In 2007, a twelve-day trip to Ireland—my ancestors’ homeland—turned out to be the most significant turning point in my life. I never dreamed when I embarked on my adventure it would lead to me becoming a genealogist, meeting dozens of Irish rellies, writing two fiction series set in Ireland, and buying a renovated 1887 schoolhouse in my Coffey ancestors’ townland.

Since that trip, I’ve researched hundreds of Irish and Scottish lines, including my maternal and paternal ones. I’ve also done extensive research in Canada, England, and the US. Besides conducting online research, I have visited numerous historical archives, traipsed through countless cemeteries (many now situated in sheep-filled fields), and located several family homesteads.

In 2018, I began writing a genealogy column for my monthly author newsletter about my personal research experiences. Because I was writing articles faster than I was publishing newsletters, I decided to compile them into a book. Genealogy Tips & Quips includes:

•twenty-five newsletter articles
•twenty-five brand-new articles
•a case study about how a paternal DNA test revealed my family's royal lineage and my quest to uncover family secrets
•an extensive case study on tracing my most difficult family line back to the 1700s in Ireland

Be prepared for a lot of unexpected twists and turns as I share my mistakes, lessons learned, and tips for getting to the roots of your family tree!