James Beard article

I just signed a contract with ABC-CLIO for a chapter on cooking great James Beard. He was a good friend of women's page food journalist Jeanne Voltz. James would often go to dinner at Jeanne's house where she would cook for him. She started as a journalist at the Miami Herald who learned about food over the years and eventually became an expert.

Part of my research focuses on the examination of the four Fs of the women's pages: family, fashion, food and furnishings.

Final Koky Dishon additions

I answered the final questions for my Koky Dishon article today. (She was a women's page editor at the Chicago Tribune and later the first woman on the masthead. I wrote for one of the sections she created - Women's News.)

The paper was initially presented at the 2008 AJHA convention in Virginia.

My article will be published in a state history journal in May or June.

Dorothy Jurney additions

I have been making additions to my manuscript on Dorothy Jurney - the godmother of women's pages - for a revise and resubmit.

I have so many copies from Dorothy's papers at the WHMC that it has taken a long time to add to the manuscript.

More Molly Ivins

We got back from the University of Texas last night after going through Molly Ivins papers and relaxing in Austin. We'll sort through our notes this week and wait for our copies. We found some great information.



UPDATE: The copies have arrived!

Molly Ivins Austin trip

Lance and I are off today to spend the weekend in Austin. We're going to go through Molly Ivins' papers. I appreciate the travel grant that is paying for our trip.

Jim Bellows' widow Keven Bellows

Here is a photo of Keven Bellows (who married Jim Bellows after women's page editor Maggie Savoy died.) She is featured with Jane Fonda at the Broadway show 33 Variations. The two attended the Emma Willard boarding school together.

Lance and I saw Jane Fonda in 33 Variations last month on Broadway in NYC. It was an amazing show.

Betty Preston Oiler images

Easter cooking & women's page food editor

Lance & I are cooking a big Easter dinner. We typically draw from the recipes of Jeanne Voltz, who was the food editor at the Miami Herald and the Los Angeles Times.



Jeanne Voltz was a good friend of the great James Beard. She used to make dinner for him at her house which seems amazing. I am working on a chapter about James Beard for a book about Cooking Icons.

Equal Rights Amendment revisions

I am working on revisions on my history article about the fight for the Equal Rights Amendment in Florida. I am focusing on how Florida newspapers covered the issue, especially the coverage of Sen. Lori Wilson. I received some great recommendations from reviewers. I hope to complete revisions in the next few weeks.

More Ruthe Deskin revisions

Lance & I finished the final revisions/edits on our Ruthe Deskin manuscript to send back to a history journal. It's a much stronger piece now. It was intimidating to write about such a Nevada journalism legend but I think we did her justice.

UPDATE: I have heard from the journal editor and only minor changes remain at this point. I am happy that Ruthe's story will be told. She brought real class to Las Vegas - a place Lance & I love to visit.

UPDATE II: The revisions have been made and the article has been accepted.

Roberta Applegate & Michigan State U

Roberta Applegate would be so happy that Michigan State is in the NCAA Final Championship. The great women's page journalist was a Michigan State grad - her father was famous Michigan State journalism professor Triple A Applegate. She was a big sports fan and cheered for Michigan State her entire life.

I was happy to induct her in the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame at Michigan State last Spring.