Montana Quarterly Magazine Review for Brittle Silver

 

I am excited and honored that my novel, Brittle Silver, is reviewed in the current issue of the Montana Quarterly Magazine. I am also delighted to announce that Brittle Silver is now available at Wheatgrass Books in Livingston, Montana. The Montana Quarterly reviewer reflects on Vic Keegan’s travel back in time to Granite and Philipsburg of 1893, during the Great Silver Panic. Along with Brittle Silver’s review are reviews of books from other Montana authors, as well as the Quarterly’s typical tantalizing and insightful articles highlighting Montana and the people of the Big Sky landscapes. The photography is a stunning addition to the stories. I am looking forward to more engaging interactions with readers and writers of all ages in the coming months. #MontanaQuarterly #WheatgrassBooks #BrittleSilver #Philipsburg #Montana

Barnes & Noble Book Signing

Come join the fun and discussion at my Book Signing for Brittle Silver at Barnes & Noble, 2825 W. Main St., Bozeman, Montana on Saturday, January 28th from Noon to 2 PM! A few of my research and writing sources and tools from creating Brittle Silver will be available to view. Please stop by to have a book signed or to visit a bit. I will be signing copies of Brittle Silver, a time travel novel set in 1893 Granite and Philipsburg, Montana during the Great Silver Panic, and also copies of my first novel, We Are the Warriors, a 2015 USA Regional Excellence Book Award Finalist. 

We Are the Warriors is about a young snowboarder who moves to a fictitious reservation in Eastern Montana when his father is hired as the high school principal. We Are the Warriors dives into the mix of cultures, microcultures, and the challenges and gifts that these create, all within the amazing landscapes of Eastern Montana.

Brittle Silver invites the reader to experience the very real mining town of Granite, Montana, high in the Flint Creek Mountains. Here, Vic Keegan, from 125 years in the future, discovers the rugged, yet cultured life of miners, business owners and townspeople, a lifestyle that will soon implode with the growing Silver Panic. Her affection for Jago Pendarvis, the young Cornish miner, only complicates her shrewd deception. In this explosive atmosphere, Vic must face her fears and learn who to trust.

Age-old stories of love and loss come alive in this rich tale intricately woven with the real people and happenings in Granite and Philipsburg, Montana during the 1890s.

Brittle Silver is on the Shelves

I am excited to have both my novels, Brittle Silver and We Are the Warriors available on the shelf at Barnes and Noble in Bozeman, Montana! 

Brittle Silver is also available at Isle of Books in Bozeman and Butte, Montana!

After all the dedication to research and writing craft for years, it is affirming and delightful to have the generous and friendly support of local bookstore owners and managers. I hope many readers can be inspired by the journey of Vic and Jago. May the invitation to experience 1893 Granite and Philipsburg, Montana through Brittle Silver bring fresh insight and new questions.

Special thanks to the Bozeman Writers Group, Montana Chapter of SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) and Women Writing the West for all their support, education, writing critiques, and friendship over many years.

 

Announcing the Release of my new novel, Brittle Silver!

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I am so excited to see my historical fiction, Brittle Silver, up and available on Amazon as well as other book distribution centers! The streets of Granite and Philipsburg, Montana of 1892 have come alive again. Sixteen-year-old Vic Keegan, after traveling back in time to the year of the Great Silver Panic, resolves to do whatever it takes to survive until she can find a way back home. Vic's growing affection for the young Cornish miner, Jago (Yah-go) Pendarvis complicates her shrewd deception. Meanwhile, the threats to the town and mine escalate as the silver crisis deepens.

My special thanks to all the editors, proof readers, family encouragement, and research assistance from so many people and organizations. I am so indebted to my dear husband, Jerry, who though he is no longer with us, was such a support to my writing and research. I will always remember him riding a four-wheeler in the Flint Creek Mountains, happily exploring old Granite and the many mining camps in the mountains.

Reviews would be greatly appreciated. Check with me about quantity discounts. I hope to give updates and more info. from all my historical research in future posts.

Brittle Silver available on Amazon

Finding Thankfulness

Not like I felt like my life was already tumultuous enough in the past year and a half…then along came Covid-19...A bit like the raging Gallatin River during spring runoff.

                                   

I, and many of us at this time, have had to dig deep to find the positive, live the values we believe in, and cultivate a patience that often hides itself from us. One of my ongoing initiatives is to give thanks for the good, however small.

I was fortunate this past year to work with a freelance editor, Pam Glauber, on tuning up my Brittle Silver manuscript. Over a period of several months, Pam analyzed my plot, characters and story arc, and made suggestions. It was several more months of fits and starts, interspersed with challenges in my own life, to finally come to a rewrite that made me happy. I am so thankful for her vision and assistance.

Finally under 100,000 words, still historically accurate and interesting, yet character-driven and challenging, Brittle Silver is again ready for a round of hunting for a literary agent. This daunting and time-consuming task always leaves me shaking my head, but I hope for the best, and a match of interest and enthusiasm. Each submission is personally researched, tailored, rewritten with guidelines followed and details adjusted. All with the hope that my manuscript will find a home and a champion that can see the world of Vic and Jago and relive the days of 1892-93 in Granite and Philipsburg, Montana.

Thanks to Granite County Museum for some of these classic photos.

Other reasons I am thankful; for my husband to share these trying times with, for my family who keeps in contact through texts, calls, and video chats, for my friends who stay in touch. I yearn for more, but try to accept the current situation.

I am grateful for spring and summer and the beautiful signs of nature around us that continue to show forth. I am pleased I finally discovered that odd sound I have been hearing; the winnowing of the snipe, actually the wings of the snipe as it flies in the evening or early morning. Check it out. Truly amazing! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dam0sDp6Xig I won’t tell you how long it took me to figure it out. https://www.pri.org/stories/2014-05-16/mysterious-sound-snipe

My encouragement is for us to accept and honor our feelings, whatever they may be...then to list ten things we are thankful for, no matter how small and simple. Peace to you in these days.

A Journey to 1892 Granite and Philipsburg, Montana

Hard to imagine myself riding an ATV through the rugged back trails of the Flint Creek Mountains; however, there I was, exploring the ghost towns of Tower, Hasmark and Granite, reliving the days of the 1890s, before the Great Silver Panic.

My current manuscript is set in this amazing country, the town of Philipsburg, Montana, and the ghost town of Granite. Here, the history is rich, the residents welcoming and knowledgeable, and the landscapes inspiring.

I happened to have scheduled my travels and research on the weekend of the Miners’ Union Day in Philipsburg, a tradition previously celebrated in Granite, and begun in 1866 in the Comstock District. This year’s contests and picnic were sponsored by the Philipsburg Brewing Company, owned by Nolan and Cathy Smith and housed in the historic Sayrs Building. Contests throughout the day were held in jack leg drilling, hand mucking, 12-B Mucking and other mining skills. Although most participants were fairly young, a few seasoned veterans showed the youngsters a thing or two.

After lunch, a group of volunteers demonstrated the running of the restored 1891 stamp mill at Hope. These dedicated individuals, with years of effort, have made this historic dream a reality.

Nolan and Cathy provided a warm welcome and assisted me in making contacts with locals to help with my research and travels. I was able to explore the old townsite of Rumsey with the permission of local landowners. Little remains but the massive foundations of the old mill. It was exciting to see the place of the Rumsey Tunnel adit, a feature in my story, and a monumental endeavor at the time.

My lodging in the historic Kaiser House, built in 1878, was a delight. Owners Lynn and Kurk Unger shared the fascinating history of the hotel, including an actual menu from the 1890s. If you are in Philipsburg, their shops, Snookies Mercantile and the Wine and Cheese Cellar, have some amazing finds.

The following day, I embarked on an ATV tour of the old mines, ghost towns and mountainsides with Richard and Tammy Johnson of Montana ATV Adventures. Richard is very knowledgeable about southwestern Montana history, stories and topography.  

The intersection of people’s lives, livelihoods and hazards of mining were richly displayed and shared. The rough back roads were a testament to the hard life of many a prospector, miner and the women and children who lived in these mountains. I found the ATV ride exciting and challenging. My sore back the next day attested to more than minor physical exertion for a neophyte.

As always the Flint Creek Mountains and stories of the people who lived there in the 1800s are intriguing. The men who entered the holes in the ground, the women who ran boarding houses and raised children in the mining towns; their stories come alive in the landscapes, newspapers, documents, and buildings of the region. 

The beautiful town of Philipsburg has found a way to continue even as the economy of mining tumbled. Hopefully my fictional story will be a tribute to the people and the region.

                                   Life...always an adventure!

Life and Writing

After a rather lengthy hiatus from blogging, I’m back! I let myself become immersed in writing my current novel, working with beta readers, and editing again and again.

The story of Vic and Jago (pronounced Yago) in 1892 Granite and Philipsburg has captivated me. I hope to share the story with you in the not too distant future.

During this time, I also let myself relish the wonders of life; adventures with my husband, Jerry (hiking, skiing, traveling…); visiting and enjoying our family in different places across the U.S.; learning more about ceramics and pottery; enjoying the planning and celebration of our youngest son and his new bride’s wedding; and taking the time to get or stay in shape—truly a challenge as we get older.

I am excited to finally get to participate in the Miners Union Day in Philipsburg this weekend, explore some of the ghost towns in Granite County, and check out the old Rumsey Mill site. Should be a grand adventure and delight to share the history that interests so many people in Montana!

I am hovering between the worlds of traditional publishing and self-publishing…We’ll see what the next six months reveals. Ten years ago I had no idea what I was getting into when I began writing a novel. Now I know so much more—But, I feel like I still know so little about publishing and marketing a novel.