My blog day here happens to fall during my blog tour so I hope you don't mind if I tack on the details of my blog contest to the end of this post.
I think I've found the best books for learning how things were done in the 17 and 1800's. When I find a great resource I like to share. I've used these books to learn how to make brooms, beds, soap, preserve meat, and harvest wild plants for food.
If you don't have these books they are worth getting your hands on if you write American historical stories.
They are the Foxfire books. I have books 1,2,& 3. I bought them used and have found them invaluable. There's no author. They are articles that were first published in Foxfire magazine. I used information in book three to learn about making brooms for my current release Doctor in Petticoats.
Blurb for Doctor in Petticoats
After a life-altering accident and a failed relationship, Dr. Rachel Tarkiel gave up on love and settled for a life healing others as the physician at a School for the Blind. She's happy in her vocation--until handsome Clay Halsey shows up and inspires her to want more.
Blinded by a person he considered a friend, Clay curses his circumstances and his limitations. Intriguing Dr. Tarkiel shows him no pity, though. To her, he's as much a man as he ever was.
Can these two wounded souls conquer outside obstacles, as well as their own internal fears, and find love?
Excerpt
“I’m going to look in your other eye now.” She, again, placed a hand on his face and opened the eyelids, stilling her fluttering heart as she pressed close. His clean-shaven face had a couple small nicks on the edges of his angular cheeks. The spice of his shave soap lingered on his skin.
She resisted the urge to run her cheek against his. The heat of his face under her palm and his breath moving wisps of wayward hair caused her to close her eyes and pretend for a few seconds he could be her husband. A man who loved her and wouldn’t be threatened by her occupation or sickened by her hideous scar.
His breathing quickened. A hand settled on her waist, slid around to her back, and drew her forward. Her hand, holding the lens, dropped to his shoulder, and she opened her eyes. This behavior on both their parts was unconscionable, but her constricted throat wouldn’t allow her to utter the rebuke.
Clay sensed the moment the doctor slid from professional to aroused woman. The hand on his cheek caressed rather than held, her breathing quickened, and her scent invaded his senses like a warm summer rain.
Blog Tour Contest
This is my second day of my fifteen blog/twelve day tour. Leave a comment and follow me to all the blogs on my tour and you could win an autographed copy of my June release, Doctor in Petticoats, a B&N gift card, and a summer tote filled with goodies. To find out all the places I'll be go to my blog- http://www.patyjager.blogspot.com to find the list.
Website: http://www.patyjager.net
Blog: http://www.patyjager.blogspot.com
I have seen this book around and It sounds really good! I will be checking out your blog tour!
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Virginia,
ReplyDeleteThe Firefox books are a great tool. And I'd love to see you on the tour!
Hi Paty, sounds like something I need to add to my shelves. Good luck with the blog tour and release. Heres good wishes for a ton of sales. oxoxxo
ReplyDeleteHi Tanya.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
There's nothing that can beat a historical western novel!
ReplyDeleteThat's true, Mary!
ReplyDeletethe Fox fire books sound very interesting. I will have to look into it, Even though they are American, and my stories are set in frontier Australia, our histories are very similar, so I should be able to get a lot out of them too.
ReplyDeleteLoved the excerpt. Two wounded souls finding each other. How could a romance reader not love it.
regards
Margaret
Margaret, I'm sure the way the Americans did a lot of things were done the same in Australia. Somethings are just universal. Thanks for commenting!
ReplyDeleteNothing can beat a well written historical romance, and you really do a great job :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ann!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your research resources. I'm always on the lookout for this type of information, too! I have a floor-to-ceiling bookcase with nothing but writing resources and historical information for when I'm unable to leave home to do research.
ReplyDeleteAlice
Alice, I'm the same I have one full bookcase of research books and am trying to figure out a way to kick my dh out of half of the other bookcase. I'm thinking I need to buy him a small bookcase for his things then I could have two 8 ft bookcases. hmmm... He may get that for a surprise gift.
ReplyDeleteI have heard of the Foxfire books. I never knew what they were until now. Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, She. Whoever you are. ;)
ReplyDeleteHi, Paty! Sorry to have found the list of your blogs so late--I kept checking your blog, but didn't think to read all the columns! D'oh!
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting us know about Foxfire books--that's new to me!
Flchen1, I'm just happy you found it and are traveling on my tour with me. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWe got the FOXFIRE books when they came out in the 70's (I think). We have up to 7 I think. They are interesting reading and a valuable resource for knowing how things were done the "old way."
ReplyDeleteI am glad you are enjoying them.
Librarypat,
ReplyDeleteI only have three of the books. I need to get them all.
Hello iPaty,
ReplyDeleteOh, the Foxfire books! I don't own them, had forgotten about them and now must search for them. Thanks for the idea.
As writers, we do well to share our resources. One of my favorites is small museums in the area I write about..SE Arizona. So many knowledgeable docents eager to tell the stories. A great display at the Bisbee museum told the story first related by my brother-in-law about his Gramdmother(model for my first book) who stopped a runaway car with her feet and back! It's in the book now.
Arletta, I also use museums and historical societies in the areas where I set books to get more insight into the history.
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