Popularity Contest Results

Above, 1912 New Year’s card from Chapter Seventeen of An Ostrich-Plumed Hat

You have been judging my posts, as always, for the past six months, picking and choosing whatever piques your interest. For several years, the focus here has been on travel, relying on extensive use of photographs. Well, 2020 certainly cut short this blogger’s boulevardier ways, so, instead, I have “gifted” you with my novel about the sensational 19teens’ tale of the doomed relationship of Hedda Burgemeister and Otto Koehler. More than thirty chapters of An Ostrich-Plumed Hat, and, Yes, She Shot Him Dead are now posted on this site.

The good news is that more of you have clicked on the Introduction and Chapter One than any other post since July. The flip side is less flattering; there was a steep drop off in readership by Chapter Two. Numerous chapters ranked in the top dozen of this biannual roundup, but, for the sake of variety and not to encourage skipping around in the book the way I read Moby Dick in high school – every fifth chapter (Did I miss much?), I am omitting them from the list. Am hoping for some more feedback from you, my beta readers, as this release continues.

Beyond that, you seem to still appreciate my efforts at populating Brackenridge Park with ghosts, railing about whatever in the world is happening to Alamo Plaza and spinning tales from vagabond times. And perhaps you are looking for miracles ahead in 2021.

So, here, are your 12 favorite posts of the past six months, minus the book chapters. The numbers in parentheses represent rankings from six months ago, when applicable.

1. Introduction to a truthful novel and Chapter One, 2020
2. The Madarasz murder mystery: Might Helen haunt Brackenridge Park?, 2012 (2)
3. A place to seek miracles, 2020
4. Save the Crockett Block from the wrecking ball, 2020
5. When it seems way too quiet on the western front, 2020
6. Dia de los Muertos commemorations deeply rooted in city’s past, 2020
7. Postcard from Merida, Yucatan: Past time to fly back home, 2020
8. Trust the Historical Assessment of the experts or mistrust the Alamo Trust? 2020
9. Please put this song on Tony’s pony and make it ride away, 2010 (3)
10. Postcard from Merida, Mexico: A house that henequin built, 2020
11. Linking faces to the Howard headstones: Cricket and tea in the Texas Hill Country, 2020 (6)
12. Postcard from Merida, Mexico: Cuisine branches out beyond the expected, 2020

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Thanks for dropping by. Please visit often. Stay safe and glad tidings throughout the entire year.