My guest today is Celia Yeary, best-selling author of a dozen Romance novels set in my home state of Texas. She’s also co-founder of Sweethearts of the West – a group of authors writing romance set under western skies.
Good morning, Celia. Welcome to Dac’s Western Blog.
** And good morning to you, too. I'm very happy to be visiting your blog--what an honor!
I understand you’re a former science teacher. What prompted you to write romantic fiction?
**Hmmm, mind-numbing boredom. I injured my back and an ankle--stay off the golf course!--and was confined to a recliner most of many days. My husband put a laptop in my lap and said..."Here. Write something." I'd never written anything in my life except science research papers, but before my very eyes, a story appeared. I wrote for weeks without stopping and ended up with a full-length novel. After much editing and correcting, I got a contract. That began my new second-life venture.
Tell me about Sweethearts of the West.
**A dear Texas friend, Caroline Clemmons, asked if I'd like to partner with her to form a group blog for Western romance authors. I jumped at the chance, since I'd been thinking along the same lines. We invited eleven to join us so that we'd have a new post every two days. Also, we reserved the 10th and the 20th for special guests. You were our very first Special Guest! How about that?
We not only promote our books at times, we write articles complete with old photos of the Old West. It's becoming fairly popular.
What’s special about romances set in Texas?
**Well, because it's Texas! I'm a 7th generation Texan, a Daughter of the Texas Republic, and Texas is what I know best.
And you live in San Marcos, Texas, with that beautiful San Marcos river. What has this extensive drought done to the river?
**So far, the springs are still bubbling. During the worst drought of the 50s, the springs never stopped, although they did slow. Now, the river is low, but still flowing. The tubers are out in force.
So what’s next for Celia Yeary?
**Promoting all the books I have out takes a great deal of time. When I do find time to write, I work on a manuscript titled "A Life Worth Living," set in 1919 after The Great War ended. A soldier comes home to Texas and finds all his family wiped out from the Spanish flu, and his neighbor burned down his house and barn. But he meets a pretty widow...and finds his old dog Tracer...and is accused of murder...and what else, I don't know yet.
Thanks so much for inviting me--
Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas
http://www.celiayeary.blogspot.com
http://www.celiayeary.com
http://sweetheartsofthewest.blogspot.com