National Cowboy Symposium and Celebration, Lubbock Tx, September 7-9, 2018. Panel of authors led by Texas State Historian, Bill O’Neal second from left. To his right, Nathan Dahlstrom, to my right, Jim Jones and John Erickson.
Always lots of fun when writers gather to talk about their craft. NCSC 2018

 

Ollie Reed accepting his Branding Iron Award at the 2018 Western Writers of American Convention in Billings Montana

 

Jim Wilson having a talk with A Martinez Longmire Series, WWA Convention 2018
The “Jims.” Jim Wilson, left. Jim Jones, right. AKA the Dude and the Dandy waiting for the award banquet to begin.

 

Jean and Gary Prescott WWA Spur Award for Song of the Year 2018

 

Tour of the home of Plenty Coups Chief of the Crow.

 

 

 

Nat’l Cowboy Symposium. Authors’ discussion panel led by Dusty Richards.
Meeting up with writing pals in Santa Fe for WWW conference.

 

Texas Book Festival booth mates.

 

JC Melcher, Port Lavaca Texas, my go-to guy for research and guided tours of the “lay of the land.”

 

Stuart Rosebrook, guest speaker at the Texas Cattle Trails Association luncheon, Bandera, Texas

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Debbie Stovall, Calhoun County Public Library – Thanks for all your research help!

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Good Times to Celebrate
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Women Writing The West Conference, Golden Colorado

 

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Krista Soukup (Blue Cottage Agency) helped me celebrate Pre-Spur Banquet, Western Writers of America Convention, Lubbock Texas, 2015
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Music every night. That’s former Sheriff Jim Wilson in the center.

 

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Cast of the Homesman reading from the original movie script.

 

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JC Melcher (left) and Darryl Smith (right) guided me through the WWII History at Indianola Texas

 

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Darryl Smith points to a slab on top of which US Army troops pitched their tents. (Magnolia Beach, Texas)

 

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Big night! Awarded the Will Rogers Gold Medallion for Forgiving Effie Beck.

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JC Melcher showing me around his historic Melcher Hardware store in Port Lavaca Texas. May 2014
Posting from my sister's ranch, The Diamond Bar. Some might remember that the cover for my novel, The Dividing Season, was taken from the front porch. It is one of my favorite places to be and I'm blessed that when my sister travels she and hubby let me "move in" to watch after things. This morning as I walked to the barn to feed animals, I paused to look out over pastures freshly greened after a good rain yesterday. Beyond the tree line the land undulates like a quiet ocean. The bright sky is full of white cottony clouds and somewhere down the slope to the creek, a cow bawls for her calf to catch up. The wonder of it all, I said to myself, then asked: Where do I fit in? By the time I finished my chores and walked back to the house, I realized the answer is, I don't. I'm merely passing by. The most I can hope for is to make an accurate record of the visions, the smells, the tranquility of this little corner of Earth. I vow to be a loyal parent to this miracle, to accept that there are no promises. There is only today.
Sabbatical 2013
My sister’s ranch, The Diamond Bar. Some might remember that the cover for my novel, The Dividing Season, was taken from the front porch. It is one of my favorite places to be and I’m blessed that when my sister travels she and hubby let me “move in” to watch after things. This morning as I walked to the barn to feed animals, I paused to look out over pastures freshly greened after a good rain yesterday. Beyond the tree line the land undulates like a quiet ocean. The bright sky is full of white cottony clouds and somewhere down the slope to the creek, a cow bawls for her calf to catch up. The wonder of it all, I said to myself, then asked: Where do I fit in? By the time I finished my chores and walked back to the house, I realized the answer is, I don’t. I’m merely passing by. The most I can hope for is to make an accurate record of the visions, the smells, the tranquility of this little corner of Earth. I vow to be a loyal parent to this miracle, to accept that there are no promises. There is only today. (From the Backroads Blog post 9-2013)
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One day I’ll research the Silver Spur – – great backdrop for fiction.
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Front entrance to the Silver Spur
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Center is Alice Trego, former Women Writing the West president with Randall Platt, WILLA Award winner for her young adult novel, Liberty’ Christmas.
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My booth mates at the Texas Book Festival. Great fun.
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This Texas sunrise promises that fall is coming along. Fingers are crossed.
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Book signing event at the annual Women Writing the West Conference in Kansas City. With me, left to right, Patrica Frolander and Shelia Wood Foard – WILLA Awardees, both.

 

At last, a photo of a hoopie similar to the one Red Kasper drives in Forgiving Effie Beck. Photo courtesy of good friend Kay Hester whose father and uncle drove this hoopie on the beaches of Matagorda Island, Texas late 19030s, early 1940s.
At last, a photo of a hoopie similar to the one Red Kasper drives in Forgiving Effie Beck. Photo courtesy of good friend Kay Hester whose father and uncle drove this hoopie on the beaches of Matagorda Island, Texas late 1930s, early 1940s.
Researching Mayan ruins for The Dividing Season
Researching Mayan ruins for The Dividing Season

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE

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Luther Hotel, Palacois, Texas. A fascinating historic place to study. The Seasider Hotel in Nell’s story is patterned after the old Luther.
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At The Dividing Season’s publication party, Sherrie and Bruce Roach, step-daughter and son-in-law, helped me celebrate.
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Susan Balmos Trial – Always nice to have friends share happy times.
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Every writer’s dream: To have their books read like this. Photo provided by Cindy Davison Hightower (aka: Ester Williams)

 

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Women Writing the West conference planners. Left to right: Heidi M. Thomas, Randall Platt and Mary E. Trimble
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Alice Trego, Wes Studi (Last of the Mohicans movie) and me at the Western Writers of America convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico
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HCR Luncheon
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Helen Ginger joined me at the Rockdale Texas Tejas Festival.
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That’s Mt. Saint Helens behind the clouds. We tried to get there to continue celebrating my award but heavy snow stopped us.