Renee Lynn Scott

Endless Revisions

2012-01-17T11:16:00.000-06:00

Have you ever thought you needed to call someone just to catch up and then you realize months later you still haven't called? The longer time passes, the harder it seems it is to make that call. That's how I feel about blogging.

There was a time when I lived for blogging. There was a time when I blogged on multiple sites every day. I'm not sure what has changed other than my priorities.

I have two stories that are in, what I hope to be, the final revisions. So much of my free time is wrapped up in them.

Speaking of revisions, I'm in the seventh round on one story. As you can imagine it's like listening to the same song over and over. After awhile it becomes--old. I mean seriously, I rarely read any book more than once, so, after the seventh time my eyes are beginning to cross.

But there is a scripture found in I Thessalonians 5:18 that says we should give thanks for everything. This includes revisions, no matter how frustrating the prospect of opening the file may be.

I'm trying to have an attitude of gratitude even through trials and tribulations. And trust me when I say we've been going through a few. So, when I look at a manuscript that I have prayed over multiple times, and know that it still needs work, I thank God and pray that this next round will be even better than the last. However, after this morning's little foray into my manuscript, I couldn't help but wonder if maybe I'm taking two steps backwards. And I remember feeling the exact same way with the last set of revisions.

How do I know I'm progressing forward and not backward? I don't. All I can do is invite God into my circumstances and trust in His guidance, even if the revisions seem endless.

Stealing Jake by Pam Hillman

2011-10-22T21:12:00.004-05:00

I just realized that I failed to post a review of a book I read back in July. It's another one of those books that I could not put down and read straight through.

When Livy O'Brien spies a young boy jostling a man walking along the boardwalk, she recognizes the act for what it is. After all, she used to be known as Light-Fingered Livy. But that was before she put her past behind her and moved to the growing town of Chestnut, Illinois, where she's helping to run an orphanage. Now she'll do almost anything to protect the street kids like herself.

Sheriff's deputy Jake Russell had no idea what he was in for when he ran into Livy—literally—while chasing down a pickpocket. With a rash of robberies and a growing number of street kids in town—as well as a loan on the family farm that needs to be paid off—Jake doesn't have time to pursue a girl. Still, he can't seem to get Livy out of his mind. He wants to get to know her better...but Livy isn't willing to trust any man, especially not a lawman.

Stealing Jake is not only well written, but the characters are beyond likeable and have excellent motives behind their actions. I believe Livy O'Brien is one of my all time favorite characters to date. She's confident in her newfound faith, caring, loving and bit brassy when it comes to rescuing those society would have thrown away.

I love the way Hillman counteracts the ugliness of child labor in the late 19th century with the goodness of Livy and Mrs. Brooks, the woman who runs the new orphanage. And of course, I love the romance between the former pick-pocket and the deputy. Stealing Jake is a must read and a definite keeper.

I only hope that Tyndale will one day decide to print Stealing Jake so it can sit on my bookshelf with the rest of the keepers.

*Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary digital copy of this book. Their generosity has in no way shape or form, yada, yada influenced my opinion of this product.

Oh, and by the way, Pam Hillman is holding a KindlePalooza curious? Go here.

Exciting Research Find

2011-10-13T11:38:00.000-05:00

As I was writing a scene yesterday I typed a word that I had no idea if it even existed during my time period. I was 99.9% positive it had, but I needed to be 100%.

scissors-origin 1350-1400 derives from the medieval Latin word cisoria (dictionary.com)

Dictionary.com wasn't my first choice for research, instead I typed 1850 sewing scissors into my google bar. And what to my wondering eyes should appear? The Graphics Fairy!

Oh, yes! I've mentioned her before. She is a treasure trove when it comes to all kinds of vintage clipart. Why would this matter to an historical romance writer? Because I'm very visual. I love to see things. And check this out!!

Aren't they fabulous? Yeah, I know, I'm a geek like that, but not only did I find out that scissors existed in the 1850s, but I get to see what they looked like as The Graphics Fairy found these in an 1850s catalog. And there are more here. I love these images so much that I'm trying to figure out what kind of art work I'd like to create with them, and of course, where I would put them since I don't have a sewing room. Although . . . we do own an upholstery shop. I wonder if hubs would be okay with these babies decorating his walls.

Anyway, instead of writing "She opened the bedside table and retrieved the scissors" I can now write, "She opened the bedside table and retrieved the fancy scrolled scissors". Of course, this is all part of my first draft, a bit of what we writers call 'vomitting on the page'. The fancy scrolled bit may not even stay, but at least I have a visual if I need it.

A Perfect Fit

2011-10-12T12:23:00.000-05:00

I'm trying to find a balance between writing the first draft of one manuscript and revising another. It's not easy. And for the last few days I've hit a dry spot on both. Right now, that's not an option. I have to have revisions done in a few weeks, and so it takes priority, but I also set a goal for myself on the other manuscript. 15,500 words for the month of October.

It doesn't seem like a lot but when you add in the revisions of the other, it really does add up. Plus, God has been speaking loud and clear in a few other areas of my writing life. Needless to say, I have a few balls I'm juggling and trying not to drop.

But I wanted to share something with you. My story is set in 1856 and the scene I just finished up is one filled with grief. My heroine is struggling with her faith, with her belief God will carry her and those she loves through this dark time. There is a moment when she is trying to sooth her friend who is delivering her baby too early by singing a song. Because of the historical nature I needed to make sure I found a hymnal that had been written prior to this time. As soon as I saw the title My Faith Looks Up to Thee, I knew it was the right one. The lyrics proved to be more than a perfect fit.

Me Again

2011-09-27T13:58:00.000-05:00

It's me again. Yeah, I couldn't come up with a better title. I was actually going to talk about the ACFW Conference, the one I didn't get to go to, but since conferences seem to be about pressing forward, I thought I'd share with you my new focus.

I know I've talked about moving on to the next project, at least I think I have. Anyway, I'm really excited. I've made a few decisions that I'm comfortable with for the time being.

1. I'm going to work on plotting a story set around 1860s. It's set here in Kansas in a town that was once a promising center. Now, it's little more than a ghost town, but the history is rich and colorful. I also can't wait to incorporate Bleeding Kansas.

2. While I'm plotting, I'll be hard at work revising my Biblical Romance. I was a bit hesitant. However, the story won't let me go and I believe God is urging me to see this one all the way through. I'll be blogging about that particular project at Christina Rich.

3. I have another project that is in the beginning stages. It's non-fiction and completely out of my comfort-zone. I have no idea if it'll end up being just a blog forum or if it'll turn out to be a full blown book. We'll see. Whatever it is, it is all at the urging of my Lord and Savior. I won't tell y'all what it is for now. Just know I'm super excited about this project. I already have pages and pages of notes and an outline. I need to find my scripture references and write it. ;)

4. All right, this is the biggie. I'm considering changing Renee Lynn Scott to my real name. I plan on keeping the blog template and blogger, but I'm not sure what all is involved with changing the domain name. I had wanted to keep RLS for my Westerns and Pioneers and use Christina for Biblical only. Now, I'm not so sure. And since every writer from here to Katmandu has an opinion, I'm not sure what is best for me. For now I'll keep RLS, but just be aware that it might change in the near future.

I love having a focus. It seems to make me breathe easier and my head not ache as bad.

Tonight I'm going to visit the library and load up on a few research books. And wouldn't you know it they have nothing to do with the eras I'm working on. Well, I might be able to get one or two.

I'll post in the next few days and let you know what books I'm reading for research.

It's Not About Me

2011-09-17T23:59:00.000-05:00

Every now and then I read a book and I wonder what in the world I am even thinking about writing. I read one of those books this week. AND it's a debut novel. Yes, there was one minor place where I had to suspend my disbelief and another where I thought the author should have wrapped up an incident a little better. BUT, all in all, this debut author may have just set the bar for those of us who pray will come behind her.

Who is this debut author? Karen Kirst. Her book, The Reluctant Outlaw, takes place in the refreshing setting of the Smoky Mountains. Her heroine, Juliana O'Malley, is a spunky, spit-fire who never wavers from her convictions or her love of her Lord, even when she's at the mercy of a kidnapper and a gang of outlaws. Evan Harrison is a man bent on justice, need I say more?

All right, I'm not going say anything else. You're just going to have to read it. To read the back cover blurb and an excerpt click here.

Anyway, I'm not writing this post to solely talk about Karen's book. Nope. I thought I'd share a bit of my growth.

When I first began writing and I'd come across a really good book, I'd find myself in a pit for days. "I can't write like that" "I'll never be good enough" "I quit". Of course, I always picked up my head. Sometimes it was with the help of friends others it was just because I can't not write. It's so much a part of me. And with each word, each sentence, each paragraph, each chapter I know I improve.

But there is more. I don't want to write just like Karen Kirst, Renee Ryan, Vickie McDonough or Karen Witemyer. I want to write like me however that is God would have me write. I was reminded the other night that none of this is about me. None of it is about the authors listed above. It's about God and what He does through each of us.

Acid Reflux Remedies

2011-09-15T10:46:00.000-05:00

Sometimes technology gets the best of me. Like to day, I wrote a fabulous post on Amish remedies for acid reflux and how sauerkraut actually came from the Chinese, and POOF! It all disappeared into cyber space. Not a single word was saved.

Oh, well.

The wind is out of my sails. Just know that I'm looking for a cure for my acid reflux. I've decided to try sauerkraut, and then a mixture of apple cider vinegar and ginger.

If you have any ideas I'm open to suggestions, but just know I prefer a more natural approach. All those over-the-counter drugs are wreaking havoc on my insides.

What Now?

2011-09-07T13:52:00.001-05:00

Now that LATP is out on submission, I don't dare stop. What I mean by that is I must move on to the next story. My dilemma, which one?

I already have another story in the revision process which is taking me a little longer than I would like, but that is all right. I'm after a standard of excellence. Besides, I thought I could give myself a few days off. Okay, maybe more than a few days.

Anyway, I've written in the past how I'd like to have three projects in various writing stages. I'm not sure that is a realistic goal, but I'd like to try and work it with two. Since I'll be polishing up my Biblical and sending out to my critique partners over the next few months, I thought I would work on something in the pioneer era, especially since I've been told by many people to never begin a second story in a possible series until you know if you can sell the first. I'm thinking I should shelve my ideas for book 2 and book 3 in The Heart of an Outlaw series. So, that leaves me with one of several ideas I've come up with surrounding a once bustling town about twenty miles northeast of Topeka.

Supposedly, one of the founders happened to be Wild Bill Cody's father. Cody's uncle owned a printing press and his aunt ran it. This all several years before the Civil War broke out, during a time known as 'Bleeding Kansas'.

With immigrants looking for the American dream and with anti-slavery Bostonian and pro-slavery Missourians settlers all moving into grab up land in order to earn the right to vote, the era is filled with all kinds of conflict, which makes for an excellent plot.

I have one in mind that I'm itching to plot out on my index cards. And although I know it's been done before I plan on using scriptures from Proverbs 31: 8-31with a bit of a twist. BUT, I have a story that I've already begun and I'd love to finish it. I just don't know if the publishing world is ready for it as it is a bit out of the box when it comes to writing inspirationals.

On one hand I want to write something that might be sellable and on the other I want to finish what I've started. Above all I want to glorify God with my words and after many prayers I have no leading on which direction I should go. Do I step out and just write or do I wait?

Golden Claddagh 2nd Place

2011-09-05T22:29:00.002-05:00

The results are in. Bewitching the Highlander took 2nd place in Golden Claddagh's Celtic category. Feedback is on it's way, hopefully it's something along the lines of keep pressing on.

A Little Girl's Dream

2011-08-31T22:57:00.002-05:00

Annie Oakley and I were brainstorming some ideas of how to increase her fundraising donations for her dance team. And she said, too bad I wasn't little anymore.

*sniff, sniff* Too bad. Those were the days when I helped her get ready for performances, when I brushed blush onto her pale cheruby cheeks, when I shoved her tiny arms through the armholes and slipped on her itty-bitty tap shoes. Those were the days when smiles came naturally and that all to infamous teenage scowl was nowhere to be seen.

Besides her curly red hair, her love for dance hasn't changed. If anything, her passion for the art has only grown deep and rooted into her soul.

She's no longer that adorable little dancer that received ooos and aaaahs. No, now she has a grace and maturity that only comes from one who feels the movements in her blood. And when it comes to ballet, instead of ooos and aaaahs, she now makes people catch their breath.

Ever since she sat enthralled at her first showing of The Nutcracker her dream has been to dance. She has since learned to appreciate the varying dance forms outside of ballet. Now it doesn't matter if she twirls with the fluidity of the classics, pops to hip hop, digs with the Roaring Twenties, or shuffling she loves to dance. She can't hear a song without choreographing moves in her head. She breathes and sleeps dance.

Her passion is no different than mine for the written word. It's so much a part of us we can't not do it. It's who God created us to be.

Simple Sunday Sermon

2011-08-07T19:43:00.000-05:00

I tossed things around and I kept coming back to a simple phrase. It's been my prayer over the last several months as I finished LATP. So, why not share?

Psalm 86:12 I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.

I know some may not understand my need to glorify God and to have his glory shine through my writing, but without Him I'm nothing. Without Him I have nothing. It is because of God that I've been called to write.

So I've poured prayers over my words that God may be glorified. Whether others understand or not, I only seek to do God's will so that He may be glorified.

While I'm sharing, that neat little image on the left was found at The Vintage Moth. I know I have some crafties following me, so be sure to check it out. I'd also be interested in seeing the creative ideas y'all come up with. I've got a few things in mind myself. I'll post pictures when I come up with them.

Another sharing note, I'll be at Susan Hollaway's blog tomorrow.

Blessed Sunday,

Renee

Getting Closer

2011-08-07T01:44:00.000-05:00

It's getting there. The tabs on the sidebar are driving me a little nutty as they open a new window and that isn't something I want. I'm sure it is a small technicality. I hope.

Anyway, it's Sunday and I have yet to lay my head down on the pillow from Saturday. My eyes are heavy and dry. I fully intend on once again bringing Sunday Sermon to the blog. Hopefully my brain will work a little better after a few hours of sleep.

Renee

Still Under Construction

2011-08-05T15:42:00.001-05:00

Between a slower than usual internet connection and the difficult task of making design decisions the construction process is moving at a snail's pace. I am getting there. Just beware that as you look around some links link to nothing and others need to be cleaned up.

Hope all is well with you.

Renee

Under Construction

2011-08-02T12:46:00.000-05:00

I've talked, not too long ago, about writing under mulitple names and in varied genres. I've put off blogging here as I've been working like mad on revisions. Now that I'm about ready to submit my manuscript I have the time to hopefully set my little space up in a more cohesive manner. So, please hang with me as I revamp this area.

Thank you,

Renee

Revising

2011-06-24T08:46:00.000-05:00

I thought I should give y'all a little update on what I'm doing. I haven't completely fallen off the face of the Earth, I've just been working on my manuscript. I think you'd be pleased to know that I've finally completed the first draft and have now moved on to revisions.

So far revisions have been rather painless, but then I'm only 1/4 of the way through, which has been revised, critiqued, revised and so on. I hope to get through the rest of the story in the next week so that I can send it off to my cps. The closer I get to sending it off the more excited/nervous I become.

I know over all they'll like the story, I just pray they don't find any major plot problems or historical inaccuracies.

Dueling Identities

2011-05-29T13:57:00.000-05:00

Have you ever met yourself coming and going? It seems that is all I have been doing. It's like my two identities are stuck in a revolving door.

I've been trying to figure out my place in this writing world, which has left me in the driver's seat wandering around aimlessly. That's not to say that I have been ignoring my writerly-self. I've just been making a lot of pit-stops along the way.

Some of those stops have been constructive. Others not so much. I guess all this confusion and aimless wandering is a consequence of my indecisiveness. If there is one thing I dislike, it's making decisions especially when the pros and cons balance out.

When I first began writing, I had decided, without a doubt, to use a pen name. Out of that decision birthed Renee Lynn Scott. At the time, I was dipping my pen into Scottish historicals. Not because they were popular. Not because I thought I could write them better than anyone else. No, I began writing them because I have a weird kind of connection to that magical land of Celts, both Scottish and Irish alike. The fables passed down through the ages thrum through my blood. It's a part of me. A part of who I am.

Ever since I can remember I've had visions of standing on the craggy cliffs as the mist from the frigid ocean bathed my cheeks, so it was quite natural for me to be drawn to Scotland.

(I'm trying to stay on track, but y'all know me. I'm the queen of rabbit trailing.)

Then one day (or I should say night), D paid me a visit. She stood on a hill with her back toward me. Her chestnut tresses whipped near horizontal with the steady gust of wind. Her ankle-length prairie skit tangled around her legs. She beckoned me. Not with her eyes, nor with her hands. No, she called out to me with her isolated silence. She asked me to write her story and to give her a happily ever after.

My dilemma? She wasn't in Scotland. No, she stood on a hill, virtually in my backyard. A place I had sworn to never use as a setting. So, before the ink on the Scottish historical was even dry, I hopped across the ocean, navigated the Mississippi and found myself in Kansas, a place I had thought was as drab and dreary as the cracked earth in the desert.

Renee was no longer just a Scottish historical writer, she was now a Western writer.

And then, came this undeniable calling to write a Biblical Inspirational Romance (that is another story for another day).

So . . . you can see why I've been roaming around as if I don't have a clue. I've been torn between two identities and three-four genres. The good news is for the last few months I've been following a map. I've remained focused and haven't taken any pit-stops, which means I'm almost complete with one project, which means, hopefully, soon it will be out on submission.

Somehow I've got to find a way to share my time with myself. Not an easy thing to do when writing time always seems so very limited. But I'll figure it out a way to halt the battle between my two identities and bring them into constructive working order.

What Would Dee Do?

2011-03-18T00:43:00.002-05:00

I finished up a pretty darn good scene the other night. I love it. Every bit of it from beginning to end. But now I'm wondering what in the world my heroine is going to do next. I know who she is and I know how she'd act in most given situations but I need her to end up in a bad place. A place where the hero needs to ride in and rescue her, after of course he realizes that she needs rescuing. But she's not one to allow herself to get into the kind of trouble I need her to get into so I have to up the anty a little, give her a reason to go quietly and not kickin' and screamin'.

Are you with me? I thought so. *g*

So my gun toting heroine has to some how allow herself to get kidnapped, but why would she?

Because she doesn't have her pistol? No. I don't think that would stop her from putting up a fight.

Because she's not paying attention? Possibly, especially since she's discovering there is more to life than . . . well, whatever it is she's been doing all this time before the hero rode in on a menacing iron horse.

But, I think there has to be more. So what if it's because she doesn't want to risk someone or several someones to end up at the mercies of the villain?

I think I know what Dee would do, but I think I'll mull over it one more night.

To Pseudo or not to Pseudo

2011-03-08T10:59:00.000-06:00

It's been a long while hasn't it? Well, sometimes life gets in the way. I've also come to the realization that there are times in a writer's life when we slip into heavy contemplations. I say heavy because we often, (at least I do), sit in contemplation mode until I can make a decision. And decisions, no matter how minor, are one of those things I dislike.

I suppose you expect me to tell you here and now that I've quit writing, but that's not the case. In fact quite the opposite. I've just been working on a plethora of things that my time hasn't been conducive to blogging.

Which brings me to my contemplations.

When I first started writing I wasn't sure who I was. Over the last few years I've grown, not only as a writer but as a person. I no longer try to blend in with the wall-flowers (all right, there are occasions). I've also grown in my relationship with my God. But the journey here has been confusing, not only for me but I'm sure for my readers as well. You get what you see, right? I'm real. I'm not fake. Yeah, I might use a pen name but that has nothing to do with hiding and everything to do with branding.

Let me explain. My university novel, my first, was a Scottish set in 1603. My real name doesn't say Scottish Historicals like say Kathy Maxwell. And when I decided to start writing Westerns, my real name still doesn't say Cowboys and feisty damsels that don't know they're in distress. But writing Ancient Biblical romance, yeah, my real name works.

It took me a long while to decide whether or not to keep my pen name. When I asked for advice it often came down to one question: What do you have to hide? Well, nothing. At least not that I know of. But I just couldn't bring myself to do away with my pen name. I mean come on, I like it. And it means something to me. So I waited. In confusion. And I waited. And wondered, would I have to hang the pen name from the nearest tree?

Thanks to a discussion on one of my writers' loops and to a few industry professionals who answered, I've made my decision. Renee Lynn Scott is here to stay unless a future agent/editor asks me to do away with it.

Renee will continue writing romantice Westerns and Pioneer full of faith. And if you're interested in my journey writing Biblical Romance, you can find me here.

Hopefully now that I've made a firm decision about my writing there will be less confusion in my brain.

A Rare Sighting

2010-10-22T11:27:00.000-05:00

I saw something last night that I don't see much of around here anymore, unless of course the 4-H fair is in session. And by here, I mean in the city, not that Topeka is a big city but it's the biggest in these here parts.

I guess you're wanting to know what it is I saw. No, it wasn't a fox or a coyote, although they do tend to roam around in our little neighborhood. And it wasn't a bobcat. I've heard tales that they exist in our neck of the woods, but I have yet to see one. AND no, it wasn't a sasquatch (yes, I've heard those tales too)! Just to let you know, I sleep well at nights because we are surrounded by treeless fields, and I'm quite certain Bigfoot would not venture too close to a place he cannot hide from human eyes.

So what was it I saw, you ask? A cowboy. Not one of those I'm a hunter-wanna-be-cowboys, and not one of those I'm-a-hick-with-a-plot-of-land-and-a-four wheeler kind of cowboy, but a real honest to goodness cowboy.

Why is this of interest to me? A few months back I had an idea for a romantic suspense story. One that I want to set in Kansas, but I needed it to be unique. So I had decided that a cowboy would suit my hero nicely, but as I scoped out possible visual players for my hero all I kept coming up with was the typical Wranglers, t-shirt, baseball cap and boots. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I wanted something more. Someone like a younger version of Mantracker.

But did someone like that exist in Northeast Kansas, or were the wide-rimmed-cowboy-hat, wrangler-wearing-cowboys found only in Hollywood and the ranches of Montanna? After several months of searching I found him, and it wasn't at my local Tractor Supply. Nope, this cowboy was driving a newer diesel pick-up extended cab, pulling a trailer behind it. And he had on a white wide-rimmed cowboy hat. In the few seconds it took him to drive by, I noticed a few other things too. In the middle seat was a baseball cap wearing cowboy, and next to him was another cowboy with a black cowboy hat. There was no need for him to pull over for me to investigate what kind of jeans he was wearing; they were Wranglers, no doubt.

The funny thing is, as much as I thought he was an oddity, he looked at me and my walking partner as if we had stepped straight off of the mothership. *grins*

Whether or not I had actually found my cowboy, I still would have used one in my story (only mine would be wearing a nice pair of Levi's), but at least now I know they do exist. They might be a rare sight outside of the local rodeo, but they're a real thing.

A Few Pictures

2010-10-03T22:42:00.006-05:00

Kansas Pioneer Encounters

2010-08-31T23:55:00.005-05:00

One of the best research tools I've found for Kansas Pioneers has been Books of the Kansas Collection. Most of them are diaries written by pioneers. Some are stories passed along. All the ones I've come across have been very entertaining.

The following excerpts come from one woman's account. You can tell from her musings she was a woman who knew how to find humor in even the worse of situations. I have a feeling, though, that with constant cannon fire and cholera, rattlesnakes were the least of this author's fears.

This first selection comes from Kansas: Its Interior and Exterior by Sara T. L. Robinson. The author, as you can see, seems to have been a guest of a state prison. For those of you who do not know much about this era in Kansas history, it was during a time known as Bleeding Kansas. A time when pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions warred fiercly. If Mrs. Sara Robinson was a prisoner at Lecompton, Kansas' first capital, a pro-slavery capital, then she most likely held the values of the anti-slavery camp dear to her heart. Bleeding Kansas deserves many, many blogs of its own.

Its pages were penned during a three months' residence of the authoress in the United States Camp, at Lecompton, with her husband, one of the state prisoners.
Preface

This first was written in the month of June possibly in the year 1856.

7th. -- Mr. H. was very ill with an attack of pleurisy. Doctor being absent, I felt anxious, yet did the best I could. A mustard plaster and some simples removed the difficulty of breathing, and he slept quietly. He said he never was as sick before, but I was thinking he imagined himself sicker than he was just before night, and as I was wondering where E. could be, she came in, pale and almost breathless, with just enough left of life to say, "O, that rattlesnake!" I laughed at her at first; but being convinced that seeing a snake of some kind was a reality to her, and not quite liking the idea of their making a home in our neighborhood, we started out with shovel and hatchet for a battle. The spot where she saw him was very easily found, as the pail she had in her hand, while coming up the path from the spring, she set down when she came upon him. She had heard a buzzing noise, like that made by a large grasshopper, for some minutes; but her attention was attracted by a small bird flying backward and forward across the path, and no great height above it, and did not, therefore, perceive the snake until she was within a foot of him. Hastily setting down the pail, as he lay there coiled ready to spring, she took another path to the house. We looked along both paths, above and below, and far out on the hill-side, but found nothing. His fright was undoubtedly equal to hers, not being particularly partial to the cold bath she gave him in getting down her pail so hastily.

10th. -- Was awakened by a little tree-toad on my pillow this morning. He must have climbed up the low roof of the ell part, and in at the window. I found a mouse in the tub, and a swallow came into the kitchen flapping his wings wildly, and seeming much frightened, as we were at breakfast. I am wondering if all the "four-footed beasts and creeping things " have appointed a place of rendezvous upon our premises; and suggest, laughingly, that "the rattlesnakes will come next." Scarcely had we finished breakfast, before the cry from near the wood-pile was, "Here's a snake!" It measured about eighteen inches in length, was ugly looking, and had four rattles.

June 12th

Many people were in, in the evening. The wind was blowing, and I heard a rustling near me. I looked, but saw nothing. An hour later, as I relinquished my seat, and went to make arrangements for extra beds, a gentleman very positively said, "I hear a rattlesnake." Near where I had been sitting, the yellow-spotted reptile had crawled in between the last floor-board and the siding, and already his head had reached the window-casing. We had serious objections to his farther progress towards the chambers, or to his greater length of days. After a moment's more envenomed rattling, all was still. Like the other, he had four rattles, and was undoubtedly looking for his lost mate. One of the gentlemen, Judge Conway, to whom the front room had been appropriated as a sleeping apartment, the mattresses being removed each morning, felt nervous about such companions for bed-fellows, and, to be prepared against the possible contingency of another similar visit, turned his boot-tops into one another upon retiring.

Although this one does not speak of an encounter, it is interesting as you will see.

18th. -- The morning sun never shone more brightly than now. We found everything in the house damp, but had taken no cold. The cholera patient was doing well. The gentleman of the house assured me he slept well, but it was a mystery to me where he found a dry nook. Had a fine ride home in the early morning light, which gives to every object a double value. "Old Gray" nibbled at the "compass plant," which always points northward in these prairies, occasionally cropping its bright yellow flowers with a satisfied air as he trotted along. The rattlesnake weed was also blooming in profusion. Nature is ever mindful of the needs of her children, and provides an antidote against the bane of rattlesnakes, and a sure guide over the wide prairie in the compass plant. When I reached home, found the doctor gone to attend upon a broken limb. A man, in rafting logs down the river, had met with this misfortune. The doctor has many calls professionally, and, though he assures them all that he is not now a practicing physician, he looks in upon many to advise them.

A note on the compass plant. First, the picture came from Oklahoma Biological Survey. Second, I have found several occasions where pioneers often believed off the wall tales, or remedies. Like how tying a raw chicken to your abdomen would draw rattlesnake venom from the body after having been bittern. So when I saw the little tidbit about the compass plant alway pointing north, I had to investigate further. And they were at least partly right. The flowers do point in a north-south direction. Most of the time.

Blogging Elsewhere

2010-08-30T00:14:00.000-05:00

Zoe Winters' is giving away a Kindle

2010-08-28T19:38:00.000-05:00

Check out Zoe's blog Blood Lust Blitz for a chance to win a Kindle. What are you waiting for? Go! NOW!

Kansas Rattlesnakes

2010-08-24T23:16:00.000-05:00

Then I had my first introduction to rattlesnakes. I was sitting in the door, and the children were playing just outside when I heard that horrible rattle. I did not have to be told what it was. I grabbed the children into the house and put them up on the bed, and took hold of a board, as it was all I could get hold of. By the time I had done that it was inside the house and running across the floor. I kept striking at it and missing it for quite a while; I felt I must kill it or some of us would be bitten. At last I killed it, although I nearly killed myself. Then I told the children that I would never live in a place where the rattlesnakes came into the house, that we would get to the timber where their father was and tell him so. Well, we had not gone a hundred yards when we saw another one, stretched out sunning itself, so we passed by on the other side, but we had not crossed the field until we say the third one, all of them large. The one we killed had seven rattles; that is as large as they generally are on the prairies. Although that was our first sight of a rattlesnake, it was not our last. For a number of years, they were plentiful. They were round about us, sometimes under our feet, sometimes gathered up in a bundle of something we were handling, sometimes in our houses. The strangest part of it was that none of us were ever bitten.
Nancy "Mary Ann" Davis Wisner's Recollections of Pioneer Life

I'm telling you up front there is no way on God's green Earth I'm getting close enough to a rattlesnake to snap pictures. Not even through a glass window.

So for sanity's sake, y'all can go here Great Plains Nature Preserve.

Kansas is home to three different species of rattlesnakes. One is found in the eastern half of the state. One is found in the eastern and central part of Kansas, and the last one is found only in the western part.

If you choose to use a rattlesnake in your book, then you need to be sure what part of the state your story is set.

Since my story is set in the eastern part of Kansas we'll look at the Timber Rattlesnake first and then the Massasaugas (what a name). And wouldn't you know that the Timber, the largest of the rattlers, would be found in my neck of the woods. *shivers*

This one's coloring is kind of a dull gray, but you can see the chevron markings.

This next one is vivid and you can clearly see the stripe down the center of its body. As far as rattlesnakes go, its kind of beautiful (never thought I'd say that)!

* I got this picture from Snakes of Lake Martin many of the snakes pictured on this link are similar to those I've seen in Kansas.

According to the Great Plains Nature Preserve, this baby is in need of conservation. Now, I'm all for conservation as long as its not in my backyard. If it comes down to me or the snake, the snake has got to go.

This next snake, the Massasaugas, is found throughout eastern and central Kansas. It also happens to be the smallest of the trio.

Again, this one has some beautiful coloring. They also tend toward browns, which I think would a little more difficult to spot in and amongst the brush. I think if I had a choice, I'd rather come across this one. It's smaller than the Timber and easier to see than its brown sibling.

*Picture from wikimedia

I can also say that this little rattler is doing just fine in the conservation area.

The last of Kansas' rattlers can be found in the western half of the state, and for that I'm very grateful.

As you can see by his coloring he probably blends in nicely with the prairie landscape, even more so than the Massasauga. *Picture from wikipedia

The Prairie Rattlesnake is also doing fine in the whole conservation area.

And, just in case you think these creatures are small, let me put it all in perspective for you.

The Massasauga, which is the smallest of the rattlers, measures up to 33 1/2 inches. Yeah, I'm thinking that's a bit too long myself, but compared to the Prairie and the Timber, it's a piece of cake. The Prairie, the one that takes up residence in the western half of Kansas measures up to 57 1/8. I suppose you're wondering what the Timber measure in at. No? Well, I'm going to tell you anyway, if I don't you'll google, so I'll save you the trouble. 63 1/2"! The record for the Timber is 74 1/2"

The Lawman's Redemption by Pam Crooks

2010-08-17T00:38:00.000-05:00

Grace Reilly is every inch a lady from Minneapolis’ High Society, but when her brother—her only living kin—seeks her help, little does she know he’s about to embroil her in his thirst for revenge against the man he believes responsible for their mother’s death.

Jack Hollister gave up his dream of being a lawman after he shot his outlaw father dead. Now he’s quite content living the cowboy life. But like any man with the law running through his blood he can’t walk away from an investigation. Especially when there is a damsel in distress. Even if she intends to shoot him dead where he stands.

“Grace, honey.” Jack smoothed her hair with slow, gentle strokes. “Reckon

you’re feeling about as low as anyone can get about now. But for what it’s worth to you, I’m here. And I’m not leaving until you feel better.”

She wanted him to go.

She wanted him to stay.

Mostly she wanted him to hold her.

“You d-don’t have to be nice to me, you know.” Grace hiccupped. “I just tried to shoot you dead.”

“Yeah, I know.” His thumb stopped a stream of tears and wiped them away. “I’m not real happy about that, but I guess I’ll have to forget about it for now.”

“Stay with me tonight,” she whispered.

“Don’t think you could keep me away.”

Sprinkled with historical figures, The Lawman’s Redemption is set in the Montana frontier. This Western is my first Pam Crooks book, and I am hooked. I love the world she has built around Great Falls, from the rutted snow covered streets to the small details of the barbershop. But let’s not stop there; Jack Hollister is one heck of a hero who knows how to get what he wants, and he has an eye for detail, especially where Grace is concerned. And Grace Reilly, well, she’s a perfect blend of outward composure and inner strength, even in light of her insecurities. She’s not afraid to face her adversaries, but of course, she knows Jack will come to her rescue.

The emotional strands of longing and forgiveness left me wanting more. The intimate details from simple hand holding to wiping away a tear wrapped around my heart and left me breathless. Even though The Lawman’s Redemption is the third in this trilogy, I hope Crooks continues to write stories set in Great Falls, Montana.

*On a side note, isn't that cover hot?

You can purchase The Lawman's Redemption here.