People who do not live in Oklahoma, or have never visited our fair state, usually think of the area as being flat.  And dusty if they’ve read Grapes of Wrath, or watched documentaries of the Dust Bowl days. Mountains seldom come to mind when thinking of Oklahoma.

But yes, there are mountains in Oklahoma – the Ouachita Mountain Range is located throughout the southeastern part of the state. The area is characterized by rolling, rocky terrain and pine-covered hills. The mountains were originally home to the Ouachita Tribe. (Ouachita is pronounced: Wash-ih-taw.)

It’s at the foot of these mountains that Marcy Hankins lives – the main character in Tiger Beetle at Kendallwood. The town of Andonburg, where Marcy’s father owns the local drug store, is a fictional place, but the hills in the story definitely are not. And the town’s personality is quite typical of scores of small towns all across Oklahoma.

The ambiance of the setting is quiet and laid back, but Marcy’s life is anything but… She is a world of turmoil, and her twin sister (her total personality opposite) is making things worse!

Check out this free download of Chapter 1 of Tiger Beetle at Kendallwood – Click HERE!

[Photo credit: Joe Mitchell]