Tag: romance

Character Interview – Rebecca’s Legacy

On By Betty OwensIn Betty Thomason Owens3 Comments

Hello, Thursday Morning friends! I’m so honored you stopped by. How do you take your coffee? I like a little half-and-half in mine.

I have a guest today! One of the characters from my upcoming release—Rebecca’s Legacy—

Jack Emerson

Welcome to my blog, Jack Emerson. Jack is Amy Juliana Emerson’s elder brother. How are you, Jack?

Jack: “I’m great, thanks, happy to be here. I take my coffee black, by the way.”

Me: “Oh, I’m sorry. Of course, you do.” (Pours coffee) “Well, I’m sensing a deeper meaning in that simple statement, ‘happy to be here’. You’re happy to be alive, I think.”

Jack: “Yes, I am. Thank you for keeping me alive, not killing me off in that prison camp.” He sips his coffee.

Me: “Are you kidding? Amy would’ve killed me if I didn’t bring you back alive. No, Jack, one thing I’ve learned about you is, you’re a survivor.”

Jack: “Thanks for saying that. As I learned early on, bad things can and do happen. It’s how you handle what life throws at you that makes you the person you become. I chose a different path than what my parents expected of me, but they recognized it was right for me.” He pauses. “But this story’s not about me, is it? What would you like to know about my sister?” He grins. “I’m an open book.”

Me: “Good one, Jack. Okay, you’ve known Amy all her life, so tell us something only you would know about her.”

Jack: (Coughs behind his fist) “That I can get away with? You know she’s going to read this.”

Me: (My turn to laugh) “Hah! I hope she will. So, what can you share and still hold onto your skin?”

Jack: “She snores. Not loudly, but she snores. It’s funny. I’ve teased her a lot about it.”

Me: “But, you snore, too, Jack.”

Jack: “I know, but it’s okay if guys snore.”

Me: “I’ve always heard that. So, let’s talk about Amy. There’s a thing she does, to build herself up before she heads into a situation. When did that start, and why do you think she does it?”

Jack grins. “I’m sure you’re talking about the pep talk.” He grows more serious; thoughtful. “You know, she’s not as self-assured as people think. That’s pretty much all a mask. A ruse. She’s faking, big time. Don’t get me wrong, the girl’s got an ego. She’s always been a princess.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “She’ll bust my chops for calling her that—she hates it.” He grinned. “Which is why I always loved to say it. I’m afraid I pestered her quite a lot, growing up.”

Me: “Isn’t that what brothers are for? From what I’ve observed, you, Amy, and Bobby are all very close. You seem to really love each other.”

Jack: “Oh, absolutely. Even though I was—let’s see—twelve, when Bobby came along. Mother and Dad kept us together, kept us communicating. Dad was often away, and worked late when he was in town, but we spent holidays at Perry’s Landing. He made sure we were together at all the right times.”

Me: “That’s great. Something you can pass along to your own family.”

Jack: “Dad taught us more than that, let me tell you. We learned by example that hard work pays off. Yes, he inherited the business, but he earned every penny of it. His sacrifices were labors of love. He gives Great-grandmother Amelia all the credit for the corporation’s health and longevity, but he’s a lot of that reason, too. If he’s tough on us, that’s the reason. He wanted us to grow up with that same attitude, so we could step into his shoes and carry the baton forward, just as he did.”

Me: “I like that. And you’re right about your Dad. He is the reason the company has stayed strong. So, what does the future hold for you? Will you be the one to receive the baton?”

Jack: He shook his head. “Not me. That’s not my path, I can tell you that right now. It’s not in my blood. You know that.”

Me: “I do, but our readers don’t, unless they’ve read Amelia’s Legacy. There’s a little-known secret about Jack Emerson that only readers of that first book know.”

Jack: “Good thing Amelia’s Legacy is a free download during the upcoming release.” He glanced around. “Oops, is that a secret?” He winked. “Did I let the cat out of the bag?”

Me, laughing: “No, I was going to announce the free e-book at the end of this interview. I have no problem with you doing it.”

Jack, faces you, the reader: “So, if you don’t know, or maybe don’t remember what we’re talking about that’s only revealed in Book 1, Amelia’s Legacy, don’t miss the free download on release day.” He frowns. “What is an e-book, anyway?”

Me: “That’s complicated. Your great-grand kids are going to love it, though.”

Jack: “I’ll take your word for it. I know this, your readers are going to fall in love with Amy. She’s a beauty with a heart of gold. She grew up a lot that summer. I’m proud of the woman she’s becoming.”

Me: “Thanks, Jack. I appreciate you taking the time to talk to us.”

Jack: “Oh, no problem.” Eyes on the reader again. “See you in Rebecca’s Legacy. Be sure you buy the book. Hey, it’s only a buck and some change.”

Readers, you’ll find my newsletter sign-up in the right sidebar (← looks like this). You can click on that big square in the sidebar to sign up. I will never share your email address with anyone, and you can unsubscribe at any time. There will be freebies and giveaways that will only go out to my newsletter patrons. All new sign-ups will receive a free novella – Lake Frigid Aire – a quirky little mystery I wrote.

You won’t miss out, though, if you’re already receiving my newsletter. There will be other opportunities to win, AND not long after the release, you’ll find it online for only 99¢ Thanks so much! See you next week!

Another Thursday Morning

On By Betty OwensIn Betty Thomason Owens2 Comments

Hello! Can you believe it’s already Thursday morning? I’m beginning to think there are two per week, they  come around so fast. Life is zipping by…

The hot summer weather we’re enduring reminds me of my latest young heroine, Amy Emerson. She was “sentenced” to a summer of service by dear old Dad. The first few days were sheer torture for this big city debutante.

I remember summers on Grandma’s farm in West Tennessee. The nights were so hot, sometimes it was hard to sleep. The days in the hot sun were worse, but we were busy working in the fields or the garden, so the days went by fast.

Back at the house, we made straight for the window fan, sat in front of it until the sweat dried and we’d cooled down enough to talk into the fan and laugh at the funny sound of our voices.

It’s amazing how wonderful a breeze feels, or the shade of a thick oak tree. We  carried ice water in bell jars, which we left beneath the trees to keep cool. We had to wear long sleeves and wide-brimmed hats to shield ourselves from the brutal, southern sun. Any exposed skin could mean a second- or third-degree burn. It was serious business.

What about you? Did you ever work outside in the summer? Or lived without air conditioning?

At home, our family of five shared a single bathroom. I was the only girl, so sometimes having time to myself was difficult. I could commiserate with Amy when she had to wait in line for a chance at a bath, and then the water was no longer hot.

Although, I think she should have been glad to have a bathroom. Grandma’s farm had no indoor plumbing. We had to tote buckets of water in from the well. The “bathroom” was an outhouse in the yard. A bath was taken in a large, galvanized tub on a Saturday night, so everyone would be clean for Sunday. These days, I wouldn’t really call that clean, since I was seldom first in line for the shared bath water. Yuck!

I survived, and so did Amy, though more hardships awaited her down the road. Sometimes, life hits a rough spot and it seems like it will never let up. But, then it does, and all those troubles end up in the rear view mirror, rolling farther and farther into the past. That’s when you’re thankful for the grace of God that got you through.

I was reminiscing with my mom the other day about our trips to the beach when we lived in San Diego, California. I remembered watching with great anticipation, sometimes stretching over the back of the front seat, trying to catch that first glimpse of dark, blue water. And then we topped a hill, or rounded a curve, and there it was—in all of its glory—the great Pacific Ocean.

The sight sent shivers down my spine. There’s a scene like that in Rebecca’s Legacy, when Amy catches a glimpse of sea. She begs to stop so she can get out and feast her eyes on the view, smell the salt air, and listen to the roar of the waves.

Rebecca’s Legacy happens one summer. So, many of my beloved summer memories made their way into the story. I am so excited to share it with you.

We have grand plans for the release of Rebecca’s Legacy, and the festivities will begin very soon. I hope you’ll join me in welcoming my latest story to the world.

What will it take to teach a spoiled heiress that the greatest legacy is love?

Nancy and Robert Emerson’s daughter Amy Juliana is doing her best to follow in Mom’s rebellious footsteps.

Her desperate attempt to escape Dad’s control comes at the worst possible time. A threat against their family and Sanderson Industries has Robert Emerson taking extra steps to guarantee his family’s safety. He sends Amy, an heiress and a debutante, to the country to work on a produce farm run by Aunt Rebecca. Humiliated and angry, Amy contemplates a path that will lead her even farther from home, away from Dad’s protection.

Will Aunt Rebecca’s quiet strength and unconditional love be enough to still the prodigal daughter’s rebellious ways, and open her heart to the plight of others around her?

Matt Wordsworth is the man Robert calls upon to help keep his daughter in line. She thinks the guy is an old fuddy-duddy. By the time her ideas about him begin to change, it may be too late. When an old friend tests her loyalty, she is forced to face her past to overcome a guilty conscience. But, is she playing into the hands of the enemy?

Release date: August 7, 2018

The Legacy Series is a Wrap

On By Betty OwensIn Betty Thomason Owens2 Comments

Hello, it’s Thursday morning. This may come as a surprise to some of you. That Monday holiday really messes with your mind schedule. 🙂

I’m celebrating with a second cuppa coffee this morning! I turned in the galley for the final book in the Legacy series. Kind of sad. I’m going to miss the Emerson clan.

Just in case you’re wondering what a galley is–maybe you’re familiar with the term when it refers to a narrow kitchen, or a boat (or ship) propelled by oars. Well, it’s also the mock-up version of a book. Kind of like a “proof”. Authors receive a galley copy for a final read-through of their masterpiece. This is their last chance to correct any errors still hiding in the prose.

Rebecca’s Legacy was a joy to write! I’ve wanted to tell Amy’s story since the day she was born. I was there, you know—halfway through book 1, Amelia’s Legacy. The newborn Amy Juliana Emerson looked like a little doll.

She’s still pretty cute. I hope my readers will love her as much as I do.

Rebecca’s Legacy releases August 7. Be watching for special events and a couple giveaways as the day approaches.

Dear to My Heart

On By Betty OwensIn Betty Thomason Owens2 Comments

coffee, cup, laptop, memeGood morning—it’s Thursday! I hope you’re enjoying a bit of springtime weather if you’re in the northern hemisphere.

Today, I’m contemplating a question: How can you love someone you’ve never seen? Believe in someone you’ve never known?

It happens more often than you might think. Even now, in our modern, gadget-filled, instant news days. In former days, people wrote letters. Lonely hearts out west wrote to ladies back east. Sometimes they fell in love with one another through those letters and they agreed to meet. Sometimes, sight-unseen, they agreed to marry.

Soldiers received letters from girls back home. Girls they’d never seen, or maybe only in pictures. How did they know the pictures were real? How could they trust that the letters were truthful? Yet, some did. Relationships began, marriages happened. Love found a way.

For some of us, it’s mind-boggling. It would involve shutting off a part of our brain in order to accept such a thing. Only a desperate person would try something like that. Well, the world is full of desperate souls. Sometimes, love finds a way.

Consider Patricia MacLachlan’s Sarah, Plain and Tall, that tells the story of a woman who answers an ad for a wife and mother. She left her home in Maine and traveled to the prairie to meet the man she only knew through letters. Words on paper. I know, it’s fiction. But how many times in history did this actually happen? Could a person find love and purpose in such a way?

Farther back, in one of my favorite Bible stories, Abraham sent his servant back to their original home, to find a suitable wife for his son, Isaac. The servant prayed in advance that he would find the right woman, the one God had chosen for Isaac. He prayed that the woman would offer him water, and also, water his camels.

Rebekah appeared. Many of you know this story, so you can easily finish it. She was very young, and of course, beautiful. Her kind heart made her attentive to the servant’s needs. She also offered to water his camels, thus fulfilling the servant’s prayers. He knew this was the one.

She had never seen Isaac, and there were no photographs or portraits in that day. She agreed to leave her family and go to a stranger. Sight unseen.

Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?”

“He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.

Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. [Genesis 24:62-67 NIV]

How can someone do that? What if he’d been hideous, dangerous, or worse—boring? It involves trust. How many of those who wrote to strangers and fell in love through letters, agreed to meet, then returned home again, disappointed? I imagine that happened, too. A sweet romance I once read happened just that way, but the lady never made it home. On the way to the train station, she met another stranger and decided to stay for a while. She soon realized he was the reason she’d answered that lonely hearts ad, written all those letters, and made that long journey.

Some are spurred by loneliness and desperation to do what others might think is foolish. They’ll cast aside common sense, or whatever it takes to go and find someone. I know many of you have beautiful stories in your life, of how you met your spouse. Maybe you know of someone in your family who took a chance, did something that may seem foolish, could have been drastic, but found the love of their life.

Disclaimer: In today’s world, meeting someone over the internet is extremely unsafe. Please don’t risk your safety!

If you have one of those beautiful stories, I hope you’ll share it with our readers. Leave it in the comments below.

I’ll leave you with another of my favorite Bible passages, about a sight-unseen love, dear to my heart. I hope you know this one, and if not, I hope you’ll take a chance and trust in someone you’ve never seen.

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. [1 Peter 8-9 NIV]

Click to Tweet: Today, I’m contemplating a question: How can you love someone you’ve never seen? Believe in someone you’ve never known?

Sense and Sensibility – a Short Review

On By Betty OwensIn movie review

coffee, cup, laptop, memeHello, Thursday Morning friends! I hope you’ve had a wonderful week so far. If not—hey, it’s Thursday—almost Friday! Valentine’s Day is over. I hope those of you who celebrate the day had a wonderful one. Any time I can spend with my long-time husband and favorite person is a good day.

And while we’re talking about love, my Grace Award-winning novel, Annabelle’s Ruth, is on sale for 99 cents! Just a couple more days, though. Don’t tell anyone, but this is my favorite book! Here’s a clickable link: Annabelle’s Ruth – 99¢ on Kindle!

Since this is the month of romance, I think it’s about time for another movie review. I got busy and found a good one to share. Okay, it’s not specifically a movie, but a BBC miniseries. However, it’s an Austen—one of my all-time favorite stories—Sense and Sensibility. This is the 2008 version with Hattie Morahan as Elinor, Charity Wakefield as Marianne, Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey, Beauty and the Beast) as Edward Ferrars, David Morrissey as Colonel Brandon, and Dominic Cooper as Willoughby.

First of all let me say, I liked the movie version with Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant. Ms. Thompson is a brilliant, versatile actress, but she seemed so much older than the character in the book—it bothered me. Sense and Sensibility is high on my list of forever stories. One of those I can read and reread. I love the rich story line and character development. In the original book the lead character, Elinor, is nineteen. Her sister Marianne is a couple of years younger.

So, when I found the BBC version listed on Hulu, I clicked it right away. Even though I was not familiar with either of the ladies on the cover, I was quickly captured by the cinematography. I knew the story well enough to expect wild coastal beauty when they arrived at their cottage, and this film delivered. The characters are well developed, warm, and likeable (except for the ones who are cold and unlikeable). That would be the hoity-toity sister-in-law, Mrs. John Dashwood.

There’s more detail regarding Sir John Middleton’s family (Mrs. Henry Dashwood’s cousin who owns the cottage). Some of this was left out of the movie version, but they have more time to deal with it in a miniseries.

Overall, I enjoyed this version enough that I watched it a second time. I couldn’t help comparing it to the movie version. One thing that stood out in the movie was the music. It was grand and glorious throughout. The miniseries didn’t place so much emphasis on the score, but it was still haunting and beautiful at times. I love the sound of the crashing waves.

In Austen’s original book, this story is somewhat dark, as the author explores the deep emotional crises this family endures. Being the  most sensitive, Marianne has difficulty coping. She’s more deeply involved, so suffers greatly and outwardly. Colonel Brandon, by far the most romantic character, is probably the only one who can control the girl, though nearly twice her age. The age gap was not as much of a consideration back then as it is now.  🙂

I recommend this miniseries if you have access to it, especially if you’re an Austen fan. It’s very well written, acted, and ends on a positive note. If you’ve never read the book, you’ll still enjoy the story.

In my opinion, there’s no better way to develop the craft of fiction writing than to read, and to watch really good fiction. It’s inspiring! What makes a story come alive? What do you love most of all about a work of fiction?

I hope you enjoyed this week’s Hello, Thursday Morning, and will return again next week. Not sure what I’ll tackle next. See you soon!

Click to Tweet: Hello Thursday Morning! Time for another movie review – BBC’s 2008 version of Sense and Sensibility. Loved it!