Visiting with BJ McMinn today. Leave a comment for a chance to win a preview copy of Lies That Bind, due out later next month.
Kathy: Jodi Thomas is a well renowned Western Historical romance author. When she began her Writing Academy at UT of
Jodi Thomas
West Texas A&M, I was one of fourteen lucky individuals to belong to the first class. Jodi is, indeed, a terrific mentor to all those fortunate to meet her. (I am telling you this for a reason.) That first class of fourteen formed a truly special bond and we dubbed ourselves the Jodi-Pioneers. Once a year, schedules permitting, those that are able still try to meet up. Which brings me to today’s post. Jodi, too, has referred to us in some of her presentations, as such.
Today I’d like to introduce Barbara McMinn. She writes as BJ McMinn, and is also one of the Pioneers.
Barb:
I never thought of writing The Prescott Series until I finished my first novel, Out of the Darkness. Being a romantic at heart, I fell in love with Jason and Jade’s story. Later, I began to wonder what happened to their children, so I paired two of them together in my next novel, Forbidden Desire. Always fair, I realized the others deserved their own story, The Seduction of Janey, and When Love Triumphs, came next. The Memory of You, is the last novel concerning the children. I am now working on A Woman’s Cowboy, the last novel that takes the reader back to the beginning, before Jason and his sister, Margaret, traveled west.
I will hate to say goodbye to the fictional characters that have become like family to me.
Read on for the Blurb and Excerpt for The Memory of You.
Blurb: Melissa had loved Cole Prescott all of her life, but he hadn’t returned her love. Broken hearted, she’d left White Oak, Kansas five years earlier. Now she had come home. She thought she’d put the destructive emotion behind her, until she saw him face to face.
Melissa Sutton was back, and Cole’s conscious plagued him. He had treated her shamefully, but she’d left town before he could apologize. When he met her again, guilt and love warred for preeminence in his heart.
Lies and misunderstandings had driven them apart. Could they find love again and build a future from the ashes of the past?
Excerpt:
PROLOGUE
White Oak, Kansas 1877
At the edge of town, Cole kept a tight rein on his horse to prevent him from making his usual headlong gallop into White Oak. Today he wasn’t as anxious to see Melissa as he’d been on his other visits. Anger still gnawed at him, yet he realized his anger was unjustified, and he needed to apologize. Besides, he couldn’t avoid her forever. Alex, her brother, was his best friend, and probably wondered where Cole had been the last few weeks.
He had avoided coming to town, but he’d ran out of excuses. His dad had begun to ask questions. Questions Cole felt too embarrassed to answer. Hoping to postpone the confrontation with Melissa, he halted his mount.
Yanking his kerchief from his pocket, he mopped the sweat from his brow and glanced skyward. He would have to pick one of the hottest days in August to express his regret over his surly behavior. He stuffed the damp kerchief back into his pocket and nudged his horse forward.
During the long days and longer nights, he’d felt torn by equal measures of rage and envy. When he recognized the stabbing pain in his heart as jealousy, he realized he had to apologize.
This morning, he’d finally mustered enough courage to face her again. He hadn’t seen her since that embarrassing episode, and he wouldn’t blame her if she never spoke to him again.
Reining his horse to a halt in front of the feed store, he glanced through the large plate-glass window. Mr. Sutton sat at Melissa’s usual place, writing in a ledger. Where was Melissa? It was one of her duties to record sales and receipts, not her fathers. He tilted his head so his hat shaded his eyes from the bright sunlight and searched the room, but there was no sign her. Was she sick, injured? His heart constricted at the thought that she might be seriously ill.
Thank you for visiting, Barb. Come back, again.
Happy Reading ~~ Kathy L Wheeler
That is a perfect way to categorize the group, Claire. Good luck in all your success, Barb. Not only do you have the Jodi Pioneer’s behind you, but you’re gaining ground with others daily!!
Being part of the Jodi Pioneers has been a blessing. It’s a group of supportive and lovely women. Jodi Thomas is a truly amazing mentor who is greatly appreciated. Barbara McMinn has been a shining example of dedication and determination. Best of luck with your series, Barbara. You deserve great success!
Being part of the Jodi Pioneers has been a blessing. It’s a wonderful group of women and Jodi Thomas is an amazing mentor. Barbara McMinn has been a shining example of dedication and success for us all. Congratulations Barbara on all your hard work. I wish you the best of luck with your series.
So nice to meet another of Jodi’s Pioneers. You are a very lucky group…Jodi is a warm, wonderful person, and a fabulous writer, but then, I don’t have to tell you ladies! Best of luck with your series!
I’m looking forward to it, Mary. See you soon!
I enjoyed your post, BJ – and glad to know about the difference stories in your Western Romance series. You have been so hard at work, my fellow Pioneer! Keep it up!
Thanks, Kathy, for the opportunities to let more people know what we are up to.Looking forward to my turn in a few weeks as the publication date for Cobwebs gets close!
There certainly is, MJ.
There’s just a certain romantic pull to the West. Big strapping cowboy, off-kilter because he’s in love…gotta love it! I haven’t written a Western yet, but this makes me want to! Thanks for sharing yourself today!
BJ: I can’t wait to read your latest book.
Thanks for popping by, Diane!
Wishing you much success.
I admit my 3 books in my Cinderella Series extended to a 4th that also tied to another series in the Tales of the Scrimshaw Doll books through Wild Rose Press. And my Bloomington Series has a 4th in the making. If I only had time to finish it… I’m in for 20k so far.
Barbara,
“I will hate to say goodbye to the fictional characters that have become like family to me.” ~ BJ, I am with you! Right now, my Fleur de Lis series could extend to as many as 8 books. I love characters who are my friends…at least in my alternate universe.
Wishing you every success!
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
Thank you for stopping by, Linda. Jodi is wonderful. She truly brings people together!
Jodi Thomas is one of my favorite authors and I loved hearing about others who feel the same. I love historical westerns and will definitely check out Barbara’s series.
Thank you, Julia.
Kathy thank you for sharing Barbara’s post. I love hearing how authors found and implemented story ideas, and how Barbara’s one book grew into a series.
Julia
Thanks for coming by, Nona. It’s a terrific academy. Out of the fourteen of us in that first group, I believe more than half are now published.
Thanks, Kathy, for a great post about Jodi and the Writer’s Academy. Hello, to BJ. Your series sounds like the exact genre I love to read and I will check it out I promise. I’m an alumni of the Writer’s Academy as well. In 2012 I was in Jodi’s group. I learned so much. The book I was working on at that time is under contract and is going through edits. My first experience with that. I was in Alexandra’s Sokoloff’s group in the 2013 class. Those of us in the class all walked out on Friday with a work in progress completely mapped out using the 3 Act 8 Sequence Structure. I wish every writer could attend the academy. I won’t be able to go in 2014 because of a family obligation but I will return.
Thanks, Kathy and BJ
Nona