The Wedge of the San Rafael

The Wedge of the San Rafael
Someone has to live here, in the middle of desert beauty. Might as well be the Kellys.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Just a sample

Whew, Valentine's Day hit us hard here in Carbon County. First, daughter Liz's boyfriend got her a gi-normous Russell Stover heart, which we've all been encouraged to eat. (Gotta do what you gotta do.) The task was made simpler because there was one of those keys, which tells you what is what. With that much help and encouragement, the assignment to eat became simpler. I could avoid all the raspberry nougat centers hidden in chocolate coating. What a relief.  And there was a truffle, just waiting for me.

When I was at my daily therapy session (i.e. water aerobics), one of my fellow swimmers mentioned Suzie's Candy Shop. Apparently Suzie had a candy store in downtown Price, Utah, at one time. She decided to pedal back a bit, and remodeled her garage to make a kitchen/store there. Armed with directions, Vondell (my swimming buddy) and I found Suzie on February 13. She was puh-lenty busy, but graciously added us to the list, if we could pick up the goodies on the afternoon of Valentine's Day.  We each got the assortment - a sample of this and that - and were put on Suzie's mailing list.

Ostensibly, Suzie's assortment was for my husband, but again, we're all dipping into the chocolate. He very kindly got me a dozen roses that are multi-colored red and white. They're just fun to look at.

I got another sampler today. Bryony Green, my London editor with Harlequin Historicals, gave me the good news that the North American direct marketing group is going to include the entire first chapter of Her Hesitant Heart, as a samplein a direct mail package that will reach some 320,000 customers between June and September.

People who respond will then receive the whole novel in their introductory shipment. I did notice on the cover of Her Hesitant Heart these words under the title: "New Beginnings." I gather this is an additional series that readers can sign up for. I hope they will.

I emailed back to say I'd be delighted to be part of the proposal.  And I am. Her Hesitant Heart is a story dear to my heart. It's set at Fort Laramie, Wyoming Territory, in 1876. I love Fort Laramie. I volunteered there for a few years, and then was a seasonal ranger/historian for a few more years from roughly 1973 to 1975. Fort Laramie was where I forged some friendships that continue to give me real pleasure. It's also where I started writing (and selling) what I call my Fort Laramie stories, short stories and novellas about the men, women and children of the Indian Wars era. The stories are set at Fort Laramie (Wyoming), Fort Bowie Arizona), Fort Buford (North Dakota), and Camp Ruby (Nevada).

The stories were eventually collected into one book, Here's To the Ladies: Stories of the Frontier Army, and published by Texas Christian University Press. It remains probably my personal favorite, although My Loving Vigil Keeping is following as a close second. Those ranger friends made it a favorite work. One has passed away (the Old Army used to call that 'going to Fiddlers' Green'), but I generally see the others every year or so at one conference or other. I do value my friendships, and none more than that bunch of fellow rangers who took great pleasure in sharing our country's history with visitors from all over the world.

And this was my little secret: The U.S. government paid me every two weeks for doing something I would have done for free, because I love it so much.  I think everyone should have a job like that, at least once in a lifetime.

I hope you all had a lovely Valentine's Day.

6 comments:

  1. Carla, I am Linda's friend. Some time back she was visiting me and we were talking about my Kindle cuz I could make the print bigger. She recommended I read one of your books. I maybe a bit snippily told her I have certain authors I like and was probably not looking for any more. She recommended the first Light book. I read it, then the second and then I started searching. In my C Kelly directory in my Kindle I now have 16 books and have not read one I did not like. Thank you.

    I sincerely hope you do a sequel to Loving Vigil. What happened to the Bishop's wife? and Della and Owen? Did ANkarad (never did figure out to pronounce it) grow up? Once again I thank you for many hours of entertainment. I have been known to cry and laugh out loud at your books. thanks again Judy

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    1. Well, hi, Dorothy. I'm not sure about a sequel to My Loving Vigil Keeping. I know what happens to all of them, but I'm writing a book for Harlequin right now, and have another due on the New Mexico series this summer. We'll see. I'm afraid that after an ending like "Vigil" has, it would be hard to reach that same level of intensity and satisfy readers.

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  2. Looking forward to "The Hesitant Heart". Rog and I so enjoyed our quick Christmas visit. Tell Martin I planted some heirloom seed for about 10(I hope) tomato plants in our sunroom, and they are showing their lovely heads! Will keep you abreast of my light green thumb adventures. Oh yeah, Traci is having a girl in July!

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    1. We so enjoyed our brief visit, too. I'll tell Martin about the tomatoes. He'll be envious, because we're nowhere near a planting season here. A girl in July, you say? Super. I super this means a visit or two from the grandparents in Monroe???

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    2. It is an unforgettable book. I have realized you have other commitments so I will just wait and hope. I have been on your FB page and can see how busy you are. I can also see a lot of difficulty in creating an extension of that story line; however I believe you are up to the task. I recently finished Miss Whittier Makes a List and enjoyed it. I will keep reading (I do that well) and you keep writing as you do so well. Thanks.

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  3. Sorry, I got my post under the wrong one was really answering Carla's post to me. Just finished Wedding Journey.

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