NEW RELEASE! MISTRESS ANGEL BY LINDSAY TOWNSEND!

Prairie Rose Publications announces a brand new release today from Lindsay Townsend! This is a wonderful medieval novella, available on Kindle for only $1.99

Once a child-bride, married with the intent to stop a blood-feud between rich and ambitious families in fourteenth century London, Isabella is now a young widow, a medieval Cinderella, tormented and blamed.

Seeking always to escape her grim destiny, she can do nothing but endure. But when her beloved son, Matthew, is torn away from her care, spirited somewhere into the country by her malicious in-laws, Isabella stoic endurance turns to desperation. To save her son she will do anything, risk anything—even if it means she must lose the love of her life, the handsome, brave armorer Stephen Fletcher.

But Stephen is determined to help her. Though he’d thought to never love again, he has no choice when his Mistress Angel enters his life—and changes their destinies forever.

Snap up this wonderful medieval tale, and look for the accompanying story, AMICE AND THE MERCENARY, coming in February!

Here's an excerpt from MISTRESS ANGEL:

Somewhere, please all the saints, somewhere in that glittering retinue was surely Stephen Fletcher.

Please, Holy Mother, let him be here with his prince and lord, please, for the sake of my son.

She swung round in her cage, clasping one of the gilded wooden bars for support, giving Amice a quick smile to show she was safe and tipping another golden hailstorm of posies over the closing nobility. Pretending an imperiousness she was far from feeling, she lowered her head slowly, as if the retinues clustered in the street beneath her were as insignificant as bugs.

He's here! At once her breathing quickened as her body jolted. The gilded cage shook around her, as if caught in a sudden storm.

“He is here?” Forgetting her fear of heights, Amice leaned right out of the window. Isabella caught her back.

“Stephen is the tall, well-made man on the gray horse, just behind that fat knight of the garter,” she said, the admission huge in her mouth as if she was chewing on pebbles.

“Saffron and pepper, he is handsome! A man to dream of when he is not busy in your bed.”

“Amice!”

“Hush, Isabella, I speak my mind. Yes, your man is very fine, shapely and fine. Does he smell of mint? I wager he does. Not very colorful in his dress, though you can ginger him up, and my, his horse is old…”

Isabella did not hear the rest of her friend's pithy remarks. Looking down she was lost, her mind a whirlpool of thoughts and impressions as the rest of the street vanished to her. She had forgotten how magnetic his eyes were, with their soft tones of green and hard notes of gray, and how aquiline his nose. He was watching her, indulgence sparkling in his tanned, craggy face and tugging at the corners of his singer's mouth, as if he knew very well what she was about and did not care. Even in the earliest days of her marriage Richard had never stared at her like this, as if he kissed her with his eyes.

He had caught one of her flowers, she realized as he held it aloft, showing it to her before tucking it away into one of his big, black, serviceable leather gloves.

“Fine as my best black pepper,” Amice was concluding, while Isabella struggled to hold onto herself, not abandon her sense utterly. Remember Sir William's threats and the danger to Matthew. She lifted her hand away from the edge of the cage and waved to the tall, strong figure below. Stephen is surely my lord, my kind and noble lord, and I am forced to beguile him. Shame engulfed her in a scalding tide.

I must do this, for Matthew.

Not in so extreme a way, her mind scolded, but it was as if her body no longer obeyed her reason. Stephen's smile was a welcome and in truth what time had she? In another moment he would be gone, passed, and her family would blame her. If she did not do this now they might never allow her to see her son.

It was the work of a single step and then done. As she forced her stiffened limbs to stir, Isabella glimpsed the rich tapestries, captured in France and hung from the first floors as trophies. She saw the shields, taken from the battlefield of Poitiers and ranged along the street in a triumphant display, glinting back at her. She thought of Matthew in his brave blue coat and fell out of the cage, a desperate launch, wondering if the cobbles would hurt.

Catch me, please catch me.

In a slow fall, slow as a snail, she saw Stephen's smile falter, heard Amice's desperate, “Issa!” and then she was floating, down and down.

Catch me, please catch me.


Here are the buy links for MISTRESS ANGEL, a medieval read you will NOT want to miss!
http://www.amazon.com/Mistress-Angel-Lindsay-Townsend-ebook/dp/B019AT3NAA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1452627981&sr=8-2&keywords=Mistress+Angel

The Southwest and Cannibalism

By Kristy McCaffrey

Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico.

Why did the Anasazi start building massive stone pueblos around A.D. 900 at Chaco Canyon in New Mexico—a barren gorge in the desert of the San Juan basin—and within 250 years suddenly abandon them? Pueblo Bonito contained over 650 rooms and its construction required more than 30,000 tons of shaped sandstone blocks. Hundreds of miles of roads were created that stretched out from Chaco Canyon in arrow-straight lines, an engineering marvel achieved without compass, wheel, or beast of burden. Shrines, irrigation systems, and a network of signaling stations were erected. These structures aligned with the sun, the moon, and each other.

Anthropologist Christy Turner.

Physical anthropologist Christy Turner, professor emeritus at Arizona State University, and others have detected traces of extreme violence and cannibalism on human bones unearthed at 40 different Ancestral Puebloan sites in the southwestern United States.

The earliest locations with cannibalized human remains date around A.D. 900. Turner identified 72 Anasazi sites at which violence or cannibalism may have occurred. He estimated that at least 286 individuals were butchered, cooked, and eaten. After the Chaco civilization collapsed around A.D. 1150, many Anasazi moved into deep and remote canyons, living in dwellings hugging the sides of cliffs on high, fortified mesas. The Anasazi had been seized with paranoia, or, perhaps more simply, fear.

There are roughly six criteria for determining whether human remains have been cannibalized—breakage, cut marks, abrasion from being smashed against an anvil, burning, missing vertebrae, and “pot polish” created by stirring bones in a pot. Opponents to the cannibalism theory argue that the condition of remains can also be caused by the chewing of a carnivorous animal, re-burial, or witch executions, in which the victim was cut up to locate the witch’s evil heart, anywhere from the head to the big toe. Dismembering was the only way to prevent the witch from wreaking revenge after death.

Anasazi ruin.

In the 1990’s definitive proof arrived when a group of archaeological sites were excavated at the base of Sleeping Ute Mountain in southern Colorado. Within the first kiva was found a pile of chopped-up, boiled, and burned human bones. In the second kiva were found the remains of five people in which evidence suggested they had been roasted, then the bones defleshed and split open for the marrow. The skulls of at least two people had been placed upside down on the fire, roasted, and broken open, and the cooked brains presumably scooped out. Tools for chopping were found with traces of human blood on them.

In the third kiva, however, was the most unusual find. In the ashes of a central hearth was found a nondescript lump. Further analysis revealed it was a coprolite—desiccated human feces. Testing revealed that the feces contained human myoglobin, a protein found only in skeletal and heart muscle. The only way it could get into the intestinal tract was through eating. Based on the evidence at hand it was clear the community had been attacked. The people had been killed, cooked, and eaten. Then, in an ultimate act of contempt, one of the killers defecated in a hearth, the symbolic center of the family and the household.

Turner offers more
details in his book,
Man Corn.

Turner found that most deposits of cannibalized bones were often situated near Chaco Great Houses, spread across the Four Corners region, and that most dated from the Chaco period. The eating of human flesh seems to have begun as the Chaco civilization began, around A.D. 900; peaked at the time of the Chaco collapse and abandonment, around A.D. 1150; and then all but disappeared. Turner theorizes that cannibalism might have been used by a powerful elite at Chaco Canyon as a form of social control. Ancient terrorism.

Toltecs.

And who were these powerful elite? Most likely the Toltecs—precursors of the Aztecs. The Toltec empire in Mexico lasted from about A.D. 800 to 1100. It’s possible a heavily armed group of these “thugs” infiltrated into the southwestern part of the U.S. and found a suspicious but pliant population whom they terrorized into reproducing the theocratic lifestyle they had previously known in Mesoamerica. This involved heavy payments of tribute, constructing the Chaco system of great houses and roads, and providing victims for ceremonial sacrifice. The Mexicans achieved their objectives through the use of warfare, violent example, and terrifying cult ceremonies that included human sacrifice and cannibalism.

The Navajo have stories in their folklore that reveal aspects of Chaco Canyon that are very different from the Anglo view. Elder Navajo say that Chaco was a place of hideous evil. The people there abused sacred ceremonies, practiced witchcraft and cannibalism, and made a dreaded substance called corpse powder by cooking and grinding up the flesh and bones of the dead. Their evil threw the world out of balance, and they were destroyed in a great earthquake and fire.

The final truth is that the Anasazi, around A.D. 1150, abruptly fled their homes in the Chaco region to live in remote cliff sides, behaving as if chased by a formidable opponent. When the evidence of cannibalism is presented, the motivation for this departure can be understood under a different light.

* * * *

Connect with Kristy

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Newsletter

Historical Western Romance Novel

Rancher Ethan Barstow is weary of the years-long estrangement from his brother, Charley. Deciding to track him down is easy; not so easy is riding in the company of Kate Kinsella, Charley’s fiancée. In the land of the Navajo, spirits and desire draw them close, leading them deeper into the shadows and to each other.

Into the Land of Shadows

* * * *

Works Cited

Hartigan, Rachel. “Dying for dinner? A debate rages over desert cannibalism.” U.S. News Magazine. July 2000.  <http://www.usnews.com/usnews/doubleissue/mysteries/anasazi.htm>

Preston, Douglas. “Cannibals of the Canyon.” The New Yorker Magazine. November 1998.

Pringle, Heather. “Were Some Ancestral Puebloan People the Victims of Ethnic Conflict?” Archaeology Magazine. September 2010. <http://archive.archaeology.org/blog/were-the-ancestral-puebloan-people-victims-of-ethnic-cleansing/>

Turner, Christy G. and Turner, Jacqueline A. Man Corn: Violence and Cannibalism in the Prehistoric American Southwest. University of Utah Press, 1998.

Witze, Alexandra. “Researchers Divided Over Whether Anasazi Were Cannibals.” National Geographic Magazine. June 2001. <http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/06/0601_wireanasazi.html>

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS THAT?!

When on road trips, I find myself fascinated with the odd names fastened to towns we pass through. Every state has them. I expect things like family names, Native American tribal names and words, trees and rivers, but some of the names are rather inventive—and leave me curious about the origin.

In Illinois, there’s Crab Orchard, named for the crab apple trees that abound in the area; Assumption; Justice and Bannockburn—so named by the Scotsman who created the master plan for the town and built the first country estate there.

 

Living in Tennessee I found the towns of Bean Station and Mousetail Landing--a moniker that is thought to come from the time of the Civil War when a tannery located at a landing on the Tennessee River caught fire and the unusually large infestation of mice fled in the direction of the river, giving the landing its name. 

Texas is a goldmine of oddball names—no disrespect to the founders! China, Comfort, Early, Humble, Groom, Rule, Spur… you get the idea.

On a recent road trip here is Missouri I ran across the towns of Peculiar, Knob Noster, Noel and Racket. There used to be a Zebra, Missouri (now called Osage Beach), so named because of the color striations in the rocks at the river landing there.

There’s also Bucksaw, Doe Run, Pilot Knob, Agency, and my personal favorite, Tightwad—where the bank has gone out of business.

How about you? Do you find the names of towns interesting, or just speed through on your way to somewhere else? Do you have a favorite or three? Share them with us, please.

And, always remember, the road through Fair Play leads to Success... at least in Missouri.

CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS AT PRP AND IMPRINTS by Cheryl Pierson

We have a lot of really good submissions calls open right now in several of our imprints. The first one is A SONG TO REMEMBER--an innovative new series we're launching in 2016. These stories are paired up in "duets"--two stories under one cover. Each book's stories will take place in one particular decade, and they're all different! Take a look and see if any of these might be something you'd be interested in writing a story for! We're very excited about this series.

A SONG TO REMEMBER SERIES--FIRE STAR PRESS

Some song titles evoke memories not only of the song, but also of the time…the era…the place. They call for stories all their own. At Prairie Rose Publications imprint Fire Star Press, evocative songs from days gone by inspired a new line of novella-length stories: A Song to Remember. Each book in the series will be what we call a “duet,” because each will contain two romantic tales. The two stories in each volume will be set in the same decade.

Theme: The music of life and love
Length: 15,000 to 25,000 words
Deadline: FEBRUARY 28, 2016
Heat: sweet to spicy (no erotica, please)

Someone to Watch Over Me: 1940s—Paranormal
When you think of the song "Someone To Watch Over Me," you probably think of the comfort of a safe haven in the arms of your true love. But what if the “someone” was not what he or she appeared to be? What if he were a ghost from the past, or a figment of the future? What if she were an alien from another world or a shapeshifter? This novella duet lends itself to all kinds of intrigue. Stories should be set in the 1940s. We’re not looking for graphic horror or sex—just an “aha” moment and the inevitable decision: What will your hero or heroine do when they discover exactly who—or what—watches over them?

If I Loved You: 1950s—Misunderstood love
If I Loved You will contain two stories of misunderstood love set in the 1950s. This could be anything from a series of events that are misunderstood by one partner or the other to one big misunderstanding that could cloud the issue of a relationship forever. A man sees his intended bride kiss another man on the cheek and gaze into his eyes and calls off the wedding, only to discover later the man is her brother. A woman learns her boyfriend’s tumultuous break up with her happens because he’s found out some devastating news: He’s suffering from an illness that will take all his energy to battle, and he doesn’t want to burden her. The possibilities are endless.

This Magic Moment: 1960s—A revealing moment changes everything
This Magic Moment will contain two stories set in the 1960s, one of the most turbulent times in American history. "Free love," rock-and-roll, and the civil rights movement changed society daily. In these stories, a revelation changes everything. Maybe a civil rights worker must decide between his passion for his job and his passion for his woman. A Woodstock musician realizes the love he feels for his girlfriend is stronger than the music he makes with his band when he sees her leaving the festival. A preacher’s daughter becomes pregnant and her boyfriend, whom her parents despise, shows them what love truly is when he learns he’s going to be a dad. These are just a few examples of the kind of thing we’re looking for in This Magic Moment. What “magic moment” will drive your story?

Wonderful Tonight: 1970s—Can true love happen in just one night?
Eric Clapton's “Wonderful Tonight” tells the story of what happens to a couple in one single night. That’s what we’re looking for in this novella duet, set in the 1970s, with a twist. In the song, the couple has been together a while, but in these two stories, we are looking for tales about couples who may be barely acquainted, or maybe just met. An incident throws them into a situation where they find love. We’re not talking about just lust, but also a mutual caring that blossoms into the fragile beginnings of love between two people. These stories should be no hotter than spicy, given these parameters. We’re eager to see what kind of wonderful—or maybe not so wonderful—night brings your characters to the brink of true love.

I'm On Fire: 1980s—Unlikely love blossoms
Bruce Springsteen’s hit "I’m On Fire" is the inspiration for this duet of 1980s-set stories about love between two people who are a highly unlikely match. Remember Pretty Woman? Trading Places? The real-life romance of Prince Edward and Wallis Simpson? If you have a story about an interracial couple, a librarian and a party guy, a rock star and a schoolteacher, a wealthy heiress and her chauffeur—any unlikely pair for the decade—we’d love to see it. Make the story sizzle: This duet will be spicy to hot, but no erotica, please. What would make your hero or heroine say "I’m on Fire"?

Wicked Game: 1990s—Circumstances aren’t always what they seem
Chris Isaak’s haunting hit “Wicked Game” makes us wonder about the things people will do for desire. The two stories in this volume will feature characters who do something they wouldn't ever have done ordinarily…but are driven to do for the love or desire of another person. Maybe the “wicked games” people play trap two people in a web of deceit. Perhaps a faulty news report threatens to destroy one or both lives, or maybe friends, family, or life itself conspire against the couple to keep them apart by playing one against the other. Could be the hero sets out to destroy the heroine for some reason, only to realize the object of his hatred is not the monster he thought she was.It’s up to you to determine the reasoning and rules for love’s "Wicked Game."

If you have a novella-length story idea for one or more of the “duet” books, e-mail editor Cheryl Pierson at prairierosepublications@yahoo.com and let let her know your interest so she can plan accordingly and “pair up” potential stories. Please put DUETS INQUIRY in the subject line. Both published and un-published storytellers are encouraged to submit.

The line will debut in 2016.


We're also looking for submissions in our SUNDOWN PRESS imprint for the next MEMORIES FROM MAPLE STREET, U.S.A. anthology. This one is called PAWPRINTS ON MY HEART and is, as you may have guessed, a collection of stories about animals that have been special to us in our lives. Yes, it does include horses.



MEMORIES FROM MAPLE STREET, U.S.A.—PAWPRINTS ON MY HEART--SUNDOWN PRESS
To be released in March, 2016
We’ve all had a pet that left indelible pawprints—or hoofprints—on our hearts. Our next edition of our successful series, Memories From Maple Street, U.S.A., will be all about animals! Pawprints On My Heart will include stories about special pets we’ve had in the past that can still evoke loving memories of days gone by when these animals played a huge part in our lives—either as pets we had as children or adults. We especially love rescue stories!
This book will be chock full of stories about animals that had a special place in the lives of the authors. Anatole France once said, “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” This collection of heartwarming stories will serve to prove him right!
This third volume of Sundown Press’s MEMORIES FROM MAPLE STREET, U.S.A is sure to be another winner—we want YOU to be a part of it!
Please remember, we are looking for TRUE stories. No “as told to by” stories.

Word length: 1500-3000
Please send your submissions to: Cheryl Pierson, Editor in Chief, PRP at: prairierosepublications@yahoo.com or fabkat_edit@yahoo.com
DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 22, 2016

LARIATS, LETTERS, AND LACE--PRAIRIE ROSE PUBLICATIONS

YOU STILL HAVE TIME! If you are working on a story for the PRP Valentine's Day anthology, LARIATS, LETTERS, AND LACE, I can extend the deadline to the 15th of January. Just let me know you have something in the works and on the way!


LARIATS, LETTERS, AND LACE
Prairie Rose Publications is looking for some tender, touching Valentine stories for our Valentine anthology, LARIATS, LETTERS, AND LACE.
These submissions will be western historical romances, 10,000-15,000 words, and will involve the receipt or sending of a letter. Here’s a bit of inspiration, taken from one of the most famous love letters of all time. It was written by Union officer Sullivan Ballou to his wife, Sarah, one week before he died:

I have, I know, but few and small claims upon Divine Providence, but something whispers to me - perhaps it is the wafted prayer of my little Edgar—that I shall return to my loved ones unharmed. If I do not, my dear Sarah, never forget how much I love you, and when my last breath escapes me on the battlefield, it will whisper your name.


Your letter can be anything from a true love letter to a letter that announces a break-up of a relationship; maybe the death of a family member that signifies a change for the hero or heroine, or summons one of them back home in a difficult time…use your imagination and write a story about the consequences of the letter you come up with for your tale.

We don’t necessarily need to see the actual letter—only know that it brought the news that created the story your characters are living through—for better or worse.

Valentine’s Day is the day we celebrate love—and we’re anxious to see what you come up with for us, the true love that came about as a result of a single piece of paper…the letter that set things in motion and brought your characters their very own HAPPY EVER AFTER ending!

Stories can be re-issues, with proper rights reversion documentation.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: JANUARY 15, 2016
MORE DETAILS? CLICK HERE: http://www.prairierosepublications.com
WHERE TO SUBMIT: cheryl@prairierosepublications.net OR fabkat_edit@yahoo.com

COMING SOON! Get ready ladies, because we have another medieval anthology we're looking for stories for! This is going to be one of those summer reads that everyone will want to get their hands on--title is ONE HOT KNIGHT. We have not unveiled the cover yet, but will do so shortly--the story length we are looking for will be 10K-15K, as usual. Stories will need to take place in the summer. Easy enough, right? Everything hot--hot men, hot season. More details to come soon!

If you have questions, please e-mail me at fabkat_edit@yahoo.com or prairierosepublications@yahoo.com

Cleaning Out and Starting Fresh by Sarah J. McNeal

My street a couple winters back

I know everyone is making a few resolutions, or maybe just thinking what they want to do to change things for a new year and a fresh start. We all know we can start fresh any time we want to whether it’s January, June, or September—just any time we take a notion. Well, I’ve decided the beginning of the year is a good time to clean out my closets, throw away, re-purpose, or donate stuff I’ve been hanging onto for years—like that sequined, long, chiffon skirt I never wore, and to free up my mind as well. Honestly, it's too cold outside now to do anything out there. It hasn't snowed here like it has for some of you, but it’s still winter now and I am not venturing out to do yard work, so I’ll have to settle for some indoor work.

You may not believe it, but I have an old VHS tape player and over a hundred videos to play on it. Now I’ll grant you, I cannot afford to replace all those videos with DVDs, but I am tired of hanging onto them thinking I might want to watch them one last time. Forget it. I’m donating the player and all those videos along with all those clothes I’ll never wear. Besides, I need the hangers anyway. Now that I have Netflix, I probably don’t need to hang on to all those DVDs, either, but let’s just say I’m taking baby steps here.

Toys and PEZ dispensers

I’ll confess I’m a collector of ridiculous things like PEZ dispensers and Minions—okay, toys actually. I say I’m gonna quit, but my nephew ends up getting me a new PEZ and, well, who can resist a new PEZ? Unlike some collectors, I don’t care if they’re going to be worth something someday. All I care about is they’re fun to look at today. I don’t think there’s a room in my house that doesn’t have a PEZ dispenser lurking somewhere. I even have some of the PEZ chewing gum dispensers like the monkey, whale, and pig.

Some of my teapots

I also collect whirligigs, teapots, and cookie cutters. I have some awesome ones that are very old and some new ones that are just so cool. I haven’t found a Big Foot one yet, but alert me if you ever come across one. I also am very fond of old kitchen utensils like ice picks and egg beaters. Since I still have the original pink wall oven from 1957, I’ve come to like the retro look. No granite countertops and stainless steel appliances for me—not until that oven dies anyway.

A few of my cookie cutters and retro kitchen utensils 

As for Minion toys, they just make me laugh. I’m certain my nephew has caught on to my new craze because he just sent me a picture of all the Minion items they have for sale at Target today. I like other toys, too, like dinosaurs, whistles, bubble blowing devices, and marbles.

I have collected other things like Netsuke, but mine were all ivory. Because I don’t want to promote killing elephants or any other creature, my conscience wouldn’t let me continue collecting them even though mine are antiques. A Netsuke, by the way, is a Japanese figure used to act as a slide knot on a pouch that holds things like pens and ink or some such items to use during the day.

I am a Pinterest addict, but I’ll confess right here and now that I have no intention what-so-ever of giving it up. That’s probably my biggest confession. Next thing you know I’ll be attending those 12 step meetings. “Hello, my name is Sarah and I’m a Pinterestaholic.” There is something about looking at neat pictures, beautiful scenes, interesting people and things I wish for that just brings me a quiet, peaceful, satisfied mind.

Well that’s it on confessions and cleaning out my mind and closets. What dark secrets or things are you holding onto?

Sarah J. McNeal is a multi-published author of several genres including time travel, paranormal, western and historical fiction. She is a retired ER and Critical Care nurse who lives in North Carolina with her four-legged children, Lily, the Golden Retriever and Liberty, the cat. Besides her devotion to writing, she also has a great love of music and plays several instruments including violin, bagpipes, guitar and harmonica. Her books and short stories may be found at Prairie Rose Publications and its imprints Painted Pony Books, and Fire Star Press. She welcomes you to her website and social media:

Website 

My Amazon Author’s Page

Facebook

Twitter

The Wildings

Fantasy and Dreams Blog

Sweethearts of the West

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ESTABLISHING GOALS FOR 2016..... By Gail L. Jenner

Can it be 2016 already? Weren’t we just preparing for Y2K? More to the point, didn't I just "sign on" to Prairie Rose....in 2013? Wow.....tempus fugit, indeed!

As the snow mounts up here on the ranch (for which we are eternally grateful!!!), I look out over the landscape and ponder the year that was....and the year that is unfolding. There is much to be grateful for and so much to be hopeful for...isn't that what each new year promises?  

 

Well, if there’s anything I’ve learned professionally in the last 16 years, it is this: Writing takes TIME and good writing takes even more time. So, if it’s this year or next, my job as a writer requires I simply push aside the clock and focus on the writing.

To that end, writing takes DEDICATION and perseverance. Developing a tough skin and tender spirit – though they seem contradictory – is, nevertheless, part of the process of developing the art and craft of good and great writing.

With that said, there are a number of things we can dedicate ourselves to in this new year – if we hope to sell and/or succeed. I’ve limited my list of goals, although many writers might change the order or the actual items. These, then, are “my six” for this next year:

1.     Make TIME to write/take time to write: with all that my life entails, from family and grandkids, to ranch life and part-time work, to an assortment of “distractions” (including some health issues), it’s easy to not find time to write. I’m one of those flexible writers, which may seem to be a positive character trait; I can write early or late, or even steal from the midnight hours, but it makes avoidance or procrastination easy to take over, too. I’m also one of those people who say yes to more than I should, and hate to disappoint others. However, I am presently working on paring down my list of extra activities for this next year so that my focus is tighter and clearer – both professionally and personally.

2.     Develop a stronger PLATFORM: I know that my writing platform centers on history, whether it’s through fiction or non-fiction, but I admire those writers who can sum up their platform in a line or two. I’ve thought about “opening doors to history....” as something of a platform (whether it’s local history specifically or history of the American West), but that doesn’t say it all. I also write screenplays AND I enjoy writing about country life & ranching life/faith and family/recipes and cooking/even education. Hmmmmmm.....

3.     Continue to NETWORK: I’ve worked on this a lot over the last few years and it has made my writing connections stronger and certainly more satisfying.  I so enjoy the organizations and conferences I’ve attended and joined, and most of all, the PEOPLE who have become good friends! My favorites: Women Writing the West; Western Writers of America; a local writers’ group (also my critique group); and now, with Prairie Rose, I’ve developed a whole new circle of great writing friends and partners.

I’ve also had the opportunity to do some radio and TV specials that have opened new doors to intriguing and different opportunities, and I’m grateful for each relationship I’ve built. Ironically, like many writers, I’m a more timid person than many might assume, and “presenting myself” is a  stretch. It’s not easy to get out and market oneself.

4.     Continue to develop the CRAFT of writing. As a former English and history teacher, I understand the importance of continuing education. We are never “there....”  We are always learning and I find the joy of learning and researching and growing to be part of the magic in writing. I love to be challenged. I remember that when I began to play tennis competitively, at first I avoided players who could squash me game after game...but soon I realized that to really improve, I had to go up against players who could raise my level of play. 

It was a challenge, but I found myself loving the game more and more and savored the success whenever I managed to come close to winning. In the same way, I welcome harsh critiques (from writers of integrity, of course!) and seek out those opportunities where I know I will gain some greater wisdom or instruction. Whether it’s through conferences, critique sessions, contests, or submissions, I don’t think being a reluctant writer leads to success. Writing requires an audience and it’s wise to have those who can provide guidance or critique as part of the process that can lead to success. Again, this is where that tough outer shell and soft belly come in. As one tennis friend – so much older and wiser than me at the time, “Don’t worry about having a great serve when you’re trying to get better! After you’ve served the ball a thousand or two thousand times, that’s when you need to worry about it. Until then, just keep serving – by doing it the right way again and again.”

5.     Seek out those stories that SPEAK to me. Life is short. Time slips by. I used to be so eager to “sell” that I was willing to take on articles or writing subjects that provided just an avenue to selling. Obviously there is value in that, but now, I have a well of ideas that are clamoring to show themselves, stories or subjects that have been brewing and stewing for a long time.

6.     Have more FUN! Yes, have more fun...whether it be in the kinds of stories I am crafting or in the research or process involved in writing. And yes, also on a personal level I want to enjoy life in all its shades and hues. If we take every part of our lives tooooooo seriously, the joy is compromised. So whether it’s as I’m sitting and working on a story or book, or out on the ranch helping with chores, or with my friends and family, letting go of the pressures of this life is imperative.

And Welcome, 2016!

**********************************
Gail L. Jenner is the author of several books and short stories. 
For more, check out her biography and titles on amazon:http://www.amazon.com/Gail-Fiorini-Jenner/e/B005GHR47O

Winner of the WILLA Literary Award

July's Bride

NEW YEAR, NEW CHOICES, NEW RESOLUTIONS?

Post by Doris McCraw/Angela Raines-author

New Year, New Choices, New Resolutions?

As we wind down from the hectic time that was the Holidays, many of us are ready to hunker down and get back to work. We write or memorize our resolutions for making this New Year better than the last. Our list may include that we will write thousands of words, get mentally and physically fit, etc.

These are wonderful dreams. We all need dreams, it is what keeps us young and looking forward to the next day. However, in the midst of all this slow down, this dreaming, is a reality we sometimes forget. This is winter, a time of rest. I personally start cocooning and don't come out of the burrow until Spring. This is my rest time before I push the new growth I have ahead of me.

With the whirlwind of events; work, deadlines and Holidays, I want to take some time to reflect on those weeks between Thanksgiving, or Halloween, and the New Year. I want to savor the friendships I now have in my life. I wish to honor the people I've spent time with, both in person and on-line. To immediately push all that aside to make a list of things I hope to accomplish seems counter productive.

This year, as I told my writing group the Tuesday before New Years, my resolution is: "I will write my resolutions in the Spring, after I've had time to reflect and really know what I want." Don't get me wrong, I'll be thinking of these intentions between now and Spring, but I won't be putting them in 'stone' until I've had the time to think them through. My energy is lower this time of year. I'm exhausted from the Holidays. It just seems I am dooming myself to failure by rushing the process. My journal for this year is filling up with ideas, new ways of doing things, etc. When I've filtered it down, then... I think you get the idea.



I'm not opposed to anyone who uses the New Year to start fresh,  who write those resolutions down and carry them through. I'm behind you all the way. I will be your cheerleader, I'll shout for joy when you succeed. For myself, I'll see you on April 1, with my April Fool/Spring resolutions! I might be a late starter, but I believe, for me, I have a better chance of succeeding.

Here's my wish for everyone: Have a wonderful, happy and successful 2016! I know in my heart you will succeed.

Angela Raines is the pen name for Doris McCraw. Doris also writes haiku posted five days a week at - http://fivesevenfivepage.blogspot.com and has now passed one thousand haiku and photos posted on this blog. Check out her other work or like her Amazon author page:  http://amzn.to/1I0YoeL

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