Na Pali Coast wonders: beyond Honolulu's glitz, NCL's 'Pride' reveals breathtaking beauty

The most spectacular views of the Na Pali Coast are from the air or sea. 

HIDDEN OAHU: NA PALI COASTLINE OFFERS STUNNING TERRAIN, NATURAL BEAUTY ABOARD 'PRIDE OF AMERICA'

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

Not far from the coast line, pineapple
fields grow much of the world's fruit.

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER








OAHU'S NORTH Shore offers one of the world's most spectacular coastlines.
But not many visitors to Honolulu take the time to enjoy the beauty. We took a leisurely sail past this wonder, aboard Norwegian Cruise Line's Pride of America. 
Years ago, Hollywood discovered this pristine stretch of coastline with its eye-popping scenery. The crystal-clear water, jagged mountains and cascading waterfalls transport the viewer to fictional worlds such as those introduced in the "Jurassic Park" movies, "The Hunger Games" and many other famous films. Yet the cinematic beauty of this part of the Hawaiian Islands is very much "non-fiction."
More than four million years ago, volcanic plates formed the islands. Where these plates came together, volcanoes were created, sending magma rising upward until it erupted on the seafloor, at what are called  “hot spots.”

Pride of America offers a leisurely way to see the islands.

WE HAD a recent close encounter with the result of this Earth-shaking phenomenon.  We've visited Hawaii many times, so booked a week aboard NCL's Pride of America for a different take. NCL is the only line making a popular weekly spin around these fabled isles.
We wanted a laid-back cruise, since we are taking five other more demanding cruises this year.  We highly recommend this pleasant transit of the islands.  The Pride makes the trip each week for a leisurely look at the top towns and attractions on the four major Hawaiian islands.
If you want a longer time on Oahu, we also recommend Turtle Bay Resort on the north shore, which provides fine access to the Na Pali Coast for myriad activities.

Eager Pride of America passengers disembark for a look at the North Shore.
Some of us took helicopter rides, as well as enjoying the boat's tour.

LUSH JUNGLES and rain forests lead to verdant cliffs that sometimes hang below the clouds. The jagged peaks and shades of green remind of the mountains and jungles of Peru.
The scenic Na Pali coast is hard to beat for spectacular beauty, which is why it has attracted film directors for decades.
  Some of the jungle scenes of  the "Jurassic Park" films were shot in Waimea Valley, also on the North Shore. That lovely canyon is also a great place for a delightful hike. Among the 250 other films shot here are "Blue Hawaii," with Elvis Presley, "Jumanji" and "Godzilla."

 At Kualoa Ranch, you can tour jungle film sets
 or a secret island, visit Hawaiian fishponds,
go for a horseback ride, or drive an ATV.

While visiting the North shore, check out the Kualoa Ranch, which served as a backdrop to the "Jurassic" pictures and many other science-fiction and adventure films. A working cattle ranch, it offers fun tours, some by jeep, of  its "Jurassic Park" locations, chosen by directors and cinematographers for the stunning scenery. Today, world famous Kualoa Ranch capitalizes on its good fortune -- with tours that take visitors to the locations, telling the stories of dinosaurs brought out of extinction through cloning.

Approaching the Na Pali Coast, passengers aboard NCL's
Pride of America enjoy the sun and prepare for a treat. 

MANY OTHER movie jungle scenes were captured in nearby Manoa Valley. One can take the trail in Manoa Valley to the 150-foot Manoa Falls. This gorgeous waterfall is well worth the hike, even if you aren’t a fan of the movies.
There's something cinematic about visiting Oahu's North Shore and Na Pali Coast, but pinch yourself -- because it's all very real. This wonder of the world is thankfully being preserved by the Hawaiian people and shared with us all through  tourism -- and the movies!

Veteran travel writer Christene "Cookie" Meyers and horticulturist
Kate Logan at the entrance to Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden.

UP NEXT: One of the world's most extraordinary gardens is the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, created by a Bay Area man who discovered a neglected 17-acre property 40 years ago and determined to create an oasis. After seven years of work, seven days a week, a beautiful garden emerged.  It is one of the treasures of the "Big Island" of Hawaii and we'll take you there.   Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us each Friday for a novel look at travel, the arts, family and nature.

Mas la Boella -- spectacular Catalonia resort incorporates history, wine, nature, olive oil and modern amenities

The view from our balcony at Hotel Mas La Boella: tranquil, at sunset, welcoming, quiet, serene and beautiful.
The resort sports a noted restaurant and convention center, with an imposing 12th Century home as its centerpiece.

The estate's thoughtful design incorporates elements of
the 12th Century home and mill, honoring southern Spain's
 legacy of producing some of the world's finest olive oil.  

STORY BY CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER
and courtesy Hotel Mas La Boella

ONLY AN HOUR-PLUS drive from bustling Barcelona, an oasis of calm and pleasure awaits.
Hotel Mas La Boella is a beautifully designed boutique hotel with 13 elegant suites -- each distinct and artfully decorated -- named after the estate's bountiful variety of grapes and olives.
We discovered this paradise while researching unusual places to stay, a tradition in our ten years of visiting southern Spain with its enticing array of boutique hotels and paradors.
DRAWN TO picturesque and historic Tarragona province, we were intrigued by the allure of La Boella. Foodies and olive fanciers, we loved that we'd douse our bread with oil made from the estate's own trees.  We appreciated that one of southern Spain's famed chefs creates the restaurant's delicacies.  Fragrant Tarragona wines and 300 other global offerings complement Manuel Ramirez' beautifully presented plates.

A simple, delicious appetizer olive
begins the feast at Espai Fortuny.

BEAUTY AWAITS the beholder everywhere.  Various elements are at play, all enhanced by nature.  The place has history -- a 12th Century country house is equipped with the latest technology.  So the hotel is pampering and serene, yet completely modern.  Our balcony offered stunning views of the olive groves, gardens and vineyards.  Our suite was beautifully enhanced with pleasing paintings evoking nearby nature. Yet we could be on line, catching up on work.

La Boella's stunning beauty extends inside and outside the estate.
Everything is constructed with the highest standards in the estate,
popular for weddings, parties, luxurious events and conferences.

We strolled the grounds, admiring the mill where La Boella's famous extra virgin olive oil is made -- and we toured the factory, enjoying a tasting after. 
Olive oil is serious business in  Mediterranean countries, each believing its product is superior.  We'd be hard pressed (no pun intended) to  find more delicious olive oil than that produced at La Boella.  We poured it over our beautifully cooked eggs.  We dipped our bread in it.  We became olive oil junkies in our several days there.  And we came home with bottles which we proudly and sparingly use, remembering a special time in a peaceful place.

Lauded Catalan chef, Manuel Ramirez, sets the tone for exquisite meals,
 artfully prepared with quality ingredients, including the estate's own olive oil. 

THE LOVELY HOTEL is recently constructed, but has the feeling of  age -- with lacquered wood, huge windows, gorgeous giant beds ("more for dreaming than sleeping," they say. And it's true.)

Breakfast at La Boella features freshly
made muffins and rosquilla (donuts.)

Service is an art at a La Boella meal.
Here, Cookie chooses cheeses for dessert.
WE ENJOYED leisurely meals at
the resort's highly regarded
restaurant, which even in late
autumn was frequented by locals
 as well as other lucky travelers.
Service is an art form at restaurant
Espai Fortuny, where we capped
the day with elegant, tasty lamb
   and fish, handsomely presented,
accented with the resort's greens. 

Olive oils, made on the estate's mill, and other condiments await guests.
La Boella's fine wines and extra virgin olive oils are sold in a lovely shop.

Stairway to the stars (and our suite) with a leather covered hand rail.
For more information: website: laboella.com; email: info@laboella.com 

Keller took this photo on our last
night at one of our most memorable
resorts:  peaceful, beautiful, satisfying.  
OUR HOME on the Costa
Daurada was as fragrant as it
was picturesque.  Orange trees,
lavender, magnolia, rosemary
and soothing sounds of a 
 fountain all beckon us back.
 

  

A bighorn sheep waits out the winter near Nye, Montana.

UP NEXT: Taking a break from winter, Montana is truly a state for all seasons and reasons, but our favorite times are when the sun shines brightly so we can look for birds, the leaves aren't yet on the trees (or have just been shed) and we don't need three layers of clothing to fend off the freeze.  Coming up: a look at Montana in all its seasonal splendors -- including the transition from autumn to winter, for many, the favorite time to view birds and wildlife, and truly feel the change of seasons. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us each Friday for a fresh look at travel, art, nature, family and whatever strikes our fancy.

Automobile museum in Malaga rides high with fashion, fun, flair

Vintage autos from an impressive, world-class private collection, are wowing visitors in Malaga's auto museum.

Cookie -- under-dressed -- finds herself in a wondrous collage of color.

LUXURY MEETS ART AND FASHION IN MALAGA'S UNIQUE CAR, GOWN DISPLAY 

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

PICTURE YOURSELF in a sleek Bugatti or elegant Bentley, motoring to the opera or an exclusive cocktail party.

Each of 10-plus auto exhibit areas is accented by vintage clothing,
accessories, artwork and descriptions of the era in this artful museum. 

You must have the proper attire -- something elegant to match your fashionable transport.
No worries if you were alive in the gilded era -- when autos were works of art, money no object, and wealthy men and women dressed to the nines.
We spent a delightful afternoon in the museum-friendly city of Malaga, Spain, where one of its latest jewels is the fantastic Museu Automovilistico.

Bruce Keller takes a close-up look and pictures himself
behind the wheel -- vrooooom, vroooooom, vroooooooom. 

Housed in a stately historic building, an old tobacco factory, the museum opened in 2010, drawing raves and shrieks of delight from both auto buffs and fans of fashion.

THE MUSEUM houses the private collection of Portuguese car fanatic, collector and investor Joao Magalhaes. His impressive collection is valued at over 25 million euros, and is one of the most important vintage car collections in the world.

The museum houses 80 vintage and modern cars, artistically arranged with fashionable gowns and unusual travel memorabilia from the Roaring Twenties, on into the 1930s, '40s and '50s.

Finery and furbelows, flouncy, sleek, ornate and fun, are beautifully displayed at the museum. 

An elderly fellow tourist enjoying the museum during our visit remarked that the first car in the exhibition is so old it looks more like a horse-drawn carriage --  minus the horse.  My husband pointed out its tiny motor, which put her into a reverie, remembering travel in her grandparents' car decades ago. 

WE FELT definitely under-dressed, a bit like misappropriated extras in "The Great Gatsby" as we wandered through nearly a dozen breathtaking displays.
Each one artfully takes up a theme and an era -- Belle Epoque, Art Deco Thirties, Dolce Vita Fifties, English Tradition, etc.  

The variety of splendid attire would be the envy of any theater's costume shop -- from vintage apparel of our great-grandparents' youth, to more contemporary and timeless clothing. The cars follow suit -- from that early "horseless carriage" to an "alternative energies" exhibit with a space-age solar-powered model. 

While it is attractive it is not nearly as exotic, as the custom Rolls-Royce with its beautifully festooned crystals.

Each display area showcases autos, along with artifacts, art and finery. 

WE ADMIRED flashy cars with flames painted along the sides and powerful sound systems. We wandered by gorgeous autos owned by stars, royalty and the rich and famous -- Bugatti, Auburn, Bentley, Jaguar, Ferrari and Mercedes.

We enjoyed bling on the costumes and bling on the cars -- lots of gold and plenty of sparkle, including  a ritzy black Rolls-Royce customized with Swarovski crystals. 

The beautifully curated auto and fashion museum also boasts vintage posters and artifacts, nicely preserved -- polished collectibles from a bygone age.

 IN MUSEUM-loving Spain, Malaga is not the largest city.  But it may have the most impressive variety of world-class museums.  We visited about half of the bounty, including a first rate art museum which focuses on Andalucian art – the Museo Carmen Thyssen.

Space age vehicles are also on view, with modern clothing and space wear.

When we encore our  Malaga trip we'll visit the highly regarded Wine Museum, where one can learn about Malaga’s own vintages.

Besides the Automobile Museum, another impressive private collection resides in Malaga's Glass and Crystal Museum, which also features antique furniture and paintings, all arranged by period.
Contemporary art lovers will enjoy Malaga's CAC (Centro de Arte Contemporaneo), Andalucia’s foremost cutting-edge space.
And we'll soon be giving a nod to Piccaso, native son, who is immortalized in both a beautiful museum and in his birth home.

We're enjoying close-up views of the beautiful grey whale.

NEXT UP:  The magnificent grey whales are migrating now and we've been watching them with wonder, off the southern California coast.  More than 20,000 of the graceful creatures pass by our  San Diego base, on a 10,000 mile journey from Alaska to the warm waters of  Baja, Mexico. There they'll give birth and then make the return trip. We're on the scene to share the wonder, so close we can see the barnacles and baleen with which they filter food. Remember to explore, learn and live, and catch us each weekend for a novel twist on the arts, nature and travel.

San Francisco off season retains its elegance, beauty, sense of fun

The "Painted Ladies" near Alamo Square, San Francisco, California, represent an architecture used for Victorian
and Edwardian houses and buildings painted in distinctive pastel hues. The term is over a century old.

HEAD TO THE CITY BY THE BAY FOR VARIETY, FUN, WITH A FEAST FOR THE EYES AT EVERY TURN

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

"One day if I go to heaven ... I'll look around and say, 'It ain't bad, but it ain't San Francisco.'"      Herb Caen, noted San Francisco columnist who died in 1997.

  The late Herb Caen, a symbol of elegance, smiling
and raising a glass to his beloved San Francisco.

THE LATE Herb Caen loved his town like no one else and waxed about it in his colorful newspaper columns for 60 years.

Boats on Fisherman's Wharf await tourists, residents, an international crowd.

Tourists from all over the world have
 their photos taken on Union Square.

 "A city is not gauged by its length and width, but by the broadness of its vision and the height of its dreams," he proudly said, of his city, San Francisco. I happened to be in one of my favorite cities when he passed.  San Francisco was Caen's home for most of his life (April 3, 1916 – February 2, 1997) and he was honored by San Francisco Chronicle writers and thousands of readers in the next few days. It was wonderful and touching to follow the tributes.
SAN FRANCISCO truly has vision, and she has always dreamed. Her whimsical cable cars, "crookedest street," unusual architecture (Trans-America Pyramid, one of many), bridges, the bay, the parks, landmark sites such as Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39 and Union Square, unique art and gardens, bistros, bars and theaters all speak to what Caen meant when he joked that heaven might be nice, but it wouldn't be San Francisco. Much of the city's charm came from the "rebuilding" after the 1906 earthquake and fire. It re-invented itself in an imaginative, eye-catching way.
In my many visits to San Francisco, I understand Caen's pride in the town he called home.

Nick and Nora join us for sun and people-and-dog watching,
while we enjoy coffee and pastry on Union Square. 

Writer's novel takes place partly in San Francisco, click here
EVEN Off-SEASON, in winter, San Francisco has an elegance about her. And it's dog friendly. My family loves San Francisco.  My sister Peny and brother-in-law Jim settled in northern California in the 1970s, and now a nephew and his partner ranch there. Plus a niece and her family live in Redwood City, so we often visit, always making discoveries. The "Bard of the Bay," Mr. Caen, loved his city for its vibrancy, beauty, variety.  He loved its enthusiasm, daring and fearless embrace of the new, while honoring the old.

Tony Bennett made his name,
with a song about San Francisco. 

The Trans-America Pyramid
is one of San Francisco's many
unique, eye-catching structures.

Caen loved the city's famous "Painted Ladies," by Alamo Square, those picturesque, expensive pastel Victorian and Edwardian houses.
HE DOTED ON the fabulous food -- from Indian to Asian to Greek, Italian, French and barbecue -- all befitting the

Pier 35 on the center of the action near Fisherman's Wharf.

culinary mix prepared by and for the town's ethnic melting pot. To gourmands, that makes San Francisco appealing. The clam chowder in sourdough bread bowl withstands time's test.
CAEN WROTE about the city's grand hotels. We love the Hyatt on Union Square, the stately St. Francis, the Fairmont where we heard Duke Ellington years ago, and the "Top of the Mark" Hopkins, now owned by InterContinental. We love Diva for its spirit and recently tried a fun new one, the Zephyr. It thinks big -- like San Francisco -- rising from the old Raddison on Beach Street, to cover an entire city block, all in a nautical theme (some of the rooms look out on the bay through portholes.)

Thumbs up: Bruce Keller and great-nephew James Ganner
enjoy the San Francisco Zoo train. Wee James is a regular.

Caen wrote about that bay -- the ships which sail it, the people who work in the port, the prison on Alcatraz and its long-gone denizens and wardens. He wrote proudly about the many films made in hilly, distinctive San Francisco.
Whoever said "less is more" didn't understand San Francisco's big, bold approach to life where, happily, anything goes.
CHECK OUT CityPASS for San Francisco highlights -- the trolley, cable car, aquarium and other "must see" attractions, at a significant savings. We love CityPASS!
CityPASS info


COMING UP: The San Francisco Zoo is a wonderful place, for kids of all ages.  From giraffes to lions and a fun steam train, it's popular year round. What makes a zoo appealing, and how does the San Francisco zoo rank for our two worldwide zoo watchers? High ratings and a fun ride coming up next at whereiscookie. We look for adventure as we travel the world for food, family, frolic, the arts and the natural world. Enjoy, learn and live!

Off to Cody, Wyoming, with our own dog and pony show

WE'RE USING acouple whereiscookie blogs to bring you up to date on Cookie's and Keller's summer.Today's post features a recent article from the Cody, Wyoming, newspaper.The newspaper was founded by Buffalo Bill Cody, who is one of the cameo players in "Lilian's Last Dance."We're excited to be touring the book, teaching and hitting the trail for Cody!

Click here for more on 'Lilian's Last Dance'

‘Broads, Booze & Buckaroos’ writers’ workshop, reading June 13 in Cody

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Christene Meyers

Christene Meyers

Posted: Monday, June 1, 2015 2:52 pm | Updated: 9:37 am, Tue Jun 2, 2015.

23 comments

Award-winning reporter and arts writer Christene Meyers will conduct a writing workshop from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, in Grizzly Hall of the Cody library.

The workshop is free and open to all writers or would-be writers.

Called “Broads, Booze and Buckaroos,” Meyers’ workshop will offer tips on imagining or re-imagining one’s history to produce lively writing.

The workshop is limited to 12-15 people to give time and attention to each participant’s efforts. Register for the workshop at the library or by calling 307 527-1880 during library hours to reserve a spot.

“What is necessary is to have the desire to write, and an idea,” says Meyers.

People may choose fiction, non-fiction or poetry for writing genres. Attendees should bring a list of characters – real or imagined – as well as a sampling of vintage photos from their family or friends, preferably at least three generations back. These will be used to inspire the day’s exercises.

The Cody workshop is one of five regional workshops Meyers has given. More are planned into the autumn in Wyoming and her native state, Montana.

Meyers is on a national tour with her novel, “Lillian’s Last Dance,” recently out in paperback and available at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. She will also address the "Buffalo Gals" in October at the Center, discussing her novel and its "Cody connection."

The book’s paperback publisher is WordsWorth of Cody. Meyers will have the book for signing at the workshop.

Her book was featured at the Billings Public Library as part of the “Big Read, Wednesday with Willa” activities sponsored by the Writer’s Voice of Billings. Her novel is set in 1907-1917 and features a love triangle among traveling actors during the transition of silent movies to “talkies.” It includes 24 colorful western supporting players and 20 cameos by actual personalities of the day, from Pablo Picasso to Buffalo Bill, after whom Cody is named and the founder of this newspaper.

Meyers divides her time between Nye, Mont., and San Diego, Calif.

In addition to teaching writers’ workshops, Meyers writes travel and arts articles for newspapers and magazines. Her byline, informed travel tips and knack for a lively interview are familiar to readers throughout the region. She also plays piano in nightclubs in Montana, California and Arizona.

There will be a lunch break for workshop participants, who may either bring a lunch or buy it in the library’s Biblio Bistro.

The many incarnations of Annie Oakley -- what a cast of different dames

CLICK HERE to buy Lilian's Last Dance  a new e-Book on Amazon

British born Emma Williams played a sultry, fun Annie Oakley.

 'LILIAN'S LAST DANCE' RESEARCH INCLUDED MANY BOOKS ON ANNIE OAKLEY, TRIPS TO RURAL FRANCE AND STUDY OF ACTRESSES WHO PLAYED THE FAMED SURE SHOT

 
"I can shoot a partridge, with a single cartridge."
"I can shoot a sparrow, with a bow and arrow."
         --From "Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better" 

Garland's Annie -- vulnerable, wide-eyed.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
(archival art from vintage posters)

SO MANY women have played the part of Annie Oakley in "Annie Get Your Gun," that it staggers the imagination.
I've studied the character carefully -- and its various incarnations -- from Ethel Merman's brash, bold Annie to Judy Garland's wide-eyed and emotional Annie, to Doris Day's version which was wholesome and tuneful.
BETTY HUTTON won praise for her movie Annie, giving the character sex appeal, something Merman would never be linked with! Merman was in her own league, though, and every other Annie would be compared to her.
Patti Lupone wowed 'em with her fire, magnificent pipes and belt-it-out bravado. Reba McEntire's Annie Oakley was perky and flirty, with a country flair. Herbert and Dorothy Fields wrote the book for a musical based on Oakley's life and I listened to their brilliant lyrics as thought about Lilian.

Betty Hutton's Annie -- sultry for the day~!

 In creating this title role in our novel, we went for a three-dimensional human being.  She falls in love, she jilts a man who is wrong for her.  She fools around with two fellas at the same time. She has a substance abuse problem. She's also gorgeous, loyal, generous. She's, well, imperfect.
OUR STORY is spiced by the appearance of real show biz and art icons -- Buffalo Bill Cody, D.W. Griffith, Pickford, Chaplin, Pablo Picasso and many others.  Buffalo Bill, very much a real guy, hired our fictional Lilian.  The novel's characters interact with the real-life famous ones.

Bernadette Peters' Annie was
vulnerable and tender.

IN MY FAMILY, the motto was "come big or stay home."  So I'm coming big, but it's taken a while and it may never be more than a well reviewed novel........but who knows....
Many moons ago, when my novel collaborator William Jones and embarked upon "Lilian's Last Dance," I told him of a recurring dream, to write a Broadway musical.  My first husband, Bruce, and I talked about it and even sketched out a few melodies.  It would be a musical about a French born sharpshooter.  (Perhaps we'd just seen "Les Miserables" and were thinking French, but I believe it was frequent forays to Paris and Provence that made us imagine this beautiful, talented character.)  She'd be sexy, smart, sassy and sure of herself. Her confidence would be subtle, not brassy.

Merman's Annie:  she belted out the
songs, but wasn't what critics called
subtle. Crowds loved her blustering singing.

AFTER BRUCE died, Billy and I plugged away on "Lilian." Between stints on the novel, he encouraged me to write a half-dozen songs, towards "The Famous Broadway Musical," as we called it.

Mary Martin's Annie -- could she be
believable after "Peter Pan" and
"South Pacific"? Of course, it's show biz!

 We knew comparisons might be made to "Annie Get Your Gun" but our musical wouldn't be all nice, dreamy and idealistic.  It would have violence, death, unrequited love, accidents, murder and a couple really rotten characters.
Still, it was fun to revisit the famous "Annie Get Your Gun." On a 1999 trip to New York, the show was in revival with Bernadette Peters in the title role and Tom Wopat as Frank Butler. Peters was enchanting, expressive -- a world apart from Merman's over-the-top Annie. (Donald O'Connor, who played opposite Merman, blamed his hearing problem on her piercing voice!) Bernadette was strong but vulnerable, always a lady, even with her pistols! I've probably seen 15 versions, including Betty Hutton's movie Annie.

A vintage poster of the real life Annie Oakley,
touring with Buffalo Bill's famous Wild West show.

 The diminutive Mary Martin of "Peter Pan" fame played the lead to raves in 49 cities.
Another spin on Annie was given by Reba McEntire, who toured the show with a huge country and western following.

Patti Lupone's Annie was
a bit demure, fetching!

I'VE BEEN working on "Lilian"  here and there, between blogging, trips, family stuff, teaching workshops, playing piano in gin joints, taking tap dance lessons, helping the next tier of musicians with music lessons....
In crafting the Lilian of our novel, we delved into her French shooting background.  Bill and I traveled to Cisteron, a real place in Provence, where our fictional Lilian grew up. Like Annie Oakley, our Lilian learned to hunt with her father, who meets a dark end and appears briefly in a flashback.
In writing about her, we of course read about the real life Annie Oakley, born Phoebe Ann (Annie) Mosey on August 13, 1860.  We read several books about the real life Annie, who came off as shy yet determined, loyal to her family, smart, generous to friends, but not very three-dimensional.
In crafting Lilian's character, we tried to make her complex and a bit mysterious, laced with the contradictions that make all of us interesting.
We're looking for an artist to sketch the characters for the paperback version. If you're talented and interested, let us know at: lilianslastdance@gmail.com
Meanwhile, the lyricists said it best:  there is no business like show business!

Glacier National Park is a treasure to Montanans and
worldwide visitors who admire its wildlife, including
this handsome mountain goat in repose.

COMING UP: Wild things! The U.S. is home to fabulous national parks, and they beckon the traveler to wildlife wonders.  Glacier Park is home to this fantastic mountain goat, along with grizzlies and many other exciting critters.  Remember, carpe diem, so explore, learn and live and catch us Wednesdays and weekends at:
www.whereiscookie.com