CK Van Dam

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Nathan
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CK Van Dam

Goodreads Author


Born
in Sioux Falls, The United States
Website

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Member Since
May 2013


Amazon best-selling author CK Van Dam is a daughter of the Dakota prairies who creates stories about the strong women who have built our nation and our world.

Van Dam’s first novel, Proving Her Claim, received two Spur Awards from Western Writers of America. Lone Tree Claim, the second in the On the Dakota Frontier series, was named a Distinguished Favorite in Western Fiction by Independent Press Awards. Medicine Creek Claim received First Place in Women’s Historical Fiction by Best Book Awards. Iron Horse Claim is the fourth in her series of historical novels.

When the Chokecherries Bloom, written for Middle Grade readers, is the story of Shining Water who first appears in Proving Her Claim.

Visit her website at www.ckvandam.com
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CK Van Dam The inspiration for Proving Her Claim came from historical records related to the Homestead Act of 1862. These records found that only 12 percent of t…moreThe inspiration for Proving Her Claim came from historical records related to the Homestead Act of 1862. These records found that only 12 percent of the homestead applicants were women. But, 42 percent of women homesteaders successfully proved up their claims, while only 37 percent of the men received title to their lands.

Why were women homesteaders more successful than the men who set out for the frontier? That was the premise for Proving Her Claim.
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Average rating: 4.36 · 2,355 ratings · 115 reviews · 5 distinct worksSimilar authors
Proving Her Claim (On the D...

4.35 avg rating — 1,021 ratings — published 2022 — 4 editions
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Lone Tree Claim (On the Dak...

4.32 avg rating — 656 ratings — published 2023 — 2 editions
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Medicine Creek Claim (On th...

4.38 avg rating — 445 ratings — published 2024 — 2 editions
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Iron Horse Claim: On the Da...

4.58 avg rating — 176 ratings2 editions
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When the Chokecherries Bloom

4.18 avg rating — 57 ratings2 editions
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More books by CK Van Dam…

You can’t win if you don’t play

Whether you’re referring to lottery tickets, succeeding in business, or entering contests, “You can’t win if you don’t play” sums up the strategy.

In the advertising and marketing industry, creative awards are a driving force. Awards are proof that the creative work stands out among the competition, and they allow agencies an opportunity for PR.

I subscribe to both strategies as an author. There are

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Published on January 18, 2026 15:10
Proving Her Claim Lone Tree Claim Medicine Creek Claim
(3 books)
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4.35 avg rating — 2,121 ratings

Enemy Women
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Quotes by CK Van Dam  (?)
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“My pappy says your claim is far enough away from people to breathe, but close enough to town in a pinch.”
CK Van Dam, Proving Her Claim

Topics Mentioning This Author

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Romance Readers R...: 2025 Where Are You Reading Challenge 7 49 Dec 29, 2025 06:12PM  
“I like stories where women save themselves.”
Neil gaiman, The Sleeper and the Spindle

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