Please Welcome Cynthia Hickey

Now Jesse James doesn’t play a role in my story, Her Lonely Heart, but there are outlaws and shooting, not to mention the role of young men determined to be pony express riders.

Jesse James was only fifteen when he joined a guerrilla band led by William Quantrill. Many pony express riders were younger by a year or two.

The Quantrill gang terrorized Kansas and Missouri during the Civil War. After the war, Jesse, his brother Frank, and brothers Cole, James, and Robert Younger moved to armed robbery. During the next 16 years, the gang became America’s most notorious outlaws. In 1976 the Younger brothers were captured. The James brothers escaped and didn’t rob another train until 1880, the same year a reward was posted wanting the James brothers dead or alive. Gang member Robert Ford decided the bounty was worth more than loyalty and shot Jesse James in the back.

 On the morning of April 3, 1882, while planning one last robbery with Bob and Charles Ford that would net him enough money to settle down permanently, Jesse reportedly stood in a chair to straighten a crooked picture on the wall.

Bob Ford shot Jesse James in the back of the head just below his right ear. His children and wife, Zerelda, ran into the room, but it was too late. Jesse James was dead at 34 years of age.

There has been speculation since he died that his death was staged and that he lived the rest of his days in peace under an assumed name. In 1947, a 102 year old man named J. Frank Dalton claimed to be Jesse James. His claim was never verified and DNA testing on the supposed grave of Jesse James has been inconclusive.

In Her Lonely Heart, there is a change of lifestyle, not by a killer, but by a bitter man set in his ways. I hope you enjoy this trip back into history, not only from this post, but from reading Pony Express Brides.

Please Welcome Mary Davis

RIDER COMING IN!!!

By Mary Davis

A

On April 3, 1860 two horseback riders raced across the West, one westbound from St. Joseph, Missouri and the other eastbound from Sacramento, California. And the PONY EXPRESS was born, filling a much needed gap until the telegraph line could be completed. The telegraph was finished on October 24, 1861, rendering the Pony Express obsolete.

As a rider would approach a station, a lookout called, “RIDER COMING IN!” A special “bare bones” saddle was strapped onto a fresh horse and stood ready. The incoming rider would jump down, the four-pocket, leather mochila transferred to the waiting horse, the timecard marked, and the same rider or a new one would leap up and race off. The exchange took about two minutes.

Pony Express stations were set up 10-15 miles apart with fresh horses. A rider typically rode 75-100 miles. Bob Haslam is reported to have once ridden 380 miles in 36 hours. Buffalo Bill Cody claims the longest ride by four miles.

Though postage cost $10 an ounce at the start and $2 by the end, the Pony Express grossed only $90,000 and lost as much as $200,000.

The Pony Express was mostly used by the military as the Civil War approached and began. Because of the high cost, ordinary folks almost never used the Pony Express.

“The story of the Pony Express is one of the most romanticized events in the history of the United States. In some ways, the Pony Express could be considered one of the most famous financial failures about which little is truly known, but much is told.” (Here Comes the Pony! By William E. Hill)

Story Blub:

In An Unlikely Hero, BethAnn along with her little sister are running from a mistake and finds security at a Pony Express station and love in the quiet affection of a shy Pony Express rider known as the “Fox.”

Bio:

Award-winning novelist MARY DAVIS has over two dozen titles in both historical and

contemporary themes. She is a member of ACFW and active in two critique groups.

Mary lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband of over thirty years and two cats. She has three adult children and one grandchild.

Web Site: http://marydavisbooks.com

FB links: https://www.facebook.com/mary.davis.73932 (profile)  &  https://www.facebook.com/Mary-Davis-184483061610172/ (page)

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Pony-Express-Romance-Collection-Inspiring/dp/1683221176/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1488336109&sr=1-1&keywords=Pony+Express+romance+collection

Barbour link: http://www.barbourbooks.com/Catalog/ProductSearch.aspx?filter=Titles&search=Pony+Express+Romance+Collection&ExtendedSearch=False&SearchOnLoad=True

Barns & Noble link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-pony-express-romance-collection-barbara-tifft-blakey/1124440730?ean=9781683221173

Blog: http://marydavis1.blogspot.com/

First Page:

AN UNLIKELY HERO

Chapter One

June 1861

No one would likely be following them tonight. BethAnn White tightened her hold around her twelve-year-old sister as the eastbound stagecoach came to a lurching stop.

The driver called out, “Head of Echo Canyon Stagecoach and Pony Express Station.”

BethAnn accepted the offered hand and stepped down from the stage, then turned to help Molly. She gazed in the direction they’d come from. The sun was just dipping behind the western ridge.

She heard rapidly approaching hoofbeats but couldn’t tell which direction they were coming from in the dimming evening light. The sound bounced off the canyon walls, making the sound appear to be coming from everywhere.

“Rider coming in!” someone yelled. That, too, bounced around and came from everywhere.

This could be exciting to see a Pony Express rider exchange. She searched the area around her. Where was Molly?

The hoofbeats grew louder, and station personnel scurried around.

Molly would not want to miss this. Where was she? BethAnn stepped out in front of the stagecoach team and saw the outline of the rider racing in from the east.

Then she saw her.

Her baby sister.

Her only family.

In the path of a several-hundred-pound charging animal.

Please Welcome, Barbara Tifft Blakey

April 3, 1993:  Norman Rockwell Museum opens at its new site in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

Art has been a part of civilization for thousands of years if cave drawings are any indication. And, like other cultural elements such as music and dance, art has developed over the centuries. One of the favorite American artists was Norman Rockwell. He spent the last twenty-five years of his life in Stockbridge, Massachusetts and donated his studio to the city for a museum. The studio is kept in its original state, although it has been moved to the thirty+ acre site that the museum now occupies. Visitors are treated not just to original Rockwell paintings, but to many of his sketches and drawings as well.

People are attracted to Rockwell’s work because of the connection they feel to his subjects. He captured small town America and his pictures tell stories. His most famous are a series of four “freedom” pictures:  freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from fear and freedom from want.

In my contribution to the Pony Express Collection, A Place to Belong, Abigail has neither studio nor paints, but draws the Express riders and scenes around the ranch. She treasures her mother’s sketchbook, with its own story, believing one of the images is of the home left behind before her parents were killed when she was six years old. Now, at nineteen, the sketchbook has become a connection to her mother and feeds her dream to return to the house in the book, much like Rockwell’s artwork feeds our nostalgia for a by-gone era.

Barbara Tifft Blakey is the developer of Total Language Plus, a literature-inspired language arts program used by private Christian schools and homeschoolers for over twenty years. She writes inspirational historical fiction from her tree-surrounded home in the Pacific Northwest. 

Only 17 Books in 2016 Seventeen books might sound like a lot, but in some ways I feel like I’ve fallen off the reading wagon. Maybe that’s because I didn’t read any books during the summer months. Oh well, life happens. At least I’m doing better this year. Here is the breakdown of the seventeen I read in 2016. Memoirs and Biographies: 4 Legal Thrillers: 2 Mainstream Fiction: 1 Classics: 1 Historical Nonfiction: 1 Fantasy: 1 Historical Christian Romance: 7 I delved onto fantasy last year which is a genre I haven’t read before. It was an interesting world to be in. Still, my favorite genre, obviously, is Historical Christian Romance. For three years running, almost half of the books I read are in this genre. The breakdown of romances I read last year. Set in Biblical times: 1 Set during the 1800’s: 5 Set during the 1900’s: 1 As far as reading in 2017 goes, I’m off to a good start. I’ve read eleven books so far. Not surprisingly, four are Historical Christian Romance.

The Courageous Brides Collection releases on July 1. Join me and eight other authors on a blog tour. There will be a rafflecopter giveaway for a Kindle Fire. More details coming soon. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ten Romantic Books That Made Great Movies

I don’t want to talk about the same books time and again, so for this post I tried to find books I haven’t mentioned in earlier in my blog. I haven’t read all these books, but I have read most of them. Although there were some parts of these movies I didn’t like, overall I enjoyed watching them immensely. Here’s my list of ten romantic books that made great movies.  

A Farwell to Arms by Ernest Hemmingway: I didn’t like how this one ended but I loved how the hero in this book went to such great lengths to protect the woman he loved, and his unborn child.

The Blue Lagoon by Henry De Vere Stacpoole: I love this movie. It came out when I was young so it took a few years before I could watch it, but when I did, I wasn’t disappointed. The love story is so sweet and innocent. The tropical location of this film is stunningly beautiful.   

Dances with Wolves by Michael Blake: The romance in this book. The positive portrayal of the Native American characters and the honest portrayal of the Old West make this movie a classic.

Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper: I hated the ending of this book, and the movie version made me cry, but I loved the characters, the clothes and all the romance and drama.

Legends of the Fall by Jim Harrison: I wasn’t fond of the heroine in this movie, but there was enough drama to keep me watching. This movie captured a heartbreaking and gritty portrayal of family life in the early 1900’s.

Love Comes Softly by Jeanette Oak: A faith-based classic with many great additions to the series, I loved how poignant this story is. Heartwarming elements of faith are subtly woven into the movie.

The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory: Rich in drama, and tons of breathtaking period costumes, this was a great movie. The film was full of surprises and kept me on the edge of my seat.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman: This one doesn’t exactly qualify as a historical but there is a beautiful castle, lot of sword fighting, and period clothing. I loved the romance and the heroine’s name, Buttercup. Too cute.   

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne: This movie deviated from the book, but I think the romance between the characters really enhanced the movie version. Aside from the love story, there are points about this movie that make me be careful about judging people.

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice may be the favorite of Jane Austin fans, but I love Sense and Sensibility. The plot twists kept me watching. I enjoyed watching Marianne find love again. Of course I loved those gorgeous period costumes.  

  

Ten Awesome Barbour Anthologies

A few years ago I posted some of my favorite anthologies from Barbour Publishing, but I’ve read countless more over the years. So, this time I’ve decided to narrow it down a bit and list some great “historical” four-in-one collections. This wasn’t easy, there are so many well-written stories, I could have listed twenty.

A Blue and Gray Christmas by Vickie McDonough, Lauralee Bliss, Tamela Hancock Murray, and Carrie Turansky: I love stories about the Civil War and this book was no exception. I loved how it gave different perspectives about Northerners and Sooutherners during that difficult time.

A Currier and Ives Christmas by Lyn Coleman, JoAnn Grote, DiAnn Mills, and Deborah Raney: I loved how these stories painted pictures of snowy Christmases. This is the perfect book to read in front of a fireplace during a snowstorm, with a cup of hot chocolate and a warm quilt, of course.   

Bound with Love by Joan Croston, Cathy Marie Hake, Kelly Eileen Hake, and Joyce Livingstone: These stories follow a Guttenberg Bible as it passed through the ages and from country to country. I especially liked the story set during WWII.

Brothers of the Outlaw Trail by DiAnn Mills, Tamela Hancock Murray, Lynette Sowell, and Kathleen Miller Y’barbo: This book, set during the Old West, tells the tales of four brothers who were outlaws. I loved how each one struggled through their own journey of personal growth. These are some great stories of redemption.   

Church in the Wildwoods by Paige Winship Dooly, Kristy Dykes, Pamela Griffin, and Debby Mayne: This is the first Christian romance I ever read. It changed the way I viewed romance. I never expected to see such a flawed hero grace the pages of a Christian novel. Silly me. The hero, a former bank robber and gang member, found Christ and changed his ways. The heroine saw a repentant man with a sincere heart for God. The congregation didn’t judge him by his past mistakes, but embraced him and became his friend. This book gave a phenomenal example of what a church should be. I know it taught me a thing or two.    

Colonial Courtships by Laurie Alice Eakes, Carla Olson Gade, Lisa Karon Richardson, and Amber Stockton: I had fun learning about ship-building when I read this book. For instance, I never knew that there were artists who specifically carved the figureheads for ships.

Missouri Memories by Kelly Eileen Hake, Joyce Livingston, DiAnn Mills, and Deborah Raney: The book focused on a house build along the Missouri River from when it was first built in the late 1800’s to Present Day. I especially like the story set in 1972, during the Vietnam War.

Stuff of Love by Dianna Crawford, Cathy Marie Hake, Kelly Eileen Hake, and Sally Laity: I like how these stories were set during WWII. Two of them were set in Copenhagen and knit together with threads of Danish culture, which really drew my interest.

Sweet Liberty by Paige Winship Dooly, Kristy Dykes, Pamela Griffin, and Debby Mayne: So many books by Barbour are set during the Christmas season, so when I saw this one centered around the 4^th of July holidays, I picked it up. I enjoyed reading how the holiday was celebrated in different time periods and in different parts of the country.

Wildflower Brides by Andrea Boeshaar, Cathy Marie Hake, Sally Laity, and Pamela Kaye Tracy: I love stories set on the Oregon Trail. The stories were so seamlessly woven together it felt like I was on the trail with the characters, going west as they were, sharing in both their struggles and triumphs.

Romance is a common theme throughout all of these books and they’re interwoven with strong elements of faith which keeps me reading them.