About the Author:
A J Hawke is a native Texan who has a passion
for exploring the American West and creating stories with Christian based
romantic themes. CABIN ON PINTO CREEK is her first Inspirational Western
Historical Romance; A J is also the author of the Inspirational Contemporary
Romance CAUGHT BETWEEN TWO WORLDS. Soon to be released is her second
Inspirational Western Historical Romance, MOUNTAIN JOURNEY HOME.
Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.
I’m sure that there is some of me in my characters as to
beliefs, interest, and preferences. For example, I would never write a hero character
who likes to eat onions raw. Ewwww. Just not my taste. Although if I really
didn’t like the character and they were a villain I might make them suffer eating
raw onions.
On the other hand, I want my heroes to be what I envision
the moral character to be of a really good person. So I do write into my
characters my sense of right and wrong.
Now about all those really cute heroines. I probably
describe them with the looks and abilities that I always wanted growing up.
Long gorgeous hair, perfect figures. Well, they are my characters and I can
make them appear any way I want. That’s part of the fun of writing fiction.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?
Oh, this is a hard one. I’m such a sweet, simple, normal
person. Really. Quirky is just not my thing. Last year I did make a Pinto Bean
Pie and served it to my Ladies Bible study group. They thought that was pretty
odd. The recipe is on my blog if you want to shake up your friends and family
with an unusual dessert for Christmas.
When did you first discover that you were a writer?
I’ve always sort of known it. When I was a kid I was forever
writing stories in my mind and even had a file of story ideas from the time I
was about fourteen. But I got serious about writing one hot July afternoon in
2008. I had just read a bland, silly romance and thought, “I could write this.”
So to relieve the boredom and to avoid doing anything useful I started writing
a novel.
It probably would have been better to have read some books
on how to write first as I had no clue that there were rules for writing
fiction. POV, show vs. tell, commas in the right place? Who knew it was so
complicated? I just wanted to tell a great story.
I found I really enjoyed the writing and continued. It was a
bit of a surprise when people started to tell me they enjoyed my stories.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
I read fiction, history, self-help, and Biblical textbooks
and commentaries. Western historical romances are my relaxation fav, although I
will read other historical fiction as well as contemporary. I don’t particularly
enjoy murder, suspense or scary stories. Stephen King and I are not buddies,
although his book ON WRITING is excellent. It is the only one of his books I
have read. I just read his back cover descriptions and get scared.
And I only want happy endings so if the hero and heroine
don’t have a happily ever after I just don’t want to start the book.
I read a lot, as I read very fast. I do try to limit myself
to three hundred books a year. But this year I have gone over that. Me and my
public library are great friends. They all know me by my first name. They will
even renew my books without my asking, so sweet. Amazon/Kindle and free books
are great when you read as many as I do.
An unlimited budget to purchase books would be my dream.
With Christmas coming up, Amazon Gift Cards are welcome.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?
Balance, balance, balance. That is the only way to survive.
Keeping appointments with myself helps. If I will honor a
time I have set aside for an appointment with others, I need to give myself the
same respect.
How do you choose your characters’ names?
If I am writing a historical novel, I go to the US Census
records of that time and see what was popular. People in the 19th
century did not use some of the popular names of today. You don’t find Chase or
Brianna much in old records. I have also looked at the names of songwriters and
authors from the period. Edgar, as in Edgar Allen Poe was a common name, as were
Thomas, George, and John. They did use names like Beulah, Elmer, and Eunice
more than is found in today’s literature. Of course, Biblical names are always
good.
I try to give my heroes strong manly name, one that fit the
character. When naming a couple, I want the two names to go together well, such
as Elisha and Susanna from CABIN ON PINTO CREEK.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?
Being a faithful Christian in our secular world. It is not
always easy but ever fulfilling. I’m proud of the friends and family
relationships that I have maintained over the years. I’m not sure if it is more
of an accomplishment that I still like them or that they still like me. The
latter I suspect.
What is your favorite food?
Ohhh, this is hard. I love to eat. A good roast and potato
meal with all the trimmings is a favorite for Sunday lunch. Now a great snack
is any kind of ice cream ... well, except for Mocha. I want my coffee liquid
and in a cup. Lemon Meringue pie is good, and then there is fresh baked bread
still hot from the oven with butter and homemade strawberry jam. I’ll answer
the rest of the questions later, I’m heading for the kitchen.
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest
roadblock, and how did you overcome it?
All of the pesky rules, and who is saying that I have
overcome them?
Take putting the action in the correct order. For example,
he sat at the table as he came through the door. Wouldn’t he come through the
door before he sat at the table? Who notices such things? Well, I do, come to
think of it. I have seen some odd sentences in books I’ve read.
The correct word choice is another challenge. I once stacked
some horses out on a field when I meant to stake them out. Minor detail but one
of my beta readers seemed to think it was a big deal.
Tell us about CABIN ON PINTO CREEK, the first of the Cedar
Ridge Chronicles?
Elisha Evans is out of luck. By the age of twenty-five, he’d
planned to have his own ranch. Instead, he is forced to beg for a job,
destroying his dreams of having a family he can provide for and protect.
Betrayal and loss brings him to a cabin on Pinto Creek in the high Colorado
Rockies. Just before winter hits, he finds a broken-down wagon in the snow with
precious cargo inside. Perhaps, his luck is about to change.
Susana Jamison doesn’t feel so lucky. Despite being rescued by Elisha, she is challenged to the limit of her strength, both physically and spiritually, when faced with the brutal conditions of frontier living and the dangers she encounters. Can she hold on to her faith in the midst of this desperate situation, especially when she’s forced to marry a man she’s doesn’t love?
An inspirational historical western romance, CABIN ON PINTO CREEK is the first in the Cedar Ridge Chronicles.
Susana Jamison doesn’t feel so lucky. Despite being rescued by Elisha, she is challenged to the limit of her strength, both physically and spiritually, when faced with the brutal conditions of frontier living and the dangers she encounters. Can she hold on to her faith in the midst of this desperate situation, especially when she’s forced to marry a man she’s doesn’t love?
An inspirational historical western romance, CABIN ON PINTO CREEK is the first in the Cedar Ridge Chronicles.
Please give us the first page of the book.
Chapter
One
Elisha Evans gripped his mid section as the pain of hunger
ripped through his core. Giving his horse his head, he searched along the trail
through the forest for signs of small game. Three days without anything to eat
except some pine nuts left him trembling with weakness. Where was that ranch?
Back down the trail, he had been told of it. The Weathers’ ranch couldn’t be
many more miles ahead. At least his horse had found plenty to eat along the
trail as the spring grass showed itself at the melting of the snow.
A sound from the forest caused him to turn where he saw a
cow with a young calf through the trees. Quickly he drew his rifle from his
scabbard and put it to his shoulder. Sighing he lowered the rifle. The cow wore
a brand. Not yet, he wouldn’t kill another man’s beef. Not yet. Gathering the
reins Elisha encouraged Jasper on up the trail, toward the peak of the ridge.
Cresting the height, he saw it.
Elisha Evans slumped in his saddle as he looked down the
slope at the ranch house ahead. Jasper, his bay gelding, stood head down, not
even bothering to nibble on the grass. Days of riding had extracted a heavy
toll on the horse. Elisha fared even worse.
About to meet folks he needed to impress if he hoped to get
a job, Elisha glanced down at his faded overshirt, once blue but now a slate
gray with frayed edges along the collar and cuffs. More hope than thread held
his clothes together. His boots, scuffed and worn down, showed more wear than
his old saddle and saddlebags. He sighed and rubbed his lower back as he sat
straight in the saddle.
Taking off his hat, Elisha wiped his face with his bandana.
The beauty of this northern part of Colorado
Territory was something
to behold. Beyond the nearby hills, a distant range of snow-capped mountains
stood like sentinels. Compared to where he had come from, he’d have no problem
getting used to this.
A slow ten-day ride to the south, Elisha had spent a long,
cold winter on a ranch spread out across dry scrubland. With the first signs of
spring, Elisha drew his pay—what little there was of it after paying for the
bay gelding—and rode out.
He patted Jasper’s neck. “Just a way more and you can rest.
Sure hope they welcome strangers. Here I am, twenty-five my birthday this
month, and I’m looking out over another man’s ranch looking for work.”
Gathering the reins, Elisha sighed and gently kicked the horse in the flanks.
“Might as well face it, Jasper, you didn’t pick no winner.”
Elisha desperately wanted a job on this ranch, as he had
nowhere else to go. He picked this place partly because he was broke and partly
because of the land’s beauty. Right now, hope was all he had.
He nudged Jasper forward, down the trail toward the main
ranch buildings. A large log ranch house with a covered porch running the
length of the structure’s front sat off to the right. Curls of smoke rose from
two chimneys. To the left a bunkhouse had several smaller buildings scattered
around it. Behind the main house, a log corral held several horses with a big
barn that boasted its prominence. Elisha feasted his eyes on a solid and
prosperous ranch. He longed to have a spread like this someday, but he had no
more to show for the last ten years than when he left the home place at fifteen
years old.
His stomach grumbled. He drew a deep breath, savoring the
aroma that hung in the air. Roast beef. He hoped they’d offer a meal and bed
for the night as was the custom. He rode easy as Jasper ambled into the yard
between the bunkhouse and the ranch house.
A lanky man of medium height approached with a big grin.
“Howdy. Welcome to the J Bar C. I’m Fred Lewis, the foreman here.” The man took
off his hat and ran his fingers through hair as red as a fiery sunset. “Of
course, most of the boys call me Red.”
Elisha dismounted then offered his hand. “Elisha Evans. Any
chance I could impose for a meal and rest over the night?”
“Sure. We’re always glad to have folks come by. Put your
horse in the corral, find a spot in the bunkhouse, and wash up for supper.” Red
turned toward three ranch hands, slumped down on a bench with their hats shoved
back. “Hey, Josh, come show Elisha where to put his stuff.”
A lean, sandy-haired cowhand got up from the bench and
ambled over. “In case you couldn’t figure it out, I’m the youngest rider here.
Of course, I do more work than the rest of these drovers.” A wide grin spread
across his boyish face. “Come with me.” He led him to the corral where he
watched Elisha unsaddle the horse.
Elisha turned his horse loose in the corral. A pipe coming
down the slope behind the corral fed into the watering trough. Elisha nodded.
Yes, he was definitely going to have a spread like this someday and he’d do
anything he could to get one. He wasn’t about to spend the rest of his life as
a busted-up cowhand.
He picked up his saddlebags and pack. “So, you get to greet
and help the visitors.”
“Here, I got your saddle.” Josh tossed it onto his shoulder
as if it were a five-pound sack of Arbuckle coffee.
“Thanks, partner.” He’d been on the trail since daylight.
The pain in Elisha’s back was near intolerable and his knee felt near to giving
way on him. But knowing the other cowhands watched, he tried to walk alongside
Josh without limping. After dropping his things next to an empty bunk, Josh
showed him where to clean up for supper.
Elisha washed the dust from his face and neck. He tried to
comb his hair with his fingers, but it refused to lie flat and his dark curls
still hung across his forehead, strayed over his ears and down his neck.
Josh sat on a nearby bench. “Mr. Weathers might be hiring
more riders for the summer, if you’re interested.”
Elisha was definitely interested. “Who does the hiring, Mr.
Weathers or Red?”
“Oh, Mr. Weathers does all his own hiring. He’s a real
hands-on boss with everything but branding. He leaves that to us.” Josh’s grin
spread across an open face.
How can readers find you on the Internet?
And it's my great pleasure and blessing to have you, A J.
Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
Cabin On Pinto Creek
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com
31 comments:
Ohhh, this is sooo my kind of story!
I live in FL
wfnren at aol dot com
wrensthoughts.blogspot.com
Hi AJ! Hello everyone! I have read Cabin on Pinto Creek!! Very good! I would love an extra to give to a friend so please sign me up!
Salena
Texas
This sounds good! Enjoy reading books from the late 1800's. The challenges that those people went through during that time period.
Blessings,
Jo
ladi40(at)aol(dot)com
Action in the correct order is always a good idea. The cover for CABIN ON PINTO CREEK is just beautiful. I am looking forward to reading this.
Mary P
QLD AUSTRALIA
Such a great interview! I love roast, potatoes and all the trimmings too! I'm thrilled to read how commited to Christ you are. It is hard being a Christian in a fallen world, but oh the rewards we have waiting for us!
Cabin On Pinto Creek sounds like a great read. I'd love to win a copy of it!
Blessings and Merry Christmas!
Judy B from IN
Pinto bean pie is quirky for sure :-) Sounds like a book I'd enjoy
cheryl in IL
msboatgal at aol.com
Love the excerpt! It sounds like a great story.
I'm going to your web site now to get the recipe for the Pinto Bean Pie. With a name like that, it has to be interesting!
Thanks for the giveaway!
I'm from NC.
rrgreene62(at)gmail.com
Hi wfnren, I always like to hear that someone likes this type of story. I have three books coming out in 2012 that are part of the Chronicles of Cedar Ridge series. Each story stands alone but has characters introduced in CABIN ON PINTO CREEK. Those who have asked me for more of Elisha and Susana will learn what happens in their lives.
Hi Salena, Good to see you here. Love your blog.
Hi Jo, you touched upon the very thing that drew me to this time and place. The challenges that those people faced and overcame were amazing.
Hi Marybelle, I looked at hundreds of photos and nothing looked right. Then I saw the photo I used on the cover of CABIN ON PINTO CREEK and knew it was perfect.
Welcome, Judy, Yes, living in this world is daunting but I take comfort that our God has made us capable. It is all to His Glory.
Cheryl and Rebecca, If you bake a pinto bean pie let me know how it turns out and the reactions of your family :>)
I love the intriguing 1st page AJ...can't wait to read more:-)
Lorna from Alberta
lornafaith at gmail dot com
My husband and I love western fiction, and he is a lifelong Louis Lamour fan. I was disappointed when the chapter ended - a good sign! I'm anxious to know what happens next.
Lorna, Welcome to you as you come from Alberta. I have only been there one time but I want to go back someday.
Hi SallyB, I grew up reading Zane Grey and Louis L'Amour. My brother and brother-in-law both gave me positive feedback after reading CABIN ON PINTO CREEK. They are also fans of Louis L'Amour. I'm sure their good response was because it is a great novel, not because I'm the little sister :>)
Love to be entered thanks
live in ND
ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com
Sounds really interesting! Thank you for the chance to win it - would be very excited to read a historical romance, as I do enjoy and learn from them! Blessed Christmas! I live in Arizona
A J, I cannot wait to read your book, "Cabin on Pinto Creek"! I think I'm getting a Kindle for Christmas and your book will be my first purchase! You are a truly an inspiration to so many Christian women! Thanks for using your talents to bless others!
Kim B. From Texas
Thanks AJ and Lena for another great giveaway. Would love to win!
mitzi[underscore]wanham[at]yahoo[dot]com
from Arizona
I sent this book to my cousin for Christmas, I had enjoyed it so much. I can't wait to see how she likes it. So glad to see this interview here.
Hi Appleblossom, glad to see you here. Love your handle, makes me think of spring.
Hi Mamma Cat, I'm looking around for kittens. Don't want to step on one. Western historical have always been my fav.
Hey Kim, Know you will enjoy your Kindle (unless Katie gets ahold of it :>)). Let me know what you think of CABIN ON PINTO CREEK. When my nephew-in-law read it his comment was, "It's like a real book!" I'm still wondering exactly what he was trying to tell me.
Marianne, welcome, hope you get your Christmas wishes.
Hey, Teresa7, I look forward to hearing what your cousin thinks of the book.
Sounds interesting. Please enter me in the drawing.
Merry Christmas!
Abigail
Blanch, N.C.
Sounds like a great book, would love to win it....Lucky Lady/Ohio
please enter me in the drawing for
your book. God Bless You!
Dennie Richmond
Blanch, NC
Sounds great. Thanks so much for such a powerful and insightful work.
Blessings from Missouri, and have a wonderful holiday break!
lisaxia2014@u.northwestern.edu.
Lovely interview and excerpt.
Faye
SD
Sounds good! Reading about the developement of the AMerican West is always interesting.
Patty in SC
It's so great to see you here, AJ! Excited about your upcoming publications! Congrats!
Hugs,
Sandi
Enter me I would love to win a copy of this book it sounds like a great story! Thanks and God bless.
Sharon Richmond
Blanch, NC.
Sounds like a wonderful book. But the thing I'm taking away from your interview is to honor time with yourself. Great advice!
coolestmommy2000 at gmail dot com
NE
This sounds like a wonderful story. Love the colorful cover of the book!
Beth from Iowa
Historical, western, and romance in one book? Sounds good! Please enter me in this giveaway!
I live in New York
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