Old Man of the Fossil Beds — Chalk Lily Books

New & Noteworthy

Old Man of the Fossil Beds is a biography of Kansas paleontologist Marion Charles Bonner that blends the history of Kansas Cretaceous paleontology with the author's memoir.

Bonner—deeply influenced by George F. Sternberg—contributed major fossils to museums across North America, including plesiosaurs, sharks, mosasaurs, and prehistoric birds.

This book illuminates a remarkable region, a remarkable Kansan, and a fossil-finding family shaped by curiosity and the land itself.

Melanie Bonner Thomas invites readers into her loving and exotic family circle as she describes her father's career as a prehistoric bone collector in western Kansas. Memoir, history, travelogue, and paleontology blend together seamlessly in this love song to the High Plains, reminiscent of Mari Sandoz as well as William Stafford, Willa Cather, and other great writers of the region.

— Denise Low, former Kansas Poet Laureate, author of House of Grace, House of Blood

Old Man of the Fossil Beds is a remarkable book by a remarkable author. Melanie Bonner Thomas grew up in western Kansas, the youngest of eight children in a renowned and accomplished family of field paleontologists whose findings are housed in natural history museums across North America. Trust me, it's rare to find a writer who demonstrates equal facility with technical details and the flesh and blood of humanity. Thomas succeeds admirably in both areas. Her readers will find themselves both educated and moved.

— Charles Forrest Jones, author of The Illusion of Simple

Melanie Bonner Thomas is a western Kansas native and the youngest child of paleontologist Marion Bonner.

She has written for Texas Monthly, Hispanic Magazine, and produced biographies for young readers. As founder of Chalk Lily Books, she supports writers whose work reflects curiosity, history, nature, and the life of the Great Plains.

Part I – Bedrock

Plains Vision
Kansas Immigrants
Fish Catches Boy
Boy Meets Girl
Dust Bowl Survival

Part II – Family

Fish Tales
Old Man of the Army
Theater Operations
Digging the Dirt

Part III – Museums

Grand Man
Rare Friendship
History Lessons
California Connection
Storms and Sadness

Part IV – Legacy

My Muse
Institutional Knowledge
Mystery Fish
The Fossil Record
End of an Era

Kansas Cretaceous Marine Life
Museums with Bonner Fossils
Acknowledgments
Select Bibliography
Notes

For Authors

Traditional and scholarly publishers face increasing challenges in a rapidly changing publishing world. Online platforms and predatory self-publishing companies add uncertainty.

Chalk Lily offers an alternative—editorial vision, market awareness, and a thoughtful, experienced approach to shaping and elevating meaningful work.

Whether you are beginning a project or refining one, we help your work grow.

Each author’s needs are different, so Chalk Lily Books offers flexible consultation, editing, design, production, and promotional services tailored to your project.

Please fill out the form below to begin:

Chalk Lily can help you publish print books, ebooks, or both.

If your manuscript is complete, please email a proposal including:

Book length, purpose, audience
Illustrations, if any
Author bio or CV
Two–three sample chapters

Email proposals to chalklilybooks@gmail.com.

Please indicate whether your draft is press-ready or if you need developmental editing, cover design, layout, or copy editing.

We respond within six weeks.

About Chalk Lily Books

Chalk Lily Books LLC is an independent publisher based in New Orleans, Louisiana, dedicated to uncovering hidden gems—stories that might be overlooked by traditional publishers but deserve a wider audience. We focus on memoir, nature, and science, and support writers whose work captures curiosity, knowledge, and lived experience.

Our books are created for both adult and young readers, with an emphasis on clarity, craftsmanship, and a deep respect for the natural world. Chalk Lily Books continues the legacy of the Bonner family: a commitment to discovery, curiosity, and the lifelong pursuit of learning.