In the acknowledgments from the book According to Kate, I wrote that “writing this book has been a lesson in uninterrupted anguish.” I was apprehensive about tackling her story because I just knew there would be a barrage of criticism from historians and Earp-family enthusiasts. Indeed, there was a fair share of that behavior to contend with once the book was released. My good friend Stuart Rosebrook, senior editor at True West Magazine, help me through much of the aggravation early on. Earlier this month I learned that According to Kate won the Academy of Western Artists Elmer Kelton Book Award and on Friday, Kate was listed among the best biographical books in 2019 by Foreword Review Magazine. The other nine books in the category all feature men and women who were WWII heroes, civil rights heroes, and celebrated artists. And then there’s Kate. A prostitute whose claim to fame was being in love with a tuberculosis suffering dentist turned gambler and gunfighter.
Today, I was notified of a review of According to Kate that appeared in the March edition of the Wild West History Association journal. Kate received praise from the reviewer and I couldn’t be happier for her. Kate Elder’s story of her life on the frontier as a soiled dove and her time with one of the West’s most recognizable characters has value. She was strong willed. She made as much money as possible as fast as she could, spent it just as quickly, and outlasted most sporting gals of that time. She was known by several names throughout her life. Kate Elder, Kate Fisher, Big-Nose Kate, Mrs. J. H. Holliday, and Mary K. Cummings were a few of the most common titles. According to Kate, “I’ve been called many things. Some not so kind. I only ever cared what those I loved called me.” Not a bad attitude to have as a harlot and critic of Old West royalty.
Good for you, Kate.
