GOOD-BYE TO JULY!

Hasn't this month been twice as long as usual? We've been through so much.

Although we had nice rains at the beginning of the month, the heat now is relentless, making it uncomfortable to go outside for much of anything. I pity the thousands that have been without power for weeks on end.

In fact, wasn't July The Month From Hell?
**Record floods in more than one area of the country.
**Record drought in the West
**Record heat in the Midwest
**Record number of wild fires in the West
**Negative campaigning that never stops
**Middle East wars in several countries
**One of the worst mass killings in history

Oh, and did I mention low book sales? That sounds trivial, doesn't it, when put up against the context of so much human suffering?

My daddy blamed everything on "The Bomb." By that, he meant the atomic bomb that ended WWII. He believe that The Bomb realigned the earth, and especially changed the weather patterns. We lived on the South Plains of Texas, sometimes called the High Plains, the lower portion of the Panhandle, near Lubbock and not too many miles from the New Mexico state line.

As a young married woman living elsewhere, we would visit my parents on the South Plains, and I liked to sit outside on the steps of the front porch in the dark with my daddy. We talked about the government and the president, but mostly he was interested in the weather. He wasn't a farmer, but he was born and raised on a farm, so I suppose he still had that mind-set.

During those years of the fifties and early sixties, dust storms were bad. Remember--the Drought of the fifties still stands as the worst in the 20th Century and through July 2012. It was so dry the entire country was affected and the economy was just horrible.

Today, I'm not blaming the bad times on any one thing or any one person, or even God. I do know that much of the world is in turmoil, but truly...it's nothing very unusual at all. It's just that we know too much through the internet and the news, so instead of only hearing about the tornado over the crackly radio that hit the town thirty miles away, we hear about a hundred tornadoes all over the United States. Sounds much worse, doesn't it?

In third grade, Daddy left home on Monday morning and came home on Friday afternoon as he would continue to do for decades. But that particular stormy night, Mother had us three girls grouped around the radio, each of us with our crocheting or embroidering, as we listened to The Lone Ranger or some such program that was our nightly entertainment. Suddenly, an announcer interrupted the program with the announcement that a tornado had struck a nearby town where our aunt, uncle, and cousins lived. Mother had been crocheting, but when she heard that, such terror struck her heart she jumped up yelling, and somehow jammed the crochet needle through the skin between her thumb and index finger. Now, she really did scream, and set all three of us doing the same thing. I will never forget that night. Hysteria reigned for hours.

Was that the worst night of our lives? The worst week? The worst month? No, absolutely not. The storm was centralized over one small area, but we imagined the world coming to an end.

Okay, so now I feel better about this horrendous July we've just experienced. Yes, it was bad, but that night in 1948, we had no idea about the rest of the world. We only knew our little part of the universe had turned frightening.

Cheer up. We're still better off than most of the earth's population, and we're strong and resilient enough to weather whatever comes our way.

So, out with July and bring on August. We're ready.

Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas
My Website
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Note: The calendar is a free printable download. 

FOUR WINNERS! Congratulations!

The First Annual Western Romance Blog Hop was a great success. Thanks to all the visitors to my blog and for leaving comments. Also, I appreciate the added bonus of new Followers--that puts me over 200. Very nice...I love it!

My winners are:
Book Lovers Hideaway--Vampire Mistress
Desitheblonde
Theresa--Marine Mom
Ruth Hill

Your chosen Dime Novel has been sent to you as a Gift for your Kindle. Check your email.
Only one has not responded.

The choices were:
ANGEL AND THE COWBOY--first release in the series--sold very well, and still selling.
ADDIE AND THE GUNSLINGER--a best seller as a Top 100 on three different lists.
CHARLOTTE AND THE TENDERFOOT-excellent sales, too.
KAT AND THE U.S. MARSHAL--the newest release, rising in the ranks slowly, but I hope it will take off soon!  Inching up!

I hope to participate again next year--it was fun.
Celia Yeary

Western Romance Blog Hop! Join the Fun!

First Annual Western Roundup Giveaway Hop

Hosted by MK McClintock, Kimberly Lewis and Cait Lavender

July 20th - 26th

 Featuring books with cowboys!

Cowboys are sexy and deserve a hop of their own. The western genre has exploded beyond old west and romance to include werewolves, wizards and other magical beings. Want to meet a charming cowboy or tough as nails cowgirl? Want to know what magic has to do with the old west? Want an old-fashioned historical western romance? Well then, hop on and enjoy the ride!

~*~*~*~

Hello, from Texas! I'm Celia Yeary, and I write everything Texas. Small towns, cities, the Old West, Contemporary...everything set in the Lone Star State..and about Texans.

Today I offer four 99Cent Dime Novels--all around 80-100 pages--each with a hero and heroine that have a love story to tell. Addie and the Gunslinger was on the Top 100 Best Western Romances for months, and the others came close. Kat and the U.S. Marshal is the newest release, and it's doing well...I hope soon, as well as Addie!

PLEASE leave a comment, Follow if you want to, and leave your email address or some way to get in touch with you in case you are one of the winners.

I will choose FOUR winners--okay, I let my dear husband do this--and each of you will have your choice. Enjoy the Blog Hop! And good luck on winning lots of books!

Have fun!

AVAILABLE AT AMAZON
99 CENT DIME NOVEL

"One night in a barn on a cold December night was not enough for Diego Montoya. Will Kat Garrison welcome him with open arms as she did that night?

~*~*~

As they danced, Diego brought her body flush with his, and he kept his right hand just below her waist. He pressed her closer, too, much more than was proper. Slightly dazed, she could barely think.

She whispered. "Diego, move your hand to my back, above my waist."

Whispering back, he said, "No."

"Yes. Do as I say. People will talk."

His voice rumbled low and deep. "I like it where it is."

99Cent Dime Novel

KAT AND THE U.S. MARSHAL

Amazon/Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008GWEVZO

AVAILABLE AT AMAZON-
99 CENT DIME NOVEL

Ex-gunslinger Jude Morgan lands in jail in a far-flung West Texas town. On the fourth day in his cell, the sheriff arrives with a beautiful woman dressed in men’s pants and toting her own six-shooter. Adriana Jones claims he is her worthless husband who married her but never came home.
The young woman makes a bargain with Jude in front of the sheriff. Jude is to come home where he belongs, and she will have him released. When they’re alone, she explains his job is to pose as her husband to thwart the marriage advances of her neighbor, wealthy rancher Horace Caruthers. The older man wants her ranch to join his, because the Pecos River runs through her property.
To seal the bargain, Jude wants a kiss. During the next few weeks, however, Jude and Addie learn that the kiss meant more than they meant it to be. Then, Addie's life is in danger. Will Jude rescue his Addie? Or will Addie save herself and her gunslinger?
~*~*~
Mini- Excerpt:

"Ever been kissed, Miss Jones?" Wanting to loosen her up, he tried teasing, but it didn't seem to work.

Her voice trembled a little. "That is none of your business. I don't intend our relationship to be at all personal. You just come and go, do your job, and pay no attention to me."

Chuckling under his breath, he thought, like hell.

Before she kicked her horse into a gallop, she lifted her chin and said, "You need a bath, Mr. Morgan."

"Addie. It's Jude."

"Jude. You need a bath."

99 Dime Novel

ADDIE AND THE GUNSLINGER

Amazon/Kindle

 http://www.amazon.com/Addie-and-the-Gunslinger-ebook/dp/B006LXB6GW/ref=sr_1_13?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324161074&sr=1-13

AVAILABLE AT AMAZON
99 CENT DIME NOVEL

While driving home in her buggy, Charlotte Dewhurst discovers a man lying by the road. William Montgomery, an attorney, was passing through the area when accosted by two hoodlums. The resulting court case keeps Will in town. His attitudes confuse Charlotte as he seeks her company, yet proclaims he will soon be moving on. But Will may be the most confused one of all.

~*~*~

Excerpt:

“Hi,” he said, as he came to her. “I hear the violin and guitars tuning up.”

She couldn’t help but laugh. “Fiddles, Will. The instrument might look like a violin, and perhaps sound like one if played in such a manner, but here? They’re fiddles. Plain and country, but wait till you hear them play.”

He chuckled. “My mistake. Only one of many since I’ve arrived in Trinity Hill. I’ll get the hang of these western ways yet.”

But probably not here, Will. You’ll be leaving soon. Remember?

99 Cent Dime Novel

CHARLOTTE AND THE TENDERFOOT

Amazon/Kindle

http://www.amazon.com/Charlotte-and-the-Tenderfoot-ebook/dp/B007DIWWGM/ref=sr_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330392989&sr=1-14

AVAILABLE AT AMAZON
99 CENT DIME NOVEL

When U.S. Marshal Max Garrison enters the bookshop and meets lovely Daniella Sommers, his life changes. Knowing he’s met the woman of his dreams, all he has to do is convince her to marry him and move to his ranch.

Daniella has been different her entire life, with her dusky skin and black hair. Her English parents, though, convinced her she was theirs. When Max Garrison enters her lonely world, she learns that love is all that matters.

~*~*~

“Dani, let me set you straight, here. I left law enforcement to come home, settle down, and raise a family. To do that, well, dang it, I need a wife. Now, to tell the God’s truth, I didn’t come
to town today thinking I’d find a wife on the street, waiting for me to swoop her up and propose. That’s exactly what happened, though. You. I met you and I’ll tell you right here and now, I want to marry you.”

A tiny laugh escaped Daniella’s throat. She covered her mouth with her hand and looked directly up at him. Shaking her head and lowering her hand, she said, “Mr. Garrison. That’s absurd. Absolutely…” She paused when she interpreted the look in his eyes and on his face.

Anger. She’d made him mad. He stood there clenching his jaw, with thinned lips pressed together and narrowed eyes, blue eyes, usually the color of bluebonnets or a summer Texas sky, but now cold and dark. He was gorgeous, and oh, how she wanted to throw her arms around his neck and kiss his mouth.

Max spoke, low and slow. “I do apologize, Miss Sommers. My manners and common sense must have gone out the window. It's from all those years alone on the trail, hunting some outlaw not worth spit, dealing and mingling with the scum of the earth. My brain has turned to mush with all that thinking and planning and wishing about a pretty wife, one who was smart and good, and who might see me for something more than a worn-out lawman.”

His statement struck her heart with regret. “Oh, no, you’re not…”

“Shhh, Dani.” His face relaxed, as did his taut body, and he rubbed his knuckles down her left cheek. “Don’t. You’ve done nothing wrong. I should have waited.”

He straightened, standing tall, straight, and smiled gently. “Miss Sommers, I retract that marriage proposal, for now. So, let me begin again. Will you do me the honor of having supper with me tonight at the café? And ma’am, I damn sure won’t take no for an answer.”
99 Cent Dime Novel

ANGEL AND THE COWBOY

Available at amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Angel-and-the-Cowboy-ebook/dp/B0058VZTWU/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342731447&sr=1-4&keywords=celia+yeary

~*~*~
Now, scroll down and click on the next blog to Hop To!

 

My List of Ten Most Memorable Novels

How many books have you read in your lifetime? I'd have an impossible task to think of a number. Some books, though, remain firmly entrenched in my memory, from Strawberry Girl from my childhood,  to a more recent book, The Help. This list contains some of the most memorable ones. I'm sure I could think of so many more, but for now...these make up my list.

#10--TABLE FOR FIVE by Susan Wiggs: Sometimes it takes a leap of faith in order to soar...gifted teacher Lily Robinson's best friend and her husband are killed in an accident, leaving their three young children orphaned. Sean McGuire, a playboy golfer who plays by his own rules, finds himself in the role of guardian with the death of his brother and sister-in-law. Lily and Sean work together in grief and their mutual love for the children, in order to keep them together.

#9--THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett: Stockett writes about a troubled time in American history without resorting to depressing or controversial clichés. She portrays fascinating and complex relationships between vastly different members of a household. It's a compassionate and funny story.   

#8--HALF BROKE HORSES by Jeanette Walls: A true-life fictionalized version of Jeanette's no-nonsense, resourceful, and compelling grandmother, Lily. Lily broke horses by age six, rode five hundred miles on her pony alone to get a job, learned to drive a car and fly a plane. She survived tornadoes, droughts, floods, the Great Depression, and a very heartbreaking personal tragedy. She bristled at prejudice of all kinds. Written in a simple classic manner, much like Lily herself spoke.

#7--RAINWATER by Sandra Brown: This novel is a departure from Ms. Brown's usual romance novels. The year is 1934, and the country is in the stranglehold of drought and economic depression. Ella Barron runs her Texas boardinghouse with efficiency, ensuring her life will be kept in balance. Solly, her sweet son with his misunderstood behavior is Ella's greatest love and challenge. David Rainwater arrives looking for lodging. He moves into her house, and impacts her life in ways she could never have foreseen.

#6--THE LAST TRUE COWBOY by Kathleen Eagle: A cowboy is as good as his word, but what if the words are "I love you?" K.C.Houston is the last of a breed of untamed men who live by their word and love by their own set of rules. To Julia, K.C. is a dream come true--he can tame a spirited horse with a single touch, he offers to help save the ranch, and he awakens in her a need she thought she'd lost. Even though he fills her days and nights with loving and passion--he never said he'd stay forever. (Note: I have read this book probably six times.)

#5--THIS CALDER RANGE by Janet Dailey: Chase Benteen Calder was bound to wrest a fortune from Montana land, where the whisper of riches swept across a sea of buffalo grass. With Lorna at his side, a woman who took the tough ways of the land as her destiny, he would breathe life into his dream.

#4--SONS AND LOVERS by D.H. Laurence: This novel is a highly autobiographical and compelling portrayal of childhood, adolescence, and the price of family bonds. Repelled by her uneducated and sometimes violent husband, delicate Gertrude Morel devotes her life to her sons. But conflict is inevitable when Paul seeks relationships with women to escape the suffocating grasp of his mother. As profoundly affecting today as it was nearly a century ago, this is the peerless Lawrence at his most personal.(Note: this story is far more complicated and intriguing than this short description.)

#3--MORNING GLORY by LaVyrle Spencer: The story of Ella Dinsmore and Will Parker. Ella, widowed at 26 and with two small children, advertises for a husband, through which she meets Will, a drifter. The time is during the Depression, and Ms. Spencer writes every scene with vivid description and compelling emotion.

#2--THE OUTSIDER by Penelope Williamson: After Rachel Yoder's husband is murdered by outlaws in an act of outrageous greed, she must raise her 10-year-old son alone on the Montana Plains. One day, a handsome stranger dying from a gunshot wound walks into her ranch. With simple kindness, she treats his injury and nurses him back to health. Soon Rachel finds herself drawn to this mysterious outsider with a violent past--and must put her future on the line for a last chance at happiness.

#1--INTO THE WILDERNESS by Sara Donati’s epic novel sweeps us into another time and place…and into a breathtaking story of love and survival in a land of savage beauty. In this ambitious and vibrant sequel to The Last of the Mohicans, Elizabeth Middleton, a well-educated spinster of 29, journeys from her home in England to her father's lands in upstate New York in 1792. It is a place unlike any she has ever experienced. And she meets a man unlike any she has ever encountered—a white man dressed like a Native American: Nathaniel Bonner, known to the Mohawk people as Between-Two-Lives. Determined to provide schooling for all the children of the village, Elizabeth soon finds herself locked in conflict with the local slave owners as well as with her own family. Interweaving the fate of the Mohawk Nation with the destiny of two lovers, Sara Donati’s compelling novel creates a complex, profound, passionate portrait of an emerging America.
~*~*~
The authors of these novels have become some of my favorites. I've read many, if not all, of each author's books.

Which book that you've read would you have placed at the #1 spot?

Thanks for visiting...I hope you enjoy some of the stories.

Celia Yeary

Becoming a Published Author: Part II-If It Doesn't Fit, Don't Submit!

During the day-long on-line discussion I mentioned in Part I, we learned that authors shared common concerns about publishers, as well as common praises. After all, where would most of us be without our publishers?

Two years after I stopped submitting to New York, I was ready to try the small electronic presses. The list came from RWA, once again, on their website under "approved publishers." This meant epublishers who met RWA's criteria for a legitimate publisher--not a vanity press.
I studied each one on the list and narrowed them down to about ten. The others required something more than I had to offer, or at least some facet that did not apply to me.

With these ten, I made notes of the submission requirements, the appearance of the home page, and very important to me--the covers. (I made another spread sheet!)
During this process, I learned how important covers were to me. Some had covers that were garish, amateurish, too dark, and especially--too sexy. I didn't care for half-naked people in a  suggestive pose. This narrowed my list to five. Of the five, I finally chose one that really appealed to me, and I felt I would be proud to have a novel with them.

Next, I sifted through my finished manuscripts, seeking the most polished, the best opening, and the best characters. All my opinion, of course.

I bit the bullet, wrote my query, sent three chapters--and in a week--I was offered a contract!

I have never regretted that choice. 

Now that I have had seven publishers, and soon will be narrowed to five, I do have a wide range of knowledge about what publishers offer--or don't offer.

MY FIRST BOOK
THE WILD ROSE PRESS
EBOOK AND PRINT
2007
THIS BOOK IS STILL SELLING!

So, what do you want from a publisher?

(1) Length of contract. At the beginning, all I saw were two-year contracts. Now the trend seems to be five years. Some of those who offered two, have now changed to five.
Think carefully about this. Five years is a long time. The publisher has a reason for the length, but you might not agree. On the other hand, you might feel secure with  five year contract. Think about that carefully.
Note: All My Hopes and Dreams has a two year contract, but it's still selling in its fifth year.

(2) Publisher rights. Publishers list their rights to a movie of your book, an audio book, prints, and anything else that might be invented in the future. The only one I might argue with are the prints. If a print is not promised, why keep the rights? More and more avenues for authors to take on a project on their own exist, and I suspect in this new world of publishing, more will appear. You might want to keep your options open.

THIS COVER IS BY
GEMINI JUDSON OF
WHISKEY CREEK
PRESS
IT WAS A FINALIST
IN EPIC'S
MOST BEAUTIFUL
COVER THIS YEAR

(3)  Cover art. Since a cover is so important to me, I want a publisher who will give me what I want. There are some very talented artists out there, and I've been lucky enough to get what I wanted on my covers. I love every one of them.

(4) Royalties. Percentages for ebooks and prints are close among all publishers. One publisher I have gives a much high percentage on both.

(5) Price of ebooks and print. The amount set is the publisher's decision. I have ebooks ranging from $3.99 for a full-length novel, to $8.95; and prints range from $9.99 for full-length, to $16.99. Which would you choose as a reader?

(6) Author's Discount. A real sticking point, and one I advise the author to study carefully. On one print, with a very low discount for me, and the high price of the print plus  paying the postage, I lost money selling these books in town. At the other end of the spectrum, with a very high discount for me, and a low selling price, I made a nice amount of cash.

(7) Requirements for prints. Study your contract carefully. Usually an author does not know the terms of a contract until it's in hand. If you must pay a certain amount to get prints, don't sign. If you must buy a certain number of books, I do recommend you don't sign--with this one stipulation: if you know you can sell the amount, then go ahead. You'd be buying them anyway.  
Praise for Publishers!
(1) One who listens to my concerns and answers in a timely fashion.
(2) One who treats me as an individual and not part of a crowd.
(3) One who sends my books to multiples sell sites.
(4) One who is professional at all times--no scolding or harsh words.
(5) One who likes my book as is and doesn't require rewrites and doesn't make me eliminate a good, useful character.
(6) One who has good editors to help me polish my masterpiece.
(7) One who gives me fair return for my efforts.
(8) One who doesn't play favorites.

Think there's no such publisher? Oh, yes there is. More than one is fact. You just hope you can find one.
If you have an opinion, please share.
Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas
 My Website
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The Road to Publication-Part I

Becoming a Published Author

Recently, I was involved in an on-line discussion titled "What Do You Want From a Publisher?" There were many visitors who had definite opinions, both positive and negative. Without a doubt, the relationship an author has with a publisher is as important as writing the book itself.

When I first began to search for a publisher in 2005, the only names I knew were Avon, Berkley, Dorchester, Kensington, and Harlequin--all New York Publishers. By that time I had five completed manuscripts in my computer files, although my knowledge of acceptable writing was sorely lacking. After spending a good deal of money printing and mailing three chapters and a synopsis for the one I chose as a trial, I realized the project might not work for me.

The rejection letters piled up. Every one of them was a form letter. And I might go broke.

About that time, I joined Romance Writers of America in order to appear more professional, and also to receive their magazine.

The articles opened my eyes to facts I never knew: (1) most manuscripts were never read--only the first page before it was placed in the discard pile, (2) for every manuscript I submitted, that one was in competition with maybe ten thousand others, and (3), while a publisher opened submissions to new and unagented writers, the fact was that to land a contract as such an author was rare, indeed.

I abandoned the plan, and decided perhaps becoming a published romance author was not for me.

However, those RWA magazines opened another door. I learned that some contests were offered to unpublished authors, and most importantly, I could submit online. In addition, I would receive three critiques for each manuscript.

But the most important fact I discovered was some publishers were called "small electronic presses," and the contests were open to anyone who paid the fee. I invested a certain amount of money and began entering selected contests.

The contests opened the door. One of my contemporary romances, "The Stars at Night," won third place in one of the contests, and my name was published in an issue of Romance Writers of America.

Two good things came out of the contests:

(1) I made spread sheets of the positive and negative comments taken from the judges' sheets, thereby discovering my strengths and weaknesses as a writer. At last, my scientific background paid off. I used the negative comments--which were consistently the same--and began a steep learning curve.

2) I discovered numerous electronic publishers and a whole new world of opportunity.

Next Step: to land a contract with an electronic press.

Coming Friday--stayed tuned.

Becoming a Published Author
Part II: If It Doesn't Fit, Don't Submit  

Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas
My Website
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Sweethearts of the West-Blog
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Summertime in Texas in the Fifties

Please Note: I invite you to sign up for my blog to receive it by email. Look on the left sidebar. Just add your email address. I post about twice a week, and if you become tired of getting the email, then you may Unsubscribe. Thank you, Celia

What do children and young teens do during the summers in the 21st Century? My grandsons will attend soccer camp, take scuba diving lessons, and spend long days at the family's lake cottages with numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

People who survived the Great Depression and two world wars reared their children quite differently. On the High Plains of West Texas where I grew up, my parents were determined that we three girls know how to survive if ever there should be a food shortage. Mother, especially, believed it was her God-given responsibility to teach us to gather, harvest, can, and freeze large amounts of food.

My younger sister and I had such lessons every summer. It seemed that our older sister was born knowing how to do these tasks, but we, the younger two, were completely ignorant.

During the peak season of vegetables and fruits, Mother would take us out to a "truck farm" that allowed anyone to come out and pick and gather bushels of the current produce--for a fee, of course.

We were the pickers and the gatherers.

One week we'd find a field of corn. We'd fill our baskets with the corn with the shuck still on, and head home. Mother proceeded to arrange us on stools around the baskets to demonstrate how to shuck corn and pick off the silk. When clean, Mother used a heavy sharp knife to slice off the kernels, and all were in a pan, she'd use the edge of the knife to run it down the sides, releasing a sweet corn liquid.

The next week, we'd pick black-eyed peas, take them home and spend the afternoon shelling peas. The next trip, we'd find peaches, or okra, squash, or green beans.

Some of these fruits and vegetables were packed into pint-sized plastic containers and put in the big upright freezer. Black-eyed peas and green beans were canned in quart-sized Mason jars, using Mother's huge cast-iron canner. Such a scary apparatus.

Yes, we grumbled and griped, stepped on grass-burrs and goat-heads, and got sunburned. But when we all sat down at the supper table, we ate like kings.

I never learned how to cook like my mother did..probably because I bought food, including fruits and vegetables at the local Piggly Wiggly.

It was just not the same.

 Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas

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