Karen Dustman, a former lawyer and prosecutor, finally realized it’s writing that makes her world go ’round. She is the author of over a dozen books on Sierra history and has written widely about California and Nevada history. She also wrangles an active history blog. After helping the Alpine Historical Society rescue more than a dozen volumes of Lewis Chalmers’ business and personal letterbooks, she spent years transcribing them—and became smitten with this fascinating man. Karen lives in the wilds of California with her husband and a 42-year-old macaw who rules the roost.