Welcome to the Celebration!
A full month of activities in honor of my first anniversary here on Substack
Release Date: June 10, 2025
But first, a heartfelt thanks
Man, it’s been a year!
I’ve been a writer a long, long time, and I’ve had some pretty great moments along the way, but nothing prepared me for this first year of writing and sharing lost & found stories with all of you here on Substack.
Seriously.
I thought it would be fun. A good way to work my way through all those stories I’d been collecting over the years. Learn a few things. Maybe even meet some interesting people.
This year has been all that and more, and it is all because of you.
Every day I am humbled by your generosity, inspired by your curiosity and challenged by your knowledge.
Your many acts of kindness have encouraged me to be a better writer, researcher, communicator and storyteller, and allowed me to push through self-imposed barriers that put most brick walls to shame. Heck, I did a live video, for goodness sakes! What’s up with that?
And your presence in my little world has been a constant source of joy, friendship and support.
I started The Lost & Found Story Box with the idea of sharing stories. I never expected we’d be sharing so much more.
So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
Thank you for everything!
Please hit the ❤️ button at the bottom of the page to help this story reach more readers. And if you’re not already a subscriber, I’d love to have you join me. Thanks!
Revisiting Aimee Henry & Mary Martha Parker
When I pushed publish on the last chapter of Call Me a Bastard last November, there were still a lot of unanswered questions around the remarkable true tale of Aimee Henry and Mary Martha Parker. In the months since, I’ve tracked down some of those answers, and I’ll be sharing them here in the next couple weeks. I’ll also be sharing an extraordinary turn of events that started with a simple DM.
If you’re a fan of Call Me a Bastard, you don’t want to miss this update!
Spotlighting the sidekicks and minor characters
This month I’ll also be checking in on some of the folks who played minor roles in the stories shared over the past year, folks like:
William Eckman, George W. Gardner’s traveling companion from The Epic Canoe Journey of George W. Gardner.
Regina Leon Novachelski, the 29th child of Blanche Pouche and Joseph Leon from The Show Must Go On: A Circus Story of Motherhood and Resilience.
Julia Emaline Mitchell, the third wife of bootlegger John George from The Incorrigible John George.
What minor character would you like to know more about? Let me know in the comments and I’ll see what I can find!
Weekly chats
To usher in my second year here at The Lost & Found Story Box, I’ll be hanging out on chat this month and invite all of you to join me!
June 10-16: Introduce yourself by sharing the book you wish you’d written, the historical event you think deserves more attention, maybe the three foods you’d never try.
June 17-23: Lost & Found Reader Wall where YOU contribute an image, document, or name you’ve rescued from history’s lost & found story box
June 24-30: The best lost & found story in your teaser file or ancestor chart or hometown, maybe even your imagination
July 1-7: Ask Me Anything
A sneak peek at some of the stories ahead
I’ve been having so much fun — and working round the clock — finding, researching, pulling together and writing new lost & found stories to fill this space in the coming year, and I think I’ve found some great ones, including these three!
With Sherman’s Army on the march, Peter did the only thing he could think of – he pulled all his money out of the local bank and buried it in a place he was sure he’d be able to find it when the war was over. The only problem was he couldn’t find it. In fact, Peter spent the rest of his life looking for his treasure. And he wasn’t the only one.
Eight years before Bonnie and Clyde made a name for themselves, Alice and Howard went on a crime spree of their own, brazenly robbing dozens of stores and leading local police on a wild goose chase. For Alice, at least, it was all just a lark. And a story she was happy to tell.
Picture this: A big Italian family throws a dinner party. Great food, lots of beer and wine. Laughter and stories. But, shortly after the last guests leave, five family members die mysteriously. Was it murder, mass suicide, a horrific accident or something else?
Thoughts? What kinds of stories do you want to see here during my sophomore season on Substack? Are there specific themes, time periods or locations you’re interested in? Share your ideas in the comments.
So there you have it!
Thanks again for a wonderful first year here on Substack, and I hope you’re as excited as I am about all the great things planned for this special month of celebration, and the entire next year!
Here’s to a fabulous second year together at The Lost & Found Story Box!
Copyright 2025 Lori Olson White
Happy Anniversary! Loved the serialization you did about the bastard. I was delighted to "discover" you towards the end of that posting -- because it let me binge-read the story. So much intrigue.
Hi Lori and congratulations on your first anniversary. Your newsletter is excellent. I love the verve and bounce you put into your writing.