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

A Peek Behind the Scenes #1

Erica here:

Wow, release week is off to a roaring start! The Facebook party was a rousing success, with more than 100 participants and hundreds of comments and likes. There were games and trivia and character sketches and plot summaries, cyber-food and prizes and more. You can scroll through the posts on Facebook by clicking HERE

There are SEVEN copies of the book up for giveaway over on Goodreads: You can find that giveaway by clicking HERE.

And our Loaded Kindle Fire Giveaway is really getting a lot of attention! More than 1000 entries so far! Thank you!!! (Enter below.)

On Saturdays over the next few weeks, we'll be giving you a peek behind the scenes on how seven authors worked so closely together to create a cohesive collection of stories that would read as a single story while keeping the characters all unique enough so as not to cause confusion.

Communication was key, and there were two primary ways we communicated.

1. A secret Facebook Group. This group was set up from the beginning, and it was here that we hashed out things like who would get what character as their hero, what the order of the stories would be, and where all the characters would be at any given point in the stories.

2. The Master Document. This is a 25+ page document where we collated and organized all the information we were deciding in multiple Facebook posts. This document contained character sketches, story synopses, timelines, secondary character charts, maps, photographs, and more!

One of the most crucial items in the Master Document was a map of the fictional town of Hartville, Texas. It was important that if Gabrielle had the church at the south end of town in her story, that Keli not accidentally place it in the north end of town in her story.

So, I did a quick search for a map of an old west town. I had thought to find something like Cowtown in Wichita, KS or Stuhr Village in Grand Island, NE but what I found was a map of the town used in the TV remake The Magnificent Seven. (Kind of appropriate, don't you think? What with there being seven magnificent Hart brothers?)

Here is the original map I found:

As you can see, there are lots of things we wanted to include: a church, a livery, a newspaper office, a hotel.

But we needed to customize the map, too. So as the writers plotted and wrote their stories, if they needed a certain building to be in a certain place in the town, they would post it in the FB group and I would add it to our map in red.

Eventually, this is what the map came to look like:

As you can see, we needed a doctor's office for Travis Hart, a Mercantile, a lawyer's office. I know that I referred to the map while I wrote, and I referred to it even more when it came time for continuity edits. 

It was keeping track of details like this that enabled us to work so well together, to create a cohesive set of stories in a fictional world that feels real.

Be sure to come back next week when our hostess is Lorna Seilstad. She's got a swoony hero who is a Texas Ranger and has the most adorable dimples! You won't want to miss her posts!

And don't forget to enter the giveaway below. Please "Like" our FB pages and sign up for our newsletters to be entered. 

SIGN UP FOR MY NEWSLETTER
Find me on AMAZON.COM
Find me on FACEBOOK

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Minnesota vs. Texas

Thank you for making release day so much fun! We had a blast on the Facebook Party and we're excited to see so many people entered in the Rafflecopter drawing. Be sure to stay tuned to this blog for more chances to win.

The winner of a print copy of Seven Brides for Seven Texans from yesterday's post is: Anjanette Treadway! Please provide your email in the comments and I'll be in touch!

Don't forget to comment on today's post! I'll announce another winner tomorrow.

Over the course of the next seven weeks, the authors from the Seven Brides for Seven Texans novella collection will fill this blog with fun post all about the Hart brothers from Hartville, Texas. You'll learn more about the authors, the Hart brothers and their brides, and the inspiration behind each novella. Along with all that, we'll be giving away lots and lots of prizes!!

Each author will blog for one week in the order her story falls in the collection. Here's a rundown:

Week One: Nov. 28-Dec 2 ~ Gabrielle Meyer
Week Two: Dec. 5-9 ~ Lorna Seilstad
Week Three: Dec. 12-16 ~ Amanda Barratt
Week Four Dec 19-23 ~ Keli Gwyn
Week Five Dec 26-30 ~ Susan Page Davis
Week Six Jan 2-6 ~ Vickie McDonough
Week Seven Jan 9-13 ~ Erica Vetsch

On Tuesday, I shared a little about my story, First Comes Love, and on Wednesday I told you more about my hero and heroine, Hays and Emma. Today I'm going to share why it was such a challenge to write a story set in Texas, and why I chose Emma to be from Minnesota.

First Comes Love is my fourth published story (I have another story releasing this month, as well, it's called A Family Arrangement from Love Inspired Historical), and my third novella with Barbour. Until now, all my stories have been set in Minnesota. I love my home state. I was employed by the Minnesota Historical Society at the Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site for ten years, and I worked at the Charles A. Weyerhaeuser Memorial Museum for two years. In that time, I fell in love with the rich history of my state and I enjoy writing fictional stories inspired by real people, places and events.

Last year, I was at the History Museum in St. Paul with Erica Vetsch and she asked me if all my stories needed to be set in Minnesota (since Minnesota is part of my brand as an author). I told her no, the stories don't have to be set in Minnesota, but there has to be some sort of Minnesota connection. She didn't tell me why she'd asked that question, but a week or so later, I found out! She asked if I'd like to contribute to a novella collection set in Texas. The premise of Seven Brides for Seven Texans sounded so intriguing, I couldn't resist! I knew it would be a challenge to set a story in Texas, since I know so little about that great state, but like every good historical author, I knew I could do enough research to make it believable.

As part of the Minnesota connection, I decided to bring Emma Longley to Texas from Minnesota. It also worked for her to be the daughter of the hero and heroine from my first Barbour novella, Four Brides and a Bachelor from The Most Eligible Bachelor Collection. Emma longs to return to Minnesota, and she struggles to find any redeeming qualities about Texas. Hays takes that as a challenge to help her see the beauty of the Lone Star state, and in the process, she learns to love him as much as she does Texas.

Since Emma was raised on the banks of the Mississippi River in central Minnesota, I had her miss the gentle, soothing water from back home. It just so happens that the Sabinal River runs through the Seven Heart Ranch, right through Hays' piece of property. To make her feel at home, he brings her to the Sabinal and she finally starts to see why he loves it so. It's also where he plans to build a house once he's married.

It was fun to create a Texas hero and write a story set outside my comfort zone. It challenged me and made me stretch with my writing. I had to learn about the flora and fauna of south-central Texas, as well as the climate and landscape. My story is set between January and March, which would look way different in Minnesota than it does in Texas. It's something Emma is aware of and something Hays comments on. The clothing would different, the housing would be different, and the culture would be different. I used all these differences to my advantage when looking at them through Emma's point of view.

When Erica and I got together to read through the whole collection, I needed the most help with my Texas dialogue and turn-of-phrase. She was especially helpful with G.W., the patriarch of the family, and I like him so much better now. :)

I'm honored to be part of the Seven Brides for Seven Texans Novella Collection. I loved spending this week with you, and I'm excited to see what the other authors will share in the coming months. Be sure to visit often and say hello! Erica will share some fun behind-the-scenes information tomorrow and then Lorna will be here bright and early Monday morning. I'll also be here, commenting with everyone else.

Now I'd love to hear from you! When have you been asked to reach outside your comfort zone? Whether at work, in your community, or in a move? Do you love where you live? How does it differ from what you know of Minnesota or Texas? If you could live anywhere in the United States, where would it be and why? Do you have any other questions for me?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to comment! I'll choose one winner from today's comments and announce them on the blog tomorrow (be sure to comment before midnight tonight!).

Gabrielle Meyer
Find me on Facebook
Find me on Pinterest
Find me on Twitter
Find me on Amazon
Find me on Goodreads
Find me on My Website
Sign up for My Newsletter

Release Day!

The day has finally arrived! Seven Brides for Seven Texans has officially released. We've been working on this collection for over a year, so this day is especially sweet for the seven authors who created Hartville and all those handsome Hart men.

To celebrate, we have put together an awesome grand prize.

We're giving away a loaded Kindle Fire!

And we've included fourteen of our previously published books.

A Family Arrangement by Gabrielle Meyer

A Mother in the Making by Gabrielle Meyer

Family of Her Dreams by Keli Gwyn

A Home of Her Own by Keli Gwyn

Make Believe Beau by Keli Gwyn

The Reliable Cowboy by Susan Page Davis

Heart of a Cowboy Collection from Susan Page Davis

The Bull Rider's Bride by Vickie McDonough

As Love Blooms by Lorna Seilstad

When Love Calls by Lorna Seilstad

While Love Stirs by Lorna Seilstad

A Bride's Portrait of Dodge City, Kansas by Erica Vetsch

The Cactus Creek Challenge by Erica Vetsch

The Most Eligible Bachelor Collection from Amanda Barratt

As well as a copy of Seven Brides for Seven Texans.

Enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win and be sure to stop by our Facebook Party today to join in the celebration. We're playing games, giving away lots of fun prizes, and answering all your questions! Don't forget to stop by Goodreads, too! Seven copies of the collection are up for grabs.

Each day this week, I'm giving away one copy of Seven Brides for Seven Texans here on the blog to one person who comments. Be sure to leave us a comment for a chance to win today's copy! The winner from yesterday's blog post is Melanie Backus! Melanie, please provide your email in the comments and I'll contact you.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hays & Emma

I had a blast visiting with everyone yesterday! The winner of a print copy of Seven Brides for Seven Texans from yesterday's post is: Bonnie Roof!!!

Don't forget to comment on today's post! I'll announce another winner tomorrow.

Over the course of the next seven weeks, the authors from the Seven Brides for Seven Texans novella collection will fill this blog with fun post all about the Hart brothers from Hartville, Texas. You'll learn more about the authors, the Hart brothers and their brides, and the inspiration behind each novella. Along with all that, we'll be giving away lots and lots of prizes!!

Each author will blog for one week in the order her story falls in the collection. Here's a rundown:

Week One: Nov. 28-Dec 2 ~ Gabrielle Meyer
Week Two: Dec. 5-9 ~ Lorna Seilstad
Week Three: Dec. 12-16 ~ Amanda Barratt
Week Four Dec 19-23 ~ Keli Gwyn
Week Five Dec 26-30 ~ Susan Page Davis
Week Six Jan 2-6 ~ Vickie McDonough
Week Seven Jan 9-13 ~ Erica Vetsch

Yesterday I told you a little about my story, First Comes Love, and one of the reasons I wanted to be the first one in the collection. Today I'd love to tell you more about my hero and heroine, Hays & Emma, and share one of my favorite memories of collaborating on this collection.

It was fun to create the character of Hays Hart. As the youngest brother, I wanted him to be charming and carefree. He didn't have the misfortune of going off to war, and he doesn't carry the burden to prove anything to his pa. Instead, he spent his early years as one of the only brothers on the ranch when his mother died and when his brothers left. He quickly learned how to cover his own pain so he wouldn't add any more grief to his pa's. He loves to make people happy, and if he can shoulder someone's troubles, he will, no matter the cost. Most of his brothers had lived full lives before he was old enough to know what was happening, and he feels he has a lot of catching up to do. If he can marry first, it will make his pa proud and it will prove to the rest of his brothers that he's not a child anymore.

Since Hays is rarely serious, I wanted Emma Longley to be his complete opposite. She is the oldest child of Reverend and Mrs. Luke Longley (the hero and heroine from my first novella Four Brides and a Bachelor in The Most Eligible Bachelor Collection). She grew up in central Minnesota and has come to Hartville with her family, since her father is the new pastor in town. She has also agreed to be the school teacher, but she doesn't care for Texas and plans to head back to Minnesota as soon as she fulfills her teaching contract in two months. At first, she dislikes Hays' carefree attitude, but she soon realizes that his personality compliments hers, and they begin to fall in love.

One of the benefits of a continuity series like Seven Brides for Seven Texans is that when the novella ends you don't have to say goodbye to the characters you've come to love. Hays and Emma show up in each novella throughout the collection, and you'll see that their story continues long after they say 'I do.'

Once I created the character sketches for Hays and Emma, I posted them to our group Facebook page which allowed the other authors to use them in their stories (we each did this). So Hays shows up several times throughout the collection, and his fun, easy-going personality shines in each story. Emma is right beside him, tempering his carefree nature with a little dose of her calm demeanor.

It was a blast to write a novella for this collection because of the authors I worked with. I knew almost all of them before, but I know Erica Vetsch better than the others. Erica and I both live in Minnesota and we have a plethora of things in common (we both write historical romances, we both homeschool/homeschooled our children, we LOVE history, we write for a couple of the same group blogs, and so much more). Though we live about three hours apart, we meet once a month half way between in the Twin Cities before our monthly ACFW chapter meeting. We have so much fun laughing and visiting at these monthly get-togethers, I'm sure the other patrons wonder what we're drinking in our tea. :)

Erica and I had talked about getting together at my house for a weekend retreat, and it just so happened that we had scheduled the retreat about a month before the novellas were due to our editor. Erica had asked each author to send her their novellas early so she could read through them for continuity. I asked if she wanted help, and she said yes.

Over the course of about forty-eight hours, we took turns reading six of the seven stories out loud, in chronological order. That's about 150,000 words! By the end of the weekend, it felt as if Erica and I had lived in Hartville for those two days and all the characters in the collection had truly come to life. We stopped to get a little sleep, eat a few meals, and go to a dinner theater, but that's about it! We fell in love with each hero, oohed and aahed over their love stories, and marveled at the amazing authors we were blessed to work with. It was the most fun I've had in a long time and one of my favorite memories while collaborating for this collection.

Tomorrow is a big day! It's the official release of Seven Brides for Seven Texans. To celebrate, we'll be sharing a grand prize here on the blog and I'll let you know how you can enter to win. We're also hosting a live Facebook Party from 3:00-5:30 p.m. EST. Be sure to RSVP so you're sent updates and reminders! There will be more chances to win prizes at the party.

We want to give away as many copies of the collection as possible, so be sure to visit the Goodreads giveaway, as well!

On Friday, I'll share about some of the challenges I faced setting a story in Texas! And why I chose for Emma to originate from Minnesota...

Now I'd love to hear from you! If you're married, are you married to someone who's your complete opposite? Have you relocated from where you grew up (like Emma)? What were some of your challenges when you moved? Or did you stay in your hometown (like Hays)? What are some of the challenges of staying? Do you have a friend who you have a lot in common with (like Erica and I)? What are some of those things?

Don't forget to comment! I'll choose one winner from today's comments and announce them on the blog tomorrow (be sure to comment before midnight tonight!).

Gabrielle Meyer
Find me on Facebook
Find me on Pinterest
Find me on Twitter
Find me on Amazon
Find me on Goodreads
Find me on My Website
Sign up for My Newsletter

First Comes Love, by Gabrielle Meyer

Over the course of the next seven weeks, the authors from the Seven Brides for Seven Texans novella collection will fill this blog with fun post all about the Hart brothers from Hartville, Texas. You'll learn more about the authors, the Hart brothers and their brides, and the inspiration behind each novella. Along with all that, we'll be giving away lots and lots of prizes!!

Each author will blog for one week in the order her story falls in the collection. Here's a rundown:

Week One: Nov. 28-Dec 2 ~ Gabrielle Meyer
Week Two: Dec. 5-9 ~ Lorna Seilstad

Week Three: Dec. 12-16 ~ Amanda Barratt
Week Four Dec 19-23 ~ Keli Gwyn
Week Five Dec 26-30 ~ Susan Page Davis
Week Six Jan 2-6 ~ Vickie McDonough
Week Seven Jan 9-13 ~ Erica Vetsch

Since my story is the first in the Seven Brides for Seven Texans collection, I have the distinct honor of posting the first week! Each day this week, I will give away a print copy of the collection to one person who comments, so be sure to check back each day to see if you're a winner and comment on the next post for another chance to win! 

Here's a little bit about my story and my main characters.

First Comes Love, by Gabrielle Meyer

As the youngest Hart brother, Hays has never been first at anything--so he's determined to be the first to marry. He sets his sights on the new teacher, Miss Emma Longley, but soon discovers Emma wants nothing to do with marriage, ranching, or Texas and plans to leave Hartville in two short months. Will Hay's charm be enough to convince her to stay?

John Coffee Hays Hart (23) is six feet tall with blue eyes and light brown hair. He’s kind, handsome and charming. He’s known as a flirt with the local gals, but it’s all in good fun. He has an easy-going nature and he’s prone to innocent practical jokes. While he uses his humor to cover-up his pain and heartache, he’ll do whatever he can to protect the happiness of the people he loves. The only reason he hasn’t married yet is because he hasn’t fallen in love. When he does, he’ll be as loyal and passionate about her as he is about his family and the Seven Heart Ranch.

Emma Longley (18) is about five-foot-seven inches tall with dark brown hair and pretty green eyes. She is confident, loyal and determined. She’s passionate about education and she loves working with children. As a teacher, she has many goals and dreams, and she values having a purpose and cause in life. While she tends to be serious, she can also have fun and loves that Hays makes her laugh. She’s good at organizing and planning events and hopes to make a difference with her short time in Hartville. She’s never been in love, because she’s never had time to find the right man. When she falls in love, she will take joy in making a happy home.

~ ~ ~ ~

When I accepted the invitation to join this awesome collection, the lead author, Erica Vetsch, had come up with seven names of seven famous Texans and assigned the names to each member of the Hart family. John Coffee Hays Hart (known to his family as Hays) was the youngest of the brothers at the age of twenty-three. I immediately loved his name and decided then and there that as the youngest brother, he was fed up with his older brothers doing everything first! So I asked the six other authors if they would mind if Hays married first, which meant his story would come first in the collection.

Everyone agreed.

Since this is a continuity collection (each story is in chronological order), each author had unique challenges. One of mine was introducing the reader to the town of Hartville and many of the characters that would be important in everyone's stories. (On the flip side, I didn't have to worry about some of the details the others would have to deal with later on.) The first five or ten pages in a story are the most important. You want to draw the reader in and encourage them to keep reading. Since this collection reads like a full-length book, I had the pressure of keeping the reader's attention to not only finish my story, but want to read everyone else's stories, as well! 

As you'll learn in the coming weeks, the authors in this collection worked very close together. On Saturdays each week, Erica will share more details about how we kept our characters straight, how we created a timeline that would work for everyone's stories, how we developed secondary characters, how we created and used a town (and ranch) map, how we communicated, and so much more. She was our fearless leader and she did an amazing job (even if I did drive her crazy asking so many questions those first few days...). 

Above all else, this group of authors had fun! We loved creating the Hart men and I believe you'll understand why after reading the collection. 

Tomorrow, I'll tell you a little more about Hays and Emma, and why I created them the way that I did. I'll also share one of my favorite memories while collaborating with these authors, and I'll be giving away another copy of Seven Brides for Seven Texans!

Now I'd love to hear from you! Have you read a series like this before? What questions do you have for me (or the other authors) about creating this collection? Do you enjoy stories set in Texas? What's your take on handsome cowboys? :)

Don't forget to comment! I'll choose one winner from today's comments and announce them on the blog tomorrow (be sure to comment before midnight tonight!). 

Also, don't forget to RSVP for the Facebook Party on Thursday, December 1st or enter the giveaway on Goodreads for a chance to win one of seven copies of Seven Brides for Seven Texans!

Gabrielle Meyer
Find me on Facebook
Find me on Pinterest
Find me on Twitter
Find me on Amazon
Find me on Goodreads
Find me on My Website
Sign up for My Newsletter

Several Ways to Win!

Howdy, y'all!

It's hard to believe that Seven Brides for Seven Texans releases this week! We've been working on this collection for over a year and we're itching to introduce you to the Hart brothers of Hartville, Texas! These handsome men have stolen our hearts and we think you'll love them, too. 

To celebrate the long-awaited release, the authors of the collection are having a Facebook Party!

Please mark your calendars to join us on Thursday, December 1st from 3:00-5:30 p.m. EST (2:00-4:30 p.m. CST, 1:00-3:30 p.m. MST, and noon-2:30 p.m. PST.)

We're giving away lots of prizes, sharing behind-the-scenes fun, and introducing you to those Hart brothers.

If you haven't marked "going" on Facebook, be sure to visit here and RSVP to receive updates and reminders about the party.

Here's the party schedule. The seven authors will visit in the order in which their stories appear in the collection. Each author will offer a prize during her time slot and choose a winner from those who comment on her posts.

3:00-3:10 pm EST - Welcome
3:10-3:30 pm EST - Gabrielle Meyer
3:30-3:50 pm EST - Lorna Seilstad
3:50-4:10 pm EST - Amanda Barratt
4:10-4:30 pm EST - Keli Gwyn
4:30-4:50 pm EST - Susan Page Davis
4:50-5:10 pm EST - Vickie McDonough
5:10-5:30 pm EST - Erica Vetsch

That's not all!

We're so excited about this collection, we're giving away as many copies as we can! Be sure to visit Goodreads between November 27th and December 5th for more opportunities to win.

Go here to enter the Goodreads giveaway! It's that easy.

We have lots of exciting contests, giveaways and posts planned for this blog in the coming weeks! On Thursday we'll announce the Texas-worthy grand prize and let you know how you can enter to win. We'll also introduce you to all the authors of the Seven Brides for Seven Texans collection, as well as the colorful and lovable characters that fill the book. You'll hear about the inspiration behind our stories, how we coordinated all the details, and so much more. You won't want to miss a single post! 

Be sure to check back often and tell your friends. We're looking forward to celebrating with y'all!

Let's Chat: Are you a Goodreads user? If so, what do you like/dislike about using Goodreads? Have you connected with your favorite authors there? Have you ever attended a live Facebook party? What do you enjoy or not enjoy about Facebook parties? What would you like us to share on our Facebook party?