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Historical Women's Fiction
Published by Deanna Lynn Sletten
Published September 4, 2018
She rode with the most famous outlaws of her time. Then she vanished.
In the fall of 1895, Etta Place falls in love with Harry Longabaugh, alias the Sundance Kid. She gives up everything to follow him and his partner-in-crime, Butch Cassidy, in their outlaw life across the continent and beyond. Breathtakingly beautiful and every inch a lady, Etta can also ride and shoot as well as any man. As their fugitive life begins to crumble, she finds herself alone and living in a convent with her newborn son. Knowing she can’t hide away forever, she moves halfway across the country to begin anew. Etta prays her past won’t catch up with her.
In 1911 Emily Pleasants steps onto the train station platform of Pine Creek, Minnesota with a teacher’s contract in hand and a secret life she’s fled. A young widow with a small son, she’s searching for a safe place to raise her child where no one will recognize her. She meets Edward Sheridan, a successful merchant and bank owner, who quickly falls for her beauty, intelligence, and kindness. Still, she worries her notorious past will threaten the one thing dearest to her—her son.
From the deserts of Texas to the sweeping vistas of Wyoming, the refinement of New York City to the lush valleys of Argentina, Etta followed the outlaw men she loved so dearly. And then, she disappeared.
One woman, two separate lives. What became of the elusive Etta Place?
Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd, traveling, and relaxing on the lake.
Published by Deanna Lynn Sletten
Published September 4, 2018
She rode with the most famous outlaws of her time. Then she vanished.
In the fall of 1895, Etta Place falls in love with Harry Longabaugh, alias the Sundance Kid. She gives up everything to follow him and his partner-in-crime, Butch Cassidy, in their outlaw life across the continent and beyond. Breathtakingly beautiful and every inch a lady, Etta can also ride and shoot as well as any man. As their fugitive life begins to crumble, she finds herself alone and living in a convent with her newborn son. Knowing she can’t hide away forever, she moves halfway across the country to begin anew. Etta prays her past won’t catch up with her.
In 1911 Emily Pleasants steps onto the train station platform of Pine Creek, Minnesota with a teacher’s contract in hand and a secret life she’s fled. A young widow with a small son, she’s searching for a safe place to raise her child where no one will recognize her. She meets Edward Sheridan, a successful merchant and bank owner, who quickly falls for her beauty, intelligence, and kindness. Still, she worries her notorious past will threaten the one thing dearest to her—her son.
From the deserts of Texas to the sweeping vistas of Wyoming, the refinement of New York City to the lush valleys of Argentina, Etta followed the outlaw men she loved so dearly. And then, she disappeared.
One woman, two separate lives. What became of the elusive Etta Place?
My thoughts about Miss Etta ~~
(originally posted September 4, 2018)
(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)
First line—"Susan Sheridan hurried out of her car and headed across the street to the assisted-living facility where her grandmother lived."
I've always loved the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. I can't even guess how many times I've seen it. There is also a female character in this story, Etta Place. Little is known about her after the outlaws' lives fell apart.
I was so excited when I heard that one of my very favorite authors was working on a book depicting what she thinks Etta's life might have been like after she is separated from the duo. Miss Etta is a believable, heart-warming tale that looks at what life was like for a woman in the early 1900's. It was even tougher for someone like Etta, who was trying to leave her old life in the past and start all over with a new one.
Etta moves to Minnesota, remaking her life as Emily, a young widow with a little boy. She is a strong woman who just wants to raise her son to be a good man, all while living in the fear that her other life will be found out. Is a happy, carefree life and a good man to love even possible for her to think about?
Etta and Harry, the Sundance Kid, had a deep loving relationship—their story was such a beautiful love story, even though they led very unusual lives, very tough lives. Their strong bond and the deep love that they had for each other gets them through the tough times, even at the very end.
I would love to think that Miss Etta's life ended up the way that Deanna wrote about it here. Sure, she had a tough life with tough decisions to make and she did it all while raising a little boy, a boy who was safe and loved. Miss Etta is a wonderful tale that ended for me just the way I wanted it to. I absolutely loved everything about this story.
The Real Etta Place
Harry Longabaugh alias the Sundance Kid
and Etta Place
Etta Place was a real woman who was married to the notorious outlaw the Sundance Kid. From 1895 to 1907, she followed Sundance and Butch Cassidy, the leader of the Wild Bunch, along the Outlaw Trail and down to South America where the threesome tried to go straight. She was a young, beautiful woman who was said to be refined and mannered, even though she could shoot and ride as well as any man. No one knew her real name. She went by the alias Etta Place, but some thought her name was Ethel.
Sometime around 1906–1908, she disappeared. Some say that during that time, she died in a Denver hospital and Sundance went on a drunken brawl and shot up a bar before returning to South America. Others say she died in childbirth. Stories persist that she left Sundance for someone else, that she came back to America alone, or that she died in the final shootout in San Vincente, Bolivia where it was believed that Butch and Sundance died. In reality, no woman was killed during that shootout, and there has yet to be any evidence that Butch or Sundance died that day.
Sometime around 1906–1908, she disappeared. Some say that during that time, she died in a Denver hospital and Sundance went on a drunken brawl and shot up a bar before returning to South America. Others say she died in childbirth. Stories persist that she left Sundance for someone else, that she came back to America alone, or that she died in the final shootout in San Vincente, Bolivia where it was believed that Butch and Sundance died. In reality, no woman was killed during that shootout, and there has yet to be any evidence that Butch or Sundance died that day.
What became of Etta Place? No one knows. And that is what makes her story so interesting. Using a timeline of true events that are known, I create her past life with Butch and Sundance, while giving a fictional version of her life after she disappeared. Enjoy!
About the author
Deanna Lynn Sletten is the author of Maggie's Turn, Finding Libbie, One Wrong Turn, and several other titles. She writes heartwarming women’s fiction and romance novels with unforgettable characters. She has also written one middle-grade novel that takes you on the adventure of a lifetime. Deanna believes in fate, destiny, love at first sight, soul mates, second chances, and happily ever after, and her novels reflect that.
Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd, traveling, and relaxing on the lake.
Deanna loves hearing from her readers.
Connect with her here—
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