Today’s my last day in Harding County’s wide open spaces. The weather’s been spectacular, old friends have been more than welcoming, and the students I worked with Tuesday and yesterday were delightful. The kids shared their perspectives about life on the short grass prairie, which enabled me to see the county with their young eyes. Hopefully, those perspectives will ooze into my mystery novel and make this place come alive for readers.
But who wants to wait until the mystery is published (if it’s ever published) to get a feel for this place? Certainly not me! So here’s a sneak peek at what the kids, ages 8–12, say needs to be in a book to show readers what makes Harding County Harding County.
- So many people come during hunting season, my dad makes me wear bright colors whenever I’m outside.
- The wind.
- There are tractors and hay bales everywhere.
- Our county history makes this place what it is, especially Tipperary Arena and the statue of Tipperary, the bucking horse.
- Cattle wander and disappear into other people’s pastures, and we have to go find them.
- Small towns.
- The huge, flat places.
- The buttes.
- It’s tough to live here, especially during a drought.
- Horses and rodeos.
- People trail cattle right across the highway.
How in the world can all that be worked into one mystery novel? It may be an impossible task. Which means it’s time to think about a long series. Hmmm.
