A fifth-generation Californian, Anne Schroeder's love of the West was fueled by stories of bandits and hangings, of her great-great-grandfather and his neighbors working together to blast the Norwegian Grade in Southern California out of solid rock, of Indian caves and of women who made their own way. She worked her way through Cal Poly with a variety of odd-jobs that included waitressing at a truck-stop cafe in Cholame, near the spot where James Dean died. Anne currently serves as President of Women Writing the West. Her short stories and essays have appeared in print and online magazines. She lives in Southern Oregon with her husband, dogs, and several free-range chickens. http: //anneschroederauthor.blogspot.com/; www.facebook.com/anneschroederauthor