Leaving Nebraska

The Cowshed

     At the beginning of my book, the Swikert family moves from Nebraska to Asotin Washington Territory.  The year is 1877 and Maryette is 11 years old.  I pondered for some time on how Maryette would see the world outside her little ranch in Nebraska. 

     Since I did not want to waste time in the novel having the family travel by wagon all the way to Washington Territory, I chose to have them make their journey via the train from Omaha to Boise, Idaho. 

     Much research was required to determine the route and decide if this means of travel was the most logical for the time period.  After making my decision I then researched the Omaha Union Pacific train station, built in 1870 and called the “Cowshed.”   The station is a long, shed-like structure with brick walls, peaked roof and open ends to accommodate six railroad tracks running from end to end. Maryette has never seen or heard anything like it. 

     Close your eyes and take yourself back to the age of eleven and I am sure you will see yourself covering your ears to block out the noise, while holding your breath in an attempt to stop the odor of burning coal coming from the multiple giant engines passing through. 

     As difficult as it is to develop the dialogue and possible interactions of my characters, I find it very rewarding when I am able to step back into the time they lived.

Love and Romance in the Historic Novel

     Romance stories are something I am not used to sharing in writing.  To be honest, I have never shared romantic interludes with anyone other than a husband or in my dreams.  Since the female characters have love interests, writing Grass Widow Wives required me to attempt to convey those feelings and desires on paper.  In addition, since the book is being written to appeal to both male and female readers, it is imperative that the male reader not be repelled with my depictions of loving interaction. 

     The time period of the story takes place when morality and modesty were subjects hidden behind the skirts and the doors of the bedroom.  That does not mean dalliances did not occur.  Men and women were still driven by human feelings.  When the story requires an explanation of those intimate moments, I have chosen to keep it in the reader’s imagination.    

     Love still flourishes and affairs occur.  I hope you will think I have handled those events with decorum and yet retained your interest.  

Character Enhancement

One of the freedoms of authoring a historical novel, is the luxury of drawing from stories that occurred in my life and those of my ancestors.  I have used multiple stories in Grass Widow Wives which are true, but not necessarily occurrences in the lives of my characters.  This does not take away from the truthfulness of the story line, but are used to enlighten the dialogue and interaction between individuals as needed.  It also allows me to enhance the everyday happenings to prevent the reader from becoming bored with the account being offered.   My characters may not  have experienced  the story but it is relevant to the time of the occurrence. .

Many of these stories are hidden within the book and are there for you to enjoy without ever knowing that they did not occur with this individual.   

Check the right side of this Blog to read about each of the main characters in Grass Widow Wives.

Small Town Museums

ASOTIN COUNTY MUSEUM

     Visiting small town museums has nothing much to do with writing, unless there is a local museum in the area where your true life characters lived.  I have visited many small town museums over the years and have seen some wonderful examples of preserved history.

     The Asotin County Museum let me step back into the time of Maryette Swikert's childhood when she lived in Anatone, WA.  They have preserved artifacts, pictures, newspapers, an early school room and even a complete early telephone operators switchboard office.

SHERMAN COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM

     One of the best museums I have visited was Sherman County Historical Museum in Moro, Oregon.  You will miss this small town if you blink your eyes.  I do not believe it even sports a traffic light.  If you have reason to be traveling south on Hwy 97 from the Columbia River Gorge, you will want to plan an hour to two stop at this wonderful place.  There is even a lovely park for a picnic right next door.  I rate this place #1 for the small museums I have visited.  Be ready to experience a wonderful step back in history with a massive amount of items to see and learn about.  What an education for your children, or in my case a 68 year old lady.  Superb stop.

GARFIELD COUNTY MUSEUM

     Pomeroy, Washington is the home to the Garfield County Museum.  Their hours of operation are limited so you will want to check before planning a trip to Pomeroy.  This museum has a enormous collection of antique wedding dresses.  I was not in the market, but I was fascinated with all the styles and years of usage of each dress.   

     This museum held the golden egg to my Grass Widow Wives book.  I was thrilled and tentative with the opportunity I had to hold a certain yet to be revealed object in my hands.  They were also gracious enough to send me a high resolution photo of an exciting event that takes place in the book.

      HAGERMAN VALLEY HISTORICAL MUSEUM

     The Hagerman Valley Historical Museum provided a peek into my families' past, including a very large picture of my Grandfather, Wilbur Schooler, riding his horse down the main street of Hagerman in 1907.

YAKIMA VALLEY MUSEUM

   Yakima Valley Museum in Yakima, WA contains delightful examples of antique carriages and wagons from the time prior to the horseless carriage.  This museum contains many local artifact pieces that let you glimpse into the time before you lived in the Yakima Valley.

      Even if you are not interested in the genealogical aspect of ancestors, your children need to look into the past for an understanding of how our society functioned before their grandparents lived here.

     These places are a great place to take day trips with the family, and gain a little bit of education in  addition to spending time as a family.

     Make plans for your next great adventure by visiting a small town museum close to you.

Steps Into the Past

     During the research process for Grass Widow Wives, I made two trips to the Asotin County Courthouse in search of documents that would verify my story. 

     This courthouse is not as large, or as old as some I have visited. This courthouse is in the Old Ayer’s Hotel which was built in 1905.  One half of the building is a newer annex that was added more recently.    The bowels of the building hold its treasures.

    When I inquired to look at the marriage, and land records for the county I was directed down the stairs and into a vault in the basement. 

     The large old steel door was locked to protect the secrets within.  After the assistant turns the key, it requires both hands to gain entry to the cavern of darkness.   The single bare light which extends from the ceiling exposes the dusty ancient treasures.  My nostrils are greeted with the odor of old, musty books, while my eyes gaze upon dust and cobweb covered volumes that have, for a long time been neglected and forgotten.  Some volumes in the room are damage from water, bearing the evidence of a flood or plumbing leak.  The mold and water damage are eating away at the writing on the inside.  The neglect makes my heart and mind ache with the knowledge that these treasures should be saved and protected so that other stories can someday be told.

    The room is a perfect square, eight feet by eight feet.  A double sided row of shelves run across the room and the back wall holds a shelf likewise loaded with volumes.  The county worker tells us the oldest volumes which would be the ones we desire are on the backside of the center row of shelves. She then leaves us to explore the room’s riches.  While standing at the back row I struggle to read the writing on the spine, looking for the books that hold the information I am seeking.  Once I find something of interest I must carry to book to a stack of volumes in boxes on the floor and gingerly open the book to expose the information.

(This is NOT taken at the Asotin Courthouse. It does however very closely resemble the room.)

    Just once in your life you must take the opportunity to enter one of these treasure rooms.  Hold the heavy, large time worn books in your hands and expose history before your eyes.   Expose the long ago script and information which brings to life the time of those that created what we so innocently enjoy.

Charles birthday gift.

     Maryette is employed as a housekeeper by Charles soon after they meet.  She becomes smitten with him and wishes to give him a surprise for his birthday.  Here is a another small example of the innocent parts of the story.

The glow of the lantern through the window cries hospitality to my weary soul. As I reach the door and push it open my nostrils are greeted with the scent of toasted peaches and sugar. A meal is spread on the table along with a plate holding a warm peach upside down cake. Under the edge of the plate is a slip of paper. I retrieve the paper and read what is written in the small fine script of Maryette.

“Charles, Happy Birthday! This cake is my gift to you,“ Maryette

The story is told in the voice of four individuals.  Maryette, Charles, Anna, and Charles Jr.  This piece is from Charles perspective.  

The excitement of a twelve year old girl.

It was not too hard to think back to the days that I was the same age as Maryette, when her family left Nebraska for the Washington Territory.  Here is a small snippet of this 12 year old girl's excitement the  night before they leave Omaha on the train.

"The summer heat is still so warm through the walls of our little home. Why won’t a breeze blow through the window and cool my face? I want to toss back my blanket and see if it is cooler, but Mama would be angry with me for exposing my night shirt. She forgets how hot the quilt is. Who is going to see my bare legs? The boys see them whenever we swim in the Platte River. I don’t see that there is any difference, but Mama says I am old enough to be a lady now. Maybe if I don’t think about it, I will cool down."

Anna receives a hat.

Online newspaper archives are a wonderful source for information pertaining to your story.  I needed first person accounts of an incident that is an important part of Grass Widow Wives.  Google News Archives supplied an endless variety of accounts of the incident in question.  All for free.

Did you wonder what ladies hats looked like or sold for in 1894?  Guess where the answer is?  In the newspapers from that time.

Anna is receiving a new hat as a gift from her suitor.  Now I know what it might have looked like.

The two largest FREE sites available on the internet.

News Google -  https://news.google.com/newspapers?hl=en#S

Chronicling America - http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/

I hope you are looking forward to hearing about the beautiful gift Anna receives and how it changes her attitude relating to this new man in her life.    .

Retirement?

     There are times in life when we are surprised by the turn of events in the direction we travel.  After working in the corporate and public world for many years I anticipated retirement as the time I would relax in a lawn chair, cool drink in my hand, and watching the world around me.
   

 Well, things do not always end up like we anticipate.  My lawn chair and beautiful scenery have been exchanged for a computer chair and monitor screen.  I am on a journey that does not include sand and sea.  Instead it includes piles of research papers and self reflection, to find within my soul the words to tell the story of two women in the 1890's.  Maryette and Anna happen to have both been married to Charles at different times.  His influence will be reflected in the remainder of their lives.
    I am hoping you will follow my blog as I am on the cusp of completing the creation of my first book.
    I could use words of encouragement a push now and then to let me know that my project is of interest to others.  My dream is that you will look forward to reading this story that sometimes leads you to believe it is fiction.  Trust me it is not.
     Hope to see you have been here to check in occasionally.     Sharon