Gwen Bristow was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 author and journalist.

Bristow became interested in writing while reporting junior high school functions for her local newspaper. After studying at Columbia University

Columbia University

Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...

, she wrote for a number of literary magazines and journals. Eventually, she moved to New Orleans, and worked at the Times-Picayune

New Orleans Times-Picayune

The Times-Picayune is a daily newspaper published in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.-History:Established as The Picayune in 1837 by Francis Lumsden and George Wilkins Kendall, the paper's initial price was one picayune—a Spanish coin equivalent to 6¼¢ .Under Eliza Jane Nicholson, who inherited the...

. She became interested in longer forms of writing—novels and short stories—through her husband, screenwriter Bruce Manning

Bruce Manning

Bruce Manning was a Hollywood filmmaker who entered the movie business following the publication of several novels that he co-wrote with wife Gwen Bristow. Their first novel together, 1930's The Invisible Host, was adapted to the screen in 1934 as The Ninth Guest...

, and published her first novel in 1929. Bristow reached the pinnacle of her career with the western romance Jubilee Trail

Jubilee Trail

Jubilee Trail is a novel written by Gwen Bristow, copyrighted in 1950. It follows the adventures of two strong women in the mid-19th century as they travel across the United States to the then-Mexican territory of California. The novel is still in print, with forewords included by Nancy E...

, which became a bestseller in 1950

1950 in literature

The year 1950 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Kazuo Shimada wins the "Mystery Writer Of Japan" award for his book Shakai-bu Kisha .*Jack Kerouac has his first novel published....

, and was adapted to a moderately successful film in 1954

1954 in film

The year 1954 in film involved some significant events and memorable ones.-Events:*May 12 - The Marx Brothers' Zeppo Marx divorces wife Marion Benda...

. She continued to write novels and articles for magazines until her death in 1980.