Most people are aware of the need to protect themselves from identity theft, but there are some who remain vulnerable despite precautions—fictional characters. Statistics show identity theft against fictional characters has doubled since 2018. Criminals are filling out credit card applications and loan paperwork in the names of well-known characters and ruining their credit in the process.

“These victims are extremely vulnerable,” says Al Ias of the Federal Trade Commission. “We tell people to guard their privacy, but their lives are an open book. It makes them easy prey.”

Easy prey is not how Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy likes to be described. In 2019, fraudsters purchased three tons of pineapples on credit using his name. According to local townspeople, Mr. Darcy’s mother-in-law had bragged far and wide about his £10,000 a year income, making him an alluring target for thieves who used his information on a Bank of Derbyshire Credit Card Application.

This happened one year after Mr. Jay Gatsby was targeted. Relying on his stellar financial reputation, crooks were able to open a medical account in his name and purchase thousands of pairs of eyeglasses from Dr. T. J. Eckleburg. In both cases, thieves made off with millions in fraudulent, fictional dollars and pounds.

Does it really matter to these fictional characters that others are getting rich on their good names? Yes, it does.

“We can’t have our heroes hampered by bad credit,” says Regina Jennings, author of Courting Misfortune. “Identity theft devastates a person’s financial reputation and hurts their romantic prospects. Their property might be fictional, but it’s the only property they have.”

So what can be done to protect fictional characters? Mainly, guard their private information. Authors should carefully consider before sharing too much of their background. The public doesn’t need to know their mother’s maiden name or their birthplace. Also, specifics on birth dates should be avoided. An innocent party scene can be used by fraudsters to determine their birth date and give criminals another tool with which to defraud them. Even pets’ names should be used sparingly. Consider giving fictional characters a fictional, fictional dog instead of sharing their real fictional dog’s name.

While it might take some time and forethought to safeguard our fictional friends, we owe it to them. There can be serious consequences for victims of identity theft, from being included in a criminal investigation, to losing a tax rebate, to finding one’s credit ruined. They, like everyone else, deserve justice and protection. They trust us with their stories. Let’s not leave them defenseless.

The post Identity Theft Finds New Victims appeared first on Author Regina Jennings.

Of course, you gain a lot, too. Besides the memories and the irreplaceable time with your child…besides all that, you also gain membership into a close-knit sisterhood of women working together to see to the education and well-being of their children. You see, being a homeschooling mom isn’t a solo journey. There are heroic partners all along the way.

As we are graduating our third child from homeschool, I want to salute the many homeschooling moms who have created a culture of excellence and camaraderie for our family:

THE CO-OP PRESIDENT AND BOARD who do everything from making sure the church is cleaned after class to recruiting teachers to managing membership (and so much more!).
THE CO-OP TEACHER who shares her special area of knowledge to the benefit of all.
THE TEAM ORGANIZER who knows every gym, every stadium, and the phone number for every athletic director in the state. Because of her hard work, the team has a schedule full of games.
THE CHRISTMAS PARTY PLANNER with her tub of decorations and games that she brings out year after year.
THE YEARBOOK DESIGNER who collects precious memories from the families and organizes them so the kids will have a souvenir for years to come.
THE BAND ASSISTANT who knows where you can get used instruments for cheap…and her kids teach private lessons, too!
THE CHEER SPONSOR who is always sore from practice because she believes in leading by example.
THE HOME SCHOOL VETERAN who had so many people asking for copies of her lessons, that she organized them and published them so families can learn from her even after she’s retired.
THE FIELD TRIP MAVEN who knows exactly how many participants are needed for that coveted group rate.
THE ROBOTICS CAPTAIN that comes home after work and donates his time and a lot of equipment (don’t tell his wife) so the kids can compete on a national level.
THE NETWORKER who listens when you mention a concern, and then comes up with a specialist, a program, an opportunity that fits your need.
THE PIONEER that hears of people doing something somewhere, and asks, “Why don’t we have one of those groups in our area?”
THE HOME SCHOOL RESCUE TEAM who step in when illness strikes to make sure meals and transportation are handled while Mom is down, and then come to help Grandma get through the lessons.

Being a homeschooling family means being a part of a network, having a bond akin to comrades at arms. Together we faced fears of inadequacy, challenges when resources were scarce, and the frustrations that come when we can’t blame someone else for our child’s failure. Together we pooled our talents and our strengths to fill the gaps and smooth the road in our children’s education. Together we celebrated their successes.

So, I’m celebrating you. Homeschooling has many benefits for the child, but one of the greatest rewards for me has been the quality of women I’ve been privileged to learn with, laugh with, and love.

Thank you!

The post The Sisterhood of Homeschooling Moms appeared first on Author Regina Jennings.

Every life is precious. Every human is created in the image of God, unique and cannot be replaced, but everyone will die. I’m going to die, and every hour brings me closer to that day.

You’re going to die, too. How does that make you feel to read that? Have you thought about it? Have you considered what comes after death? The encouraging slogans of our current crisis tell us that We’re All in This Together – and I’m grateful for the sense of community that’s resulted, but the truth is that your friends can only go so far with you in suffering. None of them can go through death with you. Only one passed through death, defeated it, and came back victorious. That’s Jesus Christ.

Executed in front of a crowd, then buried in a tomb guarded by the military, and yet he came out of that tomb to walk around, eat with friends, and speak to hundreds of witnesses. He said that if we’d follow him, we wouldn’t be alone when that time comes. And it is coming. We don’t deny the danger out there. We don’t take unnecessary risks. But we face the certainty of death with the power of Christ and his resurrection.

We pray that God will spare our lives, our jobs, our nation, but through it all we have peace, courage, hope… even joy.

Memento Mori. You will die, but today you have life. What will you do with it?

The post Thoughts on COVID-19 appeared first on Author Regina Jennings.

On December 8th, I’ll be at Fort Reno signing copies of The Major’s Daughter, plus Serving Up Love and other titles. The Fort Reno grounds will be open and ready for visitors, including the house that Major Adams, Louisa and Caroline would’ve lived in. This home isn’t usually open to the public, but on that Sunday from 2:15 to 4:00, it will be decorated with scenes from the Fort Reno books. You might just get a glimpse of one of the characters while you are enjoying refreshments.

But that’s not all that’s going on at the fort. You can watch reenactors participate in the fort’s Christmas Firing of the Guns at 2:00 and visit with Santa in the chapel. There’ll be a flyer for a self-guided tour of the rest of the grounds, highlighting locations mentioned in my books. On top of that, the Historic Fort Reno Visitor Center and the U. S. Cavalry Association Museum will be open from noon until 4:00. As a special treat, admission to the fort and the museums is free.

Please come out and see this site that has grown to mean so much to me, and has always meant much to Oklahoma’s history.

The post Let’s Welcome The Major’s Daughter to the Fort appeared first on Author Regina Jennings.

This week the Little Free Library movement is celebrating 10 years. To join in the fun, I visited our Little Free Library and talked to Susie about what led her (and Tim) to build this beauty.

How did you come across the idea of building a little library for your neighborhood?

Our daughter Shera in Naperville, Illinois, called and asked her dad to build her one. When I checked into the idea, I decided I wanted one for our neighborhood, too. Tim found the plans online and made two, so this one in Oklahoma has a twin in my daughter’s neighborhood in Illinois.

Has reading always been important to you?

Definitely. My mother was a school librarian, and I was an elementary school teacher for over 20 years. We raised our kids in Central Illinois, and three of four of them presented book reports on the show Reading Rainbow. Reading together as a family has meant a lot to me.

What has been the benefit of the Little Free Library?

I get such joy from watching the kids with a sack on their bicycle handles come up and switch out books. It’s also fun to see the books that appear in there and think about which neighbor shared them. It’s very community building.

Is there any special customization on this Little Free Library?

Yes! Tim put a hook on the post so browsers have a place to hook their dog leashes while they make their choice.

Favorite book?

Love Does by Bob Goff.

Best piece of reading advice?

Read to your kids, even when they get older. We have wonderful family memories of all four kids getting into bed for story time.

Thank you, Susie and Tim! I know your neighborhood is blessed by the work you did to make this available to them.

How about y’all? Do you have anything similar near your house?

The post Celebrating the Little Free Libraries appeared first on Author Regina Jennings.

From the river, the view was perfect, and the first few days of our stay it was quiet and peaceful. Things changed on the weekend when a carnival came to town and set-up in the public grounds behind us. The carnival music did drown out the birdsong, but it was still a lovely view.

Another product of the weekend was more tourists. The shops got busier and so did the river. While we sat on the park bench talking and looking at the church, tour boats would go by, filled with phones & cameras poised to capture the perfect shot.

And they kept aiming at us. At first, we waved and laughed, thinking that they were being funny, but then we realized that they were unaware of the spectacular scene on the other bank. Half the people in a tour boat were floating down the River Avon, and instead of looking to their right at the gorgeous, historic church, they were snapping pictures of two middle-aged Americans on their left.

What in the world? Coy gestured to get them to turn around, but few did. We didn’t understand. What was so interesting about us?

Of course, it wasn’t us, it was behind us. The carnival. The flashing lights and the loud music were very effective in drawing the attention away from the eight-centuries-old church sitting in quiet dignity. Could they really find a temporary diversion that would be dismantled and packed away by Monday more interesting than a church that had weathered the better part of a millennium? Tragic.

But more than likely, the choice was made without thought. The urgency of barker’s call kept them distracted just long enough that the opening in the trees was passed, and they missed a glimpse of sublime beauty. Maybe the carnival was the picture they wanted, but I can’t help but pity those who looked back too late at the steeple rising above the trees and wondered at what they missed.

The post On the Banks of the River Avon appeared first on Author Regina Jennings.

Here’s the skinny – Follow 5 authors as we collaborate on a painting (from LetsMakeArt) and talk about what courage means in our lives. Visit all 5 blogs and find the answers to the questions on the entry form. From the completed forms, one winner will be chosen to win 5 books (one from each author), as well as the painting that they collaborated on.

How fun is that? So, let’s get started.

Read this courageous portion of The Lieutenant’s Bargain, then watch the video for clues:

Hattie was just about to return to the coach when she heard a loud cracking noise. What were they doing now? Trying to rush her? She arranged the hood of her coat down snuggly over her chestnut hair and planted her foot on a high shelf of red clay. Another loud pop—a couple, in fact. The top of the stagecoach came into view as she climbed up. The driver crouched in his seat.

“Stay down,” he yelled, waving her away.

“What?” She caught the edge of her hood to keep the wind from snatching it.

The leather window covering flapped open, and a pistol emerged. Smoke puffed out of it, then a second later, a sharp crack split the air. Agent Gibson was shooting at someone, and Mr. Sloane was right behind him. The door opened, and the agent used it to shield himself as he continued to return fire.

Hattie felt the blood drain from her face. It couldn’t be. The hard dirt scraped her cheek as she hugged the ledge. The driver had turned and taken up the reins. With his arms flapping, he egged the horses forward.

“Wait…” All her paints and canvases were on that stage. They couldn’t leave her behind.

But then she saw the horseman racing toward them. The driver of the coach was hunched over the reins, urging the team forward, when he stiffened, then slumped to the side. The stage’s horses jerked into motion even as he fell out of his seat.  

Hattie ducked out of sight. No. Why? Suddenly the boorish men she’d been traveling with didn’t seem so bad, and they needed help. But what could she do?

Another shot made her rise up just in time to see Agent Gibson topple out of the door as the stage careened away. She could only see the back of the outlaw, but she could feel his deadly intent as he walked his horse slowly toward the crumpled figure.

If Agent Gibson wasn’t dead already, he would be in the time it took to twitch a trigger finger. She rested her chin against the ledge. Why was she considering such a reckless act? She didn’t owe the agent anything.

Before she could think better of it, Hattie stood to her full height and waved her mittened hand over her head.

“Over here!” How small her voice sounded on the prairie. How frail. But it was enough. The killer led with his pistol as he turned his horse toward her. His nose twitched like a dog on the scent, and his mouth hung open like he was tasting the air. 

Of all the dumb decisions Hattie had made in her life, this was the worst. She might have bought Agent Gibson a few minutes to make his peace, but at what price?

With a quick prayer for the men scattered above her on the plain, Hattie dropped to the dry creek bed and ran down the narrow corridor of the gully, following its twists and curves, looking for a way to save her life.

Now the Video:

And finally, the contest entry: The Courage Chronicles Entry Form

The event is open from 5/6 to 5/10, with the final giveaway closing 5/17. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. The posts are located at:

Regina’s Post – You’re here!

Sarah’s Post – Available Tuesday

Amanda’s Post – Available Wednesday

Karen’s Post – Available Thursday

Joanne’s Post – Available Friday

Thank you for participating, and God bless!

Love,

Regina

The post The Courage Chronicles appeared first on Author Regina Jennings.

This period in American history is full of conflict and missteps by the U. S. government concerning the Indian tribes. Many policies were long debated, then enforced, then repealed and then enforced again as the government tried to cope with the challenges they’d created for themselves. The inspiration for The Lieutenant’s Bargain came from the laws pertaining to marriages between the two cultures. At this time, white settlers were not allowed on the vast lands of Indian Territory without a connection to the tribe. Unscrupulous men often courted and married Native American women for access to the tribal funds and land. All too often, these speculators would decide to seek easy money elsewhere and leave behind a wife and children, claiming that the Indian wedding ceremony wasn’t binding on them. Over time, the government enacted different policies trying to prevent the exploitation of the tribes, but it remained a problem for decades. The insistence that cavalry officers honor the Arapaho’s ceremonies is what gets Lieutenant Jack and Hattie into trouble when they unwittingly participate in a banquet.

Did you have a specific reader in mind when you wrote this?

Yes! Actually, this book was written for the late bloomers of the world—those of us who were awkward, nerdy, and maybe spent too much time with books to have much social acuity. Everyone feels like they’ve been underappreciated and there were times when people didn’t bother to notice them. This story is a salute to them. Although Jack Hennessey was a puny bookworm in his childhood, his years in the cavalry have rounded out his character and filled out his lanky frame. The only thing he hasn’t succeeded at is forgetting the girl from back home who never took any notice of him. Years later, when he rescues Hattie Walker after a stagecoach robbery, Jack can’t believe his luck. Now she’ll appreciate him and give him the respect he’s always deserved. If only he hadn’t ruined both of their lives with a colossal mistake.

Can you give us a brief preview of the story?

Sure! Hattie Walker dreams of painting the Rocky Mountains, but her parents want her to settle down and marry. They make an offer—she has two months in Denver to place her works in an exhibition. If she fails, she comes back home and gets married. But her journey is derailed when a gunman attacks her stagecoach and leaves her to be rescued by a group of Arapaho. Unfortunately, she’s too terrified to realize they’re friendly. Cavalry Officer Lieutenant Jack Hennessey has two passions—the girl back home who never gave him a chance and helping Arapaho children prepare for their changing world. When a message arrives about a recovered survivor, Jack heads out to collect the victim and is stunned by who he finds.

Hattie Walker, the girl who shattered his heart, needs his help. This is his chance to impress her. When his plan gets tangled through translation, Jack and Hattie end up in a mess that puts her dreams in peril— and sets Jack’s two passions at odds.

So, if the heroine, Hattie Walker, is an accomplished artist, what is the extent of your artistic talents?

Hmmm…I would say my best work has been with the mediums of Shrinky Dinks and Etch A Sketches. My most recent attempts have occurred during games of Pictionary with the family, but they don’t appreciate my talent. Maybe I’ve found another way to be a very late bloomer.

The post Q & A with Regina Jennings – The Lieutenant’s Bargain appeared first on Author Regina Jennings.

• Christmas Story set in 19th Century Indian Territory (Oklahoma)
• Lieutenant Jack’s life is upended when his childhood crush appears in danger on the reservation.
• Hattie Walker finds herself in debt to the awkward boy she’d ignored in school. When his critical mistake is uncovered, she learns that she’s bound by more than gratitude.
• Also available in Audiobook

Hattie Walker dreams of painting the Rocky Mountains, but her parents want her to settle down and marry. They make an offer—she has two months in Denver to place her works in an exhibition. If she fails, she comes back home and gets married. But her journey is derailed when a gunman attacks her stagecoach and leaves her to be rescued by a group of Arapaho. Unfortunately, she’s too terrified to realize they’re friendly.

Cavalry Officer Lieutenant Jack Hennessey has two passions—the girl back home who never gave him a chance and helping Arapaho children prepare for their changing world. When a message arrives about a recovered survivor, Jack heads out to collect the victim and is stunned by who he finds.
Hattie Walker, the girl who shattered his heart, needs his help. This is his chance to impress her. When his plan gets tangled through translation, Jack and Hattie end up in a mess that puts her dreams in peril— and sets Jack’s two passions at odds.

Get your copy now!

The post Christmas Romance on the Prairie – Now Available appeared first on Author Regina Jennings.

Thousands of British war widows and their children are to be transferred to Canada with the expectation that many women will be married to Canadian farmers, according to plans outlined here today by David Lam of London, commissoner of the International Emigration Society of the Salvation Army. He added that no women will be sent before arrrangements have been made for their employment and the rate of emigration will depend entirely upon the ability of Canada to absorb them.

(Source: The Oklahoma City Times, Nov. 20, 1916)

The post Historical Tidbit – a/k/a Future Story Idea? appeared first on Author Regina Jennings.