2 I The Lovell Chronicle I December 11, 2014
BY DAVID PECK
For Lovell native Terri
Meeker, writing has always
been her love - but she was
also her harshest critic.
That self-deprecating belief
pattern almost caused her
to not take a pair of stories
to a publisher, but with two
books coming out this win-
ter and spring, she's glad
she did.
Meeker's first book, a
romantic comedy entitled
"Not Quite Darcy," comes
out Jan. 6, and a second
book, "Angel of the Somme,"
will be released May 19.
The daughter of Wes
and the late Ivalee Meek-
er and a 1978 graduate of
Lovell High School, Meek-
er has been writing most of
her life. She gets it from her
father, she said, who wrote
stories throughout his life
and even published a book
entitled "Remember When"
about his life for each of his
children.
"Part of the reason I
write is because my dad
was always a writer," she
said. "I tend to weave in my
hometown and childhood
in these books. In my first
book, for instance, a char-
acter is named Miss Shum-
way in honor of my grand-
mother, except instead of
homesteading near Kane,
this woman is attending a
ball, which I think Grand-
Lovell native Terri
Meeker has written two
novels that are coming
out early next year.
dent taught in Belgium for
an American school that
was part of Supreme Head-
quarters Allied Powers Eu-
rope, where she studied
and it made me cry. I decid-
ed, let me see what I can do
with this."
She posted the book on-
line anonymously, received
"great feedback" and fin-
ished the book. She then
attended a writer's confer-
ence a year and a half ago
and pitched both "Darcy"
and '¢Angel" to editors. They
liked both of them but sug-
gested that she add to "Not
Quite Darcy." She did so,
and the final version will be
released in January.
"I sold my first book to
the first editor I pitched to.
I feel very lucky," she said.
Meeker's publisher,
Samhain Publishing, sent
"Not Quite Darcy" to nu-
merous outlets for reviews,
including Goodreads.com,
through which several
"power readers" read the
novel. Said one reviewer,
"This is a fantasy type sto-
ry, so suspend disbelief and
enjoy a good romp of fall-
ing through the looking
glass. The characters are
enjoyable."
Wrote another: "Time
travel to Victorian En-
gland? Check! Spunky her-
oine? Check. Totally unas-
suming but appealing hero?
Check!"
And wrote a third: "I
never imagined there could
be a cross between contem-
porary chick-lit and a re-
Parade of Lights, Santa visit,
Jingle Jaunt among Byron
Yule events Dec. 12, 20
BY BOB RODR UF7
With a theme of
"Christmas: Past, Present,
Future," the Town of By-
ron's community Christ-
mas program will comprise
a sleighful of attractions in-
cluding the inaugural Pa-
rade of Lights and the first
Jingle Jaunt, plus a vis-
it by Santa for lighting the
town's Yule tree and posing
for photos with children.
All the events except
the Jingle Jaunt fun walk/
run are set for Friday,
Dec. 12. The holiday Jingle
Jaunt will be held Satur-
day, Dec. 20, said Victoria
Dickson, director of the By-
ron Recreation Dept.
Featured for Dec. 12,
she said, are:
can of food to be donated
to needy families, Dickson
said.
On Saturday the 20th
the premiere of the Jingle
Jaunt, billed by Dickson
as a 1-mile or 5k run/walk,
will be held. Signups will
begin at 8:30 a.m. in the
foyer of the Rec Center. The
event will begin at 9 a.m.
Dickson said advance
registration can be accom-
plished by calling or texting
her at 254-9743. The entry
fee of $5 includes a shirt
for the first 25 to register,
Dickson said.
Christmas parade on Main
Street beginning at 6 p.m.
Dickson added, "Beiiag that
it's our first year it will be
very small and short with
only a few floats. We hope
that through the years it
will grow. Please come on
down and enjoy the small
yet fun parade and the oth-
er events."
• Lighting of the Christ-
mas Tree, the huge pine in
front of the Rec Center on
Main Street, at 6:30 p.m. by
St. Nick.
• Cookies and hot co-
coa in the Rec Center cafe-
teria with Santa at 7 p.m.
Dickson said that photo op-
Merrill Tebbs
Aug. 27, 1938 - Dec. 9, 2014
Thomas Merrill Tebbs,
76, died in Lovell on Dec.
9, 2014, at North Big Horn
Hospital. He was born in
Cowley on Aug. 27, 1938,
the son of Jesse Meeks and
Harriett Merrill Tebbs.
Haskell Funeral Home is
in charge of arrangements,
which will take place at a
later date.
ma might have preferred to World War I history, pro- gency romance, but that's portunities with the jolly
clearing sagebrush." viding valuable background exactly what this glorious °ld elf will be available but I!h :2 ]1]
After graduating in for her second novel, "Angel book is. Meeker has man- that attendees should bringeBibleCh,,,','q
'78, Meeker worked for the of the Somme," which is the aged to combine two of my their own cameras.
Lovell Chronicle for a cou- first book in a trilogy about ri currently live in Spring- favorite genres, and she eThe evening will con- [w~Serv~ce Rev. K.~MeNabb|
ple of years, and it was World War I. field, Mo., though they kept does it with flair and wit. elude with a showing of the [ Sunday School Lovell J
during that time that some "My dad's experiences their home in Washington It's funny, romantic and in- movie, "A Christmas Car- [Jo:30am 56E. Main [
[Bible Lesson
of her inspiration for "Not in the Korean War actually and hope to retire there, teresting all at once, and it o1," in the center auditori- [6 pm
Quite Darey," came about, went a long way to inspiring Daughter Laine, 27, is makes me want more." urn. Admission is to be one "
"Back when I worked
at the Chronicle, my old ed-
itor, Pat Schmidt, let me
have six weeks off to visit
England," Meeker said. "I
traveled with a high school
this trilogy, and there are
even more local references
in this one," she said. "I've
named a lot of the charac-
ters after local people in his
unit. And there is a Cap-
a graphic designer in Seat-
tle, daughter Dana, 23, is a
radiographer in Seattle and
son Jack, 19, is with his
parents in Springfield.
While teaching histo-
"Not Quite Darcy is
available through various
outlets, including Amazon.
corn, and Meeker noted that
she will have a virtual party
on Facebook on the release
friend, Sheri Lundberg, tain Lovell as well as a few ry in school and raising her day, Jan. 6, giving out lots
a~ad"we Stayed at my un, names of'places on the Big family, Terri Meeker began of prizes and free copies.
cle's home in LOndon. That Horn Mountains." to wriie: '~I~ Would love to have
l~o~e is the setting for my Meeker married her col- "I would start, but itsome~':'Wyomingites join,"
DO YOU NEED
ASSISTANCE WITH LATE
RENT OR UTILITIES?
first book, although my sto-
ry is a time-travel tale and
takes place in 1873. My edi-
tor describes it as a "roman-
tic time-travel comedy with
a twist."
Meeker attended the
University of Wyoming and
earned a degree in histo-
ry, social studies and sec-
ondary education. She stu-
lege sweetheart, Mike Gar-
rett, and the family, includ-
ing three children, has lived
in Washington, DC, Virgin-
ia Beach, Philadelphia, Se-
linsgrove, Pa., Albuquer-
que and Anacortes, Wash.,
on Fildago Island, follow-
ing Mike's career as a writ-
er of computer software for
healthcare. Mike and Ter-
became too overwhelming,
and I would stop," she said.
"I didn't like what I wrote."
She nearly scrapped
"Not Quite Darcy," but af-
ter her mother died, she re-
turned to the book.
"Two weeks after Mom
died (November of 2010), I
read my old story," Meek-
er said. "It made me laugh
she said. "Contact info is on
my webpage (terrimeeker.
ocom), or they can just email
me at terri@terrimeeker.
com.
"I'm just finishing up a
book about Billy the Kid.
After all that time writing
about England, it is kind of
nice to be writing about the
Wild West!"
In Byron
get a copy of the Chronicle at the
Byron Town Hall
or Byron Bar!
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Contact Julie or Sara
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NOTICE
Petitions for nomination of
Director for the South End
Water Users Improvement
and Service District must be
filed with Nancy Robison,
Secretary of the Board by
5:00 p.m. on Wednesday,
January 7, 2015.
Petitions must be signed by
three electors and give the
name of the nominee and
term of office. Forms are
available at the office of the
secretary.
Nancy Robison, Secretary
(,
I ISt. Joseph's
] CG,,d ] Catholic Church
| 5th & Montana, 548-7127 ~ | 1141 Shoshone Ave., Lovell
Sacrifice of the Mass
Sunday 11:30 am
II 9"15 am SundayBible StUdYschooland Thursday_pm
I 10.'30 am Worship Service
I (~tto~ cId/~aorn~ f. Reverend
i T~ ~.t~,~ c~.,~-M~ou, sy, o~ Glenn Whewell
Louell I~t~o~r~l f Serving Northern~
/ fl~ud Big Horn CountyI APPLICATIONS REQUESTED
flssembl9
l/ I II Methoc st A I Application are requested from residents of Big Horn '~
Church°f God l,/ ) ][C/,,,,.c! yea~srs %.~1 County who are interested in serving on the Big Horn County 11
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310 Idaho flue., tooell at the corner of5 year term and will run January 2014 - December 2017. Mail
" Serv~ca, II l] Park a Shoshone, Lovell | your application to the Big Horn County Commissioners at P.O.
Sunday School -- 9:45 amI/'% II ~0,~,~,4,~ / Box31, Basin, WY82410, by5:00P.M, on December 31, 2014.
SundayM°rningNightW°rship--6:30--10:50pm am I ~ ~ II Reverend Jim Barthl Applications are available on at www.bighorncountywy.gov
Wed. Bible Study -- 7 pm
Rev. Dan Jarvis I "' lll Sunday: 9:30am I the County Clerk's office.
548-7105 ~ Board Of County Commissioners
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