Brenda Wilbee Books In Order

Publication Order of Sweetbriar Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Brenda Wilbee is an American author who is best known for writing the award-winning Seattle Sweetbriar series of books. There are multiple books in that historical romance series that cover the early days of Seattle and one of the couple’s that helped to found the great city. This series introduces readers to some of the early settlers of Seattle including the Dennys, the Yeslers and the Borens.

In addition to her work as a writer, she is also the director of the Tinsy Winsy Studio which aims to help those who are looking for self-publishing help. She does everything from taking people from the editorial process to the layout and cover design. They then take all that and give you the necessary files to self-publish your book on Amazon and other online venues. She offers a wide variety of products for writers to help them publish their work.

Wilbee attended Western Washington University and got her MA in English and Professional Writing. She also have a a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies / Creative Writing from Fairhaven College and a AA in Graphic Design from Whatcom Community College.

Brenda has served on the board for the Pacific NW Writers Association, and also acted as press agent for WA’s Wheelchair Athletes. She has also spent time teaching college and university composition. Along with her work with the Tinsy Winsy Studio, Brenda is a popular speaker at service organizations, women’s retreats, writers conferences, and press conventions.

The series of books that she wrote known as the Seattle Sweetbriar series is based on the historical figures of David Denny, of the Denny Party, and his wife Louisa Boren. The Denny Party is considered to be the founders of the city of Seattle and David himself is considered a significant contributor in the city itself.

Denny was born in Putnam County, Illinois, but eventually traveled west in a covered wagon to Oregon in 1851. He would spend some time there before traveling by boat to the area that we would all come to know as Seattle. David was young at this time and he wasn’t legally old enough to stake claim of land on his own so he was left behind in Alki. He would eventually make his way there and become a founder of the city.

David married Louisa Boren, his stepsister, in 1853 and the two were a part of the city’s first non-Indian wedding. The two went on to have eight children and kept a good relationship with the natives of the area. Denny’s land claim ended up being the area that is now known as Seattle Center east to South Lake Union. The southern boundary was marked by what is now known as Denny Way, a famous street in Seattle. Denny was also a regent of the Territorial University of Washington, which was the predecessor to what is now the University of Washington. He was rather woke for his time as he was an advocate of woman suffrage and he was also opposed to the Anti-Chinese movement in the mid-1880s. David was once one of Seattle’s wealthiest citizens, but he lost everything in the Panic of 1893.

The first book in the Seattle Sweetbriar series is called Sweetbriar. The book starts in 1851 when Louisa, a twenty-four-year old unmarried woman, decides to head west. She knows what she wants in her life and that’s to be with David Denny who sees himself as an empire builder. David has plans to head west where he will eventually become the founder of the great city of Seattle. That’s all in the future now though. Right now David is only 19 and the younger brother to James. His brother James has a love for Louisa, but she has a thing for David.

The book tells the story of Louisa and her strong faith, and the two young people’s journey west from the mid-west to the pacific northwest. These two end up being some of the early settlers of the Seattle area and we meet many other families who are making that same journey.

This is a book that has been taught in schools in Washington state where the history of the state is part of the curriculum. While some boys do get turned over by the love story, the girls often love it and the history in the story is fantastic. If you have ever been to the city of Seattle, you will recognize many names in this book including Louisa Street which was named after the central character in this book.

The series continues with Sweetbriar Bride which sees the love story of Louisa Boren and David Denny continue alongside the growing pains of the early days of Seattle. The challenges of life in the mid-1800s were tough, but they aren’t that much different than some of the issues we face today.

The book continues the love story we saw begin in the first book and features the eventual wedding of the two. In real life, the event took place on January 23rd, 1853, in the cabin of A. A. Denny, on the east side of Elliott Bay where Louisa Boren married David T. Denny. After their marriage, the couple took all of their possessions and traveled by canoe up to a cabin of their own where they made their home in a clearing of the vast forest of the pacific northwest.

The third book in the series is called Sweetbriar Spring. The book continues the love story between David and Louisa as they go through the long, dark winter fo 1854. This book takes place at an important time in the history of Seattle as the city begins to take its first steps towards growth. There is some anxiety at the time over the relationship with the Indians an the war in Europe, but they manage to persevere through a victory of faith, hope, and love.