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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (April 29, 2015)
News Blue Mountain Eagle Q&A Continued from Page A1 Googled my name to see if my book came up – I dis- covered I’m an actress who makes movies where the clothing budget is unnec- essary. That was a shock. Q. “Rides Again” tells more tales of your life with Phil in the country, but also focuses on the strong friendships you’ve had. How did you decide to take that tack? A. It must have been difficult for our neighbors, because who could iden- tify with two-ex hippies, even if the hippies were clean and drug-free? I guess it evolved, and I purposely went that direc- tion, too. So many writers say “write what you know” – I followed that advice. It seemed like a good learn- ing experience. In the city, people can pick and choose friends based on lots of reasons like age, occupation, hob- bies, and personality traits. In the country it’s more like a family, with fewer people who share those things. So, we tended to gravitate toward people based on occupation. Ev- erything else that comes with friendship came later. Although I confess to be- ing a lousy neighbor and friend – I’m a fairly pri- vate person. Q. So what’s it like to write about the real people in your life? A. It’s challenging. One reason is my respect for the people. They aren’t perfect (although Phil and I are darned close; grin) and they have bad days, months, years. My main goal is writing happy, feel- good, positive prose. Ranchers are inter- esting. What they do is fascinating. How they do it is incredible and brave. Readers need to know how hard ranchers work. It’s not a 9 to 5 job – they are on the job all the time. It’s a hands-on business. Loss of an animal, wheth- er livestock or helpers like horses or dogs, happens all the time. They always have to make decisions on the fly. This is the biggest reason I wanted to write about them. Respect. Q. Have you ever thought about trying your hand at fiction? A. Yup, and I think I’d be better at it than non-fic- tion. The big problem with fiction is it’s a puzzle where everything has to fit at the end of the day. Puz- zles or riddles mystify me. With a memoir, as soon as I found out I could em- bellish, I was on board. Embellish, with a core of truth, is my middle name. Q. Even as you write about adventures, misad- ventures, even calamities, the strongest thread is hu- mor. Are we seeing a bit of your philosophy of life here? A. Oh yeah. My saving grace. I don’t know how other people handle life’s detritus – I’m throwing that word in to impress people – but humor’s worked for me. My dad had a dry wit and I envied it. Phil and I have made it through some rough times because we handled it with humor. Hu- mor is a blessing and a re- ward, like the fresh cream rising above the milk. In the ’80s, I was a big fan of Saturday Night Live on television – I would have flown to New York to audition, but I was in my 30s and mar- ried. I’d just missed the boat. Not saying I was funny but what the comedians did on the show rang true to me. Those programs are rare. Wikipedia says hu- mor is the tendency of par- ticular cognitive experi- ences to provoke laughter and provide amusement. Yep. Q. After all this time in the country, do you still consider yourself a city slicker, or is the cow- girl part starting to take hold? A. Well, since I’m a scaredy-cat about almost everything, I still quali- fy as a city slicker, but, I strongly identify with a few rural mindsets. De- fending myself is one of those, and it seems like a cowgirl-type thing. For example, a few years ago when the state police were on a manhunt out here looking for a lo- cal guy, this Portland news crew came out to interview people, asking them if they were scared. One older fellow – probably my age now – was sitting back comfortably in his lounger and on a table inches away from his hand was a huge revolver. “Nope,” he said, “I’m not scared at all.” And that’s only one thing. When Phil and I married in ’68, we want- ed to work together. In the country, lots of families work together seven days a week. This was one of the similarities that helped us out here. Q. Your books have drawn praise, locally and beyond – the first one nominated for a nonfiction award back in 2008. Did you always want to be an author? A. How nice – I still feel inept. But no, I had no idea writing was in my future. When we moved to Izee, Phil started keeping a jour- nal. An elder lady neighbor told him it was necessary to be able to look back and check facts, projects, time lines. It made sense so he did it, and then I started my own. Often we’d com- pare notes. I’d doublech- eck his and he’d look at mine to fill in gaps. I’m embarrassed to say mine overflowed with angst and drama while Phil’s had precise, to-the-point facts. I’d write, “Why is it so hot? The horse al- most bucked me off today! Why is my hair so goofy today?” Q. Living on a cat- tle ranch, a busy place, how do you find time to write? A. I’m a late bloomer. Started college at 41 and finished when I was 47. Since I was already used to taking time to study, I fit writing into those time slots. Before school and af- ter I started writing, I helped with ranch chores JD Liquor store moving into Chester’s Blue Mountain Eagle JOHN DAY – The John Day Liquor Store is on the move. Fran Holmstrom, the li- quor agent, is retiring next month after 28 years with the outlet. The storefront on North Canyon Boulevard will close May 11, and reopen May 13 inside Chester’s Thriftway on Main Street. Chester’s announced the addition this week. The store’s service center area will be remodeled to ac- commodate the liquor store, which will offer nearly twice the variety, officials said. The store not only will of- fer a larger selection but will be open more days in the new location, with hours of 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. Capital Bureau www.MyEagleNews.com NO ONE KNOWS YOUR EQUIPMENT BETTER. Your AGCO Parts Dealer has the parts you need when you need them. Hardware, chain, batteries, tillage, belts, cutting parts. We have the quality parts you need to keep your AGCO equipment running smoothly during the demanding harvest season. Highly trained service personnel at AGCO Parts make it all come together, so you can rest easy. Visit your AGCO Parts Dealer and get the parts and services you need to “Keep you in the Field” this season. Find out more at agcoparts.com. BUY FOUR WEEKS AND GET THE TH TH 5 WEEK FREE! $20.90 for up to 15 words. WANT TO STAND OUT? Add color, a photo, or a logo for $5 per week, put a box around it for $3 per week, or make it bold for only $1 per week! Call Lindsay today! 541-575-0710 Classified deadline is 10am Monday. The Blue Mountain EAGLE To advertise in the most powerful local media available, call us at 541-575-0710. 195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day “Last time we placed an ad, it was placed online as well, and was rented before it even made the paper. We are 100% satisfied with your service.” --Main Street Apartments 01656 Chester’s also is making other changes, including an express checkout lane for customers with just a hand basket or armful of items, and kitchen upgrades in the deli, including new hot and cold cases and beverage cen- ter. Wednesday, April 29, 2015 like building and mend- ing fences, riding, calving, driving the truck while we looked for our cows in the forest, helping feed in the winter, branding, and probably a thousand more little jobs. My notebook was always with me. While I was going to school, Phil did most of those things alone. It depended on the situation. Q. So is there a third book in your future? A. Probably. Not sure I’m done with ranch sto- ries so I might write a third “Accidental Cowgirl.” But, for a few years now, I’ve had an idea to write a scary book. Humor and terror go together like a peanut butter and dill pick- le sandwich. It’s the best combination. Movies like “Slither,” “Jaws,” “Fearless Vam- pire Killers,” “Lost Boys,” A9 “American Werewolf in London” … All of these are silly and fun but scary, too. My book would involve cattle, of course. That’s all I’ll say be- cause someone will likely steal my idea because it’s so good. Or, maybe not and maybe it isn’t. Note: Readers may have to wait for St. Clair’s scary cattle story, but her “Acci- dental Cowgirl” books can be found at Chester’s, the Grant County Library and the Outpost in John Day; the Grant County Histor- ical Museum in Canyon City; the Bowman Muse- um in Prineville; and The Round Barn in Diamond. And watch for her ebook versions on Amazon.com. Anyone who would like to offer her books in the lo- cal area can contact her at rizdollie@gmail.com. A MAN WAKES UP in the morning after sleeping on... an advertised bed, in advertised pajamas. He will bathe in an ADVERTISED TUB, shave with an ADVERTISED RAZOR, have a breakfast of ADVERTISED JUICE, cereal and toast, toasted in an ADVERTISED TOASTER, put on ADVERTISED CLOTHES and glance at his ADVERTISED WATCH. He’ll ride to work in his ADVERTISED CAR, sit at an ADVERTISED DESK and write with an ADVERTISED PEN. Yet this person hesitates to advertise, saying that advertising doesn’t pay. Finally, when his non-advertised business is going under, HE’LL ADVERTISE IT FOR SALE. Then it’s too late. AND THEY SAY ADVERTISING DOESN’T WORK? DON’T MAKE THIS SAME MISTAKE Advertising is an investment, not an expense. Think about it! Blue Mountain Eagle MyEagleNews.com Don’t get left behind, call today! Kim Kell 541-575-0710