MARYSVILLE — The Bookworks on Third Street will host Mount Vernon author Heidi Thomas April 4, as she talks about cowgirls.

Thomas’ grandmother rode in rodeos during the 1920s, and Thomas turned her grandmother’s story into a novel, “Cowgirl Dreams.”

Thomas will be signing copies of, and reading from, her novel, as well as giving a presentation on “old-time cowgirls,” at the Bookworks, located at 1510 Third Street, April 4 starting at 11 a.m.

Bookworks owner Mary Burns touted appearances by area authors such as Thomas as one of many events that make hometown businesses, such as those on Third Street, so special to the community. Burns sees Thomas’ free program as appealing to a wide range of both children and adults. Thomas grew up on a ranch in eastern Montana, and she will show pictures and talk about women who competed in rodeos with men, addressing such subjects as what they rode and how they dressed, since women had to rope and tie steer while wearing skirts.

For more information, call the Bookworks at 360-659-4997.