Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to travel across the plains of Kansas into what is now Colorado and all of a sudden you see the Rocky Mountains ahead on the horizon?
If you’ve ever driven in this part of the country, you’ve seen it first-hand. It’s an incredible sight to behold. Especially after crossing so much… flat terrain. (Raise your hand if you’ve driven all the way across Kansas or Nebraska. Bonus points if you’ve done it multiple times.)
Out west here in Colorado, we get a lot of tourists that come to see the mountains. A lot of tourists.
One of the amazing hidden gems in our mountains and the surrounding rocky hills and landscapes is the plethora of sights where fossils have been found.
If you’ve read any of my books, you know that I love digging up some good history. And a pretty important part of our American history that a lot of people have never heard of is the Bone Wars.
Two paleontologists—Cope and Marsh—are the ones behind that intriguing title. Why? Well, let’s just say they weren’t nice to one another. Always trying to outdo each other, to be the “top dog”, to write the latest and greatest papers, to have the biggest and best skeletons displayed in museums with their name on it—these men stopped at almost nothing to win. Even going so far to use dynamite and blow up priceless, irreplaceable fossils just so the other couldn’t get to them.
Talk about the wild west.
My Treasures of the Earth series tackles the Bone Wars era while highlighting women in paleontology and the sticky subject matter of faith and science.
Set in Stone is book two in the series and it takes place in Colorado near the famous Red Rocks. Pretty close to Dinosaur Ridge actually, a place where you can see actual Dino footprints preserved in a towering wall.
One of the things I love about this area is the beautiful rock formations. In red, white, and gray. I can just imagine Martha—my heroine in this book—digging into these rock layers.
Her hopes and dreams of being recognized in the field are on the line when a fierce competition to present a complete skeleton to the museum puts her and her team in danger. Add in a good bit of suspense, a creepy villain, the thrill of digging for dinosaurs, and a dash of romance—you’ve got this second stand-alone installment in the series.
To celebrate the release of this book this week, I’m inviting you all to join with me in a little party here at Petticoats and Pistols.
I’m giving away FIVE copies of The Secrets Beneath (book one in the series), and one of those five lucky winners will also receive a copy of Set in Stone.
To enter – just leave a comment below. I’d love to hear about your favorite dinosaur, your favorite piece of American History, or if you’ve ever ventured west to see my Rocky Mountains.
Until next time… enjoy the journey,
Kimberley
Kimberley Woodhouse is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than forty books. A lover of history and research, she often gets sucked into the past and then her husband has to lure her out with chocolate and the promise of eighteen holes on the golf course. Married to the love of her life for more than three decades, she lives and writes in Colorado where she’s traded in her hat of “Craziest Mom” for “Nana the Great.” To find out more about Kim’s books, follow her on social media, and sign up for her newsletter/blog, go to: https://kimberleywoodhouse.com
Kimberley, Oliver Butterworth’s “The Enormous Egg” was a favorite book of mine in elementary school. At one point I thought it’d be neat to be a paleontologist (I wanted to be a prima ballerina like Maria Tallchief, too). Your book sounds like one I’d enjoy reading.
I love it!!!! A ballerina AND a paleontologist ??
Northern Arizona I’ve seen a few of the national parks non with dinosaur prints but one with a small canyon that native american’s use to live on the side of the canyon very small canyon no water.
That is SO neat!
Since I live in Virginia, colonial history is a favorite of mine. I really enjoy visiting the historic sites and finding out how people lived during that time period. I especially love the ones, like Colonial Williamsburg, that have interpreters dressed in period clothing. I like watching the demonstrations.
I love that time period of our history and Colonial Williamsburg is a favorite. I need to go back!
When those mountains grow up on the horizon it’s hard to believe what you’re seeing. Plus when we drove through the sky was the bluest we’ve seen.
We definitely have the most gorgeous blue skies. And with over 300 days of sunshine a year – we we it a lot ??????
I have been out west but I leave all the dinosaur stuff to my grands!
Love it. How many grands do you have?
I’ve ever seen the the Rockies and I know very little about dinosaurs, but when I taught preschool I had a child in my class that could name different kinds of dinosaurs. When a child would ask questions about dinosaurs, I would refer them to the dinosaur “expert”.
So who was the expert? I love that you taught preschool!
I have never ventured west but always wanted to. I can’t say much about dinosaurs because the only time we talked about them was when my son was young and he loved everything dinosaur. As far as history goes I love anything about the civil war. I think it is because a lot of it was happened it the area where I live. It has always interested me.
ooooo – I love the Civil War too!!!!!
I’ve never seen the Rockies.
I have been to a museum in Gray, Tennessee, where they had a dig site for fossils and prehistoric animals in Appalachia.
How fun! Appalachia is amazing
Hey Kimberly! Here in CT we have a dinosaur museum with a 200 million year old fossil trackway; actual dinosaur footprints, exhibits, etc. Haven’t been there in awhile, but you’ve stirred my interest.
Where in CT is that museum? Sounds interesting.
The museum I mentioned is in Rocky Hill, CT. They also have lot’s of dinosaur relics at the Yale Peabody museum in New Haven, CT, if I remember correctly.
My interest in ancient/mammoth bones began before visiting a site out west where we toured a dig of a huge area of mammoth dinosaur bones. Sorry, but I do not know much difference between the various species. The mammoth dig was huge and contained many skeletons. It also depicted the Indian’s home made from the big rib bones. I believe it was south of Rapid City, South Dakota. We were traveling to the Crazy Horse sculpture which was under way.
Yes! I’ve been there! Crazy Horse is going to be so huge! Wish they could finish it in my lifetime!
I haven’t been to the Rockies, though I want to! This FL girl is used to flat land! I know very little about dinosaurs, and none of my nephews were ever into them, though I know lots of boys are!
I have to admit that dinosaurs fascinate me. I’ve been to several Creation museums as well that have dinosaur exhibits.
Kimberley, welcome back to P&P. We’re so happy to have you. I really love that you set this series around bones and a female paleontologist. I never would’ve thought about this. It’s very unusual. Congratulations on the 2nd book! Love the cover.
Thank you so much! And thanks for having me again. I LOVE P&P – this is just the best group!
I was born in Nebraska and raised in Wyoming. I love the west.
Isn’t it amazing how our country has such vast differences?
I have driven western Kansas, Nebraska, abd other western states many times. I grew up in Kansas. I remember driving at 2 AM listening to the Reverand Mother MacGuire’s radio advertisements. A man with a voice similar to James Earl Jones, would go on and on about how sending money would instantly improve the sender’s life. The man’s voice was worth hearing! A great, rich voice that made the drive much less boring.
Now, a bit if trivia: There was once a town in Kansas named Bone Sorings. It had several name changes before becoming a ghost town.
I have never been to the Rocky Mountains as far as I know. I have a picture of my mom, dad, brother, and myself when I was a baby at Pike’s Peak. That was 70 years ago. It would be nice to go back, so I can actually see what it looks like.
Pike’s Peak is one of my favorite places to go. I’ve driven up that mountain so many times. It’s incredible.
I love the Rockies. Living in Amarillo, Texas where it is so completely flat, my family loves to visit Colorado and enjoy the beauty of the mountains. I don’t have a favorite dinosaur, but my six year old is in the “I love all dinos” stage.
You’re only what… 5 hours from here? I love it. And be watching – I actually have a children’s series I’m working on 🙂
Good morning, my favorite Dinosaur is Arlo from the movie The Good Dinosaur , I love, love that movie. It made me cry and it is so sweet also. I watched it with my Daughter, my son in law , my son and my 3 grandchildren . It is such a good good movie! Arlo is an Apatosaurus so that makes it my favorite of the dinosaurs. Your book sounds like a great read. Thank you for the chance. Have a great day and a great weekend.
oh I love Arlo! Thank you so much for being here today!
I lived in Colorado at one time as well as Kansas. I love dinosaurs and have done some studies on the Cope and Marsh Bones War. My favorite is right now the Pachycephalosaurus.
well you just made my day!!!!!!!! Thank you!
I have visited the Rockies in every state where they exist. I am not that into dinosaurs but find evidence of them to be interesting.
I love it that you’ve been to all those states! Our fossil record is quite amazing, isn’t it?
My favorite piece of history-I grew up in the part of Colorado near Bent’s Fort in the southeastern part of the state. Bent’s Fort was an important part of western history in that it was a trading post as well as the headquarters for frontier life. It was on the Santa Fe Trail that went west to Santa Fe.
In the small town where I grew up the streets were named for all of the notable people associated with Bent’s Fort-St Vrain, (Kit)Carson,Bent,and Boggs.
That’s so fascinating! It’s been a long time since I’ve been in that area – I might need to go back for research!
Since I grew up in Idaho I’ve seen the Rocky Mountains. And have done the drive from Colorado to Kansas or Nebraska. Beauty of the mountains to a prairie beauty. I’ve been to Dinosaur, Utah where everything is dinosaur themed.
Yes! Dinosaur, CO and Vernal, Utah are incredible to visit – even out there in the middle of nowhere. But I always tell people that Dinosaur National Monument is a must-see 🙂
I have always claimed the triceratops as my favorite dinosaur because as a child I liked the story The Enormous Egg by Oliver Butterworth.
That is so sweet – I love it that you remember the story!
I leave the dinosaur love to my grandsons. They can recite a whole list of them and tell you what each kind is known for. One of our daughters worked in western Kansas after graduating from college so I have driven from Kansas to Colorado where my sister- in-law lives. It is a spectacular view seeing the Front Range rise from the plains. Since I live in Eastern Washington I have seen the Rockies from the west side too as we drove to visit family and friends.
How fun! We lived in western Montana for a while and often drove through eastern Washington!
Yes, I have seen the Rockies. They are beautiful.
Thank you so much for stopping in today!
haven’t been to the Rocky Mountains
hopefully one day you can – they are so incredible!
Never been to the Rockies. I don’t have a favorite dinosaur. I love many historical time periods, such as the Gilded Age.
Yes! The gilded age!!!!!!! Love it.
I visited Rocky Mt NP in 2019. We stayed in Estes Park. My son and DIL work for the NPS. They were both Geology undergrads at UF. They live in Moab, UT. They frequently work at Dinosaur National Monument. Several years ago we went with them to Zion NP. My son got a pass for all of us for The Subway Trail. We saw dinosaur footprints! So cool! We’ve also seen several petroglyphs on several trails at various parks. When we traveled to Colorado we went through Iowa, Nebraska and Wyoming. We started out in Wisconsin.
Forgot
My favorite dinosaur is Little Foot in Land Before Time movies.
My husband is a lover of geology from rocks to bones, and we have samples all over the house! I’ve learned a lot over the years, and have a love of this beautiful world we live in. I love historical fiction and my favorite dinosaur is the triceratops.
I love historical stories! I’ve never been to the Rockies, and I’m terrible at remembering the names of dinosaurs so I can’t tell you which would be my favorite. Thanks for the chance to win!
I have never been to the Rocky Mountains.
To me, I would say that my favorite piece of American history is my Grandmother’s pedal operated sewing machine and oil lamps. They mean so much to me since I never met my Grandmother. I also remember spending time in her home when I was growing up. My Mom’s family would all spend time in the house the last two weeks of August. It would be a wonderful time with my aunts, uncles and cousins. I would be able to hear stories about my grandmother and grandfather as well as other’s who were in the community as my aunts and uncle’s grew up. Thank you for sharing. God bless you.
We were lucky enough to live in Colorado Springs for 3 years, ’82 to ’85, and wish we could have been there longer. My husband was stationed at Cheyenne Mountain. We are retired and now live in TN but have been back west many times. Having done the cross country trip many times, I can’t imagine doing it in a wagon being able to see the mountains but seemingly not getting any closer for says and weeks. We have been to Dinosaur National Monument several times taking our children and grandson. We went to Florissant Fossil Bed National Monument which wasn’t too far from the Springs. It is one of the few places fossil insects are found as well as fossil plants. I checked the monument’s web page and am pleased to see how much they have developed the park. When we went, there was a hiking trail and visitors’ center. The homestead has been fixed up and opened to the public. It wasn’t even something that was mentioned when we were there. The 3 inter-grown sequoia trunks are now a highlight and weren’t mentioned much when we visited. The fine details you can see in the insect and plant fossils are incredible.
I wasn’t aware of the wall of footprints. We will have to look for them next trip. We have visited many museum fossil displays as well as fossil sites. We have an important site less than 20 miles from our home in TN. The Gray Fossil Site was discovered when a new interstate was being built. There have been unexpected fossil finds and they have opportunities to participate in the dig. They have built a nice museum there and offer summer camps for the children to have the dig experience.
Thanks so much for sharing that with me!!! I love it. Thanks for stopping by!
I’m just reading Fossil Legends Of The First Americans by Adrienne Mayor. It’s really interesting.
In my neck of woods, in Finland, we don’t have ANY dinosaur fossils let alone hardly any other fossils. Our bedrock is seriously old and it’s formed from magma, plus whatever fossils there might have been after that ice would have pulverised them all to dust.
Kimberley, Welcome back to P&P. Your new book & cover are Awesome!! No, I have never seen anything dinosaur on at children’s museum. I have traveled West by train & went through the Rockies. But, what I really enjoyed was the big trees in Yosemite & water falls.
My grandparents lived in North Dakota, so we traveled from wherever my father was stationed with the Army to visit them when we were stateside, so we often traveled across the country and saw the plains. We also lived in Kansas, but I was a baby, so I don’t remember that. I went to college in Northern Arizona, so I have seen the Grand Canyon. I help out with the pre-K class and we have student who love all dinosaurs.