Her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, possessed extreme intelligence from humble beginnings. Like many in that generation, they were unable to afford college, so she was a self taught writer. As such, she did encourage her mother in writing. My daughter tested well. She inspired me in my concrete writer's journey. We do not have the working relationship Rose and Laura had, but I know she reads my blog and compliments me when she likes a post.
Katie also displays interest in the family history. I think my childhood is as foreign to today's generation as Laura's a hundred years earlier. Yet, I am draw to the past to teach us about now and the future. Some values should never die.
Laura honed her writing skills for decades before she published her book. She had one idea of her story, as a first person Pioneer Girl, but editors persuaded the third person story of little Laura. The facts in the first stories do not correspond with her real life. Vivid memories could not be accurate from a three year old the publisher's thought. I remember a lot from those first years we moved into our house on Main Street. I was three, then. Why couldn't Laura? Some of us, writers I think, have excellent memories.
Laura was sixty when she published. She didn't have the self publishing like I do today. When I began this professional writing journey, I set out with that goal of sixty for publishing. Sixty is not old any more.
Laura and I write about our childhoods to encourage the next generation. We had great parents, wonderful sisters and even though she never wrote about her brother, we had one brother. Unfortunately, her brother died as an infant. Living in the past is not the point, but the sharing of eternal values drives my writing.
We also use curling irons. I think hers were probably hotter than mine.
Happy birthday, Laura, you live on in your books and in social media.
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