Professor Kimberly Schmidt with her novel "Magpie's Blanket," a WILLA Literary Award finalist in the category of historical fiction. Schmidt will be honored with other finalists and winners at the 23rd Annual Women Writing the West Conference Oct. 26-28 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Andrew Strack)

‘Magpie’s Blanket,’ a novel by Professor Kimberly Schmidt, named WILLA Literary Award finalist

by Lauren Jefferson and Christopher Clymer Kurtz

A novel by Professor of 草莓社区 has been honored by Women Writing the West, an organization that supports authors who promote women鈥檚 contribution in western United States.

(University of New Mexico Press, 2016) is one of four in the historical fiction category of the WILLA Literary Awards. The winner has already been named: Basque Moon by Julie Weston.

Schmidt will be recognized, along with category winner Weston, during the 23rd Annual Women Writing the West Conference Oct. 26-28 in Tucson, Arizona.

The WILLA awards are named for 1923 Pulitzer Prize winner Willa Cather. Twenty-two works in seven categories were selected, 鈥渞epresenting the best of 2016 published literature for women鈥檚 or girl鈥檚 stories set in the American West,鈥� according to a press release.

Schmidt鈥檚 work brings to life the culture and history of the Southern Cheyenne through female narrators, each of whom have a connection to the Sand Creek and Washita massacres.

鈥淭his award came as a complete surprise,鈥� Schmidt said. 鈥淚 am grateful to the person who nominated Magpie鈥檚 Blanket. It鈥檚 gratifying to know that Women Writing the West does not shy away from painful histories and that the organization is supportive of first-time fiction writers.鈥�

The story of how Magpie鈥檚 Blanket came to life is told in featuring Schmidt and Southern Cheyenne Peace Chief Lawrence Hart, both Bethel College alumni. In 1968, Hart had participated with his people in a reenactment of the battle. The trauma of the experience and how it affected his people moved him to create a healing ceremony later that day.

Hart shared this experience on the battlefield in 2003, shortly after inviting Schmidt to write a women鈥檚 history of the Southern Cheyenne.

Schmidt鈥檚 novel brings to life the history of Plains Indian women and the white invasion 鈥� 鈥渁n account not solely of violence and bloodshed but also of healing and forgiveness.鈥�

Beginning with a massacre survivor who then witnesses a second attack, the book recounts memories of three generations, ending with a 鈥渃entury-late reconciliation after the townspeople鈥檚 misguided attempt to re-create the 鈥榖attle鈥� of the Washita with descendants of U.S. Calvary soldiers.鈥�

Proceeds from the sale of the book support the Cheyenne Cultural Center in Clinton, Oklahoma, which was started by Hart in 1977 to help preserve Cheyenne culture. The foreword is written by Dr. Henrietta Mann, former president of the Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal College.

Schmidt is professor of history and director of the . She earned her PhD in American history from Binghamton University in 1995.

Discussion on “‘Magpie’s Blanket,’ a novel by Professor Kimberly Schmidt, named WILLA Literary Award finalist”

  1. Way to go Kim. I recall your describing how hard you worked to construct the dialogue in this work of historical fiction. Delighted to see you honored for your accomplishment. Congratulations. Nate

  2. Thanks, Nate. I appreciate all the listening you and others were forced into as I talked my way through this book.

  5. Kim! Congrats on being honored for giving voice to such an important story. Sounds like a book I want to read. It may be a pertinent reading option in one of my assignments for Social Welfare History & Philosophy!

Comments are closed.