Medicine Creek Claim Research
Before I started writing Medicine Creek Claim, the third book in the series, I did some research – and a lot of reading.
Inspiration: Land of the Burnt Thigh
Medicine Creek Claim is about two sisters who staked claims in Dakota Territory – much like Edith and Ida Mary Ammons. The Ammons sisters came to South Dakota in 1907, homesteading near the Lower Brule Indian Reservation. I
Godey’s Lady’s Book: Fashion Bible
Medicine Creek Claim includes several mentions of Godey’s Lady’s Book, but I also referenced this 19th-century “fashion bible” for my earlier books.
Godey’s is a treasure trove for historical fiction authors.
Range wars: cattlemen vs sheepherders
Cattlemen vs. sheepherders seemed a logical plot point for Lone Tree Claim: On the Dakota Frontier.
Forces of Nature
From floods and fires to tornados and blizzards, pioneers were constantly watching – and battling – the weather.
Sheep to Shawl
In a processing center on a farm near Groton, SD,. Kelly Knispel owns and operates a wool processing business that provides “sheep to shawl” services for shepherds and fiber artists.
Researching the art of cheesemaking
When I give an Author Talk, I’ve found that audiences are very interested in the research involved in writing a historical novel. In Proving Her Claim, Anna Olson travels from Wisconsin, the #1 cheesemaking state in the country. She plans to start a dairy farm and make cheese. That meant I needed to learn how to […]
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 […]
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 […]