Joyce Hillard Stotts, Author of Rodantha’s Road, to Speak at Bonner Springs Library
Author Joyce Hillard Stotts, whose historical novel Rodantha’s Road is published by Flint Hills Publishing, will return to her hometown of Bonner Springs, Kansas, for a special presentation at the Bonner Springs Public Library, 201 N. Nettleton Ave., on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at 2 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. -- Locate
A thrilling pioneer adventure inspired by true historical events and places, Rodantha’s Road captures what it was like to be a pioneer in the 1850s—the loneliness, fear, and uncertainty, but also the exhilaration and freedom of traveling west into unfamiliar territory where only the toughest survived.
At the center of the story is Rodantha, a backwoods young woman dreaming of a better life, and her husband, William, an abolitionist fleeing pro-slavery forces. Together, they make their way across 1,000 miles of challenging terrain in hopes of building a new life in what would become known as “Bleeding Kansas.”
Stotts’ presentation will focus in part on the artifacts that appear in the treasure box featured in the story. She has collected replicas and examples of many of the objects described in the book, giving those attending the presentation an opportunity to experience a connection to the past.
“These items always spark interest and encourage discussion and questions,” Stotts says. Attendees will be able to handle the objects—to touch and feel pieces of the past, so to speak—while learning more about their significance to the story and the pioneer era it portrays.
A Homecoming for the Author
Bonner Springs, located just west of Kansas City, Kansas, is her hometown, where she attended school from kindergarten through her freshman year of high school. And, the library has special meaning for her.
“I remember first visiting the old library as a small child, climbing the stairs and holding my mother’s hand,” Stotts recalls. “This is kind of a full-circle moment for me.”
Following the presentation, copies of Rodantha’s Road will be available for purchase and signing by the author. Stotts says she is looking forward to returning to Bonner Springs, hopefully greeting old friends and making new ones along the way. Everyone is welcome and refreshments will be served.
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