Terrie Biggs
NovelsByTerrie.com
THE BOOKS
Terrie Biggs's books are creative non-fiction. They are based on actual events and historical facts, with liberties taken for dialogue, clarity, and some speculation. "I don't think of myself as a great writer. I have discovered great stories."
The Unsolved Murder of John Mayfield
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Christmas day ended. The Andy Coe family was sleeping at their rented home in Imbler, Oregon. A gunshot jolted Grace Coe from a sound sleep at 3:00 a.m., December 26, 1927. It seemed to be from someone on the front porch shooting through the half-window of the front door. Glass shattered into the living room. Their overnight “guest,” who was sleeping on the couch across from the door, was dead with blood splattering on the wall, which divided the living room from the kitchen.
This updated book is a continuation of Terrie's investigation into the murder of John Mayfield. Solving the murder of John Mayfield was her original intent, which came to her in 2023 with revelations from local people she met and interviewed.
Has she solved it? You be the judge.
Glimpses of Elgin’s History
& Dastardly Deeds
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Legends of lost gold, deadly arson fires, murders, crime-fighting, the protected community of Sammyville, the treasured Elgin Stagecoach, and a beloved teacher are some of the fascinating anecdotes about the historic town of Elgin, Oregon found in this informative book by Terrie Biggs.
Interviews with local citizens, law enforcement, the Elgin library staff, and Charlie Horn of the Elgin Museum contributed to stories of Elgin’s colorful history and glimpses of dastardly deeds from the late 1920s to the early 1980s, which she shares in this intriguing book.
Hit the Deck: Memoirs of an Apprentice Boy
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These incredible memoirs began in 1899 by 15-year-old Gaither Stevens soon after he joined the Navy as an Apprentice Boy. It was a different world and a different Navy. His extraordinary experiences were captured in a typed manuscript kept safe and unpublished until now. In these writings, you’ll find adventures of a lifetime highlighting encounters with a grizzly bear, bar fights, a train robbery, murder, boxing, fiestas, abduction as a sex slave, turtle races, wild shipmates, an Eskimo prostitute, and other savory scenes. Gaither’s chronicles of fellow “blue-jackets” and places he visited are wonderous, humorous, and heart-warming. This wild rollercoaster reveals life in a nearly forgotten time that produced some of the Navy’s finest men.
Culinary Delights and Words of Wisdom
When our boys left home, we made a binder of our favorite family recipes and included Words of Wisdom to live by. Since then, family members and friends have asked for copies, and it has served as a beautiful wedding gift. We have added and modified the contents as needed. Most of our recipes have stories regarding their origin. For example, my mother worked for a Hollywood producer, and his wife taught her how to make authentic blintzes, which are still my brother’s favorite dishes.
Letters From Gill
Gilbert Bennett enlisted in Company K of the Iowa 27th Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. This book contains his preserved letters, written when he was a Union soldier camped in Confederate territory. He described the struggles and hardships of camp life, skirmishes, battles, and rampant diseases that caused hospitalization and death among the soldiers. One of the moments that defined Gill's character was when he encountered the first black regiment, which is described in his writings. Gill's letters to his new bride show acts of compassion, kindness, and honor and reveal one soldier's fascinating experience while serving in the Civil War.
Bali Ram: Rhythm by Nature
Born in Nepal and discovered by multi-talented journalist Desmond Doig, here are glimpses of the life of Bali Ram when he traveled the world performing on famous stages as a classical Indian dancer: an encounter on the street in Calcutta with a raging bull barreling toward Mother Teresa; naively refusing riches from the King of Sikkim; in Ethiopia, afraid of the leopards on leashes as Emperor Selassie greeted him; a jeep ride with Picasso ending in one of Bali’s favorite memories; a stroll on the beach with JFK after he performed on the stage at the United Nations; life at the Hitchcock estate in Millbrook, New York, with LSD guru Timothy Leary; and mesmerized as a gorgeous leg--attached to Marilyn Monroe--came through the door of his dressing room.
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One of Eleven:
Based on the Life of Gary Kopperud
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At age 58, Gary began searching for his biological parents and was amazed to find that a brother was searching for him. Before the week was over, the life-altering phone call revealed that not only did he have a brother, but he was shocked to find that he had ten siblings! Why was he, the only ONE OF ELEVEN children, put up for adoption? World War II had many casualties, and the woman who gave birth to him was one of them.
ONE AMAZON REVIEW: "Once I read the first couple of pages I was hooked, finished it in two reads! I felt like I had watched a great movie. I loved the storyline...."
Some Trails Never End
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This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of the Pacific Northwest. It interweaves many trails of folklore, colorful characters, legends, and events.
At last, the full story of the Whitman Mission, including the history and culture of the Cayuse, the heartbreaking story of seven orphaned children adopted by the Whitmans and their life at the mission, the events leading up to the attack on the mission, the ransom and rescue, and finally, the sham of a trial of the Cayuse, is told in one stunning and riveting novel.
The two missionaries' wives were the first American women to go overland to the Pacific Northwest, ultimately forming the Oregon Trail. Marcus and Narcissa Whitman lived remarkable, courageous, and often ignorant lives among the Cayuse, ending in tragedy.