Hanging Off Jefferson's Nose Blog Tour - Tina Nichols Coury Celebrates America!

I am honored to be today's stop on the Hanging Off Jefferson's Nose Blog Tour 2012 ! I first met Tina Nichols Coury nearly two decades ago in a writing class taught by Alexis O'Neill. One day Tina shared her idea for a story about Mount Rushmore. Tina's excitement was spilling over as she told us about Lincoln Borglum, the son of sculptor Gutzon Borglum. I remember feeling a tingle in my heart - I knew my friend was embarking on something special. I have seen Tina's sheer dedication to the story of Lincoln Borglum as she researched, revised, and carefully crafted every word of her story. As critique partners, Tina and I have supported each othe through many journeys, in writing and in life.  I am thrilled to share in the joy as we celebrate the launch of Hanging Off Jefferson's Nose - Growing Up on Mount Rushmore with the interview of my dear friend, Tina Nichols Coury.

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Please join me in celebrating Hanging Off Jefferson's Nose - Growing Up on Mount Rushmore! Share your comment and participate in the Blog Tour "Comment Raffle Prize." One lucky reader who leaves a comment before May 15th will be selected at random to win a KINDLE!

Why is the story of Lincoln Borglum important to share? What spark in his story ignited you?


I am crazy about history and kids who helped change it. What amazed me about Lincoln and the building of Mount Rushmore is how little I knew about the story. At a time when most fathers left the parenting to the wife, Gutzon showered his son Lincoln with time and attention. Lincoln went everywhere with his dad since he was a baby, from meeting Kings in European courts to the Presidents in the White House. Lincoln was there at the beginning when Gutzon was hired to carve a mountain in South Dakota. Lincoln was at his dad side and learned to carve a mountain. What an amazing story. You were in that children’s literature class in 1994 the day I brought in the story. If you remember Barbara, I asked the class what angle I should take on the manuscript and everyone agreed the best idea was to focus on Lincoln Borglum.

Your writer’s journey spanned nearly two decades. How did you find the courage and motivation to keep your story alive?

Believe me I never dreamed it would take so long. At first I thought it would spit it out in 6 months, have a book out in a year and go on to something else. I knew nothing about craft, collaboration and children’s literature. But I was lucky, my first children’s writing teacher, Alexis O’Neil was a SCBWI Regional Advisor so early on I was introduce to the wonderful family of the SCBWI. Over the years I attended countless SCBWI workshops, retreats, smoozes, critiquenics, conferences and had many critique groups. I learned about voice, plot, characters language, promotion, marketing and totally immersed myself in the fabulous world of children’s literature. But why I stayed are the people. The nicest, sweetest, generous souls are in the SCBWI. I had found life long friends. Where else could I get dressed up in a costume and get a prize for doing so?

What are the greatest challenges you faced in the writing process?

Not walking away. Around year five or six I was so discouraged by all the rejection letters that I was ready to quit. I sat on the floor of your parent’s living room during a critique group wanting to give it all up. If you remember, you and Alexis talked me in to staying the course, encourage me to work on other manuscripts and made me believe that some day I would be published.

How many revisions did you write for Hanging Off Jefferson’s Nose?

I should ask you how many revisions you have read. Hundreds, thousands, ten years worth of revisions before it was acquired at a SCBWI Writer’s Day in 2005 by editor Mark McVeigh of Dutton. After a few more years I did revisions with Mark, and when he left Dutton, revisions with my new editor, Steve Meltzer. Before Dutton had the manuscript it was a diary, it was in first person, it was in third person, and it was called “In the Shadow of the Mountain.” It was called, “The Diary of Lincoln Borglum.” The great title, “Hanging Off Jefferson’s Nose,” came from illustrator/author Siri Weber Feeney who I was in a critique group with. Over the years I also illustrated five dummies, but never felt the art was right. When Mark just bought the manuscript and not the art I was relieved and it freed me up to be a writer.

How did you feel when you first saw Sally Werner Comport’s illustrations?

OMG I was blown away. I was a big fan of Sally. She had illustrated many historical picture books. Mark had made the perfect choice. I immediately sent Sally a small Mount Rushmore made from the actual South Dakota granite as a good luck charm for the project. Years later when I saw the final art, I cried. The illustrations were beautiful and captured the spirit of the book.

Can you share some fun facts about Lincoln Borglum and the creation of Mt Rushmore that are not included in the book?

There are so many. The hard part of writing the book was deciding what stories stay and what stories go.

Here’s one about Lincoln. You didn’t need driver’s license in those days. Lincoln learned to drive a car when he was a kid. The family had a driver but Gutzon often let Lincoln do it. At twelve years old Lincoln drove the family to the top of Pike’s Peak and got a certificate for doing so.

Besides being a talented sculptor, Gutzon Borglum was the ultimate promoter. In the summer of 1927, President Calvin Coolidge was in the Black Hills, and Borglum was planning a formal dedication of the mountain. Borglum hired a plane to fly over the State Game Lodge in Custer State Park where Coolidge was staying. As he flew by Borglum dropped a wreath to invite the President to the dedication ceremony. Fortunately Coolidge agreed to attend and dedicate the mountain.

The next story said a lot about the father and son bond.

When Lincoln was in high school his dad had him drive down to his Texas studio to pick up the model of Mount Rushmore to use for measurements. Lincoln fell asleep and car drove into a ditch and the model was destroyed. When Lincoln called his dad to tell him about the accident Gutzon said, “It is easier to fix a model than to fix a boy.” Don’t you just love that story?

What would Lincoln Borglum think about Hanging Off Jefferson’s Nose?

Unlike his dad Gutzon, Lincoln was a humble man. Lincoln always spread the credit around and he would have liked that the book highlighted the crew as well as him in the carving of Mount Rushmore. From the begining I worked closely with Lincoln’s daughter, Robin Borglum Carter. She told me family stories, sent me photos and encouraged me in many ways. She is delighted that the story of her dad has finally been published.


No doubt copies of Hanging Off Jefferson’s Nose will be flying off bookshelves and making their way into the hands and hearts of readers. What are your thoughts about being an “overnight success?”

Seventeen and half years are hardly overnight and I cross my fingers hoping for some success with the book. I hadn’t even thought of reviews but I was really pleased with Daniel Krauss of Booklist. He said “…Perfect for history units, this is a great piece of work about a great piece of work.” Man that was sweet.

It has been a wonderful journey full of friends, knowledge and tons of great books. I am really enjoying this published author thingy. I am glad I waited for a traditional house that gave me my wonderful editor, Steve Meltzer and my editor turned agent, Mark McVeigh. But mostly I look forward to school visits and hanging out with the kids. Who knows, maybe one of them is the next Lincoln Borglum who will help change history.

See the full list of stops on the Hanging Off Jefferson's Nose Blog Tour!




My friend, Tina Nichols Coury, and me!