We welcome one of our favorite guest bloggers, Jodi Thomas, to join us for our Boot Scootin’ Special Week.
I was raised Southern Baptist in Texas. Dancing was a sin. Of course my mother danced around the kitchen, but then she’d been 
Presbyterian and she claimed her feet never changed religions.
Growing up I was told dancing led to impure thoughts. I learned much later that meant sex. So, like a good little Southern Baptist I didn’t dance.
My last semester of high school I sat behind this boy, Tommy Koumalats. Tall, very thin, braces, glasses and shy. It was love at first sight. We spent the semester saying hello and smiling at each other. He was too shy to talk to me.
Finally graduation came and then the all night party. The last time I might ever see him. At long last, he asked me to dance!!
I said yes. Neither of us knew how but we tried and I learned an important lesson. The Baptists were right. I did have impure thoughts for Tommy.
I had them as we dated through four years of college and 49 years of marriage.
I’ve always loved country music. I think that may be why I put dancing in my stories and love writing characters who dance, sing and play guitars.
In the book I just finished, to be released in April of 2021, I have a character who sings and when she’s troubled, the music calms her soul. My hero falls in love with her as he watches her play every weekend. Even when she thinks no one else is listening, she knows he is. She plays for him.
They are two broken people who find one another and fall in love with her music in the background. I think you’ll love Picnic in Someday Valley.
So come spring, turn on some slow dancing kind of music and curl up with my new book.
I’m a big fan of country music too.
Since Jodi is tied up with her book, she asked if I’d answer your responses. Thank you for leaving a comment. Since we’re both from Texas country music is our favorite and country dancing is in our blood. Hugs,Phyliss
What a lovely romance you’ve lived, Jody! Sigh….
Hi Laura. You are so right Jodi and Tom have a romance many wish they had. They had a great time in high school here and at college plus all the years afterwards. Thanks for dropping by and reading her post. Hugs Phyliss
Your life sounds like a romance book too.
Hi Janine, I’m answering some of Jodi’s responses to help her out, so she can keep writing. You are so right, Jodi’s and Tom’s love is a romance book in itself. Thanks for dropping by and reading her blog. Hugs, Phyliss
Jodi- you Alway bring a smile to my face and joy into my heart. I love your humor.
I can’t wait for this book, I know it will be another masterful book, as only you can write. I grew up dancing and love love it still this day.
I can’t wait until Rob & I can come see Linda, Phyliss, & you, sometime Soon.
Until then, keep dancing! Love & hugs, my sweet friend!
Hi Tonya, I’m helping Jodi out by answering some of her comments, so she can keep writing this evening. Being a school teacher for so many years, she’d write at night and set an alarm to get ready to go to school. Trust me, she brings a smile to everyone’s face. She can be really, really funny sometimes. You’ll see this when we can all get together. Linda, Jodi and I can laugh just for the sake of laughing at times. Hope to see you all soon. Hugs from all of us. Phyliss
such a wonderful love story!! Thanks for letting us in on it!
Hi Teresa, good to hear from you. I’m helping Jodi out a little by doing some replies so she can write this evening. You are so right their love story is beautiful. I’m happy she shared their special relationship with our readers. Hugs, Phyliss
I love you story. I take it you still dance today. I love country music also and I never was much of a dancer but always tried.
Hi Quiltlady, good to hear from you. I’m helping Jodi out a little, so she can write this evening. Since she and I were both raised in the panhandle of Texas we love country music. I’m not a good dancer, but like her mama, I enjoy dancing around the kitchen. She said to give everybody a big hug from her…hugs, Phyliss
Looking forward to the book. Country is all I listen to.
Hi Estella, I’m helping Jodi out a tad so she can write on that book. We all love Country here and for me, the older the better. Take care and a big hug from Jodi, Phyliss
I’ve always loved country music , my mom love to sing and dance . I try so hard to line dance but god gave me 2 left feet but I keep trying!!
Hi Rose Ann, good to hear from you. I’m helping Jodi out a tad, so she can write this evening. My mama loved to dance and as Jodi said so did her’s around the kitchen. I can’t line dance, but I used to be able to do C&W plus at my age “The Twist” LOL. Take care of yourself and keeping working on line dancing. Hugs to you from Jodi, Phyliss
I love country music, too! Grew up listening to my Daddy’s albums of Johnny Horton, Carl Smith, Johnny Cash, and more.
Oh Trudy what wonderful memories. I love all of those singers and still have some LP’s of many. Since LP Players are now popular with the younger crowd I can play them. I’m helping Jodi out so she can write, but she said to give everyone a big hug from her. Phyliss
Oh, I still have many of them, too!! Daddy had one Johnny Horton album. I now have 6, plus CD’s! I used tell Daddy that if Johnny Horton was still alive, he’d have to take me to a concert! I never went to any concerts with my Daddy; however, after Daddy passed, we got a concert place in town, so Mom and I went to see Eddie Arnold, Charley Pride, the Statler Brothers, and the Oak Ridge Boys
Welcome Jodi. This is interesting. I do love the kitchen sign. I grew up not Presbyterian or Baptist. Non denomination. But then too they didnt approve of dancing. Singing was fine but NO dancing, especially with the opposite sex. When I was in sixth grade we moved to a farm in CA Mojave desert and the churches there had no problem with dancing. Woah talk about confused. At home I always danced and sang. So I was able to now go to school dances. Oh but these were fun. I could have fun outside of home. My mom always danced around the house. To this day I love to dance and sing. My husband of 37 years doesnt care to dance. He went to ball room dancing before our wedding and I know what a sacrifice for him this was. We will dance at weddings and such. Every once in a blue moon he will grab me around the house and we will start waltzing. I love this man.
Hi Lori, thanks for leaving such a great comment. Just today Jodi and I discovered, because of this blog, that we were both Presbyterian and Baptist. I love CA Mojave desert, as my kids live in Santa Barbara County (Lompoc) and I love to drive around Edwards AFB when I drive. I guess all of our mama’s danced around the house! I can just imagine what it took to get your hubby to learn ball room dancing for your wedding. My DH and I danced a lot in the day, but now it’s only around the house for me. I’m helping Jodi out today and she said to please give everyone a big hug from her. Take care, Phyliss
What a great story thanks for sharing.
Hi Yvonne, I’m helping Jodi out today, so thanks for leaving a comment. Isn’t her story one of love not just for Tom but her whole family? Take care of yourself and a big hug from her to you, Phyliss
I am glad you were finally able to dance. It may have lead to impure thoughts, but that certainly turned out well for you both. I had to read that first part about your dancing and 49 years of impure thoughts to my husband. It was appreciated. His mom was raised Baptist, but was the black sheep of the family.
I have always loved to dance. I was overseas for three years before we got married. The men in that country are generally very good dancers. I danced at many functions and could not believe how well I was dancing, whirling around the dance floor like Ginger Rogers. It was definitely the partner who had the talent and knew how to lead. Since then I have done most of my dancing at home. My husband’s mother did have him take ballroom dance lessons in high school, so we know we can both dance. We have discovered, however, we just can’t dance very well together. He says I keep trying to lead and he is probably right. At our oldest daughter’s wedding, I dragged him out to dance and midway through the waltz, we realized it was actually working. We held our breath hoping we didn’t mess it up and made it to the end of the dance. We tried again later, but no luck. Every so often we’ll come together in the kitchen and dance a few steps.
I enjoy certain types of country and western music. We now live in TN so it is everywhere. We are only an hour or so from Carter Fold, Jonny Cash’s wife’s family venue, where they both performed. Bristol, TN is the Birthplace of Country Music and only 30 minutes away. The high schools have programs and there is even the East Tennessee State University’s Bluegrass, Old-Time and Country Music degree program.” I was in a line dancing group for a few years. However, my balance is shot and dancing with a cane isn’t much fun.
Have a great Fall. Stay safe and healthy.
I love your dancing story! My husband and I met at a country and western bar. He asked me to dance and I said yes, even though I had no idea what I was doing! We still laugh about that night and how he took me off the floor to show me the steps where it was slower. I thought I was doing so badly that he was embarrassed to be seen with me.
Your next book sounds beautiful.
My dad was raised mostly Southern Baptist, and my mom was raised Plain in the Church of the Brethren, so for me to go to dances and wanting pretty dresses wasn’t something they really cared for, even though we went to a Presbyterian church. (It was a more conservative offshoot and not PCUSA.) But they didn’t stop me. I usually had to pay for my formal dresses, except for the homemade one I was forced to wear one year. I raised my kids mainstream and always took them to get tuxes or a tie for a dance.
I still dance in the kitchen and sing a mix of 80s songs and country music, much to the dismay of my kids.
denise
“My feet haven’t changed religion” made me smile. We grew up singing and dancing in the kitchen, too.
Good morning! So happy to see you at P&P again! I can’t wait for your new book because I’ve loved everything I’ve read of yours so far! Happy Fall! 2021, oh my how 2020 is flying by. We can only hope that 2021 is much better!
I loved the story of how you met and fell in love. I love country music. When my parents were first married, my dad was stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky and they listened to a lot of country and bluegrass music. So I learned to love that. I’m so excited to read the new book when it comes out.
My husband & I did a lot of line dancing in the late 90s & early 2000. It was such fun, good exercise & we had folks from 7 to 70 dancing every time. Can’t wait to read another of your awesome books!!