Today's interview is a little different. My writing friend Rebecca DeMarino's father wrote western novel. He's a Christian man who wrote a book for the general western market. She contacted me about him and his novel, and I gladly agreed to feature him and his book. He learned to write novels by reading Louis L'Amour and Zane Grey. I grew up reading those books. Rebecca wrote the answers, then read the interview to her dad, and he approved it.
Welcome, Rebecca and
Howard. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.
Dad would tell you there is nothing of himself in his
characters, but it’s easy to see from a reader who knows him well that his
ethics and morals are firmly ingrained in Boone!
What is the quirkiest
thing you have ever done?
Quirky is not a word I associate with my dad at all, but I
do remember that as a pilot for the Navy, on a flight from San Diego to Oak
Harbor, WA, he looked down over Corvallis, Oregon, and said that’s where I want
to retire. He bought 20 acres there sight unseen and when he retired from the
Navy eleven years later, that’s where we lived!
When did you first
discover that you were a writer?
Dad has always been an avid reader, but his inclination to
write came at age 86. I’ve always thought he decided to write a novel because I
was writing a novel!
Tell us the range of
the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
While he’s enjoyed reading biographies and other nonfiction
works, his choice in fiction is anything by Louis L’Amour and Zane Grey.
How do you keep your
sanity in our run, run, run world?
I can tell you he keeps his sanity by turning off the TV and
allowing others to do some of the running!
How do you choose
your characters’ names?
I’m not sure where he came up with the name Boone, but his
heroine was named after a little girl we met when we stayed at the Highland
Springs Resort.
What is the
accomplishment that you are most proud of?
He’s done many things in his life as a pilot, a rancher and
cowboy, and I’m sure finishing his book at age 89 would be high on the list.
But his 59 years and 9 months married to my mom before she passed away trumps
everything else.
If you were an animal,
which one would you be, and why?
Why, a horse of
course!
What is your favorite
food?
Smoked oysters.
What is the problem
with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?
This is a tough one – I know he loved every aspect of
research and syntax has never been a problem of his. I do know that when he
told me he was going to write a western romance, I gave him a couple of writing
books to get him started. He read them, told me they were confusing and he
thought he’d just write and see how it turned out. He’s a natural! He also
underwent open-heart surgery, and two days later had a stroke before his novel
was finished. Talk about a roadblock!
Tell us about the
featured book.
Don’t let the title, THE
STAGECOACH MURDERS, fool you. This is western romance at its best. His
heroine, the beautiful Lily MacIntyre, travels west with her parents. When the
stage leaves Arizona
City
Please give us the
first page of the book.
CHAPTER ONE
Boone
Osborne leaned against the porch post in front of the Arizona
City stage station and watched as two
men loaded trunks atop the Concord
stage. He fingered his gun belt, slung low and tied down. A Henry rifle leaned
against the wall behind him. His bedroll lay on the floor.
He
recognized the driver trudging from the stage office, Cliff Hadley. A man of
medium height and dressed in a black broadcloth suit with a white shirt and
string tie followed. His auburn hair curled around his ears beneath a grey
beaver hat.
“Howdy,
Cliff.” Osborne nodded to Hadley.
“Oh,
how do, Boone. Didn’t see you there. This here gentleman is Mister Brendan
MacIntyre. He has been hired to boss the Wilkinson-Hall Stage Line.”
Osborne
acknowledged the introduction and offered his hand before he turned back to the
driver. “Cliff, I need to get back to Highland Springs. I missed the regular
stage this morning. The agent here said you were on a special run. He thought
you might have a seat for me.”
“I
expect there’s room inside. There shore ain’t no room on top with them trunks
and all. Here’s the thing. Phineas Banning sent me down here special to bring
Mister MacIntyre, his family and his belongings back to Los Angeles , pronto. My orders were, for
shore, don’t haul any other passengers. It pains me to think of going against
my orders.”
“Mister
Hadley, I will take the responsibility of countermanding your orders,” said MacIntyre.
“My family and I will be pleased to have this young man accompany us.”
Sounds intriguing.
Can’t wait to get my copy. How can readers find you on the Internet?
Dad doesn’t have a website or do the social media thing, but
you can read more about him on my Dad&Me blog at www.rebeccademarino.com.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
The Stagecoach Murders
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