PAYING IT FORWARD

By Mary Adair

Happy New Year!!

Now, the New Year Resolution.                                                           

I have decided that this year I am not going to proclaim, “I will go on a diet and lose XX# of pounds.”  

Why should I? It has never worked before. 

I spend months feeling bad about myself because I didn’t lose as much as I expected. I cheat and then feel guilty. I tell myself I am going through this torture for myself, yet think about how everyone can see how well I’m Not doing. I might lose a few pounds, but by the end of the year, guess what. Its back and it brought friends!

This year is different. This year I am proclaiming, “I will pay it forward.” That’s something I can do and new friends are always a blessing. 

The best part about paying forward, with The Golden Rule in mind as opposed to The Rule of Reciprocity, is you don’t have to wait for someone else to do something thoughtful for you, and you don’t have to think of what to do that will gain you a monetary reward. Just spend a moment counting your blessings, and you will soon realize that many of your most treasured, non-monetary, blessings came after doing something kind for another.

A smile and a hug are the best medicine in the world, not only for the receiver, but the giver as well. I love hugs. I love giving hugs. Hugs are one of my favorite things!  But, there are other great ways to help others feel accepted, or comforted or worthy.

I wonder if my New Year Resolution will make a difference to even one person other than myself. I believe it will. That is enough to make it worth my while.

Hearts of Owyhee has new clothes! #CoverReveal #Western #Romance @JacquieRogers

Jacquie's Website | Pickle Barrel Gazette | Amazon

Great news!  My rights have reverted for the Hearts of Owyhee series.  I'll be reissuing them this week and figured it was time for new clothes, so to speak.  So take a look!

Hearts of Owyhee #1
Much Ado About Madams

Hearts of Owyhee #2
Much Ado About Marshals

Hearts of Owyhee #3
Much Ado About Miners

Hearts of Owyhee #4
Much Ado About Mavericks

I've already uploaded the first book to Amazon and I'll let you know when it goes live.  Meantime, there'll be a party this weekend (January 10-11) at the Pickle Barrel Bar and Books on Facebook, so if you enjoy my books, that's the place to be!  I'll host some special guests and give away gobs of prizes.

Meantime, I'm working on the fifth book of the series, Much Ado About Mustangs, featuring Josh McKinnon and a high-falutin' English actress.

If you're still in the mood for Christmas stories, we had great fun writing Wild Texas Christmas.  Here's a peek into my story:

How the Texan Stole Christmas

a short story  by Jacquie Rogers in

Wild Texas Christmas

Excerpt

Winnie found the whole situation awkward. She had to hang on to the rope with one hand, the strap of the bag of toys with the other, and hold up her skirt, too. Only problem was, she didn’t have three hands. The men had heavier loads but then they didn’t have skirts to hold up.

Tucker darted back and forth, as dogs do, but even he slid and fell a few times. Winnie slipped a time or two before she figured out how to keep herself upright, hold the toys, and preserve some modicum of modesty. Judd grunted softly every once in awhile, especially when the steep street inclined even more, and Tucker dashed between them, nearly upending Judd, who shooed him away.

Lulu glanced over her shoulder at Winnie. “Isn’t this a beautiful day? It’s cold, but the sun is shining and the air is clear. Last night’s fireplace smoke has blown away. I love days like this.”

Winnie nodded. “Yes, it’s a very nice day—would be even better if I were bundled up by the stove reading the latest Clara Vance novel.”

“What about you, Mr. Shaw?” Lulu asked.

“Judd.”

“What?”

Web laughed. “He said he wants to be called by his first name. He just don’t use a lot of words sayin’ it.” Lulu slipped and Web caught her before she fell. Winnie stopped while the two ahead got set to rights, Judd beside her. She felt a lot warmer when he was near and since she’d been married before, she knew exactly why. To cover her embarrassment, she adjusted her pack.

In an instant, her feet went out from under her and she knocked Judd off balance, too. She landed on her back, the cold hard ice knocking the wind out of her. Judd fell on top of her with his face buried in her bosom. She couldn’t speak for lack of air and she couldn’t move because he pinned her down.

He lifted his head after a moment. “I’m, uh, sorry.”

Winnie wasn’t sorry at all. No man had had his face on her bosom for a long time, and if she had to choose one to be there, Judd’s would be it.

♥ ♥ ♥

Wild Texas Christmas

Available  Now!

Kindle | Smashwords | Print

RESEARCH IS LIKE CRACK FOR AUTHORS

By Caroline Clemmons

Historical writers—at least those of us who want our work to be accurate—delve into research with the enthusiasm of a crack addict for drugs. We never get our fill of details to add credibility to our work. Often while researching one subject, we come across information that spawns a new book idea. Lucky, right?

Not that we need new ideas. Most of us have so many plots and characters buzzing in our heads that we’re set for about a hundred years. Still, we welcome new information. Each of us wants to get better and better as our writing career progresses.

My friend Mary Adair (fellow blog member) recently sent me a wonderful research book titled BLEED, BLISTER, AND PURGE: A HISTORY OF MEDICINE ON THE AMERICAN FRONTIER, by Volney Steele, M.D. Mary knows and shares my addiction for research of the historical time period about which we write. Her time period is earlier than mine, but each of us spends countless hours making sure our books’ historical details are correct.

I’ve taken blog member Beth Trissel’s herbal medicine class a couple of times and have her herbal book PLANTS FOR A MEDEIVAL HERB GARDEN IN THE BRITISH ISLES (http://amzn.com/B00IOGHYVU). Although the title says British isles, those who immigrated to America brought their seeds and seedlings, making this book important for historical writers whose subject is America. In her classes, Beth covers Native American medicine as well as European.

Although I love my Kindle Fire for reading, for research I want to be able to thumb through print books. I underline, highlight, and stick post-it strips on pages. My book on Victorian fashions from Harper’s Bazar have post its on the pages I’ve used in my books. But I use a wide variety of research. Hence, my several book cases of research material.

Don’t think we writers want our research to appear as such in our books. The style of a woman’s dress, the flowers blooming, the style of house, and the miles a rider covers by horseback are examples of details we want to be correct without being pedantic. No, we want our research to enrich our books without the reader ever noticing those details. They’re supposed to slip into the story without distracting.

When I read a book and see an anachronism, not only am I distracted but I lose faith in the author. That’s why my friends and I work so diligently to prevent this happening in one of our books. I hope I’m succeeding.

Do you notice anachronisms when you read? If so, does they detract from the story?

COME RIDE WITH ME!

By Caroline Clemmons

Happy 2015!

Whether or not you had a terrific 2014 or a terrible one (as my family did), that year is gone. While we don’t get a do-over, we get the next best thing. Here’s a brand new year waiting for us to make our impression on time.

Are you starting with New Year’s resolutions? Not me. This year, my Darling Daughter 2 inspired me to work on my bucket lists. I'm determined to cross off those items one by one—and at least some of them in 2015. My list is not even awe-inspiring or impossible to achieve:

And  I'd look like this. Not. 

Ride a Vespa—even if it’s just around the parking lot.

Ride a zip line. A lot of places have those now.

Ride a SegWay. There are tours in downtown Fort Worth TX near where I live. The one pictured is from Cowtown Tours.

Go hang-gliding. No, don't listen to Hero, who says I'd break my neck or other important body parts.

Ride a helicopter. A small one so I can see really well. The picture above is from Epic Helicopter Tours of Fort Worth TX.

Ride in a hot-air balloon.

Publish six books in 2015. I can do this if I don’t spend too much time on the other items on my list.

Clean my office. Sigh. This one may be impossible. Even mentioning it has me banging my head on my desk. Doesn’t hurt, the stack of papers cushions my head.

So what’s on your bucket list?

A Homemade Christmas by Kimmie Easley

Well, the holiday dust is finally starting to settle, and like most mothers/wives out there, this is the time when I finally get to sit back and reflect on the good old family Christmas. Yes, a wee bit backwards, but it doesn't change the outcome.

It was a special year for our family. Not because of any major feat, but because of a simple heart change. And not the kind of change that comes when the parents come up with something and drag the kids along kicking and screaming. No, this was an across the board heart change.

My children are older now, so naturally, the weight of Santa Claus has faltered. However, over the last few years, I've felt the need to "keep up with the Claus's" so to speak. It was costly, commercial, and lasted as long as a roll of wrapping paper would allow. Don't get me wrong. My children are kind, loving, and grateful - and I'm not just saying that. I am truly blessed where my children are concerned, but the as the holidays began to draw near, I found that I began to talk to my girls about the blessing of homemade gifts.

As mothers, we've all said it - "Oh, just make me something homemade" or "I'd rather having something you made yourself".

So imagine how my chin hit the floor when my daughter asked, why stop there?



As a family, we all agreed it was better to make our gifts this year with one common theme, it had to be thoughtful and geared towards the giftee. This allowed for each of us to actually learn more about the people we were giving to and better our relationships.

Here's the really cool thing, once we began to talk about it to our friends, they all agreed to do the same thing! A group of us all got together (about 5 families) and had an old fashioned, homemade gifting party. It was amazing to see what everyone came up with and the way minds were spinning thinking about their recipients.

I wanted to share a few of our gifts, both given and received.

     

One of the hand painted wine glasses I made for my girlfriends. 

A handmade God's Eye. 

An ornament with a photo of all of our kidlets from a previous birthday party. 

A sketch for my daughter. (I'd also like to add, this was made by a 13 year old teenage boy. One of my favorite gifts of the season!)

Like I said, it was a special Christmas for the Easley family. I look forward to seeing the years unfold as my children grow and develop traditions of their own. It's going to be a beautiful 2015!

What are some of your favorite holiday traditions? 

“The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have.” ~Vince Lombardi

Lately, the wind has gone out of my sails. Here's some advice I'm giving myself and actually taking. If it encourages others, that's good.

When feeling flightless, find a new jump off place. Launching from the same spot and crashing 'is no even working,' to quote from my then 3-year-old grandson, Colin. Fresh wind will give you lift and the perspective to explore new ground. Inspiration can come from the most unlikely places. If you never deter from the path, you don't know what wonders may be hidden in the trees. Hold fast to your faith. If you don't have any, reach deep inside and find some. You're gonna need every last bit.

An author once told me I'd need a second and third skin to be a writer. I was still working on the first one. I'm tougher now. That doesn't mean the barbs don't hurt. Just less. 

Every venture in life is a challenge. Some more than others. Writing has to rank way up there. I write because it's what I do, and put my heart into each story. The labor required to craft these creations is indescribable. The gratification must come from the journey, though. Nothing else is a given. Readers may or may not appreciate my efforts. Ultimately, I must write for myself, and I'm exploring new ground. The path's a little hazy, but I'll find my way.

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”
~ Maya Angelou

"Out of difficulties grow miracles." ~Jean de la Bruyere

"We know what we are, but know not what we may be." ~William Shakespeare

Happy Day After Christmas with Vonnie Davis

What can I blog about today that will remotely interest you? It's the day after Christmas. Your house is either a mess, you're a little blue the holiday is over--or thankful, depending--and maybe a tad miffed everyone got what they wanted, but you. Many of you might be on the road, traveling home from a family get-together. But almost all of you are tired. There's a sliver of wrapping paper under the coffee table you should get down on your knees to retrieve, but right now, you just want some quiet, something warm to drink and a few minutes to rest. 

I'm at the age where gifts aren't important. I have all I need. Send me pictures of the family. Call me. Talk to me on Skype. My kids are grown, so are three of my grandchildren. Calvin, my husband of 12 years only has one child and he lives in Berlin, an officer in a company there. So, for us, Christmas is connecting with our kids and grandkids who live in other states and countries. We don't shop; we write checks and let each family member have the joy of picking out what they really want or need. Some years we travel to one child or another's house. Other years, we stay in Virginia. Cal and I go out to eat our Christmas meal and go see a flick. It is the one day I do not write. For most, it wouldn't do, but for us, it works.

This year has been a fabulous, yet frantic year for me as a writer. I moved completely from a smaller publisher to the Big Five. A dream come true, but not without its issues. I've been writing for Random House Loveswept and HarperCollins Impulse, both eBook divisions. For Random House, I've been penning a series of Scottish contemporary bear-shifters. Book one hit number one on a few lists. It's something writers dream of happening, but when it happened to me, my nerves got so bad, I ate every piece of chocolate in the house--even those mini drops you put in cookies. I kept thinking I'm not that good of a writer. Wait until the buyers read this book! It's okay, but not THAT okay. I wasted more time hopping from Barnes and Noble to Amazon to see what my numbers were, my eyeballs got dizzy.

BUY LINKS: http://amzn.com/B00ILX9WC0

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-highlanders-obsession-vonnie-davis/1120641392?ean=9780804179300

Book two of my HarperImpulse firemen's "Wild Heat" series releases on New Years Day. Ask me how happy I am about that. Couldn't they have scheduled it for release a day or two later? Or will people, hung over from New Year's Eve celebrations, be bleary-eyed enough to hit the BUY button?

BUY LINKS: http://amzn.com/B00PV4YCXG

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/for-the-love-of-a-fireman-vonnie-davis/1120803354?ean=9780007594528 



 

On April 6th, I have manuscripts to turn into BOTH Random House and HarperImpulse. My book for Random House is about one-third written. My book for Harper? Ah...I know the title and the characters' names and general story, but beyond that? I'm in a world of fear, folks! Let's just say I'll be in full, frantic writing mode zeroing in on April 6th.

 

I won't be able to collapse from writing like a fool to make my deadlines for a few days though. Because I have book two of my bear shifter's series releasing the next day--April 7th--and I'll have to morph overnight into a marketing wizard. There won't be a minute to breathe and let my mind rest. I'll be holding a Facebook Book Release party, so brain-fried, I'm liable to give away the whole house. For a hand-held mixer, tell me the name of the first romance you've ever read. 

 

 

All joking aside, it's a life I love. My first book released four years ago and I've learned so much since then. More importantly, I've met the nicest people online--other authors and readers. This has been the best part of my writerly journey. Making online friends I'll probably never meet and yet care deeply for them all.

 

And if you'll allow me a moment of wifely pride, my husband's book, he wrote based on his year in Paris in 1968, is now in audio format. Click on the link, then click on the cover photo, not the title and you'll get to hear part of the beginning. Calvin taught English for 40 years and took a year sabbatical in Paris, writing at sidewalk cafés.

http://www.cherryhillpublishing.com/

 

I hope you each have a wonderful holiday week as you zoom, slide or crawl into 2015.

Stay well.

Stay safe.

Stay in touch.

Vonnie Davis blogs and rambles on www.vintagevonnie.blogspot.com. Stop by!