Gayle_Roper

Why the Jersey Shore? Why Seaside?

I’m super excited to welcome today’s guest blogger — Gayle Roper! Gayle is one of my really-long-time writing buddies and one of my mentors, both in writing and in directing writers’ conferences. Gayle has a new book out and we’re celebrating with a story behind the story and a book giveaway. Please welcome Gayle!   WHY THE JERSEY SHORE? WHY SEASIDE? As I …

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Naming Horses

Last week, on my Facebook page, I asked for help in naming a boy’s horse for my work-in-progress. If you’re wondering if the boy’s horse has a name yet . . . I received several hundred great suggestions and narrowed it down to seven for the boy’s horse. I found a name for his father’s horse: Haggis. And I named …

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St. Charles: Full Circle

How does an Arizona author end up setting her newest works of Historical Fiction in Missouri? Saint Charles, Missouri, to be exact? Enter . . . a children’s book illustrator named Chris Sharp.

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Tea, Quilts, and Books in Saint Charles

Today, I’m flying into Missouri. Here I come Saint Charles! I’m excited to participate in several Author Events, May 14-18. I hope you’ll join me in St. Charles, the setting for The Quilted Heart, also the launch city for The Boone’s Lick Wagon Train Company in Prairie Song.

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Book Club Fun to Celebrate The Quilted Heart

Do the members of your book club or reading group enjoy reading a series of novellas and spending time with an ensemble cast? If so, Elsa Brantenberg’s Quilting Circle in St. Charles, Missouri, might be a great fit. And I’m happy to say the 1860’s heartland setting lends itself well to having fun with historic Main Street and riverside flair. For some book club …

Meet Caroline from The Quilted Heart Omnibus

Meet Caroline from The Quilted Heart Omnibus

Today, I’m featuring the two main characters in Ripples Along the Shore, the third and last novella in The Quilted Heart. After you’ve read The Quilted Heart, read Prairie Song to spend more time with Garrett and Caroline. MEET Garrett Cowlishaw Garrett Cowlishaw  is the a friend of Rutherford Wainwright and is in St. Charles to recruit a band of people to …

Meet Elsa Brantenberg from The Quilted Heart

Meet Elsa Brantenberg from The Quilted Heart

If you’re familiar with my Historical Fiction, you know that my stories tend to feature a “Titus 2:3” type mentor as a secondary character. In The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek Series, it was Miss Hattie, the proprietor of a boarding house. In The Quilted Heart novellas,the key woman of influence is Mrs. Brantenberg. Meet Elsa Brantenberg, who owns the …

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A Novel Instrument ~ The Zither

Music played a key role in the 1800s. In patriotism and in the church. In the life of a community. And in family life. Such was the case for Elsa Brantenberg and her household in Dandelions on the Wind, the first novella in The Quilted Heart omnibus. Sunday evenings after supper is set aside for family music time. Mrs. Brantenberg …

Meet Rutherford & Maren from The Quilted Heart

Meet Rutherford & Maren from The Quilted Heart

A broken soldier. A nearly-blind abandoned bride. Will love bind their hearts together, or will stubborn pride unravel the family they both love? Meet the main characters in Dandelions on the Wind, Novella #1 in The Quilted Heart omnibus! RUTHERFORD WAINWRIGHT 1. What is your job? Describe a little about what you do. I was a farmer then a soldier. …

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Quilters and Quilts ~ Week 10, Juanita Nobles

Reader-Friend Juanita Nobles is my guest in Week 10 of the Quilters and Quilts Blog Series celebrating the release of The Quilted Heart Omnibus. MONA: How long have you been a quilter? JUANITA: I’ve been quilting for 30 years. I started in 1983. I have done all types—paper piecing, applique, piecework, but I usually stick to pretty simple designs. MONA: Who influenced you to start …