Nothing much to do with Ray Bradbury, except he has a signed first edition of this book and wrote me the second loveliest message I ever had on receiving it (the first loveliest was also from Ray!) I'm posting this under "Ray's Legacy" as, if not for Ray, I would probably not have been able to follow through with writing a book and wouldn't BE an author--so that's his legacy to me.

Guys, this is BAD! I was just about to post to a thread concerning books you'd like to see filmed and explain why my historical novel should be a film and how it's more accurate than several other films made on the subject. I did a Google search to reference online sources about my book when I found this...THIS UNTRUTH posted for all the world to see!

Now, there are few bigger red flags anyone could wave at me than to call my book historically inaccurate! Even then, I might expect this from some rinky dink ill-informed irresponsible little fly-by-night outfit, but not the FRICK!N' NATIONAL PARK SERVICE! WHAT ARE THEY THINKING? If they ARE thinking! I tried to post the following message to their "Contact Us" form at the site twice and received an error message, but I just sent it to about 20 people, many of whom know their facts and most if not all of whom are up before I am. I expect someone will e-mail or phone over there, and I may even hear back before I am ready to try to contact them again. I can't trust myself to make a phone call, so if I hear nothing by the time I'm online again, I'll just have to type this message into snail mail format (as I still can't print! Printer not connected--which is why it will be difficult to contact me by e-mail for awhile) and MAIL it to them!

It's just come to my attention, during a Google search on my book, "Seven for Oregon," that it is listed on your site as being "historically inaccurate." How long has this "information" been up? It can't have been long as it didn't turn up the last time I did a search on my book. Who supplied you with this "fact"? What makes Neta Lohnes Frazier's book "accurate" and mine "inaccurate"? They are the identical facts drawn from the identical sources (nearly--I discovered some she didn't even know about) with some necessary fictional devices such as invented dialogue. I would say the ONLY differences between hers and mine are hers is shorter, lower reading level (grades 3-5 as opposed to 6-8 for mine), her character viewpoint somewhat more limited and her dialogue somewhat more stilted than mine. Ask Larry Dodd, Jack Winchell, or anyone else named in the Acknowledgments at the beginning of the book, who were THERE during the six years I busted my brains doing my painstaking research! Did Mrs. Frazier bother to retrace the entire Oregon Trail from Missouri to Oregon, as I did? Did she include pages and pages of bibliography in her book as I did? For anyone who asks if my book is accurate, any source from which I drew more than a paragraph is listed right in the back of the book! How easy can I MAKE it for people to check my work? I refer people to the sources and ask them to see if my (admittedly fictional) story as nearly as possible reflects the facts presented in these differing sources! Several years ago I asked why my book was not being sold at Whitman Mission, as it is at Fort Walla Walla, and was told the reason was "limited shelf space." I had no IDEA that any story was currently making the rounds about my book being inaccurate! I do know of such a rumor, which originated shortly before the book's first appearance in 1986, I know who started the story and why. I am APPALLED to learn any such story is still being circulated! I demand you explain this false statement to me and remove it from your site immediately! The only mercy is that it mentions only the title of my book, and not me by name!

Sincerely,
Cornelia Shields

Now, people on the forums to which I belong may wonder why I would belong to several forums discussing literature in general and children's books in particular and not mention that not only did I write such a book, but I have copies currently for sale. (Two or three of you here do have a copy.) Not only was I afraid of possible rampant apathy and lack of interest, but the truth is, I sold out of two printings of my book (which I had to have privately printed--I never sold it and still own all rights--) and I remembered how totally crummy I felt when I had no books left to sell! So when this friend of mine (one of the people I just e-mailed) met me one day and asked the status on my book, I said, it was rejected by everyone--365 agents and publishers--not all for the same reasons, but for the following in general:
--No firm age category. It was at that awkward age where it was too adult for a children's book, too much for children for an adult book. Each "type" of publisher would refer me to the other. (It has been used in schools by fifth grade level and up, and can be comprehended by younger children if read and discussed with them.)
--Too non-fictional for a novel, too novelized for non-fiction. I'd have been willing to have the photographs replaced with drawings, or even remove all illustrations except for one picture and three maps necessary for clarifying the story, though of course that would mean completely redoing the plates, but no one wanted to talk about it.
--I expect the other reason is the subject is not "PC" enough, but if the text itself is not, SORRY! I did my level best and more to be fair AND accurate!
My friend said it was an injustice, to "bring over the plates and I'll print it myself and charge you for nothing but materials." As I still had about 350 leftover paper covers, I took him up on it. He also printed about 150 hardcovers, so I had 500. 300 or 400 are still hanging around here. I haven't "pushed" on selling them. I suppose if I do sell them all, I'll just hang onto the book until I write something else, which DOES interest a publisher, then say, "by the way, do you want this, too?" If too much time goes by without this happening, I will just go to some POD (print-on-demand) deal and put it up on Amazon.com for anyone who may be interested to find.

Okay, I found online what seems to be a working address for the park superintendent and sent him the above message. Now we'll see what action is taken. You know, the government....

You have every right to be outraged. Go after them. I thought your book was exceptionally well written and documented.

Thanks! I called Larry Dodd, the abovementioned helpful historian, and no one had contacted him. I expect the government is taking it easy as today is the day before a National Holiday.

Update here. I found that the superintendent address I came up with just Googling around may not have been accurate, so that first message probably went out to thin air, but I got the real addresses from the National Park Service Official Website, and here is the e-mail I sent to the three main park rangers, from my other e-mail address as the inbox for my one was getting pretty full.

Dear Sirs:

It's just come to my attention, during a Google search on my book, "Seven for Oregon," that it is listed on your site as being "historically inaccurate" in your field guide. The credit on the field guide states that it was prepared by Heather Boothe, Education Technician, in September, 1999, meaning that a statement attacking the accuracy of my work has potentially been available on an official National Park Service website for some four and a half years without anyone notifying me of it! I had to come across it by accident!
What makes Neta Lohnes Frazier's book "accurate" and mine "inaccurate"? They are the identical facts drawn from the identical sources (nearly--I discovered some she didn't even know about) with certain necessary fictional devices such as invented dialogue. I would say the ONLY differences between hers and mine are hers is shorter, lower reading level (grades 3-5 as opposed to 6-8 for mine), her character viewpoint somewhat more limited and her dialogue somewhat more stilted than mine. Ask Larry Dodd, Jack Winchell, or anyone else named in the Acknowledgments at the beginning of the book, who were THERE during the six years I busted my brains doing my painstaking research! Did Mrs. Frazier bother to retrace the entire Oregon Trail from Missouri to Oregon, as I did? Did she include pages and pages of bibliography in her book as I did?
For anyone who asks if my book is accurate, any source from which I drew more than a paragraph is listed right in the back of the book! How easy can I MAKE it for people to check my work? I refer people to the sources and ask them to see if my (admittedly fictional) story as nearly as possible reflects the facts presented in these differing sources!
I request the following be sent to me ASAP:
--A complete list of each passage from my book which was found to be inaccurate or historically unnacceptable, with the name of the person who challenged said passage, and at least one reference citing an original source which proves it to be as they said. If this claim turns out to have any merit, which I doubt, I will consider it in preparing a revised edition of my book.
--Assurance that this false statement is removed from your website and all other materials associated with the historical site, such as printed matter.
Several years ago I asked why my book was not being sold at Whitman Mission, as it is at Fort Walla Walla, and was told the reason was "limited shelf space." I had no IDEA that any story was currently making the rounds about my book being inaccurate! I do know of such a rumor, which originated shortly before the book's first appearance in 1986; I know who started the story and why. This is potentially especially damaging to me as I have a presentation and talk I give to schools, which sometimes includes a trip to Whitman Mission or other trail-related sites. I wondered why not as many schools had called in the last several years and can now form some idea as to why. I am APPALLED to learn any such story is still being circulated, especially by a seemingly responsible government agency! The only mercy is that it mentions only the title of my book, and not me by name! Please see that this situation is corrected at the first possible moment.
I can be contacted at this e-mail address or by snail mail at (my street address.)

Sincerely,
Cornelia Shields

Another update. The Park Superintendent wrote me saying they'd actually received both of my messages, that the objectionable sentence had been removed from the website and he would send a more complete answer once they finished looking into it. Here is my reply to him:

Thanks for looking into this matter. As of this evening, the field trip guide with the sentence calling "Seven for Oregon" into question (on page 10, I believe) was still visible online, but I had to search for it this way:
http://216.239.39.104/search?q=cache:6VI1_3ABxKIJ:www.i...=en&start=2&ie=UTF-8

and then scroll down to that part. Is this an old version? I had to open it as HTML because I've been having trouble downloading PDF. It didn't seem to come up in a Google search for "Seven for Oregon." The other field guide mention of "Seven for Oregon" fairly categorized both it and "Stout-Hearted Seven" as fiction. That reference was fine; it was the one mentioned above with which I had a problem.

Sincerely,
Cornelia Shields

Dandelion,
Okay, I just want to make sure I have everything straight. This is YOUR book we're talking bout, right? You're Cornelia Shields? Just making sure, because my interest is sparked, and I'd like to read the book.

Right. If you can't contact me right away at the e-mail address given on my profile, it's because my inbox is full. It should be emptier in a couple of days when the problem is resolved. If not, I do have another e-mail address. I hate to post it--I get way too much junk at the one as it is--but I will send it to Nard Kordell, who can supply it to anyone who's really interested. Thank you for your interest.

While I have not yet read Dandelion's entire book, what I have read is very well done. I'm glad she has taken the time to challenge the criticism as it seems entirely unfounded. I know she did an amazing amount of painstaking research -- both for historical accuracy and to make the story "feel" more real by writing it within the context of a full understanding of the history involved. Well worth a read.

This actually came a week ago; it's just so darn anticlimactic I didn't get around to posting it till now. The Park Service Official in charge wrote me about the message I sent him expressing concern that their website implied that my book "was less historically accurate than other historical novels written about the Sager children. I assure you this was not our intent. However, after reading your remarks and reviewing our web site, I can see how one could interpret this web page as implying one book was more historically accurate than the others." He then says that the web page in question was edited on January 21, 2004, and includes the new wording.

Hmpf, result attained, guess that's all that will be said or done about it.

This is kind of a stupid question, but did you actually check the Parks' web page and make sure they fixed it to your satisfaction? I think a typical government response would be to tell you what you want to hear, but not quite get around to the actual work.

Well, I checked as described above on January 22, but haven't looked since.

Ahhhhh...the joys of being a writer! As a fellow traveler, I can only pat you on the back, encourage you not to be discouraged by some of the characters you will run into along the way, and offer these words of questionable wisdom: IT'S A JUNGLE OUT THERE! Let your talent and wits be your machete.