In my files I have a dozen stories waiting to be completed. Stories range from the 18th century through the 25th century and I have often pondered what they all have in common. I've been told, as a writer, that I must choose a genre and stick to it! Otherwise you are starting over with your reader base with each new book. The fact that my current reader base is quite small, I am not too concerned. But I must hone my skills.
The next dilemma is that writers must read. So, I consider my reading tastes. Again a huge range of time periods and and genres.
Whatever am I to do?
Every now and then I think--what would happen if I combined the things I love to write? A modern novel with a historical/suspenseful twist. Hmmm.
Time for a little research.
Showing posts with label history. Show all posts
Showing posts with label history. Show all posts
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Friday, March 28, 2008
Doris Marie Heiser Moore
Doris Marie Heiser
Nov. 2, 1921-March 11, 2008
Nov. 2, 1921-March 11, 2008
My grandmother died. Of course I never called her grandmother, she was my Granny. The woman who would kill a snake with anything she could wield, including her heel.
Her hair was always braided, and she snapped at me when I asked her about it. Why? Goodness, who knows! She was Granny. But then later she let me watch her comb through the long strands as I sat at her feet.
We would go for long walks along the railroad tracks listening for the wildlife. She would point out the bunnies, birds (my favorite were the kildeer), and nutria. For years, I believed she had made up the nutria, because not once in all my growing years did I actually see one. Not until I had my own place in college did I see a nutria. Bit creepy those critters...One of my favorite memories was rearranging her spice rack whenever my parents and I arrived. I would accuse her of mixing them up just for me. Then I would spend the first part of our visit putting the spices in order. The rest of the time I spent upside down doing cartwheels or headstands. Thing is, it was always very difficult to sit still at Granny and Poppo's, if you did one of the dead animals on the wall just might attack. The red fox isn't too bad, especially when Poppo would let you touch it just a little.
She passed away only two weeks ago, but my best memories are from two decades ago. Why?
Granny had Alzheimer's. It isn't that it was contagious, but that she went from being a cantankerous-stubborn-old woman, to being a bitter-forgetful-suspicious-cantankerous-stubborn-old woman.
You may think I am being harsh, but here are a couple of examples:
She got in an argument one time with Poppo and a few others. Her claim: matches have dynamite in them. In order to prove her point she got out an encyclopedia and read the ingredients, and low and behold HER dictionary included dynamite as one of the ingredients. That encyclopedia certainly disappeared soon after.
One of my favorite tales is my own. When I was about eleven years old, I spent a week with Granny and Poppo. They have ten acres of farmland near Albany, and in the front corner of their land stands an old house from the turn of the century. The house always fascinated me and Granny would tell me stories. She told of a suicide in the front room, she gave details including how much the house and land originally sold for. She drew a map of the entire town, back when it was a town!
Just a few years ago, Granny claimed that I had made up all those stories myself. But that was Granny.
She was a strong woman, who worked hard all her life. She loved her family, all of us, and her farm. No matter how we argued while I was there, I was always given a hug and a "Be good, babe" when I left. Except maybe in the last couple of years when the line between reality and the haze of illness was no longer clear.
In the last three months she no longer crossed into the realm of reality. It was time for her to go. Now it is my time to sort through all the years when I was scared of her and felt like she didn't care, to see the woman she was, before her mind began to fail...
She passed away only two weeks ago, but my best memories are from two decades ago. Why?
Granny had Alzheimer's. It isn't that it was contagious, but that she went from being a cantankerous-stubborn-old woman, to being a bitter-forgetful-suspicious-cantankerous-stubborn-old woman.
You may think I am being harsh, but here are a couple of examples:
She got in an argument one time with Poppo and a few others. Her claim: matches have dynamite in them. In order to prove her point she got out an encyclopedia and read the ingredients, and low and behold HER dictionary included dynamite as one of the ingredients. That encyclopedia certainly disappeared soon after.
One of my favorite tales is my own. When I was about eleven years old, I spent a week with Granny and Poppo. They have ten acres of farmland near Albany, and in the front corner of their land stands an old house from the turn of the century. The house always fascinated me and Granny would tell me stories. She told of a suicide in the front room, she gave details including how much the house and land originally sold for. She drew a map of the entire town, back when it was a town!
Just a few years ago, Granny claimed that I had made up all those stories myself. But that was Granny.
She was a strong woman, who worked hard all her life. She loved her family, all of us, and her farm. No matter how we argued while I was there, I was always given a hug and a "Be good, babe" when I left. Except maybe in the last couple of years when the line between reality and the haze of illness was no longer clear.
In the last three months she no longer crossed into the realm of reality. It was time for her to go. Now it is my time to sort through all the years when I was scared of her and felt like she didn't care, to see the woman she was, before her mind began to fail...
The woman who cooked atrociously. The woman who loved the land and everything on it. The woman who gave life to my dad and therefore to me. The woman who loved me.
My beloved, My Granny.
Monday, August 6, 2007
A Tendering in the Storm
I am currently reading Jane Kirkpatrick's A Tendering in the Storm. The story is written from the perspectives of two main characters: Emma Giesy and Loisa Keil.Originally part of the same close-knit religious community, these two German women have traveled across the rugged Oregon trail arriving in the Northwest in the mid 1850's. But their paths have taken them in different directions. [Read A Clearing in the Wild, book one in the Change and Cherish series, to find out what divides the flock.]
Louisa and her husband, leader of the community, continue on to settle in the Aurora Mills area, near present day Portland, Oregon. Louisa is struggling to put the death of her son into the context of her life. He lives on in her, and she now seeks to understand what sin she committed to warrant his death. Her very nature is absolute submission to her husband.
Emma Giesy, remains in Willapa--Washington territory--with her husband and small family. She desires the freedom to speak her mind, explore the wisdom she feels brimming inside and to live independently, at least a little, from the religious family that surrounds her. She dares to believe women are more than quiet servants to their men, and hopes that they may even be equal in the eyes of the Lord.
The novel is based on a true story; filled with historical detail and vivid true-to-life characters. The women come alive, as you walk alongside their exploration of fear, vulnerability and strength. Mrs. Kirkpatrick weaves the natural beauty and spirit of the Northwest into every chapter. Words and images (oystering, the ocean, the swaying lantern to name a few) are chosen with a deftness that conveys the import of the landscape on the lives of these women.
Emma Giesy explains about the inner strength of a woman: "It's something I've learned about myself since coming here. What we can do on the inside isn't always reflected by what's on the outside."
"Sounds like an oyster shell..." Her friend Mary replied.
As I continue to read, I expect that we will see more of what Emma, and Louisa for that matter, are really made of--on the inside.
Jane Kirkpatrick is the best-selling author of two nonfiction books and twelve historical novels, including A Clearing in the Wild and the acclaimed Kinship and Courage series. Her award-winning essays and articles have appeared in more than fifty publications, including Daily Guideposts and Decision. A winner of the coveted Western Heritage Wrangler Award, Jane is a licensed clinical social worker as well as an internationally recognized speaker and inspirational retreat leader. She and her husband, Jerry, ranch 160 acres in eastern Oregon.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Historical Snippets
Train Schedule 1900
The Good Earth series fictionalizes the railroad war of 1908-1912 through the Central Oregon desert. In the first book, Bethrina Granger is sent from Seattle, Wa to Hillman, Oregon. Along the way she encounters a variety of characters who will help her in her journey to become a confident self-assured woman of God.
One segment of her journey takes place on the Columbia Southern Railway from Biggs to Shaniko. During the first decade of the twentieth century Shaniko was the "wool capital of the world." By 1911, a flood in Hay canyon and the completion of the new line from the Dalles to Bend left the Columbia Southern Railway to the history books.
Bethrina settles in a small town known as Hillman. The town is named for two railroad barons, Hill and Harriman, who dream of connecting Washington and California by rail. The ensuing rail war will challenge Bethrina's faith and determination in ways she never imagined possible.
The Good Earth series fictionalizes the railroad war of 1908-1912 through the Central Oregon desert. In the first book, Bethrina Granger is sent from Seattle, Wa to Hillman, Oregon. Along the way she encounters a variety of characters who will help her in her journey to become a confident self-assured woman of God.
One segment of her journey takes place on the Columbia Southern Railway from Biggs to Shaniko. During the first decade of the twentieth century Shaniko was the "wool capital of the world." By 1911, a flood in Hay canyon and the completion of the new line from the Dalles to Bend left the Columbia Southern Railway to the history books.
Bethrina settles in a small town known as Hillman. The town is named for two railroad barons, Hill and Harriman, who dream of connecting Washington and California by rail. The ensuing rail war will challenge Bethrina's faith and determination in ways she never imagined possible.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
School Marms, Saloon Girls, & Calamity Jane
Western Heritage Gathering: Women of the West--Part IV
Molly Gloss set the record straight about women in the West. Her love of literature, and westerns in particular, has provided ample opportunity to become familiar with the "accepted" version of women's roles out West. However, dissatisfied by the dime novel and Hollywood portrayals she did a little research of her own. The result: The Jump-Off Creek and Wild Life.
Think about frontier women--women of the west--whom you have seen on TV or movies. I think of the mothers who gave their all, such as "Ma" Walton and "Ma" Ingalls. Or the rough and tumble tom-boy Doris Day portrayed in Calamity Jane. Or Judy Garland (the proper maid) and Angela Lansbury (the saloon girl) in the Harvey Girls. The other often portrayed woman of the west is the teacher, as in Christy or Ms. Beadle from Little House. More often than not, women in old westerns were portrayed in stereotypical ways and suffered from the want of a good husband. Was there more to the story?
Molly's presentation was "Proving Up: Homesteading Women in the Literature of the American West." In the late 1800s less than one-half of homesteaders were women (without men!). By the 1910s every one in five homesteader was a woman. Women made their way West as mothers and wives. But how often do we hear about the single women wanting to work the land? The hard-working widow? Or the deserted wife/mother who must make the way as head of the household?
To "prove up" an individual had to be 21 years of age, head of the household, live on the land, make improvements and farm the land for five years. The real kicker? Women proved-up more often than men!
Read about real women of the West. Dozens of books are available regaling the lives and struggles of these women. Read until you break the mold of popular novels and movies.
Tip: Look for memoirs written by women who homesteaded in your area.
And don't forget, Alice Day Pratt's Homesteader's Portfolio (1922), Three Frontiers (1955) and Animals of a Sagebrush Ranch (Juvenile, 1931). This remarkable woman, single and nearing forty, traveled from her home on the East Coast to file claim on 160 acres of land in Central Oregon (Prineville area).
For a more modern version of the homesteading woman read Jane Kirkpatrick's, Homestead. I will write more about this fabulous book in an upcoming post.
Molly Gloss set the record straight about women in the West. Her love of literature, and westerns in particular, has provided ample opportunity to become familiar with the "accepted" version of women's roles out West. However, dissatisfied by the dime novel and Hollywood portrayals she did a little research of her own. The result: The Jump-Off Creek and Wild Life.
Think about frontier women--women of the west--whom you have seen on TV or movies. I think of the mothers who gave their all, such as "Ma" Walton and "Ma" Ingalls. Or the rough and tumble tom-boy Doris Day portrayed in Calamity Jane. Or Judy Garland (the proper maid) and Angela Lansbury (the saloon girl) in the Harvey Girls. The other often portrayed woman of the west is the teacher, as in Christy or Ms. Beadle from Little House. More often than not, women in old westerns were portrayed in stereotypical ways and suffered from the want of a good husband. Was there more to the story?
Molly's presentation was "Proving Up: Homesteading Women in the Literature of the American West." In the late 1800s less than one-half of homesteaders were women (without men!). By the 1910s every one in five homesteader was a woman. Women made their way West as mothers and wives. But how often do we hear about the single women wanting to work the land? The hard-working widow? Or the deserted wife/mother who must make the way as head of the household?
To "prove up" an individual had to be 21 years of age, head of the household, live on the land, make improvements and farm the land for five years. The real kicker? Women proved-up more often than men!
Read about real women of the West. Dozens of books are available regaling the lives and struggles of these women. Read until you break the mold of popular novels and movies.
Tip: Look for memoirs written by women who homesteaded in your area.
And don't forget, Alice Day Pratt's Homesteader's Portfolio (1922), Three Frontiers (1955) and Animals of a Sagebrush Ranch (Juvenile, 1931). This remarkable woman, single and nearing forty, traveled from her home on the East Coast to file claim on 160 acres of land in Central Oregon (Prineville area).
For a more modern version of the homesteading woman read Jane Kirkpatrick's, Homestead. I will write more about this fabulous book in an upcoming post.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
One Hundred Years Down the Road
Western Heritage Gathering: Women of the West--Part III
The Imperial Ranch has been in operation for over one hundred years. The legacy of that first homesteader lives on in the rich history still maintained on the ranch.
What does this mean for my loyal readers? My first novel begins in the rain-drenched region of Seattle, but moves quickly into the High Desert of Central Oregon: First stop Shaniko. The Imperial ranch is fifteen miles Northwest of Shaniko. Considering the size of the ranch and the success of the same, at the turn of the twentieth century, watch for historical references to this important ranching family.
Driving north on highway 97 you may notice roadsigns proclaiming, Bourbon Lane, Starvation Lane, Egypt Lane, Rufus, Dufur, and many others. If you have ever wondered about the origins of the names dotting the West--as I have--check out Sherry Kaseberg's, Sherman County Place Names.
Mrs. Kaseberg contributed to the Western Heritage Gathering by sharing a "field trip" through Sherman County. She presented an enjoyable slide show accompanied by informational teasers about how places were named. She grew up in Moro listening to the stories of her elders, relatives and other area residents. The data was eventually compiled to create her book.
The Imperial Ranch has been in operation for over one hundred years. The legacy of that first homesteader lives on in the rich history still maintained on the ranch.
What does this mean for my loyal readers? My first novel begins in the rain-drenched region of Seattle, but moves quickly into the High Desert of Central Oregon: First stop Shaniko. The Imperial ranch is fifteen miles Northwest of Shaniko. Considering the size of the ranch and the success of the same, at the turn of the twentieth century, watch for historical references to this important ranching family.
Driving north on highway 97 you may notice roadsigns proclaiming, Bourbon Lane, Starvation Lane, Egypt Lane, Rufus, Dufur, and many others. If you have ever wondered about the origins of the names dotting the West--as I have--check out Sherry Kaseberg's, Sherman County Place Names.
Mrs. Kaseberg contributed to the Western Heritage Gathering by sharing a "field trip" through Sherman County. She presented an enjoyable slide show accompanied by informational teasers about how places were named. She grew up in Moro listening to the stories of her elders, relatives and other area residents. The data was eventually compiled to create her book.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Imperial Ranch: Ninety Miles & One Hundred Years from Bend
Western Heritage Gathering: Women of the West--Part II
The first presentation at the Womens Heritage Gathering was from Jeanne Carver of the Imperial Ranch near Shaniko, Oregon. Her energy and vitality was engaging. There was no doubt that this woman loves the land and the history she inherited as the current ranch woman.
Some of the history she imparted:
Richard Hinton was born on the Oregon trail en route to Lane County where his family settled in the 1850s. He grew up in the Willamette Valley watching the land be fenced, plowed and become overcrowded. In 1871, he shook the mud from his feet and headed to the high desert of Central Oregon.
With a lone packhorse he found his way to the area known today as Bakeoven and established his homestead at age nineteen. He bought sheep and cattle and began farming. The next year he married Mary Emma Fitzpatrick and brought her home to his bachelor pad: a dugout cave in the creekbank. Together they raised two children in this little cave. After ten years of hard work they proved their claim. Mary died the very next year.
Richard continued to be a shrewd landowner and rancher. His flocks flourished as he developed a remarkable cross-breeding program for quality meat lambs and wool. Within two years of Mary's death he met and married Clara Bird, this time bringing his new wife home to a home he had built on the ranch. Clara was a socialite and was not required to work the ranch as her predecessor had. Two more children were born.
Hinton became the largest single proprietor in Wasco county, and eventually all of Oregon. By 1900 the Hinton's were able to build a Queen Anne home, which still stands today. The family hired staff including a personal cook, house boy, private tutors and a chauffeur. The family enjoyed trips to Portland (where they maintained a rented apartment) for theatre and cultural events. Clara and her daughter were able to commission dresses made by the renowned Shogren Sisters.
James Hinton, Richard's oldest son, took over the ranch in 1915. His business acumen never equaled that of his father. James did not marry until he was in his fifties. By the 1930's a man from Antelope named George Ward joined the operation. George and his wife Mary (Hampton) earned James' respect and in 1945 a half share was sold to George.
Subsidies were introduced in the 1930s. War and synthetic fabrics further cut into the highly profitable sheep industry.
Mary Ward was a true partner to George Ward. She handled the people and the bookwork. She would drive to Portland to hire from Skid Row or to Gresham for fruits and vegetables. The ranch was still known for the entertaining begun during the days of Clara Hinton. Mary was involved in the care of her home, Wool Grower's Association, Cowbells, and the PTA. In her free time she drove to Portland to take tailoring classes.
James Hinton sold his remaining share of the ranch to George Ward in 1967. George and Mary struggled through their final years of ranching. Following a serious car accident George and Mary relied heavily on prescription drugs, pain killers and alcohol. Their children refused to continue the rigors of ranch life and the ranch was soon sold to Dan Carver in 1988.
Today the ranch continues the tradition of sustainability with four commodities in production: sheep, cattle, hay and grain. The sheep business is still a challenge, but the Imperial Ranch is finding their way. Through ingenuity and determination 100% of the meat is now sold to restaurants. Quality wool yarn and project kits from the Imperial Ranch can be found at Woodland Woolworks and The Stitching Post. Finished garments can be found through the national retailer Norm Thompson. A complete list of locations carrying Imperial Ranch products is available on their website.
The headquarters of the ranch is a National Historic District and can be viewed by prior arrangement.
The first presentation at the Womens Heritage Gathering was from Jeanne Carver of the Imperial Ranch near Shaniko, Oregon. Her energy and vitality was engaging. There was no doubt that this woman loves the land and the history she inherited as the current ranch woman.
Some of the history she imparted:
Richard Hinton was born on the Oregon trail en route to Lane County where his family settled in the 1850s. He grew up in the Willamette Valley watching the land be fenced, plowed and become overcrowded. In 1871, he shook the mud from his feet and headed to the high desert of Central Oregon.
With a lone packhorse he found his way to the area known today as Bakeoven and established his homestead at age nineteen. He bought sheep and cattle and began farming. The next year he married Mary Emma Fitzpatrick and brought her home to his bachelor pad: a dugout cave in the creekbank. Together they raised two children in this little cave. After ten years of hard work they proved their claim. Mary died the very next year.
Richard continued to be a shrewd landowner and rancher. His flocks flourished as he developed a remarkable cross-breeding program for quality meat lambs and wool. Within two years of Mary's death he met and married Clara Bird, this time bringing his new wife home to a home he had built on the ranch. Clara was a socialite and was not required to work the ranch as her predecessor had. Two more children were born.
Hinton became the largest single proprietor in Wasco county, and eventually all of Oregon. By 1900 the Hinton's were able to build a Queen Anne home, which still stands today. The family hired staff including a personal cook, house boy, private tutors and a chauffeur. The family enjoyed trips to Portland (where they maintained a rented apartment) for theatre and cultural events. Clara and her daughter were able to commission dresses made by the renowned Shogren Sisters.
James Hinton, Richard's oldest son, took over the ranch in 1915. His business acumen never equaled that of his father. James did not marry until he was in his fifties. By the 1930's a man from Antelope named George Ward joined the operation. George and his wife Mary (Hampton) earned James' respect and in 1945 a half share was sold to George.
Subsidies were introduced in the 1930s. War and synthetic fabrics further cut into the highly profitable sheep industry.
Mary Ward was a true partner to George Ward. She handled the people and the bookwork. She would drive to Portland to hire from Skid Row or to Gresham for fruits and vegetables. The ranch was still known for the entertaining begun during the days of Clara Hinton. Mary was involved in the care of her home, Wool Grower's Association, Cowbells, and the PTA. In her free time she drove to Portland to take tailoring classes.
James Hinton sold his remaining share of the ranch to George Ward in 1967. George and Mary struggled through their final years of ranching. Following a serious car accident George and Mary relied heavily on prescription drugs, pain killers and alcohol. Their children refused to continue the rigors of ranch life and the ranch was soon sold to Dan Carver in 1988.
Today the ranch continues the tradition of sustainability with four commodities in production: sheep, cattle, hay and grain. The sheep business is still a challenge, but the Imperial Ranch is finding their way. Through ingenuity and determination 100% of the meat is now sold to restaurants. Quality wool yarn and project kits from the Imperial Ranch can be found at Woodland Woolworks and The Stitching Post. Finished garments can be found through the national retailer Norm Thompson. A complete list of locations carrying Imperial Ranch products is available on their website.
The headquarters of the ranch is a National Historic District and can be viewed by prior arrangement.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Marriage First--Part I
The working title of my novel is First Comes Marriage. If you read my blog sometime in the last few days you may have noticed the phrase "First Comes Love." Every now and then I slip and say the latter. The title comes from the children's rhyme, "K-i-s-s-i-n-g, then comes love, then comes marriage..." and the rhyme is embedded deeper in my mind than my own title. (By the way--I fixed the error this morning so no need to search for it.)
This is the first in a trilogy exploring the pioneer era of Central Oregon. The railroad was not complete and water was still a prized commodity. Travel from Shaniko to Terrebonne (58 miles) would take no less than 8 hours by auto-bus, 24 hours by stage or as long as 4 days by horseback! And we think we have it rough driving through Redmond at rush hour.
Each title in the series will playfully twist the familiar rhyme: First Comes Marriage, Next Comes Love, Along Comes Baby.
Why marriage first?
In the United States, the modern conventions of marriage lead us to believe that when someone falls madly in love, the natural fulfillment of this love is marriage. What if the reverse is true? Can a man and woman marry and find the natural fulfillment of this marriage is love? How does this fit with God's view of marriage?
This is the first in a trilogy exploring the pioneer era of Central Oregon. The railroad was not complete and water was still a prized commodity. Travel from Shaniko to Terrebonne (58 miles) would take no less than 8 hours by auto-bus, 24 hours by stage or as long as 4 days by horseback! And we think we have it rough driving through Redmond at rush hour.
Each title in the series will playfully twist the familiar rhyme: First Comes Marriage, Next Comes Love, Along Comes Baby.
Why marriage first?
In the United States, the modern conventions of marriage lead us to believe that when someone falls madly in love, the natural fulfillment of this love is marriage. What if the reverse is true? Can a man and woman marry and find the natural fulfillment of this marriage is love? How does this fit with God's view of marriage?
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