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Anna Taylor Sweringen/Michal Scott: It Might Have Been — Julia C. Collins, Pioneering Essayist, Teacher and Author (Contest)
Friday, July 26th, 2024

UPDATE: The winner is…Paula J McGhee!
*~*~*

Sources aren’t sure when Julia Collins was born, but a number of them place her birth in 1842, Williamsport, Pennsylvania. All sources believe her to have been freeborn and possibly the stepdaughter of Enoch Gilchrist a noted abolitionist, Underground railroad conductor, active member of the local African Methodist Episcopal Church, and ardent fighter for African Americans’ legal rights.

She married Stephen Collins, a barber, Civil War veteran and commander of a veterans’ organization for African American civil war soldiers in Williamsport. They had a daughter, Annie, and raised her with Stephen’s child from his first marriage, Sarah. Both are believed to have been under ten years of age when Julia died.

She was appointed a teacher for the African children in Williamsport and began teaching on April 11,1864.

The Christian Recorder, a newspaper of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, published six essays by Julia from 1864 to 1865. The essays titled “Mental Improvement”, “School Teaching”, “Intelligent Women”, “A Letter from Oswego: Originality of Ideas”, “Life is Earnest”, and “Memory and Imagination” dealt with racial uplift and empowerment. Because Julia references the works of writers like Shakespeare, Longfellow and Tennyson in her essays many assume she belonged to a highly educated middle or upper middle-class family.

In 1865, The Christian Recorder serialized Julia’s novel, The Curse of Caste, or The Slave Bride, every week for eight months. The story focused on the trials and tribulations suffered by a mother and daughter due to the issues of racial identity and interracial marriage. Julia died of tuberculosis in November 1865, leaving incomplete one of the first novels ever written by an African American woman. Doing research on a different topic, two scholars, William Andrews and Mitch Kachun, learned of Julia and her works. They had her novel published with the Oxford University Press in 2007.

A Pennsylvania State Historical Marker honoring her in Williamsport celebrates her for three firsts: the first marker in Lycoming County to honor a woman, an African American and someone in the arts. The marker was dedicated on June 19, 2010 and unveiled on Williamsport’s River Walk near where Collins’ home and school are believed to have been located. Julia’s descendants were present for the unveiling. One of them as well as a picture of the full marker can be seen here: https://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/literary-cultural-heritage-map-pa/feature-articles/discovering-julia-collins. The marker’s citation begins, “Essayist, teacher, and author, her work, The Curse of Caste, is considered to be among the first published novels by an African American woman.”

As I learned about Julia, I couldn’t help but think of these words penned by John Greenleaf Whittier in his poem Maud Muller:

“For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: ‘It might have been!'”

If tuberculosis hadn’t cut short her life, who knows what other works Julia may have produced. For a chance at a $10 Amazon gift card, share your thoughts about Julia or any “it might have beens!” that you’re aware of.

“Her Heavenly Phantom” by Michal Scott
from Secret Identities: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology #8

Forced into a marriage of convenience neither wants, a mild-mannered banker with an intriguing secret discovers his reluctant bride has a secret, too

Excerpt from “Her Heavenly Phantom”… 

Prim, proper, and modest.

Not at all the adjectives Harold Broadman would have used to describe his dream bride. But then the woman standing to his right here in his mother’s parlor, saying “I do” was not his dream bride.

Relaxed, seductive, and flashy.

Those adjectives described his dream bride. His lady of the balcony. What circumstances could have made that dream woman his intended?

The minister harrumphed. Harold shook himself out of his thoughts and answered, “I do.”

His father and father-in-law exchanged hearty congratulations.

“Welcome to the Hampton family, William,” Emily’s father said. “I see great things in our future.”

Unwed and pregnant, Emily Hampton needed a husband. Newly freed and hungry for a foothold among the ranks of the Black elite in 1880s Brooklyn, William Broadman had the answer.

His son Harold.

The warmth shared between the two men stood in stark contrast to the cold chaste kiss Harold and his bride shared. Their coolness continued as they walked up the aisle. Guests, oblivious to their shared contempt, showered them with hugs and handshakes. Harold shivered even more as his father and father-in-law back-patted themselves and toasted the couple’s future happiness at the wedding reception. No doubt the arctic chill between the couple would extend to their first lay as man and wife, too.

Preorder buylink: rb.gy/vv3268

Word Search: Bounty Hunter Names (Contest)
Thursday, July 25th, 2024

UPDATE: The winner is…Roxie A Jones!
*~*~*

I just began my third Montana Bounty Hunter series, this time set in West Yellowstone, Montana. When I started I had no idea how much fun they would be to write. But I’ve already filled up two offices in Bear Lodge and Dead Horse, so, I either needed to move out of state or find another Montana town I wanted to “visit.”

Thank you, by the way, to everyone who picked up their copy of Cyrus!

I have a process I go through before I start a book. First, I need a name. Then, I need a picture to go with that name. The name and the picture inform me about who the person I’m about to write is. The name, Cyrus Walsh, seemed a little old-fashioned like he could’ve been a gunslinger in the Wild, Wild West, and the photo I found with his narrow-eyed squint told me that was how he looked out at the world, with a hint of suspicion and need to figure out who he was facing. If you’ve read the story, you know how much Milly, the woman who captures him, loves that narrow-eyed glare.

Now, the problem is finding more hunters to people the office in West Yellowstone. Take a look at the previous two series cast of characters…

Bear Lodge, MT

Dead Horse, MT

Contest

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, suggest some names for bounty hunters so I can begin my process of figuring out will fill my cast of characters in West Yellowstone!

Word Seach Puzzle

And I added a puzzle because we need one of those right about now, right? Enjoy!

N.J. Walters: Summer Fun! (Drink Recipe!)
Wednesday, July 24th, 2024

Summer is here! It’s time to get out there and enjoy every second of it. Here’s my foolproof plan for enjoying a summer’s day at home.

Step #1

Get an adult beverage. Wine is always an excellent choice but here’s one that’s been a family favorite for years. Mix it up, put it in the freezer, and it’s a cool, refreshing drink whenever you want one.

Summer Slush

Ingredients:
1 – 12 oz can of frozen orange juice
1 – 12 oz can of frozen lemonade
¾ cup of sugar
5 cups of water
2 cups of vodka

In large freezer proof container, mix in order given and freeze.

Serve ½ glass of slush with 7 up or ginger ale.

 

Step #2

Snacks. There should always be snacks. Unlike winter, when I admit to going heavy on the sweets, this time of year I crave the fresh fruits of summer—apricots, cherries, watermelon, grapes. These are not always easy to get where I live. Some cheese and crackers, maybe some hummus. For dessert—because there should always be dessert—some excellent dark chocolate. These backyard picnic-style snack foods are also a great way to avoid having to cook.

Step #3

A good book. Reading is the way I relax and let go of all my worries. I live in an apartment, so I love to take my book out on my balcony, relax in my lawn chair, and enjoy a refreshing beverage—iced tea or something with a little more zip. (See Step #1)

And if you’re looking for something to read, you might want to check out the Secret Identities: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology. The great thing about an anthology is the stories are shorter and you can sample a variety of authors—perfect for a relaxing afternoon in the sun

Inside Secret Identities: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthologyyou’ll find stories by some of the hottest romance writers out there for readers who crave mysterious, enigmatic men and women who may not be who they claim to be. Perhaps they’re the new next-door neighbor with a secret mission, an alien from a far-away galaxy looking for his fated mate, or a spy trying to catch a foreign agent. Whatever their secrets, intrigue and passion follow…

My contribution is “Perfect StrangerAn undercover DEA agent must keep his identity secret from the woman he’s falling for, a woman he’s also investigating.

Coming July 30th. Preorder your copy today.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D5SQ4P2P/
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/secret-identities-delilah-devlin/1145674531
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/secret-identities-8

About the Author

N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, assassins, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

Visit her at:
Website: https://www.njwalters.com
Blog: https://www.njwalters.blogspot.com
Newsletter Sign Up: https://eepurl.com/gdblg5
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/N.J.WaltersAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/njwaltersauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/NJWalters
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/njwalters
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-j-walters

Montana Bounty Hunters: West Yellowstone, MT — CYRUS is here!
Tuesday, July 23rd, 2024

If you’ve enjoyed my bounty hunters in the past, I can guarantee you’ll love Cyrus. It is action-packed and features two characters you will fall in love with. You can “meet” Cyrus in the opening scene of the book here: Cyrus Excerpt. He’s grumpy, likes his space, and thinks he doesn’t really need anybody—until he meets Milly. He thinks she’s not his type but is quickly intrigued because she surprises him at every turn. All I can say is they were fun to write, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Anyway, the book is out! I hope you get your copy! This is the start of a new series! — Oh! And it’s currently FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Cyrus

Cyrus

The first new hire of the Montana Bounty Hunters: West Yellowstone, MT, isn’t much of a team player and isn’t sure he’s ready to stick around until he meets a pretty park ranger as independent and stubborn as he is.

Former Army Ranger Cyrus Walsh signs on with the competition when he sees the handwriting on the wall. The Montana Bounty Hunters are moving into his territory, and he can either join them or move on. So, he’ll give them a try but soon discovers he doesn’t mind so much riding with a new partner or working within the confines of an agency that respects their hunters’ strengths.

While chasing a skip in the nearby national park, he and his new partner encounter the skip and a park ranger, facing down a grizzly bear. The park ranger’s actions save the day, and he finds himself intrigued by the woman, who under normal circumstances, he’d never give a second glance. It’s not like he’s looking for a relationship; he’s not an easy man to be around. But her understated beauty and fiercely independent nature draw him closer, and he finds himself, reluctantly, asking her out.

Milly Bauer knows she’s not in the same league as the burly, handsome bounty hunter, but she’s eager to let things play out between them. There’s something she wants from him, experiences she’s denied herself. Something tells her Cyrus is just the man to provide what’s been lacking in her life, if only for a while.

While they get to know each other and find themselves inextricably drawn closer, their dangerous jobs make them wonder whether they can share a future together.

Order your copy here!

Meet Milly…

The hunters have apprehended their skip, but he suffered some injuries while running away from them in the woods in Yellowstone park where our heroine is a park ranger. I just love her. She’s not your usual heroine and because she’s unexpected the hero can’t help but notice her…

Milly Bauer followed the two burly bounty hunters back to the trailhead as they carried Tate Smith between them. They made it look easy, although both men were coated in sweat by the time they arrived back at their vehicle. When she mentioned loading Tate into her Tahoe, she’d gotten another of the bigger guy’s scowls. He acted like she was trying to horn in on his takedown. She didn’t give a rat’s ass who got the credit. However, they were operating inside the park, so it was her duty to make sure rules were followed.

Once at the clinic, the nicer one followed Tate Smith to the imaging center to get X-rays of his right foot and shoulder. It looked like he had indeed broken his ankle and several smaller bones in his foot, as well as dislocated his shoulder.

“They’ll be a while,” she warned the bigger guy. “I’m Milly Bauer, by the way,” she said, holding out her hand and hoping he’d give her a name because “nicer guy” and “bigger guy” would likely blurt from her mouth if she didn’t have a proper name to assign the two hunters.

She guessed his eyes remained permanently narrowed—maybe it was genetic—because his eyes didn’t widen when he reached slowly to shake her hand.

“Cyrus Walsh.”

“And your friend?”

“Mike Meakin. He’s a police officer with the West Yellowstone PD.”

“So, he’s got a real job when he’s not hanging with bounty hunters?” She meant it as a joke, but the chilly look he gave her said he didn’t appreciate her humor. She held up her hands. “Didn’t mean to offend.”

He grunted and turned in his seat to stare down the hallway where his friend had disappeared. “You don’t have to wait around with us. We’ve got this handled.”

“My boss wants me to stick with you and escort you out of the park after your prisoner is fixed up. He really doesn’t like bounty hunters.”

Again, he grunted, and she found she rather liked the rude sound. Most men weren’t as honest about their disinterest in her.

“So, have you ever faced a grizzly before?” she asked.

“Have you?” he asked, his head swiveling toward her.

She unclipped her can of bear spray from her utility belt. “Nope, but I did come prepared.” She sniffed the fingers that had held down the nozzle when she’d sprayed. “Can’t believe soap and water worked so well.”

“I was curious why you didn’t go straight for your gun,” he said.

“I didn’t want to kill the bear if I didn’t need to.”

“He was charging you and Tate.”

“I was in his territory.”

He rolled his eyes.

“I’d have pulled my Sig,” she said, patting the weapon in her holster, “but that was a grizzly, and if I’d shot him, I might have only pissed him off. Who says I’d have had a chance to take a second shot.”

His jaw rotated, and then he clamped it tight.

“Seeing as you’re so gun-ho,” she said, wincing at her own pun, “why’d you decide to make noise and charge the bear instead of shooting?”

“I wasn’t close enough to be in any danger.” His mouth curved into a slight smirking smile.

She narrowed her eyes. “But I was.”

He shrugged. “You looked like you had things handled with your can of bear piss.”

Was he trying to piss her off? “It’s not bear piss; bear repellent is made of hot peppers, capsaicin to be specific.” She laughed and shook her head. “Are you always such an asshole?”

He sighed and wiped a hand over his face. “I’m not good with people.”

“No kidding.” Still, she grinned—and noted that his gaze dropped to her mouth before darting back up to her eyes.

His scowl deepened, his eyebrows drawing together.

Milly rather liked earning those frowny faces. At least he wasn’t ignoring her.

He cleared his throat. “Seeing as how Mike’s going to be a bit, you want to get some coffee?”

She hid her surprise and shrugged. “We can get fast food, or there’s Wylie’s Canteen in Lake Lodge. We can get coffee and some sandwiches there if you like. Maybe bring something back for your friend and Tate, too…?”

Cyrus rose to his feet. “I’ll text him and see if he needs to visit the facilities before I leave.”

He pulled his phone from his pocket and quickly typed a message. “He says he’s good. He’ll eat anything but hates mayo.”

“I’ll drive since I know where we’re going. The canteen, right?” At his nod, she pulled her keys from her pocket. “It’s not far.”

The short drive was made in silence. The cafeteria wasn’t too busy, so they quickly queued up their trays and pushed them along the rail. Such a domestic thing to do, and she knew they looked absurd—her in her uniform, standing beside a big brute of a handsome man. Everyone was craning their necks to watch as they plucked pre-made sandwiches from refrigerated displays, adding chips and drinks before sliding their stacked trays toward the register.

“I got this,” Cyrus said.

“I’ll get my own food.”

“Already have my wallet out.”

She raised both eyebrows and slowly nodded because she figured he was determined to win. “I appreciate it. Thank you. Do you want to eat here or back at the clinic waiting room?”

He glanced at his phone. “They’re still waiting on imaging. Let’s eat here.”

They took seats at a small table overlooking the parking lot and began unwrapping and opening their food and drinks.

“You live in the park?” he asked.

She was surprised he was making an effort at polite conversation. She lifted a crisp potato chip. “I don’t. Actually, I live in West Yellowstone. I was born and raised there.” She chomped on the chip while he gave her another hard-to-read frown.

“Well, hell,” he said under his breath.

She laughed, although she knew she should’ve felt insulted by his lack of enthusiasm for what she’d shared. “Thought you’d never bump into me again, didn’t you?”

What do these images all have in common? Plus, a release reminder! (Contest)
Monday, July 22nd, 2024

UPDATE: The winner is…Debra Guyette!
*~*~*

 

If you’ve visited this blog lately, you know that there’s something fun happening over at another website I run, Delilah’s Collections. It only gets active for a few months a year, but when it does, it’s very, very busy! We’re running a campaign now through the release of our latest collection, Secret Identities: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology on July 30th. It’s a fun way to get to know the authors who’ve written stories for the anthology—maybe you already know them, maybe you don’t! But did I mention there will be multiple opportunities to win prizes or pick up some freebies?

Now back to those images… They represent the current posts from the authors who are eager to meet you!

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, let me know whether you’ve been over to the Collections website to “meet” our new authors!

A reminder about what’s releasing tomorrow!!

Cyrus

Pre-order your copy now!

Report Card & Open Contests!
Sunday, July 21st, 2024

It was a productive week once we got past the AC issue on Monday. You really, really appreciate your conveniences when they aren’t there. It was a busy week. I tend to write best when I’m under a hard deadline, and I really felt the pressure to complete Cyrus, so the story flowed all the way up to the day before I had to upload it! I wish my muse was more disciplined, but that’s just not how it works. I have to let go and let it do its thing. When I surrender and take myself out of the process, that’s when the good stuff comes. And I know that’s more crazy author talk, but if the shoe fits… Anyway, here’s my report card for last week’s work and my plan for the upcoming week. Sharing these “report cards” does help because I feel like I have to accomplish things or I look lazy. LOL

Report Card

Last week…

  1. The AC was fixed on Monday! By Tuesday, the temperature inside the house, including my basement office, was at last livable! Yay!
  2. I completed writing/editing Cyrus. It was formatted and uploaded for its release on Tuesday!
  3. I worked on the last edits of the stories inside the Secret Identities anthology.
  4. I gave up on the short story I was trying to write for Secret Identities and started another, but it’s not working either even though I’m 3/4 of the way into it. I might have to reject my own story for the anthology because it’s just not good enough. There’s a first time for everything, and I have to be honest with myself. I think the theme just didn’t work for me, and after reading the great stories that are going to make up the new volume, I’m not going to embarrass myself. 🙂
  5. I swam every day, sometimes twice a day!
  6. I’m still complying with Weight Watchers, despite the week from hell when we ate fast food at least once a day. I’ve maintained a 5.5-pound loss.

This next week…

  1. Cyrus releases this week! Early Tuesday morning to be exact! You know I’ll be promoting the heck out of the first West Yellowstone bounty hunter book!
  2. I’ll finish editing stories in the Secret Identities anthology. Then I’ll compile the stories into the anthology and ready them for publication on the 30th!
  3. I will begin editing another author’s manuscript!
  4. I’ll begin work on my next novel, Built Like Mack, the next We Are Dead Horse story.
  5. I’ll continue swimming and counting those points on Weight Watchers!

Open Contests

On the Delilah’s Collections website!

  1. GETTING TO KNOW BRENT ARCHER (CONTEST) — Last day to enter! 2 winners! Win an Amazon gift card!
  2. GETTING TO KNOW CINDY TANNER (CONTEST) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
  3. GETTING TO KNOW AVA CUVAY (CONTEST) —  This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!

Here, on this site!

  1. Gabbi Grey: Pushing Boundaries (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win a FREE book!
  2. It’s getting hot in here! (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
  3. Saturday Puzzle Contest: I’ve been through the desert… — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
  4. Gabbi Grey: Avoiding the Middle Book Slump (Contest)This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
  5. Word Search: Things to See in Yellowstone… (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
  6. Caviar and Frogs…whuuutt? (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
  7. Gabbi Grey: Something a Little Different (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
  8. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: A Grizzly Beginning (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
Saturday Puzzle-Contest: A Grizzly Beginning (Contest)
Saturday, July 20th, 2024

UPDATE: The winner is…Eileen McCall!
*~*~*

CyrusYes, I’m pitching another book—meaning, I have a new one coming out on Tuesday that I hope you’re going to love. I certainly do.

Cyrus and Milly were so much fun to write. You’ll think it’s crazy writer fantasy stuff when I say that characters reveal themselves to me rather than I create them. I wait for inspiration to tell my fingers what to type. Often, I see the story appear like a movie reel in my head, and I’m simply the person typing as fast as I can to capture what I see and hear. I pay attention to the clues, as they appear, about what makes my characters unique. I don’t like writing the same book with the same hero and heroine, just changing the names. And I may be starting a new Montana Bounty Hunters series, but I’m hoping the stories inside the stories are just as unique for every book as the two main characters.

Cyrus wrote himself. In the beginning, we meet him, and he’s not much of a team player. He’s irritated that MBH is moving into West Yellowstone and contemplating moving on to the greener pastures. Working with MBH doesn’t really change him. It’s meeting the one woman in the world who was meant to be his other half that convinces him to stick around. You’ll see. Milly is… You’ll see.

The adventures they both have together and apart keep the story moving along and add a lot of the humor and excitement. This story is stuffed with stupid criminals doing criminal things. That will be familiar to you if you’ve read other MBH stories. The takedowns are always fun.

I knew the day when I sat down to write the “meet-cute” scene, that Cyrus and Milly were going to meet. *duh* However, I didn’t know how they’d cross paths until this guy appeared. And yes, I had to find the words very quickly to describe this facial expression.

That’s all I’m going to say. The scene didn’t end the way I thought it would. Let’s just say, Milly made quite the impression on Cyrus. 🙂

That’s all I’ve got for today, folks. I hope I piqued your interest enough you’ll go pre-order Cyrus. Here’s the link to make it even easier: PRE-ORDER CYRUS HERE. See that? Super easy.

Puzzle-Contest

Solve the puzzle then tell me about any memorable wild animal encounters you’ve had for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card. If you can’t think of one, make one up! Your story does not have to be long or even any good. Just have fun.