Opulence, Kansas

February 2021: Opulence, Kansas, by Julie Stielstra, has been selected as a “recommended title” by the Kansas National Education Association’s Reading Circle Commission.

Opulence, Kansas by Julie Stielstra

A superbly crafted, inherently interesting, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' novel for ages 13-18, "Opulence, Kansas" by Julie Stielstra is an exceptional and unreservedly recommended addition to middle school, highschool, and community library YA Fiction collections.

-Midwest Book Review 

When Katie Myrdal’s father is found dead in his Porsche, everything she thought she knew about her family is shaken. Her uncle Len and his wife Maggie—relatives she barely knew existed—show up at the funeral and offer an escape for the summer to their Kansas farm. Katie abandons her Chicago Gold Coast high-rise life to land beneath the wider skies of the prairie. Grappling with loss and disillusionment, Katie must forge new skills and new friendships in a small town called Opulence, a town holding secrets and riches she will need before she can go back home.

Publisher: Meadowlark (June 2020)
ISBN (print): 978-1-742477-0-1
ISBN (eBook): 978-1-7342477-1-8
Language: English
Retail: $12.00 (paperback), $5.95 (eBook)
Pages: 179
Intended Audience: 12-18

Available wherever you buy books.

• Meadowlark Bookstore
• Indiebound
• Barnes & Noble
• Smashwords

"Opulence is complete with heartache, romance, conflict, and resolution. Unpredictable events exhilarate the reader with delightful developments."                     -Carmaine Ternes (librarian, author, presenter, & book reviewer)

Photo Courtesy of Julie Stielstra

Twenty years ago, Julie Stielstra, her husband, and their two dogs used to go camping, hiking and birding in southern Colorado. One day, while looking at the Rand McNally Road Atlas, (remember those?) she saw a blue blob north of Great Bend, Kansas, and said, “Look! A wildlife refuge! Let’s see what it’s like.” Shortly thereafter, they stopped going to Colorado and just stayed in Kansas. Then they bought a house five miles from the blue blob that was Cheyenne Bottoms, and that’s where she wants her ashes scattered, though not quite yet. The original two dogs are gone, but there are two more now and numerous cats (some Kansas natives) added to the population. And there will be chickens, pending approval of the resident barn owl. Visit Julie at her website: juliestielstra.com

Book Review by Nancy Julien Kopp

Enjoy this presentation by Julie Stielstra on the writing of Opulence.