Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-09-08

TELLS OF Her LATEST BOOK
WclIknown Writer and Husband
Spend Few Days III Salt Lake
And Arc Duly Impressed.

IS ) . r B.
And Arc Duly Impressed.
On the Knutsford register for the
past few days have appeared the names
of a MIR. and Mrs. Mccullough of Chi
cago; but few probably, have known
that in the person Of Mrs. McCul-
Tough was All author whose books have
given her an enyiablc fame through
out the big land which gave her birth
and in many clines outside. She Is
best remembered under her maiden
name, Myrtle Reed, which for the past
10 years has appeared IN something
like as many books, some OF the best
known titles being: "A Spinner i'll The
sun, "Old Lace and Lavender" 1.-THE
masters Violin" and "At the Sign of
the Jack o Lantern"
Mr.. and Mrs Mccullough arrived on
Saturday from a tour OF the Yellow
stone stopping here until, last night,
when they left for their home in CHI
cago. Both are agrecbly impressed
with Salt Lake and MIR. Mccullough is
50 convinced Of the big future In store
for the city that he has Invested in
real estate here. spending what time
he had from sight seeing in looking
over various desirable properties.
Yesterday, while Mi. Mccullough oc-
7cupied himself with these practical
concerns, Mrs. Mccullough, at the
Knutsford, costly cnsconced with the
News" woman in corner just big
enough for two, talked delightfully."- Of
her literary aims and experiences. Per
sonnlly the gifted author is genial un-
affected. and exudes u he8rt-war,ning
good VIII and comradeship, which SER
.enely brushes aside the prickles of
fformaility, and lead one at once into
the delightful experiences of q per-
fectly frank ana informal chat.
She bubbles with humor, that
keeps one risibles at constant atten-
ton, and while in no sense egotistical
discourses Of her life, domestic and
literary. with delightful frankness
which sketches a picture Of character
and of whole hearted happiness, In
quicker time than the instant photo
graph artist completes HE miracles ON
the stage.
INCOME FROM. BOOKS.
First of all--despite her successful
literary career, Mrs. Mccullough
breathes out IL domestic temperament
Indeed, she boasts at the beginning,
that she would not exchange the two
years of her married life for the most
brilliant career that could come to wo-
man. She confesses to being good
cook. q conscientious hcusekeeper, and
as having besides something of a taste
Tor millinery. Nevertheless in spite
Of this, she has been from the begin
ming literary. 81 think / must have been
born with a pencil iii ono hand, paper
IN the other and an ink bottle In NV
mouth, she declared, "for l cannot
making any distinct begin
ming In literature. My parents at first
had no faith in this tendancy, and put
t1Cvt, MS .fEf-fx.
painting and raised flowers on velvet.
1 tailed dislnally at each of these, and
tinally they gave me my way" That
this way was a wise one Is evidenced
by the authors yearly income from her
already published works, which
amounts to something like $4,000 a
year. =
This tendency is easily accounted
for in the literary talent Of her par
ents her mother being the author OF
n number of we'll known historical
works, and her father having publish
ed the first magazine ever printed in
Chicago, the Lakeside Magazine
HER FIRST CHECK.
81 received 50 for nv first nrinted
piece, and $50 for my first story pub
lished in Munsey's,' said Mrs. Nc
Cullough. This money looked more
to me than any thousand dollar
check ! have since received. It was
my first"
Mrs. Mccullough relates an amusing
story of the completion of her new
book. "A Flower of the Dusk" Hav-
ing been In almost complete retire
ment during its achievement, she is
sued at its completion, engraved cards
to a number of her intimate friends,
reading something like this:
tBorn--At the home of Mr.. and Mrs.
Sydney Mccullough, April is. Mother
and child doing we'll" Then in q
"A Flower of the Dusk" The sequel
came in aiswarm of dainty gifts, bon
nets, baby rings and what not, which
the author IS treasuring as vivid
souvenirs of her new book
HER LATEST BOOK,
Mrs. Mccullough is on vacation
after the completion OF this, her latest.
book, "A Flower of the Dusk" Just
issued by the Putnam publishers of
New York, 1t went to the book
sellers in fact. on Saturday of last
week, and has not yet reached the
reviewers. The title, a happy one, as
all the titles of the author are, was
suggested by an incident happening
upon her recent trip in Mexico. In
an out-of-the-way place she saw in
n shabby cottage by the wayside the
face of child looking through a
Hower-grown window, and Mrs. Nc
C'uIlough said, she looks like a flower
nower-grown window, and Mr.. Nc
Cullough. "a flower of the dusk"
The incident and it's suggestion re-
NAMED with her, and was woven into
the story which is now Just out of
press 1t deals. says the author, with
"a child reared in the sole companions
ship of a blind man. which fifty car
res tho delicate suggestion of the
title. Mrs. Mccullough says that near
Is all her titles have come in this
chance way, and she considers her
self very fortunate in her Inspirations
as she and her publishers both believe
that In II title is half the battle. Mrs.
Mccullough has already her title
chosen for her next novel, though she
has no idea as yet, she says as to
the motive OF the story. sit will be
as all my stories go. simmering for
II while, and then coming TO point
all at once in sudden outburst. Mr..
Mccullough" went on the author.
said that the geysers in the Yellow
stone reminded him OF my methods
slmmering and murmurinE for awhile
then bursting forth suddenly in great
squirt
JEWEL OF A MAID.
when the work on novel is once
commenced" said Mrs. Mccullough
cit takes about six weeks to complete
II. This means the actual work OF
writing and copying. all of which / do
myself While am at work, | shut
t,,,ealf I'm and Saa no ono I have :,