If Thanksgiving is upon us, it must be time for CAL – the Colorado Association of Librarians Conference. Every year, publisher Filter Press hosts a booth for this event in Denver, allowing the authors to meet and greet librarians, teachers and readers. It is always illuminating, and a mixed bag of good news and bad news comments. The bad news is predictable … more book buying budget cuts, more social studies programs slashed, more demand for books about speicalized topics way down on the priority scale.
The good news is encouraging and will keep us going. As more people learn about our “Now You Know Bio” series, they find more ways to integrate them into their programs, and more people read them. They recognize the quality of the biographies and the research which has gone into each one. They love the topics we’ve chosen, and enthusiastically look forward to the newest arrivals.
I’m thankful for what we have, and I embrace the challenge of moving forward to produce more pioneer stories which appeal to young readers and history buffs of all ages. I appreciate Filter Press, who believes in my work and publishes it, giving me a voice, and for the encouragement and support of my colleagues there, and in Women Writing the West. I am honored to apply my writing skills to preserve history, and to give a voice to women who were formerly silent and consequently overlooked. Many of their stories have emerged and can now be celebrated, either as individuals or in conjunction with their pioneering partner.
John and Eliza Routt (rhymes with “scout”) provide a great partnership story. My award-winning book, First Governor, First Lady: John and Eliza Routt of Colorado, published by Filter Press, is a duo-biography about the life and work of the Routts as Western pioneers. I was fortunate to revisit their story and share it in an article for the current holiday issue of Steamboat Magazine. To read a condensed version of the article, go to: http://www.steamboatmagazine.com/articles/255.php
Happy Thanksgiving!
Joyce Lohse – 11/23/09
for more information about Now You Know Bios:
www.lohseworks.com
www.filterpressbooks.com