Journal Notes

My last day in Deadwood could not have been more memorable. I spent the afternoon speaking with visitors touring the Brothel Deadwood Museum, dealing Faro between book presentations, and enjoying the stories and laughter that make this town unlike any other in the West.

One of the highlights was riding in the Save Our Tails parade with Deadwood History, Inc. Executive Director Jim Williams, followed by a wonderful group photo with the incredibly generous Rose Speirs, Co-Executive Director of Deadwood History, Inc. A nicer person one could not meet.

Thank you to everyone who attended the presentations, stopped by to visit, and shared your love of Deadwood history. I’m already looking forward to returning in June 2027 with more books to present and for the screening of the film According to Kate.

Spent another memorable day in Deadwood presenting books about Frontier Teachers, the Widows of the Little Bighorn, Wicked Women, and An Open Secret: The Most Notorious Bordellos in Deadwood. Of course, that last title seemed especially fitting as many gathered in the Black Hills this week to commemorate the closing of Deadwood’s bordellos on May 21, 1980.

Today, Jim Williams, director of Deadwood History, Inc., and I rode in the Save Our Tails parade portraying one of Deadwood’s most infamous couples, Dora and Joseph DuFran. It was a wonderful way to celebrate the colorful, complicated history of this remarkable town.

Tomorrow, I’ll spend my final day in Deadwood at the Brothel Deadwood discussing An Open Secret and dealing Faro. It seems only fitting to close out my time in this amazing Old West town surrounded by stories that still linger in every street, saloon, and sandstone building. Deadwood truly drips with history.

The final stop of the Women Who Refuse to Behave book tour has brought me to beautiful Deadwood, South Dakota, and Deadwood never disappoints. It is always a pleasure to work with the generous and welcoming people at Deadwood History, Inc., who do so much to preserve and share the remarkable stories of the American West.

Thank you to everyone who joined us tonight at the Deadwood Library for a presentation about the women physicians of the American West – courageous women who broke rules, challenged conventions, and entered a profession many believed should remain closed to them. In 1851, men at Harvard famously declared medicine was no place for women. Thankfully, many determined women refused to listen.

Tomorrow, I’ll be speaking at the Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center about the book The Widowed Ones: Beyond the Battle of the Little Bighorn, followed on Friday by presentations on Wicked Women and An Open Secret, both exploring the lives of soiled doves in the American West.

It seems especially fitting to discuss those stories here in Deadwood, as May 21 marks the anniversary of the city’s brothels being officially shut down. History always has a way of lingering in Deadwood’s streets, buildings, and stories.

As always, it’s a good time in Deadwood.

The final day in Oklahoma planning the October events for the Will Rogers Medallion Award program has been filled with inspiration, laughter, and gratitude. One of the greatest joys of this journey is meeting so many kind and warm people including authors, publishers, museum professionals, historians, and storytellers who are dedicated to preserving and celebrating the stories of the American West. Their passion for the written word and Western heritage is truly remarkable.

The guest list for the WRMA events in October continues to grow, and each new addition brings even more excitement for what promises to be a memorable celebration of Western literature, history, and storytelling. There’s something very special about seeing so many creative minds come together to honor the enduring spirit of the West and the legacy of Will Rogers.

It was also a treat to see my book displayed alongside titles written by and about Will Rogers at the gift shop at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum. Moments like that never lose their magic.

Tomorrow, it’s off to Deadwood to spend time with Rose Spiers, Jim Williams, and the other wonderful historians in the famous Western town. I’ll be giving presentations about the accomplishments of the brave women who helped settle the West and shape frontier history. More to come soon from the Black Hills.

The Oklahoma tour continues – sharing the stories of the remarkable Women of the American West while also working through the exciting details of the October Will Rogers Medallion Award program with the brilliant Laurie Cockerell. WRMA would be lost without her.

This week has been filled with unforgettable conversations and meaningful meetings. I had the privilege of spending time with Linda Clark, granddaughter of one of the legendary cowgirls featured in the book Along Came A Cowgirl, hearing firsthand stories that remind us why preserving Western history matters.

At the University of Tulsa, Professors Bob Pickering and Jill Kreftt joined discussions surrounding the proposed Endowment Chair for education in Will Rogers Western American Literature studies – an inspiring step toward ensuring these stories and traditions continue for generations to come.

We also finalized coverage plans for the “Evening with Will” event scheduled for Friday, October 30, alongside the wonderful teams at KVOO and News On 6.

Today I’m headed to the Pioneer Woman Museum to talk about Daughters of Daring: Hollywood Cowgirl Stunt Women.

More stories, more history, and more adventures to come.

Over the past two days in Claremore, Oklahoma, I’ve had the privilege of speaking about the stories, history, and literary traditions of the American West. I spoke to the local Rotary Club about the Will Rogers Medallion Award program and its mission to honor excellence in Western literature.

I also had the pleasure of speaking at the Claremore Chamber of Commerce Leading Ladies Luncheon at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum, where I shared stories from my books about women of the American West, including Daughters of Daring: Hollywood Cowgirl Stunt Women.

Judging from the event photos, standing next to average-sized women apparently turns me into Hagrid from Harry Potter. I’m pretty sure people are looking at the pictures and thinking, “That woman could hunt geese with a rake.”

Tomorrow it’s on to Oklahoma City for presentations at the Oklahoma Historical Society, along with meetings with the brilliant Professor Bob Pickering and Professor Jill Kreftt at the University of Tulsa as we continue solidifying graduate degrees for the first-ever Will Rogers Western Literature Studies program.

So many places still to visit, so many stories waiting to be uncovered, and so many remarkable women of the West whose lives deserve to be remembered and celebrated.

The Women Who Refuse to Behave Tour is officially rolling across the West — and what a ride it’s been already!

First stop: the incredible U.S. Marshals Museum where I signed copies of Tilghman: The Legendary Lawman and the Woman Who Inspired Him and Sam Sixkiller: Cherokee Frontier Lawman. I also had the pleasure of spending time with some truly amazing Western authors during the fundraising event benefiting the U.S. Marshals Survivors Benefit Fund — a meaningful evening supporting the families of America’s law officers.

Then it was on to the fascinating Gangsters of America Museum in Hot Springs where I talked with a local news station about Ma Barker: America’s Most Wanted Mother. Because apparently one perfectly reasonable way to spend Mother’s Day weekend is discussing the mother who helped her boys land spots on the Bureau of Investigation’s Most Wanted list.

Of course, no trip through Hot Springs would be complete without a stay at the legendary Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa — once a favorite getaway spot of Al Capone himself.

Now it’s onward to Oklahoma with the amazing Laurie Cockerell for more book presentations, more stories of daring women and legendary lawmen, and planning for this year’s Will Rogers Medallion Awards.

The road trip continues — fueled by history, storytelling, and just enough mischief to keep things interesting.

The road tour starts May 9 from 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. at the U.S. Marshals Museum in Fort Smith, a place where the history of frontier justice still lingers in the walls. I’ll be signing copies of Tilghman: The Legendary Lawman and the Woman Who Inspired Him. Bill Tilghman’s legacy is deeply tied to Fort Smith, once a gateway to Indian Territory and a stronghold of federal law enforcement during the most turbulent years of the West.

I’ll also be signing Sam Sixkiller: Cherokee Frontier Lawman. Sam Sixkiller helped bring order to the so-called last frontier, working alongside men like Tilghman to establish law where it was often in short supply.

From there, it’s on to the Gangster Museum of America in Hot Springs for a 1 P.M. event on May 10, where I’ll be presenting Meet the Kellys: The True Story of Machine Gun Kelly and His Moll Kathryn Thorne, along with a discussion of Ma Barker: America’s Most Wanted Mother. From frontier lawmen to Prohibition-era outlaws—the stories don’t get any quieter.

Next stop: Claremore and Tulsa. I’ll be presenting Daughters of Daring: Hollywood Cowgirl Stunt Women at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum on May 13, and then at the Pioneer Woman Museum in Ponca, Oklahoma, on May 16.

Then it’s north to Deadwood beginning May 19, with presentations running May 20–24 at various locations. I’ll be speaking on:

• The Widowed Ones: Beyond the Battle of the Little Bighorn
• The Doctor Was a Woman: The First Female Physicians on the Frontier
• Frontier Teachers: Stories of Heroic Women of the Old West
• Wicked Women: Notorious, Mischievous, and Wayward Ladies from the Old West
• An Open Secret: The Story of Deadwood’s Most Notorious Bordellos

If you’re anywhere along the route, I’d love to see you.

Visit www.chrisenss.com or deadwoodhistory.com for full event details—and head to www.chrisenss.com now to enter to win a copy of An Open Secret.

Different towns. Different stories. Same women who refused to behave.

It’s been a long ride across the prairie, but the dust is finally starting to settle.

Thunder Over the Prairie: The Story of a Murder and a Manhunt by the Greatest Posse of All Time is officially riding toward the screen, optioned as a four-part limited series written and directed by Emmy Award–winning filmmaker Walter Hill.

Already being described as “a cinematic Western event,” this adaptation brings to life one of the most compelling true stories ever to come out of the Old West.

Before they became legends, men like Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Bill Tilghman, and Charlie Bassett were simply lawmen trying to impose order on a lawless frontier.

That changed the night beloved saloon singer Dora Hand was gunned down.

When the son of a powerful cattle baron fled town after the murder, these four men—each deadly with a gun and intimately familiar with the unforgiving terrain—formed a posse and rode out in pursuit. What followed was a relentless manhunt across a harsh, desolate landscape… a pursuit that would test their courage, shape their futures, and forever alter their understanding of justice.

This is more than a Western. It’s the origin story of legends.

It’s been a long time coming, but the wait is almost over.

To experience the true story behind the series, read Thunder Over the Prairie.

Enter now to enter to win a copy of the book.