TO HAVE AND TO HIDE–AND A GIVEAWAY! –by Krystal M. Anderson

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As long as there have been outlaws dogging American economy, there have been outlaw women. One of the traits that draws my fascination to western outlaw women is their handy capability. Many, like Laura Bullion and Belle Starr, could outride and outshoot most men and often had a mean streak, to boot. But other women who ran with the unruly gangs of the western wilderness didn’t actively participate in the crimes. The famed Etta Place, her true identity swathed in mystery, traveled with Wild Bunch’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as a companion. Of the same gang, Elza Lay wooed and married Maud Davis, who fell madly in love with the part-time outlaw while he was employed cutting hay with her brother and married him later that same year.

What drew these women to wanted men? Men who quite often left home for months at a time, who were tight-lipped about their doings; men with a glint to their gazes that spoke of unsavory deeds desperately committed, or otherwise. It could have been the fun-loving lifestyle many such men engaged in. Certainly a significant draw was their access to extravagant expenditures, thanks to the payouts of their crimes. Perhaps it was merely exciting to follow such eccentric figures.

Some western women lacked the attachment of any singular outlaw man. The Bassett women of Brown’s Hole were fiery, independent women who provided a home and meal for any traveler, those wanted by the law included. Ann Bassett, known as Queen of the Rustlers, was darned proud of the title. She was known for tracking and killing bears, having a way with men, and getting whatever she set her cap for. When she wanted to, she could behave with all the polish and refinery of any eastern expectation, as she’d attended fancy finishing schools before taking over her mother’s ranch.

It was with these women and several others in mind I sat down to write Mollie Moore, which is, of course, an alias. Young, independent, and intelligent, Mollie utilizes her safe-cracking skills and fine horsemanship to rob and race through the southern Utah landscapes along the famed Utah Outlaw Trail.

Her first appearance is a short story detailing one of her early escapades in Silver Reef, Utah, which is an abandoned mining town near to my home. The summer desert is no easy terrain to traverse, especially with the inconvenience of being chased, but Mollie is clever and careful and doesn’t travel alone. Love’s Holdup is a FREE story for my newsletter subscribers that you can download here: https://BookHip.com/NGMKBD

I didn’t finish there. I decided to take Mollie – settled as a rancher near present-day Bryce Canyon, Utah many years later – and give her a new challenge: Matchmaker. That’s right, Mollie never got caught for her crimes and is hankering for something to give her life meaning and tickle her pride at the same time. When her niece comes to the ranch and asks that Aunt Mollie find her a husband, the Outlaw Matchmaker is born.

Mollie finds she likes it.

 

The Widow’s Match will be followed by several other titles I have planned for the Outlaw Matchmaker series, at the head of which is the entertaining Mollie Moore, aka Outlaw Matchmaker.

I’d like to give away a free ebook copy of The Widow’s Match here today. To enter, comment below about the traits you believe it would take to make a western outlaw woman. If you have anything to share about an outlaw or place you visited where some historic criminal event took place, I’d love to hear about that, too. Thanks for having me today!

 

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35 thoughts on “TO HAVE AND TO HIDE–AND A GIVEAWAY! –by Krystal M. Anderson”

  1. Tough, strong, hold your emotions close to your heart, good shooter, ride a horse, plus all the typical female things like cooking, sewing, making do with what you have, etc…

    • Hi Denise.
      That emotions bit…. I think that would be tough. They must have cared a little for these men, if not a lot. To see them ride off with their transient lifestyle and not know whether they’d return must have been difficult.
      Thanks for your thoughts!

  2. People forget women had to take care of a lot of things. My grandmother could fix a model T, farm equipment, and covered wagons.

  4. Welcome Krystal! I have read Rosetta and Calvin’s story and loved it! You can take me off the list. I would think women would have to have grit, a sense of pride, and determination to do all things themselves. I also like that Mollie has a past love out there! It was interesting that you kept that going. And the mystery man that helped Rosetta. You have set up a good many lose ends for a series. Good luck!

    • Thank you so much! I’m glad to hear from someone who read the book and appreciate your comments. Thanks for being here.

  6. They would have to be tough,good with a gun and not care what happens to themselves or anyone else.

  7. Welcome today. Oh but this is an exciting topic. I love to read these kind of stories. Maybe because I am so the opposite of an outlaw. Hmmmm I would think that to be an outlaw a woman would have to be tough, quick of mind but caring all at the same time.

  10. Someone who would have a lot of courage to go against the current but have good acting skills so people wouldn’t realize what she really did.

    • I wonder sometimes if a woman like that would be too intelligent to fall into the arms of an outlaw. Great points!

  14. The woman would have to be strong, courageous, compassionate, know how to use a lot of the guns especially a rifle, read the Bible daily, have thick skin as they call it to deal with the Men, know how to drive in case she has to be the driver, know how to cook and so much more…

  15. I think the previous respondents have hit just about all the traits such a woman would need! Maybe being one to err on the side of caution, doublechecking one’s plans, provisions, companions… rather than leaping into a caper in a slapdash, throw caution to the winds manner would be good.

  16. An outlaw women would have to be good with horses and guns. She would need to be smart and strong to not put not up with nonsense from anyone.

  17. I’ve always enjoyed stories about outlaws. They lived a rough life on the wrong side of the law, yes, but also a rather adventurous, fascinating life in a way. It would take a tough, independent woman to follow her outlaw man. Always on the run, always looking over your shoulder, never knowing when things will go bad. Maybe a bit exciting, but not really a fun way to live!

    I really like stories about outlaws who are led to live a better life by a loving, bold, determined, godly woman.

    I lived in Pineville, Missouri, for several years. Each August, they had a fun little festival called Jesse James Days. There was an old movie shot in Pineville in 1938. The square had just paved their streets before the filming was done, so they had to bring in 400 truck-loads of dirt to cover the pavement so the streets would look authentic. They also removed all modern signage, etc, to turn the town back into what it would have looked like seventy years before when Jesse & his gang were in their hayday. They used people from around McDonald County as “extras” in the movie, so it’s still a big deal for that area.

    • I love that! I’m trying to wrap my mind around using a modern town as an old west movie set. Dirt and remove signage… what about street lights, fire hydrants, landscaping… that would be a huge project! I bet that was neat to see. Thank you for sharing, Lori.

      • It was filmed in 1938, so the town wouldn’t have been very “modern” by today’s standards. Plus, Pineville was a tiny little town back then (population still only 807 as of 2022), so I doubt too much had changed in those 70 years between Jesse’s days & the filming in 1938. I’ve just always thought it funny & quite ironic that the town had just modernized enough to pave their streets & then had to haul in dirt to “unpave” them for the movie!!! 😀

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