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Collection Summary | |
Creator: | Thornton, Betsy |
Collection Name: | Betsy Thornton Papers |
Inclusive Dates: | 1980-2010 |
Physical Description: | 1.5 linear feet |
Abstract: | The collection consists of materials which document the literary career of contemporary mystery writer Betsy Thornton. The bulk of the material is comprised of drafts of manuscripts, published articles and poetry, as well as printed materials including news clippings, copies of book reviews, and correspondence. One CD-ROM containing an interview is included. |
Collection Number: | MS 495 |
Repository: |
University of Arizona Libraries, Special Collections University of Arizona PO Box 210055 Tucson, AZ 85721-0055 Phone: 520-621-6423 Fax: 520-621-9733 URL: http://www.library.arizona.edu/speccoll |
Betsy Thornton was born Mary Elizabeth Thornton in Wilmington, North Carolina, the oldest of four children, to Elizabeth Mary (Kelly) Thornton and Colonel Robert L. Thornton. She was educated in Europe and the US graduating from Ohio Wesleyan University with a degree in English.
Thornton lived in England, France, Greece, Italy, New York City, and Venice, Calif. before settling in Bisbee, Arizona. In Bisbee she worked various jobs including director of the Cochise Fine Arts, a non-profit arts organization, and as a crime victim advocate for the Cochise Attorney's office.
Thornton's first publication was a chapbook of poems, On Davis Road in 1984. She is a recipient of a Poetry Fellowship from the Arizona Commission on the Arts. She turned to writing mystery fiction in the 1980's and her first mystery novel, The Cowboy Rides Away was published in 1996. The book introduces readers to her main character, Chloe Newcombe, who works as a victim advocate in Cochise County, Arizona, the same position that Thornton worked at the Cochise Attorney's office for fifteen years.
Thornton has published seven mystery novels including: The Cowboy Rides Away (1996), High Lonesome Road (2001), Ghost Towns (2002), Dead for the Winter (2004), A Whole New Life (2006), A Song for You (2008), and Dream Queen (2010). Her book, A Song For You, was nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark award in 2008.
Papers, 1980-2010. This collection is comprised of the papers of Betsy Thornton. Items include published and unpublished writings including, manuscripts, poetry in published anthology, news articles, Thornton's reviews of works by others, and book reviews of Thornton's works by others. Printed materials include book manuscripts, news and magazine clippings and correspondence. One 29-minute interview, circa 2004, by Steven Nestor for WHUS radio show, Poets of the Tabloid Murder, is included on CD-ROM
There are no restrictions on this collection.
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Arizona Board of Regents for the University of Arizona, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.
Betsy Thornton Papers, 1980-2010 (MS 495). Special Collections, University of Arizona Libraries.
Series I: Writings, 1980-2010 | |||||||||||
Arrangement is alphabetical by title. This series contains the published and unpublished writings of Betsy Thornton. The Writings Series is divided into two subseries: Manuscripts (1985-2010) contains drafts of monographs. Articles and Poetry (1980-1984, 2000) contains published articles and poetry written by Thornton. | |||||||||||
Subseries 1: Manuscripts, 1985-2010 | |||||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
1 | 1 | The Cowboy Rides Awaydraft (1 of 2) , undated | |||||||||
1 | 2 | The Cowboy Rides Awaydraft (2 of 2) , undated | |||||||||
folder | |||||||||||
3 | The Cowboy Rides Awayedited draft (1 of 2) , undated | ||||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
1 | 4 | The Cowboy Rides Awayedited draft (2 of 2) , undated | |||||||||
1 | 5 | Dead For the Winteredited draft (1 of 2) , undated | |||||||||
1 | 6 | Dead For the Winteredited draft (2 of 2) , undated | |||||||||
1 | 7 | Dream Queenedited draft (1 of 2) , undated | |||||||||
1 | 8 | Dream Queenedited draft (2 of 2) , undated | |||||||||
1 | 9 | Dream Queenedited draft with notes (1 of 2) , undated | |||||||||
1 | 10 | Dream Queenedited draft with notes (2 of 2) , undated | |||||||||
1 | 11 | Dream Queenedited draft with notes (1 of 2) , undated | |||||||||
1 | 12 | Dream Queenedited draft with notes (2 of 2) , undated | |||||||||
1 | 13 | High Lonesome Roadedited original(1 of 2) , undated | |||||||||
1 | 14 | High Lonesome Roadedited original(2 of 2) , undated | |||||||||
1 | 15 | A Song For Youedited draft , undated | |||||||||
1 | 16 | A Song For Youedited draft , undated | |||||||||
1 | 17 | A Song For Youedited draft with author notes (1 of 2) , undated | |||||||||
1 | 18 | A Song For Youedited draft with author notes (2 of 2) , undated | |||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
2 | 1 | A Whole New Lifeedited draft with notes(1 of 2) undated | |||||||||
2 | 2 | A Whole New Lifeedited draft with notes(2 of 2) undated | |||||||||
2 | 3 | Unpublished original[Immaculate Conceptions]edited draft (1 of 2) , undated | |||||||||
2 | 4 | Unpublished original[Immaculate Conceptions]edited draft (2 of 2) , undated | |||||||||
2 | 5 | UnpublishedImmaculate Conceptionsedited draft (1 of 2) , undated | |||||||||
2 | 6 | UnpublishedImmaculate Conceptionsedited draft (2 of 2) , undated | |||||||||
2 | 7 | UnpublishedImmaculate Conceptionschapters 13 and 19 , undated | |||||||||
Subseries 2: Articles and Poetry, 1980-1984, 2000 | |||||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
2 | 8 | Articles and Poetry, 1980-1984, 2000 |
Series II: Printed and Audio Materials, 1985-2010 | |||||||||||
Arrangement is chronological. | |||||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
2 | 9 | Correspondence , 1985-1994, 2001-2010 | |||||||||
2 | 10 | Publicity – Reviews , 1996, 2001-2007 | |||||||||
2 | 11 | Publicity – General , 1996, 2001-2009, undated |