Calamity

"Calamity" is a 236-page fictional story based upon accounts of one of the Wild West's most intrepid sharpshooters and colorful characters, known by her nickname "Calamity Jane". Pamela Mohan's story fills in the gaps where historical accounts run short, mostly because of a lack of historical data and because of the character's penchant for lying, telling half truths, and embellishment. Piecing the clues together, the author weaves a convincing narrative of what life was like for Jane in Deadwood, living on the edge of town with Wild Bill Hickok. and fighting against an epidemic outbreak of smallpox in Deadwood. "Calamity" offers a sympathetic view of a fearless woman living unabashedly "like a man" on the frontier. To enhance the reading (and as a tribute to the old-fashioned books of that period), illustrator/designer Darlene created silhouettes of the story's characters and action. It is the author's intention for the reader to picture their own version of Calamity Jane. The use of silhouettes is designed to encourage the imagination. With 236 pages and 86 illustrations, "Calamity" is a charming read.