The Authorized Version

I’ve long said, and even before on this blog, that "Librarians are my best friend." It’s true for any reader, of course, but even more so for writers. Especially a writer of historical novels most of which are set 7000 miles away from home and require extensive research.

As I told the audience at the Spring Author Series at Library! At Cole & Ustick today, http://www.boisepubliclibrary.org/News_and_Events/Calendar/OnlineCalendar.shtml#/?i=1 I certainly would not have been there— nor would any of my books exist— without the aid of dedicated librarians from the Boise Public Library system.

And so, it was a special joy today to be able to share the product of my writing career with an enthusiastic library gathering. I somewhat felt my life flashing before my eyes as I began with the account of the first book I wrote, Brandley’s Search, growing out of my reading of Georgette Heyer’s novels when one of her characters so captivated me I had to continue his story. "It was like being pregnant— that story just had to come out. I wish all my stories would come that easily— even if it did have to be rewritten 75 times before it was publishable." Today that book can be found as Where Love Begins, one of middle volumes of my six-book series The Cambridge Collection. Without the aid of BPL librarian Marilyn Taylor and the interlibrary loan program that book could not have been written.

Nor could my Daughters of Courage Series have been written without the aid of the Kuna Library and their archive of pioneer journals. It was especially appropriate that our meeting was in the Sagebrush Room where I told the story of writing this 3-generation family saga of a family who pioneered in the Boise Valley before irrigation water greened the valley. Hardy pioneers had to carry their water in a buckboard across 15 miles of sagebrush from the Snake River in order to sustain life.

As always these days, one of the questions from the audience was about the impact of ebooks. I had the pleasure of showing the covers of my two newest ebooks http://www.amazon.com/Reality-Elizabeth-Richard-Mystery-ebook/dp/B003OYIGFU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=A7B2F8DUJ88VZ&s=digital-text&qid=1300927496&sr=1-1 then said that I appreciate my publisher whose attitude is that "We must embrace technology."

"We might as well," I added, "because it is a fact of life." And the truth is that the presence of ebooks increases options for both readers and writers. Readers are finding ebooks a great way to explore a new writer or a new series. Because they are relatively inexpensive and have a delete button, not much has been lost if one dislikes a book. But if one does like a new find, then often they will purchase a print book to keep on their shelves or to give to a friend.

The program concluded with Lisa, the organizing (and well-organized) librarian, giving away 2 copies of A Very Private Grave as door prizes which I had the pleasure of signing for the winners before we enjoyed cookies and tea and I went on my way with a lovely miniature rose and a Library! Mug filled with chocolate kisses.

Thank you, Lisa and Librarians everywhere.