Janet Chester Bly's Blog, page 4

Beloved, a new novel by Robin Lee Hatcher

BELOVED is part of the Where the Heart Lives Series




Beloved by Robin Lee Hatcher


http://www.robinleehatcher.com/books/beloved-2/
Setting: 1900 Boise, Idaho




To say the least, it was inconsiderate of Diana’s
almost-dead husband to show up at her engagement party.



Diana Brennan came west on the orphan train and was given a home with a loving
couple who cherished and spoiled her. At 17, she fell hard for Tyson Applegate,
the son of a wealthy mine owner.




After a whirlwind courtship and marriage, Tyson took
off for adventures around the world, including fighting with the Rough Riders
in Cuba. Receiving no word from him in years, Diana’s infatuation with her
dashing husband died an ugly death. She is ready to move past the old pain
and marry again, just as soon as Tyson is declared legally dead.



But when Tyson returns, claiming to be a changed man, he wants to reunite with
his wife and run for the senate. While Diana suspects the election is his real
reason for wanting her by his side, she agrees to maintain his home
and to campaign with him. But when it is over, win or lose, she wants her
freedom.



He agrees with one condition—she must give him a chance to change her mind
about him.




***************************




Author Robin Lee Hatcher


About the Author, Robin Lee Hatcher:

Best-selling novelist Hatcher
is known for her heartwarming and emotionally charged stories of faith,
courage, and love. She discovered her vocation after many years of reading
everything she could put her hands on, including the backs of cereal boxes
and ketchup bottles.

Winner of the Christy, the
RITA, the Carol, the Inspirational Reader’s Choice, and many other awards,
Robin is also a recipient of the prestigious RWA Lifetime Achievement
Award. She is the author of 70 novels and novellas with over four million
copies in print.



Robin enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho
outdoors, reading books that make her cry, and watching romantic movies. Her
main hobby (when time allows) is knitting, and she has a special love for
making prayer shawls. A mother and grandmother, Robin and her husband make
their home on the outskirts of Boise, sharing it with Poppet, the
high-maintenance Papillon, and Princess Pinky, the DC (demon cat).

*******************************

A Note from Robin Lee Hatcher:



I love second chance love stories, and Tyson Applegate
desperately needs a second chance with Diana. He easily won her the first time
with his charm and good looks, but it will take more than that to make up for
breaking her heart and cause her to love him again. Although I don't have
favorite books that I've written, I do have some favorite characters. Tyson and
Diana are two of them. I wanted very much to give them a happy ever after
ending.




Beloved is the third and final book in the Where
the Heart Lives series. Although I am careful to make each book stand alone, if
readers want to get the first two books in the series,  Belonging (http://www.robinleehatcher.com/books/belonging/) and
Betrayal (http://www.robinleehatcher.com/books/betrayal/)
ebooks are on sale for $1.99 until September 30th. Easy purchase links to
Amazon, B&N, and ChristianBook can be found by following the links to the
book pages.




Belonging by Robin Lee Hatcher




I love to hear from readers so I hope you'll drop by my website
and blog (http://www.robinleehatcher.com/)
and visit me on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/robinleehatcher).
I always have a giveaway going on Goodreads. Readers can find the current
giveaway on the home page of my website.




In addition, I frequently have a different giveaway going on
the Rafflecopter tab on my Facebook Page. So be sure to check those out. And if
you sign up for my newsletter, you get a free copy of my short story, The
Huckleberry Patch.

Broken Wings, Book 1, The Thistle Series, by Dianne Price

Broken Wings


A new novel by Dianne Price ... a bittersweet release

A tragic childhood has turned American Air
Forces Colonel Rob Savage into an outwardly indifferent loner who is afraid to
give his heart to anyone. RAF nurse Maggie McGrath has always dreamed of
falling in love and settling down in a thatched cottage to raise a croftful of
bairns, but the war has taken her far from Innisbraw, her tiny Scot’s island
home.




Hitler’s bloody quest to conquer Europe seems far away when
Rob and Maggie are sent to an infirmary on Innisbraw to begin his
rehabilitation from disabling injuries. Yet they find themselves caught in a
battle between Rob’s past, God’s plan, and the evil some islanders harbor in
their souls. Which will triumph?




Ashberry Lane announces the
bittersweet release of Broken Wings by Dianne Price, the first book in the Thistle
series. Only a short time ago, we offered a contract to the amazing Dianne
Price for her six-book WWII romance.




Knowing she had terminal
cancer, we did everything within our power to get the first book out while she
was still alive. However, she passed on to Glory one week shy of the first
release.




How blessed we all are that
her legacy lives on in these stories. Please read Broken Wings. Fall in love with Rob and Maggie and the
isle of Innisbraw. Pass the word.





Dianne Price

Book
Two, Wing and a Prayer, releases in October!



E-versions are available at:Amazon and Barnes & Noble and in all other e-formats at Smashwords.
The print book will release soon!



I choked up yesterday when I read her dedication: Foremost, to the glory of my
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And for my husband and best friend, True, who
always wore the “Colonel’s cap” in our family, but only with calm Christian
dedication, love, and compassion. See you in Heaven, my luve!




In Loving Memory

Dianne was granted her wish. A mere week before the release date of this book,
she joined her beloved Savior and her husband in Heaven. She is probably
dancing a Scots reel even as you read this.



Christina Berry Tarabochia

Publisher, Ashberry Lane

On the Threshold JUST released!

Carol Winner & Christy Finalist for The Familiar Stranger

www.christinaberry.net or www.ashberrylane.net

Ties that Bind, novel by C. J. Darlington

 

Ties that Bind



 On a quest to find her father, a young woman discovers she has two
sisters who have no idea she exists.





Newly released from prison, Brynn Taylor is determined to find her
father, a man she's never met.




Her only clue to his
whereabouts is an address she finds in a rare volume of Jane Austen's “Sense
& Sensibility” which he inscribed to her years ago.




Armed with a bus
ticket, a backpack, and her grandfather's gun, her search leads her to Elk
Valley, Colorado where her plans and her life begin to unravel.




Read 1st Chapter of Ties that Bind here: http://cjdarlington.com/excerpts/ties-that-bind-excerpt.htm






C.J. Darlington with poster cover to 1st Novel


TIES THAT BIND gets 4.5 stars from RT
Book Reviews! Read full review here. 



Get a behind the scenes glimpse of Ties
that Bind at NovelCrossing.com here. Plus new interviews recently posted on Family Fiction and Smashwords. 





Ties that Bind  at Amazon:
http://amzn.to/1dchE9h

or Barnes &
Noble: http://bit.ly/1aIBqfc







About C.J. Darlington
C.
J. is the award-winning author of Thicker
than Blood, Bound by
Guilt, and Ties that
Bind. In 2006 C. J. started the Christian entertainment Web site TitleTrakk.com with
her sister, Tracy, and has been actively promoting Christian fiction ever
since. 

She is a regular contributor to Family Fiction
Digital Magazine and NovelCrossing.com. 

A homeschool graduate, she
makes her home in Pennsylvania with her family and their menagerie of dogs, a
cat, and a paint horse named Sky. 

Find out
more at her website: http://cjdarlington.com/index.htm

Old West True Tale by Stephen Bly

Stephen Bly


Another Old West True Tale by award-winning western author Stephen Bly 

One of my favorite governors was Lew Wallace of New Mexico
Territory (1878-1881). In addition, he was a lawyer, Union general in the
American Civil War, American statesman and author. He's the source for many and Old West true tale. He's best remembered for his
historical novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ.








He hailed from Crawfordsville, Indiana, same as my character
Develyn Worrell of The Horse Dreams Series. I visited the Lew Wallace Museum
and Library in Crawfordsville while doing research for Memories of a Dirt
Road Town, The Mustang Breaker, and Wish I'd Known You Tears Ago.




What I recall most about Wallace: he built a moat around his
study, to keep people from bothering him. One way to insure privacy.


Lew Wallace



He captures my interest for at least two other reasons.

As
governor of New Mexico Territory, he offered amnesty to many men involved in
the Lincoln County War. In the process he met Billy the Kid. On March 17, 1879,
he arranged that the Kid would act as an informant and testify against those
involved in the Lincoln County War. In return, the Kid would be "scot free
with a pardon in [his] pocket for all [his] misdeeds."

But the Kid
returned to his outlaw ways and Governor Wallace withdrew his offer.





While serving as governor, Wallace completed Ben-Hur, one
of the most bestselling American novels of the 19th Century. The book has never
been out of print and has been filmed four times.




The story is told that Wallace set out to study the Bible in
order to prove it wrong. Instead, he claimed Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
The novel became a statement of his newfound faith.




I like the Old West true tale idea that the author of Ben-Hur also sat
down with Billy the Kid. It reminds me what interesting, eclectic people
tramped out west back in the early days.




Come to think of it, westerners are still a remarkable,
diverse bunch.


Move: Ben-Hur





Copyright©2009

Stephen Bly

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TWEETABLES:




Old West true tale: the author of Ben-Hur meets Billy the Kid:  http://clicktotweet.com/0BYcU

Bestselling novelist Lew Wallace was also governor of New
Mexico Territory: http://clicktotweet.com/OJraT
This writer built a moat around his study, a way to
insure privacy: http://clicktotweet.com/liee6

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Horse Dreams Series available at Bly Books website:  http://www.blybooks.com/product_category/contemporary-fiction/





Memories of a Dirt Road Town







Wish I'd Known You Tears Ago















The Mustang Breaker

Rules of Murder, Historical Romantic Mystery, New Release by Julianna Deering

Rules of Murder


Author Julianna Deering Announces New Release: Rules of Murder, an Historical Romantic Mystery 

Drew Farthering loves a good mystery, but he expects to find it in the pages of a novel, not on the grounds of
his country estate. 

When a weekend party at Farthering Place is
ruined by murder and the police seem flummoxed, Drew decides to look into the
crime himself.




With the help of his best friend, Nick Dennison,
an avid mystery reader, and Madeline Parker, a beautiful and whip-smart
American debutante staying as a guest, the three try to solve the mystery as a
lark, using the methods from their favorite novels.



Soon, financial irregularities at Drew's stepfather's company come to light and
it's clear that all who remain at Farthering Place could be in danger. Trying
hard to remain one step ahead of the killer--and trying harder to impress
Madeline--Drew must decide how far to take this game.




Julianna Deering

Author Bio:

JULIANNA DEERING has always been an avid reader and a lover of storytelling,
whether on the page, the screen or the stage. This, along with her keen
interest in history and her Christian faith, shows in her tales of love,
forgiveness and triumph over adversity.





A fifth-generation Texan, she makes her home
north of Dallas with three spoiled cats and, when not writing, spends her free
time quilting, cross stitching and watching NHL hockey.




Her new series of Drew Farthering mysteries set
in 1930s England debuts with Rules of Murder and will be followed by Death by
the Book (Bethany House, Spring 2014) and Murder at the Mikado (Bethany House,
Summer 2014).




She is represented by Wendy Lawton of the Books
& Such Literary Agency (www.booksandsuch.biz).




For
more about Julianna Deering and her books, check out these two websites: www.juliannadeering.com




Julianna
also writes as Deanna Julie Dodson: www.deannajuliedodson.com

Buy
Here:

http://www.amazon.com/Rules-Murder-Drew-Farthering-Mystery/dp/0764210955/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top







 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rules-of-murder-julianna-deering/1113143882?ean=9780764210952


At Christianbook.com: http://bit.ly/13eg28S



Here's a link to Bethany House's page with author Q&A, excerpt,
discussion questions and press release: 

http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/rules-of-murder/343331

16 Cowboy Songs, A Music Quiz by Western Author Stephen Bly

Match the line from the cowboy songs lyrics to the title. 

Keep in mind, since most of these cowboy songs existed as oral tradition before
they were written down, several versions of each have survived. The words you
remember might be a tad different.

Cowboy Songs Titles:

A. THE OLD CHISOLM TRAIL

B. BUFFALO GIRLS

C. JESSE JAMES

D. BORDER AFFAIR

E. BURY ME NOT ON THE LONE PRAIRIE

F. BILLY THE KID

G. GIT ALONG LITTLE DOGIES

I. RED RIVER VALLEY

J. GOOD-BYE OL' PAINT

K. SAM BASS

L. HOME ON THE RANGE

M. STRAWBERRY ROAN

N. WHEN THE WORKS ALL DONE NEXT FALL

Cowboy Songs Lyrics: 



1. "Do not hasten to bid me adieu . . ."

2. "Stay away from that city, they call it Cheyenne . .
. "

3. "I don't look much like a lover . . ."

4. "A kinder hearted fellow you seldom ever see . .
."

5. "Out of a job and not making a dime . . ."

6. "It's your misfortune and none of my own . . ."

7. "On a little brown pony he called Chaw . . ."

8. "A group of jolly cowboys discussing plans at ease .
. ."

9. "The dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard . .
."

10. ". . . and I stood there amazed."

11. "And tell of the desperate deeds that he did . .
."

12. "With a $10 horse and a $40 saddle . . ."

13. "I'm off to Montana for to throw the hoolihan . .
."

14. "And dance by the light of the moon . . ."

15. "Where the rattlesnakes hiss and the wind blows
free . . ."






BONUS QUESTION: Which of the Old West cowboy songs had these words?
"A tall shanghai rooster and a one spotted hog . .
."





Clue: She was the most sung about lady in the Old West.
















~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

COWBOY SONGS MUSIC QUIZ ANSWERS: 



A. The Old Chisholm Trail (12)

B. Buffalo Girls (14)

C. Jesse James (9)

D. Border Affair (3)

E. Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie (15)

F. Billy the Kid (11)

G. Little Joe the Wrangler (7)

H. Git Along Little Dogies (6)

I. Red River Valley (1)

J. Good-Bye Ol' Paint (13)

K. Sam Bass (4)

L. Home on the Range (10)

M. Strawberry Roan (5)

N. When the Works All Done Next Fall (8)

O. Dreary Black Hills (2)




And the cowboy songs bonus question . . . "a tall shanghai
rooster and a one spotted hog . . ." comes from Sweet Betsy From Pike.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Stuart Brannon's Final Shot


Free stuff, blog & store: http://BlyBooks.com

Stuart
Brannon's Final Shot by Stephen Bly
with Janet, Russell, Michael & Aaron
Bly
Selah Award Finalist
http://bit.ly/X5fKTb

Videos on "Getting
The Writing Call" & "How We Got Our Ideas" by Janet Chester Bly:  http://bit.ly/YO67W2

Download Kindle Stephen Bly
Books: http://amzn.to/VFM4r0
Download Stephen Bly Ebooks & Estories: http://bit.ly/TD9wqo

Friend Janet Chester Bly on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janetchesterbly
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Bly Books: https://www.facebook.com/BlyBooks
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Whispers on the Prairie, new novel by Vickie McDonough

Whispers on the Prairie


New Release! Whispers on the Prairie 

Book 1 in the
Pioneer Promises series

exciting new
series set in 1870s Kansas




The last thing Sarah Marshall wanted was to leave Chicago.
Especially to travel the dusty Santa Fe Trail. But when her uncle demands she
go to help her feeble aunt, who took her in when her parents
died, she has no choice. She hopes to get her aunt to her new home then
return to Chicago.




Ethan Harper’s well-ordered life is throw into turmoil when an
uppity city gal is stranded at his family’s stage stop. Now his two brothers
and every unmarried male in the country are wooing Miss Priss. When one brother
proposes, Ethan is in turmoil. 

Is it because she’s the
wrong woman for his brother—or the right one for himself?



News Flash!

Romantic Times magazine selected Whispers on the Prairie as one of their Inspirational Book Recommendations for July. Click this link to see the article:


Get to know Vickie McDonough . . .


Vickie McDonough at Bryce Canyon


Profession: Novelist 

Status: Married 

Kids: Four sons


Grandkids: One granddaughter


Fav Color: Teal

Fav Snack:  Ice cream, popcorn, chocolate, or Chex Mix

Fav Dessert: French Silk Pie

Fav Restaurant: Cheddars

Favorite Quote: What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?

Reading: Historical Christian Romance

Stephen Bly and horse SundanceNo one likes to get...

Stephen Bly and horse Sundance


No one likes to get bucked off a horse. Old cowboys especially. But if his broomtail decided to 'hop for mama,' 'take ya to church,' 'chin the moon,' or 'wrinkle his spine,' he plowed the ground with his face. Then he must catch the rude horse and holler, "Ketch my saddle!"


Two good reasons for that western slang slogan, "Ketch my saddle."

One, in the Old West cowboys rode $10 horses and sat $40 saddles. Which do you think was more valuable?
Two, on many ranches the horse belonged to the brand, but the saddle was the property of the cowboy.



You may never have been bucked off a horse, but you've probably gotten mashed before. That can be a social, emotional, or spiritual crunch. The result is you're battered and bruised.



Paul told Timothy, "Some have even rejected sound teaching and shipwrecked their faith" (1 Timothy 1:19).



When you're embarrassed by failure or should have known better. When you weren't able to hang on and a trial threw you. You need to holler out, "Ketch my saddle!" That is, "Give me a hand and don't let me lose my valuables."



Sometimes we cry out to God, "Catch my marriage." "Catch my child." "Catch my faith."





A valuable saddle with lots of chrome

Don't be too proud to call on others to help you save what's priceless, before it's gone.



Stephen Bly

Copyright©1994

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Some more info on western slang like "Ketch my saddle" and many others:

Cowboy Western Slang by Elizabeth Lane at Petticoats & Pistols blog. Her list is adapted from The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in the 1800s by Marc McCutcheon:  http://petticoatsandpistols.com/2007/10/25/western-slang/



Western Words and Phrases That Might Have Fooled You by Charlotte Sands at Petticoats & Pistols blog: http://petticoatsandpistols.com/2008/11/14/western-words-and-phrases-that-might-have-fooled-you/





Western slang, lingo, and phrases ... A Writer's Guide to the Old West:

http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-slang.html

Funny Cowboy Sayings ... Cowboy Wisdom and Humor: http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/slang/funny-cowboy-sayings.html





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 What's your favorite cowboy saying or western slang?

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Her Dad & Louis L'Amour: Finishing His First Novel by Guest Blogger Rebecca DeMarino

Rebecca DeMarino and Howard Worley


It was June of 2010, and my dad, at age eighty-seven, lay on a hospital bed, prepped for an angiogram. His aortic valve was just about closed, and his cardiologist ordered the test as a first step to open-heart surgery. The heart surgeon would not want any surprises when he went in to replace the valve. 



Now Dad held my hand and told me he wanted to tell me the end of the western romance he was writing, his first novel, the story he began to write nine months before.






He had read and owned (from the look of his cupboards) every Louis L'Amour and Zane Grey novel printed. Now it was time to write his own.



As we wound our way through airport security on our return from The Highland Springs Resort in Cherry Valley, CA, I remarked the resort would make a good setting for a novel.



I was writing my own first novel, a historical romance set in the 1600s, but I was thinking of a contemporary suspense. Dad said 1800s. He'd been intrigued with the old photos of Highland Springs back in the days it was a stagecoach station.



A few days after the trip, I received an email from him.  Subject:  Highland Springs Story Line. The body of the email contained a complete synopsis of the story.  He signed it: How about it. Love, Dad. 



I wrote back, Dad, why don't you write it? 



And so he did. Now his first novel was nearly finished. I had read each chapter as he completed it. He carefully printed and mailed it to me by priority mail service. A western romance, where Louis L'Amour meets Zane Grey: The Stagecoach Murders.



I couldn't wait to get each new package. Though he'd never studied the craft of writing, he was a natural and knew each chapter needed a hook. Dad was writing a page turner!



I didn't want Dad to tell me the end of his first novel story. I squeezed his hand and told him he would be just fine. He would come home to his ranch to write his ending. But he insisted. As tears fell, I listened.



His heart surgery was a success, but his recovery was interrupted two days later when he suffered a major stroke to the left side of his brain. My siblings and I stayed by his side 24/7, both in the hospital and when he returned home. His physical recovery came quickly.



Soon he was taking care of himself and his horse, Cotton.



But speech, and the ability to write, were a struggle for him. He knew exactly what he wanted to say, or write, but the word would come out a jumble. Or sometimes the opposite of what he was thinking. He was frustrated, but determined to finish his book.



He was blessed with a speech therapist who determined to make that happen. When he told Dad his speech had improved to the point he no longer needed speech therapy, Shawn pointed out that there was still work to be done. Dad had a novel to finish.



He was inventive in his sessions with Dad. He would print out western art and ask him to write three short sentences about the action depicted. Then he would have Dad connect two of the sentences, then bring in the third.



In January, at age eighty-eight, Dad finished his novel!



He never gave up. He never said it was too late, too hard, or he was too old, too tired. He has left such a legacy for his children and grandchildren. The hope he gives to others recovering from stroke, and their loved ones, is truly inspirational.



And he has proven the words on a little purple pin I put on his bulletin board a few years back. It says, Please be patient. God isn't through with me yet. Thank you, Lord.



The Stagecoach Murders


About The Novel The Stagecoach Murders by Howard Worley: 
Both want to find the killer. Boone seeks justice. Lily is bent on revenge for the murder of her father. She sees Boone as the means to find it. Soon love ensues. But is it enough?



For a full review of THE STAGECOACH MURDERS, please click: FICTIONADDICTION.



CLICK HERE FOR DAD’s FIRST NOVEL: http://www.amazon.com/Stagecoach-Murders-Howard-Worley/dp/147761382X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1341626469&sr=1-1&keywords=howard+worley


About My Dad


Howard Worley

He was born in Chanute, Kansas, in the year 1923. He grew up dreaming of being a farmer and cowboy. In 1943 he joined the Navy and met my mom when he was stationed at Beeville, Texas, as a flight instructor. He flew SNJ's and AF's.



In 1965 he traded airplanes for horses when he retired from the Navy. He moved with my mom, my three siblings and me to a small farm in Oregon. As we kids flew the next, they put down anchor on a one-hundred acre ranch in the Willamette Valley.



When they were not taking care of cows, horses, chickens and a big vegetable garden, they delivered Meals-On-Wheels, were charter members of The Prince of Peace, an Episcopal church in Salem, Oregon. They served as volunteer directors at the Oregon State Penitentiary Day Care Center for seven years. They were affectionately known as "grampa" and "gramma."



My mom passed away in 2005. There is not a day that goes by that my dad, my siblings and I do not miss her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Rebecca DeMarino is also working on her first novel. 

To find our more about her, check out these links:

Writing yesterday’s stories for today’s hopes and tomorrow’s dreams!

Twitter: @rebeccademarino

Web: www.rebeccademarino.com ...  

Blogs: www.rebeccademarino.com/fictionaddiction

       www.rebeccademarino.com/category/dadandme

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Six Plot Kickers for Authentic Western Fiction

Stephen Bly



Authentic Western Fiction Plot Kickers by Stephen Bly


It's knowing the little facts that can produce the most authentic western short stories and novels, the truth in fiction. Some of the details of the Old West like those below can provide an extra shot of realism and emotion for the western genre and kickstart a sagging plot. All the examples are excerpts from Creede of Old Montana . . . .




1.) Count on fire hazards.
Most authentic western towns burned to the ground several times in their short existence. Stick frame houses with cedar shingles and careless wood stoves and chimneys created a cocktail for disaster. Firefighters did all they could with their primitive technology. But burning buildings seldom got saved, though they might manage to protect the rest of the town.

When the half-keg of gun powder exploded, the ground shook beneath Avery. Windows rattled at the hardware store, over a block away.
By the time he and Carla got within two hundred feet of the Sheriff's office, the building was consumed in flames.

Hundreds of bystanders watched from a distance safe enough not to singe their eyebrows. Two crews of men operated hand-pumps to wet down adjacent buildings.  

Avery hung back in the shadows to study the faces.

2.) Rouse up the "High Noon" mentality.

High Noon



Heroes often call on the citizens of a town or region to step up and help contain a threat or enemy. But what if they receive no more help than Will Cane (Gregory Peck) in his famed movie? Avery John Creede tries to get the mayor and town leaders involved and has initial success.

 
'Avery, what do you intend to do?' Carla asked.

'Find him before he finds me.' Someone tapped his shoulder. Avery spun around, gun drawn.

A short man in a suit waved his hands. "Wait. It's me, Mayor Leitner. Young Emerson said you wanted to see me.'

Get together anyone that isn't fighting the fire. Block off both ends of Main Street, so no one can get in or out, unless they're on foot.'

'What if they dismantle the barricade?' 'Throw lead their way. They'll scatter. I'll find Rinkmann.'

3.) Rattle the sabers.
It's crucial to know authentic western basics like horse behavior, time period clothing styles and the rhythm of the language, but especially the correct description and use of weapons. Know your guns and their quirks.

For instance, most authentic western gunmen carried only five cartridges in their revolvers. They left the hammer on an empty chamber, for safety reasons. But when going into a fight, they loaded the sixth cartridge. Knowing trivia like this can provide practical hassles and challenges for an otherwise competent hero. Or add authentic western detail in a poignant or humorous moment.

'What can I do to help?' Carla asked.

'Stand in front of the church so he can see you. Wear your mildly distraught look.' 

'How will that help?'

'It will keep him looking out front. Maybe I can sneak up from behind.'

'I see. A diversion. Why not have me flash an ankle instead?'

Avery shoved a cartridge into the last empty chamber of his revolver. 'This is not a time for humor.'

'Are you calling my ankles humorous?'

'I've never seen your ankles.'

'That can be arranged,' she cooed.

4.) Tackle hero family hassles.
Chaos reigns as several hundred residents in Fort Benton, Montana, crowd the streets to watch a huge fire rage. It seems every citizen is on the streets. Most of them shout to be heard above the roar and confusion of the fire. Meanwhile, Avery John Creede faces a family dilemma, a parenting issue in the middle of a tense scene. As the guardian of his nephew, he's forced to apply some discipline while pursuing some criminals whom he believes started the fire to hide a burglary and murder.

Avery leaned against the cupola railing and caught his breath. He pulled the hammer back on his revolver. Heat surged through his leg muscles as he pushed up. 'Throw down,' he commanded.

A young male jumped in front of him waving his arms. 'Don't shoot, Uncle Avery.'

Avery's gun hand dropped. 'Ace?'

'Hi, Mr. Creede,' said a cheery female voice.
 

'Miss Leitner? What are you doing here?'

'Ace is protecting me. Isn't he brave?' 

'Where's your shirt?' Avery demanded.

Ace rubbed his bare chest. 'Miss Tabby was cold, so I let her wear it.'

Avery shoved his gun into his holster. 'Get your shirt on right now.'

'But you said it could be dangerous at her house. I wanted to take her someplace safe.'

'No one ever comes up here to the bell tower,' the girl said. 'Did you come looking for us?'

'I'm looking for Rinkmann and now I've lost him.' He glared at the two teens.

Tabby Leitner slipped her hand into Ace's. 'Maybe he's over on the bank roof. We saw two men prowling. When the jail exploded, we spotted them.'

'Give Ace back his shirt. And, young man, take Miss Leitner back to her mother.'

5.) Opposites share a past.
Have protagonist and antagonist connect. Avery John Creede knew this guy Rinkmann all along. They both hail from A.T.P. (Arizona Territorial Prison) at Yuma, Arizona, one of the most severe jails in the Old West.

A few were hung there. But most died of the extreme climate conditions. Not many escaped. They had to cross on foot hundreds of miles of desolate desert. Add to that a bounty the authorities gave to the local Indian tribes for returning escapees. Rinkmann and Tap Andrews (from The Code of the West Series) are the only ones I know of that made a successful exit.

'Creede?' His mouth twisted in a scowl. 'I thought you were in Mexico.' 

'Owens? I thought you were in Hades. When did you take the name Rinkmann?'

'When I busted out of Yuma. It's my real name. What are you doing here?'

'I'm going to arrest you.'

6.) Test heroine for authentic western tough.
They can start as city girls, like Carla Loganaire in Creede of Old Montana, but through a process of trials and time they've got to prove to be standers. Or be booted from the story.

Many wealthy people from the eastern states and from Europe came West for adventure. They realized history was being made in the vast expanses beyond the Mississippi. They wanted to soak it all up, but not get their fashionable clothes dirty. Carla was such a gal. And the jury's still out on her at this point of the events. But I'm sure she'd prefer to be on a carriage ride along Lake Michigan rather than in this rough scene. (Caution: some violence references, which is part of any authentic western.)

Rinkmann yanked Carla's arm behind her back, his knife at her throat. 'So, you do know Miss Loganaire of Chicago. When she told me she was going to meet the bravest man in the west, I should have known it was you who lied to her. Throw your gun down, Creede, or Miss Loganaire makes it to heaven before you.'

'Avery, he's hurting me.'

'That's stupid, Rinkmann. You can't make it out of this town. These people won't let you.'

'You're a dreamer. Which one is going to stop me?'

Carla tried to pull away. 'I want to go home. I don't want to be here.'

'Turn her loose!'

'I think I'll slice her throat a little at a time,' Rinkmann rasped.

'I'm going to be sick.' Carla doubled at the waist, started to cough, then vomited all over Rinkmann's arm.

Copyright©2008

Stephen Bly

 website: www.BlyBooks.com

"On A Western Trail" blog: www.BlyBooks.blogspot.com

Where to find Creede of Old Montana: http://www.blybooks.com/bookstore/western-romance-novel-2/



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Creede of Old Montana

http://www.blybooks.com/bookstore/western-romance-novel-2/