Hate Resolutions? Blame the Romans by @JoanReeves

Tired of posts about New Year resolutions? If so, you can blame the whole New Year Resolution stuff on the ancient Romans.

You can relax, this post isn't about writing resolutions. It's about why this is a tradition many of us would like to forget. *LOL*

Fuel for Jokes

Some people write resolutions. Some don't. Some like to set goals for the New Year. Others feel doomed to failure before they start.

Comedians joke that a list of resolutions is a list of things you'll never do. (Too true for most of us.)

A Very Short History

New Year's is the oldest celebrated holiday, dating back 4,000 years to the ancient Babylonians who feasted and "otherwise" celebrated for 11 straight days. There's just not that much history to explain the New Year and resolution thing.

Most historical accounts relate New Year's celebrations to the Romans. Supposedly, in 153 BC, Romans placed an image of Janus, the god of beginnings and the guard of doorways or entrances, at the beginning of the calendar. Yes, that's why the first month of the Julian calendar is called January.

2-Faced Janus

Coin with Janus

Coin depicting Janus. Public Domain Image https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34884498
Janus was a two-faced god, literally. He had a face that looked back on the past and a face that looked forward to the future—all at the same time.

I guess it was appropriate for him to become the symbol for the new year. Perhaps they made resolutions for new beginnings in the New Year, and that's what started it all.

Romans celebrated Janus, looked for forgiveness from enemies of the past and looked forward to the future by exchanging gifts before the beginning of the new year.

(Above at right: coin depicting Janus. Public Domain Image https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34884498)

When Was New Year's Day?

Two thousand years ago, the New Year didn't begin on January 1. Even in our modern world, not every country marks January 1 as the first day of the new year.

In 46 B.C., January 1 became the beginning of the New Year because Julius Caesar developed a calendar (the Julian calendar) that more accurately reflected the seasons than previous calendars had.

Fast forward to today. We still celebrate the coming of a new year, probably pretty much like the Babylonians and Romans—you know, drinking, eating, dancing, music, and some kanoodling with your sweetie.

If you've already fallen off the diet wagon, don't feel bad. In a study on resolutions, more than 50% of the participants were confident they could achieve their goals, but only 12% actually achieved success. Forget that and drown your sorrows in a New Year Romance like Last Chance New Year?

For only 99 cents, you can see how a workaholic executive takes a leap of faith—hoping the man she loves will catch her.

Get Last Chance New Year at Amazon Kindle.

I'll leave you with these thoughts. New Year's resolutions mean changing habits. That's hard work.

Master change the sane way. Pick one thing to change. Work consistently on that until you've mastered it. Then pick another thing to change.That's the secret to successful new beginnings.

Oh, and remember, breathe, relax, and read!

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Writing in Interesting Times

By Sandra Nachlinger

That saying has been repeated over the centuries and is supposedly an ancient Chinese curse. To writers, however, interesting times can ramp up conflict in a story—and that’s definitely not a curse! I’ve been reading historical fiction (and nonfiction) recently, and events that occur during the books’ timelines add even more drama to plots that would be compelling no matter when they occurred.  

The Secret Wife (by Gill Paul) has two separate plots that come together in the end. One story takes place during the last days of the Romanovs. Russia is at war and there’s unrest throughout the country when a military man and one of the Romanov princesses fall in love. That would be a good story by itself, but the plot is heightened by death threats to the royal family (with the overthrow of the monarchy) as well as military conflict which involves the hero. Definitely interesting times.

The Boys in the Boat (by Daniel James Brown) takes place during the Great Depression. World War I is over; disturbing rumblings are being heard from Germany, where the 1936 Olympics will be held. The story of a crew of dedicated oarsmen who overcome odds to win a gold medal would make an inspiring book; but with the added stresses of worldwide tension and with the climax of their hard work set on Hitler’s turf, a good book turns into a great one.  

Right now I’m reading The Widow of Wall Street (by Randy Susan Meyers). An ambitious man from humble beginnings builds a highly successful investment business by questionable means. Then “interesting times” occur in the form of the subprime mess of September, 2008. (I’ve read that the real-life Ponzi scheme operated by Bernie Madoff inspired this plot.) The character’s phenomenal accumulation of extraordinary wealth and the illegal means by which he gained his success would have made a good story at any time; but because it occurred at a time of crisis brewing on Wall Street, the story’s tension builds even more.

I’ve learned a lot from each of these authors’ research, and I’m looking forward to learning even more about history through my eclectic reading choices. I'll be watching for more books that take place in interesting times to add to my bookcase shelves.  

Writing While in Slug Mode and My Time Travel Romance Series

Winter is both a good and challenging time to write. Hibernation calls and chocolate becomes a food group, hot beverages a necessity. My favorite is hot Earl Grey tea, also peppermint. I am not averse to coffee. Caffeine battles the tug to curl up with my drowsy kitties and nap. Occasionally, I succumb, plus we've had another round of plague in the family that set me back. Again.

Despite it all, I'm pleased to say I recently submitted the next in my paranormal time travel romance series to my Wild Rose Press editor and she loves it. This first story, Somewhere My Lady, is a New Adult time travel mystery romance similar to Somewhere My Love but different. The novel kicks off my new series within a series, 'Somewhere in Time--The Lady series.' The common theme in all my 'Somewhere' stories is that they open in an old home, so far in Virginia, and then flash back to an earlier era (or eras) in the same house or somewhere else entirely like the Scottish Highlands.When my editor asked how many titles I foresee in this latest venture, I said, 'At least three.' I have no idea how or when the ideas will come to me, but they invariably do. She needs a clue for contract wording, though.

Who knows? I might write six.

In Somewhere My Lady, the couple are whisked back and forth between present-day in the elegant colonial home on the James River and its rich past during the American Revolution. The story has mystery, history, ghosts, humor, angst, a lot of paranormal activity, and above all Romance. I'm psyched and look forward to sharing more about it soon. 

(The above image is actually a pic of a British manor house, but the best of the James River plantations homes bear a resemblance to one, so close enough.)

I'm at work on the next story in my 'Lady' series, which is totally different from the first one except that it fits the overarching theme in my Somewhere' series--like spokes on a wheel. 

This second story takes place in a castle-styled Victorian home in historic Staunton, Virginia, and flashes back to various eras within the lifespan of the house. Another winner, I think. At least, I'm engrossed in the writing. Each of the 'Lady' stories has a strong female lead and hero, and a great supporting cast of characters. I hope you will enjoy them when they take flight later this year.

Doors are important in these stories and the question posed is, 'Will you go through that door?'

What awaits you on the other side?

If you haven't read my Somewhere in Time Series, the stories are all available in kindle at Amazon. Somewhere My Love stands alone, but Somewhere in the Highlands is the sequel to Somewhere My Lass, so those two are connected. Somewhere the Bells Ring is an anytime read with a Christmas theme. Amazon link below:

https://www.amazon.com/Somewhere-Time-4-Book/dp/B016DF8LJ2

THE PERILS OF NAVIGATING HISTORICAL ACCURACY AND GENRE EXPECTATIONS

By Amanda Quarles 

Hello! I’m gearing up soon for my latest release, and this time it’s a time travel set in Scotland! Because the research and editing for this is fresh on my mind, I thought I’d chat a bit today about some of the challenges authors face when penning the books you love (or hate!). Much like the navigator of yore, we must navigate the tricky waters with our tools and best judgment in hand. I’ve visited this topic in the past elsewhere, but it was before I was published. It was interesting to reread that post from four years ago! I think the major difference with me now, is that I do have a little more tolerance as a reader than I did then, because I know how hard it is now as an author.

A lot goes into writing a book that we have to consider, beyond characterization, pacing, and plot. I know you know this, but I thought it might be fun to show you some behind-the-scenes choices to give you a little taste  Because sometimes, well, we’re not accurate on purpose  You might wonder–shouldn’t a writer who sets a book in the past strive to make their book as accurate as possible? It might come as a surprise to those who know me well (since I’m a history buff) but the answer is not always Yes. Don’t get me wrong, most of the time I strive for that goal, but as you’ll see below, it’s not always clear cut.

NOTE: when I say “reader” and “readers” please know I’m not saying all readers, but since it’ll be cumbersome to keep saying “your average reader” or “most readers”, etc. throughout this post, I’m taking that shortcut.

Are there historical truths?

Before I get into the genre expectation part of the formula, there’s also the question of whose history are we following? There’s a reason why historians say that the winners get to write history. What’s recorded is filtered by the biases of the witnesses. On top of that, historians going over contemporary accounts of a past event are biased as well. So, unless we could fire up that ole time machine, we can’t actually know 100% what for-real transpired.

As the character Malcolm Reynolds says in the movie Serenity:

Half of writing history is hiding the truth.

Sigh. I miss the characters from Firefly/Serenity. Anyway, my point is, as authors, when we go to research our era, we can find conflicting accounts, so we’ll need to weigh the source, check if there are primary documents we can verify against, etc. But in the end, there are two things working into our decisions: 1) we’re writing fiction whose purpose is to entertain (and sometimes enlighten) and we need to consider our story’s needs, and 2) we’re not writing our Ph.D. dissertation on the subject  I know that sounds snarky, but it’s true. And it’s something I have to remind myself when I start to get too anal at the expense of story.

History vs. Story Needs

I have several quick examples to show you what I mean here. The first is actually from Must Love Chainmail, set in 1294 Wales. I hired an expert for that time period and culture to read it over, and she made this note about my use of the word “pinkie”

pinkie would be fine if you are in her pov [Point of View] but you are in Robert’s and the English and Scottish call it the pinkle because the Dutch call it pink – pink meaning little finger

I did debate with myself on whether to change it to “pinkle” but in the end I stayed with pinkie. Several things went into this, but there were two main considerations for me. First, none of the language for his scenes was what he actually spoke (Norman French) since a) I can’t speak or write in it, and b) that’d be seriously narrowing my reader audience  I made the decision, however, to try to restrict the English words used to ones he’d have an equivalent word for in his language, and pinkie fit that parameter. What I was writing was English, but they were conversing in Norman French.

The other consideration was one of taking a reader out of the story. I worried that a reader would stumble on pinkle, or worse, think it was a typo.

But, funnily enough, I did get a reader complaint! She told me she enjoyed the story but that my use of pinkie pulled her right out of the story and spoiled it for her. I felt bad, and I wrote back explaining my reasoning, and she was understanding. But I still feel like it was the right decision as I think more people would have been pulled out of the story if I’d used “pinkle.” Maybe not. Who knows? But see, these are the things that keep us authors up at night, LOL!

The other example is from Must Love Kilts. I have the story start at in inn on Loch Cluanie (the setting is an actual one–I stayed in the room I described!) but when she goes back in time, there might not have been an inn there. Unfortunately, the Highland Clearances destroyed much of the infrastructure as well as the records. My Scottish editor I hired wanted me to move the inn to a large town like Inverness, because she said there weren’t inns in that area, but that didn’t work for my story needs, so I kept it. Sorry! I also didn’t have them sleeping in a room at the inn with a bunch of other people, though that would have been more accurate. I’m fully aware that there will be some readers and writers who would disagree with my choice to put my inn where I did, or will be miffed my couple had their own room. And I have to be okay with that.

On the flip side of this, there are historical details that can yank a reader out of the story that wouldn’t have affected the character or plot to have gotten right, and these are the bits I try to make sure are accurate (or that I hope my editors and Beta readers catch). These help create the fictive dream we weave for our readers. So my Highland warriors don’t have their swords strapped to their backs, a la Braveheart, for instance.

Genre expectations and reader beliefs

Over time, a core set of expectations evolved with certain genres, and readers can feel unfulfilled if they’re not met. The close cousin to genre expectations are events and mores that a reader believes to be accurate because it’s been standard in fiction for so long, but doesn’t actually hold up when studying that time period. And woe betide the author who is actually historically accurate, but it butts up against these beliefs.

I’ve definitely grappled with both of these issues with each of my three time travel romances–one set in 1834 England, one set in 1294 Wales, and one set in 1689 Scotland. As promised, here’s a few of these to illustrate.

Reader beliefs

This is pretty common in Regency romances, and I’ve talked to some authors who write in that time who say they have to weigh this factor in when deciding whether to be historically accurate. In other words, there are customs and beliefs readers think are accurate for that time that actually aren’t. I won’t spend too long on this, but I’ll give one quick example that relates to my books–bathing in the Middle Ages. The belief is pervasive that in the time I wrote for Must Love Chainmail (1294) people didn’t bathe at all, or hardly at all, and the fact isthat’s not true. Part of what motivates me in writing is to help dispel some of these beliefs. But I take the risk that I’ll get called out for not being historically accurate, even though I am.

Did you know there were no set tartan patterns for clans before the late 18th century?

This I classify under genre expectations. It’s pretty standard for the heroes in our Scottish historicals to be identified by their tartan, but back in the day, this wasn’t actually the case. As Michael Newton states in his excellent book, Warriors of the Word: The World of Scottish Highlanders:

…weavers in particular areas tended to use particular patterns and thus you could infer the place to which a person belonged if you were familiar with the local styles of tartan. This is quite different from the claim that each clan had its own tartan.

Plus, the belted plaid apparently didn’t even evolve as a thing these hunky Highland men wore until around the 1500s, though there are folks who hotly debate this. So Braveheart was not running around in a kilt apparently 

But as readers, we want to see our heroes in kilts, even if they’re in the 1200s, and that’s okay! It’s part of our fantasy and as authors of romance, that’s what we deliver. Long ago, this was one of the things that woulddraw me out of a story, but now I roll with it because I now want to buy into that fantasy when I read that type of book.

However, I did have this as something my heroine gets confused about as she navigates that world because she’s from our era and believes clans could be identified by their tartans, and so it provided a bit of fun for her to meet with puzzlement. It also helped the story because it showed her (and the reader) that she needed to tread lightly so that she wouldn’t give herself away as being “not from around here.”

Dinnae fash, bonnie lassie!

I didn’t know that a lot of the speech we associate with our hunky Highlanders is actually Lowland dialect! I only found out when the Scottish editor I hired to read Must Love Kilts for historical, linguistic, and cultural accuracy (she has a Ph.D. in Celtic Studies) pointed out to me that when my hero was saying “bonnie”, “lass”, and “dinnae fash” that these were Lowland words and speech patterns. A Highlander thought in and spoke in Gaelic, not English. As she put in her notes to me:

People who visit the east coast of Canada will see and hear all sorts of names from the Highlands of Scotland and wonder why they don’t sound Scottish. You won’t hear ‘wee’ or ‘bonnie’ or ‘de ye ken’ ever. The reason is because they came to Canada speaking only Gaelic.

So here I compromised, because readers do expect to hear these words when they read a Scottish Highlander historical. And, since he’d be speaking in English to the heroine, and had gone to University in Edinburgh, I figured it was safe to have him use it when he’s speaking to her. I tried to limit its usage for his thoughts, but I wasn’t super strict. Again, I weighed it against genre expectations and genre expectations won out for me.

Final thoughts

As readers of my series know, I do try to be as accurate as possible, but the truth is we can’t be 100% accurate, either because we don’t really know because we weren’t there, or because we weighed in genre expectations or the story needs won out. The problem we face, though, is that each reader is different and, like the lady who was upset by the pinkie, their thresholds can differ from others. In the end, we strive to make our stories enjoyable for the majority of our readers, all the while knowing that there will be some who won’t agree with our choices.

Unlike how it sounds above, though, my editors do make many (many) suggestions that I incorporate or fix. And I research my settings and time period beforehand as well. It makes my stories richer and more authentic, and I’m extremely grateful for their guidance and expertise. I feel that striving for authenticity is one of the promises I make for my readers, and I do my best. But I am human, and so I may not always succeed to everyone’s satisfaction, or, like in the cases above, I made a decision contrary to historical accuracy for the sake of story, genre expectations, or readability.

What do you think? I’m curious to know where you fall in your tolerance for authenticity. It’s not an easy line to straddle, that’s for sure. And authors, do you have any stories and opinions to share?

ANGELA QUARLES

Angela Quarles is an RWA RITA Finalist and USA Today bestselling author of time travel and steampunk romance. Her debut novel, MUST LOVE BREECHES, swept many unpublished romance contests, including the Grand Prize winner of Windy City's Four Season's contest in 2012. Her steampunk, STEAM ME UP, RAWLEY, was named Best Self-Published Romance of 2015 by Library Journal. Angela loves history, folklore, and family history. She decided to take this love of history and her active imagination and write stories of romance and adventures for others to enjoy. when not writing, she's either working at the local indie bookstore or enjoying the usual stuff like gardening, hanging out, eating, drinking, chasing squirrels out oft he walls, and creating the occasional knitted scarf.

Reprinted with permission from http://heartsthroughtime.com 

WHEN REALITY MIXES WITH FICTION

By Brenda Daniels

My current work in progress is a historical set in Colorado in the late 1800's.  Yes, I know I was writing a contemporary mystery, but that one had to be set aside for a while. (Painted myself in a corner.)

I based the fictional town of Bear Paw on the real town of Lake City. I've vacationed there several times, so the place is at least familiar. It's a pretty little place in a valley with a beautiful lake. A lot of Texans own shops there, so the local population has a love-hate relationship with us. Bring money, but leave. I'm ok with that. Winters there are too cold for me anyway.

As I said, the town is small, but full of history. Zane Grey mentioned it in one of his western novels and their one dubious claim to fame is Alfred Packer. In the winter of 1873-74 he guided five men bound for the gold fields in Breckenridge, CO. They were warned not to go into the mountains, but decided to try anyway. 

After a couple of months, Mr. Packer showed up at an Indian agency quite healthy looking for someone who claimed to have survived on rabbits and vegetation in the wilderness. The truth was pretty gruesome. Somehow, the other men died and he ate them. His story changed a couple of times, so no one is certain of the truth except, he did admit to cannibalism.  He served 18 years in prison. So much for peaceful, country living.

I'm NOT writing anything about Alfred. I just thought the town history was interesting. Don't worry. You can go back to eating barbecue ribs.

My heroine is a young widow from New York City. Terrible things happen to her and she has to decide whether to remain in Bear Paw or to take her child and leave for the relative safety of a large city. 

Part of the plot includes the legend of a Spanish gold mine hidden in the mountains. Imagine my surprise finding that the legend really does exist. While verifying events in Colorado, I came across the legend of Spanish monks and conquistadors discovering a mine and enslaving Indians as workers. 

Sometimes reality really is stranger than fiction. History if full of little details that often get overlooked. Isn't it wonderful?

REVIEW -- MATELYN AND THE TEXAS RANGER

By Mary Adair

Matelyn And The Texas Ranger: A Brides of Texas Code Series, Book 2

by Carra Copelin

I give Matelyn and the Texas Ranger 5 Stars!

This is a story of love and loss and the strength of the human spirit to overcome. I love that this story is grounded in the time of an actual event. In 1875 a Hurricane hit the Texas gulf. This story, though it is a fictional account, casts a realistic light on the devastation of such a tragic event. It also cast a light on the resilience of the human spirit and the kindness of others in a time of need.

The backdrop of the Hurricane provides a powerful visual, but it is not the whole story.

 Ian Benning, rancher and Texas Ranger, lost his wife to a tragic accident. He leaves his home and travels to Houston where he takes over a case involving an international embezzler for the local authorities.

Hurricane's destruction 1875

Matelyn O'Donnell is in the employment of Gerard de Marceau as companion to his wife, Veronique de Marceau. Matelyn is fond of the younger Veronique, but looks forward to the end of their journey to Texas. Once they arrive at Houston after traveling by ship from New Orleans she plans to travel on to Dallas where she can start a new life near her cousin Katie McTierman.

We all know what happens to well laid plans. Bound by fate, mystery, deception, and a hurricane, life will play out for the two couples in a way that will keep you intrigued to the end.

I have a new favorite author. This story is well written, plotted to keep you guessing, and filled with the strength of human spirit. If you enjoy a story that is not afraid to address the emotion of tragedy and the ability of the heart to find love after loss, you will be glad you found Matelyn And The Texas Ranger.

STRONG FEMALE CHARACTERS AND CHEROKEE WOMEN

By Mary Adair

The stories I had been told about an Irish trader, James Adair, and his unusual adventures among the Native American tribes in the 1700s had so intrigued me I could hardly wait to start writing a fictional account of just such a man. I knew the woman to steal his heart had to be special. She had to be strong and determined. She had to be brave, firm in her beliefs, and she had to be a match for him.

I knew very little about the Cherokee woman of that time. Let’s face it, a historical romance can be a bit fantastical, but I wanted the Cherokee woman that would steal James Fitzgerald’s heart (my fictional version of James Adair) to be true to the culture of the Cherokee people. In Adair’s own writings, I soon learned the Cherokee woman and the place she held within the Cherokee culture was one of great respect and honor. Here are some interesting facts I learned not only from James Adair’s writings, but from numerous other sources.  

Wilma Mankiller
Principal Chief of Western Cherokee
1985-1995

Cherokee women, it seems to me, were the core of the village. Women in Cherokee society were equal to men. The highest rank a woman could earn was the title of Ghigau, “Beloved Woman”, also translated  “War Woman”. The Beloved woman sat in council as an equal. She had a voice and could vote in the General Council. As Beloved Woman she held a place of leadership for the women’s council. She prepared and served the ceremonial black drink, and held the duty of ambassador of peace-negotiator. She could also save the life of a prisoner already condemned to be executed.

Though Beloved Woman was the highest position a woman could hold, all women were respected as equals as they carried out their duties within the tribe. They took lead in the execution of prisoners, which was their right as mothers. They had the right to claim prisoners as slaves, adopt them as kin, or condemn them to death. 

Cherokee Couple

Clan kinship followed the mother’s family and it was the duty of an uncle on the mother’s side to teach a son how to hunt and fish and perform certain tribal duties. Children were born into the mother’s tribe, not the father’s.

Cherokee Mother and child

The clan, in Cherokee society, was your family. Marrying within your clan was strictly prohibited.  However, outside of her own clan a Cherokee woman had full right to marry any man she chose, be he Beloved Warrior from her tribe, a warrior outside her tribe, trader, or frontiersman. Women were totally free to choose.

Women owned the home and the furnishings. If the man she married turned out not to be the man of her dreams, she was free to divorce her husband by placing all his things outside the house. 

Also on her list of duties, women cared for the young, cooked and tended the home as well as the fields. She wove baskets, tanned skins and some even went on the warpath with their husbands.

Award-winning author Mary Adair is an Amazon bestselling author of Native American books with her Passion series. Find her website at www.MaryAdair.com  And her Amazon author page at http://www.amazon.com/Mary-Adair/e/B003VJR5DC/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1430969488&sr=1-2-ent

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK - THE INSPIRATION FOR A ROMANCE SERIES

By Guest Author, Peggy L. Henderson

Thank you so much for inviting me to blog at Smart Girls Read Romance, and talk about what has inspired me to write the Yellowstone Romance Series.

Up until four years ago, I was a ravenous romance reader, not a writer. Historical romances are my favorite, especially those set in the American west. While there are plenty of cowboy romances to choose from, I had a hard time finding romances set in the mountains and the wilderness, during a time when fur trappers and mountain men roamed the Rocky Mountains.

One of my favorite places on earth is the Yellowstone and Grand Teton area of Wyoming and Montana, and my husband and I camp there every summer. It is my once-a-year, two-week escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.

During the summer of 2009, my husband had another commitment to take a group of boy scouts on a backpacking trip into the California High Sierras, so my Yellowstone trip that year wasn’t going to happen. Or was it? On a whim, I asked my good friend and boss at work if she would want to go on a girls-only camping trip with me to Yellowstone for a week. She had limited camping experience, and I had never gone without my husband. This trip would be a life-changer for me, in more ways than one.

YELLOWSTONE HEART SONG, my debut novel, was born on a lone stretch of Interstate 5, heading home from that camping trip in 2009. Driving through the Utah desert on the 1000 mile journey home, my mind had a lot of time to wander and reflect on the trip.

I had never thought about writing a book, and when the original concept for the story popped into my mind, it came as a complete surprise to me. I didn’t think much of it over the months, but it always stuck with me in the back of my mind. I kept searching for books, hoping to find something that had been published that was similar to what I had in my head, so I could read it. No luck.

The following year, on another trip to Wonderland, I took greater notice of all the places in the park that were part of that story in my head. The day after arriving home, I sat down to write. The story just wouldn’t let me go. I told no one what I was doing. The thought of letting anyone else see what I wrote was laughable. Another year later, 2011, I had a finished story. (Well, a story anyways) Now what? I checked around the internet. I wanted someone to read it, just to get some feedback, but never did I have publishing in mind. I found some RWA contests, and entered one. To my great surprise, I finaled! How shocking was that? My harshest judge said, “find a critique partner.” So I searched the internet again. And I struck gold when Carol Spradling answered my query. She tore through my manuscript with a loaded red pen and fine tooth comb.

Months later, she asked me when I would pursue publishing. What?!?! I basically ignored her. She wanted to know what I would write next. Huh??? Okay, I thought. I love Yellowstone, I can’t think of anything else to write, and I loved the interaction with Carol, so why not write a sequel? That’s how YELLOWSTONE REDEMPTION was born. I flew through that book, and had a first draft done in six weeks.

After that, I was gung ho to write another. YELLOWSTONE AWAKENING was a few chapters from completion before Carol put the brakes on me, and told me I needed to get something published. My husband suggested I self-publish. So, that’s what I ended up pursuing, and I published YELLOWSTONE HEART SONG on January 2^nd, 2012. The reader response has been overwhelming, to say the least.

The series, which had started as a stand-alone story that wouldn’t leave my mind, turned into a fictional journey through Yellowstone’s history, and weaving factual events into the books. YELLOWSTONE REDEMPTION contains a scene that was inspired by John Colter’s legendary escape from the Blackfoot Indians. YELLOWSTONE AWAKENING is a fictional account (with true facts and names sprinkled in) of the creation of the nation’s first national park, and YELLOWSTONE DAWN deals with some of the problems the park encountered in its infancy. The final book in the series, YELLOWSTONE DECEPTION, deals with a more current issue the park has faced, and I wrote that book due to overwhelming reader demand for a couple of minor characters from YELLOWSTONE HEART SONG to get their story.

I never in my wildest dreams expected readers to contact me and tell me how much they enjoyed learning about Yellowstone through my books. Many emails I receive are from people who have never been to Yellowstone, and now want to go visit, or the email I received from a reader who was planning a “quick trip to see Old Faithful,” but now wanted to see so much more. I ended up writing up an itinerary for her.

The following message is one of my favorites:

“I read YELLOWSTONE HEART SONG and YELLOWSTONE DECEPTION and I am impressed with how well you know the history and the ecology of that area. Most people don't even think about what the park looked like in the 1800's before they killed off the predators and stopped the fires from burning. I didn't even really think about it until I worked with a vegetation specialist who said the veg in the park was a joke and not how it was supposed to be at all. Good job on knowing your stuff! I hope you realize that most people who live in this area don't even know as much about it as you do.”

The Yellowstone Romance Series

For Aimee Donovan, it started out as an unbelievable journey into the past. Little did she know that her time travel would shape the destiny of the place we know today as Yellowstone.

The Yellowstone Romance Series is an enticing mixture of adventure, love, and danger through the generations as we meet the Osborne and Russell families.

From the dawn of the rugged and untamed wilderness of Yellowstone to the majestic national park we know today, we feel the passion, heartache, and excitement on every page.

YELLOWSTONE HEART SONG Excerpt

For the better part of the morning, Daniel led her through the forest, showing her how to read different tracks, other signs to look out for that an animal had been in the area, where to look for edible roots and plants, and how to watch the skies for changes in the weather. Along with the berries, she filled her backpack with mint, wild onions, licorice, and various other roots and plants.

She had listened attentively as she tried to absorb everything Daniel told her. Some things she already knew, others were completely new to her. The subtle animal signs he picked up on astounded her. Silently, he had pointed out a black bear sow and her twin cubs in the distance, a moose in the thickets that she would have completely overlooked, and countless other smaller animals. He knew which critter made every track they came upon. He read the forest for information as someone in her time would read a newspaper. It was most refreshing to get a glimpse of this wilderness that she loved so much in her time from this man who carved out a living here.

Aimee savored the beauty of her surroundings. Aspen trees grew in abundance. Beaver lodges could be seen all along the streams, and countless otters played in the waters. With the coming of the fur trappers to these mountains within a decade of this time, the beaver would be trapped to near extinction. Wolves would be hunted until none remained, and without this predator, the elk would take over, causing the destruction of the aspen from overgrazing. This was a Yellowstone unfamiliar to her, but it was as nature had intended before the encroachment of man.

Peggy L. Henderson, author,
with lower falls in background

Peggy L Henderson is a laboratory technologist by night, and writes during the day. She has been happily married to her high school sweetheart for many years. Along with her husband and two sons, she makes her home in Southern California. They dream of moving to Montana some day.

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