A Day of Beauty

Actually it was more like an hour of beauty, but it was still nice. Especially after just having two cortisone shots in my neck. It always makes me feel good to get my hair washed and styled. I have the cutest, sweetest hairstylist and her name is Jessie. Her salon has just moved to a new location - Shorter Ave. in Rome, GA. If you live in the area you might want to call her for an appt. at Shelia B's Hair Salon.

Here are some pics of our fun day.

Beautiful North Georgia Mountains/Up in the Trees

A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege of visiting my finance's cousin. Martha and her husband Dayton live in beautiful Blairsville, Georgia. It is located about five minutes from Brasstown Bald the highest peak in Georgia. There house literally puts you in the same area as the tree tops. It was so beautiful and such a relaxing weekend. I appreciate their kindness for letting us stay.

I'm looking forward to going back. Here are a few pictures I took. I hope you enjoy them.

A bridge on a trail below their house.

The view from their back deck.

An old Gold Mine shaft from the trail below their house.

Martha walking on the Appalachian Trail.

"The Day the Sheriff Shot His Deputy"

Yes, this really happened - and in my home town of Rome, Georgia. On April 27, 1914 Sheriff W.G. (Bill) Dunehoo got in an altercation with his deputy, Deputy Sheriff G.W. (Wash) Smith. It was on the eve of the 1914 Sheriff's election and both gentlemen were running. Dunehoo was running for Sheriff and Smith was on the ticket with J. R. Barron who was Dunehoo's opponent.

The altercation became heated and Dunehoo wound up shooting his deputy, Smith. Smith lived, but it was touch and go for several days.

This is the story that appears in the Fall issue of "Georgia Backroads" by no other than myself!

It was a fun story to research and write. If you have the inclination to find out more about it then you can buy this magazine in most book stores. I know that Barnes and Noble carries it.

This brings me to a subject that has been on my mind a lot lately. Where do I want to go with my writing? I thought I had it all planned out - but I must admit since I've joined ACFW I'm not so sure anymore. I've read cozy mysteries for many years and so it was natural for me to want to write one myself. I had a manuscript finished and was excited to present it for critique. That was before I knew how much more work it needed before it would be publishable. Somehow all that work just seemed to take the fun right out of writing.

Anyway, I put it aside for a while and focused on my article writing( which I've been doing for many years) and I enjoyed coming up with a couple of good articles recently. Now I'm back to working on my WIP, but not sure I'm going to stick with it. I have all these ideas floating around in my head, but don't quit know how to start with them.

I'm not ready to give up, but it sure is a lonely road sometimes.

WINNERS!

I've decided to close the comments to "Vigilante's Bride" a few days early because there hasn't been any activity in the past few days. Also, Ive got a surprise giveaway! "Missing Mabel" by Nancy Mehl and "Seasons of Mist" by Deborah Kinnard. Congratulations to all of the winners and thank you for your continuing support!

Vigilante's Bride - the winner is: Lady Jo

Missing Mabel - the winner is: Gail P.

Seasons of Mist - the winner is: Michelle Sutton

CONGRATULATIONS

AND

HAPPY READING!

Interview/Giveaway with Yvonne Harris and "Vigilante's Bride"

Montana Territory 1884

Back Cover: Robbing a stagecoach on Christmas eve and abducting a woman passenger is the last thing Luke Sullivan expected to do. He just wanted to reclaim the money stolen from his pa, but instead ended up rescuing a feisty copper -haired woman who was on her way to marry Sullivan's dangerous enemy.

Emily McCarthy doesn't take kindly to her so-called rescue. Still, she's hoping Providence will turn her situation for good, especially when it seems Luke Sullivan may just be the man of her dreams. Then Lucas crossed a vicious man, a powerful rancher not used to losing, and Emily is the prize he's unwilling to sacrifice.

Yvonne Harris

About the Author: Yvonne Harris earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education from the University of Hartford and has taught throughout New England and the mid Atlantic. She lives in southern New Jersey and teaches writing at a local college. She's a winner and three time finalist for the Golden Heart Award. The Vigilante's Bride was a 2009 finalist and is her first historical romance novel. Though Yvonne and her husband live in New Jersey to be close to family, she was raised in Alabama and considers herself a Southern writer.

My Take: Vigilante's Bride is a great read especially for a debut novel. Yvonne Harris has packeda lot into this historical western. Luke Sullivan has decided he doesn't want to be a vigilante anymore and sets out to find a new life. During his adventure he meets Emily McCarthy an independent young woman. Well, I guess I should say he kidnaps her - with the intention of letting her go. But now, Luke has crossed a powerful and mean rancher who is out to make Emily his wife. Will Luke be able to keep Emily safe? What happens between Luke and Emily? I wish I could tell you - but you will just have to read and find out for yourself. I wouldn't want to spoil it for you.

INTERVIEW WITH YVONNE

Yvonne, thank you so much for taking the time to visit with us and answer a few questions for inquiring minds.

1. How did you come up with your plot and characters for "Vigilante's Bride"?

I've always loved "western" books and movies. Vigilante's Bride is loosely based on fact and on historical events surrounding a real vigilante group in Montana in 1884. Like the group in the story, the real vigilante group were good guys. I started with a young Chicago teacher whose present life is about to change. The hero is a fast-draw vigilante who quits his job to put his past behind him. Later, as these two travel to new destinations and new lives, their paths collide.

2. This is your debut novel - can you tell us some of the rewards and challenges you experienced during the writing and publishing?

It is and it isn't my debut novel. Vigilante's Bride is my first or debut Western Romance novel, but it is not my first novel. I started off writing magazine articles, and then wrote political thrillers. Hindu Kush was published. After that, I took time off from writing--sick parent, family responsibilites, and virtually commuting from Jersey to Alabama. When I went back to writing, I experimented with different genres until I slid into into Western-Historicals, and it was a perfect fit. Action/Romance/Suspense but based on fact and history. Exactly what I love. This time, the hero rides a horse, instead of a helicopter.

3. What is your next project?

My next book is A River to Cross and is set in 1880. It's a Texas Ranger story. It will be out in August 2011.


4. As an aspiring author I always like to ask what advice you would give to those of us still working on our manuscript.

Contests. As soon as you have 20 to 30 pages polished, enter it in a couple of contests. They are the best way to get impartial feedback on your writing and later to get your work in front of an editor and or agent. Don't enter a contest to win. Enter only contests that provide feedback, for tips on how to make it better. Check the contest ahead of time. You want three judges, if possible. As soon as you final (not win, just final) start querying editors and agents, telling them you've finaled in XXXXX contest. It's an accomplishment and makes a good first sentence to a query letter. Don't wait to win. You might not. Publication doesn't just happen. You have to work at it to make it happen.

TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY: (JUST USE ONE POST FOR ALL ANSWERS)

1. BE A FOLLOWER OR SIGN UP AS A FOLLOWER

2. VISIT YVONNE'S WEBSITE AT http://www.ylharris.com/bio.html AND LET ME KNOW.

3. SINCE I'VE HAD MY BLOG I'VE READ MANY DIFFERENT GENRES AND I'M SO GLAD I HAVE. I'VE FOUND THAT I ENJOY A VARIETY OF READING NOW. LET ME WHAT YOUR FAVORITE GENRE IS AND IF YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO BRANCH OUT TO DISCOVER OTHER GENRES? WHAT IS A RECENT BOOK YOU'VE READ OUTSIDE YOUR GENRE?

4. THE CONTEST WILL END ON SEPT. 18TH - BE SURE TO LEAVE A CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS.

HAPPY READING!

BE ON THE LOOKOUT!

BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR TWO REVIEWS/GIVEAWAYS IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO.

THE FIRST ONE IS: "MISSING MABEL" BY NANCY MEHL AND THE SECOND ONE IS: "VIGILANTE'S BRIDE" BY YVONNE HARRIS. YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS OUT ON EITHER ONE OF THESE BOOKS!

Congratulations to the Winners!!!!!

AND THE WINNERS ARE:

A PDF COPY OF "NO OTHER" AND BRACELET FROM

SHAWNA WILLIAMS GOES TO: CARRIE P.

A COPY OF "WHITE PICKET FENCES" BY SUSAN MEISSNER GOES TO: NANCYE

AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST THE BOX OF BOOKS TO CELEBRATE MY 100TH FOLLOWER GOES TO:

ANNE PAYNE

I will be in contact with all of you shortly. I want to take a minute to thank everyone for stopping by and leaving a comment. I appreciate all of your support and I hope that in some little way I can promote Christian Fiction for the authors hard at work.

Deborah M.

HAPPY READING!