Northern Colorado historian and author, Barbara Fleming, will soon see her first historical novel in print. Journeying is the story of Hannah Morris and her soon-to-be husband, a bi-racial physician, who head for California with a wagon train but are forced to change their plans. They settle for homesteading on the Colorado prairie.

Hannah is running from the marriage her stepfather has arranged for her, and both are fleeing the ongoing racial tensions of post Civil War Ohio. Although the story is full of danger, tension, and heartache, it is gently told with an emphasis on Hannah’s growth from headstrong, inexperienced girl to a woman capable of facing adversity with courage and strength.

I asked Barbara to tell me how long she’s been writing fiction, and whether she has other manuscripts in the works:

“I started writing fiction about 20 years ago, when were were living in Denver. I joined the Denver Woman’s Press Club, found a critique group, and started working on a novel that grew out of my experiences as a print journalist.”

Barbara said that novel is still waiting for her revision. In the meantime, she had a couple of short stories published, and wrote Journeying, to be released in hardcover by Five Star on August 31, 2009.

“With the help of my critique group and my writing partner, I am working on a novel based on what happened when a relative of mine went to meet the father she never knew.”

More known for her local history works, including Fort Collins: A Pictorial History and the recently published Fort Collins: The Miller Photographs, written with Malcolm McNeill, Barbara has other novels in the works as well. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to read an advance review copy of Journeying, and I look forward to reading more Barbara Fleming fiction.