Journal Notes

Now that the posse book is completed I am moving on to the next writing assignment. Howard Kazanjian and I are working on a book about a German born spy who fell in love with a Jewish woman who was being held at a labor camp. He took great risks to get her out of the prison. Based on a true story, the event took place in 1944 and is an incredible tale. I’ve never written a war book before so this journey should prove to be interesting. I continue to work on the book about the life and loves of Buffalo Bill Cody. I can’t leave the subject of the Old West totally. I’ll be heading to Missouri next week again. In addition to the book signing I’m doing at Barnes and Noble in Independce, I want to be home for my grandmother. Her home and household items are being auctioned off so she can continue to pay for her care at the nursing facility. I have wonderful memories of spending time at my grandmother’s home. It’s sad that it all has to go.

The short subject comedy entitled An Ounce Short is now available for viewing in its entirety. I hope visitors to the site like the mockumentary. I had a ball working on it and the talent who contributed to the project are exceptional people. I’ll be posting sections of Thunder Over the Prairie on the site next week. Howard and I got the first bit of feedback on the book and it was favorable. I’ve got my fingers crossed that all the reviews will be the same.

The last couple of days I’ve been working on the Buffalo Bill Cody book. The book is about his life and loves. One of the many women in his life was Annie Oakley. They were not romantically involved. They were more like brother and sister. The had a mutual respect for one another and both were stars of the Wild West Show. The only rival she had for Cody’s attention in the program was Lillian Smith. She was known as the “champion rifle shot of the world.” Annie was a better performer and the 15 year-old Smith did everything to try and get Buffalo Bill’s attention. She was a flirt and not afraid to use her sexuality to get what she wanted. Cody didn’t fall for her act. If they were alive today and he spurned her advancments, the outcome might have been different. I find it interesting that this theme keeps reoccuring in my life. I’ll be traveling to Placer County tomorrow to speak to a historical society there. Hope the event is well attended. I’m anxiously awaiting input on the posse book and pray that the reviews are good.

I traveled to Marysville Saturday to speak with authors at Amicus Books about marketing. Authors don’t generally consider marketing a part of the writing process. I know I didn’t when I first started out, but I’ve come to learn that you have to be proactive with your title and promote the materail yourself. A publisher will only do so much. They talk was enouraging and meeting other authors was invigorating. Amicus Books is a unique bookstore that celebrates authors and works with them to get their books published. Whether you’re an author or a customer, Kara and James, who own the business, will make you feel like the most special person on earth. They are wonderful people! I’m working on the Buffalo Bill now as well as the fascinating biography about a German born spy. I hope I do the tale justice. I receive hundreds of emails a day from men and women falsely accused of sexual misconduct by their own teenagers. I hope the book I’ve written on the subject will generate still more letters. There are so many people who have suffered needlessly. The following is part of one of the letters sent to me. Not only are people suffering, but they are rightfully scared for their lives now.
“I feel just like you do about warning people to be careful. On the way to the library today we saw our neighbors across the street and a lot of young kids were out in the yard. My husband and I both don’t even look their way. Times sure have changed from when I was growing up and Gramps, next door, would take us little ones to the park. My Dad was a coal miner and the neighborhood kids would line up to kiss him good-bye. Imagine doing that now?
Sorry how life has changed and not all for the good either.”

This day has been spent organizing all the photos and art work for the posse book. I don’t know if I have a photograph to go with each chapter. The publisher may run them all together in center of the book. The photos are spectacular, especially the one of Wyatt Earp. There is so much going on behind his eyes. It’s a rage I think many people identify with. I sent the various copies of Thunder Over the Prairie out to my editor, agent, and all the people that are going to be offering a quote for the back jacket of the book. I sent the manuscript out praying that it gets good reviews. It’s one of the hardest parts of the job. Wednesday night Bible study was fun. There weren’t many kids there though. They were out with end of school year events. When I left the building I saw one of the male teachers helping his neighbor’s 8 year-old girl into his truck. The girl’s mother had asked him to give her a ride to church. I was instantly scared for the man. I told him that he should never be alone with any little girl. He was stunned because he never even thought about the consequences. Never thought she might make an ugle accusation. I think about that kind of thing all the time now and feel strongly about warning people. All it takes is one evil, horror of a human being who wants attention to ruin your life. The devil has many disguises. I’ve got the description of a couple of those disguises tatooed on my brain now. Looking at Wyatt Earp’s photo, I’d say he does too.

Yesterday was Memorial Day and I couldn’t help but think about my nephew, Corey. Corey is a sailor on his way to Iraq and I’m extremely proud of him. I’m equally proud of my grandfather, father, and brother for their service to the country. My grandfather served in World War II, my father was in Vietnam, and my brother, Rick served in Desert Storm. I’m grateful to the men and women who fought for the American way. One of my many prayers is that Corey comes home safely, along with the other soldiers in dangerous locations. The posse book will go out to the editor this week. I’m pleased with the way it turned out and am anxious to see it in print. Thunder Over the Prairie will be released in October 2009 – 131 years after the posse set off to catch Dora Hand’s killer. The book about my brother should be coming out not long after that.

Finished chapter 10 of the posse book today! I was given a word count of 40,000 and am currently at 36,000 and I have yet to write the introduction and bibliography. The mayor of Dodge City is writing the forward and hopefully I’ll have some great quotes to use from other western authors. In the book I used one of Wyatt Earps’ quotes about the way he dealt with the true criminals in this world. It reminded me all over again that many of the real offenders are not behind bars, but walking among us masquerading as wives, students, and health care workers. “I’m not ashamed of anything I ever did,” Wyatt said in 1927. “Were it to be done over again, I would do exactly as I did at the time. If the outlaws and their friends and allies imagined that they could intimidate or exterminate the Earps by a process of assassination, and then hide behind alibis and the technicalities of the law, they simply missed their guess.” I’d liked the way Wyatt handled the people who came after his family.

Review of Chris Ensss Hearts West: True Stories of Mail-Order Brides on the Frontier, paperback, The Globe Pequot Press, 2005, 114 pages, ISBN: 076272756X

Cite as: Nick J. Sciullo, Review of Chris Ensss Hearts West: True Stories of Mail-Order Brides on the Frontier, Spring Board Journal, Volume 1, Number 1, Fall 2005.

A provocative look at an overlooked area of history. This work is enticing because it functions not only as a historical investigation, but as a jump off point for gender studies criticism. Enss provides an intimate description, much like an oral historian might provide, of the trials and tribulations of womyn in the West. The book reads well and is a product of not only an excellent researcher, but an excellent story teller.

There are pictures of mail order brides and ads used to purchase them. Each chapter discusses a couple and reveals romance, hope, and fear. The book reads like a diary. Each chapter is a personal account, vivid and intimate. With writing this clear and genuine its a wonder more people are not jumping on the historical bandwagon.

It is this type of history that brings the people back to the events, epochs, and criticism. History often needs a personal touch and perhaps this is why social history is on the rise. When folks talk about history they need to talk with the people that made the history. Hearts West comes as close to a first-person narrative as humynly possible. Works like this bring the world to life and reinvigorate historical inquiry and interest.

Perfect for students of the West and those interested in feminist theory and historyHearts West is a welcome addition to the bookshelf.

Nick J. Sciullo

(University of Richmond, 2003; West Virginia University College of Law, 2006)

It was a productive weekend. The signing for the new 2 disc DVD for The Big Trail went well. I enjoy working with the people at Barnes & Noble. They know their business and treat visiting authors well. The patrons who stopped by to pick up a copy of The Big Trail were generous and kind. I met one man who was a Vietnam vet who couldn’t say enough good things about John Wayne and his movies. I wish I could report that the Roy Rogers/Dale Evans film was moving in the right direction, but I can’t. It looks like the cast that had been selected for the roles will have to be replaced with actors who are a bit more enthusiastic to play the parts. It’s unfortunate. I’ve been working on this project for years and it seems every step forward has been met with five steps back. I guess it will all come together one day. Roy and Dale were such wonderful people and it’s a shame that studio heads won’t green light the film so real offers can be made. In addition to working on the last chapter of the posse book and chapter four of the Buffalo Bill book, I’ve been meeting with politicians to talk about the tragic situation that cost my brother his life. I spoke with Senators Aanestad and McClintock about Rick and the prevalence of false accusations of abuse leveled by disgruntled teenagers. I’m going to raise the level of awareness about the events in my brother’s life and those of other such people if it kills me. I won’t let him or others who have suffered through the same nightmare be forgotten.

I’ve had a rough couple of days, but things turned around a bit after I received an email from one of the readers of How The West Was Worn. Thank you Mr. Warshaw, for your much appreciated comments. It lifted my spirits more than you know. Here’s what he had to say. “I finished How the West was Worn yesterday. You’ve done it again! That book is totally fascinating. Reading about what the people wore back then, from hats to footwear to perfume, gave such a better insight into what life was like back in the Old West. One really never gives much thought to that until you described how people dressed by necessity rather than by style, and how it created a style of its own. I had always wondered whether cowboys’ pants were supposed to be tucked into the boots or worn over the boots, because in the movies and on TV you see both. Your book explained that it depended on where the cowboy lived or was from. I also never considered how much of a woman’s time was spent making or mending clothes. Between that and cooking and child care, a woman back then really had no spare time at all as if living in the frontier didn’t make life difficult enough!” All it takes is a kind word. Now of days they are few and far between.