Between the Pages: Tenacity in All Forms

There is no question that in this business, you need to have a few things; a thick skin, flexibility, and tenacity. Perhaps that’s why I can relate so well to my new granddog.

Yep, you heard that right. My Grand Dog.

new coat from grandma

Her name is Sutty. That was the name she’d been given before she wound up in the Rescue pound where my son had been searching for a dog. At first meeting they got along splendidly. She’s a precocious little mix of Pomeranian, Border collie, and well, “other stuff…but her sparkling brown eyes reveal the soul of a little lady who has seen the worst and yet continues to love and move forward with her life.

To offer a brief-not-detailed explanation…Sutty was left outside tied up to a lead-out for several weeks and the cord got wrapped tight around her back leg. When the owners finally realized it, it was too late to save her leg and they had to remove it up to the hip. That’s roughly about the time, the rescue folk—knowing my son was looking—introduced him to sweet little Sutty.

With her bestie

Shortly after he’d adopted her, the rescue called to say Sutty had been selected for the annual Dog Bowl (Feb. 2, 7 pm CST-Animal Planet) 

Unable to travel due to work, Aaron sent her with  the Heinz 57 rescue team from Iowa to New York where she was filmed for the Animal Planet special that will air Saturday night, February 2 (the night  before the Super Bowl) What an amazing story. 

And what—might you ask—has this got to do with writing?

I’ve been in a bit of a quandary about writing as of late. Many things have changed in my life in the past year and frankly, I needed some inspiration—this little dogs experiences (far worse than my obstacles) have NOT diminished her spirit, her zest for life, or how much love she shows to others. 

I’ve seen her around a room full of strangers, around small toddlers

Crashed at Grandma's

and she is sweet and careful and loving to all. She’s crazy cute and utterly amazing considering what she’s been through.

She sparked something inside me. Pushed a reset button, if you will. Given me a new perspective. Oh, I’m certain to have a few doubts and obstacles yet, but her passion for life and her tenacity to overcome her obstacles is what I write about. Thanks, Sutty for the reminder!

You can see more of  Sutty and all the remarkable special needs dogs included in the Dog and Puppy Bowl's coming up on Super Bowl weekend! 

 At People.com. *link below*

https://people.com/pets/puppy-bowl-dog-bowl-special-needs-dogs/

How about you? Do you have or know of a pet that is remarkable? Maybe a rescue pet with a story of its own?

 Share it with me and I’ll honor the Animal Rescue  organization of your choice with a $50 donation. 

Between the Pages: Special Edition: Quotes

I love quotes. Whether famous or obscure they speak to my soul much like a painting or a beautiful sunset. When in high school, I worked at a card shop/bookstore (who knew?) and Maya Angelou had just released her line of greeting cards. I’d never before read her work, but as I stocked those cards, I began to gain a greater appreciation for the woman and the experiences that gave her such wisdom, such insight into character, integrity--connecting the dots to those different from me in a line that makes us common with one another.

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ~Maya Angleou

Recent events in our world, most notably those “out of left field” tweets and Facebook comments we all encounter from time to time leave me reeling at times. Do they you?

It can be exhausting, to be truthful and I consider myself a woman of faith, a woman who has built a career on the belief that “love will find a way.”

And I still believe this.

I asked readers recently, what do you like most about contemporary westerns? The rugged cowboys? (duh) The sense of small-town life? Community? Salt-of-the earth type characters?

The answers were very much the same—readers wanted hope in a world that seems to be in a tailspin when it comes to integrity, compassion, grace. Yes, the cowboys are a given—the rugged salt-of-the-earth men and women who overcome the obstacles while in search of their happily ever after. The sense of community and family were also big points brought out.

It does my heart good to know there are readers that value these things, as I do. It’s why I started writing, its why I’ll continue to share my stories of heroes and heroines—of characters who have integrity, passion for the earth, love for their family, friends and community.

I’ll end my short rant on character with one of the most brilliantly written and performed songs, I believe that’s come out in a long while. It offers to me the type of heroes and heroines that I aspire to write and frankly aspire to become myself.

It's  a reminder to us all that being kind, having compassion and integrity all crucial to how we want our society to become.

From the song, “Humble and Kind”-

“Don't take for granted the love this life gives you

When you get where you're goin'

Don't forget turn back around

And help the next one in line

Always stay humble and kind”~ Produced by Tim McGraw & Byron Gallimore

Album Damn Country Music (Deluxe Edition) 2016

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE QUOTE? Maybe its about reading, cowboys, sunsets, mountains, grandkids…whatever it is, share it here in a comment (give author credit when possible, please)

ONE LUCKY QUOTE (LEAVE YOUR EMAIL!) WILL RECEIVE A $10 AMAZON CARD!

Welcome back to End of the Line!

AMAZON 

When Hank, an old friend rescues Julie from an abusive marriage, he becomes a knight in shining armor to her and her boys. After a year starting her life over at the Last Hope ranch, Hank is ready to set the date. Julie likes the way things are. Can love overcome the pain of the past and prove that it’s all been…worth the wait?

A Little Nostalgia For the Season

My offering for November's of Between the Pages is about the past--

Recently, I visited Toy Storyland at Disney World in Orlando and was totally amazed at the wave of memories that washed over me. It was like walking into my childhood--which oddly now is considered "antique" in some circles....

Perhaps its walking through the array of toys there are out there with a new grandson seeing and experiencing them for the first time. I'm happy to say that some of the Fisher Price toys did survive the rearing of 4 kids and are now enjoyed by my little grandson, Winston James.

I'm a fifties kid, so I grew up with Paint-by-Number kits, Color-forms, Trolls,

Etch-A-Sketch, Barbie Dolls, and a plastic horses farm that stayed at my grandmother's house. Then there were games --Mystery Date, Life, Parcheesi, Othello, Candy Land, Monopoly, and of course, Chinese Checkers. And let's not forget the books!  Black Beauty and The Boxcar Children were my favorites!

So, I wondered, do others wax nostalgic like me?  I ASKED THE CREW:

What was the toy you loved and cherished until it fell apart? Do you still have any toys/games from your childhood? What game do you still like to play?

FAVORITE CHILDHOOD TOY:
AMANDA --Silly Putty comes to mind. I used to find it fascinating that it could up the ink on the Sunday comics! And Slinky--seeing how many steps I could get it to go down! And my cherished Betsy Wetsy Doll (which I still have)

JACQUI --I know Barbie gets a bad rap, but she and her many pals were my favorites when I was growing up. I remember having two Ken dolls. One with blond hard plastic hair and one with brown soft vinyl threadlike hair...which led to me cutting his hair...and then being very sad when it didn't grow back. A tough lesson learned.

Angi's Play House

ANGI --Oh gosh. I know this will sound really weird, but I loved borrowing my brother's toy cars for the sand box. I didn't bury toys in the sand (like the neighbor kid in Toy Story), but I made tons of sand cities complete with streets for the cars and living rooms for my dolls. The sandbox was added to the front of my playhouse. AND AND AND -- My dad built my daughter a play house that I still have waiting for her children to play in.

AVRIL -- I think it was a doll that was about the same size as me, and I called her Rose Red. I must have been only two or three years old. My naughty older sisters took me into the cupboard where Mum had stashed the Christmas presents and let me play with her well before Christmas morning dawned!

E.E. -- Roller skates. Every Christmas I would get a new pair (having outgrown or destroyed the old ones from use). I'd put them on and go straight outside to skate. I LOVED roller skating. (Mind you, I lived in Florida, so I could skate outside year round!)

LIZBETH -- I, too, loved Barbie, which is still really weird to me because I was a tomboy's tomboy most of the time. But my friends all had Barbie and friends and we played all the time. I literally had the original Barbie doll--she came with a black and white striped bathing suit and mine had a black pony tail (you could choose black, red, or blonde!). I also had Ken, Barbie's sister Skipper and her friend Midge. We got to enact so many real-life situations from marriage to having babies to being astronauts or whatever. We had no idea we were learning so much.

FAVORITE CHILDHOOD BOOK:
AMANDA --I loved Black Beauty and Boxcar Children when I got a little older, old comic books were big since my dad worked for a magazine publisher out of New York for most of his life. But I used to LOVE sitting and leafing through IDEAL books--especially the holiday poems!!

JACQUI --I loved any book with a horse. My favorites were Judy Van Der Veer's "Hold the Rein Free" and a whole bunch of books by Marguerite Henry: "Misty of Chincoteague," "San Domingo, the Medicine Hat Stallion," "Justin Morgan Had a Horse," "King of the Wind" and "Brighty of the Grand Canyon"...oh, wait that one was about a burro, not a horse, but loved it all the same.

ANGI --Hands down the original One Hundred and One Dalmatians or the Great Dog Robbery by Dodie Smith. The 1956 original story was in my school library. I checked it out so many times that the librarian ordered a new copy and gave me the old. I wish I still had that copy but it must have been given to charity.

AVRIL -- The first book I really remember reading is The Children of Primrose Lane by Noel Streatfeild. I have no idea how I got my hands on this book because it was written before I was born. It;s about a group of kids who save the say in WWII England when they take it upon themselves to trail a German spy. I  wanted to pack my bags and go adventuring after reading this book!

E.E. -- That's easy. Black Beauty. I read that book over and over until the pages fell out and we have to tape them back in. Then I started through every library copy until the librarian said I HAD to read something new. I checked out Man O' War (about a race horse). I also read the horse books mentioned by Jacqui, in addition, National Velvet ... did I happen to mention I was (am) horse crazy?

LIZBETH -- Have to join the horse crazies here. I stared with the Billy and Blaze books (oh how I wanted a pony like Blaze!) Then I lived, breathed, played, and read ten times over all the Black Stallion books. Because I was a tomboy, at first I made my friends pretend I was Alec Ramsay. But as I got older Alec turned into my first book boyfriend, with his slim hips, broad shoulders, and natural ability with wild horses! I wanted to run Hopeful Farm with him in the worst way! Marguerite Henry books were right up there, too. It's still on my bucket list to get to Assateague Island and see the Chincoteague ponies!  I passed on my horse craziness to my daughter, too. She owns six horses and became an equine veterinarian!

FAVORITE CHILDHOOD GAME: 
AMANDA --One of the very first games I was taught was Chinese Checkers on a board that my grandfather made and a coffee can filled with the marbles. I collect Chinese Checker boards now I have one sitting out all the time on a game table just waiting to be played. It's one of the first games I taught my kids to play and that I'll teach my grandkids!

JACQUI --My favorite game was (and still is) the board game Clue. I loved trying to figure out whodunnit. We also played Chinese Checkers a lot but it wasn't my favorite because my sister was so good at that game that it made any chance of winning very unlikely. I liked my odds better (still do) in Clue.

ANGI --I have to say that I didn't really have board games. With the play house, bicycles, sand box and a neighborhood full of children...we ALWAYS played outside. We'd turn our bikes upside down, put them in a circle and pretend we were in a spaceship to the moon. Remember that moon race back in the '60s?

AVRIL -- Elastics! I have no idea if anyone these days even knows what it is but it was all the rage when I was a kid. All you needed was a piece of elastic stitched end to end, and (at least) three people - two to stretch out the elastic between them, holding it taut, and one (or more) to jump over it. The elastic starts at ankle length and climbs higher and higher up the bodies of the two people acting as posts as the jumpers progress.

E.E. -- Pretend play based on TV shows. We had a boat in the back yard and played Gilligan's Island. Our back porch became the Starship Enterprise. I argued that a girl could be Mr. Spock if she wanted! We also play-acted Westerns, and I took my brothers "guns" and holster and cowboy outfit because the cowgirl stuff was too sissy!

LIZBETH -- I'll never forget Mystery Date, the goofiest game ever where you got to wind your way around a board and then open a white door to discover your date. Everyone wanted #4, the guy with the white sport coat. I never got him--I always got the sporty guy or the guy with the scruffy beard, which definitely wasn't hot back in the 60's!  The other game we absolutely loved was Mouse Trap--that Rube Goldberg-like build-a-trap game where there was a bathtub, a shoe that kicked a bucket and a silver ball that rolled down a slide and then sent the basket tumbling down to catch the mouse. Played that a million times as a kid!

Send us a picture or a description of your nostalgic toy, book,  or game  and you could win a $25 Gift Card to Cracker Barrel to use in store or online for your holiday season shopping! They have some of the best blasts of the past!!

Between the Lines w/ Amanda McIntyre

Where do you get your inspiration? 

I can remember the first time I was asked this question. As a writer early in my career, I can remember thinking off the cuff answers like--observing people in airports, hearing snippets of songs on the radio (my first published book, Unfinished Dreams is inspired by the opening of the song "She Said Yes," by Brad Paisley) and maybe standing in line at the grocery store hearing pieces of conversations.

And while I was a "townie" growing up, my community was supported by area ranchers, dairy farms, and corn farmers. We had/have small cafe's where guys in overalls met every morning to share coffee and talk about grain stocks and the planting season. The scent of the local hardware and farm implement stores with the bags of feed stacked high. The excitement of "chick days" at the local farm supply store (yes, I have the T-shirt!) There are plentiful local bars with colorful clientele and a movie theater that is a slice of American nostalgia.

After many years of schooling, work and more schooling, my husband (also a hometown boy) and I wound up back in our hometown, 1) to give our kids a closeness to grandparents, and 2) to give back to the community we so dearly loved

Meet some of the folks from End of the Line!

My current series work began with a trilogy (The Kinnison Legacy) and has now got two interconnected series, (Last Hope Ranch) and End of the Line) All were inspired by my own experience of living in a small Midwestern farm town.

In the historic little Montana town of End of the Line, once a pop-up town of the gold rush of the late 1800's, I have taken the inspiration of my growing up years and tried to integrate them into a place people will want to visit, with people they'd like to get to know.

Betty's Sunrise Cafe': Set on one corner of the town square, and in every story of these related books, Betty's is a mainstay to the town. This is the place if you're looking for the best cup of coffee in town, an array of home-cooked comfort food, or the latest gossip. Run by Betty and Jerry, they have the biggest hearts and the latest scuttle on everything happening in town. Betty's now has a bakery next door with sweet treats and baked goods managed by Rebecca Greyfeather--pie maker extraordinaire and wife of Michael Greyfeather. There's rumor Betty has a cookbook in the works! We'll see how that pans out!!

Nan's Sporting Goods & Repair: Run by widow, Nan Patusky and started with her late husband Andrew, a WWII veteran and high school sweetheart. They married after the war and opened their business and became involved in teaching fly-fishing to kids when it was discovered they couldn't have kids of their own. In my upcoming book, WORTH THE WAIT, Nan will discover an explosive secret that will change her life forever!

**SEE SPECIAL BELOW**

Dusty's Bar & Grill: Run by Dusty, he employs Dixie, his only waitress who does NOT believe in skimpy denim shorts and Stan (grill cook) The hub of social life, particularly on Friday and Saturday nights for locals and area residents. Dusty's boasts Karaoke fundraisers, great burgers, and is not without the occasional brawl as you can read about in RUGGED HEARTS, with Wyatt Kinnison going toe-to-toe when someone makes a move on second grade school teacher,  Aimee Worth. A woman who set his world topsy-turvy in more ways than one!



Tanners Meat Market: Just across from the Got-n-Go gas station and grocery,
it's run by Sam Tanner. Confirmed bachelor who has the swoon-worthy looks of Sam Elliot and about the same disposition is your guy to go to for the best cuts of local beef, deer jerky, and your Thanksgiving turkey. He also carries homemade frozen soups and seafood. Sam has a few skeletons of his own which come out in the book, LOST AND FOUND. More on Sam to come!

Last Hope Ranch Cabin rentals: On the property of the Kinnison's sprawling ranch, Rein MacKenzie and his wife, Liberty (Wyatt and Dalton's step-sister) have built a row of modern cabins designed and built by Rein in accordance to the wishes of his Uncle Jed Kinnison's diary. Once a successful cattle ranch, time and Jed's passing made it necessary to sell off most of the herds. With the help of a Crow horse whisperer, Michael Greyfeather, old friend of Uncle Jed, the ranch became an overflow to an equine rescue ranch which led to the cabins. Together they provide the beauty of the country and working with the horses on the ranch to provide healing to those in need. Clay Saunders (NO STRINGS ATTACHED)  and Liberty Belle Vaughn (RUSTLER'S HEART) are just two of the folks that 
discover the healing power of the ranch and the small town support in End of the Line.

In the weeks to come, I'll be highlighting more from this quaint community and sharing some of its history yet to be told! There's more to come from End of the Line, Montana!!

Meantime here is my special gift to you!

October 18-October 22, 2018 

Snag the book that started it all!

RUGGED HEARTS IS YOURS--FREE !!

KINDLE EDITION 

LIMITED TIME ONLY!

To celebrate my upcoming next book in this beloved series, watch for more special giveaways n the weeks to come!

Be inspired. Be kind.Be grateful.

Between the Pages w/Amanda McIntyre

A bit late in my apologies, but life is like this at times. News regarding personal injury to my brother came to me late Tuesday night and with him living on his own and us an hour away, it was one of those mad scramble "what do we do moments."
As it happens, my dh was off the next day and was able to take him to the ER, where he was admitted.

Result? Totally spaced off my blog for Between the Pages!  So I felt it might be a worthwhile conversation to  have when an authors life goes sideways...

I once was involved in co-writing with Lori Soard (mentor/writer/friend) a book called," So Your Muse Has Gone AWOL?"  It was a compilation of short stories (real-life) from  a great many authors--some very recognizable names, others newly published, others (back then) waiting to be published. The theme of the book was based on the many reasons that sometimes the muse takes a hike and how to get back in the saddle of writing again.

It was about realizing that you need to give yourself grace. That sometimes the answer is sit your butt in the chair and "do it." And other times, you need to walk a path unplanned for a bit to get back on track.

Life happens. We change/lose agents. We change/lose publishers. We change/lose people in our lives. We transition writing genres.

But in all of it, we can ask nothing more from readers or ourselves but GRACE.

Writing is not for the faint of heart. One of my fav quotes on writing comes from Ernest Hemingway who said, "There's nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.”

Truer words were never spoken. Surrounded by peers online, at conferences, cruise's, book signings...the authors life of writing is a solitary paradox once you get down to brass tacks.

Good news is I  am writing...and rewriting the next book in my Last Hope Ranch series! I'm very excited. But I'm delving into this story with all of its twists and turns, ups and downs, joys and sorrows--all the while with unplanned surprises along the way (so much so that I've had to rewrite a few scenes!)

So I thank you for patience. Your grace (I hope) in missing a full day of the blog! But maybe I'll glean a few stranglers online tonight!


Peace be with you all and remember,
kindness matters!

Here's a taste of my next WIP!!

www.amandamcintyresbooks.com


Amanda 

Amanda McIntyre~Between the Pages

I'm not entirely certain where the summer disappeared to, but here we are looking at school starting, the Halloween costumes are showing up and in some stores, even the Christmas season is beginning to take shape!

Doesn't it make you sometimes what to yell, " STOP!"

Alas, no one ever asks my opinion on such things. Go figure.;) As I improve with age, I've discovered that there are treasures to be found in the ordinary moments. Maybe that's because I am blessed to be able to watch my grandson during the school year and have done so since my daughter-in-law returned to teaching. Even after four kids, I am amazed still at how quickly kids grow and learn. Every age has been fun and I look forward to seeing him continue to discover the world and his purpose in it! This year our mantra is " Be kind and brave." And while I have a little sign posted on his toy box, it serves as a reminder to me as well-1) that learning never stops and 2) you're never too old to be kind and brave!

~*~*~

Today, I have the pleasure of sharing  with you the talents of a woman I first met Stacy Powell has an electric smile and a heart as big as the moon and it shows through in her work and her personality!
at the Deadwood Reads Conference in Deadwood, S.D. (a great smaller conference in early June in one of the most picturesque and historical areas of the upper Midwest!)

Stacy does photo shoots for cover art as well as runs a commercial photography studio. I've utilized covers from custom shoots to "premades" and find the "art" of the photography fascinating!  I caught up with Stacy  with her busy schedule and managed to ask her a bit about her work!

Here's a bit about Stacy Powell!
My name is Stacy Powell, owner and photographer of SP Photography. I'm a wife, mother to three girls and grandmother of three boys. I've been a photographer since I received my first camera at age ten and professionally for over 25 years. 


Amanda: How did you get interested in photography and especially for cover art?

Stacy: MY DAD gave me my first camera when I was 10 years old. Photography let me tell stories through the images I captured. As I became an adult, a friend told me about a job photographing children and families with a well-known portrait studio company. That interview resulted in 20 years with the company and growth in my skills telling each person's story with my camera.

A friend invited me to go to an author event about a year after I "retired" from the company I was with. I went having no idea what I was walking into and how that day was going to change my path. 

We walked around meeting author after author and I was having a blast! Then I saw HIM. I met my first cover model. He was entirely too cute (and oh he smelled so good). We stood and talked with him and the author he was there with. I turned to my friend and said "You mean I've been photographing crying two-year olds when I could be photographing HIM???" We all laughed and moved on. Well, that idea took hold of me and I found a new inspiration, a new reason to be a photographer. Exactly one year later at the same event I introduced myself to the authors as a cover photographer and my business has taken off!

Amanda: Admittedly there are a great many wonderful cover models out there looking for their big break on a book cover! It's much harder to achieve that than to publish a book, so  I've been told! Your help in getting them galleries where their modeling( and your creativity and skill) has to give them a leg up on the competition! How do you work with an author to produce the perfect cover?

Stacy: THIS IS A HARD question since each author I work with has different

needs for their covers. Some, choose a "stock photo" which is one that I've already taken and is available from a gallery on my website. Others tell me which model they'd like and what genre I need to photograph them for. This is called a "custom cover shoot". These are my favorite because I get to bring their characters to life. We talk about a particular mood, feeling or part of the story that the cover needs to convey. We then discuss wardrobe, location and props to be used. Next, we bring the model into the conversation and prepare them for the role they're going to play. They like to have an idea of the character and what looks I need from them before we start. Finally we all come together and rock out the shoot!

Amanda: How much of marketing sense goes into creating a good cover?

Stacy: HAVING A  background is very important. My job as the photographer is to create an image that will be the first impression the reader gets of the book so it sells them on buying it and diving into the story. I try to capture images during stock photo shoots that will be marketable to a broad spectrum of authors. Because there are so many genres out there and levels of "steaminess" this is a challenge sometimes. I just do my best to capture a variety of expressions and poses so there is something in my portfolio for everyone.

Amanda: What are the most popular styles of covers for various genres right now?

Stacy: THE TIDES ARE CHANGING right now. We (myself, the models I'm shooting with soon and their talent managers) actually were discussing this recently. The most popular in the past have been shirt off for men with lots of abs in suggestive poses. Now, the authors are asking for couple photography, clothed models and themed images. I'm really happy to see that there are even authors reaching out to photographers looking for curvy females for their covers. Beauty doesn't come in one shape or size and I am thrilled to see it becoming part of the book community.

Amanda: Do you have "favorite" style images that you love to photograph?

Stacy: MY FAVORITE IMAGES to capture are couple images. I love to capture the connection between them. That fire, that sweetness, that intensity..... those are the shots that give me chills. With that being said, make them cowboy or motorcycle couples and I'm simply giddy. Oh how I love a dark brooding cowboy and the girl that can make him smile. Motorcycles make everything sexy so when I have the chance to add one in to a couple shoot I get really excited too!

Amanda: I certainly admire not only your creativity as a photographer, but also your skill in staying on top of the trends to know what authors are looking for! Thank you for stopping in at GLIAS, Stacy! Where can people learn more about you?

Stacy: I can be reached at spcoverphotography@gmail.com or visit my website at www.spphotography.rocks

Follow me on social media https://www.facebook.com/SPCoverPhotography/ or https://www.instagram.com/spcoverphotography/ 

Amanda McIntyre's Between the Pages with Carolyn Brown

Welcome to between the Pages!! Today my guest is Carolyn Brown! Well-known for her wonderful storytelling about cowboys, women's fiction, and small town life! We love having this prolific writer stopping by to share what's next for readers!

A little bit about Carolyn: 
Carolyn Brown is a New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author and a RITA finalist with more than ninety published books, which include women’s fiction and historical, contemporary, and cowboys-and-country-music romance. She and her husband live in the small town of Davis, Oklahoma—where everyone knows everyone else and knows what they’re doing and when—and they read the local newspaper on Wednesday to see who got caught. They have three grown children and enough grandchildren to keep them young.

Amanda: How many books have you written? 

CAROLYN: Small Town Rumors is my 91st published book. There are two cowboys already written and another women's fiction, all written and waiting in the wings so that's 94 written to date.

AMANDA: Wow!! Congratulations! So, whats ahead for Carolyn Brown in 2018? 

CAROLYN: Cowboy Honor, the second book in the Longhorn Canyon series will arrive in September and then in 2019 my readers can look for Cowboy Brave, the third book in that series; The Magnolia Inn, a women's fiction story; Cowboy Brave and Cowboy Rebel, the fourth and fifth books in the Longhorn Canyon series; The Perfect Dress, a women's fiction book; and an as yet untitled women's fiction book. Right now I'm working on The Perfect Dress and when it's finished I'll dive right into Cowboy Rebel.

LET'S DIVE IN TO THIS BOOK RELEASING JULY 3! Do you have your copy? I do!

SMALL TOWN RUMORS by Carolyn Brown

AMAZON

From New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown comes a funny heartache of a novel about overcoming the past, confronting the future, and defying all expectations.

Everyone is talking about Jennie Sue Baker and the mess she made of her life in New York. The former high school queen bee—and wealthy darling of Bloom, Texas—has returned home after all these years, riding on a common bus and bearing two bounced alimony checks. In a town that thrives on gossip, Jennie’s fall from grace has shamed her mother, set the town buzzing, and caused old, jealous enemies to whisper in delight. They say she’s taken a job as a housekeeper, gotten a garage apartment, and might be crushing on Rick Lawson, a simple farmer with modest dreams.

As romance starts to bud, Jennie relishes what it means to follow her heart, find real new friends, and finally be herself—regardless of all the lying town chatter. But fate has another twist in store. Rumor has it that Jennie now stands to lose what matters most…unless she can convince Rick of one true thing—and that’s love.

CHATTING WITH CAROLYN ABOUT SMALL TOWN RUMORS:

AMANDA: What characteristic do you love/hate most about Jennie Sue Baker?

CAROLYN: I hate that she put up with her ex-husband’s mental abuse as long as she did but I love that she finally takes control of her life. I like her big heart and the fact that money and prestige aren’t high on her list.

AMANDA: What makes your hero lovable in this story?

CAROLYN: He's a broken hero who needs fixing and no one has been able to do that. He’s kind, gentle, and sweet but he’s got an inner core of strength. Jennie Sue helps him find that strength to overcome his not care about the wounds he received fighting for our country.

AMANDA :What tradition was important for you to teach your children, and/or grandchildren?

 CAROLYN: Family! Plain and simple. In today’s high tech world too many times family values get pushed aside for speed, one line text messages and fast phone calls. Someone asked me once what my secret was for having a close knit family. My answer was that it’s simply, “home in time for supper.” It didn’t matter how many kids had come to our yard to play or where my three kids were, when it was supper time, they were to be sitting around the table with me and their dad. It was our family time to talk about school, jobs, food, the books we were reading or whatever was on our minds that day. Just our family and an hour or even longer if the conversation went that long to stop and pay attention to family.

AMANDA: Small town or city life?

CAROLYN: Small town, hands down! I love small towns and write about them in most of my books. They have a heartbeat and pulse of their own. An example: A few years ago my sister passed away here in our small town (one traffic light and a population of under three thousand). We didn’t cook a meal for a week and ate leftovers for a week after that. Small town folks might be nosy but they take care of each other. Here in our part of the world, we tell folks that everyone knows what everyone is doing, with whom and where they are doing it and we all read the local paper just to see who got caught.

AMANDA:  Sunrise or sunset?

CAROLYN: Either or both. Texas has the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises I’ve ever seen.

EXCERPT:

Jennie Sue Baker could almost hear the rumors buzzing around the small town of Bloom, Texas, when she stepped off the Greyhound bus in front of the Main Street Café that Monday at noon. On a slow day, gossip hung over the town like smoke in an old western honky-tonk. On a good day, in the opinion of the community, it obliterated the sun.

Today would definitely be a good day for Bloom, but to Jennie Sue, the target of all those rumors, it would be downright miserable.

She wiped sweat from her brow and then picked up the single suitcase that the driver set out on the sidewalk beside her. Glancing around as the bus pulled back out onto the highway, she expected to see her mother’s pearly-white Cadillac parked nearby, but it wasn’t anywhere in sight.

She set the suitcase down and seriously considered sitting on it. It wasn’t her mother’s fault—not really, because she hadn’t called her until an hour ago, and Charlotte was never on time for anything except her hair appointments. That was because the beauty salon was the breeding ground for the best talk in town.

Well, her mama had better hurry, because Jennie Sue Baker sitting on a suitcase on Main Street would stir up more than anything the beauty shop could dream up.

The smell of greasy burgers, bacon, and fries wafted across the street from the café. Her stomach reminded her that the package of crackers from a vending machine she’d had for breakfast had long since disappeared. Dragging her suitcase across the street, she was so focused on the café that she didn’t notice the vehicle pulling up to the curb only a few feet from her. When the driver honked, she jumped and glared at the car before she realized that it was her mother. She couldn’t see Charlotte’s face through the tinted windshield, but she could sure enough feel the icy-cold aura coming from the car when she opened the back door and shoved the suitcase inside.

“I’ve come up with a perfect story,” Charlotte started the moment that Jennie Sue was buckled up.

Jennie Sue wasn’t surprised at the first words out of her mother’s mouth, but she was disappointed. “Hello to you, too, Mama. It’s really good to see you. You look as beautiful as ever. Has it really been six months since I’ve seen you?”

“Don’t sass me,” Charlotte snapped. “We talk and text every week. And speaking of the last time I saw you, it doesn’t look like you’ve done anything to lose that extra ten pounds you’re carryin’ around.”

“I’d been in the hospital. Besides, I like food,” Jennie Sue said.

“Evidently,” Charlotte sighed. “Do you like looking like a homeless woman, too? When word gets out that you came in on a bus dressed like that, I won’t be able to hold my head up.” She eased the car out onto the street. “I bet Cricket was watchin’ from the café. Nothing escapes that girl’s eye.”

“I’m not a movie star, Mama, and I didn’t see any paparazzi fighting to get pictures of me. This is Bloom, not Los Angeles. I’m not that important.” She shifted in her seat.

HOW ABOUT YOU? 

SMALL TOWN OR CITY LIFE FOR YOU?

Share in comments why you love one or the other and be entered to win A DIGITAL COPY FROM AMAZON OF SMALL TOWN RUMORS!!

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Be sure to check out Carolyn's magnificent stories by following her!!

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Email @ ccbrown66@att.net

 July 3, 2018

BETWEEN THE PAGES with Amanda McIntyre

As a reader, (because authors ARE readers, too, right?) we turn the pages of our favorite stories getting lost in the tale, imagining ourselves as perhaps one of the characters—maybe the heroine who gets swept away by the handsome hero or maybe anti-hero? Maybe its that quiet secondary character who catches your eye, and keeps you intrigued as to what his/her fate will one day be?

Quite often I’ve been asked, “Where do you get your ideas for your stories?” And most often I have to stop and think of which book to tell them about.

I think most authors would agree, ideas come from unexpected sources—standing in line at the grocery store, overhearing a conversation in the car next to you at the gas station, maybe hearing a line in a song, reading a news line, maybe (for the lucky) it comes in a dream.

In series writing, which is what I am writing primarily these days—those characters may pop up as suddenly as uninvited guests, lingering around long enough and making things that much more interesting that they become like family. Example; I have one character, Betty, who owns the diner in my little historical mining town of End of the Line, Montana. 

Book I, Kinnison Legacy

In my first book that started this particular series journey (RUGGED HEARTS, Book I, Kinnison Legacy trilogy) Betty appeared as the lovable town gossip. She had been around long enough in town to watch my hero brothers—Wyatt, Dalton and Rein—grow into the men they are today. She also knew their step-dad/uncle (you'll have to read how that one works) and basically if one wants to know anything about anyone—Betty’s your best bet. Fiercely protective of her friends and family, she’s also a bit of a match-maker as well. 

One of these days, I hope to publish a cookbook that Betty and I have been working on!

I asked a few friends who stood out as one of their fav secondary characters…here’s what they had to say…

Hildie McQueen

AMAZON

My favorite secondary character is Heath Hewitt in Where The Four Winds Collide. He is the younger brother of the hero, who was only supposed to be there as one of the motivators for the hero.

Heath ended up with one of the most touching scenes and with a story line that I had to taper down so he wouldn't steal the show from his brother Jackson!

Ciara Knight

In my current work in progress, Love on the Ranch, a meddling mother (Rose) sets up pranks and all sorts of madness to push her over-achieving, practical son toward an impractical bride who might not be able to save his land, but she could save his heart.

Kathryn LeVeque

AMAZON

Kieran Hage from The Wolfe. When I wrote The Wolfe, Kieran was originally not meant to have a huge role, but as I got deeper into the book, his personality just came through. Writers talk about their characters coming alive, and Kieran really did - and that's why in my latest release, A Wolfe Among Dragons, I had such a hard time because I wrote Kieran's death scene as an old man. Ugly crying!

Merry Farmer

AMAZON

That would definitely have to be Theophilus Gunn. He's the manager of The Cattleman Hotel in Haskell, Wyoming, and he shows up in most of my Brides of Paradise Ranch books. He's also mentioned in my West Meets East series and my Silver Foxes of Westminster series.

In my head, he has a complete, complex, and epic backstory. Lived both in Europe and America, was a spy in two wars, and just wants a little peace now that he's settled in Wyoming. If you want anything "taken care of" go to Theophilus Gunn. <wiggles eyebrows>

Angi Morgan

AMAZON

Frank in Gunslinger. He's a retired Texas Ranger but you don't find that out until halfway through the book. He's a funny old coot who seems to take care of everyone in Hico. Right now, he only appears in Gunslinger...but just wait for Ranger Warrior!!

Jacqui Nelson

AMAZON

I’d be very challenged to pick my favorite hero or heroine, but when it comes to my favorite secondary character, my choice is clear! It’s Grandpa Gus Peregrine! In my Christmas novella, The Calling Birds, Gus is a lovable troublemaker who works hard but also knows how to have fun. More often than not, he’s joking and smiling. My mom was the inspiration for Gus’ personality, but instead of being absentminded she was extremely stubborn. So much so that she’d make me worry about her safely—just like Gus’ grandson Jack can’t stop worrying about his grandpa.

E.E. Burke

Amazon 

I’d say Billy Frye in Fugitive Hearts. He's been on his own since he was 5. He's slept in boxcars and been passed around from family to family. At 11 now, he’s a tough kid with survivor instincts, very clever, and despite being treated poorly has a big heart. He adores my heroine (Mrs. Claire Daines) who wishes to adopt him and takes him in. He will protect her with his life if need be, and that's what ends up getting Billy and Claire into big trouble.

Donna Michaels

AMAZON

My lovesick cow, Lula Belle. She's in love with my hero from Book 1 and causes trouble for his heroine all throughout the series. She's a riot to write! ❤

This is a new column for GLIAS! 
Starting once a month we'll be sharing thoughts "behind the scenes" with authors--new projects, appearances, convention buzz, as well as a contest or two!!

**JUNE 14.2018**

THIS WEEK WE'RE TALKING SECONDARY CHARACTERS!

*WHO STRIKES YOUR FANCY AS A SECONDARY CHARACTER AND WHY?

*DID YOU CONTACT THE AUTHOR?

*DID THAT CHARACTER HAVE HIS/HER STORY IN ANOTHER BOOK?

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