Belle Starr

Truth and Fiction

Once upon a time I was contracted by a New York publisher to write a romance novel with Belle Starr as the protagonist. They wanted it to be as close to fact as possible. I knew it would be a tall order, but it also would be my first hardback novel, so I agreed.

For those who aren't familiar with Belle, she was known as "The Outlaw Queen" and she was no beauty.  I imagine in her early years, she was pretty, but her life was rough and it showed on her face. I knew I would have to "pretty her up" to make her a romance heroine. Many of the men in her life were also not attractive, so I had my work cut out for me!

I started researching her and discovered that many sources I thought would deal in facts didn't. As I dived deeper and deeper, I found make discrepancies and outright lies. This was a good early lesson for me not to trust everything I read, even if it came from a supposedly reliable source. Of course, as a former journalist, I knew about shady sources and crafty canards. Still, I was surprised to see misinformation in encyclopedias and university press books.

Little by little, I pieced together what seemed to be truth concerning Belle and her lawless ways and determined where I would embellish it. Since there has always been rumors that Belle had an affair with Cole Younger (and might have even bore him a daughter), I went with that as the central love story in my romance. The men she married weren't romance material, no matter how much I tried to make them so. I finally gave up and romanticized Younger and the James brothers (as in Jesse James, the outlaw). 

What I gathered from my research was that Belle wasn't all that lawless. She ran around with bad men -- men who resented the outcome of the Civil War, as did she. Bitter and angry, they felt justified in sticking it to the Yankees by robbing their trains and banks and stealing their horses and cattle. Belle's primary activity was stealing horses and she went to prison for it. Researching those years made me see Belle in a new light -- that of a loving mother. She wrote to her children while in prison, but didn't want them to visit her because she was ashamed. When she was released from prison, she tried to stay on the straight and narrow, but she was blamed for many misdeeds. She had a reputation as an outlaw and she could never shake it. In fact, she was murdered and her murderer was never identified.

This book was the most difficult book I've ever written and I've never been pleased with it. After a couple of rewrites, I finally had something both my editor and I could live with, but I don't think either of us loved the novel. I know I didn't.

The moral of this story is that you can't make a silk purse out a sow's ear. Belle was a colorful character, but she wasn't a romance heroine. You need only look at her real photo and the cover of my novel and see what I mean. Still and all, I had a hardback novel with my name on it, so that was something. I also purchased the original oil painting of the cover and have it hanging in my house. Thanks, Belle.

 

Vacation leads to romantic/mystery series

Where should we go on vacation? In 2016, my husband and I decided on Montana.

Internet research revealed The Covered Wagon Ranch in Gallatin Gateway, Montana. They offered a non-rider rate, perfect for my husband. So we made reservations for July and planned our trip. OMG! It was fun—two days on horseback riding into the mountains, gourmet meals prepared by a chef and eaten in a rustic dinning room with other friendly “dudes.” The owners, wranglers and staff were just as friendly. We felt like we’d come home.

On the trip, I saw firsthand the mountains, canyons, and valleys that make that part of Southwestern Montana so beautiful. Sagebrush is real. And so are lodgepole pine trees and aspens with their silver leaves shimmering in the wind.

I took notes about things on the guest ranch that being a city dude I didn’t know:

• Cowboys hang hats on antlers or posts when they come in for dinner.
• The dude ranch is family-oriented with many returning guests.
• Fishing is a big thing in Montana.
• One wrangler is hired only to break and train young horses.
• Some horses are allowed out at night to graze around the cabins. All the ranch is fenced in with log fencing.
• Horses are run up to high pasture for two days a week to allow them to graze and be horses.
• Special attention is given to the care of horses, so they won’t sour. Horses have a long season. Horses go in the winter to lower pastures.
• Rides are arranged every morning depending upon what guests want to do.
• Sack lunches are provided for daylong rides.
• One female wrangler came from Oklahoma and got the job via the Internet
• Before a ride, horses are sprayed with fly spray.
• Besides the saddle, a horse carries a saddlebag for water bottles and lunch, and a rain slicker. Wranglers put a rope halter on the horses and leave it on.
• Wranglers carry bear spray.
• Horses are branded with the ranch brand.

Returning home, I brought together what I’d learned with my imagination and created a romantic mystery series called Ghost Mountain Ranch.

You will find these books as eBooks, a paperback set, and audio books.

Will the revelation of more shocking secrets from the past destroy their hopes for the future? The Ghost Mountain Ranch is a 3-book series blending mystery and romance.

https://books2read.com/Darby

https://books2read.com/SladeGhostMountain

https://books2read.com/Kelsey

Maps and Research by Zina Abbott

 

One thing I find indispensable when it comes to writing historical novels is using maps for my research. I have developed quite an online collection as a result of my past almost ten years of writing. I’ll focus on a few maps I found helpful for my three books which are either published, or will be published, in the first half of 2024.

I write most of my novels—many of them in the mail-order bride category—primarily set in the 1860s through 1900s. The main mode of long-distance transportation at that time was the railroad. One map I use frequently enough that I keep it on my computer wallpaper shows the primary lines built up to the 1870s (just after the Trans-continental Railroad was completed), and the lines built between the 1870s and 1890s. I refer to it as part of my advance planning to make help determine if a connection between two or three points by rail is even feasible.

For two of my books, several scenes in each were set in Columbus, Ohio. Although not the West, I like to use it as one of the places from which my characters originally lived. I found a map with the major cities in Ohio helpful.

For my second book, my heroine was a secondary character in one of my earlier books. In the first book, although she appears in the scenes set in Columbus, I identified her destination as West Virginia. This year, with her as my main character, I needed to develop a backstory and location for the opening scene. I looked for cities that were connected by rail to Columbus during the decade my story was set. I settled on Huntington, West Virginia, which is across the Ohio River from the state of Ohio. This city was developed as a railroad terminal for a Virginia-based road so that freight could be carried across the river and continue on the myriad of rail lines available in Ohio. 

As a side note, Huntington, West Virginia, was named after the same Collis Potter Huntington who was one of the "Big Four" who financed the Central Pacific Railroad, the western portion of the Transcontinental Railroad. Once that project ended, he moved on to other railroads in the East.

For my Rejected Mail-Order Bride book, I needed a location farther west than West Virginia, but where the return trip after she is rejected will take her through Columbus. I looked for locations in Wisconsin. The issue I ran into was that, although Wisconsin still had a lot of wilderness areas, many towns were settled by the 1850s or earlier. If a settled area, there might not have been a big need for finding wives through correspondence. 

I searched until I found Marshfield, a town not developed until 1872 when the Wisconsin Central Railroad built a line to connect Chicago with Lake Superior. The railroad chose Marshfield to be a rail stop for taking on fuel and water, and the town developed from there. I love finding railroad maps like the one below.

 

Often, I go straight to Google Maps for one of two reasons. For one book, I knew the cities highlighted in the snippet, below, were close to each other. However, I had two soldiers being discharged from Fort Leavenworth, but who end up in St. Joseph. From there, they planned to board a train taking them east and north. I needed to know if the fort was north or south of St. Joseph. Also, I needed an idea of the approximate distance between the two locations.

For my last book, the opening scenes will take place in Lawrence, Kansas. This same map also gives me the locations and proportionate distances from other major cities.

 

In another instance, I looked up Columbus, Ohio, on Google Maps. I needed to know the names of the surrounding small towns. Once I identified them, from there I checked Wikipedia to see if the towns were in existence at the time of my story, and, if so, what their general status was. That was how I chose Franklinton, a town that is now a neighborhood of Columbus, no longer a separate town.

 

 

In one of my stories, I have my characters going all over the country. As my one hero, a former soldier, considers what sort of work he wishes to do now he is no longer in the U.S. Army, he ends up looking into the stagecoach run between Deadwood in the Black Hills of Dakota Territory. I looked for a map of the stagecoach route.

 

My third book is my covered wagon story, the third I have written for the Prairie Roses Collection. Each of my stories followed the one before. I started by gathering the maps for the major trails, like the one below, that I already had on file for the major trails.

Last year, when I began looking for maps that showed greater detail of the California Trail, one interesting source I stumbled across were the Triple-A maps. Along with current streets and features, several show some of the early trails. I used the one below for the section of the California Trail that took my characters to Carson City. That, combined with research of the physical characteristics of the landscape, helped me better describe the setting as the small train crossed the Forty Mile Desert and where exactly they finally reached the Carson River.

These are just a small sample of the maps I have searched for and keep on file to help flesh out the details of my books.

My first book published in 2024 was Jocelyn’s Wedding Dilemma, Book 2 in the series, The Matchmaker and the Mother-in-Law. I used the United State railroad map, plus the maps I have of Ohio and Colorado. 

Jocelyn’s Wedding Dilemma is now available for sale as an ebook and at no additional cost with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. To find the book description and purchase options, please CLICK HERE

My next publication will be Florence’s Good Deed, Book 6 in the Rejected Mail-Order Brides series. Again, I placed part of this story in Columbus, Ohio. Florence and Asher were introduced as secondary characters in my last year’s book, Elise. That was when I first became familiar with Columbus. Parts of this book took me to Huntington, West Virginia; Marshfield, Wisconsin; Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory; and Helena, Montana. I sought out maps for all locations, particularly the railroad maps I needed.

 Florence’s Good Deed is now on pre-order with a release date of April 15, 2024 (tax day). To find the book description and link, please CLICK HERE

My third book for which I have already started gathering maps is Lucy, Book 46 in the Prairie Roses Collection. This book takes me from Lawrence, Kansas, during the Civil War to California.

Lucy is now on pre-order with a release date of May 2, 2024 (yes, my writing schedule will be tight). To find the book description and link, 

please CLICK HERE

 

The Old Fashioned Way By Kathleen Lawless @kathleenlawless

 

Authors, in general, spend a lot of time doing research. Sometimes we get so lost in the fascinating things we discover that we neglect the poor characters we left hanging in a precarious situation. Historical writers in particular love to dig away in the past to unearth little-known tidbits that are always fun to include in our stories. Readers really appreciate it too when, as well as enjoying our made-up world, they learn something they didn’t already know.

 The internet can be both a curse and a blessing when it comes to research.  On the one hand, it’s “How did we ever manage before Google?” While on the other hand, the internet is full of mis-information, half-truths, and rabbit holes we would never normally go near. 

 Being an old-fashioned type of gal, I have to admit I still love research books. Real ones, with pages where I can highlight sections or stick a bookmark. I have many happy memories of  the research floor of my local library, going back to my teens. I loved the smell of the old books, the peaceful aura that was condusive to reading and writing. the euphoria when I found what I was looking for.  I also haunted the library discard book sales and credit some of my best research materials to them. Sadly, when I moved, I was forced to downsize my library. But here are a few of my favorite research books that I wouldn’t be without.

Speaking of books, Her Undercover Cowboy, a steamy contemporary romance, is currently free to US readers, today and tomorrow only. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087NHQY7K

Tomorrow, if you go to romancebookworms.com, you will find over 600 free books, for one day only. 

Search out your favorite genre(s), click away, and load up your ereader. No commitment, no strings, just writers thanking readers.

 

Oh, and Happy Fall Equinox!  

Kathleen   

USA Today Bestselling Author Kathleen Lawless blames a misspent youth watching Rawhide, Maverick and Bonanza for her fascination with cowboys, which doesn’t stop her from creating a wide variety of interests and occupations for her many alpha male heroes.   

With nearly 50 published novels to her credit, she enjoys pushing the boundaries of traditional romance into historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense and women’s fiction.     

She makes her home in the Pacific Northwest and loves to hear from her readers.  www.kathleenlawless.com

 

Sign up for Kathleen’s VIP Reader Newsletter to receive a free book, updates, special giveaways and fan-priced offers.    http://eepurl.com/bV0sb1

 

AMAZON | WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | BOOKBUB 

RESEARCH, THE JOY OF THE UNKNOWN

Post by Doris McCraw
writing as Angela Raines

Sun setting over the hill in Colorado Springs
photo property of the author

..., not a sound has broken the stillness, and the fleecy clouds have seemed to come down closer and closer until they look like thin veils around bending faces.

Do they take note, now and then, of their graves, I wonder, the old worthies and unworthies who have passed on?

Helen Hunt Jackson

Headstone in one of the local cemeteries
photo property of the author

I have taken many a walk through the local cemeteries during the past three months. There are so many stories behind the stones. What I find most interesting is the research that those stones inspire. With more and more resources online it is easier to follow the trail of the lives these people lived.

Add to that the museums, videos, webinars that add to the knowledge of the time they lived, and you, if you are like me, are in research heaven.

So here in Pikes Peak Region, I thought I'd share some of the museums and other resources for 'digging' out the stories.

If it is general history, the Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum is a great place to start. Along with the Special Collections section of the Penrose Public Library and Colorado College's Tutt Library you have a treasure trove of information.

McAllister House Museum
Photo property of the author

The McAllister House Museum, in Colorado Springs, gives you an overview of the life of the early founders of the city. This is in addition to a well preserved first house of substance built in Colorado Springs.

The Pikes Peak Historical Railway Museum in Colorado Springs along with Pueblo Railway Museum and you can get a feel for the history and importance that the railroads played in the growth of the region. If your really ambitious The Colorado Train Museum in Golden is worth the trip.

There are a number of small and large museums in the Pikes Peak Region. Some are listed below:

The Old Colorado City History Center

Miramount Castle

Glen Eyrie Castle

Fountain Valley Historical Society and Museum

Old Homestead House in Cripple Creek ( brothel)

Jail Museum in Cripple Creek

Cripple Creek District Museum

Lowell Thomas Museum in Victor 

Museum of Colorado Prisons in Canon City

Royal Gorge Regional Museum and History Center

Florence Museum in Florence

There are a few more but that is just a start of what can be a wonderland of research. For those who wonder, I've visited most of them.

Additionally, some have been offering online speakers. If anyone wants to give them a look, below are links to some of the offerings:

First in a series of Suffrage Movement in Colorado

Tips on Using Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum Online

Blacksmith Demonstration

Arts and Crafts Architecture

So keep on writing, researching, and enjoying life. Me, I'll be out on the trails or deep in some piece of research. I spent many an hour going through old records, newspapers, and old books to bring Colorado to life in my novel, "The Outlaw's Letter". Below is just a short excerpt showcasing some of what made it into the book.

      "I'd like to check the train schedule when we get into town," Hetty said. "Without Odysseus, train travel would probably be the safest way to head back to Kiowa Wells."

     "Station's near the edge o' town," Clover added from the front seat.

     "You know you can visit me any time," Hetty offered to Maude and Clover.

     Maude gave Hetty a sad smile. Hetty knew Maude didn't think she'd be welcomed, but Hetty knew everyone would love the woman. Before Maude could reply, Hetty saw a new three-story brick building going up.

     "What's that?" Hetty asked.

     A passerby hearing the question, shouting the answer, pride in his voice, "That's the new school, and we have a military academy being built also."

     "It looks beautiful," Hetty called back, "you have a right to be proud." Looking over at Maude, Hetty caught a look of want and sadness. It gave her an idea.

     "Maude, is there a bank?"

Amazon

Doris Gardner-McCraw -

Author, Speaker, Historian-specializing in
Colorado and Women's History

Angela Raines - author: Where Love & History Meet

Website:: http://angelaraines.net/

Books: Angela Raines Books

Photo and Poem: Click Here 

Angela Raines FaceBook: Click Here

WHEN RESEARCH IS FUN by Kathleen Lawless @kathleenlawless

I’ll never forget my first road trip with my youngest son, just the two of us.  We headed for the prairies because I was researching the old West and I had heard about a recreated western town from that time period, complete with staff (actors?) dressed in period costume, depicting everyday life in those times.

The book I was researching, GRACE’S FOLLY, featured a female physician as the heroine, a career choice that was unusual for the time, but not unheard of.  I had been struggling to research what Grace’s medical bag would have looked like, and what instruments it would have held.

Imagine my delight when we came across a doctor’s home as part of the old-time town, and laid out across the doctor’s bed were the contents of his/her medical bag.  I wasn’t allowed to touch the display, but I did get close enough to snap some useful photos to refer to once I was back at my computer.   That trip was a lot more fun and meaningful than any other research to date. 

Although, recently I set a contemporary book in a spa, for which copious hours of research were required.  Weeks and months of research . . .            

GRACE’S FOLLY IS part of an award-winning, four-book set of Historical Western Romances, WIDOWS, BABIES, AND BRIDES. 

Grace’s life is a lie.  Dex lies for a living.  Will these two ever admit their feelings and face the truth?  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01F9D1AF6

Starting on Saturday, May 23rd, just in time for the long weekend, the boxed set is on sale for the bargain price of only .99 cents, reduced from its regular price of $9.99
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086GGVGP2

Here’s a teaser from GRACE’S FOLLY.  Earlier in the story, Grace hired the hero, Dex, to pretend to be her husband.

Warning:  This is not a sweet romance, and has a medium heat level.

    Grace’s breath caught in her throat. Was it

possible Dex really, truly understood? “Are you

saying we’re not so different, you and I?”

     “On the contrary,” Dex said, his voice a sexy

rumble in his throat. She glanced up, recoiling at the

smoldering look in his eyes as his gaze traveled her

length.

    “You’re afraid to get close to me, afraid to touch

me. I, on the other hand, can’t seem to fight this

compulsion I have to touch you.”

     As he spoke, he pushed her blouse off one

shoulder. Grace trembled at the feather light

sensation of his fingertips grazing her skin.

     “Not so bad, is it?”  He caught her hand in his 

and placed it on his chest. She could feel the steady 

beat of his heart, not nearly so erratic as her own. 

His skin was warm and smooth, textured by the 

thicket of hair which spread across his pectorals, 

angled into a thin line, and disappeared into his trousers.

She moistened her suddenly dry tongue, and the

movement seemed to catch and hold Dex’s

fascination.

     Her knees started to tremble as he stared

hungrily at her mouth, then pushed her blouse off

the shoulder and down her arms. Wet cloth clung

stubbornly to her skin. As he peeled the

uncooperative fabric away from her, she could feel

the faintly abrasive rasp as he worked to separate

her from the garment.

     At last he managed to free Grace from her

blouse. He dropped the sodden garment, and it

landed on the wood floor with an ungracious flop.

He trailed his hands lightly up her bare arms.

     “Put your arms around my neck.”

     When she didn’t comply, he took the initiative

and did it for her, looping her arms across his

shoulders and pulling her close. “I faked being a

doctor today, with your help. It’s your turn now.

Your turn to fake being a wife.”

Get this book and three others for only .99 cents, this weekend only.  

The sale starts Saturday, May 23rd.

If you’re a fan of mail-order brides and secret babies, make sure you check out the sweet western series Widows, Brides and Secret Babies.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084WYL1QX

Kathleen blames a misspent youth watching Rawhide, Maverick and Bonanza for her fascination with cowboys.  Historical or contemporary, cowboys continue to resonate with her today.   

Sign up for her VIP Mailing List and receive a free western novella, as well as updates, special fan-priced sales, and other goodies.  http://eepurl.com/bV0sb1