Velda Brotherton enjoyed a long and accomplished career in historical writing, both fiction and nonfiction. Her love of the West and its stories drove the publication of more than twenty-five books across three decades.

Before turning to fiction, she worked as a journalist in Northwest Arkansas, a role that shaped her sharp eye for detail and deep respect for real places and real people. In 1988, she co-founded the Northwest Arkansas Writers Workshop with her friend and writing partner, the legendary Dusty Richards. The group became a cornerstone for regional writers, and Velda spent decades mentoring, teaching, and developing new talent.

Her own writing career crossed genres and publishers. She built early success as a New York–published romance author, then expanded into romantic suspense, upmarket fiction, hard-edged Westerns, and regional nonfiction that reflected her reporter’s instincts. No matter the category, her work carried the same trademarks: grit, heart, and a devotion to the history of the American West.

Velda passed away in 2023, leaving behind a diverse body of work, a loyal readership, and generations of writers whose careers she shaped. Her influence endures in the stories she told and the voices she helped bring into the world.