Saturday, October 3, 2026
“We rise by lifting others.” Robert Ingersoll
Welcome, October! And welcome to all of you. I realize many of you know about my new novelette from my cover reveal post this Wednesday. But now it’s October, and the book has its official liftoff.
Indeed, “We rise by lifting others.” That quote from Robert Ingersoll has been my favorite quote for many years, and I’ve done my best to follow it — and in the spirit in which the words were intended. Fellow author Teri Polen lifts other indie authors every October with her horror and suspense festival, Bad Moon Rising. A different author (along with their book) is featured each day.
Anyway, today I’m putting a different spin on Ingersoll’s quote. We’ll rise up, but at the same time we’ll go back — to the 1920s. I’ve written a lot of stories set in the Roaring Twenties. It was such an exciting time for cultural change, fashions, and technological advancements in so many different fields. This post will use photos and videos to look at a particular thing that lifts us up — elevators or perhaps more suitably named for this post, lifts.
This is the weekend, so I’m not going to educate you. Fascinating technical and historic information is readily available online if I’ve whetted your appetite for the subject. I’m just going to take a fun, superficial look at the subject. They were invented before the 1920s, but they really zoomed up during that decade. Electric elevators (and manual ones too), traction freight elevators, breaks… Yes, they were pretty quick to realize that the things need breaks, but all the associated safety features were improved.
Otis was and is a very important manufacturer, in fact, they’re the largest in the world. Here’s (below) a quick video ride in a manual traction elevator in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Awesome 1920s Manual Otis Traction Elevator – Greensboro, NC – YouTube
Many of the interior and/or public elevators were quite beautiful. A moment ago, I used the word superficial, so let’s focus on the pretty ones.
Here’s one in Chicago with original details.
HISTORIC 1920s OTIS Traction Elevators in Chicago, IL
These elevators changed the face of real estate. Previously, a ground floor apartment was the desirable one, definitely not the “penthouse.” Applesauce! Did that change or what?
Among the wealthy, “birdcage” elevators could be installed in private homes. The main character of A Peril in Unseen Frequencies is a wealthy older woman with a heart condition. Her doctor recommends that she have an elevator installed in her house, even though she distrusts all of those dangerous newfangled electric thingamajigs whether elevators or radios.
A Peril in Unseen Frequencies is the new novelette for my series, A Medium’s Peril. Each story is a “different kind of paranormal” with a different look and a different cover style.
When a wealthy, widow with a heart condition is given a new radio by her conniving nephew, it soon broadcasts the voice of her late husband — prompting her to rewrite her will with fatal and unexpected consequences. There’s more than one twist. This 1920s paranormal story is filled with mystery, history, and fun slang.
I’ll be at Teri Polen‘s Bad Moon Rising to talk about the new novelette on October 8th.
Although it’s a twisty mystery, it’s also a quick read. As I usually do, I included a section about technology and cultural items that are mentioned in the story. Thanks for visiting. Friendly comments are welcome. You’re the cat’s pajamas! Hugs!
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A Peril in Unseen Frequencies
Universal Purchase Links
Kindle: relinks.me/B0HKPZ7TH4
Paperback: relinks.me/B0HKTFCD8Z
Virtual Voice Audiobook: relinks.me/B0HKNDVYDM
A Medium’s Peril full series link: relinks.me/B0CG2SXX24
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Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene
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