Yep! 13 years ago on August 13, 2007, we launched our very first blog, amateurs that we were. In that time, 35 bestselling western romance authors have called themselves fillies. Of those, 10 were founding fillies, and of those, 3 of us still remain.
Linda Broday ~ Pam Crooks ~ Karen Kay
Want some more stats? In 13 years, we’ve had:
6,743 Posts
127,559 Comments
1,639,080 Views
That’s ALOT of activity on Petticoats & Pistols, and you, our dear readers, have shared yourself with us over and over again. We’ve become friends. Sisters, almost.
And that got us to thinking.
Guess which Fun Filly Fact goes with which filly!
#1 – I was born in a tent to homeless parents and have twice seen that same situation since. My husband and I rode out an F-5 tornado inside our Texas home, lying flat in a hallway over our three little ones then shifted from place to place for nine months trying to survive. With only a high school education and pure grit, I will reach a publishing milestone in April 2021 with my 30th book that kicks off a new series.
#2 – I skydived when I was younger. Yep, jumped out of a perfectly good airplane. I highly recommend it (if you’re not afraid of heights). The thrill is stupendous, the view is amazing, and the accomplishment lasts forever. I quit after my 5th jump, when my chute didn’t open, and I had to throw the reserve. Oh, and you have great stories to tell your grandbabies!
#3 – My life is a musical. My husband and I were both band nerds in high school, but after one semester of band in college, he convinced me to join choir. We sang all through undergrad and graduate school and even with an adult chorus that took a European tour. Our children grew up singing Disney, Wiggles, and VeggieTales songs, playing in the band in school, and on any given Sunday our pew sports all four parts in acapella style. Once, when my kids were little, we had a lady from church babysit for us. She said it was like watching the Von Trapps.
#4 – I worked in the deepest mine in North America at the time. My level was 6900 feet underground. My pard and I loaded muck from ore chutes into mine cars and hauled it to where it was dumped in a larger chute to be hauled up out of the mine during the graveyard shift. I know what the blackest of black looks like. I’ve also been underground in the Arctic. The most amazing ice crystals grew in the mine there—giant snowflakes about 6 inches across.
#5 – I was in my 40’s when I was adopted into the Blackfeet Tribe in Northern Montana. Chief Old Person adopted me into the tribe in July of 2001 in a ceremony during the Indian Day’s Pow-wow. The Chief gave me an Indian name that I won’t share here because one doesn’t speak their own Indian name. (It’s considered boasting.) I was adopted into the Tribe because of my work with them on literacy, and my life was changed forever…always yearning to be in Montana on the reservation.
#6 – While I was hunkered down in a London air raid shelter during the war, someone gave me a teddy bear and said, “May God protect you.” Thinking “God” was the name of the teddy bear, I took him everywhere. One night, while my mother and I were racing through the streets to the shelter, I realized I’d forgotten God. Doing what any self-respecting four-year-old would do under the circumstances, I threw myself on the ground and had a full-fledged temper tantrum. Not knowing what else to do, my poor mother took me back to the house to retrieve the teddy bear. As we were leaving the house, a bomb went off at the end of the street where we would have been had we not gone back. So, just as the stranger promised, God had protected me.
#7 – When I was about six, I was at my cousins’ house and they had a horse! Everyone was getting a ride but my mom said I couldn’t, I was too little, unless a grown up was out leading the horse. Well, the grownups went inside and left me with some terribly irresponsible children. So I begged and whined and finally convinced them it’d be okay if one of them led the horse. And I got up on what now seems to have been a huge animal, and walked along, and whoever was leading the horse let it slip out of their hands and the horse went trotting toward the barn and I fell off and broke my arm.
The only good part of that was, my two big sisters and my cousins got in Terrible Trouble.
#8 – I worked full time in the legal field, while co-owning two antique shops. With a business partner, I purchased the oldest barbeque cafe in town. That had me not only working full time in a demanding profession, having a wonderful husband and two teenagers, but owning three businesses. Then came along the acquisition of an ol’ timey Texas honky-tonk. I learned the bass guitar. Strange fact, I can’t carry a tune in a bucket and couldn’t play that well; however, only at closing time my partner allowed me to join the band … most likely to clear out the customers before closing time. Thinking back, it was during that period I took my first writing course. Fun, sweet memories!
#9 – While working as a newspaper reporter, I used to get sent out to do many agriculture related stories. One day, I went out to interview a couple that had sold their herd of beef cattle so they could turn their place into a “buffalo ranch” and sell the meat commercially. The husband was busy when I arrived, so the wife and I climbed in their big pickup and drove out to the pasture so I could get an up-close look at the animals. We reached the bison but they soon went from docilely grazing to agitated in seconds. The wife realized her husband had left a butchered carcass in the back of the pickup. The smell of that drove the bison wild and they stampeded. The wife swung the pickup around, hit the gas, and we bounced and jostled our way for the gate we’d left open, hoping to beat the bison there before they could escape. It was summer, the windows were rolled down, and one big ol’ boy stuck his head right up in my window. I could have counted his eyelashes if I hadn’t been scared witless. Then the wife said, “When we get to the gate, jump out and throw up your arms. I think they’ll stop.” I looked at her and told her she was crazy if she thought I was jumping in front of a few dozen beasts thundering straight at me. Thankfully, her husband appeared just in time to head off the bison and we made it safely out of the pasture. If I ever decide to include a stampede in story, I have first-hand experience!
#10 – Have you ever been an unwitting participant in an FBI bust? I was! A lowly secretary for the U.S. Department of Labor, it was my job from time to time to man the front desk and screen guests. Imagine my surprise when, one day, a man came in, and when I asked, “May I help you?” he flashed his FBI shield at me with an “official” glare. “Quiet,” he said. At that point, he went right on back to his intended target, a claims examiner who was taking money under the table to process black lung claims more expeditiously–and the black lung claimant, who was wearing a wire as the money was changing hands! Four of the six claims examiners were led out in cuffs that day and placed in a nondescript white cargo van, and Mr. FBI told me, “Don’t leave town. You may have to testify.” That was probably my most exciting day at work–ever.
#11 – I was lucky to have some fabulous and very interesting summer jobs during high school and college. They included working as a data entry clerk for the local water works company (great first job with an interesting cast of characters), as an assistant at a library for two summers (Best. Summer. Job. Ever!), schlepping backstage and ushering at the New Orleans Repertory Theater during their production of Three Penny Opera (Mack The Knife anyone?) and working as a computer science intern at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility (awesome place with some incredibly smart and dedicated people).
#12 – I was an opera major with a flute minor in college and belonged to the top 15% of musicians in my age group on the west coast. I played my way into college (quite literally, winning a scholarship to a conservatory of music with Mozart’s Concerto in G). I have taught flute over the years, helped with my local high school music and drama departments, and was getting ready to join my local concert band (just to keep in practice) when the pandemic hit. As soon as the chaos is over, I’ll sign up!
#13 – As a young girl, I wanted to be a nun. Being from a devout Catholic family, my uncle was a priest, and my aunt was a nun. I remember going to visit her at the convent while she and the other nuns roller-skated in the basement, their habits and veils trailing behind them. They were laughing and having such a good time while they went around and around that small room. It made me think it would be fun to be a nun, too, and my aunt, who was only fifteen years older than me, did her best to convince me I should be one.
Obviously, she failed.
#14 – BONUS FILLY FACT! – I turned to fostering dogs four years ago when faced with an empty nest. After seeing a post about an adorable female black pup (my weakness) needing a foster, I responded. While that pup had already found a foster, I took a tri-colored male mix puppy named Rowdy about to be euthanized, and a crusader was born. Since then, my family and I have fostered over 25 dogs or puppies. We’ve dealt with mange (zombie dogs are the best!), heart worm treatment for HW positive dogs, Parvo, and have loved every animal we’ve fostered. When I’m asked how I can let them go, I respond “Every one we let go makes room to save another.”
It’s our birthday, but you get the gifts!
- Guess which Fun Filly Fact goes with which filly!
- Be sure to number your guesses in the comments.
- You’ll be eligible to win a $13 Amazon Gift Card.
- Check back on Sunday to see how many fillies you guessed right.
- And if there’s any fun fact about YOU you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear it!
Happy Birthday to us!
Happy 13th Anniversary!
Thank you, Denise! Can you believe it? 13 Years!
I’m going to have to put my thinking cap on. I love it when y’all do games like this. My answers will come later today.
Here’s a story for you:
When I was 3, I was with my dad at a roping. As he and the others were all standing around deep in “men’s conversation” I told him I needed to Pee. He told many several times, “Just a second, Sis!”
Well this went on and on.
All of a sudden whooping and hollering started up and they cowboys starting hollering, “Hey Lucas, is that your daughter in the arena?”
He walked over and looked, low and behold there I stood bent over peeing in front of everyone in the arena.
Need I say, he never ignored my pleas to go to the bathroom again.
Of course I don’t remember this, but he sure enough does.
That’s hilarious Tonya! I bet your daddy did pay attention to you after that!! Of all places to decide to go though! ????
What???? Oh, isn’t that a kid for you, Tonya? Hilarious! Nothing worse than having to pee and you can’t. Nature just takes over then, doesn’t it? Ha!
I thought you’d be one to know some of these Fun Filly Facts. You’ve been coming over to visit us for so long. But now you’ll learn something new about all of us. Check back on Sunday!
LOL! That’s classic, Tonya.
Oh, my goodness, Tonya! I bet he never let that happen again. 🙂 Such a fun story!
OMG! That’s so funny, Tonya! I’ll bet he was so embarrassed. Poor Tony!
Ahhhhh!! Happy 13th anniversary on the 13th of August!
As for the filly facts, I’m afraid I’m gonna have to do some research! I know #1 is Linda Broday though. (Love you Linda!) Lol ?
Thank you, Dale! It’ll be a fun day.
Hey Dale! Yep, that’s me. I think you’ve heard all that before. Love you, girl.
Happy 13th birthday! I enjoyed reading the facts on each filly and look forward to finding out who each belongs to. I honestly have no idea.
Trust me, Janine. We ALL learned about each other–it was so fun when the Filly Facts started coming in. Check back Sunday!
I will definitely be checking back Sunday.
I’ll have to put some thought into this! #1 is Linda Broday and #5 is Karen Kay just in case I forget to stop back by. Happy Anniversary Phillies! i’m so happy y’alldo the blog, i absolutelylove it and have learned so much from y’al!
Love you to pieces, Steph! Mu-wah!
Thank you for stopping in, Steph, and big hugs to you!
That’s right, Steph! Thanks for coming and playing. Sending you tons of love!
Happy Birthday!
Thank you, Estella!
Happy anniversary, P&P!!!
Thanks, Tracy! You were with us for many years and were/are part of our success. Hugs!
I’m not playing the game because I’m terrible at that kind of thing, I can’t even win a baby shower game, but I will offer my congratulations and a special hi to my good friends Mary and Winnie. I do Oregon Trail, so P&P has been a terrific resource for me. Another 13, please.
I’m not very good at guessing games either, Kathy. I totally understand. I’m always so impressed by those who get the right guesses. They make it look so easy. But come back on Sunday to see the answers, okay?
Happy Birthday everyone. I love hearing about your stories. Obviously I live a quiet and boring life. Thank you for sharing. I have no idea who is who since I hurt my back 5 years ago my memory has gone to pot. I’ve shrunk a inch and a half. The body has gotten wider. Hugs and Happy Birthday again.
Charlene, we ALL loved hearing about these interesting tidbits before we became authors. Our pasts definitely play a part in our futures. The fillies are amazing! Thank you, and hugs back at you!
Great to see you, Charlene! Thanks for coming.
Happy 13! I love this blog! It takes more effort than we can imagine to pull this off. Thank you for doing this blog. I have learned more things about authors and have bought more books based on this site than you can imagine. I even have books saved for rereads because they are so good. I love how you are real! You share your adventures, sorrows, laughter, high points-low points, success, family, faith, friendship, generosity, etc. You mean a great deal to me. Thank you for blessing my life with your goodness. Reading … what a world of adventure revealed through your books. Love you guys!
And we love YOU, Kathy! What a kind-hearted, loyal, and sweet soul you are. Love you back!
Fun game! And I have no idea which fact to put with which filly! Can’t wait to learn though. Happy birthday, fillies!
Thank you, Jess! We’re so glad you stopped by. Be sure to come back Sunday, too!
HINT****
Hey everyone–thank you for the birthday wishes! I am going to drop a hint as to which clue is mine. When I went to work, I could have worked along side of Disney’s 7 dwarfs. Do you recall their occupation?
Cute hint, Jeannie!
I learned stuff about the fillies, too!
Right, Mary???
I have been a life long reader! If it wasn’t for reading all your wonderful books, I don’t think I could survive this PANDEMIC!
I don’t think I could’ve survived this pandemic without WRITING books, Teresa!!! Having 3 book deadlines back to back has been a blessing in disguise, for sure. We appreciate you!
Happy Happy 13th B-day Fillies!!! So many interesting stories! At this moment, I can probably guess 2-3 correct… have to think about it.
We just want you to enjoy the Fun Facts, Colleen. That’s the main thing. Come back Sunday!
Pam, what a great blog! It was so much fun for the Fillies to learn things about one another we didn’t know. I’m leaving a tiny hint for our readers who are guessing who is who. I know the difference between an MD and JP. Thanks again for a great fun blog and 13 fantastic years!
Your Fun Fact(s) was so interesting, Phyliss. The ladies are going to be surprised to learn them about you!
Congratulations on the 13 years.
My only guess for the Fillies is #3 is Karen Witemeyer. I am not as familiar with the other FIllies, but will look into answering.
You’re right, Dora!!
Thank you, all, for sending birthday wishes our way.
1. Linda B, 4 Jeannie W, 5. Karen K, 7 Shanna H, 11 Winnie G, 14 Julie B
Good for you, Teresa F – love seeing your guesses!!!
Teresa, you got some right! Great guessing.
Happy Anniversary! I have absolutely no idea for most of the fun facts, but they are as fascinating as all of you have been. I am so lucky to have discovered this blog years ago (although not quite 13). It’s my go-to every morning. Always great stories, wonderful women, fun facts and of course terrific books.
Aww, that’s so nice to hear, Sallycootie! We’re lucky to have you stop by!
Julie Benson 12
Linda Broday 4
Margaret Brownley 13
Mary Connealy 11
Pam Crooks 3
Laura Drake 8
Winnie Griggs 10
Shanna Hatfield 9
Karen Kay 14
Phyliss Miranda 5
Kit Morgan 7
Cheryl Pierson 1
Jeannie Watt 6
Karen Witemeyer 2
It was interesting trying to guess what belonged with whom! 🙂
jennydtipton at gmail dot com
Bravo, Jennifer! We applaud you for giving it a go!!
Happy Birthday to all the fillies. I am really bad at guessing games. I dont play them at showers But I will play with the others dong it. LOL Well here goes a few: #1 Linda Broday #3 Karen Witemeyer #5 Karen Kay #7 Shanna Hatfield
quilting dash lady at comcast dot net
Funny how Linda Broday is so easy. Y’all know her so well! Be sure to come back Sunday, Lori!
Happy 13th Birthday, Fabulous Fillies!
Aw, shucks. Thank you, Carylkane
“Happy 13th year Birthday!” Congratulations! 1. Phyllis Miranda 2. Karen Witemeyer 3. Winnie Griggs 4. Laura Drake 5. Karen Kay 6.Cheryl Pierson 7. Kit Morgan 8. Mary Connely 9. Linda Broday 10. Pam Crooks 11. Julie Benson 12. Shanna Hatfield 13.Margaret Brownley 14. Jeannie Watt
Got your guesses, Alicia! Come back Sunday, okay?
We’ve had so much fun with these little vignettes and learning about one another! Thanks so much to everyone who has stopped by and wished us a HAPPY BIRTHDAY today!
Happy 13th Birthday! 😀 I have noooo idea on who belongs to what fact. Some waaaay interesting facts! 😀
I’ll guess #7 is Shanna Hatfield and #3 is Karen Witemeyer
Happy Birthday! I think I know 3 or 4 of them but will have to think about this. Have enjoyed P&P and all of the history, travel, and the wonderful books.
Happy birthday. I am working on matching names to the above comments. I have a couple figured out and hope I can figure out more.
Wonderful reading snippets of the fillies….I don’t know the ladies well enough to guess at who is who, but wyhat wonderful experiences they can bring to their stories. Happy 13th anniversary, fillies. Keep the wonderful blogs coming.
I’ve no idea on many, a few I think I know. So with blind faith here I go:
1 linda broday
2 Pam Crooks
3 Winnie Griggs
4 Mary Connealy
5 Karen Kay
6 Margaret Brownley
7 Phyliss Miranda
8 Laura Drake
9 Shanna Hatfield
10 Jeannie Watts
11 Kit Morgan
12 Karen Witemeyer
13 Julie Benson
14 Cheryl Pierson
Aw, Tonya! Thank you for coming back! I love that you gave all the facts a guess. Thank you for playing, girlfriend.
I didn’t finish, but these are the ones I have so far. I am still working on it.
1. Linda Broday
2. Kit Morgan
3.
4. Jeannie Watt
5. Karen Kay
6. Margaret Brownley
7. Cheryl Pierson
8.
9. Shanna Hatfield
10. Laura Drake
11. Winnie Griggs
12.
13. Pam Crooks
14. Julie Benson
3. Karen Witemeyer
8. Phyliss Miranda
12. Mary Connealy
With that I give up because several just don’t fit.
Patricia B, you are such a doll for being so dedicated. I want you on my team sometime! Check back Sunday!
1. Linda Broday
2.Laura Drake
3.Karen Wiemeyer
4. Jeannie Watt
5. Karen Kay
6. Margaret Brownley
7. Cheryl Pierson
8.Phyliss Miranda
9. Shanna Hatfield
10.Mary Conneally
11. Winnie Griggs
12.Kit Morgan
13. Pam Crooks
14. Julie Benson
Lots of guesses
Guesses are totally okay! Thanks for all of them, laurieg72!
1. Linda Broday
2. Kit Morgan
3. Karen Witemeyer
4. Jeannie Watt
5. Karen Kay
6. Margaret Brownley
7. Cheryl Pierson
8. Laura Drake
9. Shanna Hatfield
10. Mary Conneally
11. Winnie Griggs
12. Julie Benson
13. Pam Crooks
Thank you, Anne! Good job!
Here are my guesses. I am looking forward to finding out the real answers.
1. Linda Broday
2. Kit Morgan
3. Karen Wiemeyer
4. Jeannie Watt
5. Karen Kay
6. Margaret Brownley
7. Shanna Hatfield
8. Phyliss Miranda
9. Cheryl Pierson
10. Mary Conneally
11. Winnie Griggs
12. Laura Drake
13. Pam Crooks
14. Julie Benson
We’ll post them Sunday, dear! See you then!
Wow! What an incredible collection of facts! I would never hazard a guess–but Happy Birthday to P&P!
Thank you, Hebby!