Archives for “Behind the Book”
My newest book, Stealing the Preacher, releases June 1, but I received my author copies early and would love to give a couple away. But before I do, I thought it would be fun to share some behind the scenes secrets from the making of Stealing the Preacher’s book trailer. The marketing director from Bethany [...]
One of my favorite books as child was The Island of Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. A Newberry Award winner published in 1960, it’s the story of Karana, a Chumash Indian girl who is left alone on San Nicholas Island off the coast of California. When a Russian ship arrives for the purpose of hunting [...]
I started to write a short story several months back that turned into a novella. I wrote the novella and realized I wasn’t done with the story…so I wrote two more. These were my “Kane” trilogy—Kane’s Redemption, Kane’s Promise and Kane’s Destiny. These stories really wouldn’t be classified as a “romance” story. There’s no sex, [...]
The Mystery of the Gunfight at Hide Park – and how it inspired a book. I’ve got a novella releasing in June. A Bride for All Seasons which includes fellow P & P Filly Margaret Brownley as well as Debra Clopton and Robin Lee Hatcher. It’s a fun mail-order bride collection with a twist. [...]
My father handed me a pack of letters in 1994. They were letters he’d saved that my grandfather had given him. As I read them, I became fascinated with Sarah Louise Dyer, my great-grandmother. One of the letters for Sarah came from my great-grandfather and was written in 1864 a month or so before he [...]
Alamo survivor? Could that be right? I thought everyone died at the Alamo. Isn’t that what made it famous? Well, all the fighting men who made their stand at the mission, did, in fact, die. But there were others present–women, children, slaves–who didn’t perish during that fateful battle in 1836. Susanna Dickinson was one such [...]
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 [...]
In my first book, Touch of Texas, the heroine’s defense weapon of choice was a double-barrel shotgun. In the interests of research–and because I wanted to shoot one — we added a double-barrel shotgun to our Cowboy Action Shooting collection. Shotguns come in all barrel lengths. The Stoeger side-by-side we shoot is modeled after the [...]
The other night as I waited for the Academy of Country Music awards to air, I sat down to watch GAC and got caught up in Blake Shelton’s Back Story. Being a writer, I’m always interested in back story, or a person’s past that directly reflects either by change or going the course, how that [...]
It all started when I read THE WIDOW OF THE SOUTH by Robert Hicks, a novel about a woman who made the dead soldiers of the War Between the States her life’s work. By the time I finished reading that book, I knew I had to go visit this place, Carnton, where she had lived [...]
Did You Know This About the Old West? ©2013 Lena Nelson Dooley I know authors who really don’t like the research involved in making historical novels authentic to the time period. I am not one of those authors. While writing my McKenna’s Daughters series, I found out a lot of things I didn’t know. And [...]
I can’t tell you how excited I am to be joining the talented group of writers at Pistols and Petticoats. And, yes, I’ve already been hearing what a great bunch of cowboy-loving blog followers you are. I’m sure I will recognize some of your names from other sites, but for the rest of you. it’s [...]
My new motto is “Fearless and Faithful; Women Who Dare”. And dare I have – by releasing an ebook, WAGES OF SIN, a 94,000 word saga that was written for a very special lady – Me. Anyone who is published will identify with that claim. It all started years back when, on one of [...]
In light of the computer age and my very first personal computer with internet dial-up, I remember my father asking me one very simple question that spun my mind and really knocked into my head how far we’ve come in today’s world. Now, first you have to know my father was not sheltered. He was [...]
Are you old enough to remember generic viagra the old “Maverick” television series? Or, perhaps you saw the 1990’s movie based on the series? I loved the TV series (and James Garner!). Is it any wonder my books feature ranchers as heroes? ? To prove how much I love the West, I’m giving away an [...]
Boy, howdy, do we romanticize the old west ranching days or what? Let me tell you, there’s nothing romantic about ranching. Or is there? My husband and I worked and lived on mountain cattle ranches for over 25 years. I remember my first year working on the ranch was a real shocker. As a rodeo [...]
I’ve always been drawn to romance novels. I don’t necessarily mean love stories, although I certainly have nothing against them. I’m talking about romance as a broader concept, the idea of adventure and drama and mystery and characters that are moved as much by ideals as they are moved by ideas. If someone gets kissed [...]
A few weeks ago, I shared with you some wonderful behind-the-scenes photos my editor sent me of the cover shoot they did for my upcoming release, Stealing the Preacher. Well, about a week before Christmas, I received an email from my editor. They’re changing the cover. Not just a few touch-ups here and there with [...]
I write pretty short books, so there’s not always a lot of room for a supporting cast. Big families can get troublesome when you’re supposed to be focusing on the central romance. Because of that, my characters are sometimes only children, or they live away from their family, that sort of thing. In my next [...]
The great thing about doing anthologies is spending time with the other author or authors. Sometimes there are stories to coordinate, but there’s always promotion to do together. I was glad for this opportunity to connect with Debra Ullrick. Hopefully you will catch our other blogs around the blogosphere this month as well as pick [...]
This last summer I was lucky enough to travel to Silverton, Colorado. My husband, Steve, and I took the 47 mile, three-hour trip on the old narrow gauge train just like people had done a hundred years ago. We also took along two of our grandsons, Connor and Finley. I love seeing things through the [...]
Good mornin’ everyone. I’m so excited for the opportunity to return to Petticoats and Pistols to talk about my two new books! Mistletoe Cowboy has been on the shelves since Oct. 2 and Just a Cowboy and His Baby found a place on Dec. 4. And they’ll both fit right down into a stocking—I know [...]
