Author bases novel on grandmother's life in 1907 Winona

Jessie Gaebele
This self-portrait of Jessie Gaebele appears at the beginning of "A Flickering Light." Jane Kirkpatrick says she talked about the picture with her grandmother, who said that contrary to what her family thought she had paid for it herself.
Image courtesy Jane Kirkpatrick

In "A Flickering Light" Kirkpatrick tells the story of her grandmother Jessie Gaebele who worked as a photographer beginning in 1907.

Several of her pictures appear in the book, including the self-portrait of Jessie in a beautiful white dress shown here.

Jane Kirkpatrick
Jane Kirkpatrick has written more than a dozen historical novels. She began writing after a career working in mental health. She now lives and writes on a ranch in Oregon.
MPR photo/Euan Kerr

Kirkpatrick told Euan Kerr her grandmother had to struggle to break into the profession.

Kirkpatrick will read at several Minnesota venues this week including the Winona Historical Society where the book will be formally launched

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