The Horizon

Wyoming Sky

Photo by Kira Lisa

Hello. This is my works in progress page. The forecast is that things are a little cloudy and in need of a small push. Just like this windmill here, it’s time to set this thing spinning.  This is a glimpse of me under construction. So welcome to my brainstorm.

I have four book ideas that are expansions of short stories I have written. Two of my titles are not set in stone. Are titles ever really set in stone? This is one thing that editors always change so I’m not placing too much stock in them at this time.

Stories from Cocaine Alley- This book will require the most research. Have you ever heard the phrase, all roads lead to Rome? I-70 is one of the largest highways that spans the continent of America. It leads to Utah, or otherwise I-15, where you can complete your journey and head to California. The area where 1-70 and I-15 intersect has been dubbed Cocaine Alley due to the number of drug busts that have occurred there. I lived here, my family sill does.

This area is full of history and off the grid places from Big Rock Candy Mountain to Butch Cassidy’s boyhood home. I lived in the area for years before it was revealed that the town of Salina had been home to one of the nation’s first mass shootings. The stories are there. You just have to look for them. I want to combine old stories with the new, to get to the heart of Cocaine alley. It is a unique place that many view but seldom truly see because they are only passing through.

The Ladies of Edgewood- I was a single mom for ten years and as fate would have it, I spent much of it living at Edgewood. A charming place that lies at the base of Mount Timpanogos. It was here that I connected with my tribe, and suffered a great deal of hardship. I did form strong connections with the women around me who also had to persevere. I will be creating fictional characters inspired by these women. This is a story about finding your strength that also carries with it a little bit of magic, because Edgewood was truly an enchanted place.

Three Quarter Shimmy on the Down (or whatever I decide to call it). This is my way of giving back to the dance community that gave to me. This is the story about doing risqué ritualistic dance in the heart of Mormon Country. This is a story about connecting with an ancient practice and the women who have been practicing this dance form for centuries. This is a story about defining healthy boundaries between sensuality and sexuality for someone whose boundaries were always somewhat obscure due to promiscuous behaviors and a past history of abuse.

The Spirit of Mato- (title still unknown). This is a story about summers spent in Wyoming, and my journey to Alaska. This story integrates bear lore, negative patterns of abuse and domestic violence, and finally comes to a peak with a wild encounter which indicates how the forces of nature can leave a person unharmed while other outside forces have done the most damage.

WELL THERE YOU HAVE IT FOLKS! As you can see I have many forks in the fire. It’s time to start branding!