Archives for January, 2008
When I started out today, I had no idea what I wanted to blog about! So I hit my bookshelf in my office looking for ideas and WA-LA, I realized that my BOOKS were the blog! Often times, I scrounge around the bookstore shelves looking for that one “bargain” book that I might use for a [...]
No, this isn’t a photo of Cochise. It’s Jeff Chandler, the Brooklyn-born actor who played the great Apache chief in three different movies, winning an Oscar nomination for his portrayal in the 1950 film, BROKEN ARROW. No photograph of the real Cochise exists. But accounts of the time describe him as tall and handsome with a [...]
Oh my goodness! I see Miss Mildred Colvin has arrived for her little social here in Wildflower Junction. She’s checked in bag and baggage over at the hotel and is resting up for the affair. Rumor has it she’s going to fill us in on the Code of the West and remind us of a few [...]
In my research for Gingham Mountain’s oil story angle I found out so many interesting things that I could have written the whole book about it. First how come my bad guy recognizes the oil seeping up out of the ground as valuable while the guy who owns the land just thinks whatever it is [...]
Good Evening! It was a very inspiring day today to read all of your posts. I want to especially thank all the following people for joining in with the discussion today: Kelly Mortimer, Taryn Raye, Jeanne Sheats, Jane Squires, Phyliss Miranda, Estella, Nance Miller, Ally, and my fellow fillies, Elizabeth Lane, Mary Connealy, Stacey Kayne [...]
Good Morning! Perhaps it’s because I have a book coming out in March that my attention is centering more and more on touring. This year, unfortunately for me, I will be unable to tour — mostly because I am away from home. Because touring gives me a chance to get out away from home and [...]
Wasn’t Phyliss a great addition to our weekend? Thank you, Phyliss, for doing such a wonderful job, and I do hope you recover quickly from your arduous journey with those ornery mules. Come back soon! But wait! Phyliss drew a name! She will send the lucky winner a GIVE ME A TEXAN T-Shirt and a copy of the anthology [...]
Good morning from Texas! One of the first things people want to know about a writer, besides where we get our story ideas, is how we got started. In the summer of 2001, I sat methodically underlining the word “change” with a red Sharpie. I doodled through a list of things I had on my [...]
Don’t you be forgettin’ Miss Phyliss Miranda tomorrow. Us Fillies have had to shake our bustles sprucing this place up for our company. On top of that, we had to send out a rescue party to escort Miss Miranda to our doorstep. It was those blasted, contrary mules! They dug in their heels and nothing on God’s green earth [...]
A perfect moment: those times when we’re trudging through the mud and the muck of life, or perhaps just treading across the uneven ground, and we stumble upon a fragment of time when all our troubles fade into the distance and all seems right in our world. You can’t plan a perfect moment, they just sort of creep up on you [...]
“One day I was speeding along at the typewriter, and my daughter – who was a child at the time – asked me, ‘Daddy, why are you writing so fast?’ And I replied, ‘Because I want to see how the story turns out!’” ~ Louis L’Amour The life of one of the most beloved writers [...]
It’s that time of the week again, darlings. Ah know you’re wondering who’s coming so without further ado, I’ll get right to it. This Saturday we’ll host Miss Phyliss Miranda. She hails from the great state of Texas and is itching to talk about how she fell into this writing business. Plus she’ll discuss her story in the [...]
Long before I could read, back when I was knee high to a grasshopper, I loved listening to fairy tales that someone read to me. It was more than entertainment. I learned to savor good overcoming evil and basked in the knowledge that deep personal trials reap huge reward. I was fascinated by Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, [...]
I’m often asked where – and how – I get names for my characters. I must admit that after fifty books, it’s getting a wee bit more difficult, but then some names come along with the first buds of a story idea. I’m always amazed when I hear some of my fellows writers say they [...]
Thanks to everyone who visited Wildflower Junction over the weekend! Roxanne was a terrific guest, wasn’t she? We are plumb lucky to get authors like her visiting us each and every week! As promised, Roxanne drew three names! And here are the winners: Taryn Raye Kathleen Forst Rose Lucky readers, email Roxanne and right away with [...]
Just thought I’d jog you girls’ memories about our spring contest. Don’t lollygag around. Throw your name into the pot and quit wastin’ time. We have all these prizes just sittin’ here waiting for some good winner. Might be you, you never can tell. If you’re having a problem finding out where to go to enter, [...]
Research…sounds sorta dry, doesn’t it? Maybe for some. But give me a cute cowboy, the vast ranch lands of Texas or Montana, or the incredible Rockies, and I’m totally lost in the world of the West! And the research is as much fun as the writing of the actual book. Do you ever wonder how [...]
My girlfriend is here and she picked a name out of a hat! STEF D – You can thank Pam for picking your name. Send me your email addy at Charlenesands@hotmail.com and I’ll send you the Heart of a Cowboy!!
Y’all don’t forget where you’re supposed to be tomorrow now, you hear? Let’s all come and give Miss Roxanne Rustand a rousing Wildflower Junction welcome. She’s a dear, dear lady and we do just love to talk cowboys. I’m sure she’s well versed in the subject and quite willing to add some little tidbits about her [...]
I love cowboys! It’s a small wonder that I write western historicals. Even when I’m not knee-deep in the 1800′s with Texas gunslingers or amnesiac gamblers or strong silent sheriffs, but writing a present day story, cowboys of some nature always sneak in without me really knowing it! In Bunking Down with the Boss, the story that [...]
Blame it on my cousin Millie. She was a year older than I was, and when we played together as kids, she was the boss. One of our favorite things was to play was make-believe boyfriends. She got Batman, I got Robin. She got Superman, I got Superboy. She got the Lone Ranger, I got [...]
Hello sweet darlings, we’ve rustled up another fine, fine author for your enjoyment. Miss Roxanne Rustand will accomodate us with her appearance in Wildflower Junction this Saturday bright and early. The Fillies are putting the final touches to our grand meetin’ hall. I swear, I wish you could see the lacy table linens and the little fancy teacups [...]
I kind of wrote myself into a corner with Gingham Mountain Book #3 in the Lassoed in Texas series. Petticoat Ranch is book #1. So I’ve got all these ELEMENTS I need to deal with from books #1 and #2, plus the new ones for this book. ELEMENT #1 oil. Honestly before kerosene was widely [...]
Good morning! With health concerns being in the news more and more these days, I thought it might be interesting to have a look at the average person’s state of health in the Native America of the past, as well as medicine, as defined by Native Americans, what it was – and medicine men — who were [...]
