Calamity

Martha Jane Canary was what some would call an accidental feminist. She believed a body should be able to dress the way it wanted, engage in work it was best suited for, be paid the same as others who did the same job, and indulge in some of life's finer excesses--regardless of gender. This is the story of a woman nicknamed Calamity Jane, as she would have liked it to be told.

"Calamity" is a 236-page fictional story based upon accounts of one of the Wild West's most intrepid sharpshooters and colorful characters, known by her nickname "Calamity Jane". Pamela Mohan's story fills in the gaps where historical accounts run short, mostly because of a lack of historical data and because of the character's penchant for lying, telling half truths, and embellishment. Piecing the clues together, the author weaves a convincing narrative of what life was like for Jane in Deadwood, living on the edge of town with Wild Bill Hickok. and fighting against an epidemic outbreak of smallpox in Deadwood. "Calamity" offers a sympathetic view of a fearless woman living unabashedly "like a man" on the frontier. To enhance the reading (and as a tribute to the old-fashioned books of that period), illustrator/designer Darlene created silhouettes of the story's characters and action. It is the author's intention for the reader to picture their own version of Calamity Jane. The use of silhouettes is designed to encourage the imagination. With 236 pages and 86 illustrations, "Calamity" is a charming read.

Pamela Mohan's writing career began as a felony crime reporter for the Janesville Gazette--easily her favorite writing gig. She went on to become the Associate Editor of Amazing Stories Magazine. She co-wrote a young adult science fiction trilogy based on Gary Gygax's "Cyborg Commando" roleplaying game with her husband, Kim Mohan, as well as a nonfiction book called "A Man Worth Knowing," based on the life of Dr. Herbert Ross Reaver and written with Kathleen O'Neill. Pamela lives in Seattle with her husband and their dog, a Chiweenie named Charmander who, despite having been named after a Pokemon card has never played the game.