About Robin Van Auken

Robin Van Auken, the CEO of Hands-on Heritage, is a seasoned writer and researcher with more than 40 years of experience conducting interviews and crafting compelling narratives. She has earned advanced degrees in Communications and Anthropology, specializing in Public and Historical Archaeology, particularly in the context of Military and Industrial Sites. With a portfolio of over a dozen books on regional history as both an author and co-author, she has left a lasting impact on the field. Robin's previous roles include serving as a college instructor and leading long-term historical and archaeological projects. Through these endeavors, she has worked alongside numerous volunteers and temporary staff, while also imparting knowledge to thousands of visitors.
Robin is a writer and researcher, with 35+ years experience interviewing people and telling stories. Her educational background combines advanced degrees in Communications and Anthropology, with a focus on Public and Historical (Military/Industrial Sites) Archaeology.

Crafting Your World with Bullet Journals

A Comprehensive Guide for BUJO Beginners My desk drawers and closets contain many notepads, notebooks, and journals. It’s how I’ve always collected my thoughts. I consume a lot of paper, and my notepads are mostly random, disjointed, and illegible. I take a lot of notes in meetings—the brain dump of a technical writer. I

Protective Magic: Incantation Bowls

How Incantation Bowls Protect from Demonic Forces Believing that malevolent forces caused tumors and other illnesses, Jewish communities in Mesopotamia created incantation bowls (c. 300–700 CE) to trap demons and protect the family. Inscribed in Aramaic with spiraling spells and magical symbols, and placed upside down at the entrances of their homes,

Reading the News with Publisher Kathy Kolb

Kathy Kolb is the (former) publisher of NorthcentralPA.com, a news outlet that’s been online since 2009, which she steadily grew by personally connecting with her readers. I know, this sounds impossible — how do you connect with thousands of people? She accomplished this by building an amazingly loyal Facebook following, which total tops out

2023-04-06T18:57:01-04:00By |Podcast|

Get ‘On the Bus’ with Wendy Dean

Wendy Butler Dean is the owner of The Omnibus Publishing, a boutique publishing company that specializes in children’s books, Young Adult novels, and some non-fiction. The Omnibus is a hybrid company, combining a unique blend of older, traditional book publishing and new, digital publishing. She produces ebooks and print on demand paperbacks. Wendy’s a

2023-04-06T18:55:14-04:00By |Podcast|

A Guide to Being Alone

Today I try out a new software platform for recording podcasts, Anchor, and experiment with recording smaller audio clips, and transitions, and putting together a show on the fly. I also discuss an amazing book, "How to Be Alone," by Sara Maitland, a handbook on solitude and why it's important for people, particularly those

2023-04-06T18:52:31-04:00By |Podcast|
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