THE LITTLE TEA SHOP ON MAIN

Jodi Thomas has woven a beautiful story of enduring friendship in THE LITTLE TEA SHOP ON MAIN. As with her other stories, she takes separate-but-related threads and creates a poignant tale that reminds readers of the good things in life. 

Zoe, Shannon, and Emily meet at Zoe’s first tea party two weeks before they enter kindergarten. The three have very different personalities and plan different careers. Through the years, they continue their friendship ritual that takes them from childhood to mature young women. They have pledged to remain best friends for life even though their lives take different paths.

This vow sustains them through good times and bad. Don't we all long for the enduring friendship they forged? I think this type of relationship is more common among those who grow up in one place, as these three did. This story reminded me I’m grateful for my friend, Iris, with whom I’ve remained good friends throughout my adult life.

Ms Thomas is an expert at creating multi-layer stories. THE LITTLE TEA SHOP ON MAIN is no exception. She does, however, take readers on a slightly different journey in this contemporary novel. I’ve been a fan of her books since her first historical novel in 1988. She has never disappointed me! 

I highly recommend THE LITTLE TEA SHOP ON MAIN. You can preorder it now on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FXN2F4R/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_ol-BCb9G0DAWE

Jodi Thomas

About the Author

             A fifth generation Texan who taught family living, Jodi Thomas chooses to set the majority of her novels in her home state, where her grandmother was born in a covered wagon.   A former teacher, Thomas traces the beginning of her storytelling career to the days when her twin sisters were young and impressionable. 

The stories Thomas has committed to paper have earned her an impressive list of distinguished awards and made her a USA Today and New York Times bestselling author. She has won the Romance Writers of America RITA three times and has been inducted into the RWA Hall of Fame.

With a degree in Family Studies, Thomas is a marriage and family counselor by education, a background that enables her to write about family dynamics.  Honored in 2002 as a Distinguished Alumni by Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Thomas enjoys interacting with students on the West Texas A&M University campus in Canyon, where she currently serves as Writer In Residence.

Commenting on her contribution to the arts, Thomas said, "When I was teaching classes full time, I thought I was making the world a better place. Now I think of a teacher, or nurse, or mother settling back and relaxing with one of my books. I want to take her away on an adventure that will entertain her. Maybe, in a small way, I’m still making the world a better place."

MORNINGS ON MAIN --REVIEW

Jodi Thomas is one of my favorite western authors. In fact, some of her books are on my keeper shelf. For the last few years, her books have been set in West Texas, which is where she lives. MORNINGS ON MAIN is set in East Texas, in the small town of Laurel Springs.

Jillian James is a wanderer. Except for two years at university, she has never lived in one place long enough to belong. Her father, who disappeared when he left her at university, would never reveal anything about her mother or why he moved so often. His motto was “pack nothing from the past, not even memories”. Because she has only a few scribbled notations of his, she chooses the first zip code he mentions to search for clues to her family.

When she looks for a job, Conrad Larady, mayor and newspaper owner, hires Jillian to work at his grandmother’s quilt shop, A Stitch In Time. Jillian warns him that she only plans to be in town for three months. He asks her to photograph and catalog each of the quilts in the shop before his grandmother’s Alzheimer’s means the stories are lost forever. Jillian enjoys hearing Eugenia relate the history of each quilt.

Before long, she and Conrad become friends. Jillian also meets Conrad’s teenage daughter Sunnie, who does not live up to her name. Sunnie loves Eugenia, though, and is very good with and to her. A Stitch In Time is central to the town and through her work there, Jillian meets many of the locals.

Conrad is amazed at how detailed Jillian’s quilt write-ups are and how clear her photographs. To help her, he submits several to large newspapers. Jillian has no plan to develop attachments, but she is growing closer to both Conrad and Eugenia.

As with each of Jodi Thomas’ books, this one has a sense of community. Like each of the small towns I’ve known, Laurel Springs is filled with quirky characters as well as those who are mainstream or average. I love the warm feeling produced by her small-town novels and this is no exception. Her words weave a wonderful mind picture.

This is the first of her new series. I’m eager to read the coming titles and learn more about the residents of Laurel Springs. This book deserves 5 stars. I was furnished an ARC of this book for an honest review, which this is.

MORNINGS ON MAIN will be released on April 10. You can pre-order the book at https://www.amazon.com/Mornings-Main-Small-Town-Texas-Novel/dp/1335062955/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522035092&sr=8-1&keywords=Jodi+Thomas

JODI THOMAS REVISITS RANSOM CANYON IN LONE HEART PASS

For many years, Jodi Thomas has been one of my favorite writers—an automatic buy for me. I think I’ve read all of her books since I first read the McClain series many years ago. That was when all her books were western historical.

Her new Ransom Canyon Series began with a historical novella to introduce the series. Now they are all contemporary, but the western atmosphere is definitely there. Her characters are so well drawn that the reader sees them and becomes their friend. For me, I visualize these characters going on about their lives, worry about them.

Jubilee Hamilton has grown up in the shadow of a prettier sister who is favored by her parents. Nothing she ever does is quite as good as Destiny, or so it seems. When she inherits Lone Heart Ranch from the great grandfather only she had time for, Jubilee is happy to have a place to go that is far away from her failure in Washington, D.C. Her family wants her to sell the place, but she is determined to make Lone Heart Ranch her home.

Charley Collins has been disowned by his family. He lacked only one semester graduating with a degree in agriculture management, but he can never save enough to finish his degree. His five-year-old daughter, Lillie, comes first with him. He is determined she’ll grow up secure in the knowledge that her father loves her and will always be around for her. The job offer from Jubilee seems like the answer to a prayer—at least if the crazy woman can make a go of the place.

Thatcher Jones is a smart young man who is failing school because he’s seldom there. His absentee mother is home only between “husbands” and doesn’t appear to notice or care that Thatcher is on his own most of the time. But one lucky day, he becomes part of Lone Heart Ranch. There he finds what he’s been searching for—a family—and discovers he’s far braver than he’d imagined.

Once again Ms Thomas has interwoven stories around new and recurring characters.  The new characters captured my heart immediately. This is my favorite of this series—but then I thought that of the last one. This series just gets better and better. Although the story is tied up nicely, there are loose ends to entice us into the next book. I’m eager to learn if Weathers remains in town and if Lauren sells her book and if Tim completes his and if Sheriff Brigman can remain on the job and...

This book is definitely a five star of five stars! Do yourself a favor and read this book. 

REVIEW OF RUSTLER'S MOON, THIRD IN THE RANSOM CANYON SERIES

Jodi Thomas is one of my favorite authors. I loved her western historical romances, her contemporary women’s fiction/mystery, FINDING MARY BLAINE, and her contemporary romances. RUSTLER’S MOON carries on in the great tradition of her other works.

If you’re wondering what a rustler’s moon is, here is the explanation straight from the book as told by Wilkes Wagner to Angela Harold:

As they reached the porch, he pointed to the sky. “See that quarter moon? That’s called a rustler’s moon. Enough light for rustlers to slip onto a ranch and steal cattle, but not so much that anyone on guard would see them clearly.”

She leaned back and stared up at the sky. “And what would you do, Wilkes, if you could move unseen beneath the rustler’s moon?”

"I might steal your heart, pretty lady,” he answered, halfway kidding.

She laughed. “Not likely.”

“Then I’d settle for a kiss.” The words were out before they’d passed through his mind.

RUSTLER’S MOON is primarily the story of Angela Harold and Wilkes Wagner.

In Florida, Angela Harold’s father left her a cryptic note written minutes before he died. “Disappear,” he told her. She realized he’d been preparing her to leave for months. Accepting the job as curator of a small North Texas museum on the edge of Palo Duro Canyon, she immediately loads her car and heads for Crossroads, Texas. She can’t outrun trouble, and someone stalks her. She believes she has nothing of value and can’t imagine what the person can want—unless he intends to kill her.

Wilkes Wagner is the last of his family. His elderly great-uncle Vern nags him about marriage, but Wilkes is not certain he wants to marry. Vern is a bachelor who flirts with every woman he meets. Wilkes’ parents have no wish to live on the Devil’s Fork Ranch and have left Wilkes in charge of the ranch—and Uncle Vern. Wilkes loves the ranch and his uncle, but lately he’s feeling restless and as if he’s missing something.

Like all Jodi Thomas books, there are numerous subplots running through the story. Yancy Grey is inexplicably drawn to the supposedly haunted Gypsy House. Carter Mayes searches the canyon for the cave with prehistoric drawings he saw as a child. Lauren Brigman wants more closeness from Lucas Reyes. All of the threads running through the book are woven into a lovely tapestry that will delight you. You’ll long to move to the small, close-knit town of Crossroads, Texas near the characters you’ve come to love.

Although each of the books of the Ransom Canyon Series stands alone, I hope you’ll do yourself the favor of reading the two previous novels in the series, WINTER CAMP is the historical adventure/romance about the founding of the town. RANSOM CANYON is the first contemporary of the series.

The RUSTLER’S MOON buy link at Amazon is http://amzn.com/0373788622

Jodi Thomas, Author

Jodi Thomas is a fifth generation Texan who chooses to set the majority of her novels in her home state, where her grandmother was born in a covered wagon. A former teacher, Thomas traces the beginning of her storytelling career to the days when her twin sisters were young and impressionable. 

She has won many awards available to romance authors, including receiving the Romance Writers of America RITA award four times and being inducted into the RWA Hall of Fame. (The RITA is the romance industry equivalent of Hollywood’s Oscar.) In addition, she is a USA Today and NY Times bestselling author.

With a degree in Family Studies, Thomas is a marriage and family counselor by education, a background that enables her to write about family dynamics.  Honored in 2002 as a Distinguished Alumni by Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Thomas enjoys interacting with students on the West Texas A & M University campus at Canyon, where she currently serves as Writer In Residence.

Commenting on her contribution to the arts, Thomas said, "When I was teaching classes full time, I thought I was making the world a better place. Now I think of a teacher, or nurse, or mother settling back and relaxing with one of my books. I want to take her away on an adventure that will entertain her. Maybe, in a small way, I’m still making the world a better place."

For more information, please check Jodi’s website at www.jodithomas.com. fif

REVIEW OF JODI THOMAS' LATEST RELEASE, RANSOM CANYON

Jodi Thomas is one of my favorite authors. Since discovering her years ago, I believe I’ve read each of her books and novellas. In fact, many of hers are on my keeper shelf.

My favorite of her early books is TO KISS A TEXAN, part of the McClain series. Even though it was different, WINTER CAMP, the prequel to her current Ransom Canyon series, reminds me of that story because of Millie, the Apache captive. If you haven’t read WINTER CAMP, you’ll do yourself a favor to do so. You can find it FREE on Amazon at http://amzn.com/B00U77QXI4 and at other e-vendors.

Although a fictional work, RANSOM CANYON is named after a real location. In fact, the Ransom Canyon I know is a part of Yellowhouse Canyon, which cuts a giant slash through the Llano Estacado. My husband and I grew up in Lubbock, Texas where the canyon was only a mile or less from my home and only a little further from his. Ransom Canyon is further southwest down Yellowhouse and about twelve or so miles from Lubbock. The name is because captives really were ransomed and traded there when white settlers were new to the area.  

In RANSOM CANYON, we are drawn into the lives of four families through an inter-twining story about events that unite them. This book has romance, adventure, and humor woven seamlessly into a book I couldn’t stop reading until I reached the end. One of the things I appreciated is the love of the land—the peace, the struggle, the beauty. Sunsets in West Texas are spectacular. Jodi Thomas paints those scenes with words that resonated with me.

Rancher Staten Kirkland is the last descendant of his ranch’s founding father, and a good steward of the land and the people who live there. He’s lost his wife seven years earlier to cancer and his sixteen-year-old son in a car crash two years ago. Since then, he’s a shell who only wakes to life when he’s around Quinn O’Grady. Theirs is a strange relationship to which each clings for a different reason. Quinn was best friends to Staten’s wife, but she has always secretly loved Staten. She always wondered if each time she saw him would be the last.

Lucas Reyes is a young man with goals who is working long hours toward achieving them. His interest in Lauren Bigman, the sheriff’s daughter, leads him on a course he never imagined. Lauren finds this quiet, hard-working young man to be the kind of friend she wants. Lucas, she learns, has the makings of a real hero. Even super-critical Sheriff Dan Bigman recognizes in Lucas a man worth trust.

Yancey Grey is an ex-con running from the past and himself. He counts himself worthless, but he wants more than his past provided. Safety. A family. A community. To stay out of trouble. He figures those things are beyond a common criminal like him.

 Once again Jodi Thomas weaves her characters’ lives together into a story that draws in the reader and keeps him or her enchanted for the entire book. I definitely don’t want to give away anything that would spoil a reader’s enjoyment of this book. Savor each event and hate the wait until the next book, RUSTLER’S MOON, is available. The next release can’t be soon enough to suit me. Without doubt, I give this book 5 stars! If you shop at Amazon, the link for RANSOM CANYON is http://amzn.com/B00SFSL8N2  and it’s available at other e-retailers.

If you prefer a paper book, RANSOM CANYON is available in paperback and hardcover from brick and mortar stores and online.   

Jodi Thomas, Author

In 2002, Jodi Thomas was honored as a Distinguished Alumni by Texas Tech. A fifth-generation Texan, she is currently Writer in Residence at the campus of West Texas A&M University in Canyon, on the edge of Palo Duro Canyon—an even greater slash in the flat Texas landscape than Yellowhouse Canyon to the south. A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, she has written over thirty historical and contemporary novels. She and her husband Tom live in Amarillo where they are renovating an historic home and keeping current with their two grown sons.

Reviews!

Here are some of the early reviews for RANSOM CANYON:

“Another winner…Tension rides high, mixed with humor and kisses more passionate than most full-on love scenes. Fans will be delighted.” Publishers Weekly starred review

“Compelling and beautifully written.” Debbie Macomber. New York Times bestselling author

“Terrific reading from page one to the end.” Fresh Fiction

“Jodi Thomas is a masterful storyteller. She grabs your attention on the first page, captures your heart, and then makes you sad when it is time to bid her characters farewell. You can count on her to give you a satisfying and memorable read.” Catherine Anderson, New York Times Bestselling author

#REVIEW OF JODI THOMAS' ONE TRUE HEART -- NEW RELEASE

As she did in her historical romance about the founding of Harmony, Jodi Thomas takes three couples and intertwines them in this latest contemporary novel set in Harmony. In ONE TRUE HEART, six characters seemingly with no similarities become partners in the quest for a criminal and find love as well.

Former Captain Millicent McAllen has returned to Harmony to heal from her war wounds, a shattered leg. Harmony is the last place she felt secure and happy. Unfortunately, that was when she was ten years old. Even though my situation is less traumatic than war, I've undergone several ankle surgeries and could identify with Millicent.

Drew Cunningham left the horrors of a mass school shooting in which he was a hero to retreat into life in a cabin and teaching one class at a local college. He appears to be a shy academic, supposedly writing a book on local history. He wants no attention and avoids crowds. Drew is the sort of man who reminds me of my husband--he wants no glory but he steps up and does the honorable thing. 

Kare Cunningham is a brilliant woman who masquerades as a loopy fortuneteller. She found her half-brother Drew to reward herself for her life with isolating but cold parents. But she has another mission. I adored this free-spirit whose loving heart manages to bring out the best in everyone.

Johnny Wheeler is more embarrassed than heartbroken when he catches his wife with her friend Max. He farms the land several generations of his family have farmed before him. When his ex-wife told him he was boring, he couldn’t deny the label. Johnny is my favorite of these characters. He is a sweet, hardworking man whose heart needs solace. 

Beau Yates has made a success of his life in spite of his parents. He’s returned to Harmony to try to make peace with his dying father. Something is holding him in town, though. Here is where the songs come to him and where at seventeen he met the girl whose memory still inspires his music.

Ashley Lark Powers has no real complaints--except she didn't want to go into banking. Her daddy owns three banks and her parents are the best. But she can’t forget the young singer who calls her Trouble and sings songs she knows are for her.

These six people make three unforgettable couples as they join forces to defeat a foe of the United States. On the way, they find love more powerful than they had dreamed.

Ms Thomas vivid writing evokes a mental image. I believe I could walk through the town of Harmony and find my way from Winter's Inn to Hatcher's book store to the Blue Moon cafe and to all the other places she's named in this series. The Mathesons and McAllens and the other residents of Harmony are real people in my mind. I love every Jodi Thomas novel I have ever read. Her masterful storytelling keeps the reader engaged until the last word. Don’t miss this one. I give it 5 stars. 

One of the places you can buy ONE TRUE HEART is at Amazon in print or ebook. http://www.amazon.com/True-Heart-Harmony-Jodi-Thomas/dp/0425268411/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1427942778&sr=1-1&keywords=jodi+thomas

A PLACE CALLED HARMONY REVIEW

First, a few words from Jodi Thomas . . .

Once in a while in my career of forty books, there comes a story I know I have to write.  It waits like an impatient child in the back of my mind for its time to shine.  A PLACE CALLED HARMONY was one of those stories.  As I moved through the Harmony series, getting to know the people of Harmony, Texas, better with each book I knew that someday I’d tell the beginning of their town.  From the day I started writing the characters came through clear.  I had to find men strong enough to influence the generations of Mathesons, Trumans and McAllens.

Many times during the writing of this story I felt all three men standing behind me telling me their lives.  Patrick McAllen, young and full of dreams, thought of it as an adventure and believed love came easy.  Clint Truman felt old at thirty and didn’t believe in love.  When he heard he had to have a wife to get the job, he went to the prison gate and picked the first woman walking out.  And then there was Captain Gillian Matheson who loved his wife but also loved adventure.

When Truman, Matheson and McAllen’s stories began to dance in my mind, I found myself staying up later every night to write more.  I love the way the three men interacted and the way all three loves stories grew.  I have a feeling that readers will be staying up a little later to read one more chapter.

I felt close to all of them, because my great-grandparents settled this same country over a hundred years ago.  My grandmother was even born in a covered wagon. So follow me through A PLACE CALLED HARMONY you’ll love the story.

Enjoy the adventure,

Jodi Thomas

Jodi Thomas is the NY Times and USA Today bestselling author of 40 novels and 12 short story collections.

A four-time RITA winner, Jodi currently serves as the Writer in Residence at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas.

www.jodithomas.com

www.Twitter.com/jodithomas  

www.facebook.com/JodiThomasAuthor     

A PLACE CALLED HARMONY by Jodi Thomas

Review by Caroline Clemmons

Yes, I’m another dedicated fan of Jodi Thomas books. I can honestly say I’ve read every book she’s published and enjoyed each one. I admit I’ve wished she’d write more western historical romances even though I love her Harmony series and the two suspense novels she authored.

With A PLACE CALLED HARMONY, Ms Thomas has fed both my addictions by writing a historical western romance about the founding of the town of Harmony. As I expected, this book kept me enchanted from the first word to the end. Those who’ve read the Harmony books will recognize that series’ leading families of Truman, Matheson, and McAllen.

Harmon Ely wants to found a town at the juncture of two Texas Panhandle waterways where he’s built a trading post.  With his dog Davy as a companion, Harmon is used to his own company. He’s a man of vision who believes he owns the perfect site for a town. Though his trading post has been burned to the ground, he’s been shot and left for dead, and he’s been robbed several times, Harmon is not going to give up.

He has a scheme to attract married people to settle in his new town—all he needs are strong, determined, and resourceful couples. He’ll offer work building the town and a house. In exchange for two year’s work, Harmon will sign over their house and forty acres of land. With ads in newspapers, he carefully reviews responses because he only wants good people who will contribute to his town. He’s building for the future.

Harmon also enlists and old friend to help, Sheriff Lightstone of Huntsville, Texas. Lightstone knows a man who appears determined to kill himself with liquor and fights since the death of his family. The sheriff pulls Clint Truman from a brawl and offers him an opportunity to stay out ofjail. Lightstone even has an idea for Clint’s wife.

The two men take a wagon to Huntsville prison for women and wait as that day’s releases file out. Of the several women inmates regaining freedom that day, only one is not met and has nowhere to go—and she carries a tiny baby. Karissa has been betrayed by everyone she trusted and is consumed by fear. After assurances by Clint, she agrees to wed him if her conditions are met: he will never ask about her past, he will never strike her, and he will never force himself on her. He gives her a few days to recover while he sells his farm, then they set out by train for Dallas to buy a wagon and supplies for their trip to the Panhandle.

Meanwhile near Galveston, Patrick McAllen is escaping an overbearing and abusive father with the aid of his mute brother, Shelby. Going with Patrick is Annie Spencer, who is almost as eager to escape her stepmother. Patrick and Annie are friends but not in love. Their motive in marrying is to flee beyond their parents’ reach and they seek Harmon Ely’s town as a sanctuary. Annie requests only that Patrick never lie to her. He agrees and asks for the same. He hopes one day Shelby will join them.

Captain Gillian Matheson is a career soldier. Although he loves his wife Daisy to distraction, he cannot settle on her family’s farm and tolerate her brothers ordering him about constantly. He hadn’t realized when they wed that she wouldn’t leave her family to follow him from post to post. What he doesn’t know is that Daisy has grown weary of never seeing her beloved husband for longer than enough time to conceive another child. Writing as her husband, Daisy contracted with Harmon Ely to settle in his new town. Then she convinced her brothers to load all her furnishings into wagons and escort her to Harmon’s trading post and leave. All she has to do now is await Gillian’s arrival. The letter she sent her husband should bring him hurrying to meet her. At least, she prays that’s true.

A PLACE CALLED HARMONY is one of my favorites of Ms Thomas’ books. Each of the three couples plus the secondary characters face different problems that present a slice of 1880’s western life. Settling on the frontier was hard work and dangerous, but joy also awaited those with survival skills. By deftly weaving the good with the bad, Ms Thomas creates a portrait of those who founded not just Harmony, but a myriad of towns across the West.   

 If you haven’t already guessed, I give A PLACE CALLED HARMONY five out of five stars. You can buy this book from www.jodithomas.com

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE BOOK?

On Facebook, several people have been naming ten favorite books that meant something in your life. Narrowing my preference down to only ten would be impossible. And what each meant depended on where I was at that stage of life. Although I’ve been an avid reader as long as I can remember, I’ll skip the school years and move on to after I became an adult. I’ll also skip the classics and go for popular fiction.

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, by Harper Lee. Okay, so it’s a classic now. Who didn’t love that one? I kept waiting for another book from Harper Lee (as did a lot of others). I thought Scout’s story was wonderful. I saw the film starring Gregory Peck and in which Robert Duvall had his first role. This is one of the few times I enjoyed a movie as much as the book.

THE HELP BY Katherine Stockett. Didn’t we love the way the heroine obtained justice for her friends? I didn’t like the movie because so much had to be changed. This is why books are better than movies—you get the main characters’ internal thoughts and motivation in a book. Usually impossible for a movie.

THE GUENSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. How sad that Ms Schaffer died before she learned how successful her wonderful book had become. Thank goodness her niece Ms Barrows finished editing the manuscript. I have to admit my knowledge of the Isle of Guernsey was nil, but this story uplifted my spirit even though it dealt with Nazi occupation. 

MR. CHURCHILL’S SECRETARY by Susan Elia Macneal. This is another World War II setting, but Maggie Hope brings just that. I love this series and will save them to reread.  FALLON by Louis L’Amour. Any of his, really. What a great writer. He captured history and people and painted the West in words. I’ve read each of his books and will never tire of rereading them.

FOR THE ROSES by Julie Garwood. This was a wonderful saga about lost boys and the baby girl they rescued as they moved from New York to the West. Family and redemption are themes I love.

PRINCE CHARMING by Julie Garwood. Probably my all-time favorite book, I love the subtle humor the author introduces into the story and the developing love and adventure. I loved so many things about this book: the scene where we learn who stole Lucas’ knife, where we see Taylor shooting rabbits, where Taylor covers Lucas’ friend with a blanket, and so many more.

THE PROMISE OF JENNY JONES by Maggie Osborne. Jenny had only one thing and that’s her word. She keeps her promise through unbelievably difficult conditions and triumphs. My first time to read a book with a six-foot, redheaded, muleskinner heroine. In a speech once, I heard Ms Osborne say this was the traditional governess story turned on its ear. ☺

SLIGHTLY SHADY by Amanda Quick (Jayne Ann Krentz). This is the first of the Lavinia Lake and Tobias March trilogy and I loved each one. This first was probably my favorite. However, this woman cannot write a bad book under any name. I think I have each of her books by each of her names. The historical romances are my favorites.

MONTANA SKY by Nora Roberts. This is one of my favorites by Ms Roberts (although THE WITNESS may tie). I liked the three half-sisters learning to work together on a ranch and learning to be family. Family is a wonderful theme.  

TO KISS A TEXAN by Jodi Thomas. Wes McClain is my favorite member of his family and his rescue of the captive woman Allie,who salves his wounded heart, is amazing. Theirs is a memorable romance that has stayed with me for years.

 

FALLON by Louis L'Amour, along with each of his other historical works. What a creative genius this man was. He once told a group of writers that he could write while sitting in a folding chair in the center of Hollywood and Vine with a typewriter balanced on his knees. I know he was the master of setting and characterization. I chose FALLON as my favorite of his books because  it's the story of a man who is much better than he believes, a story of redemption. But L'Amour wrote only great books. Hero and I save them and reread them from time to time. I practically know FALLON by heart, yet it still calls to me. 

I have deliberately not mentioned any of the books of personal friends. To do so would be insane. I’d be certain to overlook someone and then be in the dog house forever. And there simply is not enough space or time to list all my favorites. There are huge numbers of wonderful writers whose books I’ve enjoyed and saved. And I continue discovering new writers whose works I love. Someday maybe I’ll quit writing and just read.

Naw, this is too great a job. Why would I ever give up a job where I can work at home in my jammies?

Thanks for stopping by!

  

BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE!

Baby, it's cold outside!

Brrrr! Winter is here! No snow, but cold wind to rosy your cheeks and chase you indoors. What do you do on cold winter days?

By Jodi Thomas

My favorite thing to do on a cold day is curl up with a good book. In fact, that's what I did yesterday. A luxurious, self-indulgent day sitting in my favorite chair, covered with my favorite throw, and reading a favorite author's new book. What could be better on a cold day?  I read Jodi Thomas’ SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, which I received as a stocking gift from Santa. This book continues the Harmony series on which I am so hooked. I can hardly wait for the next book in the series. 

By Cindy Sample

On my Kindle, I had just finished DYING FOR A DATE by Cindy Sample (recommended by my friend Bobbye Terry). This is a well-written cozy mystery with plenty of humor and a good puzzle. I didn't know who the killer was until way near the end. Fooling other writers is hard because we know the rules, but Cindy Sample pulled it off and offered an entertaining read as well.

This brings me to my Monday Musings topic. WILL E-BOOKS REPLACE BOOKS IN PRINT? In my opinion, it will not occur in our lifetime. Maybe. Probably. Certainly I hope not!



I love my new Kindle, but . . .

 E-books are ecologically sound, and an e-reader can hold dozens, even hundreds, of books on one small device. Electronic books are less expensive to produce, and are much faster through the editing and publishing process. The drawback to them is that they are so easy to publish, some that are not up to publishing quality reach the market. These badly written books create a poor reputation for all electronic publishing. My publisher, The Wild Rose Press, has wonderful editors who take their jobs seriously. I’ve started books from other sources, though, that I simply could not finish. They aren’t true wall bangers, since I’m not throwing my Kindle against the wall, but they are quickly deleted from my files.

Curl up with a good book

For those of us old enough to have grown up reading a print book, nothing replaces the feel of a book in our hands. I love thumbing through a research book. This usually leads to locating interesting material for a book down the line. In fact, I simply love books. Our home is filled with bookshelves filled with fiction and non-fiction books. Are these print books going the same way as the dinosaur? Will our heirs sell them as rare collections or will they go to a land fill?



Thing of the past?

 I hate to think of future libraries as a building filled with only computers! One exclusive private school in Dallas has replaced the library with 48 computers. The only books are in a tiny room labeled Antique Library. Shudder!  What a sad commentary on the future of libraries.

I limit my Kindle reading to those books I plan to read only once. Yes, I do reread many of my favorite books. Those authors whose books I plan to save, I buy in print. Makes sense to me, and I hope it does for other readers as well.  Perhaps both print and e-books will continue to be companion media for the future.

Pick your form of reading material, but please keep reading! Authors need more than royalties. We need to know that readers are enjoying our books. While I would write if no one but my family read my books, my goal is to bring escapism, hope, and pleasure to many, many readers through my writing.

Please return on Wednesday for an interview with Sybil Baker.

Book Review, WELCOME TO HARMONY by Jodi Thomas

Congratulations to Cathie, the commenter who won my Saturday drawing of a download of her choice of either OUT OF THE BLUE or the Civil War anthology NORTHERN ROSES AND SOUTHERN BELLES. Cathie, I'll email you to learn your choice.

Jodi Thomas is one of my favorite writers, and I keep all of her books. She is a Texas writer and I identify with her stories and her characters. Her latest release, WELCOME TO HARMONY, is set in a fictional West Texas town located--in my opinion--between Lubbock and Amarillo. I loved the people in this town. The story is launched by Reagan, a sixteen-year-old runaway from the foster system that has abused her, who has yearned for a home. She decided that Harmony sounded like the perfect place, so she's come hoping to stay--and hoping that she can fulfill her dreams. We never learn her last name, but it's not important. She is the catalyst in a story peopled with numerous lovable characters and a few not-so-lovable ones. 

When I read the back blurb of this book and realized that a teen was the main character, I wondered how Jodi Thomas would pull this one off. Knowing how much I'd enjoyed each of her previous books, I bought this one in spite of the back cover blurb. I need not have worried, because once again Jodi Thomas delivered a winning story. I grew up in Lubbock, and her characterizations are spot on for the area.  Her descriptions of the landscape made me feel at home. Although the primary conflict is resolved, a couple of loose ends dangle to tempt readers to pick up the next book of the series, which is due out this fall. I know I'll be first in line for the next one.

I might also point out that WELCOME TO HARMONY ties in nicely with the previous book, titled TWISTED CREEK.  You can't go wrong with a book by Jodi Thomas!