Jan Scarbrough's Blog, page 10

Purging Junk is Therapeutic

There’s something cathartic about cleaning house and tossing out years of stuff. The junk truck came today, and two polite young men took away several pounds of memories.

Oh, I was sad about the disposal of memories. There was the wooden stool I’d used as a schoolteacher years ago. Recently, it had become a plant stand and was warped and stained. Then there was my mother’s old television set. You know, the big kind with all the electronics sticking out behind.

I got rid of the wingback chair Little Kitty had ruined over the years she’d lived in my basement. And there was a chair my mom had bought at a yard sale for my kitchen.

But getting rid of that stuff felt good. After all, I no longer need it. It is simply clutter. It just takes up space. And some day, my kids will have to get rid of that stuff. So I decided to do that for them while I’m still able.

I didn’t do it for my mother, and I regret that. She left it to me to clean up after she was gone. Served me right, I guess, for not taking time to help her when she asked.

 

 

Change happens, so you must live with it

Change isn’t easy. It often takes me a long time to accept change. Once I’m comfortable with things as they are, I balk at doing things differently. But sometimes a person has no choice.

Like the time I was called into the HR department and told I was part of the 10% corporate cutback. Basically, I had to “get the hell out” of the office right then and there. My co-workers scrambled to find “brown boxes” so I could pack up my personal stuff.

Then there was the time my daughter went to college. Thinking I’d be sad and lonely, even though her brother remained at home, I kept a kid in my basement for his senior year in high school because his parents moved to Cincinnati.

When my own parents died, that was a huge change. I went from being the little child to the “older generation.” Now I was looked up to for advice. Who me?

Another change dropped out of the sky on me last week. One of my publishers, a small press called Turquoise Morning Press, is closing its doors as of October 31. That means about half of my books will be homeless soon. They will be removed from ebook retailers. That’s all of my Ladies of Legend books and my two books in the Montana Ranchers series with Maddie James. One of the books, Mercer, has yet to be published and was in the galley stages (that means it was close to being finished).

If I didn’t have such a wonderful, techy husband, I’d panic. As it is, the change may open more doors for me—ones I must exploit. I can now “self-publish” my books. It takes time and money for covers and edits. But I am in complete control now. If I finish a book, I can put it online as fast as my husband can do the work.

So, bear with me and my website a while as the transition takes place. Some of the books can go up quickly. Others may be revised and made into a new series. It’s a big, new publishing world out there. I hope you join me for the ride.

Do you collect books like I do?

In ninth grade, my English teacher Mrs. Neff told us we should buy and own books. I took her advice to heart. My father owned books, and they were displayed in shelves in our home. My mother was an avid reader, but she preferred going to the library and borrowing books. She was a child of The Depression, don’t you know?

So, over the years, I began my own collection of books, mostly paperback. I accumulated my college texts, and kept the ones on history and English. I read novels—buying Georgette Heyer, Thomas B. Costain, and Anya Seton. I even began buying the first true historical romances that became popular—The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss and Sweet Savage Love by Rosemary Rogers.

As my collection grew and grew, I built my own bookshelves—first in the basement and then upstairs flanking the fireplace. My office has two bookshelves. All the shelves were getting crowded. Finally, I decided I needed to cull the quantity and started donating books to Locust Grove for their fundraisers.

Locust Grove is a c.1792 Georgian mansion built by William and Lucy Clark Croghan, near Louisville Kentucky. Lucy Clark Croghan is the sister of Revolutionary War hero General George Rogers Clark. I feel my books have a good home if they go to supporters of this historic mansion.

Yet, my gathering hasn’t stopped. Beginning in April 2010, I bought ebooks. Amazon’s Kindle app fit nicely on my new iPad, and Amazon was so accommodating to allow me to buy with one click and somehow, amazingly, the book appeared on my device—both of them, my iPad and my iPhone.

At lunch now, I walk away from the office, sit at the sandwich shop, and read a book on my iPhone. It is so easy to do today. But I won’t give up my bookshelves of paperback books. I find something comforting about having them around me—like old, faithful friends.

The Romance Reviews (TRR) Readers’ Choice Awards – Winter 2015

Kentucky Blue Bloods qualifies for the award. All I need is 50 “nominations” (clicks) to move to the next round. You’ll have to create an account at TRR to “click.” It’s easy!

And you have until September 30 to “click.”

I love this story. Kentucky Blue Bloods was so much fun to write. Others have liked it too!

A romance with a little mystery, humor and the ambiance of KY horse country, KY Blue Bloods will make you want to read more Jan Scarbrough.
Once you start reading, you won’t be able to put this down. Parker is a man you will fall in love with, from his proper English mannerisms, to his love of horses and Reggie. He is honorable, attractive, and he doesn’t waver in his feelings. Regina is a woman you can relate to. She didn’t have a great relationship with her father, so she has made the family’s horse breeding legacy her number one priority.
I found her book to be to so heart wrenching and honest feeling.
Loved this story. It was such a interesting book and I felt the women was a very strong person and very independent. Parker who she fell in love with and left him came back in her life and wanted revenge but love sometimes is stronger then getting even. Which this story proved.
It is a lovely “second chance” romance as Reggie and Parker come together again in Kentucky after a whirlwind affair in England several months before that seemed doomed when Reggie “ran away” from it because of the emotions swamping her. I admired Parker as the steadfast hero, because he just would NOT give up on Reggie no matter what family problems or obstacles appeared in the way of their trust and love. Ms. Scarbrough has, again, written a wonderful, insightful love story.

Help me out. Go to The Romance Reviews and cast your vote!

Funny Cide Reminds Us Dreams Do Come True

Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love and something to hope for. — Joseph Addison

I was reminded of Funny Cide, the 2003 Kentucky Derby winner, because he recently traveled from his retirement home at the Kentucky Horse Park and made an appearance in Saratoga.

Remember Funny Cide? Sackatoga Stables, a small group of former high school buddies, who pooled their money to buy racehorses, owned him. They were just a bunch of regular guys who arrived at the Kentucky Derby in a yellow school bus.

On May 3, 2003, Funny Cide emerged as the star of the 35,000 horses born in 2000 by winning the Kentucky Derby in a time of 2:01.19, the 10th fastest in Derby history.

Funny Cide wasn’t supposed to win. But he did—by 1¾ lengths. He went off at odds of nearly 13 to one. A winning ticket returned $27.60.

Funny Cide was unique in other ways. He was the first gelding since Clyde Van Dusen in 1929 to win the race. And Funny Cide was the first New York bred to win.

Why do I bring up a retired racehorse? It’s because of what he represents.

John Asher in the The Voice-Tribune says it best. “Funny Cide is a living, breathing reminder of the value of dreams and the pursuit of those dreams.”

What happens if you don’t have a dream? If you have no hope? Have you ever thought how miserable life would be?

That’s why I love Funny Cide. I love him because he reminds me dreams do come true.

 

 

 

 

 

Mercer: The Long Road Home

The Montana McKenna’s
Coming soon!

When does love mean more than family?

Montana rancher’s daughter Mercer McKenna copes with the tragic death of her father and learns the meaning of true love and redemption.

Mercer, the youngest child of James McKenna, faces life on the ranch without the support of her father after his tragic death. Things are changing. Her brothers and sister are moving on with their lives. Can a new love give Mercer comfort in her grief, or does she need to dig deeper when she learns some problems too big for her to solve?

Professional bull rider Drake Hawkins is more than a two-bit, washed up cowboy, but he has to prove it to himself and the woman he loves. If he doesn’t cowboy up, he threatens to wreck his chance for redemption. Will the secret he hides also ruin his chance for true love?

“Fans of cowboy romance will enjoy this series.” Night Owl Romance

The Montana McKennas: Prequel by Jan Scarbrough and Maddie James

Brody  by Jan Scarbrough
Callie  by Maddie James
Parker  by Maddie James
Mercer  by Jan Scarbrough (coming soon)

Summer Fun Scavenger Hunt

Dear Readers,

I’m one of the sponsors of the Summer Fun Scavenger Hunt.

Entering the hunt is fun. The grand prize is a $100 Amazon Gift Card.

Enter Now at: https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Blog/Articles/Summer-Fun-Scavenger-Hunt-Aug-2015

#FindYourNextGreatReadHunt

Horses, the great equalizers

Earlier this week I stopped in the barn’s lounge after my riding lesson and spoke to a grandmother waiting for her granddaughter. The child had long ago finished her riding lesson, but she was still in the stabling area grooming horses, watching the farriers, and feeding peppermints. The grandmother and I talked about the little girl’s passion for horses.

On the way home, I realized this young child and I have much in common. I’m a grandmother myself, but the age difference between us means nothing at the barn. We can talk “horse.”

The teenagers who work in the afternoons saddling and bridling the horses speak the same language. So do the regular grooms, the trainers and owners. Earlier that afternoon, I’d witnessed a lesson with three girls of various ages and sizes, and an adult on a gaited horse. They were there sweating and working out because of their love for horses, in this case, the beautiful American Saddlebreds.

Wealthy people go to the barn as well as folks like me who can only afford a weekly riding lesson as our horse fix. But it doesn’t matter if we’re old or young, rich or poor—we’re equal.

The love of horses, any horse, makes us comrades.

Historical romance always a favorite read

This week, romance novelist Teresa Medeiros asked her Facebook followers if they liked reading historical romance. As of August 6, she’d received over 1500 responses (likes and comments).

In her reply to her fans, Teresa said, “I’ve always felt that historical romances provide a complete escape and ‘mental health break’ from our present world that is desperately needed and helps keep us sane and able to meet the challenges of our daily lives.”

I agree. Historical romance was my first love. From Georgette Heyer Regencies to the ground-breaking books of the seventies like Sweet Savage Love and the Wolf and the Dove, I’ve lost myself in romantic tales from earlier times. In fact, I named my daughter after reading the name of a minor character in the Flame and the Flower.

So when I started writing, I thought about delving into historical romance. But it is a daunting task because of all the research. Eventually, I finished My Lord Raven. I say “eventually” because it took me years. My Lord Raven is on vacation at the moment because I am going to re-publish it myself. First I want to rewrite the ending, making it stronger.

Another thing I want to do is write a sequel so that I can tell Olwen’s story. She’s a secondary character in My Lord Raven, but an important one. With a small series, I hope to attract new readers.

I have, however, written a few short medieval romances in the style of Phillipa Gregory—first person, present tense. I realize that’s not everyone’s favorite way to read a book, but I enjoyed the exercise. You can find these “shorts” at most of your ebook retailers. Freely Given sells for 99 cents, such a deal!

What about you? Do you like historical romance? Do you have a favorite period?

I’ve been following Poldark and Downton Abbey on PBS, and of course, the wonderful Outlander on Starzz. Do you enjoy these period dramas on television?

Parker: The Montana McKennas (The Montana Ranchers Book 4)

By Maddie James

Pre-order now before its August 4, 2015, release!

People die, people change, and sometimes both happen and people fall in love.



When Parker McKenna’s father dies, he expects life on the ranch to change–whether he wants it to or not. Parker is unsure how much his stepmother Liz has influenced his father’s final wishes. Although Liz has been a part of his life for years, he knows her goals for the ranch are different from his. All Parker wants to do is continue his way of life–running the working Montana cattle ranch until the day he dies, just like his father.

What Parker doesn’t expect is for Reba Morris to walk into his life the day of the funeral.

Having recently relocated to Montana, and living in a small cabin near the McKenna Ranch, Reba decides to do the neighborly thing and help at Parker’s house when everyone gathers after the funeral. With her late husband’s passing several months ago on her mind, she knows how difficult it can be handling the small things, so she steps up to the plate. What Reba doesn’t expect is for Parker McKenna to knock her socks off with his drop-dead gorgeous, cowboy goodness. After all, she is a recent widow and shouldn’t be thinking about things like how sexy he looks in his Wranglers. Right?

Meet Maddie

Maddie James is the bestselling author of thirty-plus romance novels published worldwide in over six languages. In November, 2014, her western romance, Rawhide and Roses [Cowboy und Rosen], released in Germany as an Amazon Crossing title. Her books have landed on numerous retailer top-selling lists. She has been listed as a Top 100 Popular Contemporary Romance Author at Amazon.com, and a top 100 Kindle author at Amazon.de. Available in ebook, trade paperback and audio, her titles span the romance genre from contemporary to paranormal, and range from sweet to sexy hot. Maddie also writes erotic romance under the pen name Bella Masters.

Visit Maddie’s website at www.maddiejames.com.