It isn’t a far leap from history major to author—after all, historians are storytellers. Stories are what attracted me to history in the first place. I love knowing the tales behind historical events, the human moments tucked between dates and battles.
One of my favorites is about Abraham Lincoln’s beard. While he was campaigning in 1860, an 11-year-old girl named Grace Bedell wrote him a letter saying, “If you let your whiskers grow… you would look a good deal better.” Grace was a big fan of Lincoln and felt that if he had a beard, she could persuade her brothers to vote for him.
Many have heard this story—but did you know Lincoln actually wrote back? In his reply, he gently questioned her suggestion: “As to the whiskers, having never worn any, do you not think people would call it a piece of silly affection if I were to begin it now?”
But a month later, whiskers began to appear. On February 16th, 1861, President-elect Lincoln stopped in Westfield, New York, on his way to Washington—bearded and curious. Stepping off the train, he asked if the young lady who had written to him was present. A small boy perched on a lamp post shouted, “There she is, Mr. Lincoln!” and Grace stepped forward, blushing as she met the man whose face now matched her suggestion. The meeting was brief, sweet, and human.
It didn’t change the course of history… unless Grace was right, and the beard really did the trick.
History is full of moments like this—small gestures, quiet voices, unexpected influence. These stories don’t always make it into textbooks, but they linger. They remind us that the past was lived by people not so different from us.
Stories like Grace and Lincoln’s are why I write. They connect us, inspire us, and shape the way we see the world. Whether in the pages of a history book or a paranormal mystery, it always starts with a story.
What stories appeal to you?
Lucinda Rose 