Orphan Train Series

I attended a DOG

2009-01-17T15:31:00.002-06:00

Wow, I had the most interesting weekend last week. I attending a DOG, a Dutch oven gathering. I didn't even know they existed, but since I'm a girl scout from way back when, I thought it would be a great article for the magazine I edit for. It was a blast. My husband and I went to Lexington, Texas to enjoy some really good food, all cooked on Dutch ovens.

I took my antique oven to share and en route, called my mother-in-law for more info. Turns out my husband's great grandfather was a chuckwagon cook for some of the outfits out of Fort Worth. The Dutch oven we have rode on the wagon train that took him and his family north to Oklahoma in 1905, but with him being a cook prior to this, we're guessing the oven to be something he used as early as 1890's.

Anyway, I thought I'd share since my heroine, Shauna in Once Jilted has to cook with one.

Booksigning in San Marcus Texas

2008-10-01T21:23:00.002-05:00

And yes, for those of you near enough to come see me, I'll have a copy of Once Jilted available for purchase. Whoop!

ONCE A DREAMER is Now Finished!

2008-08-18T10:02:00.002-05:00

Hello, everyone! Just popping in to let you know my installment of Champagne's Orphan Train series, ONCE A DREAMER, is finally finished! This book has had a long, hard road. I've been working on it for literally a year, perhaps over a year. Writer's block plagued me for most of that time, and I found myself appealing to the publisher to push my deadline back and back...and back.

I'm so thankful she's so understanding!

Anyone who knows me knows I've had a rough few months. Between being diagnosed with Diabetes, to miscarrying, to losing upwards of 50 pounds, to getting pregnant once again (guess the Good Lord had mercy on me after all), it's been a roller coaster to say the least. I was only able to write this book in small sections, little by little, a few paragraphs here, a scene there. I worried that the book might read disjointedly, like it wouldn't make sense in certain sections.

Fortunately, I did my final read through, and to my surprise, it's actually pretty good! I guess when you're able to step back from a project, you can see it with more objective eyes.

According to my editor, they are going to be pushing this book to be a September release, so I'll be busy busy with edits for the next couple of weeks! But the good news is you won't have to wait too long. :D I should be getting my cover soon, and I'm sure I'll be showing it off when the time comes.

In the meantime, I'm so excited that I'm done! This book has been a source of stress for me, since it took me so long to write it. Now that it's done, I'm flyin' high! Woohoo! Here's the blurb for your reading pleasure. :) Enjoy!

~*~*~

What began as a sham of a marriage soon becomes ‘til death do we part.’

When her adoptive mother dies in a bank shootout, orphan Karina Vadislav is sent to live with Patrick Baker, her uncle in Dodge City, Kansas. After years of abuse, she flees, meeting Benjamin Sawyer, a gambler with a sordid past. He agrees to help her claim her inheritance in Topeka, posing as her husband to keep her safe.

But there are men who are out for Ben’s blood and will stop at nothing to see him dead. Coupled with Karina’s bloodthirsty uncle, neither of them is safe on the trail.

When bullets fly and truths are revealed, will Ben and Karina’s fragile love survive the ultimate betrayal?

~~Becka
http://www.RebeccaGoings.com

I got my print copy!

2008-07-22T12:35:00.001-05:00

Just had to share. My print copies for Once Jilted arrived last night. Whoop! So - now, I just need to schedule some booksignings.

Once Jilted is now in PRINT!

2008-07-05T11:58:00.000-05:00

Once Jilted is now available in print version. Whoop! Not only that, but I also saw where two more of my westerns are available in print. I'm so thrilled!

Blurb:

How many times will an orphan be cast aside before someone offers love?

Shauna Joyce has three weeks to find a husband or face watching a special little girl fall into the hands of loveless parents. An orphan herself, she knows the heartache of growing up without love. Armed with a need greater than her own, she finds a likely candidate in bridge-builder, Kane McKenna.

Kane McKenna has one goal; to finish the bridge he’s erecting so he can earn the capital needed to start a business of his own. A wife and child would drain his finances, so when Shauna Joyce proposes marriage, he balks at the idea. Will her determination be enough to build the bridge of trust needed to make him trade one dream for another?

Excerpt:

“You plan to have the babe out of wedlock?” Kane scratched his head.

She looked skyward and gritted her teeth. Was the man dense? “Can you stop walking? It’s hard to talk to you at this pace.”

He slowed but continued to walk. “Daylight’s a wasting and I’ve got a deadline.”
“Will you at least let me explain so you can stop the rumors?”

Her foot caught a gopher hole, and she tripped, falling headlong onto the hard ground. She cried out when her elbow kissed the ground.

“Goodness, you’re a walking calamity. First pickles and now, a sprawl in the grass. You wouldn’t perchance be related to me Aunt Nell?”

She groaned and rolled to her knees. Every joint ached. Twigs and grass stuck to her dress, and she brushed them away with sore hands. She moaned at the pain and glared at her scraped skin.

“Are you hurt?”

Now he asked. She shook her head. “I’m not sure.”

He grabbed her elbow none too gently and helped her stand. She tested her foot and found herself uninjured. Praise be. An injury would have complicated matters more. “Thank you, Mr. McKenna.”

“You’re welcome. Now, if you doon’t mind, I’d like to be gettin’ back to me work.”

“But . . .”

“Miss Joyce, do you see that armature?” He pointed a finger at the structure. “That’s a mighty important bridge to folks around here. Can you tell me in all honesty that your quest for a hoosband be as important as the building of that bridge?”

She swallowed hard and frowned, thinking of Sarabeth. “For one person, it’s even more important.”

He frowned. “To be sure, and I can sympathize with your plight. Unwed and pregnant must weigh heavy on your mind, but alas, I can noot help you, nor can any of me men. Good day, Miss Joyce.”

She stomped her sore foot and grimaced. “For the last time, I am not expecting!”
Her shout brought the attentions of his workers. Seventeen sets of eyes peered down at her, and the heat rose to her cheeks.

“Now see what you’ve done. You’ve distracted them froom their work again. At this rate, it’ll take me five years to have this bridge completed.”

Available Now at www.champagnebooks.com

Orphan Train means different things to different folks

2008-06-13T22:49:00.002-05:00

While doing a routine search on the term orphan train, I made an interesting discovery. The term is currently in use today to reflect various charities that deal with orphanages throughout the world.

The term first came into play with a series done by PBS, where they documented the work of Charles Loving Brace and his efforts to lessen the burdens created by homeless children in New York. The series is a wonderful glimpse into the good and bad experiences these poor waifs endured.

Since Charles Loving Brace began the practice of placing orphans in homes far removed from their hometowns, other countries soon followed suit. As the plight of orphans has always captured the hearts of generous, empathetic folks, the term has been assigned to other charitable endeavors. Instead of taking orphans on the train to new places, orphan trains now bring much needed services to needy orphanages. The Rotary Club started an Orphan Train project in which they provide all sorts of services from seeing that children are examined by optometrists and given needed eye ware to providing vocational training.

It amazes me that there are so many good-hearted folks willing to help orphans in far off locations and yet, it's also very sad that these orphans have such a hard life. Kudos to those that make a difference.

Two Great Reviews for Once Jilted

2008-06-02T15:45:00.004-05:00

I'm off for the summer. Yay!! Which means writing time. In the meantime, I thought I'd post two more reviews for Once Jilted. The book is doing very well. In fact, I think the entire series promises a lot to historical western fans. I'm looking forward to the last book and the heartfelt reunion these orphans will share.

Once Jilted gets another great review. Lynda of Simply Romance Reviews wrote:

Ms. Gold based Once Jilted on real events and I know without a doubt that person behind this story would be thrilled. Heartwarming, funny and even a little suspenseful this is a great read. The romance is sweet, our heroine strong willed and very feisty and the hero is well…definitely a hunk. Take home Once Jilted today, I don’t think you’ll be sorry you did. Check out the rest of the review here.

Lototy from Coffeetime Romance wrote:

I cannot even imagine how terrified, but secretly hopeful those children must have been on that train. Ms. Gold tells this story with a depth of feeling that is uniquely her. Her characters and their circumstances feel as real as any account told in a non-fiction novel. Shauna and Kane are both wounded souls. Their pain and longing to be loved just comes pouring out, and will make you ache for them. Shauna and Kane are both in need of a family and someone to love; their story is one that you will not want to miss. Read the rest of the review here.

Another excerpt from Once A Rebel

2008-05-22T15:04:00.005-05:00

Hello, thought I'd post another excerpt form Once A Rebel:

Galen couldn’t help but admire his determination. His gentle compassion for the horse was an unexpected surprise. She’d never thought to see such genuine concern in a gunslinging rustler, hounds of hell as they all were. “Well, you did a fine job, Mr. Hassett. He’s a beautiful creature. Gentle as the morning sun.”
His smile softened. “Joshua,” he corrected. “And thank you. Horses are hardy animals that thrive easily enough with a little TLC, a sense of security, and trust in their caregiver. Much like people.”
By people he surely referred to men. TLC, security and trust. All basic needs afforded a horse…but not a woman. And definitely not a woman with an ill-reputable past. She may as well cast any flight of fancy out of her mind right now. “Why did you pay Frank for a week of my services?”
“I did not pay Frank for a week of your services. I paid Frank for a week of your companionship.”
She puffed a hostile breath and sent him a twisted glare. “There’s a difference?”
He flashed that sexy smile again and she jerked her head away. “There is.”
“Oh? And what is that? You seem to forget I’m but a mere female, and have a limited knowledge when it comes to the expectations of the all powerful male.”
“C’mon Eve, you don’t honestly believe that? You strike me as an intelligent woman.”
She ignored the question, wanting to get to the heart of the matter at hand. “You’re telling me you don’t expect me to service you for the entire week?”
“I don’t expect anything but your companionship, and perhaps you’ll gift me with a few of your engaging stories.”
“You’re not serious?” She didn’t believe him. It was a trick.
“I’m very serious.” He looked solemn as a stone, the crafty bastard. She couldn’t read his thoughts to save her life.
It was too incredible to be true, wasn’t it? He was a man, after all. Therefore, he lived in an eternal state of needing to be serviced. Had she misread the longing in those glorious dark eyes? Had she failed to please him before? She was dying to know, but far too embarrassed to ask. She turned and started to walk away not wanting him to see the rejection she knew layered her eyes and caught a glimpse of the men that had been following her. She stopped. For whatever reason, the niggling oafs feared the beautiful horse rustler at her side. It might be in her best interest to take Mr. Hassett up on his generous offer. At least until she could figure out a way to escape all three hideous buffoons. “In that case, I’ll do it.”

You can check out a few reviews here:

http://romancereaderatheart.com/pubsandpromos/2008/jan08/OR_AA.html

and here:

http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/Oncearebel.html

and here:

www.enchantingreviews.com/Desiree_4_OnceARebel.html.

...more to come!

Until next time, happy reading!
Angie

http://www.angelaashtonbooks.com/

Once A Rebel by Angela Ashton...available now in both print and ebook via http://www.champagnebooks.com/

ONCE A VAGABOND – is now available!!!!

2008-05-06T15:59:00.002-05:00

Summer is in the air and what great way to kick it off then with a stack of books to read!

My third book – ONCE A VAGABOND – is now available!!!! It is the third book in the six book series.

Back cover blurb –

2 vows 1 outcome

Abigail McKee vowed revenge. Ethan O’Conner not only lied to her and broke her ten-year-old heart, but also drugged her and then put her on a horrific orphan train. Since then, her life had been nothing but miserable and at times terrifying.

14-year-old Ethan had vowed to keep Abby safe. And although he feared he would never see her again by putting her on the train, he fought back the tears with the knowledge that he had kept his promise to Abby the only way he knew how.

Now ten years later, Ethan is back in Abby’s life as John Cable, Point Reyes Lighthouse’s new First Assistant, and only he knows about their past. Will Ethan risk losing Abby again with the truth? And if Abby learns the truth, will she have the courage to let go of her past and follow her heart?

Currently it is out in Ebook format, but will soon be release in print too. You can order your copy at -

http://www.champagnebooks.com/

And don’t forget, if you’ve not already, to check out my earlier books – ONE LAST RIDE and ANGELS IN THE WINDOW – available in Ebook format and exclusively in paperback at Champagne Books’ bookstore –

http://www.champagnebooks.com/books/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=38&zenid=56480b79e86e8e2794ad89fe942423d8

Happy reading,

Kim
Incredible stories...Unforgett able characters
http://www.kimleady.com/

Great Review for Once Jilted

2008-04-24T00:00:00.002-05:00

Once Jilted got 4.5 hearts from the Romance Studio. Brenda Talley wrote: "The escapades of this strong-minded woman were so intricately written it was impossible to not love Shauna and hope for love and happiness to find her. Her counterpart was an Irishman, Kane McKenna, whose mannerisms made him a stand-out, perfect compliment for Shauna. He obviously was well mannered and hated to be rude and ugly but he was challenged in true Gold style with more than most men could possibly handle.This book was an emotional one for me. I have to admit that I laughed out loud, but I also shed several tears. And the ending—not what I was expecting. I recommend that you read this book. It is well worth your time and you will certainly be glad you took the time. Expect the unexpected, and see for yourself what a Ciara Gold book is like. You will not be disappointed." Check out the rest of the review here.

Once A Vagabond's COVER

2008-04-23T14:44:00.003-05:00

The cover is done and what an amazing cover it is!!!! It won’t be long now. If all goes according to plan Once a Vagabond will be released in May.

So get ready to experience an amazing ride with unforgettable characters that will have you crying one moment and laughing the next.

I must say, the waiting is killing me!

Discover how an orphan train survivor overcomes hardship and loss while struggling between letting go of the past, and trusting her heart to the man who not only lied to her but was responsible for her being on the train.

So until next time, happy reading.

Kim Leady
Incredible stories…Unforgettable characters

www.kimleady.com

Home Children

2008-04-13T14:48:00.002-05:00

I never gave much thought to the orphan train movement until I wrote Once Jilted. Even then, I only researched America’s Orphan Train movement because our related stories all dealt with children who rode the train in search of new homes across the wide expanse of states.

However, as I was looking for more information, I stumbled across information about other projects similar to the Orphan Train movement. Thousands of homeless waifs were sent from England to Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Orphan boats carried these “home children” from impoverished situations in England to become indentured servants to Canadian farmers or wards of the state in Australia and New Zealand. Many ended up in children’s orphanages abroad only to suffer abuse and mental anguish. In some cases, the children were stolen from their families to be placed in impossible situations. I’m thinking there’s a story here, one involving a hero or heroine with a similar background.

Regardless, I found it interesting to note that America was not the only country involved in this practice and children from all over either prospered or suffered according to the situations they found themselves in.

Forward from Once Jilted

2008-03-16T17:14:00.003-05:00

Thought I'd share the inspiration behind the heroine of Once Jilted, Shauna Joyce.

Forward

In 1883, Emma Lazarus wrote a sonnet entitled “The New Colossus.” Her words expressed the invitation sent from America to foreign lands describing the newly formed country as the land of milk and honey. Engraved on a bronze plaque that stands beside the Statute of Liberty, her words were:

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame,
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

From 1841 to 1860, the number of immigrants arriving on American soil was staggering. A report issued by The Immigration and Nationality Act, House Judiciary Committee, in 1995 entitled A History of U.S. Immigration Policy claims 4,311,465 newcomers settled in America. For many the hardships proved just has difficult as the situations they left at home. Poverty, starvation, and death left many children homeless.

In 1853, to combat the growing problem of orphaned children, Charles Lorring Brace along with a group of associates formed the Children’s Aid Society of New York City. He concluded that pioneer families located in central and western states with few family members to help with the heavy workload could benefit from housing these homeless waifs. In turn, orphans would be given a home. Thus began the orphan train movement that would last until 1929.
Some orphans found loving homes and were adopted, but just as many were treated as little more than indentured servants and suffered both emotionally and physically from the experience. Agnes Stanley Schenk David was one of these unfortunate orphans. While her adventures as an orphan train rider began in 1906, the heroine in Once Jilted was loosely fashioned from Agnes’s story.

With permission from W. Joseph Stell, who organized a series of interviews recorded by Elizabeth Herzig, a neighbor of Agnes in Schulenburg, Texas, I would like to summarize some of Agnes’s tale.

Born in 1901, Agnes was the offspring of an unwed mother and immediately after her birth in the Saint Ann’s Foundling Hospital was given into the care of that same hospital. Though early memories had faded, Agnes recalled her home as being “one cot among many standing at attention along the bare plaster walls (except for the occasional crucifix or painting of Mary) of the girl’s ward; her few possessions kept in a wooden trunk beside her bed. Days began early and ended early: meals in large communal halls, daily chores and, for those who were old enough, lessons.”

In 1906, a family from Texas filled out an application to adopt a child, and Agnes found herself on a ship bound for Galveston. “I remember being in a new place watching nuns cover windows so we couldn’t see outside. We stayed in that room and were kept busy for what seemed to be several weeks.” From Galveston, they boarded a train for Houston. Afterwards, the group of orphans was split into two, with Agnes’s group put on a train that would take them farther west.
Along the way, the train made stops, and the children were “paraded, inspected, marched, and, hopefully accepted by the families previously approved by the Foundling Hospital.” Those that weren’t accepted found themselves back on the train. Finally, it came time for Agnes to meet her new family. She remembered stepping off the metal steps to the dirt of the station landing. Strangers surrounded her, and excitement filled the air. A snack of jelly bread was passed out, but in the confusion, Agnes was missed. “No one cared if we ate or not.”

The family slated to receive Agnes decided after a few hours in her company they no longer wanted her. They spoke only German, and Agnes could not understand their words. They returned her to Father Szymanski at the rectory of St. Michael’s Church in Weimar. “Humiliated without knowing why, she crawled into a lonely bed to sleep. Now there were no whispers, no giggles, no teasing, no fussing, no crying, no one else tossing and turning in the moonlight. For the first time in her short life she slept by herself.” The five-year-old had been abandoned to an unknown fate.

Agnes remained at the rectory for an undetermined amount of time where she entertained herself by playing the piano. One of the church visitors, Mrs. Schromanek, became enamored of Agnes and wanted to adopt her, but Father Szymanski claimed she was too old to take on the care of an active child. Later, Josephine and Frank Schenk wanted to adopt her, but again, Father Szymanzki refused, saying the Schenks already had two adopted children. However, taken by Agnes, Josephine came up with another solution. Her son Franz and his new bride were childless, so she suggested they take Agnes, and the priest agreed.

“Agnes’s arrival was so unexpected that Franz and Annie had not had time to prepare a bed for her. Agnes watched Annie make a mattress by stuffing a sack with corn shucks, while Franz quickly constructed a bed by stretching chicken wire over a frame of 2 x 4’s. Crude though it was, this bed would be hers for most of the years of her childhood, and the former storage area would be her sanctuary and refuge.” Agnes would suffer many hardships and abuse while in Annie’s care for Annie considered her an indentured servant.

“This was a new life, indeed. But it was very far from the fairyland of her dreams. At times, this new life would seem more of a nightmare than a dream come true. No matter how hard she tried to please her new ‘family,’ it seemed to Agnes that she was always being scolded, spanked, or otherwise punished. She never heard an endearing word or a word of encouragement. She was never hugged. At least the Sisters had an occasional kind word or brief hug--something to allay the hunger of a small child for affection. Now there was nothing, and the need grew. Here in the midst of her new ‘family,’ Agnes felt more alone than ever and, more than ever, had to rely on her own resources.”

In fact, Agnes’ home life proved so miserable that she ran away as a teenager and made a life for herself with the help of neighbors and nurses at a hospital in a nearby town. Agnes was but one of many such orphan train riders to suffer unspeakable hardships as America sought to alleviate the growing population of homeless children in New York. With an unbreakable spirit, she survived to later wed and have children of her own. It’s this very fighting spirit that shaped America and helped other orphans find their way.

Cover for Once Jilted!

2008-02-27T23:53:00.003-06:00

Grab that train ticket and prepare to ride. Once Jilted is bound for release soon. Whoop! If all goes well, the book might release mid-March, give or take a few days. I can't wait.

Find out how a woman with no family, jilted time and again by circumstance, finds love with a reluctant Irishman.

Excerpt from Once Jilted

2008-02-21T20:51:00.002-06:00

Since I'm getting a wee bit excited about the book coming out, I thought I'd post another excerpt.

Blurb:

How many times will an orphan be cast aside before someone offers love?

Shauna Joyce has three weeks to find a husband or face watching a special little girl fall into the hands of loveless parents. An orphan herself, she knows the heartache of growing up without love. Armed with a need greater than her own, she finds a likely candidate in bridge-builder, Kane McKenna.

Kane McKenna has one goal; to finish the bridge he’s erecting so he can earn the capital needed to start a business of his own. A wife and child would drain his finances, so when Shauna Joyce proposes marriage, he balks at the idea. Will her determination be enough to build the bridge of trust needed to make him trade one dream for another?

Where would she go? She’d have left this house years ago if not for her fear of the unknown. Need for security had kept her a prisoner. Coward, coward, coward. Only a coward stayed in a home devoid of love. Where was the security in such a house? A person needed more than food and a place to lay their head. A body needed the emotional nurturing from another warm soul. By God, she refused to let Sarabeth live in a loveless prison.

She snatched up what few items she dared take. After stuffing a comb, toothbrush and a change of clothing into a small knapsack, she pulled the bottom drawer completely out of the dresser and reached underneath for a packet that contained fifteen years worth of savings. While renting the wagon and buying ingredients for pies had put a dent in the amount, she still had plenty to live comfortably for about two weeks. She stuffed the money into her pocket, hefted the knapsack over her shoulder and stormed from the room.

The three adults remained near the door. She brushed past them without a word. To think she’d entertained the notion that Kane McKenna would make a fine husband. She’d learned a valuable lesson, though. First impressions could not be trusted. She’d fallen for Darrell’s charm and look how that had turned out. No, first impressions were not always what they seemed.

The moment she left the house, a sense of freedom flooded her body. No matter how frightening the future seemed, she was now free of the Clevingers' influence, free to live her own life. Perhaps she owed Mr. McKenna her gratitude for setting in motion the catalyst for change.

The door clicked shut, and she took a deep breath. Even the air smelled different, cleaner. She smiled, and her feet itched to dance. First things first, though. With only a sliver of moon to light the path, she ventured toward town to find accommodations for the night.

A brisk pace propelled her forward. Eager to be settled for the evening, she almost skipped along the road.

“Noot so fast, lassie.” A huge hand clamped down on her shoulder. “You still owe me a wee bit of coin.”

She stifled a scream and whirled toward Mr. McKenna. “I’ll thank you to remove your hand from my person.”

“And to think, this very afternoon, you wanted me hands all over your person.”

She dropped her jaw and stared, clutching her meager possessions to her breast. “I wanted no such thing.”

“Is that noot what a hoosband would do if he were to marry you? And did you noot proposition me along with four other men?”

She scoffed. “Believe what you want, but I had a good reason for doing what I did.” Amazing the chain of events set forth by one, not-so-brilliant idea. Henceforth, she would think twice before listening to Lora Lee’s advice.

She continued to walk, but he stopped her again. “Give me a wee moment to fetch me horse, and I’ll offer you a ride into town.”

“No, thank you. I won’t be beholden to you.”

He narrowed his eyes and punched a finger in her direction. “I’ll noot let you walk the distance by yourself withoot an escort. The streets are noot safe at night.”
She skirted away from the accusing finger. “Well, I don’t need your chivalry. I’d sooner have Jack-the-Ripper walk me to town.”

“Aye, my point exactly. You are a blood-thirsty witch.” He chuckled.

She shot him a glance. “I’m sorry your men fell ill, but it wasn’t the pie.”

“Perhaps noot, boot you have to agree that the evidence against you is overwhelming.”

“Is it?” She sighed. “Could it have been something they ate at lunch prior to sampling my baking?”

He scratched his chin. “I ate alongside them, and I’m noot sick.”

“Will they be all right?”

“Aye. They took to their pallets aboot a half hour after you left. I went for the doctor, and he and I tended them until the worst passed. They’re resting noo.”
She frowned. Would bad food have caused such a reaction so soon after partaking of the meal? She thought not. More likely, it was something they ate at noon or even breakfast. Either way, he’d accused her unjustly.

“Best fetch your horse before you go too much farther or you’ll just have to double back.” And before she began dreaming again. Already, the nearness of Kane did strange things to her insides, but with his inability to look past circumstantial evidence, he was not the man for her. She wanted him gone, so she could contemplate all that had happened this evening.

“I still doon’t like the idea of a woman walking alone at night.”

“Nyesville is a small, quiet town. Trust me. My only real worry is you.”

Wanigans and Widow Makers

2008-02-15T15:11:00.002-06:00

Because the heroine of The Outcast is forced to flee the couple who took her from the Orphan Train, she winds up as the female cook's assisitant in an Upper Peninsula logging camp. Which led me to writing this article:

In the early days, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, vast tracts of white pine (Pinus Strobus) stood in majestic forests, their huge trunks straight and symmetrical, their lofty needled tops reaching for the skies. Their trunks were four to seven feet in diameter and they could reach heights of eighty to one hundred and fifty feet. White pine needles grow five to a bundle, distinguishing them from the other varieties of pine. All pine is known as soft wood, but when it comes to construction, white pine is the king of lumber. Because of the country's great need for new building material in the late 1880s and 1890s there was increasing demand for lumber that was easy to easy to cut and plane. One such need came from the city of Chicago's intention to rebuild after burning to the ground in 1871. This city is just down Lake Michigan from the Upper Peninsula.
With Michigan's Lower Peninsula pine almost all cut, the lumber barons turned their gaze to the UP, as the Upper Peninsula is called. Lumber camps went up in the pine forests, quickly filled by lumberjacks from many European counties, as well as Canada. Though predominately Swede, Norwegian, Finnish, Danish and French, other nationalities came, too, including American.
Cutting trees was dangerous work. Saws and axes caused many an injury, plus the felling of trees had its own dangers. The call of Timber! usually alerted all the crew to what was happening, so they could be sure to not be under the big pine when it came crashing down. But nobody could predict what they called a widow-maker. This was another tree that was hit by the falling one—branches, part of the this tree or all of it could come down as well. But in an unpredictable direction, sometimes killing unsuspecting jacks working nearby. Then, as logging lingo goes, the unfortunate man would "wear a wooden kimona," their word for coffin. Logging was not only dangerous but hard, back-breaking labor, the kind that made men hungry.
To be able to work hard in the cold of winter--for that's when the trees are cut—men needed to be well fed. Soon the camps that had the best grub, fed to them by cooks who knew how to concoct the tastiest meals, were the ones drawing the most lumberjacks. The cook shack became a very important part of any logging camp, and the cook reigned supreme in his or her domain. They were paid better than the lumberjacks, since a good one kept the crew happy.
To feed close to a hundred men required the cook not only to be talented with food, but to move quickly and to get the men in and out as fast as possible in order to clean up and begin preparing the next meal. Since this was clearly impossible for one person to do alone, all cooks had at least one assistant--cookees they were called--and sometimes two or more. The rule in all lumber camps was no talking while eating in the cook shanty, which kept the men from lingering after they finished eating. All meals were served family style on long tables with benches to either side. If a jack wanted to be passed a dish, he pointed at it.
Lumberjacks made up their own lingo. Potatoes were often called murphys, red horse was corned beef, redhead was catsup. Almost universally stew was slum-gullion. Beans, which the cook served often, were fire crackers, biscuits became doorknobs and tapioca pudding, fish eggs. Salt was gravel, canned salmon was called goldfish. The metal triangle the cookee beat on with a hammer to called the jacks to a meal was the gut hammer, while tea was lye and coffee, blackjack.
The biggest item in the cook shanty was the large cast-iron wood stove—usually a Joesting or Monarch-- with six to eight lids for cooking and a large oven. The jacks referred to this massive stove as "the iron duke." Sometimes there'd be another stove called a baker that was a series of ovens one over the other. The cookee had the job of cutting wood for all the stoves and firing them up in at dawn. If the damper was set right and the coals banked for the night, the fire never did quite go out. A never-empty big black coffeepot sat at the back of the stove at all times. In addition to the cooking stoves, there might be another barrel stove in the room for heat. UP winters are long and cold.
Kerosene lanterns hung over the table, their smell mingling with the scent of wood smoke and cooking odors of frying doughnuts, fresh-baked bread, coffee and whatever else was being served. At the back of the cookhouse were a wooden sink and drainboard, shelves with tin dishes and supplies, and long hooks that held cooking pans and utensils. Water was dipped from a hole in the nearest lake or river, then brought by sleighs with water tanks on them to the camp. At the end farthest from the fire inside the cook stove was a reservoir that kept water warm. But water for washing dishes was boiled in a large tub-like pan.
Because meat had to be kept fresh, an unheated meat house was usually built onto the back of a the cook shanty. Quarters of beef, pork and veal were kept here. Between the meat house and the cook shanty, was an unheated gangway where stood a clean white chunk of wood big as a stump—or it might be one—at the right height for trimming meat. Large wheels of cheese, boxes of butter, kegs of pickled herring and pickled pigs feet, smoked sausage, pails of lard, slabs of bacon and anything else that might spoil from heat, lined the sides of this gangway.
By the door to the gangway hung a long low rack of cleavers and razor-sharp knives. Wood cut to fit the stoves was also banked along the back wall. When the cookee wasn't shoveling snow or attending to other duties like peeling potatoes or washing dishes, he kept the woodpile replenished.
Most often at least one cat lived in the shanty to keep the mice down, sharing space with dried fruits, fresh oranges and apples, crackers, macaroni, gallon cans of vegetable, pickles and jams. Often a root cellar was dug into a nearby hill, or under the floor to store potatoes, apples, raisins and smoked meat. Eggs, too, if available—which wasn't often.
The cook and his helpers rose at half-past three in the morning, and after getting the fires going, the cookee first called the teamsters at four, so they could eat before they fed and harnessed the horses that would skid the logs down the roads a jack called the conman had sprinkled with water the night before so they'd be iced by morning. At half-past four the cookee hit the gut hammer or blew the gabriel—a long tin horn—to rouse the rest of the crew.
By the time the lumberjacks hit the cookhouse, the cook would have breakfast on the tables set with tin plates and cups, steel forks, spoons and knives. A typical breakfast might be pickled beef, sour-dough flapjacks, fried potatoes, smoked pork and gravy, sometimes beans, big cookies, doughnuts and cups of strong boiled tea or coffee, with molasses for sweetener.
A ditty of the camps went like this:
"Beans are on the table
Daylight's in the swamp
Hey, you lazy shanty boys,
Ain't you gettin' up?"
Though there was no talking, eating was far from quiet with the steel forks hitting the tin plates. As soon as the last man filed out, cook and cookee alike cleared the tables. The cookee then washed and dried dishes ands utensils while the cook began preparing the noon meal. If the jacks were cutting near the camp, they'd eat at the cook shack, but if they were some distance away, the cook prepared flaggins for their meal—thick slices of fresh-baked bread, large kettles of hot foot such as potatoes or roast meat and gravy, plus the left-over cookies and doughnuts from breakfast. If none had been left over, the cook made more, plus large cans of hot tea or coffee. This the cookee had to haul to the work area on a sleigh. The farther from the camp the men were, the more likely the food would be cold by the time he got there. When they finished, he hauled everything back.
By that time, more than likely the cook was already beginning to prepare what would be served for supper. This might be leftovers from the noon meal such as hash, pork and beans, served with mounds of bread and jam, pickled herring, cheese, fresh-baked pies, plus a new supply of doughnuts and cookies and occasionally rice pudding as a treat. \
When all was cleaned away from that meal, he went to bed. Sometimes the cook slept in a curtained off area at the back of the cook shack, and sometimes in a small extension separated from the main shack by a curtain so heat would filter through. The facilities were the same as for the jacks—an outdoor privy. But the cook usually rated a chamber pot as well—which might be nothing more than an empty metal container. The cookee would either sleep in the same area as the cook or bunk with the teamsters or the jacks.
The supplies for logging camp food were ordered by the owner and delivered to the camp. The cook was expected to make a list of what he needed that would extend through most of the winter.
When the spring break-up came, the log rollways that had been piling up all the through the winter on the river bank, were dumped into the flowing water to be floated down to one of the great lakes, where they'd be sorted by each camp's special brand for their trip to the sawmills. While they floated down the river, some of the lumberjacks went with them. Special "catty" jacks who could ride a log without falling off, made sure the logs kept flowing smoothly down the river.
Now the cook and cookee transferred to a much smaller cook shack that was fasted onto a raft—a contraption called a wanigan-- that floated down the river behind the logs, tying up to the shore at night to feed the crew.
At last the logs were on their way and the work was over. At least until the following winter when another logging camp would go up in another area of woods, needing jacks--and a good cook who knew how to feed them.

Jane Toombs

Trousseau and doilies

2008-02-14T18:31:00.003-06:00

While I never really mentioned a trousseau, two weddings take place during Once Jilted. Actually three if you count the one in which the groom never showed. Regardless, back in the day, it was customary for the girls in a household to begin early on their trousseaus. They would learn to crochet, knit, tat, quilt and embroider. As part of the process, they would create items to decorate a home that would someday be theirs. Pillow cases, dresser scarves, table clothes and dish towels would all go into a hope chest for the future.

Above is a sample from my grandmothers hope chest, a dresser scarf that she crocheted as a child. The close up below reveals the double stitch she used in the pattern.

And while the heroine of Once Jilted, Shauna might not have had a hope chest because of her circumstances, her friend Lora Lee would have.

New Release date!

2008-02-06T21:47:00.000-06:00

Whoop! I just finished the first round of edits for Once Jilted and I must say, I'm very pleased. My editor is the best. She worked tirelessly to push this story along. So - I was very pleased to discover that Once Jilted will release earlier than first thought. It was supposed to be out in June, but now Champagne is shooting for March or April. Wow! How cool is that?

What a journey!

2008-02-04T18:17:00.000-06:00

Once a Vagabond is now done. I really enjoyed telling Abby and Ethan’s incredible story.

I have laughed. I have cried, and even my heart raced a time or two, but like all good stories – the end has finally come. There were a few times that it felt like I was nine months pregnant and I just wanted to get it over. But most of the time I enjoyed writing about Abby’s temper and courage, and Ethan’s charm and resolve.

Now the hard part comes…waiting for Once a Vagabond’s release. Time was flying as I raced against my deadline, now it is crawling as I wait for Abby & Ethan’s story to get into reader’s hands.

I guess it’s a good thing that Once a Rebel showed up on my doorstep today. I can’t wait to read it. The plot is killer!

So until next time, happy reading.

Kim Leady

Incredible stories…Unforgettable characters

www.kimleady.com

Congressman Cady...'Rebel''s Villian

2008-01-21T16:38:00.000-06:00

Each new character creates a certain visual that stays with you throughout the book...and forever after. In writing Once A Rebel, I've already shared that I had Josh Bernstein (pictured left) in mind as the hero's template. (Sorry, Galen doesn't really resemble anyone that I can think of.) As I penned the congressman, the whole time I could just see Ted Levine as the ambitious politician, Theodore Cady. Not sure why, but something about his voice and look captured and held my interest.

Below is a picture of Ted, for those who haven't seen him before. He's been in many movies and TV shows, but one of his most famous is probably Silence of the Lambs.

Once A Rebel is now available in paperback as well as e-book,
so pick your poison and get to reading!

Enjoy!

Until next time,

Angie

Once A Rebel by Angela Ashton

A True Story

2008-01-16T21:05:00.000-06:00

My heroine is loosely based on a real person. I've yet to write the article. I suppose I'll do that during spring break when I have more time, but one of my mother's dearest friends is the daughter of an orphan train rider. The woman did not have a pleasant time of it when she was adopted and had a very difficult childhood until she turned 18 and left to make her own way. Agnes was to be adopted by a family when she was 5 and rode the ship from New York to Texas, then boarded a train that would take her to this family. The trip took more than a month, but when she arrived, the couple decided they didn't want her. She had to return to the local church rectory, only this time - alone, with no other orphans to keep her company.

Afterwards, she stayed at the rectory until she was at last spoken for. The couple who took her, did so to please the husband's mother as it was she who was taken by the little girl. She spent her remaining childhood with rural folks that treated her more like an indentured servant than a beloved daughter.

I will write more about her life and how my character, Shauna, is loosely fashioned after Agnes when I have time to sit down and do the article justice.

Panic of 1873

2008-01-10T00:00:00.000-06:00

In September 1873, the Philadelphia Banking Firm, Jay Cooke and Company, filed bankruptcy. In May of that same year, the Vienna Stock exchange in Austria collapsed. These two events led to a national economic depression that would last until 1877. Read more about the Panic of 1873 and its causes.

This time of hardship worked well with my story. My heroine, Shauna, was taken in by a family that treated her as a servant. Instead of being adopted, she agreed to an indenture. Indentured orphans were bound to their foster family until they reached the age of 18. For Shauna, leaving the household to live on her own proved a scary proposition. Unmarried and with no skills, she couldn't hope to find work. Once she did build up the courage to leave, the panic of 1873 hit. She would be 19. So - she stayed, hoping something would happen to change her circumstances. That something didn't occur until she was 21.

Gaelic Script

2008-01-08T16:59:00.000-06:00

In "Once A Rebel", Galen Stewart writes in her country's native tongue, Gaelic, in hopes of keeping unwanted readers from learning her dangerous secret...in case her journals should ever get lost.

I took the following from the internet:

Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)

Scottish Gaelic is spoken by about 60,000 people in Scotland (Alba), mainly in the Highlands (a' Ghaidhealtachd) and in the Western Isles (Na h-Eileanan an Iar), but also in Glasgow (Glaschu), Edinburgh (Dùn Eideann) and Inverness (Inbhir Nis). There are also small Gaelic-speaking communities in Canada, particularly in Nova Scotia (Alba Nuadh) and on Cape Breton Island (Eilean Cheap Breatainn). Other speakers can be found in Australia (Astràilia), New Zealand (Sealainn Nuadh) and the USA (Na Stàitean Aonaichte).

Scottish Gaelic is closely related to Manx and Irish and was brought to Scotland around the 4th century AD by the Scots from Ireland. Scottish Gaelic was spoken throughout Scotland (apart from small areas in the extreme south-east and north-east) between the 9th and 11th centuries, but began to retreat north and westwards from the 11th century onwards. All Scottish Gaelic dialects are mutually intelligible, and written Irish can be understood to a large extent.

The earliest identifiably texts in Scottish Gaelic are notes in the Book of Deer written in north eastern Scotland in the 12th century, although the existence of a common written Classical Gaelic concealed the extent of the divergence between Scottish and Irish Gaelic.

Thought I'd share some Gaelic script with you. This is the Lord's Prayer. There are lots of books and websites if you're into learning more about the old Scottish language.

While I don't go into Gaelic detail in Rebel, I've always found Scotland, it's language and everything about it facinating.

Hope you enjoy the book.

Available now at Champagne books.

(Shouldn't have to wait much longer for the print version!)

http://www.angelaashtonbooks.com/

Once A Rebel, by Angela Ashton

Location for Once Jilted

2008-01-03T00:00:00.000-06:00

I saw Kim's wonderful post and so being rather under the weather, thought I'd blog about the same topic. Less thinking that way. I wanted something different for my hero, Kane. I knew I wanted him to be Irish, but I didn't want him to be a cowboy, or lawman, or doctor, so I scratched my head for a while and started researching states. When I clicked on Indiana, all sorts of wonderful information popped up on covered bridges. So - voila, Kane is now a bridge builder. Check out some of these bridges. I narrowed my search and decided to place the setting in and around Nyesville, Indiana. Though small, the town was near a train station, so that worked out perfectly.

Location, location, location…

2008-01-02T17:21:00.000-06:00

A B C D E F – I bet you’re wondering what the alphabet has to do with location. Well I’ll tell you. Believe it or not, there is an area about thirty miles north of San Francisco, California - Point Reyes Peninsula – which in 1866 was sectioned off into 33 tenant dairy ranches. Each was given a letter in the alphabet, with ranch A being the closest to the lighthouse.

And this is where Once a Vagabond plays out and Abby and Ethan’s path cross again for the first time since he put her on the orphan train. Ethan is now the new first assistant to the lighthouse keeper and Abby is one of the peninsula’s teachers.

Neither recognized one another at first – almost ten years can do that you know – and the fact that Ethan mistakes Abby as a hooker only causes their relationship to start off as turbulent as the waters surrounding the rocky and rugged cliffs of the peninsula.

Unfortunately, by the time Ethan finally figures it out that Abby is the young girl he’d befriend in New York City, he’s afraid to tell her since she knows him as John Cable. A man she now finally trusts.

Happy New Years!!!!

So until next time, happy reading.

Kim Leady
Incredible stories…Unforgettable characters
www.kimleady.com

The Train Has Left The Station!

2008-01-01T07:30:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year!

May 2008 be the best year yet!!

It's official...the train has left the station and Scottish born Galen Stewart has started her rebellious journey...

The ebook is available now at http://www.champagnebooks.com/

The print version will be available in just a few weeks.

Hope you enjoy reading about Galen and Josh as much as I did telling their story!

Once A Rebel, by Angela Ashton

China Doll

2007-12-27T00:00:00.000-06:00

For Once Jilted, I've been gaining inspiration from my own keepsakes. I would share with you now, a china doll. This special lady was given to me by my aunt and unfortunately, her origins are not known, but I suspect that it was my great grandmother's doll.

I've found some that are similar dated between 1860 and 1890. They make reference to having been made in Germany which would make sense as my great grandparents came from Switzerland. Her little hands and the dress are replacements, but the head is the original my great grandmother owned as a child.

As I said, all these wonderful items I've been sharing have given me inspiration for scenes, and while I've not yet written this doll into a scene, I suspect the small orphan in my book will wind up the proud owner of a china doll. The gift will be something special, to be treasured always.

Finally got here!

2007-12-22T20:12:00.000-06:00

I think Saturday actually is my day to post, but this is the first time I've ever been able to get here. Google has consistently kept telling me I didn't exist and that my email address didn't exist either. Sigh. So where am I in my story? I haven't begun it yet except for the prologue, though my heroine keeps telling me she wants to get off that train and begin her journey into the unknown. Like all of the heroines of the Orphan Train Series, she's had a difficult life so far and hopes against hope for something better. But her struggle to be accepted has many false paths before she finds the right one. My book is called The Outcast and will be the caboose at the end of the train. My heroine Jehenna is not actually an orphan, since she has a father--who apparently has rejected her. Nor will she find a loving home right away.
I'll post more next Saturday--providing Google decides I'm real. For now, I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season. Jane Toombs

I'm past my 60,000 mark

2007-12-20T00:00:00.000-06:00

Whoop! Okay, so I may be the only one excited about reaching 60,000 words, but that was my target goal for word count and I feared when I started that I wouldn't be able to make it. I usually write longer stories. However, I think when it's all said and done, Once Jilted will end up being almost 70,000 words and that pleases me immensely. At present I have one chapter left to write and an epilogue and I'm done. Whoo hoo, it will be a party then.

Once a Rebel, Excerpt #3

2007-12-18T19:34:00.000-06:00

Won't be long now!!! Here's another excerpt from 'Rebel'...

“Going somewhere?” the predator purred in a tone that could melt an entire barrel full of butter.

“What?” She couldn’t think around the bulk of throbbing masculinity.

“You wouldn’t be thinking of running out on me now, would you?” His voice was low and heavy laden with lusty promises.

“Running out, on you? Why on earth would you think that?”

Powerful arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the wall. “Hmm, let me see. Could have something to do with the way you were sneaking into the livery with a bag the size of New York City slung over your shoulder.”

“I was not sneaking into the livery, Mr. Hassett.”

“Oh? My apologies.” He bent toward her briefly. “I’d love to hear why you were crawling beneath the fence.”

He was enjoying this, the beastly man! She could see it in the beguiling twinkle in his eyes, the superior stance, the amusing grin spreading his sinfully handsome face. No one had the right to look that good. Especially someone with such malicious intent. Nostrils flaring, Galen turned her back to him and folded her arms atop the fence, gazing out over the field. “I was just coming to check on Oscar.”

“Oscar?” he scoffed, joining her at the fence.

“My--your horse.”

He erupted in laughter. The masculine pitch made her want to hit him and kiss him at the same time. “Oscar?” More bouts of broken chuckles. “You named my horse Oscar?”

She hoped her face wasn’t as red as it felt. “Well, I had to call him something. What would you have me name him--horse?” That comment only served to heighten his pleasure.

“Please, by all means, don’t let me interrupt your errand. Let’s go and see about Oscar.” Still snickering, he extended his arm in invitation. “But this time, let’s use the gate. Quite a marvelous invention. Far less stressful on the knees and back.” He winked.

Once A Rebel, by Angela Ashton coming January 2008

Stereopticon or stereograph?

2007-12-13T08:23:00.000-06:00

My mother calls it a stereopticon, but most of the information I found on the net calls it a stereograph or stereoscope. Me? I call it ingenius. I used to love playing with the apparatus when I was younger. My mother's is vintage 1906, but I found reference to the first one and it was developed in 1838 or 1833 (I found two conflicting pieces of information so I'm not real sure.)

Look at these stereopticons. I included a scene in Once Jilted whereby Shauna, my heroine, is intrigued by an object owned by Kane, the hero. Enjoy an unedited snippet:

Her eyebrows rose over wide eyes. “You want me to stay in your tent?”

“Aye.”

“Will you be moving your things soon?” She stood, wiping her wet hands on her apron.

“Nay.” He quirked a brow and lifted the corner of his mouth in a smirk. “Nay, I’ll just come get things as I need them. Otherwise, you’re to be making yourself at home.”

“But where will you sleep?”

“Beneath the heavens.” He smiled. “I’ve always enjoyed sleeping outside with nothing more than a blanket of stars.”

“I think I’ll feel like an intruder.”

“Well now, I’m noot given you permission to snoop in me personal belongings,
mind you.”

A becoming blush stole over her features, and she quickly masked her pink features by stepping behind the drying clothes to hang more wet things on the line. Had the lass already done just that? Snoop through his things?

“Of course not, but there are some items that are in clear view.”

“Like?”

She smiled. “I couldn’t help but admire the picture viewer.”

“Ah. That’s a stereopticon, a present from me last employer.” A fond memory entered his thoughts as he reminisced about the bridge they’d built in Missouri.

“Are – are there more pictures for it?”

The eagerness on her face was so adorable, he laughed. “I’ll fish them out for you.”

“Thank you.”

“Well, I haven’t found them yet, lass.” He stared at the puddles made by her wash water then at her soggy hem.

Here's a photo I took of one of the photos in my mother's collection. Somehow the double image adds to the 3D effect when viewed through the stereopticon. I thought of this particular image when drafting another scene where this object came into play. This image is of a young girl playing house.

Cover Art for Once A Rebel!

2007-12-10T14:35:00.000-06:00

Had to share the cover art for Once A Rebel!

I love it!! Captures the essence of the novel.

Not much longer now... Can't wait to see the rest of the covers!

Once a Rebel, by Angela Ashton...coming January '08

Abby’s human crystal ball

2007-12-06T12:22:00.000-06:00

Can you imagine your path crossing with a person who knows things about you that only you know? I mean it’s one thing to seek out psychic counseling; it’s another to have it land in your lap. Talk about freaking out!

Well, this is what happens to Abby on her sixteenth birthday while she is doing her “food liberation dance”, i.e. pocketing food from venders, along Market Street in San Francisco’s Fishing Wharf area.

Mercy is nothing like any other person Abby has ever met. When Mercy tells Abby that she has been in her dreams and visions over the last five years and that they were destine to meet, Abby thinks the old women isn’t sitting squarely in her rocker. But when she lets the bomb drop about knowing its Abby’s birthday – a fact that no other living soul knew - she doesn’t know what to think.

What would you do?

Well, I must get back to working on Abby’s story. Once A Vagabond‘s deadline is looming.

Only 18 shopping days left.

So until next time, happy reading.

Kim Leady
Incredible stories…Unforgettable characters
www.kimleady.com

Let's churn some butter

2007-12-06T00:00:00.000-06:00

This photo is of a butter churn that has been passed down from my great grandmother. We are guessing vintage 1880 or 1890. The next photo I post is a close-up of the insides. I mentioned churning butter briefly in one of my scenes and thought it might be a fun topic.

Ever really thought about how they made butter way back when? First of all, the frontier women would save the cream that rose to the top of milk for about a week until they had enough to churn into butter. Take a look at this site for more information on making butter. Here's another fun site on how to churn butter that chronicles the history of butter making.

I remember a girl scout activity when I was about ten in which we made butter by vigorously shaking a jar with heavy cream in it. I don't remember much after that. I assume we separated the buttermilk from the butter somehow, but for the life of me, I don't recall how. I do remember spreading it over a cracker and thinking how good it tasted.

Once a Rebel--Excerpt #2

2007-12-04T14:39:00.000-06:00

Here's another excerpt from 'Rebel'...

Galen couldn’t keep her head straight. Each thought was muddled with the essence of Joshua. The mild spice and woodsy scent of him, the feel of warm solid muscle as it moved in rhythm with her soul, the soft feel of dark wavy hair as she sifted her fingertips through each silky strand, the husky purr of his voice, the--

“Eve? Are you alright?”

“Huh? Oh!” Galen screeched and grabbed a towel to wipe the smudge of lipstick from her cheek. Landsakes! What on earth was she doing? He was just a man! Public enemy number one! A handsome specimen, if ever there was one. She couldn’t deny it. Even more so than her make-believe prince, Jonathan. That alone made him the most dangerous among men. At all cost, she must push him from her mind, forget about him as she’d been forced to forget her own family.

“My, my, looks like someone’s got somethin’ on her pretty little mind!” Carol teased. “Or perhaps, some dashing gentleman with a proud strut and a smile that could erect a field of sunflowers?”

“Please Carol, spare me your talk of romance and lover’s sonnets.”

“What’s the matter Eve, did Carol hit a nerve?” Donna asked, grinning at her reflection in the mirror. “I saw you talking to him in front of the theater this afternoon. You both look so smitten by each other you could slice a good chunk of lust with a knife.”

“And the way he jerked you off Seymour’s lap! Oh! Be still my heart!” Carol clutched her chest and made a great show of falling onto the bed as though she’d swooned.

Galen rolled her eyes and rounded on Carol. “You know, I hear the theater is always looking for good actresses. Ever consider changing professions?”

Carol chuckled. “I’d change in a minute if the dashing gent showed an interest in me the way he has to you!”

“You’re both crazy as a pair of freckled hens. He’s as interested in me as the next john and that’s the gist of it.”

They giggled in unison. “Really? Is that why he’s downstairs buddying up to Frank?”

Galen froze, the brush stopped midway through her hair. “What?”

“See for yourself.” Donna beamed and waved a hand toward the door. In the next second, Galen was leering over the railing, watching the devil himself glide toward the exit in a proud strut. Carol and Donna were on her heels.

What the hell was he up too? As though he felt her presence, Joshua stopped at the door and looked over his shoulder to meet her baffled stare. The beautiful demon touched long elegant and highly skilled fingertips to his hat and nodded. “Afternoon ladies. Miss Eve. You should wear your hair down more often. It’s very becoming.” As if that wasn’t enough, the smooth talking rake had the nerve to wink and blow a kiss in her direction!

Galen gulped a mouthful of air in her annoyance. Then cringed at the moans exuding from her love-struck co-workers. “I’d give anything to have a man look at me like that just once!” Carol sighed, a dreamy smile plastered across her pixie-like face.

“You can say that again. We sure don’t get many of his kind through Kaleb.”

“Ugh!” Galen stomped her heel like a spoiled child and stormed back into the parlor and resumed the task of raking the brush through her hair. If that meddlesome man had been talking to Frank, nothing good could come of it.

She piled her hair on top of her head, slipped her flask beneath the emerald-colored garter and left her infatuated roommates to swoon over the egotistical buffoon. Let them say what they would, the foolish ninnies. She knew better than to fall for a man full of sultry charms, no matter how striking he might appear. She’d almost allowed herself to do it once, but never again.

Galen had better things to do than listen to the lewd women spin tales of love and chivalry. And the first thing on her agenda was finding out what the dark devil was doing in the saloon this afternoon.

Once A Rebel by Angela Ashton, coming Jan. 2008
http://www.angelaashtonbooks.com/
*Where Romance Blooms*

Do you need your gloves stretched?

2007-11-29T00:00:00.000-06:00

I'm old enough to still remember my mother wearing gloves and a hat to church. I even wore a pair to church when I was around 5. I think after that, the custom began to phase out except for special instances. My high school choir director made us wear long ones that reached our elbows for concerts.

I was looking in my trunk of things I'd inherited from my grandmother and I ran across a box. Inside was a pair of really cheesy salt and pepper shakers with a note that said: the first Christmas gift our first granddaughter gave us. That would be me. *grin* Beside those was an odd apparatus that turned out to be a glove stretcher that my great-grandmother had used, circa 1880.

This generated an idea for one of my first scenes. So, enjoy a brief unedited excerpt involving the glove stretcher:

A week later, Shauna attacked the set of silver like a banshee bent on scaring every guest in the castle. But then, the castle of her fantasies was little more than a two-story wooden frame house in Nyesville, Indiana. She picked up a fork that still had a coating of dry whiting and vinegar between the tines. After an hour soaking near the fire, the tarnish should come right off. The operative word being should. After scrubbing a stubborn spot, she dropped the fork and leaned her weight against the counter. Old enough to be on her own, she still worked like a slave with no future, living in a home that didn’t want her.

“Slacking again?”

She turned toward Madison’s shrill voice, determined not to let her nemesis nettle her today. “Aren’t you supposed to be at the Clayburg’s for morning brunch?”

Madison pulled on white gloves and patted her perfectly coiffured hair. “Well, of course, but Mother had a tirade over her tight gloves. Seems someone broke her glove stretcher. I guess you wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”

Of course not. In a voice of false importance, she replied, “Do forgive me. I couldn’t seem to get the top to my treasure chest open this morning. I needed the glove stretcher to pry the lid. They worked quite well, and I was able to count every gold coin paid for my services over the years.”

Madison narrowed her eyes. “I keep telling Mother we need to replace you with someone younger. Your sarcastic humor is unwelcome.”

Perhaps, she hoped to provoke the Clevingers into dismissing her, forcing her to find a different situation. Truth be told, the thought of being on her own proved intimidating. She’d been saving all her money with the idea of leaving, but she didn’t think the amount in her purse would be enough. Not yet. Not while the country suffered economic depression and jobs were scarce.

At that moment, Mrs. Cora Clevinger rounded the corner and entered the kitchen. “Madison, stop by Kupert’s on your way home and buy another glove stretcher.” She held up the broken tool. The scissor-like apparatus had one piece dangling from a spring.

“I haven’t time. Make Shauna do it.”

“Nonsense. You’ll already be out and about, and Shauna has other work that needs tending.”

Other work? That didn’t sound good. Shauna stared at the mound of silver and wondered what other chores Mrs. Clevinger planned to drop in her lap.

“I’m sure Shauna wouldn’t mind procrastinating for a chance to go into town.”

Shauna picked up a silver ladle, ignoring their conversation. The last thing she wanted to do was travel to town. Since her disastrous trip down the aisle, she’d avoided people. She’d even skipped church yesterday by offering to make a special desert for the noon meal.

“Shauna!”

“Ma’am?”

“If you rub any harder, I’ll lose the delicate engravings on that spoon.”

A Writing Rebel...?

2007-11-27T14:18:00.000-06:00

Yawza! Looks like we have lots of HOT heros in the works...and OT stories, too!

Here's a little tidbit about Rebel's heroine, Galen Stewart...

Galen is Scottish and longs to return to her grandmother in Scotland. The only person she feels ever really cared about her. Not to give too much away, she writes religiously in her journals per her grandmother's encouragment, and her heart's dream is to become a real author as she has a talent for spinning tales... *clears throat* ...but she fears no one will want to read anything a woman of ill-repute would have to say. But then again, why should she care? If congressman Cady catches up with her, she'll have a California-Collar (hangman's noose) wrapped around her neck faster than a ravenous cobra having corned a field mouse!

...but enough of that...for now.

Let's get back to out heros, shall we?! LOL
Love this pic of Josh...couldn't resist sharing!

ONCE A REBEL, by Angela Ashton coming Jan., 2008

Once a Vagabond’s hero…

2007-11-26T10:15:00.000-06:00

It always amazes me how and when things come to me concerning the characters I’m writing about, or the stories I’m working on.

As we all know the shopping season is in full swing, and I was one of those many brave (or stupid depending on how you look at it) souls battling the crowds on Black Friday. And while waiting in line to check out, the face of Ethan, Abby’s hero, became crystal clear. Up until then I had a loose idea of what Mr. Dreamy looked like, so this was like fine tuning a pair of binoculars.

So I thought I’d share with you what Ethan looks like in my mind. He has piercing blue eyes. His unruly chocolate waves brush his collar. Ethan’s square chin and strong nose have seen a fist a time or two, which ads to his already rugged stubble face. He has broad shoulders and stands several inches over six feet. And he’s very good at using his devilish smile to get himself out of scrapes.

Ethan is easy going and quick to laugh, but he can also strike as swift as a rattler when cornered or made mad.

Meet Ethan, although this photo is of Patrick Dempsey, Ethan could be his brother.

Until next time, happy reading.

Kim Leady
Incredible stories…Unforgettable characters
http://www.kimleady.com/

My Hero

2007-11-22T09:00:00.000-06:00

First of all, Happy Thanksgiving! It's brrrr cold where I'm at, but we have so much to be thankful for, I don't know where to begin. Besides being blessed with the best family and the greatest group of friends, I'm thankful that I've been given the opportunity to share my writing with readers.

So, for today, I'm going to give you a sneak preview into the inner workings of my mind and share my hero with you. Angela inspired me. LOL. I've only looked for an image or a model who resembles one of my characters for one book and actually for that book, I found the image first. It so inpired me, that I wrote Celestial Dragon based on that one image.

That said, I wondered what actor I would find to play Kane McKenna, my sexy, devilish, Irish rogue from Once Jilted. I first searched through the many photos of cover models and came up with a few that might do, but none that really fit my preconceived image of Kane.

By the way, I did a numerology search on his name, Kane Devin McKenna and here's my character in a nutshell: Achievement is your motivating force and you will take on the biggest challenge in order to make the longest strides. You will often be chosen as the leader in groups and in functions where organization, strength and determination is needed. Psychology interests you because it enables you to understand the people that you are leading, as well as the competition. Inside, you have the need to excel.

There seems to be a golden glow of optimism and joy around you wherever you go. You are witty and playful, and your idealistic nature irresistibly draws the little child out of everyone you meet. Ever creative and interesting to talk to, you are never long without people to cluster around your radiance.

Here's the physical traits I envisioned: Hair: Red, auburn
Skin: freckled and tan
Height: 5' 11"
Birthday: Aug 30, 1849
Age: 25
Body shape: high hairline, squarely built.

So, the search began and I came away from the internet frustrated with my inability to find Kane. My habit in the morning is to watch about an hour of reruns before going to work. I just happened across a rerun of Angel and voila, I think I've found Kane. Is it any coincidence that his last name is Kane or perhaps, providence. You'll remember him as the sexy but evil, Lindsay McDonald. While he played the bad guy on this show, I always remember thinking how provacative he seemed. There's a hint of mystery about him that appealed to me and yes, I think he'd make a great Kane.

Meet Christian Kane, actor and musician. Better yet, meet Kane McKenna, Bridge engineer from Once Jilted.

Before the OT...

2007-11-19T20:45:00.000-06:00

I thought I'd share an excerpt of my OT article.
(It will be included in the novel.)

It’s been said that the word orphan is perhaps the loneliest word in the English language.

In 1853, the United States sent various forms of advertisements to the rest of the world in hopes of enticing settlers to come to the “land of milk and honey”. It worked. According to the World Book Encyclopedia, the US has received the largest number of immigrants in the world. Soon the port cities were flooded. Jobs were lacking, labor was cheap and food was scarce. And without the extended family to turn to, families fell apart. Even the youngest of children were expected to work to help support the family. They’d shine shoes or sell matches or newspapers…often in their bare feet. Many men were killed on the job as safety wasn’t a priority, leaving many women and children to fend for themselves.
When overworked mothers died from diseases obtained in unsanitary living conditions, orphanages were erected to care for only those children they could accommodate. If there was no parent to pay for the child’s care, he/she became a ward of the court and was left to the disposal of the social worker.

Photo of Sunderland Orphanage...
Sunderland's East End orphan asylum was founded in 1853, it was a purpose built building for the children of seafarers. With the help of the Bishop of Durham and the Freemen of Sunderland the orphanage was opened on Thursday 17th October 1861. The orphanage was equipped to take 40 boys at a time and despite the strict rules and regulations it was always full.

Until next week, happy reading!

Once A Rebel, by Angela Ashton, coming Jan. 2008

All aboard!

2007-11-15T00:01:00.000-06:00

This will be a continuation of a blog post I did yesterday on the Magic Mavens Blog. There, I posted a few pictures of the inside of vintage trains. For this post, I'll be concentrating on the earliest train I found at the train museum in Galveston. This is an 1892 steam engine.

Visuals are always a good thing when creating scenes. It helps me form the right words to have a mental picture of the item in my head. But - I discovered that pictures of the insides of trains are practically nonexistent on the Internet.

Although this picture is from a 1920's train, I wanted to show everyone how narrow the hallway was leading to the sleeping compartments. Heaven forbid you should meet someone coming the other way. On the other hand, what a neat way to get hero and heroine together. With very little room to manuever, they would naturally fall into each other. LOL.

From the inforamtion I've gathered so far, most of the orphans were given their own car. I would assume so that they could stay together without disturbing the other travelers. An agent would stay with them. I've also seen passages where poorer passengers rode cars with bench seats. I found this car interesting because the bench seats also served as beds. The top plank was hinched so that items could be stored underneath. The latrine was located in one corner.

Trains from the time period we've chosen for our stories didn't come equipped with central air and heating either. The cast iron stove seemed rather small for the space but was intended to provide heat for the car. I love traipsing through old houses and trains. Even antique stores intrigue me, so I was in heaven taking these pictures so I might share with you.

Once A Rebel--Excerpt #1

2007-11-12T20:49:00.000-06:00

Although the novel is still officially going through the editing process, I thought I'd share an excerpt from "Once A Rebel" ...Enjoy!

“Whiskey.”
The tall lean bar dog nodded and filled a glass before settling it before Josh. “I don’t suppose you’d happen to have a pretty little redhead answers to the name of Scarlet working for you?”
“No sir, but we do have a few pretty little redheads floating about that I’ve no doubt would answer to just about anything you might fancy to call them.” The man winked and immediately Josh found that he liked him.
He laughed and lifted his glass in amicable salute before downing the amber liquid and setting the glass up for a refill.
“It’s my birthday!” a familiar voice squealed from somewhere behind him. Josh spilled the drink down the front of his shirt. His heart thundered in his ears. He caught a glimpse of the cunning harlot in the mirror before spinning round to witness the minx work her charms on a potential John. Seeing her there, in another man’s lap with a smile on her face the size of Texas and batting her eyes did unspeakable things to his insides.
Under a possessive rage, Josh marched over to the table where she was sitting with the octopus-like man and jerked her, none too gently, off his lap. “Where’s my horse?” he demanded, chest heaving in berserk fury.
Pain unlike any he’d ever known seized his heart when she looked up at him in stunned horror and he saw the bruise that marred the area just above and below her left eye. He swallowed, battling the sudden craze to pummel every man in the saloon for being suspect to the cause of her anguish.
“Let go off me,” she demanded in a huff while attempting to tug her arm free.
Josh pretended not to care about her injuries. “Not until you tell me what you’ve done with my horse.”
“Your horse?” Her eyes rounded in surprise.
The man whose lap she’d been sitting in came to his feet, as did several others at the table. “Take your hands off Miss Eve.” The bold stranger went for his gun, but Josh was quicker.
“Stay out of this,” he warned, keeping one hand on the woman and the other on the weapon aimed at the octopus’s heart. He turned his eyes back to Scarlet. “Eve?”
She shrugged and flashed a sheepish grin. “Look gentleman. I’m sure we can settle this without resorting to violence.” At that moment, the bar dog came over.
“Miss Eve, he your husband?”
Josh’s brows shot upward. “Husband? My, my, aren't we chock full of surprises?”

ONCE A REBEL by Angela Ashton...coming January, 2008 * slight change to the lineup*

Antique Dutch Oven

2007-11-08T00:01:00.000-06:00

Well, I realize that this does not resemble an antique dutch oven, I thought I'd add this image before offering you the dutch oven since our series is all about the train that saw orhpans en route to new homes. While this picture isn't one of a passenger train, it is from around the time period of our stories. This is a logger train from East Texas that's on display at the Ellen Trout Lufkin Zoo. Okay, on to my real story. (grin) The next picture I want to share is that of a dutch oven that was actually hung on the side of a covered wagon that crossed Oklahoma into Texas. It was passed down from my husband's family.

The second picture shows the number, 12 in. Besides describing the diameter of the lid, the number also determines the number of coals used on top and underneath the oven. An outdoor cook knows to place the number on the lid plus three coals on top of the lid and the number minus three underneath. This formula equates to about 350 degrees if you were to bake something in an oven. I've enjoyed many tasty bisquits done this way. I also love cornbread baked in a dutch oven. Afterwards, settlers would scour the insides with dry sand then oil the insides with mineral oil.

Election Day

2007-11-06T04:06:00.000-06:00

Galen Stewart, the crafty heroine in ‘Rebel’ is constantly looking over her shoulder for the shifty congressman Cady and his hired guns--a man that that will stop at nothing to win voters.

In light of Election Day, I’ve added a tidbit I found on the net from the Presidential Election of 1876:

This election was set against the backdrop of Reconstruction. Tilden led in popular and electoral votes but was one shy of the necessary votes to win. The existence of disputed electoral votes led to the Compromise of 1877. A commission was formed and voted along party lines, awarding Hayes (Republican) the presidency. It is believed that Hayes agreed to end Reconstruction and recall all troops from the South in exchange for the presidency.

*Doing the happy dance*
The completed manuscript for 'Rebel' has officially been handed over to the editorial powers that be. I'm looking forward to the series and can’t wait to see how the other 5 waifs fair in their battle of the sexes!

As it’s been a few weeks since I posted a pic of the template (Josh Bernstein) for my hero, Josh Hassett...*whistling like a construction worker* ...I thought it only fair that I celebrate the completion of the novel with a pic of that pantaloon-dropping grin! Yum!

So, without further ado, I proudly present the template for ‘Rebels’ heart-stopping hero…

*wipes drool from corners of mouth and sighs heavily*

Until next time...Happy drooling, er, reading, lol.

http://www.angelaashtonbooks.com/

...Where Romance Blooms...

ONCE A REBEL, by Angela Ashton ...coming 2008

The wrong train...

2007-11-05T13:18:00.000-06:00

Here is a snippet on how Abby ends up on a train - the wrong train.

The hero, Ethan, who is only 14 at the time, decides he can no longer protect ten-year-old Abby from the streets of New York – a vow he made to Abby just months earlier after her mother and father were killed in a dock accident.

Not knowing what to do, he seeks out his old friend Father Malone, who helps children get out of the city. Knowing Abby’s fear about cramped spaces and crowds, Ethan has Father Malone help him drug Abby to get her onto the train.

Unfortunately, Abby is not put on one of Father’s Malone’s Catholic trains. She is accidently put aboard another orphan train – one that doesn’t have specified families waiting for the children on the train. The type of train Abby finds herself on is one that stops at small towns along the rail line, and for a better description, holds orphan auctions at each stop.

Things are moving a little slower than my normal pace. Research, research and more research. But fear not, the train has picked up speed.

Until next time, happy reading.

Kim Leady
Incredible stories…Unforgettable characters
www.kimleady.com

The cook circle

2007-11-01T06:51:00.001-05:00

In 1874, they didn't have the convenience of stovetop cooking or a microwave and while most kitchens boasted a wood-burning stove, cooking outdoors for a team of construction workers was even more rustic. In my story, Once Jilted, Shauna takes the job of crew cook and has to learn to cook on an open fire.

For these few scenes, I drew on my own experiences camping as a girl scout. We always had what was called a fire circle, a cleared place encircled with rocks. To begin, we dug a pit and fashioned what is called a key hole, a large groove that angled from the ground surface to the pit and provided air to the fire. My favorite style of fire was the A frame where we'd fashion an A with three smaller logs, then set the tinder and kindling against the horizontal crossbar of the A.

I remember one particular fire that I was trying to build. It was dusk and difficult to see, but we wanted roasted marshmellows. I fanned it until I was blue, determined to light it with only one match. The wood was damp and not cooperating, but I could see the glow of one spark and just kept fanning. Finally, we determined that the glow was a piece of orange yarn. Too funny.

After the fire is lit and coals begin to form, a grate is placed over the hole. We have in our possession a very large, flat griddle that is about twenty inches by twenty. I'll post pics later. I can just imagine the many meals cooked on it. We cooked a variety of foods from chicken and rice to chili to flapjacks to cake on the open flames. It was a fond time and one I hold dear.

Almost done!

2007-10-30T03:17:00.000-05:00

Hi all! I'm almost done with "Once a Rebel"

...only had time for 1 revision, but I'm thinking I do my best work under pressure! LOL ...I guess time will tell, eh?

Last week, I metioned the heartbreak of the OT riders and found something I wanted to share. It's taken from an one OT boy's story:

The eldest of five, Ayler had a younger sister, three year-old brothers and an 18-month old brother. The younger girl, who suffered serious mental damage from successive bouts of whooping cough and diphtheria, was eventually returned to the mother.

"My nickname was Toots, but the twins, who couldn’t pronounce it, called me "Choo Choo"! They were taken to a boys home just around the corner from the Empire State Building along with the baby, while I was sent to the Goodhue Estate on Staten Island. I can still remember when they separated us, the boys crying and pleading, "Don’t go away, Choo Choo." It cuts like a knife, even after all these years."

--UGH! Pass the Kleenex!!

On a lighter note, 'Rebel' has become dear to my heart and I, too, am completely in love with my dashing hero! *heavy sigh*

...A sizzling dreamy hunk, a sultry spitfire temptress, romance, revenge, deceit, betrayal and murder...what could possibly make for better reading? ;)

Until next week...Have a Happy Halloween!

ONCE A REBEL by Angela Ashton, coming March 1, 2008

The OT Riders

2007-10-23T03:50:00.000-05:00

I have to confess, I seldon had a dry eye and a full box of Kleenex during my research for this project.

It's heartwrenching to read how many of these children were ripped away from their siblings.
Most thought there was something wrong with them and they had no idea they were part of the major migration to fill out the west.

The children were told never to try and contact their birth parents (if they had any), dressed up and made to stand in lines so farmers or other potential 'foster' parents could poke at them during their inspection as though they were in the market to buy a good strong horse...many children were mere slaves and weren't much better off than they were on the grueling streets on New York.

The OT movenment brought forth the onset of children's rights... I'll be doing a special article on this subject to go along with the series.

Until next time...
Angie

Once A Rebel, by Angela Ashton, coming March 1, 2008

In my search for a bridge

2007-10-17T21:13:00.000-05:00

So, I'm trying to wrap my head around the actual construction of the bridge. I'm not talking about the bridge design. I've found plenty of information on the Kingpost Truss bridges with regards to the design and there are lots and lots of wonderful pictures of the old covered bridges. (I'll list a few at the end of this post) I'm talking about the actual construction. How did they erect bridges across wide rivers in the 1870's?

I ordered a DVD on the topic and hope it will shed some light, but in the meantime, I've had some wonderful discussions with my DH. He's a very talented weekend carpenter who works with engineers during the day, so he's been talking me through the process. He thinks they probably strung a guideline across the river to help position boards onto the stone pilings. Notches would have been cut into the side rails for the trusses to slip into. The trusses were connected with a pin hinge. Well, okay, not to bore you, I found it all quite fascinating. Have you ever watched an episode of the New Yankee Woodshop? Try imagining building something this big with limited tools and resources. It's not like these builders could run to the local Lowes or Home Depot for more nails. LOL

Okay, so here's the DVD I bought: Spanning Time: America's Covered Bridges or here's one on covered bridges in Indiana.

I also spent time researching cast iron, wrought iron and steel bridges. I was very happy to discover that the first steel bridge in America was built in 1874 across the Mississippi, but this works perfectly into my story as the hero's goal is to develop his own engineering company building steel bridges. Yup, this story is shaping up nicely. :-)

The Rebel & Monte Cristo

2007-10-16T03:51:00.000-05:00

The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my all time fav stories. My O.T. story, too, involves the element of revenge, so I was thrilled to find out that the tale was being acted out in theaters during the novels time frame...you can bank on seeing it referenced in the book.! *BG*

I'm finally finished with the first draft. I usually like to go over a manuscrpit SEVERAL times to flesh it out before submitting, but it looks like I will only get 1,--maybe 2 (fingers crossed) chances to do this with the deadline just around the corner.

Not sure if there are any fans of history Channels "Digging for the Truth" out there, but it's my fav TV show and the previous host, Josh Bernstein, was the template for the hero in Rebel. Blame it on the hat (Henry) he wears...oh, and maybe his dashingly dark good looks! I've added a pic, so see for yourself! *Warning, drool bib needed!!*

Until next week...
"Kings to you!" & Happy drooling! lol ;)

Once a Rebel, by Angela Ashton coming March 1, 2008

Research Journey

2007-10-11T00:01:00.000-05:00

One of the pleasures of writing is delving into old books and searching the internet for information. Oh sure, you have to be careful not to believe everything you find on the internet, but for the most part, the information I've gleaned is pretty consistant.

My first bit of research happened at the campus library of UT at Arlington while I was at a summer institute. Stuck there for a week without much to do at night, I used the time to browse through their books. I spent most of my time trying to find information on covered bridges since I knew I wanted my hero to be an engineer working on a covered bridge project in Indiana. I didn't find as much there as I'd hoped. I did find three books on the Orphan Train, though, which pretty much mirrored most of the information I found on the internet.

However, one piece of information came to light that I'd like to share and that's the origin of the phrase, orphan train. In 1995, the PBS channel ran a program on the American Experience and referred to the practice of sending orphans on trains in search of new homes, the orphan train. The phrase "putting up for adoption" comes from the practice of placing children on boxes or platforms to display them for prospective families. These viewings would often occur at a central gathering place like an opera house or church.

In the coming weeks, I'll give you tidbits of information I've discovered that is pertinent to my particular story.

Introduction of Once A Vagabond

2007-10-10T11:22:00.000-05:00

I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am about this project. The Orphan Train series will be my first collaboration, and Once a Vagabond is the third book. I’m honored to be teamed up with five great Champagne authors. Over the last few months I’ve been doing the plotting and research for the book, and now I’m ready to dive into Abby and Ethan’s story.

Once A Vagabond is about Abigail McKee’s life after she loses her parents to a dock accident the day she and her family land at Castle Garden in New York City from Ireland. Although she is ten when she makes the pact with the other five girls on the orphan train, Abby’s story begins on her sixteenth birthday on the docks of San Francisco, California.

Here is a short working blurb –

~

2 vows 1 outcome

Abigail McKee vowed revenge. Ethan O’Conner not only lied to her and broke her ten-year-old heart, but also drugged her and then put her on a horrific orphan train. Since then, her life had been nothing but miserable and at times terrifying. Abby really wasn’t sure which had been worse - being a wagon train cook’s whipping boy, a saloon girl or a miner’s pack mule.

Ethan vowed to keep Abby safe after she lost her family in a dock accident. But never in his wildest dreams had he imagined the feisty lass, who stole his 14-year-old heart, literally falling into his arms years after he and Father Malone put her on the train heading out of New York City. And although he feared he would never see her again, he fought back the tears with the knowledge that he had kept his promise to Abby the only way he knew how.

Now ten years later, Abby is back in Ethan’s life, but only he knows their past. She only knows him as John Peacock, the Point Reyes Lighthouse keeper’s apprentice. Will Ethan risk losing Abby again with the truth? And if Abby learns the truth, will she have the courage to let go of her past and follow her heart?

~

I love to write about protagonists who are smart, quick tempered and who have sharp tongues; Abby is all that. But then you add to the mix a hot, and I do mean hot, hero, such as Ethan who gets Abby’s blood boiling in more ways than one. Well, you can practically see the steam roll of the pages. This story is going to be so much fun to write, I’m glad I finally get to start it today. The past few nights I’ve started dreaming about their story. This happens when I’m working on a book. So join me as I explore Abby and Ethan’s romance.

Until next time, happy reading. :)

ONCE A REBEL

2007-10-09T03:49:00.000-05:00

I'm excited to have been included in this series. It's my first 'western' and I'm having a blast!
I'm almost finished with the first draft and I'm always surprised by the way my charachters take over the story.
Here's a brief blurb about the second book off the track...

Raped at 14, Galen Stewart awakens from a state of shock to find her foster father’s blood on her hands. Determined to stay two steps ahead of the man’s politician brother who’d rather see her dead than reveal his darkest secret, she’s forced to use the only gift Fate has seen fit to bestow upon her. Hiding beneath an array of identities, Galen accepts a station at whatever town saloon she may happen upon and works the oldest profession in the book. The mere thought of the carnal act launches horrid memories and leads her to concoct a laudanum-laced tonic that sends her ‘Johns’ into a slumberous stupor while she plunders their pockets. It seems like the perfect plan…until two of her patrons die of overdoses. To make matters worse, someone has gone to a lot of trouble to frame her for murders she didn’t commit, but who?

Six years later and still no leads, sheriff turned bounty-hunter Joshua Hassett takes matters into his own hands. Besides the fact that he's been hired by the farmer’s ambitious brother, Joshua has his own reasons for wanting to find the elusive waif. When a surprising clue sends him on the hunt for a raven-haired harlot, Joshua’s world is turned upside down by an auburn-haired angel working one of the saloons. When she’s accused of murder, he sets out to prove her innocence and soon finds himself entangled in her web of lies. Once Joshua discovers the truth, will he be able to choose between his heart and his oath to uphold the law?

Hope you enjoy!
Once A Rebel by Angela Ashton; coming March, 2008

YEAH! Now I can officially blog!

2007-10-07T17:51:00.000-05:00

Thanks Kim! My official day to blog is Tuesday, so I'll post a brief blurb about "Once a Rebel" then. TTYS, Angie

Preview of Once Jilted

2007-10-04T00:01:00.000-05:00

Wow, I've been working hard on this piece and I must say, I'm really, truly excited about it. I'm so in love with the hero I don't want the story to end. Whaaaaa. Okay, so - let's see if I can give you a preview of what to expect;

Blurb:

How many times will an orphan be cast aside before someone offers love?

Shauna Joyce has three weeks to find a husband or face watching a special little girl fall into the hands of loveless parents. An orphan herself, she knows the heartache of growing up without love. Armed with a need greater than her own, she finds a likely candidate in bridge-builder, Kane McKenna.

Kane McKenna has one goal; to finish the bridge he’s erecting so he can earn the capital needed to start a business of his own. A wife and child would drain his finances, so when Shauna Joyce proposes marriage, he balks at the idea. Will her determination be enough to build the bridge of trust needed to make him trade one dream for another?

Overview:

Kane is a burly Irishman with a sexy accent and dimpled smile. He's quite the charmer and flirts outrageously with all the ladies. Something about the man tugs at Shauna's heart and her interest quickly turns to love, but Kane has ghosts to fight, and he's not easily led to the alter. Shauna has faced more rejection than a body has a right too, but she's strong and she knows what she wants. She wants Kane. Together, they learn the true meaning of trust.

I spent about two hours yesterday researching the exact location. Oh, I knew I wanted this story to take place in Indiana because of all the covered bridges, but I wasn't sure exactly where. At first, I had the story happening in Bridgeton, but I've since changed my mind. Why? Because I needed a small town that was near a river and close to a train depot. And -- I found it. I'm so excited. My story will take place in Nyesville, a small town not far from Rockville and very close to the Little Raccoon River. Too cool.

Internet hater

2007-10-01T12:15:00.000-05:00

I finally got here after Google told me three times I wasn't jetoombs@earthlink.net. I felt like I'd lost my identity. This is the reason I don't blog. I can't endure this kind of stuff. But I will blog On Sat. here. Don't mean to use someone else's day on the blog, but wanted to thank Jami. Jane

Once A Dreamer

2007-09-26T00:59:00.000-05:00

I must say I've been looking forward to writing this book all year. You see, I had so many more commitments to finish before delving into this one, that I'd almost forgotten about it. But now, those other books are done and out of the way. Now, I can concentrate a bit more on my contribution to the Orphan Train series and I cannot wait!

My book is entitled ONCE A DREAMER, and it follows Karina Vadislav, a young Russian immigrant, who's parents can no longer take care of her in New York City. She rides the train to Oscaloosa, Kansas, eventually ending up in Dodge City over the years where her story begins.

I have a rough blurb I can share with you. I'm not sure how much this blurb will stay intact, but I hope you enjoy it regardless. :)

~*~*~

Karina Vadislav dreamed of a better life on the Orphan Train. She thought she found it with Margaret Henderson. But when her adoptive mother is killed, Karina is left with Margaret’s abusive brother, Patrick Baker. As time passes, Karina finds out that Margaret left her an inheritance, one Patrick desperately wants--by killing Karina in cold blood.

Benjamin Sawyer is minding his own business when he literally runs into a beautiful young woman. Enchanted by her soft Russian accent, Ben agrees to help Karina find a bodyguard. But when he witnesses the brutality of Karina’s guardian, he vows never to let Karina out of his sight.

Yet neither one is prepared for the intense passion that ignites between them. When Karina finds out about Ben’s swindling past, can he convince her he wants her, not her money? And can he protect her from the very man who wants her dead?

~*~*~

I think I'm so excited to write this book because I love Westerns. Anyone who knows me knows how much I flip out over an awesome Western romance, even my own. :P I've never written a smooth-talking anti-hero before, so this should be FUN! :P Poor Ben won't know what hit him. Right now, I don't have much written beyond the opening prologue, but when I get into a book I'm really excited to write, I can get it done pretty darn quick. (Here's hopin' I didn't just jinx myself... lol)

ONCE A DREAMER by Rebecca Goings, coming 2008!

Welcome

2007-09-06T14:23:00.000-05:00

There are only six months before Champagne Books’ Orphan Train Series hits the shelves. However, before that train pulls into the station there is much to be done. So join our authors – Rebecca Goings, Angela Abate, Kim Leady, Ciara Gold, Lee Ann Ward & Jane Toombs as they discover how their girls deal with the hands life has dealt them, and the pact they made with one another.

1st book – Once A Dreamer, by Rebecca Goings
2nd book – Once A Rebel, by Angela Ashton
3rd book - Once A Vagabond, by Kim Leady
4th book – Once Jilted, by Ciara Gold
5th book – Once Wayward, by Lee Ann Ward
Final book – Once An Outcast, by Jane Toombs