Local Writer Visits WHS Creative Writing Class

by Larry Fangman

May 22, 2007

Richard Gehrman, a local poet, novelist, and the grandfather of Wahoo junior Travis Bennett, visited Mr. Larry Fangman’s creative writing class on Friday.

Gehrman recently completed the manuscript for his novel, Cow Creek.

“School is just the beginning for a writer. If you continue to write, you will get better over your entire life. It takes a while to find your own voice,” Gehrman commented to students.

Gehrman is currently seeking a publisher for his novel. It has been considered as a movie project, but Gehrman did not like the changes the screenwriter wanted to make to Cow Creek.

“It is important that the story remains true to the way I wrote it,” Gehrman said.

Cow Creek is about a naïve young cowboy who goes away to a ranch to work in 1888. At the ranch the young boy loses his innocence as he sees the realities of life on and off the ranch.

Gehrman laughed and said, “I have a lot of characters in my family background.” He often gets his ideas from some of these characters he has known over the years.

While visiting Wahoo High School, Gehrman read from his novel, read a poem about his daughter, and read an essay about the development of his writing over the years.