JellyPages.com

Monday, January 2, 2017

Meet Stephen "Austin" Hart



Welcome! I'm Vickie McDonough, and this week I have the pleasure of introducing Stephen "Austin" Hart to you. If you've read Seven Brides for Seven Texans, you already know that Austin is the oldest of the Hart brothers. Here's a little info about him:


Austin bears a lot of responsibility. Not only is he named after "the Father of Texas," Stephen F. Austin, the man who started the first white settlement in Texas, but alongside his pa, he bears the burden of keeping the 7-Heart Ranch profitable so his and his brothers' inheritance is secure. He's a no-nonsense man, but he deeply loves his family. He's a kind, honorable, generous person--a man many women would love to marry. Too bad he doesn't have time to find a wife. Sending for a mail-order bride seems his best option for meeting his pa's ultimatum.

This is the man I based my image of Austin on

Austin is pretty typical for being the first-born child. As the leader of the pack, firstborns often tend to be:

  Reliable
  Conscientious
  Structured
  Cautious
  Controlling
  Achievers

Firstborns bask in their parents' presence, which may explain why they sometimes act like mini-adults. Firstborns are diligent and want to be the best at everything they do.

I'm the firstborn of two girls, and I have to say that most of the traits above are ones that I have to some degree. My sister, who is just 22 months younger than me, has almost the same traits. Needless to say, we've butted heads most of our lives.

How about you? Where do you fall in birth order among your siblings? What would you say are your three main traits? 

Give Away! At the end of the week, I'll be giving away a copy of my 3-book Texas Boardinghouse Brides series to someone who completes the Seven Brides for Seven Texans Word Search that I've placed below. The puzzle is in jpg format, so you should be able to click on it/or right-click it to enlarge it and save a copy. If you can't, email me via the Contact page on my website - www.vickiemcdonough.com - and I'll send you a copy. Snap a picture or scan the completed puzzle and send it to me, and you'll be entered in my drawing. You have until Friday at 4 Central time to complete it. I hear some of you groaning, but it's a pretty simple puzzle. I know you can do it!





Bestselling author Vickie McDonough grew up wanting to marry a rancher, but instead married a computer geek who is scared of horses. She now lives out her dreams penning romance stories about ranchers, cowboys, lawmen, and others living in the Old West. Vickie is an award-winning author of more than 40 published books and novellas, with over 1.5 million copies sold. Her novels include the fun and feisty Texas Boardinghouse Brides series, and End of the Trail, winner of the OWFI 2013 Best Fiction Novel Award. Whispers on the Prairie was a Romantic Times Recommended Inspirational Book for July 2013. Song of the Prairie won the 2015 Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Gabriel’s Atonement, book 1 in the Land Rush Dreams series, placed second in the 2016 Will Rogers Medallion Award. Vickie has recently stepped into independent publishing. 
Vickie has been married for forty-one years to Robert. They have four grown sons, one daughter-in-law, and a precocious granddaughter. When she’s not writing, Vickie enjoys reading, antiquing, doing stained glass, watching movies, and traveling. To learn more about Vickie’s books or to sign up for her newsletter, visit her website: www.vickiemcdonough.com

Be sure to enter our Rafflecopter giveaway and vote in the polls on the sidebar.




a Rafflecopter giveaway

17 comments:

  1. I'm the oldest of four, and I do bear many of the traits we oldests are known for. I like to think I've mellowed over the years, but my siblings might disagree. Not to worry. If they do, I'll set them straight. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. :) I do think most of us mellow over the years. I think I have some. My sister would probably disagree.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am a middle child. I am the reason my parents had to make so many rules. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Are you saying they didn't have any rules for you older sibling? :) I'm the oldest, and they definitely made a bunch of rules for me to attempt to follow.

      Delete
    2. My older sister was an angelic child. :) She only colored within the lines. :D

      Delete
  5. I was one of the middles, second to youngest. I was the only girl. So I did get my way a lot. However, I think I have several of the traits that you listed for firstborn kids. At least I have been told that I am reliable, structured, cautious and an achiever. I have even been told I am controlling a time or two. :) .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How many brothers did you have, Joy? I was the oldest of two girls aways wished I had an older brother.

      Delete
  6. I am a middle and certainly act like one. LOL. As for my oldest daughter I do see many of these traits in her!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's interesting to see the birth order traits in our kids, isn't it. My oldest son certainly exhibits the main ones.

      Delete
  7. I'm the first of 3.. #2 is sister, #3 baby brother.. I've always been reliable, structured and an achiever. Seems like just 4 years difference was a generation change..

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am the oldest of three. We are all five years apart. I was like a second mother to my siblings and a partner to my mom. I spoiled my sister so much (my mom still blames me for some of her naughtiness) she in turn spoiled our brother when he came along. I would have to say I'm conscientious, reliable, and somewhat cautious. Always responsible, I've never been extremely structured, I'm more go with the flow. I got married and moved away at 18, my sister then took on a lot of "oldest" traits.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's interesting to see that your sister adopted traits of the oldest after you left. I didn't see that among my four sons, but then my second son was very quiet. The third son decided early on that he would rather boss than be bossed.

      Delete
  9. I am the oldest of 6. The first 4 were born in a 4 year period, there was a break of about5 years then the las two were born 19 months apart. I don't know how my mother did it. I can't imagine trying to handle the first 4.
    As for three of my traits, I'd say Reliable Conscientious, and an Achiever.
    Thank you for the giveaway.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I am in the middle born… One older sister, one younger brother. I was always pretty self-sufficient, easy-going, and the peacemaker. My sister was the trailblazer, the one in charge, and the reliable one. My little brother could do no wrong, & was the daredevil, but I would say we all managed to come out just fine!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'm the youngest of 2, though with 5 years between us I've heard that's more like a 1st born, lol. I was the reliable, conscientious one.

    ReplyDelete