RENEWAL FOR SAGGING SPIRITS!

Congratulations to Nikita, who won my portion of the Fool For Love Giveaway Hop. I'll contact you by email, Nikita.

What drags your spirit down, down, down?  Makes you blue as a country western love song? For me, it's when my writing doesn't go well.

This past weekend was the bi-annual Dreamin' In Dallas writers conference sponsored by the Dallas Area Romance Authors (DARA). What fun to visit with friends I hadn't seen recently, hang with my BFF's, and talk writing, writing, writing.

My favorites--other than talking with friends--were the workshops by Margie Lawson and Allison Brennan. As a psychologist, Margie is able to get into what makes characters and their actions and their dialogue marketable. Allison Brennan writes scary romantic suspense books, but she is a delightful person who kept the audience laughing even as she imparted wisdom.


Me just before the bookssigning opened,
photo taken by Ashley Kath-Bilsky, author of  
the terrific historical, THE SENSE OF HONOR


Writing is a lonely profession. If we're fortunate enough to write full time, we sit at our computers all day. Sure, we have online friends we see on writers loops and email, but that's not personal. Not face-to-face. Visiting online is helpful, but not the same as laughing with a friend over iced tea and snacks.

So, attending the conference was a renewal for me. Yes, my spirit was sagging. Dragging the floor. Maybe even in the basement. I was discouraged because my latest WIP (work in progress) was not going well. In fact, I hated it. Very annoying to say the least!

Now, I feel energized and ready to face the dizzying publishing world again. I am woman, hear me roar! Okay, maybe that's a slight exaggeration. At least now I can growl and hold my own. Grrr!

Do you get discouraged? If so, what helps renew your spirit?

Happy Labor Day! And Writing What We Love

Bobbye Terry/Daryn Cross gave me this photo because she
knows I love Texas sunrises and sunsets. No, it has nothing
to do with this post except I love the photo.

Labor Day Weekend—a nice long weekend with an extra day to relax and be with family. What could be better? I hope you have time to read a good book. Like THE TEXAN’S IRISH BRIDE, hint, hint.


Why do I write historicals? A writer should writer the kind of book he or she likes to read. Although I’m an eclectic reader, one type book I love is western romance. The first one I read was by Lorraine Heath. I fell in love with the concept and read each one of her books I could find. She’s a very nice person as well as being a great writer. I’ve continued to follow her books as she’s moved into English Victorians, but that’s another subgenre of historical romance. A bookseller I trust suggested I try Jodi Thomas’ books. Thank goodness she told me about Jodi Thomas, because I read each of her books—and reread several—including the contemporary and suspense as well as the western.

Writing is more involved than reading. Any novel usually requires research to set up the world the writer will describe. My husband and I took our dream trip to Ireland and fell so in love with the country that we returned a second time, and would love to go back there. We also love our home state of Texas. What better than to combine the two? Cenora Rose O’Neill, the heroine of THE TEXAN’S IRISH BRIDE, is from Ireland. Dallas McClintock, the hero, is a Texas rancher in the Texas Hill Country, near Bandera but in the fictional area of McClintock Springs.

McClintock Springs was founded by Dallas’ grandfather, Vincent McClintock, and the fictional county named McClintock, too. It’s so much fun to invent a new town and county. Then I can make them anything I choose. The ranch buildings and house are so vivid in my mind that I’d like to be able to paint them so others could see them as I do. Perhaps I’ve described them well enough in the book that readers will be able to form a mental picture for them. Large two-story home painted butter yellow with dark green shutters and white railing around the wide front porch. Screened in sleeping porch on each floor to catch the Southwestern summer breezes.

I hope you enjoy western historical romances, too. I’ll include a copy of mine in the prize drawing on September 11th. You have until 11:59 pm that day to enter. If you don’t win, please keep returning to comment. I’ll have weekly drawings for quite a while. To enter, you simply comment on my blog and include your email address. If you sign up as a follower, that counts as an extra entry. Couldn’t be easier.

Have a safe and happy Labor Day!

Launch Day for THE TEXAN'S IRISH BRIDE!

Today is the official launch of my latest book, a western historical set in 1885, THE TEXAN’S IRISH BRIDE, from The Wild Rose Press in e-book and in print. How exciting, well, at least it is for me! I've been not-so-patiently awaiting the release. This cover is by far my favorite of any I’ve ever had, and was designed by Nicola Martinez at The Wild Rose Press. To celebrate the book’s release, I’ll be giving away a PDF download of THE TEXAN’S IRISH BRIDE to one person who comments before midnight Saturday.

I love Texas history and especially love this time period. The story is set in Central Texas near Bandera and Medina, and also the Lost Maples State Natural Area. That area appeals to me and is the location of lots of real ranches and some fairly famous dude ranches. Years ago, my family and I stayed at the Mayan Dude Ranch and loved it. But I’ll discuss that trip another day.

For today, let me just say that I am very excited about the release of this book.  Click here to buy a copy, from The Wild Rose Press, or go to one of the other online stores. Here’s the blurb:

Cenora Rose O’Neill knows her father somehow arranged the trap for Dallas, but she agrees to wed the handsome stranger. She’d do anything to protect her family, and she wants to save herself from the Irish Travelers' brutish leaser, Tom Williams. A fine settled man like Dallas will rid himself of her soon enough, but at least she and her family will be safely away from Tom Williams.

Texas rancher Dallas McClintock has no plans to wed for several years. Right now, he’s trying to establish himself as a successful horse breeder. Severely wounded rescuing Cenora from kidnappers, Dallas is taken to her family’s gypsy-like Irish Traveler’s wagon to be tended. He is trapped into marrying Cenora, but he is not a man who goes back on his word. His new wife has a silly superstition for everything, but passion-filled nights with her make up for everything—but what is he supposed to do with her wild Irish family?