For 30 years Marlene Wilson has been a working cowgirl.
Now a resident of 70 Mile House, Wilson has worked across Western Canada looking after other people's cattle out on the range land for dozens of employees. All her years of experience are being collected into her first book, Riding with Hope and Resilience.
"I've had lots of experiences, because I'm not young anymore, and lots of tragedies in my life. People were saying you need to write a book so other people could see no matter what happens in life that you can get through it," Wilson explained. "That's why its called Riding with Hope and Resilience. It's about my life, it's my memoirs, really, is what it is."
Wilson is a fourth-generation rancher who was born and raised around Kamloops and was inducted into the B.C. Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2022. Over the years she has worked a variety of jobs, including bank teller, realtor, yoga teacher and heavy equipment operator. Throughout this time she always harboured a passion for ranching, noting any time she had off she would go home to her mother's ranch to help out.
However, Wilson said after the tragic death of her children Tracy Graham and Thomas Graham, she realized life was too short not to do what she loved. That's why when she was close to 50 she became a full-time cowgirl and the rest is history.
"I started getting jobs riding for a living and I had to work for some of the harder ranchers to work for," Wilson recalled. "It got to be known that I would show up for work every day and do the best I could. Most jobs I've gotten (lately) they've already known about me. My old mom had said the best thing you can have is a good reputation."
As a cowgirl Wilson said she spends her time out on the range, typically working with just her horses and some good cattle dogs. She'll be in charge of making sure all the cattle are healthy, have access to salt and the cattle are rotated to different pastures throughout the summer to graze.
"My favourite part of my job is reading the cows and figuring out how the cows are thinking and letting them think about what you're asking them to do. It's always a challenge."
As time went on, Wilson said her friends and family kept telling her she should write a book about her experiences one day. About a decade ago she started taking regular notes while at cow camps but it wasn't until four years ago she got serious and started writing the book. She noted writing doesn't come easy to her.
Early on Wilson remarked it was hard to go through all her notes and think back on the tragedies that have shaped her life. However, the more she stuck with it the more she started to enjoy the process, remarking it was therapeutic to put her thoughts into words. One of her grandchildren even helped her type up her old handwritten notes to make the editing easier.
"It's a healing thing too. Any kind of writing, I find, when we write about feelings is a healing thing," Wilson remarked. "It's been really good for me. Sometimes I enjoyed it and sometimes I was like 'holy crow, is this really my life?' I was surprised when I saw it in print."
Wilson noted the most difficult thing to write about was the loss of her son and daughter as that is the hardest thing for a parent to go through. Writing about it, however, did allow her to get her feelings down and see the positive aspects of life as well.
The best part of the writing process for Wilson has been the last few months as it became clear she had a real story to tell and that it was coming together. She noted she worked closely with her editor Corey Bretz over Zoom to get it done.
Wilson said she is not exactly sure when Riding with Hope and Resilience will be available to buy. She is self-publishing with the help of Barbi Braude of Family Movie Storybooks, who designed the book for her, and plans to send off the final draft by the end of the month. She said it will be out by Christmas this year, noting she plans to sign several copies to give to her friends.
Those looking to purchase her books will be able to do so online, at Nuthatch Books in 100 Mile House or at any craft fairs Wilson attends in the coming months. She noted she'll be posting on her Facebook page more details as she knows them. Wilson encourages everyone to pick up a copy of the book and read it, especially if they have a passion for an activity or job like she does.
"I know some people have suggested that (my story) encourages other women to step up out of what we think women are supposed to do or be into something they really love," Wilson remarked. "(People should) pick up the book, read it and see what a woman can do even in middle age. I'm turning 79 in December and I'm still on horseback. Read it and find out what we can really do when we go with our heart."