Origin of the Typewriter

By Kristy McCaffrey

Henry Mill, an English inventor, patented the first typewriter in 1714, although he described it as a “Machine for Transcribing Letters.” At the start of the 19^th century, an Italian inventor named Pellegrino Turri also created a mechanical typing machine, along with carbon paper to provide the ink. These early machines were largely developed to enable the blind to write.

The first commercially successful typewriter didn’t come along until 1874, when E. Remington and Sons began producing models with the popular QWERTY keyboard layout, based on a prototype created by American inventors Christopher Latham Sholes, Carlos Glidden, and Samuel W. Soule.

The success of this last invention was twofold. First, the text could be seen as it was typed. Earlier writing machines had the paper hidden inside, making it difficult to follow the output. The second important feature was the keys could be used at speed without jamming. The QWERTY keyboard design was to avoid keys clashing together when typing combinations of letters frequently found together in common English words.

* * * * *

Don't miss THE NIGHTHAWK!

Arizona Territory
September 1899

Sophie Ryan’s dream of working for a newspaper has come true. Accompanied by her cousin, Lucas Blackmore, a newly appointed U.S. Deputy Marshal, she arrives in Jerome, one of the richest mining towns in America. And one of the most remote. Although she’s been hired to report for the Jerome Mining News on education and cultural issues, she soon finds herself immersed in something more serious when she finds an enigmatic injured man in the Black Hills claiming to be an ornithologist.

U.S. Deputy Marshal Benton McKay is undercover tracking the notorious train robbing Weaver gang, and the trail ends in Jerome. When he’s injured in the Black Hills and found by a determined and beautiful young woman, he must gain her trust to keep his identity a secret. But keeping her out of trouble proves a challenge, especially with her cousin assigned to assist him. As they track down the band of outlaws, another agenda emerges—the renegades are searching for lost gold believed to have been left behind by the Spanish Conquistadors. And Sophie Ryan is determined to report on it.

The Nighthawk is a fast-paced romantic adventure filled with humor, treasure hunting, a tenacious heroine, and a hero harboring a secret. It has light steam, a happily-for-now ending, and can be read as a standalone.

Sophie is the daughter of Logan and Claire from THE DOVE.

Available in digital and paperback. Find more info here.

Read an excerpt

Sophie pulled free. “What are you doing here?” she whispered.

“I could ask you the same, but I don’t have time.”

McKay went to the barn door as Bromley’s light disappeared around the house. He stepped into the storm, searching the ground for Xander’s path. It became futile quickly, the ground a muddy slop. And he couldn’t keep lurking around the Bromley house. The man might see him.

When he stopped abruptly, Sophie slammed into his backside. He grabbed her shoulders before she fell, her duster slick with rain. “We need to go,” he said.

Grabbing her hand, he dragged her behind him, not stopping until they got to her horse.

“Were you following me?” she demanded.

He ignored her, grabbing her waist and hoisting her onto Roger. He took the horse’s reins from her.

“I can ride on my own,” Sophie said loudly above the din of rain.

McKay walked Roger to his own horse. Once mounted, he continued to hold Roger’s reins, not wanting to lose Sophie in the storm. It was slow going, but he finally got them to the livery where they left the animals for the night. Then McKay took her hand again and led her to his hotel.

“Where are we going?” Her voice was exasperated.

“We need privacy,” he said, taking a back way, entering the Connor Hotel through a rear entrance.

When the way was clear of employees, they went through the kitchen and took the stairs. He unlocked his door but when he stepped inside, Sophie refused.

“I’m not going into your room,” she whispered. She was dripping water all over the carpeted floor.

“Now’s not the time to play hard to get, Sophie.”

He pulled her inside and shut the door.

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The Nighthawk has landed!

 

By Kristy McCaffrey

The newest Wings of the West book is here!

Arizona Territory
September 1899

Sophie Ryan’s dream of working for a newspaper has come true. Accompanied by her cousin, Lucas Blackmore, a newly appointed U.S. Deputy Marshal, she arrives in Jerome, one of the richest mining towns in America. And one of the most remote. Although she’s been hired to report for the Jerome Mining News on education and cultural issues, she soon finds herself immersed in something more serious when she finds an enigmatic injured man in the Black Hills claiming to be an ornithologist.

U.S. Deputy Marshal Benton McKay is undercover tracking the notorious train robbing Weaver gang, and the trail ends in Jerome. When he’s injured in the Black Hills and found by a determined and beautiful young woman, he must gain her trust to keep his identity a secret. But keeping her out of trouble proves a challenge, especially with her cousin assigned to assist him. As they track down the band of outlaws, another agenda emerges—the renegades are searching for lost gold believed to have been left behind by the Spanish Conquistadors. And Sophie Ryan is determined to report on it.

The Nighthawk is a fast-paced romantic adventure filled with humor, treasure hunting, a tenacious heroine, and a hero harboring a secret. It has light steam, a happily-for-now ending, and can be read as a standalone.

Sophie is the daughter of Logan and Claire from THE DOVE.

Available in digital and paperback. Find more info here.

Read an excerpt

Sophie pulled free. “What are you doing here?” she whispered.

“I could ask you the same, but I don’t have time.”

McKay went to the barn door as Bromley’s light disappeared around the house. He stepped into the storm, searching the ground for Xander’s path. It became futile quickly, the ground a muddy slop. And he couldn’t keep lurking around the Bromley house. The man might see him.

When he stopped abruptly, Sophie slammed into his backside. He grabbed her shoulders before she fell, her duster slick with rain. “We need to go,” he said.

Grabbing her hand, he dragged her behind him, not stopping until they got to her horse.

“Were you following me?” she demanded.

He ignored her, grabbing her waist and hoisting her onto Roger. He took the horse’s reins from her.

“I can ride on my own,” Sophie said loudly above the din of rain.

McKay walked Roger to his own horse. Once mounted, he continued to hold Roger’s reins, not wanting to lose Sophie in the storm. It was slow going, but he finally got them to the livery where they left the animals for the night. Then McKay took her hand again and led her to his hotel.

“Where are we going?” Her voice was exasperated.

“We need privacy,” he said, taking a back way, entering the Connor Hotel through a rear entrance.

When the way was clear of employees, they went through the kitchen and took the stairs. He unlocked his door but when he stepped inside, Sophie refused.

“I’m not going into your room,” she whispered. She was dripping water all over the carpeted floor.

“Now’s not the time to play hard to get, Sophie.”

He pulled her inside and shut the door.

Connect with Kristy

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Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKristyMcCaffrey

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristymccaffreybooks/

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Pre-Order The Nighthawk!

 

By Kristy McCaffrey

The newest Wings of the West novel is almost here!

Arizona Territory
September 1899

Sophie Ryan’s dream of working for a newspaper has come true. Accompanied by her cousin, Lucas Blackmore, a newly appointed U.S. Deputy Marshal, she arrives in Jerome, one of the richest mining towns in America. And one of the most remote. Although she’s been hired to report for the Jerome Mining News on education and cultural issues, she soon finds herself immersed in something more serious when she finds an enigmatic injured man in the Black Hills claiming to be an ornithologist.

U.S. Deputy Marshal Benton McKay is undercover tracking the notorious train robbing Weaver gang, and the trail ends in Jerome. When he’s injured in the Black Hills and found by a determined and beautiful young woman, he must gain her trust to keep his identity a secret. But keeping her out of trouble proves a challenge, especially with her cousin assigned to assist him. As they track down the band of outlaws, another agenda emerges—the renegades are searching for lost gold believed to have been left behind by the Spanish Conquistadors. And Sophie Ryan is determined to report on it.

Come along with Sophie and McKay as they find adventure, mystery, and love.

Sophie is the daughter of Logan and Claire from THE DOVE.

The Wings of the West Series Reading Order

Book One: The Wren
Book Two: The Dove
Book Three: The Sparrow
Book Four: The Blackbird
Book Five: The Bluebird
Book Six: The Songbird (Novella)
Book Seven: Echo of the Plains (Short Story)
Book Eight: The Starling
Book Nine: The Canary
Book Ten: The Nighthawk

[Benton is undercover, alias Ben Lewis, and has been shot in the wilderness near Jerome, Arizona Territory. Sophie found him and nursed him back to health in secret. She's currently in possession of a map that leads to Spanish gold, and Benton wants it.]

“Your wound,” Sophie said. “You’ve reopened it.”

McKay followed her gaze. “It looks that way.”

“Let me have a look.”

“I’m fine.”

“I didn’t stitch you back together to have you undo it all.”

She reached for the collar of his shirt, but he caught her wrists before she could touch him. His hands were warm and larger than she’d realized, his gaze hard and filled with wanting. For her.

It had always been there, some part of her having sensed it, but now she knew for certain.

“You probably shouldn’t keep touching me,” he said.

“You’re touching me.”

She was close enough to see the slight flare of his nostrils and the rapid pace of his breath. He gave a slight nod and released her. She leaned away, putting distance between them.

“Will you at least rebandage it?” she said.

“I’ll look at it.”

“Then it’s time I left.” She picked up her notebook that he’d placed on the bed beside him.

“Will you promise me something?” he asked.

She waited for him to continue.

“That you won’t follow that map by yourself.”

“Are you offering to accompany me?”

“Sophie, this is dangerous. You should give that evidence to me and let me handle it.”

The rush of euphoria from a moment ago slid away. Was Ben Lewis playing on her obvious weakness for him to manipulate her? Her cheeks heated with embarrassment, and she hid the response by standing and reaching for her satchel.

“After I went to all the effort to get it?” she said, placing the notebook in her bag, the blanket dropping from her shoulders and falling to the floor. “If it’s all the same to you, I’ll hang on to it.”

She put on her coat, still soaked, but she didn’t care, and grabbed her drenched hat. “I’ll be seeing you, Ben.”

The Nighthawk is coming on July 17, 2024

Pre-order digital copies at

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon CA

Amazon AU

Apple Books

Nook

Add it on Goodreads

Find it at BookBub

It will also be available at Kobo, Google Play, and in paperback. 

Visit Kristy's website for the latest books news.

Nighthawks – The Nightjar Family

 By Kristy McCaffrey

Nighthawks are a member of the nightjar family, with large eyes, brown and gray coloring, and resemble swallow-like birds, sailing and diving as they fly. They're misnamed as they’re neither nocturnal—they’re active at dawn and dusk—nor are they closely related to hawks.

They have long pointed wings and medium-long tails, but the most striking feature is their small bill, which is barely visible at the tip of their mouth. They feed by flying with their mouth open, swallowing prey whole, and feed on thousands of insects every night.

They were called goatsuckers because of the myth that they used their wide mouths to suckle goats directly from the udders, drinking the milk to sustain themselves. It was thought the goat would stop producing milk and go blind.

Fossils of nighthawks have been found as far back as 400,000 years ago during the late Pleistocene. A group of nighthawks is called a kettle.

* * * * *

Don’t miss my new western coming July 2024. 

Pre-order THE NIGHTHAWK now.

 

Sophie Ryan’s dream of working for a newspaper has come true. Accompanied by her cousin, Lucas Blackmore, a newly appointed U.S. Deputy Marshal, she arrives in Jerome, one of the richest mining towns in America. And one of the most remote. Although she’s been hired to report for the Jerome Mining News on education and cultural issues, she soon finds herself immersed in something more serious when she finds an enigmatic injured man in the Black Hills claiming to be an ornithologist.

U.S. Deputy Marshal Benton McKay is undercover tracking the notorious train robbing Weaver gang, and the trail ends in Jerome. When he’s injured in the Black Hills and found by a determined and beautiful young woman, he must gain her trust to keep his identity a secret. But keeping her out of trouble proves a challenge, especially with her cousin assigned to assist him. As they track down the band of outlaws, another agenda emerges—the renegades are searching for lost gold believed to have been left behind by the Spanish Conquistadors. And Sophie Ryan is determined to report on it.

Come along with Sophie and McKay as they find adventure, mystery, and love. 

Sophie is the daughter of Logan and Claire from THE DOVE.

 Coming July 17, 2024

Pre-order at

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon CA

Amazon AU

Apple Books

Nook

Add it on Goodreads

Find it at BookBub

Will also be available at Kobo, Google Play, and in paperback.

United States Marshal

By Kristy McCaffrey 

The word “marshal” comes from the Old High German word marah, which means horse, and calc, which means servant, so marshal means “horsekeeper.” In European society, marshals rose from managing the army cavalries to maintaining the law and order of the court systems.

In 1789, President George Washington signed the Judiciary Act into law, and one aspect was providing the jurisdiction and powers of U.S. Marshals and their Deputy Marshals: they would help to define, administer, and enforce the growing body of federal laws, and by their actions would determine the boundary between federal authority and local autonomy.

Each state or territory was assigned a Marshal, and the marshalcy was restricted to four years due in part to their authority in choosing juries. It was thought this power could make the marshal “dangerous.”

Marshals were paid by a fee system rather than a salary. They were only compensated if their services were needed, otherwise the government spent nothing. Not surprisingly, this fee system proved a low income for most marshals, making it hard to recruit energetic young men to the office.

An example of the fee system established by Congress in 1853: $2 for service of a warrant; $.50 for service of a subpoena; $.06 per mile for travel; $.50 for each bail bond; $5 per day for serving court in session; $5 for drawing and executing a deed; $.10 per mile for escorting a prisoner to jail; actual expenses when endeavoring to arrest a criminal, not to exceed $2 per day; and two percent of money disbursed to jurors and witnesses. 

In 1806, the fee system was extended to the territories of the United States but due to the high cost of living, lawmakers granted those marshals an annual salary of $200 plus fees not to exceed $4000 per year.

A marshal relied heavily on his deputies, who were employees of the marshal and not officers of the court. Deputy marshals were empowered to perform most of the duties of the marshal—they could serve the process of the court, deputize temporary deputies, and summon the posse comitatus (“power of the county” – it enabled the marshals to press into service a posse from among the local males).

If a marshal died, then the deputy would fill the post temporarily. The ranks of the deputies were divided into two categories. The office deputy worked in the headquarters and performed bookkeeping tasks, and the field deputy resided in remote corners of the judicial district and served the marshal during sessions of court.

The office of Marshal was often afflicted with political factionalism. For example, in Arizona locals applauded the marshal for deporting Chinese immigrants but then berated them for enforcing polygamy laws against the Mormons. The Mormons, in turn, regarded the marshals as part of an oppressive federal government. And because Arizonans wanted more immigrants and economic development, the governor permitted a subdued response to the antipolygamy law since the Mormons contributed significantly to the fledgling economy.

The general lawlessness of the Arizona Territory was the source of the popular “frontier marshal” image, a lawman chasing down dangerous desperadoes, but it didn’t exist anywhere else.

 * * *

Don’t miss my new western coming July 2024. 

Pre-order THE NIGHTHAWK now.

 

Sophie Ryan’s dream of working for a newspaper has come true. Accompanied by her cousin, Lucas Blackmore, a newly appointed U.S. Deputy Marshal, she arrives in Jerome, one of the richest mining towns in America. And one of the most remote. Although she’s been hired to report for the Jerome Mining News on education and cultural issues, she soon finds herself immersed in something more serious when she finds an enigmatic injured man in the Black Hills claiming to be an ornithologist.

U.S. Deputy Marshal Benton McKay is undercover tracking the notorious train robbing Weaver gang, and the trail ends in Jerome. When he’s injured in the Black Hills and found by a determined and beautiful young woman, he must gain her trust to keep his identity a secret. But keeping her out of trouble proves a challenge, especially with her cousin assigned to assist him. As they track down the band of outlaws, another agenda emerges—the renegades are searching for lost gold believed to have been left behind by the Spanish Conquistadors. And Sophie Ryan is determined to report on it.

Come along with Sophie and McKay as they find adventure, mystery, and love. 

Sophie is the daughter of Logan and Claire from THE DOVE.

 Coming July 17, 2024

Pre-order at

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon CA

Amazon AU

Apple Books

Nook

Add it on Goodreads

Find it at BookBub

The Bottled in Bond Act of 1897

 

By Kristy McCaffrey

Distilled spirits, especially whiskey, helped to shape the Old West. Whiskey’s ingredients were easy to produce, namely corn, wheat, barley, and rye, and as its value rose it became a popular trade item.

As demand increased, some businessmen doctored their supplies with ingredients such as tobacco juice, kerosene, and grain alcohol, leading to the term “rotgut” when describing the liquor. This “rectified” whiskey required no aging and was consumed immediately following production, as opposed to straight whiskey which was aged in new oak barrels for a minimum of two years.

In towns such as Tombstone, Arizona, popular whiskey drinks included Whiskey Cocktails, Whiskey Slings, Whiskey Punches, Rock and Rye, and Stone Fences.

But as the nineteenth century was ending, change was afoot. The Bottled in Bond Act was enacted in 1897 to regulate the sale of whiskey. The legal regulation is part of the U. S. government’s Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits. It stipulates that the liquor must be the product of one distillation season (January-June or July- December) by one distiller at one distillery. It must be aged in a federally bonded warehouse under U.S. supervision for at least four years and bottled at 100 proof/50% alcohol by volume. Only spirits produced in the U.S. may be designated as bonded.

Some consumers consider this to be an endorsement of quality, but some producers of whiskey believe the regulation to be archaic today. But the goal was to insure a higher quality of whiskey to the consumer.

* * *

Don’t miss my new western coming July 2024. 

Pre-order THE NIGHTHAWK now.

 

Sophie Ryan’s dream of working for a newspaper has come true. Accompanied by her cousin, Lucas Blackmore, a newly appointed U.S. Deputy Marshal, she arrives in Jerome, one of the richest mining towns in America. And one of the most remote. Although she’s been hired to report for the Jerome Mining News on education and cultural issues, she soon finds herself immersed in something more serious when she finds an enigmatic injured man in the Black Hills claiming to be an ornithologist.

U.S. Deputy Marshal Benton McKay is undercover tracking the notorious train robbing Weaver gang, and the trail ends in Jerome. When he’s injured in the Black Hills and found by a determined and beautiful young woman, he must gain her trust to keep his identity a secret. But keeping her out of trouble proves a challenge, especially with her cousin assigned to assist him. As they track down the band of outlaws, another agenda emerges—the renegades are searching for lost gold believed to have been left behind by the Spanish Conquistadors. And Sophie Ryan is determined to report on it.

Come along with Sophie and McKay as they find adventure, mystery, and love. 

Sophie is the daughter of Logan and Claire from THE DOVE.

 Coming July 17, 2024

Pre-order at

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon CA

Amazon AU

Apple Books

Nook

Add it on Goodreads

Find it at BookBub

Women Editors of the Old West

 

By Kristy McCaffrey

Between 1854 and 1899 there were almost three hundred women who were editing publications in eleven western states in the U.S.

While the records of women’s contributions to newspapers and periodicals wasn’t always well documented, the first female western editor was likely Sarah Moore Clarke, who published The Contra Costa in Oakland, California, in 1854. The purpose of her weekly paper was, “to do service as a ladies’ paper, as well as in the drudgery of a general news organ.”

 

Female editors were diverse, from thirteen-year-old Katherine Bragg, who published The Bug-Hunter in 1891, in Tombstone, Arizona, to Mary Hayes-Chynoweth, who edited her church’s magazine, The True Life. Most of the women were from middle-class backgrounds and had several years of schooling.

For the most part, female editors worked independently. When they had co-editors, their partners were likely to be a female related to them or a spouse. Their careers were usually short-lived, lasting on average two years. However, Emmeline B. Wells had a thirty-seven-year career as editor of the Woman’s Exponent in Salt Lake City, Utah, taking it over in 1877.

 

Most women edited small-town weeklies, but many publications ran the gamut of subject matter: Western Society, Salt Lake Sanitarian, Temperance Star, Indian Advance, and Out of Doors for Women were just a few of the periodicals and newspapers available at the time.

In the book Equal to the Occasion by Sherilyn Cox Bennion, she writes, “Perhaps the acceptance of women as journalists, and particularly as editors and publishers, had something to do with a subconscious perception that women and the press shared certain common functions. Women, after all, brought civilization to the frontier, at least in the eyes of those who accepted the traditional ideas of a woman’s place. They initiated the recruiting of teachers and preachers and organized literary societies and amateur theatricals. Newspapers, for their part, brought the printed word. … Woman may have seen the editorial role as compatible with their natural tendencies, and communities may have accepted them because that perception was shared.”

* * * * *

In my upcoming book, THE NIGHTHAWK, Sophie Ryan has come to Jerome, Arizona Territory, in 1899 to work as a reporter for the Jerome Mining News. While her employer is the elder Hayes Bromley, it’s actually his daughter, Olivia, who runs the paper. Pre-order THE NIGHTHAWK now!

Sophie Ryan’s dream of working for a newspaper has come true. Accompanied by her cousin, Lucas Blackmore, a newly appointed U.S. Deputy Marshal, she arrives in Jerome, one of the richest mining towns in America. And one of the most remote. Although she’s been hired to report for the Jerome Mining News on education and cultural issues, she soon finds herself immersed in something more serious when she finds an enigmatic injured man in the Black Hills claiming to be an ornithologist.

U.S. Deputy Marshal Benton McKay is undercover tracking the notorious train robbing Weaver gang, and the trail ends in Jerome. When he’s injured in the Black Hills and found by a determined and beautiful young woman, he must gain her trust to keep his identity a secret. But keeping her out of trouble proves a challenge, especially with her cousin assigned to assist him. As they track down the band of outlaws, another agenda emerges—the renegades are searching for lost gold believed to have been left behind by the Spanish Conquistadors. And Sophie Ryan is determined to report on it.

Come along with Sophie and McKay as they find adventure, mystery, and love.

Sophie is the daughter of Logan and Claire from THE DOVE.

Coming July 17, 2024

Pre-order at

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon CA

Amazon AU

Apple Books

Nook

Add it on Goodreads

Find it at BookBub

Jerome, Arizona

 

By Kristy McCaffrey

Happy 2024! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday with your family and friends. This year brings a new addition to my Wings of the West series. THE NIGHTHAWK is Book Ten and will be released July 17, 2024. You can pre-order a digital copy today. The story takes place in Jerome, Arizona Territory, in 1899. It’s a lovely little town with great views of the red rocks of Sedona in the distance.

 

Today Jerome is known for its art scene and wineries, but in the 1800’s it was called the “Wickedest Town in the West.” Built on Cleopatra Hill, it sat on a vast deposit of copper.

Jerome 1897

Prehistoric Native Americans were the first miners. Later, the Spaniards came seeking gold, followed by an influx of Americans, Mexicans, Croatians, Irish, Italians, and Chinese. It was a raucous town filled with miners, freighters, gamblers, bootleggers, saloons, prostitutes, and preachers. The copper deposits discovered here are among some of the richest ever found.

The Nighthawk

Sophie Ryan’s dream of working for a newspaper has come true. Accompanied by her cousin, Lucas Blackmore, a newly appointed U.S. Deputy Marshal, she arrives in Jerome, one of the richest mining towns in America. And one of the most remote. Although she’s been hired to report for the Jerome Mining News on education and cultural issues, she soon finds herself immersed in something more serious when she finds an enigmatic injured man in the Black Hills claiming to be an ornithologist.

U.S. Deputy Marshal Benton McKay is undercover tracking the notorious train robbing Weaver gang, and the trail ends in Jerome. When he’s injured in the Black Hills and found by a determined and beautiful young woman, he must gain her trust to keep his identity a secret. But keeping her out of trouble proves a challenge, especially with her cousin assigned to assist him. As they track down the band of outlaws, another agenda emerges—the renegades are searching for lost gold believed to have been left behind by the Spanish Conquistadors. And Sophie Ryan is determined to report on it.

Come along with Sophie and McKay as they find adventure, mystery, and love.

Sophie is the daughter of Logan and Claire from THE DOVE.

Pre-order The Nighthawk

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon CA

Amazon AU

Apple Books

Nook

Kobo, Google Play and Paperbacks will be coming.