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Merry Christmas! This is my favorite time of year, partly due to the Christmas movies and music that are always available. What fun to make reading Christmas-themed books to the mix!

Several other authors and I have partnered to create a Christmas book scavenger hunt that will result in three winners receiving Amazon gift cards in values of $300 for first place, $150 for second, and $75 for third. All it takes for you to win is to participate in the scavenger hunt by reading each author’s blog post, answering a question about the book, and submitting it by the deadline, 11:59 p.m. EST on Dec. 16! The winners will be drawn on Dec. 17.

Now for information about my book. Smoky Mountain Brides is a two-novella collection including my Can’t Help Falling in Love and Kat Anderson’s Keeper of the Stars. Although the title gives the idea that the setting is in the mountains, that is not actually the case. The settings range from Memphis to northern Mississippi to Knoxville to the Smoky Mountains in my book, while Katt’s character spends most of her time in Nashville, Tennessee.

Kyla Porter and Becki Hunley had been friends since childhood. They had gone to church and school together and had graduated from the University of Tennessee. They parted ways when Becki moved to Nashville to enter the country music field while Kyla continued her education in veterinary school and eventually moved to northern Mississippi to practice veterinary medicine.

Scarred by a tragic ending to a relationship, Kyla finds it hard to trust any man, even the handsome teacher she meets at Graceland, who seems too good to be true. Becki finds the perfect man for her, a handsome doctor she meets at church. Kyla’s road to happiness is a longer, more difficult journey than Becki’s, but they both end up engaged around the same time. When they set their wedding dates independently of each other, they are dismayed to discover the weekend before Christmas is their only option. They are determined, however, to fulfill their youthful promise to each other to be the maid of honor in each other’s wedding, resulting in an unexpected sort of wedding celebration.

The scavenger hunt begins at 6:00 a.m. EST on Dec. 9, and concludes at the time and date above. All you have to do is read the Amazon sample pages for each book and answer one question about each (be sure you fill out this form  ).

The link to my book is https://www.amazon.com/Smoky-Mountain-Brides-Katt-Anderson-ebook/dp/B075QQLKW6 and the question is:

What is the name of the horse Kyla treats on her first visit to Graceland?

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you enjoy the hunt, and I wish you the best of luck. The author you may now link to is Izzy James,author of The Christmas Plainsong,  https://enotsilent.wordpress.com/2019/12/09/a-christmas-scavenger-hunt-the-christmas-plainsong/

Today is the final blog in my series of the story behind the story. If you follow my Pam Harris, author page on Facebook, you already know some of what I’ve shared. Even so, maybe you will enjoy a refresher.

I belong to a writers group that meets monthly. Our group consists of multi-published authors, authors not yet published, and a few people who don’t yet write but are interested in learning the craft. A couple of us came up with the idea of writing novellas set on the beach and having them published in one volume. Our original plan was to get the book published by the beginning of summer to give vacationers a beach read, but other responsibilities got in the way, and the book didn’t release until this past September.

But that’s okay. An island story can be appealing in any season.

The only guideline for us was to write in first person. This was new to three of the writers. As a matter of fact, it was Diane’s first book ever. We decided it would be easier not to have our characters connected in any way. They’re not sisters or cousins or friends. Each story stands on its own, unlike the novellas I blogged about yesterday.

I knew where the setting of my book had to be. The Outer Banks (the OBX) of North Carolina. I visited there for the first time in 2018 and fell in love with the area. Where I live, most people head to the gulf for their beach vacations, to places like Gulf Shores, Alabama; Destin, Florida; Pensacola, Florida; and our favorite, Perdido Key, Florida. For you non-Spanish speakers, “perdido” means “lost.” Just thought I’d throw that bit of trivia in there. The Spanish teacher in me will live forever, regardless of retirement!

But the Outer Banks…oh, how I loved it! Not crowded, wide beaches, great (reasonably priced) restaurants with delicious seafood, sites like the Wright Brothers memorial, historical places like The Lost Colony, dolphin cruises, and more.

Remember I wrote that my settings must be places with which I’m familiar, not places I simply research. Also remember I’m a Tennessee gal, so I wanted to have a Tennessee connection in my novella.

This is what I devised:

When pop country singing star Holly Bellamy (known as Rachelle) can’t stand the spotlight and pressure anymore, she escapes to Duck, North Carolina, to hide out at Surf Song Inn while she tries to figure out what she wants to do with her life. Her sister/manager Jada is left in Nashville to deal with the record label while Holly, who has dyed and cut her hair short to disguise her identity, revels in the anonymity of a normal tourist.

The inn’s family atmosphere draws her to the workers there, especially Brody, the owner. As their relationship evolves from casual friendship to one of romantic promise, Holly has to make some important decisions about her future, especially after she learns of a betrayal by someone she thought was her friend as well as Brody’s own lack of honesty.

When I came up with the name of the inn, I thought it was catchy and creative because it tied in with her singing career. After I sent the book to the publisher, I thought, “I hope there’s not a real place named that.” I searched online, and lo and behold, there is a vacation rental on VRBO named Surf Song Inn. It’s not an actual inn, just a vacation rental, but what are the odds? Anyway, my novella is the fourth one in the book, and I encourage you to go to Amazon and read the blurbs about the other three.

I mentioned yesterday that I would share an excerpt from my current work in progress, but I’ve changed my mind. I will reserve that for its own blog one day next week.

I wish all of you in the U.S. a very enjoyable Thanksgiving tomorrow. Safe travels to those of you hitting the road or the air, and many thanks to those of you who have purchased any of my books. I hope they have brought you some enjoyment, and I am thankful for you. If you have the time, I’d be even more grateful if you’d write a review on Amazon!

I’ll be blogging soon as part of an online scavenger hunt involving prizes, so be on the lookout for that around Dec. 16. It involves Christmas-themed books, and at this time, I have no idea how many authors are involved, but the more authors that participate, the better the prize!

I’ll close with some photos of the Outer Banks. You may need a beach escape right now. Thanks for using your valuable time to read my blog!

 

 

As I continue my blog series about the story behind the story of my books, I’m especially happy to write about Can’t Help Falling in Love, a novella contained in the two-volume book you see pictured above.

Mantle Rock Publishing owner Kathy Cretsinger, who also writes as Katt Anderson, approached me with the idea of writing a novella with my main character being her main character’s best friend. The history of the two young women is that they were friends while growing up in Knoxville and during college but went their separate ways after college graduation. Her main character ended up in an important position in the music industry in Nashville. My character? “Your character is a vet who treats the horses at Graceland,” she said.

That was the only guideline given, and my imagination immediately started working. How could a young woman who grew up in Knoxville, almost four hundred miles from Graceland, end up in the Memphis area? What kind of romance could I write that would be realistic, believable?

I don’t like writing romances. I know most women like to read them, but they’re not my cup of tea. I am more likely to enjoy a John Grisham book than a romance, so this was a challenge for me.

But I was ready to accept the challenge. I have been to Olive Branch, Mississippi, several times while visiting my husband’s cousin and his family, so I decided Olive Branch was an ideal location for my character, Kyla Porter, to live. It is close enough to Graceland (which is very near the Mississippi state line) to make it credible for a vet from that area to treat the rescue horses housed at Graceland.

I had to do a little research. I am friends with Mrs. Marian Cocke, Elvis’s nurse and close family friend to the Presleys, and she put me in contact with the woman who is in charge of the horses and stable at Graceland. Then I thought about my characters, and holding to my belief in writing about what I know, I came up with the story. What do I know? Teaching, University of Tennessee football, Graceland, even a little bit about horses. Very little.

A brief summary:

Kyla Porter is a beginning veterinarian who has found a position in Olive Branch. Raised in wealth and oppressed by a socialite, “old money” mother in Knoxville, she chooses to leave all that is familiar to escape the social expectations of her family. While making a routine visit to Graceland to check on a horse, she meets Colt Weathers, a math teacher and baseball coach at the Olive Branch high school, who is at Graceland with his team for an outing.

The attraction, of course, is instant, but they have no idea they will encounter each other again. When they do, Colt is determined to get to know the woman who captured his attention the moment he laid eyes on her, and the relationship blossoms. The drawbacks? She comes from wealth. He doesn’t. Her mother doesn’t approve. Kyla still struggles with the death of her former fiancé, not because she still cares for him but because he was not the person she believed him to be.

Oh, my, what will they do? How will they overcome these obstacles?

Excuse the drama there. The conflicts may sound cliché, but I think if you read the book, you might be surprised. While you’re at it, read Katt’s book, Keeper of the Stars, and in the last chapter of the book, find out how the two girls manage to pull off their weddings the same weekend. Yes, that was a spoiler alert. Kyla and Colt will get married.

Here’s the link to the trailer for the book:

The weddings take place at Christmas time, so maybe someone on your shopping list will enjoy the ebook or paperback. Available on Amazon.

Tomorrow I will blog about my novella Surf Song that is part of Coastal Promises. I will also be sharing an excerpt from my work in progress. It is unlike anything I’ve written to date.

Yesterday I blogged about my first two books, mysteries targeted to girls ages eight to twelve, and promised to continue my blog theme of the stories behind my other books. I am going in chronological order and will finish on Wednesday. Soon I will share an excerpt from a work in progress that is unlike anything I have ever written.

But now, I’ll talk about what prompted me to write a book for adults set in 1890s Strawberry, Arizona. To do that requires a little personal background, so please bear with me.

My family moved from Tennessee to the Arizona desert when I was only three because of my dad’s respiratory problems. Multiple pneumonia events, that sort of thing. The doctor said get to a dry climate, so we did. I always lived in the southern part of the state, but we traveled all over it.

We returned to Tennessee when I was twelve, but my brother and his family made their permanent home in Arizona. He’s nine years older than I am. In 2013, we visited my niece and her family in Strawberry, Arizona, where their vacation home was located. her husband loves to hunt, and they bought the place for that purpose. While there, we explored the mountainous area, an area populated by elk, mountain lions, bears, and other wildlife.

It was beautiful, primitive, unlike anything I’d experienced. Then, one day, we walked to the historical schoolhouse, the oldest standing schoolhouse in Arizona. I took the photo you see on the cover. The place is incredibly nice for the time it was built. You can search for it online to see pictures of the inside.

The story hit me at once. What if a young woman from Tennessee had to come to the wilderness for some reason? What if she were a city girl who had to learn how to live a more primitive life?

Her name, I knew, had to be Amy, my niece’s name. But she suggested I give it a different spelling, which I did.

Slowly, the story formed. Aimee Winters has lost her mother, and the small cottage that was their home had to be sold for medical and funeral debts. She is shocked to learn that her father, whom she has believed her entire life to be dead, is very much alive and well in the Arizona territory. His offer for her to come live with him while she teaches at the small school seems like the only answer, although she doesn’t intend to make Strawberry her permanent home. Intrigued by the idea of learning the truth of her past and why her father was absent from her life, she finds the courage to make the long train ride from Memphis to live with a man she doesn’t even know.

That’s just the premise of it. Add in a love interest (of course), some scary experiences, conflict with nature and residents, overcoming fears, and making some important life decisions, and you have the story. And, oh, did I mention the missing cattle from area ranches?

This is a work of fiction, but I researched to supplement my experiences there. I purchased a book at the Tim Country Museum in Payson, and many of the happenings in the book are based upon actual experiences of the settlers of the area.

You may envision Arizona as all desert, but you would be wrong. Strawberry is  5,800 feet above sea level, surrounded by pine-covered mountains. It has bitterly cold, snowy winters and mild summers. Fossil Creek Canyon, an important location in the book,  is just a short distance away. Strawberry sits on what is called the Mogollon Rim, not far from where author Zane Grey made one of his homes near Payson, a twenty-mile drive away.

The photo below was taken from my niece’s back yard and is the meadow that Aimee viewed regularly in the book.

I hope to write more books set in Arizona some day, and I am contemplating a sequel to this one with a grown-up Leah as the main character. You’ll have to read this book to find out who Leah is! Available on Amazon as an ebook and as a paperback, it might be the perfect Christmas gift for someone who enjoys historical fiction set on the frontier. Maybe that person is you.

Tomorrow I will talk about my novella Can’t Help Falling in Love, so please check back! And, yes, there is a Memphis connection…we’ll leave Arizona and return to Tennessee as I blog about the story behind that story.

What could those four places possibly have in common? Well, the photo is the clue.

Me.

I’ve been to all those places. I love them all. Because I know them and love being there, if only in my mind, I use them as settings in my books. You see, as a writer, I think that no amount of research can do justice to the actual experience. For example, you can research about the Grand Canyon all you would like, including watching YouTube videos, but nothing will top the actual experience. Ask anyone who has been there. And by the way, the I’m on th eBright Angel Trail in the photo above, photo taken in 2011.

Not every writer agrees with me, and that’s okay. I have to be true to myself, though, and I’d like to share some of my writing journey with you. Why I write what I do. Why I set my stories in the places I do.

Beginning today and going through Wednesday, I am going to blog about one or more of my books and give the story behind the story.

Today I’ll focus on my books for young girls.

When I was growing up, I devoured all the mysteries and horse books I could find. Nancy Drew, of course, was standard fare, but Trixie Belden books were my favorites. Trixie had it all. A rich friend, Honey, who lived on the estate next to her family’s small farm and had horses, servants, and resources that helped the girl sleuths solve mysteries.

Like most writers, I wrote my own stories and illustrated them. As a teen, I wrote silly love stories and poems, but in college and adulthood, life took over, and my fiction writing, along with my fanciful thoughts. disappeared.

But when I was fifty-eight, I finally wrote my first complete book. A book targeted to girls ages eight to twelve, it was a throwback to my Trixie Belden reading days. Trixie represented 1950s and 1960s America, and I decided my book would be reflective of modern times and problems while still having some elements of mystery.

Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley (do I really need to clarify that?), was once in a rural setting but now is surrounded by businesses and houses and fronted by a very busy road, Elvis Presley Boulevard. Once we drove around in the neighborhood immediately behind it, and that experience  triggered my curiosity. Did the people that lived there hear the tourists on the other side of the tall, white fence? Did any of them work in the stores? Had those residents ever paid to visit the mansion?

I now had my location and the beginnings of a vague plot. But what about my characters?

I had heard of two women who were such devoted Elvis fans that they moved to that neighborhood when they retired. One was from Maryland. The other was from another state.

Wow. Who would do that? Who would move to a not-very-safe area of Memphis just so she could “breathe Elvis air” every day?

That question gave birth to my Aunt Trina character. And from there, the story flowed as the characters almost created themselves. (Yes, I am more of a panther which my writing friends will understand) than a plotter. I’m trying to do better with that.

The story?

Take twelve-year-old twins who love to read. Send them away from their home in San Diego to stay with a great-aunt they barely know in Memphis while their mother goes on an extended honeymoon with her new husband. Add in the hurt and resentment of being displaced, the thrill of being reunited with their military father, a stranger who seems to be spying on them, mysterious voices coming from behind the house at night, and a homeless teen-age boy who is trying to help  his family however he can, and you have a story that almost any girl in that age group can identify with. And did I mention I even worked in some horses?

A year later, book two was published. The end of book one leads to the girls’ adventures in Nashville, where their father has been hired as security for a beautiful country music singer who is receiving death threats. The obvious interest the singer has in their father is upsetting to Mandi, the main character, and she discovers yet another mystery to be solved while coping with her twin’s sudden interest in makeup and boys. Mandi’s heroics with a shoplifter and her help in looking for a missing child add to the excitement of their short stay.

Book three is still a fuzzy idea going on in my mind. It will be set in the Great Smoky Mountains of eastern Tennessee, thereby completing the twins’ journey across the state.

Tomorrow I will blog about my first adult book, a historical set in 1895-1896. A love story but also…well, read my blog tomorrow to find out!

Note: All of my books are published by Mantle Rock Publishing and are considered to be clean fiction.

The photo above is the cover page of a research paper I did when I was a senior in high school. Severely nearsighted and having worn glasses since I was nine, vision was a mystery to me. I was seeking knowledge. Little did I know that the condition that caused me to wear those thick glasses would someday rob me of my sight while still fairly young. I am not completely blind, and my retina specialist said I will always be able to see something. But legal blindness is very debilitating and devastating. It takes adjustment, adapting, changing your mindset. Those of you with loved ones who  have macular degeneration, retinal atrophy, advanced glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and other conditions cannot fully understand the condition if you don’t have it yourself.

That is why I’m writing this letter. For others, not for me. I am legally blind in one eye but not yet legally blind in the other (I hope I never am). Legal blindness is not being able to see better than 20/200 while wearing contacts or glasses. My “good” eye has low vision due to atrophy of the retina. I struggle with many things. I have a tremendous support system, the chief of whom is my husband followed by my sons and daughter-in-law, friends, and other family members. It is my hope that this letter will help others dealing with low vision or legal blindness to get the support they need.

Dear Loved One:

I know my condition is not easy to understand. You don’t understand why I can’t see the dial on the stove or read the digital clock yet can spot a piece of lint on the floor. You don’t understand why I am very careful as I go down steps or why I cry sometimes from frustration. It’s okay that you don’t understand. There is no way you could unless you experienced this yourself.

Losing my vision has robbed me of so many activities I enjoy. I can’t read magazines and books. I can’t sew or do arts and crafts. I can’t even raise my vegetable garden anymore because I can’t see the weeds, and I’m definitely fearful of encountering the snakes I have encountered in my garden in the past.

You may notice when I’m watching television that I’m not looking at it. I’m looking above it or below it. Why? I’m using my peripheral vision. You see, if I look straight at it, there is a grayish-brown fog that covers much of the screen, and the images that I am able to see are more gray or brown because I have lost color vision in some areas. That peripheral vision is why I can spot the lint on the floor sometimes, but that loss of central vision means I can’t see your facial features unless I am about a foot away from you. It is embarrassing to go out and have people talk to me that know me while I have no idea who they are unless I recognize their voices.

One of the worst things is no longer being able to drive. I hate asking people to take me places. I walk where I can, but how nice it is if you call me up and offer to take me to the store or out to eat! Don’t worry, I’ll pay for my own meal. I just need to get out. You see, many people with vision loss are otherwise healthy, as I am. That means I have lots of energy and am limited in how I can use it. I just need to get out of my home, if only for a little while. Such a treat when you help me do that.

I appreciate you listening to me when I need to talk. I try to be upbeat around you because I know it makes you uncomfortable, and I try not to complain. Really, most of the time I’m just explaining, not complaining. But sometimes I can’t help but break down and cry. When I do, don’t feel like you have to fix things, You can’t. But thanks for letting me cry and listening to me. That’s all I need. A caring, compassionate heart.

This handicap has robbed me of so much, but if I have you for support, I can handle it. I count my blessings and try to find activities I am able to do instead of moaning about the ones I can’t. I try not to think of how I won’t be able to read to my grandchildren, if I have any, or how I won’t be able to see their sweet faces. I try not to borrow trouble by wondering how much more vision loss I might have. I try to be strong, and most of the time, I succeed. I’m human, after all, not Superwoman.

Technology is a wonderful tool, and because of it, I can write this letter. This is yet another blessing for me. Even though I can’t see well, at least I can see enough to do this. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not easy. My reading speed has slowed considerably. I have a new empathy for people with learning disabilities. It takes a long time to get anything read, even with magnifying aids.

I think everyone who shares my plight would tell you that we don’t want or expect pity. We want to be self-sufficient and independent. It really bothers us to ask for help, so when you volunteer it or just do it, we are extremely grateful. We know things could always be worse, which is why I count my blessings and feel very fortunate in so many ways, And you, dear loved one, are the biggest blessing of all by giving me your love, support, and effort to understand.

Recently, I was impressed by a pop duo who were the opening act for Dennis DeYoung and the Music of Styx at a local festival. When I found out one of the members is a former resident of our small town, I was even more intrigued. I reached out to them, and they were gracious enough to agree to an interview. I’m pleased to welcome She’s Alaska to my blog today.

 

Cooper and Eleanor, first tell us your full names and a little about yourselves.

Eleanor: My name is Eleanor Lieder, and I’m from Saint Paul, Minnesota. I’m currently a senior at Middle Tennessee State University, and I’m double majoring in songwriting and marketing. I’ve been writing music for nearly a decade (although I don’t know that you could call the first songs I wrote music… they were pretty awful). I’m a Tennessee transplant, but so far I love it and I LOVE the warmer winters!

 

Cooper: My full name is Cooper Moss Gilliam, and I am the guitarist, co-vocalist, and co-writer for She’s Alaska. I’m currently in my last semester at Middle Tennessee State University, majoring in Songwriting and minoring in Classical Guitar. I’m originally from Martin, Tennessee, and actually attended Westview High School before deciding to make my move to the Nashville Area.

 

How did She’s Alaska come to be, and what prompted the name?

Cooper: Eleanor and I met through a mutual friend during our first week at college. We attended a meeting for a songwriting club together that, funny enough, ended up being a membership-only club. We were greeted with very confused looks after knocking on the door of a member’s apartment and were promptly asked of our membership of the club, but we were kindly let in and initiated our membership for the club immediately after. In the coming weeks we began writing and performing together more and more, until we ultimately decided to start a songwriting/artist duo together.

The name She’s Alaska came about through my interested in the book Looking for Alaskaby John Green (author of The Fault in Our Stars) in which there is a character named Alaska. The main character’s (Miles) curiosity and fascination with this character reminded me a great deal of my experience with Eleanor, for I felt as though I had met someone who had altered my world view and opened my horizons in the same as Alaska had done for Miles. From there we tossed around with names until we found She’s Alaska, and since its inception we felt a spark in it.

 

Describe your musical backgrounds. For example, did you take lessons growing up, study music, have family influence, etc.?

Eleanor: I come from the Twin Cities in Minnesota where there are a lot of really different musical styles represented. My mom was a really big fan of country music, and my dad listened to The Beatles, The Doors, and Crosby, Stills, and Nash. When I was 13, I went to a Girls Rock and Roll Retreat (camp) that is aimed at inspiring girls to play music and improve confidence. It was the first time I realized that maybe writing songs was what I wanted to do in my life. After that I wrote songs as often as I could, but I was really afraid to perform and didn’t really start performing until I got to college.

 

Cooper: I became a self-taught guitarist when I was 10, which was actually driven by my parents refusing to buy the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock for me. In hindsight, it was for the best, but my ten-year-old self would beg to differ. From there I picked up my dad’s dusty Washburn acoustic guitar, asked him (a guitar player as well) to teach me some chords, and away I went. Following some years of talent shows and trying out singing was my entrance into a four-year-stint of musical theatre at the Masquerade Theatre in Union City, Tennessee. There I learned how much I loved singing and performing which prepared me well for my future as an artist.

 

Describe the process of breaking into the music business. What should someone expect to have to do?

Eleanor: I think breaking into the music business is a very different experience for each person. Especially in the new market, a lot of breaking into the music business involves the business side. Being a musician is a lot like being an entrepreneur, so it’s important to have a strong sound and vision. A lot of it is just about consistency. Consistently writing, consistently playing shows, and consistently getting out there and meeting people.

 

Cooper: Still being novices ourselves, I’d say that learning to take criticism and rejection is the first thing. When I was growing up, I always took “no’s” and losses at talent shows personally and often felt embarrassed at myself, but being in the music industry will teach you that rejection is a fact of life. You have to learn to process them without losing your self-confidence and use them as a drive to improve even further in your craft. I’d also say a huge aspect of the music industry is networking and getting to know people. At first I feared it, thinking that networking was strictly cold business conversations consisting of elevator pitches and “what can I do for you’s,” but with time I realized it was about making friends and showing people that you are a nice, competent member of the industry.

 

I would love to know what a recording session is like. Can you give us a general picture of what is involved and how long it takes?

Eleanor: Most of the recording that we do is actually in home studios. The entire industry has started shifting towards more home studio recording, even for major recording artists. As an artist, it’s really exciting to be able to turn your music into a recording and there’s a lot of things that you can do in the studio that you can’t replicate during a live show. Recording sessions can take a really long time or no time at all, it all just depends on the song and what we’re doing in the recording process. The most important thing I’ve learned from recording in the studio is to be relaxed and let the song speak for itself.

 

Tell us about what you’ve released so far.

Cooper: So far we have released two singles! The first being a pop/country track about what happens to a high school romance when graduation hits called “All-American Dream.” Our second single was a slower, ballad-style song about the aftermath of a straight-laced girl getting mixed up with a troubled boy called “Nicotine.”

 

If an organization is interested in booking you for an event, how can a representative contact you?

Cooper: They can easily contact us at shesalaska@gmail.com!

 

Please share your website and social media sites below so readers can keep up with you.

Eleanor: Our website is shesalaska.com

Social Media: facebook.com/shesalaska

Instagram.com/shesalaska

 

What song and video would you most like to share? I’ll post the YouTube link so readers can enjoy it.

Cooper: We’d most like to share the music video to our song “All-American Dream.” We had an amazing time filming it at the Minnesota State Fair (Eleanor’s home state) and think we really captured the spirit of the song in it!

 

https://youtu.be/wKM0d3s9p0A

 

Is there anything you’d like to add?

Eleanor: If you’d like to stay tuned in to all of our releases/shows/lives, following us on our social platforms is a great way to!

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions. Best of luck in your music careers, and I look forward to seeing you perform again in the future!

Photo credited to Caleb Gregory.

I tend to be a little philosophical about life. If you are reading this, I assume you are too. Or maybe you were intrigued by the photo that I found online.

I think everyone would agree that the world could use more patience, kindness, and goodness. But I also believe people think that OTHERS should be patient with them, kind to them, good in general. Most of us probably see ourselves as having those qualities. But do we?

We make excuses for our own unwillingness to be any or all three things. “I’m not being kind to her if she’s not kind to me.” “I’m a good person most of the time. So what if I…?” “(Name) drives me crazy! She’s so…”

You get the idea. I preach a lot about walking in someone else’s shoes all the time. Just ask my family. One of my older blogs is about that concept. Not walking in their shoes to the point of excusing their bad choices, but walk in their shoes to understand why they are the way they are and be willing to help.

There are so many ways we violate these three traits. We gossip, we’re mean via text or social media, or we ridicule and embarrass others. We treat people in ways that we would very much prefer NOT to be treated ourselves.

I use the pronoun “we” because I know I’m guilty of not always being patient, kind, or good, although I try to be. I truly do try, and for that reason, I am often saddened and sickened by what I hear people say and write about each other.

You may think I’m ridiculous, that I’m too idealistic, that I spend all of my time watching Hallmark movies (I don’t.) I enjoy good conflict in books, TV shows, and movies just like most of you do.

That I don’t enjoy it in real life. I always believe working to get along is better than a heated argument, that people can disagree without being unkind, and that the world is  a less stressful, more pleasant place when those three principles are followed.

Maybe you’re one of those people who might say, “I’m a jerk to others, but I don’t care.” That’s your right. It’s also my right not to enjoy spending time with you, but maybe I need to rethink the idea of talking badly about you. After all, I don’t know what made you the way you are. Maybe you had a difficult childhood or have had a lot of pain in your life. Maybe you are bitter about something. Or maybe…you’re just a jerk. If I don’t want to be a jerk also, then I need to keep my opinion of you to myself, wouldn’t you think? That’s how it works.

All of us could stand to take a good look in the mirror. Try to see ourselves the way others see us. Try to think if we enrich the lives of people around us or make them more uncomfortable or difficult. Try to figure out if people are glad when we walk into a room or relieved when we walk out.

Think about it.

Today I’m happy to welcome author and minister, John Fairless, to my blog. John and my husband were classmates (I won’t tell what year they graduated!), and he has written a non-fiction book about his high school’s most successful football years. Before we talk about your book, John, tell us a little about yourself.

 Thanks, Pam; I grew up in the great town of Martin, Tennessee. I didn’t always appreciate all the benefits of small-town life in those days but have come to cherish my years there the more I have traveled and lived in other places.

I have had a great career as a church musician and minister, and that has taken me, along with my wife, Sheila, to six different states to serve congregations, along with stops in many other states and a couple of foreign countries. We were blessed to rear three great children and now have our first grandchild – my granddaughter, Katie.

 As a minister, I am sure you have written countless sermons. Have you written any other books before this one?

 I stopped to try to count the number of words I have written in sermons and articles the other day. I couldn’t continue, because it sort of blew my mind. Hard to believe I’ve put millions of words down on the page over time.

I have written five books about scripture and preaching, along with my writing partner, Rev. Delmer Chilton, who is a Lutheran pastor. We also have a blog and a podcast (lectionarylab.com) with the unofficial name of Two Bubbas and a Bible.

What is the name of this book, and how is it structured?

 My “fun” project was writing 42-0: The Story of Four Extraordinary Seasons. It’s pretty much what it sounds like, as I seek to tell the history in and around our high school football team that went undefeated for four consecutive seasons from 1967-70. There were some very exciting games in that streak, of course, but one game in particular stands out near the end, with two undefeated teams meeting and a record crowd attending to see who would be victorious. Other schools here in West Tennessee cancelled their games on a Friday night so that people could drive to Martin for what came to be known as The Game.

The fact that the winning streak was set against the backdrop of the late 60s – with racial integration of the schools, the Vietnam War, political assassinations, and civil unrest – came into the picture as I was telling the story. Looking back on that time, I was quite moved.

 What inspired you to write it? Why now, after all these years?

 As your husband and my friend, Barry, can tell you – everybody in town was caught up in the football fever during those years. It was huge! I was in a Facebook group conversation one night with some friends, including Julia White Brundige, whose husband figured prominently in the winning streak. I asked her if anyone had ever written the story of those teams. She said no one had, and I caught a bug that simply would not go away. I wanted to tell the story before all the players from those teams were gone and nobody could remember what happened.

How did you do research for it? How did the writing process work for you? Did you use any particular organizational tools, have a routine, or just write when you found the time?

 I started with my own memories as a kid in elementary and junior high school. I knew from the outset that I wanted personal stories as part of the work – not just a sports fact book with the details of all the games. I began to interview people from those teams whenever I would make a trip back to Martin, and as the stories around the story began to grow, I was able to do phone interviews with players that had moved to various parts of the country.

The sports editor of our local paper, The Weakley County Press, was very helpful and gave me unlimited access to the morgue files at the paper. I spent a lot of time thumbing through crumbling copies of the paper from the 1960s and 70s.

I’m a little old-fashioned in that what I see in my brain as I research first goes through my fingers with pen and paper. I took notes of the interviews and summarized the stats from the games in several composition notebooks. People gave me press clippings and game programs from their scrapbooks. I had a huge pile of research material!

When it came time to write, I had a natural outline in the 42-game schedule that the team followed, and intermingled events from history and the stories of the players and fans I had collected. It really started to write itself once I got rolling on that.

 What was the most difficult part of the process? What was the most surprising part?

 The most difficult part was deciding what I couldn’t fit into the book. There are so many great stories and behind-the-scenes episodes that I heard!

The most surprising thing was how vivid and real the events from that time were for everyone I talked to. The story also features a feeling that is hard to put into words – what it was like to grow up in a special small town like Martin was in those days. I will admit that, when I go back and read the book – which I did again this week to prepare for this interview – I still get goosebumps and a tear in my eye as I turn the pages.

 Is the book self-published, or did you have to query different publishers to find one willing to publish it?

 I self-published on Amazon’s CreateSpace platform, now called Kindle Direct Publishing, I believe. I was more concerned about telling the story than I was about making lots of sales.

I heard that this book is possibly being optioned for film. Can you tell us a little about that?

 Lots of readers have said, “This would make such a great movie. It’s like Remember the Titans or Hoosiers!” Nothing would thrill me more, of course, so I talked to a couple of people I know who have been involved in film production. I have the story listed with TaleFlick, which is a repository for stories and screenplays that is used by lots of independent producers to find projects. Think Netflix, Amazon, and other media outlets that aren’t necessarily the big studios.

As it so happened, I was attending a retreat with my wife in Montana a few weeks ago, and part of the program was a premiere of a new Netflix production, with the producer joining our group to talk about the process. I got into conversation with him, he liked what he heard, and he is currently reading the book and considering the project. Fingers crossed!

 What advice would you give others who wan t to write a book but haven’t yet done so?

Can I borrow Nike? Just do it! When the urge to tell the story becomes more than you can bear, you will pick up your pen or grab your keyboard and start writing. Don’t worry about being perfect. Tell your story!

 Where can readers purchase the book?

 It is available on Amazon.com; search for my name or for 42-0: The Story of Four Extraordinary Seasons.

 Do you have plans for a future book or a work in progress right now?

 I continue writing with my pastor partner. We have a book coming out later this year for those who prepare sermons. It’s a companion to our volume, A Simple Way to Preach. Other than that, for the time being, I keep writing sermons and lessons every week, so my fingers never get too many cobwebs on them!

 Thanks so much, John, for your time. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Thanks for the chance to share, Pam!

 

 

 

 

 

                       

This morning, on my Facebook author page (Pam Harris, author), I asked the question: What is the biggest obstacle you have faced? I went on to ask: “How did or do you cope?

There is no doubt life is full of ups and downs. There is also no doubt some people endure more adversity and heartaches than others. It seems so unfair, doesn’t it?

Sometimes, in church, we sing “Count Your Blessings,” and I wonder: How does a parent who has lost a child count his/her blessings? How does someone battling a horrible disease or living with a major disability count blessings? It’s easy for me. I’m healthy, my family is healthy, we have what we need and much of what we want. So how do people who are enduring so much more handle it?

So many do handle it. I see them coping, focusing on others, overcoming their heartache and pain to live the best life they can live given their current situation. Those with a strong religious faith rest on that faith to get them through, to help them day to day. I guess those without that faith find other ways to cope.

That doesn’t mean those people don’t feel sadness, grief, heartache. It just means they try not to let their adversity destroy them.

The photo above is of my daughter-in-law and me in front of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. She works there as an occupational therapist, and I cannot describe how proud I am of her. Her job is emotionally taxing, but she loves it. She loves working with those children, and the parents often bond with her and other care-givers. I look at her and think about those parents and wonder: How do they do it? How do they cope?

The human spirit is amazing in how strong it can be. Coping doesn’t mean we don’t have our moments of sadness and grief. Coping doesn’t mean it is wrong to give in to that sadness. Sometimes, when by myself and allowing myself to give in to self-pity over my vision loss and loss of independence, I have a good cry. One of those ugly-crying episodes where I cry until I have no tears left.

It is healing. It releases the emotion and allows me to move forward. I am better able to focus on the positives, the blessings, in my life rather than this one big negative.

I often think about those kids at St. Jude and their parents. I think of friends and family members who have lost children, who are fighting cancer or some other disease, who are disabled for reasons far worse than my own disability. Thinking about those things makes me feel guilty for giving in to my own self-pity, but at the same time, that emotional release helps me be stronger.

So what is the point of my ramblings today? What good does it do to talk about grief and pain to those who haven’t experienced any of what I’ve mentioned?

Just this. Some advice. I think  what all of us would tell our younger selves, our before-adversity selves, is “don’t take anything for granted.” If your children are keeping you so busy you are exhausted, hug them because they are alive and well. If your job is wearing you out, be glad you have the health to work, and if you really hate it, try to find a different job. If you can get in a car at a moment’s notice and drive wherever you would like, be glad you have that measure of independence. If you can walk, if you can hear, if you can…you get the idea.

Yes, we will feel tired, stressed, discouraged, hurt, and all the other negative feelings that are a part of human existence. Don’t hide from your emotions, don’t push them aside. If you need a good ugly-cry, go for it. Then pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and push forward the best you can.

Count your blessings and don’t take anything for granted. Maybe those almost-cliché words of wisdom are more powerful than we thought. And maybe we all need a reminder of The Serenity Prayer:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardship as a pathway to peace; taking, as Jesus did, the sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will;

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen. –Reinhold Niebuhr