Coming down the pike

I just turned in my next story. The title is "Thank You, Ranch Romances." I think you all will like it because it is a trip down memory lane. We're doing a PAX --not sure what the group title will be yet but working title is Getting Connected. We all know there are many ways to meet Mr. or Ms. Right. They have changed some over the years but the idea is still the same.

In a local writer's group I've been with for about a year we're working on memoir and personal/family history essays and stories. I wrote one recently about how people managed to find friends and meet new lovers before the internet. It was mostly about an old institution called pen pals.  When I was growing up--giving my age away here LOL--a  lot of magazines had pen pal columns. There really was a pulp fiction magazine called Ranch Romances and it really did have a column to seek friends, mail order brides and the like. Before I had finished the essay, the idea for a story had taken root and I knew what I'd be doing for that PAX.

I "met" Wade first, a recently widowed New Mexico rancher with two young children who is desperately in need of a housekeeper and nanny. Then at the other end of that ad, Darnell appeared. The story is set in 1949--I really do not remember that year too well as I was very young but it became more real as the story developed. How different things were then but also how similar a lot still is. Anyway, as soon as I have a release date and a cover to share they will be here--I expect perhaps about November but we'll see. Then I have three more pieces due the first of December that will be coming out in 2016 so look forward to learning about them in a few weeks.

I just learned from my editor that the release is to be in November, normally the month's PAX comes out the 3rd weekend. I gave Trace (Trace Edward Zaber, an owner and senior partner of AQ and a fabulous cover artist) more ideas than usual for a cover and can't wait to see what he comes up with! I suspect it will be special. And as soon as the edits are done, I'll try to get an excerpt up for you.

Meanwhile two more tales are underway, one is a spin off of The Mule Man, a late 2014 release and is titled A Mule for a Princess and the other with the planned title of A New Leash on Life. You will be hearing more about them before long. They will be coming out in 2016, probably the first quarter. Stay tuned!