Walker published her first novel, "Fireweed," in 1934, while she attended the University of Michigan as a graduate student. "Fireweed" earned Walker the Avery Hopwoood Award, the biggest prize then awarded from an American University, and $1,500. This income enabled Walker and her family to move to Great Falls, Montana. Schemm was highly supportive of Walker’s writing career. He agreed to engage a housekeeper, allowing Walker to devote most of her time to writing. Only Schemm and Roy Cowden, one of Walker’s former University of Michigan’s professors, were allowed to read her work before it was sent off to Walker’s publisher, Harcourt, Brace & Co.
