As you can tell by our lack of blog posts, BLW has been busy. This post will feature the news of Patricia Frolander and the journey she and her latest book, Married Into It, are taking--and what a trip they are having!
On November 7, 2011, Wyoming Governor Matt Mead appointed Pat as Wyoming's fifth Poet Laureate. She joins past poets Peggy Simson Curry, Charles L. Levendosky, Robert Roripaugh, and David Romtvedt in serving in the honorary position. According to Renny MacKay, communications director for the governor's office, Pat's appointment will last through May 31, 2013.
Upcoming events for Pat as Poet Laureate include writing and reading a poem for the 2011 Governor's Arts Awards dinner and awards ceremony February 24, 2012, and serving as a judge for the Wyoming Poetry Out Loud state competition March 5-6, 2012. (Poetry Out Loud is a national program in which ninth through twelfth graders are eligible to compete.)
Then, about a week ago, Pat received a letter from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum (formerly the Cowboy Hall of Fame) which said this: Independent judges have named Married Into It as the "Poetry Book" of 2011.
The letter continues: "Since 1961, the Museum has hosted the Western Heritage Awards, which honors excellence in Western literature, television, film, and music. Each year, the principal creators or winning entries accept the Wrangler sculpture during special ceremonies at the Museum."
Pat will be traveling with Nancy Curtis, her publisher at High Plains Press, to the Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for the award activities on April 20-21, including a black-tie gala with master of ceremonies Katharine Ross.
BLW is so very proud of Pat and her accomplishments. She is taking the Wyoming literary scene by storm, and deserves every minute she has in the spotlight.
Congratulations, Pat!
