Being the Heroes of Our Own Stories by Patricia Forsythe

            With Father’s Day coming up, I’m thinking about my dad, Raymond Forsythe, just as I was thinking about my mom last month before Mother’s Day.  He was born in rural Oklahoma in 1918, lost his father to the lingering effects of influenza a few years later, and grew up during the Depression.  Times were hard but, for him, they became even harder when his mother remarried, to a man who had very little interest in work of any kind, except that of running an illegal still, and whose only asset was his looks – there are some in the family who would argue whether he even had that attribute. 

            Although I don’t know much about what transpired to make my dad leave Oklahoma, I know that by the early 1930’s, he came to Arizona where his two older sisters lived with their husbands and he made the acquaintance of his newest brother-in-law, Harlon Green.  To the end of his life, my dad described Harlon as ‘the first good man I was ever around’.  Ironically, Harlon had also been raised by a worthless stepfather who drank, gambled, and couldn’t hold a job, but Harlon had decided at an early age that he wasn’t going to be like that.  He was going to be a good man and my dad followed his example.  They both succeeded.

 

            My dad was never without steady employment, and probably because he wasn’t well-educated, education was important to him.  Years before he met my mother, he bought a piece of land which he planned to sell when his kids were ready for college, and that’s exactly what he did.  He treated people well, was friendly, and a big tease.  He was quick and witty and made friends easily.

            So here is what I think.  I think people choose their path in life, that the old cliché is true - ‘What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger’ but either way, it’s our choice.  People who choose to follow a good path are heroes of their own stories, and those who don’t are their own villains.  As a writer, I like to create characters who overcome obstacles and make their own decisions for the best because doing so makes them heroes – like my dad and my uncle.

Patricia Forsythe is the author of many romance novels, both print and ebooks and is always working on more.  Most of them take place in the quirky little town of Lucky Break, Arizona.  You can visit her at patriciaforsythebooks.com.

Lessons From Mother by Patricia Forsythe

Like most everyone else in this country, I spent last week thinking about my mother who passed away more than a decade ago.  She was a devout Christian who was always involved in church activities, a good friend to those who knew her, a loving mother to my sisters and me and a wonderful seamstress who created clothing so beautiful I have remained unimpressed by the creations of fashion designers throughout my life.  She made the best blackberry cobbler ever. 

All the lessons she taught me have served me well, but the best thing she did was set an example of how to be a lifelong learner and a voracious reader.  When I learned to read, I followed her pattern of reading steadily until I could complete a book in a day.  That was my practice for many years – at least until I had children.

 

My mother always had dozens, and then hundreds of books around.  They were stacked, two deep, on bookshelves and stored in boxes in every closet of her house.  She couldn’t bear to part with any book.  I even found my old high school algebra book at the bottom of one of those boxes.  Water-logged and with the pages stuck together, I had no problem tossing it, though my mom asked if I really thought that was a good idea.

 

She liked fiction, especially stories of people who overcame the challenges that life threw at them.  The sweet romances I’ve written were a source of pride to her.  She liked to buy books in a series and when she passed away, my sisters and I collected her books, put the series together, and took them to her church where we found other eager readers.  I like to think her legacy of reading and learning continues.

We all have lessons we learn from our parents, some are good and some not so good but any lesson that teaches us to value the writing, knowledge, and wisdom of others is one to be cherished.  Thanks, Mama!

While Making Other Plans by Patricia Knoll

You know that quote that says, ‘Life is what happens to you while you’re making other plans’?  Well, I think that’s pretty accurate.  For the past couple of years I’ve been involved with the Tucson Festival of Books, a wonderful event that takes place every year in March on the University of Arizona campus.  It involves hundreds of authors, dozens of vendors of all types and more than one hundred thousand visitors to the event.  It’s exciting, fun, and exhausting. 

As soon as my involvement in the festival was over, my plan was to finish revisions on a book, send it to a friend who is also a copy editor, then get started on the next book.

Life had other ideas.

Spring arrived with its irresistible need to plant things, clean out things, organize things – paint the guest room! -- so the book got put off for a while.  Then a friend needed me to watch her three young children for a few days and life has become even more interesting.  Since I raised four children of my own, I know what a challenge it can be, but I think I’d forgotten how much fun it could be, too. I’ve laughed every day that they’ve been at my house, many times a day.  Something is happening every minute.  We can’t walk through the house without stepping on Legos or Hot Wheels cars.  The children are a girl, ten, and boys who are eight and almost four.  The little girl is very smart, takes good care of her brothers, and understandably becomes exasperated with them at times.  The boys play well together until they both want the same Lego.  The little one is convinced my bathroom is haunted, or maybe the ghosts are under the bed.  He tells lengthy stories about cows or whales or space guy ninjas, or whatever else pops into his mind, and keeps us all in stitches.

These three will definitely show up in a book someday, maybe even the one that I’m going to start as soon as their mother picks them up – and I emerge from the deep coma I plan to fall into.

Plans change, life happens, and the surprises never end.  Excuse me while I go check under the bed for ghosts.

Why We Love Cowboys by Patricia Knoll/Patricia Forsythe

Last week was Fiesta De Los Vaqueros in Tucson, Arizona – better known as Rodeo Days. Every year for the past eighty-nine years, the city of Tucson has spent several days in February remembering -- and sometimes reinventing -- its Wild West roots with a parade and a full program of old-fashioned rodeo events like bronc riding and roping. My dad was a cowboy – that’s his hat in the picture – and I attended many rodeos with him when I was a little girl. Nowadays, new twists have been added to rodeos with events for kids and a full day of activities promoting breast cancer awareness. Yes, some things have changed, but one thing that endures is the American love for cowboys.

In the 1800’s novels with Old West settings and themes were popular because they were often sensationalized accounts of the activities of real cowboys or western lawmen – basically a cowboy with a badge -- who had a code of honor that they followed strictly. It consisted of doing right for others by protecting the innocent and punishing evildoers. This attractive stereotype carried over into the early days of silent pictures, then into the serialized westerns and full length movies without -- and then with -- sound, and it still carries on today to a limited degree. Few western-themed movies and television shows are made today, but the cowboy carries on. Today’s cowboy may not be dressed in jeans, hat, or boots. He may be a superhero with cape, mask, and the ability to fly, but beneath the leotard and tights beats the heart of a cowboy. He’s still protecting the innocent and punishing evildoers.

One place that cowboys still show up in their original version, though, is in the romance novel. Whether it is one set in the Wild West, or in a modern western setting, they remain popular heroes. I’ve written several romance novels with cowboy heroes and they are a major feature in my Lucky Break, Arizona series of romances. There is something attractive about a businessman who owns a large piece of land like a ranch and has employees, and often families, depending on him. In one way these men are loners, but in other ways they’re the heads of big corporations. Their pursuits can be as basic as shoeing a horse, or as complex as negotiating a multi-million dollar deal for the sale of land or cattle. Either way, we love them and the spirit of independence and self-sufficiency they represent.

~*~

Patricia Knoll tells people she is that rarest of all creatures, a native Arizonan of ‘a certain age’. She writes books set in the west in order to shamelessly take advantage of the colorful characters, traditions, and history of her native state. Contact her at www.patriciaknoll.com

Happy Valentine's Day from the Sweet Romance Reads Authors!

Ah, the movies. Romantic comedies, great drama, teen flicks and the classics! What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than for our authors to share their favourite movie couples - and why they've touched our hearts. So without further ado, in honour of this most romantic day of the year, Sweet Romance Reads presents... our favourite romantic movie couples.

Donna Fasano, author of The Single Daddy Club: Derrick Duke (James Garner) and Allie (Gina Rowlands) in The Notebook. They're my favorite couple because I love Duke's dedication to Allie. He's a wonderful example of "in sickness and in health."

Magdalena Scott, author of Midnight in Legend, TN. My movie is from 1953 - ROMAN HOLIDAY with Audrey Hepburn as Princess Ann, who is visiting Rome on a European tour, and Gregory Peck as an expat American reporter working in Rome. She is young and innocent, he's been around the block. I love how their relationship changes both of them. But each time I watch it, I mentally rewrite the ending to make it a "happily ever after." Maybe that's one of the reasons I write Romance!

Shaleen Kapil, whose upcoming debut is a contemporary update of Jane Austen's Persuasion. Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr in "An Affair to Remember." The last scene when he starts to put everything together and looks for the painting is always heart-wrenching. Then he finds the painting, and you can see the transformation in his face.

Joanne Hill, author of Falling for Jack. It's a sentimental movie from my teens that I still love - Molly Ringwald and Michael Schoeffling as geeky Samantha and cool guy Jake in Sixteen Candles. The last scene where she's standing in the church doorway after her sister's wedding, and he waves at her, and she looks around to see who he's waving at, and says "Me?" and he says, "Yeah, you." Just gorgeous.

Margaret Daley, author of Love Gone To The Dogs Sean Connery and Lorraine Bracco in Medicine Man about two stubborn, brillant doctors that clash and fall in love in the middle of the Amazon jungle. The scene I loved was when they were walking above the trees by a system of ropes looking for a cure for cancer. Action packed combined with a romance—my kind of story.

Patricia Forsythe (aka Patricia Knoll), author of Here To Stay I'm a sucker for musicals. My favorite movie couple is Professor Harold Hill and Marian Paroo from 'The Music Man'. I love the way her love changed him from a man who worked his con on unsuspecting citizens and got the last train out of town to a man who 'got his foot caught in the door'. I also love the way he changed her idea of who the perfect man for her could be. And I know all the lyrics to all the songs!

Melinda Curtis, author of Summer Kisses Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, Pride & Prejudice. I go against the grain and prefer the movie over the PBS special, because it hits all the emotional high points succinctly.

Helen Scott Taylor, author of The Army Doctor's Valentine's Baby My favorite movie couple are Johnny (Patrick Swayze) and Francis (Jennifer Grey) from Dirty Dancing. I love that the ordinary girl gets the cool guy.

Sierra Donovan, author of Meg's Confession Rick and Ilsa from Casablanca. SPOILER ALERT: No, it's not a traditional HEA, but they get back the love they lost and become better people who put their personal hurts aside for the greater good. Chokes me up every time. And yes, they WILL always have Paris.

Milou Koenings, author of Reclaiming Home Rose Sayer and Charlie Allnut, aka Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart in the African Queen. Their differences lead to conflicts, but by working together they each bring out the best in each other and become more likeable people. Despite their arguments, they have such respect for each other and are aware of the other's kindness and strengths. And even though they face tremendous challenges just saving their own lives and could easily have focused on that alone, they come together over a common goal that is bigger than themselves.

Aileen Fish, author of Cowboy Cupid Emma and Murphy from Murphy’s Romance. SPOILER: At the end, after Emma declares she’s in love for the first time, Murphy, who is “somewhat” older, says, “And I’m in love for the last time.” That line gets me – such a declaration of eternal love.

Looking Back While Facing Forward by Patricia Knoll/Patricia Forsythe

While I realize that January is supposed to be a time of looking forward, I invariably find myself looking back, as well. There are always things we leave behind from one year to the next, things we started in January and which didn’t even last two weeks – like the Cabbage Soup Diet, anyone remember that one? Shudder! There are always things we meant to do, not just starting a diet and finally losing those twenty or thirty extra pounds, but clearing out unwanted items, shedding things we’ve collected over the years and never use, like the melon baller I’ve never once employed in the production of melon balls.

Sometimes good things are left behind, like a budding friendship or romance we didn’t pursue and allowed to drift away. It could also be a project we started or intended to start but never completed. There are years when we lose loved ones and we wonder how we’re going to live without them – and yet, somehow we do. We treasure the nostalgic feelings, the memories, the possessions they left us and we hang onto the lessons they taught us. Picking up one of their precious belongings, or recalling what we learned from them, are what enables us to move into the future.

I’ve been thinking about this more than ever this month because at Christmas I received a card from a friend I hadn’t heard from in years. We’ve known each other since the age of three, grew up together, went to school together, shared absolutely everything throughout our adolescence, but then we drifted apart into different interests and different friends, careers, marriages and families. Hearing from her made me realize there had been a hole in my life that was just her size and it was time to fill it. One weekend very soon I’m going to dig out the old pictures I inherited from my mom, the old high school year books my mom saved and make the six hour drive to see her. She remembers everything about childhood that I remember, her two sisters were friends with my two sisters, and our parents were friends, too. She’s a valuable source of memories with which I want to reconnect. Looking back but moving forward at the same time gives richness and meaning to our lives. It’s a lesson I don’t want to forget.

~ * ~

Patricia Knoll has held a number of jobs, including teaching school, working as a librarian and as a secretary, and operating a care home for developmentally disabled children. Her favorite occupation, though, is writing romantic comedies in which the characters get into challenging, humorous, or outlandish situations and then work their way out. Each situation and set of characters is different, so sometimes the finished book is as much a surprise to her as it is to the readers. She is the author of 25 romance novels for Harlequin and Kensington Books and is thrilled to now be able to make some of her backlist available for sale online. She writes her online e-books as Patricia Forsythe. Visit her at patriciaforsythebooks.com.