What would drive a woman in 1828 to head west across the Great Plains into the Rocky Mountains, risking death among hostile Native Americans, brutish mountain men, and wild animals?

Why, the same reason as a man, of course-freedom.

Like fur trappers of the early western frontier, Kathleen is a misfit. Growing up in the Irish slums of Boston and watching her mother die giving birth to a dozen children, Kathleen has decided to escape into a career as a school teacher, free of men; but when she sets out along the Santa Fe Trail for distant New Mexico, she finds that dry powder and steady aim are as important as reading, writing, and arithmetic ...

Rich in historical detail, atmospheric landscapes, and heart-pounding action, The Strange Courtship of Kathleen O'Dwyer is both an epic survival story and a deeply emotional romance. Fans of classic Westerns, strong female protagonists, and sweeping frontier dramas will find themselves captivated from the very first page.

Bonus material is the author's winning short story entered for the 2024 William Faulkner Literary Competition-Philippe Richoux