The Truth about Farm Girl by Karen Jones Gowen

I finally got up the thumbnail for Farm Girl. Hooray for me! (Click photo to order) And next up will be Uncut Diamonds. But first I want to post how this little book about a little farm girl launched WiDo Publishing. (Still a little publishing company but that may change in time.)

Three years ago, I took a folklore class at BYU Salt Lake and filled assignments by interviewing my mom via phone about her growing up years during the Dust Bowl and Depression era in Nebraska. She talked, I typed, and what evolved were some interesting tales of farm life in the 1930's with amazingly accurate detail. We kept going long after the class ended, and I decided to put it all together, along with authentic photographs of amazing artistry, and present it to my mom on her 90th birthday.

My son Don designed the book, including over fifty photographs of the people and places mentioned in the story, and took it to Kinkos to print-- a dozen copies for family members. Many people besides family took a look at it and wanted copies. There were comments like, "these pictures are amazing," "it's a beautiful little book," "I want to sit down and read it right now." A Costco manager said, "I want to see this for sale here." (Unfortunately, that never happened.)

An investor looking to start a publishing company wanted Farm Girl as a first release, and several of the people involved in its creation, design and editing came on board to help round things out. My son William, who had been the primary editor, and my son Don the designer, set things up as WiDo Publishing....get it? Wi for William and Do for Don? It is pronounced "widow" and let's not even go there, ok?