Today is my birthday. I don’t celebrate it because I
have no one to celebrate it with…except you, my readers. However, birthdays
tend to make me think about the past, and the future. Where have I been, where
am I going? This year, my birthday is a bit brighter and my thoughts for the
future more within reach than ever before. I finally made that amazing
plunge into the publishing pool with my first romance novel, SEEKERS OF THE
PAST. I hope you’ll all take a chance on me and read it. I think you’ll enjoy
it very much as well as the next books to come in the series of the same name.
The story is steeped in secrets from the past, family history, and the
possibility of hidden treasure. It also begins a journey for Emma and Sam as
they explore family history only to answer some questions while stirring up
more. Go here to read an excerpt.
As my thoughts go to that bright spot in this last trip
around the sun, I realize that it’s been a year containing another adventure.
Over the past several years, I have been researching our family history,
tracing both sides back to the old countries. I had managed to trace the family
lines back to origins in Germany, France, and Sweden and had assumed the story
of my great grandmother’s family coming from Ireland to America was proof
positive of our Irish genetics, although questions had arisen as to whether not
her father might have come from Scotland rather than Ireland.
This past winter, I
took one of those popular DNA tests. I used MyHeritage.com but I’m sure you’ve
heard of the others as well—AncestryDNA.com, and 23andMe.com.
My DNA Results:
I have to admit to being surprisingly impressed with the results
of my test. It didn’t just say that I was part percentage this country or that,
but instead told me the regions where my DNA originated. As you can see from
the map showing from where my ancestral roots came and the percentages of those
in me, I truly am a mutt. Of course, everyone carries their own separate
percentages but the most amazing discovery was that I carried absolutely no
Irish origins but instead, carry a large chunk from Scandanavia. I knew about
the Swedish origins but since it is well known that the Vikings populated parts
of Scotland, I have now have a very good reason to believe that my great-great
grandparents most likely came from Scotland rather than Ireland. Either
way…it’s a good explanation of my red hair.
I haven’t found any secrets regarding lost treasure or an
ancestor who was royalty or a murderer, but it’s been interesting all the same. However,
I did discover that my Scottish ancestors’ surname is related to a Norwegian
Noble Family name. I’m sure they weren’t nobility but they might have been part
of that clan.
Rebuilding the story that is a family’s history is
fascinating, exciting, and downright fun. Have you tested your DNA yet? Do you
plan to? What would you like to find in your family history that you don’t
already know? Oh, what the heck…just try it out and see what exciting and
unexpected things pop up. Modern day treasure hunting—just like Sam and Emma in
SEEKERS OF THE PAST.
Now…since it is my birthday and my party, so to speak and since I don’t have anyone to share
it with, I’d like to invite you to join me in celebration, and it might just be you who
receives a gift. I'd love for you to enter the following giveaway for a chance to win a copy of
my exciting new romance novel which takes you on a journey to where the past
meets the present and love lives forever. Hurry, it's all over at midnight July 7th!
2 comments:
Hi Amy. I'm happy to spend your birthday with you and hope you'll spend mine with me. I'm really looking forward to reading your first book and CONGRATS! It is important to know one's history. For inspiration (writing, traveling) and health. I want to do one of those DNA kits but I'm so paranoid. lol! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY FRIEND!!
I was more worried that it was money ill spent than worried I'd find something strange. But once I got the results, and compared it to what I had already discovered through my own research, I realized just how accurate the tests are and how exciting it was to discover even more about my ancestry. I say give it a shot. They run special prices on them occasionally. Watch for my. Hope you had a fabulous birthday celebration. Good luck and thanks for stopping by. It gets lonely here at times. It used to be so busy! ;-) xo
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