Rain Trueax's Blog, page 31

soul collages

When I got to our Tucson house and settled at my computer to scan over one of my eBooks for improving the editing, redo a cover on another because of complaints that it just didn't do the book justice, and keep up on the MOA forums (two I follow with interest), I looked up at the collage above my desk and saw something I hadn't put together before.

It goes back to 2001, when I was 58 and going through a LOT of changes in terms of who I was and what I wanted. I was entering the gateway to old age. Changes were ahead whichever way I was going to take them. It was then that I read about a tool to center yourself toward your deepest goals-- creating soul collages.

There were classes and books on how to do this, even making soul cards this way [soul collage book]. I ordered the book but never took the time to read it as I already had a feel for how I wanted to do it. I didn't want to make the cards as I used Tarot by that time which worked fine for my off and on needs. What I wanted was to create a soul collage for the wall that I could look at.

So, I went through my western and art magazines, cutting out images that spoke to me.  It turned out to be a mix of art, people and scenery. The instructions are then to glue them to a board, which can be particle board, cardboard, anything heavy enough to hold them, in a pleasing pattern to you.


The one above my desk here in Tucson was my second and created in 2002 during a four month period where I was staying here, often alone, as my husband would fly in and out for his consulting business while keeping up the cattle and sheep operation in Oregon. I had time to hike by myself, create a lot of clay sculptures (many still in this house) and think.

I did my last collage in 2003 back in Oregon. By 2004, it just didn't seem something that I needed to do; but I also hadn't seen how they had changed much to do the three I had. But you know often what we think is not speaking to us is doing more than we know.

Last week, when I looked up at the Tucson one I had to laugh. I saw my romance novels. What I had no idea back then was that I was pointing myself in the direction I would go. Although I was always writing I hadn't seen the connection between the collages I had done and the books. I see it now. The energy of all my romance novels is in those collages. I can't say the collages pointed me toward them but they sure do reveal them.






These images represent my innermost soul, but also the women I write about, the men they love and the energy of what I hope for in everyone of my stories. As I think about it, the two I have in Oregon do the same thing. All that was in me, wanting to come out, was in those collages. I didn't need to make more of them because they were there; and when I looked up at this one, I thought, yeah, it was a better tool than I knew.

So if you haven't found your own energy, this is a tool I much recommend. If you don't have the right magazines, head for a used store and pick up some that most interest you for the images. You might be like me and not understand how much it has revealed, but I think it helps even if is subliminally. Thinking about it now, I know they can serve as reminders each time I start a new book of what I hope will be in it for me to reveal and readers someday to discover.

into the new year

It's hard sometimes to settle down and write blogs. My mind is on so many other things and when I get back here, I am torn on what to cover.

Well a new cover is one of them. From out of nowhere I decided to redo the cover for Evening Star. This book came to my attention because I began January with a -1 on my Amazon page that shows sales. It happened because whoever has been taking my books and asking for refunds bought Evening Star December 27 or 28th. The refund request obviously came just as the new year began. It made me laugh as what a beginning to a year. Fortunately sales soon erased it.


The cover had had a man on it with a rather dreamy expression in his eyes. It did fit the hero. The story of Evening Star is not told from his perspective. It's the only full length novel where the point of view stays with the heroine and villain (yes, the villain). You see the hero only through their eyes; but it is sooooo much about him.

Wanting a change for the book that had come out early in 2012, I looked through the images I already had purchased. The above one seemed to do the job best in showing the doubts each of them have for this relationship into which they have entered.  I set the backdrop as the city of Portland along with the evening star (actually Venus) and a crescent moon.

Incidentally, I have read it's good to change covers now and again, but I won't do it for that reason. I do it because I've come up with a better way to showcase the story.

That's when I got into something I also hadn't expected. When I knew I'd be resubmitting the book to get the new cover, I thought I should look at the text. This is something a non-writer probably won't understand but a painter would. I didn't see mistakes in the book or places I goofed up but rather where I could upgrade my story by cutting words or rephrasing.

When I am writing a lot, as I have been in the last few years (I have gone through spurts where sculpture was more to me or painting but always writing is there), I am constantly getting better. I am a better writer today than two years ago and will be better yet in two more years. It is how it is and it's also why I tell those who want to write-- do it. Do it and more will come.

So I began to look at the text and yes, I saw places I could sharpen it. Since I was resubmitting anyway, I went through the whole book. There would be long sections where nothing could be improved. When I saw where it could be, I did it before sending it off to Amazon.

In the last two months I have looked through two of my books (both published early in 2012) for that kind of upgrading. For anybody who doesn't like it that eBooks are organic that way, they probably also don't understand how a painter can look at their painting on the wall, and think-- that corner bothers me and set out to change it. It is the creative process which is also organic at least in my experience. (The only time I can't do it is with my fired clay sculptures. I'll still though look at an arm and wish I'd made it shorter but there is no tweaking them).

For anyone who bought this book before January, you can go to your manage your Kindle and request an update. That's another plus to the electronic books that you won't find with paper ones which are more like the sculptures-- until the next edition.

I am so into this being 2014 with new opportunities. Always there are chances to learn, to take new challenges. I am happy to find this is still true at 70 :)

our Tucson backyard looking toward Pusch Ridge

Settling in

 gila woodpecker at Casa Espiritu (our Tucson house)
Traveling a lot, starting the day after Christmas, has gotten me off my game with posting here. I am back though with high speed internet (which took some hassle to get working again) and hopefully will have my usual schedule of Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday postings-- until we have to leave toward the end of January.

In heading south, we spent four nights out rather than the usual two because we had our two cats (who hate traveling) and were pulling our vacation trailer. It wasn't so much that the trailer slowed us down (it did have those moments) but more that it was nicer at night than in a motel room-- hence we were more willing to only drive 7 hours instead of the usual +12 that used to have us ready to collapse whenever we finally got to our destination.

RV and state parks are interesting for how people are more prone to interact with each other than happens in most hotels or motels-- at least in my experience. I won't say you become bosom buddies, but you often learn more about why they are on the road. Seeing their rigs (and often dogs) tells you more about the people than you'd see just carrying bags into a motel room. Also the trailers have windows on all sides; so you see more of what's around you. I liked it a lot and spending more hours in it at night was fun. Most RV parks now have wireless. Many also offer cable TV but we haven't set that up and don't watch much TV other than our own DVDs at night. What made it great was feeling like each night we were re-entering our cottage.

 you see the pop out which is popped in as we sure don't want unwelcome guests while here to be using it and I do mean the kind that fly and crawl.
 So our trailer is parked at the back of our Tucson property and we're settled comfortably with some things to get fixed (okay quite a few of those), but time to do them right. I've been working on assorted writing projects. More about those on Sunday. For today, below are the two fur kids. They look more relaxed than the oldest one actually is. Every morning he hides under one of the beds thinking we're going again. By the time he figures out we are not, it will be time we will...

end of a year

The end of a year, even though it's purely a bookkeeping feature of human life, always seems a good time to evaluate what's gone well and not so much. Often rather than looking back, I have looked ahead for what I want in the coming year.  Some years I used to write a kind of focus statement with the elements I hoped for in the coming twelve months-- trying to keep them all things under my control. I haven't done that for a few years; maybe because I have a feel for it now and don't really need to write anything down. It's engrained.

Where it comes to the work I do and love, writing, this last year was a great one (ignoring consequences). In January I had just come back from being in Tucson, Arizona, and a book clamored to be written that would follow one I had written 20 years earlier but not yet published.


The new book flowed and within a month and a half, I had its rough draft. As I've mentioned many times, that's the start, not the end. Once I had its basics, I waited a bit and began editing it. Editing it. Editing it again. I like time between edits where I can look at it hopefully freshly. I double checked for dates being right, being sure any historical points were accurate, and created a trailer from images I'd been collecting. I was quite happy that the book that historically speaking came three years before it was not yet out as it allowed me to be sure the two books would mesh regarding those little details.

While that was going on, I was also collecting research materials for the fourth Oregon historical which I thought I'd begin writing during the summer. Actually I did but the clip I wrote won't even make the book as the research brought up new ideas, and my characters began to evolve as I got to know them better. That literally happens in my head with only taking notes to get details down.

To help me with that phase, I edited the third Oregon historical where the hero for the fourth has a part. More and more I knew what generally was going to happen with the fourth one in the series-- but wanted a trip to the country in which its based. That didn't happen due to a ton of real life circumstances getting in the way. Real life has a way of doing that.

Toward the end of the summer, I knew I needed an insight into that unwritten hero that I didn't have. He is a warrior. What did I know about warriors especially those in the United States Cavalry? So that's when I began researching George Custer as he was in the same time period, experienced similar wars although in different regions. That got me so interested in Custer that I not only read every biography out there on him or his wife, Elizabeth, but wrote several blogs here on them with what I'd learned. That might seem a divergence from my planned path but it really was part of it even though it put off writing more than the first chapter of that book.

Late summer is when I had decided to bring out the first Arizona historical. Marketing has become one of those things I have had to do to get the word out and hopefully build up some interest in the book. Marketing takes a lot of time, but I have learned a lot through my three years of doing it.

Traveling to the regions of my book helped for the feel. I've been in the region many times but it is good to have it fresh. I also visited four museums to assure my story is historically accurate. I have one minor point I've yet to find the right info but I haven't given up on finding it.

In the midst of that we brought out some of my books in paperback. So far that has meant five but probably more will come. That work has gone to my publisher, Farm Boss, who does it through our company Seven Oaks and CreateSpace. All I had to do was write a back cover blurb and make sure the combination with front, spline and back looked right.

Just before the end of November when I brought out the last Arizona book, I had a dream that led to writing a novella about as fast as I've ever written any book. I had 27,000 words in four days-- the right length to tell its story. When you get a dream with the bones for your story, the writing can fly. It will take editing before I bring it out the first of February. It's not a typical romance; so I have to think long and hard about how I can market it. I did though create a trailer as soon as I finished-- having images in my head can help with editing.

So here I am end of the year, Arizona Sunset and Tucson Moon are both out and their reception has been okay, not hot but not totally disappointing. In December I became dissatisfied with the cover I had originally created for Tucson Moon and redid it to something that goes better with the first one and I think is better balanced. I've redone covers quite a few times, but this was the fasted redo as when I had to look at the original cover every day where I had it alongside my blog, I got tired of it fast.

As one of the dicey elements to eBook publishing on Amazon, someone took eleven of my books with a purchase and request for refund the same day. Amazon makes it easy to get refunds without asking for a reason, but this was obviously not related to being dissatisfied with the books, rather seeing a way to get them for free. Those two things have gone into making the decision to not bring out the Oregon historicals as eBooks early in 2014 if at all. I might start them as paperbacks with the possibility that Oregon bookstores would be open to them as historical romances set in the period between 1852-68.

In the midst of marketing, the forum where I participate at the Meet Our Authors  decided to do a short story anthology. I had two ideas for mine with one of them seeming better for another Arizona novella . The second idea led to writing my first short story which will be in a western romance writers' anthology coming out probably in mid-March as is currently planned. 

Amazingly at the end of the year I began to think about one of my books that had hardly sold any copies. I had someone offer to read it while I redid its cover and edited it once again. New cover, sharper editing and maybe a promotional burst for Moon Dust come the first of January. I think the new cover does a better job depicting the story. This is a book that has a lot of hard truths in it and maybe that's been what has made it hard to sell to romance readers. Who knows but I believe in the story and creativity has you always willing to look at whether there is a better way to tell it.


In 2014, I will write the fourth Oregon historical (after the Arizona novella which will go faster. Its title is Yaqui Moon). Writing is my 'one' thing (I'd say raising my kids was years back), and I feel lucky I have it now with them busy with their own nests. Telling such stories has been my life since childhood and seems it will be until my last thinking days. Whether the consequences work out to be rewarding, that's not the point. The writing always is.

So new year. New inspirations. Doubtless more surprises with what comes after the Oregon historical but as I look back over last year's 'one' thing, I feel good. When you are writing, ideas are always flowing. If you are wanting to write, haven't started yet, then I encourage you to start. In the starting, your genre will become obvious and you will have the fun of being immersed in your story as more and more ideas come to you.

there are days...

Living a life of creative activities, pretty much from as young as I can remember, I've learned a few things in those many years that I rely on today.

One, despite its potential rewards on a lot of emotional levels, it isn't easy being a creative person. I think doing crafts might be more rewarding with less upset as you'd find something you liked, develop the skills, and could keep repeating it without constantly challenging yourself to find something new. Crafts are repeatable. Art not so much.


Writing could be a craft if a person was so inclined. Take a look at what is out there, selling well, figure out its structure and what elements were in it, develop your craft, and just turn out the books. I don't know if they'd sell better, can't say about that, but there'd be less pulling the book out from within, less revealing of yourself through work that was more manufactured and less personal. I think it'd be emotionally easier if you did fail to make sales.

Since I so often write about the upside of being a creative person, I figured it was only fair, at the end of the year to do one post on the down side before again the upside. So what do you do when you put your work out there, your heart of hearts and it fails?

My answer is ask yourself first one question. It comes from a scene in the comedy City Slickers where Curly is telling Billy Crystal's character about the one thing that matters most in life. He holds up his finger and says that one thing makes all the difference in a life and it's what he has learned over a lifetime. He dies before he can reveal what it is, but Crystal's character figures it out-- it's doing what you were meant to do. That's the one thing.

So when failure comes along, were you doing that one thing? Finding it can be the challenge of a lifetime for some and for others it's obvious from childhood. Doing the one thing doesn't guarantee rewards from others but you need to know for yourself. Are you doing that one thing for you?

If you are, comes something you must accept-- it won't always be rewarded by the world. In fact, the world might not even like really creative changes. Do they want a book that is different than all the others they have read? From the sounds of this study, they don't.

out of the box thinking-- popular or not?
I have seen this often when readers are reviewing books. If the book had the elements they were expecting, followed the formula with maybe a few minor deviations and surprises, they are wowed. If not, they were disappointed. Naturally if you are trying to make a living at your one thing, you can't ignore what the public is willing to exchange their labor to buy. But if creativity really is your thing, you might have to support it other ways.  If it matters more to you to get the praise, maybe you haven't yet found your 'one' thing.

This comes down to another life principle. We can control our actions-- not their consequences. We might be pretty good at guessing what they'll be, but we really can't know. Sometimes we do what seems right, and the world spits in our face. We take a simple drive around the block and five minutes later we're dead. Go shopping and a stranger shoots us. Consequences aren't always under our control.


Bringing it back to writing as an example. You are doing your 'one' thing in writing the book. You take the next step, and this one is a doozy, as you put it out into the world. Nobody cares! You aren't writing the kind of stories they want. You can see someone else being rewarded with prizes and sales, and you're not getting any because what you did didn't meet the criteria of those who are controlling consequences-- in short everybody else.

The answer, at least mine is, keep doing the 'one' thing, but release the expectation it will be appreciated. It's the 'one' thing that is the joy and finding and doing it, that's what it is all about. The rest is either gravy or not but it doesn't have to stop you. There is always the next photograph, the next painting, the next play, the next book.

This doesn't mean ignoring the craft side of what you're doing. That's important to get the 'one' thing out there in a way others can at least understand it. Craft is the bones but creativity is the meat.

Not letting consequences get you down doesn't mean ignoring marketing either. It has no chance to be rewarded (or not) if it's not out there. Creative work, once it goes into the marketplace, is a product, forget the art talk then. It's a product that you are asking someone else to exchange their hard-earned dollars to trade for it. Creating is the art though.

Marketing, if you want it seen, is part of the deal with anything from grass-fed beef and lamb, to technology, to a new computer, to a play, music, or the book you put your lifeblood into.

But was marketing the 'one' thing? It actually could be for some people. They are the ones you need to get interested in your book and let them practice their 'one' thing to get your paintings into important galleries or your photography in a prestigious magazine. Never lose track of your own 'one' thing though.

When we are honestly doing creative work, it has to come from us and our hearts. We cannot mimic what someone else found successful. We tell our story with the best craft we can put out; but in the end, it may just not be what someone else values or needs.

I won't say it doesn't hurt when you've put a year's worth of work into something and it's just not valued by others, maybe they won't even give it a chance; but hey, it's consequences. And it shouldn't stop a person because it's not the 'one' thing. The 'one' thing is to keep on keeping on because that's where the joy is. Getting caught up in the consequences can be heartbreaking and cause a loss of focus. 

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and hope all who come here are enjoying this special time of the year. Google+ did something to one of my photos (image of wolf from CanStock and snowy photo from our farm) which I really liked and wanted to share. I gotta learn how to add snow as I totally love it-- in a snow globe or photo

Holding On To Heaven and Dark Night of the Moon by Keta Diablo

Today Keta Diablo is sharing two of her books, the second a sequel to the first. She is an exciting writer-- one who can quickly become addictive as she writes a wide diversity of stories.
Holding On To HeavenWestern Romance by Keta Diablo
BlurbBrothers in love with the same woman—one the father to her child, the other her husband. Civil War has crumbled a nation, and the Dakota Sioux are on the warpath. While the blazing fires of revolt ravage the countryside, twins, Lauren and Sage McCain are ensnared amid the flames of destiny.
Family betrayal, heart-stopping danger and love, a love that crosses all boundaries and forges all cultures.
Setup and ExcerptHigh-pitched shrieks reached Lauren's ears.  Warriors raced their painted ponies through the yard with bloody scalps dangling from their spears. The leader stood at the top of the porch steps, his obsidian eyes hard and cruel; his face impassive. Lauren came to her feet, head up, chin out, and faced him.
Dressed in caramel buckskin pants and high-top moccasins, he struck a terrifying pose. A dark blue vest covered his torso, adorned with beads in the shape of an oak tree and acorns. A breechcloth of the same fabric hung from his narrow waist and over his right shoulder, a pouch made of buckskin and porcupine quills danced beneath the glare of the sun. Three black and white feathers stuck out from behind his left ear, lying flat against his shiny, black hair. His dark eyes pierced her with a sinister glare.
She glanced to the rifle propped against his left shoulder, the one he used moments ago to kill Uncle Mason and Aunt Estelle. Their eyes locked again. She trembled beneath his bold perusal but he remained as still as a marble statue. With a flick of his wrist, he set his warriors into motion. Racing toward the outbuildings, they lit the torches in their hands, their bloodcurdling screams bringing Lauren to her knees.
The hostile looked down at her aunt and uncle before capturing her gaze again. Although terrified of the hatchet he lifted skyward, she stepped in front of her loved one's bodies. She would not surrender to their mutilation, not while she drew breath. A brief flicker of admiration passed through his eyes when he lowered the weapon and gave a brief nod.
Kindle: http://amzn.to/15cCS5sNook:  http://bit.ly/OJ44MeNook UK: http://bit.ly/V991kSKobo: http://bit.ly/NSl5HU  Dark Night of the MoonWolf Shifter/WesternSequel to Holding On To Heaven

Creed Gatlin flees to Arizona intent on wiping out the haunting memories of his brother’s wife. Presumed dead, Brand Gatlin resurfaces and the destinies of those he loves are altered forever.
In a land rife with war and danger, Sage travels to the village of her husband’s People where she’s reunited with the ancient healer, Crooked Back.  Devious plots are underfoot and peril lurks around every tree on the long journey back to Full Circle. An unforgettable journey of war, violence, grief and finally, love.
ExcerptCreed cut across his father’s land and headed south, the closest route to Full Circle. He hoped Lauren wouldn’t be at home when he visited his son today. And he hoped she would. Would he always feel this conflict, torn between love and hate, hope and despair? He longed to see her, yet seeing her delivered unbearable torment.
He couldn’t bypass the pond. To do so would take him miles out of his way. He braced himself for more anguished memories and urged his mount forward. He’d mulled over his options a thousand times in the last few months and the same answer surfaced. In the spring he’d leave Minnesota, journey far from home. He didn’t know his destination, but what did it matter? He’d become an outsider, a man in love with his brother’s wife, his dead brother’s wife. Creed laughed into the cold wind. Both he and Lauren were waiting on a ghost.
The dapple gray beneath him flattened his ears and flared his nostrils, alerting Creed to a foreign presence in the woods. Could be a renegade or a wounded beast. Hell, could be a whirling-dervish sent by Satan. Nothing surprises me anymore.
The horse came to a halt and tossed his head to the right. Creed followed his signal and spied something dark against the pearl-white ground. He pulled his rifle from the scabbard, cocked it and slowed the gray into a foot-dragging pace. He smelled the blood before he saw it. Once a man smells blood, tastes it on his tongue, inhales it, the coppery scent is stamped on his senses forever. He could thank the United States government for that.
Creed dismounted near the body, scanned the woods and prepared for an ambush. He’d heard of hostiles propping a body on the ground and lying in wait for a man to take a closer look. The noisy chatter of the forest told him everything seemed normal. He kept the rifle ready and walked forward.
His heartbeat picked up speed. A familiar wave of knowing washed over him. The hair, the slender body and graceful curves could only be.... “Lauren!” He dropped to a knee beside her and placed his fingers against her neck. Thank God, a faint pulse. A ribbon of crimson streaked her forehead and ran down her cheek. The blood, thickened by the cold, had ceased running long ago. Creed pulled her to his chest and rubbed her arms, hoping to bring warmth to her cold body.
Kindle: http://amzn.to/YONTHFNook: http://bit.ly/LxpGKhNook UK: http://bit.ly/UetW75Kobo: http://bit.ly/QOiqeX
Keta’s Bio
Keta Diablo lives in the Midwest part of the country on six acres of woodland. When she isn't writing or gardening she loves to commune with nature.

Keta is a multi-published author in both erotic romance and gay fiction. Her paranormal novel, Where The Rain Is Made, was nominated for a Bookie Award by Authors After Dark. Keta's books have received numerous Top Pick, Book of the Month, and Recommended Read awards from the top professional review sites.

You can find her on the net at the following places:Keta's Keep: http://ketaskeep.blogspot.comKeta Diablo Books: http://ketadiablobooks.blogspot.comThe Stuff of Myth and Men: http://thestuffofmythandmen.blogspot.comKeta on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ketadiabloKeta’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KetaDiablo.Author?ref=hl
Thanks so much for visiting Rain’s blog today to read about Holding On To Heaven and Dark Night of the Moon . Check out the Amazon links to read the reviews.
Wishes for a blessed New Year to all, Keta


 

Carol Spradling and The Highwayman's Grace

 Today's guest author is Carol Spradling, first with a bit about her and then her latest release, a time travel that sounds very interesting.
Author Bio:As a youth, I loved reading Trixie Belden books. She was great—smart, witty, and surrounded by good-looking guys. What’s not to like? While in my teens, I discovered the answers to that question when I heard someone mention a romance novel she had read. Her shallow breathing and flushed face was enough to pique my interest. A trip to the bookstore was in order. I read with wide-eyed amazement. Trixie never spoke of such occurrences! 
Other than the obvious, I found myself trying to appreciate what my friend had enjoyed about this book. Yeah, there was the hot guy and beautiful woman, but the book as a whole frustrated me. Why did it take 380 pages for the couple to admit they loved each other? To me, this is where the story began. Much to my sadness, I found this to be the writing norm. 
That was several years ago, don't ask how many.  ;)  I still love a good romance, as well as the mountains of North Carolina.  This is the High Country, after all.  We have skiers in the winter and Kilt-wearing Scot descendants in the summer.  Now that the Forever Time Travel Romance is nearing a close, I'll have to start a new series with a local influence.  Hmm, has anyone every skied while wearing a kilt?
Until I get to a new book idea brewing, you have to hear about my latest release.  The Highwayman's Grace is the third book in my Forever Time Travel Romance Series.  The series is about 4 sisters.  Grace is the youngest and meekest of the four…or at least she was the meekest.  When her older sister forces the family time travel gift on her and then abandons her in the middle of nowhere, all she wants is revenge, until she meets highwayman Ethan Tanner.  Take a look. 

The Highwayman's Grace blurb:Grace Blackstone never wanted to be a time traveler.  She also didn't want to be abandoned within reach of a notorious highwayman.  A chance meeting with the outlaw leaves her vulnerable to more than her new ability.  Having seen behind the wanted man's mask, Grace is confused to find another man claiming to be her rescuer.  Highwayman Ethan Tanner has one goal in life, to destroy Bennett Brown.  He has faced gunmen, and braved the elements, but a young woman who seemingly appears out of nowhere terrifies him.A rainy night brings Ethan and Grace together in more ways than one.  She will have to trust him with her secret, and he will have to trust her with his life, but are they willing to release their pasts in order to have a future together?
Excerpt:
"You are agreeable to this?" Ethan asked, wanting to know her honest opinion.  He tried to keep his tone flat, giving her a chance to revise her decision.She walked toward him, looking as uncertain as he felt.  "I'm not sure I know a better option," she said."I hate to admit it," he offered, "but this might be the best way to keep you safe."  He reached his hand to her, hoping she saw his action as an open gesture, without concealed intent.  "As soon as I can find a way out of this," he tried to assure her, "I'll grant you your freedom.  I promise.""I hate to intrude, but I am in a rush," the pastor interrupted.  The clergyman pointed to the lower section on the paper, and Ethan obediently signed the document.  Strangely enough, his hand didn't shake as he affixed his name above Grace's."Fine.  Fine."  The pastor sanded the wet ink, and then opened his Bible."Ethan Tanner, do you solemnly promise to take this woman, Grace Blackstone, as your wife, providing for her and protecting her all of your days while in the sight of God?"The words weighed heavy on Ethan's shoulders.  All of your days.  He had just promised Grace he'd find a way to free her, now the pastor asked him to affirm to the contrary.  Deep red and purple abrasions encircled her throat next to the collar of the dress she wore.  He hadn't seen them before, but Addie assured him, these marks were not isolated incidents.  He'd swear an oath to both God and Grace, and hope that one pledge wasn't contingent on the other."I promise," he said. The minister turned to Grace.  "Grace Blackstone, do you promise to accept Ethan Tanner as your husband, abiding in his household and obeying his commands?"Grace nodded slowly as though unsure.  She lifted her eyes to Ethan and her chin rose assertively.  "I promise."Addie sniffled behind them, and Ethan cringed.  This had been an impromptu ceremony.  What would she have done with a year to prepare?"You are husband and wife," Pastor Whitten proclaimed.  "May your life be filled with many children.  Now that this is done, I'll be on my way to the Clancy farm to discuss the details for tomorrow."  He touched the signatures with his fingertip, folded the paper, and then placed it inside his Bible.  Tucking everything under his arm, he waved to them in passing.  "Good day," he said, and then disappeared through the opened doorway.Ethan stared awkwardly after the minister, not completely certain what to do next.  He supposed he should take his wife and sister home.  His wife.  When he started out this morning, he hadn't thought his day would end with a marriage ceremony.  He glanced over at his bride.  She was caught in Addie's tight embrace, being rocked from side to side. Lavender oil should soothe her abrasions, but he doubted her internal scars would heal as easily.  Other than give her time to forget what had happened to her, he didn't know how else to help her.  He looked to the bruised skin at the cuffs of her sleeve, feeling as responsible for her pain as if he'd personally clamped the constraints against her delicate skin.  He'd taken two vows tonight, and while he wasn't sure how, he planned to honor them both.  Whether successful or not, one thing was certain, no one would lay a hand to her again while he lived.  But more importantly, Bennett would pay for what he did to this woman…his wife.See what I mean?  Grace and Ethan are a perfect match.  Wait until you see them in action.


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Carol
Historical Romance, Time-Travel AuthorWebsite   Blog   Facebook   Twitter

Paty Jager and a Christmas anthology

Author Pagy Jager is my guest author today as she discusses the making of a Christmas anthology. If you are looking for something to put you in a Christmas frame of mind, this is the real deal.



The Making of a Christmas Anthology
By Paty Jager


Mid-summer I was contacted by Debra Holland and asked if I’d be interested in participating in a historical western Christmas anthology. I like anthologies, and I like projects that can help with cross-promotion. My answer was yes. 

Debra said the story had to be set in her fictional town of Sweetwater Springs, Montana. Which meant reading her books and getting to know her town and characters. She also said we could use some of our characters or completely new ones. The other catch; all the stories happened on the same year at Christmas time. 

Debra, myself, and nine other authors are in the anthology. We set up a FB page just for us where we could discuss what our characters were doing, what their names were so we didn’t double up names, and ask questions about the town and people. All this chatting made the stories meld together as cohesive as we could.

I took the easy way. I brought in a new couple and also Zeke and Maeve Halsey from my Halsey Brothers Series. As Pinkerton agents they are hired by the main character to find his missing wife. She is in Sweetwater Springs living at Widow Murphy’s boarding house. My easy out; was keeping most of the scenes in the boarding house and they were the only boarders at the time of their visit. That way I only had to deal with one of Debra’s characters, although the heroine does have a run-in with the cranky store owner Mrs. Cobb in the beginning of the story. 

Other authors took on the daunting task of their characters attending the Christmas celebration at the new hotel and meeting more of the locals in Sweetwater Springs.
Reading the blurbs and the book, you’ll see that each one of us brought our own voice to our stories but the town and atmosphere is clearly Sweetwater Springs.



Christmas in Sweetwater Springs: 
A Montana Sky Short Story Collection
E. AYERS - A CHRISTMAS FAR FROM HOME
Frank Coleman comes to Sweetwater Springs to ask Adie Reiner to be his wife, but things don't happen as planned. Frank has been devastated by the plight of the Crow Indians, and when he discovers the indifference and bigotry within the Reiner household towards the Indians, he leaves. But he doesn't leave alone. Adie and her sister come with him. Adie is determined to help those less fortunate. www.ayersbooks.com


LINDA CARROLL-BRADD - WISHES ON A STAR
Free-spirit Richelle Quaid is outspoken, confident and a little bit spoiled. She sets tongues wagging with her bloomers and bicycle but also catches the eye of visiting rancher Landon Howard. An incident with her bicycle causes his prize colt to bolt into the cold Montana night. As Richelle and Landon track the animal together, they can’t fight their growing attraction. Will a wish made on a star foretell their future?   www.lindacarroll-bradd.com


MJ FREDRICK - ABIGAIL'S CHRISTMAS ANGEL
US Marshal Benedict Traylor has avoided Abigail Sinclair, his best friend's widow, since his friend's death in the spring. Part of his reason is guilt over his role in Marcus's death. A bigger part is his guilt over the tenderness he feels for Abigail. But it's winter, and he knows she needs his help. When he arrives and finds her unconscious on the floor of her barn, his plan to stay only a little while flees. As he nurses her back to health, his affection for her blossoms anew. www.Mjfredrick.com


DEBRA HOLLAND – THE GIFT OF MUSIC
The holiday season brings renowned harpist Blythe Robbins to town to perform at the newly-opened hotel. Timid Blythe is drained from a grueling performance schedule and wants nothing more than to rest and do some soul-searching about her future. Peter Rockwell, shy scion of a prominent hotel family, seeks to gain his experience managing a hotel away from his overbearing family. Can two reserved people overcome their limitations and find love? drdebraholland.com


DEBRA HOLLAND - A FAMILY FOR IKE
Elderly hermit Chappie Henderson rescues newly orphaned Ike Tannerson and takes him to town to find a home. As Ike struggles to fit in with his new family, Chappie worries for the boy. But to help Ike, Chappie will need to emerge from his long solitude, something that seems impossible. drdebraholland.com


DEBRA HOLLAND - THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS
The town banker Caleb Livingston opens his new hotel, crowning the holidays with a lavish party for the whole town. Although his intention is to advertise his business, in the process, the banker learns that perhaps some things are more important than money. drdebraholland.com


PATY JAGER – A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER
Dr. Carson Raines has one wish for this Christmas; to find his missing wife. He enlists the help of a married couple who are Pinkerton Agents. They find his wife, Ida, living in Sweetwater Springs as a spinster. Ida is pleasantly surprised to run into one of the new boarders at Mrs. Murphy’s boarding house. He’s a handsome doctor who might be able to help her discover her missing past.  www.patyjager.net


JILL MARIE LANDIS - UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR
Spinster Violet Winters is determined to make the best of spending her first Christmas alone in Sweetwater Springs. When she slips and falls one icy cold evening, not only does Rory Townsend, a drifter nicknamed "Tumbleweed" come to her rescue, but the townsfolk rally to help too. Violet quickly discovers what it means to live in a close knit community and that it's never too late to give up on love and the surprises life has in store. www.jillmarielandis.com


TRISH MILBURN – A NEW HOME FOR CHRISTMASGrace Mayfield leaves behind betrayal and heartache in Kentucky for a new life in Montana. She'll be satisfied with a stable, happy new home on her cousin's ranch cooking for the ranch hands. What she doesn't expect is to find true love with cowboy Andrew Kingston, especially when she's been failed by love before. www.trishmilburn.com


LINDA MCLAUGHLIN -  THE BEST PRESENT
Ten-year-old Allison Harcourt's life has been turned upside down since her father lost his job and her beloved grandmother died. She's not looking forward to Christmas, especially since she can't figure out how to finish the scarf she's making for her mother. An unexpected stop in Sweetwater Springs brings her and her parents to the boarding house of the widow Murphy. Sometimes sweet things can be found in the most unexpected places. www.lindamclaughlin.com


BEV PETTERSEN - THE CHRISTMAS CROSSING
 Ellie would love to leave her father’s peddling wagon. But spending Christmas Eve locked in the Sweetwater jail is the bossy Cal Barrett's idea, not hers. How can she possibly sit behind bars when snow melt threatens to wash away her beloved animals, and her dream of finding a home? However, with a little Christmas magic, two searching hearts discover they can bridge much more than a raging river. www.BevPettersen.com


TORI SCOTT – A PROMISE FOR CHRISTMAS
When Rachel Tanner loses her husband two months before Christmas, the holiday looks bleak for her and her young son, Cass. Then her husband's brother arrives in Sweetwater Springs to help Rachel make it through the winter, turning her life, and her heart, upside down.  http://toriscott.blogspot.com


CYNTHIA WOOLF - SUGARPLUM DREAMS
Julia Bosworth is a woman scorned. Determined to follow her dreams and not those of her mother, she comes to Sweetwater Springs, Montana to open a sweet shop. Little does she know that in Sweetwater Springs dreams really do come true and Christmas miracles happen.  www.cynthiawoolf.com

Buy Link:
http://www.amazon.com/Sweetwater-Springs-Christmas-Montana-Anthology-ebook/dp/B00G06W3SA
website: www.patyjager.net
blog: www.patyjager.blogspot.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paty-Jager/132536633482029

A pinch of Solstice, big helping of Christmas Eve with a little...

Last year right after Thanksgiving we were heading to Tucson, driving across the Nevada desert, when I got the idea of writing a Christmas novella. The whole thing fell together easily as it was about a family I had introduced in From Here to There (that book ended before Christmas and after a big snowstorm).


Taking these characters a couple of years forward with a slice of life story seemed a natural. When you are writing a story with characters you've previously created, half the work is done. I wanted to write something that emphasized the sharing aspect to Christmas but also brought out that, on a ranch, the work doesn't take a holiday. I also wanted a story that was modern in the problems families face today. It went together easily and was out before Christmas 2012. Surprisingly it's sold once in awhile through the year as some people like to read Christmas stories year round.

A Montana Christmas
Because my characters in that story were not overly religious people, not to say they weren't believers but they were not strongly into a church, I had the chance to have them celebrate the Solstice along with Christmas. It might seem pagan to use the Solstice that way but it's part of the season and a lovely way to celebrate the gradual lengthening of the days. My kids all have Solstice celebrations to bring back the light. I encompassed some of that as a way to bring two families together.

It's not as though Christmas itself is a uniquely Christian celebration since it's well known Christ was not born at that time of the year, not with shepherds in the fields with their flocks. Most people understand the Christmas tree goes back to Celtic roots. The candles could be seen as part of Hanukkah or Saturnalia, the Roman celebration of light. Santa Claus is a myth of Scandinavian origin with Saint Nicholas. Now there's also Kwanzaa, as a celebration of family, culture, and community.


I've often thought it's an odd time of the year to have such a busy season when we basically have the longest nights, the most colds and sickness, so what do we do but run to stores, buy a lot of stuff, eat too much, and then collapse as soon as it's over. However, that's the Scrooge in me. Others say all of that is the very reason we need it in the darkest season as a celebration of color, music, rebirth, and joy. Maybe so. I know I have some Christmas songs that are my definite favorites ( Bethlehem Morning one example-- my CD is Sandi Patti but check out that YouTube if you have time. That song brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it and brings back a ton of lovely memories as our church at that time had a pastor who could sing and boy could he sing that song).

Trailer for A Montana Christmas