New non-fiction project

Since moving to Idaho eight years ago, I've been researching the local history and making notes. There are a handful of books on the history of the Camas Prairie ("Little Camas Prairie," not the northern "Big Camas Prairie" near Lewiston). They lack the scope and accuracy I wanted, though. As I interviewed the old-timers for various news articles in my career as a stringer, I unearthed many stories that I longed to see published--stories about windmills and miners and sleigh rides into town for a dance.

Time and logistics frustrated my early efforts at research. Much information about pre-statehood Idaho is in libraries and special collections in Oregon. Camas County changed names and seats several times, and early records are difficult to find. I'm not a historian. Genealogical records are limited, and the older generation is dying off. I put my work aside and focused on raising my two young children. Now, with the motivation of joining a non-fiction critique group, I'm back to work on the project. I knew the timing was right for me when my husband read an early draft of chapter one and said, "This is what you should be doing." So the research continues and the writing begins.