Authors talking to authors
Wild Deadwood Reads is a book fair on steroids. Nearly 100 authors and hundreds of readers got together to shop for books and talk about books.
Two More (Fictional) Women Who Tamed the Frontier
The third book in the On the Dakota Frontier series, Medicine Creek Claim, is the story of two sisters who lived in Missouri during the Civil War.
Sequel or Series?
I didn’t t write a Sequel: a “what happened next” book with the same characters. Instead, I wrote a story with new characters: Katie and Jake. So, I’m writing a Series.
First Book Talk for Lone Tree Claim
During the talk, I introduced the new characters and briefly summarized the plot. Then, I read an excerpt from the book that encapsulates Katie’s and Jake’s personalities and relationships.
Happy (?) Banned Books Week
Banned Books Week sheds light on this unwarranted censorship. It’s an opportunity for readers to voice censorship concerns and to celebrate freedom of expression.
SD Festival of Books 2023
What a difference a year makes. Last year, I attended the SD Festival of Books as a wanna-be author. This year, I’m attending the Festival in Deadwood as a published author with two Western romance novels to my name. Last year, I attended panel discussions and presentations by authors from all over the country. I connected with two authors […]
“On the Dakota Frontier” series continues
I wrote Proving Her Claim: On the Dakota Frontier 20 years before it was finally published. But my second book took only (only!) a year to research, write, polish, and bring to readers. I write “only” because more prolific writers publish three, six, or nine books a year. I can’t imagine the pressure, but I’m […]
The next book in the “Claim” series
I didn’t set out to be a multi-book author. I thought once I’d written Proving Her Claim, I’d have the writing bug out of my system. But then the Lone Tree Claim story waited to be told. Like Proving Her Claim, a fact or, more accurately, a museum exhibit inspired this book. Several years ago, the South Dakota Ag Heritage Museum presented […]
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 […]