Archives for “Folklore/Myths/Legends”
I love to learn about how towns got their names, both real and fictional. When fellow Filly Linda Broday, Jodi Thomas, DeWanna Pace and I decided to write our first anthology together, we wanted our stories to take place in our hometown. The premise was that each story had to have a theme of Amarillo [...]
What do you call it when two events, totally unrelated in time and place, come together in a surprising way? The word escapes me. But here’s the story of one such pairing. 1872, Joe Smith’s Saloon in Manhattan is where the first event supposedly took place. Nobody knows whether the story is true, but it was [...]
Hi! Winnie Griggs here. (pssst – look for giveaway info at the bottom of this post) I was thumbing through one of those ‘infamous women of the old west’ type books the other day and came across a listing for a woman named Pearl Hart. The heading of First Female Captured Stagecoach Robber caught my eye. [...]
Harkening back to 18th century Pennsylvania, and rooted in ancient lore, Groundhog Day is traditionally celebrated on February 2nd. Perhaps the most famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil of Gobbler’s Knob, was immortalized in the 1993 movie Groundhog Day featuring Bill Murray. Legend says if the groundhog sees his shadow, we’ll have six more weeks of winter. [...]
I was working on a different blog for this month. But after reading Karen Kay’s beautiful post about Native American sayings, I remembered a story my neighbor gave me a few months ago. In the same spirit, I want to share it with you First a disclaimer. I have no idea whether this is an [...]
Today I want to share with you a little tidbit of history I stumbled across in my research, one I was previously unfamiliar with. During the early days of the westward movement, when travelers and adventurers were still exploring the Colorado Rockies, there was a legend about a great wonder to be found hidden [...]
LADY GYPSY was my 2nd book with Dorchester and was initially released the month the Towers came down. For those of us unfortunate enough to have new releases out during that chaotic time, our distribution took a huge hit. There were days when I wondered if my book ever got out of the New York warehouse. Thanks to the raging popularity [...]
“I am a friend to any brave and gallant outlaw.” Born Myra Belle Shirley, February 5, 1848, on a farm outside of Carthage, MO, the legendary Belle Starr came into the world a farm girl and left it as a famous–or infamous–outlaw. Her father was a slaveholder who sympathized with the south, her mother [...]
A Bowie knife is a style of fixed-blade knife first popularized by Colonel James “Jim” Bowie in the early 19th Century. Much like the owner with whom this blade is synonymous, the “Bowie” knife is shrouded in myths, legends and questionable facts. Even the experts are still arguing over what is truth and what is [...]
I’ve heard it said that you learn something new every day … and today was certainly one of them. To my surprise, when I was reviewing my research for today’s blog, I discovered something new … the chuckwagon wasn’t named for its inventor, Colonel Charles Goodnight! Colonel Goodnight was the first permanent rancher in the [...]
With Veteran’s Day approaching, I want to share with you a piece of historical trivia that I think we all hold close to our heart … the haunting melody of “Taps”. The song that always gives us a lump in our throat and creates tears in our eyes. But, do you know the story behind [...]
Texas history is full of larger-than-life men and women. There was none more compelling in the Old West than Temple Houston, the youngest child of Sam Houston. Temple carried the distinction of being first child born in the governor’s mansion in Austin, Texas. He never knew his father because Sam Houston died when the boy [...]
There are strange things done in the midnight sun By the men who moil for gold; The Arctic trails have their secret tales That would make your blood run cold; The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, But the queerest they ever did see Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge I cremated [...]
Tularosa. The word evokes the vision of a charming Mexican village in the desert, which is pretty close to accurate. Tularosa is the name of an actual town in New Mexico (nicknamed Tulie), and it is the setting for my upcoming contemporary romance, Lucky in Love, being released June 1 by Champagne Books. I’ve been [...]
St. Patrick’s Day is fast approaching and I can already smell the corn-beef and cabbage–a St.Patrick’s Day must in our house. My hubby is half Irish, though with his fair skin and orange beard, he looks more like a giant leprechaun (he really hates it when I call him that *g*). I have always found [...]
Well, it’s Friday the thirteenth. I don’t fancy myself a superstitious person (I do not count my quirks and phobias in this statement, which include my terror of down-escalators and cooking with yeast). However, if I see a penny on the ground, I admit to picking it up because all day long I’ll [...]
The Winchester Mystery House —Some legends say it is haunted by every person killed with a Winchester Rifle. Deeply saddened by the deaths of her daughter Annie in 1866 and her young husband in 1881, and seeking solace, Winchester consulted a medium on the advice of a psychic. According to popular history, during a séance, the [...]
Do you have historical landmarks in your vicinity? Do you love to visit them? Most importantly, are they near your favorite restaurant? That last question isn’t a joke! Right next to the rustic Sagebrush Cantina, (they make a mean chicken tostada and great Margaritas) where I’ve been known to frequent with my hubby, [...]
Wow. Let me first just thank Cheryl St.John for asking me to post to this wonderful site. I’m a long time visitor, sometime commenter, and have been a fan since researching my current release, All or Nothing. Writers and readers of historical fiction know—whether we’re talking romance, mystery, or any other sub-genre—more goes into the [...]
The other day I was doing some heads-down research for my current work in progress. The subject of my quest was stagecoach accommodations but, as often happens when I do research, I got sidetracked by a tidbit I stumbled upon. What caught my eye was an intriguing reference to a stage-driver by the name of [...]
In exactly one year from today on May 22nd, I’ll be the mother of the groom! My son is getting married! The wedding will take place on a country club golf course and their vows will be spoken on the first tee. My son is an avid golfer, you see, and he wanted to get [...]
Oh the buzzin’ of the bees In the cigarette trees Near the soda water fountain At the lemonade springs Where the bluebird sings On the Big Rock Candy mountain If you’re anywhere near as old as I am, you may recognize this song, attributed to Harry “Haywire Mac” McClintock and made famous in a 1950s [...]
A Valentine’s Day Art Show from Petticoats & Pistols This is Venus, the Roman Goddess of Love and her son, Cupid, the Roman God of Love (Same last name? Who was the father? Already a scandal?) I did a lot of reading about Cupid… (translated to English…”that’s four hours of my life I’m [...]
That’s Irish for “Merry Christmas.” With Christmas quickly closing in on us, I thought I’d talk about my latest Christmas anthology and some of the Irish Christmas traditions I uncovered while researching my novella. My first three fictions sales were for novellas. The way this works with my publisher is that an author comes up [...]
