Chasing Bierstadt, Stegner, and Abbey

by Kristen Lodge

After finishing college in New Hampshire, in 1999 I moved to my first mountain town near Bethel, Maine. I started writing my stories that eventually became Continental Quotient Stories From Both Sides of the Divide. My stories are about place and landscape, and how I found new adventures and met amazing friends across the US.

Since high school I wanted to be a westerner. Back then, to me, being western meant big landscapes with less people and more wildlife. I began to read Wallace Stegner and Edward Abbey and dreamed of living west of the Mississippi. I discovered the western landscape paintings of Albert Bierstadt.

Colorado Blue Sky

I wanted to live in those wide open spaces they wrote about. I wanted to ski in western powder. I finally moved west in 2004 and continued to write the stories for Continental Quotient. One of my favorite stories to tell is about driving I-70 through Ohio, Kansas and into Colorado. The story of my journey west and my first western town becomes “Making A Home Out West.” I write about making friends and finding new adventures in Colorado that include hiking and biking. Steamboat was my first western ski town and I instantly fell in love with the Yampa Valley and the ski mountain.

What it means to be western has evolved over the last ten years. At first it was big landscapes. Then it was the blue, blue sky. Being a westerner and choosing to live in an arid landscape has become an education about water and protecting wild places. And now, after ten years living in the west, I’ve learned it is about taking care of each other and making a home wherever I live.

Fraser, CO

I am in love with mountain landscapes and currently am falling in love with the southwest desert.

The stories I love to tell are about taking every adventure that comes my way from living in a mountain town surrounded by wilderness to navigating through the prickly, Saguaro filled desert landscape. I re-read Stegner and Abbey every chance I get and still search for Bierstadt in western museums.

Continental Quotient is available for purchase on Amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.com/Continental-Quotient-Kristen-Lodge/dp/1938846125 or Barnes and Noble.com and Homebound Publications website. It is available on Nook and Kindle.  Please visit Kristen's website for more information about the book and upcoming speaking engagements. Kristen blogs at My Outdoor Blog.

Kristen grew up in Plattsburgh, New York and Rye, New Hampshire. She earned a BA in English from the University of New Hampshire. Her collection of creative nonfiction was published in October 2013 by Homebound Publications. She lives in Tucson, AZ with her two dogs: Daisy & Winnie. 

 Naranja Park near Tucson, AZ

January Member News

We have an impressive list of new releases and recognition this month! 

New Releases

Irene Bennett Brown Chaff ’n’ Chatter This collection is her “sort of memoir” of the times. "Take a snippet of history, a tad of nostalgia, priceless photos, several small town delights (like mint princesses and the benefits of a back yard where kids imaginations turn old wagons into stage coaches). Put them together with quotes from Byron and Emerson and a few other poets in just the right measure and you'll savor insight and wisdom across the years and generations. You'll also be holding in your hands another Irene Bennett Brown classic. Chaff 'n' Chatter is a writer's research tool, inspiration and just plain good reading. I confess to a bit of the green-eyed envy that this award-winning writer has been writing this well since the 1960s. She must have come out of the womb with well-spoken words. How fortunate we all are that she's saved them and chosen to share them now in this wonderful collection of essays I'll treasure." Jane Kirkpatrick, New York Times Bestselling author of Homestead, A Memoir.

Sherry Monahan, Mrs. Earp When most people hear the name Earp, they think of Wyatt, Virgil, Morgan, and sometimes the lesser known James and Warren. While it’s true these men made history on their own, they all had a Mrs. Earp behind them—some more than one. Mrs. Earp collectively traces the lives of the women who shared the title of Mrs. Earp either by name or relationship.

Susan Wittig Albert has announced the re-release, under her own imprint Persevero Press, of two books previously published by Jeremy Tarcher: Work of Her Own: A Woman’s Guide to Creating Her Own Livelihood and Writing From Life: For Women With Stories to Tell. Both are available in eBook and print formats, online. 

Tammy Hinton, Retribution. The war changed everything Emilee loved. The young woman couldn’t foresee the terror that peace would bring. Moving to Texas seemed the answer, but Death rode the same trail west. Emilee vowed she’d deliver the villain to the hanging tree or put a bullet in him herself.

 Hearts and Spurs Two WWW members have stories in this anthology (first and last in the volume, respectively):
 "The Widow's Heart" by Linda Broday Desperate and alone, Skye O'Rourke finds courage and a love she thought she'd lost when a man from her past emerges from the shimmering desert heat.
 "The Second-Best Ranger in Texas" by Kathleen Rice Adams A washed-up Texas Ranger. A failed nun with a violent past. A love that will redeem them both.( How do you capture a cowboy's heart?
Nine of western romance's best authors come together in one volume to help Old West heroes and heroines find their happily-ever-afters. From mild to sensuous, from outlaws to lawmen, from sassy nuns to saucy mail-order brides and tough-as-nails widows, Hearts and Spurs leaves no doubt that when Cupid plays with cowboys, he plays for keeps.  The book is available in paperback at Amazon and in most e-formats at your favorite online bookstore (Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and others).

Althea Williams Clay's Quest, under the pseudonym, Christi Williams. She’ll do anything to get her way. Tall, elegant and beautiful, Emma Thorpe has wanted a baby for years. The yearning for a child occupies all her thoughts, her time, her effort, and any money she and her husband can scrape up for medical intervention. After trying and failing to conceive, the solution that finally comes to her is to leave her husband and hope to find a man—any man—capable of fulfilling her deepest desire. Also available on Kindle and Smashwords.

Gail Jenner, Across the Sweetgrass Hills, a previous WILLA Award winner, has been re-released by Prairie Rose Publications. Liza Ralston has had more adventure in her life than she ever wanted. Leaving her settled existence with friends and family in St. Louis to travel to the Big Sky country of wild Montana with her father, she soon wishes she could turn the clock back. When their scout is murdered and her father is severely wounded by thieves, the Pikuni tribe led by Crying Wind takes them in. But Liza wants nothing more than to return to St. Louis, despite her growing attraction for Red Eagle, the handsome son of a white trapper and Blackfeet mother.

Awards

Barbara Marriott The Fleet Angels of Lakehurst won the silver medal in the national military book contest sponsored by Stars and Flags. This book is the history of one of the United States Navy's first helicopter squadron. With oral histories and official documentation, the story of their missions, from the mundane to the heroic saving of lives, is told. Woven throughout is some of the quirky humor that got them through many difficult and dangerous times.

Sandra Ramos O'Briant The Sandoval Sisters' Secret of Old Blood won First Place Historical Fiction and Best First Book at the fifteenth annual ILBA (Junot Diaz, a Pulitzer winner headed the list) held in NYC , and was included in another top 10 list of Latino Stories in 2013. (This one headed by Sonia Sotomayor). The book was also named to a top 10 list by TheLatinoAuthor.com in 2012, the year it was published. It was reviewed by La Bloga  and by Dawn Wink on Storycircle.

But Now I Ride

by Amy Hale Auker

At Cottonwood Spring, there is a tree that sings. Sometimes it is a squeaky gate, sometimes a flute, sometimes a soprano warming up her voice. I am sitting on my horse here in the creek bed, waiting, holding a few cows against the fence until the boss, my husband, comes along with more. I may be here for a while.

When a woman hires on to cowboy, these are not the moments she anticipates, not the moments anyone talks about. There are no witnesses, no cameras, no glitter, no wild rides with her hair blowing in the wind.

There is no printed job description for “cowgirl.”

A few months ago, I passed out a survey to a handful of women who have cowboyed for a paycheck. I was not surprised to discover that most of them didn’t have a strong affinity for the word cowgirl. Many of them cited semantics or wryly wrote something about rodeo queens. These women more often think of themselves as cowboys or ranch hands, or simply ranch women.

But no matter what we call ourselves, we are out here.

We are riding. And digging postholes. Tying in stays. Calving heifers, haying, windmilling ... often with a toddler in tow.We are cooking over a campfire or in a slow cooker, even after having brought in our share of the cows that day. We’re training young horses. Doctoring sick animals. We’re riding point or bringing up the drag. We may even be complaining about how Western jeans aren’t made of heavy enough denim anymore, and we won’t buy a pair with bling on the back pockets when we have to ride on them for nine hours a day.

Our gear and tack look much like the men’s except for the rubies on the buckle of our chaps. We own several pairs of work gloves, and we can pull a knife out of our pocket or off our belt if we need to, even when we are all dressed up, attending some event in town. We can kill a rattlesnake. Fix a water leak and plant a garden. Maybe shoe a horse.

Some women were born into this way of life....

Read the rest of this article in Cowboys & Indians magazine.

Amy Hale Auker is an award-winning cowgirl poet and author of Rightful Place. Her new novel, Winter of Beauty, is available at Amazon.com and www.pen-l.comhttp://ww.pen-l.com. For more information, visit www.amyhaleauker.comhttp://www.amyhaleauker.com.
 

Costco Book Signing Part 2

by Gail L. Jenner

Unfortunately, this year's first signing arranged at the Roseburg, Oregon, Costco for the Christmas season had to be cancelled because of deep snow and ice. Interstate 5 was closed and I ended up getting stuck in Ashland, Oregon, overnight. I immediately called both Costco and Arcadia to update them.....then eagerly suggested I return the next week or whenever (as it turned out, the next week was again hit hard by ice and deep, cold temps). I didn't want to let any time lapse before getting a commitment from both Arcadia and Costco!

 A week later, when I finally arrived at Costco in Roseburg -- after a slip-slippery trip north over three mountain passes -- the very busy Costco manager met me, assuring me that he was impressed by my perseverance. He also noted that a couple of authors they'd lined up had refused to make the trip in winter again. For me it was a roundtrip of about 7 hours (in good weather), but it didn't matter! Knowing that Costco purchases at least 75 books if they're arranging a signing, I had to go. Last year I was fortunate to do the Roseburg Costco signing with Diane Gardner (WWW member and awesome author!). Not only did she allow me to stay the night with her and her husband, but we spent a wonderful afternoon together signing books (unfortunately this year she had to miss the signing). Fortunately, I sold almost 30 books in this year's 3 hour signing AND also signed all remaining books Costco had ordered.

One of the lessons every author needs to learn is that books to be sold, IF autographed, are "as good as sold" for the author. Don't let any of them go unsigned!

All of this suggests that any author hoping to arrange a successful signing, whether small or large, must:
1. Be willing to go wherever she's asked!
2. Be available and assertive in making contact and maintaining communication, not "waiting" for others to contact her.
3. Arrive on time and with energy and enthusiasm.....I even brought additional posters and marketing postcards, etc., with me this year, which the Costco manager appreciated (esp. since my original signing had been postponed and not as much "in-store" publicity was available).
4. Encourage whatever publicity agents she's attached to to seek out more opportunities...assuring her that she can/will promote the signing through news items, radio interviews, and social media outlets.

One last lesson that I took to heart THIS year was this: 

• Be assertive with the patrons. Costco is an enormous store and many people do not approach an author, thinking that she is possibly one of those store sales people!

• So put up your own sign: MEET THE AUTHOR!

• Stand (don't sit) behind the table Costco provides. I enthusiastically greeted people passing by....sometimes asking, "Have you heard of the State of Jefferson" (because the "issue" of the State of Jefferson has been in the news lately, many people stopped and smiled, sometimes asking their own questions)?

• Provide postcards/collateral with every book sold and place it for easy access on the table. I put up small easels where I could prop my books, too, since people in Costco often move quickly up and down the aisles. Making the books visible from many angles is important.

• Connect with the manager and be sure and thank him/her for all help. And send notes or emails to thank those publicity people who helped arrange your signing. They do not get enough credit for the work they do.

All in all, I am tremendously grateful to Arcadia and its sales/publicity departments for their continued support. A publicist has a tough job to do and appreciates the enthusiastic support an author can give her/him.

Though I can't guarantee a Costco signing, I do believe signings (however limited) are important. The author is any book's best and principal sales tool, so we need to cultivate a visible and enthusiastic persona. With each signing I have gained more confidence and enthusiasm, even though I'd rather be tucked away in my upstairs office -- overlooking my garden and the ranch -- working on my newest piece of writing!

Gail L. Jenner is a Past President and Willa Chair of Women Writing the West. She has written seven books, including WILLA award winning Across the Sweet Grass Hills, and has written articles for numerous magazines. She is the wife of a fourth generation cattle rancher and lives on the family's historic farmstead. For more about Gail and her writing, visit: www.gailjenner.com.

Hard Work Pays Off in Costco Signing

by Gail Jenner

Getting a good book signing organized is hard work. I am not an aggressive marketer by nature, but I'm learning that most success is based on successful marketing!! Women Writing the West members have taught me much of what I've learned in regards to marketing over the last 14 years I've been a member; that's one important reason why attending conferences and connecting with other authors is so important. I'm supremely grateful to WWW for the contacts and awesome friendships I've made.

As with most authors, I've done a number of book signings -- from small, local bookstores and county fairs to Barnes & Noble and Costco! I'm fortunate that I have now had four signings at two different Costco stores in the last three years. In reality, I had little to do with the Costco signings; it was my publisher, Arcadia Publishing, who originally arranged them. I would note, however, that most Costco stores support the idea of promoting local books so approaching them even if your publisher hasn't done so is well worth the effort. But I do believe that my energetic responses to Arcadia's initial efforts has led to my repeated signings.

 First of all, when I signed contracts with Arcadia Publishing for the four various books I've done with them, I agreed to do any book signings. In my mind, I have always added, "regardless of the miles I must travel to get there!" I recognized that I owed the stores selling my book any amount of time and energy to promote it. So when the publicity department of Arcadia contacted me about the first possible Costco signing three years ago, I immediately responded. I also continually kept them in the communication "loop," which I have since learned is a trait many authors do not cultivate. In fact, just recently my Arcadia publicist told me that I had helped her immensely, saving her the trouble of having to make contact with me -- whether it was about double-checking arrangements or responding with requested information, etc.

 A simple lesson, perhaps, but every author needs to answer emails promptly in addition to following up on dates, places, and directions, or writing thank yous, etc... I also created/submitted local news items for the paper and every FB/social outlet I could access, and I contacted our radio station and arranged an interview.

As it has turned out, two different Costco stores have arranged signings for my State of Jefferson books in the last 3 years. I know the subject matter is part of the reason for their continued interest. Both Southern Oregon and Northern California are part of the "mythical State of Jefferson" thus the attraction is fairly widespread. While tourists and history buffs enjoy most Arcadia's titles, these particular titles have attracted even more attention. I've now coauthored four different books for Arcadia, including three on the State of Jefferson: Images of the State of Jefferson; The State of Jefferson: Then & Now -- which placed as a Finalist in the 2008 Next Generation Indie Awards; and Postcards From the State of Jefferson.

Read Part 2 of Gail's experience with signing books at Costco and her adventures in getting there on this blog tomorrow.

Gail L. Jenner is a Past President and Willa Chair of Women Writing the West.She has written seven books, including WILLA award winning Across the Sweet Grass Hills, and has written articles for numerous magazines. She is the wife of a fourth generation cattle rancher and lives on the family's historic farmstead. For more about Gail and her writing, visit: www.gailjenner.com.

December Member News

Congratulations to all our WWW members for their awards and new publications! Head on over to WWW Member Newshttp://www.womenwritingthewest.blogspot.com/p/www-news.html to get the latest scoop on the newly published and the winners.

WWW Honors Books, Authors with its WILLA Awards

 2013 WILLA Winners in Attendance

by Pamela Tartaglio

Women Writing the West honored the recipients of its 15th Annual WILLA Literary Awards at the WWW conference in Kansas City, Missouri. These books, listed below, represent the best of 2012 published literature featuring women’s or girls’ stories set in the West and include fiction, nonfiction, poetry, children’s/YA.

“Fascinating, excellent, gripping, engaging, wonderful,” are some of the words the professional librarian judges wrote about the Winning and Finalist books. A number of the winning authors traveled to Kansas City to accept their awards at the October 12 Finalist Luncheon and the evening WILLA Banquet, where each Winner was presented with a crystal trophy and $100. The ceremonies, at which every title is recognized with comments written by the librarian judges, are highlights of each year’s WWW conference.

The recipients of the 2013 WILLA Literary Awards are as follows:

CONTEMPORARY FICTION 
WINNER: Theft by BK Loren (Counterpoint Press)
FINALIST: A Growing Season by Sue Boggio and Mare Pearl (University of New Mexico Press)

HISTORICAL FICTION
WINNER: True Sisters by Sandra Dallas (St. Martin’s Press)
FINALIST: Tributary by Barbara K. Richardson (Torrey House Press)
FINALIST: Dance with a Gunfighter by Joanne Pence (Quail Hill Publishing)

ORIGINAL SOFTCOVER FICTION 
WINNER: The Bones and the Book by Jane Isenberg (Oconee Spirit Press)
FINALIST: In Need of a Good Wife by Kelly O’Connor McNees (Berkley/Penguin)
FINALIST: The House on Swiss Avenue by Irene Sandell (Eakin Press)

CREATIVE NONFICTION
WINNER: Kissed by a Fox and Other Stories of Friendship in Nature by Priscilla Stuckey (Counterpoint Press)

SCHOLARLY NONFICTION
WINNER: Women in Wonderland: Lives, Legends and Legacies of Yellowstone National Park by Elizabeth A. Watry (Riverbend Publishing)
FINALIST: Divinely Guided: The California Work of the Women’s National Indian Association by Valerie Sherer Mathes (Texas Tech University Press)
FINALIST: Colorado Women: A History by Gail M. Beaton (University Press of Colorado)

POETRY
WINNER: Steam Laundry by Nicole Stellon O’Donnell (Red Hen Press)
FINALIST: Reluctant Traveler by Laurie Wagner Buyer (Seven Oaks Publishing)

CHILDREN’S/YOUNG ADULT FICTION & NONFICTION 
WINNER: Liberty’s Christmas by Randall Platt (Texas Tech University Press)
FINALIST: The Quilt Walk by Sandra Dallas (Sleeping Bear Press)
FINALIST: Outcasts of River Falls by Jacqueline Guest (Coteau Books)

 2013 WILLA Finalists in Attendance and WILLA Chair

 WWW is now seeking entries from authors or publishers for the 2014 WILLA Literary Awards, which will honor books published in 2013. The deadline for submission is February 1, 2014. For 2014 Guidelines and Application, visit www.WomenWritingtheWest.org or write Women Writing the West, 8547 E. Arapahoe Road #J-541, Greenwood Village, Colorado 80112.

The award is named in honor of Pulitzer Prize-winner Willa Cather, one of the country’s foremost novelists.

Pamela Tartaglio, 2013 WILLA Chair/Past President, was delighted to read aloud the comments from the librarian judges and hand trophies and plaques to the authors.

Finding Gold

by Doris McCraw 

In 1848 gold was found in California. Although there had been some placer gold found in the southeast, this was a game changer. When word arrived back east of the Mississippi the rush was on. Unfortunately many of the thousands who sailed around the southern tip of South America, crossed at Panama or traveled across country in wagons and carts failed to find enduring riches.

Then in 1859 another rush was on. There was gold found in Colorado and many who had missed the first rush headed west across the Great American Desert with Pike's Peak or Bust painted on their wagons. From 1859 on gold was found in most of the Western states, the Dakotas, Nevada, Montana, etc. The last rush was in the 1890′s in the Cripple Creek region of Colorado and in the Alaskan territory. Many people followed one rush after another, most to no avail.

In looking at the pattern, so many rushed over true wealth. In California some of the pristine areas were forever blighted. The Great American Desert was in reality part of the breadbasket of the nation. Forest, mountains, rivers all were all sacrificed to the need for quick wealth.

The quick wealth was another matter altogether. Some miners found gold nuggets just lying around, but most prospectors and miners worked hard, long hours and barely broke even. In the long run it was those who supplied the gold seekers, or processed the gold ore that won the prize.

Perhaps you are wondering why the history lesson. For me it is the lessons learned that make it worthwhile. Many times we search for the quick answer and the bonanza strike of gold in our lives and work. We dream of bestselling books, an easier life and more money. Those dreams can definitely come true. The thing we need to watch for; not rushing by and missing the true gold. Friends,family, home are the true gold. In our rush to find gold, savor the journey and those we share it with. In the end, they will be the ones who help us find our own gold.
written and copyrighted by Doris McCraw  http://renawomyn.blogspot.com/

A Wilder Rose Goes to the Library

by Susan Wittig Albert

I’ve been writing traditionally-published fiction and nonfiction for nearly three decades. But this year, I decided to publish a stand-alone novel—A Wilder Rose—under my own imprint, Persevero Press. All things considered, I’m glad I chose to take this route, but there have been bumps. A few potholes. Big trees across the road. Getting the book into libraries, for example.

A Wilder Rose is a biographical/historical novel about the collaboration of Rose Wilder Lane and Laura Ingalls Wilder in the writing of the award-winning children’s series, the Little House books. Since most libraries have copies of Little House in the Big Woods and the other seven books in this pioneer series, I had the idea that a book about the Little House books might be a pretty strong candidate for library acquisition. I decided to try to get A Wilder Rose into libraries.

But I ran into a few roadblocks, and I learned that even libraries that might want an author-published book may find it difficult to purchase it. If you’d like to see your book in the libraries, here are some things to consider:

1. Of course, you’ve already seen to it that your book is absolutely the best work you can produce—well-written, edited and copy-edited, and with a professionally-designed cover. It should also have a standard copyright page that lists your publishing information, including the ISBN number. As well, libraries prefer books that have a CIP-data block: a Cataloging-in-Progress data block that makes cataloguing your book easier. The Library of Congress produces this for publishers, but not for self-publishers. However, you can obtain a CIP-data block from a vendor. (I did.) Joel Friedlander has posted a good discussion of this process, along with helpful links. http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2010/03/cip-what-it-means-how-to-read-it-who-should-get-it/

2. Your hardcover book needs a sturdy binding, but it doesn’t need a dust cover. A case laminate cover is excellent. (Here’s Joel Friedlander again, explaining.) Libraries also buy paperbacks and trade paper editions, which they may rebind. But again, make sure the binding is sturdy.

3. Public libraries almost always prefer to buy from their usual distributors: Baker & Taylor and Ingram. I chose Lightning Source as the print-on-demand (POD) supplier for the library edition of A Wilder Rose, because Lightning Source distributes books through both Baker & Taylor and Ingram. Libraries may be more likely to buy your author-published book if you offer the standard institutional discount, 30-40%.

4. Before libraries can acquire your book, you have to let them know it’s available and entice them to order it. For this, you’ll want a press release (print or digital). It should describe your book in beguiling terms and (of course) feature your cover. Mention appealing extras such as index, photos, resource list and/or bibliography. Describe the book’s binding and be sure to include ordering information. One librarian told me to put all of this all on one side of a 9x12 page, or on a postcard. Several librarians reported that they did not want emailed releases.

5. I bought a mailing list of public libraries that serve populations over 40,000. I mailed postcards advertising the book to the 1284 libraries on that list. I have also taken advantage of the mailing services offered through the Independent Book Publishers Association (As a member of this organization, I have used several of its marketing programs. The staff is very helpful.)

6. Consider placing your book on NetGalley. I’m told that librarians often preview books there. I posted A Wilder Rose on NetGalley in July and the book is still being downloaded by reviewers, including librarians.

7. Librarians would like to see a review of your author-published book in at least one of four major review venues: Booklist, Library Journal, Kirkus, and Publishers Weekly. Of the four, only Kirkus and Publishers Weekly offer reviews to self-publishers and indie authors—for a fee. Uncertain whether you should pay for a review? Read Susan Gottfried’s helpful post on assessing the value of paid reviews. I took advantage of both the Kirkus and PW indie programs and earned starred reviews from both. The Kirkus starred review led to two feature articles (one in September, the other in November) in Kirkus’ print and online publications—coverage I wouldn’t have had without the review and definitely worth the up-front investment.

8. On your book’s website, offer resources for libraries, to tweak their interest. You can take a look at what I’m offering here.

9. Your local library may be a good place to begin your marketing efforts, with an offer to talk to library patrons or a Friends’ group about your book. And don’t overlook your state library association. I’ve given talks to three groups of Texas librarians since the publication of Rose, and have been invited to talk (and sell books!) at the Texas Library Association conference in April, 2014.

I’ve found a way to measure the success of these efforts: the number of libraries that are acquiring Rose. I’m keeping track via WorldCat, which lists the holdings of more than 10,000 libraries around the world. As of the day I wrote this post, 159 libraries had ordered or already shelved one or more copies of the book. (Some large library systems have ordered a copy for every branch.) And since only about a third of U.S. libraries belong to WorldCat, it’s reasonable to suppose that Rose is already on the shelves of quite a few more libraries—and that the numbers will continue to grow.

These are the strategies that have worked for me—but I’ll bet there are others I haven’t tried. And of course, library technologies are changing as fast as the publishing industry. I haven’t even thought about trying to get the eBook edition of ROSE into libraries, for example. That a whole ‘nother kettle of fish!

If you’ve had experience in getting your books into libraries, please share. The more we know, the easier this will be—or at least, so we hope!

First written by Susan Wittig Albert for Blood Red Pencil 

"If you loved Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books about her pioneer childhood, you should read A Wilder Rose by Susan Wittig Albert. If you are reluctant to believe that Laura’s daughter Rose may have written the books, you must read this novel...." Linda Hasselstrom 

November New Releases and Awards

It looks like our members have several great books to put on your Christmas Wish List! 

Go to WWW Member News to see awards and new releases by Deanna Dickinson McCall Mustang Spring, Stories and Poems, Shirley Raye Redmond Stone of the Sun  and Amanda’s Beau, Shanna Hatfield The Christmas Cowboy, Andrea Jones Between Urban and Wild and Beth Groundwater A Basket of Trouble.

Post-Conference Flowers

By Betty Bauer 

After the writers’ conference I sat in the sun in the Kaufmann Memorial gardens off the plaza near the Embassy Suites. It is a private spot for introspection among nature and sculpture. I especially noticed the dahlias and fall reedy plants. When I came home I enjoyed seeing my "cutting" garden in front, the Christmas present from my horticultural daughter last year.

Another day I walked at our local Arboretum. Once again in the beautiful fall splendor, I loved the dahlias.

Today, searching through some family photographs, I ran across one that had a sign on a fence stating "Stover Dahlia Gardens." That was news to me.

My great aunt married into the Stover family in Hagerstown, Maryland. Her four sisters thought it was wonderful to have her banker husband in the family. I inherited some items of their rich life style: monogrammed silver, fine linens, a tatted holder for calling cards, and photo stick pins of both Aunt Ora (Knepper) and Uncle Ira Stover.

I didn't know Uncle Ira’s family also gardened, but my subconscious must have. It took about fifty years for that fact to surface. How many more tidbits of coincidences are waiting up there to be released?

Rubbing elbows with the Wonderful Western Women Writers always releases my creativity...again. I can’t wait for what will be revealed after next year’s conference. Sooner than that, I must remember to put dahlias on my Christmas list!

Whether living on the east coast, along the Rockies, or now in the Heartland, Betty pays attention to life and her surroundings. She observes, notates, remembers, and then writes. Currently she’s publishing Tamika and Friends, a children’s historical fiction book about Ancestral Puebloans in the 13th century.

The Treasure of Steamboat Arabia, Post II

Eds note: The tour of the Arabia Steamboat Museum was such a popular and inspiring part of the recent Women Writing the West Conference in Kansas City (MO), that two members wrote about it for the blog. Here's Past-President Pamela Tartaglio's look at the tour. (Author/Member Mary E. Trimble wrote Post I.)

Detail of pitcher from first barrel (Photo by Pamela Tartaglio)

In the film at the Arabia Steamboat Museum, two family members recall their excitement when they unearthed the first barrel, buried for 132 years. Not only did the heavy cask deep below a corn field suggest they had found the steamboat, but the contents dazzled them. It was packed full of china, including Wedgewood, which the Arabia had been known to carry that day.

The cargo included gold-rimmed china as well as everyday items for family kitchens. (Photo by Pamela Tartaglio)

One discoverer recounted in the film how the family went home and stayed up late into the night, thrilled with their find and the promise of the 200 tons of cargo to be retrieved. On that night they decided that they would not sell any of the items because they were a record of life at the edge of the frontier. According to the museum, this is the largest single collection of pre-Civil War artifacts in the world.

The ship carried keys (foreground), hinges, drawer pulls and other hardware. (Photo by Pamela Tartaglio)

More than two tons of metal tools and hardware were recovered. A filled toolbox suggests a skilled worker lost the means of his livelihood when the Arabia sank. The more than 4,000 boots and shoes found on the steamship, lost in 1856, may have created a shortage and hardship at that time.

Bed keys tightened ropes that supported mattresses. (Photo by Pamela Tartaglio)

Some of the items are obsolete.

Trays to hold calling cards. (Photo by Pamela Tartaglio)

 

After lunch, the WWW tour bus left the Steamboat Arabia Museum and passed the Central Library’s parking structure, which resembles a shelf of famous books.

A giant bookshelf conceals parking for cars. (Photo by Pamela Tartaglio)

WWW Conference Chair LaDene Morton channels Willa Cather. (Photo by Pamela Tartaglio)

Many thanks to those responsible for the 2013 Women Writing the West Conference!

2013 Past-President Pam Tartaglio served as chair of the WILLA Literary Awards and enjoyed presenting trophies and plaques to the authors of the 2013 Winners and Finalists. She writes about the arts, history and places on her blog.

The Treasure of the Steamboat Arabia (Post I)

Eds note: The tour of the Arabia Steamboat Museum was such a popular and inspiring part of the recent Women Writing the West Conference in Kansas City (MO), that two members wrote about it for the blog. Here's author/member Mary E. Trimble's post. We'll also hear from past-President Pamela Tartaglio.

"Family" in period dress getting ready to board the Arabia. (Photo by Mary E. Trimble)

In 1856, the 171-foot-long, side-wheeler steamboat Arabia sank to the bottom of the Missouri River when her hull was pierced by a submerged tree, taking with it 200 tons of brand new store merchandise. The snag ripped open the hull which quickly filled with water. By the next morning, only the smokestacks and pilot house remained visible. Within the next few days, all remaining traces of the boat disappeared from sight. Numerous attempts to salvage the boat and her contents were attempted but, it appeared, all was lost. Although there were no human casualties, a mule that was tied to sawmill equipment went down with the ship.

Museum docent explains the early days of the discovery. (Photo by Mary E. Trimble)

Over time, the Missouri River changed its course, leaving the Arabia buried deep in the mud of a farmer’s field. In 1987, Bob Hawley and his sons Greg and David set out to find the boat. Using old maps and a proton magnetometer to figure out the location, they finally discovered the Arabia half a mile from the current river, under 45 feet of silt and topsoil.

Wagon with goods, ready for shipment (Photo by Mary E. Trimble)

The owners of the farm gave permission for excavation with the provision that the project be completed before spring planting. In November 1988, the Hawleys, along with family friends Jerry Mackery and David Luttrell, began the recovery task while the water table was at its lowest point. Heavy equipment was brought in including a 100-ton crane and 20 irrigation pumps to keep the site from flooding, Within days, goods were recovered, all in remarkably good shape. A wooden crate filled with elegant china was so well preserved even its yellow straw packing material was still intact. Pickles sealed in a wooden barrel were still edible.

Dishes and other goods at “old store” (Photo by Mary E. Trimble)

In February 1989, work ceased at the site and the pumps were turned off. The hole filled with water overnight.

Although the site of the sinking is near present-day Kansas City, Kansas, the cargo and remnants of the ship are now housed in The Arabia Steamboat Museum in Kansas City, Missouri. The museum houses one of the most remarkable collections of pre-Civil War artifacts in the world. Each piece has been carefully cleaned, categorized and attractively displayed. The collection is still a work in progress as preservationists continue to clean remaining artifacts.

Tools on display (Photo by Mary E. Trimble)

The Arabia Steamboat Museum is a fascinating collection of goods including European dishware, jewelry, guns, tools, clothing and food products,. The attractive displays are works of art with items exhibited on furniture replicas, effectively creating a time-capsule of frontier life in the 1800's.

Mary E. Trimble has lived in sub-Saharan Africa in the Peace Corps (the subject of her memoir, Tubob), cruised the South Pacific for two years in a 40-foot sailboat with her husband, Bruce, and written three contemporary Westerns set in the Pacific Northwest, Tenderfoot, McLellan's Bluff, and Rosemount. She and Bruce live on Camano Island, Washington.

Speaking of Clichés: Going to Kansas City was a kick!

Women Writing the West past-President Sheila Wood Foard, author of the WILLA-winning YA novel, Harvey Girl, came back from the WWW conference in Kansas City inspired (and full of fun!).

WWWers tour the Steamboat Arabia Museum. Photo by WWW member Bob Foard

Where else, besides a Women Writing the West conference, can you chat with people of your own kind? People who speak the same language using words like plot, proposal, blog, platform, narrator, setting, writer’s block, rejection, alliteration, and social media while touting the importance of including sensory images in describing the western landscape even as they caution against using –ly adverbs, dangling modifiers, fragments (like the one you are now reading), and clichés when you draft your next story?

Speaking of clichés, Brian Shawver, presenter of the Language of Fiction session, reminded us of the well worn warning we first heard in a middle school English class: Avoid Clichés Like the Plague! Then he kicked it up a notch by discussing examples of clichés from literary works being used effectively. At the moment, I can’t quote any of his examples, but I plan to buy his stylebook on Kindle so I can from now on.

Again speaking of clichés, I recalled Dolly Parton’s song titles and lyrics. Now there’s a woman who writes the South well. Why couldn’t I get rich writing clichés like Dolly? Maybe one reason is I can’t carry a tune in a bucket. But I’ve always admired Dolly’s spunk, if not her use of English.

My fervent hope is that the awesome Kansas City Conference (thanks to LaDene Morton and her WWW sidekicks) will be a kick in the pants for my own writing of the West. I’ve been kicking my next novel down the road for far too many months. Now it’s time to kick my ruby slippers together (the way Dorothy, a.k.a Judy Garland, did to get out of the Emerald City in Oz and travel home to Kansas, which was faster than steaming up the Missouri River on the Steamboat Arabia) and finish the sequel to Harvey Girl. (At least I have a working title: Girl Courier on the Indian Detours.)

Hey, did I mention that many of the Harvey Girls (the real ones, not those of that other Judy Garland musical fame) were hired at the Fred Harvey Company offices at Union Station right there in Kansas City? One way to kick start your writing is to revisit the landscape of your first novel. Right? Write! This is no time to kick back unless it’s in my computer chair.

Photo by Bob Foard

Sheila Wood Foard writes for young readers. Her historical novel Harvey Girl (Texas Tech Press) won a WILLA Literary Award as well as taking First Place in YA Fiction Books in the National Federation of Press Women contest. Past President of WWW, Foard is an e-instructor for the Institute of Children’s Literature.