EASTER, SPRING..... THOUGHTS ON THE SEASON.... By Gail Jenner

As the season of Easter wanes and the season of spring surges ahead, it’s a time when I often ponder the role we play on earth. Is that the spiritual part of my soul or my writer's soul at work? Or both.....?

As writers, I believe we have a responsibility to think about the role we play in the world of words and thought. Is it merely to entertain—which is certainly motivation enough to write—or is it also to impart something significant to our readers?

It has to be acknowledged, that whether it’s "truth" or a reflection of the truth, or the desire to move the hearts of those who take in our stories—there is something quite powerful about the written word.

The following passage came to me in an email this week and it struck me as true for us, as writers, not just because it is a spiritual truth, but because it raises a practical and ethical or moral question, too:

“A man’s [or woman's] self shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; and with the consequence of his words he must be satisfied [whether good or evil].”         ~   Proverbs 18: 20

 I decided to post the quote on my desktop and so have been glancing at it all week. Last night I decided that even the most trivial story carries an element of something deeper, or does it?  Are we satisfied with the words we select and with the stories and/or themes we portray? Is it any accident that certain stories resonate with us and demand to be heard?

Do we write about redemption? Vengeance, and the consequences of it? The battle between what our characters want or need? Do we write about love—lost, forgotten, stolen, recovered? Or about a time in history when people thought not about the consequences of their actions—eg; how we've destroyed or tormented or conquered? History is full of these stories and as I look through our own Prairie Rose titles, I'm struck by how many of us seem to incorporate them into our writing, as well.


Clearly, themes are important to most of us. I know they are to me. Even as a young person reading (and I have always loved historicals, biographies, autobiographies, and history), I often looked to stories for insight into the human heart or soul, or into the conflicts that ripped brother against brother or nation against nation...As a teacher of history, these themes came up in my teaching all the time, too. I wanted my students to dig deeper into the "facts" and find the human story, whether good or bad.

Thus, authors, through their stories, are empowered to share what it takes to survive, how men AND women can overcome the odds..... Or how, sometimes, we are crippled by or left bare by the devastation that people have suffered through history. 

Perhaps that's why we carry the "burden" of speaking to the hearts and minds of our readers, hoping that they derive more than just a good story from our words!

Easter—a season of redemption—and spring—the season of rebirth:  great themes for our own personal journeys and also for our characters.

In my first novel, ACROSS THE SWEET GRASS HILLS, several of my characters (Red Eagle, Liza, Crying Wind, Liza’s father) are involved in their personal journeys of discovering not only what they need, but also in recovering that which was lost: an unknown past; a connection to a people torn apart by violence and prejudice and war; a love that was almost lost, then found; and a people who overcame what was taken from them. It was also a story of how hate and bigotry can tear apart the soul and the flesh...

In part, these very themes were what drew me "into the original story." After doing an enormous amount of research with the intent of writing nonfiction, I found myself thinking about what each of these people had to lose or gain by the events that led to the infamous and tragic Marias Massacre of the Blackfeet in Montana. A rarely shared event that left 173 innocent people dead in the middle of a bitterly cold January morning...

Those questions provided the impetus to turn the mass of facts I had collected into historical fiction.

It became imperative that I communicate more than just the facts. It became imperative that I build characters that were aching or searching to know more, to find more, to overcome....even to love more. To find wholeness in the face of death and pain and loss...Perhaps, in truth, to be reborn.

Gail L. Jenner is the author of the WILLA Award-winning novel, ACROSS THE SWEET GRASS HILLS, republished by Prairie Rose Publishing, as well as the author of several short stories, the historical novel, BLACK BART: THE POET BANDIT, and 5 nonfiction regional histories.

FINDING THOSE OBSCURE STORIES........LOOKING TO BE TOLD! By Gail L. Jenner

How often do we as writers rely on “serendipity?”

It seems that we often think that our ideas are the result of hard work....but, in truth, many of our ideas and even our successes are serendipitous. Purely the result of one thing leading to another – one idea cascading into a series of ideas, one event stumbling into a series of events.

In thinking about where my ideas come from, I decided to investigate the history or definition of serendipity.  The result:

“Word Origin and History for serendipity.... n. 1754 (but rare before 20c.), coined by Horace Walpole (1717-92) in a letter to Horace Mann (dated Jan. 28); he said he formed it [serendipity] from the Persian fairy tale "The Three Princes of Serendip," whose heroes "were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of." The name is from Serendip, an old name for Ceylon (modern Sri Lanka), from Arabic Sarandib, from Sanskrit Simhaladvipa "Dwelling-Place-of-Lions Island."”

So that means ideas or opportunities, per chance, often come from things we are not actually in quest of.  Perhaps they’re accidental? As in stream of consciousness, perhaps they fall on the heels of other actions – thoughts—ideas—images—we are in quest of?

With that in mind, I found myself reflecting on where two of my story ideas came from. Let me see....

The “story idea” for ACROSS THE SWEET GRASS HILLS came as a result of teaching American history where I stumbled upon a little-known event, which should have been a WELL-known event: the Marias Massacre of 1870! Disgruntled, I began to dig...and, sadly, found little in the way of documented or written history. That led me on the quest to KNOW more...which led me to take a trip to Montana (at the insistence of my sister!). The quest began in earnest when I found few primary documents and decided “this story just had to be told!”

And so, the next year became two, then five, then eight! And finally I finished the novel--a romantic historical--which was anchored in and around the events leading up to and following the tragedy of the Blackfeet Massacre by the U.S. Army. 

That it won a WILLA Literary Award from Women Writing the West meant all the more to me because of how strongly I felt about the history and the people whose lives and living were destroyed by this rarely discussed but devastating history.

And after that, I found myself—through happenstance—introduced to a friend of my father’s who had spent six years researching the life of Charles Boles, aka BLACK BART. He didn’t consider himself a writer, but he’d spent six years traveling in Charles’s footsteps, from New York to California and back again, from the California Gold Rush through the Civil War years and beyond. Again, serendipitously, I found myself intrigued by the “lack” of story surrounding Black Bart. 

Yes, there were newspaper articles and a couple of books outlining his 28 successful Wells Fargo stage robberies, but there had never been a “STORY” about his life -- about why he chose the life he did. Why he abandoned his wife and family and became a stage bandit, albeit a “gentlemanly” one, who used a plugged shotgun and only targeted Wells, Fargo and Company! Thus the quest to understand the man behind the gunny sack mask became the foundation of the story that I penned (coauthored) entitled  BLACK BART: THE POET BANDIT.

As it turned out, this story placed 2nd in the Jack London Novel Contest.

And now—serendipitously—that book led me to another recent opportunity--so totally unexpected! I was asked to be interviewed for an upcoming history series on characters from the Old West, to premiere April 12, 2015, on one of the Fox Network channels. 

Entitled “Legends and Lies,” the series (that features 10 Old West characters) created and to be narrated by Bill O’Reilly. As “luck” or good fortune would have it, I was flown to Montana (is there something about Montana? <g>) just last week to be interviewed as one of several authors/et al, on the infamous and little-known life of Black Bart. 

The TV series will also be tied to an upcoming book. Promoted on amazon, the blurb reads:

The book tie in for Fox’s highly anticipated documentary series Legends & Lies, which exposes the truth behind the wild western legends we all think we know, with spectacular color artwork
Why did Black Bart, the "gentleman bandit" and one of the west’s most famous bank robbers, suddenly disappear at the height of his success robbing stagecoaches? For how long after he was presumed dead did Billy the Kid continue his mischief making? How did Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid really die? Generations of Americans have grown up on these beloved western legends. In Fox News’s forthcoming documentary series Legends and Lies, the true stories behind these infamous tales are revealed in the same gripping, edge-of-your-seat treatment readers have flocked to again and again in O’Reilly’s mega-successful KILLING series. The first of its kind for the network, Legends and Lies will be given a huge red carpet roll out when it debuts. Heavily illustrated and told in fast-paced, immersive narrative, Legends and Lies is an adventure packed ride back into one of the most storied era of our nation’s rich history.

After a series of phone calls back in August and October, I could only laugh when I told my husband that I was going to be flown to Montana, paid a stipend, and even given a car during my stay, just to share what I knew about this unusual and intriguing outlaw, Black Bart. My husband shook his head, “Wow,” he said. “All because of a STORY?”

“Yes,” I replied. “All because of a STORY. But a little told, little-known story,” I added (BTW, I had a great time in Missoula, MT!).

And therein, I believe, is the ultimate truth for we writers searching for “stories:” Look for those random, little-known, relatively obscure bits of story that are hiding in unusual—or maybe not so unusual places. These are the stories that are just waiting to be discovered!  

Just waiting to be TOLD. 

And......who knows where those stories may ultimately lead...?

Gail L. Jenner is the author ACROSS THE SWEET GRASS HILLS, recently re-released by Prairie Rose Publications.

She has also coauthored five nonfiction regional histories and has contributed to a number of anthologies, including ANKLE HIGH AND KNEE DEEP (GlobePequot/Two Dot), also Prairie Rose's LASSOING A BRIDE, PRESENT FOR A COWBOY, and COWBOY KISSES. Her work has been published in numerous women's and Christian publications, including Better Homes & Gardens, Everyday With Rachel Ray, Country Woman, Range, Parenting Teenagers, Living with Teens, Keys for Kids, Decision, and more. She writes for NPR/JPR's historical series and for JEFFERSON BACKROADS, a monthly regional publication.

Gail has also been interviewed for other "random" TV series, including: "How the States Got Their Shapes" (History Channel); PBS' "Oregon Experience"; and an upcoming episode on "Mysteries at the Museum." They were all the result of other serendipitous events :-)

"PRETTIEST LITTLE HORSE THIEF..." -- An excerpt and Give-Away -- by GAIL L. JENNER

Being a part of the Prairie Rose Anthology, Lassoing a Bride, has been a lot of fun! I've always enjoyed writing short stories and short memoir pieces, but this is the first western or historical short story anthology in which I've participated. I have only sold a handful of stories in the last few years (some children's stories and a couple of women's stories), but it's a genre I find challenging and satisfying...

Perhaps in part because, as a former English teacher, short story was a form I loved to teach and to have students pursue. It's not easy writing a short story; word selection becomes much more important. There is no "time" to wander down rabbit trails if description or conflict takes a giant turn! The story must remain true to its central character and his/her internal or external conflict. Every scene must move the story forward, even as it must reveal something powerful about the character and his/her struggles. No random situations relevant here...

Playing with the theme of an unwilling bride, I knew my heroine would have to become "trapped" by circumstance...and knowing that took me into all kinds of possible and wild scenarios. I also knew she would have to be strong and resist the notion of marriage. She had to be strong, too, so that when she "fell" for our flawed hero, she'd fall hard! That's when the story writing really became fun and the pages filled themselves. A great feeling when you have an approaching deadline.

Unfortunately, sometimes, with novels, the deadline looms but the story begins to wane and then you, as author, must dig DEEP to find the motivation to keep moving forward. I didn't have that issue with composing "Prettiest Little Horse Thief".

For that reason, I hope to write more stories and am so delighted that Prairie Rose Publishing is encouraging its authors to submit to its upcoming anthologies. I am delighted to do so if only because of the energy writing them has generated.

In addition, I feel quite honored to be among some wonderful authors...The stories in Lassoing a Bride are varied and delightfully entertaining. One of the reader/reviewers wrote: "Wonderful stories from five wonderful storytellers. These authors know how to pull you in and keep you reading. PRETTIEST LITTLE HORSE THIEF by Gail L. Jenner, UNEXPECTED BLESSINGS by Sarah J. McNeal, NO LESS THAN FOREVER by Tracy Garrett, THE BANK ROBBER'S LAMENT by Sara Barnard and THE BRIDE AND THE BADGE by Livia J. Washburn are all exciting western romances that will stick with you and make you want to read them again and again." 

Here is an excerpt from "Prettiest Little Horse Thief"; hopefully this tidbit will whet the appetite for more:

PRETTIEST LITTLE HORSE THIEF

By

GAIL L. JENNER

As water pooled around her ankles, Rebecca felt a refreshing chill. She needed the shock of the water to clear her mind.

            It had been another hard day. After three months of struggling to get back on her feet, it seemed there should be a silver lining somewhere, but once more, it had eluded her.

            She stepped further into the stream, the water encircling the lacy edges of her knickers. She scooped up a handful and splashed it across her shoulder, gasping at the sudden cold.  

The sale had not gone well. Shih-chai, or Grandfather, her old Navajo ranch hand, had warned her she’d be disappointed, saying that the men who had conspired against Frank were determined to break her.

She hadn’t listened, but try as she could, no one wanted the two mares she had taken to the sale. The dozen men straddling the board fence had studied the pair of bays before regaling her with every reason they weren’t worth the asking price.

            Dent, a loud-mouthed cowboy who prided himself on his natural ability as a wrangler, had been the most vitriolic. “You may be the prettiest horse thief in this part of the country,” he spat, “but that’s all you are. Frank never paid a dime for anything, and he probably stole these two. Ask anybody. He owed ev’rybody money, which means these cayooses ain’t really yours to sell.”

            She’d stood her ground, flashing him a contemptuous look, then, turning to a second cowboy, remarked, “They’re hardy, and worth double what I’m asking.”

The sandy-haired cowboy had only shrugged.

After that no one offered her anything, so she returned home with two mares and an empty purse.

The sound of hoof beats against dry earth startled her. Quickly, she scrambled up the rocky embankment, but not quickly enough.

Three riders approached

Dent, sitting astride a small Appaloosa, grinned down at her. On either side of him rode men she didn’t recognize. Both let out a whoop when they realized she was standing in front of them with only her thin undergarments covering her pale flesh.

“I came thinkin’ we could strike a bargain,” crooned Dent as he wheeled off his horse. “But I never bargained on this.” His eyes swept over her with cold and hungry admiration. “Yep,” he whispered, “you gotta be the prettiest horse thief I ever seen.”

Rebecca steeled herself. What a fool she’d been to think that it was safe to disrobe in the middle of the day. Instinctively, she reached for the dress she’d thrown over a bramble bush.

Dent reached it first. Raising it to his face, he inhaled. “I do believe I smell— what? Sage?”

She wrenched it from his fingers. “Why are you here?”

Dent looked around as if thinking someone might suddenly appear out of nowhere. Unfortunately, Rebecca had left Shih-chai back at the barn, sneaking past him so that he couldn’t stop her from slipping down to the stream. Now she regretted her foolhardy decision.

Would she never stop being so impulsive?

“I want those two mares,” snapped Dent.

Rebecca held her tongue; she had to think before she got herself into more trouble. “What are you willing to pay?”

Dent chuckled. “I ain’t paying a dime. I told you, Frank owed ev’rybody something, and he owed me more than thirty bucks.”

“What?”

Dent stiffened. “You callin’ me a liar? Seems to me, even a pretty little thief better tread softly…” He took a step closer, his glance sending a sharp warning through her.

 As a thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment, I'd like to offer a free download of the PRP anthology, Lassoing a Bride. A winner will be selected on Wednesday and the announcement will be made here on the blog. I will also contact the winner personally!

Gail L. Jenner is the author of the WILLA Award-winning novel, ACROSS THE SWEET GRASS HILLS, recently re-released by Prairie Rose Publications. Like Rebecca in "Prettiest Little Horse Thief," Liza Ralston is a young woman -- determined and independent -- who must learn how to survive while pitted against the backdrop of the infamous and little-known historic Marias Massacre. It was recently ranked #13,400 on amazon.com's top list of kindle books! A big thank you to Prairie Rose for their support of historical fiction! In addition, Gail has coauthored five nonfiction histories. For more, visit: www.gailjenner.com  or http://prairierosepublications.yolasite.com/gail-l-jenner.php