Where is Papa's Shining Star?

Finding Papa's Shining Star

Today I’m happy to showcase author Judy Nickles and her two Vintage Rose novels.  Where Is Papa's Shining Star? and its sequel, Finding Papa's Shining Star were released April 2 and April 16  of this year by The Wild Rose Press. Never one to let her keyboard cool off, Judy also penned a third book, The Showboat Affair, coming in 2011 under the pen name, Gwyneth Greer, and also from The Wild Rose Press.

Judy maintains a wonderful writing blog at http://judythewordplace.blogspot.com/ filled with oodles of helpful advice. One particular saying of Judy’s always makes me smile and inspires me to get back to my writing chair.  Her signature phrase is “Someday is Here.”  Here’s how Judy describes her writing journey and the story behind the quote.

I've been writing forever, first on a big Chief tablet, then on my father's ancient Underwood typewriter. I've been through a portable typewriter, two electrics, a word processor, and several computers. I wrote stories and poems to amuse myself and to express feelings that had no other outlet. But published or not, I write for the love of writing and that's the most important reason of all.

Someday, Judy often thought, she’d be a published author.  I can still remember the blog post when she announced that first contract.  It was simple and to the point. The first line read: Someday is here.  It’s a wisp of inspiration we should all have as writers. The thought that SOMEDAY will come and we’ll see our name on a published book. Judy believed it and all of us should too.

Publication happened for Judy because of her talent, persistence and determination.  Although I’ve only known Judy for a few years, one thing I’ve always admired about her is her great stick-to-it-ness.  Despite the fact that her ‘retirement’ from teaching has often been more work than a full time job, I’ve never known Judy to throw up her hands and declare in her delightful Texan drawl, “I don’t have time to write!” Judy approaches writing like I imagine she faced lesson plans during all those years of teaching.  She wrestles it into submission and gets the job done!

You can find trailers of Judy’s books at her newsy and informative websites: www.judynickles.com  and www.gwynethgreer.yolasite.com

Judy’s latest project is the self-publishing of a trilogy she calls The Kate Chronicles. The series is dedicated to her long time friend, Linda Sherlock, who sadly passed away early this year. The titles of the Kate series are: The Sparkling Years, The Shining Years and The Golden Years. 

Here’s a brief synopsis of The Kate Chronicles:

When Dan Forrester meets Olivia Bancroft, he is ready to live again after the tragic loss of his wife during the Civil War. Cary, her oldest son, opposes the marriage. Just a few months later, Olivia and Dan make the decision to adopt an infant found beside the body of her mother in a deserted line shack on the Double B ranch.

Nicknamed KatieBee by her brother Cary, Katherine Bancroft Forrester soon steals the hearts of her much-older siblings and brings incomparable joy to her parents.

"The Christ Child brought you, Kate precious," Dan tells her every Christmas.

"Well brought up little girls do not come down the stairs like a herd of cow ponies," Olivia admonishes her.

Her brother Cary teaches her to ride and shoot. Her sister Regina delights in having 'a real live doll' to dress and show off. Hart secretly resents the attention lavished on his unexpected sister. And Mr. Amos fills the roll of grandfather, counselor, playmate, and adviser when Kate is at the ranch.

Kate fulfills her ambition to become a doctor, marries, and has a son and a daughter. She lives through two world wars, a depression, and sees a man walk on the moon. The memory of her parents' words and example keeps her feet firmly on the path despite all the changes around her.

Judy chose self-publication for Kate’s stories because of their wide scope and the age range of readers.  Interested readers should visit www.thekatechronicles.yolasite.com   to learn more about Kate and these entertaining books.  To promote The Kate Chronicles, Judy sends a free email newsletter – The Kate Chronicles Newsletter.  This is a delightful mix of excerpts from the Kate books, a contest for readers, helpful links for historical writers and usually an article or two on a historically based topic.  Judy is always looking for new writers and topics for the newsletter.  You can email her at: thekatechronicles@yahoo.com.  New readers for the newsletter are also welcome.

This month, The Kate Chronicles is having a contest.  If you become a newsletter subscriber and get one other friend to join, your name is entered in a drawing for a complete set of Kate books! One winner will get a set of Kate chronicles just by subscribing and getting a friend to join. It’s free and the newsletter is a great historical breath of fresh air once a month. There are always useful links to historical sites as an added bonus!

So, saddle your ponies and gallop to the nearest computer! Spend some time on one of Judy’s fun websites and learn about this amazing author! You’ll be glad you did!