Lesson Plans

USING POPULAR FICTION TO INCORPORATE COMMON CORE Every book can be the platform for probing questions and lesson plans. The book can be a link between student achievement, cultural values and constructive use of the Internet. The resource I have constructed is a series of “station lessons” based on my mystery series. What I have…

Can you solve this one?

By Linda Maria Frank

Apparent Dangers of Drinking and Driving At 3:00 AM.
On Nov. 10, Marguerite Lange, her silver 2010Mercedes Sports Coupe, a half-filled bottle of vodka and a plastic bag of white powder landed in a ditch located at the bottom of a steep hill bordering Rte. 17 in upstate New York. The car had apparently gone out of control and went off the highway, rolling several times before landing upside down in the ditch. The police were able to recreate the accident from skid marks on the road and various impressions and disturbances observed in the area.

Meet the Cohens

THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE COHENS
By Linda Maria Frank

Everything is relative. And some of us are finding out that we have more relatives in our lives than we thought. In this article, I would like to point out that everything is relatives. Take, for instance, the story of the Cohens, or Kohanim as they are known in the Jewish faith. The Kohanim are males who can trace their lineage back to the first Cohen, who was anointed by Aaron, the brother of Moses, dating back 3,300 years. The line is patrilineal, which means it is passes from father to son through the Y chromosome.…

CODIS

CODIS, the combined DNA index system, is a data bank consisting of the DNA from violent offenders. When a violent crime like rape, murder or assault is committed, and evidence from the scene, like blood, skin cells or semen is available, a DNA profile from that evidence is produced. …

Why Fire Island and Why The Madonna Ghost

By Linda Maria Frank
One of the first questions anyone asks me about the book is why I chose the title, The Madonna Ghost. Some readers think that it is a reference to the singer, Madonna. It is not. The original meaning of the word, Madonna, is an Italian formal form of address for a woman, meaning literally, my lady. It has come to refer to the Mother of Christ in the Christian religion as illustrated by many works of art. So, a Madonna figure is a mother figure, most commonly a mother with child.

Explosives

AND THEN, IT WENT KABOOM!
By Linda Maria Frank

Every high school chemistry student, studying the incredible nature of nitrogen bonds, has heard the story of Alfred Nobel and his creation of dynamite. As the Industrial Revolution chugged along, the need for faster and more powerful methods of construction became increasingly important.

The two know explosives at the time were black power (gun powder), a relatively low grade explosive, and nitroglycerine, powerful, unstable, and deadly dangerous to use. The key ingredient in these two is the nitrogen bonds in the chemical ingredients. When the bonds between nitrogen atoms and the atoms of other elements are broken, tremendous energy is released.

Secrets in the Fairy Chimneys

The third exciting book of the Annie Tillery Mysteries is now live, soon to be available on amazon.com. Award winning author, Linda Maria Frank, has created another page-turning, can’t-put-it-down mystery. After clicking on the Authors Show website (Children’s), be sure to select Frank’s interviews from the menu on The Authors Show website, “The Madonna Ghost “or “Girl with Pencil, Drawing”.

“Secrets in the Fairy Chimneys” has it all. The story is set in exotic Istanbul and Cappadocia, a land of enchanted caves and rock formations. The plot involves ancient mysteries, archaeological secrets, and thieves who will commit murder rather than give up the treasures they steal. Annie acquires new friends. Cedric Zeeks is trying to find a link between his African ancestors and the inhabitants of a 9,000 year old town in Cappadocia. Yelda and Ahmet Atsut, twins with a Ouija board and awesome sleuthing talents, help Annie and boyfriend, Ty Egan, solve the mysteries, both the ancient ones and the ones that threaten them as they work the archaeological dig. FC 6X9 RGB – twins in cave R1