Writing Scams Aren't A Joke ~ Julie Lence

 

Today is April 1^st.  Many refer to it as April Fool’s Day, the day to pull harmless pranks on the unsuspecting.  Some are elaborate schemes that require time to plan and carry out. Others are spur of the moment, with both hoping to achieve an end result of laughter. What isn’t funny is the elaborate scheme meant to cause harm, and in the writing world, such has been happening as far back as last summer.  

Authors are individuals who spend their days (and nights) sitting alone in front of a computer writing a story in the hopes someone will read it and enjoy it enough to brag about it to friends and family. Some may think we’re loony shutting ourselves off from society, and they may be right. But any author will tell you that days of eating potato chips for lunch and tuning out the sights and sounds around us are worth it just to hold our published book in our hands. What isn’t worth the blood, sweat, and tears we poured into a novel are the tricksters looking to steal our dreams.

Daily, authors are bombarded through email and social media accounts by people claiming to be professional book marketers wanting to help them succeed. They’re offering to put your book in front of book clubs to net you Amazon reviews… to market your book to thousands of readers via their own social media pages and groups… to turn you into the hot new break-out author earning thousands in just a short amount of time. Most will have the title to your book and offer a quick sentence stating they read the book and loved the plot and the interaction between the characters, which is nothing more than a lie. With the use of AI, it’s easy for them to locate character names and plot points to make you believe they are legit. In reality, these book clubs and social media accounts don’t exist; the sender (scammer) being from a foreign country hoping to steal your hard-earned money and then disappear faster than you can blink. 

Since last year, I’ve received plenty of these emails and inquires. I’ve also been contacted by fake profiles of legitimate authors who want nothing more than to hook me up with an unscrupulous agent who is going to do the same thing; take my money and run. The best I can advise—be aware that these scams exist, and if you are contacted by someone, err on the side of caution by doing a thorough search on that person before inviting conversation with them. Keep your money (and sanity) out of the hands of the wicked.   

 

Movie Moments

Film Inspiration 

My writing is often inspired by movies. I don't "rip them off." But I do "riff" on them.

Take my novel "Lonstar's Lady." It is set in 1881 Arkansas and the first inkling I had of it was in recalling the superb performance of Ruby by Renee Zellweger in "Cold Mountain." While the whole film was memorable, I kept thinking about Ruby and her unfettered spirit. I loved the look of her. Her pouting, take-no-prisoners scowl and her no-nonsense approach to life. She was a survivor, born and bred. She didn't know affection or respect, but she knew how to hang on and never surrender.

I decided to create my own Ruby. I named her Gussie and caught hell for it from my best friend who despised the name. But I had plans for that name. Gussie was born Augusta and became Augusta again in the eyes and heart of Max Lonestar.

Having a heroine who is sharp-tongued and frowny-faced is a tricky feat. You have to find the right balance or a majority of readers aren't going to identify with her or feel sympathy for her. And you really must engage the readers on those counts. Even Scarlett O'Hara had her moments of vulnerability so that readers could glimpse her heart and understand her motivations. You might not approve of Scarlett's choices, but you understood how she came to do what she did.

I found a photo that also inspired me.  Gussie can be as tough as boot leather, but with the right words and encouragement, she can also purr like a kitten.  I loved writing about her.

That's one of the fun things about writing. Creating and living inside characters. Gussie is more courageous and independent than I am, but she's a dreamer like me and she's a sucker for silly dogs and men with good hearts. She's not the most beautiful girl in the world, but she has a beauty all her own and one that transcends physical attractiveness. She's the kind of woman who will stand next to her man, but never in his shadow. She might give the impression that she doesn't need anyone to help her, but she appreciates a strong shoulder to lean on and a hand up when necessary.

Gussie is a heroine I'm glad I finally pulled out of my mind's dust bucket and brought to life in her own book. Thanks to novelist Charles Frazier and actress Renee Zellweger, I found a mote of an idea, grabbed it, and created a whole book around it.

What inspires you most often?

Those Unruly Characters

Post (C) by Doris McCraw

aka Angela Raines

Photo (C) Doris McCraw

Have you ever had that character that just simply would not cooperate when you're trying to tell their story?

One of the first times I ran across that was a medieval short story I was writing. I had my character all figured out, I knew what their character arc was going to be, and who their love interest and antagonist were going to be. Do you think this character would cooperate? Of course not.

I started that story, then I started it again, then I started it again. My protagonist would not cooperate. I was under a deadline. So I slept on the issue for about three days. Then it hit me, I would simply kill him off.

Now I know what you're thinking, well at least I think I do, how could I write a story if my main character is dead. Aha! That is what I'm going to tell you.

I set my character in the present day. Since he was going to be a knight of sorts I had him in the military. He was getting ready to fire into the enemy when the world went blank.

He woke up nine hundred years earlier. Of course, he didn't know where he was, and the environment was completely different from what he had remembered. Then, of course, I had him run into his friends. Not his friends from the present day, no his friends who knew him as the person's body he took over.

Please don't panic, the body he took over was the body of a man who had just died. What ensued was a man who was feeling his way through a time he didn't know. I had great fun writing this character. He'd kept his memories from the past or should I say his future.

Now you would think that my characters would realize that if they didn't cooperate something horrible might happen to them.

I started a story that takes place in cripple Creek during the labor strikes of the late 1890s. Everything was going along swimmingly until I got to the end of the story. My protagonist got himself into a bit of a pickle. Unfortunately, he was left hanging over a hole in the ground with a noose around his neck. I think he got angry at me because I still haven't been able to finish the story.

So the next time you have an unruly character be careful with their egos and their story. I hope this short experience I've had will save you some headaches in the future.

Until then, I hope to get my Cripple Creek character back on track and out of the mine.

Until Next Time: Stay safe, Stay happy, and Stay healthy. 

Doris

Writing a Series ~ Lorraine Nelson

 Today I thought I’d talk about writing a series and how it differs from writing a single title.

Writing a series can be difficult as you're dealing with multiple characters and, in some cases, multiple locations. To ensure all the details remain consistent for every character means keeping good notes. For this, I use a spreadsheet. On it, I can list each character, their personal attributes: hair: length and color; eyes: color, glasses, contacts; build, etc. I list their parents, children, occupations, vehicles they drive, and anything else important to the stories. Even location…details about the house, outbuildings, nearest town…all these things require constantly checking back through your manuscript if you don't keep detailed notes as you go.

In writing the Thunder Creek Ranch series, I've referred, and added to, my spreadsheet many, many times. Having to search through several 200+ page manuscripts for details is not fun and takes away from the creativity…time better spent writing. When the muse is working and the words flowing onto the page, the last thing you want to do is break that connection.

Even when writing a single title, I use my trusty spreadsheet to keep the details straight. I usually have two or three manuscripts on the go at all times, and it would be foolhardy to trust my memory. Even when I'm working exclusively on one book, I use that spreadsheet.

When reading a story someone else has written, inconsistencies will pull me out of it. I'm like, "What? She had green eyes in chapter three, now they're violet? What gives?" I don't want that happening to my readers, so I take extra care to prevent these things from occurring.

What about you? What things do you run across, as a reader or writer, that irk you?

Drafting A New Series ~ Raine Rochelle

 

Hello. Well, it’s been a really sad time over here in the UK with the recent passing of our queen, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Getting my head into writing has been particularly difficult, but I’ve finally managed to finish the first draft of Heart Strings which is Book 1 in The Johnsons of Junova, the second sub series from The Billionaires of Brightside Ranch Series.

This series follows the cousins of the Devereux brothers as they tackle the pressure of their failing ranch with their dream to make it big as a country band, amid varying personalities, egos and, of course, life’s curveballs.

I’ve chosen a light-hearted excerpt which I hope introduces the Johnson brothers’ differing characters. I hope you enjoy it, and look out for the book, Heart Strings, which will be released in a few weeks’ time.

 

“Devon’s already had his breakfast and gone out to check on the pigs,” Mom told them, coming over to the table with the coffee jug.

Tyler raised his eyebrows. “That’s good.”

“I think I made the right decision giving him responsibility for them.” Kurt gave a smug grin.

Tyler rolled his eyes as he tucked into his breakfast. “You’re gonna need a bigger hat for that head of yours if you carry on like that.”

“I’ll bet Dad was pleased to see you, Mom.” Sam always was the tactful one, as he smiled at her when she sat down.

She offered him a grateful smile. “He was. He couldn’t speak much, but he knew we were there.”

Tyler recalled how she held their old man’s hand at the hospital, and he’d smiled weakly. He’d only stayed in the unit long enough to see that Dad was okay, before leaving Mom to talk to him alone. She’d been quite teary on the way home, but it was good tears. Tears of relief and joy.

“Devon’s offered to take me to see him tonight,” she went on.

“I’d have taken you, Mom.” Tyler looked up in surprise.

“You need to spend some time with that girl of yours before she forgets what you look like,” she told him with a knowing look.

Tyler nodded. She was right, of course. He and Sasha hadn’t been together since the night when she told him what she thought, although they’d phoned each other and left messages quite a lot recently. It wasn’t the same as holding her in his arms though, and looking into those deep green eyes of hers. “I’ll do that, Mom.”

After helping with the dishes, Tyler went back into the office and looked around with a sigh. He’d got used to coming in here and working every day, although he still helped out with his brothers when he could. It was hard to think that this routine of his might be about to change. Dad was likely to want to take back the reins as soon as he could, leaving Tyler to go back to tending the horses.

He didn’t relish the idea of having Kurt giving him orders, and suddenly wondered if he’d been a little hasty in his decision to make his brother the foreman On reflection, though, he realized that he was being selfish, and he’d never forget the look of joy and relief in his brother’s eyes last night when he’d announced his promotion. Mom had seemed pleased, too. He hoped it would solidify Kurt’s place here at the family ranch where he belonged. Hopefully Dad would have forgotten his angry words and be happy that Kurt was home, too.

When he’d finished his usual daily routine of sorting through the mail, making payments and recording them in a spreadsheet, Tyler took a stroll around the ranch. The sun was bright, the air was really warm, and he took some time to appreciate the birds singing as he wandered around. It had been a while since he’d done that, he realized.

He was surprised to see Sam in the training paddock, putting a beautiful black stallion through its paces under the watchful eye of Ron Atkins, the trainer.

“That’s right, son, you’ve got it,” Ron called over as Sam coaxed the horse into a canter. “You’re doing a great job.”

Sam beamed, not taking his eye off the horse as it loped around the training area. Tyler grinned. Sam was always quite sensitive, so why hadn’t it occurred to him that he’d make an excellent horse trainer? Ron was in his late sixties, and had already hinted that he’d like to retire soon. Sam could be his perfect replacement.

He made his way over to the pigsty where Devon was busy singing to the hogs as he fed them. Tyler laughed at his brother’s choice of words.

“The roses all in bloom, the sweet scent of your perfume…” Devon’s voice rang out in perfect pitch, as usual.

“You sure are getting a little close to these guys,” Tyler called over to his brother, grinning.

Devon looked up with a laugh. “Hey, it takes a lot of imagination to write a song, you know, bro?” He finished with the feed and went to join Tyler who was leaning over the fence of the pen.

“I see that.” Tyler nodded, still chuckling. “How’s it going?”

“Great. I got the whole place cleaned out this morning and put in fresh straw and water. It took a while, I can tell you – not that these guys seem to appreciate it one bit.” He rolled his eyes. “It made it a bit easier for me to work around here though, so I’m not complaining. You should’ve smelled the stench before I started! I had to take a shower and change my clothes after all that, I can tell you. I was thinking about mixing in some pine shavings in future. They don’t stick to the fellas as much as straw and they smell good, too. And, of course, they’re cheaper than straw so we can cut the cost at the same time.” Devon’s face shone as he spoke, and Tyler could see how proud he was of his efforts and ideas. It was a good plan, too. His youngest brother had clearly been doing some research.

“You’re doing a great job. Is no one helping you over here?” Tyler asked.

Devon shook his head. “I can manage. Besides, I can sing as loud as I want out here without anyone bothering me.”

“You sounded great, too, bro.” Tyler was keen to give credit where it was due. “Is that a new number you’re working on?”

“Yeah. It’s early days but I think it’s going to be a good one. Bit of a ballad, I think. Mix it up a little, you know?”

“We’ll certainly need to do that if we’re headlining. My guess is we’ll be performing on and off all weekend. We’ll need to give folks something a little different to keep ‘em interested.”

“We’re definitely doing this, aren’t we?” Devon frowned, swiping a hand through his hair before replacing his hat.

Tyler sighed. “I sure hope so, buddy. I think Mom’s coming around to the idea, but it all depends on Dad. She’s keen not to run roughshod over his feelings, and I get it. I just hope she can convince him it’s a good idea.”

“D’you think he’ll be home by then?” Devon asked.

“It’s hard to say. I mean, he’s definitely improving. And I really think he’s going to be okay. The doctor said it’s still early days, so that could mean anything. I doubt Dad’ll want to stick around in that place once he’s on his feet though. You  know how impatient he gets.”

“I do that,” Devon agreed with a nod. “Well, Sam and I are still working on new numbers, and Kurt was talking about us co-ordinating our shirt or something. He says he knows we can’t afford to splash out on new clothes, but it’ll be good to at least look like a band.”

Tyler raised his eyebrows. He hadn’t thought of that. They usually all wore jeans and clean shirt, but it was important to look good for such a huge gig.

“Urgh. And talking of splashing out…” Devon looked down as a huge black hog had just plunked itself in a freshly-made pile of dirt, which splattered up the young guy’s jeans. “I love my job,” he sighed, rolling his eyes.

Tyler had managed to avoid the mess, so he just laughed as he moved away. “I’ll leave you to it, then, buddy. Keep up the good work. You’re doing great.”

“Thanks, bro.” Devon turned back to the hog. “Now look what you’ve done! These were clean on, too. Admit it, you did that one purpose, didn’t you?”

Tyler couldn’t help grinning as he made a swift exit. Devon had never minded getting dirty, and it seemed this job was made for him. He sure was good at it, too. And if his singing was anything to go by, they’d have a good few numbers to impress the crowds at Countryfest. He only prayed that their dad would have had a change of heart about them doing the gig. He’d have to speak to Mom about it later. It had been good to see her looking so much more relaxed this morning, and he just hoped it continued.

Kurt was speaking with one of the hands from Brightside when Tyler found him.

“You’ve got a good point there, Kurt,” the guy was saying, clearly impressed. “I guess I hadn’t looked at it that way.”

Tyler grinned at his brother’s glowing face. Kurt sure was clued up on the running of the place, and was good at giving instruction. It was good to see he wasn’t too confident not to talk things through, and was probably gaining some insight into his new position from the more experience hand.

“Hey bro, who let you out?” Kurt turned to him with a cheeky quip.

“I escaped,” Tyler joked. “Just fancied some fresh air and wanted to see how you guys were all coping out here without me.”

“Ha!” Kurt laughed. “If you were hoping the place’d fall apart out here then I’ve got some bad news for you.”

Tyler gave a look of mock shock, putting his hand to his heart. “What? You mean… you guys can manage without me?”

“Hey, I didn’t say we couldn’t do with an extra pair of hands around the place,” Kurt assured him. “But, as you can see, it’s all humming along nicely.”

Tyler glanced around. With the stables and outbuildings repaired, and new fencing put up, the place looked like it was definitely thriving. Everyone seemed to be getting on with their jobs quite happily, and he was relieved that the guys all seemed happy in their work. “Looks like you’ve got it all under control, bro.”

Kurt puffed out his chest and rubbed the knuckles of his right hand over it. “Well, what can I say?” He feigned a look of smug importance, which made his brother and the other guy laugh.

Tyler rolled his eyes. “I think I was right about that hat.”

 

I hope you’ll look out for the new release, and continue to enjoy the series.

Take care,

Raine

Don’t forget that The Billionaires of Brightside Ranch series is currently FREE in Kindle Unlimited. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08NCHVJGQ?ref_=dbs_p_mng_rwt_ser_shvlr&storeType=ebooks   

World Building ~ Julie Lence

 

Wallpaper Abyss

Readers often ask authors where they get their story ideas, or character names, or the setting of the story. Some authors ‘people watch’ to get ideas for character traits and/or conflicts within their story. Others draw on people they know for character traits and/or experience for conflict. And some borrow from movie, television or literature to put their own spin on a story and give what they feel is a better ending. For myself, I have used my brothers, John Wayne and television characters Nick and Heath Barkley from The Big Valley for character traits. As for the setting of the story, movie and television played an important role in getting the initial visual of a sprawling ranch for my first book. My imagination took over from there, and produced my three series.

World building begins with your hero and heroine. Royce Weston is the hero from my first book. I knew he was a handsome, hunky cowboy, but did he live in the old west or in today’s society? I chose the old west because of my fascination with John Wayne’s cowboy movies. From there, I needed to know where in the old west he lived and what his role was. I chose Colorado, even though at the time I didn’t live there and knew nothing about the state, and I made him wealthy, with a somewhat large family. (This is where my fascination with the Ewings on Dallas lent a hand.) I gave him two brothers, a twin sister (because I always wanted a twin sister) and a father and mother.  For my heroine, I liked the name Paige and decided she was going to have amnesia. But, how did she fit into Royce’s world? Before I figured that part of the story, images sprang to mind and I knew I wanted a barn dance, a saloon, and a wide porch.  

For the barn dance, I needed to know who owned the barn and why the reason for the dance, so I went back to Royce and fine-tuned his profitable horse and cattle ranch (a home and business his father built to hand down to Royce and his brothers) to consist of thousands of acres of land, rolling hills, ponds, and wooded areas butting up against the Rocky Mountains. With the expanse of the ranch completed, I turned to the main part of the ranch and conjured the placement of corrals, barns and bunkhouses. Royce’s home was a comfortable two floors with the wide front porch I wanted, and somewhere in that design, I knew the barn dance wasn’t held at the Weston ranch, which I named Wooded Acres. Someone else was responsible for the dance; a neighboring rancher who hosted the spring round up dance and had a passel of girls to ogle Royce and his brothers. But, the girls couldn’t just ogle the Weston brothers once a year, so a town sprung up, Coyote, Colorado, with one of the founding fathers Royce’s own father. Coyote started as a nowhere place and when the story begins, has a saloon, church, sheriff, mercantile, school and plenty of boardwalks for the girls to chase the brothers.  

Where does Paige fit in to Royce’s world? And who is Paige? Why does she have amnesia? These were questions I had to answer, and after much consideration, Paige hailed from a Kansas farm. Her mother died and her father sold the farm, piled her, her sister and brother into a wagon and lit out to fleece unsuspecting cowboys at local saloons. Royce was Paige’s last mark, and when he confronted her over her role in the scheme, she let him go and her father took his wrath out on her. She ended up at the Weston home, with Royce not believing she ailed from amnesia, but why? And from there, the members in his family became more refined, and his mistrust in women was born.

evenlodesfriend

As with all romances, the story is to have a black moment. Royce and Paige’s black moment centers around Paige’s skills with cards and takes her and Royce to Revolving Point, Texas. A fictitious place, Revolving Point set up another world building opportunity of a town known for its gambling and lawlessness and blossomed into its own series. From there, Jackson Creek was born.  Each series is unique and has its own cast of characters. Some of them I’ve created lengthy backstory. Others are on and off the page quicker than a well-known actor in a cameo appearance. How do I keep everything straight? I have notebooks for each story, where I carry over character description, ages, jobs, and what ranch, farm, or building in town they live on. The hero and heroine have longer descriptions, as I have to know their back story and how they got to where the story begins. I also keep notes on scenery, descriptions of living areas, and in the case of Revolving Point and Jackson Creek, a map detailing the streets of town and where on the street each business is.

World building is fun and a great opportunity to let your imagination run wild. Give it a try and see where you end up.  

 

 

Christmas Reading

Years ago, when I first created Royce Weston, his twin sister, brothers Lucas and Creel, and his father, I had no idea I would expand the Weston family into 4 novels and 3 short stories. But as I kept writing, the family kept growing. The brothers married and the children grew up. It is 3 of those children I’m interviewing today, as they are the leads in the Weston Family Series Christmas stories. (Tess and Cade Weston are Lucas’ children and Tabitha Weston is Royce’s daughter.) Purchase links are at the end, and each story is .99 cents on Amazon.

Tess Weston:

Tell us a little about Christmas Miracles:

With a winter storm threatening to blanket the land in snow, James Landry boards a train to Denver two days before his Christmas Eve wedding to Tess Weston, despite her misgivings that the storm will hinder his return trip home. But James has to go to the big city to replace the worthless ring he mistakenly bought for her with a band of real gold, and assures her nothing, not even snow, will keep him from arriving at the altar on time. But James doesn't count on finding himself stuck in knee-deep drifts, with a Colt .45 staring him in the face.

Tess has had an eerie feeling that something bad is going to happen to James since the moment he told her of his trip. With fat, flakes of snow falling steadily from the sky, images flicker in her mind of him stranded in a hotel room, or on a cold train car. But for some reason, the snow piling up outside her window doesn't lend weight to her fear that James is in grave danger. Determined to help him, Tess sets out on a course to find him, only to have one obstacle after another deter her from reaching him.     

What did you think the 1^st time you saw James?

That he was another ranch hand pa had hired.

What was your 2^nd thought?

With his broad chest and muscles, I could snuggle against him all day.

What do you like most about James?

His smile and his honesty.

How would you describe James?

He’s loyal and a hard worker. And sometimes he’s shy.

How would James describe you?

Bold, sassy, determined, stubborn; I inherited the best of my parent’s traits. But I think James also sees I have good heart and I’m kind.

What is your biggest fear?

Losing James, or any member of my family.

Cade Weston:

Tell us a little about Christmas Hearts:

After spending two years in Wyoming, Cade Weston is eager to return to his family’s ranch to celebrate the Christmas holiday. But fate intervenes in the form of a tortured soul—Nicole. Her guardian has abused her, leaving Cade with little choice but to pay for her freedom and take her with him. Holed up with her in a Denver hotel, a feeling hints he wants more from her than a thank you for having helped her. Problem is she doesn’t return the feeling.

Nicole Lamar has spent the past six months dreaming of freedom. Savannah, with its warmth and sunshine, beckons. Now that Cade has rescued her from an evil proprietor, that freedom is within reach. But when the handsome cowboy proves he’s the owner of a Christmas Heart, a life without him suddenly isn’t so desirable. Before she can approach him about the matter, he purchases a ticket for her on an eastbound train. And one for himself on a southbound train.

What did you think the 1^st time you saw Nicole?

She was beaten and wearing flimsy clothing on a cold winter’s day. I wanted to punch the man she was with.

What was your 2^nd thought?

To get her away from the man she was with, take her to someplace warm where her body could heal, where she could find warmer clothes, and where she would be safe.

What do you like most about Nicole?

She’s a fighter. In her situation, plenty of other women would’ve died.

How would you describe Nicole?

Strong willed, kind, lonely, cautious.

How would Nicole describe you?

Her first thought most likely was I’m another man intent on hurting her. After that, I’m fairly certain she would say I’m trustworthy and someone she can depend on.

What is your biggest fear?        

Not sure that I have one, unless you count something happening to a family member, or Nicole. We Westons look out for each other, and when one of us hurts, we all hurt. As for Nicole, I’m going to make sure her captor doesn’t lay claim to her again.

Tabitha Weston:

Tell us a little about Christmas Wishes:

U.S. Marshall Chance McBride has spent weeks tracking Steve ‘Smarty’ Jones. Ambushed and wounded by the outlaw, Chance is forced to seek help at a nearby school. But the teacher isn’t what he imagined. Instead of a male wearing trousers, a female takes charge of his care. Bright blue eyes and soft curves; Tabitha’s sassy nature awakens a deep-seated loneliness only she and a Christmas wish can soothe.

Tabitha Weston has never favored anything girlie. She’d rather saddle-break wild horses than bat her eyelashes and flirt with a man. But one glimpse into Chance’s molasses-colored eyes and Tabitha’s abhorrence to relationships is suddenly corralled by her need to win the lawman’s favor. Can a wish upon Christmas snow for him to trade the freedom of the trail for a home with her actually come true? She’s about to find out.    

What did you think the 1^st time you saw Chance?

He was big and muscular. Grabbing me from behind and forcing his way into the schoolhouse, I was sure he was an outlaw and meant me harm.

What was your 2^nd thought?

Upon discovering he was a U.S. Marshall and wounded, I had no time to admire over his handsomeness and his muscles. I had to dig a bullet out of him.

What do you like most about Chance?

His bravery. I know my poking around his insides had to hurt, but he didn’t complain.

How would you describe Chance?    

Despite his putting the fear of God into me upon our meeting, I’ve come to realize Chance is a good man. He’s handsome, somewhat fearless, and is as skittish over matters of the heart as I am.

How would Chance describe you?

Sassy, bossy, and not prone to swooning.

What is your biggest fear?

At the moment, worrying Chance will take a turn for the worst because of something I did wrong.   

Purchase Links:

Christmas Miracles: www.amazon.com/dp/B009YZDXOC

Christmas Hearts: www.amazon.com/dp/B00FL000FY

Christmas Wishes: www.amazon.com/dp/B016PP3ALO

    

Thank you for your continued support of not only me, but the Cowboy Kisses authors, blog and Facebook page. I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. All the best to you in 2019!

Julie   

A day late and a dollar short

Time Travelers do it Anachronistically
by Alison Bruce (and friends)


I know a few Western Romance authors who have dabbled in time travel, or even made it the focus of a series. I have also been tempted. So far I've only pulled characters forward in time in order to interview them. My alter-ego, Nighthawk the Avian Interviewer, would pull anyone from anywhere to introduce the character to a new audience.

Nighthawk is retired, but here's a taste of the old crow's show.

Nighthawk: Welcome to Nighthawk Talk Radio. I'm Nighthawk and this is our intern du jour, Cherie du Bois. Joining us tonight is our guest Marly Landers, of Under A Texas Star.

You’ve been traveling with Texas Ranger Jase Strachan and, from all reports, been a significant aid in his investigations. What are your career goals?

Cherie: I want to host a reality series - something that combines my two loves: fashion and extreme skin care.

Nighthawk: I meant our guest, Cherie. Marly, do you see yourself continuing to work with the Texas Rangers?

Marly: I’d like to. Not sure if I’ll get away with it when they find out I’m not a man. One thing I know for sure, I’m not going back to Aunt Adele!

Cherie: I know you're disguised as a boy, but what do you do to keep a healthy glow on the trail, without burning your cheeks, your nose, your forehead?

Marly: I’ve got a hat.

Nighthawk: Cherie, Marly doesn’t exactly have access beauty products, you know. Respectable women didn’t wear makeup - boys certainly didn’t.

Cherie: Not so! A man with a little money to spend might get a facial from his barber. Though maybe he didn't call it that. Women had face creams and tonics to clean the face - or remove freckles.

Marly: I kinda like my freckles but Miss Cherie is right. My aunt didn’t hold with vanity but she washed her face with sour milk once a week to keep her complexion healthy. She always wore a hat to keep the sun off her face and used rose water when she bathed. When I turned sixteen, she gave me a bottle of lavender water because she said that was better for young skin and the stronger smell would keep me fresh.

Cherie: Did she pinch your cheeks or show you how to put lamp black on your eyes?

Marly: I’ve seen how other girls do it, but that would have been too wanton for Aunt Adele.

Nighthawk: Yes, well... How do your skills match against your average Texas Ranger?

Marly: So far the only Texas Ranger I ever met was Jase. I’m a greenhorn compared to him - especially in the saddle. I’m a good shot, though. Aunt Adele taught me to shoot with a rifle and Jase taught me how to shoot a revolver.

Cherie: Tell, me, do you get saddle sore, or do you optimize all those hours on horseback to tighten your glutes and abdominals?

Marly: My what and my what?

Cherie: I can suggest some isometric exercises that will keep you toned and strengthen your pelvic floor. Happy muscles lead to happy skin.

Nighthawk: Cherie!

Marly: Well, ma'am, I'm not sure about happy muscles, but I'm stronger than I look. I've also got excellent hearing. Fact is, I think I hear Jase callin' me now...