Those Dangerous Gibson Girls!

I received the most fascinating piece of Victorian trivia in my email box a few days ago from Melissa Rolston of the Victorian Trading Company :

Few would regard such ornamental accoutrements that pierced lavish bonnets as a liability.  But scouring through past events it was obvious that Gibson Girls everywhere were armed and dangerous.  I attended an antique show last week anxious to hear further tales from the sellers of all things old.  One gentleman ceremoniously extracted a Victorian hatpin from his jeweler's case.  The heirloom was encrusted with diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires and cast in the form of a sword with a filigree sheath.  He shared with me the theory that this sacred artifact was utilized as a self-defense weapon.

The intrigue of this practice prompted me to delve deeper into the subject.  It appears that the suffragette movement denounced the Victorian fashion trend of ribbons tied under the chin to be naive and submissive.  Edwardian women opted for a more practical approach to securing their magnificent headpieces against an unannounced gust.  A controversial event that occurred in 1908 launched bans on the sharp jewelry.  It was recorded that an insecure English judge demanded that women on trial remove their hats in fear of weapons in his courtroom.  Soon thereafter it was mandated that any woman piercing her bonnet with a hatpin required a license should her pin extend 9".  Many ladies were forced to have their pins cut down in order to sport them in public, frequently wearing them as "stick pins" upon their bodices . . . . 

The term "pin money" hails from the English Parliament's restriction on the popular hatpin imports from France in the early 1800s.  The British were alarmed by the effect of the highly-sought Parisian jewelry had on the balance of their trade and thereby restricted the sale of the pins to be only Janauary 1st and 2nd.  Englishwomen saved all year for this frenzied splurge known as "January Sales".

Who would have thought of our Lily as being "armed and dangerous" over an ornamental hatpin? 

Of cabbages and kings . . . .

For some strange reason, that stanza from Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass always pops into my head whenever I am doing research. Perhaps it is because I begin looking for one thing, which in turn leads to looking at something else, and then again at yet something totally unrelated. Or, so it would seem.

The 1890's were a time of transition. The early 1900's was a time of lightning-fast changes. And all of this was much more evident in a place like the Territory of New Mexico than one could imagine. Especially in southern New Mexico.

Anyway, I digress. My adventure in researching this afternoon and evening led to more than a few fascinating discoveries.

Did you know that the lowly file folder has been around for over 130 years? Go to the Early Office Museum and look at the 1876 Centennial Expo page.

Did you know that during the 1890's Americans went bananas for board games? Go to this charming website and discover how many games we play today were being played then.

Do you know who wrote the bible of card games? Go to this link and read all about it.

I'll say it again -- research is fun!

Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid et al . . . .

Ah, one of my favorite old movies -- who could forget the rascally Paul Newman and Robert Redford playing those roles with such panache? Imagine how much fun I had yesterday when this news article appeared online.

There I was in the middle of doing some heavy research for the exact time period that those infamous outlaws roamed the West. Not that the pair ever made their way to the part of New Mexico that was involved in my research, but it was a great reminder of the sweeping changes that were occurring at that time.

Another fascinating article popped up, this one written by Delbert Trew for an Amarillo, Texas newspaper. He offered more than a few thoughts about living in the Old West, many of which rang so true for the setting of TIERRA RED.

In quoting Louis L'Amour, he wrote: "When a man or woman came West, their past became an unknown and their present became an open book. They soon became known by their actions or lack of. No one cared who your father was or what you had done. The only things that mattered were that you were honest, had courage, and that you did your job."

Hmm, sounds a bit like some of the characters in TIERRA RED, doesn't it?

Rancher Trew also wrote: "To bring the Old West into true focus, not many realize that Santa Fe, New Mexico was ten years old when people landed at Plymouth Rock. While the new folks back East were trying to clear timber, plant crops and win their independence, the Old West was being explored, being stocked with horses and cattle, learning to cope with little water, vast prairies, and the fact that no one cared if they were independent or not."

You can read the rest of Trew's article here

Doing research is not all work -- it can be a lot of fun!

Past Times Books Author Interview

Shortly after I was invited to participate in the Past Times Books web site, the eternally scary word "interview" arose. Who, me? Yep -- there was no getting out of it.

This interview turned out to be a delightful experience, mainly because the interviewer had a wonderful sense of humor. So, if you want to know more about me and TIERRA RED, just follow the internet road to http://www.pasttimesbooks.com/?page_id=1301

While you are there, you just might want to peruse the catalog of books and authors for some great reading.

TIERRA RED + BOOK LOVER'S DAY . . . .

It's becoming a habit. Albeit a good one, though. For the second year in a row, we will be privileged to have a book signing at COAS Bookstore in the Downtown Mall in Las Cruces, New Mexico very close to the national holiday.

What national holiday, you well may ask? BOOK LOVER'S DAY! Every August 9th is Book Lover's Day. Don't feel bad -- most bookstore owners and librarians don't know about this holiday either. But we do!

So, once again, we will be visiting this wonderful bookstore which just happens to be located in the heart of the original plat of land that became the town of Las Cruces in 1849. It is here that Lily's story begins in 1898.

Come to COAS Bookstore on Friday evening, August 5th from 5to 7pm. I will have a big supply of National Book Lover's Day bookmarks on hand . . . .

Exciting News!

Tierra Red has been invited to participate in a new web site, Past Times Books, which launched this evening. This web site is devoted to historical fiction and covers a wide variety of time periods. Tierra Red is represented in the 19th Century category.


The invitation began with a wonderful reader comment:

"I've been reading Tierra Red and am quite enjoying the ride. You've done a deft job of combining a plucky protagonist with plenty of action and suspense in a vivid atmosphere unique to New Mexico . . . ."


I am so delighted to be a part of this effort. When you visit the web site be sure to sign up for the newsletter so that you can be apprised of new additions to the catalog. If you love reading historical fiction (and I know you do), this web site promises to bring new authors into your life.

Happy reading!

Historical Fiction is alive and well . . . .

One of the greatest pleasures I experience at book signings is discovering how many people love to read historical fiction. Another is the lively discussions these readers engage me in -- they often inadvertently add to my research with wonderful details and occurrences. To say we have a great time is putting it mildly!

I am also quite impressed with the number of twenty-somethings who also have a passion for historical fiction. Perhaps because we are a university town there are more readers of this type, but it is still heartening to find so many of them. Especially when they linger a while and open discussion on a particular topic.

My husband and I used to think that the great number of history buffs we have encountered was more peculiar to our living in the Southwest, but I have found that many of the newcomers from both coasts, the Midwest, and the north are just as fond of reading historical fiction as those of us from New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas.

And nothing makes the heart sing more than hearing someone say: "I like your writing style . . . ."

Good things . . . .

Received a wonderful email from a reader last night: "I saw the column on your book in New Mexico Magazine and it sounded so great I finally bought a copy. It has been such a good read and I will be sad when I finish it . . . . thanks again for such a delightful read -- I can see the places in my mind so vividly."

Nice thoughts to sleep on, right?

Tierra Red will be attending the 3rd Annual Healthy Woman's Anniversary Celebration event on June 9th at the Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces, New Mexico. I will be signing books from 4:00 to 6:00pm at the Tierra Red booth.

Come by and visit with me . . . .

Aargh!

For some strange reason, Blogger insists on producing my last post as one continuous paragraph! Sometimes all this wondermous technology can leave one simply scratching their head . . . .

Research of sorts . . . .

Yesterday, a former classmate emailed me a file of photos taken in the early 1900's of our hometown, Cleveland, Ohio. He doesn't know that I spend a lot of time in my head back in that time period, not in Cleveland but in the Territory of New Mexico. The photos were of extraordinary quality and the details were mesmerizing: the hairstyles, facial expressions, and clothing; the mixture of horse-drawn vehicles and autos on the streets; the buildings -- some already old and others in progress; the hustle and bustle of people going about their business on foot. Since Cleveland is situated on Lake Erie there were many photos of people at the beaches and people boarding excursion boats. The details were delightful! When I look at photos taken during the same time period in Las Cruces, New Mexico, the people and streets look much the same with some exceptions: the streets are not paved and are dusty with more horse-drawn carriages and wagons and an occasional auto; there are no factories or tall buildings with awnings at nearly every window which contrasts with the abundance of adobe structures and the occasional brick or wood one or two-story building; and, of course, no lakefront but lots of desert sand! But the people are much the same as their eastern counterparts, with the occasional difference in headwear or footwear. And, of course, the slower pace of life is clearly evident, too. Viewing these photos brought me full circle from the origins of my own past into the origins of my writing here in the west. The women in those photos were dressed similarly to Lily and the other women in Tierra Red, women who lived far, far away from the "civilized" society of our country. I am sure their daily worries and duties were similar as well. Thank you, Dan, for that photo file! It definitely made my day, one that was filled with yet more research and writing (yes, that sequel is in progress) . . . .

Tierra Red + Valentine's Day . . .

(photo taken at High Sierra in Ruidoso, NM)

. . . make a terrific pair! If your valentine loves to read, Tierra Red promises a great mystery with a wonderful romance plus lots of suspenseful action. Lily and Roman may exist in a turn-of-the-century story but their tale is timeless.


I will be at Hastings Books & Video, 2350 E. Lohman Avenue, in Las Cruces on February 5th from 1:00 to 3:00pm and would enjoy personalizing a copy of Tierra Red for your valentine.


See you there!

TIERRA RED goes to Ruidoso, New Mexico --

-- in a BIG way!


We have four -- yes, you read that correctly -- FOUR book signings scheduled for Thanksgiving weekend in Ruidoso, New Mexico:

November 27th

Pinecliff Resort, 401 Hwy. 70W -- 10am to 11am
Books Etcetera, 2340 Sudderth Drive -- 1pm to 3pm

November 28th

Crown Point Condominiums, 220 Crown Drive -- 10am to Noon
High Sierra Condos, 504 Excalibur -- 1pm to 3pm


If you have always wanted to visit this beautiful mountain community, Thanksgiving weekend is the perfect time to do so. Holiday spirit abounds, the ski area opens, and thousands of visitors come to shop and play. Ruidoso is charming to visit any time of the year but the holidays seem to enhance the experience.

Come visit with me at any one of these venues!

Sad State of Affairs . . . .

I don't write books for children. However, I do work through my Kiwanis Club to bring books to children. All of our fund-raising efforts for the past ten years have been geared toward buying books for school libraries in our community.

A friend on the west coast reported this evening that she witnessed a well-known author of children's books turn away a child who could not afford one of her books at a book-signing event today. The child only wanted her autograph on a slip of paper. And the author refused to do that for her.

How has it come to this? Do we, as authors, want to encourage children to love reading or are we in this just for the sales?

I wish I had been there. That little girl would not have gone away disappointed and empty-handed if I could have done something about the situation. And I wish I could buy that book for her . . . .

A Special Day . . . .

Took a break today from doing research for the sequel and attended a wonderful function sponsored by The Friends of Thomas Branigan Memorial Library here in Las Cruces. This was the 27th annual Authors Luncheon which was held at the Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum. Tierra Red had been submitted for this competition last February.

Although Tierra Red did not win this competition, I felt quite honored to have competed with the winner, NMSU Professor Jon Hunner, and so many other great local authors including Robert Boswell and Bob Sanchez.

Tables were provided for book sales and signing by the library committee and we happily met with so many lovely patrons eager to buy and read Tierra Red. Thank you -- all of you -- for making my day!!!

To the past and back . . .

Over the Labor Day weekend, we traveled up to northeastern New Mexico and the locations of portions of Tierra Red. We have done this many times before, but on the spur of the moment we took a drive up a back road behind the Montezuma Castle and into Gallinas Canyon.

Jim had an ulterior motive for selecting this route as he wanted to check out the old "ice pond" area in the Gallinas River -- his mother had told him stories of the times she went skating on that pond as a child. This pond was not only used for recreational purposes but really was the source of blocks of ice that were cut for use at the Montezuma Castle resort back in the late 1800's and early 1900's.



While we were in the canyon I was pleasantly surprised to discover this bluff above the pond area. Anyone who has read Tierra Red will be familiar with the setting of Guy Boardman's Willow Creek Ranch and how strongly he stated that everything echoed off the bluff at the rear of the ranch. Let me tell you, he was right! Although Willow Creek Ranch was fiction, every dog's bark and every vehicle that drove through Gallinas Canyon last Sunday did indeed echo off this bluff. You would have enjoyed seeing the huge grin on my face knowing that I described it correctly.

Montezuma Castle is always a stunning sight to behold, even after all these years. The United World College dwells there now and keeps the Castle in wonderful repair. Imagine, over one hundred years later and the Castle still seems magical when one drives around the curve of a road and it suddenly appears in the middle of the forest. Just as captivating as it was the afternoon that Lily and Roman fell in love . . . .

Back in Las Vegas we were pleased to find that the facade of both the Plaza Hotel and the Ilfeld Building next door have been masterfully restored. In fact, the Plaza Hotel ownership bought the Ilfeld Building and made a lovely ballroom on the first floor, then expanded it's room count by adding more hotel rooms on the upper two floors. I rather think Lily would have approved of this arrangement heartily.

So, you may well ask, just where did all those cars come from and where are the horses and carriages? Can't tell that I am working once again in 1900 . . . .

Wonderful Morning at COAS

A BIG thank you to all the enthusiastic readers who came to COAS Bookstore this morning and early afternoon! It was wonderful to discuss historical points regarding the two major locations in TIERRA RED -- Las Cruces and Las Vegas, New Mexico.

And a big hug to all the great folks who work at COAS Bookstore -- always feels like coming home whenever I am there.

Tomorrow's the Day!

Be sure to drop by COAS Bookstore in the Downtown Mall in Las Cruces, New Mexico tomorrow morning between 10am and 12noon. Pick up your copy of TIERRA RED and see if you can solve the puzzle of this historical suspense novel before the end . . . .

TIERRA RED -- Clues to the puzzle

As I began typing today's date, it occurred to me that one of the most significant events in Tierra Red took place on August 4, 1899. An important clue to the puzzle surrounding the land grant scheme at the heart of this mystery is contained within Chapter Forty-Four, the chapter which reveals a glimpse into the psyche of Serena Vargas y de la Ordono de Ortega -- a major character in solving Tierra Red's crimes.

The chapter begins here . . . .


Wrapped in a thick wool shawl, Serena spent the better part of the night pacing the high-walled garden of her hacienda. Images and thoughts continued to swirl lazily through her mind as the dawn's first light filled the sky. Long after her personal maid, Maria, found her there and scurried to bring hot coffee, Serena lingered watching the day unfold. She ached for her old maja -- the gypsy in Seville who had mentored her in tapping into the unusual extrasensory skills she possessed -- for she was mystified by the sensations that had assailed her in Lily's sitting room.

The sun rose higher in the eastern sky and the perfume of morning blooms began to flood the garden. With their scent came the memories of the dreaded wedding day seventeen years ago.

Headstrong and beautiful, Serena stood in her wedding finery on the morning of her fifteenth birthday, demanding explanations from her mother. Though she had known since shortly after her thirteenth birthday that this day would come, she was filled with anger and fear.

"Mama! How does anyone expect me to be happy? He is an old man! He will be taking me so far away from everything I have ever known and loved."

Serafina Vargas y Ordono's eyes misted with tears at her daughter's outburst. She continued to fuss with the white lace mantilla covering Serena's black hair. If she tried to speak, she knew many tears would come spilling forth.

"Mama -- please tell me why must I do this today?"

"Ah, my wild one -- if it were up to me, I would keep you by my side forever," sniffled Serafina as tears rolled down her cheeks. "But you have been promised to Don Ortega since the day you were born."

"Why? Am I some pet to be given away? How can my father have such control over my life? What right does he --" Before Serena could finish her sentence the door of the church rectory was flung open.

Her father's bulky frame filled the doorway as his black eyes swiftly took in the room. His stern expression stifled any thought of disobedience from both mother and daughter. Senor Vargas stepped forward to his daughter and shoved a velvet jewel case into her hand.


. . . . and, if you continue reading on p. 198 through the rest of the chapter you will have found a tantalizing clue to solving the puzzle of TIERRA RED.


See you at COAS Bookstore on Saturday, August 7th from 10am to 12noon . . . .

Tierra Red Discussion Topic

I had an interesting experience while being interviewed on a radio show last summer: the moderator did not know what a Gibson Girl was. After I explained to him that she was the iconic symbol of independent and spirited young women in the late 19th century, he wondered aloud how my main character would have gotten along with the women who lived in the small town of Las Cruces in 1898 -- would she have been too progressive for them?


Whatdya think -- weren't the women of both Anglo and Hispanic heritage who coexisted in the Territory of New Mexico at that time progressive, too?

TIERRA RED Book Signing Date

Come visit with me at COAS Bookstore in the Downtown Mall in Las Cruces, New Mexico on August 7th from 10am until 12noon.

This wonderful bookstore is located in the heart of the setting where this historical suspense novel begins.

See you there!