"I write about the people, legends and tales of the Old West that I have uncovered among tattered documents, tear-stained journals and diaries, and the accounts told by old-timers." — Jan Cleere
NEW BOOK
BY JAN CLEERE
AVAILABLE NOW!
MILITARY WIVES IN ARIZONA TERRITORY
“Military Wives powerfully shows the devotion, duty, creativity and grit of women who chose to share life on the frontier with their husbands. It provides a valuable and vivid window into life during a critical period in our history…”
— Military Writers Society of America
"Never Don't Pay Attention"
Named 2016 Best Arizona Book
& Best Arizona Biography!
Franc Johnson Newcomb with Hosteen Klah circa 1935.
Jan's Latest Column
The Arizona Daily Star publishes a series of articles written by Tucson author and historian Jan Cleere, recognizing Arizona women who made their mark in the early history of the territory and the state. Some of them confronted extraordinary circumstances while others were known for their adventuresome spirits, all seeking new frontiers to explore, enrich and conquer. The articles appear monthly and can be accessed at azstarnet.com.
This month Jan writes about Franc Johnson Newcomb who learned as much from her Navajo students as they did from her. Read more…
2016 New Mexico/Arizona Book Award Winner!
Anyone who has ever stared down an angry bull coming full throttle across an arena, aimed right at your gut, will understand why Louise Serpa adamantly and often uttered the adage that became her motto. “Never Don’t Pay Attention:” The Life of Rodeo Photographer Louise L. Serpa chronicles the amazing account of a New York society woman who ended up out west with her nose buried in the dirt and her eye glued to a camera, loving every minute of becoming the first woman endorsed by the Rodeo Cowboys Association to venture inside the arena and shoot some of the most exciting and incredible photographs of rodeo action.
See Other Award-Winning Work