The heroine of Cynthia Mines’ historical novel “Heaven in a Wildflower” has a complicated relationship to her Kansas home. 

After the death of her mother, Kristin Thorsen lives first with relatives in town, then with her stern minister father outside Millborg, a fictionalized version of Lindsborg. 

The main story begins in 1914, when Kristin is 11. It’s not an easy time or place to be a motherless girl with an emotionally distant father, but there are bright spots, like wildflowers in a field: a teacher who bestows a book of poetry, a widow who fills in as a maternal figure, a surprisingly cultured seed salesman. If you’re a fan of cozy historical fiction, you’ll enjoy your time in Millborg. 

But the narrative also is also laced with commentary, particularly about the role of immigrants, such as the Mennonites who brought Turkey Red winter wheat from Russia to Kansas. Mines notes this in her acknowledgements: “It … seemed especially important at this point in history to preserve and amplify the significant role immigrants played in building the state.” 

As a longtime Kansan who has observed endless efforts towards “talent retention,” I also read into the narrative a statement about how some young people can’t be satisfied with their lives here — at least not without exploring the wider world first. “This may be the best place on earth for me,” Kristin tells a would-be beau, “but how does anyone know for sure?” Only after adventuring to Kansas City and beyond does Kristin achieve a tentative rapprochement with her birthplace. 

Despite her protagonist’s mixed feelings, “Heaven in a Wildflower” is a loving, honest study by a writer who can trace both her maternal and paternal ancestry to Kansas homesteaders. 

“The prairie is a complicated place that can be unforgiving yet full of promise. For those who are not overwhelmed by its vast harshness, it’s possible to put down roots and feel connected to something larger and stronger than themselves.” — Cynthia Mines, "Heaven in a Wildflower"

It’s the first work of fiction by Mines, who was the publisher and editor of Travel Kansas magazine for more than 30 years. She is the author of four previous books, including “For the Sake of Art: The Story of a Kansas Renaissance,” which recounts the efforts of McPherson seed salesman Carl Smalley and others who fueled an art-collecting boom in a small Kansas community in the early 20th century.

Mines’ command of Kansas history is apparent throughout the novel. A character based on Smalley owns a seed shop in Millborg that doubles as a refuge for Kristin. William Allen White, the famed editor of the Emporia Gazette, visits Sundgren’s feed and seed store, which sells prints by Birger Sandzén. As a young adult, Kristin attends a wedding in Victoria, Kansas, home of the “cathedral of the Plains.” Mentions of Mexican railroad workers are grounded in Mines’ past research, which was funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. 

Mines writes that she also wanted to “capture the essence and enigma that is Kansas.” That’s a big job for one book, but this author has made a good start. 

The Details

“Heaven in a Wildflower,” a novel by Cynthia Mines

Available in hardcover, paperback, e-book, and audiobook versions from Emporia press Meadowlark Books, 362 pages. 

Mines will have a book signing from 2-3 p.m. Sunday, July 19, at Watermark Books & Cafe, 4701 E. Douglas Ave. in Wichita. 

Learn more on the websites for Meadowlark Press and Cynthia Mines. 

Emily Christensen is one of the co-founders of The SHOUT. She is a past fellow of the National Critics Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center and a recipient of an Arts Writing Grant from The Andy Warhol Foundation. Send her a message: emily@shoutwichita.com. 

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