LOTS OF VARIETY - INTERVIEW WITH LIVIA

As part of the interview with the authors, we are doing a series of interviews with some of the female members of this organization. Since March is National Women's History Month, and the Old West is History, what better way to celebrate both. This post is with Livia Reasoner (Livia J. Washburn) and what a fun interview it is.

 1. When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

It started with me sitting on a swing telling stories to my cats. However, I didn’t get serious about it until after I married James Reasoner. He always wanted to be a writer and would write with a fountain pen in a spiral notebook during his breaks at work. He’d give me the edited pages and I’d type them for him. Then I started suggesting things he might do. After a while, he trusted my instincts enough that he would say, “You go ahead and make those changes,” and it snowballed from there.

2. Did you chose the genre you write in or did it choose you?

I’ve always had trouble sticking to a genre, and at times I’ve mixed them like in my Lucas Hallam series. Lucas is an older, bigger-than-life stunt man/PI during the 1920s in my mysteries, and in his younger years, he’s a man handy with a gun/lawman in my Westerns. I’ve also been known to write cozy mystery, paranormal, romances, and fantasy. As a writer and reader both, I like a lot of variety. 

3. What was the nudge that gave you faith that you could and wanted to be published?

I was lucky. I married someone I had faith could be published, and that gave me the courage to give it a try.

4. Do your life experiences influence or hinder your writing?

Health issues throughout my life had hindered me from having a normal life. I wasn’t able to finish college because of too many missed days, and I couldn’t hold a 9-5 job for the same reason. I knew James wanted to write fiction for a living, and that wouldn’t be easy to accomplish, especially without me having an income. Because of that, I came up with the bright idea of building my own house, and with the help of family, we did just that. I drew up a simple floor plan with all the plumbing close together and a plain roof. I pulled nails for a bunch of boards from a house my father tore down. We started working on the house soon after James and I married. I worked with my father during the day, and my mother, brother, and James would join us on the weekends. I found that even when I felt lousy, I could still hold a board, or nail a couple together. James and I had a paid-for house before our second year of marriage, so that took some of the sting out of not having that second income.

5. Where did you get the idea for your latest release and tell a bit about the story?

I’m presently working on a cozy mystery in my Fresh Baked series, Never Trifle with Murder. I was coming out with a book a year in this series, but I was only able to write a short story last year. 

It’s been a hard couple of years health-wise, and I did some online work along with publishing at Prairie Rose Publications, so I’ve had very little time when I felt well enough to write. Prairie Rose Publications is a publishing company that Cheryl Pierson and I started a few years back to help authors get their books and stories published.

The idea for Never Trifle with Murder came after my daughters took an English cooking class. I hope I’m able to get it written and published later this year.

6. Is there a process where you find your next story or does the idea just hit you?

Usually, the idea will just hit me, but then James and I will discuss it and work out the plot together to see the best steps forward. Lucas Hallam came to me when I was watching an old Western movie that featured stuntman Yakima Canutt. He was amazing. The pieces starting fitting together and I was so excited I called James at work and told him my idea. His response was, “Sounds like a fun idea, but you’ll never sell it.” I sold the story “Hallam” to the first place I sent it, and that led to a three-book contract with Tor. 

James and I bounce ideas back and forth when we get to drive any distance, and when we eat out in restaurants. Westerns are much safer to discuss in restaurants. Makes for some interesting looks when we’re trying to figure out the best way to murder someone with people eating nearby. Of course, that has all shut down since the virus went nuts. 

7.  Do you write in other genres?

I started out writing hardboiled mysteries and then Westerns soon after that. I was a big fan of Nero Wolfe, and that and a suggestion from my agent, Kim Lionetti, led to me trying culinary mysteries. I really loved mixing mysteries with Westerns with my Lucas Hallam character, and even in my cozy Fresh Baked series, one of the regular characters is always reading Western novels and watching Western movies. I think that pioneer sensibility is never far from the surface in everything that I write. 

8.  What advice would you give to those who dream of writing, or what advice would you give your younger self? 

Don’t expect to get rich writing. If you work very hard you can succeed, but the chances of being rich are very, very slim. It’s very hard to even make a living writing fiction. But it sure is fun when it happens.

Thank you, Livia!  

For more about Livia and to find her work, check out the following:

Website

Prairie Rose Publications

Western Fictioneers

Livia J. Washburn Amazon

Meet Me in St. Louis! #WFcon15

Website | Pickle Barrel Gazette | Amazon

First Ever Western Fictioneers Convention!

The St. Louis Arch
Photo credit: Diane Garland

I’ve been looking forward to the first Western Fictioneers convention for a year, and it’s almost a dream that I’m actually here in St. Louis, Missouri, with some of the best writers of the 20th and 21st Centuries. This convention is filled with talented, productive powerhouses. It’s definitely an honor to get acquainted with these awesome authors.

Let’s have a look around and see who’s here a little early. 

Kathleen Rice Adams, Cheryl Pierson, James Griffin, Jacquie Rogers, Vonn McKee

First, special thanks to Vonn McKee, convention chair, who pulled this whole thing together. Believe me, the first convention is tough because she had to lay all the groundwork, and there’s no previous experience to know what works and what doesn’t. She’s also the program chair, entertainment director, IT Gal, and singer. Other than doing all the work, she’s been slacking. Hahaha.

Then there’s our fearless leader, Western Fictioneers President Cheryl Pierson, who co-owns Prairie Rose Publications with Livia Reasoner (she couldn't attend, unfortunately for us).  Cheryl is both a terrific author and an excellent editor.  She has a couple of characters in the Wolf Creek series, and writes western historical romance as well as a few genre blends.  We've been online friends for years, and when I started my Romancing the West blog, she was the very first author I booked, so we go back a long way.  It's definitely a pleasure to finally meet her.

WF President Cheryl Pierson directing traffic,
with Vonn McKee and James Griffin 

One person I've been dying to meet for the longest time is Troy Smith.  He's a wonderfully talented author and the head wrangler of the Wolf Creek series.  He wrote one of the top five best books I've ever read, Bound for the Promise-Land, which will be reissued shortly.  And he loves Have Gun - Will Travel, which puts him right up there with those of us who have good taste in good old TV shows.  So here is the moment I've been waiting for... the chance to get my picture, two, actually, with Troy.  Just wow... rubbing shoulders with such a gifted person is quite a feather in my cap.

Troy Smith and Jacquie Rogers

There are some people in life who just click.  It took about five seconds of online communication with Kathleen Rice Adams (we call her Tex) to know she's one of those people that I could work with easily.  We've done several Facebook events together, and we have quite a system set up for the Prairie Rose Publications Fandangos.  It's always a pleasure to work with her , but please don't tell her that lest she get a big head.  No, that won't happen--her Chihuahuas make sure she knows her place.

Look for us to be planning another Fandango for the holidays.  We always have a blast!

The convention hasn't even started yet--we're still gathering--but watch for more pictures of incredible authors on my Facebook page.

Hearts of Owyhee

Much Ado About Madams

Much Ado About Marshals

Much Ado About Miners

Much Ado About Mavericks

Much Ado About Mustangs

Amazon Author Page

Facebook | Pickle Barrel Bar & Books | Twitter | Pinterest | Tsu

PRP PRESENTS A FANTASTIC FALL/HALLOWEEN SALE JUST FOR YOU! by Cheryl Pierson

Who’s ready for a Halloween and Fall story sale? With Halloween right around the corner and Autumn already upon us, Prairie Rose Publications is letting the bargains fly! So settle in for a nice juicy list of some wonderful books you can really “sink your teeth into” and enjoy. These stories are sure to put you in a “chilling” mood, but bring warmth to your heart!

Our 2014 two-volume boxed set of western historical romance stories with a spooky twist is now available for the lowest price ever. BOTH VOLUMES OF COWBOYS, CREATURES, AND CALICO CAN BE YOURS FOR ONLY .99! This double set includes twelve deliciously creepy tales by such authors as Lorrie Farrelly, Linda Carroll-Bradd, Tanya Hanson, Sarah J. McNeal, Kathleen Rice Adams, Cheryl Pierson, C. Marie Bowen, Cher’ley Grogg, Kristy McCaffrey, Jacquie Rogers, Kaye Spencer, and Shayna Matthews. You can’t go wrong for only .99—take a look!


COWBOYS, CREATURES, AND CALICO BOXED SET

      


Love anthologies? Try this on for size! NINE DEADLY LIVES: AN ANTHOLOGY OF FELINE FICTION. With THIRTEEN great stories included, this is one collection you won’t want to pass up! From magic to murder, from felines to faeries, the authors of NINE DEADLY LIVES spin thirteen tales featuring those sometimes aloof and occasionally dangerous but always adorable creatures we know and love as cats! Whether it's mystery, fantasy, historical, or romance, these cat tales provide plenty of entertainment and thrills!

NINE DEADLY LIVES: AN ANTHOLOGY OF FELINE FICTION


                 

We’ve got a ton of short stories that just released as .99 single sell stories, as well. If you’re looking for “out of the ordinary” historical tales, try some of these:

THE CROW AND THE BEAR—by Kristy McCaffrey—OCTOBER 2015 NEW RELEASE


The Crow and the Bear





ANGEL OF SALVATION VALLEY—by Doris McCraw w/a Angela Raines—OCTOBER 2015 NEW RELEASE


Angel of Salvation Valley





The following stories are included in COWBOY, CREATURES, AND CALICO, and are also available in single sell formats, as well:

Sarah J. McNeal—The Beast of Hazard

Tanya Hanson—The Bridesmaid

Shayna Matthews—The Legend Of Venture Canyon

Kristy McCaffrey—The Crow and the Coyote

Kristy McCaffrey—  Lily and Mesquite Joe

 Kaye Spencer—For Love of a Brystile Witch

C. Marie Bowen has had a fantastic year for western historical romance stories that will send a shiver up your spine and keep you turning the pages. Her debut novel, PASSAGE, was released last year—the first in an edge-of-your-seat trilogy. PASSAGE is now on sale for just .99! For less than $1.00, you will be introduced to a wonderful reading experience with much more to come. Her second story in the trilogy, PROPHECY, bowed just this month, with the final book to become available in early 2016.

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This talented author also has a PRP “duo” of two just-released novellas available. HUNTER features her charismatic Cajun bounty hunter, who also makes a lengthy appearance and plays an important role in her novel PROPHECY. One taste of Ms. Bowen’s story magic won’t be enough—you will want every one of these wonderful books. HUNTER is available for only $1.99!

Hunter

Looking for a bit of medieval magic? Check out author Keena Kincaid’s release, ANAM CARA. This carefully woven story will keep you entranced by the intrigue and danger the characters must sort their way through—and if you can’t get enough of these characters, there’s a second book, TIES THAT BIND, with a third to release soon. ANAM CARA is now on sale for only .99! Fall under the spell of this marvelous medieval tale!
                       

Deborah Macgillivray is one of the best writers in the business when it comes to Regency romance. Take a look at her latest release, A CAT IN JACKBOOTS...

He is a hunter...despite being a scion of one of the most respected families of the ton, he enjoys solving the mysteries that life presents...at a price. And he is hot on the trail of a burglar robbing the titled members of London society. She is saddled with a scatterbrained, matchmaking Grandmother and a retired battman for a butler...and a black cat named Romeo...and carries a world of secrets. One slip and it will cost her everything.

Neither is seeking romance...only sometimes love happens when you least

. 

If you’re “on the prowl” for some spine tingling thrills contemporary-style, try MILE MARKER 59, by B.J. Betts.

With the help of the local sheriff, Michael Morris, and the victim of yet another near-tragic wreck at MILE MARKER 59, secrets are uncovered—and spells are finally broken. Can Marissa Daniels face a supernatural danger more powerful than anything she ever could imagine? Asking Michael to help her unravel the mystery of the Sioux curse that exists in that spot could lead to his death—and hers. The occurrences at MILE MARKER 59 are what holds this little town’s secrets in silence—and what could rip Marissa’s life apart…

If that doesn’t give you the shivers, I don’t know what will! But if you’re looking for more Halloween chills and thrills, grab a copy of B.J. Betts’s story BELLE’S CROSSING! This novella was released last year and is one of creepiest stories you will ever read—and both of these tales were based on true stories!

              

Do you love time travel? TIME PLAINS DRIFTER, a full-length novel by Cheryl Pierson, is one that you will love! Trapped in Indian Territory in 1895 by a quirk of nature, high school teacher Jenni Dalton must find a way to get her seven students back to the 21st Century. Handsome U.S. Marshal Rafe d'Angelico seems like the answer to her prayers: he is, after all, an Angel. In a race against time and evil, Rafe has one chance to save Jenni's life and her soul from the Dark One – but can their love survive?

Time Plains Drifter received a 4.5 star rating from Romantic Times Magazine! It’s on sale right now for only .99! Snap it up!

THE MISADVENTURES OF A TONGUE-TIED WITCH by Livia J. Washburn is a delightful boxed set of two wonderfully “bewitching” tales for your reading pleasure—and the best part? THE TWO VOLUME SET IS ONLY .99!

WITCH GOT YOUR TONGUE is the first novel in the Tongue Tied Witch series by best-selling novelist Livia J. Washburn. Aren McAllister, the Tongue-Tied Witch, returns in A PECK OF PICKLED WARLOCKS. In this sequel to the critically acclaimed WITCH GOT YOUR TONGUE, Aren searches for a way to rescue her father from the other-worldly realm of the witches' council. From the sandy beaches of the Gulf Coast to the bright lights of Las Vegas to the dangerous depths of an abandoned silver mine, Aren's quest is filled with adventure, romance, and humor.

Misadventures of a Tongue-Tied Witch: Boxed Set: Witch Got Your Tongue & Peck of Pickled Warlocks

Kathleen Rice Adams has a duo out featuring two brothers.

Everyone should have career at which they excel. At failing to commit crimes, nobody is better than Laredo and Tombstone Hawkins. Maybe they can bumble their way into love.

The Worst Outlaw in the West and Family Tradition are the two stories that comprise this double novella set for only $1.99—a “steal” you will not want to miss!

Do you love these stories about brothers and family? Well, maybe this collection will be something you’ll enjoy! WINTER MAGIC by Cheryl Pierson contains three stories gathered from previously published anthologies about a trio of brothers. HEARTS AND DIAMONDS, SPELLBOUND, and LUCK OF THE DRAW comprise this collection.

Three criminals who’ve lost everything… three women who have nothing to lose…is it love or magic that bring them together? The Diamond brothers are cast out into the world by a crooked business deal at a young age. They’ve lost everything—including their father. Although they are forced to make their own way, brotherly bonds remain unbreakable: It’s all for one and one for all.

Say, have you met Jo Harper? She is author Richard Prosch’s heroine in the small turn-of-the century town, Willowby, Wyoming. Here’s a bit about one of his latest tales in the Jo Harper series, DOGBREAD AND DIAMONDS.

In the wild west, decades before Willowby, Wyoming was founded, Stink Carmichael robbed a stage coach of the famous Dakota Diamonds and was never heard from again. When Jo Harper and her best friend Frog find the loot in a hidden cellar, old secrets come out and greed can't help but rear its ugly head. When Frog disappears and Jo is accused of pilfering the diamonds herself, things can't get any worse. But Constable Abby Drake has a few secrets of her own and a sack of warm, flaky breakfast rolls might just be the key to saving the day.

Once you start reading Rich’s stories about Jo and the people in Willowby, you can never leave…uh, quit.

Dogbread and Diamonds (Jo Harper Book 7)

For the younger crowd, how about a boxed set of FIVE novels about the American west, with both historical and contemporary settings? This entire set is just .99, and will provide hours of entertaining reading for ages 9 and up. Stories by Sara Barnard, Livia and James Reasoner, and Richard Prosch are included in this "FABULOUS" collection that you won't want to miss. Yep, one of these stories has a definite "spooky" flavor. Take a look at Livia and James Reasoner's  contribution, THE PHANTOM RANGER AND THE SKATEBOARD GANG. Here's a bit about it:

Codi Jackson has started a new school—again. Will she ever be able to settle down in one place and make friends? It seems unlikely, especially now that she has the ghost of her great-great-great grandfather appearing at the most inconvenient times! How can she explain him to her history project partner—and her own father? But Codi is determined to come to her dad’s rescue when he corrals a gang of young thieves on skateboards at a nearby mall—and they get some very unlikely help

Fabulous Five: Five novels for Middle Grade Readers

Do you love a good ghost romance?  Livia J. Washburn's SPIRIT CATCHER is now available in A COWBOY's TOUCH which includes novels by Cheryl Pierson, Kathleen Rice Adams, and Kit Prate.

Ready for some REALLY spooky tales? Cheryl Pierson’s single-author collection, DARK TRAIL RISING, contains FOUR incredible western tales with a twist. They won’t let you rest until you’ve read the entire anthology. DARK TRAIL RISING is a group of old west stories that will keep you wondering and thinking long after you read the last line.

Included in DARK TRAIL RISING are: THE KEEPERS OF CAMELOT, THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS, SHOT FOR A DOG, and HIDDEN TRAILS.

Dark Trail Rising: Four Tales of the Old West

We are so proud to present our Fall/Halloween line-up and hope you will find some very entertaining reading here that you will enjoy reading and re-reading for years to come! I will be out of town at the WF CONVENTION when this posts, but hope you all will take advantage of these wonderful prices on some fabulous reading during this fall season!
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