Colorado Humanities & Center for the Book
Jennifer Kincheloe built her stories around a relatively little-known venue for women’s rights
In the early 1900s, women in police custody were at the mercy of an entirely male system. Police matrons addressed that problem, and provided rich characters for her novels.
Christmas Eve with grumpy grandchildren inspired Natli VanDerWerken to write her book
With family tempers rising, the author sat in her living room and restored calm with a magical tale that became "WindRunner," one in a series of novels
In “That’s How It Is,” poet Jared Smith celebrates the struggle and dignity of the American worker
From traveling to all 50 states to a wide-ranging work history -- including as an advisor to President Clinton -- the author's life experience laid a broad foundation for his writing
Laurie Marr Wasmund watched a single volume of her historical novel blossom into a trilogy
The author of "To Walk Humbly" mixed Colorado's real-life heroes and villains of the 1920s with fictional characters in this final installment of the White Winter Trilogy
Author Lori Hodges built her first novel around family genealogy — plus her dog’s bouts with a porcupine
Research on her roots and idle hours between emergency ambulance calls gave her the inspiration and the opportunity to create "Sweet Twisted Pine"
Author Stephanie Kane created a new kind of detective from a world she knew little about
For "A Perfect Eye," Kane explored the art world, learned its lingo, and created a character whose sharp eye for detail sometimes blinds her to the big picture
For Colorado author Jody Pritzl, curiosity and years of persistence collided with Christmas nostalgia
"Immigrants, Ornaments and Legacies" became a 10-year labor of love that explores the origins of the Christmas ornaments that helped define her Wisconsin childhood
C. Joseph Greaves’ Colorado friends asked, “When are you going to write about here?” This book is the answer.
After a 25-year career as a lawyer in Los Angeles, he and his wife moved to the southwestern part of the state, where he infused local issues into "Church of the Graveyard Saints"
Barbara Nickless juggled plot and backstory to create a tale inspired by an Army intelligence officer
She also found one of her writing habits disappeared after she was displaced by the 2012 Waldo Canyon wildfire
Ian Neligh rode his childhood fascination with heroes and artifacts of the Old West to a year-long project
The award-winning journalist sought to hold up the figures from his youth against modern versions of bounty-hunters, brand inspectors and bare-knuckled brawlers
Colorado author Melissa Payne drew on her work experience to create a lost teen named Star
In "The Secrets of Lost Stones," elements of her work with abused and neglected kids coalesce around the story of one girl's search for family
For author Paula L. Silici, the trials of a family move made her wonder: What would Jessie Driscoll do?
Silici's thought exercise helped her channel the Old West heroine's feeling of helplessness while on the run from the law in "Wanted"
Longtime Colorado author dug deep, and found treasures in iconic Cheley camps’ past
Mary Taylor Young sorted through lots of camp archives, and the memories of third- and fourth-generation Cheleys, to put together a history that touched thousands of campers
Identifying with her protagonist, Donna Cooner explored a teen’s struggle with body image
The author also found that her own addiction to social media became a major impediment to getting her work done on "Fake"
Colorado co-authors wrote parallel storylines in “Light in the Shadows” — reflecting their individual interests
Linda Lafferty's love of art history and Andy Stone's experience with present-day fiction had one final hurdle: How to knit the two plots together?
A Colorado author asked: What if “Mission Impossible” took place during the Renaissance?
Carol Berg, writing as Cate Glass, is a multiple CBA winner for fantasy. But she does extensive research to ground her characters in the trappings of their historical period.
Coloradan Connie Shoemaker had stories to tell after years of international travel and work with immigrants
In "Taste the Sweetness Later," the author employs "immersive journalism" to chronicle the lives of two Muslim women through 300 hours of interviews
How a Charlie Sheen news story ushered a Colorado author into the world of cryptids and adventure
At first, Lija Fisher took great liberties with the creatures, but soon learned there's a whole field -- cryptozoology -- that takes them seriously, and can be a "gateway science" for kids
