A Summer For Reading!

Hi, everyone! How is your summer so far? I hope you're having lots of days filled with sunshine, swimming, and barbecue.  Here in North Central Texas we're having 100 degree temps, where I'm staying inside in the A/C writing my next book, Christmas, Liberty, and the Three Minute Man. Liberty will make her appearance in the 7 author anthology, A Christmas Cowboy to Keep, coming in October 2018. Coming July 19th is the 9 author anthology, Under A Mulberry Moon, which will include Ada and the Texas Cavalryman.

We celebrated the Fourth of July, along with the rest of the United States in grand fashion. My husband, Jerry, and our grandson Marshall participated in a neighborhood parade in Fort Worth wearing their Sons of the American Revolution uniforms. They are very handsome, if I do say so myself. Stay cool as you can and enjoy the rest of your summer!

New release!

EMMELINE, Bride of Arkansas, the long awaited sequel to LAUREL: Bride of Arkansas, American Mail Order Brides series, Book 25. Emmeline has recently been in the anthology, Pistols and Poplin, so if you own that one, you have Emmeline already! She's on sale for $.99 or FREE in Kindle Unlimited. Emmeline, Bride of Arkansas

EMMELINE, Bride of Arkansas Emmeline Weidner arrives in Arkansas, after being left at the altar by her intended, a young man from a prominent Philadelphia family. Seeking to heal her bruised feminine ego, she moves in with her sister. While learning to cope with her new life, she discovers she isn’t content to live the life of a spoiled society woman. Can she let go of her new-found independence, when the right man comes along? Lincoln Bass returns to Flat Rock Point, Arkansas a year after the accident that almost cost him his life. His friend and former employer has asked him for help at the lumber mill. He is apprehensive, but feels he owes the man who saved his life. He decides to stay and help with the investigation to save the lumber mill, and face his anxieties. He’d planned on going back to his home in Little Rock, until he crossed paths with the most delectable, yet bewildering female he’d ever encountered.

An interview with Emmeline!

What did your mama tell you to find in a man? Mother, a pillar of Philadelphia society, told my sisters, Laurel and Adeline, and myself to find a man with a pedigree and from a good family.  What is the most adventurous thing you've done? The most adventurous would most certainly be leaving my home in Philadelphia and going off to Arkansas to start my life over. I'm to live with my sister, Laurel and her family until I figure out what I'm going to do.   What is your most favorite thing about your love? My most favorite thing is that Linc, being a lumberman, is as far away from Philadelphia as he can get, yet he's more principled than many men of society. And, he love me just as I am. Coming July 19th and available for pre-order, Under a Mulberry Moon Under a Mulberry Moon Adventure! Mystery! Romance! Nine award-winning and bestselling authors present sweet western historical stories to ignite your imagination and feed your passion for reading. Let us sweep you away from your daily cares and entertain you with our sigh-worthy novellas set between 1865 and 1900. What a line-up we have for you! UNDER A MULBERRY MOON is a bargain! Preorder at only 99 cents before price goes up to $2.99 sometime after release! Better hurry—this anthology is available for a limited time only. The following books are included:  Millwright's Daughter by Zina Abbott Worth the Wait by Patricia PacJac Carroll Ada and the Texas Cavalryman (Brides of Texas Code) by Carra Copelin A Family For Merry by Caroline Clemmons A Family For Polly by Jacquie Rogers Comes A Specter by Keta Diablo The Widow Buys A Groom by P.A. Estelle Matthew's Freedom by Cissie Patterson The Lady Lassoes an Outlaw by Charlene Raddon Hugs,Carra

REVIEW OF LAUREL: BRIDE OF ARKANSAS

Laurel: Bride of Arkansas (American Mail-Order Brides Series Book 25)

Written by Carra Copelin

Reviewed by Mary Adair

Sweet Romance  5 Stars

I must say, I have developed a liking for stories about mail order brides. Laurel: Bride of Arkansas is one of my favorites. Laurel lives in a time when the women’s rights movement was in its infancy. Laurel’s aunt Lottie was Laurel’s introduction into that movement and seeing the kindred spirit in her niece, Lottie welcomed her into her home where Laurel’s spirit of self reliance flourished.

When her aunt, Lottie, was killed in a tornado, Laurel knew she could not return home to an over bearing and controlling father. She would not waiver in her determination to choose for herself the path her life would take. So, when she was faced with going home or remaining to take a job in the mill, she choose independence. Laurel was happy with her decision and the bonds of friendship she forged, but fate once again intervened when the mill burned to the ground. Laurel was lucky to escape with her life, but would forever be burdened by the sight and sounds and the fear she felt when she thought she would not escape the flames.

Once again she was faced with a decision. Would she return home or take her future into her own hands by answering and add in the Grooms’ Gazette?

Laurel: Bride of Arkansas is a sweet romance that will leave you smiling and feeling good all over. I love the way Ms Copelin developed Laurel and Griffin’s characters and how believably and humorously they played off each other. This type of character development can be the difference between just likeable characters and beloved characters. If you are busy, but love to read short books with a lot of story, Laurel: Bride of Arkansas is the perfect book for you. You won’t be disappointed.

Mary Adair is the author of the Amazon bestselling Native American Passion series. 

Women's Work or Finding a Job for My Latest Heroine

Last month I talked about authors choosing a location for their books. This month's topic is along the same lines, except this time I want to talk a little bit about choosing a profession or line of work for our characters. My next book is set in Dallas (Present day) and Galveston (1900). Yes, I’m finally going to write that Time-Travel that’s been rolling about in my head for many years.

The job selections for the heroine, which I’m talking about here, can be varied or somewhat limited depending on the era in which the story takes place. A woman living in the early twentieth century or before could be a housewife, a seamstress, washer-woman, or possibly a stenographer. Nowadays, there are a plethora (love this word and wanted to use it) of choices. A woman today, as we know, can pretty much choose any career path she wishes to follow.

Most of the time, whether the characters go back in time or come forward, we portray them as a fish out of water. Since I’d used that premise with my last book, Laurel: Bride of Arkansas, where a mail order bride from Philadelphia society married a widower living on an Arkansas farm, I didn’t want to use it again this soon.

Inspiration for Faith Daniels

My heroine, Faith Daniels, needs to have a career she loves in the twenty-first century that she can draw on when she travels back in time.

Inspiration for Faith - 1900

Lately I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the home remodeling and do-it-yourself shows on certain channels. One in particular holds me captive each week, where the star of the show rehabs old homes to their former/original glory. Sooooooo, one day the “lightbulb” came on over my head and stirred the what-ifs. Aha! By jiminy, that’s it. 

Faith is a modern-day house rehabber living in Dallas. Her friend, Alice, travels with her to Galveston to see and work on the turn-of-the-century house she’s bought in a blind auction.

Inspiration for house Faith buys in auction.

Now, if you know me, you know that isn’t all Faith is going to go through. It seems to me there was a little storm passed through Galveston in 1900. She’s going to meet a special, tortured gentleman, Joe Benning, and I wonder if they’ll get together. Will she stay in the twentieth century or will she come back home to Dallas? The working title for this time-travel is, The Texan’s Redeeming Faith.

I’ll keep you posted on all the goings on just in case you’re interested. Do you like time-travel stories? Let me know.

Carra

Carra's Amazon Author Page