In October, 2012 Texas Dames: Sassy and Savvy Women Throughout Lone Star History, rolled off The History Press. The book tells the stories of some 53 women. Without these “dames” and their accomplishments—both sassy and savvy and piled high with courage—Texas would be a very different place. The stories range from the “savvy” Caddo woman who learned both Spanish and French to interpret between her people and these Europeans to “sassy” Babe Didriksen Zaharias, 1928 Olympic star who went on to conquer the links, blazing a path for women professional golfers. A pretty “sassy” dame, she’d bounce into locker rooms with, “The Babe is here, who’s coming in second.”
In March 2012, Chicken Soup of the Soul: The Magic of Mothers and Daughters, published the Fort Worth native’s story about the last six months with her mother, entitled “Burgers and Butterflies.”
A 7th generation Texan, today Carmen Goldthwaite writes and tells the stories about the Texas she loves for western lore magazines. Fascinated by the distaff roles in Texas, she’s written Texas women’s stories for anthologies, such as The Way West, a 2005 Tor-Forge book and Wild Women of the Old West, a 2003 anthology from Fulcrum Publishing.
Combining her love of writing with passing on the skills she’s developed over “a few” decades, she’s teaching--for SMU’s creative writing program, and in classes at her home. She’s also been designated “Writer-in-Residence” at her alma mater, TCU’s Schieffer School of Journalism, its Texas Center for Community Journalism.
Known for patronizing back roads and local in spots, Carmen Goldthwaite has combined history with modern travelogues for the likes of Fort Worth, Tex. magazine and American Cowboy and relishes her yen for sailing on Texas waters for occasional stories for articles and essays for Latitudes & Attitudes.
Earlier, her investigative reporting led to statewide awards and to syndication with Scripps-Howard News Service. She is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Western Writers of America, Investigative Reporters & Editors, Texas Press Association and Texas State Historical Association.
Carmen teaches and speaks to conferences and organizations about writing and publishing in addition to opportunities to “talk Texan about Texans.”
