About Linda Harkey
Linda Harkey loves dogs and loves teaching children. Her experiences as a mother, school teacher, volunteer docent and hunting dog owner have inspired her to write the award-winning children’s book series, Hickory Doc’s Tales.
For over 22 years she diligently worked as a volunteer docent at two outstanding museums in Oklahoma – The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City and Gilcrease Museum (Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art) in Tulsa. During her tenure, she helped develop curricula for children’s programs and gave countless presentations to children both at the museums and local schools.
Linda is now the author of eleven children’s books:
The Budding Staff (2005)
Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation) (2017)
The Remarkable Story of Willie the Crow (A Hickory Doc’s Tale) (2018)
Solitary Toes and Brown-Headed Cowbirds (A Hickory Doc’s Tale) (2019)
Doc, Willie, and the Pack: Secrets, Gifts, Family (A Hickory Doc’s Tale) (2019)
Doc’s Dog Days: A Hickory Doc’s Activity Book (2019)
The Wayward Path of the Devil and Mr. Snake in the Garden of Eden (2021)
Chatty the Hen Pheasant (Travels with the Pack) (2021)
Desert Friends (Travels with the Pack) (2022)
Blake Jake’s Unusual Day (Travels with the Pack) (2023)
Desert Friends 2nd Edition (Travels with the Pack) (2023)
She has also been featured in several magazines, including American Kennel Club Gazette, OKC Pets Magazine, Tulsa Pets Magazine, Story Monsters Ink (October, 2018), Tempo: Arts & Entertainment Magazine from The Taos News (July 2019 and June, 2022), and Story Monsters Ink (June, 2021).
For her Hickory Doc’s Tales book series, Linda was interviewed for the America Tonight Radio show with Kate Delaney (September 2021) and twice with WebTalkRadio with John Crowley. You can listen to the interview with Kate Delaney here and with John Crowley here and here.
Linda currently lives on Ocate Mesa in New Mexico. She has two children and three grandchildren.
AWARDS
2023
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2023 New Orleans Cinema Awards
Best Original Book // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack, 2nd Ed.
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2023 Frida Film Festival/Orson Wells in Paris Awards
Best Book // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack, 2nd Ed.
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2023 Chicago Script Awards
Official Selection // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack, 2nd Ed.
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2023 Story Monsters Fall Showcase
Fall Showcase Selection: Sustainability and the Environment // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack, 2nd Ed.
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2023 Story Monsters Purple Dragonfly Awards
Animals/Pets: First Place (tie) // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
Best Cover Design: Honorable Mention // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
Best Illustrations: Honorable Mention // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
Early Readers: First Place (tie) // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
Holiday: Honorable Mention // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
Picture Books 6 & Older: Second Place (tie) // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack -
2023 Next Generation Indie Book Award
Finalist, Best Overall Design (Fiction) // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
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2023 BookMad Magazine
2023 Q2 Spotlight // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
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2023 BREW Book Excellence Award
Winner - Children's Illustrated Category - Difference Maker // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
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2023 BREW Book Excellence Award
Finalist - Children's Illustrated // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
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2023 Reader Ready Awards
Winner - Top Picks // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
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2023 Southern California Book Festival
Winner - Nature/Animals // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
2022
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2022 Story Monsters Approved
Winner - Picture Books (Ages 3-8 Fiction)// Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
Winner - Early Readers (Ages 5-9 Fiction) // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
Winner - Middle Grade (Ages 8-12 Fiction) // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
Winner - Making a Difference // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack -
2022 American Writing Awards Finalist
Animals/Pets-General - Digital // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
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NABE Summer 2022 - Pinnacle Book
Pinnacle Book Achievement Award // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
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Mom's Choice Award
Silver Award Recipient // Chatty the Hen Pheasant: Travels with the Pack
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Mom's Choice Award
Silver Award Recipient // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
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July-2nd Quarter – Firebird Book Award Winner
Children Pre-School Ages 2-4 – Digital // Chatty the Hen Pheasant: Travels with the Pack
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Spring Readers’ Choice Book Award
Best Children’s Book (3 to 7) – Finalist – Digital // Chatty the Hen Pheasant: Travels with the Pack
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2022 London Book Festival Children’s Books
Digital – Winner, Honorable Mention // Chatty the Hen Pheasant: Travels with the Pack
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Next Generation Indie Book Awards
Finalist – Christian Fiction // The Wayward Path of the Devil and Mr. Snake in the Garden of Eden
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Eric Hoffer Book Award
Legacy Fiction Category – Grand Prize Short List Finalist // Solitary Toes and Brown-Headed Cowbirds (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
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Eric Hoffer Book Award
Legacy Fiction Category – First Runner-Up // Solitary Toes and Brown-Headed Cowbirds (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
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Eric Hoffer Book Award
First Horizon Award – Finalist // Solitary Toes and Brown-Headed Cowbirds (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
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London Book Festival
Children’s Books – Winner, Honorable Mention // Chatty the Hen Pheasant: Travels with the Pack
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Literary Titan Book Awards
Gold Book Award – Digital // The Remarkable Story of Willie the Crow (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
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Literary Titan Book Awards
Silver Book Award – Digital // Solitary Toes and Brown-Headed Cowbirds (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
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Literary Titan Book Awards
Gold Book Award – Digital Doc, Willie, and the Pack: Secrets, Gifts, Family (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
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Literary Titan
Five-Star Review (Jan.) // The Remarkable Story of Willie the Crow (A Hickory Doc's Tale)
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Literary Titan
Five-Star Review (Jan.) // Doc, Willie, and the Pack: Secrets, Gifts, Family (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
2021
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Story Monsters Approved
Winner - Board Books (Birth-Ages 3) – Digital // Chatty the Hen Pheasant: Travels with the Pack
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International Impact Book Award
Children’s Education – Excellence for Writing Quality – Digital // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
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Pinnacle Book Achievement Award
Best Books in the Category of Animals and Pets – NABE (National Association of Book Entrepreneurs) – Digital // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
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Hollywood Book Festival
Children’s Books – Honorable Mention – Digital // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
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Firebird Book Awards
Children’s Early Readers (5-8) – Digital // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
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Literary Titan Book Award
Best Book – Digital // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
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Royal Dragonfly Book Award
Animals/Pets – Digital // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
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B.R.A.G. Medallion
Children’s – Digital // The Remarkable Story of Willie the Crow (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
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Little Peeps Children’s Book Awards for Early Readers & Picture Books
CIBA – In the Running for Short List – Semi-Finalists – Chanticleer International Book Awards // The Remarkable Story of Willie the Crow (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
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New England Book Festival
Children’s Books – Runner-Up – Digital // The Remarkable Story of Willie the Crow (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
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Firebird Book Awards
Nature – Digital // Solitary Toes and Brown-Headed Cowbirds (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
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Literary Titan
Four–Star Review (Dec.)// Solitary Toes and Brown-Headed Cowbirds (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
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Hollywood Book Festival
Sequels – Digital // Solitary Toes and Brown-Headed Cowbirds (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
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American Fiction Awards
Children’s Fiction (Ages 3 – 6) – Finalist – Digital // Solitary Toes and Brown-Headed Cowbirds (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
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American Fiction Awards
Children’s Picture Book: Softcover Fiction – Finalist – Digital // Doc, Willie, and the Pack: Secrets, Gifts, Family (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
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Royal Dragonfly Book Award
Children’s Picture Books – 6 & Older – Digital // Doc, Willie, and the Pack: Secrets, Gifts, Family (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
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Southern California Book Festival
Children – Digital // Doc, Willie, and the Pack: Secrets, Gifts, Family (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
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Next Generation Indie Book Award
Winner: Activity Books All Ages // Doc’s Dog Days (A Hickory Doc’s Activity Book)
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Next Generation Indie Book Award
Finalist: Animals/Pets // Doc’s Dog Days (A Hickory Doc’s Activity Book)
2020 and before
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RWYK (Read With Your Kids)
“Certified Great Read” // The Remarkable Story of Willie the Crow (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
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13th Annual National Indie Excellence Award
Finalist // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
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RWYK (Read With Your Kids)
“Certified Fun Read“ // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
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RWYK (Read With Your Kids)
“Certified Fun Read“ // Solitary Toes and Brown-headed Cowbirds (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
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2020 International Book Awards
Finalist: Children’s Fiction // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
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2020 Next Generation Indie Book Award
Finalist: Series (Fiction) // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
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2020 Eric Hoffer Award
Book Category Finalist // Doc’s Dog Days (A Hickory Doc’s Activity Book)
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2019 Purple Dragonfly Book Contest
First Place: Animals/Pets // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
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2019 Purple Dragonfly Book Contest
Honorable Mention: Chapter Books // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
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2019 American Fiction Award
Finalist: Juvenile Fiction // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
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2019 American Book Fest “Best Book” Awards
Finalist: Children’s Educational / Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
2022
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2023 Reader Ready Awards
Winner - Top Picks // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
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2023 Southern California Book Festival
Winner - Nature/Animals // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
-
2022 American Writing Awards Finalist
Animals/Pets-General - Digital // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
-
NABE Summer 2022 - Pinnacle Book
Pinnacle Book Achievement Award // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
-
Mom's Choice Award
Silver Award Recipient // Chatty the Hen Pheasant: Travels with the Pack
-
Mom's Choice Award
Silver Award Recipient // Desert Friends: Travels with the Pack
-
July-2nd Quarter – Firebird Book Award Winner
Children Pre-School Ages 2-4 – Digital // Chatty the Hen Pheasant: Travels with the Pack
-
Spring Readers’ Choice Book Award
Best Children’s Book (3 to 7) – Finalist – Digital // Chatty the Hen Pheasant: Travels with the Pack
-
2022 London Book Festival Children’s Books
Digital – Winner, Honorable Mention // Chatty the Hen Pheasant: Travels with the Pack
-
Next Generation Indie Book Awards
Finalist – Christian Fiction // The Wayward Path of the Devil and Mr. Snake in the Garden of Eden
-
Eric Hoffer Book Award
Legacy Fiction Category – Grand Prize Short List Finalist // Solitary Toes and Brown-Headed Cowbirds (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
-
Eric Hoffer Book Award
Legacy Fiction Category – First Runner-Up // Solitary Toes and Brown-Headed Cowbirds (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
-
Eric Hoffer Book Award
First Horizon Award – Finalist // Solitary Toes and Brown-Headed Cowbirds (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
-
London Book Festival
Children’s Books – Winner, Honorable Mention // Chatty the Hen Pheasant: Travels with the Pack
-
Literary Titan Book Awards
Gold Book Award – Digital // The Remarkable Story of Willie the Crow (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
-
Literary Titan Book Awards
Silver Book Award – Digital // Solitary Toes and Brown-Headed Cowbirds (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
-
Literary Titan Book Awards
Gold Book Award – Digital Doc, Willie, and the Pack: Secrets, Gifts, Family (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
-
Literary Titan
Five-Star Review (Jan.) // The Remarkable Story of Willie the Crow (A Hickory Doc's Tale)
-
Literary Titan
Five-Star Review (Jan.) // Doc, Willie, and the Pack: Secrets, Gifts, Family (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
2021
-
Story Monsters Approved
Winner - Board Books (Birth-Ages 3) – Digital // Chatty the Hen Pheasant: Travels with the Pack
-
International Impact Book Award
Children’s Education – Excellence for Writing Quality – Digital // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
-
Pinnacle Book Achievement Award
Best Books in the Category of Animals and Pets – NABE (National Association of Book Entrepreneurs) – Digital // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
-
Hollywood Book Festival
Children’s Books – Honorable Mention – Digital // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
-
Firebird Book Awards
Children’s Early Readers (5-8) – Digital // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
-
Literary Titan Book Award
Best Book – Digital // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
-
Royal Dragonfly Book Award
Animals/Pets – Digital // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
-
B.R.A.G. Medallion
Children’s – Digital // The Remarkable Story of Willie the Crow (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
-
Little Peeps Children’s Book Awards for Early Readers & Picture Books
CIBA – In the Running for Short List – Semi-Finalists – Chanticleer International Book Awards // The Remarkable Story of Willie the Crow (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
-
New England Book Festival
Children’s Books – Runner-Up – Digital // The Remarkable Story of Willie the Crow (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
-
Firebird Book Awards
Nature – Digital // Solitary Toes and Brown-Headed Cowbirds (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
-
Literary Titan
Four–Star Review (Dec.)// Solitary Toes and Brown-Headed Cowbirds (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
-
Hollywood Book Festival
Sequels – Digital // Solitary Toes and Brown-Headed Cowbirds (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
-
American Fiction Awards
Children’s Fiction (Ages 3 – 6) – Finalist – Digital // Solitary Toes and Brown-Headed Cowbirds (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
-
American Fiction Awards
Children’s Picture Book: Softcover Fiction – Finalist – Digital // Doc, Willie, and the Pack: Secrets, Gifts, Family (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
-
Royal Dragonfly Book Award
Children’s Picture Books – 6 & Older – Digital // Doc, Willie, and the Pack: Secrets, Gifts, Family (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
-
Southern California Book Festival
Children – Digital // Doc, Willie, and the Pack: Secrets, Gifts, Family (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
-
Next Generation Indie Book Award
Winner: Activity Books All Ages // Doc’s Dog Days (A Hickory Doc’s Activity Book)
-
Next Generation Indie Book Award
Finalist: Animals/Pets // Doc’s Dog Days (A Hickory Doc’s Activity Book)
2020 and before
-
RWYK (Read With Your Kids)
“Certified Great Read” // The Remarkable Story of Willie the Crow (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
-
13th Annual National Indie Excellence Award
Finalist // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
-
RWYK (Read With Your Kids)
“Certified Fun Read“ // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
-
RWYK (Read With Your Kids)
“Certified Fun Read“ // Solitary Toes and Brown-headed Cowbirds (A Hickory Doc’s Tale)
-
2020 International Book Awards
Finalist: Children’s Fiction // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
-
2020 Next Generation Indie Book Award
Finalist: Series (Fiction) // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
-
2020 Eric Hoffer Award
Book Category Finalist // Doc’s Dog Days (A Hickory Doc’s Activity Book)
-
2019 Purple Dragonfly Book Contest
First Place: Animals/Pets // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
-
2019 Purple Dragonfly Book Contest
Honorable Mention: Chapter Books // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
-
2019 American Fiction Award
Finalist: Juvenile Fiction // Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)
-
2019 American Book Fest “Best Book” Awards
Finalist: Children’s Educational / Hickory Doc’s Tales (The Pack: First Generation)