Miles to Go Before I Sleep

By Janis Robinson Daly | November 2, 2026 |

November 2026

Miles to Go Before I Sleep
October ended up being way busier than I had originally planned. Away from home for events and travel 21 out of the 31 days. Just when I thought I’d have some time to recover and catch up on some much-needed sleep from my UK trip in October, too many great events popped up that I couldn’t say no. I mean a trip to NJ to meet our new granddaughter and celebrate my grandson’s 2nd birthday? There’s no way we’d miss those moments! Toss in construction work to insulate our Cape cottage, which meant we couldn’t sleep there for a few nights, and honestly, they’re all good reasons to be away from home. Add in nine book events and granddog sitting for a week, and yes, October was busy. I’m grateful though that I sold a good number of books at most of those events. The cost to fill my tank continues to rise and the miles roll through the odometer on my Tiguan.

The last couple of days ramped up with travel as my husband kindly offered to join me on a 700+ mile drive to Canada, which is where we are now for my final research for Book #4. Travel by train figures into the plot, so here’s an extra thank you to the husband for stopping on a dime so I could jump out of the car and snap a photo of train tracks along the route to be used for future reference when describing a scene. Of course, Taylor came too, complete with her vaccinations and a brand-new microchip. Fun fact: to re-enter the US next week, we need proof she has a microchip! BTW – thank you to our Airbnb host for allowing Taylor due to a last-minute change when we decided to bring her with us. Our stop midway in Medway, Maine proved that looks are deceiving. The Gateway motor lodge was just fine. Clean and quiet for a bit of sleep before we moved along the next day.

Full days of research and writing are now on the calendar as we begin November, traditionally known to writers as NaNoWriMo – National Novel Writing Month. Although the initiative no longer exists in any formal capacity, I’ve embraced the theory behind it and have committed myself to finishing Book #4 by 11/30. That deadline is real; it’s due to my editor and beta readers by mid-January. I’ll need those six weeks for editing and revising.

Family Heritage Discussions

With families gathering for Thanksgiving later this month, it’s the perfect time to plan ahead and think of conversations you might have with relatives around your family history. During my genealogy talks, I make sure to address the topic of asking the questions while the people who can answer them are still with us.

For your November book club meeting, maybe you’ll want to add in an activity to prompt those holiday discussions. To assist, I’ve created a resource sheet that you’re welcome to download, print, and distribute at your meeting. The sheet includes a couple of prompts as well as resources and special offers I’ve secured for my followers, including a discount on Ancestry.com memberships and a 10% off discount from Book Your Memories, a company which turns your memories into books. (Use code: JanisD2026).

If you’re a newer follower, you may be asking why I actively promote genealogy research. Well, from my own research which I started nine years ago, I discovered my great-great grandfather was a founder of the Woman’s Medical College of PA. No one in my family knew this interesting association. I fell down the rabbit hole of wanting to learn more about the College. The stories I found about the women who attended, graduated, and went on to amazing achievements as women in medicine at a time when less than 5% of our doctors were women (turn of the 20th century) inspired me to write The Unlocked Path. Once I caught the bug for writing historical fiction, there was no turning back. I wonder if my descendants will look back and talk about their ancestor who was an award-winning author of women’s historical fiction. 😉

Another book I recommend which stemmed from the author’s family history is The Irish Girl by Ashley E. Sweeney, a family saga about the Irish immigrant experience spanning New York, Chicago, and Colorado. I also enjoyed A Wolff in the Family by Francine Falk-Allen. For any of you with an Irish heritage, I also have a separate resource list available which I put together for my genealogy talk at the Sons of Erin.

As a special giveaway this month, I’m happy to send one winner a copy of the book I bring to my genealogy talks, Grandmother/Grandfather, I Want to Hear Your Story. To enter to win, send me your recommendation for a book you enjoyed which is based on the author’s family history. I’ll randomly draw one winner by November 4th.

NOVEMBER CHOICES FOR MY CLUBS

A Founding Mother by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie with the Third Thursday of the Month Book Club | Facebook. Just join the FB group to get the log-in link. Laura will be joining us. Thursday November 19 at 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT
Under Two Flags with the Sons of Erin book club. I am so grateful for the support I’ve received from my book clubs in choosing each of my books over the past four years. I wonder if I can convince the club manager at Sons of Erin to swap out Guinness from the taps for one night and replace it with St. Pauli Girl or another German pilsner.

Whistler by Ann Patchett with my long-time, in-person group. After our annual costume party in October, I’m glad we planned Whistler for November. I don’t think any of us wanted to dress up like a horse’s a**. Instead, we had loads of fun with Fire Sword & Sea by Vanessa Riley.
SPECIAL PROGRAM for Women’s History Month, March 2027
2027 marks the 5th year of this special program where I share my curated list of 31 historical fiction titles to read in celebration of Women’s History Month. I have presented this program to public libraries as well as national and local women’s associations, including the First Ladies Library & Museum, the National Women’s History Alliance, and the NOW Chapter of Orange County, CA.

I am in the final stages of curating the list for 2027. To bring the program forward to more people, this year I am offering a special opportunity for public libraries nationwide. Perhaps your book club, women’s group, or group of reader friends would like to sponsor the program for your library or group? Program Fee of $100, includes:

  • One-hour Zoom session where I share the recommended titles through an engaging PowerPoint presentation. (Libraries use their Zoom account and manage the session; option to record and share after the event).
  • Early access to the 2027 list for libraries to order titles in time for March 1st to create a Women in History display and make available for circulation.
  • Link to a downloadable sheet for patrons to mark the titles they want to read. Option to print and distribute at the library.
  • One (1) signed paperback copy of my novel, The Unlocked Path, which launched the program in 2023 and will appear on the 2027 list.
“The Women in History presentation was insightful and had a new spin on covering women of importance every day of the month. It was one of the best, if not the best, coverage of our contribution to the many facets of society dating back to the early 1800s. The presentation was excellent, with intriguing stories of triumph and success.”
Cheryl Small, Library Administrator Fulton County Library System, Central Library, Atlanta, GA

Preview the Program
Taped session from March 2026,
courtesy of the Jonathan Bourne Library, Bourne MA
Book a Women’s History Month Program. Limited Spots Available.
Pass It Forward: Unstoppable by Kate Danaher Kate Danaher brings Victoria Woodhull’s remarkable, controversial life into focus in Unstoppable. As a historian and writer, I was pulled into Danaher’s attention to historical detail which reveals not only Woodhull’s extraordinary ambitions but also the social and political barriers she challenged at every turn. What makes Woodhull unstoppable? Consider a woman who rose from poverty to become a Wall Street stockbroker, newspaper publisher, outspoken advocate for women’s rights and sexual freedom, and, most astonishingly, the first woman to run for president of the United States—in 1872, nearly fifty years before American women secured the right to vote nationwide.

Having previously read Madame Presidentess by Nicole Evelina, I especially enjoyed experiencing Woodhull’s story through a different lens. While Evelina’s historical novel offers a more intimate, fictionalized portrayal of Victoria’s personal struggles and relationships, Danaher’s approach feels more deeply rooted in historical investigation, providing another perspective on this fascinating woman.

Both books remind us how much women’s history remains to be discovered. Woodhull dared to imagine possibilities for women that the rest of the world wasn’t yet ready to accept.

To enter to win my copy of Unstoppable, tell me the name of a woman you think is unstoppable – bold, brilliant, maybe controversial, and often contradictory – she could be someone from history or a woman in your life whose made such an impression on you. One random winner will be drawn by November 4th.

Congratulations to last month’s winner, Christina H. who received my copy of Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb’s Christmas with the Queen and Linda A., runner-up winner as author Heather Webb offered up a bonus second copy. Thanks, Heather! I loved learning about all the adventures in travel you all would like to take. I’ve added the Christmas markets in Germany to my bucket list thanks to many of you who made that suggestion. I even passed the idea on to John Shors Travel, maybe they’ll put together one and we can stop in Berlin for a discussion about Josephine Marzynski and her time spent as I wrote in Under Two Flags.

More Giveaways to Note – Good Luck!

FIVE LUCKY WINNERS!
Four winners will receive a novel of suspense and secrets from authors Jann Alexander or Cam Torrens. The grand prize winner receives all four books! Giveaway entries close Nov. 20.
On Bargain Booksy:

I Am Joey by R. Ghrist tells the story of a young woman navigating the Japanese-occupied streets of Manila in 1942 and how she became one of the most valuable informants for the underground resistance during World War II.

Bargain Booksy is featuring a giveaway throughout November that includes I Am Joey along with several other wonderful historical novels. Entries close November 30. 

Over on Goodreads:
FEATURED REVIEW 
The Lark – Laura RaderMore than 125 years after L. Frank Baum introduced readers to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, its magic continues to captivate and marvel us with the lesser-known stories related to the famed classic. Who among us hasn’t dreamed of discovering the courage to face our fears, or clicking our heels together and wishing for home? In The Lark, Laura Rader takes readers on a journey to reveal a little-known chapter in the history of Baum and his beloved creation: the composer of the book’s first theatrical adaptation, Paul Tietjens.

One of the reasons I love historical fiction is when I learn about a real story hiding behind familiar names and events. Like Dorothy’s travel to the Land of Oz, Rader transports her readers to another place, immersing us in the sights, sounds, customs, and atmosphere of another era.

But The Lark is so much more than the destination. It’s the unexpected bonds that become our found family, and the universal longing to discover where—and with whom—we truly belong. At its heart is a quest, not necessarily for emerald cities or magical slippers, but for love and professional success.

I also enjoyed the underlying romance of Paul and Katharine that adds another layer of tenderness and anticipation. With its touch of romance, and stories about the families we choose, The Lark offers a rewarding journey down a road less traveled.

From the iconic 1939 film starring Judy Garland to Elizabeth Letts’s historical novel Finding Dorothy which explores the life of Baum’s wife, Maud, and her connection to the making of the beloved film to the spectacular Broadway production and movie adaptations of Wicked, Oz continues to reinvent itself for new generations. Just when you thought all the stories behind the curtain had emerged, along comes The Lark to reveal yet another intriguing piece of Oz history. And isn’t that the magic of a good book? Sometimes we set out looking for one thing and discover something even better along the way.
Turning the Pages
In My Hands: Secrets of the Artis Zoo by Paulette Mahurin. New release.

On My Ears: All Our Beautiful Goodbyes by Julianne MacLean.
TBR Pile: Sitting on Top

  1. The Woman in Red by Diane Giovinazzo (#31titleswomeninhistory consideration)
  2. Poinsettia Girl: The Story of Agata della Pieta by Jennifer Wizbowski (#31titleswomeninhistory consideration)
UPCOMING EVENTS

NOVEMBER in-person public events in MA (Dedham, Milton, Rochester, Chatham, Bourne, and Medfield). I’ll also be up in Groveland MA for an in-person event on November 9th at 7:00 PM ET. They are also making the talk available over Zoom, open to anyone who registers. Join me for a discussion about my research and writing of Under Two Flags: Opera, War, and the Human Spirit.

An extra shout-out of thanks to the following folks who invited me to visit with their group in October: Mimi Jones for the East Hampton CT Public Library, Gloria Greis and Kathy D’Addesio for the Needham History Center & Museum, and Erin Smith for the Whitman’s Mother’s Club.

I’d love to schedule an event at your local library, book club, women’s group or other organization. Just click the button below for more information.
Speaking Engagements – More Information
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