Welcome Guest Marilyn Meredith

Please welcome guest blogger Marilyn Meredith today as she discusses the heritage of her wonderful heroine Tempe Crabtree. You can also learn a bit about the newest Tempe mystery -- Not As It Seems.  Marilyn shares with us some info about Tempe and her heritage that plays such an important part in her series.

How Important is it that Tempe Crabtree is Indian?

I wrote three books that I thought were about Tempe before I realized that the fact she was an Indian had no importance at all to the story.  (The books were changed to totally different books with new characters and settings.)

In the fourth book, which became the prequel, Tempe’s Native American heritage began to emerge. Because Tempe wasn’t raised as an Indian, the only reference she had besides her appearance, were the stories told to her by her grandmother. Her lack of knowledge about being an Indian is pointed out by Nick Two John.  He becomes her mentor and introduces her to the legends and spiritual side of being a native person in many of the books.

Every mystery has something to do with Tempe being an Indian, whether it is about customs of the Bear Creek tribe, legends that have been passed down through the years, or spiritual rituals that Tempe uses to help solve a crime.

The fact that Tempe is married to a non-Indian who is also a Christian pastor has added some conflict to an otherwise loving marriage.

Tempe being an Indian has been an important fact in each book, and in most cases has created or added to the plot. I’ve been able to find quotes by different Indians that have given me titles for a few books. Some of the legends have added to the plots in the stories.

Though the tribe Tempe belongs to is fictional, I borrow a lot from the Tule River tribe which is nearby.  The Bear Creek reservation is much like the Tule River Reservation, and the imaginary tribe Tempe belongs to is part of the Yokuts.

In the latest mystery, “Not as it Seems,” Tempe is affected by the appearance of spirits of Chumash and Salinan Indians of the past.

If Tempe weren’t Indian, the series would have ended long ago.

--Marilyn Meredith

Not as It Seems Blurb:


Tempe and Hutch travel to Morro Bay for son Blair’s wedding, but when the maid-of-honor disappears, Tempe tries to find her. The search is complicated by ghosts and Native spirits.

Character Naming Contest:       

Once again, I’ll name a character after the person who leaves a comment on the most blogs.
Tomorrow I’ll be stopping by Marja McGraw’s http://marjamcgraw.blogspot.com  and talking about promotion—a necessary evil, or is it?

Bio:

Marilyn Meredith now lives in the foothills of the Southern Sierra, about 1000 feet lower than Tempe’s Bear Creek, but much resembles the fictional town and surroundings. She has nearly 40 books published, mostly mysteries. Besides writing, she loves to give presentations to writers’ groups. She’s on the board of the Public Safety Writers Association, and a member of Mystery Writers of America and three chapters of Sisters in Crime, including the Central Coast chapter.

It's Official

Okay, it’s official – we need a nanny! I always thought it would be great to have someone to take care of us, but I tell you, it could actually be more a necessity than a luxury these days. We grew up believing that by now we’d have four-day work weeks, people would retire earlier and what-the-hay, there might even be flying cars!!

Well, reality strikes. We work six to seven days a week.There have been many evenings when my husband and I are both at our desks in the evening (we’ve converted one side of the family room to a joint office) and hard at work. At least we’re together – LOL! It’s really quite cozy on a winter evening with the gas fireplace going and some music playing.

But just imagine -- how nice would it be to have someone call out, “Dinner is ready!” and you head to the table to enjoy a balanced meal, including a salad and dessert, with real linen napkins and a glass of wine? Or a big bowl of homemade soup, with big chunks of chicken, potato and carrot? Yum!

Each morning when you go to your sock drawer, there would be all your socks, matched and waiting for you to simply pick a pair and slip them on. No looking for that missing blue sock so you have a pair that matches. No stacks of laundry waiting to be washed, folded – or, as is the generally case with me, taken out of the basket and put into the drawers.

Can you imagine a coffee table with no dust, a floor freshly washed, windows so clean they sparkle?

It’s important to have dreams, right?

Dog Days of Summer

Welcome to the Dog Days of summer! Having been a fan of canines my whole life and generally living with several at a time, I've seen how their activity levels go down this time of year in the heat of the day. These hot, sultry days of August can be energy-draining and they're pretty smart about conserving energy! They'd rather hang out in front of a fan or over a vent in the air-conditioned house…and who can blame them? When you break into a sweat walking across the yard, it's too hot for any kind of exertion. Lots of cold drinks, barbecues, salads and dips in the pool or lake seem to be the way to go during this part of the summer.

 

Plus it's the time to store of lots of warm memories for when the chill of February seems to be the order of business, right? When you (and the dogs, of course) want to curl up next to the fireplace, with a good movie and a cup of hot chocolate close at hand, it will be nice to think of these hot days, the wearing of shorts, capris and tank tops!  Of course, that's before your next sojourn out to shovel the driveway or scrape the snow and ice off the car.



 I'd always thought the Dog Days of summer were named for it being too hot for dogs to even want to be active, but it turns out they actually get their name from the period when Sirius (the dog star in the Canis Major constellation) rises at or close to the same time as the sun. It is generally from early July until mid-August. Sirius is the brightest star in the sky and was known to ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans.

So, when the heat and humidity feel like a wall, don't worry -- it's just the dog days of summer!

Time to Write

In these days of ever-increasing demands on our time, where do we find time to write? By the time I check email, answer the ones that need answering and check the day’s headlines, follow my favorite blogs and scroll thru social media….it’s time to do some promo. Need to post on Twitter and Facebook, GoodReads and Linked In, and must avoid looking at other’s pages, if I can! 

In between are household responsibilities, family, friends, volunteer work and bill-paying. And don’t forget the day job – in my case, editing. You may have a longer commute than I do – from kitchen to office – but I often work outside of “regular” 9 to 5 hours, finding myself at the computer late at night.

Right now, with the warmer weather luring us out of our homes, we must include get-togethers with friends and family, shopping and travel and build them into our schedules, too. And those things are important to include so we have balance in our lives! 

Okay…don’t even think about the downtime of getting a cold or being slowed down by allergies!!

So, when does my writing Muse strike in the midst of a hectic life? What if yours prods at you when you can’t always indulge the urge, like during the workday? For me, the best time to write is at night. Everyone else is settled down and it’s “my” time. Add to the fact I’m a night owl and it makes sense. The wee, small hours are often very creative – but sure makes morning come early!

Libby
Libby McKinmer
Romance with an edge
www.libbymckinmer.com
libby@libbymckinmer.com
Also on Twitter, Facebook & GoodReads

Review: The Dogwood Blossom Bride by Miralee Ferrell

 

The Dogwood Blossom Bride by Miralee Ferrell

This is one of three stories in 12 Brides of Summer Novella Collection #3, published by Barbour Books, featuring authors Margaret Brownley, Miralee Ferrell, and Pam Hillman.


When Gracie Addison fell into the arms of love, she wasn’t expecting it. In fact, she was on a mission to avoid dinner with Jerold Carnegie, a man her father thought would be perfect for her. It is late May, 1883 in Goldendale, Washington, and nineteen-year-old tomboy Grace is not interested in “growing up and settling down.” She has trees to climb, horses to ride (astride, no less!) and adventures to pursue.

Will Montgomery, relocating to Goldendale with his niece Laura and haunted by his sister’s death, is not looking for romance. Although he’s enjoyed working as a cowboy, he knows Laura needs stability…and he needs a job that will provide a decent living, so he’s rebuilding his life as a woodworking apprentice with Goldendale carpenter Curt Warren.

When Gracie and Will meet, they don’t get off to the best start, and Will is not too thrilled about Laura wanting to emulate Gracie’s tomboy ways…like climbing trees. Besides, fresh off a failed romance, he’s not looking for love either. 

WARNING:  SPOILERS FOLLOW....




Between the challenges of rebellious Laura copying Gracie’s daring ways, further triggering Will’s fears for his niece’s safety, and Gracie and Will misinterpreting the other’s interest in other people, the tension builds until the afternoon Laura almost comes to harm at the swimming pond. Will chastises the guilt-ridden Gracie and asks her to stay away from Laura. Gracie realizes that means she won’t see Will either, but decides she’s done with him, no matter how much the decision hurts. It isn’t long, however, before Will understands blaming Gracie is not fair and comprehends how much it hurts that he won’t see her again.

Will talks to Curt about everything and asks for his advice. Curt explains he can worry obsessively over his children or trust God with them, as Will can do with Laura. He suggests Will’s over-protectiveness stems from guilt about his sister’s accidental death. He also tells Will he thinks Will is falling in love with Gracie.

Meanwhile, Gracie is mourning the loss of Will and Laura, sad she will never see them again, when Will arrives and asks to speak to her. Grace thinks he’s there to reinforce his request to stay away from his niece, but he apologizes instead, explaining his sister’s death, his fears for Laura and how much Gracie reminds him of his sister. He admits his fear that allowing himself to fall in love with her is hard because he’s afraid of the chances she takes and that she might come to harm. As they clear the air, Will asks if he can court her, and she accepts.

Miralee Ferrell skillfully blends human fears and emotions with leaning into God’s will as this couple finds their way to true summer love. Gracie and Will are fully drawn characters with deep faith and trust in God to lead their way. Secondary characters support Will and Gracie’s journey toward one another and their Christian values. And mischievous young Laura is the perfect catalyst to draw the two young lovers together.

This is a fun summer (or any season) read!