Archives for March, 2011
Woo-Hoo, I’m jumping for joy! Miss Jodi Thomas has saddled up and hit the trail that leads to Wildflower Junction. She’ll arrive on Saturday. We’ve been sweeping, dusting, and sprucing up the place in honor of our special guest. Even Jasper, my mule, seems excited. Miss Jodi will give us the lowdown on what [...]
Jack Schaefer’s book, Shane, has been classified in many sub-genres, but to me, it will always remain my favorite western romance. Shane Romance? Shane? This story cannot have a truly happy-ever-after ending for all the principal characters, so it normally wouldn’t make it to my “Top Ten” list for that very reason. But the [...]
With its powerful narrative voice, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown, reads like fiction, but tragically, the book’s content is all painfully true. This heartbreaking 1970 classic, subtitled An Indian History of the American West, conveys, according to the Washington Post, “not how the West was won, but how it was lost.” [...]
Orrin Sackett had to be pushed into a fight. But Tyrel Sackett was born to trouble. The night Tye stepped between his brother and a bullet changed them both forever. Now their trail pointed west, to a lawless frontier town called Sante Fe. Orrin took the job of marshal, while Tye commanded respect without a [...]
Save me, save me. Bang, bang, bang. Curses, foiled again! Margaret Brownley Your Victorian ancestor probably had one shocking vice up her leg o’mutton sleeve—or tucked in her apron. If she was the typical nineteenth century woman she was lashed to social mores in dress, manner and speech but, oh, did she enjoy her lurid dime [...]
I hope everyone had fun remembering their jaunts to the fair. Miss Susan picked a good subject. And now for the moment you’re waiting for………… The winner of Miss Susan’s ANDI’S FAIR SURPRISE is………… GILLIAN I’m dancin’ a jig for you, Gillian! To claim your prize, send Miss Susan your mailing particulars through her [...]
Yee-haw! The Fillies’ Western Classics Week is here. Hope you’re ready for some rootin’ tootin’ fun. The Fillies have a passel of classic Western novels all lined up to tempt and delight you. It starts tomorrow (Monday) and continues through the week. Each day we’ll bring a new one to tickle your fancy. Some you [...]
“Oh, it’s fair time, fair time, fair time. The excitement is all over town . . .” Fairs have been around for a long time. They date as far back as the days of Rome. So it stands to reason that the American colonies would want to continue the tradition of showing off livestock, agricultural [...]
The Fillies are taking a week off from their regular schedule. Durn their hides! But before they get all cozy in their chairs, they’re leaving a treat for all you little darlin’s. From Monday, March 28th until Friday, April 1st we’re having a Western Classics Week. Each day we’ll post a classic novel written by a Western [...]
Woo-Hoo! Two of our Fillies are finalists in Romance of America’s RITA Award contest. Our own Cheryl St. John was nominated in the Romance Novella Category for her story MOUNTAIN ROSE in the ”To Be a Mother anthology.” And Mary Connealy got the nod in the Inspirational Category for DOCTOR IN PETTICOATS. Things are hopping around the [...]
Winchester (U.S.) Model 1866 Lever Action Rifle (repeater/ breech-loading/ black powder/ cartridge ammunition) Last time we discussed the Winchester 1873 Repeating Rifle. Today, I want to introduce the precursor to that rifle – the Winchester 1866 Repeating Rifle, aka The Yellow Boy. The Yellow Boy got its name because of the shiny brass frame. The design [...]
Hello Darlings, Miss Susan Marlow has staked out a spot in the Junction for her visit on Saturday. The Fillies are always glad to have Miss Susan come to chat a while. This go ’round Miss Susan will talk about the history of the county fair. Lord have mercy, I didn’t know it started [...]
Which TV westerns would you like to see made into movies? There’s one in the works that I just found out about. I saved that info for last, because this blog started out on movie westerns for 2011, a mix of cross-genre and traditional approaches that says a lot about the changes in our culture. [...]
What has made our heroine into the person she became for the purposes of our story? What occurrences in her life have shaped her personality? And how do we decide on the balance between what we, as the writer know about our heroine vs. what the reader needs to know? Obviously, we don’t have room [...]
With the invention of social networks, along with the closing of many of our major bookstore chains (Waldenbooks, B. Dalton, Crown, BookStar), it seems as though live tours might become a thing of the past. Interestingly, these past 18 years as a writer has seen me doing tours around the country as I promote my [...]
129 years ago today Maxwell Henry Aronson was born. Max eventually changed his name to Gilbert M. Anderson, but you would probably know him better by the name of the character he played in over 300 films – Broncho Billy. Anderson was a native of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He drifted into acting, working first as [...]
You ladies sure came up with some hot, hot love scenes. Hee-hee! And now for the prize…..the winner of LUCKY IN LOVE is………… SHEILA I’m dancin’ to beat the band, Sheila. Congratulations! All you have to do to claim it is contact Miss Stacey at staceycoverstone@gmail.com. You’ll have the book in your hands quicker than you can [...]
Throughout movie history, sexual chemistry has made the screen sizzle and pop whenever the right two stars are cast together. This chemistry, combined with realism and believability, makes for a romantic memory that will stay with the viewer long after the movie is over. We all have our favorite romantic onscreen couples. Clark Gable and [...]
Stories that Inspire… Margaret Brownley Sage advice for photographers from… A Vision of Lucy (Available for preorder) When photographing stampeding cattle, charging bulls or blazing shoot-outs, use a fast shutter speed Brides, take pity on your photographer. Matthew S. Brady and his helpers were able to record the entire War Between [...]
Hello Darlings, Miss Stacey Coverstone is next up in our list of guests. Unless I’m mistaken this is her first time to visit. The dear lady has an interesting subject in mind: onscreen movie kisses. She lists her top ten and believe it or not she mentions some of my favorites. I bet she’ll also have some of yours on her [...]
My next book, releasing May 1…which isn’t THAT far away, is called Deep Trouble. Deep Trouble begins at a cliff dwelling site which is a somewhat fictionalized Mesa Verde and travels into the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Researching this book was really interesting. I’ll talk more about The Grand Canyon next month, today I’ll [...]
It’s “bee” season around here. No, not hives or honey, but words. My local newspaper has sponsored the county spelling bee for more than fifty years. This year, some 16,000 students from grades three-through-eight participated in classroom spelling bees in our county’s 138 schools. Ultimately, 13 area students competed at the county level, the final [...]
I’ve read lots of books in which The Grange played a big part of the story. But it wasn’t until I recently read it in a romance novel that I decided I wanted to find out more about the organization. Before now, everything I knew about it I could put in a thimble. That’s [...]
THE WIDOWED BRIDE, is my current release from Harlequin Historicals. If you’ve read THE HORSEMAN’S BRIDE, you’ll no doubt recognize Ruby Denby Rumford, who came storming into the last chapter of the book to rescue her brother. Here’s the blurb from the back of the book. Ruby Denby Rumford endured her monstrous husband’s abuse until [...]
Boy, you ladies sure kept Larry hopping yesterday! Wasn’t he something? I put all the names in a ten gallon hat and drew two out…………. CATSLADY wins Nemesis JOYE wins Last Stand Woo-Hoo! I’m dancing a jig for you. We’ll contact you with instructions on how to claim your prize. I know you’re gonna [...]
