From Susan: I’ve always loved reading, history, and horses. These things come together in several of my historical books. My young adult novel, Sarah’s Long Ride, also spotlights horses and the rugged sport of endurance riding, as does the contemporary romance Trail to Justice. I took a vocational course in horseshoeing after earning a bachelor’s degree in history. I don’t shoe horses anymore, but the experience has come in handy in writing my books.
Another longtime hobby of mine is genealogy, which has led me down many fascinating paths. I’m proud to be a DAR member! Some of Jim’s and my quirkier ancestors have inspired fictional characters.
For many years I worked for the Central Maine Morning Sentinel as a freelancer, covering local government, school board meetings, business news, fires, auto accidents, and other local events, including a murder trial. I’ve also written many profiles and features for the newspaper and its special sections. This experience was a great help in developing fictional characters and writing realistic scenes. I also published nonfiction articles in several magazines and had several short stories appear in Woman’s World, Grit, and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine.
My husband, Jim, and I moved to his birth state, Oregon, for a while after we were married, but decided to move back to Maine and be near my family. We’re so glad we did. It allowed our six children to grow up feeling close to their cousins and grandparents, and some of Jim’s family have even moved to Maine!
Our children are all home-schooled. The two youngest are still learning at home. Jim recently retired from his vocation as an editor at a daily newspaper, and we’ve moved from Maine to Kentucky. ABOUT THE BOOK:
Captive Trail is second in a six-book series about four generations of the Morgan family living, fighting, and thriving amidst a turbulent Texas history spanning from 1845 to 1896. Although a series, each book can be read on its own.
Taabe Waipu has run away from her Comanche village and is fleeing south in Texas on a horse she stole from a dowry left outside her family’s teepee. The horse has an accident and she is left on foot, injured and exhausted. She staggers onto a road near Fort Chadbourne and collapses.
On one of the first runs through Texas, Butterfield Overland Mail Company driver Ned Bright carries two Ursuline nuns returning to their mission station. They come across a woman who is nearly dead from exposure and dehydration and take her to the mission.
With some detective work, Ned discovers Taabe Waipu identity. He plans to unite her with her family, but the Comanche have other ideas, and the two end up defending the mission station. Through Taabe and Ned we learn the true meaning of healing and restoration amid seemingly powerless situations.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Captive Trail, go HERE.
Learn more about Susan and her books on her Website.
MY REVIEW:
Although Captive Trail is the second installment of The Texas Trail series, I had no problem at all keeping up with the characters. In fact, this novel qualifies so well as a stand-alone, I didn’t even know it wasn’t the first of the series until I had finished reading it.
Primary characters are Taabe Waipu, a young white woman who has been held captive by the Comanches for twelve years before her escape and Ned Bright, the stage driver who rescued her after an accident that left her incapacitated. Taabe Waipu remembers very little of her life before her capture and has even forgotten the English language but she has never given up hope of finding her true family. Her lengthy stay with a small group of Ursuline nuns begins her healing, not only in body but in mind and spirit also. Ned’s friendship with Taabe blossoms into a growing affection and although he knows he could lose her, he never gives up searching for her family.
Captive Trail is a well-written and researched novel with a perfectly paced plot, interesting characters, and just the right amount of drama, humor, and romance. If you enjoy historical westerns, Captive Trail may be something you would enjoy.
While I have been writing for what feels like my whole life, I began seriously studying the craft in 2000. Since then I have completed five novels, had several pieces published in local periodicals, attended six writing conferences and managed to final in ACFW’s Genesis contest in 2006, 2008, and 2009. My first historical novel, Wings of a Dream, will be released in September 2011, with another historical novel to follow in 2012. But writing is only a piece of my life.
I am mostly just a woman trying to live her life in a manner pleasing to the Lord. That involves being a wife to Jeff and a mother to my three teenagers–neither role coming easily but both roles stretching me, requiring me to press in closer to Jesus. And because of this, Jesus has taken an insecure, fearful, sometimes angry girl and is turning her into a more trusting, peaceful, grace-filled woman. At least some of the time. There is still such a long way to go!
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Rebekah Hendricks dreams of a life far beyond her family’s farm in Oklahoma, and when dashing aviator Arthur Samson promised adventure in the big city, she is quick to believe he’s the man she’s meant to marry. While she waits for the Great War to end and Arthur to return to her so they can pursue all their plans, her mother’s sister falls ill. Rebekah seizes the opportunity to travel to Texas to care for Aunt Adabelle, seeing this chance to be closer to Arthur’s training camp as God’s approval of her plans.
But the Spanish flue epidemic changes everything. Faced with her aunt’s death, Arthur’s indecisiveness, and four children who have no one else to care for them, Rebekah is torn between the desire to escape the type of life she’s always led and the unexpected love that just might change the dream of her heart.
Learn more about Anne and her books on her Website.
MY REVIEW:
Wings of A Dream was an enjoyable historical romance that I breezed through in a day. Ann Mateer’s writing style flows so naturally that it is easy to lose oneself in the story. Her characters are fully developed with many that I loved and others that I really, really disliked.
I thought the author’s portrayal of Rebekah was excellent. Her attitude varied from one chapter to the next which is so common for a young woman of her age. Although her original motive in going to help her aunt was mostly selfish, Rebekah passed the test when difficulties arose. Her love and dedication to the motherless children revealed her true heart and the way she naturally took charge of the household and farm showed a maturity beyond her years. Even so, there were times when Rebekah fell back into her old habit of thinking only of herself. I liked the fact that each time that happened, Rebekah learned from it and grew up a little more. And in the end, she realized that even though true love and God’s plan for her life were not exactly what she had planned for herself, it was the perfect plan.
Rebekah’s story resonated with me because of similarities to my own life. I grew up in a small town/rural area and all I could think of was moving to the city once I was old enough. I never dreamed I would marry a farmer and move even further out in the country. Now I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
I really enjoyed Wings of A Dream and recommend it to anyone who loves a sweet historical romance with a few unexpected surprises.
Yvonne Harris earned a BS in Education from the University of Hartford and has taught throughout New England and the mid-Atlantic. Unofficially retired from teaching, she teaches writing at Burlington County College in southern New Jersey, where she resides. She is a winner and three-time finalist for the Golden Heart, once for The Vigilante’s Bride, which was her debut novel.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Texas Ranger Jake Nelson patrols the U.S.-Mexico border, protecting the settlers from cattle rustlers, outlaws, and bandits. Sparks fly when Manuel Diego stirs up a revolt against the government, which leads to the murder of a newspaperman, who is the son of a U.S. senator, and the kidnapping of his sister, Elizabeth Madison, a journalist in the making.
With Elizabeth’s photograph in hand–a dark-haired beauty with smiling eyes–Jake rides over the border to find her. After the Rangers defeat the marauders and rescue Elizabeth, Jake is surprised to learn she’s not the spoiled daughter of a senator that he was expecting. In fact, he finds himself taken by her. And she by him.
But the Mexicans won’t give up that easily, as Elizabeth becomes the target of an all-out hunt. Leaving Elizabeth back at Fort Williams, Jake and his men set off again, this time to go after Diego himself–to apprehend him and his renegades and bring them all to justice.
Meanwhile, Jake knows what’s begun between him and Elizabeth is undeniable. Amid all the turmoil, Jake finally admits how much he loves her. She tells him the same. Until now, they’ve lived in different worlds, yet it is those differences that drew them together.
Learn more about Yvonne and her books on her Website .
MY REVIEW:
Because of my affinity for books with Old West settings, the cover alone of A River to Cross would have bene enough to catch my attention. My very positive experience with the author’s previous novel, The Vigilante’s Bride would definitely seal the deal. If I hadn’t received a copy of this book to review, I would have bought it at first sight.
As you can tell, I approached A River to Cross with high expectations. I am happy to report that I was not the least bit disappointed. Set along the Texas Mexican border near El Paso, A River to Cross is an action filled, suspenseful tale that highlights the exploits of a certain Texas Ranger as he endeavors to rescue and protect the sister of his murdered friend. Jake, the hero is strong, handsome, determined, and totally dedicated to helping others and seeing justice served. The heroine Elizabeth is strong, spunky, beautiful, and equally determined to do her part. As can be expected, the pair are irresistibly drawn to each other despite their intentions to avoid involvement with the opposite gender.
Yvonne Harris has a way with words and her characters come alive within the pages of her books. The historical settings reach out and pull the reader into the story and leave them thinking about what they have read. Harris is one new author that has earned her place on my “to read” list and I am looking forward to what she has to offer next.
Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys. She is a Christy Award Finalist, a Carol Award Finalist and an IRCC Award finalist.
The Lassoed in Texas Series, Petticoat Ranch, Calico Canyon and Gingham Mountain. Petticoat Ranch was a Carol Award Finalist. Calico Canyon was a Christy Award Finalist and a Carol Award Finalist. These three books are now contained in one large volume called Lassoed in Texas Trilogy.
The Montana Marriages Series, Montana Rose, The Husband Tree and Wildflower Bride. Montana Rose was a Carol Award Finalist.
Cowboy Christmas—the 2010 Carol Award for Best Long Historical Romance, and an Inspirational Readers Choice Contest Finalist.
The Sophie’s Daughters series. Doctor in Petticoats, Wrangler in Petticoats, Sharpshooter in Petticoats.
She is also the author of; Black Hills Blessing a 3-in-1 collection of sweet contemporary romances, Nosy in Nebraska, a 3-in-1 collection of cozy romantic mysteries and she’s one of the three authors contributing to Alaska Brides with her Carol Award Winning historical romance Golden Days.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Julia Gilliland has always been interested in the natural world around her. She particularly enjoys her outings to the cavern near her father’s homestead, where she explores for fossils and formations, and plans to write a book about her discoveries. The cave seems plenty safe–until the day a mysterious intruder steals the rope she uses to find her way out.
Rafe Kincaid has spent years keeping his family’s cattle ranch going, all without help from his two younger brothers, who fled the ranch–and Rafe’s controlling ways–as soon as they were able. He’s haunted by one terrible day at the cave on a far-flung corner of the Kincaid property, a day that changed his life forever. Ready to put the past behind him, he plans to visit the cave one final time. He sure doesn’t expect to find a young woman trapped in one of the tunnels–or to be forced to kiss her!
Rafe is more intrigued by Julia than any woman he’s ever known, but how can he overlook her fascination with the cave he despises? And when his developing relationship with Julia threatens his chance at reconciliation with his brothers, will he be forced to choose between the family bonds that could restore his trust and the love that could heal his heart?
The title Out Of Control is an apt one in more ways than one. Like a team of wild horses, the plot takes off from the very beginning and its breakneck speed has you holding on to your hat until the very end. Out of control also describes what happens to Rafe Kincaid’s very carefully planned life when he stumbles upon Julia Gilliland trapped in a cave on his property. Sparks fly from their first encounter and the heat between them builds until the conclusion.
Out Of Control is all that I expected from Mary Connealy’s newest novel. The imaginative and well paced plot is laced with plenty of action, adventure, humor, and romance. The primary characters are well developed, likeable and just plain fun. Interaction between them was often witty and entertaining. The women are smart and spunky and the men are true heroes who seem to have been raised right by their mama. Even if the guys come across as a bit dense at times, their hearts are in the right place. They did manage to overcome some deeply seated fears in order to help protect the women.
I loved the story’s setting and how everything revolved around the caverns. The historical background added to its interest. It also helped that we were given a good peek into what I suspect could be the next Kincaid romance. A strong message of faith is a natural part of the story without being obtrusive. Can’t wait for the next installment.
Let’s chat with novelist Janice Hanna Thompson, author of Love Finds You in Groom, Texas (Summerside/Guideposts, June 2011).
Janice Hanna (also published as Janice Thompson) has published more than seventy novels and non-fiction books. She has also published more than fifty magazine articles and several musical comedies for the stage. Janice makes her home in the Houston area near her children and grandchildren.
Please tell us three random things we might not know about you.
My dad was the president of the University of Houston Cougar Cagers Club, so my birthdays, holidays, etc. were spent at basketball games. Our family traveled to Mexico with the U of H Cougars to watch them compete, which was great fun. When I was eleven, I got to play (for fun, of course) with the Harlem Globetrotters, who came to Houston for a visit. To this day, I love a good basketball game.
I once lied to a fellow camper at church camp, telling her that my dad (Billy Hanna) was William Hanna of Hanna/Barbara (Flintstones) fame. That lie still haunts me, though, to his credit, my dad did eventually work as a movie producer on our co-authored movie, Liar’s Moon. (Yes, it’s true. I got to meet and work with Matt Dillon. Eat your heart out, girls!)
I occasionally bake wedding cakes. In 2009 I baked a lovely four-tiered white cake with strawberry filling and cream cheese frosting that toppled less than an hour before the wedding. I managed to piece together two very messy/ugly layers. Thankfully, the bride did not murder me. It made for a great scene in a later book. (Nothing ever gets wasted, not even a mashed piece of cake.)
Please tell us a bit more about the plot of Love Finds You in Groom, Texas.
Always the groomsman, never the groom… It’s 1914, and Jake O’Farrell has gained an unusual reputation among the locals: He’s played the roles of groomsman and best man in all four of his older brothers’ weddings, but he’s never been able to find the woman to capture his heart. And now with the upcoming wedding of his best friend, Jake will become the last single man in the town of Groom.
Anne Denning has made the difficult decision to move with her sisters to Texas, but a train derailment forces them to seek shelter in Groom, near Amarillo. Mrs. O’Farrell, hopeful that Anne will catch her youngest son’s eye, invites the girls to stay at her home until the train is repaired and ready to pull out. Anne has no idea of the blissful chaos that lies ahead!
Tell us something interesting about the town of Groom:
Groom boasts a nineteen-story high cross. More than 100 welders worked together to erect it in 1995. Now you can see why I toyed with the idea of writing a contemporary novel! I wanted to include the cross. Because I went with historical, I decided to give the heroine a small cross necklace to wear, one that symbolizes her faith (and alludes to the “bigger” cross to come).
What is your favorite memory of the Texas panhandle region?
Just one? I love, love, love Palo Duro Canyon, which is not terribly far from Groom. This breathtaking canyon always surprises visitors because you don’t see it coming! Look to your right and see nothing. Then, a few yards up the road, look to your right again and you see a crevice forming. That crevice deepens, then deepens some more until. . .lo and behold! You’re looking at one of God’s most magnificent “sweeps of a fingertip.” Truly glorious. One of my favorite memories was taking my daughters to see the play “Texas” in Palo Duro Canyon when they were little. We camped overnight in the state park, ate BBQ and saw the show. Amazing!
What is it about your lead character that will make your readers care about her?
Readers will care about Anne because she’s been through so much and still chooses to move forward. They will also love her relationship with her younger sisters. She’s the only remaining parental figure and takes that position very seriously.
Tell us a little about your hero? Is he true hero material?
Jake is a hunka-hunka Texas man! He’s a railroad man who loves his job, loves his family and loves the heroine. He’s got a great sense of humor, which is perfect for this story, because the heroine’s little sisters are loaded with antics! Jake has a lot to deal with: he’s the town’s last single man, which has made him the brunt of many a joke. His older brothers (all married with children) taunt and tease. Jake can never catch a break. Unless he’s with Anne, of course. Then he catches far more than a break. . .he catches the woman of his dreams!
What about your sub-characters? Call you tell us about any of them?
I love writing stories with fun sub-characters! Those who read my “Weddings by Bella” series know that I spend a lot of time creating my cast! Love Finds You in Groom, Texas is no different. Some of my favorite sub-characters are Emily and Kate (Anne’s younger sisters). Emily was patterned after Margaret O’Brien’s character in “Meet me in St. Louis.” Lots of fun! Another fun-loving character is Maggie, Jake’s mother. She knows just how to get what she wants! Even sour old Uncle Bertrand turns out to be a fun guy. . .in the end.
Why will readers enjoy your novel?
In spite of the lead character’s tough situation, the story is filled with comedic elements. Anne’s two younger sisters are a hoot. So is Maggie (the hero’s mother). She’s an Irish spitfire! I think readers will appreciate the romance between Anne and Jake. It’s filled with all sorts of sweet and comic moments.
What sorts of transformations take place in this book?
How much time do you have? (Ha!) Seriously, there are so many! The heroine, Anne, has been through tremendous losses and struggles with her faith from the get-go. By the end of the story, she is a woman transformed. Likewise, the hero has been through far too much taunting and teasing. He, too, has faced losses. With Anne’s hand in his, transformation comes. Even precocious Emily, Anne’s younger sister, goes through a bit of a metamorphosis as the story progresses. The biggest change of all, however, is in Uncle Bertrand. I don’t want to give away too much. You’ll have to read the story to see for yourself!
What are you working on now?
I just turned in Love Finds You in Daisy, Oklahoma, a fun historical about a single woman in her late 30’s who moves from the Gulf Coast to the landlocked state of Oklahoma to become the director at an orphanage. It’s a love story, of course! She falls in love with the town sheriff, who has adopted two of the unruliest boys from the orphanage. I’m currently writing Wedding Belles, the first book in the Belles and Whistles series for Summerside/Guideposts.
I notice you write under two names (Janice Hanna and Janice Thompson). Why?
Those who’ve been reading my romances over the past several years know me as Janice A. Thompson. My joy is mixed with a smidgeon of sorrow as I explain the change in my last name for some of my current releases. In 2006 I lost my father to bone marrow cancer. His last name (Hanna) is my maiden name—and it’s a name that means even more to me now that he is gone. In memory of my father, I use the Hanna name in my historicals. My Revell books will still release under Janice Thompson. I hope you my readers will stick with me, no matter which name I use!
Where else can readers find you online?
I love to connect with my readers at the following places:
Love Finds You in Groom, Texas can be purchased at any number of online stores, as well as my website: www.janicehannathompson.com (front page). Readers can always join my VIP bookclub and get the locked in price of $11 (no shipping) by contacting me directly at booksbyjanice@aol.com.
A Texan’s Promise is the first book in the new Heart of a Hero series by Shelley Gray. I have grown accustomed to her novels with Amish settings and was intrigued to find this one to be a historical western. I found A Texan’s Promise to be every bit as well written and attention holding as any of Gray’s other novels.
When ranch foreman Clay finds the daughter of the late ranch owner crying in the barn, he discovers that she has been badly beaten by her new stepfather. Remembering his promise to her father to watch out for her, Clay realizes that he must quickly get her away from the ranch for her protection. He is soon convinced that he must marry Vanessa to guard her reputation also. Although Clay’s feelings for Vanessa soon become love, his sense of honor prevents him from revealing them to her because he doesn’t want to take advantage of their situation. Multiple misunderstandings result in a turbulent relationship between Clay and Vanessa. As they make their way toward the safety of his sister’s home, Vanessa’s step-father and her brother Miles are hot on their trail.
A Texan’s Promise has sufficient action, drama, and romance to keep the pages turning. The character of Clay Proffitt definitely fits the description of “a man of honor”. Vanessa seemed a bit young to me but she did mature as the story progressed. I learned just enough about Vanessa’s brother Miles to hope that he will be featured in the next installment of this series. A story of love, courage, loyalty, and honor, this book has a strong message of faith as Clay, Vanessa, and even Miles learn how to depend on the Lord.
This book was provided for review by NetGalley and Abingdon Press.
Projected publication date is October 2011.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Past promises will be tested as new ones are given…
When Clayton Proffitt, foreman of the Circle Z Ranch in Texas, discovers Vanessa Grant crying in the barn late one night, he first thinks she’s gotten herself into another scrape. But when he spies the marks on her back and hears about her stepfather’s advances, Clayton knows he must spirit Vanessa away to safety.
As they make their way west, it becomes apparent that there’s something special between Vanessa and Clayton— far more significant than mere friendship or his sense of duty. Unfortunately, also heading west are Vanessa’s brother Miles and her stepfather Price Venture. Price wants Vanessa back for obvious reasons; Miles wants to earn his stepfather’s respect. Eventually, unexpected confrontations reach a harrowing conclusion. As their family begins to heal, their journey and trials they’ve faced helps them realize their future is in God’s guiding hands.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Shelley Shepard Gray’s first Amish novel, Hidden, was nominated for the Inspirational Readers Choice award. Her book Simple Gifts won the Reviewers Choice Award. A native of Texas, she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Colorado, and taught school for ten years. She lives in southern Ohio where she writes full time.
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MY REVIEW:
