Raised in Sitka, Alaska, Saundra Middleton was lured away to the Pacific Northwest when she heard its annual rainfall was only 37 inches a year. Once there, she discovered the rich history of her pioneering ancestors.
After a few years, she returned to Alaska, finished her undergraduate degree in English, and added two daughters to her genealogical pool. She dabbled in journalism publishing dozens of articles in Alaska Magazine and Alaska Business Monthly, and other publications.
As time allowed, Saundra delved into the bottomless pit of family research. She compiled several scrapbook-style books for family and friends. Combining her love of writing, history, and genealogy, Saundra was recognized for her short story Of Donkeys, Mules, & Plains Ponies in a 2015 writing contest sponsored by the Kent Family History Society in England. But one figure stood out in her research: Peter Kirk--a Victorian era steel tycoon, inventor, and town-builder. She had to write his story.