About
Jan Cleere is an award-winning author of five historical nonfiction books. Her latest manuscript, Never Don’t Pay Attention: The Life of Rodeo Photographer Louise L Serpa, (TwoDot/Rowman & Littlefield Pub. 2015) details the life of rodeo photographer Louise Serpa, the first woman allowed to photograph rodeo action inside the arena. Levi’s & Lace: Arizona Women Who Made History (2011) was a Finalist in the 2012 Arizona/New Mexico Book Publishers Association competition. Amazing Girls of Arizona: True Stories of Young Pioneers (2008) was named one of the best books of 2009 and awarded best young adult nonfiction by the Arizona Book Publishers Association. Outlaw Tales of Arizona (2006) was recognized nationally as winner of the 2007 National Federation of Press Women's literary competition for historical nonfiction. The Second Edition of Outlaw Tales of Arizona was released in 2012. More Than Petticoats: Remarkable Nevada Women (2005) was a 2006 Finalist for the Women Writing the West WILLA award. The Nevada Women’s History Project elected Cleere to its Roll of Honor for her work on Nevada women's history. The Second Edition of More Than Petticoats was reissued in November 2015 under the title Nevada's Remarkable Women. Cleere also writes a monthly column for Tucson’s Arizona Daily Star newspaper, “Western Women,” detailing the lives of early Arizona pioneers. She lives in Oro Valley, Arizona.
Featured Work
Never Don't Pay Attention: The Life of Rodeo Photographer Louise L. Serpa
Louise Serpa grew up in New York society yet ended up out west with her nose in the dirt and her eye glued to a camera, becoming the first woman allowed to venture inside the rodeo arena and take some of the most exciting and incredible photographs of rodeo action. The dust and dirt of the rodeo became Louise's lifeblood for almost fifty years and took her to the highest pinnacles of rodeo photography. Author Jan Cleere interviewed dozens of Louise's contemporaries and family to discover this lively portrait of a remarkable Western woman.
Other Works
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Nevada's Remarkable Women, 2nd Edition
2015
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Outlaw Tales of Arizona, 2nd Edition
2012
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Levi's & Lace: Arizona Women Who Made History
2011
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Amazing Girls of Arizona: True Stories of Young Pioneers
2008
Awards and Recognition
- Recipient of the Friends of Arizona Archives (FAzA) award, presented at the 2010 Arizona History Convention
- 2010 Winner of the National Federation of Press Women's Communication Contest for historical articles.
- 2010 Outstanding Writing for historical profile articles by Arizona Newspaper Association
- Levi's & Lace: Arizona Women Who Made History • 2012 FINALIST for the New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards
- Amazing Girls of Arizona: True Stories of Young Pioneers: Selected as one of best books of 2009 by Arizona Book Publishing Association, 2009 WINNER for young adult nonfiction awarded by Arizona Book Publishing Association
- Outlaw Tales of Arizona: 2007 WINNER National Federation of Press Women's Communications Contest in historical nonfiction
- More Than Petticoats: Remarkable Nevada Women: 2006 WILLA Literary Award Finalist, 2006 Roll of Honor of the Nevada Women's History Project
