Rosanne McHenry
WOW! WOMEN ON WRITING TOUR
of
Tales From a Rogue Ranger
Tales From a Rogue Ranger: Book 1 (Trip Tales)
Book Summary
Tales From a Rogue Ranger is full of stories that speak to the comedy and tragedy of being a park ranger: a job that is nothing like you might imagine. Set against the stunning backdrop of California’s American River Canyon, this is an engaging and wildly unusual read about the untamed life of a woman ranger. From a miner riding a mule to a young man lost in the system, these tales show the kaleidoscope of characters a park ranger encounters, giving the reader a fascinating look into a true ranger experience. Readers will laugh out loud, cry tears of sadness, and feel the greatest joy as they revel in this amazing book!
Publisher: Book Baby
Print length: 239 pages
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Author Interview:
Q: At what point did you decide to be an author, and what was your path to publication?
A: I wanted to write my first book ever since I was living the experiences as a young girl, camping with my family in the Pacific Northwest. I finally wrote Trip Tales: From Family Camping to Life as a Ranger in 2021. It was all about how family camping adventures as a child inspired me to become a National Park Ranger. I wrote the initial draft of the book and found a hybrid publisher to help me turn the manuscript into reality. They helped me to make the book into an award-winning read.
My newest book: Tales From a Rogue Ranger is about my experiences working as a California State Park Ranger in the American River Canyon. The stories in this book speak to the comedy and tragedy of being a park ranger: a job that is nothing like most people might imagine. Already receiving outstanding reviews, this is an engaging and wildly unusual read about the untamed life of a woman ranger.
Q: Describe your writing process. Do you outline, plot, and plan, or is your writing more organic?
A: I begin with a general idea in my head of what I want to accomplish, and stick to a central theme. Both of my books speak to the life of a ranger, but each book covers a different part of that timeline. In both cases, just started writing stories as they came to mind. I try to make each story as engaging and entertaining as possible, always putting the reader right into the heart of the action. Then I work with my editor to organize the stories into a flow that makes the most sense to readers. Often, this means moving things around or eliminating stories that don’t quite fit. Developmental editing is every bit as valuable as a grammatical editing.
Q: What are some books or authors that you would recommend to our readers?
A: I recommend Nature Noir, and also Engineering Eden, by Jordan Fisher Smith.
The Soul of Yosemite: Finding, Defending and Saving the Valley’s Sacred Wild Nature, by Barbara L. Moritsch
The Rights of Nature, by David R. Boyd
Rangers of California State Parks: Ove 125 Years of Protection and Service, by Mike Lynch.
…and many more books on environmental protection and preservation, too numerous to mention.
Q: Describe the book in 10 words or less for people just learning about it.
A: A fascinating look into a true park ranger experience.
Q: Is there anything you would like people to take away from your book?
A: Yes: this beautiful planet, our Earth, is our shared heritage, and we all have a role in preserving and protecting it. I also want people to understand the trials, tribulations, and joys of what it’s like to work as a California State Park Ranger and the role I played in this as a woman ranger. Often it was like being the Lone Ranger, out there by myself in a 40,000 acre park on the backroads and byways of the American River!
Q: Do you have any odd (writing) habits?
A: I write wherever I am and whenever I have a few moments of quiet time. I use the voice memo and the notes feature on my cell phone to capture ideas. This has been invaluable to me because I often think of stories when I’m far away from my desk. I wrote the first six chapters of my first book sitting on a beach in the South Pacific because I finally found myself with enough uninterrupted time to get started. I did those entirely on my cell phone.
Q: What has been the toughest criticism you have received as an author? What has been the best compliment?
A: The toughest criticism about writing is often having to ‘kill your children’, which means having to delete favorite tales from the manuscript because they have little to do with the book central theme.
The best compliment has always been that when people read my stories, they feel as if they’ve lived the adventures themselves.
Q: Share some advice for aspiring authors. What advice would you give to your younger self?
A: Don’t wait; write down thoughts as they come to you. Have a comfortable way to capture ideas. Don’t worry about writing the perfect story; just write it. So many good writers never write down their stories because they lack the self-confidence to do so, or because they think they have to follow a certain format, or because they feel they don’t have the time.
It only takes a few moments to capture a story. Use the talk-to-text feature or voice memo feature on your cell phone to dictate ideas to yourself. Send this to yourself in a text or email, then cut and paste this into a word document to begin writing your story.
Don’t say:
“I’ll wait until later” or “I’ll write down these stories once I’m retired”, or make some other excuse. Just write down the thoughts as they first come to you. You can always edit and refine your thoughts later.
Q: What is your favorite line from your book?
A: For this new book it would have to be:
“Thank God you’re here!” Which is what we often heard from our park visitors once we arrived on the scene at an accident, or when someone was injured, or any number of problems. People were always so glad to see us, and this is what they often exclaimed.
From my first book, it would be: “This is what I was born to do.” This is the last line in the book and it refers to my becoming a park ranger.
Q: To date, what is your favorite (or most difficult) chapter you have ever written?
A: There are so many favorites. In this new book, my favorite chapters are Wild Goose Chase, Superhero Ranger, and Flying High. All are very funny. From my first book it would be The Stolen Picnic Table about how my father took our own picnic table to a state beach one day and the people there thought it was for everyone to use. The park ranger thought we were stealing the table when my dad loaded it back into the truck to go someplace else.
About the Author
Rosanne S. McHenry has worked as both a U.S. National Park Ranger and a California State Park Ranger. Her ranger experiences include the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Mount Rainier National Park, the Auburn State Recreation Area, Folsom Lake, Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, and Death Valley National Park, among others.
In her latest book, Tales From a Rogue Ranger, McHenry shares her experiences about the rough and tumble life of a patrol ranger near Auburn, California. A park ranger’s job is nothing like you might imagine! Set against the stunning backdrop of California’s American River Canyon, this is an engaging and wildly unusual read about the untamed life of a woman ranger.
McHenry, who also wrote Trip Tales: From Family Camping to Life as a Ranger, currently lives and works in Auburn, California, with her husband. The beautiful American River Canyon is adjacent to their home in the Sierra Nevada Foothills.
You can follow the author at:
Website: https://triptalesbook.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066900574228
Instagram: @askrangerrose https://www.instagram.com/AskRangerRose/
Blog Tour Calendar
April 8th @ The Muffin
Join us at WOW as we celebrate the launch of Rosanne McHenry’s book Tales From a Rogue Ranger. Read an interview with the author and enter for a chance to win a copy of the book.
https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com
April 9th @ What Is That Book About
Get the 411 on Tales From a Rogue Ranger, the story of life as a ranger by Rosanne S. McHenry.
www.facebook.com/whatisthatbookabout
April 10th @ Fancy That!
Summer’s right around the corner! Get ready with Advice for a Road Trip to a National Park, a guest post by author Rosanne S. McHenry.
April 11th @ Words by Webb
Looking for a different kids of vacation read? Read a review of Rosanne McHenry’s Tales From a Rogue Ranger.
April 12th @ Sara Trimble
Read of review of Rosanne McHenry’s Tales From a Rogue Ranger today.
https://saratrimble.wordpress.com
April 15 @ A Storybook World
The spotlight is on Tales From a Rogue Ranger, a book about Rosanne McHenry’s adventures as a park ranger.
https://www.astorybookworld.com/
April 18th @ Word Magic: All About Books
Rosanne S. McHenry, author of Tales From a Rogue Ranger learned a lot during her days as a ranger. Today she shares How NOT to Get Bitten by a Gigantic Rattlesnake.
https://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com
April 19th @ Pages and Paws
Stop by for a review of Rosanne S. McHenry’s book Tales From a Rogue Ranger by Kristine and her canine reviewing partner Kimber.
April 20th @ The Shaggy Shepherd
Join Isabelle at The Shaggy Shepherd for a guest post about the Best National Parks for Families by Rosanne S. McHenry, author of Tales From a Rogue Ranger.
https://theshaggyshepherd.wordpress.com/
April 22nd @ Beverley Baird
Learn Beverley’s thoughts about Rosanne S. McHenry’s latest book Tales From a Rogue Ranger.
https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com
April 23rd @ Chapter Break
Stop by for an interview with Rosanne McHenry, author of Tales From a Rogue Ranger.
April 24th @ Choices
Rosanne McHenry, author of Tales From a Rogue Ranger, tells us how she learned to Succeed at a Job You Never Wanted
April 26th @ Beverley Baird
Stop by Beverley Baird’s blog for a guest post by author Rosanne S. McHenry about how to choose which life stories “make the cut” in your memoir.
https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com
April 26th @ The Faerie Review
The Faerie Review is spotlighting Tales From a Rogue Ranger by Rosanne S. McHenry.
https://www.thefaeriereview.com
April 27th @ Pages and Paws
Rosanne S. McHenry, author of Tales From a Rogue Ranger, shares why being a ranger is Not Just a Walk in The Woods by sharing some animal rescues.
April 30th @ World of My Imagination
Read Nicole’s review of Tales From a Rogue Ranger by Rosanne S. McHenry.
https://worldofmyimagination.com
May 2nd @ Sara Trimble
Stop by Sara Trimble’s blog for a guest post on how to choose a book cover from Rosanne McHenry, author of Tales From a Rogue Ranger.
https://saratrimble.wordpress.com
May 9th @ Knotty Needle
Judy shares her thoughts on Rosanne McHenry’s latest book: Tales From a Rogue Ranger.
http://knottyneedle.blogspot.com
May 11th @ Boys’ Mom Reads!
Find out what a Boys’ Mom thinks of Tales From a Rogue Ranger by Rosanne McHenry.
https://karensiddall.wordpress.com
May 12th @ Jill Sheet’s Blog
Learn more about the author of Tales From a Rogue Ranger with an interview of Rosanne McHenry.
https://jillsheets.blogspot.com/
Thanks so much, Julie! Really appreciate you featuring the book!
Jodi – thanks for your comment!
Rosanne S. McHenry recently posted…“Tales from a Rogue Ranger” Blog Tour
Rosanne,
Love the advice to NOT WAIT when it comes to writing.