderful people including you, Karen, as we feature each other on our blogs. I received the greatest thrill from blogging when my post about Mexico, Pennsylvania reached over 13,000 views.
Wow, that's wonderful, congratulations on so many views! I too, am glad we met, It is good to connect with so many great people. What projects are you working on now?
My ongoing project is to produce a full Pennsylvania history curriculum for 4th through 8th grades. I have four workbooks finished. Right now, I’m writing a historical fiction short story collection to include in the section of the curriculum about industry in Pennsylvania. The first short story is about a charcoal furnace journeyman. In the second story, a monkey boy employed by Edwin Drake’s oil drilling rig is the main character. The last story will be about the coal industry.
The curriculum sounds great. As for including fiction, that's the icing on the cake. There's nothing like a good story to help bring history to life. What might people be surprised to learn about you?
They might be surprised to learn that I walked barefoot across a manure-laden barnyard to earn a dollar from my brothers when I was young. My feet sure stunk afterwards!
Ooooh...I bet! I hope that dollar was worth it! :) What advice would you offer a new blogger?
Read other blogs to see what you think works or doesn’t work. Choose topics that you already know or that you don’t mind researching. Also, include pictures when you can.
Excellent tips, Sandy. We can learn so much from other blogs and from writing about topics we know. Thanks so much for joining us this week. Wishing you well with your books!
Thanks Karen, for the opportunity to appear on your blog!
More About Sandy
After 20 years of homeschooling her four children, Sandy Sieber now works two part-time jobs, one being a substitute teacher. She and her husband Rusty go on used textbook buying trips periodically for Follett Corporation. Sandy likes to walk, write, read historical fiction, babysit her grandchildren, and visit Pennsylvania tourist sites. Her blog name paHis stands for Pennsylvania belongs to God. Purchase her books,The Flying Banana, Phacops Rana and Other Pennsylvania Symbols, Archbald Pothole and Other Pennsylvania State Parks, and William Penn and Other Pennsylvanians on her website.
Connect with Sandy
Blog
Website
Have you ever lived in or visited Pennsylvania? What is your favorite vacation destination?
Happy writing,
Karen
Photo credit: Free Images
Great meeting Sandy. That's awesome how her blog focuses on Pennsylvania. Totally agree about studying other blogs to see what works and what doesn't.
ReplyDeleteGlad to meet Sandy at your blog Karen. Wow, 13,000 views on a single posts, that's quite interesting :)
ReplyDeleteHi Karen and Sandy! I think it's great to have a niche that resonates so well with readers. Having so many readers for a post must have been so rewarding!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your thoughts about successful blogging. It's good to see what other people are doing, and to be a supportive blogger and blog-friend. The people who write on-line are really fun, interesting and generous!
Blessings,
Ceil
Karen and Sandy: Thank you, Karen, for sharing this lady's story. I have been in PA on several occasions. When my dad was in the Marine Corps, we went through there on the turnpike as we traveled back to Indiana from North Carolina. One summmer when I was in college,my parents and I and a friend of mine from campus went to Langhorn and Philadelphia area. A late friend of ours was from Pennsylvania.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great resource if someone wants to put information about PA in a story! Just finding out there's a place called Mexico, PA started me thinking. Thanks for introducing this blogger to us, Karen. I'm putting her on my blog list.
ReplyDeleteHi Karen and Sandy,
ReplyDeleteThanks for this interview. It's a wonderful idea to create a resource for information about Pennsylvania. Talk about determination -- what a determined young women Sandy was to walk across a barnyard to earn a dollar.
Nice to meet you Sandy, and thanks, Karen for a great interview. I've been to PA a number of times since my husband's family is from the Scranton area. It's a beautiful state. And thanks so much for clearing up the mystery of Blue Jacket--I've read about him and always believed the story that he was Van Swearingen :-)
ReplyDeleteNatalie,
ReplyDeleteWe can learn so much from other blogs. From A to Z, topics are out there! :) Glad you got a chance to meet Sandy.
Marja,
Happy to introduce you to Sandy! Appreciate you coming over to meet her. :)
Ceil,
It is a great community of writers and bloggers, isn't it? So nice to meet and get to know others. Thanks for hopping over to see us! :)
Cecelia,
Good to see you, and happy to introduce you to Sandy. PA is a beautiful state, isn't it? So many pretty and historic places, not to mention the Hershey's and Wilbur Chocolate factories! :)
Lee,
There is a wealth of info about PA on her blog. Happy to introduce you! Thanks for coming over to see us. :)
Donna,
Glad you enjoyed it! Sandy's blog is a great resource. Yes, determined, that she was! :)
Kenda,
You are welcome! It's a pleasure to have Sandy visit. :) Glad she cleared up the mystery for you!
Happy writing,
Karen
I'm also awed by that 13,000 number for one post. Congratulations! I'll have to visit your blog and see if I can pick up some tips. :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't visited Pennsylvania yet, but I'd like to. It was great reading about Sandy and her resourceful blog.
ReplyDeleteSusan,
ReplyDeleteI know, that's a lot of views, isn't it? Being a PA resident, you might find something interesting at Sandy's blog. Or read about things you already know.:
Medeia,
It's a wonderful state, with much to see and do. I highly recommend visiting Hershey. :) And be sure and check out Chocolate World while you're there.
Happy writing,
Karen
Hi Karen - and I've been over and said Hi to Sandy .. I too like history and hearing it through strange or 'funny' stories ... co-incidences and the like ... and it's great you're writing up a history curriculum for Pennsylvania - one of the Founding States.
ReplyDeleteGood luck - and connecting with Karen is absolutely the right thing to do .. cheers Hilary
I've lived in Pennsylvania my whole life and Sandy is a good friend of mind. What a joy to see this post about her. www.joanna-fiftysomething.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteHi Sandy! Nice to meet you. I've been to Pennsylvania.
ReplyDeleteJoanna,
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to meet you! Thanks so much for coming by for Sandy's post! :) She certainly shares some interesting things on her blog.
Holly,
Glad you got a chance to meet Sandy. PA is a nice place to visit, isn't it? :)
Happy writing,
Karen
Hi Karen. Thanks so much for your interview with Sandy. I had not "met" her before! Susan
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great interview, ladies. Susan, your book sounds wonderful. Thank you for the valuable pointers.
ReplyDeleteNice to meet Sandy. I was searching for the common thread until she said "Home school." Yup. We home schoolers have to stick together, eh?
ReplyDeleteSusan,
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome. Happy to be able to introduce her to more of my friends. :)
Joylene,
Glad you were able to stop by! :) She did offer some great pointers, didn't she?
Crystal,
Yes we do! Sandy has some great resources for homeschoolers, even if they don't live in PA. :)
Happy writing,
Karen