The Sky is the Limit: Nonfiction for Young Readers

In her most recent Muffin post, Ready for November, Jodi M. Webb wrote about the many types of nonfiction books that you might consider reading this month. If you are one of those writers who read through the list and thought, “Oh, I love memoir! I have two histories in my TBR pile and a biography . . .” Maybe just maybe you should consider writing nonfiction for young readers. 

In my own writing for the school library market, I have touched on every type of writing Jodi listed except humor. I’m not telling you this to brag. I want you to know about the vast range of books this field covers. 

The first thing that Jodi discussed was history. My earliest titles for this market included The Bombing of Pearl Harbor and Trench Warfare. I’ve even been lucky enough to get to write about archaeology starting with my very first book, The Ancient Maya, and then more recently adding The Formative Period. 

Although my passion is history, I’ve also written biographies (Ariana Grande and Emmanuel Macron), hobbies (Hobbies if You Like Nature), travel (Gettysburg National Military Park), self-help (Earning, Saving, and Investing), and sports (Women in Sports). But that’s not all. I’ve written science (Evolution of Mammals), pop culture (Spider-Man), geography (New Zealand), and even true crime although the publisher called it American Crime Stories (The Assassination of John F. Kennedy). 

There are so many possibilities in writing nonfiction for young readers. Don’t panic if you aren’t interested in writing school library books. You can write for magazines and websites. I got my start writing for Young Equestrian Magazine. I wasn’t an equestrian, young or otherwise, but as a historian the editor know I could write breed profiles which are essentially breed histories. This is also where I started science writing and how-tos as well as columns for parents. 

After Young Equestrian folded, I wrote educational how-tos. This was when one of my editors taught me to take my own photos. She told me that if I could make oatmeal look appealing, I would have nailed the skill set. She wasn’t wrong! 

There are so many nonfiction markets for young readers that I still haven’t mentioned all of them. There are writers who create lesson plans and educational materials for teachers. Still other writers write test questions. My test questions are embarrassingly bad. No, really.  They are frightening. Trade publishers also publish a wide range of nonfiction. A trade publisher is a publisher that sells their list through bookstores and other outlets that sell to the non-school consumer. 

If you are someone who wants to write a wide variety of things, consider nonfiction for young readers. There are so many ways to get your work out into the world. You just need to find one or more that are a good match for you. 

--SueBE

To get a free copy of Sue’s book, What to Do When Your Book Is Banned, subscribe to her newsletter, One Writer’s Journey, here.

Sue Bradford Edwards' is the author of over 80 books for young readers.  

• To find out more about her writing, visit her site and blog.

She is also the instructor for 3 WOW classes which begin on the first Monday of every month. She teaches:

• Pitching, Querying and Submitting Your Work 

• Research: Prepping to Write Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults 

• Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults 

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Leave a Comment Jodi M. Webb, nonfiction, nonfiction for young readers, writing nonfiction

Ready for November?

November...a time for pumpkin spice everything, beards of all shapes and sizes and red, white and blue "I voted" stickers. But for readers in the know, November is for nonfiction books. Personally I love November because I love celebrating nonfiction books (and by nonfiction I mostly mean history). If you're out there yawning at the thought of a book about the tea trade in the 1800s or battle plans of the Civil War, remember that nonfiction encompasses so much more than just history. What else can you read?

Memoirs/Biographies - There's a newly released 900+ page book about Mark Twain on the shelves but so many more (shorter) books about random people who have led interesting lives.

Hobbies - Whatever your hobby (or wanna-be hobby), you can find a book out there. Recently,  I've read about growing dahlias, writing mystery novels, building birdhouses. What do you want to know more about? My son (a fabulous chef) has a cookbook with meals based on meals from Star Wars. See, something for everyone.

Humor - These books can range from biographies of comedians to collections of essays on specific topics to your basic joke books popular with grandfathers of elementary school children. Because every kid loves a Poppy who can tell a good knock-knock joke.

Travel - Imagine my surprise at fellow WOW blogger Renee Roberson's post about a recent trip to Greece when I'm halfway through a book about Greece that is my favorite division - 75% stunning photos and 25% text.

Sports - With cold (and rainy) weather setting in, it may be too nippy for your favored sport. But you can read playing tips, biographies, rehashes of notable games and so may "underdog wins" books.

Self-Help - What do you want to improve? Your diet? Your parenting skills? Your memory? Your home organization? You general outlook on life? Definitely a book for that!

As writers, I think we should all stray away from our favorite genres and topics. Different types of books are written in different styles and exposure to many styles can only improve our own writing. Kristin Hannah and Stephen Ambrose write about the same time period but in vastly different ways. We can learn from both authors.

Plus, nonfiction books give us so many new ideas. You never know where a book will prod you. A World War II history book held the kernel that led to my novel in progress. A quiz book about the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" led to my writing being included in a military trivia book. A Polish cookbook led me pen a listicle about stuffed pasta around the world.

Can you commit to just one book for #NonfictionNovember? I'm busy finishing up my book on Greece.

Jodi M. Webb writes from her home in the Pennsylvania mountains about everything from DIY projects to tea to butterflies.  She's also a blog tour manager for WOW-Women on Writing. In November, she's blogging about her nonfiction reads at Words by Webb. 

Thanks to She Reads Nonfiction for the fun graphics as well as hosting a weekly catch up for participants of #NonfictionNovember on Mondays. You can just read the host's thoughts or answer the writing prompt.

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Interview with Hannah Andrews, Runner Up in the Q2 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest with "Trickle Down Silence"

 

Congratulations to Hannah Andrews from San Diego, California  for her amazing nonfiction essay titled:

Trickle Down Silence ! 

Check out Hannah's submission, Trickle Down Silence as well as all the other winning entries and then stop back here to read Katherine's enlightening interview with Crystal J. Casavant-Otto from WOW! Women on Writing. 

Hannah's Bio: 

Hannah Andrews writes poetry, CNF, and short fiction. Her work has been selected for the print versions of 2025 Gold Man Review West Coast Literary, San Diego’s A Year in Ink (2024), Shaking the Tree (Volumes 5 and 6 ) and performed onstage at the San Diego Memoir Showcase. Her essays and flash fiction can be found online at Imogene's Notebook, Adoptee Voices E-Zine, and The Narrative Arc, among others. She’s currently on the umpteenth draft of her adoptee memoir, None of This is Yours. Originally from the midwest, she now resides on the west coast, with her faithful Lab mix Josie, three resident cats, and a rotating cast of foster felines.  

WOW: Hannah- thank you so much for taking time today to chat with me. Thank you also for your personal and touching entry into the Nonfiction Essay Contest and Congratulations! We have just a bit of time today so let's get to it! 

Thank you for writing such a personal essay - what is the take-away you'd like readers to gain from Trickle Down Silence? 

Hannah: Too often, we stand up for others (as we should), but fail to extend that same compassion and empathy to ourselves. We may see our experiences as “not so bad” or not as traumatic as those of others, and perhaps they aren’t, but then, trauma isn’t a contest. Negative experiences leave their marks on us, often cumulatively. That’s part of the reason I wrote this essay in the second person, as if I were speaking to someone else, though, of course, that person is also me. It was just enough distance to be really honest with both my younger and current self, to say, “Yes, you’ll be okay, but this stuff is always going to sting. It will always be there.” You wouldn’t brush off a friend who told you these things. Don’t brush off yourself. My hope is that readers empathize not with me, but with themselves. 

WOW: That was heavy and hit a bit close to home. I'll just say thank you and move on.

Where do you write? What does your space look like? I’d love to know more about your adoptee memoir if you’d like to share? 

Hannah:  My writing space is a sort of repurposed bonus room. It’s now a cove with bookshelves and window seats I made myself. I’m not crafty, but I cut foam and covered it with fluffy white blankets and throw pillows. Immediately, my dog jumped in and claimed one seat and my cats the other, so I don’t sit and write in those window seats as I’d imagined, but in my chair at the desk in front of them. Tucked in with my favorite authors are 4 anthologies I’ve been honored to have essays included in, in case I ever try to tell myself I’m not a “real” writer. It’s cozy and quiet, filled with my favorite words and my faithful furry friends. 

As for the memoir, well, it’s a work in progress. I’m currently on the third (maybe fifth) draft. I had a great editor helping me with this last draft, and all my writing groups weighing in along the way. It began when I met a birth mother and author at a writing conference. I was writing fiction only back then, but wandered into a memoir group. I’d never met a birthmother and meeting her immediately sparked my own journey to find my origin story. 

We adoptees begin our known existence in “chapter two” most often. So, “None of This is Yours” is the story of my search for my chapter one, maybe even my prologue. But what began as a search for my first mother, for history, for answers, turned into so much more. And led to more questions. I found I’d buried so many feelings about being relinquished, about not having biological connections, about so many things. It was not the fun reunion story I'd hoped for, but it has changed my life. And it all began with meeting another woman (Laura Engel, author of “You’ll Forget This Ever Happened") sharing her story. Her story led me to mine. I’m so glad I walked into that writing conference. 

WOW: You've given me so much to think about today. Thank you. I love how you explained beginning in chapter 2 as an adoptee. It makes sense but I had never looked at it that way.

Do you have advice for your younger self when it comes to making decisions, believing in yourself, and/or writing? What would your current self say to the younger you? 

Hannah: Well, I doubt my younger self would listen to me. She was pretty headstrong. But, I’d tell her that she’s going to make some epically bad decisions, and that’s okay. I’d beg her to not stop writing for those two and a half decades I stopped writing for. Other than that, I’d just encourage her to live life to the fullest– to live life out loud, to travel, dance, sing, whatever, be young. Make some bad decisions, learn from them, forgive yourself. And write it all down. It may not seem worth remembering, or noting, but it is. 

WOW: I feel like our younger selves are incredibly similar and oh yes, those epically bad decisions - we should write a book about those!

What role has journaling and/or writer's groups played in your life? 

Hannah: I don’t journal, though I start most days writing– either part of a project or just random clearing out the cobwebs of my brain. My goal is always 1000 words a day, which I achieve about a third of the time. As for writers groups, I rotate between a few- all online. I have a local San Diego read-and-critique group that has been incredibly helpful with both fiction and nonfiction for the past four years. I have also been part of several writing groups that are all made up of adopted persons. Their insight, lived experience, and support is invaluable. I also write and share short fiction with a group I met through a prompts fiction contest. 

WOW: Sounds like you have a wonderful system in place to keep you forging ahead with your writing - love it!

What is your history with writing contests? - tell us what prompted you to submit to this particular contest? What would you like to tell other authors concerning contests and submitting their work? 

Hannah: A good friend of mine told me about WOW (Jean Widner, who was a runner-up with her piece, “The Flame,” in 2023’s Q4 CNF). My history isn’t long. I’ve entered a couple of dozen in the last two years: poetry, fiction, memoir, and CNF. My first was the 2021 San Diego Memoir Showcase, and I wrote about my disastrous first marriage. My piece was in the top 10 and selected for stage performance (by an actor, not me) and publication. After that, I was hooked. I entered more, both locally and online. And mostly lost. But I keep entering. I’m not really competitive, but the contests have deadlines, guidelines, and structure. I need that discipline. Competitions keep me writing, re-writing, editing, and polishing. 

My advice to authors considering entering this or other contests or submitting to online or print publications is – do it. Dive in! It’s a great opportunity for exposure and a valuable learning experience. And you never know who needs to read your words, whose life you may touch. And also, it’s just pretty darn cool to see your words in print.

WOW: Thank you Hannah for your great advice to others when it comes to writing and writing contests, and thank you for sharing with us in today's interview! You're a bright light for all of us writers and readers! I look forward to our paths crossing again and until then - keep writing (and smiling)! 

Today's post was penned by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto

Crystal Casavant writes. 

Everything. 

If you follow her blog you have likely laid eyes on every thought she has ever had. Her debut novel, It Was Never About Me, Was It? is still a work in progress and shall be fully worthy sometime in 2025. She has written for WOW! Women on Writing, Bring on Lemons, and has been featured in several magazines and ezines relating to credit and collections as well as religious collections for confessional Lutherans. She runs a busy household full of intelligent, recalcitrant, and delightful humans who give her breath and keep her heart beating day after day. 

Crystal wears many hats (and not just the one in this photo) and fully believes in being in the moment and doing everything she can to improve the lives of those around her! The world may never know her name, but she prays that because of her, someone may smile a little brighter. She prides herself on doing nice things - yes, even for strangers! 

Check out the latest Contests: 

www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php

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Interview with Returning Author - Tracy Adrian Runner Up in the WOW! Q4 2024 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest

Congratulations to Tracy Adrian from Nevada for her award-winning story, "Random Shit That Comes Up in Therapy" and to all of the other contestants and winners of the WOW! Women on Writing Quarter 4 2024 Essay Contest!

Today, I'm excited to interview Tracy about her award-winning essay but... I have to be honest, this is not our first time! If you'd like to read our first interview together - you'll find it by clicking here. 

Interview by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto

WOW: Welcome, Traci! Thank you for being here with me (again) today - I'm sure our WOW! readers are excited as I am to learn more about you and Random Shit That Comes Up in Therapy! Readers - if you haven't already, pop over and read Random Shit That Comes Up in Therapy and then return here for this fun interview! Don't rush - we will wait! And of course - here's a little more about Tracy:

Tracy's Bio:

Tracy discovered her passion for writing late in life. 

Her youth was busily spent moving from house to dysfunctional house in the type of environments where she honed valuable survival skills such as denial, dissociation, people pleasing and daddy issues. These skills eventually blossomed into rebellion and self-destructive tendencies, and at fifteen she attended the prestigious Red Wing Juvenile Correctional School for Boys, (the only girl in an experimental program). 

Tracy went on to many of Minnesota’s finest shelters and detention centers as a teen. She followed up with years of disastrous life choices and shockingly poor romantic judgments.

Today, she marvels at the strange road behind her, which somehow led to overwhelming gratitude and a sweet, sweet life she wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. 

Tracy is a wife, mom, Realtor, and private pilot. She adores WOW’s CNF contest and tries to enter every quarter. Her essay “Chains” appeared as a finalist in WOW’s summer 2023 issue.

Now that everyone has had a chance to read your fabulous submission - let's get down to it, shall we?

Thank you Tracy for submitting - it's been a while, so fill me in girl! What have you been up to, what's next, tell me all the things! It's holiday time again to - so Happy Holidays! I have so much to ask.

Tracy: Happy Holidays! I am so excited to be talking with you again, Crystal! 

Sometime after we spoke last year, I decided to fully commit to writing a memoir. A terrifying aspiration to send out into the universe. What if I can't finish it? What if it totally sucks? What if my ex reads it and hires someone to murder me? Typical concerns I'm sure every memoirist struggles with. But I'd been writing it in fragments for years anyway, so I finally admitted it out loud. Once I made the declaration, it was magically easier to allow myself the indulgence of spending time and resources on it. I applied for residencies, sent essays to publications I thought might be a fit, attended writers retreats and conferences. The book became a joyful priority.

WOW:  That's wonderful news that the declaration inspired change! I'm so glad you made your book a priority. What inspires you to submit your work for our contests? What advice do you have for other writers when it comes to writing, submitting, etc.?

Tracy:   I love the WOW contest because it gives me something to strive for. It's a thrill every quarter to obsessively check my email and see if I made it to the second round, and if I'm so fortunate, opening the email announcing the finalists is like Christmas morning. 

 Also, the feedback is invaluable to see what works and what doesn't. I have so many blind spots in my writing and a thoughtful critique from a neutral third party sheds welcomed light on these blind spots. In contrast, that same critique from my husband (another writer), might elicit, let's just say, the teensiest bit of irritation. So the WOW contest can benefit marriages as well as writing. 

 Decades ago, when I was a newborn real estate agent, building a business from nothing involved a lot of rejection. To this day, I hear eighty percent don't make it through their second year. A seasoned and extremely wealthy Realtor in my city offered this advice, "If I told you today you would be rejected on your first fifty listing appointments but thereafter you would begin signing clients, how quickly would you get those first fifty out of the way?" I began knocking out appointments that week, and her words
have always stuck with me. 

 So last year I made myself a binder titled, "First Fifty Rejections." It contains submissions to magazines, writers residencies, even WOW essays, and their counterpart responses. Each one is numbered and I'm getting close to the magical fifty mark. This binder fills me with hope because I know I'm learning with each baby step and can see my efforts in a tangible way. I know I can't finish the memoir unless I become a better writer. At the same time, if I wait until I'm a better writer, my book will never happen.

WOW:  Aww, we love you too, and do we get together to burn the binder once you're published or how does this work? (That wasn't really a question - more of an idea.) On a more serious note, I remember from last time that we are both completely different animals without our daily coffee routine. What's your go to right now? 

Tracy:  It arrives on the Starbucks counter in a big chilly cup with a lid that allows turtle-friendly straw-less consumption and the first taste every day is sublime. I'm barely a human prior to that first sip, which is why I could never live in the wilderness.

WOW:  That's my kinda love language right there! I must confess though, it's entirely too cold in Wisconsin right now and I gravitate away from the ice cold beverages and stick with the warmth of a hot latte'.  Let's talk about something I can also relate to - in your bio you mention shockingly poor romantic judgments...girl...same. So, what does current day Tracy want to say to youthful Tracy? What advice would your modern day self give to your younger self when it comes to life, love, reading, writing, etc.

Tracy:  In a way, that’s the crux of my memoir, so here’s the truth. If I could go back in time, I would tell Young-me a million things, but most importantly to stop giving her power away to others. She was desperate for a life she thought had to be granted her from an outside entity, never realizing she had the ruby damn slippers on the whole time. I would tell her that even when she believed she was powerless, her actions had ripple effects, and that two of those ripples would hurt others and become a burden of shame she would carry the rest of her life. Then I would tell her that the only person who could ultimately release her from that shame would be herself. 

 Sadly, young-me was never a big advice-taker, so even if I had a time machine to get to her, she would probably take a long drag off her cigarette, a swig of Bud Light, and tell me where to shove my wise counsel. And here we would still be.

WOW:  Awesome advice! Now I'm even more excited to read your memoir - and in the meantime I'll just be over here in my dysfunction. Thanks for taking the time to chat with me! 

Tracy: These questions were fun to answer. Overall, I’m a lot less self-conscious than the first time around. I keep saying this, but I am SO GRATEFUL for all of you at WOW, and I wish you the happiest holidays and thank you so much for what you do.

 

WOW: Thank YOU Tracy - I know we will get together again soon and I'm eagerly awaiting the opportunity! 

Hugs! 

*

Interviewed by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto who just keeps on keeping on and can be found blogging and sharing on social media hashtag #raisingkidsandcattle #shelovesgodandsheridesgoodhorses #thankfulgratefulblessed 

 Check out the latest Contests: 

www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php

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Interview with Kerby Kunstler Caudill, Runner Up in the WOW! Q4 2024 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest

 

Congratulations to Kerby Kunstler Caudill from Culver City, California for her award-winning story, "Counting," and to all of the other contestants and winners of the WOW! Women on Writing Quarter 4 2024 Essay Contest!

Today, I'm excited to interview Kerby about her award-winning essay.

Interview by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto

WOW: Welcome, Kerby! Thank you for being here with me today - I'm sure our WOW! readers are excited as I am to learn more about Kerby and Counting! Readers - if you haven't already, pop over and read Counting and then return here for this fun interview! Don't rush - we will wait! And of course - here's a little more about Kerby:

Kerby's Bio:

Although born in Ashland, Oregon with family roots in New York, Kerby Kunstler Caudill has spent most of her life in Southern California. She earned a BA in Film Studies from the University of California at Irvine and an MA in education from Cal State Long Beach. After 20 years in education, she put pen to paper for more than just grading tests. For several years she workshopped her memoir Oma & Me and YA Novels Elle and You First, with author Francesca Lia Block and is currently in a workshop with author/composer Dale Trumbore. 

Her work has been published in The Good Life Review, Months to Years, Lit Angels, MUTHA Magazine, and Dorothy Parker’s Ashes. As an empty nester, she currently works at an afterschool enrichment program called Lighthouse in South Central Los Angeles, copy edits the online magazine Lit Angels and the book Time by Design by Dr. Dawna Ballard, and reads for Hippocampus Magazine. When not petting her dogs, or futzing with her plants, she is chipping away at her third novel, Facing Reality. 

 Visit her website at www.kerbycaudill.com and connect with her on Instagram @kerbnerd.

Now that everyone has had a chance to read your fabulous submission - let's get down to it, shall we?

Thank you Kerby for submitting - can you tell us what your intended take-away was when you sent this portion of your memoir out into the world? What did you want readers to get from this?

Kerby: Thank you for publishing Counting! The take-away of this abridged chapter (and my entire memoir) is to have compassion and acceptance for those who may not be where you are: whether it be their physical or cognitive ability, mental health, or level of self awareness. People overlooked my sister, or worse, outright bullied her, yet she was the compass that guided my life. I grew up resenting my role as a third parent. I didn't consider what my parents were going through - caring for our family while under emotional and financial duress. Looking back, we were all trying our best to hold on; to sanity, to love, and to each other. We all need more of that.

WOW: Boy does that speak to me and my mama heart right now - thank you for your honesty! As a mom, I'm so busy caring for everyone that I don't always think about how my older children are feeling. I hope they know they have my support, but the support of others is important too. Where do you go for support? Who helps you and how when you feel like you need a shoulder?

Kerby:  To be honest, as the perpetual caretaker I rarely accept care from others, but my husband Jeff and daughter Melody support me, gas me up and are rooting for me and my writing career. When I had to quit teaching due to medical concerns, my husband didn’t bat an eyelash and just wanted what was best for me. I am lucky to have an assemblage of friends who are surrogate siblings, many you will see in my memoir! Women in my writer’s groups have also been invaluable, especially Dale Trumbore.

WOW: I can definitely feel the caretaker in your writing - speaking of nurturing and caretaking; what would your current self like to say to a younger a version of yourself? 

Kerby: Oh, my sweet, dear younger self, you lonely child. Heed your teachers’ advice and take your writing seriously—SOONER. Get an MFA in writing instead of an MA in education. Have confidence in yourself and your good heart and know that you deserve love, regardless of achievements, accolades, or acts of service.

WOW: Sounds like great advice for young Kerby and all the young writers out there! You have an impressive bio - sounds like you are busy writing - what is your latest/current project?

Kerby: Thank you! I am currently trying to whip up inspiration to finish my fourth book Facing Reality which is a fun romance novel about Naomi, whose daughter convinces her to go on a vacation years after her husband died of Covid. When Naomi gets off the plane, she realizes she was set up to be on a reality dating show. Of course, she falls in love with one of the producers who then ruins her reputation in the edit—but true love prevails against all odds. 

WOW: That sounds like a fun read and who doesn't want a break from reality for a nice vacation? One last question before we part ways (for now, not forever as I like to say): what advice do you have for other caretakers and/or writers when it comes to stress, turbulent times, etc... you mentioned covid which let's talk about stress right? Give us your tips!

Kerby: Since October 7, 2023, life has changed for me and many of my fellow Jews on a molecular level. The upcoming election doesn’t help my emotional state as our democracy and women’s rights hang in the balance. I’d love to say I exercise, eat healthy, meditate and find peace within. What I actually do is: my own version of prayer, take breaks from reading the news, visit friends, spend time with family, eat chocolate covered raisons or Oreos by the handful, cuddle with my dogs, play all the NYT word games and a hell of a lot of Candy Crush. 

Thank you so much for this interview! Again, I am honored to be a part of this publication and group of women writers.

WOW: Thank YOU Kerby - I certainly enjoyed our chat and hope to help you once your novel is complete - I have a feeling we will be working together again soon!

Hugs! 

*

Interviewed by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto who just keeps on keeping on and can be found blogging and sharing on social media hashtag #raisingkidsandcattle #shelovesgodandsheridesgoodhorses #thankfulgratefulblessed 

 Check out the latest Contests: 

www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php

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Idaho Madams by Milana Marsenich: Blog Tour & Giveaway

We're excited to announce the launch of a blog tour that will take us traveling back in time: Idaho Madams by Milana Marsenich. Join us as we meet the the author through an interview and give away a copy to one lucky reader.

About the Book

Fur, silver, and gold first lured men to Idaho Territory. Women soon followed. And what women they were! Molly B'Damn, Peg Leg Annie, Spanish Belle, Lou Beevers, Diamond Tooth Lil—the names alone promised excitement and intrigue.

In fact, these madams led complex, turbulent lives. Meet Maggie Hall, a devout Catholic whose husband used her to pay off his gambling debts. Working as a prostitute, Maggie made her way west and, as Molly B'Damn, became the guardian angel of an Idaho mining camp. Or Annie McIntyre, a young girl among the prospectors and ne'er do wells of Rocky Bar who amassed a small fortune as the local madam only to lose it all—along with both her legs.

Idaho Madams uncovers the enigmatic and salacious lives of 30 women who ran brothels in the Gem State from the 1850s to the 1980s. Here are the hedonistic and sometimes heroic exploits of Effie Rogan, Jennie Girard, Nettie Bowen, Ginger Murphy, Dixie Colton, and Dot Allen, but also the unsung sagas of Carrie Young, Grace Freeman, Willow Herman, Hattie Carlton, and many more. As told by author Milana Marsenich, the stories of these women come alive with voluptuous detail, historical photographs, and the social context of the times.

Publisher: Farcountry Press

IBSN-10: 156037750X

ISBN-13: 978-1560377504

Print Length: 160 pages

Purchase a copy of Idaho Madams on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. Add to your GoodReads reading list.

About the Author, Milana Marsenich

Award winning author, Milana Marsenich lives in Northwest Montana near Flathead Lake at the base of the beautiful Mission Mountains. She enjoys quick access to the mountains and has spent many hours hiking the wilderness trails with friends and dogs. For the past 20 years she has worked as a mental health therapist in a variety of settings. As a natural listener and a therapist, she has witnessed amazing generosity and courage in others. She first witnessed this in her hometown of Butte, Montana, a mining

town with a rich history and the setting for Copper Sky, her first novel. 

Copper Sky was chosen as a Spur Award finalist for Best Western Historical Novel in 2018. Her second novel, The Swan Keeper, was a Willa Award finalist in 2019. Her short story, Wild Dogs, won the Laura Award for short fiction in 2020.

She has an M.Ed. in Mental Health Counseling from Montana State University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Montana. She has previously published in Montana Quarterly, Big Sky Journal, The Polishing Stone, The Moronic Ox, BookGlow, and Feminist Studies. She has four published novels, Copper Sky, The Swan Keeper, Beautiful Ghost, and Shed Girl, and one popular history book, Idaho Madams. Her popular history book, Mary MacLane: Butte’s Wild Woman and her Wooden Heart, will be out sometime in 2025.

You can find her online at:

Website: https://milanamarsenich.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MilanaMarsenichAuthor

X/Twitter: https://x.com/milanamarsenich

--Interview by Jodi M. Webb

WOW: Congratulations on your latest book! Idaho Madams is a departure from your other books, which were all fiction. Can you tell us how you wandered into the world of nonfiction and such an overlooked topic?

Milana: Thank you! This was a fairly simple decision. My novel, Copper Sky, was a Spur Award finalist with Western Writers of America in 2018. I went to the WWA conference that year to get my certificate and my free lunch. I’d never been to a writing conference and what I found surprised me. I was in a room with 200 really good writers. I met a lot of people there. A representative from Farcountry Press was there and they were looking for writers for their Madams series. I loved the idea that someone might want me to write something. I offered and they accepted. And then I panicked. I didn’t know how to write nonfiction!

WOW: I would be panicking too. So, was writing nonfiction a challenge?

Milana: Finding the information for this book was difficult. No one wrote about madams and prostitution, other than in the crime records. Women often changed their names so as not to shame their families. Many times, they faded into the west, and no one heard from them again. I found two dissertations about prostitution in Idaho in the early west. Some books on prostitution included chapters on Idaho. Every important scrap of information I could find went into the book. And it’s not a very big book!

WOW: It may not be big, but I found it very enlightening. Before starting to read I did a bit of pearl clutching. “Madams? Oh my.” But I was impressed by the bravery, intelligence, and charitable spirit of so many of these women. Did anything in particular surprise you during your research?

Milana: Yes, I was surprised by the depth of courage the women displayed and the amount of pain the women in the 1800s and early 1900s suffered. There were no safety nets in those times. Women with children, women in violent relationships, women and girls orphaned or abandoned had few choices. Many women chose to work in the sex trade in order to survive and live. At the turn of century, the sex trade moved from the hands of the women to the hands of unsavory men. While the madams owned the business and looked at the women as employees, the men owned the women and looked at them as possessions. These women couldn’t leave. If they tried, they would be beaten and possibly killed. This shift in the agency of prostitution surprised me.

WOW: Yes, I never thought of it as something that was originally in women's hands. Let's talk about your writing career. You have authored children’s books, historical fiction, mystery, fiction and historical non-fiction. Do you have a favorite genre to write? 

Milana: My favorite genre is historical fiction. It still involves research, but I can stray from the facts to suit the story. I love to lean into magical realism that is grounded in the everyday world and historical fiction allows me to do that. It also allows for a flexibility in themes.

WOW: That's amazing, I just read a fellow WOW writer's piece about magical realism. Of course, all your books feel magical to me because I've never been to the American West, so it's like reading about a whole different world. Can you tell me – in case I ever cross the Mississippi – is there one Western spot or event you believe everyone should experience?

Milana: Yes! My hometown of Butte, Montana, often called Butte, America. It was a melting pot of the west, a small city, and phenomenon all its own. It still gives a sense of the early west. It hosts the Montana Folk Festival, a week of great music. Otherwise, Seattle, San Francisco, Denver, and San Antonio are all great cities.

WOW: You should work for your local tourism board. You make a trip to Butte sound very tempting. Will your writing ever stray outside the West?

Milana: I am partial to the west, primarily because I know it. I want to place my Juliette French novels around the nation in unique settings. She might make her way to east coast eventually.

WOW: Can you share a little writing advice with us?

Milana: First: Give yourself permission to write. There is a sense that you are going where no one has gone before. And you are. No one will write the book you’ll write.

Learn the rules before breaking them. Writing is a craft. Understanding the rules of the craft can save a writer a lot of time. I speak from experience. I grew up a poet. It took me a long time to learn to write a novel.

Read everything, books like yours, books different than yours. Read poetry, essays, news, history. Just read. And then sit down and write.

Last, but not least, listen to criticism, consider it, and then use it or discard it. But first listen.

WOW: So what’s up next for you?

Milana: I am working on a book about Mary MacLane, an author from Butte, Montana, who shocked the literary world in 1901 by writing about her inner life. She was bold, irreverent, and unabashedly sexual. Her first book sold 100,000 copies in the first month. She titled it “I Await the Devil’s Coming.” The publisher changed the title to “The Story of Mary MacLane.” The critics loved her and hated her. We are hoping the book will be released late in 2025.

WOW: She sounds fascinating and you get to write about your beloved Butte! Thanks for sharing so much with us today.

--Blog Tour Calendar

November 18th @ The Muffin

Join us as we celebrate the launch of  Milana Marsenich's Idaho Madams! Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of her book.

https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com

November 20th @ A Storybook World

Learn about Researching History from writer Milana Marsenich.

https://www.astorybookworld.com/

November 22nd @ Musings of a Literary Wanderer

Angela is celebrating Non-Fiction November with a review of Idaho Madams by Milana Marsenich.

https://musingsofaliterarywanderer.blogspot.com/

November 23rd @ A Wonderful World of Words

Author Milana Marsenich transports us to the Wild West with the story of Mary MacLane, Butte’s Wild Woman. Also, enjoy an excerpt from her latest book, Idaho Madams.

https://awonderfulworldofwordsa.blogspot.com/

November 25th @ Choices

Author Milana Marsenich visits with a guest post about The Town as Character.

https://www.madelinesharples.com/

November 27th @  Reading Is My Remedy

Read a review of Milana Marsenich's nonfiction book, Idaho Madams.

https://readingismyremedy.wordpress.com/

November 28th @ The Faerie Review

Lily is reviewing Idaho Madams, a nonfiction history of the shady side of the Wild West.

https://www.thefaeriereview.com

November 29th @ Candid Canine

Today's guest post by Milana Marsenich features Auditor, the Mining Dog.

https://candidcanine.blogspot.com

November 30th @ Nikki's Book Reviews

Nikki is reviewing Idaho Madams and hosting author Milana Marsenich with a guest post about Keeping the Perspective within the Heart and Mind of the Character.

https://nikkitsbookreviews.wordpress.com/

December 5th @ Tracey Lampley

Read about the Brothel Freeze Framed in 1991 when author Milana Marsenich, author of Idaho Madams, visits today.

https://www.traceylampley.com

December 7th @ Guatemala Paula Loves to Read

Don't miss the review is of the non-fiction history Idaho Madams by Milana Marsenich.

https://guatemalapaula.blogspot.com

December 9th @ Chapter Break

Author Milana Marsenich tells the tale of the 1912 Speculator Mine Disaster

https://chapterbreak.net

December 11th @  Reading Is My Remedy

Today's guest post by Milana Marsenich is about The Character of Wallace, Idaho. 

https://readingismyremedy.wordpress.com/

December 12th @ Some Thoughts - Everything Creativity

Wrtier Milana Marsenich address the ghostly aspects of a town or event in today's guest post.

https://www.kaeceymccormick.com/blog

December 13th @ StoreyBook Reviews

Get a peek at an excerpt of Milana Marsenich's book Idaho Madams. She's also posting about Dogs and other Animals in Story Development.

https://www.storeybookreviews.com

December 14th @ Words by Webb

Head to the Wild West for a review of Idaho Madams.

https://www.jodiwebbwriter.com/blog

December 19th @ Knotty Needle

Read Judy's review of a little known aspect of frontier life with Idaho Madams by Milana Marsenich.

http://knottyneedle.blogspot.com

***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****

Enter to win a print copy of Idaho Madams by Milana Marsenich! Fill out the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win. The giveaway ends December 1 at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day via Rafflecopter and follow up via email. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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9 comments author interview, blog tour, Idaho Madams, Milana Marsenich, nonfiction

4 Ways to Wrap Up Your Nonfiction Manuscript

Earlier this week, as I read Melissa Stewart's post on the ending of her book Mega-Predators of the Past, I realized I haven't recently written about the many clever ways you can wrap up your nonfiction manuscript. Here are four of my favorites. 

Summary Plus 

The manuscript I am currently revising for Red Line ends with a summary, but I have to go beyond what my reader has encountered in the preceding pages. One way to do this is to make a prediction as I did in Evolution of Mammals: 

“Fossils are one of the oldest means of studying evolution. Using DNA analysis, computer models, stable isotope analysis, and more, scientists are creating a more accurate picture of how mammals have changed over time. As scientists continue to develop new techniques and share information, that picture will continue to evolve.” 

Another is to end with a note of hope. "This has been a bad situation, but things are looking up because..." This is especially important when you write for young readers.  Most editors want to end on a positive note.

Consider This 

Another possible ending challenges readers to contemplate the information you’ve given them. Kelly Milner Halls does this in her book In Search of Sasquatch. 

"Serious Sasquatch hunters believe their quest will one day be just as successful. And millions of people around the world are sure they’re right. Until then, we’ll have to be content with compelling evidence that has opened even skeptical scientific eyes to the possibilities. Do you believe? Consider the evidence; then see if you can decide.” 

Whether or not you are a believer, you will be amazed by the amount of information the author compiled and the nature of some of the sources she used in her book. It is enough to make you think.

Call to Action

In this popular nonfiction ending, the author challenges the reader to go forth and . . . conserve, recycle, feed the hungry, etc. The specific challenge depends on the topic. For example, in Investigating Fossil Fuel Pollution, I talk about the different things that people can do to reduce the use and impact of fossil fuels. 

The call to action can also be used in historic fiction as Louise Borden does with His Name was Raoul Wallenberg: Courage, Rescue and Mystery During World War II. Here is her ending: 

“The fate of Raoul Wallenberg is still unknown. His tragic arrest casts a shadow on the light and the hope that this young Swedish architect brought to those in need during the dark days of 1944. “His enduring legacy – the knowledge that one person can make a difference in the world – lives on in the many thousands whom he and others saved, and in the generations that follow them.” 

Borden challenges readers to solve the mystery and also to create a legacy of their own. Thanks to Borden’s challenge, her readers are now thinking big! 

Circular Ending 

I really like well-crafted circular endings. A circular ending is one that somehow connects to the beginning. This is the type of ending that Melissa Stewart crafted in Mega-Predators of the Past. In the final three sentences of her book, Stewart restates the idea that dinosaurs are “overexposed and overrated” while concluding that it is time to “let other prizeworthy predators of the past share the stage.” This was her introduction and helps readers see that she has proved her point with numerous animal examples. 

Endings may not be my strength, but when I come across one that works this well . . . wow! It really wins me over. Now I just have to develop the perfect ending for my own manuscript. 

--SueBE

Sue Bradford Edwards' is the author of over 35 books for young readers.  To find out more about her writing, visit her site and blog, One Writer's Journey.

The next session of her new course, Pitching, Querying and Submitting Your Work will begin on February 6, 2023).  Coping with rejection is one of the topics she will cover in this course.

Sue is also the instructor for  Research: Prepping to Write Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults (next session begins February 6, 2023) and Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults (next session begins February 6, 2023). 

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4 comments Endings, nonfiction, Sue Bradford Edwards, writing nonfiction

Interview with Penelope Richards - Runner Up in the Quarter 4 2022 WOW! Essay Contest

Congratulations to all the contestants and winners in the Quarter 4 2022 WOW! Essay  Contest! If you haven't already checked out the impressive list of authors, please head to the WOW! Blog and do so! And now, without further ado - I'd love to tell you more about Penelope Richards!

In 2021, Penelope Richards graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders. Though speech therapy is fulfilling in it’s own way, Penelope’s true passion is the Arts. Almost immediately after graduation, she decided to return to school to pursue her dream of being an actor. She is currently enrolled in KD Conservatory in Dallas, Texas. When not on the stage, at work, or at her desk writing, she loves reading and shopping. Penelope’s work has appeared in WOW-Women on Writing, Inscape Journal, and Wingless Dreamer. Penelope is currently working on a collection of essays about womanhood and feminism. You can find Penelope on Instagram as @Penelope_Richards_Actor.

If you haven't done so already, check out Penelope's essay "Prey" and then return here for a chat with this talented author. 

WOW: Congratulations on placing in the Q4 2022 Creative Nonfiction Contest! I know all the emotions I felt after reading your submission, but what is the take-away you’d like readers to gain from Prey?

Penelope: There are two big take-aways from Prey. First, be careful who you trust. Examine your relationships. Take an objective look at the people in your inner circle. Try to see them without the rose-colored glasses of affection or idealization. Second, be the best ally you can be.

 

WOW: That's fantastic advice, though incredibly difficult. Thank you for your perspective. What advice would you give to others (specifically female authors) when it comes to self-care?

Penelope: Self-care is not a luxury. Nor is it something you finally earn after killing yourself staying busy for weeks and weeks. Self-care is a necessity, and it takes many forms. Sometimes self-care is the stereotypical bubble bath and facial. Other times it’s quitting your job, going to therapy, or letting yourself be unproductive on a regular basis. I struggle a lot with that last one. If I’m not doing something lucrative with every spare minute of my time, an angry voice inside my brain shouts WORTHLESS! WORTHLESS! YOU ARE WORTHLESS! As hard as it is for me to accept, self-care is acknowledging that my worth doesn’t get lower when I make less money.

Many women struggle with self-care. We, more than any other demographic, are taught to take care of everybody else first and by all means necessary, including by grinding nonstop.

This is propaganda.

The glorification of our suffering is meant to keep us from taking back the power that we deserve. That makes acts of self-care a kind of rebellion. Not just a necessity, but a duty. So, relish in it. Relish in all forms of self-care. For your sake and for women everywhere, take back your life, and make it for you.

 

WOW: I needed to hear that - I promise I'll take my duty more seriously (or I'll at the very least try). You have an impressive bio- what can you tell us about what inspires you and keeps you so motivated?

Penelope: I like to imagine the ghosts of famous women throughout history cheering me on. Usually it’s Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. Sometimes I picture all three of them in my writing space, reading over my shoulder. Other times they are squished together in the backseat of my car during my long morning commute. It’s kind of a weird trick, but it works. Whenever I face an obstacle, I try to imagine what they would tell me to do. More often than not, it gives me clarity.

 

WOW: Speaking of some of these actresses - let's find out: Who is your favorite author and why?

Penelope: At the moment, I’m obsessed with Riley Sager. His mystery novels are atmospheric and gripping. I’m not the kind of person who sees a picture in their head as they are reading. I usually just see the words. But when I read his novels, I see the words alongside colors and textures. Survive the Night was midnight blue and cashmere. The Last Time I Lied was hunter green and glassy.

WOW: Thank you so much for your submission, your time, sharing your talents, and for all your insight and wisdom - it truly has been my pleasure. 

 

 Interviewed by Crystal Otto who just keeps on keeping on!

Check out the latest Contests:

http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php

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Interview with Rosie Schaller, Runner Up in Our Quarter 3 Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest with "Exposed: Impoverished Beauty"

Congratulations to Rosie Schaller and "Exposed: Impoverished Beauty" and to all of our contestants in the Quarter 3 2022 Creative Nonfiction Contest!

Rosie's Bio:  

Rosie Schaller is a qualified counsellor, writer and mother of two. She grew up on the Island Jewel of Australia, Tasmania, and after six years away on the central coast of mainland Australia, she returned to her beloved Isle to be with extended family and friends in December 2021. Rosie’s written inclination is towards articulating the observed actions and ideas in the comings and goings of society. She enjoys writing in long poem form or short essay style and usually has a humorous bent to her stories. She is currently pursuing a small business idea that involves her love of writing and human interaction.

If you haven't done so already, check out Rosie's award-winning story "Exposed: Impoverished Beauty" and then return here for a chat with the author. 

WOW: Congratulations on placing as a runner up in the Q3 2022 Creative Nonfiction Contest!  Thank you for writing this essay - what is the take-away you'd like readers to gain from Exposed; Impoverished Beauty?

Rosie: The takeaway is to look at humanity with an open and curious mind, to observe the variety of people around you and to wonder about their lives; what has shaped them to become who and how they are – especially when the way they are is confronting to yourself. The people described in my essay were in my street and together we demonstrated the mosaic of society. 

I also think humor is the medicine of life and to write in a way that makes someone chuckle is a goal of mine, however, I always endeavor for the humor to be used as a tool that connects rather than divides. My intention is never to laugh at people or circumstances but to recognize the funny in behavior or situations, and to tie that in with an authentic experience.

WOW: That's a great way to look at things - thanks for the special insight. Tell us more about your process - Where do you write? What does your space look like?

Rosie: I write at the kitchen table, the couch, or on my bed. It depends when the moment presents itself and what the environment is like around me. If there’s sun shining on the couch I like to sit there, if the kids are playing loudly, I’ll close the door to my room. However, I find when all have gone to bed and the world is quiet – that’s when my mind and fingers really flow in unison.   

WOW: Sounds familiar as far as writing space goes and after reading your essay, I can say your fingers and mind support one another beautifully! Now, let me ask, who is your support - what have you found to be most supportive in your writing life as well as in life in general?  

Rosie: When people learn that I enjoy writing and have entered various competitions as a way to hone the craft and execute my ideas, I find them to be really supportive. My dad surprised me the other day when I told him about this essay making it to the top ten and he suddenly blurted that he’s always wanted to write a book and has a title in mind! This made me smile and it reiterated to me that when we share our creative sides, it often allows others to express that side to themselves too. He then checked in with me almost every second day to see if I’d heard about the final result. His enthusiasm was encouraging!  

WOW: How encouraging is that!! Other than helping your dad with his book idea, what’s next for you? What are your writing goals for what's left of Summer 2022 and beyond?

Rosie: Well here in the Land Downunder, it’s winter, which is a mixture of cool, crisp blue days, or as I like to say – pearler days! – and also grey, overcast, squally weather. My goals are to continue to find moments of time to work on various writings I have going on - mainly a few more creative non-fiction essays.

WOW: You mentioned contests as part of your craft - what is your history with writing contests?  - tell us what prompted you to submit to this particular contest? What would you like to tell other authors concerning contests and submitting their work?

Rosie: What prompted me to submit Exposed: Impoverished Beauty? The characters presented themselves; I listened and observed, my mind was ticking. I was aware of my interpretations and the humor that I sensed amongst the comings and goings of our street, which lead me to start writing. Then I simply felt it was a story worth sharing. There’s so much diversity in our lives, so many polarizing opinions and perspectives and I wanted to give a voice to how we can be so different and yet connected. And this competition provided the space for a piece like this. 

My advice to other authors submitting works to competitions – read your piece out loud, read over, and read again, polish it and then take the plunge and press send (after reading all the conditions closely ;) ). Pay for the critique – it’s so worth receiving another’s interpretation of your writing as it can provide validation, awareness of what needs clarifying, what needs improvement – it’s all valuable to help you hone your craft! 

 

WOW: Such great insight - thank you immensely! I'm sure we will be hearing more from you in the future!

Interviewed by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto who is busy raising kids and cattle amongst other odd jobs - follow her in instagram 

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