I have been reviewing the edited pages for the book about women gamblers of the Old West. I was intrigued all over again about the ladies that dealt cards to the rough cowhands and fascinated with their ability to master the games of poker, faro, and blackjack. I believe readers will find the subject interesting read more…

One of the most difficult, and often times expensive, aspects of writing books about the Old West is securing the photos to use in the manuscripts. Historical libraries have archived thousands of wonderful photographs, but the process of acquiring the pictures and getting all the permission paperwork signed by the proper person is time consuming. read more…

I miss working with author Joann Chartier. She was a joy to collaborate with and a true friend. There are very few women I admire and Joann is one of them. She moved away a few years ago and is living in a beautiful valley in Oregon, painting and writing. I know she’s happy and read more…

Of all the women I’v written about, business owner and prospector Nellie Cashman, has to be one of my favorites. She labored diligently alongside male prospectors in mountainous creekbed and streams from Alaska to Arizona. She was outspoken and direct and her fellow miners respected her. She wouldn’t tolerate any improprieties was not afraid to read more…

One of the reasons I’m attracted to the Old West genre is the notion of frontier justice. Bad people got what they deserved, a bullet between the eyes or hung. Avenging wrongs against your family, ala Wyatt Earp, was expected and accepted. The process had its flaws, but bad guys knew they couldn’t get away read more…

I’ve spent part of the day revising a book proposal I’ve written about film producer Howard Kazanjian. He has had a rich film career and has worked with many repected members of the industry from Sam Peckinpah to George Lucus. His story will benefit film students and fans of film alike.

I began research on another book – this one will be about frontier schoolmarms. Emigrants established schools for their children almost as soon as they were settled in the new land. In sparsely furnished rooms equipped with mininmal supplies, western teachers taught as many as twenty separate lessons a day to youngsters ranging in age read more…

I received three copies of the pictorial Happy Trails today. It reminded me of what wonderful people Roy Rogers and Dale Evans were and what a wonderful job the art department at Globe Pequot Press did on the book. There are so many people I write about I wished I’d known personally. Roy and Dale read more…

Back in Grass Valley, California after an enlightening research trip. Kansas is a lovely state and it was a treat to be able to walk the same streets traveled by Wild Bill Hickock and Bill Tilghman. I’m putting the finishing touches on the book about women miners of the Old West. It will include a read more…

Woke up in Dodge City, Kansas yesterday. My stay at the historical location was enlighting and memorable. The research staff at the Kansas Heritage Center couldn’t have been nicer or more cooperative. I’m anxious to put words to paper for the new book entitled Thunder Over the Prairie. The posse that originated out of Dodge read more…