As I’ve mentioned, being creative provides me a sense of purpose, regardless of the medium. For me, curiosity and awe drive my creative explorations. Having a strong sense of purpose not only enriches my own life, I believe it also has the potential to bolster my community as well. It is with this thought in mind that I began “Horsing Around In The Town Of Gold Hill: A Story To Stirrup The Imagination And Spur Creativity.” It is my hope that by drawing attention to the natural beauty of the landscape, with the desire to subtly instill a sense of duty and stewardship in our relationship with it, readers both young and old can continue to respect, appreciate, and be inspired by its natural beauty for many generations to come.
It’s true that this area sits upon land within the traditional territories of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho people. After members of the Aikins party discovered gold in the area in January 1859, prospectors rushed to Gold Hill, which became one of the first permanent mining camps in Colorado’s mountains. Chief Niwot and his Arapaho people lived along the Front Range. He urged his tribe to coexist peacefully with the white prospectors, and those peaceful relations are what he is remembered for today. He, along with approximately 180 others, mostly women, children, and elderly, were eventually killed in the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864. He is also known for the legendary ‘Curse Of The Boulder Valley.’ I think of it as more of a prediction rather than a curse, but essentially he is said to have stated, “People seeing the beauty of this valley will want to stay, and their staying will be the undoing of the beauty.” It is my hope that this quirky, light-hearted children’s book encourages young readers to not undo the beauty.

On a more personal note, with the completion of my new book, I get to purge an old dream unrealized… purge the associated mental clutter, worry and anxiety, tidying up emotional and mental space. I’ve said that finishing this project will allow me to clear the decks for new creative projects to flow in. I am excited for what comes next in the way of new possibilities.