Embracing the Heart of the West

This month’s Women Honoring the West hails from Western Washington State. She’s the administrator for Women Writing the West, a position that is the backbone of the organization. She has a great sense of humor and enjoys helping others however she can.

So let’s get to it and meet Alice D. Trego.

Though I am not a ranch woman, I very much wanted to be a cowgirl like Annie Oakley and have a horse similar to Fury.

I also had a love of the West, mostly by osmosis, watching TV Westerns. My family moved to Tucson, AZ, from Upstate New York (Rip Van Winkle country) in the late 60s. Having an opportunity to live in a Western landscape offered me so many appreciations for the open and wide lands that I have a high regard for to this day.

I experienced my first rodeo as a teen while living in Tucson. La Fiesta de los Vaqueros began 100 years ago in February, and is a must-see for every Tucsonan and winter visitor. I recall sitting high up on the bleachers, eyes wide with amazement, and witnessing all the roping, bucking, and chasing going on down in the huge red-dirt arena.

Horses bucked, bulls kicked up dust trying to eliminate the cowboy on their back, cowgirls riding beautiful horses barreled around barrels, and cowboys chased calves with their ropes high in the air.

Exciting for me to watch; something I had not witnessed or experienced before. At that time, a whole new world and an intrigue of the West became a revelation. I drew from that initial encounter for decades, and I discovered since then, my stories are rooted in my own Western experiences, too.

I also claim photography as a part of my love for the West. Most of my photographs are of the different landscapes I’ve encountered living far from my home state in the East. I believe the land is as much of a character as its people, and I use the photographs to give my story ideas the backdrops that are required to write a great story for my readers.

Dabbling in writing Haikus based upon the Western landforms has afforded me a new way of putting words down. Recently, my favorite Haiku was inspired by the Missouri River at Fort Benton, MT. As I strolled the walkway next to the water, I was moved by the calmness of the river:

The river whispers
Adieu as it meanders
Toward conclusion

From horses and bulls, to cowgirls and cowboys, I have recently become immersed in Bison research for my next piece of work. I’m learning a lot about this intrepid beast that stood on the brink of extinction had it not been for the foresight of some influential people of the late 1800s.

About Alice

Alice D. Trego began writing people’s stories in the late 1980s for a column called “Conversations” for Missouri’s Suburban Journal newspapers. Her focus then expanded to include historical nonfiction and fiction, set mostly in the Great Plains. A few of her works have garnered placement in various writing competitions.

Her latest short story, “Look Beyond,” is included in the anthology, She Rode West: Tales of Courage, Dust, and Destiny, edited by Rachel Santino (Saddlebag Dispatches).

She has been a member of Women Writing the West since 1999 and currently serves as the non-profit 501(c)(3) organization’s Administrator. She is also a member of Western Writers of America, and is a Certified Toastmaster (CTM).

Connect with Alice

Her website – www.alicetrego.com – will be revealed soon.

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-d-trego-8b33b51b/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/alice.trego

Alice loves to hear from readers. What are you interested in knowing more about? Go ahead, drop your questions in the comments.