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For today's post, please allow me to welcome guest author Heidi M. Thomas.
Heidi grew up on a working ranch in eastern Montana. She had parents who taught her a love of books and a grandmother who rode bucking stock in rodeos. Describing herself as “born with ink in her veins,” Heidi followed her dream of writing with a journalism degree from the University of Montana and later turned to her first love, fiction, to write her grandmother’s story.Heidi’s first novel, Cowgirl Dreams, has won an EPIC Award and the USA Book News Best Book Finalist award.Follow the Dream is the second book in the “Dare to Dream” series about strong, independent Montana Women.Heidi is a member of Women Writing the West, Skagit Valley Writers League, Skagit Women in Business, and the Northwest Independent Editors Guild. She is also a manuscript editor, and teaches memoir and fiction writing classes in the Pacific Northwest.
Heidi, please tell us about your book, Cowgirl Dreams
This is the story of Nettie, a young woman who has a dream—to become a rodeo star, against many obstacles, including her own mother. She is a strong, independent woman who has a goal and will do almost anything to achieve it. The book loosely parallels the life of my grandmother who rode steers in Montana rodeos during the 1920s. It is suitable for both adult and young adult readers.
What made you select your grandmother’s tale to tell?
Can you tell us a little about the sequels…?
The sequel to Cowgirl Dreams has a working title of Follow the Dream, and it is the second half of Nettie’s life, after she marries. Her dream of rodeo stardom lingers, but family obligations, drought, and the Great Depression delay that dream further.
I've just started the third "Nettie" book in the series, working title "Nettie's Cowgirls." This will take place during the 1940s, when women area losing their place in the competitive arena with men. Nettie is fighting this trend.
The fourth book in the series, working title Land of Milk and Honey, is about the next generation, Nettie’s son and his German war bride. This one is based on my mother’s story, when she meets my father, an American soldier during the occupation of Germany after the war ends, and after he is shipped home, accepts his proposal to come to America and marry him. Again I see this as a very courageous venture, moving so far from family, to a foreign country where she didn’t speak the language, where she was regarded as “the enemy,” and where she didn’t know anyone except this man she hadn’t seen in two years.
The fifth book, Rescuing Samantha, is purely fiction, but my character is Nettie’s great-granddaughter, who moves from the big city to the old family ranch, hoping to make a go of raising thoroughbred race horses, again against financial and climatic odds.
Tell us about the classes you offer in beginning fiction and memoir writing.
After I’d started sending out queries on my first book (which is now the third in the series), I received a couple of comments from agents or
11 Comments on Guest Author-Heidi M. Thomas, last added: 9/30/2010
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By: Karen Cioffi,
on 11/30/2009
Blog: Writing for Children with Karen Cioffi (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: editor, author, novel, Missouri, Cowgirl Dreams, Heidi Thomas, young adult book, Add a tag
It's always so interesting to learn about writers, such as where they come from, how they became involved with writing, and what motivates them. Well, we'll learn about author and editor, Heidi Thomas, and her young adult novel, Cowgirl Dreams.
Heidi is a longtime writer, a journalist and a pre-published novelist. In addition to writing for herself, she edits manuscripts for others and teaches classes in Memoir and Beginning Fiction Writing. Raised on a ranch in isolated eastern Montana, Heidi Thomas has had a penchant for reading and writing since she was a child. Armed with a degree in journalism from the University of Montana, she worked for the Daily Missoulian newspaper, and has had numerous magazine articles published. A tidbit of family history, that her grandmother rode steers in rodeos during the 1920s, spurred Heidi to write a novel based on that grandmother’s life. Cowgirl Dream
18 Comments on Heidi Thomas, Author and Editor, last added: 12/4/2009
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The sequels to Cowgirl Dreams sound very interesting. Great post, Kevin.
The books sound interesting. Great interview!
Great interview, Kevin and Heidi!
Heidi, I love that you are able to use your grandmother's life as a springboard for your stories.
It must be difficult to fictionalize family history, but Heidi's relatives have sure had exciting lives.
I love the idea. You don't find a lot of books about cowgirls. The sequels sound just as interesting as Cowgirl Dreams. Good luck with them all!
Nice interview Heidi. I love the metaphor of walking a tightrope juggling your mother's china.
Great post Kevin.
I've been a fan of Heidi's book, "Cowgirl Dream" for some time. I'm excited to hear about the sequels. Each one sounds better than the other!! Good luck!
Thank for your comments everyone and thanks to Heidi for sharing her book with us.
Heidi, your book sounds wonderful. I agree that it's important to preserve family history. I didn't know you offered classes.
Great interview, Kevin.
Thank you for hosting me today, Kevin, and thanks to all for visiting. Just want to let you know, my sequel Follow the Dream will be available in just a couple of weeks. I'm taking pre-orders with FREE SHIPPING at my website www.heidimthomas.com
Wonderful interview! I love the concept of Cowgirl Dreams.