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Image for event: Creating Historical Fiction from History

Creating Historical Fiction from History

with Local Author Jenn James Wheeling
2026-09-21 18:00:00 2026-09-21 19:30:00 America/Denver Creating Historical Fiction from History Ever wonder how an author gets the spark to build an entire story around? Durango Public Library - Room 2

Monday, September 21
6:00pm - 7:30pm

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Ever wonder how an author gets the spark to build an entire story around?

Join Jenn James Wheeling, award-winning author of the Zephyr Western series, to learn about how she finds historical inspiration for her western series. The Zephyr Western series begins in 1849 with the California Goldrush and focuses on historical events west of the Rocky Mountains before concluding in the Red Mountain Mining District of the San Juan Mountains in 1893. Intrigued by the grit and determination of the unknown characters of our region, Wheeling will share some of the historical tidbits she has used to create full-fledged historical fiction novels.

AGE GROUP: | Adults |

EVENT TYPE: | History Live | Author Visit |

TAGS: | |

Durango Public Library
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Mon, Aug 17 9:30AM to 6:00PM
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Fri, Aug 21 9:30AM to 5:30PM
Sat, Aug 22 9:30AM to 5:00PM
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About the Library

Overlooking the Animas River, the Durango Public Library and Botanical Gardens is one of the most popular gathering spots in our community.

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Yarn Meetup
Sat, Aug 22, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Durango Public Library - Room 1
Calling knitters, crocheters, and fiber artists of all ages and levels!
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Mon, Aug 24, 2:00pm - 4:30pm
Durango Public Library - Youth Activity Room
Build, create, & play!
Death Cafe
Mon, Aug 24, 4:00pm - 5:30pm
Durango Public Library - Room 2
At a Death Cafe people gather to eat cake, drink tea and discuss death. Our objective is 'to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives'.
Coptic Stitch Bookmaking
Tue, Aug 25, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Durango Public Library - Room 2
A two-part series!
This event is full
Storytime
Wed, Aug 26, 11:00am - 11:30am
Durango Public Library - Youth Activity Room
Join us for stories, songs, rhymes, & other fun activities! Perfect for children ages 3+.
Great Garden Series - 125 years of Farming Along the Animas
Wed, Aug 26, 4:30pm - 6:00pm
Durango Public Library - Room 1&2 Combined
With Jerry Zink
Toddler Time
Thu, Aug 27, 11:00am - 11:45am
Durango Public Library - Youth Activity Room
Join us for stories, songs, rhymes, & other fun activities! Perfect for children ages 1-2. Stay after for a fun play group!
Teen Game Zone
Thu, Aug 27, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Durango Public Library - Youth Activity Room
Enjoy gaming in the library with a variety of games!
Baby Time
Fri, Aug 28, 11:00am - 11:45am
Durango Public Library - Youth Activity Room
Baby Time is tailored for babies from birth-12 months together with their favorite adult!
Friday Fun - STEM
Fri, Aug 28, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Durango Public Library - Room 1&2 Combined
Friday afternoons are all about having fun building, playing, exploring, and creating together!
Exploring Collage
Sat, Aug 29, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Durango Public Library - Room 1
Learn about the art of collage and then make your own!
This event is full
LEGO Club
Mon, Aug 31, 2:00pm - 4:30pm
Durango Public Library - Youth Activity Room
Build, create, & play!
Book Club: Go as a River - by Shelley Read
Tue, Sep 01, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Durango Public Library - First floor river lounge
Register at the reference desk, then join us to discuss the book at the library. A free book is available for the first 15 people who register and attend! 
Storytime - followed by Stay & Play
Wed, Sep 02, 10:30am - 11:30am
Durango Public Library - Youth Activity Room
Storytime followed by a fun Stay & Play! For children 3+ and their adult.
Word Honey at The Hive - Free Poetry Workshop
Wed, Sep 02, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
The Hive - 1175 Camino Del Rio
Write and create original works with us!
Toddler Time - followed by Stay & Play
Thu, Sep 03, 10:30am - 11:30am
Durango Public Library - Youth Activity Room
Join us for stories, songs, rhymes, & other fun activities! For children 1-2 and their adult.
Teen Game Zone
Thu, Sep 03, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Durango Public Library - Youth Activity Room
Enjoy gaming in the library with a variety of games!
Spanish Conversation Hour / Hora de Conversación en Español
Thu, Sep 03, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Durango Public Library - Room 1&2 Combined
Come speak Spanish in an informal setting. All language levels welcome! Ven a hablar español en un ambiente informal. ¡Abierto a todas las habilidades!
Baby Time
Fri, Sep 04, 11:00am - 11:45am
Durango Public Library - Youth Activity Room
Baby Time is tailored for babies from birth-12 months together with their favorite adult!
Friday Fun - Art
Fri, Sep 04, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Durango Public Library - Room 1&2 Combined
Friday afternoons are all about having fun building, playing, exploring, and creating together!
Holiday Closure - Library Is Closed
Mon, Sep 07, All day
Durango Public Library
Library is closed for Labor Day.
Storytime - followed by Stay & Play
Wed, Sep 09, 10:30am - 11:30am
Durango Public Library - Youth Activity Room
Storytime followed by a fun Stay & Play! For children 3+ and their adult.
Mixed Media Maps
Wed, Sep 09, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Durango Public Library - Room 2
Create personalized mixed-media maps to tell a story, about a life or a place, about history, about your dreams...
Writers & Scribblers - Monthly meeting
Wed, Sep 09, 6:15pm - 7:45pm
Durango Public Library - Room 1
August's Topic: Commercial vs. Literary Fiction: Scenes and Postcards
Toddler Time - followed by Stay & Play
Thu, Sep 10, 10:30am - 11:30am
Durango Public Library - Youth Activity Room
Join us for stories, songs, rhymes, & other fun activities! For children 1-2 and their adult.
Teen Game Zone
Thu, Sep 10, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Durango Public Library - Youth Activity Room
Enjoy gaming in the library with a variety of games!
Community Art Show Reception
Thu, Sep 10, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Durango Public Library - Room 1&2 Combined
Join us to meet the artists participating in our second annual Community Art Show!
Baby Time
Fri, Sep 11, 11:00am - 11:45am
Durango Public Library - Youth Activity Room
Baby Time is tailored for babies from birth-12 months together with their favorite adult!
Friday Fun - STEM
Fri, Sep 11, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Durango Public Library - Room 1&2 Combined
Friday afternoons are all about having fun building, playing, exploring, and creating together!
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Fri, Sep 11, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Durango Public Library - Room 1&2 Combined
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Sat, Sep 12, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Durango Public Library - Room 3
Calling knitters, crocheters, and fiber artists of all ages and levels!
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Sat, Sep 12, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Durango Public Library - Room 1&2 Combined
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LEGO Club
Mon, Sep 14, 2:00pm - 4:30pm
Durango Public Library - Youth Activity Room
Build, create, & play!
Curiosity Club
Tue, Sep 15, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Durango Public Library - Youth Activity Room
Your weekly place to have fun, be creative, and explore something new!
Cookbook Club: Food of the Italian South - Recipes for Classic, Disappearing, and Lost Dishes
Tue, Sep 15, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Durango Public Library - Room 1&2 Combined
Let's get together and cook a potluck of recipes from our chosen cookbook!
Storytime - followed by Stay & Play
Wed, Sep 16, 10:30am - 11:30am
Durango Public Library - Youth Activity Room
Storytime followed by a fun Stay & Play! For children 3+ and their adult.
Cuentos y Cantos - Hora de Cuentos Familiar Bilingüe/Bilingual Family Storytime
Wed, Sep 16, 5:30pm - 7:00pm
Durango Public Library
Lleva a la familia a disfrutar de cuentos y canciones bilingües en español e inglés. Bring the family for stories and songs in Spanish and English!
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Wed, Sep 16, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Durango Public Library - Room 1
Dawn Mulhearn and Mona Charles will be discussing their newly released book that reexamines the significant Basketmaker II site north of Durango.
Word Honey at The Hive - Free Poetry Workshop
Wed, Sep 16, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
The Hive - 1175 Camino Del Rio
Write and create original works with us!
Toddler Time - followed by Stay & Play
Thu, Sep 17, 10:30am - 11:30am
Durango Public Library - Youth Activity Room
Join us for stories, songs, rhymes, & other fun activities! For children 1-2 and their adult.
Teen Game Zone
Thu, Sep 17, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Durango Public Library - Youth Activity Room
Enjoy gaming in the library with a variety of games!
Spanish Conversation Hour / Hora de Conversación en Español
Thu, Sep 17, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Durango Public Library - Lobby
Come speak Spanish in an informal setting. All language levels welcome! Ven a hablar español en un ambiente informal. ¡Abierto a todas las habilidades!
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Fri, Sep 18, 11:00am - 11:45am
Durango Public Library - Youth Activity Room
Baby Time is tailored for babies from birth-12 months together with their favorite adult!
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Fri, Sep 18, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Durango Public Library - Room 1&2 Combined
Friday afternoons are all about having fun building, playing, exploring, and creating together!
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Sat, Sep 19, 1:00pm - 2:30pm
Durango Public Library - Room 1&2 Combined
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Mon, Sep 21, 2:00pm - 4:30pm
Durango Public Library - Youth Activity Room
Build, create, & play!
Creating Historical Fiction from History - with Local Author Jenn James Wheeling
Mon, Sep 21, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Durango Public Library - Room 2
Ever wonder how an author gets the spark to build an entire story around?
See all events