What Are We Writing? By Margaret Daley

Author:  Pamela Tracy

Title: The Bluebonnet Bride

Hero and Heroine: Amy and Daniel

Line: Redbud Press

One paragraph from the page you are currently on: She made more money on mail order than she did one-on-one.  The one-on-one, however, taught her soft skills.  She needed to know how to talk to crafters.  Some of them, like Miss Lisa, had been born sewing.  Others, like herself, came to the habit late in life. Not that twenty-six was old. And, truth be told, she’d been old at sixteen.

Due Date: December 31

Word or page count goal today: 1000

Something cool learned from research:  That some care centers still have hospital beds from the 1940s that crank.  Not a good sign.

Author: Jean C. Gordon

Title: TBD

Hero and Heroine: Rhys Maddox and Renee Delacroix

Line: Love Inspired Romance

One paragraph from the page you are currently on:

Rhys Maddox looked across the nondescript room at his broken dream. The dream he’d shattered. A blond woman about his age stood there in the doorway flanked by two boys. His boys. Owen a miniature copy of himself. Dylan with so many of his mother’s features, it made his heart bleed.

Due Date: I don't have one. This is the beginning of a new series proposal.

Word or page count goal today: 700

Something cool learned from research: The story idea is so new I haven't done any serious research yet.

Author: Danica Favorite   

Title: The Nanny Trap (working title)

Hero and Heroine: Mitch Taylor and Polly MacDonald

Line: Love Inspired Historical

One paragraph from the page you are currently on:

Over the years, he’d had ladies come in to his store telling them that they’d pray for him for this and that, and usually he thought it was a nice sentiment that wouldn’t do him any good, even though the women meant well. Hearing it come out of Frank’s mouth, Mitch almost believed praying for a miracle might actually get him results.

Due Date: 12/15

Word or page count goal today: 3000

Something cool learned from research: 

I really struggled finding information on schools in the 1880’s, and learned that it was because they were not as widespread or as common as I’d thought. It wasn’t until the late 1880’s that schools had a more standardized setup.

Author: Cate Nolan   

Title: Texas Justice (working title)

Hero and Heroine: Blake and Christine

Line: Love Inspired Suspense

One paragraph from the page you are currently on:

Just as she moved to dash across the street, a bullet whizzed past her head. She jerked instinctively, but the motion sent her forward. Off balance, her feet slid again on the slick pavement. Her legs flew out from under her and she felt the sickening sensation of sliding, like a kid on one of those water slides, on her hands and knees, directly into the path of the oncoming car.

Due Date: self-imposed mid-December

Word or page count goal today: cutting words because the draft came in at 90k

Something cool learned from research: Good places to eat if I'm ever in Austin.

Author: Louise M. Gouge

Working title: A Family for the Rancher

Hero and Heroine: Edmund McKay and Lula May Barlow

Line: Harlequin's Love Inspired Historical

One paragraph from the page you are currently on:

While Lula May might very well get her feathers ruffled, he would propose again, this time expressing his love before he said anything else. That was, if he could just keep from sticking his boot in his mouth. As he drove the wagon toward her house, it seemed like an inordinate amount of dust filled his mouth and throat. How would he ever get the words out?

Due Date: November 30, 2015

Word or page count goal today: 1600

Something cool learned from research: Ranchers in the Old West joined together in Cattlemen's Associations to stop cattle rustlers. By concentrating their efforts, they cut the number of cattle stolen.