Snow on the Desert Sand

Abstract

This thesis is an excerpt of my novel in progress, “Snow on the Desert Sand.” It is a biographical historical fiction novel about Josie Bassett Morris. Josie is mostly remembered for her relationship with the outlaw, Butch Cassidy. However, his role in her life is small and negates the powerful ways she challenged social standards for women. These pages fictionalize her life and tell the story of her fight for individuality. Told in a dual timeline, “Snow on the Desert Sand,” starts at the end of her life in 1963 when Josie has an accident on her ranch that should kill her. This is the story of her struggle for survival and her memories of her life. The story takes on themes of independence, grief, and what it means to be a woman in the late 19th century and early 20th century.