Briana Vedsted's Blog, page 14
August 3, 2013
A fast update about what’s going on
Okay, so I’m back. Sort of. I figured I’d give you all a break from me pushing A Girl Named Cord on you. (You could buy the eBook , though. Oops, sorry about that, couldn’t help myself.)
Anyway, life as an author is going alright. I’ve sold four eBooks through Amazon and one through Smashwords. Here is the part I’m a little grumpy about. I know a lot of people who love paperbacks. They have no idea what a Kindle, Nook, Kobo, or eBook is. Never heard of them. So for those people, I publish all my books as both eBooks and paperbacks. I buy several of the paperbacks and sell them to my friends and relatives, which is by far the most profitable. Up until this last week, no one has bought a paperback off Amazon or Createspace (whom I use to format my paperbacks). And thank goodness for that! I have the paperbacks priced at $7.99. The royalty I will receive is o.32 euros. (the book was sold in Australia.) For my 99 cent eBooks, I get 0.36 euros in royalty. (I really have no idea how many euros equal a U.S. dollar, but still!) Somewhere there, that seems messed up.
Fine, moving on. Rancher life is okay. Here in Colorado (actually, I think most of the states are the same way) there is a drought. We only have 1/5 the normal amount of irrigation water, and, well, I’ll suffice it to say we’re a little parched. W-e-l-l, last week we got hit with a huge rainstorm! Yah! But ‘Yah!’ only lasted for a few minutes before I realized my sheep/goat enclosure had four inches of water standing on the floor. Yep, that’s not a good thing. So, in the middle of the pouring rain and lightning storm right above out heads, my sister and I start bailing water while my brother starts digging trenches. For whatever reason, we weren’t gaining. The water just kept coming. We finally had to throw in the towel. So to speak. So we moved my animals to the backyard, where we thought we could fit them into the doghouse. (Just so you know, the doghouse is my sister’s and my old playhouse.) They didn’t all fit. So, our only other option was to put the poor, soaking wet, crying babies in the trailer. It stunk, was damp and cold, but they were out of the worst of the storm. After it stopped raining (two days later) and the water soaked in (another two days) we planned to wait for the ground to dry, then we were going to haul in more dirt and mix it with the hay/bedding that was already on the floor. Scratch that idea because the hay started to rot and it was crawling with worms and maggots. Fast-forward, and we finally have the sheep/goat house clean of the grossness. And the floor is muddy. (About this time, the baby milk goat I’ve been waiting on arrives. Yah! But sadly, after having her for only three days, she became an ornery, five-month-old escape artist who would not let me catch or pet her, and I had to return her.) Wait another couple days. Give up waiting because it is getting to be a pain trying to shove my 70 pound sheep into the trailer where they just DON’T want to GO! The next day is spent filling up the 10X20 foot enclosure with another four inches of dirt. (Yeah, that took awhile.) And finally, today was spent taking off the door and fitting it with new hinges and latches. We got the feeders set up and put out fresh hay. The babies are finally back home. And guess what, it started raining this afternoon. Oh boy. And to top it off, the horse I sold my sister (my mom’s favorite horse) got colic and died this morning.
So life in general is a mess. I apologize if I’m absent, because I’m trying to deal with a lot, and I don’t know how often I’m going to be around. I don’t know when everything will get straightened back out (if ever), so just bear with me. I’ll schedule a few posts, do some book promoting, and try to pop in from time to time. But if you don’t hear from me, just know that I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth (maybe I have, but I’m sure someone will feel sorry for me a throw me a rope or something) and I should be back to my regular, happy self soon.
But until then, take care!
Interview with Courtney McCoy
Today I had the pleasure of getting back together with Courtney ‘Cord’ McCoy from my book, A Girl Named Cord. Courtney agreed to let me interview her, and the following is what we discussed.
Me: Hi Cord, it is nice to see you again.
Cord: Yes ma’am, it is good to be back.
Me: So, let’s talk about you. Your fans want to know more about you. So, where would you like to start?
Cord: I was born on the twelfth of May, in the year of 1833. My mother’s name was Betty and my pa’s name was Allen, though, I don’t know much about either of them. They died when I was only two years old.
Me: Oh, Cord! That’s terrible! I’m so sorry! Where did you live after they passed away?
Cord: I was sent to live with my mother’s only sister, teenager Alice Blankenship. You see, in the time I was born, women were not men’s equal. As children and teenagers, women lived on their father’s farms, where they did chores, cooked, cleaned, and looked after younger siblings. When women came of marrying age and found a suitable partner, they’d be wed and the new bride would move to her husband’s homestead. There, they would tend to the house, cook, clean, and have children. Mortality rates were not the best, so the more children, the better. Especially sons.
Me: How dreadful! It is so good that woman are no longer treated that way. But, if you don’t mind me asking, why were you an only child?
Cord: I do not know why I had no older siblings. I was born two days after my folk’s tenth wedding anniversary. At that time, most other couples would have already two or more children. *shrugs*
Me: So it was not a common thing for you, a young girl, to venture out into a man’s world and expect to find a place among them. I’m sure it was rarer still to actually be hired as a ranch hand.
Cord: Yes, it was nothing short of a miracle for me to get the job that I did. The only reason I did get it, was that my employer, Jake, saw me and remembered the sister that time had stolen from him. That’s why he took me in and gave me a place. If not for him, I’d have been sent back to the hotel to wait tables and wash linens.
Me: Did Jake’s other employees treat you differently?
Cord: No. They all became my friends.
Me: That is wonderful. I’d say you are a very lucky woman.
Cord: *nods* Yes, I am. I’ve had my share of hardships, but that is to be expected. Life on the range is not easy.
Me: Of course. Well, that’s all for today. Thanks Cord! We’ll have to get together and talk again really soon!
Cord: Yes, that sounds very nice indeed!
Buy A Girl Named Cord here:
August 2, 2013
Don't Cry
Reblogged from Fall'N Love Crafts:
I am glad that I wrote this poem; reading it, sometimes, makes me feel better on the days when it feels like my life is going downhill. Maybe it will help you, too.
Through valleys low,
And mountains high,
Sadness does daunt me,
And tears haunt me,
But yet I will not cry,
The devil chases me through brambles and thorns,
What a bittersweet poem!
Bear-y Wonderful Plates
Reblogged from Fall'N Love Crafts:
Do you love rustic home décor? Have you been wanting to bring a little piece of the wild west into your home?
All my hand-decorated plates are made right here in the great state of Colorado and they will undoubtedly give you the rustic-yet elegant-style you've been wanting. Here is one of the plates available on my Etsy Shop, Fall'N Love Crafts…
This plate is simply gorgeous! Neutral color that will fit any décor! And it is reasonably priced, to boot!
Please help out the newest member of the Wordpress community and go check out her blog! She welcomes all likes and follows! :)
The new western book on Amazon.com
Do you like historical fiction? Do you like westerns? How about a story that calls for a female character to step up and face the challenges of living in a man’s world in an era where men’s rule was absolute? Do you like a book that can make you laugh and cry, and even smile while reading it? Then perhaps you’d like my newest book, . Buy it today on Amazon for $2.99!
August 1, 2013
Book Review: A Girl Named Cord
A Girl Named Cord - Briana Vedsted
Publication Date: July 30, 2013
Cord had to work hard to earn her living as a cow puncher, and she was getting
along just fine until a wealthy rancher moves into the county and threatens the
lives of her and her friends. Cord rises up to meet every challenge, but the…
"Cord's" newest review!!!
“A Girl Named Cord” REVIEWS
Here are the two reviews A Girl Named Cord has received.
Love and Drama in the Old West
A heartwarming story of a young woman trying to survive in the west of the late 1800′s. Briana Vested does a wonderful job of telling this dusty tale filled with action, drama, and romance, not necessarily in that order. This doesn’t happen often to me, but once I got to know Cord and the rest of her great cast of characters, I had a hard time putting this book down.
Nicely Written Western Novel
I received an advance copy of this book, and have to say, I really enjoyed it. I haven’t read many Westerns, but the author lives on a cattle ranch, so she knows what she’s talking about. The book doesn’t mention a time period or place for the most part, except mentioning the passing of the Civil War. It mentions place only as North/South/Southern, etc.
The cast is varied in personalities and temperaments, and some of the characters wear their hearts on their sleeves. Cord is a solid character. She’s a female rancher, which is rare, but she knows her trade and enjoys it, and has the respect of her fellow ranch hands, as well as from her boss, Jake Suncat. She’s also very loyal to her family and will speak up for herself or bring reason to the table when she feels it necessary. The book takes place in two parts. The first half is set when Cord is a ranch hand on Suncat Ranch and the troubles that ensue when a unfriendly gentleman moves into the territory. The second half, which takes place after the Civil War, has Cord roughly 13 years later with a new life and new issues to deal with.
The story flows well, the characters are real (you can picture yourself in the room), and the twists and intrigue are just enough to keep you hooked without going over the top. It also stays with the time period and Western theme, so the problems, issues, and/or events are realistic for the time and place of the story. A good read overall and highly recommended.
Buy Here:
A little bit more of “A Girl Named Cord”
Here is another little part of my newest book, A Girl Named Cord. Enjoy!
Cord asked, “Why can’t you two be like this all the time? You’re being so friendly and as close as brothers? Why did things go so wrong between you? Why can’t you just work it out?”
It was an innocent question, but Ghost’s face instantly darkened. He let go of Jake’s arm and said, “I need to be going now. Feel better, Cord.”
Jake, too, had fallen silent and thoughtful. He watched his cousin leave, and Cord tugged on her hair in frustration. “Why can’t I say anything right? Everything was going so nicely! I’m sorry, Jake. I—I just don’t understand what happened between you two. I see you together, see how similar you are, the way you laughed at Mr. Gibson, the way you just felt a while ago telling me about your mother and sister; but then, as soon as I mentioned you two being cross with one another, Ghost shut down and you shut up. I think you’re both just a couple of cantankerous old men who enjoy this bickering!” Cord stuck out her bottom lip in a pouty fashion and crossed her arms, turned away from Jake, and began tapping her toe impatiently.
“You’re absolutely right, you know that Cord?”
Cord whirled back to face Jake. “I am? What do you mean?”
“This is senseless! Ghost and I never stopped getting along! We just stopped talking! I could have fixed this, but I was too proud. I should have done what was right and given Ghost part of this ranch just as soon as Pa died. I see that now.”
“But it’s too late to fix it now.”
“On the contrary, it’s never too late to fix a wrong doing! I’ll—”
“Boss, come quick!”
Jake forgot what he had been about to say when he heard Collin bellowing for him. He and Cord ran outside and found Collin in a rage. He declared, “That no account cousin of yours is stealing from you!”
Did you like it? If you did, you can buy the book in its glorious entirety here:
July 31, 2013
It is Here!
A Girl Named Cord is now available for purchase on
Amazon:
and
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/342078
Get the eBook for $2.99 and the paperback for $7.99!
July 30, 2013
Prodigy of Rainbow Tower: Release Date is July 31st 2013
Legends of Windemere: Prodigy of Rainbow Tower by Charles E. Yallowitz.
The action-packed, humor-filled, dramatic sequel to ‘Legends of Windemere: Beginning of a Hero’.
Cover Art Credit:
Jason Pedersen Website: http://www.jasonpedersen.com/
Battling through a demonic assassin and an army of monsters, Luke Callindor has survived his time at Hamilton Military Academy. Now, Luke and his friends must leave the safety of the academy to escort Duke Solomon’s heir down the L’dandrin River and into the safety of the city of Gods’ Voice. Joining them for this journey is Nyx, a powerful caster apprentice of Rainbow Tower. With her talent for combat magic and her short temper, Nyx will prove to be a challenge for Luke and all of their enemies.
Who will survive the harrowing trip down the L’dandrin River? And, who will be the one to break Luke’s trust?
Don’t miss this book! Find it here: http://www.amazon.com/Prodigy-Rainbow-Legends-Windemere-ebook/dp/B00E8WUD5S/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1375242694&sr=1-2&keywords=legends+of+windemere
To find reviews about this book now, visit Goodreads! Here’s the link for Prodigy of Rainbow Tower:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18171173-prodigy-of-rainbow-tower
And if you missed the first book in the series (Legends of Windemere: Beginning of a Hero), you can get it here, http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Hero-Legends-Windemere-ebook/dp/B00BL9GBU2/ on Amazon for only .99 cents!
