In 2004, Congress designated December 13th as National Day of the Horse, and we’ve celebrated each year since. They established the day to encourage U.S. citizens to be mindful of the contribution of horses to the economy, history, and character of the United States. “Horses have been inextricably linked to U.S. history and culture since its…
Welcome back to the 2022 Inspirational Western Women series! March is when winter sheds its furry coat in snow-capped regions and spring bulbs begin to peek their heads up as our precious earth thaws. Spring flowers are beautiful and hardy. Like my featured gal for this month. So let’s meet her, shall we? It’s a…
Have you ever listened to your heartbeat through a stethoscope? When I began researching Lillian’s Legacy, I knew the female Welsh medical doctor would not be using a binaural stethoscope in 1875. But I wasn’t sure what she would be using, so I did some research and came across early photos of monaural stethoscopes. Monaural…
I’m super excited to have my good friend Christy Martenson with us today. She’s just released her new novel Halstad House and I can’t recommend this book enough for children and adults, a heartwarming family story. Her writing is like a bird thrilling high in a Ponderosa Pine on a warm summer morning. With that,…
Are you a quilter? Have you heard of the “Fifty-Four Forty” or “Fight Quilt” block? I hadn’t either until one of my characters in Heart of Passion needed a quilt. And the period? The mid-1800s. The Log Cabin is one of my favorites as is the Double Wedding Ring quilt. But I wanted something I…
What else does one do when finished writing teen books? Create an exciting curriculum for the stories, of course! I have never been more impressed with the homeschool community than I am now. Over the winter, I created one literary guide, two workbooks, and re-vamped one guide on how youth can write fiction. What a…
Raised in Omak, WA, on the Colville Reservation is my Change of Heart cover model, nineteen-year-old Shayna (pronounced Shania) Ann Palmanteer. She is currently a student at the Inchelium Language House on the reservation––a young woman on a path to self-discovery. Not long ago, I found myself on a journey to find a model for…
My writing journey began in the late 1900s after taking a Longridge Writer’s online class for non-fiction. Native history swirled in my heart even before I settled on the reservation with my husband knowing I had some type of Indian in me, little as it is. And after interviewing several elders, I wrote Swallowed…
As part of our 2015 Women Writing the West Conference in Redmond, Oregon, conference co-chairs Jane Kirkpatrick and Shanna Hatfield offered members the opportunity to tour the High Desert Museum, which is located near Bend. The museum opened in 1982. It was founded by Donald M. Kerr, a native of Portland, and brings regional wildlife, culture, art and natural…
Welcome author Eunice Boeve. She is here to share with us about her novel, The Summer of the Crow. My interview with Eunice: Why did you write, The summer of the Crow? What was the inspiration behind your book? I grew up in northwest Montana and Idaho with lots of trees, mountains, and water. When…
Welcome Guest Author Bob Valleau. I am so please share about you and your book. Bob Valleau has over 25 years of writing experience for the Christian market. His writing career began, in the 1980s, when he worked for a Christian publishing company for their book department. Since then, he has worked as a full-time…
Storytelling was not only for entertainment, but was a way to teach the youth of the Sinixt or Arrow Lakes People of northeast Washington. This was a way of trudging through the long winter months. This is the traditional story as it was told by Spupaleena to Elizabeth in my first young adult book: Change…
Last week I shared with you about the First Root Ceremony. Today I want to share with you about the First Salmon Ceremony of the Sinixt or Arrow Lakes People of Northeast Washington State. Salmon was the main staple of the Lakes people. At the end of May or beginning of June, spring or Chinook…
I must confess I am a non-native living on an Indian Reservation; to be exact, the Colville Confederated Reservation in Northeast Washington State. We have been here for two and one-half decades. I followed my husband to the home of his father’s family after we completed collage at Eastern Washington University in Cheney, WA. My…
Research is inevitable when writing a book whether its fiction or nonfiction. It was only after working with elder Marguerite Ensminger for three years did I decide to write Change of Heart for my sons. Later I followed up with Heart of Courage. Not only did she teach me the difficult guttural sounds of the…
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