The value of historical research in writing fiction
I’ve described Proving Her Claim as “historically accurate.” The novel itself is historical fiction, but I relied heavily on non-fiction research in the process. A statistic sparked the story: 42% of women homesteaders proved their claims, while only 37% of men successfully proved their claims. The premise for the novel was “Why did a higher percentage of […]
Typos happen
Typos happen. Whether they’re grammatical errors, missing or misspelled words, typos are the bane of every writer’s existence. That’s not an over-statement. Part of the path to publishing is hiring a professional proofreader to catch those errors. But even before that step, an editor reviews and edits the manuscript for character development, copy flow, point-of-view and a […]
Support independent bookstores
Even though Amazon sells 80 percent of all books sold in the US today, there’s something cozy about bookstores that Amazon can’t match. When you walk into an independent bookstore, you’re presented with tight aisles and shelves packed with books of all sizes, colors and topics. You can smell of the paper and (sometimes) leather covers. And […]
Pasque flowers: the first blooms of spring
The pasque flower plays a prominent role in “Proving Her Claim.” I chose it for its color and because it is one of the first signs of spring — something that we’re desperately waiting for this year on the prairie. The flowers bloom in a range of colors, from deep purple to pale lavender, and […]
Western Writers of America Spur Awards
I am excited to announce that Proving Her Claim received two Spur Awards from the Western Writers of America! My debut novel was awarded the Best Western Romance Novel of 2023. The book also garnered the Best First Novel Spur Award. Since 1953 the Spur Awards have been considered one of the most prestigious awards in American literature. Spurs are […]
Divorced women on the frontier
The Homestead Act of 1862 allowed “any person who is the head of a family, or who has arrived at the age of twenty-one years” to file for a homestead. Many of these female homesteaders were single, widowed or divorced women. By stating that “any person” was eligible, Congress included women in this landmark legislation. As USD […]
March is Women’s History Month
Women’s History Month started as Women’s History Week in 1982. But in 1987, Congress designated March as Women’s History Month. The month celebrates the contributions and recognizes the achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields. Proving Her Claim is based on the women pioneers who settled on the frontier. […]
What I learn from book clubs
I love book clubs. Just being around people who like to read is energizing. As a member, book clubs help me explore books that I might not choose to read otherwise. Most readers have genres that they prefer or even unconsciously select. But book clubs encourage exploration, both of authors and of genres. As an […]
Will ChatGPT upend human creativity?
In preparation for this post, I asked ChatGPT to write the blog. Unfortunately, the new artificial intelligence platform (is it a platform, a software or just a fad?) is maxed out. I received this message: ChatGPT is at capacity right now And then it proceeded to write a sonnet about its status. Here’s the first stanza:Amidst the […]