Kalispell author hopes to inspire perseverance through her stories

Author Lorrie Grosfield and Hallie, the turtle, the main character in her new children’s book, have something in common — both are devoted mothers.  

A retired educator, Grosfield sought teaching as a career that would allow her to devote time to raising her children. In the book, “Hallie the Hero,” the turtle embarks on an adventure testing her bravery amidst a raging wildfire while on a mission to protect her offspring.  

Decades in the making, Grosfield recently released the self-published book after writing the story and creating the illustrations for it using chalk pastel drawings. It was a story she’d been thinking about for decades. 

“It took me 40 years to write it,” she said from her home on the west side of Kalispell. “I had these story ideas when my kids were little, but I just didn’t have time to write them. I’ve been dreaming about it for so long I just had to go for it.”

Inspired by a turtle her first husband brought home from a wildfire; Grosfield created the story of Hallie. The turtle is impacted by fire when she is scooped up in a water bucket hanging from a helicopter.  

“All animals have so much instinct to get out of there when it comes to fire,” she said. “We should care about fire and not damaging their homes.”  

She hopes the resiliency Hallie shows in the story can inspire others to follow their dreams. Looking to bring other stories to life about wildlife and conservation, she has other stories planned involving wild animal characters.  

While holding up a portfolio of the original pastel drawings that became the illustrations in the book, she says completing the artwork herself was an important part of bringing the story to life.  

She takes the portfolio with its vibrant drawings made up mostly of different hues of blue and green when she talks to school children about her book. She talks about revising the language in the story and making it match the pictures on each page.  

As an educator, she would create life-size artwork in her classroom featuring images from the books they were reading — wolves, Vikings and covered wagons.  

“The visuals really bring the story to life,” she said.  

ORIGINALLY FROM Illinois, Grosfield visited Glasgow, Montana, as part of an exchange program her sophomore year of high school. It would inspire her to attend the University of Montana looking first to study wildlife biology.  

“When I got home, I said ‘I’m going to college in Montana,’” she said, while noting some reluctance from her family at the time who in part worried about the cost. She attended school with a swimming scholarship.  

As a single mom of two, she switched her major to education and would mark 25 years working in education in small schools throughout several counties in the state. She has taught preschool-age students to adults.  

Summers were spent working jobs in national parks including Glacier National Park and for the Forest Service. After retiring from education, she served as the administrator for the Pondera County Conservation District in Conrad.  

Now she’s working on the stories she’s been holding onto for years. Her paperback novel, “The Nutshell Legacy” tells the story of Nell Glisson who was given zero chance to survive in Illinois forgotten land in 1875. Nell struggles to hold onto the family legacy of a rundown farm.  

The historical fiction book is inspired by the true events of Grosfield’s own family. About 10 years ago she visited her family homestead and took roughly 40 pages of notes about what the family endured as they worked to hold onto their land. The story has elements of conservation as the family looks to preserve an orchard of black walnut trees.  

“Life was a lot harder in those days and they lost their land,” she said. “The youngest daughter was left behind to hold onto the family land. In the end, it was $5.36 in taxes that they couldn’t come up with that caused them to lose the land.”  

Close to her heart, the story is meant to inspire others.  

“I want people to know that you can have rejection and losses in life and not give up,” she said. “They were still happy even after they lost their walnut grove.”  

After visiting several schools this spring to share her work on “Hallie the Hero,” Grosfield has been inspired to write a memoir of sorts about her experience working in one-room schoolhouses. She enjoys sharing stories.  

“When I write something that’s funny, I laugh,” she said while sitting in her living room holding a cup of tea. “When it makes me laugh, I want to share the joy with others.” 

Grosfield is holding a book signing at Bad Rock Books in Columbia Falls on July 24 and expects to hold one at Barnes & Noble in Kalispell in August. Her books are available in bookstores and online. She can be contacted at lorriegrosfield57@gmail.com. 

Deputy Editor Heidi Desch may be reached at 758-4421 or hdesch@dailyinterlake.com.