Today's guest blog and book giveaway of Words Spoken True by Ann Gabhart

I am so happy to welcome my friend Ann Gabhart back to my blog. And she has a special treat for all commenters. Besides the copy of Words Spoken True that I will give away to one commenter during the month of March, Ann is also giving a copy away to anyone who leaves a comment on her post here this weekend, so be sure to read and comment by Sunday night at midnight, and I will announce the winner on Monday, March 5.

Romance – the Spice in Storytelling

By Ann H. Gabhart

“I believe in the compelling power of love. I do not understand it. I believe it to be the most fragrant blossom of all this thorny existence.” ~Theodore Dreiser

Don’t you just love springtime when the earth is awakening from its winter sleep? The time when seeds and bulbs dormant under the snow or cold ground are touched by the warming sun and begin the cycle of life all over again. It’s also the time when thoughts of romance awaken in many hearts.

Writers can’t wait for spring to reach for romance. They have to make spring awaken in the hearts of their characters and get them in romantic moods any time of the year since most fiction readers love romance in the stories they read. It doesn’t matter whether those stories are solely focused on romance or if they have more to do with mystery, suspense, fantasy or history. Romance has a way of making any story more enticing. That’s because romance can make life more enticing and that’s what we writers want our stories to be – a slice of life. When we read about characters falling in love, we sigh along with them. Our hearts get lifted by the vicarious thrill of falling in love ourselves. But generally in most stories, as Shakespeare said, the course of true love never runs smooth. That’s because writers don’t let it, and they don’t let it because if it’s all smooth sailing, you don’t have the conflict that keeps readers reading. So we make the waters murky. We head our characters toward a rocky shore or get them stuck on sand bars. We do our best to make the voyage to happiness challenging.

I certainly did that to my characters in my new release, Words Spoken True. It’s the most romantic story I’ve written since I began writing for the inspirational market. It might be the most romantic story I’ve ever written. What makes it romantic? The interaction between the two main characters along with those obstacles that pop up to keep them apart.

At a conference once, I sat in on a class taught by Michael Hauge, who’s considered a story master in many writing circles. One of his rules about writing romances was to be sure the readers get to see the couple meet. To see the beginning. To watch the sparks begin to fly. For sure, you get to see the sparks fly when Adriane and Blake meet in Words Spoken True. Blake is the editor of a competing newspaper that is threatening the dominance of the paper Adriane’s father publishes. Since the two newspapers are warring for readers, Blake is considered the enemy and someone Adriane shouldn’t even like. A romantic attraction is out of the question. On top of that, she is engaged to the son of one of the more socially prominent families in Louisville. Yet, the attraction between Adriane and Blake is immediate. But the obstacles keep mounting one after another until the dramatic scene on a night that goes down in Louisville history as “Bloody Monday” because of the election riots. Even then, the obstacles don’t stop rising up in front of my couple to try to spoil their romantic happiness.

It was fun letting the romance have center stage in this book. In my Shaker books, while they are definitely historical romances, I often have to sneak any romantic scenes in a back door since the Shakers believed in celibate living. The Shakers not only had no use for romance, they considered such feelings sinful. In my Hollyhill books, a sweet thread of romance runs through all three books, but the main storyline is about the family and small town. Angel Sister definitely has romance. I think of that book as a parallel story. On one level is the story of the Merritt family while on another level running along beside it is the romantic love story of Victor and Nadine, the mother and father in the family. But in Words Spoken True, the romance demands the camera and lights, and even though the history is dramatic, the newspaper background compelling, and the idea of a serial killer on the loose suspenseful, I think it’s the romance that keeps the reader turning the pages to find out if Blake and Adriane will overcome those obstacles and have a chance to find love.

If you’d like to know more about Words Spoken True or any of my books, you can go to my website http://www.annhgabhart.com/. I enjoy meeting reading friends there and on my other social sites, my Facebook author’s page, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-H-Gabhart/132862247566 or Twitter with a user name, annhgabhart. I also post a couple of times a week on my blog, One Writer’s Journal, http://www.annhgabhart.blogspot/.com about what going on in my writing or down here on the farm.

Thanks, Rose, for inviting me over to share a little time with you and your friends. I appreciate each of you reading my post and invite your comments. How important is romance in a story when you’re picking the books you want to read?

Good luck in the drawing for a copy of Words Spoken True

Monday Spotlight on Anita Mae Draper--and giveaway

Anita Mae Draper may not be pubbed in fiction yet, but I think it won't be long after reading her descriptions of these weather scenes and after reading all the contests she has finalled in! Anita is also very talented in photography, and I am so glad she shared her beautiful Canadian countryside with the rest of us.

She's also very generous, and has offered to give away a copy of Lynette Eason's LIS Threat of Exposure to someone who leaves a post on this blog before next Monday. So be sure to let her know how much you enjoy her photos and leave your email info so we can contact you if you win!

Prairie Weather Treasures by Anita Mae Draper

It’s almost December and the only reason I haven’t been listening to Christmas music yet is because the weather has been so nice this year. Sure it’s windy out there and we’ve had our share of snow, but a couple inches is nothing compared to the 2 feet we sometimes have by this time. Because our weather is fickle and dangerous, I thought I’d show you some photos and a video of the gamut we can run through each year.

First off are the sundogs which show up when there are ice crystals in the air. Sundogs (also called mock suns) are a phenomena we see several times a winter. They are caused by light refracting through ice crystals – you know, the kind that turn the trees white. Although the twin mock suns on either side are the actual sundogs, the whole thing is commonly called a sundog in these parts much like a ring around the moon is called a moondog.

The photo above was taken at approx. 9:30 am on our way to church on Feb 7, 2010, but sundogs can appear throughout the day.

We see other things in the winter, too like the effect of frost on things. One morning, I went out and found the frost on certain items, only. It particularly liked our van antenna:

And some mornings, it’s just beautiful when it latches onto the trees…

I have to show you this video I made last March during a blizzard warning... a porcupine got the drop on me…



I can't believe it took so long to sink in that he was there. Sheesh.

Anyway, weather plays a big part of our life here on the Canadian prairies. We have hot, lazy summer days, spring floods and autumn northern lights as well, but ‘tis the season for snow.

Have you ever seen a sundog? Felt the cold bite of a -40C/F wind? Tasted a snowflake before it touched the ground?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anita Mae Draper is retired from the Canadian Armed Forces and lives on the prairie of southeast Saskatchewan, Canada with her hubby of 30 plus years and 2 of their 4 kids. She writes stories set on the prairies of Saskatchewan, North Dakota, Montana and Wyoming. Anita Mae has semi-finaled in the Historical Romance category of the ACFW's 2011 Genesis contest and finaled in the Inspirational category of the 2011 Daphne du Maurier, the 2011 Fool for Love, the 2011 Duel on the Delta and 2009 Linda Howard Award of Excellence contests. You can find her at http://www.anitamaedraper.com/

Guest Blog and giveaway by Shannon Taylor Vannatter
Let me introduce you to my fellow Barbour author, Shannon Taylor Vannatter. She's going to tell you how her just-released book Rodeo Dust came to be. And after you read about this book, I bet you will want to leave a comment so you can be entered in the drawing for a copy of Rodeo Dust. Shannon's giveaway deadline will be next Friday when I post another guest blog by her--this one about her husband. So make sure you leave a comment before October 21 with your email addy so we can contact you next Friday if you win!

How I Got the Idea for Rodeo Dust by Shannon Taylor Vannatter
Rodeo Dust started as a short story. My husband and I had taken our three year old son to the Arkansas State Fair. While our son rode a miniature motorcycle round and round, I noticed a cowboy to the bone wearing his Stetson, Justin boots, and Wranglers. No surprise there. But he was holding hands with a girl wearing a business suit and black suede boots.

Where in the world did they meet? What could they possibly have in common. Thus the story began about the city girl who meets a bull rider at the State Fair of Texas. She detests all things livestock and is terrified of bulls, but she can't stay away from the rodeo because her cowboy rides bulls for a living.
I really wasn't interested in writing short stories. I wanted to write novels. But it initially came to me as a short story. But I realized there was a lot more to it. Maybe like a whole book.
During my teen years, my dad announced at a very small town rodeo. I worked in the concession stand, which provided a little bit of experience to draw from. My husband--who is not a cowboy--is from Texas, so I decided to set the story there.
I needed a rodeo where my hero could compete on a weekly basis without too much travel. The Fort Worth Stockyards fit the bill. Since the heroine is city through and through, I liked the contrast of the Dallas/Fort Worth area. But I wanted my hero to be small town. I found Aubrey--the perfect place for his dude ranch.
After the book sold, I decided I'd better get my facts straight. My family walked the brick-lined streets of the Stockyards, got lost in The Cattlepen Maze, ate at The Cattleman's Steakhouse, toured The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, witnessed The Texas Longhorn Cattle Drive, and went to the rodeo in The Cowtown Coliseum.
Though the book went through several drafts, that initial short story remained in tact toward the end of the book. My son is almost ten now and Rodeo Dust releases this month through Heartsong Presents. Here's the blurb:
Ad exec, Rayna Landers meets bull rider, Clay Warren at the State Fair of Texas. While Rayna thinks she’s content solo, Clay longs for marriage and family. Though poised to win his third world championship, his ranch is in a slump. Clay convinces his publicist to hire her advertising firm in a last-ditch effort to keep his employees and lasso her heart.

Soon the city girl is on the ride of her life, until the rodeo unearths buried memories from her past. Clay sees her through the trauma, but an injury and his stubborn determination to get back in the hypothetical saddle threatens their budding relationship. Can they rely on God to find their common ground or will they draw a line in the rodeo dust that neither will cross?

Shannon's bio: Central Arkansas author, Shannon Taylor Vannatter is a stay-at-home mom/pastor’s wife. Her debut novel, White Roses won the 2011 Inspirational Readers Choice Award in the short contemporary category. The 18th Annual Heartsong Awards named Vannatter 3rd Favorite New Author, and White Roses #1 and White Doves #8 in the contemporary category. The Arkansas Democrat Three Rivers Edition voted Vannatter one of 20 to Watch in 2011.

She has taught fiction workshops at The White County Creative Writers Conference in Searcy, AR, Life Press Christian Writers Conference in Memphis, TN, Ozark Creative Writers Conference in Eureka Springs, AR, and Ozark Romance Authors Conference in Springfiled, MO. She also taught a writing class as a continuing adult education course at the Arkansas State University.
The first book in her Texas rodeo series, Rodeo Dust will be available through Heartsong Presents in October. Rodeo Hero and Rodeo Ashes release in 2012. Learn more about Shannon and her books at http://shannonvannatter.com.

Our monthly winners are...

Joanne Sher who wins an autographed copy of The Sheriff's Daughter by Laurie Kingery and Cheri Horgan wins a copy of Something Stirs by Thomas Smith. These books will be on their way after both winners send me their mailing addresses.

This month's book to win is called 199 Promises of God to celebrate me reaching the milestone of 199 blogposts last month! It is chock-full of Scripture promises to encourage you along your journey. To be included in the drawing which will take place on June 1st, please leave a comment any time the month of May along with your email address so I can contact you for mailing info. All those with a US mailing addy except the two winners mentioned above are eligible, so what are you waiting for?