In 1950, the Buttonbush Museum is circling the financial drain, and Irene Pickett—a sassy farmer’s wife from rural California—is determined to stop...

Beth Brookhart
Beth Brookhart

Beth Brookhart has been a storyteller since childhood in Colorado, beginning with a book of poems written for her mother. A journalism graduate of Colorado State University, Beth spent two decades reporting on agricultural news, often found tromping through farm fields in pursuit of a story. Later, her career shifted to communications roles with several agricultural organizations in Bakersfield, CA. In 2010, she embarked on her fiction-writing journey, leading to the completion of The Book Project, a prestigious two-year program at the Lighthouse Writers Workshop in Denver. An avid volunteer, Beth was inspired by her seventeen years of service on the board of her local museum to pen The Four Queens of the Buttonbush Museum.  

Beth lives in Bakersfield, CA with her husband who is a table grape farmer. She has two children and five grandchildren who are the most fun in the entire world. She also has three very large, drooling dogs named Lola, Vinny and Angus.

Praise

"Written with a playful hand and impeccable wit, Beth Brookhart’s uplifting debut novel will have you rooting for her endearingly flawed characters and eagerly awaiting her next release."

– Sandra Kring, bestselling author of The Book of Bright Ideas.

"Beth Brookhart is a wonderful writer—smart, funny, and insightful about the tangles of small towns. The Four Queens of the Buttonbush Museum is a rich and engaging read."

– William Haywood Henderson, author of Augusta Locke

"You are going to love this delightful trip through the realm of THE FOUR QUEENS OF THE BUTTONBUSH MUSEUM! Beth Brookhart has created a playful and rich world full of fabulous, feisty characters and oodles of charm and humor, all while staying true to the realities of a complex time period when it was difficult for women to thrive. You will be rooting for the strong women at the center of this story -- each one fighting serious odds as they reach for their dreams."

– Shana Kelly, book editor, writer, publishing consultant

Blog

March 28, 2025

Welcome to my webpage! I hope you will enjoy The Four Queens of the Buttonbush Museum. I spent seven years writing the book, along with doing a lot...

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Latest Updates

April 10, 2025

The Four Queens of the Buttonbush Museum tells the tale of four women volunteering their time to save a museum. Unfortunately, plans go awry and...

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March 25, 2025

I am available to chat with your bookclub about The Four Queens of the Buttonbush Museum. Email me at bethbrookhartwriter@gmail.com to schedule a...

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