Mary Connealy~Real Life Petticoat Ranch: February 2009

Friday, February 27, 2009

THE MORNING AFTER

An alternative headline...

Belly up to the Bar-stool

Colorado residents have taken photos of an elk wearing a bar stool. The morning after times TEN, huh? Wildlife officers are aware of the elk's problem, but haven't been able to get close enough to tranquilize the elk and remove the extra headgear.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

ALL NEW BOOKSIGNING SCHEDULE

I will be in Dallas March 20-23 and in Michigan March 30-April 4th doing book signings.

If that's your area, check out the dates and places on the book signing schedule on the left. I've just updated it.

I'll be with over 200 authors in Dallas at Book Expo.

And four Barbour Authors will do the Michigan book tour together.

Christine Lynxwiler, MaryLu Tyndall, Kaye Dacus and Me.

Here are the details I know about the Michigan book signings so far.

Monday, March 30 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Family Christian Stores
Minges Brook Mall
5700 Beckley Road, Suite B-2
Battle Creek, MI 49015

Tuesday, March 31 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Family Christian Stores
3155 Westshore Drive
Holland, MI 49424

Tuesday, March 31 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Baker Book House
2768 Paris Ave SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Wednesday, April 1 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Family Christian Stores
Rivertown Center
3819 Rivertown Parkway SW, Suite 100
Grandville, MI 49418

Thursday, April 2 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Leighton Township Library
4451 12th Street
Moline, MI 49335

Thursday, April 2 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Jude 3
2279 North Park Drive, Suite 810
Holland, MI 49424

Friday, April 3 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Family Christian Stores
Jolly Cedar Plaza
5132 S. Cedar Street
Lansing, MI 48911

Friday, April 3 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Family Christian Stores
Westnedge Corners Shopping Center
4413 S. Westnedge Ave
Kalamazoo, MI 49008

Saturday, April 4 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.
Family Christian Stores
3343A Alpine Road NW
Walker, MI 49544

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Winchesters and Watercolors

My current work in progress,

which won’t be released for a while—so forget all about it—

is going to be about western artist.

A dreamer, not practical at all, who falls in love with a western woman.

Boiled all the way down:

They see an elk. He reaches for his sketch pad, she reaches for her rifle.

Oh, they are having so much fun disrespecting each other while fighting their attraction. It’s great.

To write the book, I’m researching western artists like Frederick Remington, Charlie Russell and Thomas Moran. So, since that’s about all I know this week, I’m going to write about them over on Petticoats & Pistols today.

Come On Over

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

ABCs for Writers - Part #2

Part two of my ABCs for Writers article
on
Mary DeMuth's Blog
Wanna Be Published

Today
And here's

Part One

If you want to review.

Monday, February 23, 2009

GINGHAM MOUNTAIN GIVE-AWAY

There is a favorite excerpt from Gingham Mountain
on
Linda Schaub's blog
On The Write Track
Today.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Mary Needs

This was fun. Google your FIRST NAME and the word Needs in quotes.
"Mary needs" and see what the first ten hits are.

1) Mary Needs the lamb at school
A poem that addresses why violence in school has increased over the past few decades. (this was the first hit? A poem about school violence? Bummer)

2) Mary needs to determine the best day to work her magic. (So true, I need to use my power for good!)

3) Mary needs sleep by Brian Masney. Taken after a 20 hour survey trip in Hellhole(where?). (I’ve needed sleep for fifty years, but I’m still alive so I suppose NEED isn’t the right word)

4) Mary needs shadows with pictures, videos, personal blog, interests, information about me and more. (This one is wrong-I don’t need no stinking shadows)

5) Mary needs numbers. (there’s a discussion board for this-I didn't go there)

6) Mary Needs some literary education (well, OUCH)

7) Mary Needs to win ---this is actually about basketball and U-Mary-It's crunch time for the U Mary women. With only two weeks and five games left the Marauders are in danger of missing the post season.
I do need to win, badly! But don't we ALL need to win, c'mon)
HEY! I had to hunt for this U-Mary is…the University of Mary in North Dakota. How cool is that? There is a college named University of Mary.

8) Mary's needs to focus on defense-this is actually St. Mary’s need to focus on defense. More sports. Which brings me to a thought, how hard is it for GUYS to feel macho is their team is called St. Mary? Not that St. Mary wasn't a tough woman. But still, not really a he-man team name. I'm used to things called St. Mary, not as fun as just plain University of Mary

9) Mary Needs Stuff-This was in a Trenton, New Jersey newspaper. It reads: This is Mary from Tender Hearts. I want to ask your Back Talk readers to let me know if they can donate any of the following: a wheelchair with feet, size large men’s PJs, a highchair for a baby…
(I’m figuring this for a homeless shelter or church or something. )

10) Mary Needs Saving-how scary is this? The line really reads -- Historic Queen Mary Needs Saving. (It's about a cruise ship. Phew, feel a little better now.)

And a bonus 11) Sexy Mary Needs attention on her feet. (This starts out sounding good, which is why I decided to do ELEVEN. Then takes a bad turn when it cites someone named smellyzz? So Mary needs attention on her feet is ‘cuz they STINK???)

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Review of Gingham Mountain

Delia Latham

posted a really great review of

Gingham Mountain

Stop by her blog if you'd like a look

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Blog Tour in progress

There is a Christian Fiction Blog Alliance tour going on right now for Gingham Mountain.
I'm finding blog posts about my book ALL OVER!!!!
Some just have the first chapter of the book, others include a book review.
Here's one I loved.
http://greatchristianfiction.blogspot.com/2009/02/gingham-mountain.html

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Mary DeMuth

I'm a guest on Mary DeMuth's blog today
So You Wanna Be Published
Stop by and say hi.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Win Petticoat Ranch & Calico Canyon

Click on the picture to find out how to enter you name in a drawing to win a free copy of

the first two books in the

Lassoed in Texas Series

Petticoat Ranch

and

Calico Canyon

AND today is the beginning of my blog tour

I just found out I'm number 1,2 and 3 on the Techorati Popular Books section.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Baptism of the Calm

The Baptism of Elle Kathryn, now one month old, my pretty baby granddaughter was this Sunday. Here is Elle, sleeping through it.

Here's the mom and dad as the priest made the sign of the cross with oil on Elle's forehead.
Elle slept.

Here is the moment when the priest poured water on Elle's forehead, the family all gathered around. Elle reached her hand out. Stirred. . . . . .

. . . . but ultimately stayed asleep.

Then when it was over, our whole family gathered around. L - R Katy, Shelly, Aaron, Josie holding Elle (who is--you guessed it--asleep), Wendy, Matt, Me and Ivan.

Shelly and Aaron the attentive godparents.

Elle the inattentive baptismee (is that a word, because it oughta be), wearing her beautiful baptismal dress and hat,

and never once noticing what went on around her.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Nineteen-day-old male ox Heart,

born with a heart-shaped marking on his forehead,

relaxes at Yamakun Farm in Fujisawa, near Tokyo, Japan on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009.

Farm owner Kazunori Yamazaki, 51, said, "Good timing for Valentine."

Friday, February 13, 2009

RADIO GIVEAWAY of GINGHAM MOUNTAIN

KFAB

is giving away a copy of

Gingham Mountain

on the air in the next hour.

Listen Live

Flirty Fiction with Flare

I'm on Nicola Marsh's Valentine's Day blog today. Talking about love and romance and novels.

Stop by

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Four Generation Picture

This was fun.

My mom, holding her first great-grandchild,

Elle, Me, lurking,

and Josie smiling because

she's surrounded by people who will

TAKE A TURN HOLDING THE BABY!!!!!!! And look at this!!! Elle smiling.
Sort of

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

PAINT Shortage Threatens the Artistic Community-Film at Eleven

Valentine's Day Art Show

One Day Only

Petticoats & Pistols

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Lena Nelson Dooley

Lena Nelson Dooley

is having me as a guest

on her blog today

talking about

Gingham Mountain.

Stop by

Monday, February 09, 2009

Mirror, Mirror.........

Shrek, Brad Pitt, and Jennifer Aniston were all having lunch together.

Shrek said, "I have always thought that I'm the strongest man in theWorld, but how can I be sure?"
Brad Pitt said, "I'm pretty sure I'm the hottest man alive but I've never had it confirmed."
Jennifer Aniston agreed. "I'm told I'm the sexiest of them all, but sometimes I wonder."

They all decided that the best way to find out if their beliefs were true was to approach the wicked Queen's mirror to confirm for them whether Shrek was the strongest, Brad Pitt was the hottest, and Jennifer Aniston was the sexiest.

They agreed to meet again the next day for lunch to discuss their findings.

The next day Shrek walked up with a smile. "Well, it's true. The mirror told me that I am the strongest man in the world."

Brad Pitt walked in and with a big smile and said, "It's confirmed, I am the hottest of them all!"

Jennifer Aniston walked in with a confused look and said "Have either of you guys ever heard of Mary Connealy?"

Sunday, February 08, 2009

AusJenny

I received a 'LET'S BE FRIENDS' Award.

How fun is that.

From one of the nicest people I've met online,

AusJenny, from Australia.

I think that's so cool how we can reach all the way around the world on the internet.

Here's what the award says:

These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our
hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers.”

I probably don'tdeserve this because I am (like you didn't notice) forever talking about and promoting my books. But AusJenny is so nice, she included me anyway.

Go see what she had to say, then hunt around her blog to learn a little more about the wide world.

AUSJENNY