The WILD Bunch

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cowboy_wadeneff.jpgSorry I’m late this morning!  We had a storm and power outage last night, which obliterated my first draft of this post, and kept me off line and off my computer until this morning. 

I’m currently working on the third and final book in my Wild trilogy and with MAVERICK WILD just three short weeks from mass release, my thoughts have been monopolized by my Wild bunch. My blog topic this morning is going to be a comparison of my Wild heroes – three very different archetypes, some of whom were more difficult to write than others. Something this series has taught me is to always look ahead—especially when developing secondary characters who could possibly take on a lead role in their own stories. I get asked quite often open-range.jpgwhat draws me to a hero and what are my favorite characteristics in a sexy hero.  My answer is always his smile, a telltale sign of his ability to bring humor, hope and a positive spin to an otherwise hopeless or dreadful situation . MUSTANG WILD started with a vision of Tucker Morgan lounged at a poker table, his lips tipped in a crooked grin, a mischievous glint in his eyes. That smile didn’t let me down–he proved to be a fun hero to chase across the page.

Despite my personal preference of hero, not every hero is quick to smile.  That could not be more true than with Chance Morgan, Tucker’s straight-faced twin brother. In MUSTANG WILD, Tucker describes his twin as ‘truly my other half. My boring half.’. Compared to Tucker’s playful nature, there MAVERICK WILDcould be some truth to that statement from an outside point of view—which was all fine and dandy when Chance was secondary back-up to his light-hearted brother. But as a hero…I was suddenly asking myself, “What have I created?” I was crazy about Tucker, and Chance is nothing like his twin–nor did he have any desire to emulate his brother. How was I going to take this silent pillar of strength, caution and conviction and make him loveable? I had heard about this technique of sitting down with your characters for a little interrogation…or interview, if you will.  So I figured I’d give that a shot with Chance. We sat across a table and stared at one another for hours…and hours, but I’m telling y’all, he was a tough one to crack. The man did nothing but stare and fidget. One cool thing about being an author is having telepathic powers *g* — the ability to get into our characters minds, and that was where I began to unravel this hero, to find his humor and wit, and the bruised heart he guarded like Fort Knox. In MAVERICK WILD, Chance doesn’t suddenly become chatty or playful–he’s his usual solid, silent self, and it’s through the introduction of his heroine that Chance is forced to remember a time when he was whole. A time when he used to laugh and find some joy amid the daily struggles of life. 

I’m a true believer in opposites attract. My heroes and heroines, while they do share certain kissing-couple.jpgcharacteristics that give them a sense of understanding with one another, they are generally at opposite ends of the personality spectrum. Watching them spark, clash and finally meld is great fun for me.  In MUSTANG WILD Tucker is wild and reckless,  whereas Skylar is wild by her own right, but in a strictly no-nonsense, get-the-job-done sort of way. Together they bridge the gap in one another and bring out the best in each other.  Chance needed a heroine who was as soft and gentle as he was hard, and Cora Mae Tindale is the epitome of feminine primness in a woman—everything Chance believes he hates in a woman. As he discovers, Cora Mae is hardly a pushover and far from hapless.  She posses every bit of his strength and determination, something he identifies with.  And for every one word that Chance utters, Cora Mae prattles off fifty.  Because these two had so much shared hurt and history, MAVERICK WILD turned out to be my first real emotionally-driven story.  While there’s certainly plenty of external troubles these two have to deal with, their biggest journey is finding a way into each others hearts.  

The hero of INTO THE WILD (working title for Wild 3) is Garret Daines, Skylar’s younger brother, and he’s shaping up to be a good brad-pitt-photograph-c11796768.jpgblend of Tucker and Chance.  He has a light-hearted nature that’s visible in MUSTANG WILD and still strong in the beginning of MAVERICK WILD, but by the start of his own book, his light-hearted outlook has been dampened by heartache in his recent past. Growing up in the shadow of Tucker and Chance hasn’t been easy on his ego and he’s out to prove he’s every bit the man they are and is ready to fight the world to prove it. He’ll have to, seeing as mother-nature’s winter fury and ruthless cattle rustlers are out to take all he has. Readers will catch a glimpse of Garret’s wild-woman-to-be in MAVERICK WILD.  But Garret was raised by a wild woman, so no matter the snark and attitude this mountain recluse throws his way, he’s along for the ride–and he’s going to fight for his woman whether she wants him to or not. This book promises to be a rip-roarin’ ride as Garret and Maggie spark, clash and ultimately meld  🙂 Mustang Wild

For anyone who missed the first book in the Wild series, let me know in your post today and you’ll be entered in a drawing tonight to win a signed copy of MUSTANG WILD!  

So, do you have a favorite hero archetype?  The warrior? The romantic? The jokester? A certain feature or characteristic that really draws you to a hero?  

A Character By Any Other Name

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My stories don’t begin to unfold until I’ve named my characters and named them correctly.  How do I know if a name is right?  I can’t explain it.  If their name is right, I can see them.  I can hear them talk.  I can create scenes and situations for them.  If a name is wrong, there is no story. 

baby_name_book.jpgWhenever I get an idea for a character or a plot or theme, I grab my binder with my worksheets, a notebook and a fun pen, a cup of coffee or tea, and then make myself comfy on the sofa.  I use a story grid to flesh out my characters’ goals and motivations and the points of the story.  But I use a stack of books and folders to find their names. 

I keep lists of everything, so of course I have lists of names I want to use. Most important for me is that their name sound like a real person, and a real person I’d want to know.  I must be a name that I won’t mind typing 400 times.  I just checked The Lawman’s Bride, and I used Clay’s name 403 times. 

26names.gifSometimes I fall in love with a name, but it’s tough to type quickly, so what I do is create an autocorrect for it in Word.  For example, if the heroine’s name is Elisabeth Ann, I create an auto correct so that each time I type in elsb+spacebar, it changes to the name I want. Where do I get my lists of names?  Lots of places, but mostly from “research meetings.”  I’m an avid movie watcher and also check out the new season TV shows. 

If I sit with a notebook and a fun pen (notice how pens are required to be special?) I can call it work.  So I watch every line of the credits and write down names I like.  If I’m watching a movie, I’ll take notes regarding what worked for me and what didn’t.  It’s research. 

pen.jpgI save graduation programs and baby name books. What else is important when choosing a name?  Sometimes nationality.  Sometimes connotation: I probably wouldn’t name a nuclear physicist Tiffany.  No offense to any nuclear physicists named Tiffany, but it just wouldn’t work for most of us.  Tiffany is a teenager’s best friend.  On the other hand, you can go against stereotype, for instance naming an enormous woman Daisy or a tiny dog Rambo. 

It’s confusing to the reader if two characters’ names are similar or their names start with the same letter.  Personally, I get lost if a writer does that.  I catch that first letter and if there are two similar, my brain doesn’t associate it quickly enough, so I constantly rethink and recheck to see who this person is and am jerked out of the story.  Here’s how I prevent that confusion and others with names: I keep a 5×7 index card with all the characters’ names on it.  At the bottom I write the alphabet.  Every time I use a letter in a first or last name I put a strike through a letter.  Of course I often use a letter two or three times, but some are for last names and others for secondary characters that won’t be confused. 

list.jpgI also create a “style sheet” for each book.  This is a page or two that I turn in with the manuscript.  It contains a list of all the character names and all the places, streets, businesses, proper nouns.  This reference helps me in creation of the story and in turn helps the copy editor.  Sure comes in mighty handy when I do a sequel! 

Once or twice I’ve gotten hung up in the creation of my story in the planning stages or first chapters.  Their name was nagging at me, because I never was quite convinced on it.  So I changed it and the story moved on. Once when I had revised a story proposal, taking out the hero and replacing him, I was completely stumped for a name and couldn’t develop the guy.  I held a contest to name him.  As soon as I saw the particular name, I knew it was the right one.  With his name in place, the character sprang to life. 

small_typogenerator_1168875275.jpgMy current hero and heroine for my work in progress, titled A Hero’s Embrace, are Jonas Black and Eliza Jane Sutherland.  Jonas was a trail rider, did a stint in the Army, and now runs a saloon, a hotel and sells employment vouchers to itinerant workers.  Eliza Jane loved working in her father’s brick factory, but never earned his approval or recognition.  When her sister took ill, she left her position to care for her.  Her sister is Jenny Lee.  Can’t you just see her?  Frail and sickly and not wanting to be a burden. 

Royce Dunlap is married to Jenny Lee, but he wants Eliza Jane and the majority of shares in the company.  Shades of Snidely Whiplash? Then there’s Marshal Warren Haglar, Nora Cahill, the helpful neighbor, Miss Fletcher the schoolteacher and Bonnie Jacobson who runs the tea room. 

Can you guess who Luther Vernon works for?  Who do you suppose Tyler is? 

silver.jpgI don’t like frivolous names or names that are difficult to pronounce.  Even if I’m not reading aloud, I want to be able to know how to “think” it correctly.  How about you?  Is there anything you find distracting about a particular name or spelling of a name?  Do you like names plain or exotic? 

Did you ever think about how much work goes into naming an entire cast of characters?   

And don’t get me started on naming a horse!

Today, I’m putting all the comments into a cowboy hat and drawing a name.  The person whose name I draw will choose a name for a secondary character in A Hero’s Embrace and receive an advance reading copy.

The Tool of Casanova’s Trade

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casanova3.jpgLast month, I wrote about how women through the ages have used a variety of strange and not-so-strange contraceptive methods.  Today, it’s the guys’ turn.

In a word–condoms.

Following are a few fascinating facts about them.  Bear in mind, they came into use more as a way for the man to defend himself against disease than to keep his mate from getting pregnant.  Birth control was mostly considered the woman’s responsibility.

 **Egyptians in the Twelfth Dynasty donned them as protection against insect bites and tropical diseases, as well as for a show of social status and as an amulet to promote fertility.

**In the 1560’s, Gabriel Fallopius (discoverer of–you guessed it!–Fallopian tubes) wrote of men wearing linen sheaths soaked in an herbal concoction to prevent syphilis.

 **Early 18th century condoms were made from oiled silk, fish bladders, and the intestines of goats, lambs and calves.

casanova.jpg **Casanova, the legendary Italian lover, inspected each condom before use by blowing into it balloon-style to make sure it didn’t deflate or burst.  He then went on to moisten each one by dunking it into the canal to ensure a tight fit.

Due to the illegality of contraceptive manufacturing and advertising (remember the Comstock laws I told you about?), condom entrepreneurs set up shop in the kitchens and back rooms of emigrants, women and Jews.  They found their trade lucrative in spite of their lack of professional credibility.

Despite doing a brisk business in their trade, the contraband condoms were far from perfect:

**The skins were often thick and smelly, made worse because they were rinsed, dried, powdered and then reused until they cracked or tore.

**Lower quality skins were hand-stitched, which resulted in uneven and bulky seams that irritated genitalia during use.

**On the other hand, higher-quality condoms were chemically treated, which left skin welts and lesions.

pinkribbon.jpgMaybe you didn’t know:

**Early condoms were securied onto their wearers with pink ribbons–probably to appeal to the female.  Rings were also used to hold them in place.

**George Bernard Shaw declared the rubber condom (thanks to the accidental genius of Charles Goodyear in 1839 who discovered how to make rubber elastic and water-proof) as “the greatest invention of the nineteenth century.”  Evidently, he placed lower importance on the invention of the telephone, which occurred about the same time.

**Urban butchers, defying the Comstock laws, provided city-dwellers with intestine casings, of which one animal alone could yield dozens of condoms.

In the 1870’s, the devices were readily available from mail-order houses and first-class druggists through cleverly-worded descriptions to avoid prosecution.  (I always love the terminology from that era.  Where did they come up with these names?)  A few I’ve found:

Male Pouch

Male Shields

Capotes

Machine

Love’s Preservative

And yes, condoms were available in brothels all over the world, from the classiest French parlor house to the primitive cribs on the American frontier.

Speaking of names, and brothels, and the prostitutes who inhabited them, the women took on a variety of nicknames to protect themselves and their families back East from their disreputable occupation.  Here’s a few of the more amusing, and definitely less romantic, ones I’ve read:

Crazy Horse Lil

Big Nose Kate

Squirrel-Tooth Annie

Rowdy Kate

Madame Moustache

Mustang Mae

Rocking Chair Emma

Sorrel Mike

So that wraps up my series of posts on Old West prostitutes.  Are you up to playing a little game?  Let’s name a fictional soiled dove by using your favorite pet’s name and your favorite vegetable.

Winner of the funniest name will receive an autographed copy of Western Winter Wonderland!    Or just drop in and let us know your thoughts!

A Desert Christmas

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Yard decorations are already going up in my neighborhood. Elaborate ones. We have a contest for the very best, and the competition is steep. We have moving carousels, toy trains, herds of reindeer, Santas by the dozens, and lights galore. I’m a Grinch with one  paltry angel. If I have time, I’ll add some lights to my crepe myrtle outside. That’s always the plan,but other matters usually get in the way. I’m the neighborhood disgrace.All of which bring me back to the book I blogged about several weeks ago, the book written by my uncle about homestead life in Arizona in the very early years of the 1900’s.Oh, how the celebration of Christmas has changed!  Here’s the tale of one western Christmas.

My uncle was thirteen at the time, my father a baby. My grandfather had taken his wife and children from Minnesota to Arizona’s southern desert to homestead. He and my uncle built a house in an area with very little water. But hope sprung eternal.

So in the days before their first desert Christmas, my grandfather and uncle decided the family needed a Christmas tree. Unlike Minnesota, evergreens were not abundant in the desert.

The plan, according to my uncle, was to take the horse-drawn wagon – along with four of the six children – “up toward Parker’s ranch, out Duncan-way, and see if we can find an honest-to-goodness Christmas tree.” Parker’s ranch was ten or so miles toward the western horizon away.

They started out in the morning. “It was two or three hours before we saw even a sign of a spruce, but we journeyed on after enjoying our lunch. The higher climbed, the more grand the view behind us.”

After another hour of climbing, they came to a stand of spruce of various shapes and sizes. “We ran around in circles trying to find the one tree that we could all agree on. Dad set about cutting it down. He gave each of us a chance to take a stroke with the axe so we could all lay claim to cutting our first Christmas tree.”

They returned as the day ‘was about spent.” My grandmother had a hot dinner waiting, “but not before we had propped up the stringy looking spruce. She said it was better than nothing and would look okay when it was properly trimmed.

“That was the next project, and we spent the next two weeks stringing popcorn, making daisy chains, paper windmills and stars . . . ”

On Christmas evening, “Our stockings, holes and all, were always hung from over a kitchen chair, but this year we had a real fireplace to hang them from and a real mantle, and our three pairs of stockings were securely tacked to the mantle, ready for Santa Claus.

Presents could not be opened until after breakfast Christmas morning, “so we hastily gulped down our fried corn meal mush, a slice of salt pork and a glass of milk, and tore into our stockings filled with ten cent toys, an orange, some nuts and gaily decorated candies.

By then, the Christmas tree had been gaily decorated with the popcorn strings, green and red paper daisy chains and cranberry strings. “A few candles in old clip-on candle holders had been carefully placed on the limbs of the dry, explosive tree and with a big bucket of water nearby, Dad made a big event of the lighting of the candles. With a watchful eye on the candles, we sat and enjoyed the lighted tree.

“With Mother at the piano, we sat around the tree and sang all of the old favorites – ‘Joy to the World,’ ‘Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem,’ and, of course, ‘She I wait’ which had nothing to say about Christmas, but was an expression of our outpouring of love for the dearest Mother kids ever had.”

“After presents and songs out of the way, we sat down to a scrumptious dinner of roast quail with plenty of mashed potato, gravy, squash, cranberries, hot bread and Mother’s delicious steamed plum pudding, a feast for kings.”

It was the first and last Christmas in the house in the desert. Without water, the farm was destined for disaster, and the family moved into a nearby town where my grandfather got a “real job” and the children could attend school.

But that Christmas in the desert remained in all their hearts. The stories about that year are endless.

It sounds like a smashing Christmas, and I find myself longing for those days gone past.   No huge pile of presents with  limited  life. No mad dashes to the mall on Christmas Eve to grab a last minute gift. No contests to see who can outdo the neighbor in the number of lights in the yard. 

I must admit I like the neighborhood lights, but then I think about that lone cabin on the desert with the spindly Christmas tree and stockings with holes in them, and a family gathered around a piano and hearth fire and wonder if we aren’t really missing something fine.

Our Guest Kathryn Albright: Dolls in the 1800s

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kathyrn-albright.jpgThanks for having me here!  This is such a fun website.

I often tease my mother that she never grew up—she still plays with dolls. My mother is a collector and also a doll restoration artist. Years ago she apprenticed to a woman who later retired and sold the business and tools to her. People brought in their broken dolls, modern or antique, and she knew just what to do to fix them–whether it involved restringing, a new wig, gluing in eyes, or adding a new limb.

I remember returning home late at night after a babysitting job or date and feel eyes staring at me from every corner of the house–rather disconcerting, if not down-right frightening. (And don’t even get me started on the boxes of eyes and limbs in the basement!)

frenchdolldress.jpgIn my debut book, The Angel and the Outlaw, two dolls play a part in getting the hero and heroine together. A china doll from 1860 and a paper mache doll from 1850.  I am fortunate that my mother happens to have two dolls that fit my story to a “T”, even to the point of a lovely green dress on the French doll which matches a description in my story!

Manufactured dolls of this era were generally paper mache or china or bisque. They had an adult face rather than a baby face. (Dolls with a baby face weren’t available until 1910.) The soft cloth bodies were filled with sawdust, horsehair or cotton. The hairstyles reflected the current styles of the day. Both of these dolls have “flat-top” hairdos that were popular during the Civil War. The heads were often sold by themselves, and a mother would then make the body of the doll and sew the clothes. 

frenchdollclose.jpgThe French china doll was popular from 1860 to 1900. It cost approximately one dollar at that time. The head and shoulder plate, along with the hands and feet are china (with painted-on shoes) and the body is made of cloth. This doll has a painted garter on the left leg.

germandolldress.jpgThe German-made paper mache doll is older with cracks along the bust line. She has soft leather arms and hands (with separate fingers!) and leather shoes that can be taken off. As sedate as she looks here, she has lovely undergarments so I thought she’d like to show off her fancy corset *g*.

Growing up, the doll I remember playing with the most was a Barbie doll (along with her boyfriend Ken and her younger sister Skipper). Usually, there was a ranch involved because I loved horses and had several Breyer horse figurines. When my sons came along, I remember the craze for Cabbage Patch Kids (which thankfully I never had to stand in line for since my boys were into sports.) I’d love to hear about your favorite doll—now or when you were younger.  

If you post today, I’ll enter your name in a drawing for a signed copy of my debut book. And since it is December, I’ll also include a special tree ornament of the lighthouse where my story takes place.

For more information, please visit my website at www.kathrynalbright.com.

Thanks to all the great gals at Petticoats and Pistols for having me here. It’s been fun!  

T-I-I-I-M-B-E-R!!!

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lumber 2

I absolutely LOVE research.  I had a blast digging into the history of Sierra Mountain lumber camps for the setting of my July Harlequin western recently titled THE GUNSLINGER’S BRIDE.  I had an interest in logging camps long before I ever started writing.  There’s quite a few old camp towns and even an old working logging camp railroad in our area.  Every year we take our boys for a train ride through the tall timbers and glean new tidbits on the lives of the men who felled those giant trees–a hard and hazardous occupation. 

The lumberjack lifestyle required two sets of clothes – a set of work cloths he put on in the morning and a set of dry clothes he put on in the evening, because no matter the time of year, a logger always came in from the job dripping wet. He was either wet with sweat, rain, snow–or a combination of all three.  Timber crews were a rough-and-tumble lot and employed crew foreman’s called bull heads — men with fists heavy-hitting enough to enforce strict sets of rules every man was expected to follow for their safety and the safety of others. A slip of an ax or the wrong move with a saw blade could easily lead to a man’s death, as he’d often bleed out before any kind of medical attention could be sought.  Check out the picture below–see the planks of wood these tree-fellers are standing on? 

Timber

These thin, springy platforms were shimmed into the trees, sometimes ten to fifteen feet or MORE up a tree, creating a precarious perch as fellers swung axes, chopping away at the trunk.  Many a timberman fell to their deaths, giving these planks the nickname “widow-makers“.

Most lumber camp crews were made up largely of immigrant workers–vagabonds and scamps as many were called, men without any real roots and lumber camps offered something other jobs didn’t — loggers could always count on a warm dry bed and a hot hearty meal after a grueling day of work.  Mealtime was the main event in any camp.  It was often said that a lumber camp was only as good as its chef.  A meager crew was a sure sign of a bad cook.  If a logger didn’t like the food, he’d move on to the next camp.

Logging 1

With camps scattered all over the Sierra’s, camps competed with one another by trying to hire the best chefs, often recruiting well-known chefs from San Francisco and other major cities.  While the men were well fed and could eat until they were full, meal-time also had strict sets of rules–usually requiring the men have assigned seating, and no talking allowed–this allowed for faster service, and the last thing a man wanted was to tick off the cook and get tossed from the cook house.

As often happens, much of the research absorbed during the planning stages of a book doesn’t make it into the final version.  Juniper and Lily seemed far too busy chasing bandits all over the mountain to really stop and smell the wood chips.  While readers will get a glimpse into the life of a timberman,  there wasn’t a ton of room to detail all the goings-on of a lumber camp that I find fascinating.  But research is never wasted—and who knows, maybe there will be a lumberjack hero in my future.  Although, for now, I have moved on from the Sierra’s and am knee-deep in research and snowdrift from the Wyoming blizzard of 1886  🙂

To celebrate the arrival of my author copies for my third western (woohoo), one of today’s comment MAVERICKposters will win a copy of MAVERICK WILD!

Gunsmoke

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gunsmoke-dvd-dir.jpgRemember Gunsmoke?  The intro music with Matt Dillon on his galloping horse?  Miss Kitty and Doc and Chester and Festus and all the fine folks in Dodge?

Unless you’re a lot younger than I am, chances are this show was part of your life.  Not only was Gunsmoke (1955-1975) TV’s longest running Western, it was also television’s longest running prime-time series with continuing characters. In total, 233 half-hour episodes and 400 hour episodes were filmed.

Gunsmoke was set in Dodge City, Kansas, between 1872, when the Santa Fe Railroad reached town, and 1885, when local farmers forced the end of the Texas cattle drives along the Western Trail. Dodge City, known as the “Queen of the Cow Towns,” the “Wicked Little City,” the “Gomorrah of the Plains,” had a reputation as a hostile, lawless town where the “fastest gun” ruled. As the opening of the show proclaimed: “Around Dodge City and in the territory on west, there’s just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers and that’s with a U.S. Marshal and the smell of gunsmoke.”

The fictional marshall, Matt Dillon, was modeled after the real lawmen who “tamed” (or at least kept a lid on) Dodge City: US Deputy Marshall Wyatt Earp (1848-1929), Sheriff Bat Masterson (1856-1921), Sheriff Bill Tilghman (1854-1924), and Sheriff Charlie Bassett.Gunsmoke began on radio in 1952 with William Conrad reading the part of Matt Dillon (I actually remember this great radio version).  The series was so successful that it was adapted for TV in 1955.  Conrad, who had a fine radio voice, was a portly man who didn’t fit the visual image of Matt Dillon, so another actor had to be found.  There is some dispute as to whether John Wayne was offered the role of Marshal Dillon, but he is certainly the one who recommended the quiet, six-foot-seven James Arness, brother of Peter Graves.  Arness proved to be the perfect choice.  Wow, what a man!

Other actors rounded out the cast.  Remember them? 
Miss Kitty (Amanda Blake) ran the Longbranch Saloon where Sam (Glenn Strange) was the bartender; Chester Goode (Dennis Weaver) and Festus Hagen (Ken Curtis) were the deputies. Does anybody remember who played Doc?

The romance between Matt and Miss Kitty was clearly evident, but they didn’t so much as hold hands (hey, this was the Fifties).  And the likely goings on upstairs in the Longbranch weren’t even mentioned.   All in all, Gunsmoke was a sanitized version of what the real West must have been like.  But who’s complaining?  It was so much fun.  And so romantic.

Do you have a favorite Gunsmoke episode?  What was your favorite TV Western series?  I’d love to hear.

What Women Want from Men … See If You Agree!

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Recently a friend shared a “nightmare” homecoming date story that her daughter endured.  The boy didn’t bring her a corsage, though she was ready with a buttonaire.  He didn’t drive in the limo to the Pre-Party hosted at a parent’s house – to take pictures.  The girl had to take pics without her date. When he showed up at the dance, he wasn’t around for the professional photos taken there and as he danced with his date for two pathetic dances, he was texting another girl.  Then he informed her he wouldn’t be driving in their limo, since he was invited to a different party and he’d go in that limo. At lastly, the poor girl lost her shoes!  Someone had moved them while she was dancing – they were later found.  So she returned home, without her date and no shoes. As a parent I was appalled to hear this story. Don’t worry, the gal’s mother called the boy’s parents and gave them a piece of her mind.  The boy eventually called with an apology – too little, too late.

Since we love romance, we often fantastize about today’s man and how he behaves.  Which brought up the question about this generation of men and are women demanding less of men these days?

Here’s a list from AskMen.com that I came upon.

What Women Want from Men:

Return her messages

Many women gauge a man’s interest level by how long it takes him to respond when she contacts him. If his response time is poor, she might assume he’s just not that into her. Now, it’s no secret that women and men have differing imagesphone.jpgopinions on what constitutes good communication, and we’re not saying you need to drop everything the minute she calls. She knows you’re a busy man; she’s busy too. What women want from men is a call back as soon as they’re able, as opposed to sometime the following day. This doesn’t mean you have to send an e-mail or a text of epic proportions if you don’t have time; a sentence or two will suffice to make her feel like you care — which is all she really wants to know.

Kiss her for no reason

As much as they love sex, women also enjoy a nice, deep kiss that doesn’t have any strings attached. This serves two purposes: It lets her indulge in kissing for the sheer pleasure of it, and it also tells her you want her, and not just sex. Yes, you’re charming and sexy and she loves being naughty for you, imageskissing.jpgbut sometimes she needs a different type of connection. To really do what women want from men, try a surprise kiss for no reason at all; she’ll love you for it. Combine this with a little hand-holding and she’ll be smiling for days.

  

  

Dance with her

Simply put, dancing with a woman makes her feel special. imagesdancing.jpgUnfortunately, most men are reluctant to put their dancing shoes on, especially in a public setting. Guess what? While she’d probably welcome the idea, you don’t need to visit a nightclub to dance with your woman. She’ll be just as thrilled if you slipped a little Marvin Gaye on and danced with her in the living room. This would actually be to your advantage, as you have total control over the music. You’re also conveniently located if the dancing starts to get dirty…

Dress up for her

Dressing up to take your woman out is an excellent way to impress her. It’s not about the clothes; it’s about the fact that you find her worth dressing up for. It lets her know that you think she’s worth that kind of effort. Besides, a nice shirt and dress pants can increase your sex appeal by leaps and bounds; you may feel overdressed, but your hotness factor cameron2.jpgwill have magnified exponentially. It’s true what they say: Women really do love a sharp-dressed man.

 

 

Remember random milestones

As a rule, birthdays and anniversaries should always be remembered; forgetting something of this magnitude will send the message that you don’t find her terribly important. After all, she probably memorized yours early on in the relationship, so if hers goes unnoticed, she’ll be utterly heartbroken. Here’s how to do what women want from men: To truly impress her, aim to remember the insignificant dates, as well as the big ones. The first time you told her you loved her, the first time you kissed, the first place you vacationed together, what she was wearing the first time you met — any one of these will turn her to jelly and score you more bonus points than you can shake a stick at.

Take on an activity with her

What women want from men is to spend time with their man outside of the bedroom. They want to experience life with their man, and this is one of the best ways to develop a imagestennis.jpgthree-dimensional relationship.  Don’t worry; we’re not recommending you join her yoga class; rock-climbing, hiking, tennis or cycling are activities both of you can enjoy. If neither of you are the sporty type, try something else that you already excel at. Teach her how to swing a 9-iron or to shoot pool — she’ll love the personalized attention.

Propose a visit to her family

Women love it when a man gets along with her friends, but she simply adores it when he gets along with her family. Even if you’re not particularly fond of her busybody mother and father, suggesting a visit (even just a yearly one) can really make your woman’s day. It lets her know you recognize the importance of family. This is truly the kind of suggestion that leads to a warm and fuzzy feeling, so don’t be afraid to suggest it.

So, is this what women really want from men?  Do you agree with this list.  What’s on your list?  What would you add or change on this list?  

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Do you know why the pilgrims’ pants kept falling down?

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Because their belt buckles were on their shoes.

rockwell_thanksgiving.jpgIn the United States, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November.  Until I was on email lists with Canadian and United Kingdom authors, I never gave much thought to the differences in the holidays we celebrate and the way we celebrate them.  In Canada, Thanksgiving has already come and gone, and it’s referred to there as Box Day.  It has to do with giving away food.  Maybe one of our readers can explain better. 

Did you know that besides America and Canada, six other nations also celebrate an official Thanksgiving Day? Those nations are Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Korea, Liberia, and Switzerland. Just today the young man who does my nails told me he would be eating at his brother’s home, and they would be cooking turkey Vietnamese style, cut up and served with vegetables. Traditions are a big part of the US Thanksgiving holiday, and the styles of celebration are as diverse and the families who make up our country. 

From the first Thanksgiving to today’s turkey burgers, turkeys are an American tradition dating back centuries. According to the National Turkey Federation, 95 percent of Americans eat turkey at Thanksgiving. Regional twists offer variations on the traditional roasted bird, including coffee rubbed turkey from Hawaii, salt encrusted turkey from New England, and deep-fried turkey from the South. 

Throughout the United States, football on Thanksgiving Day is as big a part of the celebration as turkey and pumpkin pie. Dating back to the first intercollegiate football championship held on Thanksgiving Day in 1876, traditional holiday football rivalries have become so popular that a reporter once called Thanksgiving “a holiday granted by the State and the Nation to see a game of football.” 

The first American Thanksgiving Day parade was held in 1920, organized by Gimbel’s Department Store in Philadelphia, not Macy’s as most people believe. The NYC Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade tradition actually began in 1924, and has grown into an annual event of balloons, bands, and floats, enjoyed by more than 46 million people each year in person and on TV. 

Does your family fight over the wishbone from the Thanksgiving turkey? Known as a “lucky break” the tradition of tugging on either end of a fowl’s bone to win the larger piece and its accompanying “wish” dates back to the Etruscans of 322 B.C. The Romans brought the tradition with them when they conquered England and the English colonists carried the tradition on to America.  

For me, having the entire family together is the best part of Thanksgiving.  My family has evolved however.  It used to be my parents and my brothers and all my kids getting together.  Now my brothers have their own families, my dad’s gone, and my mom takes turns between her children’s homes, so our family dinner involves my children and their spouses and all of their children, and sometimes friends or other relatives. 

For a good many years I hosted the event and cooked most of the food, but for the past few years we’ve gathered at my oldest daughters’.  I’m still required to bring sweet potatoes, cranberry relish and pies.  We start out early so we have the entire day together.  The females gather in the kitchen to peel potatoes and gab.  The cousins do what cousins do and enjoy each other’s company, while the guys check out the football games.  No matter how cold it is, there’s usually a live basketball or football game – I’m a great cheerleader and photographer. 

After dinner, there are the Friday sale ads to read (the Friday after Thanksgiving is the hugest US shopping day of the year) and we usually set up board games beside the pumpkin and pecan pies and peanut butter balls.

Last, but certainly not least, Thanksgiving is about giving thanks for the people and blessings of the past year. From pre-meal prayers to providing holiday meals to the homeless, the holiday is truly a celebration of praise and thanksgiving. 

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From all of us at Petticoats and Pistols, we want to thank you authors and readers for helping us launch our site and for being part of its success.  We appreciate you and your devotion to western romances and all aspects of these cowboys!  We’re thankful for your interest, comments, the links and referrals, and we’re grateful to be part of your lives. 

Happy Thanksgiving! 

It’s All About Family–and Tradition!

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tgiving.jpgThough the Pilgrims could never have envisioned it as such, Thanksgiving is the calm before the storm. A day set aside to reflect on our blessings and bounties before the craziness of the Christmas holidays hit.

I’m fortunate to have all our daughters living here in our city, and we get together every Sunday for a big family dinner, without fail, which my husband and I absolutely treasure. But as my family grows with grandbabies and sons-in-law, I’m feeling the need to establish some traditions apart from those we had with my own parents. A special day and meal to stand out from the 52 Sunday meals we already share.

Thanksgiving tradition comes in many varieties for many families, but it’s perhaps most meaningful of all to the children.

Here’s a few tradition ideas that I’ve found delightful:

**The week before, make a Thanksgiving Tree. Draw a large tree trunk and branches on poster board. You could even use a small *real* tree branch. Attach to a door or wall. Make construction paper leaves out of fall colors. On the days before Thanksgiving, have everyone in the family write something they’re thankful for. Attach to the tree each day. What a great display of all our blessings!

**If you’re like me, Thanksgiving is the day to lay out a beautiful table with china, tablecloth and lit candles. However, children can lend their touch with ‘Sugar Cone Cornucopias’ which will keep little hands busy while waiting for guests to arrive. These could even be used as name cards if you wish. Simply take sugar cones and decorate with fruit candies. Tie a ribbon around the opening of the cone and write guest names on using turkey.jpgstore-bought decorator icing. Place paper doilies over saucers, set the cone on top, and fill with candies such as candy corn, citrus slices or raspbelly jellies.

**Designate a special tablecloth to use during each Thanksgiving dinner. Provide fabric markers and have each guest write a message or something they’re thankful for. Be sure to date each message!

 **This one is an absolute must at our house.  Talk about what you’re thankful for!  Everyone gets a turn to say something, and when my daughters were younger, they’d groan about it, but invariably, by the time we’ve gone around the table, there’s nary a dry eye left.

**Instead of joining a gazillion shoppers the day after, have Family Friday. Stay home, play games, watch a movie together. Enjoy those you love most without the distractions of the outside world. Make Mexican or bring in pizza. Something different than turkey. Those leftovers will keep!thanksgiving.jpg

These are just a few tradition ideas that will help make Thanksgiving even more special. 

Do you have any you’d like to share?  I’d love to hear them!

Have a wonderful, blessed holiday tomorrow!

Petticoats & Pistols