Writing Outside My Comfort Zone

My current WIP (work in progress) is outside my usual genre. Sort of. A bit. Well, kind of. Hmm ... this is going to take a little explaining.

You see, I write historical fiction and historical romance. It's pretty much commonly agreed upon that one can slide seamlessly between those two very connected genres without upsetting or disappointing your readers.

But then there's my current WIP. It's a western. Now granted, it's a historical western, but it's still a western. So what's the difference between historical fiction and a historical western? It's the difference between Margaret Mitchell and Louis L'Amour, or the difference between John Steinbeck and Zane Grey. One is writing fictional characters in historical settings, and the other is writing about cowboys.

Westerns are all about the cowboys.

I like cowboys. I raised one. No, seriously, my son is a team roper and horse trainer. I really did raise a cowboy.

I took a step of faith when I decided to give this a try. It's not what I'm used to and comfortable with. But writing about cowboys turned into something I didn't expect - a lot of fun! While my tagline has always been, Writing History with a Touch of Humor, I'm finding that humor and cowboys go hand-in-glove. There are times while writing that I literally laugh out loud ... and get some weird looks from my dog.

My foray into writing a historical western is probably going to expand into a three-book series partly because there's enough story here, partly because I've fallen a little bit in love with my main character, and partly because I'm really enjoying it.

It takes some nerve to step outside our comfort zones, but it can worth it too. I challenge you all - whether in writing or another area of your life - to step outside your comfort zone this year and try something new. You never know where it might lead!

Pegg Thomas
PeggThomas.com
https://www.amazon.com/Pegg-Thomas/e/B01M8KLB3Y/

Whispers in Wyoming Horse Interview and Free Book

Good Saturday morning STT readers. This is a first for me. I've never interviewed a horse, but it sounded like fun. And I like horses. Let me tell you about the humans first. Danni Roan, Kari Trumbo, Lisa M. Prysock, and Rachel Skatvold are the four talented authors who penned Whispers in Wyoming, a new western series in which Butch, the horse, plays an interesting role.

                                                                                                                          Today we’re here with the original old man Brown Butcher, the standing stud Quarter Horse of the Broken J Dude Ranch. Butch how do you like your new home? I know you’ve moved around a good bit in recent years.

            “The Broken J has greener pastures and  more wide open spaces, than where I’ve been recently. It’s a fine home for any horse, with lots of history from it.”

            How does it feel to be back with the family? I believe Chase Haven has been missing you while he was away riding the rodeo.

            “It sure is nice to see Chase again, he’s always been good to horses like me, I missed him when he was gone, but now we’re back together and things are looking pretty good. A beautiful ranch."

            I suppose being here on the ranch things are a little more lively than they were in your former home.

            “I like watching all the activity here at the Broken J, it reminds me of my younger days. I used to really cut up the circuit as cutting horse. I’m not young enough to join the rides anymore but I see plenty; adventures for young and old, not to mention so many budding romances.”

            I’ve seen a few newspaper clippings of you working, but that was a few years ago, what are your hopes and dreams now?

            “I hope Chase and Phil will raise up my colts and fillies to be outstanding cow horses, maybe help Kade keep the herd here inline.”

            It seems like you’re happy to live out the last of your days here on this beautiful ranch.

            “I am enjoying the peace of my new home. I have a big green pasture, a warm barn and a new legacy to add to the history of this old ranch.”

            Well there you have it folks, straight from the horse’s mouth.  And remember there’s always room at the Broken J for one more, so come on by.


***FREEBIE ALERT***FREEBIE ALERT***
Danni just released Book 4 in the series and it's free this weekend. That's right, Saturday and Sunday. Just follow the link.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077QF1SP9/     

   https://www.amazon.com/Whispers-Wyoming-4-Book/dp/B077RZRH4M/

Searching for quiet amidst the controlling threads of an ex and well-meaning family, Michelle Brighton contacts a modern-day matchmaker to escape the bustle at her New York life in the hope of finally finding peace.

Quiet Kade Ballard knows little more than work, and the fact that he doesn't want to be alone on the Broken J Ranch anymore. Letters from the past make him long for a simpler time. Hopeful, he places his trust in a match-making purple haired psychologist, and the help of the Lord to bring him the desires of his heart.

Thrown together in a perfect storm of circumstances, can Kade and Michelle learn the art of working together? Or will their difference and the past separate them forever?

Other helpful links to the Amazon Author Pages for the authors in this series:

https://www.amazon.com/Danni-Roan/e/B013UPZ3IK/

https://www.amazon.com/Kari-Trumbo/e/B015IJOLN4/

https://www.amazon.com/Lisa-M.-Prysock/e/B00J6MBC64/

https://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Skatvold/e/B00NMSJTUO/

Join us for more giveaways, news, fun, and upcoming releases in this series at our Facebook Whispers in Wyoming group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/WhispersinWyomingRomance/

How about weighing in. Do you like books that have interesting animal characters? Comment for a chance to win our weekly giveaway, Prescience by Lorilyn Roberts.

            

Wild West Shows

I can’t believe it’s been four years since I joined this group of super talented ladies to form Stitches Thru Time. In 2014 I was just beginning my writing career and knew I’d have to start blogging. Joining a group sounded like a smart idea. I could learn from more experienced bloggers, and the focus was on writing and crafts. I love both.

About that same time I was finalizing the research on my first western series, Intrigue under Western Skies. The story of a snarky cattle baron who falls in love with a woman who’s a cross between Pollyanna and Yoda (but a lot better looking), and they fight a passel of the meanest critters you’d ever hope you don’t meet. I’m currently working on the third book in the series where the Wild West Show comes to the ranch.

The Wild West Shows of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were the beginning of entertainment for the common people. Some started by Buffalo Bill were traveling shows, much like the circus, performing all across the United States and even Europe. Others, like that originating at the 101 Ranch in Oklahoma, made the population come to them, drawing in crowds up to 65,000.

These shows included all the rodeo favorites of bronco busting, roping, bull riding, and shooting. But it also included reenactment of Indian wars and ceremonies, and fancy horse tricks.

I patterned my fictional Wild West Show like the 101 Ranch’s where such legends as Buffalo Bill, Will Rogers, and Edith Tantlinger, the female Indian sharp-shooter, performed. The Miller brothers’ 101 Ranch of Bliss, Oklahoma covered 110 acres of cattle land and a fabulous ranch house, pictured below. It became so famous people started coming just to see how a western ranch operated. The Miller brothers took advantage of their popularity and put on shows.

The star of my fictional show is a woman much like Annie Oakley with the gun, but she is also an equestrian acrobat as well. These riders performed death defying feats while riding atop a horse that galloped around an arena. The cowgirls were especially popular. Riding bareback, the girl would kneel, stand, and leap from one horse to another—electrifying the crowds. These talented women performed with the grace of a ballerina and the precision of a gymnast.

The Wild West shows generated a romanticism about the Old West that lingered throughout the next century, and for some of us, it continues. Western movies and TV shows of the sixties and seventies proves that. Western books are still popular, including western romance.

One good thing about the popularity of the Wild West Shows was it portrayed the Indians’ bravery, and probably reduced the level of prejudice against the Native American.

Do you prefer contemporary or historical western romance?

Time is running out to enter our big Birthday Bash, so post your comment today. 

Cowboys, Horses and the Wild West with Vickie McDonough

Happy Saturday, Friends! Today I am pleased to introduce a blogging buddy of mine. Please help me welcome Bestselling author Vickie McDonough!

Vickie grew up wanting to marry a rancher, but instead, she married a computer geek who is scared of horses. She now lives out her dreams penning romance stories about ranchers, cowboys, lawmen, and others living in the Old West. Vickie is a best-selling author of more than 40 published books and novellas, with over 1.5 million copies sold. Her books have won numerous awards and Vickie has recently stepped into independent publishing.

Vickie has been married for forty-one years to Robert. They have four grown sons, one daughter-in-law, and a precocious granddaughter. When she’s not writing, Vickie enjoys reading, antiquing, doing stained glass, watching movies, and traveling. To learn more about Vickie’s books or to sign up for her newsletter, visit her website: www.vickiemcdonough.com


Welcome Vickie! We're so glad you could visit us today. Please tell us about your book.

End of the Trail is the final book in the six-book Texas Trails series, which I created with authors Susan Page Davis and Darlene Franklin. The series covers six decades of a family and Texas history. Each book is a complete story, so you don’t have to read all of them—unless, of course, you want to. I wrote two of the six books: Long Trail Home and End of the Trail, but today we’re featuring End of the Trail.

Here’s what End of the Trail is about:

Brooks Morgan is quick on the draw, but his weapon of choice is his smile. He’s smart and witty and has charmed his way through much of life, but now he’s growing older—and a bit wiser. He wants to stop drifting and settle down. He sees his chance when he wins Raven Creek Ranch in a poker game, but when he goes to claim his prize, a pretty woman with a shotgun says the ranch belongs to her. Brooks isn’t leaving his one and only chance to make something of his life—but neither is she. Can they reach an agreement? Or will a greedy neighbor force a showdown, causing them both to lose what they want most in life?

Wow, that sounds intense. Where did the inspiration for your story come from?

I had an idea: “what if two people believed they owned the same ranch?” and out of that idea, End of the Trail was birthed. There’s a scene in End of the Trail that was originally a short story I wrote years ago. When I was thinking of ideas for Brooks’ story, I remembered that scene and decided to include it. It’s a scene where the heroine saves the hero’s life.


Sounds interesting. A bit of a flip from the traditional damsel in distress. How does your faith and spirituality work in with your writing?

 I’ve been a Christian for as long as I can remember. All of my books have a faith element, although it’s stronger in some stories than others. It really depends on my character and his/her level of faith. Some of my characters aren’t a Christian but become one by the end of the book. Others are believers from the start, but struggle in some aspect of their faith.


What is your favorite thing about writing historical romance? 
I don’t know if I have just one favorite thing. I love the slower pace of life in historicals and admire how hard people had to work to survive. As a kid, I watched many cowboy shows on TV with my dad, and I fell in love with horses, cowboys, and western life. Western historical romances set in the late 1800’s are my favorite to read and write, although I do have a series set in the Charleston area and a novella set in Ireland.


Horses, sunsets, guns, what's not to love, right? What are you working on next? 
I’m finishing up something different—a USA Word Find Puzzle Book. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for years. Last summer, I took a series of webinars and learned how to create one. I’m glad it’s finally coming to fruition. I have ideas for some other puzzle books that I hope to create down the road.


Puzzle books! Not what I would have guessed, but that is exciting. Looks like you have some great stuff going on. Thank you so much for being with us!

Here's where you can check out Vickie's books & connect with her.

            

End of the Trail on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y55LYPM
Long Trail Home on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XXG4SFT

 Connect with Vickie:

Website: www.vickiemcdonough.com 

Newsletter sign-up: http://www.vickiemcdonough.com/www.vickiemcdonough.com/Newsletter_Sign-up.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VickieMcDonough

Twitter: https://twitter.com/vickiemcdonough

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/VickieMcDonough 

Heroes, Heroines, and History blog: http://HHHistory.com

Follow me on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Vickie-McDonough/e/B001JP4JE8/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1464450059&sr=8-2-ent

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/101317.Vickie_McDonough

List.ly: https://list.ly/list/1aRD-books-by-vickie-mcdonough

Don't forget to leave a comment to get your name in the drawing for the STT Independence Day giveaway of Dawn of Liberty!

Susan Page Davis Interview and #bookgiveaway!

Today I have the pleasure of introducing a blogging pal of mine. 

 

Susan Page Davis is the author of more than 60 novels and novellas in the historical romance, mystery, and suspense genres. She is the mother of six and grandmother of ten. A Maine native, she now lives in western Kentucky with her husband Jim. Visit her website at: www.susanpagedavis.com.

Welcome, Susan! We're so glad you could visit us today. What made you decide to become a writer? 
I’ve always loved stories and have written them since I was a child. I didn’t really think I could become a published author for many years, but I decided to give it a try, and I’ve been blessed with many published books.


What is the first book you remember reading?
Crybaby Calf, by Helen and Alf Evers. I absolutely loved that picture book!



Where did the inspiration for your latest book come from?
For the Seven Brides for Seven Texans collection, the theme and premise for the seven novellas was already in place. When I heard that each brother would have to marry to inherit his part of the ranch, I began to think about how the young man in my story—“For Love or Money”—would come to the aid of a young woman whose family was looked down on in the community. Jane and Crockett find that forgiveness and love are possible even in bleak circumstances.


Why do you write the genre you do?
I write western romance because my readers love it! I also write mysteries for another publisher. I write the kind of stories I like to read myself.


How does your faith and spirituality work in with your writing?
Some of my books have a strong faith thread, and others are more gentle, but all present my life values. My desire is to write stories that will honor God and serve a need for my readers, whether it’s entertainment, encouragement, or a challenge.

What are you working on next?
Today I’m working on a cozy mystery for Barbour Publishing, in the Tearoom Mysteries series. I’ve also got more western romances coming. Seven Brides for Seven Texans releases Dec. 1, and in March I’ll have two new books: Desert Moon and My Heart Belongs in the Superstition Mountains.


How can readers connect with you?
Find me at:

Website: www.susanpagedavis.com
Twitter: @SusanPageDavis
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susanpagedavisauthor

Very interesting. I'll have to look into those Tearoom Mysteries. Looks like you have some great stuff going on. Thank you so much for being with us!

About Seven Brides for Seven Texans:

Meet the seven Hart brothers of the 7-Heart ranch in central Texas. Each man is content in his independent life, without the responsibilities of a wife and children—until their father decides 1874 will be the year his grown sons finally marry, or they will be cut from his will. How will each man who values his freedom respond to the ultimatum? Can love develop on a timeline, or will it be sacrificed for the sake of an inheritance? 

Links for Seven Brides for Seven Texans (Now available on Kindle, too!)

From ChristianBook.com:
From Amazon: 

We’re giving away a copy of Seven Brides for Seven Texans! It releases Dec. 1, and the winner will be one of the first to receive it. So be sure to leave Susan a comment to get your name in the drawing!

Love, Stock, & Barrel - Release Day!!!

We've all heard of shotgun weddings, but how about a shotgun wedding with the gun pointed at the woman? Well, I took that what-if and turned it into a novel. A novel that releases today! Yeehaw!

Howdy y'all! Crystal Barnes here and I'm super excited to announce Love, Stock, & Barrel is now available! :D

A bit about Love, Stock, & Barrel:

Hiding from a rat of a fiancé, Dinah Lexington makes tracks for Texas and who she hopes is her late mother’s relative. She’s seeking answers but finds more than she bargains for when she gets caught in a shotgun wedding—with the rifle pointed at her.
Russell Cahill can’t believe his father is demanding he marry the feisty redhead. The sharpshooting female would only add to his troubles, but how does one argue with a gun and an attraction he's fought to ignore?

Sparks fly. Secrets surface. Loss threatens.

Will a dream for love shatter forever, or will the pair find a marriage worth lock, stock, and barrel?

Here's what folks are saying...

"Another great story from a talented historical romance author! I love how both books in this series have had good strong female leads, and always interesting marriage situations. Makes for fun reading! Especially with the sassy western twang that comes through on each page. A great read!" ~ Misty M Beller, author of The Lady and the Mountain Call

"I was given a advance copy of this book to read in exchange for a review. I was so blessed to have read it. There is surprises, romance, and so much more. I did not want the book to end, got so attached to the characters. This is 2nd in the series but can be read as a stand alone book but why not read the whole series. Dinah goes to Crystal Falls, Tx since [she] had information about it [in] her mother's diary. Her mother had passed away and her father was trying to force her to marry. She is welcomed into town and has quite a adventure. This is a very good western/historical book." ~ Janice Sisemore, reader

Want to learn more or have a chance to win a free copy of Love, Stock, & Barrel? Join me this evening at 7pm Central for my Facebook Launch party. Click the following link for more details. 
https://www.facebook.com/events/532347610274618/

Hope to see y'all there!

Review - A Bride for all Seasons

Listen up all you romantics. The best mail order bride book of the year is A Bride for all Seasons.

Mail order brides is one of the most enduring premises in historical romance, and why not? Who doesn't admire a woman crazy enough to travel across country to marry a complete stranger, or a western man who plunks down good money gambling that the woman of his dreams will step off the train?

What makes this book so great is there are four novellas rolled in one book, written by four of the best authors in the historical romance genre - Margaret Brownley, Debra Clopton, Robin Lee Hatcher, and Mary Connealy.

The match maker in all four stories stretches the truth a little. All right, he stretches the truth a lot. And the brides come with their own problems--one is superstitious, one has a guilt complex, and one brings a ready-made family with her. Nothing the prospective grooms expect; in fact, they have a few surprises for their brides, including one who thinks he's dying. But in the end all four couples find themselves perfectly matched.

There must be hundreds, maybe thousands, of books about mail order brides, but the authors make these novellas fresh and entertaining. Best of all, the stories reminds us that all things work together for good to those who love God.