Author Name: Paty JagerCurrent release: Outlaw in Petticoats
Web site: http://www.patyjager.com
Blog site: http://www.patyjager.blogspot.com
Favorite holiday memory: The Christmas I remember most is the one where everyone in my family was sick except for my dad and I. We had several feet of snow and we didn't have our Christmas tree yet. He and I took snow shoes, drove as far us the road as the old scout could go and put on the snow shoes. Then we hiked into the woods for a tree. Dad told me to stay away from the trees and bushes as there were air pockets. I'd be walking along , hurrying to keep up with my dad and "Whoosh!" I'd fall into an air pocket. He'd grab the back of my coat and pull me out of the hole. I'd dust the snow off and we' trudge on. I think I did this about three times before I smartened up and stayed back from the trees and bushes. We did get home with the top of a tree and Mom (who was very particular about her tree) was pleased!
21 comments:
Welcome, Paty! I'm so glad to have you as guest author today!
Since the finalists for the EPPIES were just announced, it seems fitting that my guest author is one of last year's EPPIE winners for a contemporary western, PERFECTLY GOOD NANNY.
This year, one of her historical romances, OUTLAW IN PETTICOATS, is in the running for 2008 Best Western Romance at Love Western Romances.
These two very well received books are different time periods. Do you have any special tricks for remembering what time period you're writing in? Or can you switch from the 1800s to present day without too much trouble?
By the way, if we want to vote for OUTLAW IN PETTICOATS as 2008 Best Western Romance, how do we do that?
And maybe Paty will tell us about the very special four-legged cover model for OUTLAW IN PETTICOATS.
Hi Genene, Thank you for giving me this day on your blog!
As for jumping between time periods... I don't have a lot of trouble, once characters and a story are set in my head, I pretty much live that era while I write, although I do have to censure some words now and then when I let more modern words creep into the historical stories.
Yes! I'm excited to have Outlaw in contention for the Love Western Romances 2008 Best Western Romance, the book is up against other writers I admire. If you've would like to vote for Outlaw here is the URL:http://www.lovewesternromances.com/index.html
And the horse on the cover of my book is actually my horse "Bud". He's from my daughter's mare. He and I have been together since his birth. He's more like a big dog than a horse and was really a good sport when my daughter and I staged the scene for the photo they used on the cover of my book.
Ah, Paty, Bud is adorable! Big, but adorable.
I love your Christmas memory. It's funny how often a set of circumstances that seems to undermine a situation (change it) ends up enhancing it. I remember a Christmas when the dh was sicker than a dog and my son was here. We drove out to a part of the river that was actually frozen -- not so you could walk on it, just parts of the trapped water and rocks were frozen solid and the trees were all white and glittery with frost. It was enchanting.
(P.S. I already voted!)
Thanks, Genene, for such a classy promotional format!
Alice, thanks for commenting and voting! And aren't the simple things the most memorable?
What a sweet, funny memory. Thanks for sharing it!
Thank for stopping by, LuAnn!
Ay-yi-yi! It seems the earlier I go to bed, the longer I sleep in the mornings--and my doggies were very kind this morning. However, I'm feeling kinda sheepish when I see you early risers have half a day's work done already.
Paty, I'm still amazed by writers who can "live" in the time period they are writing. I keep saying one of these days I'll try it. Maybe after I get a handle on these contemporary times. LOL!
Good luck in the 2008 Best Western Romance contest! I just went to the Web site and now I'm in the mood for a binge of western stories. Wouldn't that be a wonderful Christmas present to ourselves?
Paty, I love it that Bud posed for the cover photo of OUTLAW IN PETTICOATS! You and your husband live in part of the country where ranching and horses are still a big part of modern day life. Has that influenced what you write?
Alice, so glad you stopped by this morning! Looks like you are up and at your keyboard early also. Ah, double guilt for me!
I too enjoyed Paty's favorite memory of Christmas and could picture her as a little girl disappearing into an air pocket in the snow! Snow and icicles really do change the landscape, don't they? I love how fresh and pure everything looks when it snows--if it didn't have to be so darn cold!
Thanks for the kudos on the blog. It's been fun to put it together and to have such special guest authors, as well as chat with people who stop by. It's like a two-week party! (And I hope you'll post something on open promo day this Friday, Dec. 12.)
Hi, LuAnn! Thanks for stopping by! Do you have a favorite Christmas memory you'd like to share? It doesn't have to involve snow--it can be a tropical holiday!
Paty, I've always wanted to try snowshoeing, not sure why -- it just looks like fun, and a lot of work. I see now they have this weird, high-tech looking kind of snowshoe in the catalogs. But I like the old style, tennis-racket looking things you strap onto the bottom of your shoes.
Glad your mom liked the tree. Sorry you were all sick that year.
Hi, Danita! Glad you could stop by. I tried snowshoeing with a group from Chemeketa Community College. It was a day trip to the mountains. On level ground it was fun, but walking up the mountain was a killer! Made me realize how out of shape I was. But the day was beautiful!
Paty, interesting that you dropped through the snow even with the snow shoes. Those air pockets must have been big ones!
I love your Christmas memory! One of my favorites is the year my #1 son came home from college. I was so depressed due to my children growing up and out so no tree when he came home. He took charge of things, got a tree and got it up. The first time he took charge, the man of house! It made the season so special.
I went and voted for your novel. Congrats on your win last year. Let's make it two in a row.
Have you always written westerns? If so, is it because you love to read them or ??? I love to hear how other writers pick a genre. Thanks for letting me post and congrats again.
wanda
H all, just got back from lunch with a friend and looking for beds. UGH! Can't find what I want in a price I like.
Anyway, Genene- Yes! I think my lifestyle and where I grew up are a large part of what I write. The county I grew up in at one time in the early 1900's tried to ceded from the nation- They are an independent lot! LOL And I like the rural lifestyle.
Hi Danita! Yeah, we had the old gut and wood show shoes that buckled on with little leather belts.
The reason I fell through was the area around the bushes and tress, wasn't solid, it was like a roof between the solid snow and the plant, and even as a child I was not a tiny thing.
Hi Wanda!
It is a wonderful feeling when your grown children come home and take charge. Thank you for voting!
I write westerns because I love the image of justice being served, cowboys are gentlemen to the ladies and tough as nails to anyone who isn't, and a good western has action, adventure, and the happy ever after- all with horses, children, and the great outdoors wrapped up in the story!
Thanks for asking!
I was also out running errands for awhile and got to enjoy a little bit of sunshine before it got cold and dark!
Paty, writing westerns seems like the perfect fit for you--whether in the 1800s or current day!
Wanda, so glad you could drop by! Yes, isn't it interesting how other writers pick a genre and how they pick which story to write within that genre?
It's a mixed blessing when your kids grow up. You miss having them around all the time--or not, depending on how trying their teenaged years were ***grin***--yet you are proud when they take charge and show the best side of themselves.
Paty, thank you so much for being my guest author today! I so much enjoyed having you and love listening to you talk about the western/rural lifestyle.
Thanks also to everyone who stopped by to say hello and chat awhile!
If you want to vote for 2008 Best Western Romance at the Love Western Romances Web site, go to http://www.lovewesternromances.com/index.html
Thank you all!
Thank you for having me guest blog today, Genene! It's been fun!
Gosh, here I am running late again. Sorry Paty. I just wanted to say I loved your Christmas memory!
Happy holidays!
Lauri
Hi, Lauri!
So glad you could stop by and say hello! I can relate to running late. I'm often just going to bed when many others are getting up. Ah, well...
Your name will still go in the contest hat for a chance to win one of the daily prizes between now and Friday, as well as the grand prize drawing on December 12.
Hope to hear from you again soon!
Hi Lauri! Thanks for stopping by! And you know Better late than never! Thanks so much!
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