B. M. Bower

Born in Minnesota in 1871 as Bertha Muzzy, she became best known under the pen name B. M. Bower. She wrote novels, short stories, and screenplays centered on the American West, drawing on the years she spent in Montana ranch country.

Bower reached a wide audience with stories about the Flying U Ranch, including Chip of the Flying U. She was one of the first women to build a major career in Western fiction, and her work stood out for its everyday ranch detail, fast-moving plots, and memorable cowboy characters.

She continued publishing for decades and died in Los Angeles in 1940. Today she is remembered as an important early voice in Western popular fiction and as a writer who brought authenticity and energy to the genre.