April Member News

Andrea Downing’s novella, Bad Boy, Big Heart has been included in an anthology, Come Love a Cowboy. New Yorker K.C. Daniels feels the strain of being her overbearing parents’ daughter. Chay Ridgway feels the strain of being his father’s sole support. As these two find their way in the world during three months in Wyoming, will it be a summer romance or a love that will last for years?   

  

Shanna Hatfield, Bertie (Pendleton Petticoats Book 6). She needs an adventure. He needs the warmth of her smile... Riley Walsh had no plans to fall in love… then he met vivacious Bertie Hawkins. A sweet romance that embraces the trials and triumphs of yesteryear, BERTIE blends laugh-out-loud adventures with heartwarming moments. 

Paty Jager, Killer Descent (Windtree Press, Book five in the Shandra Higheagle Mysteries) Once again Shandra Higheagle finds herself a suspect in a murder investigation when an ex-lover is found murdered on a Huckleberry ski run. A past she’d planned to never divulge now must be shared with the first man she’s trusted, Detective Ryan Greer. 

Gail Jenner, Historic Redwood National and StateParks, (Lyons Press, an imprint of Rowman & Littlefield). The book is conversational in style -- not a typical "history" -- but a series of essay-formatted chapters. The book brings alive the trees that are unique and timeless, from ancient times to pre-contact and tribal histories, through the gold rush and settlement periods, to the era of big logging and then to the present development of the state and national park, in addition to sidebars of interest and personages of importance. 

 

Joyce Lohse, Spencer Penrose: Builder and Benefactor (Filter Press). Entrepreneur. Mining Magnate. Showman. Philanthropist. This biography tells the story of Spencer Penrose who came to Colorado in 1892 to partner with his boyhood friend, Charles L. Tutt, and became wealthy from real estate and mining investments. Penrose was a builder and a benefactor to Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region, and his legacy includes The Broadmoor, a world-class resort in the foothills the Rockies, as well as the Pikes Peak Highway, and the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. 

AWARDS

Leslie Poling-Kempes, Ladies of the Canyons: a League of Extraordinary Women & Their Adventures in the American Southwest, was awarded Spur Finalist for Historical Nonfiction from Western Writers of America, and also received a silver medal in US History, 2016 IPPY Awards.

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Linda Jacobs, Summer of Fire, Rain of Fire, and Lake of Fire are all finalists in the Foreword Magazine Indiefab Book Awards—Summer and Rain in the General Fiction category and Lake of Fire in Historical Fiction. The trilogy was republished in 2015. 

 

Marsha Ward has been selected as the recipient of the 2015 Whitney LifetimeAchievement Award. The Award is given to individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary achievement and/or who have made significant contributions to the LDS writing community.The Whitneys are an awards program for novels written by LDS authors.  

 

GIRLS CAN AND DO

By Natalie Bright

My women friends astound me. They are so focused and BUSY with careers, families, volunteer work, and other interests. And yet, they’re ready and willing to take on something new should an opportunity present itself.

Just like the amazing friends in my life, WWW members intrigue me as well. As I look through the 2015 Catalog of Authors’ Books published by Women Writing the West, I’m struck by the diversity of themes and main characters. As I explore their author websites and read their blogs, I find that the creators of these books are just as diverse and remarkable as the characters. That’s why being part of a writer’s group like WWW is so inspiring.

Where Do Story Ideas Come From?

The people we know, the places we visit, and our unique life experiences are the backbone our stories. Where ideas come from, is without a doubt, the number one question most frequently asked of every author. 

The things that interest us and feed our soul usually appears in our writing at some point. Which brings me to an interesting encounter with a rescue horse and his trainer.

Lacey, Christie, and Natalie

WESTERN WOMEN

Last summer, my son noticed his former teacher during the finale scene of the musical drama, “Texas”. Performed in an outdoor amphitheater with the walls of Palo Duro Canyon State Park as the back drop, it tells the story of the Texas Panhandle of 1800’s.

That lady, Christie Shippy, had been my son’s elementary music teacher.  I contacted her soon after because I just had to know how she came to be sitting at center stage on a horse and holding a gigantic American flag. It wasn’t until February that we finally caught a break in our crazy lives and met at the local coffee shop. So typical of women today, Christie teaches music at the elementary school, plus she plays piano, sings, and just last season, has taken on the position as Head Wrangler for the musical drama. Christie is the perfect personification of western women today, with BUSY being the operative word.

What began as curiosity about my son’s music teacher has turned into ideas for several writing projects based on her work as a horse trainer. Christie introduced me to a local photographer, Lacy Johnston, who has agreed to help me with several projects focusing on our ranch.

Flash, the Rescue Horse

Flash, the Rescue Horse

One of Christie’s horses, Flash, led me to Dove Creek Ranch and Equine Rescue, a peaceful place for healing and new beginnings ran by the energetic Laurie Higgins. Recovering from a significant loss, Laurie felt a need to introduce the healing power of horses to others who might be suffering. Thanks to Jodi Thomas and Linda Broday for taking a break from their own writing to share in my adventure at the horse sanctuary.

Linda Broday at Dove Creek Ranch

It’s been a great start to the year. These unbelievable women have inspired me beyond measure. I’ve come to realize that the world is a better place because of girls who can and do: women who follow their passion and reach for the stars. 

These are the kinds of people that provide the heart for great stories, whether they’re writing it or living it. Thanks WWW members for creating all of those wonderful books!

Incidentally, I’m excited to say that my ‘To Be Read’ pile has grown into a monster.

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Natalie Bright is an author, blogger and speaker. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications, including Chicken Soup and West Texas Christmas Stories. She holds a BBA from WTSU, and enjoys talking to groups about writing. Find her on Facebook, Twitter @natNKB, Amazon Author Pages, Pinterest, Instagram, and LinkedIn. She blogs every Monday about story craft at wordsmithsix.com.