Friday, November 14, 2008

An Interview with PatyJager and A Contest!


Please welcome Paty Jager to my blog today!

Alisha: Can you tell us a little bit about your childhood? Favorite memories?

Paty: I grew up on a farm in NE Oregon with my parent’s two brothers and my paternal grandparents. Seven of us lived in an old farm house. We raised dairy cattle, sheep, hay, and grain. From the time I was big enough to handle one end of an irrigation pipe we helped change pipes and had chores. I spent the summer months riding my horse and swimming in the river. We were far enough from town that once school closed for the summer we rarely saw friends until it started up again. And we weren’t allowed to talk on the phone because it was a party line and someone else might need the phone.
My favorite memories are sitting down by the river in my favored spot under cottonwoods in a circle of ferns and reading. This was also the spot where I’d go if I wanted to think about things and write.

Alisha: Wow! Those are some beautiful memories, Paty! Tell us about the hero and heroine in your latest release.

Paty: Zeke is the middle brother of the five remaining Halseys. He believes in justice, but he also feels life is too short not to enjoy it and have a good time. He loves with all his heart and laughs with all his souls. Maeve rarely smiles. Life has dished her to much sorrow and unpleasantness. That is until Zeke comes along and works to not only put a smile on her face but to break through and open her heart to love.

Alisha: I already love the sound of this book! If you were granted three wishes by a genie, what would they be?

Paty: If I were granted three wishes by a genie- The first would be to make my friend, Lori’s, problems go away, the other would be to bring my mom back so she could see what wonderful adults her grandchildren have grown up to be, and the third would be for this world to get straightened out.

Alisha: If you could go anywhere to tomorrow, where would you go?

Paty: I need to go to Helena, MT to research for my latest WIP. LOL Probably not quite the exotic answer you were looking for but that is all that is on my mind at the moment getting this WIP done and being accurate.

Alisha: Oooh, no, I think Helena would be a wonderful place to visit. Can I go with ya? If you could see anyone tomorrow (dead or alive), who would it be?

Paty: This is easy, my mom. She died of cancer eighteen years ago and I would love for her to see her grown grandchildren.

Alisha: If you could choose six people to spend one week on a desert island, who would it be and why?

Paty: Agatha Christie- to get to know the woman behind those wonderful mysteries
LaVyrle Spencer- to visit about her character building
A Pioneer woman – to rehash the day to day trials of just living in her time
Clara Barton – to see what all she faced
Susan B. Anthony-talk about women’s suffrage
My husband- It would be nice to have a week to ourselves with no chores!


Alisha: I have some questions for you to ask the pioneer woman too! What word or phrase tingles in all the right places for you?

Paty: “Howdy, Ma’am.”

Alisha: Mmmmm....I love me some cowboys! Aren't they all just so darn polite? If you had one day to spoil yourself, what would you do?

Paty: I’d attend a day spa with my daughters. Get a massage and pedicure, then go to lunch.

Alisha: What’s the sexiest thing a man has ever done for you or said to you or both?

Paty: My dh bought me a refrigerator! LOL I would say the sexiest thing my husband does for me is allow me to chase my dream- writing. He has never said you can’t do it, and he is always telling others about my latest book.

Contest: Leave a comment for Paty today and you'll be entered into a drawing for a pdf of Outlaw in Petticoats!

Excerpt of Outlaw in Petticoats
He kneed his horse up alongside her gelding. “Any
chance you know how to use that pretty gun you have
hanging from your hip?” He said it in jest, but realized his
error when she turned a narrowed blue gaze on him.
“It just so happens, my father taught me one thing
before he left us.” She drew the pistol from her holster,
leveled it, and cocked the hammer with her thumb.
Glancing at him, a sly, crooked smile tipped her lips. She
squeezed the trigger.
Peering past the spiral of smoke at the end of the
pistol, he watched a pine cone topple off a limb.
She rode over to the pine cone, dismounted, and
handed it up to him.
He whistled and stared at the hole in the middle.
“Not bad. You can watch my back any time.”
Her dark eyebrows arched, and her mouth opened
slightly.
Zeke wanted to lean down and kiss her.
When she found her voice she asked, “You don’t care
I can outshoot most men?”
“As long as you don’t use that gun on me, you can
outshoot anyone you want.” He couldn’t keep from
laughing. She expected him to be insulted because she
was a better shot than him. She obviously hadn’t been
studying him like he studied her.
“I don’t understand you. Most men would have a
conniption if a woman shot better than them.” She
mounted her horse.
“Any man worth his salt knows his weaknesses and
doesn’t begrudge someone else who is better.” He shook
his head. “And Sweetheart, you’re better with a pistol
than I am.” He nudged his horse up alongside hers.
He caught her behind the neck with one hand and
leaned in, capturing her lips before she could move away.
Dang, but she tasted good. When he felt the horses
moving apart, he let her go. Her eyes remained closed,
and she licked her lips. The quick rise and fall of her
chest, made him grin. She could deny her feelings all she
wanted, but he knew how he affected her, and he’d keep
on plying her with kisses until she realized he wasn’t
going anywhere.

Did I mention that I love cowboys? Mmmmmmmmm.......scrumptious excerpt, Paty! Thanks for being my guest of honor today! Come back soon!
~Alisha

22 comments:

Skhye said...

Nice excerpt. Great interview as always, Alisha. I think the high for tomorrow down here is supposed to be 62. It'll still be flipflop weather. LOL. ;)

Skhye said...

Alisha, you didn't post what you were in your past life at my blog yet!!! http://blog.skhyemoncrief.com
I'm betting-- oh, let's just see if I'm psychic too! :)

Paty Jager said...

Thanks, Skhye! And Alisha, thank you for having me here today!

Michele Hart said...

I loved your interview, Paty. I dream of having that farm upbringing. And so nice that you have such a supportive husband. What true blessings.

I wish you and your book great success.

Helen Hardt said...

What an interesting childhood you had, Paty. And I have to agree with you about "Howdy, ma'am." ;) Great interview, Alisha!

Helen

Alisha said...

Paty~ You have all of us day dreaming about life on a farm today...sigh!

Caroline said...

Loved the interview and post, Paty. And the excerpt!!! Really fun!!

Where in NE Oregon did you grow up? Last summer we went to a few little towns up there on the motorcycle, they were very beautiful!!

Viola Estrella said...

Hi Paty!
Wonderful interview! I, too, loved hearing how you grew up. What fun!
Love your excerpt, too. :-)
Viola

Eliza Knight said...

Great interview! Your book sounds wonderful!!

Hywela Lyn said...

Hi Paty and Alisha

I've had my eye on your book for ages Paty - I'm going to read it one way or another, I absolutely love Westerns! (And hunky, courteous cowboys!)

Wonderful interiew Alisha, I'd love to have grown up on a farm, although living in rural Wales was the next best thing - I always dreamed of living on a horse ranch though - still do!

Lauri said...

Great interview, Paty! I so love your 'home on the range' upbringing! AND "Howdy, Ma'am," is so charming, is it not?

I wish you many, many sales!

Asylumgirl said...

Hi Paty! Looks like you've been keeping busy lately.

Deidre

Alisha said...

Thanks for being my guest today, Paty!

The winner of the drawing for a pdf of Outlaw in Petticoats is Deidre! Congrats!

Paty Jager said...

Thank you Michelle! Yes, at the time I felt out of touch with the world, but it was a great way to grow up.

Paty Jager said...

Thanks Helen! Oh and everyone the reason I'm late responding is my dh hauled me out of state on Friday afternoon to look at a backhoe at an auction.

Paty Jager said...

Hi Caroline, my family had our farm/ranch up the Lostine river out of Lostine and I went to school in Enterprise. Beautiful country abut a hard place right now to make a living.

Paty Jager said...

Thanks for stopping by Viola! I didn't realize my childhood was so different! LOL But back then you didn't worry so much as you do now. My parents both worked in town as well as had the work to do on the land. My brothers and I'd get up in the morning do our chores then spend the rest of the day riding horses on the mountain or hauling hay if ti was that time of the year until it was time for chores in the afternoon, then I'd fix dinner and my parents would come home and we'd all go change pipes int he evening. It was life and I didn't know any different.

Paty Jager said...

Thanks Eliza!

Paty Jager said...

Hywela,

When you do read Outlaw in Petticoats if you like it please vote at Love Western Romances in December.

Paty Jager said...

Thanks Lauri!
It wasn't the range I grew up in but the Wallowa Mountains! LOL

Paty Jager said...

Thanks for stopping by Deidre and the pdf is on it's way to your inbox!

Paty Jager said...

Alisha, Thank you so much for having me and asking wonderful questions! It's been a lot of fun!