A shocking welcome to the Old West that leaves both Kat and Nell Sinclair questioning their dreams and the hope for true love.
You may be a fan of Mona Hodgson's children's books. Her classic picture book "Bedtime in the Southwest" has been a favorite of locals and tourists for five years. Now you can become a fan of her historical fiction as well. She is celebrating the exciting debut of her first novel for adults, "Two Brides Too Many," in an unprecedented, exclusive agreement between one of the world's largest publishing houses and with the world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart.
Mona said a dirt road in the White Mountains sparked an idea for a novel nearly 20 years ago. She immersed herself in the craft of writing fiction, and later began tapping out a historical novel set in 1890s Jerome. In the meantime, she's written hundreds of pieces for magazines and 28 children's books. While Mona's novel proposals received editorial interest in many different publishing houses, they hadn't yet garnered her any contracts.
All of that changed on March 31, when a fiction editor from WaterBrook Multnomah, a division of Random House, contacted Mona's agent with the opportunity for the Arizona author to write a series set in an 1890s gold mining camp in Colorado. Mona said she jumped for joy then immediately began writing "Two Brides Too Many" because she only had two months to meet her deadline.
The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek Series features historical romances happening within the Cripple Creek area of Colorado when the mines attracted tens of thousands of gold miners to the stunning countryside nestled on the southwest slopes of majestic Pikes Peak. This mining boomtown was a full-blown Wild West experience with a lively social scene, an active railroad, and union-Feds skirmishes. Each novel will include a key romantic relationship and a true historical female character, trumpet the spirit of western adventure and explore the inner lives of complex women.
When asked what advice she would offer aspiring writers, Mona said, "Recognize and remember that writing for publication is a process and a journey that requires careful and intentional steps. Expect detours. Enjoy the adventure!"
This coming weekend you'll have an opportunity to meet this prolific and persistent local author and pick up autographed copies of "Two Brides Too Many" for the friends and family members on your gift list and secure a copy for your own winter reading while you're there.
Sunday, Nov. 29, Mona Hodgson will be signing copies of her debut novel in the Wal-Mart at State Route 260 and Rodeo Drive in Cottonwood from noon to 3 p.m.
