A FUN CHAIN BLOG FROM JACQUIE ROGERS TO ME AND ON

Today’s post is part of a chain blog. No, nothing like a chain letter. Jacquie Rogers tagged me and today is my turn. She is the author of one of my favorite ever series, the Hearts of Owhee series--or as I call them, the Much Ado series. The first is MUCH ADO ABOUT MARSHALS. Jacquie lives in Seattle now, but she grew up in Owyhee County, Idaho, and that’s where she sets her wonderful, funny, western historical romances. She comes from a long line of no-holds-barred storytellers. Even better,she’s a writer, and writers do tend to get carried away. Her parents actually owned a dairy farm in Owyhee County, Idaho, near Homedale and she grew up milking cows, breaking ice on the calves' water troughs and checking the bottoms of my shoes before entering the house. She says she doesn’t miss the frigid Idaho winters, but she does recall those soulful calf eyes with fondness. Nowadays, the only soulful eyes she sees are those of her husband when he pokes his head in her office for the tenth time and asks me when she’s going to fix dinner.

Those early farm days gave her a solid grounding in Real Life and provided endless fodder for her stories. Back then, she was a member of the Homedale Rod & Gun Club, Stateline Grange, and Sage Creek 4-H. She showed livestock, was the county fair queen, and garnered the title of girl's champion in the small bore rifle competition. (Now there's a scary combination!) She rode her horses to hell and back, with special emphasis on riding into the sunset while harmonica music played in the background.

For her complete bio, filled with her special brand of humor, go to http://www.jacquierogers.com/bio.html 

Oh, but wait until you’ve read this post and commented on it, please!

Jacquie said I have to answer the questions below, so here goes:

What am I working on?

My current work is GABE KINCAID, book four in the Kincaid series. Gabe is a second or third cousin of the other main characters of the series. His grandfather and Judge Kincaid are brothers and Gabe came from Austin to Kincaid Falls to work in the Judge’s law office. But even in the Southwest, we hold to the Southern tradition of treating distant cousins almost like siblings, so Gabe is close to the Kincaid Springs branch of the Kincaid family.  The heroine is Kathryn “Katie” Elizabeth Worthington, posing as a circus fortune teller to escape the influential men who killed her grandfather back in Savannah and want to make sure she doesn’t live to tell what she saw. In the meantime, she’s up to her ears in new trouble and must rely on Gabe and the Kincaids to help her.  

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Wow, this is a hard question. Each author, in my opinion, has a distinct voice and style that creates a particular difference from other writers. When I follow authors, it’s because of that voice. Other than that, all of my historical romance novels include murder and/or mayhem. They’re romances with mystery. The only exception is the novella HAPPY IS THE BRIDE, which is a wedding comedy of errors, written because my editor at the time wanted an historic wedding resembling “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” I don’t like that show, but I do like HAPPY IS THE BRIDE.

Why do I write what I write?

I write the type books I enjoy reading. Well, I enjoy other type such as Regency and World War II settings, but I haven’t written one of those—yet. I believe my love of western history began because my dad used to tell stories of his family after they came from Georgia to Texas in 1876. I loved those stories and never tired of hearing them. When you place your ancestors in historical settings, the history comes alive. That’s what happened for me. I absorbed a lot of Texas history for the last quarter of the 19^th century. That led me to research more and more. Now I feel comfortable writing about that era, but I’m still learning new things about that time. My first historical romance was THE MOST UNSUITABLE WIFE.

How does my writing process work?

First, I see an inciting incident in my head as if I were watching a movie. A lot of writers have this experience, by the way, so don’t call the men in white coats yet. The part I see shows the main characters, but it’s not always the first of the book. Sometimes, it gets moved as far as chapter three, but it’s always near the front. I use names from the time period in which the story is set, sometimes ancestral names so I can be certain they were around at the time. For instance, Cenora Rose from THE TEXAN’S IRISH BRIDE and Parmelia Bailey from LONG WAY HOME are family names. Writing a book takes me about three or months—unless life interferes. For my last two books, life played havoc with my schedule. I do plot my works, but also allow myself to deviate from my plot if my muse takes over and wants to include something new. The plot is like a roadmap, and I can take side trips but come back to the main highway. I write full time, from six to twelve hours a day. Unfortunately, that time includes marketing, which steals a lot of writing time. But I want readers to buy my books, so the marketing is necessary. I would write even if no one bought my books, but I’d much rather readers read my books and enjoy them. And leave reviews on Amazon. Reviews are important to an author.

Jacquie instructed me to find three authors to follow me with posts next week.

     

      Mary Alice Adair writes historical romance with Cherokee and English characters, PASSION'S VISION is the first of her Passion series. Mary used to be one of my critique partners, but she and her husband moved from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex to the Cherokee area of Eastern Oklahoma. She has researched the Cherokee in colonial times and has become an authority on their lifestyle. For her research, she used a book written by her husband’s ancestor, James Adair, which is the definitive work of the time. Her blog is at http://www.authormaryadair.blogspot.com/

         Carra Copelin writes contemporary romance with suspense elements. She and her husband live in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. She is writing the Code series, the first of which is CODE OF HONOR. Carra is one of my critique partners who keeps me on the writing path. She also researches her books with care for detail. She’s President of the Yellow Rose Chapter of Romance Writers of America. Find her at http://carracopelin.com/blog.html

           Anna Jeffrey writes contemporary romance and steamy women’s fiction. Anna also is half the team of the Dixie Cash books. Yes, she is fun to talk to, much like the Dixie Cash books are to read. But her Anna Jeffrey books are great reads. Her latest is THE TYCOON, the steamy first of her Sons of Texas series. Her West Texas series and Idaho series are not to be missed. Find her at http://annajeffreyauthor.wordpress.com/

Thanks for stopping by!

WELCOME MARY ADAIR, AUTHOR OF NATIVE AMERICAN ROMANCE

Please welcome my longtime friend, Mary Adair to the blog. Here's Mary:

Thanks to Caroline for hosting me on her blog today. To show my appreciation to her readers, I’ll give away an e-copy of PASSION’S VISION to one person who comments today.

The first book in the Passion Series, PASSION'S VISION was inspired by one of my husband’s ancestors who lived in the mid 1700’s here in America. This man was an agent for the King of England; he was a physician, an animal skin trader and the author of a book that became referred to as the first and best information on the American Indians. His name is James Adair and his book is THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN INDIANS.

The second book of the series, PASSION'S PRICE, takes place in England. In the second story, Golden Dawn Fitz-Gerald goes to England to save her childhood friend, Raven Cloud. Dawn is the daughter of James Fitz-Gerald and New Moon. In book one New Moon is a warrior in every since of the word. She raised her daughter to stand proud and strong and to honor her birthright as a Cherokee warrior. New Moon taught Golden Dawn to cherish and listen to the gift of vision she inherited from her mother.

Golden Dawn learned her lessons well. When she had a vision that her childhood friend, the man she knew was for her, was in mortal danger she knew what to do. She would go to England and save the man she loves. Dawn is a delightful mix of her mother and father as well as having a personality and temperament all her own. She will go to England, she will face down any obstacle and she will pay any price to save the man she loves. Dawn is not the typical English lady. In appearance she can easily pass for high society, but as a Cherokee warrior on a mission she causes quite a stir.

Currently, I’m writing the third book in the series, PASSION'S PROMISE. This is the story of Johnny Cloud, son of Golden Dawn and Raven Cloud. Johnny returns to the land of his mother’s people in a time of great strife for the Cherokee. This is where he believes he belongs. He marriea a beautiful Cherokee woman who is sweet and gentle yet possesses a strength that amazes him. He learns she is pregnant just when they were about to leave to visit his parents. She explains she cannot go but he must go without her.  She assures him she will be safe with her people but extracts from him a promise that he will love and protect his expected daughter as much as he would a son. He laughs and promises that he will love and protect their child no matter the sex. He also promises to return as quickly as he can. He truly believes he will be back before the child is born. He is wrong. PASSION'S PROMISE is a story of a father who will do what he must to keep his child safe in a time of war and violence.

Here’s the blurb for the first in the series, PASSION’S VISION:

Passion's Vision takes place in the mid 1700's in the Carolina Cherokee villages. James Fitz-Gerald is an agent for the Court of King George II. James is on an undercover mission from the King when he arrives in the Cherokee village, Chota Town. He knows this mission will be his most difficult with the lives of both white families and Native Americans in the balance. With this responsibility weighing heavily on him, the furthest thought from his mind is a romantic entanglement. That is, until his life is saved by a proud and beautiful Cherokee woman.

New Moon, sister to Chief Dancing Cloud, is a warrior in her own right. She hardly notices the white man whose life she saves in battle. But when James arrives in her village, she is reminded of the troubling visions sent to her by the Great Spirit. She determines within her heart, even after a vision from the Great Spirit telling her otherwise, she will never belong to a white man, and most assuredly not to this one her villagers call Red Panther.

PASSION’S VISION is the story of the love and respect that grows between an agent for the Court of King George II and a Cherokee Princess. Their lives are destined to be filled with adventure and triumph, sometimes with loss and pain, but always with passion.

Here’s an excerpt from PASSION’S VISION:

New Moon sat back on her haunches and rubbed the small of her back with one hand as she wiped the other arm across her sweaty brow. Breathing a soft moan, she arched backward in an attempt to ease the persistent ache. There were other chores that needed her attention, but she felt safe here in the garden. She was sure she would not run into him here among the vegetables.

Her heart was not happy to think the spirits might actually send such a man to her. Not when the good man that was her husband had been killed by one of his kind.

A shiver of apprehension ran down her spine and she glanced over her shoulder. Her gaze landed on the very one she tried to avoid. She knew she should turn her back and continue with her work. Instead, she twisted herself around so she could watch him better.

He leaned against a nearby tree lazily watching the clouds float above his head. He no longer wore the buckskins he had arrived in, but instead wore the narrow loincloth and short moccasins of the Ani-Yunnuiya, the Principal People.

She grunted in disapproval. Does he think dressing as a warrior will make him a warrior? If that is what he thinks, then he is wrong. She shifted her position slightly as she watched him closely. He didn’t even sense her scrutiny. No wonder his party walked into an ambush, she mused with disgust. This man was no warrior. Surely her vision had come from the prankster!

Against her will, New Moon’s gaze was drawn to his hair, which hung long and straight to just below his shoulders. She had never seen hair of that color. It shone with the deep rich color of the river clay, just as her dream had shown her.

So his hair is an unusual color, she scolded her inner voice. It was probably common where he came from. Maybe hair of such a color was a bad omen.

He turned in her direction and raised his arms to rest them on a branch that stretched just above his head. She observed the way his muscles rippled along his large frame when he moved.

Something caught his eye and he turned his face away. Grinning, he propped his temple on his forearm.

New Moon tore her gaze to look toward the playing field. He watched Buffalo, the young half-breed from the trading post. Her attention returned to the white man and her heartbeat quickened. His new position gave her an excellent view of his firmly muscled chest and upper arms.

An unwelcome tingling erupted in her belly. A trembling breath filled her lungs and she allowed her gaze to wander lower along the rippled length of his narrow waist.

Why shouldn’t she look? She excused herself and relaxed. Her eyes were drawn lower still to his powerfully built legs that looked as if they could run forever, and she wondered how it would feel to run at his side. Her senses reeled with the eerie feeling of dream walking. Someday she would know.

She steeled herself against the flood of anticipation that washed over her body and sent her every fiber of being into chaotic response.

Her vision began a slow return trip upward, lingering over the rounded muscles of his calves. Her fingers tightly gripped her bent knees as her gaze continued upward to the sleek strength of his thigh and hip that showed on each side of his loincloth…which, she realized with a start, was draped in the most peculiar angle.

Great Spirit!

Her gaze flew to his and then quickly away, but not before she saw an auburn brow arch and his lips quirk in amusement.

The buy links for PASSION’S VISION are

Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/238620

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Passions-Vision-Series-ebook/dp/B006QQ0LVA/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1371940548&sr=1-2&keywords=Mary+A+Adair

Nook http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/passions-vision-mary-adair/1102609965?ean=2940045005364

Mary Adair, Author

Mary A. Adair is an Amazon bestselling author of Native American romance, including the poignant PASSION’S VISION, recipient of the Betty Hendricks Award. Mary did extensive research on several Native American tribes for the eighteenth century setting of her books. One of her many sources for learning about the rich Cherokee culture of that period was a book written in the mid 1700s by James Adair, an ancestor of her husband.

Mary is also the author of CAPTIVE SPIRITS, a young adult fantasy. In addition to being an author, she is a registered laboratory technician in radiology and phlebotomy. After spending most of her life as a Texan, she now lives in Souteastern Oklahoma with her husband and their menagerie of animals.

Links:

Website www.maryadair.com

Blog http://authormaryadair.blogspot.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ma.adair.5

Twitter @MaryAdairdotcom 

Thanks for stopping by!

AUTHOR MARY A. ADAIR'S CAPTIVE SPIRTIS BLOG BLAST - ENTER NOW!

Aztar is a planet where no one remembers a time of peace. Fear of those who wield a mystical cruelty holds people as CAPTIVE SPIRITS. All that remains is the waning belief in a redemer who will someday come to restore peace to a blood soaked land. Zmeria, an ancient text recovered, brings a Prophecy to life. The leaders of each Region come together with a plan to reunite Aztar's divided people and make way for their redemer. They arm themselves with the recently discovered revelation of peace long past. A dream is born and legends revived as Aztar’s people determine to fight the evil and Reclaim Aztar. The Evil’s grasp is strong on the CAPTIVE SPIRITS of Aztar. Leaders know this battle to free the will and spirit of the people will not be easily won. They decree a King must be chosen. One man of the entire world stands out from the rest. Si, the firstborn son of the house of Volcum, is well known for valor and victories in battle. A kingdom must be established. As the center of his kingdom, Si Volcum decreed an ancient, long deserted castle far to the north that contained the lost records of Aztar’s forgotten glory. He accepted his chosen bride, Alexis, unseen from a house as old as his own. Si ruled and the land prospered for fifteen years while evil silently waited. The King did not know when evil struck it would be personally against him or that the price would be so high. The people of Aztar chose well in their King. Si will not hesitate. The King will pay the price. From his love and chosen path, the Saga of Aztar begins with the legend of her first King, Si Volcum. “Reclaim Aztar,” will be their battle cry.

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Author M. A. Adair

Mary A. Adair is an Amazon best selling author of Native American Romance. CAPTIVE SPIRITS is her first Young Adult Fantasy. It is the beginning to a Young Adult Fantasy series that can also be enjoyed by all adults. Mary's other works include PASSION'S VISION and PASSION'S PRICE, both are Best Selling Native American Romances. Mary did extensive research on several Native American tribes in the time period of her books. One of her many sources for learning about the rich Native American culture of that time period was a book written in the mid. 1700s by one of her husband’s ancestors, James Adair. PASSION'S VISION, is a story filled with romance, excitement and danger. This story features James Fitzgerald, an agent in the court of King George II, and New Moon, sister to Chief Dancing Cloud. PASSION'S PRICE is a poignant love story with a twist of humor. It is a next generation story filled with adventure and determination as well as self-realization and, of course, Romance. PASSION’S PRICE continues with James's and New Moon's daughter, Golden Dawn.

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Book Blast Giveaway

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Ends 4/30/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.



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