Reading recommendations:

Elmer Kelton Country, The Short Non-Fiction of a Texas Novelist

Some who treasure Elmer Kelton's novels, The Time It Never Rained, The Good Old Boys, Slaughter, and over thirty other titles, may not realize that he led another professional life as a livestock journalist. For forty-two years, he wrote fiction by night and traveled West Texas by day to report on livestock auctions, range conditions, and rodeo results. To those who know him as the retired associate editor of Livestock Weekly, his novels are less important than his knowledge of ranching.

This non -fiction collection, assembled with Kelton's enthusiastic cooperation, shows the connection between his separate careers. Here are the causes that interest him and the themes that run through his fiction, environmental issues, agricultural developments, the history of West Texas and its ranching lands, the sport of rodeo, the craft of writing. Here, too, are the profiles and reminiscences of ranching people who give him ideas, and character hints, for his fiction, the bits of history that spark new novels.

From Our Texas Bookshelves

Roses, a Novel, Leila Meacham

Spanning the twentieth century, Roses is the story of the powerful founding families of Howbutker, Texas and how their histories remain intertwined over a span of three generations.

Cotton tycoon Mary Toliver and timber magnate, Percy Warwick fell in love, but because of their stubborn natures and Mary's devotion to her family's land, they unwisely never wed. Now they must deal with the deceit, secrets, and tragedies that surround them, and the poignant loss of what might have been, to only for themselves, but also for their family legacies.

With expert and unabashed big canvas story telling that reads like a Texas Gone With the Wind, Leila Meacham pens an epic of three generations. A deeply moving love story of struggle and sacrifice as well, Roses is steeped with nostalgia for a time when honor and good manners were always the rule. It is destined to be cherished and read again and again, all 600 + pages.

Crafting a Business, Make Money Doing What You Love, Country Living, Kathie Fitzgerald

Have you ever wanted to start a career based on your creative passion, but wondered how you could do it? Country Living Crafting a Business can give you the confidence to take the leap. It's filled with sound answers you need to begin fulfilling your hopes and expectations. All of the talented, spirited, and successful women featured in these pages share their inspirational stories about living their dreams as both successful artists and entrepreneurs.

Work through the steps required to write a plan; learn how to arrange financing; develop your product; successfully market, present, and sell it; and more.

I enjoyed simply reading about these gutsy women.

See you at Rylander!