Kathleen O'Neal Gear


Kathleen O'Neal Gear is an award-winning American writer. She was born in Tulare, California, and graduated with a B.A. from California State University, Bakersfield, then went on to do graduate work in archaeology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She received her M.A. from California State University, Chico, and conducted Ph.D. studies in American Indian history at the University of California, Los Angeles. Gear is a former state historian and archaeologist for Wyoming, Kansas, and Nebraska for the U.S. Department of the Interior. She has twice received the federal government's Special Achievement Award for "outstanding management" of America's cultural heritage, and has published fifty novels. In 2015, she was honored by the U.S. House of Representatives with a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition, and the State of California passed Joint Member Resolution #117, saying, "The contributions of Kathleen O'Neal Gear to the fields of history, archaeology and writing have been invaluable..." She is perhaps best known for her North America's Forgotten Past series, co-authored with her husband W. Michael Gear.

Notable works

People Books – North America's Forgotten Past
The Battle for America
Powers of Light
Black Falcon
Anasazi Mysteries
Other Novels
Selected Non-fiction
1968. Gold Medal, American Legion Essay Contest, Tipton Elementary School, Tipton, California.
1995. PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY selected THIN MOON AND COLD MIST, by Kathleen O’Neal Gear, as one of the TOP FIVE ROMANCES OF THE YEAR.
1998. ARIZOLA MAGNENAT AWARD for encouraging other Wyoming Writers, Wyoming Writers Association.
1998. PEOPLE OF THE MIST, by Kathleen O’Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear, selected as winner of BOOKLIST’S EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARD for “Best Adult Novel for Young Adults.”
1999. EMMIE MYGATT AWARD for dedicated service and commitment to Wyoming Writers Association.
2000. Outstanding Alumna, School of Arts and Sciences, California State University, Bakersfield.
2000. THE SUMMONING GOD, by Kathleen O’Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear, selected as one of the TOP TEN BOOKS OF THE SOUTHWEST by the Pima County Library Association.
2001. BONE WALKER, by Kathleen O’Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear, selected as one of the TOP TEN BOOKS OF THE SOUTHWEST by the Pima County Library Association.
2001 Western Writers of America “President’s Award” for dedicated service to the organization.
2003 Western Writers of America “President’s Award” for dedicated service to WWA.
2004 Western Writers of America “President’s Award” for dedicated service to WWA.
2004 National Bison Association, "Producer of the Year Award."
2005 Western Writers of America “President’s Award” for dedicated service to WWA.
2005. PEOPLE OF THE RAVEN, by Kathleen O’Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear, selected as winner of the Spur Award for the “Best Novel of the West,” Western Writers of America.
2005. Kathleen O’Neal Gear inducted into the WOMEN WHO WRITE THE WEST HALL OF FAME.
2006. Western Writers of America “President’s Award” for dedicated service to WWA.
2006 PEOPLE OF THE MOON, Spur Award finalist, “Best Novel of the West,” Western Writers of America.
2007 Western Writers of America “President’s Award” for dedicated service to WWA.
2007. Kathleen O’Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear receive the “Literary Contribution Award” from the Mountain Plains Library Association.
2007 FFA Pride Award for agricultural education.
2008 Western Writers of America “President’s Award” for dedicated service to WWA.
2009 CHILDREN OF THE DAWNLAND, “Top Choice Award,” Flamingnet.
2009 National Bison Association, "Producer of the Year Award."
2009 Dakota Territory Buffalo Association, "Classic Producer's Award."
2009 Wisconsin Bison Producers Association, "Producer of the Year Award."
2010 CHILDREN OF THE DAWNLAND selected by the Kansas National Education Association for the Kansas State Reading Circle for Middle/Junior High School students.
2011 PEOPLE OF THE MASKS, Massachusetts Public Library’s Readers Connection – They Came Before Us Selection.
2012 Founders' Award from the Western Bison Association
2012 Special Award from the Western Bison Association for "dedicated service to the bison industry."
2013 THE BROKEN LAND selected as the Norfolk Public Library’s American Indian Heritage Month Booklist Selection
2015. Kathleen O’Neal Gear inducted into the California State University, Bakersfield, Hall of Fame. https://www.csub.edu/alumni/AlumniEvents/HallOfFame/PastAwardees/index.html
2015. Kathleen O’Neal Gear was honored by the United States House of Representatives with a “Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition.”
2015. “Certificate of Recognition,” Kern County, California, Board of Supervisors.
2015. California State Legislature, Joint Member Resolution No. 117: “The contributions of Kathleen O’Neal Gear to the fields of history, archaeology and writing have been invaluable…"
2018. MOON HUNT selected as a finalist for the Spur Award in the Best Western Historical Novel category, Western Writers of America
2019. International Book Award for “Best Science Fiction” novel: MAZE MASTER.