ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER TURNS AUTHOR TO TELL THE TALE OF THE LATE, GREAT AMANDA BLAKE

CHANDLER, AZ - As an avid fan of Gunsmoke's Miss Kitty, Beckey Burgoyne, an elementary school teacher from Illinois, felt it was her destiny to write the life story of actress Amanda Blake, who portrayed Miss Kitty on television for nearly 20 years.

A farmer's daughter, Burgoyne appreciates the value of hard work and self-reliance. As a child, she saw all of these characteristics and more in Amanda Blake's portrayal of Miss Kitty on TV's Gunsmoke. In Perfectly Amanda, Gunsmoke's Miss Kitty: To Dodge and Beyond, Burgoyne celebrates everything the character of Kitty Russell stood for: strength, grace, intelligence, independence and so much more.

The biography provides readers with a chronological look into Amanda Blake's life both on- and off-screen, even telling of her ancestry tracing back to 1600 England, Scotland and Ireland. Perfectly Amanda also includes many wonderful anecdotes and personal reflections from Blake's friends and colleagues, as well as an extensive collection of photographs, both formal and candid.

Burgoyne says this book will appeal to anyone - young or old, male or female. Full of tales of adventure and travel, as well as more heartwarming information on Blake's battle with cancer and her unending devotion to a wide variety of charities, there is something in Perfectly Amanda for everyone.

However, this is more than just an ordinary biography. It's a tale of strength, courage and compassion. It's the story of a legendary character that changed the way women saw the world and their roles in society. Miss Kitty's independence and business know-how sparked a generation of women to challenge conventional views on the traditional roles women were expected to play in society. Her positive influence on young women, Burgoyne included, cannot be measured.

Perfectly Amanda, Gunsmoke's Miss Kitty: To Dodge and Beyond, (ISBN: 978-1-58985-163-4, paperback) a Five Star Publications book, retails for $29.95 and can soon be purchased through BarnesandNoble.com, Borders.com, Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Target.com, indiebound.org and www.FiveStarPublications.com. Visit www.PerfectlyAmanda.com for more information.