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Biography of Alaska Pioneer Based on Contents of Trunk

Vancouver, WA (PRWEB) November 1, 2006 -- Betty Wyatt of Vancouver, Washington, was always curious about the owner of the trunk she and a friend purchased in 1970 in an Alaska State Surplus auction. However, she never dreamed that curiosity would lead her on an international treasure hunt culminating in the penning of her recently released book, "Jessie: the Story of A Genteel Woman in Frontier, Alaska."
   
The contents of the steamer trunk ranged from Native American baskets to a postcard collection and fine china to a British flag as well as the owner's diary and a delicate shot glass with the word " J e s s i e" etched on it.
   
Written as an autobiography, Wyatt spins the tale of Jessie, the original owner of the trunk. Jessie, raised as a British debutante, finds herself stranded in the largely unexplored territory of the Yukon River in a remote Alaskan town at the beginning of World War I. The book introduces real-life residents of Eagle, Alaska, as it follows her transition from cheechako to sourdough.
   
It is no accident that this literary work reminds one of the Alaskan classic "Tisha." The true-life characters were actually neighbors, as evidenced in Jessie's own diary.
   
What readers are saying: "I found it to be a wonderful tale about a woman living her life of adventure during the first half of the twentieth century in pioneer Alaska." –Doug Beckstead, Alaska historian and author, Fairbanks.
   
"We were so happy to be a part of it. Well done." Jean Turner, Curator, Eagle Historical Society, Eagle, Alaska. When requesting permission for local high school students to read the book over a local radio program, Turner stated, "Most of all, it is a fantastic opportunity to educate Eagle about its own history."

"A delight to read – As Jessie was swept, against her will, from riches to rags, I was swept along with her into a land of harsh beauty, a land that shaped her into a survivor. This book really lets you inside Jessie's thoughts, to understand what her life was like and why she did the things she did. Told with a good deal of subtle humor, I found Jessie's story a pleasure to read." P. Slack, Vancouver.

"Short chapters are quickly readable, yet captivating - This lady treasured her trunks of tidbits from the British society she left behind, yet shared them with others as it became increasingly clear she'd remain isolated from everything she'd intended her life to become. As someone who rarely reads fiction, I found this historical tale quite fascinating." M. Clemens, Juneau.

Betty Wyatt is a first-time author, who graduated from Pepperdine with a degree in English and later attained elementary education certification through the University of Alaska. She worked as a delayed birth registrar and secretary to the Dean of Fisheries for the State of Alaska and as editorial assistant and secretary for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association Auke Bay Fisheries Laboratory. Wyatt resided with her husband and three children in Juneau, Alaska, for 20 years before moving to Vancouver, Washington, in 1987. Diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 1990, she is a member of the Oregon Christian Writers and the Vancouver writers critiquing group that meets at the church of Christ on Padden Parkway.

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This press release has been reprinted from PRWEB per the terms and conditions of the copyright notice.


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