From the Heart...Cheryl St.John

Western Lovers! Emma's Journey by Callie Hutton

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 18:03:00 +0000

Now that Emma Thorpe’s husband has been killed on the wagon train to Oregon, she wants to return to Indiana, but the wagon master has forced her to marry Wagon Scout, Davis Cooper. He wants to make their marriage work; she intends to flee as soon as they arrive at their destination.

Emma Thorpe did not want to leave her life in Indiana to travel to Oregon on a wagon train, but her husband, Peter, had other ideas. Barely three weeks into the trip, Peter is killed, and Emmaline is shocked that the wagon master won’t let her return home.

Wagon Scout Davis Cooper has decided this would be his last scouting trip, he intends to obtain land in the new Oregon territory, find a wife, and start a family.

When the Wagon Master orders Emma and Davis to marry, she rebels, but eventually comes to realize she can’t go it alone, no matter how stubborn she is. But nothing will make her give up her dream to return home.

Can Davis change her mind, and have the life he’s always wanted with his unexpected wife?

<--- order from amazon

Cover Nomination

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 08:05:00 +0000

Land of Dreams got a nomination for the 2013 historical cover awards at the Cover Cafe. Here's a link to go LIKE it:
http://pinterest.com/covercafe/2013-historical-covers/

And here's how to nominate covers you love this year: http://www.covercafe.com/nomination.shtml

And here's how to get the book on your Kindle:
CLICK HERE

GUEST: Sylvia Bittner's Stunning Barbie Couture

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0000

The poinsettia dress one of my Barbies now wears

My special guest today is Sylvia Bittner. I’m a Pinterest junkie, and when I discovered Sylvia’s Pinterest page and the extraordinary Barbie dresses she makes, I fell in love. I then stalked her to find out more and begged her to sell my favorite. She is a gracious and gifted lady, and I am excited to introduce you to her.

Sylvia, when I discovered your handkerchief Barbie dresses on Pinterest, I was in awe. I have a whole curio of Barbies in my office and a tote full in my storage room. I adore vintage hankies—have loved them since I was a girl, when my grandmother used to buy new ones for me. I have several that were my grandma’s and my aunt’s, and I add to my collection often. Seeing how you’ve blended two of my passions sent me over the moon! I’m now your biggest fan-girl.

Cheryl: Did you play with Barbie as a girl? How many Barbies do you own now? Do you have favorites?

Sylvia: I actually didn’t own a “Barbie” doll as a child. Between my sisters and I, we had Midge, Skipper, Ken, and Julia (from the TV show), and a few assorted no-name dolls. However, in the past year, I’ve made up for that. Don’t tell my husband, but I now own 71 Barbies (and counting). I started with the Barbie Basics dolls, which are the lowest priced line of Barbie collectible dolls. I love their faces because they don’t look like your typical wide-eyed Barbie and they have the model muse body type, which is more long and lean than your typical Barbie.

Unfortunately, I was a little late to the game and most of the Barbie Basics dolls were already sold out when I started collecting. So I resorted to eBay, Amazon, and treks to Target, Toys R Us, and Walmart stores around the country to find some of the discontinued models at reasonable prices. Since then, I’ve branched out to some reproductions of the original 1960’s era Barbies that I’ve found online and in antique stores, some more recent collectible Barbies, and now, the Silkstone Barbies. Silkstone Barbies are made of heavy composite material that feels like porcelain but is more durable. I think the Silkstone Barbies have only been around since 2000. (Visit www.barbiecollector.com to view all of the wonderful collectible Barbies!)

Cheryl: I can not allow myself to do a search for Barbie on ebay. But I’m a vendor in my local Brass Armadillo, so I can’t help but see a few vintage dolls. How did you get started making the dresses?

Sylvia: Last spring I was trolling JoAnn Fabrics (as I love to do) and came across the book, Hankie Couture, by Marsha Greenberg. Marsha has been making Barbie dresses for years from vintage hankies and this book was chock full of charming little dresses. It was love at first sight. I started flipping through the book and the next thing I knew I was at the check-out line with it. Then I directed my husband to nearest antique store and started stocking up on vintage hankies so I could make my own Barbie dresses.

Cheryl: I love that story. I would be terrified to cut the hankie. About how long does one of your creations take to make? Can you describe the process?

Sylvia: It is terrifying at first, and I’ve had to throw out a couple hankie dresses that were just beyond salvageable. But the good news is, hankies are pretty cheap, so I just pick myself up and start on another one.

Most times, I start with a hankie I just love. I drape it around a Barbie doll every which way trying to figure out how to make the best use of the fabric at hand. Once I have a picture in my head, I pull out my patterns, pin them to the fabric and just start cutting. I try to use the edge of the hankie as the hem for the dress whenever possible. Many hankies have beautiful rolled or cut work edges, so this shows them off to the best advantage and saves me from sewing a teeny tiny hem. Because many of the hankies are thin or sheer, I line every dress in cotton fabric. I use the selvage edge of the lining fabric as the hem of the skirt lining – a tip I picked up from Marsha’s book.

I have a full-time day job, so I sew in the evenings while I watch a movie or TV. Each dress is sewn entirely by hand. I have a sewing machine (or three), but I much prefer hand sewing with my cat on my lap. So depending on how engrossing the TV show is and how intricate the pattern may be, an outfit can take a couple days or up to a week.

Cheryl: The photographs of your dressed dolls, with scenery and props, are as stunning as the dresses. Are you the photographer? Do you have a special camera/ lens/use special lighting?

Sylvia: I take all the photos of my dolls myself with my 35mm camera (sorry, I don’t remember the brand off the top of my head). I’ve always been a photography buff and love to take pictures when we go on vacation. But outdoor pictures have been my specialty. So taking shots indoors was a little challenging for me at first. I tried using a flash, then using a clip-on light, but both created harsh shadows and I ended up with a yellowish cast on the photos. Then for Christmas this past year, my husband bought me some photography lights on stands (you know, the ones with the white screens in front of the light). I had no idea what a difference those lights would make in my photos! The colors are much truer and the harsh shadows are all but eliminated.

Now I have a bookcase in my front room set up as a mini photography studio. I make back drops from foam core board, scrapbook paper, and miniature woodwork, or just tape up a long sheet of white paper. I’m an avid antiques buff, so on weekends I troll antique shops and the dollar store looking for little items to use in my dioramas. I’ve made lamps from old perfume atomizers with a shade from a dollar store air freshener. I’ve collected old Barbie furniture and painted it. I’ve found little flower arrangements at a craft show. I just always keep my eyes peeled for something tiny that I could make into something realistic looking for Barbie.

Cheryl: Something else that fascinates me are miniature items, like doll furniture. I want to come to your house. Do you have a passion for any other vintage linens or items?

Sylvia: I’m a huge vintage linens fan. I’ve been collecting antique lace for the past 20 years or so and I’ve used it on pillows, clothing, home décor, and more. For a while in the 90’s, I was making cloth dolls from vintage linen toweling and cross stitching their faces. And I have a small collection of vintage buttons that I’ve used in a variety of crafts. I’ve even used vintage tablecloths to make cute little jackets. Oh, and did I mention my vintage pattern collection? I think you get the picture…

Cheryl: I’m swooning here. Do you do any other crafts or sewing projects?

Sylvia: My paternal grandmother taught me to knit, my maternal grandmother taught me to paint, and my mother taught me to sew. So the question is really, what haven’t I done? But sewing is my favorite past time. I’ve made dolls, teddy bears, Christmas stockings, pillows, cross stitch samplers, clothing for me (when I was slimmer), Halloween costumes … you name it, and I’ve probably done it at one time or another. The challenge for me is finding the time. I have a full-time job, so all of my crafting is done in the evenings or on weekends when I’m not antiquing.

Cheryl: I’m amazed by the patience and talent it takes to do any one of those things. Where can we see more of these dresses and how can we buy them?

Sylvia: You can find photos of all of my Barbie dresses on Pinterest at www.pinterest.com/sylviabittner. Check out my Pinterest boards, Stuff I’ve Made and My OOAK Barbie Dresses. To purchase my Barbie dresses, visit my Etsy shop at www.Etsy.com/shop/hankiechic/.

When I first stalked Sylvia online, I had to ask what OOAK meant. It’s One Of A Kind. Duh. But I had no idea.

I am the gleeful owner of two of Sylvia’s beautiful creations, and I can admire them by swiveling in my desk chair and ogling my curio, which I do often.

So, what about you? Did you play with Barbie as a girl? Are you in awe of these dresses and Sylvia’s talent?

Are You a Western Romance Lover?

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 17:52:00 +0000

There's nothing like a cowboy on a cover to make me pick up a book and run for the checkout! Stetsons, a horse with a rider, a pair of western boots, any of those are a draw. Of course there are authors I buy just because their name is on the book.

Louis L'Amour was my first love, many years ago, and I've read everything he's written. I have a treasured leather-bound set that fills two bookshelves in my living room. Dorothy Garlock once told me she used his books as reference because they're so detailed with setting and description.

The first western romances I read were Janelle Taylor's Ecstasy series. Anyone remember those? I cried for those heroines captured by braves and sighed when they found a happy-ever-after. Later, I discovered LaVyrle Spencer and those lovely early books, then Lisa Gregory/Candace Camp. Anyone remember Francine Rivers' wonderful westerns? I couldn't find any of these old covers online, so I scanned mine. I have two editions of Sycamore Hill.

When you remember discovering western romances, which books and authors come to mind?

Winner of Charlene Raddon's Drawing, a Vintage Hatpin

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 15:53:00 +0000

The winner of Charlene Raddon's vintage hatpin is....

louann.isu.faithful

Congratulations, Lou Ann!

Please send me your address, so Charlene can get your hatpin right out to you! SaintJohn@aol.com

Thanks to everyone for chatting with us.

Charlene Raddon: THE HISTORY OF LADIES HAT PINS & A DRAWING

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Although prized by antique collectors today, hatpins were once both commonplace and controversial. Ranging between 6 and 12 inches long, depending on the size of the hat they needed to secure to a woman’s head, they were fancy or practical. Every available material was used in their manufacture; precious metals, gemstones, plastics and paste. Hatpin makers marketed their products to the various levels of society, ranging from the extremely ornate and expensive to the simple and functional. The heyday of the hatpin lasted from the 1880's to 1920’s, after which hair styles became short and hats became smaller, making pins unnecessary.

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As far back as the Middle Ages in Britain and Europe, pins were used as a device to securely hold wimples and veils that proper ladies used to cover their hair. These wire pins were used for hundreds of years. In 1800 the making of decorative and functional pins became a cottage industry, frequently employing an entire family. Each pin was time-consuming to make, limiting the numbers of pins available to the demanding public.

One way to keep up with demand was to import from France. Parliament became alarmed at the effect the imports had on the balance of trade and, in 1820, passed an Act restricting the sale of pins to two days per year, January first and second. Ladies saved their money all year to be able to purchase pins, which may explain the term “pin money.” Queen Victoria, however, taxed her subjects at the beginning of each year to pay for her own pins, which may also have originated the term.

In 1832 a pin making machine was patented in the U. S. and the production of pins with long tapering points began, usurping the hand-made ones. Within the next two years, England and France as well as Japan began production machine-made pins. Any woman wearing a hat undoubtedly had a hat pin holding it in place. These pins could be up to thirteen inches long with a quite sharp tip, providing Victorian women with a handy weapon. They were so threatening that one judge ordered suffragettes to remove their hats and hatpins, for fear they’d use them as weapons in his court. Arkansas and Illinois passed bills limiting the length of hatpins to 9 inches. If a lengthier pin were desired, a permit had to be applied for.

In 1848, head coverings were merely another piece of clothing which changed with fashion. Bonnets came into being, employing ribbons and strings tied under the chin to hold them on. This coincided with the suffrage movement, as women were as eager to be free of bonnet strings as they were to declare their right of equality with men.

The rise in popularity of hatpins as a result of changing fashions in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries saw the Charles Horner jewelry business becoming one of the British market leaders in good quality but mass produced hatpins. Some of the high quality makers in the U. S. were the Unger Bros., the William Link Co., the Paye & Baker Mfg. Co. and Tiffany & Co.

At the start of World War II women took over the jobs vacated by men who had gone away to war. As they reported to work in the factories, shipyards and aircraft plants the wearing of hats fell out of fashion, along with hat pins, which is too bad because a lot of us today could use a good weapon as handy as our hats, now and then.

Resource Materials and Books

The Collectors Encyclopedia of Hatpin and Hatpin Holders by Lillian Baker, Collector Books of Paducah, Kn. Out of print - available on the secondary market
Baker's Encyclopedia of Hatpins and Hatpin Holders, Schiffer Books
Hatpins and Hatpin Holders an Illustrated Value Guide by Lillian Baker, Collector books
Art Nouveau and Art Deco Jewelry by Lillian Baker, Collector books
Hat Pins by Eve Eckstein and June Ferkins, Shire Publication ISBN 0 2478 0182 7
Hat Pins and Tie Pins by Alexandra M. Rhodes, Mackays of Chatham Ltd. publication ISBN 0 7188 2540 3
Charles Horner of Halifax. A Celebration of his Life and Work by Tom Lawson, GML Publishing. ISBN 0-9542354-0-1

Visit Charlene's Website:

http://www.charleneraddon.com/

Charlene first serious writing attempt came in 1980 when she awoke one morning from an unusually vivid and compelling dream. Deciding that dream needed to be made into a book, she dug out an old portable typewriter and went to work. That book never sold, but her second one, Tender Touch, became a Golden Heart finalist and earned her an agent. Soon after, she signed a three book contract with Kensington Books.

Five of Charlene's western historical romances were published between 1994 and 1999: Taming Jenna, Tender Touch (1994 Golden Heart Finalist under the title Brianna), Forever Mine (1996 Romantic Times Magazine Reviewer's Choice Award Nominee and Affaire de Coeur Reader/Writer Poll finalist), To Have and To Hold Affaire de Coeur Reader/Writer Poll finalist); and writing as Rachel Summers, The Scent of Roses. Forever Mine and Tender Touch are available as e-books and after January 24, To Have and To Hold will be as well. When not writing, Charlene loves to travel, crochet, needlepoint, research genealogy, scrapbook, and dye Ukrainian eggs.

Charlene is giving away the antique hat pin in the photo to the left to one person who leaves a comment today!

Order a copy of To Have and To Hold Today!

amazon lists

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 17:31:00 +0000

My Kindle books are at #3, #16 and #23 in Hot New Releases > Western Romance.

How sweet is that???

click here

http://www.amazon.com/gp/new-releases/books/271584011/ref=zg_bs_tab_t_bsnr

Pam Hillman: Claiming Mariah

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 15:05:00 +0000

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In light of her father’s death, Mariah Malone sends a letter that will forever alter the lives of her family. When Slade Donovan, strong willed and eager for vengeance, shows up on her front porch, Mariah is not ready to hear his truths: her father’s farm, the only home she’s ever known, was bought with stolen gold. With Slade ready to collect his father’s rightful claim and force Mariah and her family out on the streets, Mariah must turn to God for guidance. Though Mr. Frederick Cooper, a local landowner, promises to answer her financial woes if she agrees to be his bride, Mariah finds herself drawn instead to the angry young man demanding her home.

With the ranch now under Slade’s careful eye, he will unearth more than he ever imagined as a devious plot of thievery, betrayal and murder threatens more than the well-being of the ranch, endangering the lives of those who hold it dear. With days dwindling until the rest of the Donovan clan arrive to the Lazy M ranch, Mariah and Slade must rise above the resentment of their fathers and see their true feelings before greed alters their futures forever.

READ CHAPTER ONE

Amazon's Top Romances of 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 17:23:00 +0000

Bared to You, Sylvia Day
The Witness, Nora Roberts
Darker After Midnight, Lara Adrian
Gunmetal Magic, Ilona Andrews
Lothaire, Kresley Cole
Redwood Bend, Robyn Carr
The Recruit, Monica McCarty
Forever and a Day, Jill Shalvis
When the Duke Found Love, Isabella Bradford
How to Be a Proper Lady, Katharine Ashe

Three Steps to Creating Believable Character Emotions

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:30:00 +0000

By Marcy Kennedy (@MarcyKennedy)

I’ve been a mother who accidentally killed her only child. I’ve been an orphan stalked by the man who murdered her family. I’ve been a barbarian warrior struggling with how to survive in his brutal, pagan culture now that he’s come to faith in the one, true God. I’ve been all these things without ever actually giving birth, losing my parents, or swinging a sword in battle.

As a fiction writer, you’re also going to need to write about characters who are nothing like you and who are in situations you’ve never been in. And to make it work, you’re going to need to convincingly convey their emotions. Even in plot-driven novels, readers want characters whose emotions seem real and powerful. The question for us as writers is, how do we write emotions our readers will be able to feel and participate in when we have no personal experience with what our character is facing?

more............
READ THE THE ENTIRE BLOG ARTICLE HERE

Writing Moms: Holding it All Together

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 18:12:00 +0000

My own four children are all grown now, though my youngest daughter and two children live with us. There have been only tiny windows in my life when I’ve had no children to care for. I even took in my first grandchild while my daughter worked, and I was still raising two children at home, and working 40 plus hours a week evenings at my real job.

But at the time I was unpublished, I was determined not to work at that job for the rest of my life. I became determined to make enough money writing to support my family. I wrote every available minute. When I was writing my (first published) book Rain Shadow, I was working crazy hours. Whenever I wasn’t at work, I was in front of my computer. My children took turns fixing supper, and they quickly learned to leave me alone while I was working. My husband, who’d never turned on the washer in his life, learned to do laundry. I wasn’t always happy with the results, but he did it and I appreciated it. For nearly a year, I barely attended any family gatherings.

My family was a big help, but I know plenty of single moms who have set priorities and placed writing near the top, too. It can be done. We have good examples and bad examples all around us, and we should learn from them. We’ve all learned that successful people set goals, write them down, refer to them regularly, and re-evaluate when necessary. Writers need attainable short-term and long-term goals. Write long terms goals on separate sheets of paper and list underneath each, the steps it will take to reach it. Then take those steps.

Looking at my goals to quit my job and make enough money to support my family, I considered the steps it would take to get there. Obviously, I would have to sell books. And to do that I would have to write them. And to do that I would have to give up a lot of other things. A lot. So I missed my friends, but my writer associates became my friends and still are. I missed having a clean house, but most of my friends who now come over are other writers, and they’re all in the same boat. The sacrifices paid off in the long run.

You can tell how serious a writer is by how selfish they become with their time. Let me put it bluntly: If you still have a life, you’re probably not a serious writer—you have a hobby that may or may not pay off.

There was a time between all those early rejections and that first sale that I felt pretty low. I clearly remember the overwhelming frustration. I remember saying to my husband, but more to myself: “Why can’t I be satisfied to do nice little needlepoint crafts like all the *normal* women I know?” This was a burning question in my heart. Why didn’t the same things that made every other woman in the country content, make me content? I wondered over and over again if I was doing the right thing. Was this what I should be devoting all my time and energy to when I had no guarantee of a payoff?

There were times when I didn’t feel as though I fit in anywhere anymore. At a gathering someone would ask me what I’d been doing or how the writing was going, and when I started to tell them their eyes glazed over. Next thing I knew they’d changed the subject back to their dog or their kids. I felt like I could hardly talk to people anymore.

We can’t stop ourselves from sharing the most exciting thing happening in our life . . . but later, the admission comes back to haunt us: “Sold that book yet?” “When can I buy that book of yours?” “Got an interview on Letterman yet?” And then you wish you’d never told anyone.

At same time that thoughts of throwing in the towel crept into my head, I knew in my heart I would never be happy with myself if I didn’t give this thing every last ounce of energy I had. I couldn’t quit. And what if I had? What if I’d given up after the first seven rejections? Those were only rejections for ONE BOOK. I’d been rejected regularly on other projects for years before that. But what if I’d given up? What if I’d decided I didn’t have the stamina it took to absorb all that rejection and still feel like a writer? What if I hadn’t been willing to listen to the advice of writers and editors more experienced than I?

Well, then I’d never have known that all that rejection was only the beginning, that from there on, I’d be ranked and graded and critiqued by reviewers and contest judges and readers. That editors would still find fault with my work, and I could either improve it or be far less likely to sell the next time. When I turned in my first contemporary, my editor told me she cried at all the right parts. She also told me she hated the ending. The whole last chapter.

I asked what she’d like to see happen, rewrote it and faxed it to her the same day. See, way back then, realizing that words are only words, that they’re not pure genius engraved in stone, and that my head is full of billions more words, was a well-learned lesson. You just have to keep trying. And you’ve got to be positive.

Surround yourself with positive people. You know how good it feels being with someone who’s really up and positive? You can feel good being the positive one, too. I use visual affirmations in the form of book covers, photographs, best seller lists, etc.. Combine your self-talk with your faith. Take workshops on goal-setting or how to handle rejection.

Consciously listen to yourself and the thoughts that come out of your mouth. “I’ll never learn all this.” “I don’t have what it takes to juggle a job, kids, a house, a husband, and write, too.” “I’m too tired to get up early and write five pages.” “I’ll never sell this because I met that editor and she didn’t like me.” “I’m brain dead today.” Those are self-defeating attitudes and words.

Oh, I did my share of whining and crying and feeling sorry for myself. But once I really heard myself, I changed that for good. When I was working those horrible early morning hours and getting the kids off to school and handling all that life as a mom entails, I can remember dragging out of bed first thing in the morning. It was still dark, and I’d barely slept enough hours to combat exhaustion. My feet still hurt from being on them all day the day before, and as they’d touch the floor, the first words that came to mind were, “This job is killing me.”

Once I really heard my own thinking, and realized what that negativity was doing to me, I was able to change it. The situation didn’t change overnight. But instead of thinking “This job is killing me” when I got out of bed, I would say OUT LOUD, “This day gets me one day closer to my goal. I can do it. I can make the best of it. I’m not going to be doing this much longer.”

I changed my confession, and with it I changed my thinking. Each time I sit down to my computer, I read something inspirational to get started. And I tell myself, “I’m writing a RITA winner.” Do I feel silly saying things like that out loud? Not at all. Too many of them have come to pass.

Do I still have doubts? Every time I get a particularly ugly line edit. Every time I get to the middle of my current book. Every time I stretch my writing a step further. Every time I have a proposal rejected. But every accomplishment is a confidence builder.

Deal with feelings. Take thoughts and emotions under control. I heard somewhere that if a computer were built to have the capacity of the human mind it would take the space of the Empire State Building to house it. And yet we use only 10% of our brains. We live in a society that believes we’re all victims; nobody’s responsible for their actions or feelings or thoughts. Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m responsible for me. I may not be able to change my past or other people, but I can change how I feel and how I react to situations. You can too.

There is no one rule or schedule that works for every mom. Unfortunately you have to figure out this stuff by trial and error. But I hope it’s reassuring to know there are other women who understand what you’re dealing with as a busy wife, mother, writer--and maybe even breadwinner. Many of us have been there and survived. You will too.

What positive thing can you say about yourself and your writing dream right now?

THE NEXT BIG THING BLOG HOP

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Welcome to The Next Big Thing!

What is a blog hop? It’s a virtual event that helps readers discover new authors. The first author tags other authors whose work he or she admires, who each tag more, who each tag more, and so on. These memes float around the internet every few years, and this particular event has been widespread, covering many genres and amazing authors.

Big thanks to Sparkle Abbey, co-authors of the Pampered Pets mystery series, for tagging me for this blog hop.. Together Marylee Woods and Anita Carter have written Desperate Housedogs, Get Fluffy and Kitty Kitty Bang Bang.

"Desperate Housedogs is a wonderful, fun-filled mystery brimming with hope and humor. Lamont and Malone are unique, strong-willed characters that are (I hope) destined to drive each other crazy for many books to come. A howling good time."

- Lois Greiman, award–winning author of Uncorked

The way this hop works, authors answer ten predetermined questions, ranging from current works in progress to writing processes.

1: What is the working title of your book(s)?

My most current release is this month’s Colorado Courtship anthology, with author Debra Ullrick. I’m contracted for another Harlequin Historical with a working title Song of Home. I can’t promise what it will be called when it’s released.

And my Next Big Thing is a non-fiction book that’s been in the works for quite a while:

Writing with Emotion, Tension, and Conflict: Techniques for Crafting an Expressive and Compelling Novel

2: Where did the idea come from for the book?

For years I’ve taught workshops and classes, and for a few years I gave online workshops. Instruction is something I thoroughly enjoy, and I got the idea to put together a how-to-write book and see where it went. My agent loved the idea.

3: What genre does your book come under?

Non fiction. It’s a how-to-write instructional book.

4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

I guess technically I’m the only character in this book. Oh, let’s have Sandra Bullock play me. J

5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Who doesn’t want to write a book that will end up on reader’s keeper shelves?

6: Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?

My agent and I submitted to one house, Writers Digest, and we were delighted to snag the interest of their F&W Media division.

7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

I’d been working on it in bits and pieces over several years, although I never expected to pull it all together into a book. Once I got the idea, it took me a couple of months to get it down and create a table of contents.

8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

The editor I’m working with suggested we gear the whole book toward writing a book with emotional impact in order to make it not only marketable, but unlike other writing books on the shelves.

9: Who or what inspired you to write this book?

I guess it was a natural progression after teaching the craft of writing for so many years. It just made sense to write it all down in one cohesive volume.

10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

The book is written with examples from movies and books to show how techniques are used effectively. Each chapter has exercises pertaining to the reader’s own work in progress. I don’t believe in exercises that don’t move a story forward so they are geared to help writers learn their own emotional triggers and to prompt ideas.

So that’s it! Writing With Emotion, Tension & Conflict will be in the Fall 2013 Writers Digest catalog.

Next Wednesday, January 23, 2013 you will be able to read about Sherri Shackelford’s Next Big Thing! Please bookmark her website and add her to your calendar for updates. Visit her now.

Pam Hillman: Wallflower Writer to the Rescue

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 12:00:00 +0000

When I’m invited to blog with someone, I like to visit their home on the web and browse around for a bit. What sets their blog apart from others? What makes my host or hostess special?

Visiting Cheryl’s blog made me feel warm, cozy, and welcome. Her historical book covers made me want to click on each one of them to read the stories inside. Even the title of her blog, From the Heart, sends a warm inviting message.

It was easy to come right on in and sit a spell.

Isn’t that what we all want? Someone to invite us in, make us feel welcome, let us know deep down inside that we have worth, that we mean something to them and to those we come in contact with?

Have you ever been somewhere where you felt out of place? Maybe in a group setting where it seems like everyone has paired off in groups chatting, connecting, having fun, but you feel left out, maybe even unwanted?

I don’t know about you, but I have. As a matter of fact, when I was younger, I felt like that most of the time. I was a shy, introverted, gangly teenager. I got tongue-tied around strangers and rarely initiated conversation. I preferred solitude and books.

So, what changed?

First, I owe the nudge to actually come out of my shell to my employer of 28 years. I went from office worker, to payroll clerk, to office manager, to purchasing manager where I was forced to talk to salesmen (Strangers. Eeek!!) on the phone and in person constantly. It was one of the best things that ever happened to me.

My newfound confidence spilled over into my writing life as well.

I started focusing on others instead of myself. At least once or twice at ACFW conference meals I look for a table where I know no one. I started this practice at the RWA conventions years ago. Instead of stressing that I couldn’t find any of my friends among 2000 writers, I found new friends. Okay, at ACFW, it’s getting harder and harder for me to meet a stranger. Just sayin’

In large group settings where people are milling about, I don’t hug the wall, avoiding eye-contact with other people who are avoiding eye-contact with me. I make it a point to mingle. I smile, catch the eye of those standing or sitting alone. I try not to be pushy: if they’re waiting for someone and their friend shows up, I move on, looking for another vict…uh…lonely-looking person.

I’ve been rescuing wallflower writers for close to fifteen years. But, really, if truth be told, who’s rescuing who?

Pam is thrilled to announce the release of her second novel,

Claiming Mariah

To celebrate, Pam is giving away two eReaders

(choice of Kindle Wi-Fi, 6" Display, or Nook Simple Touch)

Two Winners: One on Facebook. Facebook Drawing: Kindle/Nook Giveaway

One through Pam’s Newsletter. Newsletter: Pam’s newsletter.

Registering both places is not required but will double your chances of winning. Also keep in mind that you will receive updates more often being connected on Facebook than through the newsletter. Just sayin’

Contest runs from January 1^st until March 31^st, 2013.

And....that’s not all! There will be prizes offered randomly throughout the tour.

Pam is especially excited about this week’s giveaway:

A horn fountain pen handcrafted by Herbert Johnston

Clinton, MS

PREVIOUS STOP ON TOUR

January 11^th: Blogging with Catherine Terry

http://www.athomewithchristianfiction.com/

NEXT STOP ON TOUR:

January 15th: Blogging with Rose McCauley

http://www.rosemccauley.blogspot.com

Click for a Complete List of Stops Along the Tour

www.pamhillman.com

BIG Change for Pam Crooks!

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Have you read the bestselling motivational book, ‘WHO MOVED MY CHEESE?’? This little blockbuster gives the reader courage to face change by way of a story so simple a child could understand it.

I could certainly relate. As an author who cut her eyeteeth on western romance back in the 90’s, I wrote nothing but that time period, and finally in 2000, I sold my first one. I continued writing western romance until 2010 when my gut--and the market--told me it was time to make a change.

I made a conscious decision to leave the line I was writing for. People thought I was crazy. I had a good career going, I had name recognition and a reputation for writing some decent westerns. Hundreds of writers, maybe thousands, would give their right arm for what I had. Countless writers had tried to get their foot in the door to my powerhouse-publisher and failed. Why would I give it up?

Life got in the way, and I went a couple of years without a new book out. I felt adrift, for sure. I had friends happily announcing new sales. I was stuck at a day job with no book deadlines, no covers to anticipate, nothing to update on my website.

During that time, the ebook revolution was in full swing. I got the rights back to my first four western romances, and I self-published them. Big change there. I never thought I’d read on an e-reader, and here I was, selling books for them. I found myself loving my Kindle more than I ever thought I would.

Fast forward to November, 2012. I had this romantic suspense I’d written, just sitting on a disc on my desk. Contemporary. Nothing like the other books I’d written before. Was I good enough to pull off a story like that? Would readers get hooked by the suspense, the action, the romance?

Evidently, they did. The first two months have brought me more sales than my first four books combined. HER MOTHER’S KILLER was a big change for me, but thankfully, it’s been a good one. I’ve pushed through a new wall, enabling me to continue on to write more romantic suspense if I wanted.

But wait. There was more change in store for me. I wasn’t idle in the time since my last western romance was released. I’d been working on a new series so different, so hugely sweeping that I was compelled to take a pseudonym before I introduced it to the world.

THE SPYGLASS PROJECT, by Frankie Astuto (that’s me!) is Book 1 of the Secret Six series and mostly written from the male point-of-view. It’s not western, and it’s not contemporary, but it’s an historical suspense set in the 1920s. Mafia, Prohibition, Nazis. I threw in an ex-military hero brimming with American patriotism. He’s hurting, and he’s angry, and he wants revenge. Mostly, he just wants the truth. And with a little help from a beautiful Italian woman and the mysterious double-agent who betrayed him . . . well, his story needed to be told.

There you have it. HUGE change for Pam Crooks. Who is now Frankie Astuto. But I’m exhilarated by the change in my career. I’m thrilled someone moved my cheese to a new place far more exciting. It’s going to be a good thing.

By the way, I’m giving away 5 copies of THE SPYGLASS PROJECT at Goodreads. Here’s the handy entry form!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Spyglass Project

by Frankie Astuto

Giveaway ends January 20, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Or get your Kindle version of The Spyglass Project on Amazon. Print coming soon.

www.pamcrooks.com

www.frankieastuto.com

Colorado Courtship in Stores Now!

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 21:43:00 +0000

The great thing about doing anthologies is spending time with the other author or authors. Sometimes there are stories to coordinate, but there's always promotion to do together. I was glad for this opportunity to connect with Debra Ullrick. Hopefully you will catch our other blogs around the blogosphere this month as well as pick up a copy of our anthology.

For something different we thought it would be fun to interview each other. So here you have it.

Debra: When did you decide you wanted to be writer?

Cheryl: I used to read horror, true crime and westerns—primarily those by Louis L’Amour. Through a book club, I discovered gothic mystery-type romance and had my first peek into the possibilities of great storytelling plus a romance. Wow, I was hooked and started reading romances.

Up until then I’d been dabbling at writing, but I‘d never gotten serious. The defining year for me was when my youngest daughter went to first grade. I had been at home raising four children spread out over several years and felt the void of sending the youngest to school all day. Until then I’d been playing at writing, keeping handwritten notebooks and dallying with the stories like a hobby. Then and there I decided I was actually going to do what I’d always dreamed of doing and write an entire book. I started the manuscript in October and finished it during that school year.

I had the time of my life. I had no idea what I was doing, so it had no plot or conflict, but the characters were fun and I enjoyed creating a romance. I even submitted the manuscript to every publisher and agent I could find. Only years later did I understand how embarrassing that was. I did everything you’re not supposed to do. I chose an unmarketable time period, and I even bound my submissions in pretty folders. The story is still in a box where it deserves to be.

The thrill of creating those first stories is a good memory. The job suits me perfectly. I set my own hours; I'm my own boss, and I don't have to get out of my jammies or put on makeup if I don't want to. Romance is what I love to read, and one of the first things we hear in writing classes is "write what you love" or "write what you know" -- well I don't know all that much, but I know what I love.

Debra: Do you have a favorite out of all the books you've written? If so, why?

Cheryl: SAINT OR SINNER and JOE’S WIFE have a couple of my all-time favorite heroes, and SWEET ANNIE and HIS SECONDHAND WIFE are two of my favorite heroines. THE DOCTOR’S WIFE and PRAIRIE WIFE are favorites because of the depth of emotion and healing.

Debra: What do you like to write about most?

Cheryl: Anything with deep emotion. My critique group says I love angst, and I guess I do. I enjoy taking a character out of a familiar setting and placing him somewhere completely foreign. I also like stories of false pretense or masquerade, where a person is pretending to be someone he or she is not. I love to put a character in a place where he or she has to feel strongly and react. I write about underdogs who deserve better, people who get second chances, those who need redemption or forgiveness. Love might make the world go around, but these things keep it on its axis.

Debra: What is one myth you think people have about authors?
Cheryl: That anyone could do it.

Debra: What inspired you to write Winter of Dreams?
Cheryl: I had been wanting to write a story about an undertaker for a while, and when this opportunity for a novella came along, that was the first think that popped into my head. Novellas are great for writing that story that doesn’t have enough plot for a full-length novel. Once I had my undertaker, the rest was easy: Create a heroine with built-in conflict.

Debra: What do you want people to take away from Winter of Dreams?
Cheryl: Just as people come in all shapes and sizes and colors, love happens in many shapes and forms as well. We are faced with situations every day, not romantic situations necessarily, but circumstances in which we can recognize love and share kindness. In my Love Inspired books I hope readers recognize God’s limitless love for us.

Debra: What is your favorite quote?
Cheryl: "I do not sit down to work because I am inspired. I become inspired because I sit down to work." - Oscar Hammerstein

Debra: If you could sit down and talk to any author, even one from the past, who it be and why?
Cheryl: There are two authors I’d like to talk with:

LaVyrle Spencer, because, even though I always wanted to write and dabbled at it here and there, her books inspired me to get serious and go for it. She wrote some of my favorite books of all time. Rye Dalton from Twice Loved remains my ultimate hero.

Stephen King, because, well, he’s Stephen King. I’m in awe of his brilliant ability to create characters and scenarios that engage readers on an astonishing level. I know it seems odd for a romance writer, but before I read romance, I read western and horror, and he was my go-to author. When my kids were young we had a pool, and every summer I read The Stand while lying on the deck. I enjoyed both mini-series versions too. I really like his book On Writing, and I’d love to pick his brain.

Debra: What does your writing cave look like?
Cheryl: Messy. Papers everywhere. Books all over. I’m known far and wide as a collector and my office reflects that particular gene as much as any room in my house. In my office have a curio full of old and new dolls: Barbies, My Scene, Ginnys, Disneys, Madame Alexanders, and any others I can’t resist.

There are framed writing awards on the few visible walls—most of the wall space is taken up by bookcases. The color of the walls is called Strawberry Pot, it’s a soothing and inspiring teal, my favorite color. I have a comfy rocking chair piled with pillows, a TV on an upper shelf, a counter full of office machines like copiers and printers and two computers. My book covers are thumb tacked to the bulletin boards that back my desk area on three walls, along with pics that readers have sent. I have half a dozen oil lamps, a row of Angel Cheeks, framed photographs of the cutest kids ever, a jeweled tiara and paperweights. A vintage globe that belonged to my grandmothers sits atop one of my cabinets. There are many things I love about my space, and one of them is that it’s sound proof. You can actually hear the difference when you come into the room—the effect created by four walls of books.

Debra: When you are not writing what do you do?

Cheryl: Probably not sleeping, LOL My husband and I like to garden together, so many of our weekends are spent creating arbors and gardens and ponds. We love to shop flea markets and browse antique malls. More often than not you could find me selecting paint, then watching him roll it on or arranging a spot in the house just so. I like to make interesting displays of vintage collections and have so many I have to change them out to enjoy them. I’m a movie junkie, so late at night I watch movies (and take plotting notes—it makes me feel like I’m working). December found me watching every Lifetime and Hallmark Christmas movie there was.

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Cheryl: What was your first novel and what do you remember most about it?
Debra: My first novel was The Bride Wore Coveralls. I love the heroine because if I could be like anyone, it would be like her. She's tiny, petite, feminine, yet rugged, she's feisty and spirited, a woman who doesn't let people bully her around. Plus, she's a great mechanic who repairs autos and builds and races mud-boggers as well, if not better, than any man.

Cheryl: Do you have a favorite character you’ve written so far?
Debra: Yes! Selena Farleigh Bowen, the heroine in The Unlikely Wife. I fell in love with this heroine because what you see if what you get. She's not out to change who she is for anyone or to put on a show for anyone. She's real and genuine. Despite her Kentucky hills upbringing and those who think less of her for it, she's content with who she is and where she comes from. She's kind, caring, and yet she doesn't let people walk all over her. She's a woman who can take care of herself, and I admire that. She's also a woman who loves deeply and enjoys the simple little things in life.

Cheryl: What can your readers expect from you in 2013?
Debra: Well, I'm working on a three-book proposal and a contemporary single Christmas heroes novel. Plus, The Unintended Groom, the last in the Bowen series, is coming out in June and, of course, our novella anthology Colorado Courtship is coming out in January.

Cheryl: What is your favorite thing to do during a relaxing evening at home?
Debra: Watch a good movie or TV show with my sweet hubby. Boring, I know, but just being in the room with my husband is a joy to me, no matter what I'm doing.

Cheryl: Do you enjoy hobbies or creative pastimes?
Debra: I used to love to draw western art, using acrylics, charcoal, and pastels, but not anymore. (You can see some of my drawings on my website at www.debraullrick.com I also used to crochet dolls, but I don’t do that anymore either. I do love to go to classic car shows as often as I can. Not sure that's creative or not, but it is to me. hehe Actually, writing has taken over all of those creative pastime activities. Shame on me. Tee hee.

Cheryl: What book is on your desk right now?
Debra: None. If I had one on my desk I wouldn't get anything done. However, I have a ton of them on my headboard, my bookshelves, and my two Kindles.

Cheryl: List your top five favorite movies of all time:
Debra: All of Jane Austen novel movies - every version of them, Wives and Daughters, While You Were Sleeping, You've Got Mail, and Sleepless in Seattle.

Cheryl: What is your favorite quote?
Debra: "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." By Eleanor Roosevelt.

Cheryl: Do you make New Year’s resolutions or set goals in January? If so, will you share one or two?
Debra: Yes, to get better organized, to completely read through another devotional, and to pray more, especially since I have a better understanding of what prayer really is all about - connecting with God.

Cheryl: What is your guilty pleasure?
Debra: Hidden Object and Match 3 computer games. I'm addicted to them and find them very relaxing. I have almost 300 pc games. Talk about guilt.

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Colorado Courtship
Love Inspired Historical
2-in-1 January 1, 2013
ISBN-13: 978-0373829484
ASIN: B009NEEV1I

Winter of Dreams by Cheryl St.John
If Violet Kristofferson had known that her new employer was the town undertaker, she might never have come to Carson Springs as his cook. Yet she needs a fresh start away from scandal. And Ben Charles's unflinching faith could be her path to something truly precious—a new family.

The Rancher's Sweetheart by Debra Ullrick
The cowboys on her uncle's ranch show Sunny Weston no respect—except for foreman Jed Cooper. A riding and roping contest is Sunny's chance to prove herself. But now that she's falling for Jed, will she find courage to take the biggest risk of all, and trust her heart?

Elli and Annie

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 00:08:00 +0000

Here's our new puppy, Annie. She's half King Charles Cavalier and half Llaso Apso. Elli, who just turned three adores her. I have never heard her laugh so much or so hard as she does playing with--and escaping from--this little dog. Annie is puppy mat trained and after only a couple of nights, doesn't wake us up at night.

What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 02:36:00 +0000

Great Christmas Tree Tour: Patty Underhill

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Hello Cheryl!

I hope all is well with you and yours!

I always enjoy your Christmas Tree Tour. It’s so much fun seeing how everyone decorates and it helps “touch up” the Christmas Spirit. Here are a few pics of our tree this year. We have a couple of new ornaments this year.

My hubby bought me the “Bella & Edward” from the Twilight Saga that I’ve been wanting and our oldest picked out the Grinch & Max one. Our youngest is a huge LOTR fan, so, of course, he had to have “Gandalf.” We have some of our favorites hanging around as well.

Best Regards,

Patty XO

Merry, Merry Christmas to you and your lovely family!!

Great Christmas Tree Tour: Virgina Gruver

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 12:30:00 +0000

After 39 years of marriage, I have collected so many ornaments. Some have broken, some have been retired, and each year I still add at least one new one. We have a pickle ornament, my sister-in-law said it was a German tradition and being married to a Gruver I though it appropriate. I always have a birds nest or two sitting on a branch for good luck. So far our cat hasn't noticed them. I have a set of four stocking hats and stockings from a friend at work who has a knitting machine and was so kind to give them as a gift one year. I like the old fashioned looking ornaments. They remind me of my family tree when I was a child. One of my traditions is to put candy canes on the tree for guests to snatch. When the kids were little we opened presents Christmas morning but now that they are adults and Jenny is married and we have to share her with her in-laws, we have started opening presents Christmas Eve around the tree. It is the one day of the year that we actually use our formal living room.

When I look back over my 50 plus years it seems like so much has changed. Christmas used to be a fresh cut tree with few presents. Back then, fresh cut trees were the only kind. What we lacked in presents was more than made up with family. I am the youngest of six siblings. Three of them were married and had kids of their own by the time I was born. My mom and sisters were all great cooks and we feasted on all the sweets we wanted for that one day.

A few years later in the 60's my mom bought one of those aluminum trees with a color wheel. I remember sitting in the living room watching it change from green to blue, to red, to orange, over and over. I was probably 9 or 10. Mom must have been going through a phase. I don't know what she was thinking with that tree. I was so disappointed. It just didn't feel like Christmas. Of course we couldn't tell her we were disappointed because we knew she meant well. Luckily that tree only made it through one Christmas. It was also the year I got go-go boots. I loved them.

The one good thing about the artificial tree is that I figured out why I always suffered with a cold at Christmas. I was allergic to the natural trees. Eventually when I was a teenager, we did buy an artificial tree but it was one that looked more real, at least as realistic as the ones that came out in the late 60's or early 70's could and my Christmas cold disappeared.

My mother passed away when I was 29. Looking back when we were going through her things, I never even thought about her Christmas ornaments. I have no idea where they went. They weren't valuable except for my memories of them. Now I would love to have them for my tree.

Yes, things have changed, the artificial trees do look more natural and you can get them with lights so no more untangling but one thing remains the same. Christmas memories don't come from the gifts under the tree, they come from time spent together with family and friends.

Our tree reflects our life together before, during, and after children over the past 39 years. Our tree is a three dimensional scrap book of memories. Memories shared with family.

Virginia Gruver

Check out my writer's blog - Adventures in Writing at VirginiaGruver.com I update often with author interviews and posts about writing. Follow me as I write a novel and feel free to share your experience.

Great Christmas Tree Tour: Taryn Raye & Drawing

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 13:30:00 +0000

This year marked a sad time for my mom, who lost her sister to brain cancer earlier this year. My aunt fought the good fight though and lived 8 years when the doctors gave her no time at all in 2004. This year though, my mom also had to replace her 30+ year old Christmas tree as well and she hated it, as she felt that this was just one more change she didn't want to deal with. I stayed an extra day after Thanksgiving to help her put up the new tree. It's more slender than the old one and it pieces together differently, and she's still not sure how she feels about it, but we decided "it's not such a bad little tree after all." It just needed some love.

Our tree looks pretty much the same, but this year our daughter, 9, added a new Tinkerbell ornament and our 13 year old added Darth Maul from Star Wars. Hubby decided this year we needed a new tradition- the North Pole Countdown to Christmas ornament from Hallmark. He's truly a big kid at heart, and loves the idea of coming home each day after work and turning that knob to hear what's on the "radio" to count us one day closer to Christmas.

Of course, the rest of my house is decked out in lots of lights, snowmen, Santas, penguins and festive poinsettia decorations. I still have the outside to do, too and it's pretty chilly here in southern Kentucky, so I'm not looking forward to that!
There's lots of festive happenings over on my blog (http://tarynraye.blogspot.com/) going on as well, as we're celebrating Christmas with Catherine and Dawson, the heroine and hero from my debut historical romance, Castaway Hearts, which came out in April of this year.

There are giveaways involved, which started November 26th but which continue through mid-December. Would love it if anyone wanted to stop by.
Here's wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas filled with lots of love and warmth this holiday season! ~Taryn

Castaway Hearts ***********************************************

Twice orphaned, Catherine Barrett arrives in Virginia a stranger to her closest kin and secretly engaged to the one man her family would disapprove of—her seafaring grandfather’s apprentice. Add to her troubles, the rich and intriguing older brother of her secret betrothed, Dawson Randolph, a plantation owner who is as heartless as he is handsome. Heartbroken when her intended sets sail for his maiden voyage, Catherine finds it difficult to adjust to her new life, hoping to befriend the one man who is, undoubtedly, the match her grandparents wish for her. Dawson’s distaste for her secret engagement to his brother makes it clear he has no designs for marriage to anyone. Especially her.

Ten years since the tragic loss of his young wife and infant son, Dawson Randolph is convinced love and marriage is a fool’s game and resents being pardon to his brother’s hidden engagement. Damned by his instant attraction and his own growing desire, Dawson vows to befriend her against his better judgment. Determined to bring her happiness in a time of fear and uncertainty, Dawson puts aside his animosity to become her confidant, only to realize Catherine holds the key to his heart. When tragedy strikes at sea, Catherine’s guilt pushes Dawson to the fringes of her life as madness consumes her.

Can his love save her before she drowns in her own grief? Or is he doomed to love her from a distance, always in the shadow of her love for his dead brother?

AND A DRAWING
Taryn is giving away three ebook versions of Castaway Hearts to three people who leave comments today. Leave your email address in your comment to be entered.

Merry Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 06:53:00 +0000

Great Christmas Tree Tour: Annie Burrows & Drawing

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 12:30:00 +0000

It's been great reading everyone's Christmas traditions on Cheryl's blog, hasn't it! So I thought I'd share mine...

When we first got married, my poorly paid teacher husband used to bring home one of the Christmas trees from his school on the last day of term. Well, it was only going to get thrown away! Yes, even then we were into recycling. Rather than see that tree get sent to landfill, we put it to good use! Bringing the tree home always marked the start of the school vacation, and the real countdown to Christmas Day. I would always string some lights up in the front window, too, to celebrate bringing the tree home, which he and the kids could see as they came up the front drive.

And then disaster struck, in the form of cutbacks. The school only bought one tree. And the school caretaker decided it was one of his perks to take it. So we had to go out and buy one.

So the tradition of bringing home the Christmas tree on the last day of term had to change a bit. Husband still came home with a tree, but this time it involved a detour via a nursery on the way home, and getting out his wallet, rather than a saw (the school tree was always about 12 feet tall, as it stood in the school hall, and we only wanted the top 6 feet!)

For a while, when kids were at university, the tradition of buying the tree to mark the beginning of the vacation altered slightly again. This time, whichever of them broke up first, got to drive out to the nursery to pick a tree with their dad. But they had to wait until both were home until they could decorate it. I always let the kids loose on the tree, even when they were so small they needed a chair to reach most of the branches. I never cared if it didn't look very elegant, I just loved watching them express their love of tinsel. The only proviso was that dad put on the lights first, and made sure they were working. And I put the angel on the top...too high for either child, and they would have fought over the privilege anyway.

This year, a lot of our tree traditions seem to have flown out the window. My daughter works in a job not related to education, so school vacation times mean nothing to her any more. And my son has moved away, and is only coming home a couple of days before Christmas. What to do? If I waited until they were both in town, there wouldn't be any trees left. And if hubby did go out and get a tree, what should we do about decorating it? It would look sad, having a bare tree in our house until Christmas Eve. But could my son bear to let his sister decorate the tree without his supervision?

It is a mark of his maturity that he gave her permission to decorate the tree all by herself this year. And a mark of - well, I'm not sure what - that my husband let me go out and buy a tree instead of going himself. He still put the lights on though. And I put the angel in place.

So this year, Christmas isn't so much about trees, and tinsel and fairy lights, as having all my family gathered together under one roof, for just a few nights of the year. That's where the magic will come from, for me.

Wishing you all a magical Christmas,

Annie.

***********************************************

Rumor has it that the Earl of Deben, the most notorious rake in Londoon and in need of an heir, has set aside his penchant for married mistresses and turned his skilled hand to seducing innocents!

But if Lord Deben expects Henrietta Gibson to respond to the click of his fingers he can think again. For she knows perfectly well why she should avoid gentlemen of his bad repute:

1. One touch of his lips and he'll ruin her for every other man.

2. One glide of his skillful fingers to the neckline of her dress will leave her molten in his arms.

3. And if even one in a thousand rumors is true, it's enough for her to know she can never, ever trust a rake….

Annie is giving away a copy of Never Trust a Rake to one person who leaves a comment today. Leave your email address in your comment to be entered in the drawing.

www.annie-burrows.co.uk

www.facebook.com/AnnieBurrowsUK

Christmas Tree Tour: Eve Savage

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 03:03:00 +0000

This year we are going very simple. The tree is four ft tall and sitting on the dining room table. It has gold ornaments and red bows. My mother is in town for the holidays and we've spent all our time baking and cooking. Grand pastimes!

From my travels all over the world, we've gathered lots of international traditions. We POP Christmas crackers from England. We give away an orange and nuts in the stockings.
Perhaps It's time to travel again to gather some new traditions.....

Merry Christmas!!!
Eve Savage

Great Christmas Tree Tour: Glynna Kaye

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 13:00:00 +0000

The creativity and ingenuity of my friends and fellow writers never ceases to amaze me.
Wait until you see this unique Christmas tree!

"I do a "theme tree" in my home office every year. THIS year's tree features keychains that I've been collecting on my travels--for 20 years--everywhere from California's Disneyland to London to a Diamondbacks game in Phoenix! (Friends are now sending me keychains from THEIR travels, too!) Storing my "ornaments" takes very little space, and keychains make an inexpensive and packable vacation souvenir for a festive, memory-invoking Christmas tree!"

The Love Inspired “Texas Twins” mini-series.

Two sets of twins, torn apart by family secrets, find their way home.

#1 Her Surprise Sister – Marty Perry (July 2012)
#2 Mirror Image Bride – Barbara McMahon (August 2012)
#3 Carbon Copy Cowboy – Arlene James (September 2012)
#4 Look-Alike Lawman – Glynna Kaye (October 2012)
#5 The Soldier’s Newfound Family – Kathryn Springer (November 2012)
#6 Reunited for the Holidays - Jillian Hart (December 2012)

Book #4 of the “Texas Twins” series.

A Little Boy’s Hero. When big-city cop Grayson Wallace visits an elementary school for career day, he finds his heartstrings unexpectedly tugged by a six-year-old fatherless boy. Gray offers to mentor the child, but widowed mother Elise Lopez wants nothing to do with men in uniform. Now he can’t get the struggling Lopezes off his mind. All he can think about is what family means—especially after discovering the identical twin brother he hadn’t known he had in Grasslands. Maybe a trip to ranch country is just what he, Elise and little Cory need.

ISBN: 978-0-373-87770-6

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Great Christmas Tree Tour: Charlene Raddon & Drawing

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl St.John) — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Cherished Christmas Memories

My best Christmas memories and traditions are snugged up tightly to my childhood. We always set up our tree—a Douglas pine, never anything else—on my birthday, nine days before Christmas. The older we kids became, the larger the tree became. The night before, my sister and I were sent to bed early and not allowed out of our bedroom the next morning until we were called. This gave our parents time to put out gifts and set things up, and sleep in a tiny bit on the big day. Under the tree we would find one large gift each, a tricycle, a doll, a bike, a radio, whatever suited our age, along with an item of clothing, a box or basket full of small items like sewing notions or crayons and coloring books, maybe jacks, marbles, or playing cards.

And then there was the buffet. Oh, how I miss that. Santa literally covered the top of our buffet in the dining room with goodies: cookies, all sorts of candy, tangerines, oranges, nuts, dates, gum. An edible treasure trove. I always meant to carry on that tradition for my children. Unfortunately, little ones never came, but I did spoil my sister’s kids and for the past twenty years Christmas has been about my step-daughter and her family; my grandson who’ll be 21 in March, and my granddaughter, 15 (oh, my gosh, how can that be?) next month. They’re too old to be much fun to shop for—no toys or games. Mostly they just want money. That really limits the fun of Christmas shopping, yet I try to find something fun to wrap the money around.

My sister and I loved to shop together. The day after Christmas we’d go out and raid the sales on tree ornaments. I have boxes and boxes, big boxes, of ornaments, but room only for one tree. On the branches I always hang a glass bird, for luck, you know. There are crocheted ornaments—snowflakes and balls, needlepointed ornaments, and—my pride and joy—two that were carved by my sister. I also have stars made out of ribbon, folded Origami style which I made. One of my favorite ornaments is a carousel that lights up, turns round and round and plays Jingle Bells. It belonged to my sister.

Christmas is and forever will be about family, and I’m blessed to have wonderful memories to bring out and savor each December as my husband and I sit in front of a fire watching the lights on our tree blink and reflect off the ornaments. I really miss the times shared with my parents and sister at Christmas, but I cherish the memories I have of those times and the times I’ve had with those I love.

Reflecting as we sit by the fire is when we think about Jesus and pay homage to his birth.

May each and every one of you have a beautiful Holiday season with family, decorated trees, crackling fires in a fireplace, eggnog, goodies to eat, and plenty of books to read.

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Charlene is holding a drawing for a $10. amazon gift card today. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN YOUR COMMENT TO BE ENTERED.