Dear Readers, here’s a Christmas story written by a dear
friend and one of my favorite authors.
Welcome back, Susan. God has really been moving in your
writing life. What do you see on the horizon?
I’m currently working on
a new series for Guideposts, the Tearoom Mysteries. I’m writing the first book,
and other writers will join me in writing more books in the collection. I also
have several more historical novels brewing.
Tell us a little about your family.
I just got the good news
of my tenth grandchild’s birth. My husband Jim and I have six adult children.
We moved from my native Maine to western Kentucky about five years
ago, and we’re now closer to all of them than we were before. Jim is a retired
news editor, and he reads all my fiction before it goes out.
Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?
I realized a few months
ago that I was reading less for pleasure than I used to. I was spending more
time at the computer, writing and marketing, and most of the books I read were
for research. So I ordered a couple of “fun” books. I loved Van Reid’s Fiddler’s Green, and also a suspense
book. I’m now reading a mystery set in Maine .
What are you working on right now?
Today I’m beginning a
new western novella. It will be a romantic adventure in the Southwest.
What outside interests do you have?
I enjoy family history,
cross stitch, logic puzzles, animals, and cryptography. Right now I’m trying to
plan a way to get over to my son’s in S.C. to see my newest grandchild.
How do you choose your settings for each book?
Sometimes they are
chosen for me, but usually I get to pick. I like to write about places I know
or have at least been to, as I can picture it better. I like to be sure I have
the flora and fauna right, and can help the reader feel the genuine atmosphere.
I’ve lived in Maine , North
Carolina , New York state, Kentucky , and Oregon ,
and I’ve visited a lot of other places. I’m mulling whether or not I’m ready to
write a book set in Kentucky .
If you could spend an evening with one historical person,
who would it be and why?
Joshua Chamberlain. He
was such a hero. A professor, a general in the Civil War (he served in 20
battles and had six horses shot from under him), governor of Maine for four terms, and he wore many other
hats as well.
What is the one thing you wish you had known before you
started writing novels?
There’s not one huge
thing that I wish I’d known. I wasn’t ready to know a lot of things then. You
have to learn them as you go along in the author’s journey. I suppose it would
have been very encouraging to know I would be published. But if we knew things
like that beforehand, would we work so hard for the result?
What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?
One thing is that I may
never know the answers to some questions, but that is all right.
What are the three best things you can tell other authors to
do to be successful?
Study the craft. Read
widely. Do get a professional edit.
Tell us about the featured book.
The Reliable Cowboy is a novella, third in
the Christmas Mail-Order Angels series. Isabella Johnston lost her husband to
the sea, and she wants to get as far from the coast as she can. When she leaves
Maine to marry a cowboy in Wyoming Territory ,
she reasons that Edwin Gray will be safe on the ranch. But every time he is
late for an engagement, she finds herself worrying. What could be horrible
enough to make him late for their wedding?
Sounds interesting. Please give us the first page of the
book.
June, 1877
“Maggie! Where are you?”
“Out here.”
Isabella Johnston
followed her friend’s voice around to the back of the small house the Crain
family rented. Maggie struggled with a wet linen sheet, draping it over the
clothesline behind the cottage. A sharp wind blew in off the bay. Summer was on
its way, but it never put down roots in Merville.
“Let me help you. Your
hands must be freezing.” Isabella dropped her handbag on the back step and
hurried to Maggie’s side.
“No sense two of us
getting our hands chilled. Go in and fill the teapot. I’ll be along soon.”
“Hush!” Isabella grabbed
a wet shirt from the wicker basket and pinned it tails up to the line. “Your
men certainly make a lot of wash.”
Maggie smiled at her
putting a husband and boys, aged five and seven, in a pigeon hole marked, her men. “That’s right, they do. I
suppose you’re here to tell me all about the Ladies’ Aid meeting I missed.”
“Oh, Maggie, you won’t
believe it.” Isabella had started to shake out a linen pillowcase, but she
stopped and stared at her friend in dismay. “I may have done the most foolish
thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
Maggie paused with a
clothes peg in midair. “What on earth did you do?”
Isabella gulped. “Becky
Patterson read a letter asking for women to go to Wyoming for brides, and I—I told her I was
interested.”
“What?” Maggie stared at
her. “Brides? For men?”
“Of course for men. They
have a mining town, it seems, where there aren’t many decent women. But there are
some decent men, and they want wives.”
“Where did you say this
is?”
“Wyoming .”
For a long moment,
silence hung between them as the two young women gazed at each other
over the clothesline.
At last, Maggie said,
“I’m not even sure where that is.”
How can readers find you on the Internet?
My website: www.susanpagedavis.com
Twitter: @SusanPageDavis
My newsletter: https://madmimi.com/signups/118177/join
And on the 23rd of every
month, I blog at: www.hhhistory.com
Thank you, Susan. This book will interest my readers as well as me.
Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
The Reliable Cowboy (Christmas Mail-Order Angels Book 3)
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of theE 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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, 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
25 comments:
Good morning, Lena, and all your readers! It's a beautiful day in western Kentucky today. I hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend. I'm at my desk working on the next book, and I'm happy to answer any questions.
I do love mail-order bride stories. Sounds fabulous.
Mary P
QLD AUSTRALIA
I love Mail-Order Bride stories and stories set during Christmas. This book would be perfect for me. Thank you for the chance to win a copy.
Smiles & Blessings,
Cindy W.
from Indiana.
Thank you, Mary and Cindy! I love mail-order bride stories, too! I think the first one I ever wrote was Mrs. Mayberry Meets Her Match, in the Christmas Mail-Order Brides collection. Then I did a longer book about one in The Outlaw Takes a Bride, so this is number three for me.They're lots of fun!
Finding all kinds of new author for me. May not be new to others. kamundsen44(at)yahoo(dot)com. North Platte Nebraska.
Great first pag1 I love mail-order bride stories!
Beth in Montana
Thanks, Beth and Kim! Glad you stopped by.
I am looking forward to reading "THE RELIABLE COWBOY - Susan Page Davis. Thank you for the opportunity to win.PA.
This book sounds entertaining.
Edward A in VA
Thank you, Emma and Edward. Interesting that we haven't had any repeat locations yet! And nobody yet from Lena's state (Texas) or mine (Kentucky). Well, the day is young.
I really enjoy reading mail order bride books. Can't wait to read this one. I really enjoyed the interview.
Brenda A. in VA. happygramma[of]3[at]Comcast.net
Enjoy Cowboy fiction! Enjoy reading Susan Paige Davis! sm CA wileygreen1(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thanks, Brenda! You too, Sharon. Love those cowboy heroes.
Mail-order bride stories are fun.
-Melissa M. in TN
Dee in NE, I'd love to read this one!
I'm not sure what it is that makes us love mail-order bride stories. Maybe it's the mystery and uncertainty of it all, coupled with the never-ending hope that true love will ensue. At least when I write this type of story, I can make sure that happens!
I, too, love the mail order bride stories. Something about dropping everything you've known and heading to not only an unknown place but an unknown HUSBAND is over-the-top scary to me. Don't you wonder sometimes how many of these women ended up in truly terrible situations because of their willingness to answer an ad? They never do in the books, which I like, but still, I wonder....
Pam in Ohio
Yes, Pam, I do wonder that. I mean, what are the odds that he's wonderful?
Oklahoma!! Where if you don't like the weather wait a minute and it will change!
Hey, Karen, I hear you! We used to say that in Maine, too, but this year, I think a lot of people are saying it. It's sunny and 87 today here in Kentucky.
Susan, I hope you do decide to use Kentucky as a setting. Thanks for this peek at your new book.
Connie from KY
cps1950 at gmail dot com
Thanks for the encouragement, Connie! I am letting it percolate.
I know I would never have had the courage to be a mail order bride but they sure are fun to read about. Look forward to reading this!
Beth from IA
It seems a woman would have to be either extremely optimistic or desperate, doesn't it? I probably wouldn't either!
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