Waldron Finds New Purpose for His Writing

SEELEY LAKE – After depositing his two royalty checks for less than 50 cents each, Seeley Lake author Douglas Waldron questioned why he continues to write and publish his books since all he ever does is give them away. With his two latest releases "Child's Play in a Race for Life" and "Between Two Worlds – The Legend of Spotted Owl" he has found a new purpose for his books. The books will be sold at Rovero's and Heritage Office Stop for $15 each and all the money will go to help Addy Trevino and her family.

After moving to Seeley Lake following a 37-year career in law enforcement in New Jersey, Waldron pursued his love of writing. He wrote for Montana Woman Magazine for 13 years before his first story was accepted for publication "Montana Wilderness Adventure." Since then he has published seven more books including his two newest releases.

"It's not about the book. It's about the research," said Waldron.

It was the research and love of traveling that took Waldron into central Montana around the Musselshell River and parts of western Montana in the Kootenai Mountains where he first heard the stories from locals that inspired "Between Two Worlds" and "Child's Play."

"I just love exploring Montana and finding a story on something or another," said Waldron. "They had these things in their head and shared their stories. With no tape recorder and no notes, I came back and tried to do something with them."

Waldron said "The Legend of Spotted Owl" is "perhaps an extraordinary means of racism, bigotry and hate" that captures a mother's love and a son's love but ends in tragedy.

"It's a nice story but it not something that is apropos for Addy but I'm going to sell them anyway," said Waldron.

On the other hand, Waldron thinks children and adults alike will enjoy reading "Child's Play" – a 122-page chapter book with no photographs.

"There is no bad language or anything," said Waldron. "If a child can read, and read well, they would love that story especially when the kids start their adventure."

Waldron interweaves his Irish heritage throughout his characters' lives. In "Child's Play A Race for Life" the father moved his family from Ireland to educate his son Ewan. His dream is for Ewan to become a lawyer. The father learns how to trap as a way to save up money for Ewan's schooling, storing all of his earnings in the family cabin.

Two suspicious men visit Ewan and his older sister Hatti. They tell them their father is in trouble. Suspecting that the men are after the family's savings, Hatti recruits two of her friends along with Ewan and their dog Baron and they begin their adventure of a child's diversion and other deceits leading the two suspected thieves in pursuit north into the wilderness.

Waldron said "Child's Play" in the book's title came from the plan Hatti came up with to throw the thieves off track.

"It's child's play like 'okay, we are going to get these guys – they aren't getting our fortune, they are not going to get our dad and my brother is going to go to school,'" said Waldron. "It's really pretty cool what she does to save the family fortune and their dad when [her brother, their dog and these two Native American children] go looking for him in the Kootenai mountains in the wintertime."

Waldron donated copies of all of his books to area libraries, the schools in St. Ignatius, Mont. and the Montana Historical Society. He said he has never made money on a book because he just gives them away.

When Waldron learned that his past student Treay Trevino's three-year-old daughter Addy was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor his heart ached for the family. He met Trevino when he worked as substitute teacher and coach at Seeley Lake Elementary School.

"I always had a great admiration for Treay for one reason or another," said Waldron. "Those kind of kids stick with you. "

Waldron thought about doing something with his newest books that would be meaningful.

"I thought how about getting the book printed and donating it to Addy. Do something for once with your book and not take 36 cents over to the bank and make a fool of yourself," said Waldron.

Thanks to the help of Dee Schmitz from Heritage Office Stop, 48-Hour Printing and Rovero's Store Manager Kyle Marx, Waldron's two newest releases are now available.

"Whatever I sell, everything goes to Addy," said Waldron. "If this is what I'm going to do with my books, maybe I will keep writing."