The Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives will continue its Brown Bag Lunch series on Wednesday, October 12, with a presentation by Marian Jensen. The local author will be speaking about her latest novel, Mortal Wounds, plus the Mining City Mystery series, all of which are set in Butte. You'll learn about where she gets her ideas, who inspires her characters, and the challenges of publishing a mystery novel. Mortal Wounds' inspiration comes from the real life controversy around Gertrude Pitkanen, a surgical nurse and chiropractor, who reportedly delivered unwanted children in Butte and then sold the babies.

Citing stories that have come to light in the last two years where adults who discovered they were delivered by Pitkanen have found DNA links to siblings in Butte, Jensen found the circumstances irresistible for a novel. "I just saw so many parallels with the ongoing debate around women's choices today." Books will be available for sale and signing after the presentation.

Marian came to Butte in 1999 after a career in higher education. She began writing full time after co-directing the Antioch Writers' Workshop back east. She gratefully found that Butte's environment and history provided irresistible material for a murder mystery series.

The presentation will begin at noon and run about an hour at the Archives, 17 W. Quartz. Guests are encouraged to bring a sack lunch. Coffee and water will be provided.

Brown Bag Lunches are held the second and fourth Wednesdays of every month. Upcoming lectures will focus topics of local interest. For more information, contact the Archives at 782-3280.