A Book By Any Other Cover

Ever bought a book by one of your favorite authors only to discover you’d already read it? Sometimes covers and even titles change over the years. Why?

Covers definitely go in cycles, and what readers find enthralling one year appears terribly dated a few years later. For example, here’s the lifecycle of the cover for The Unflappable Miss Fairchild, my first book.

It was originally published in 1998, when clinch covers were all the rage, even if the hero and heroine in this are ba

ring less skin than on some other covers.

Here’s the cover when it first came out as an ebook in 2007. Very traditional, using a period drawing as the basis.

Here’s the cover in 2012, when I hoped to have something that today’s reader could more easily relate to. Point of interest--the background is from Bath and is my own picture from the last time I visited.

And now I’m in the process of commissioning a cover artist to design something new, something fresh. Stay tuned!

Then again, covers and titles might change as the format changes. In publishing, having your book come out in hardcover is considered quite the honor. That’s one of the reasons I’m delighted to report that Instant Frontier Family is now available in hardcover, with a new cover. The other reasons I’m so pleased is that 1) it is a large print version which should be a benefit to some readers, and 2) it’s a special binding that makes it perfect for libraries. Feel free to mention it to yours. J

And do keep covered this summer. 

Pioneer Legends: Charles Terry

In Instant Frontier Family, heroine Maddie O’Rourke has reason to doubt the character of the rival bakery owner in Seattle, Charles Terry. But Maddie may have judged too harshly. In fact, according to early historian Clarence Bagley, “Charles C. Terry was recognized as one of the most honorable men and trusted citizens that Seattle has ever known.”

If one word sums up Terry, it would be entrepreneur. He left his home town of Waterville, New York, at age 19 for the California Gold Rush. But the gold must not have been enough for this enterprising young man, for he headed north when he was 21 and met up with the second half of the Denny party, among the first settlers to the Seattle area. Journeying to Washington Territory, he joined his brother Lee, who was already hard at work building the first cabins. Some sources credit Terry with naming their little establishment New York. But someone must have wanted to temper the enthusiasm, but the native word “Alki” to the name, meaning “by and by,” was appended to the name.

According to some chroniclers, Terry had already figured out from the Gold Rush that the path to fortune wasn’t in mining, but in outfitting miners. Accordingly, he set up a store in the new town, conveniently positioned to attract passing ships. He also opened his own sawmill for a time. When gold was discovered in the Fraser River, however, he was among those who rushed farther north for a time, although it is possible he was there to sell equipment, not pan for gold. Regardless, he did so well for himself, that he eventually sold his Alki property for land across the bay, in Seattle proper, as well as a farm on the Duwamish River.

In 1856, at age 26, he married one of the few unwed ladies in the area, Mary Jane Russell. They had five children together. He built her the finest residence in Washington Territory, a white house with brick-a-brack hanging from every eave. It once stood at the corner of Third and James and made Maddie O’Rourke dream of finding similar success. He opened the first bakery, built the first cracker mill. He was one of the first town trustees. And he generously offered land to make up the 10-acre tract required to attract the first Territorial University to Seattle, a school that would become the University of Washington.

Sadly, Terry died young, at only 37, approximately three months after the story ends in Instant Frontier Family. Very likely he had consumption (tuberculosis). He died one of the wealthiest men in the area, and clearly one of the most respected.

I’m sure Maddie would have been his friend long before then. 

Could You Have Been a Mercer Belle?

We’ve talked a bit about how back at the end of the Civil War, an enterprising young man named Asa Mercer decided to bring widows and orphans from the East Coast to marry lonely bachelors on the West Coast. The heroines of my Frontier Bachelors series have so far all been fictional members of Mercer’s party. They left everything—family, friends, vocations—to travel around the continent to pioneer Seattle. One of the questions readers often ask me is whether I would have been willing to be a Mercer Belle.

The answer took some thought. Could I have been as brave and bold as those ladies?

Widow Allegra Howard, heroine of The Bride Ship, boarded the Continental to sail with Mercer because she was fleeing oppression. In her case, it was in-laws determined to run her life down to the last moment, including telling her how her daughter should be raised. Many of the real-life Mercer Belles were fleeing economic oppression. During the war, they had worked in factories and mills, bringing much-needed income to their families. But the returning soldiers would take their places, leaving them out of work. They hoped to find opportunities on the frontier.

Catherine Stanway, heroine of Would-Be Wilderness Wife, came to Seattle hoping to start anew. Her father and brother were killed in the war, leaving her alone in the world. The real-life Mercer Belles had also seen loved ones—sweethearts, fathers, brothers—die, and the men who returned in some cases came back hollow shells with no interest in marrying. They hoped for a brighter future in the West.

Rina Fosgrave, heroine of Frontier Engagement, came to Seattle to become her own person. Raised by charlatans who made her believe she was someone special, she wanted to contribute something to society. The real-life Mercer Belles also felt strongly about giving back. Many saw it as their mission to be a civilizing force on the new frontier.

Maddie O’Rourke, heroine of January’s Instant Frontier Family, wanted more than what she had. An Irish lass with a skill for baking, she’d served as a laundress in New York, lugging heavy loads up and down three flights of stairs and laboring in the heat and harsh chemicals. She dreamed of a nice house rather than a tenement, leisure time with her family instead of endless, back-breaking work. The real-life Mercer Belles also looked beyond what was expected of them. Asa Mercer may have accepted bride money from a number of men, but that didn’t mean the ladies had to marry them! They went on to be lighthouse keepers, teachers, and yes, wives and mothers of the next generation in the Northwest.

I like to think I look for opportunities to make the most of my skills, that I see the possibilities in the future, that I give back to society, and that I’m willing to work for what I want. Maybe that makes me good material for a Mercer Belle.

What about you? 

Available This Instant: Instant Frontier Family

When my publisher said my next book would be out January 1, I laughed. Imagine burly distributors stocking books on New Year’s Day! But thanks to technological advances, Instant Frontier Family was available in an instant and can now be found at online retailers and booksellers near you.

Maddie O'Rourke's orphaned half brother and half sister have arrived safely in Seattle, with a man they hope she'll wed! Though Michael Haggerty's not the escort she planned for, Maddie allows him to work off his passage by assisting in her bakery…and helping care for her siblings. But she'll never risk her new-found independence by marrying the strapping Irishman, or anyone else. 

In New York, Michael ran afoul of a notorious gang. Traveling west was a necessity, not a choice. The longshoreman grew fond of his young charges, and now he's quickly becoming partial to their beautiful sister, too. So when danger follows him, threatening Maddie and the children, he'll do anything to protect them, and the future he hopes to build.

Of course, neither of them was too sure about love to start:

Michael followed her into the kitchen. “With dozens of suitors to choose from, you haven’t found one to your liking?” he asked, trying for a light tone. “Are your standards so high, Maddie?”

She chuckled as she pulled a canister from under her worktable and pried off the lid. “Sure-n I could find more than one fellow in that lot to marry, if marriage was important to me.” She jingled the coins she drew from her skirts and dropped them into the tin with a clank. “As it is, if I marry I have to share all this. Why would I want to be doing that, when it’s my efforts that earned it in the first place?”

He couldn’t argue with her there. He knew the law generally granted any money a woman earned to her husband. But to be so coldhearted about it? That didn’t make sense.

She cocked her head, watching him. “You look disappointed in my answer. Did you think I should give up my dreams to marry? You never let love get in the way of your goals, did you now? You wouldn’t have let your Katie sway you from your intended course.”

“I fell in love,” he admitted, “but I never lost sight of my goals. If I had been willing to compromise my values, I might be married by now.”

“Love is compromise from what I can see,” she said, going to the washbasin, wetting a cloth and wringing it out. “You work and work to put food on the table and clothes on your back, until there’s no time left for love. Sure-n but we’re better off without such heartache.” She tossed him the rag, and he caught it in one hand. “Use that to clean off the counter. I’ll go up to check on Ciara and Aiden, and then I’ll start the baking for this evening.”

In the act of pushing back into the shop, Michael paused. “More baking?”

She laughed. “You make it sound as pleasant as the rack. Yes, more baking. That’s my job. This is a bakery, and I bake. I was hoping for a lady to come with Ciara and Aiden to help, if you recall.”

And she’d gotten him instead. “I’m sorry I can’t be more use to you,” he said, “but I’ll do what I can.” Feeling inept for the first time in his life, he went to clean off the counter, wiping away the crumbs and scrubbing at the drips of icing. Yet her words refused to leave him.

He wanted to agree with her that love meant heartache. He’d certainly had his fill. But some part of him whispered that more might be possible, if he would but try once again.

He had been so focused on his task that he didn’t see her move into the room. Instead, he felt her hand on his arm.

“Good enough, Mr. Haggerty,” she said. “Another minute and you’ll rub right through the wood.”

He relaxed his hand, feeling her grip soften. She was close enough that he could see a dusting of freckles across the tip of her nose, as if ginger had escaped some of her cookies. Cinnamon-colored lashes fluttered over eyes as dark as fresh-roasted coffee.

Michael mentally shook himself. Working in the bakery must have addled his brain, because all he could think about was that her kiss would taste as sweet as her cooking.

Interested to see what happens when Michael and Maddie share their first kiss? Purchase your own copy at

My publisher's website

Amazon

Barnes and Noble  

Kobo 

iTunes 

An independent bookstore near you

The Book Depository (free shipping worldwide)

And look for more information on Instant Frontier Family on Friday.

Happy Christmas!

The wonderful day is only a week away. Marissa and I will be spending the next two weeks with family and friends, but we wanted to start our holiday by wishing you and yours all the best.

And to give you Christmas presents. J

First, if you need inspiration for decorations (or you simply like to ooh and ah), check out these pages showing the 2015 decorations at Windsor Castle. The decorators went with a Regency theme, with a nod to the Battle of Waterloo on the year of its 200th anniversary. Squee! 

Then, while you’re waiting to eat your roast goose, you might play this fun online memory game featuring characters from Jane Austen’s novels. 

Finally, as you’re relaxing at the end of the day, you might wonder about which novel to read next. The Bluestocking League has put together a collection of long excerpts (not the full novels, just enough of each story to whet your appetite) from our books. It’s available free online in a variety of formats. 

Happy Christmas, my dears! Here’s to a New Year filled with good stories and great friends to share them with. We will see you on January 5 when we celebrate the launch of Instant Frontier Family.

Cover Reveal: Instant Frontier Family

When I started writing my Frontier Bachelors series, I envisioned following the stories of three friends on the Mercer Expedition to Seattle, young ladies fleeing heartache to forge a new future in wilderness Seattle. Allegra Banks Howard found her footing in The Bride Ship. Catherine Stanway met her match in Would-Be Wilderness Wife. Then Drew Wallin and his brothers intervened, demanding stories as well, so the third friend, Maddie O’Rourke, had to wait.

At least part of the wait is over.

Behold the cover for Instant Frontier Family, due out in January. It is the tale of the spunky, talented Maddie and the man she didn’t expect.  Here’s the blurb:

Maddie O’Rourke’s orphaned half brother and half sister have arrived safely in Seattle—with a man they hope she’ll wed! Though Michael Haggerty’s not the escort she planned for, Maddie allows him to work off his passage by assisting in her bakery…and helping care for her siblings. But she’ll never risk her newfound independence by marrying the strapping Irishman—or anyone else.

In New York, Michael ran afoul of a notorious gang. Traveling west was a necessity, not a choice. The longshoreman grew fond of his young charges, and now he’s quickly becoming partial to their beautiful sister, too. So when danger follows him, threatening Maddie and the children, he’ll do anything to protect them—and the future he hopes to build. 

Following a Nineteen Teen tradition, perhaps you’d like to guess who I had in mind as the physical models when I was writing the book. I admit up front that though I like the cover, it fits the feel of the story more than the actual details. Nevertheless, the woman I had in mind for Maddie is a red-headed actress who has traveled in time and space in a blue box and recently went looking for a couple Guardians herself when she took to the Galaxy. The actor I had in mind for Michael is one super man, though he started out in Tudor and Roman days rather than nineteenth century Seattle.

Anyone? Anyone?