Lori Van Pelt, daughter of the late Carl W. "Bud" and Irene L. Van Pelt of Banner County, Nebraska, began writing during her high school years. Her English teacher submitted one of her poems to the National Poetry Press without telling Lori. When the poem was published, the teacher, Beverley Edens, read it aloud to the class. Mrs. Edens has since been able to share in the honors and recognition that Lori has received throughout her writing career. She remains one of Lori's dearest friends.

     Lori attended Nebraska Western College in Scottsbluff, Nebraska graduating in 1981 with an Associate of Applied Science degree in business. Prior to graduation, she started work at the Banner County Bank in Harrisburg, Nebraska beginning as receptionist and eventually earning the title of Assistant Vice President. While working in Harrisburg, she occasionally wrote feature articles for the Western Nebraska Observer (Kimball, Nebraska). Her father passed away in 1983 and her mother in 1988. After her mother died, Lori moved from the family wheat farm/cattle ranch in Banner County to Scottsbluff where she worked briefly at the First State Bank.

     In 1990, Lori decided to complete her bachelor's degree in business and moved to Laramie, Wyoming to attend the University of Wyoming. She continued writing, and had several articles published in the AlumNews while there. In 1993, she graduated with honors, earning a Bachelor's of Science in Finance. However, she still loved writing and accepted a position as a staff writer for the Saratoga Sun (Saratoga, Wyoming) following graduation. She married Eugene Walck, Jr. in September 1993 and continues to live with him on his family's cattle ranch near Saratoga.

     In 1994, Lori became a full time free-lance writer. She writes regularly for the Western Writers of America Roundup Magazine and for the WREN magazine. Her 2003 "Historic Trails" Series for the WREN earned the magazine a prestigious Maggie Award from the Western Publications Association in 2004 for Best Consumer Series. Lori's award-winning articles have also appeared in a variety of regional and national magazines including Wild West, True West, Pilot Getaways , WOLA Journal, Annals of Wyoming, Persimmon Hill, Private Pilot, Art of the West, ByLine, Western Horseman, The Fence Post, and Old West. Her work has also been featured in various Wyoming newspapers, including the Casper Star-Tribune, Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, and the Rawlins Daily Times. Her essay, "Cattle Kate: Homesteader or Cattle Thief?" in the book WILD WOMEN OF THE OLD WEST (Fulcrum 2003) was selected as a 2004 Spur Finalist in the Best Short Nonfiction Category.

     Her first nonfiction book, DREAMERS AND SCHEMERS, (High Plains Press, 1999)

was first in a series profiling Wyoming's historical characters. The second volume in that series, CAPITAL CHARACTERS OF OLD CHEYENNE, is forthcoming. Lori has also completed a biography of aviatrix Amelia Earhart, one of the premier titles in the American Heroes series from Forge Publishing, entitled, AMELIA EARHART: THE SKY'S NO LIMIT. The book is scheduled for release in March 2005.

     Lori's short fiction has appeared in four anthologies, AMERICAN WEST, edited by Loren D. Estleman (Forge 2001); WHITE HATS and BLACK HATS edited by Robert J. Randisi (Berkley 2002 and 2003); and HOT BISCUITS, edited by Max Evans and Candy Moulton (University of New Mexico Press, 2002.) Her own short fiction collection, entitled, AT FRONTIER'S EDGE, is scheduled for fall 2005 release from the University of New Mexico Press. Her short story, "Death Track," included in her collection, was a prize winner in the 2003 Art Affair Western Short Story Competition. "River Watch," which appears in AMERICAN WEST and in Lori's own collection, was selected as one of eight contemporary westerns from a field of 100 for the Great Writers Series, sponsored by The Met Theatre, Autry Museum, and Word Theatre and performed by actress Wendie Malick at the Autry Museum in Los Angeles in June 2004. Other authors selected for the special Autry readings included Elmer Kelton, Johnny D. Boggs, Mike Blakely, Miles Swarthout, Lenore Carroll, Brian Garfield, and Sandy Whiting.

     Lori is an active member of Western Writers of America and currently serves as a member of the Marketing and Hall of Fame committees. Lori enjoys music and sings whenever she can, often with fellow musicians W. C. Jameson, Mike Blakely, and others at WWA conventions. She also plays the piano and is learning to play the guitar.

Contact Lori at lpvanpelt@yahoo.com