The Woodward News

Local News

July 7, 2009

Top author to visit Beaver July 15

Academy Award winning writer Michael Blake will be at the Beaver County Fair Building in Beaver on July 15 to talk about his latest book “Twelve is King.”

Blake is most known for writing the novel “Dances with Wolves” and the screenplay for the hit 1990 film of the same name.

Jacuqe Swanner, curator of the Jones and Plummer Trail Museum in Beaver, said Blake’s appearance was set up by a Kiowa from Perryton named James Coverdale.

It is the first time Blake has been in Beaver. Swanner said she hopes to see a big crowd for the event that begins at 7:30 p.m.

“The more the merrier,” she said. “It’s a large building and it is free and open to the public.”

Blake began his writing career during his military service. At Walker Air Force Base in Roswell, N.M., Blake was assistant editor of the base newspaper, “The Strategian.”

Blake went on to get a degree in journalism from the University of New Mexico and then attended film school in Berkeley, Calif.

In 1983 Blake wrote a screenplay called “Stacey’s Knights,” which was independently produced and starred a young Kevin Costner.

The Costner connection would come into play again when he encouraged Blake to turn “Dances with Wolves” into a screenplay.

After the success of “Dances with Wolves,” Blake wrote a sequel called “Holy Road,” which was published in 2001. A screenplay of the novel is currently in production.

Blake’s newest book, “Twelve is King,” is about a Bureau of Land Management wild horse that the Blake family adopted.

Following Blake’s talk at the fair grounds, Swanner said the author would be available to answer questions about his books. All of Blake’s books can be purchased and signed by the author at the event.

Swanner also mentioned that refreshments will be served.

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