Beckey Burgoyne, an elementary school teacher from Illinois and daughter of a farmer, has penned her first book - Perfectly Amanda, Gunsmoke's Miss Kitty: To Dodge and Beyond. Burgoyne was driven to write this biography of Amanda Blake based on her deep admiration of the actress and the strong woman she portrayed on television's Gunsmoke.
Born in Danville, Ill., Beckey Burgoyne has lived in Illinois and Indiana all of her life. A graduate of Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Ill., Burgoyne has always had a passion for the theater and English. Putting her two loves together, it only made sense that her first book would be about the famous actress who inspired her in so many ways.
As an elementary school teacher since 1992, Burgoyne has taught math, science and physical education classes. Outside of teaching and spending time with her family, she also loves flowers and the theater. The self-proclaimed "Flower Lady" has been designing, planting and caring for 15 flowerbeds at her local bank for the last 10 summers. She is also involved in the choir/drama department at her church and has taken part in their Christmas and Easter dramatic musical productions for the past 15 years. She also works with the Danville Light Opera, a local community theater group, whenever she can. As a wife, mother, full-time teacher and now a published author, however, Burgoyne doesn't find a lot of free time.
Perfectly Amanda, Gunsmoke's Miss Kitty: To Dodge and Beyond was the result of Burgoyne's lifelong love for and admiration of the great actress Amanda Blake and her Gunsmoke character, Kitty Russell, the owner of the Long Branch Saloon and love interest of Marshal Matt Dillon on the legendary Western series. As a young girl, Burgoyne was greatly influenced by Miss Kitty. She admired her independent nature and contentment with choosing a career over homesteading. As television didn't often portray women with such strength and strong will, Miss Kitty was truly an inspiration and an excellent role model for a new generation of women. To honor all that she stood for, Burgoyne put pen to paper for this biography.
Additional sites:
Find Author Beckey Burgoyne on Facebook and ask to be a friend! Photos from events can be found there as well as new information regarding all things Amanda Blake. Beckey has also added an "Amanda Blake Biography Book" page that will soon contain interesting tidbits from the journey into Amanda's world. http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=1367007195
 When writing the biography of actress Amanda Blake, author Beckey Burgoyne discovered one amusing and shared similarity - NOT being thrilled with life in the kitchen. Yes, both ladies could/can cook when called upon but not without a few directions. In spite of describing herself as culinary challenged, Amanda Blake did share a few exceptional recipes that are included within the pages of her story Perfectly Amanda: Gunsmoke's Miss Kitty - To Dodge and Beyond.
"Miss Kitty's Meat Loaf" was shared with viewers of Rita Davenport's Phoenix television show in the 1970's and became the most requested recipe of that time. Here Beckey Burgoyne is preparing the specialty as she reads the recipe from page 265 of Perfectly Amanda published by Five Star Publications, Inc.
Recipes from Perfectly Amanda, Gunsmoke's Miss Kitty: To Dodge and Beyond appear on the ifood.tv network.
Published by: Five Star Publications
ISBN: 978-1-58985-163-4
Published: Summer 2010
Size: 8.5" x 11", 300 pages
Website: www.PerfectlyAmanda.com
Paperback / Biography $29.95 US ($31.95 CAN)
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