What’s real, and what’s
fiction?
The Schoolhouse Blizzard
of 1888 at the book’s beginning was a catastrophe
that left children dead, cattle frozen, and settlers stunned at the
vicious nature of the Plains.
Theodore Roosevelt. TR’s ranch in
the Dakota Territory was crushed by the blizzard of 1888, and he
decided to retreat to the east and enter politics.
Libbie Custer. As real as I could
make her. She was a writer after her husband’s death, and
participated in several writing conferences.
Maxwell Gang. Created in my
imagination, but the gang is a mixture of the most famous
bands.
Mitchell, South Dakota. A thriving
town with a fascinating history. I’ve enjoyed the pictures the
city’s historical society has made available on the Internet. I
grew up near Mitchell and ran there during cross country races.
Little did I know at the time I’d be writing about the location. I
just concentrated on deep breaths and focused on the person in
front of me until I crossed the finish line.
Lajitas, Texas. A resort town on the
Texas/Mexico Border. I completely made up the history. People of
Lajitas, I apologize.
Sex Slave Trade Through Mexico. Very
real, and still exists today.
Main Characters—Anna, Scott, Jacob, Marshal Hill, Running
Deer, Raven. All fiction. But I love
Raven.
Philip Anderson. While a fictional hero,
he’s based on a cowboy I came across in my research. See the note
in the first book of the series, West for
the Black Hills. Of the many characters
I’ve written, Philip is by far my favorite.