About the Book
Book: Tennessee Wildcat: On the Trail of Laura Ingalls Wilders’ Mr. Edwards
Authors: Robynne Elizabeth Miller and J.D. Rushmore
Genre: Nonfiction/Historical Biography/Literary History
Release date: August 24, 2023
Mr. Edwards … that colorful Tennessee Wildcat Laura Ingalls Wilder so deeply loved. He helped Pa build the family’s cabin, saved Christmas by carrying presents across a raging creek, and spit further than Laura thought possible. Though he was a little rough around the edges, Laura simply adored Mr. Edwards. Through her vivid, heartwarming stories, we came to love him, too.
But who was he? Virtually all Laura’s Little House characters were real people … even those whose names were changed to protect their reputations.
Mr. Edwards, however, wasn’t so easy to track down. In fact, he’s the sole Little House enigma … the only mentioned character that hasn’t clearly surfaced via historical records.
Was he fiction, for the sake of illustrating pioneer stereotypes? Was he a composite character, built from several men Laura knew during their time in Kansas? Was he a loose collection of memories and family lore, cobbled together for the sake of the narrative? Or was he a real man, whose full identity had previously evaded discovery?
We wanted to know the answer …
So, we dusted off our boots and headed out … hot on the trail of the wildcat from Tennessee!
Click here to get your copy!
About the Authors
Robynne Elizabeth Miller holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Nonfiction and Fiction and a B.A. in English Literature. She’s the author of ten books and countless articles, including Tennessee Wildcat, From the Mouth of Ma, and The Three Faces of Nellie.
Along with speaking nationally, Robynne is a writing and publishing coach and mentor, a writing teacher at writers conferences, workshops, and retreats, the Writing Track developer and director for Unbound, and the director of the Vision Christian Writers Conference at Mount Hermon.
She’s passionate about helping writers bring their stories and messages into the world and delving into the real people and places which populated the stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder.
J.D. Rushmore is a history and genealogy buff, with a particular interest in American history before 1900. He’s enamored with the opening of the west, pioneers, the gold rush, the Oregon trail, etc. He’s particularly passionate about researching historical mysteries, especially when they relate to the Little House series of books.
He is a musician in his spare time, as well as an “at everything” father, husband, and friend. He prefers the smell of historic archives to fresh air (unless it involves poking around a remote historic cemetery!) and has a knack for reading handwriting on historical documents that is illegible to others. Nothing thrills him more than finding the one tiny detail that, after being overlooked for decades, or even centuries, changes EVERYTHING.
More from Robynne
If you’re a Little House fan like us, you know how risky it was to delve into Mr. Edwards. Rumors have flown for decades as to his real identity, and some folks have double-downed on who they believe he was … declaring a particular name with certainty.
But it just didn’t add up. Through all our team’s collective Little House research and general love of 1800’s history, the name that had been put forward just didn’t make sense.
So, we had a choice.
We could avert our eyes, go about our other writing projects, and leave this mystery untouched. Or, we could, with as much neutrality and meticulous research as possible, see if Mr. Edwards’ true identity could be established.
We risked two things: upsetting some people if our findings didn’t support their theories, and crushing our own hearts if Mr. Edwards turned out to be the one character who Laura Ingalls Wilder constructed purely from her imagination.
We hope our respect for previous researchers, and the strength of our newly discovered information, helped avoid the first worry. And, the second? We were thrilled to discover Mr. Edwards almost certainly wasn’t a work of fiction!
My Thoughts
Tennessee Wildcat: On the Trail of Laura Ingalls Wilders’ Mr. Edwards is written by
Robynne Elizabeth Miller and J.D. Rushmore. I grew up watching Little House on the Prairie. I also read all the books. I was super excited to see this book come up to read and review.
Mr. Edward’s was always one of my favorite characters. The way Laura Ingalls Wilder described him he seemed like he was going to be everybody’s friend. The authors have done a great deal of research to compile the records from the Ingalls time in Kansas.
I also loved how they put in who may not be associated as the real life person. I really learned a lot about the settlement of land and how the Osage Indians were treated.
Thank You to the author, publisher and Celebrate Lit for allowing me to read a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
Blog Stops
Alena Mentink, May 10
Lots of Helpers, May 10
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 11
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 12
Holly’s Book Corner, May 12
Lighthouse Academy Blog, May 13 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)
Locks, Hooks and Books, May 14
Texas Book-aholic, May 15
Mary Hake, May 15
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 16
Blogging With Carol, May 17
Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 18
For Him and My Family, May 19
The Lofty Pages, May 20
Life on Chickadee Lane, May 21
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, May 21
Connie’s History Classroom , May 22
Cover Lover Book Review, May 23
Little Homeschool on the Prairie, May 23
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Robynne is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon Card, copy of Tennessee Wildcat and The Three Faces of Nellie, and a goodie bag of Laura Ingalls Wilder related gifts, including a piece of the actual Loftus Store, mentioned prominently in The Long Winter!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/2b591/tennessee-wildcat-celebration-tour-giveaway
Will love survive when truth takes aim at their secrets?
Kathleen Denlylives in sunny California with her loving husband, four young children, two dogs, and ten cats. As a member of the adoption and foster community, children in need are a cause dear to her heart and she finds they make frequent appearances in her stories. When she isn’t writing, researching, or caring for children, Kathleen spends her time reading, visiting historical sites, hiking, and crafting.
He’s a reporter determined to uncover the truth, but the secrets he finds could crush her family—and their second chance at love.
