Interview

See my interview on http://www.inspirewriters.com/.  Inspire is a fine Christian Writers group in the Sacramento area that helps writers with critiques and needed inspiration on how to do it right.  Check out their website and see everything else they do for their members.

Published Fiction

MORNINGSIDE - Edward Hunter's family comes to life in the 1815 English Countryside novel. Morningside - a prequel - is about family - sisters, cousins, and other odious relatives who fall in love. The story is full of romance and adventure (1815 Style), laughter, tears and jealousy depicting how the families of the 4 cousins in Crystal Pines got started.

It is the first book of the Crystal Pines trilogy - I am still working on the middle one - inspired by the writing’s of Jane Austen. Her fans might find my books a good read, however, the stories are only inspired by Jane and are a bit more upbeat.

Read about Edward Hunter’s mother and her four sisters. See how romance blooms in this elaborate first novel in the trilogy. See how each sister, Edward's aunts, who though lack fortune and connections, beat Phoebe Vance, an odious sister-in-law, to the altar.
Morningside can be purchased from the publisher, PublishAmerica or Amazon or from a bookstore (Published in 2006 after Crystal Pines).


The middle book of the trilogy Winter's Inn is not completed but is about Edward Hunter’s sisters and brothers.



CRYSTAL PINES is about four English bachelor cousins who sail to New York City in 1839 to run the family business. Although their intention is to focus on their enterprise, they are soon distracted by certain young ladies in their midst.

While crossing the ocean on an American packet ship, two counsins become enchanted by a Southern belle and her governess returning from Europe. Edward Hunter, the leader of the delegation, spends his time with a nine-year-old stowaway he takes under his wing. Afer settling in the city, Edward comes to regard most of the females he encounters as audacious and tiresome - until he meets Olivia Worthmore.

Discover how each cousin settles his romantic escapades by fighting duels, withstanding blizzards and saving damsels in distress. Escape the rigors of the 21st century, wrap up in front of a good fire and enjoy this elaborate historical fable.

Crystal Pines (Published in 2005 before Morningside).  It can be purchased from Amazon or ordered from a bookstore.  It has been made into a screen play and is waiting for a producer to look at it for a movie.








































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Mt Hermon, 2012

Getting ready for Mt. Hermon Writer’s Conference, 2012

I have been so busy preparing for the Mt. Hermon Christian Writers’ Conference that I have canceled many outings and opportunities to take the time needed to get my books complete.  Yes, I say books.  Flair with Words does not necessarily mean just that—I cannot take the credit, I give it to God.  I never thought about writing historical fiction until 13 years ago when I became enamored with Jane Austin’s work, Pride and Prejudice, produced by the A&E Channel. 

From then on, the Lord put in my heart to write.  I will step on my soap box just for a moment to say that I gave up television to write, because in my mind I could produce something that was better, cleaner, nicer and more rewarding to spend time watching or reading.  I do not approve of the garbage that is promoted on television—from risqué commercials to predictable movies, filthy sit-coms, and other conglomerations of ‘entertainment’, which, as monkeys without a brain, our society sits and laughs at, or cries through when they glue their eyes, and what is left of their morality, to the idiot tube.

As for writing, after the first 6 months of creating practically nonstop, I gave up my corporate marketing career so that I could write without hindrances from obligations at work.  When this happened, I began to write, two then three books at the same time (see www.priscillamcdaniel.com, my book, Crystal Pines, has been made into a screen play with a producer looking at it).  I can’t say that the books are the greatest, but the ideas were (are) and they were given to me by the Lord as words poured from me. 

Now here is the writers’ conference and I have 3 historical novels to present.  One is Gifts for the Road, about Jesus, Joseph & Mary’s trip to Egypt—it is good and ready for an Editor’s review.  Another called, Raspberry Castle, 1931 California, is a romantic endeavor (not a romance novel) but a humorous account of two people who come from opposite ends of the economic scale.  I started this story 10 years ago and then re-wrote it.  I am sending it to the conference for critique, though I believe it is ready for an agent.  The 3rd book, which I started and thought was complete, Mingyu Tea, is my work in progress and is going with me to a Mentoring Track looking for feedback. 

I have spent the past year perfecting the novels that God has put on my heart.  I hope to get at least one of them picked up by an agent or publisher at the conference.  Please pray for me.  

Why and how I started writing.

I must begin by saying that I was not one of those people who always wanted to be a writer. I had dabbled in a few stories on no consequence when I was first married, but it never amounted to anything. Then one day after my husband and I watched the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice with Column Firth, I was smitten.
My husband, too, enjoyed the movie very much, especially the subtle English humor and asked me when the movie ended, “What happens after that?” I
I admitted that I didn’t know but went downstairs to my computer, absolutely inspired to make up a story about how the Bennett sisters faired (I eventually changed the story from a J Austin follow up to one of my own). This was in 1998. At the time I was a marketing director with a high profile in the business community in Ventura County, CA. However, my enjoyment with the position I held was beginning to fade. I had done some corporate writing, but I soon found out that it had little to do with writing fiction.
The programs on television never impressed me nor did the stupid commercials; it seemed to be a good reason to stop watching TV altogether. Instead, I thought that perhaps I could write something that was worth watching or reading. Hence, I begin to write every day after work and late into the nights. I loved it and found that it challenged me more than anything I had ever done, with the exception of my Bible studies, which I have done daily since 1984 when I was born again.
Six months later I quit my job so that I could write. Of course, my nasty boss and many of the other employees laughed! Until I retired in 2008 I had various management positions in the retail world and later when my husband and I moved to Sacramento, CA I worked as an office assistant with two different financial institutions.
Writing was so much fun, and I was wholly and completely inspired by the Lord. I know this because the words and ideas just poured from me, beginning at age 54 - someone who never thought of writing a book. I was mesmerized by how difficult it was to make the words in my brain come out on paper in story form.
On my next blog I will tell what my husband thought of my writing abilities.

Just starting

I have renamed this blog and hope to replace it with my website, which is outdated. Currently I am working on my latest book, Gifts for the Road. It is approximately 91,000 words and I have been editing it and proofing it for the last month. I want it to be perfect when I send it out.
It was at one time with an agency, but I was not happy with their progress so I took it back. Since then I have rewritten the beginning and made it more exciting.
Oh! And did you wish to know what it is about- here is a snippet:

Ordered by God to flee from Bethlehem, Mary, Joseph, and fifteen-month old baby Jesus leave town in the dark of the night. They know King Herod has sent his soldiers to kill the baby, but they are unaware they’re being followed by two bungling thieves who are after Joseph for the money from the magi. One thief must choose his destiny—to find salvation or return to his life of crime.

Is it Baby Jesus or an Angel of the Lord who saves the travelers from a lion in one of the caves where they spend the night — helps them escape the soldiers through an underground tunnel leading away from Beersheba into the desert — delivers them from archers and an angry mob of Egyptian priests — saves them from a falling boulder?
Mary’s maidservant and Joseph’s carpenter helper traveling with them must decide whether to marry in Egypt or wait until they return to Bethlehem, all the while being careful not to let their lover for each other overstep the bounds of proprietary. Meet the families that host Joseph and his troupe as they journey from Israel to Asyut and back, via Alexandria, Egypt. Feel the excitement when a wealthy Roman citizen offers safe passage on a Roman cargo ship back to Israel? See the pastoral home where Mary, awaiting the birth of her second child and Joseph gather with family and friends. Inspect Joseph’s carpenter shop as he rebuilds his carpenter business and Jesus prepares to attend the synagogue school.

Alaska, 8-12--8-29 2011

We flew to Anchorage Alaska for 10 days in mid-August. Temperatures were in the low 60’s during the day and in the 50’s at night. We had a busy and fun time staying with our son, who had a great deal to show us during our stay. We arrived on Saturday at 1 in the morning and during the day we saw a bit of down town, ate lunch and shopped. On Sunday after church, we went to the Blueberry festival in Girdwood, 25 miles south of Anchorage. It was too rainy to pick blue berries, but there were plenty of booths with crafts to shop from.
Monday we took a 4 hour train ride to Seward and went to the sea life museum, had a fine lunch and did more shopping, we returned home via train that night. Tuesday my husband and our son played Disc Golf; I stayed home and cooked fresh halibut for dinner. Wednesday we drove past Girdwood another 15 minutes to the Wildlife preserve—my favorite place. Afterwards, we drove another 10 minutes to Whittier which is on the inlet where all the cruise ships dock for travel into Anchorage and other points. To get into Whittier, traffic goes into town one way on the half-hour through a one lane, 2&1/2 mile long tunnel. Leaving town, the traffic goes at the top of the hour. It was interesting.
On Thursday my husband and I went to the Alaskan Heritage Cultural center and saw how the natives used to live. Then we met a MUSHER who breeds his own sled dogs and runs in the Iditarod. He was offering dog-sled rides for $10 – a way for him to raise money. We did not take a ride but purchased a DVD from him where the Discovery channel filmed the 2011 race as it happened. On Friday went to Earthquake park where they said the earthquake shook for 4 minutes in Anchorage and in the outskirts it shook for 15 minutes, unbelievable. After the park, we went out to a great place for dinner and had fresh Alaskan king crab legs...yum lots of fun. Flew home the next day.

Minnesota

The pictures here are of my 7 and a 1/2 week stay in Owatonna, Minnesota with our daughter, Susie, and the grandchildren, Samantha and Jake. THE PICTURES - 4) Me, Susie and granddaughter, Samantha, 3) Grandson, Jake, 2) friend Pam and me at Sat night reunion, 1) Breakfast in Sock City WI with Sandi and Dave on the way to Sharon & Greg's.
My husband, Ed, and I flew there for Jake’s high-school graduation. Then Ed had to return to Sacramento to work. I remained to spend time with Susie and also to attend my 50th high school reunion in Madison, Wisconsin the last week of July.
Susie had an opportunity to participate in a charity affair for Healthy seniors, Dancing with the Stars, in Owatonna. Her partner was Owatonna’s hospital administrator, Dave, who she knows from Rotary. Neither had ever danced much, but they practiced twice a week for 3 month and they won, as they should have. It was quite clear that they were the best in the show.
I had a good time meeting Susie’s friends, dining with them and even hearing a review of my two books. Susie has a book club that meets every other month and for July they chose to review both of my books, Morningside and Crystal Pines. I was very pleased with what the all the ladies in the group had to say. They seemed to like what they read. FYI – the screen play for Crystal Pines is finally finished and in the producer’s hands. I don’t what happens from here, perhaps nothing.
I have another book that is near being ready to send to a publisher. I sent 300 pages to Susie’s so I would have something to edit while there. Now I am making the corrections on my computer here. I brought a small Acer Notebook to Minnesota but did not feel comfortable putting my book on it.
For the reunion I spent the night with three different girlfriends. On Thursday I took the bus from Rochester MN, where Susie works, to La Cross WI where my friend Sandi picked me up to take me to Onalaska where she and her husband have lived for 35 years (this is about a half hour drive from La Cross. Had a wonderful time with Sandi and Dave, gracious hosts, good food and conversation – also played cribbage.
Sandi and Dave drove me to Waunakee, Wisconsin, where I spent the night with my friend, Pam and her highschool sweetheart, husband, Dick. They have a beautiful home in a senior community. We also had a good visit and went to the Friday night reunion party and then out to dinner.
The night of the reunion, I stayed at the Candlewood Suites in Fitchburg, just outside of Madison. The reunion was held there – in attendance were 50 class mates and a total of 90 people. It was great fun. On Sunday I rode with my friend Sharon, and her husband Greg to Trempealeau, Wisconsin, right across the Mississippi River from Winnona, Minnesota. As with my other two friends, Sharon and Greg were delightful hosts and their home was also beautiful—played cribbage and lost.