I love living in Niguel Shores. It is a very nice. Everybody waves to you! Even when you are walking your dog!!
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Every year, on the fourth of July, our neighborhood does this very fun parade, and pancake breakfast and then the Marines raise the flag and the firetruck runs through our neighborhood at the beginning of the parade. It is very fun to watch.
I love living in Niguel Shores. It is a very nice. Everybody waves to you! Even when you are walking your dog!!
Holly has been on an elimination diet. She also has a small cataract in her right eye. I am afraid she might go blind in that eye. But I will just let her go blind because I let her insurance go last year.
I think she will be fine.
I hope she will not go blind in that eye.
Brian and I went up to San Francisco to celebrate Hugh's 20th birthday. We stayed at the St. Regis Hotel.
It rained the entire time we were up there. But that was okay. We didn't mind. We took Hugh to Thomas Pink were he picked out two shirts and then to the Nike store where he got a pair of new shoes. It was really nice to see him.
:)
I am traveling to my mother's house on Thursday, February 4 and returning Monday, February 8. I am going to see her because she asked me to come up and visit her. I cannot wait to get there. I think we will have a very nice time.
Today, I drove up to Long Beach to visit my grandmother Eleanor's grave. I could not find it so I had to call the guy and he came and showed me where it was. My friend Judy Thorpe came with me.
My husband and I went out to dinner with our dear friends John and Judy Thorpe last night. We went to Splashes in Laguna Beach and ordered from a pre-set menu. On the table were little hats. Judy and I each wore ours!
I am so happy to say that I have been accepted into the Vermont College of Fine Arts, in order to get my MFA in Middle Grade writing. I will start in January. I know there will be a ton of snow on the ground then, but that's okay because I will just wear my Hunter boots!
Yeah!
I received an email from someone in Europe, asking me if my grandmother had co-written a book with this woman named Josephine Bentham, a novel called Wakefield House. They used the name Jan Deering.
I immediately called my mother to find out if this was true. She said yes. So I went on Amazon, found the book and ordered it. I am almost done reading it.
It's very mysterious. You can tell it was written in 1973. The authors used this as the back cover:
Beautiful young Meredith Wakefield was the last of the Wakefield line. Her proud family had fallen into poverty, her whole world had come crashing down around her, even her sanity itself was threatened. And now, Meredith faced the grimmest test of all, as she returned to her family mansion to find it filled with strangers, and she was a prisoner of fear in what was once had been her beloved home.
Centuries ago, a deadly curse had laid down upon all who bore the Wakefield name. Now, this terrified girl stood between the curse and it's grisly fulfillment. And someone, or something, was making sure she was not escape!
My oldest son, Sam, wants to attend the infantry school, which is a part of the United States Marine Corps. link here:
http://www.marines.com/becoming-a-marine/school-of-infantry
He says he can do it. This is his dream. I can support that, if that is what he wants to do. But I know that these are the Marines that they send in first. These are the extremely tough Marines.
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On May 22, 2015, my oldest son, Samuel Blake Fitzmaurice, graduated from the United States Naval Academy.
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Today, I received letters from two young readers who were in a book club for DESTINY, REWRITTEN. They were sent to me from Kelsey George, who is the YA service coordinator at the Goodwin Memorial Library. http://www.hadleyma.org/pages/hadleyma_library/index
This library is just a few short miles away from the real Emily Dickinson Memorial House.
https://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/
I would love to go there someday!
I called my mother this morning to tell her how much she means to me. We talked for about an hour.
We went over everything, how she raised me, how I raised my two boys, Sam and Hugh. My mother taught me that I could do whatever I wanted to.
She has been an angel in my life.
Today is independent Bookstore Day; I will be going to Laguna Beach Books, which is in Laguna Beach. I am very excited. http://www.lagunabeachbooks.com/
The results of the Rebecca Caudill Book Award was announced on Friday, March 13, on Facebook and Twitter. The winner was Legend, by Marie Lu. The voting, (how many votes each book got) can be seen here: http://www.rebeccacaudill.org/2015-award/2015-voting-results
I am very happy for the winner!
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Once you have completed the research on your subject, the historical fiction novel is actually easier to write.
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 7/3/2016
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I love living in Niguel Shores. It is a very nice. Everybody waves to you! Even when you are walking your dog!!
By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 4/20/2016
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| Holly.... |
I think she will be fine.
I hope she will not go blind in that eye.
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 3/8/2016
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Brian and I went up to San Francisco to celebrate Hugh's 20th birthday. We stayed at the St. Regis Hotel.
It rained the entire time we were up there. But that was okay. We didn't mind. We took Hugh to Thomas Pink were he picked out two shirts and then to the Nike store where he got a pair of new shoes. It was really nice to see him.
:)
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 2/1/2016
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| What is written beneath my grandmother's grave |
 |
| The Cheroske gravesite |
I am traveling to my mother's house on Thursday, February 4 and returning Monday, February 8. I am going to see her because she asked me to come up and visit her. I cannot wait to get there. I think we will have a very nice time.
Today, I drove up to Long Beach to visit my grandmother Eleanor's grave. I could not find it so I had to call the guy and he came and showed me where it was. My friend Judy Thorpe came with me.
0 Comments on Long Beach Graveyard. Sunnyside... as of 2/2/2016 12:50:00 AM
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 1/1/2016
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My husband and I went out to dinner with our dear friends John and Judy Thorpe last night. We went to Splashes in Laguna Beach and ordered from a pre-set menu. On the table were little hats. Judy and I each wore ours!
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 11/7/2015
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I received an email from the head of The Vermont College of Fine Arts yesterday. They are wanting the new students to send in 20 pages of a manuscript the author is working on and send in and a Workshop Submission Form.
I had to really think about which manuscript I wanted to send them. I went through all of my stories and decided to send in Naval Aviator Number 6463. This is the one I need to revise. This is the one that needs a little help.
I am hoping this one will be okay. But you never know. ..maybe they will tell me this story does not work.
But maybe not.
Maybe it will be okay!
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 10/1/2015
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I am so happy to say that I have been accepted into the Vermont College of Fine Arts, in order to get my MFA in Middle Grade writing. I will start in January. I know there will be a ton of snow on the ground then, but that's okay because I will just wear my Hunter boots!
Yeah!
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 8/4/2015
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| By Eleanor Robinson and Josephine Bentham |
 |
| Copyright date |
I received an email from someone in Europe, asking me if my grandmother had co-written a book with this woman named Josephine Bentham, a novel called Wakefield House. They used the name Jan Deering.
I immediately called my mother to find out if this was true. She said yes. So I went on Amazon, found the book and ordered it. I am almost done reading it.
It's very mysterious. You can tell it was written in 1973. The authors used this as the back cover:
Beautiful young Meredith Wakefield was the last of the Wakefield line. Her proud family had fallen into poverty, her whole world had come crashing down around her, even her sanity itself was threatened. And now, Meredith faced the grimmest test of all, as she returned to her family mansion to find it filled with strangers, and she was a prisoner of fear in what was once had been her beloved home.
Centuries ago, a deadly curse had laid down upon all who bore the Wakefield name. Now, this terrified girl stood between the curse and it's grisly fulfillment. And someone, or something, was making sure she was not escape!
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 7/22/2015
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| Sam at his Naval Academy Graduation |
My oldest son, Sam, wants to attend the infantry school, which is a part of the United States Marine Corps. link here:
http://www.marines.com/becoming-a-marine/school-of-infantry
He says he can do it. This is his dream. I can support that, if that is what he wants to do. But I know that these are the Marines that they send in first. These are the extremely tough Marines.
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 7/2/2015
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| our American Flag |
Every year, on the Fourth of July, our neighborhood does this huge pancake breakfast, which is put on the Men's Club, and then a parade, and then a sand castle contest, and then a BBQ out on the beach bluff. I live in Niguel Shores Community, http://www.niguelshores.org/which is inside Monarch Beach.
Hugh will be coming home today. I pick him up at John Wayne Airport this afternoon.
I am very happy he is coming home.
Holly, my nine year old dog, went to the groomer yesterday. When I picked her up she had a big red, white, and blue scarf around her neck.
Holly, my nine year old dog, went to the groomer yesterday. When I picked her up she had a big red, white, and blue scarf around her neck.
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 6/4/2015
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| Sam and me! |
 |
Sam and his grandmother, Ann, whose father also attended the Naval Academy. |
On May 22, 2015, my oldest son, Samuel Blake Fitzmaurice, graduated from the United States Naval Academy.
Our entire family was there. We had a wonderful time watching him throw his hat in the air. Sam will now become a Marine Pilot. He will spend six months in Quantico, Virginia, and then he will go to Pensacola, Florida, to learn how to fly either helicopters or planes. He does not know which one he will be assigned to.
I have him home for fifteen more days and then he has to leave to go to The Basic School, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Basic_Schoolwhich is in
Quantico. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Corps_Base_Quantico
Quantico. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Corps_Base_Quantico
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 5/11/2015
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| Letter one! |
 |
| Letter two! |
Today, I received letters from two young readers who were in a book club for DESTINY, REWRITTEN. They were sent to me from Kelsey George, who is the YA service coordinator at the Goodwin Memorial Library. http://www.hadleyma.org/pages/hadleyma_library/index
This library is just a few short miles away from the real Emily Dickinson Memorial House.
https://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/
I would love to go there someday!
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 5/10/2015
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| Our trip to Israel. |
I called my mother this morning to tell her how much she means to me. We talked for about an hour.
We went over everything, how she raised me, how I raised my two boys, Sam and Hugh. My mother taught me that I could do whatever I wanted to.
She has been an angel in my life.
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 5/2/2015
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Today is independent Bookstore Day; I will be going to Laguna Beach Books, which is in Laguna Beach. I am very excited. http://www.lagunabeachbooks.com/
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 4/17/2015
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| A book of poems by Rod McKuen. |
I live across the street from the Dana Point Library and every so often, I take a lot of books to the Friends of the Library. I have too many books. It’s embarrassing.
And this morning, I came across a book my grandmother had given me. It was a book of poems by Rod McKuen, entitled, COME TO ME IN SILENCE. I forget I had this book. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_McKuen
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| To Kathy, from Grama Eleanor |
But I do remember when my grandmother gave it to me. I was twenty years old. I was still in college. I was writing poetry then. I remember that I won a poetry contest, and received a check for twenty dollars along with a certificate.
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So I picked a poem out of his book. Here is it:
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| I like how he wrote: this book is for nobody/everybody |
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 4/1/2015
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| My grandmother, Eleanor, and her daughter, my mother, Ann. |
When I was thirteen years old, my mother sent me to spend the summer with my grandmother, Eleanor Robinson, who was a science fiction author. I remember that I had a fabulous time with her. She taught me all about writing that summer. She sat me down and explained things that I really didn’t understand. She told me about character growth, and how at the beginning of the story, your main character has to have some flawed thinking, and by the end of the story, they should see the world differently than how they did at the beginning.
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| My grandmother's first book, entitled, CHRYSALIS OF DEATH. |
Then, when I turned twenty-one, she sent me a book of poems by Emily Dickinson. This was my favorite poet at that time. My grandmother was such a wonderful influence on me, and when I wrote my first book, I named my main character after her.
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| Emily wrote this poem on what looks like the back of a envelope flap. |
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| This is the poem in DESTINY, REWRITTEN. |
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| THE COMPLETE POEMS OF EMILY DICKINSON. |
She passed away while I was on my honeymoon. I remember she could not come to my wedding. I remember that right after my wedding, my mother, Ann, flew to Long Beach to see her mother. I remember that my grandmother waited for my mother to get there. And then, when my mother walked into her room, she held up her hand, grabbed my mother’s hand, and that was it. I wish I could have been there. After I returned from my honeymoon, I went with my mother to see her grave. I laid a piece of eucalyptus on her grave, because she liked that plant. She also liked the color turquoise. My grandmother gave me a diamond ring one year, because I had tried on one of hers and she thought I should have one for myself. I really loved her.
So, in honor of National Poetry Month, I have chosen a poem that I think my grandmother would like. This poem is the poem that is in DESTINY, REWRITTEN. This is the poem that, I believe, says so much about our lives. And it shows that Emily her self, wondered about her own destiny.
I do not know exactly what Emily Dickinson was thinking when she wrote this, but I imagine it was something really wonderful, and hopeful, and fabulous.
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 3/14/2015
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The results of the Rebecca Caudill Book Award was announced on Friday, March 13, on Facebook and Twitter. The winner was Legend, by Marie Lu. The voting, (how many votes each book got) can be seen here: http://www.rebeccacaudill.org/2015-award/2015-voting-results
I am very happy for the winner!
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 2/19/2015
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| The cover of Caroline's newest novel! |
Caroline, I know all of your fans are so excited for your new book, entitled, BLUE BIRDS, which will be published in March of 2015.
Can you tell us a little bit about the book?
It’s 1587 and twelve-year-old Alis has made the long journey with her parents from England to help settle the New World, the land christened Virginia in honor of the Queen. And Alis couldn’t be happier. While the streets of London were crowded and dirty, this new land, with its trees and birds and sky, calls to Alis. Here she feels free. But the land, the island Roanoke, is also inhabited by the Roanoke tribe and tensions between them and the English are running high, soon turning deadly.
Amid the strife, Alis meets and befriends Kimi, a Roanoke girl about her age. Though the two don’t even speak the same language, these girls form a special bond as close as sisters, willing to risk everything for the other. Finally, Alis must make an impossible choice when her family resolves to leave the island and bloodshed behind.
A beautiful, tender story of friendship and the meaning of family, Caroline Starr Rose delivers another historical gem.
I know this is another historical fiction book. How much research did you complete to write this? How did you organize this information? Did you make timelines or keep the information in a folder?
I never seem to approach writing the same way twice. For Blue Birds I researched for six to nine months, keeping notes in a journal, before I started any writing. I also had a folder full of photocopies of Elizabethan clothing, timelines, jumbled notes on scraps of paper, and the 1587 Roanoke voyage manifest, as well as website articles. Here’s a blog post filled with my “behind the scenes” work on Blue Birds. http://carolinestarrrose.com/behind-scenes-glimpse-blue-birds/
How long did it take you to write the book?
The first idea came to me in 2008. I began my research in 2010, started writing in 2011, sold the book in 2013, and finished everything in 2014.
What does your typical writing day look like? What time do you start writing? What time do you usually stop writing?
I’m not sure if I have a typical day! Mornings start with getting my two middle schoolers out the door. Then I head to the gym or on a run. After that, I settle down to work. I aim for two hours of writing a day. Of course, I usually work beyond that, especially when on deadline. Writing can be very tricky, so an attainable goal helps keep me moving in a positive direction.
How do you manage raising your two boys with your writing career?
When the boys were babies, I used the same gentle approach to goal setting that I still use today. Back then, though, I aimed for three writing sessions a week. Sometimes they lasted 10 minutes, sometimes as much as two hours. While I didn’t produce mass quantities of writing, it was doable and fit with being a stay-at-home mom.
I returned to teaching just after both my boys entered school. Those few years were probably the hardest as far as maintaining the writing, as I felt like my creativity was spent by the end of the day (and rightly so! My students deserved it). During those years, I mainly drafted during holidays and revised while school was in session.
It’s much easier to write regularly now that I do it full time and both guys are in school. I try to do the bulk of my work while they’re away. Of course, the writing life means I have plenty of days my head is in the clouds. I might not be working at that moment, but my mind is elsewhere. My family puts up with me during these seasons, and I try to remember to be as present as possible!
Do you ever miss your teaching position?
Yes! I miss those long-term relationships with kids and getting to talk about the things I love with the hope kids fall in love, too. School visits feed some of this for me, as does the writing itself. I just tell myself I still get to connect with kids, but now it happens a little differently.
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| Caroline and myself, at the summer SCBWI conference. |
It was so nice to meet you at the summer SCBWI conference. And I wish you every wonderful success with your new publication!
Thank you, lovely Kathryn!
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 1/28/2015
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| A letter from a young reader. I erased his name and address. |
Every so often, I receive a letter from a young reader. I usually do not give out my home address, but, sometimes, I do. I do if I think this young person can be trusted, if they seem honest, if they ask me and then need it for some reason, like a homework assignment.
And so a few days ago, I received this letter. I have taken out the person’s name and address and the name of his sister. He has read A DIAMOND IN THE DESERT. He has analyzed the book and related to his own life. He is only twelve years old, but he seems, to me, very much older by how he understands certain parts of his life. For example, in the last paragraph, he says, After I think about the words, “I forgive you” and show care for others. And then he says, “It is true, is it kind, is it necessary, would Jesus say or do it.”
And in the second paragraph, where he states when Tetsu had the choice of a baseball tournament or staying with his family because Kimi is sick, but Papa made the decision that Tetsu should play in the baseball tournament.
I don’t think I thought that way when I was twelve.
I don’t think I was that mature.
But this boy is.
He is amazing.
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 1/5/2015
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| Hugh Robinson, Nana, and Frank Robinson, 1936 |
I have just completed my current work in progress, NAVAL AVIATOR 6463, but I am not going to send it to my agent, Jennifer Rofe, http://www.andreabrownlit.com at the Andrea Brown Agency, until my critique group has gone through the entire manuscript. They are extremely picky (about grammar, tense, etc., etc.) and I know it will help me if I wait until they have read the entire manuscript.
I have learned that it is best to have several sets of eyes to look through a manuscript before sending it on.
This is fine with me. I am willing to wait.
No problem!
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 12/17/2014
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| In Amsterdam, summer 2014 |
This past summer, we took a trip to Paris and Amsterdam. I always take a photo of Sam and Hugh before they go back to school, but in October, I realized I had forgotten to. I went through my phone and found this photo of them standing on a bridge in Amsterdam. I asked them both if I could use it and they said SURE!
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Merry Christmas and have a lovely New Year!!
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 12/1/2014
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| Sam Fitzmaurice, home to do a little recruiting for the Naval Academy. |
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| Sam and his roommates of four years, Ryan, Patrick and Tyler. |
Last week, my oldest son, Sam, received his service assignment from the United States Naval Academy. http://www.usna.edu/homepage.php He will be a Marine Pilot. He will go to Quantico, Virginia, for training to be a Marine. http://www.quantico.marines.mil When he is finished with that, he will then go on to Pensacola for two years so he can learn to fly a plane. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Air_Station_Pensacola
This is a twelve-year commitment because the military trains these pilots for three years, and then expects them to serve for another nine years. It costs a lot of money to train the pilots. I can see why they expect this kind of commitment.
Sam will graduate from the Naval Academy on May 22, 2015. The entire family is traveling to Maryland to see Sam stand on the open field and throw his hat in the air. (My mother, Ann, her husband, John, my sister-in-law, Kathleen and her husband, Fred, my son, Hugh, my husband, Brian, my husband’s older brother, Tom, and his wife, Melinda, and my Uncle Hugo and his wife, Susie.)
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| Sam is on the far right, upper corner. |
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| Before a tournament. |
While attending school there, he has been the Captain of the Club Water Polo Team. He has been the XO (second in charge) of Company 24. He will graduate with a degree in Quantitative Economics. (I don’t even know what that means…but he does.) He is finishing his Capstone Project right now, a very long paper that explains things about the economy. I don’t understand a thing in it because in college, I received my teaching credential, and after a few years of teaching, went on to be a middle grade author.
Sam says he has learned a lot, attending the Naval Academy. He has made many life long friends. And now, he is ready to start his new life, in May of 2015, as a Marine Pilot.
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 11/5/2014
Blog: Kathryn Fitzmaurice, children's author (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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In February of 2014, I received an email from the Chair of the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award Committee, her name was Michelle Glatt, and she wrote:
As the Awards Chair for the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award Committee, I am pleased to tell you that your book, A Diamond in the Desert, has been selected for our 2015 master list. Congratulations! Please keep this information confidential until the list is posted at www.rcyrba.org(most likely tonight or Monday morning).
I was thrilled to receive this email. A DIAMOND IN THE DESERT has been my favorite book I have written so far. I seem to get more emails about it from teachers and librarians asking if they can Skype call with me. I have several schools that just want to talk about this book. Next week, I am headed up to Chaminade Prep School, which is in Chatsworth, http://www.chaminade.org/middleschoolto talk to the seventh grade students about the book, and then the week following, I will be doing a presentation at the Downey Public Library. http://www.downeyca.org/services/library/
The link to the Rebecca Caudill website is here: http://www.rcyrba.org
There are twenty other books on the list, which is here:http://www.rcyrba.org/pdf/2015MasterList.pdf
To follow the RCYRBA on twitter, you can go here:https://twitter.com/RCYRBA
I do not think my book will win, there are several other extremely well written books on this list, but I am very happy that it was nominated.
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 10/18/2014
Blog: Kathryn Fitzmaurice, children's author (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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| The Cruise of the Jolly Tar |
Last year, when my great, great, uncle Hugh Robinson died, my mother came into my hotel room, (the funeral was in Virginia, where he lived) and gave me this Navigation Chart. She said I should get it framed and give it to my son, Sam, who is also attending the Naval Academy. So I took it to the framers and picked out a grey mat and then had them put a silver frame around it and at Christmas, I gave the chart to Sam.
This chart shows the trip of Jolly Tar, a sailboat that both Frank and Hugh Robinson took along with Bill Small, who was the navigator, and Dave Seaman, who was the Captain. These men were all attending the United States Naval Academy and must have gotten permission to take this long cruise, which lasted six days. You can see that they saw whales along the way, because there is a drawing of a whale on the chart.
You can also see that they must have encountered weather along the way because of the way they tacked this way and that way.
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| LONG WERE THE NIGHTS, by Hugh B. Cave |
One more thing, I have just finished reading LONG WERE THE NIGHTS, by Hugh B. Cave, which is the story of the Saga of the PT Squadron “X” in the Solomon Islands during World War II. My great, great, uncle Hugh Robinson was awarded the Silver Star http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Starfor his actions against an enemy of the United States. This is third highest military award given to any person serving in the capacity of the Armed Forces. Hugh Robinson lived to be 97 years old. He was well loved by the men he led. At his funeral, the entire chapel was filled, and then some people even waited in the hallway.
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| Hugh M. Robinson, who was awarded the Silver Star |
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| I can't imagine what I would have done in the position! |
In the paragraph I highlighted, from LONG WERE THE NIGHTS, it reads: “Robbie, (who was Hugh Robinson), our squadron commandeer, wet his lips and said we would do our best. The rest of us wondered just how good our best would be, against that kind of opposition. Because - good God - the whole Jap navy was on the way and we were just three little torpedo boats!”
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By: Kathryn Fitzmaurice,
on 9/16/2014
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| The Oath of office, signed by Frank Mason Robinson, at age 17 years and 11 months. |
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| A check written from Hugh to his older brother, Frank. |
I am working on a new Historical Fiction novel with a working title of NAVAL AVIATOR NUMBER 6463, which was Frank Mason Robinson's number when he became a pilot for the United States Navy.
Once you have completed the research on your subject, the historical fiction novel is actually easier to write.
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| Eleanor Robinson, talking with Hugh. Frank is on the right. |
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| Hugh, Marie (my grandmother's sister) Eleanor, and Frank Robinson. |
This novel is about my grandfather, Frank Mason Robinson, who died when he was twenty-seven years old. He was involved in a mid-air collision on March 17, 1941. The accident was not his fault. He flew a TBD Devastator plane off the USS Yorktown, which was an aircraft carrier, and the accident occurred because of the fault of another pilot. I have read the Navy report of the accident several times, and I understand now how devastating this must have been for my grandmother. She lost her husband and he never met his only child, my mother, Ann Marion Robinson.
My cousin, Hugo Robinson, has sent me several scrapbooks, numerous files, and oral reports, (from the ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION, number 1368, interview with Hugh M. Robinson, on February 21, 1997.) who was Frank’s younger brother.
I have secured the records from all of their boarding schools, with the exception of the Lycee Janson de Sailly, which is in Paris. David D’ Onofrio sent the records from the United States Naval Academy and Tyler Larkin sent me the records from the Severn School in Maryland. Both of these schools are boarding schools. The Lycee is also a boarding school.
But the greatest gift was when my mother told me she had Frank’s journals from when he was a child. My younger sister, Sarah, had them placed on a digital file and sent them to me. I loaded these onto my computer and I have read through them three times, trying to get a feel for how he was as a young boy.
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| Eleanor and Frank Robinson. |
I cannot imagine what her life was like when she learned her husband had been killed in that airplane crash. She had to raise my mother by herself. And while she did move in with Frank’s mother, Marion Robinson, she was still a single mother.
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| The letter from the Department of the Navy, informing Eleanor her husband had died. |
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