May Your Day be Filled With Love, Hugs & Hershey’s Kisses

horseheader1.jpeHAPPY Valentine’s Day!

I love both Charlene’s and Cheryl’s posts.  Love all those statistics. I want each and every one of our bloggers to know that we all send you much love on this very special day.  You are a part of our family, and whether you know it or not, you are each one loved!

3-paul-31.jpgMy heart belongs to my husband, Paul, whom I love with all my heart.  Happy Valentine’s Day, Paul!

5-orlando1.jpgPlease consider yourself hugged.  May your day be filled with nothing but love and hugs & kisses.

Valentine’s Day Fun Facts!!

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It’s a day for romance!

Did you know:

 15% of U.S. women send themselves flowers on Valentine’s Day.

73% of people who buy flowers for Valentine’s Day are men, while only 27 percent are women.

About 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged each year. That’s the largest seasonal card-sending occasion of the year, next to Christmas.

About 3% of pet owners will give Valentine’s Day gifts to their pets.

 Cupid, another symbol of Valentines Day, became associated with it because he was the son of Venus, the Roman god of love and beauty. Cupid often appears on Valentine cards holding a bow and arrows because he is believed to use magical arrows to inspire feelings of love.

During the late 1800s, postage rates around the world dropped, and the obscene St. Valentine’s Day card became popular, despite the Victorian era being otherwise very prudish. As the numbers of racy valentines grew, several countries banned the practice of exchanging Valentine’s Days cards. During this period, Chicago’s post office rejected more than 25,000 cards on the grounds that they were so indecent, they were not fit to be carried through the U.S. mail.

During the Middle Ages, the belief that birds chose their mates on St. Valentine’s Day led to the idea that boys and girls would do the same. Up through the early 1900s, the Ozark hill people in the eastern United States thought that birds and rabbits started mating on February 14, a day for them which was not only Valentine’s Day but Groundhog Day as well.

Hallmark has over 1330 different cards specifically for Valentine’s Day.

Humorous valentines of the 19th century were called “Vinegar Valentines” or “Penny Dreadfuls.” Vinegar Valentines were introduced in 1858 by John McLaughin, a Scotsman with a New York City Publishing Business. Penny Dreadfuls with comic designs drawn in 1870 by American cartoonists Charles Howard became known as Penny Dreadfuls.

In 1929 in Chicago, gunmen in the suspected employment of organized-crime boss Al Capone murder seven members of the George “Bugs” Moran North Siders gang in a garage on North Clark Street. The so-called St. Valentine’s Day Massacre stirred a media storm centered on Capone and his illegal Prohibition-era activities and motivated federal authorities to redouble their efforts to find evidence incriminating enough to take him off the streets.

In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling.

In Victorian times it was considered bad luck to sign a Valentine’s Day card.

In Wales, wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. Hearts, keys and keyholes were favorite decorations on the spoons. The decoration meant, “You unlock my heart!”

It wasn’t until 1537 that St. Valentine’s Day was declared an official holiday. England’s King Henry VIII declared February 14th a holiday.

One single perfect red rose framed with baby’s breath is referred to by some florists as a “signature rose,” and is the preferred choice for many for giving on Valentine’s Day, anniversary, or birthday.

Only the U.S., Canada, Mexico, France, Australia and the U.K. celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Some people used to believe that if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine’s Day, it meant she would marry a sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a millionaire.

Teachers will receive the most Valentine’s Day cards, followed by children, mothers, wives, and then, sweethearts. Children ages 6 to 10 exchange more than 650 million Valentine’s cards with teachers, classmates, and family members.

 The 17th century a hopeful maiden ate a hard-boiled egg and pinned five bay leaves to her pillow before going to sleep on Valentine’s eve. It was believed this would make her dream of her future husband.

The ancient Romans celebrated the Feast of Lupercalia in honor of Juno, the queen of the Roman gods and goddesses on February 14. Juno was also the goddess of women and marriage.

The Empire State Building in New York City played a prominent role in the movie Sleepless in Seattle. This year 15 couples will take (or renew) their vows on the 80th floor of this famous landmark.

The heart is the most common symbol of romantic love. Ancient cultures believed the human soul lived in the heart. Others thought it to be the source of emotion and intelligence. Some believed the heart embodied a man’s truth, strength and nobility. The heart may be associated with love because the ancient Greeks believed it was the target of Eros, known as Cupid to the Romans. Anyone shot in the heart by one of Cupid’s arrows would fall hopelessly in love. Because the heart is so closely linked to love, it’s red colour is thought to be the most romantic.

The most fantastic gift of love is the Taj Mahal in India. It was built by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan as a memorial to his wife, who died in childbirth. Work on the Taj began in 1634 and continued for almost 22 years. required the labor of 20,000 workers from all over India and Central Asia.

The oldest known Valentines were sent in 1415 A.D. by the Duke of Orleans to his French wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. It is still on display in a museum in England.

The red rose was the favorite flower of Venus, the Roman goddess of love. Red stands for strong feelings which is why a red rose is a flower of love.

Wearing a wedding ring on the fourth finger of the left hand dates back to ancient Egypt, where it was believed that the vein of love ran from this finger directly to the heart.

In America, the pilgrims sent confections, such as sugar wafers, marzipan, sweetmeats and sugar plums, to their betrothed. Great value was placed on these gifts because they included what was then a rare commodity, sugar. After the late 1800’s, beet sugar became widely used and more available, and sweet gifts continued to be valued and enjoyed.

What was your favorite Valentine to give or receive?  (Mine was a homemade video from dear hubby to the tune, “You are so beautiful to me”)  

images-loving-couple.jpgTomorrow’s Blog with Charlene: Romancing the Classic Movies and win a chance for an autographed book!

I’m Humming Romantic Songs Today

titanic_-kate-and-leo.jpgdirtydancing2.jpgAfter seeing Music and Lyrics I sang that silly “I’ve been living with a clown above my bed” line to myself for days.  Don’t you hate it when a really irritating song gets stuck in your head?  I love sound tracks and have several I listen to for inspiration.  Notting Hill is one of my favorites, as are Lonesome Dove and Hope Floats.

notting-hill.jpgWhat are your favorite unforgettably romantic songs from the movies? Here are ten I came up with, but there are a jillion more that I love. Are any of these on your favorites list? Which movie songs are stuck in your head for life?

* No Matter What, Boyzone, Notting Hill
* Take My Breath Away, Berlin, Top Gun
* Unchained Melody, Righteous Brothers, Ghost
* You’ve Got A Way, Shania Twain, Notting Hill
* To Make You Feel My Love, Tricia Yearwood, Hope Floats
* Summer Nights, John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Grease
* Under the Boardwalk, Bette Midler, Beaches
* My Heart Will Go On, Celine Dion, Titanic
* The Time of My Life, Jennifer Warnes & Bill Medley, Dirty Dancing
* Pretty Woman, Roy Orbison, Pretty Woman

MySpace for Dummies

MySpaceFirst let me preface this by saying: Everything is all right NOW! 

But—I read an article in RWR magazine a while back about how you cannot miss out on MySpace if you want to promote your work. Well, I’m on MySpace and all 759 of my close personal friends are no doubt reading Petticoat Ranch right this second.The page is up and running now, but it wasn’t always so easy.

RWR didn’t tell me the dark side of MySpace—and no, I’m not talking about the vampires who have their own pages. That is the subject of another column. Far darker than the blood-sucking living dead is me trying to create my own page. I’ve spent, oh, I’m sure it just seems like a decade trying to figure out MySpace.Finally, my 17-year-old daughter Katy took pity on me and showed me how to invite people to be my friends and how to—forgive me—pimp my page. Where do kids come up with these things?

And why do they have the nerve to say them to their mothers?! 

Anyway, I invited a bunch of people to be my friends. It felt kind of, well, nervy, you might say; like a bad high school party you go to and everyone gives you the “Who invited you?” look. But Katy pep-talked me into it, so I did it.Then after all the invites went out, I tried to, umm, you know to my page and—forgive me again—somehow ended up with a stripper as my background picture.

She was not there when I selected from among the 1,000,000 background choices. And sure, they can’t show you everything on the background, but c’mon! You’d think they’d include it if there was a stripper!! And she was moving—there were shots of her wearing less and less. It was very high-tech in a triple-X kind of way. Did I mention I did this after I invited all these friends? Excellent. Nice surprise if they come and check things out, huh? I invite you to MySpace and a stripper opens the door. Just the impression I want to make!So, of course, on the very day someone might actually agree to be my friend—“hello 38 Double D.”Calico Canyon Cover
 
And the only way I could get rid of g-string girl was to get rid of everything, including a bunch of scary-looking lines of code.  Think “Nightmare on Elm Street” with a computer monitor. 

 I don’t even really know what code means, except it’s numbers and symbols and letters that mean nothing to me. I hated to erase it because once it’s gone, there’s no getting it back—not with my computer skills. But either the code went or the stripper stayed and honestly, there was just no chance the clothing challenged girl could stay, what with my friends coming over soon, so I had to delete it all.

So, I lost the stripper and everything else too, except my book cover and a blurb about the book, and of course this nice, growing list of friends. Did you know I’m now friends with Tim McGraw? Yeah, right! Me and Tim! BFFs.  

I now have many friends, most of whom I have stolen from other author acquaintances’ sites and, well, I’m worried. I mean, honestly, do my friends love me for myself? I think not. I’m guessing I’m not going on Tim McGraw’s Christmas card list. And how badly can we abuse the word friend, huh? And why, oh why, did Faith Hill dye her hair brunette—what was she thinking?

So that’s my adventure into cyberspace. If you want to invite me to be your friend (and you’re not afraid), I’m completely open to it (http://www.myspace.com/petticoatranch). Just remember the more I drag you inside my head the more you’re going to need a GPS tracking system so when you call for help—and believe me, you will—the police can find you and save you. And just one more point: I wouldn’t be able to help you run the GPS tracker so you’d be on your own there, too. 

Next up? Facebook. If I survive, I’ll report back.

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So how are you with technology? Ever accidentally logged onto some site you were afraid would make Homeland Security kick down your door? And what about research? Authors are always looking for a way to kill someone in a fresh and entertaining way…good luck running for President and not having the, “Seventy-five Fastest Acting Poison’s” website show up in the opposition research. Or the fact that you’ve checked out, “Severing A Human Head” from the library…six times.

Tell me about you and technology. The wonder…and the terror!

The Fight for Freedom & Native America

horseheader1.jpeHowdy!

Good morning!  Well, today, I thought — in view of the fact that we are in the middle of an election year, that we might have a look at the beginnings of our country — way back in 1770’s — and Native America.  Right now because the book I’m writing is due to my publisher very soon and because I’m writing about the Iroquois, I am steeped into Iroquois lore and history.   And I have discovered some incredible things.  Here follows some very interesting things in my consideration — interesting only because I certainly didn’t learn about any of this in school…hmmm…

  • adam-beach.jpgDid you know that long ago, long before the white man set foot on this continent, there were two men who brought peace to a people and established a government of the people, by the people and for the people?  Those men were Hiawatha and Deganawide (de-ga-na-Wee-da), or the man known to the Iroquois as the Peacemaker.  Their tribes were constantly at war amongst themselves due to the tradition and obligation to kill anyone who had killed any of their own family.  Because of these blood wars, the people were constantly in strife. 

These two men — who together brought peace to an entire nation that lasted over 300 years — have all  but been forgotten in our history (this is not the Hiawatha or Longfellow’s poem).  When our forefathers first met the Iroquois, they were impressed with not only their idea of freedom, but also with their form of government.  In the Iroquois nation of long ago, the elder women would pick their leaders because the power of the government was held in their hands.  No leader was allowed to accept remuneration for his service — it was considered his duty to serve, and that was pay enough.  And no leader who served his own means, or who showed little fortitude (cowardly behavior in the face of treason) was allowed to serve.  In fact, such leaders were taken out of office at once and their shame stayed with them throughout the rest of their lives.

red_3-crop-email.jpgDebates amongst the Iroquois sachems (as their representatives were called) were long and hard, and no person was interrupted before he was finished speaking.  Nor was any action ever taken before there had been debate, and even then, a man was never forced to do the biding of another man if he disagreed.  Several moments of silence were also left open at the end of any speech, in case the speaker thought of something he might have forgotten when he was speaking.  Oratory was considered a skill that every man should acquire.  And those who spoke well were admired greatly.  It might take a while for the people to decide on an issue, true, but once decided, and united, the Iroquois proved to be a terrible foe.  Both Thomas Paine and Benjamin Franklin, as well as Thomas Jefferson, admired the Iroquois form of government.  In fact, Benjamin Franklin wanted our own Constitution to be modeled after the Iroquois government much more than it was.

Blue_YonderBut if the Iroquois government was so rich and so full, what happened to it?  Why are the Iroquois alloted only a small reservation in America?  This is a rather complex question and is best answered in a complex way, but I’ll be as brief as I can.  The founders of the Iroquois Confederation, whose vision was to bring peace to Turtle Island (North America) might have been more than a little upet to see how their people took the peace so hardily gotten, and used it to force their will on other Native populations.  It happened once the white man came.  The white man came with trade goods that far exceeded the Iroquois’s own.  And it got to the point where the white man’s goods could not be done without.  Once this happened, it became a contest tribe to tribe to takeover the trade.  Unfortunately, this was often encouraged by the French and English in order to weaken the Indian Nations, but on the whole I think it was done without the knowledge of what was happening to the Native American Nations.  The Iroquois, because they were united, surfaced as the Nation to be respected, even though that was often done at the destruction of some of the other Native Amerian Nations.  Be that as it may, the Iroquois became so invincible that the English and the French were caught trying to buy their friendship, in a quest to bring their own rule to North America.

july06-yukon-photo-2.jpgThe Mohawk eventually created a Covenant Chain with the English, which is why the Mohawk (some of them — not all) fought with the English against the Americans during our revolution.  However, the Native American has a long standing love of freedom and independence, and several tribes within the Iroqouis Confederation fought right alongside the Americans during our fight for independence.  Yes, they lost their lands, but they lost their lands to the corporations who coverted their lands for their own ends.  And unfortunately for us, when our forefathers wrote that “all men are created equal” they truly did mean all MEN, and in particular all white men.  Luckily for us, because of our right to speak freely, we in America eventually corrected this error to include all women and all people of any color.  And so after the revolution in the 1770’s, when the corporations came to take over the Iroquois land, there was no one at that time to speak out for Native Americans.

 So this brings me to my controversial question of the day.  Are you ready?  Recently some Americans in — forgive me I can’t recall the exact state — but I think it was Delaware, lost their homes to some big corporations.  The state government literally came in and took over their land — they were given money for the land, but not what it was worth.  That land was then turned over to the corporations.  In Texas, there is the Trans Texas Corridor being built as I write this, to unite Mexico, the US and Canada.  Millions of acres of land are planned for confiscation in order to build this highway — which will be owned and operated, by the way, by Spain.  Many of the people who live on this land, have lived on it for generations.  Perhaps I am wrong in my evaluation, but this precedent seems awfully similar to what happened to the Native People in New York State so long ago…i.e. land confiscation in the name of the corporation.

 Then we come to the recent declaration by the Lakotah.  The Lakotah Declaration of Independence.  In their own quest for freedom, the Lakotah in late December/early January of this year, declared their independence from the United States.

 So here’s the big question:  There is a long tradition of freedom in this country, tracing directly back to Native America and our own ancestors.   Are you ready?  What’s your opinion?  Do we still live a country that is free today as it was fifty years ago?  What do you think?  So come on in and let’s have a talk, maybe we could even, in the tradition of the Iroquois, debate the issue.

lastwarrior.jpgAnd don’t forget, THE LAST WARRIOR comes out March 2008!

Drawing Winners Announced!

to-love-a-texan.jpgThanks barrel-loads for blogging with us this past weekend, Georgina!  We’d like to extend an invitation to mosey back any ol’ time your purdy little heart desires.

And the fun’s not over yet.  Two lucky winners will soon be holdin’ their very own AUTOGRAPHED copies of Georgina’s new book TO WED A TEXAN!

And the winners are….

Maureen

and AndreaW

YEE HAW, ladies!  Send your addresses to me at SaintJohn@aol.com, and I’ll get them to Georgina directly, so she can mail your books out to you.

Georgina Gentry Blogs About Her Career and Funny Westerns

georgina_gentry.jpgI am delighted and honored to be asked to guest blog for Petticoats and Pistols.  Today, I want to talk about a subject that’s seldom given much attention: funny Westerns.

In my long career, I’ve met many interesting people and known a lot of writers such as Louis L’Amour (he used to live in Choctaw, Oklahoma,) and Dee Brown, author of Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee.  My Chickasaw Indian brother-in-law is the former head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington D.C. so I had plenty of research material to write all those Indian romances I did in the first part of my career.

Why did I change subjects? This came about because my editor commented on funny scenes in one of my serious romances and asked if I could write a series of what she called ‘Western romps.’

to_wed_a_texan_georgina_gentry.jpgI decided to give it a try and produced: To Tame A Texan, To Tempt a Texan, To Tease A Texan, To Love A Texan, and now my latest Zebra March release: To Wed A Texan.

georgina_gentry_fabio.jpgThe plot of To Wed A Texan: Cash McCally, Texan gambler, is trying to set up a championship boxing match in Dallas.  He thinks it will be a profitable cinch.  Enter Bluebonnet O’Neal Schwartz Purdy, widowed President of the Lone Star Ladies for Decency and Decorum.  This prim librarian is determined to stop this savage and uncivilized fight and enlists her ladies, the governor and the churches.

georgina_gentry_john_dsalvo.jpgBased on a little known episode of 1895 Texas history, the struggle became a hilarious spectacle.  The militia and the Texas Rangers are called out, four governors and the presidents of two countries got involved as well as Bat Masterson, Judge Roy Bean and even an African lion and a goat.

In my version, Cash decides the only way he can get the lady out of his way so he can proceed with his boxing match is to woo and seduce her.  Can  stubborn Bonnie resist his virile charm and continue her crusade?

to-love-a-texan.jpgWhich brings me to humorous Westerns; I love them but there just aren’t many out there, either in novels or movies.  I remember: Hallelujah Trail, by my old friend, Bill Gulick, The Rounders, Cheyenne Social Club, City Slickers and two starring Oklahoma native, James Garner: Support Your Local Gunfighter and Support Your Local Sheriff.

So I challenge you readers; can you think of any other funny traditional Western novels, romance novels or movies for those of us who love them?  I know there have to be some I missed, so put on your thinking caps.

georgina_gentry_sam_elliot.jpgBy the way, I want to give away two autographed copies of To Wed A Texan.  Cheryl will draw the names for me.

If you’re interested in learning more about me or want an autographed book mark, my website is: romanceauthorspage.com/georginagentry or try snail mail at: P.O.Box 162, Edmond, OK 73083

Gracias to you readers and the ladies of Petticoats & Pistols,
Georgina Gentry

P.S. Coming in 2009: To Seduce A Texan

Winner of Molly’s Drawing

sanctuary_molly_noble_bull.jpgwinter_pearl.jpgThe winner of Molly’s drawing will get an autographed copy of either The Winter Pearl or Sanctuary.  Are you on pins and needles?

 And the winner is…..

Terry Stone!

Terry, please send your address and choice of books to Molly at mollyb83@sbcglobal.net, so she can send your book out.  Congrats and enjoy!

Thanks for being our guest today, Molly.  It was a pleasure havin’ you with us here in Wildflower Junction.  Come back real soon, now, ya hear?

Why is the daughter of a ranch manager from Texas writing fiction set in France in 1740?

molly_frm.jpgFor the answer to this question and more, stay tuned.  

Hi, my name is Molly Noble Bull, and I am the author of five novels and am contracted to write five more. I was born in Kingsville, Texas. Kingsville is located in Kleberg County, known for the famous King Ranch.  

Kleberg and nearby Kenedy County are home to some of the largest ranches in South Texas, if not the United States. My late father and my maternal grandfather managed ranches in Kenedy County for half a century. I spent part of my growing up years on the Santa Rosa, a sixty-thousand-acre cattle ranch.  

Some of you might like for me to answer questions on “Cowboys in South Texas” as background material for future books, so let’s get started:  

Q: How can you tell a real cowboy from the drugstore kind?  

A: First of all, today’s real cowboy would never wear flashy cowboy clothes, even if he were entering a rodeo. Sparkly and shiny is out for a real cowboy. But it’s pretty normal for a cowgirl’s clothes to sparkle and shine whether she has ever visited a drugstore or not.  

Q: What would a real cowboy wear to work?  

sethcomeshomewithadeer.jpgA: For everyday, he would wear jeans that he probably bought at Wal-Mart, a long-sleeved work shirt, high-topped cowboy boots, and an old Stetson or a cap with a bill. His most expensive items would be the boots followed by the weathered Stetson. The jeans, the shirt and the cap with a bill would be the cheapest on the market. He might also wear snake-guards if he plans to walk around in the brush.  

Q: Why the long-sleeved shirt? And what might it look like?  

south-texas-ranger-in-brush-jacket.jpgA: The Texas sun is hot. A long-sleeved shirt keeps the arms and shoulders from sunburn attacks. It also protects the body from insect bites and helps keeps brush from scratching the arms and shoulders. The shirt might be an old dress shirt that he once wore to church. It would be white or blue or some other conservative-looking color. It might also be a western-cut shirt, but it wouldn’t be flashy.  

Q: What would a modern-day cowboy wear on a date or to church on Sunday?  

A: For the date, a cowboy would wear a nice pair of jeans that had been starched and ironed, his best long-sleeved shirt, also starched, his best boots and his best hat. To church on Sunday, he would wear a white dress shirt, suit and tie, his best boots and his best Stetson. Or he might dress just like he did when he went out on a date.  

Q: Tell us a little about how a real cowboy would talk.  

A: I cannot say how a cowboy talked a hundred years ago, or how they talk in other parts of the country, but a modern-day cowboy living in South Texas today would never say “howdy.” Sorry ladies. We just don’t talk that way in South Texas–never have as far as I know. My grandfather never said it. I also know a modern-day rodeo cowboy from North Dakota, and he doesn’t say “howdy” either.  

I could be wrong, but I think “howdy” is a myth dreamed up by Hollywood.  

Q: What would a real cowboy from South Texas say?  

A: He would probably say, “Hi.” Then he would offer his right hand in friendship. At one time he would have removed his hat when talking to a woman.  My sons still do that today. Most don’t. However, even today if he were talking to an older woman who was also a family friend or a relative, he would probably give her a big hug. We hug a lot in Texas.  

He would also say, “y’all.”

He would pronounce oil as “all.”  All well.

Foil as fall. Aluminum fall.  

Texans who are forty or older were taught in public and private schools to say “yes, ma’am” and “no ma’am”; “yes sir” and “no sir.” Then the government stopped allowing teachers to insist that children to do that, and I think it was a huge mistake. So today, most don’t say, “yes ma’am” or “no ma’am.”  

molly.jpgActually, real South Texas cowboys and cowgirls talk pretty much like people do throughout the country, except our accent is different.  Ranch managers today are educated. One of our sons is a ranch manager, and he has a degree in Animal Science. Over the past hundred years, South Texas ranch cowboys have mainly been Hispanic.  

Q: Tell us a little about everyday life on a cattle ranch in South Texas today.  

texas.jpgA:  A cowboy’s main job is to look after the ranch and the cattle. This can be anything from checking fences and fixing windmills to putting out feed and burning prickly pear. We’ve had more than average rains lately, but during a drought when there is no grass, the cowboy burns off the thorns on prickly pear cactus so the cattle will have something to eat.  

Most ranches in South Texas today also sell hunting leases, and hunters from big cities come to ranches to hunt deer and turkey. Some ranches also provide exotic game from Africa and other countries. Today, the ranch manager often serves as a hunting guide as well as a cowboy.  

Q: Do cowboys today still ride horses?  

A: Absolutely. However, they spend most of their time riding around the ranch in pickup trucks. In a truck, they can carry feed and medicine for the animals, as well a rifle should the cowboy come upon a rattlesnake.  

Q: Thanks for all the information. Now tell us a little about your books and why your latest novel, Sanctuary, is set in France in 1740.  

sanctuary_molly_noble_bull.jpgA: Sanctuary was published in trade paperback on September 15, 2007, and it is the first of three long historical novels in the Faith of Our Fathers series about the Huguenots. Though my family were/are Texas Cowboys, my ancestors came to Texas from other states and other countries. Sanctuary, the first book in the series, follows the route some of my ancestors took from France to England to Scotland. Book Two will begin in Scotland, but again, much of the story takes place in England, and it ends in South Carolina. In Book Three, they finally get to Texas and become cowboys. You can read Mary Connealy’s review of Sanctuary if you visit www.christianbook.com. Just write Molly Noble Bull in the search slot.  

winter_pearl.jpgThe Winter Pearl is the title of my long historical from Steeple Hill. Set in Colorado in 1888, it is very much a Petticoats and Pistols kind of book, complete with scenes of a shootout and a stagecoach robbery. The Winter Pearl was published in trade paperback in 2004 and came out from Steeple Hill again in mass-market paperback in 2007. It is still available, but like Sanctuary, it must be ordered from Amazon, christianbook.com, Target, Booksamillion or Barnes and Noble. 

Q: Besides Sanctuary and The Winter Pearl, what new books can we expect from Molly Noble Bull?  

A: My next two books will not be historical novels. Runaway Romance is two short contemporary novels under one cover. My book is titled Alyson and it takes place on a cattle ranch in South Texas today. I don’t have a firm publication date for Runaway yet, but I will let you know when I do. And I hope Alyson will make my readers laugh, or at least smile.  

After Runaway, I have a non-fiction book coming up titled The Overcomers: Christian Authors Who Conquered L.D. (Learning Disabilities) Yes, I am dyslexic, and I wrote The Overcomers with four other Love Inspired authors with Learning Disabilities: Margaret Daley, Ginny Aiken, Jane Myers Perrine and Ruth Scofield.  

I am also contracted to write two more long historical novels in the Faith of Our Fathers series, and Tsaba House in going to reprint The Rogue’s Daughter, a novel set on a South Texas ranch in 1890 and first published by Zondervan in 1986. To be honest, I write better than I did in 1986 when Rogue first came out; so prepare for that. The good news is that it’s an honest to goodness western romance novel.  

Q: Anything else you would like to say before you say good-bye?

A: Yes. Please visit my website. www.mollynoblebull.com If you scroll down my main page and click Molly’s Family you can see pictures of my three sons on horseback and a picture of me on the Santa Rosa Ranch when I was twelve years old. And if you scroll down and click on Molly’s Books, you can see all my covers and read excerpts for Sanctuary and The Winter Pearl.  Thanks, y’all, for inviting me to come today, and I hope I’ll be invited back real soon.

Molly will be sending an autographed copy of either Sanctuary of The Winter Pearl (winner’s choice) to one reader, so leave a comment!

Joan B wins the Cookbook!

Comfort Food Cook Book

 There were 33 names in the hat ~

CONGRATULATIONS to Joan!   Please email your snail-mail address (stacey@staceykayne.com), and I’ll send out your Comfort Food cookbook  🙂

THANK YOU to everyone who stopped in to share their favorite comfort foods and scents of home!

Be sure to enter our Spring Round-Up Contest if you haven’t already  😉