Taming the Wild West of Westerns... But Not Too Much!

I am going full-out Western on youse today due to one 

VERY GOOD EXCELLENT REASON:

Him.

The long-awaited release of "Peace in the Valley", Trey's story, was one week ago... and I'm so thrilled to have this beautiful story in readers' hands at long last!  Kudos to Kelly Howard of Waterbrook/Multnomah for the amazing covers on these books, and huge thanks to Shannon Marchese and Brandy Bruce for the editorial help on this one.

I love this story. I love Westerns. I grew up loving Westerns on TV, and I don't think I'd ever read one... but when Love Inspired invited me to be in on a Western continuity, I was hooked.... Head over heels. In love with a new sub-genre of romance: Western Inspirational Romance... With a splash of Women's Fiction on the side because I love bringing spunky, gutsy heroines on board for these books. I LOVE GUTSY, IN-YOUR-FACE HEROINES.

If we delve into that too deeply, it could possibly reveal way too much about the snarky author. But there you have it... and if you think that today's West isn't fraught with danger, take a look at "The Last American Cowboy" on Netflix, and you'll see some pretty gritty stuff... then throw in cougars, wolves, hills, mountains, family drama, drugs, alcohol, economic down times, political strife and federal land controls... Along with some firearms!..... And you've pretty much got the Old West,  prettied up enough to have an Interstate system for faster getaways!

Cowboy code is the basis for my Westerns, even the ones that have sheriffs or teachers (the upcoming "After the Storm" series), Manhattan investors and country crooners... (Trey's story, think a cross between Blake Shelton and Dierks Bentley)...

But the "cowboy code" is clutch in the Western. We see it when Trey teaches a six-year-old boy the rules of the game, we see a true cowboy is strong enough to be gentle... as Trey advises Cody to be nice to his little sister and let her take the first cookie. From "Peace in the Valley":

“The polite thing to do would be to offer yours to her, or let her go first. Cowboy up, kid."

“You think I could be a cowboy?” The kid’s eyes rounded like saucers. He eyed Trey’s hat. “Like, for real?”

“Why not?”

“Well, I don’t have a horse.” Cody waited until Belle had selected a cookie, then closed the bin. “Or a hat or a saddle or anything.”

Trey stooped low. “Bein’ a cowboy isn’t about what you’re wearin’ or ridin’, my friend.”

“It’s not?” Cody stared at him, puzzled.

“No sir.” Trey shook his head and kept his face serious. “It’s about what’s up here.” He tapped the side of his head. “And here.” He clapped his hand over his heart. “The rest is just window dressin’, but a true cowboy comes from inside you, in everything you say and do. Being strong, but being nice. Giving directions, but following directions too.”

“Like cooperating?” Cody asked. “We learned about that in school.”

“Exactly like that.”

“But then do I get a hat, maybe?” He eyed Trey’s hat and the broad Western display in Ham’s front window. “So everyone will know I’m bein’ a cowboy?”

“Maybe then.”

“I didn’t know.” The kid glanced around as if he’d just discovered an ultimate truism.

“And now you do."

Trey was taught the good and the bad by one of the toughest cowboys in the PNW... his father, Sam Stafford. But Trey doesn't see the gruff, egotistical, self-centered man who made more enemies than friends over three decades of ranching after losing his first wife in a tragic accident... he sees the man who saved him from a life of squalor.... the big, broad, Stetson-wearing cowboy who swept up a little boy, wet pants and all... and made him his own.

Cowboy code is balancing the good with the bad, but making sure the good wins. Cowboy code is doing the James Garner twinkle-in-the-eye while knowing you've got the fastest gun in the west at your side. Cowboy code is sacrificial love because the horse or the cow or the calf or the kid comes first... and then the cowboy worries about his comfort.

Cowboy code sets the rancher and men of the west apart. It creates an ambiance that transcends the world of technology, while embracing what technology can do.

"Strong enough to be gentle".... 

Have I mentioned that all three books are available at Walmarts and grocery stores nationwide, anywhere you can find Love Inspired books or mass market paperback displays... Like almost EVERYWHERE!!! But if you can't find them, here's an Amazon link for each, because yes... I want you to buy them, and read them, and love them.

Why else would I write them? Oh, you sillies! :)

Back in the Saddle (Amazon)

Home on the Range (Amazon)

Peace in the Valley (Amazon) 

Cowboy code shows the honor within... and the struggle that goes alongside the honor. It highlights the humor and downplays the pain... but never pretends the pain isn't there. It's just managed.

The old-fashioned pioneer spirit and mindset still thrives through a lot of the West and Midwest... there are some who would water it down, some who raise eyebrows at it, and some who will never understand it...

But for those who value the hard work, honor and valor it takes to work the land, handle animals, (as big as a Clydesdale, as small as a newborn baby goat), patch plumbing and run electric... tape wounds and kiss boo-boos.... You'll understand that Western attraction and the men who feed it.

Heroes who are always strong enough to be gentle... As needed.

Hey, for your upcoming travels, I have an AUDIBLE copy of Back in the Saddle for one lucky commenter! I am over the moon excited that they've brought the books out in audible, huge thanks to Waterbrook and Penguin/Random House! 

Come on inside, grab a cuppa or a glass of sweet tea and tell me what you like... or don't like... about westerns. And  you can be sure if you vote the "don't like" side... I'm still gonna be downright nice to ya'. Because that's how we roll here. :)

Multi-published, award-winning and bestselling inspirational author Ruthy Logan Herne is living her dream of writing great stories with unforgettable characters that leave folks wanting more.... and when she's done making jam and tending babies and building chicken coops, she gives her readers exactly that! A woman who isn't afraid to take research to extremes (including table saws and nail guns!) Ruthy lives on a small farm in Western New York where the change of seasons and constant stream of folks in and out of her doors feeds her writing fancy of "What if...?"  Friend her on facebook, follow her on Twitter, visit her website ruthloganherne.com ... or come see her making delicious food today at the Yankee Belle Cafe! She'll dish you up a plate of Ruthy's finest old fashioned coconut custard pie... made just for you!  

Wranglin' That Cowboy Without Usin' Spurs

Not all cowboys are created equal.

Not all cowboys are the same.

Like any other hero, your cowboys should be unique. They should be themselves. They should let their own light shine in the darkness of a moonless night when saving a newborn calf takes precedence over a hot meal and a clean bed.

But each cowboy will bring a distinctly different flavor to his rescue, and that's what we're talking about today.

Here's a list of my contemporary cowboys to date:

Jack McGuire (His Montana Sweetheart, Love Inspired)
Colt Stafford (Back in the Saddle, Waterbrook Press)
Nick Stafford (Home on the Range, Waterbrook Press)
Jed Taylor (Silent Night, Star-lit Night St. Martin's Press/Swerve)
Trey Walker Stafford (Peace in the Valley, Waterbrook Press, May 2017)

And there are a couple in the works.... which is WAY FUN!!! Ruthy goes Western! Yee haw!!! And as a woman who loves westerns and history, putting the two things together for historical stories was a no-brainer, so Phillip Dickinson (His Beloved Bride), Edward Stillwell (A Town Called Christmas) and Hugh Stackman (A Cowboy for Christmas, Gilead Press) are all self-made pioneer men.

We talked about differentiating heroes using bullet lists here.... And that simple technique helps me. But I think the most effective way of writing distinctive cowboys is to make them distinctive heroes... who happen to be cowboys.

That sounds easy, right?

Well, good! Then I can stop talkin' 'bout it and get on to other things like...

(someone yells "BOO!" from the back of the room and Ruthy gets back on track)...

Who is the man within the cowboy? Is he alpha or beta or in between? (John Wayne) Is he soulful? (Gary Cooper)  Is he hardened? (Clint Eastwood roles) Is he wounded?  Is he funny? (James Garner, Murphy's Romance) Does he hide his wounded soul beneath a humorous exterior? (Dan Blocker, "Hoss", Bonanza) Or he can be a mix of these types (think Walter Brennan playing a full cast of characters from funny cowboys to hard-hearted patriarch to devoted father in "Guns of Will Sonnet")

The soul of the cowboy is what appeals to the reader. Like any hero, your cowboy's strengths should shine (industrious, caring for his animals, working a long day in all kinds of weather, strong enough to be gentle).

That last is a quality women find attractive in cowboys. The same man who can sit saddle for ten hours, guiding cattle across a western plain, can then mend a dog's paw that's gone lame, fix the leather on a harness and read a little girl a story. There is a REASON that people snatch up titles like "The Cowboy's Christmas Triplets" and "The Cowboy's Surprise Twins"... Think of it like pairing sweet and savory.

The baby's real sweet... and the cowboy is two thumbs up savory!  That's the draw you want for women readers.... A man's western is going to be different in most cases, but we're talking romance here, and the primary goal of a romance is... well... romance, right? So the woman reader wants to yearn for your cowboy's gentle strength, and she'll be downright mad if you give him a whiny heroine. The heroine can be a city slicker, out of her element, but whiny?

Not on your life! Because who's got time for that?

Not a cowboy, for sure!

A successful cowboy is integrated with his job. He understands life and death. He's got experience under his rugged hat, and women find that appealing... but they like to see the humor, the wisdom, the compassion of his softer side.

This was my first Western, part of the Big Sky Centennial continuity for Love Inspired. I had so much fun writing this story... and working with a wonderful group of women! Writing this story sparked the ranch-lover inside me and opened new doors of opportunity... And that's a wonderful thing to have happen!

There are a few iconic heroes... Military men, cowboys, builders, farmers, ranchers, fishermen.... and you'll see these careers in many blue-collar appeal romance novels. (Note I'm steering away from the billionaire tycoons and sheikhs and Greek princes...)

But the cowboy is a different breed. He's a different kind of special... one that authors and readers both love. Have you thought about writing western? And if not... why not? I'd love to hear your ideas today... and your concerns!

HEY! ON A DIFFERENT NOTE, AND NOTHIN' TO DO WITH ROPIN' AND RIDIN'...

We're hosting our annual Seekerville Rockin' It New Year's Eve Party on December 31 from 6:00 AM to 3:00 AM on January 1.... We'll have hourly prizes and a Kindle Fire grand prize at the end of the day. What a great way (okay, maybe GREAT is overstating it, so let's say "Geeky") What a GEEKY way to ring in the New Year, with all of our best and brightest writin' buds! For those of you who have a life... and a date!!!.... stop in throughout the day. The rest of us can ring in the new year together!

And I'd like to have villagers host some hours of the day... if you're interested, give me a shout out in the comments or e-mail me at loganherne@gmail.com!

We'd love to have you on board!

And I've got TWO COPIES of "Silent Night, Star-lit Night" to give away today! I might have forgotten to have this in the original post!!! :)

Multi-published, bestselling author Ruth Logan Herne is living her dream of writing sweet stories of faith, hope and love... while spending time with cute kids, dogs, cats, chickens, chicks and far too many squash bugs.... Don't ask! :)  

Contact Ruthy through her e-mail loganherne@gmail.com, visit her website ruthlognanherne.com and friend her on facebook as Ruth Logan Herne! She loves connecting with readers, writers and just plain good people!

Pam Throws a Wide Loop to Corral Social Media

Several months ago on the ACFW loop, someone asked how to promote ebooks on Kindle and Nook. I was in the middle of promoting my debut novel at the time, so my efforts were fresh on my mind. So I jumped in to share the following down and dirty tips for promotion.

Ride for the Brand

First and foremost, I have to mention Tyndale’s HUGE promotion network: It’s entirely possible (even probable) that the list below is my piddly attempt to promote myself when Tyndale House can tweet and post on facebook that Stealing Jake is available on Amazon, B&N & CBD, and loyal Tyndale fans flock to download it. So having a wonderful publisher behind me to promote my book is huge, huge, HUGE to me as a newbie.

Team Roping

My Seeker sisters and I promote each other on Facebook and Twitter by sharing and retweeting. We visit blogs where the others are guests and poke fun ... uh... I mean, support each other. The more you develop your online presence, the more comfortable you become, and the more readers reach out to you. Also, an aside: Seekerville has really helped me open up so that I can blog and comment with a measure of confidence. So, if you’re a bit shy about posting online, jump in now before you sell your first book. You’ll be glad you did!

Gather at Popular Watering Holes: Pam's Author Page on Facebook, Twitter

Accept friend requests on Facebook for everybody who’s a decent-looking sort. Friend people you know personally. Write on their wall. Say, "Howdy, pardner". Search for your church, high school, organizations, colleges, your kids’ daycare pages. When something amazing happens with your book, share it there. I shared my “Stunned to be #1” blog post on my local newspaper's fb page. The newspaper asked for an interview. AND the reporter had already downloaded Stealing Jake and didn’t know I was local. That was TOO cool!

Create an AUTHOR page on facebook. Wonder of wonders, I just created mine this weekend, so it's a cold, lonely cabin out in the middle of NOWHERE. Just click here to see what I mean. How about dropping by some furnishings to make it look a little more like home? A table or a chair. A three-legged stool. An old quilt for my rope bed. A coffee pot. (Ruthy, while I'd love a Keurig, I don't have any electricity in this 1880s cabin, so I'll have to make do with a enamel cofeepot!) I can't wait to see ya'll post on the page. If nothing else, a pound of coffee to get me through the winter would be nice.

Jaw Around the Campfire



Talk, then talk some more. I’m posting every 2-3 days on my personal blog, and Twitterfeed sends those posts and Seekerville posts to fb and twitter where they can be liked, shared, and retweeted. Sweet!

Tweetdeck. Okay, I’m depending on Edie Melson’s book Social Media Marketing for Writers: How To Blog, Tweet, & Peep Your Way Onto Amazon's Best Seller's List to walk me through Tweetdeck. I think I tried to sign up for it before, but couldn’t figure out exactly what to do. Edie explains how to make life a little easier with Tweetdeck. Be right back (Literally. I’m installing Tweetdeck now!) Okay, not quite there yet, but I'll wrestle this thing to the ground eventually!

Be Right Neighborly

Schedule a blog tour: You can hire someone to do a blog tour for you or you can do it yourself. I set up my own blog tour and visited about 50 blogs in 90 days. I, the spreadsheet queen, had them all carefully catalogued, the date, the blog, contact info, and whether I promo’d it on fb/twitter/yahoogroups. I also had a column on whether I was offering a giveaway, who won, and if the prize had been redeemed.

List your blog tour dates on your blog: This I never had time to do, but I needed to. I wanted to. Audra Harders TOLD me to. I just never had time. Sorry, Audra!

Share the Bounty

Giveaway with a twist: Instead of giving away lots of ebooks, I gave away a Kindle. And for ROLLING content to post online, I added Seeker books to the Kindle giveaway every few days. The lucky winner’s Kindle Touch shipped last week, and I “gifted” her with the 14 Seeker ebooks she also won. As far as I know, I was the first to do this type of giveaway (Kindle loaded with books), but maybe not. I just haven’t actually seen another giveaway like it.

Stay in Touch

Create a Newsletter: For a chance to win the Kindle, people had to sign up for my newsletter. First name and email addy only. This gives me a fan base.

Yahoogroups: I’m a member of about 30 yahoogroups. Some I can’t promote on, but there are about 15 I can. I let them know about my book release, my Kindle giveaway, and how to sign up for my newsletter.

Promote within Amazon: Create your author page on Amazon, and feed your blog to it. I know nothing about RSS feed, but apparently I did it right because Calico Trails is
feeding to my Amazon Author page. Whew, what a relief! Not sure if it's bringing folks to me, but it's another spot, another link back to me.

Post your name and your book online often. Post something on facebook, twitter, and goodreads to rotate your name/book on social media. Blog, search for your name/book and retweet it. Thank people for tweeting about you. Tweet about others. Like what others are saying. Share. Comment. Talk about others, and when appropriate, do a post about your book. Just don’t be obnoxious. In has a schedule for commenting on blogs, tweeting and posting on facebook so that she doesn’t get overwhelmed. Just a little bit each day keeps you in the game.

Find a Fresh Watering Hole

Look for facebook/twitter accounts that have to do with your book. I’m friends with some folks who wrote books on coal mining, orphans, street kids, kids working in coal mines, threads that my book includes. I haven’t had time to connect more with them, but the seeds are being sown.

Are you a member of Goodreads? I wish I had joined earlier because it takes me a while to figure out how things work in the different formats. But I LOVE Goodreads. Almost 500 folks had marked Stealing Jake as read or to-be-read. I check it every day. Yes, I'm pathetic. lol

What about The Book Club Network? Nora St. Laurent does a great job promoting Christian fiction. Visit TBCN and dip your toe in the waters over there. Nora is giving away 100 books in the first 20 days of December!! Can you imagine? I’m giving away two ebook for Kindle copies of Stealing Jake during TBCN's Christmas Party.

Are you a member of the ACFW Book Club? Stealing Jake is a January 2012 ACFW Book Club pick, so to celebrate, I’m giving away another Kindle on December 15th, 2011. It’s a KindlePalooza! The winner receives a Kindle and a minimum of 12 of the 2012 ACFW Book Club picks, so it’s a gift that keeps giving all year long!

Take advantage of the Amazon Bestsellers Rank subcategories. Here’s one more tip that I haven’t mastered, but I think I’m missing a great marketing opportunity. I’m not talking about the Tags that customers can put on the books, but the actual subcategories under the Product Details. From what I can gather from Amazon, the publisher is the one who works with Amazon to set these, not the author. If the book is self-published, then the author is the publisher and can request more subcategories. Still working on that one. If anyone has any input, I’d love to hear it.

Nobody likes a low-down outlaw!

Don’t be an obnoxious social media ignoramous. My agent pointed his readers to a great blog post on this very topic. Roni Loren’s post and the comments helped me refocus on how to balance building relationships and promotion in social media.

Don't hold your readers at gunpoint. Know when to cut back, slow down, and move on to the next project. I have to admit I haven’t mastered this, but a book isn’t “perpetually releasing”. There’s only so much saturation your market can take before readers turn to something new. I’m not saying not to talk about your backlist. Not at all. But pouring more advertising time and dollars into an old title FOREVER might not be in your best interests. So…what to do...

Build your Herd

There comes a point when the best thing an author can do is to write (and sell!) another book ASAP. A corral full of great fiction for readers to find is really worth more than continually promoting the one or two books you have out.

Networked blogs. I got nothing on this, but this is next on my list to check out!

You know, with a little more practice, I might be able to corral this social media mustang!



To read what some of the seasoned wranglers have to say about social media and marketing, check out these posts in Seekerville:

Shellie Johannes-Wells - Biggest Marketing Bang for your Buck
Cathy Shouse - Ten + Tips to Turbocharge Your Marketing
Sabrina Sumsion - Publicity 101


Award-winning author Pam Hillman writes inspirational fiction set in the turbulent times of the American West and the Gilded Age. Her debut book, Stealing Jake, won the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Genesis contest and was a finalist in Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart contest. She lives in Mississippi with her husband and family. She can be found on the web at www.pamhillman.com


We're giving away a Christmas book today. The winner will have their choice of Stealing Jake (ebook only) by Pam Hillman, or any other Christmas book by a Seeker. Browse the Seeker Bookstore to see the choices. Please indicate in your comment if you would like to be included in the drawing. Thanks!

First Sale Party!!!

But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Romans 8:25 NKJV
Isn’t waiting the hardest part? Let’s see, my son is now 17 and I joined Colorado Romance Writers when he was 6 months old, so I guess I’ve been writing with an eye towards publication for 16 years! Wow. I didn’t think I had that kind of tenacity in me, LOL! I remember numerous times at CRW meetings the topic would turn to “if you knew you’d never publish, would you still write?” What a question to ponder.

You know what? I still don’t have the answer. I write because stories float around in my head. I write because I’ll only accept Happily Ever After. I write because I’m a romantic at heart.

And God had a way of putting me in the most incredible places, at the most incredible times, meeting the most incredible people. Who am I to argue with that?

With that little bit of insight into my fairly simple brain, I now breathe the words I’ve dreamed of saying for 16 years:

I’m proud to announce the sale of my first book to Steeple Hill Love Inspired Books, January 2011.

Oh how I love the sound of that : )

Compared to many of the submission processes I’ve undergone with editors and agents, this final adventure took a surprisingly short time.

Right after Labor Day 2009, I sent a query and a proposal to Melissa Endlich at Steeple Hill Love Inspired. In a matter of days, I received an email requesting the entire manuscript. Sent that off the day after I received the request.

I sat back, prepared to wait, and wait, and wait.

Toward the end of October, I received an email from Melissa with suggestions for revisions. Was I interested in re-working the manuscript and re-submitting?

Umm, yes.

I tore this out, added that in, massaged around the rough edges and by the middle of November, I was ready to send a newly packaged version of Rough and Ready back to Melissa Endlich.

Okay, now I’m a bit more anxious over the outcome of this submission. Did I pass the test? Did I understand what Ms Endlich wanted? Did I even know how to write a book?

On Tuesday, January 26, I had just arrived home from work to have lunch with my husband when the phone rang. He glanced at the called ID and didn’t recognize the long-distance number and decided he wasn’t in the mood to talk to roller cover salesmen over his lunch (my husband is a painting contractor). We finished lunch and I had 10 minutes to spare, so I checked the answering machine. Besides a friend of ours wanting my husband to rescue her chickens, another call grabbed my attention.

“I’m calling for Audra Harders. This is Melissa Endlich…”

Yes, I’m afraid that’s when the screaming began. I called her back and the journey into the dream of my lifetime begins.

I’m so proud to call Steeple Hill Love Inspired my publisher and Melissa Endlich, my editor.

So, what’s this book about? Let’s begin at a place called the Circle D Ranch in Hawk Ridge, Colorado. (You knew I'd work in a cowboy picture somewhere)

Gabe Davidson struggles with the endless responsibilities of the family ranch after his brothers escape the tediousness their small hometown like rats escaping a sinking ship.

Stung by deceit and disapproval, single mother Melanie Hunter operates on a tight budget and strives to make a life for herself and her son, guarding her wounded heart against any chance of further pain.
When a lucrative job opportunity arises in the mountains of Colorado, she jumps at the chance to leave her past behind and build a new future. Unfortunately, things don’t go the way she’d planned. Melanie is stranded in Hawk Ridge when she wrecks her truck until a surly rancher offers a solution to her problem. Together, Gabe and Melanie discover the spirit of compromise and sacrifice as they learn to let go and let God.
A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.. Proverbs 16:9 NKJV

So many folks have had a hand in my writing journey, a few special thanks need to be passed along:

Where would I be without the support and encouragement of my Seeker family? 15 awesome women, drawn to one another by competition, and bound by love and respect. I love each of you for countless reasons and am so proud to call you my sisters.

Leslie Ann Sartor, you’ve accompanied me every step of my journey to publication. Your love and friendship have meant more to me than I’ll ever be able to say. Theresa Rizzo, you have that unusual knack for knowing exactly when I need a kick in the pants to keep me on task and focused on my calling. Ladies, our movies nights in Longmont and critique parties in Crested Butte are forever burned in my heart. I love you, both!

A special, special thank you goes out to Connie Rinehold. Years ago, you took the time to read a contest entry of mine--you really got the story and my voice--and didn’t hesitate to tell me so. You began as a mentor and became a cherished friend. Who says God doesn’t have angels here on earth??

My husband Gary, you have survived more computer system drama, critique meltdown, baked chicken dinners and an abundance of other tortures, all for the sake of helping your wife realize her dream. You are my hero, babe. Kara and Bud, thanks for ignoring all the tantrums and snits your mother threw. I promise, you’ll be better for the experience : )

My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, You mean everything to me. There aren’t enough words, so I give You my heart. Thanks.

Thanks to the incredible followers of Seekerville. You faithfully laugh, cry and eat with us everyday. You guys are the best.

Okay, mushy stuff is over. A pig is roasting on a spit down by the beach. The cabana to the right has pans of lobster and crab, and of course a bottomless shrimp bowl. If you venture to the left, you’ll find our buffet table laden with tropical desserts for every palette.

Captain Jack is working the liquid refreshments over by the crossed palm trees. He makes a mean Island Rumba, savvy?

WooHoo! Let’s PARTY!!

Stars of the Show

Good morning, all! Audra here : )

I've been working a lot of hours at the day job recently. I'll come home, walk the dog and give thanks that hubby likes to cook. I still manage to get my two hours of writing in, but lately I've found spending a little time in front of the television pretty insightful.

If you know me at all, you'll know I operate on guilt. My family can guilt me into doing anything.

So can my friends.

So can my boss.

In order to derive any enjoyment out of watching TV, I have to have a reason to watch.

God bless Hugh Laurie and House, MD for being on Monday nights. As I watched House, I began to digest all the quirky idiosyncrasies that give Gregory House top billing in the show. Grumpy, ill-dressed and crass, who would ever think him a hero? This show makes it so easy to recognize scene and sequel. Scene - House insults and bullies people to the point where you wonder why they keep him around. Sequel - quiet moments where House is alone and you see and feel his passion and pain.

Don't we all want to create characters this complex?

My favorite mannerism: When House makes a statement that you recognize he wants approval over or acceptance of, he leans heavily/ackwardly on his cane and looks at Cuddy, Wilson or whoever with his chin down and eyes level with his brow. I'm such a sucker for the lost puppy look coming from ultra-confident heros!

Okay, so after House, I'm ready to go write. I wait just a little too long and the theme music to Lie To Me comes on. Being a relatively new show, I don't know that much about it except for the fascinating subject matter. Would you want someone to know if you're stretching the truth or not by just looking at you?? I don't think so!

Dr. Cal Lightman captured my attention from the moment he appeared on the screen. The man does not know how to move slowly. He'll sit calmly forever and and a day, then Wham! the moment he stands up, he's off like the energizer bunny. You see, he can't do his job if he's not studying someone, and you can't study someone unless you're with them. His eyes are always moving. He's always moving, looking at a situation from every angle. I've got to remember this trait!

My favorite mannerism: He does not hide what he's doing. He openly watches facial expressions by tilting his head and angling around to see all the subtle muscles jerks. His expertise is in his unvarnished stare. 99% of the time so totally rude, but with him...very appealing.

And the ladies? How about Reba McEntire?

Reba has been entertained audiences in various types of media for years. She sings, she dances, she acts. She writes, she directs...she does it all! And she always looks happy. I love watching her on Country Music Awards as a presenter and entertainer. She truly looks happy to be making other people happy.

So, what's her secret? Her impish ways? Her pixie appearance? Her hearty laugh? How could your heroine NOT be spunky if modeled after Reba? Plot out the right story and plop Reba in the lead and you'll have the crowd laughing.

My favorite mannerism: Her incredible look of disbelief when someone demonstrates absolutely no common sense. Eyes wide open, mouth dropped, figure frozen. You can just see the wheels turning in her little red head thinking "what turnip truck did you just drop off of?"

When you talk about characters, Lucille Ball will always reign the Queen of Comedy. It's tough to point out just one facet of her persona when she performs so many, so well.

The first thing that comes to mind is "Loooooocy!" whenever you see Lucy and Desi Arnez together. For years we were entertained by Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel in I Love Lucy. Her smile, her frown, her laugh and no one can match her cry. Obviously this is a little too over the top for a common, everyday heroine to portray, but think of the episodes of Lucy and the Chocolate Factory, or Lucy Saving Money, Lucy Wanting To Perform On Ricky's Stage, or any of a number of memorable moments.

Lucy became those characters and she was doggone good at it!!

My favorite mannerism?? All of 'em!!

Enough television shows and actors.

How about music videos? Now here is an industry designed to hype up image!

Breaks my heart that after so many years, Brooks and Dunn are breaking up. Beautiful voices melding together perfectly to create memorable music. I'm sure Ronnie Dunn is someone's hero, but to me, Kix Brooks is front stage.

Even though he rarely is.

In most of the videos they've produced, Kix is in the background playing guitar and belting out the song. Hat tipped low and incredible concentration on his instrument, he moves with controlled strength to show his emotions in every song. He smiles and the place lights up. Cowboy written all over that man.

My favorite mannerism: He steals the spotlight without moving a foot forward. Dark and brooding describe him to a tee, until he smiles and then you wonder what ever gave you the notion he could have an intense bone in his body.

Folks have talked about George Strait for as long as awards have been given out. I love George. I know all the words to all his 50 #1 Hits : ) His crooked smile has only grown more endearing over the years.

As a music entertainer, I can't more than swoon over his talent. As an actor, I can't really say "award this man an Oscar."

BUT, if you watch his movie Pure Country, and pay attention to all the riding scenes, you'll see only A-class Team Roper. My favorite laughs come during the scene where Harley's brothers take payment from Dusty to teach him to rope and ride. The man is pure poetry in motion! Now that's what I'm talking about! No stunt double for him!

My favorite mannerism: George Strait is the consumate cowboy, entertainer, rodeo star. Yet, he's humble as humble can be. You can see it in his slow manner and hear it in his soft voice. He's not out to show anyone up, he's just happy to be what he is.

I know I've gone on and on about cowboys, but I can't finish without mentioning my all time hero: Chris Le Doux. Be still my heart! Not only was he a National Finals Rodeo bronc riding champion, he was songwriter, a poet, singer and most of all a family man.

He put life into perspective. Where most cowboys would say their finest moment in life was winning the NFR championship, Chris said winning the honor gave his music credence. He wrote lyrics to touch the lives of people he'd never met with his songs of love, honor and of course, the thrill of the ride.

Chris Le Doux died in 2002 of a rare liver disease. The magic of the man lives on.

My favorite mannerism: You can look into his eyes and see ornery from the inside out. I know it's cliche, but the gleam in his eye gave warning something was going to happen.

When he tips his hat and says "yes, ma'am."

I'm melting just thinking about it.

Okay, enough from me. How about you? How do you create memorable characters? What trait do you allow to shine? Why does makes the reader keep thinking about your characters long after they've finished the book?

Share the quirks and habits that make your hero or heroine stand out in the crowd. Or, what television/video/music character or celebrity stays on your mind long after the show, movie, etc is over?

Blessings to all!

A Pinch of Reality Goes A Long Way

Good morning everyone!!

Last month I gabbed about flat writing – you know, a story that can be plopped into any kind of setting. Nothing in the descriptive setting identifies the world you created as unique to your story. Nothing to make the reader feel like they are in another world.

How about if we take that a step further and make the reader feel the scene you’ve created?

Our county fair is running this week and I have a camera in my hand the entire time. Since my current WIP has a carnival scene, I thought how perfect is this! We can analyze all the little details that make this event come alive to the reader. With the advent of digital cameras, I no longer hold back for fear of high printing costs. I snap photos of everything. I never know what I might find and use in a scene.

Have you ever walked through an Exhibit Building? Vendors in booths designed to showcase their products. Jams, jellies, baked goods; clothing, costumes, jewelry; sculptures, woodworking, photography? All those items are part and parcel with the territory, you are not telling the vast majority of people something they don’t already know. How are you going to take ownership of this scene?

Let’s look at his young man for instance. Isn’t this typical behavior for any child independent enough to go after what he wants? If you’ve ever taken a child to any type of amusement area, you know picking mom’s pocket to get a token or money is as commonplace as cotton candy and popcorn.

How about the animal barns? I love wandering through the pens of sheep, goats and pigs. It’s so tempting to stroke fuzzy heads or help scratch the furry places rubbing against fence panels just can’t satisfy. All the pens have clean, fresh bedding. Tubs of clean water are tethered to metal rails either newly painted for the event, or dented and scraped from wear. But wait! How about this angle? One or two sentences about the showkids and their parents sitting in the aftermath of unloading and bedding down the exhibits crowds come to ooh and ahh over. Do we ever hear about the families who max out their fun meters before the show starts? Nothing more that a sentence or two – visual white noise.

This is the little stuff that makes your scenes come alive!

I just couldn’t resist this last picture. Young man, maybe 10 or 11, watching his sheep go through the scale at the weigh in to make sure it is within the prescribed boundaries for weight. Look at this young man – our cowboy of tomorrow. His hat is dirty, jeans worn and boots (complete with spurs) scuffed up enough to show he knows his way around livestock. Can’t you just imagine the interaction between your hero or heroine and this cowboy-in-training? Can't you just imagine this young man in another 15 or 20 years?

Hmmm, I can : )

Look at your scenes. Think beyond point A and include the area all around. Take pictures, cut up magazines, download travel brochures. Visuals converted into words can give the reader moments even Calgon can’t take away.

Okay, now your turn. Pick a scene in your WIP and pan out beyond the focal point. What do you see? What one slice of life will ground the reader in your world? You’ll be amazed where your imagination takes you!

Blessing to all!

Feel the story...Be the story

Dear Diary,

I'm on vacation this week...

Our family had plans to go to Montana for a week of boating and fishing, but with all the rain Colorado has experienced these last few weeks, the promise of hot, dry air made my painting contractor husband itch to catch up on jobs and my farmer daughter needs to cut hay.

Oh, dear Diary, what's a girl to do with a week's vacation, no family in the house, and a gob of housework waiting for attention??

WRITE, OF COURSE!!!!!

I'm in the final throws of this manuscript and can't seem to get beyond flat writing. Oh, I still love the story, but something is missing. The missing link is lack of definitive placement of the five senses. You can smell baking bread anywhere, just like you can taste chocolate (yumbola!), feel satin, listen to music, and see a gorgeous hero : ) Make these sense come alive to your specific setting. That's what I'm talking about!

With Colorado being my choice of setting, how could I make my story distinctive and exclusive to the mountain setting? Why should I even be asking this question? I've lived here almost all my life! Why does my fictious mountain town and ranch sound like Anyplace, USA?

Time for research. I took a field trip.

About 15 minutes from my house is a lovely canyon leading into Rocky Mountain National Park. Camera in hand, I drove to one of the many trailheads, parked and took a hike.

In one scene, my characters are fishing in a stream. The sound of the rushing water of the river in high runoff filled the air. White water dominated places while quiet pockets of still water gave kids picnicking with their folks a chance to dip their feet into the icy water. The sight of rocks jutting out into the fast current; fallen logs lodged and embedded in the river bottom; green, lush willows, aspens, cottonwoods co-existing with pines. The smell of cold, fresh, clean water coupled with the feel of the spray of water misting my face made me want to pull up a rock and stay awhile.

How about character? Why would I want to place a fence of chainlink or whitewash slats when rough hewn pine will fill the bill nicely? Simple, sturdy, specific. I wish I had one of these models encasing my yard : )







Don't forget the background color! Delicate flora and fauna can enhance smell, not only for the fragrance, but don't forget allergy sufferers (our characters are real, aren't they?). The touch of velvety petals, prickly cactus, sticky milkweed. Have you ever tasted dandelion leaves or sap on a bark?

Think about deer and antelope playing...Well here, I have deer and cattle grazing.

Whether writing about the city or country, remember to include the supporting cast! Name them! Invite them on stage!

And this wonderful image is not catalogued in my Sunday afternoon photo library, but the image is emblazoned on my heart...

...gotta love those cowboys!!

A sight I never get tired of : )

I've written Historical Romance, Romantic Suspense, and Contemporaries. But my heart belongs to cowboys. Glad all this wonderful research is all around me rather than just at my fingertips.

What's your chosen genre? How do you research your setting?

We can always use tips!!

RODEO STEW

Serenity blanketed my bucolic existence. The children sat politely, using bowls and spoons for soup, a wonderful achievement. The utensils, not the soup. The radio offered Brad Paisley, never a bad thing. Full from a 10 oz. bottle, Baby Logan bestowed chubby-cheeked smiles to the world from his doorway bouncer.

I should have known it was too good to be true.

Sadie, our three-month-old Golden Retriever puppy grabs the baby’s bottle AND Missy Tippens new book “His Forever Love” from the porch table, (Good book, Missy! I find the best books are those that look well-read, don’t you????) curls up on the welcome mat, nuzzling the bottle with Missy’s now gently- chewed book beside her, looking for all the world like she’d just settled in for some inspirational romance chill time.

I rescue the book and the bottle. Sadie runs to the yard to do her ‘business’, and a forgotten 6 week-old kitten has decided the living room rug makes a great litter box. Oy vey. I take care of that, return said kitten to her mother in the basement, and open the front door. Sadie prances in, tail-high, a true hunter, her mouth full of the crusty remains of a really bad-smelling, decomposing BIG frog.

Talk about sensory overload.

“Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwww,” shriek the children. “Something smells really BAD!”

Thank you, Captain Obvious.

Pry really nasty remains from pup’s mouth. Kennel Sadie with stern admonishments about dead animals in the house. Quiet the kids with ice cream. Change the baby.

Breathe.

Ya’ see why I write? Total escapism. Writing allows me to capture these moments and share them with an unsuspecting public. Well. I’ll share them once I’m pubbed, LOL! Good writing offers crazy, poignant, funny, heart-warming vignettes of real life and makes them relatable to the reading public.

And keeps me out of the institution for the criminally insane.

And now, for our feature article:

Rodeo Stew

Take the meat of one cowboy…



Now cowboy meat comes in all shape and sizes. Most cowboys aren’t six feet tall and 190 lbs. Just sayin’.

They can be rangy. Tough. Muscled. Arrogant. Antagonistic. I mean, seriously, how freakin’ friendly would YOU be after getting kicked around and embarrassed by a 1500 lb. animal whose rankings rise depending on how mean and ornery they are and how fast they KICK YOUR BUTT? I might be a little testy, too.

Even the nicest cowboy can use a little tenderizing. Toss in some sweet talk, followed by two cups of sexual tension. Heck, the only action this guy’s seen for months on the circuit is the dirt floor of the arenas. Let’s lighten him up a little. Give him something to think about, pray about at Cowboy Church.



Add pretty girl.



Now I’ve read novels without pretty girls. I’ve read overweight, really plain, positively witchy and stuck on themselves heroines.

Soooooo not a fan. There’s a reason romance heroines are attractive. We ALL want to be attractive to our mates. That’s like the basic law of survival. If we’re not attractive to them, we’ll never procreate, end of story, end of species. Simple, really.

Pretty girl does NOT have to be a cowgirl. Might be better if she’s not because despite what George Strait sings, a good balance can be had by mixing careers and goals, thus ripening the stew stockpot with TENSION and INTERNAL CONFLICT. Talk about adding pepper! Yee Haw! We’re startin’ to ride high now!

It never hurts to throw in a good horse…



There’s something about a man in the saddle that puts us in mind of… Dare I say it here?????

God’s eternal wisdom!

Grinning. Couldn't resist.

Toss in a crooked smile or a rakish grin, one or two “Ma’am’s” and you’ve got juices flowing. Oh my, why on earth don’t they make more Westerns???? Are ya’ kiddin’ me?
Horse can be any color, but should be an old and trusted friend OR a new recruit, a bit skittish, reflecting hero’s inner turmoil or heroine’s discomfort at finding herself in cowboy land.

Good stew needs potatoes…

Now I’m Irish, so I’m a big fan of potatoes. Boil ‘em, mash ‘em, fry ‘em, bake ‘em. I haven’t met a potato I didn’t like.

The potatoes in your stew are your secondary characters. They can be red, white, yellow, brown, thin-skinned or thick, meaty or slim, any shape or size, young or old, or a mix of the above. Potatoes differentiate the plot, building the sauce with natural starch. They provide a filling interlude that bridges the gap between the meat and the gravy. Or boy and girl.

Don’t skimp on potatoes, but leave plenty of room for meat and gravy interaction. Sometimes the meat will hide behind the potatoes. That’s okay, as long as the gravy (girl) finds the meat eventually. Draws him out of his hard-workin’ cowboy shell.

Sometimes the gravy spurns the meat. Well, that just means the meat ain’t puttin’ forth enough effort. A good piece of meat (I cannot tell you how much fun I’m having with this analogy. Seriously. Writing a blog should never be THIS MUCH FUN!!!!) knows how to seek the gravy, dabble a bit. Heighten the gravy’s awareness. There are many ways to do this, depending on your target market. This crucial step allows the gravy latitude to mingle with the meat, melding flavors.

Ah. Yes. I’m a big fan of melding, aren’t you?

Throw in a honkin’ big bull…



He bucks, he heaves, he bellows, he careens around, tail switching, testicles strapped.

OUCH.

The bull is your external conflict, what everyone sees. Man wants to ride bull, bull wants to kill man or at least relieve himself of those straps. Let me just say “OUCH” again. External conflict should be apparent, just like it is with the bull. There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind (recall Mary’s words yesterday, that if people don’t ‘get’ your story, it really is your fault because they need you to guide them through things you may just know) what your external conflict is. The bull is what keeps the hero and heroine apart.

He wants her ranch, she’d die before selling.

He knows Georgia peaches aren’t tough enough to handle the Texas Hill country, she faces her nemesis to prove him wrong.

She knows cowboys are nefarious lotharios from past family experience, his past makes her look totally on target.

Cook for approximately 250 pages at increasing temperatures…

Stew should never be eaten tepid. Raising temps raises the stakes. And good stew is only made better by forcing the H/H and the reader a little cooling-off time. It’s too hot to eat, everyone will get burned…


Enter black moment.

Take a chill.

Smooth things out.

Show them the error of their ways, the path toward the end you’ve been priming readers for since page one.

Enjoy your dinner!!!!

We’ve gotten to the HEA we’ve been waiting for, hoping for. If you’ve done your work well, no one really expected you to be able to bridge those gaps so smoothly, without lame intervention, but you did! A good gravy makes all the difference!

I've got some fresh baked bread and sweet churned butter to go with our stew. Gallons of coffee. I'd love to see how your 'stew' comes together, ladies and gents. Doff those cowboy hats, step up to the mike and give Seekerville a glimpse of how your hero is the prime component in a great pot of stew!

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