Western Research: 12 Incredible Montana Factoids

Posted by Janet Chester Bly | Labels: , , , | Posted On April 29, 2013 at 5:00 AM

Western Research: author Stephen Bly
Stephen Bly (1944-2011)
12 Incredible Montana Factoids, western research by award-winning western author Stephen Bly


I've set lots of books in Montana, including the recent historical western romance, Creede of Old Montana. In fact, we came close to moving to the Treasure State over thirty years ago. Somehow, Idaho snagged us instead. Even though there were a dozen towns in western Montana from our western research that intrigued and tugged at us.

In the meantime, I learned a lot about the Big Sky country. All of it part of my extensive western research, both fiction wise and personal. Here's some of Montana's many charms.

12 Incredible Montana Factoids

Montana pronghorn antelope
1. Today the average square mile contains 1.4 elk, 1.4 pronghorn antelope, 3.3 deer and 6 humans.
2. In 1888, the city of Helena had more millionaires per capita than any other city in the world.
3. 46 of Montana's 56 counties are considered "frontier counties" because of extremely low population.
4. Montana is the only state with a triple divide allowing water to flow into the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Hudson Bay. This phenomenon occurs at Triple Divide Peak in Glacier National Park. My family and I have been there.
5. Montana has more different species of mammals than any other state.
6. Flathead Lake in NW Montana is considered the largest natural freshwater lake in the west. It contains over 200 sq. miles of water and 185 miles of shoreline.
7. The first luge run in North America was built at Lolo Hot Springs on Lolo Pass in 1965.
8. Virginia City, founded in 1863, is considered the most complete original town of its kind in the U.S.
Western research: Montana Going to the Sun Highway
Going To The Sun Highway
9. The Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman gained fame through the work of its chief paleontologist, Jack Horner. He was the prototype for the character Dr. Alan Grant in the bestselling novel and movie, "Jurassic Park."
10. The Going to the Sun Road in Glacier Park is considered by many the most scenic drive in America.
11. Roe River, which flows near Great Falls, often at 58 feet in length, is considered the shortest river in the country. Its source is Giant Springs, the largest freshwater spring in the U.S.
12. Montana's name comes from the Spanish word for mountain: montaňa f; montón m. 

Going To The Sun Highway Weeping  Wall

Montana Bighorn Sheep

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TWEETABLES for Western Research: 12 Incredible Montana Factoids:
Montana's average sq. mile contains 1.4 elk, 1.4 pronghorn antelope, 3.3 deer & 6 humans: http://clicktotweet.com/o983e
Montana has more different species of mammals than any other state: http://clicktotweet.com/v2e8G
Going to the Sun Road in Glacier Park most scenic U.S. drive: http://clicktotweet.com/OBI67
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Website Links for other western authors who do western research:

Terry Burns http://www.terryburns.net/
Lena Nelson Dooley http://www.lenanelsondooley.com/
Tina Dee Books http://tinadeebooks.com/
Molly Noble Bull http://www.mollynoblebull.com/
Amber Stockton http://amberstockton.com/ 
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Give Me a Regional Cookbook and I'll Tell a Story

Posted by Tina Dee Books | | Posted On April 03, 2013 at 11:43 AM



by Mona Hodgson



I'm not a Food Network viewer, nor am I a gourmet cook. In fact, my hubby does most of the cooking and baking at our house. But don't ask me to write about a new setting without a cookbook from the location.


For The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek Series, I poured over Church History Cook Book from the First Congregational Church in Cripple Creek, Colorado. A yummy resource for time period dishes and recipes, ingredients listings, people names from the time and place, and other tidbits.


Here's a fun tip offered by Mrs. J. S. Bates: "To keep apples from turning dark when peeled, use a silver knife."


I can hear a character in one of my stories sharing that household hint.


Ginger Snaps with Mrs. Ira Hart and Mrs. Theodore Hartman


One cup molasses, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup shortening, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 tablespoon ginger, 1 level teaspoon soda, 1 eggs. Add flour to roll. Bake in a quick oven.


Yep, I can see one of the Sinclair sisters nibbling a ginger snaps at Miss Hattie's Boardinghouse in Two Brides Too Many, Too Rich for a Bride, The Bride Wore Blue, or Twice a Bride.



For The Quilted Heart, three eBook novellas, Celebrating Our Heritage from the St. Charles German Heritage Club provided me with tasty recipes and fun tidbits. 


Hunter’s Schnitzel from the German Club Archives


Pork or veal cutlets

Salt

Pepper

Brown sugar

1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced

Cream

Cooking sherry (if desired)

Crushed garlic (if desired)

Onions (if desired)

Butter for browning



Make sure the cutlets are thin. Wash the cutlets, dry with a paper towel and rub with pepper, salt and just a little brown sugar. Cook the cutlets on both sides in real butter in an open pan until the meat is done and takes on a nice brown color. Put the schnitzels in a serving dish and keep hot. In the meat juice left in the pan, cook fresh sliced mushrooms (about one pound for 2 schnitzels) until the liquid is mostly gone, adding pepper, salt and a touch of sugar to taste (not too much sugar or the mushrooms will be spoiled). Stir in fresh cream until you get a thick sauce. Pour on top of the schnitzels and serve with potato pancakes. Another variation is to add a little cooking sherry, onions and/or garlic to the mushroom gravy (the onions and garlic are cooked together with the mushrooms; the sherry is added with the cream).  



Sounds to me like a “receipt” we could find in Emilie Heinrich’s kitchen in Bending Toward the Sun, a Quilted Heart novella.



Hunger ist der beste Koch. (Hunger is the best cook.) One of the many sayings I found in the German heritage cookbook, along with fascinating bits of history.





I turned to The Oregon Trail Cookbook, A Historical View of Cooking, Traveling, and Surviving on the Trail for culinary inspiration and cultural tidbits for Hearts Seeking Home, my next series. Look for Prairie Song, Book 1, to release on August 6th!    


“Originally called ‘The Emigrant Road’ by the early pioneers, the route commonly became known as ‘The Oregon Trail’ and later as ‘The Overland Trail.’ Regardless of its name, emigrants always referred to it as ‘the road’ and not a ‘trail.’”


Sourdough Griddle Cakes

2 c. sourdough starter

4 c. warm water

4 T. oil

1 tsp. salt

4 T. sugar

5 c. flour

2 eggs

½ c. condensed milk

2 tsp. baking soda



Mix starter, flour and warm water the night before. Reserve 2-3 cups to replenish starter. To what is left, add eggs, oil and milk; over dough and gently fold in. Let rise 3-4 minutes. Fry on hot griddle. Serve immediately.



I can almost smell the griddle cakes Caroline Milburn will cook over the coals of a campfire out on the prairie in Prairie Song.


Read the prequel to Prairie Song in Dandelions on the Wind, Bending Toward the Sun, and Ripples Along the Shore.



Do you have a favorite regional cookbook?

© 2013 Mona Hodgson, Author and Speaker
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Character Name Calling: Fun For Writers

Posted by Janet Chester Bly | Labels: , , | Posted On March 30, 2013 at 9:25 PM


Character Name Calling by Author Stephen Bly
Stephen Bly (1944-2011)
In my book Cowboy For A Rainy Afternoon, the narrator is never identified by a particular character name. He is just called "Little Brother" by the six old cowboys.

However, had he a real bona fide character name, what should he be called? I was pondering that as I read this week the 10 MOST POPULAR NAMES FOR 2008: 1) Aidan, 2) Jayden, 3) Jacob, 4) Michael, 5) Ethan, 6) Caden, 7) James, 8) Caleb, 9) Andrew, and 10) Matthew. 
But "Little Brother" in this story is 10 years old in 1954. That puts him in the 5th grade, born in 1944. So, the question is ... what were the 10 MOST COMMON BOYS NAMES IN 1944?

Here's the list:  
1. Robert
2. James
3. John
4. William
5. Richard
6. David
7. Charles
8. Thomas
9. Michael
10. Ronald
Character Name Calling & 1954 5th grade class
1954 5th grade class
So, he should be called by a character name such as Bobby or Jimmy, Johnny or Billy, Dicky or Davy, Charlie or Tommy, Mikey or Ronnie. Notice that Michael and James were on both lists. But I rather fancy Stevie, if I had to give him a choice character name.That might give you a clue as to who this character is most like.

One of the boys in this 1954 5th grade class could be the narrator for this story.

Character name calling is one of the most delightful parts of being a writer. I love finding different sounding names. Whether it's Tapadera ... or Lixie ... or Jolie. Or Devy. Or Miss Oliole Fontenot. I don't limit myself to the Top 10 of the Year. But that's a good place to begin.

Along with character name creating, there's the fun of discovering the environment of the character's times.
1950s F.W. Woolworth store
For today's consumer, it's a shopping mall world. But for someone like Little Brother, it's hard to imagine the incredible thrill to him of a product-packed Five and Dime store. I'm not sure kids today can experience anything near that excitement.  

Here's a "Little Brother" narration excerpt from Cowboy For A Rainy Afternoon:

When WalMart was beyond anyone's imagination, we had Five & Dime stores like Newberry's and Woolworth's ... Mama worked at Woolworth's right out of high school. Even in 1954 most of the merchandise was inexpensive. And they had everything. What a marvelous world for a boy from the country who thought the Fuller Brush man had so much merchandise in his Chevrolet CarryAll that is must surely be sinful.
To the casual observer, we must have looked like an invasion of old men in narrow brimmed Stetsons, cowboy boots, white shirts buttoned at the collar and a little boy with plastic cap guns holstered to his side. But to my 10-year-old imagination, we were a posse surveyin' a crowd, on the trail of some bad hombres.

Stephen Bly - Copyright 2008

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Whether it's picking a character name in writing a fiction story or choosing a name for a newborn child, what's your guidelines for making that awesome choice?
What's your clearest memory of when you were 10-years-old?
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If you're looking for a character name or what to name a baby, check out this Baby Names site: http://www.babynames.com/character-names.php

Character Name Calling for novel Cowboy For A Rainy Afternoon
Cowboy For A Rainy Afternoon
Here's where to find Cowboy For A Rainy Afternoon: http://www.blybooks.com/bookstore/1950s-cowboys-novel/
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The Multi-Tasking Life of an Author

Posted by Lena Nelson Dooley | Labels: | Posted On March 13, 2013 at 6:12 PM


Today is a perfect example of how an author's life is filled with multiple tasks. Here it is at the end of the day, and I haven't gotten to this blog post until now.

What have I been doing, you might ask.

I'm working on a book titled A Heart's Gift. I was just breezing along on chapter thirteen when I realized I needed more information. So I spend quite awhile researching the particular thing I need to finish this chapter.

My grandson had an on-the-job-injury, and he needed my husband to take him to the doctor. That meant I had to get up earlier than usual and fix breakfast. I'm a person who works on schedules. When I am moving along the regular schedule, I do great. But when something interferes with the schedule, everything piles up on me.

I had to download a large number of emails. Answering many of them can be delayed, but there were several emails flying back and forth between my agent and me. One email took me to Facebook, and while I was there, I checked on some people who I'm following.

After my emails with my agent, I needed to stop what I was writing and recheck a former proposal. We want to send it to a couple of different publishers. This is a contemporary general fiction with deep issues and connection to current events. It took a little time to bring it up to date.

I had been contacted by a reviewer who wanted to review a couple of my books on a review site that I had never been on before. Of course, I was glad to hear from her and work out how she could get a copy of each book.

I needed to send interview information to some of the authors who will appear on my blog next week. That took another piece of my time.

Then the Avon lady came with my order. Usually, she sits and visits with me. We pray for each other all the time. However today, she was running just as late as I was, so I met her at the door with her check and came back to the computer.

Soon I must make something for James and me to eat for supper.

And so it goes.

Tell me what sort of things takes the most time out of your day.
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The Quilted Heart ~ New Romance Series Debuts This Month!

Posted by Tina Dee Books | | Posted On March 04, 2013 at 12:02 AM



By Mona Hodgson



Was I sad to see The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek Series end? Yes, for awhile, I was. I tend to grow attachments to series characters, both as a reader and as a writer.


Did I have any trouble leaving my Cripple Creek cast of characters behind to embrace new ones? Yes, I did. Then I revisited St. Charles, Missouri on a research trip for my next series, The Quilted Heart. That's when the women from Elsa Brantenberg Quilting Circle came to life. The farm. The river. The post Civil War struggles families faced. Finding love in the midst of loss.


Dandelions on the Wind is the first of three novellas, releasing this spring as exclusive eBooks 




A broken soldier. A nearly-blind abandoned bride.


Will love bind their hearts together, or will stubborn pride unravel the family they both love?


“In Dandelions on the Wind, Mona Hodgson weaves a tale of broken promises, wounded hearts...and the power of forgiveness–a heartwarming reminder that we walk by faith, not by sight. Maren is a heroine you’ll cheer for!”
—Carol Cox, author of Love in Disguise and Trouble in Store



I have embarked on another adventure! Join me, won't you? 


Dandelions on the Wind, Bending Toward the Sun, and Ripples Along the Shore are now available for Pre-Order! 


My sister, Linda, made Civil War era quilt squares for a fun February giveaway. Find out more about it and enter to win a quilt square!


http://monahodgson.wordpress.com/2013/02/08/giveaway-dandelions-on-the-wind-civil-war-era-quilt-square/
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Your vote is needed

Posted by Terry Burns | | Posted On February 04, 2013 at 7:07 AM



I just got the word that SAVING AMERICA written by client Jonathan Wakefield made the cut and is nominated for Christian Small Publishers Association 2013 Book of the Year in the Nonfiction - Christian Living Category.


I would greatly appreciate any who would like to go and cast their vote for this title. The link is attached.




http://www.christianpublishers.net/13votes/

The book was published by Crossover Publications, and the publisher, Randall Mooney, also happens to be a client. This is the third title for the second year in a row that Randall has had make the finals in this competition. Our sincere congratulations to both Jonathan and Randall, and we would greatly appreciate any who would go over to the link and cast a vote for the book.
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The Romance of Research

Posted by Janet Chester Bly | Labels: , , , , , | Posted On January 29, 2013 at 2:57 AM


Author Stephen Bly with cowboy hat
Stephen Bly
Stephen Bly 


Copyright©2003
When a cowboy writer does research, the sight of a landmark can spark an idea for a full-fledged novel ... or just a poem.


Southeast of Four Corners, New Mexico is Shiprock, an impressive example of a volcanic neck or a central feeder pipe formed by a long ago eruption.



Shiprock, New Mexico
Shiprock, New Mexico
In Monument Valley, west of this location, the pillars tower one after another. But Shiprock stands alone. With its spire in the shape of the rigging of an ocean bound vessel, the silhouette looks very much like a tall ship on the horizon.



No wonder the old-timers trudging across the desert rubbed their eyes in disbelief at the view. If you ever get a chance to visit this site, we have found between March and May to be the best times. If you have already been there, what did the vision of it inspire in you?



Here's my Shiprock cowboy poem ... someone ought to put music to it and make it a song. What do you think ... what sort of tune would best fit?

cowboy & cowgirl kissing silhouette


Navajo Rose



It was a straight up day in Shiprock,

in July of eighty-three

Canvassed with dust, but showin' no rust

that buckskin geldin' and me



I ain't sayin' the day was perfect,

It would have its problems, you bet

As likely as not, it would get way too hot

And we'd both be wallerin' in sweat



But potential hung in the desert air

like the gap in your teeth you can't hide

This was the very day, I'd been waitin' since May

when up to the schoolhouse I'd ride



She promised she would linger

until the spring gather was through

I could hardly wait, so I picked up the gait

when the picket fence came into view



Some might call her plain lookin'

but they don't say that to my face

She's my Navajo Rose and I'll break any nose

that tries to bring her disgrace



Her smile sets my heart a beatin'

her dark eyes shout forever to me

She surrenders her lips, with her hands on my hips

I'm luckier than I deserve to be



I reckon you know the feelin'

and can understand my worry and fear

when I spotted that hack, parked way out back

and a duet of laughter I hear



I spied a tall man in the foyer

sported out in dark suit and tie

She looked happy in white, eyes teared at the sight

I reckon I was jist goin' to die



She ran to my side when she saw me

I ain't sure what this is about

When I taste her kiss, it still feels like bliss

And it makes my toes want to shout



She tugged me up the stairs to the schoolhouse

No protest she would allow

"I would like you to meet the Reverend Montreat

he will perform our service right now"



The tin ceilin' swirled above me

Vision failed and I feared for my life

When I finally came to, I shouted "I do!"

He pronounced us now man and wife



It was a straight up day in Shiprock,

in July of eighty-three

the clock struck noon, it was our honeymoon

my Navajo Rose and me


cowboy & cowgirl silhouette


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Check the Bly Books blog, free stuff & bookstore: http://BlyBooks.com
"On A Western Trail" blog:  http://BlyBooks.blogspot.com
Download Kindle Bly Books: http://amzn.to/VFM4r0
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December: A Good Month to Cowboy

Posted by Janet Chester Bly | Labels: , , | Posted On December 29, 2012 at 3:44 AM



Stephen Bly (1944-2011)

DECEMBER IS A GOOD MONTH TO COWBOY
Cowboy Poetry
Stephen Bly
Copyright©2001


December is a good month to cowboy,
   if you're fond of the wind, snow and cold.
It ain't that I don't like winter, boys,
   it's just tougher when a man grows old.

Snow whipped down off the Elkhorns,
   drifted the draws and the ridge.
I turned Sage's rump to the mountain
   and plodded our way to the bridge.

With my Carhartt yanked up to my ears,
   and my Resistol screwed down tight,
We pushed them two old stubborn cows
   into the afternoon's fadin' daylight.

Cowboy riding horse in snow
The pup was straddlin' my saddle horn,
   his little legs done tuckered out.
We crossed Rock Creek a crunchin' ice,
   the last trip of the season, no doubt.

My chaps as stiff as a rawhide tree,
   my toes I hadn't felt since noon.
A big rock fireplace waited up ahead
   and I knew we would be there soon.

I got a barn as big as a feed store
   and a log house I built by hand.
A wood pile to make Dan McGrew smile,
   a lovin' wife with style and with sand.

There's a star hangin' up on the Beaverslide,
   took ever' extension cord that I had.
You can see that sucker for sixteen miles,
   as a symbol it ain't all that bad.

Christmas star
It reminds me of the star at Bethlehem,
   a great many Decembers ago.
It signaled wise men to the savior's side,
   I doubt if they plodded in snow.

I reckon He leads every one of us,
   if we would just follow the light,
Surrender our stone cold stubborn hearts,
   and quit puttin' up such a fight.

You think about that in December,
   when there ain't no sound buttin' in.
And you're ridin' down off the mountain
   and tryin' to sort out your sin.

Ain't only a baby that we're celebratin',
   but a Savior who died in our stead.
He gives us a good life here on earth,
   and a forever we don't have to dread.

I don't think those thoughts in the summer,
   the ranch is too hectic, you know.
Just late in the evenin's come winter,
   and I'm trailin' along real slow.

My toes is a startin' to warm up,
   ponderin' the blessin's I've had,
and thankin' the Lord for His kindness,
   askin' forgiveness for makin' Him sad.

December is a good month to cowboy,
   takin' time to remember what is true.
Bringin' friends to the Lord as I ride home,
   askin' Him to take good care of you.

Author Stephen Bly's hat hanging at Winchester Community Church, ID
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For more cowboy poetry by Stephen Bly, check the Bly Books website store:
http://BlyBooks.com
More devotionals & articles: http://BlyBooks.blogspot.com 
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