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Author Laurie Marr Wasmund returns to Armchair Historians to talk about her new historical novel Catching It Lovely, inspired by her great-great-grandmother Jane Morton Scott—a Scottish immigrant whose journey carried her from the textile towns of Scotland to Chicago, and finally to a homestead in Colorado Territory. 
We explore how Laurie blends archival research with historical fiction, why the era surrounding World War I still shapes her worldview, and what she discovered about her family that changed everything.

In This Episode, We Discuss

• Laurie’s “favorite history”: 1900–1925, and why WWI-era America still echoes today
• Writing historical fiction from family records—without turning it into a lecture
• Immigration realities: Scotland → New York (Castle Garden era) → Chicago → Colorado
• The Great Chicago Fire as a turning point (and what didn’t burn)
• Homesteading in 1875 and how many settlers arrived by rail, not wagon train
• Research rabbit holes: newspapers, photographs, public archives, and local history collections
• The surprising mix of “Wild West” and sophistication in early Colorado (theaters, restaurants, society life)
• The “keeper of family history” role—and why some of us become the storytellers

About the Guest

Laurie Marr Wasmund is a Colorado author, presenter, and publisher (Lost Ranch Books). Her work often explores Colorado history, civic courage, and the lives of communities under pressure—now including her own ancestors’ story in Catching It Lovely. 

Book Mentioned

Catching It Lovely by Laurie Marr Wasmund 

Links & Resources

Laurie Marr Wasmund / Lost Ranch Books (author site)

Official author site and book pages. 

Lost Ranch Books (imprint site)

Browse Laurie’s backlist and imprint info. 

Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection (CHNC)

Free, searchable primary sources for Colorado history. 

Isabella Bird, A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains (Project Gutenberg)

A vivid period account that helps capture the texture of early Colorado travel and frontier life. 

Laurie’s earlier Armchair Historians episode (2020)

Support the show

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In this episode of Armchair Historians, Anne-Marie Cannon sits down with Dr. Khama Ennis, emergency physician and creator of Faces of Medicine, a documentary and podcast that shares the powerful, candid stories of Black women physicians in the United States.

The conversation begins with Dr. Ennis’s favorite history: Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, the first Black woman to earn a medical degree in the U.S., graduating in 1864 at the end of the Civil War. From there, we explore how that legacy echoes into the present—especially when only 2.8% of U.S. physicians are Black women.

Together, Anne-Marie and Dr. Ennis discuss:

• Why representation in medicine is directly connected to health equity
• The hidden labor of navigating bias in professional spaces
• “Baked-in” systemic gaps in healthcare algorithms
• The importance of storytelling in improving outcomes
• What it means to “always reach back and pull forward”

This episode is not about blame—it’s about humanity, curiosity, and expanding the stories we carry.

Learn More & Watch

🎥 Faces of Medicine (Official Website):
https://www.facesofmedicine.org/

🎙️ Faces of Medicine Podcast:
Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms (search “Faces of Medicine”).

🎬 Host a Screening (via Kinema):
Information about hosting a community, school, or organizational screening can be found here:
https://kinema.com/films/faces-of-medicine

💛 Support the Project (Fiscal Sponsor – Fractured Atlas):
Donation information is available through the official website above.

If this episode resonated, consider watching the documentary, sharing the podcast, or bringing a screening to your community.

Support the show

Follow us on Social Media:
Instagram: @armchairhistorians
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians

Support Armchair Historians:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions

Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com

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Black History Month Rewind: Buffalo Soldiers (Fighting on Two Fronts) — with Nick Brooks

EPISODE SUMMARY
In honor of Black History Month, we’re rewinding some of Armchair Historians’ strongest episodes that spotlight Black history, Black voices, and stories that deserve more room in the public memory.

Today’s rewind revisits my conversation with Air Force veteran and Buffalo Soldiers of Seattle member Nick Brooks—an episode I think about often. Nick helps us move beyond the simplified version of the story and into the lived reality: Black soldiers who served with extraordinary skill and grit, even while fighting for a country that denied them full citizenship and dignity.

We also talk about the documentary Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts, the complicated legacy of westward expansion, and why telling the full story still matters.

CONTENT NOTE
This episode includes discussion of U.S. westward expansion and the displacement/violence experienced by Native communities, alongside racism faced by Black soldiers within U.S. institutions.

IN THIS EPISODE
• Who the Buffalo Soldiers were (9th & 10th Cavalry; 24th & 25th Infantry) and why the regiments were formed after the Civil War
• The “two fronts” they fought on: military conflict and the fight for recognition/civil rights
• The complicated legacy of serving the U.S. government during westward expansion
• Buffalo Soldiers as early protectors of what would become U.S. National Parks
• How living history work helps preserve legacy—and why it matters for community and veterans

GUEST
Nick Brooks — Air Force veteran and member of Buffalo Soldiers of Seattle (living historians preserving and teaching Buffalo Soldiers history).

LINKS & RESOURCES (as mentioned / helpful follow-up)

Buffalo Soldiers of Seattle:
• https://www.buffalosoldiersofseattle.org/

Documentary: Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts (Dru Holley)
• Official film site: https://buffalosoldiersmovie.com/
• See the film / screenings page: https://buffalosoldiersmovie.com/seethefilm
• Host a screening (includes contact email + toolkit info): https://buffalosoldiersmovie.com/hostascreening
• Stream via PBS (Local, USA): https://www.pbs.org/video/buffalo-soldiers-fighting-on-two-fronts-e3yici/

Film & community partners mentioned:
• Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF): https://www.siff.net/
• Path with Art:

Support the show

Follow us on Social Media:
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians

Support Armchair Historians:
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Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com

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In this episode
Anne-Marie Cannon is joined by author Barbara Stark-Nemon, whose novels span centuries and borders. They dive into Barbara’s newest historical novel, Isabela’s Way, set in Inquisition-era Portugal, Spain, France, and Germany, and explore how history lives on through family memory, travel, and storytelling.

Topics we cover

• Isabela’s Way and the history behind it
• The Inquisition and why it’s still misunderstood
• Embroidery as coded communication and safe passage
• Refugee histories and inherited resilience
• “Unexpected allies” and resisting black-and-white narratives
• Emotional truth vs. historical accuracy
• How genealogy and DNA uncover hidden pasts
• Writing as an encore career and the path to publication

About Barbara Stark-Nemon
Barbara Stark-Nemon is the author of Isabela’s Way, Even in Darkness, and Hard Cider. A self-taught historian and traveler, her work explores resilience, identity, and survival across turbulent historical moments.

Connect with Barbara

• Website: https://www.barbarastarknemon.com
  
  
• Substack: https://barbarastarknemon.substack.com
  
  
• Barbara is also available for book clubs (via Zoom or in person when local).

More from Armchair Historians

• Show notes include links to everything discussed, ways to support the show, and a free short story downloadintroducing Bedlam, from Anne-Marie Cannon’s forthcoming historical fiction series.
• Website: https://www.amcannon.com
  
  

Support the show
Follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode. Ratings, reviews, and shares help more listeners discover Armchair Historians.

Support the show

Follow us on Social Media:
Instagram: @armchairhistorians
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians

Support Armchair Historians:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions

Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com

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Puppy Chronicles and Early Germanic Tribes: A Heartwarming Historical Journey

In this episode of Armchair Historians, host Anne-Marie Cannon introduces her new puppy, Rocco, and explores the early Germanic tribes through his eyes. Drawing parallels between Rocco's adaptation to his new home and historical tribal life, Anne-Marie delves into kinship, warrior bands, and cultural practices from the 1st century BCE to the early medieval period. The episode emphasizes the importance of focusing on small joys amid challenging times and offers resources for further exploration of Germanic history. Listeners are invited to follow Rocco's adventures on social media for a dose of positivity.

00:00 Welcome to Armchair Historians

00:53 Meet Rocco, the History-Loving Puppy

01:19 Puppy Energy in Tough Times

02:19 Rocco's Journey to the North Country

02:31 Understanding Early Germanic Tribes

03:51 Rocco's Tribal Life Lessons

05:11 The Importance of Belonging and Community

06:48 Rocco's Adventures and Training

07:02 Connecting Past and Present

07:43 Final Thoughts and Positivity

08:48 Stay Connected and Support the Show

09:20 Closing Remarks

Rocco on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/rocccothemorkiehistorydog/

Rocco on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/share/14MzvxCJo3d/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Documentary (Get.history – “The Germanic Tribes: Warriors Who Shaped Europe”):
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCJAmn-sJxAiMfhzCZ04J0CHUG3qpVn_w 

Learn more (Germanic tribes / peoples):
Encyclopaedia Britannica – Germanic peoples:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Germanic-peoples

World History Encyclopedia – Migration Age:
https://www.worldhistory.org/Migration_Age/

World History Encyclopedia – The Goths (example of a Germanic people):
https://www.worldhistory.org/Goths/

Support the show

Follow us on Social Media:
Instagram: @armchairhistorians
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians

Support Armchair Historians:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions

Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com

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In this episode of Armchair Historians, host Anne Marie Cannon interviews historical fiction author Janis Robinson Daly, whose work unearths the forgotten stories of early women doctors and the generations who paved the way for them.

Janis shares how genealogy research led her to discover that her great-great-grandfather was both an abolitionist lawyer and a founder of the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania—sparking her fascination with women’s medical history. Her novels, The Unlocked Path and The Path Beneath Her Feet, follow fictional doctor Eliza Edwards, a character inspired by real women who fought for their place in medicine between the 1890s and World War II. 

Anne and Janis discuss balancing fact and fiction, the impact of the Depression and two world wars on women’s lives, and how major historical events shape character development. They also dive into Janis’s literary-citizenship project, #31TitlesWomenInHistory, a curated annual list celebrating women-centered historical fiction and amplifying voices of women authors.

Topics include:
– Early women physicians and the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania
– How genealogy research can uncover hidden stories
– Writing historical fiction responsibly
– The role of author’s notes in clarifying fact vs. imagination
– The Great Depression’s impact on women in medicine
– Janis’s #31TitlesWomenInHistory project and how she chooses the books
– Her upcoming 2026 novel

Books Mentioned:
– The Unlocked Path (2022)
– The Path Beneath Her Feet (2024)

Where to Find Janis:
janisrdaly.com | @janisrdaly_author

Related Armchair Historians Episodes:

• Wendy Rouse — Public Faces, Secret Lives: A Queer History of the Suffrage Movement
https://armchairhistorians.buzzsprout.com/1020073/episodes/10116683

• Dr. Tara Green — See Me Naked + Alice Dunbar-Nelson
https://armchairhistorians.buzzsprout.com/1020073/episodes/10100721

• A Haunted History of Invisible Women (Part 1) — Leanna Renee Hieber & Andrea Janes
https://armchairhistorians.buzzsprout.com/1020073/episodes/11438457

• A Haunted History of Invisible Women (Part 2) — Leanna Renee Hieber & Andrea Janes
https://armchairhistorians.buzzsprout.com/1020073/episodes/11475292

• Dr. Teri Finneman — 1872 Presidential Campaign of Victoria Woodhull (2021 Inauguration Special)
https://armchairhistorians.buzzsprout.com/1020073/episodes/7375942

• Joe McGill — The Slave Dwelling Project
https://armchairhistorians.buzzsprout.com/1020073/episodes/8870078

• Dr. Rod Tanchanco — First Patients
https://armchairhistorians.buzzsprout.com/1020073/

Support the show

Follow us on Social Media:
Instagram: @armchairhistorians
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians

Support Armchair Historians:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions

Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com

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Episode summary:
This is a personal, behind-the-scenes episode on why Tudor England became the setting for The Bedlam Series: the whiplash of religious change, the evolving Tudor monarchs, and how “madness” was understood, feared, and controlled—especially around Bethlehem Hospital (“Bedlam”). Along the way, Anne Marie threads careful parallels to current U.S. events and the emotional toll of living through political instability.

Content note: This episode references political violence, immigration enforcement, protest, and a personal medical experience.

In this episode

• Why Tudor England feels like a pressure cooker (faith, law, identity, survival)
• Religion as “weather”: shifting doctrine, shifting danger
• Tudor power and insecurity: Henry VIII → Edward VI → Mary I → Elizabeth I
• Bedlam as symbol and setting: who gets labeled, who gets confined, who gets believed
• Modern parallels: competing “official narratives,” public meaning, labels that flatten human lives
• “We must cultivate our garden” (Voltaire) as a grounding practice in hard times

Rough timecode outline (edit once you have final audio)

• 00:00 Show open + what the podcast is
• 00:35 Personal note: this week, mental health, “cultivating our garden”
• 03:10 Bedlam Series orientation + how to get the prequel
• 04:30 Tudor religion as a changing tide
• 08:00 Tudor royals + insecurity-driven power
• 11:30 “Madness” as label + Bedlam’s role
• 15:20 Borders, sovereignty, Greenland parallels
• 18:00 Closing reflection + how to get the prequel + May release reminder

Get the prequel (free) + follow the series

• Get The Sum of Broken Rooms free when you join the email list (official download page): link at top of page https://www.amcannon.com/
• Explore The Bedlam Series hub. 
• Armchair Historians on A.M. Cannon’s site. 
• Main site / signup landing page. 

Mentioned in the episode (current-events context)

• Reporting and video updates around Renée Good’s fatal shooting by an ICE officer in Minneapolis, protests, and disputes over official framing vs. public footage. 
• Greenland rejecting U.S. takeover talk; NATO / sovereignty concerns. 
• Reuters coverage on Nicolás Maduro saying he was “kidnapped” amid U.S. charges (referenced as a “foreign president kidnapped”). 

Tudor + Bedlam background (learn-more links)

• English Reformation (1527–1590) overview (The National Archives). 
• Reformation Parliament overview (UK P

Support the show

Follow us on Social Media:
Instagram: @armchairhistorians
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians

Support Armchair Historians:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions

Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com

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ARMCHAIR HISTORIANS — Season 5, Episode 1
“Under One Roof: A New Season, A New Chapter”

Hello, fellow Armchair Historians. Welcome back.

In this Season 5 premiere, I’m officially bringing everything I create—podcasting, historical fiction, research rabbit holes, vintage fashion history, and documentary work—under one roof. You can now find the whole universe (and all the links) at my home base:
https://www.amcannon.com/

We’re also living through a moment that can feel disorienting and heavy—when truth feels slippery, the rules feel optional, and basic decency can seem in short supply. That’s exactly why history matters. Not as escapism, but as a compass: a way to remember what happened, how people resisted, how communities survived, and what it costs when power goes unchecked.

This season, I’m leaning into the kinds of history I’m always drawn to:
• stories that amplify diverse voices
• lives lived at the edges of power
• the overlooked, the underestimated, the nearly-forgotten
• and the tangible traces of the past you can hold in your hand

NEW THIS SEASON: FIRST GUESTS
Our first two guests of Season 5:
• Janis Robinson Daly (historical fiction + women’s stories)
  https://janisrdaly.com/
• Barbara Stark-Nemon (award-winning author of women’s & Jewish historical fiction)
  https://www.barbarastarknemon.com/

A.M. CANNON + THE BEDLAM SERIES
My debut novel (Book 1 of The Bedlam Series), The Case of Lord Simon, arrives in May 2026.
Moving forward, I’ll be sharing updates, behind-the-scenes research, and historical context connected to the world of Bedlam—because the history behind the fiction is half the obsession.

Explore The Bedlam Series (and related goodies):
https://www.amcannon.com/items

Want a doorway into the series first? (The Sum of Broken Rooms):
https://www.amcannon.com/items/this-is-a-title-01

LAST TRAIN LEAVING BELGIUM (DOCUMENTARY)
I’ll also share occasional updates on my documentary project, Last Train Leaving Belgium. It’s currently on the back burner while The Bedlam Series gains momentum—but the story is still close to my heart.

Listen here:
Part 1: https://armchairhistorians.buzzsprout.com/1020073/episodes/16070462-last-train-leaving-belgium-part-1
Part 2: https://armchairhistorians.buzzsprout.com/1020073/episodes/16105753-last-train-leaving-belgium-part-2-jeff-lipkes

HISTORY I KEEP COMING BACK TO (DIVERSE VOICES + “WHY HISTORY”)
Victor

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This week’s Rewind episode brings back one of our most memorable conversations—perfect for anyone who’s ever felt that jolt of wonder holding a fragment of the past. Anne Marie sits down with noted mudlark Jason Sandy—member of the Society of Thames Mudlarks, trustee of the Thames Museum Trust, and co-author of Thames Mudlarking: Searching for London’s Lost Treasures—to explore the River Thames as the longest open-air archaeological site in London.

Jason shares how a National Geographic segment sent him down to the foreshore, the thrill of finding a Roman bone hairpin now on display at the Museum of London, the camaraderie (and ethics) of the mudlarking community, and what it was like to metal-detect in the Tower of London’s moat. We also talk permits, recording finds, Totally Thames exhibitions, and why ordinary objects—buttons, pipe stems, combs—tell extraordinary stories.

Highlights

• What makes London’s tidal Thames uniquely rich for finds
• From Native American arrowheads to Roman London: Jason’s path to mudlarking
• The Roman hairpin “holy grail” and donating to the Museum of London
• How the Society of Thames Mudlarks works (and why there’s a waitlist)
• Recording artifacts with the Portable Antiquities Scheme
• Community spotlights: fellow mudlarks, favorite finds, and a life-changing Victoria Cross discovery
• Behind the scenes: searching the Tower of London moat and what those regimental buttons revealed
• The vision for a hands-on Thames Museum where visitors can learn on the foreshore

About Our Guest

Jason Sandy is an American-born architect/developer who moved to London in 2007 and discovered mudlarking in 2012. He’s a Society of Thames Mudlarks member, a Thames Museum Trust trustee, and co-author of Thames Mudlarking: Searching for London’s Lost Treasures. He lectures widely, appears on television, and shares finds on Instagram @jasonmudlark.

Links & Resources

• Jason on Instagram: https://instagram.com/jasonmudlark
  
  
• Thames Mudlarking: Searching for London’s Lost Treasures (book)
• Thames Museum Trust: https://thamesmuseum.org
  
  
• Portable Antiquities Scheme (UK): https://finds.org.uk
  
  
• Museum of London: https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk
  
  

If you enjoyed this Rewind, please follow, leave a 5-star review, and share the episode with a fellow history-lover. Want to support the show? Join us on Patreon/Ko-fi and keep the stories flowing.

Support the show

Follow us on Social Media:
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians

Support Armchair Historians:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians
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In this special Halloween edition minisode, host Anne Marie Cannon continues her conversation with documentary filmmaker Eric Walter, diving into the making of his award-winning film My Amityville Horror.

In the documentary, Daniel Lutz recounts his own chilling version of the infamous Amityville haunting that terrified his family in 1975—an experience that would inspire a best-selling novel and a long-running series of films. Together, Anne Marie and Eric discuss the blurred lines between truth, trauma, and the paranormal, and what it means to live inside a story that the world refuses to let die.

My Amityville Horror combines years of Walter’s independent research with eyewitness accounts and investigative reporting, revealing the most intimate and psychological portrait of the case to date.

This episode follows Part 1, Episode 23, Dark Side of the Mountain, in our Halloween series—two eerie tales that remind us history can be every bit as haunting as fiction.

Eric Walter Website

My Amityville Horror Website


To Support Armchair Historians:

Patreon

Ko-fi

Support the show

Follow us on Social Media:
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians

Support Armchair Historians:
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Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com

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