Kathleen is an aficionado of history, from Roman to Western and has lived all over the West, from Seattle to Phoenix and points between. She lives in Phoenix and loves the desert Southwest, especially following in the footsteps of the people she writes about. A graduate of Prescott College in Arizona, she was inspired to write The Lily of the West by finding the grave-site of Kate Haroney aka Big Nose Kate, in Prescott’s Pioneer Cemetery. She firmly believes the key to good historical fiction is diligent research about the places and people she writes about.

Along with The Lily of the West,  the winner of Western Fictioneers’ Peacemaker award for Best First Novel, her short story “Mary Mary Quite Contrary” in SaddleBag Dispatches won the Peacemaker award in 2020.  The Transformation of Chastity James, was published by Five Star in March 2021, and was a Finalist for Western Writers 2021 SPUR award. The critically acclaimed  Fallen Child, published in January 2022 was awarded the Peacemaker for Best Novel. Golddigger: The Legendary Nellie Cashman was a Western Writers’ SPUR award Finalist for 2023. Fiona Rising is the first in a historical crime series, with more in the works, and two contemporary thrillers, Risk and Never Touch Down have garnered critical acclaim. Kathleen’s stories feature strong, independent female protagonists who embrace life and challenge adversity, no princesses allowed. When she’s not writing, Kathleen loves to spend time with family, cook, garden, travel, and hang out with her dog Calamity Jane, who’s got a pretty good ear for dialogue.