The Wyoming Writers presented me with the Western Horizon Award on June 4, 2022. This award recognizes authors for their first major publication. (affiliate links) My book, The Call of the Last Frontier: The True Story of a Woman’s Twenty-Year Alaska Adventure, has been a best-seller for months on Amazon in 2022.

My husband and I raised three boys while teaching in remote Alaska. Adventure arrived on our doorstep in more than one way. Early in my teaching career, I was diagnosed with MS and eventually left my job for medical disability.

Being no quitter, I never gave up and began writing and volunteering as an EMT instead of teaching. Thank you, Wyoming Writers, for honoring me with this award.

My recent trip to Detroit required “pay days” when I returned home in the form of rest after my MS decided to punish me for doing too much with not enough sleep. So last weekend, I had to be especially mindful of my health while attending the Wyoming Writers’ annual conference.

Wyoming Poet Laureate 2022 Eugene M. Gagliano and I had a great time catching up at the writers’ conference. Gene spent his career teaching elementary school, though his favorite years were in a one-room schoolhouse in rural Wyoming. I asked him what he enjoyed most about being a multi-grade teacher in a small school. He replied, “It felt more like a family.” So true! Small schools are unique in that way. All of my teaching experience was multi-grade in Alaska.

Check out Gene’s elementary books on Amazon by clicking here.

Old friend Donovin Sprague and I shared a table at the author signing event. We go way back to my college days in Spearfish, South Dakota. Today, Donovin is a well-known expert in Native American history, has ten books to his credit, and teaches at the Sheridan College in Wyoming.

Check out Donovin’s Native American history books on Amazon by clicking here.