Oh, there is joy in Mudville tonight!!!
I can happily announce that I have just received a new 4-book contract for a delightful series of books set in the southwest corner of New York State, the corner that houses
Allegany, Cattaraugus and Chautauqa Counties!!!!
HAPPY DANCING IN UPSTATE!!!!
YEEEEEE HAAAAAAAWWWWW! :)
:)
The "Kirkwood Lake" series will feature sweet, compelling stories of law enforcement...
Holy Hot Heroes, Batman!!!
To celebrate, I want your help... We chatted about this on Facebook, but if you didn't see it there, here it is...
Two small children walked out of the forest. Bedraggled. Tired. Bruised, scraped, forlorn. The little girl is a mess, but her eyes show a wisdom beyond her years... The little boy, still in a diaper that's seen better days, is trusting his maybe five-year-old sister to keep him safe.
Two babes... Alone... Wandering...
We don't know anything about their parents yet... Good, bad, indifferent...
We only know they appeared, little wanderers, in need of loving arms... a warm bath... clean jammies.
My husband had this lithograph on his childhood wall. I've always loved it, the simple image of God watching over us in times of peril... Guiding us... If only we'd listen better, right???
So help me name these children! I'm making a list of possible names, so either be BRAVE and comment here!!!!
(laughing just a little at lurkers!!!)
OR...
e-mail me at ruthy@ruthloganherne.com and give me your suggestions!
Everyone who offers a name either here, through e-mail or on Facebook will be placed into a drawing for a preview copy of "His Mistletoe Family"!!!
Here's the cover:
"When two orphaned boys and their aunt arrive for Thanksgiving dinner at the church, retired army Colonel Brett Stanton feels his heart tugged. Despite having her hands full, young businesswoman Haley Jennings handles her nephews with a smile. Still, Brett can't get too close to the needy trio.He lost his son and brother to the uniform, and isn't about to set himself up for loss again.
Soon, sweet Haley and the boys remind him of old dreams...and teach him
that new dreams provide the greatest hope for a perfect family Christmas."
I will be giving away FIVE COPIES in October.... And I have large print copies and regular!
And I can't wait to hear what names you suggest!
FYI: Hansel and Gretel... SIGH!!!! :) Have been suggested and rejected, LOL!
Congratulations, dear Ruthy. I'm so excited for you!!! Squealing and grinning along with you in the Black Hills!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd really? A copy of His Mistletoe Family? Yay!!
Okay, I've already given you a couple ideas, but how about these:
Susanna Jo and Willy Junior
Janie and Pete
Maggie Sue and Colton
Just don't name them the same name. My husband once had two employees, sisters, and their names were Yolanda and Yolunda. They had a third sister named Yolenda.
Yeah, don't go there.
PS - I've always loved that picture of the babes in the woods, too.
Congrats Ruthy on your new contract.
ReplyDeletemaybe they are hippy children or had parents who were hippy's and gave them hippy names like
Brooke for the girl and River for the boy.
I Love the cover of your new book it makes me want to actually see a white christmas (maybe I can come visit this year?)
So that is what all of the wiggling around on twitter yesterday was all about....
ReplyDeleteCongrats, Ruthy!
Now to names for the little uns.
Call me a name freak (if my name were Susan as I wanted it to be when I was seven, I probably wouldn't have developed like this), but I do like to think of who created these children.
I think that they would have been into that vintage name vibe so here are my suggestions:
Tessa and Finn
Lucy and Toby
Abby and Sebastian
Now I am in the clean cat dish!
Good luck choosing!
Piper
Congratulations, Ruthy!
ReplyDeleteClara and Jacob
Heidi and Ben
Hannah Grace and Toby
Congratulations!
ReplyDeletePriscilla and Hamilton (aka Prissy and Hami)
Star and Sonny
Jane and John (Doe-couldn't resist)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletegoofed on first try so am here again, Congrats on the new book series...
ReplyDeleteNames for the orphans: Cotton and Corabell
I have a pic like your angel with little ones hanging in hall in the center of my home, It was inspired by one my Mom had years ago.
thanks for sharing your book.
Paula O(kyflo130@yahoo.com)
Jessie and Toby?
ReplyDeletePiper!!! Guess what the heroine's name is for book one of this series???? "Piper"!!!! And the hero is Zach....
ReplyDeleteYAYAYAYAYAY!!!! Okay, you guys rock! Paula, good job not giving up, LOL! Did blogger eat your words??? Bad Blogger! BAD!!! I love this lithograph and I gave the original that was my husband's to one of our kids to hang in baby's room. But it always reminded me of "Emmanuel" ... God with us. Angels watching over us. Love it!
Valerie, yes!!! Got it! Kid, thanks for coming over here to play... there are brownies on the table there. Just push the cat off and toss your name in the cat dish... no, not that one. The clean one on the counter!
ReplyDeleteGinger, hey! Got 'em! And I've got the ones you suggested on FB, too.... We'll get these babies named and maybe... just maybe... we'll give them a happy ending down the road, right?
ReplyDeleteOkay, for some reason I'm thinking old-fashioned here, as in simpler names, despite not knowing what their parents are like or what the circumstances are. (Do YOU even know the circumstances yet, Ruthy???)
ReplyDeleteA little girl's name that popped into my head is Laurie Ann (Lorianne?). Maybe Josh for her brother? (For some reason I was thinking the boy was older...don't know how I got that mixed up...)
I love figuring out names for characters.
I know someone on FB had mentioned Sam for the boy. I also thought of Sammy for the girl (short for Samantha, of course--or maybe her name really is Sammy/Sammi/Sami). Again, depends on what the family circumstances were.
Tyler for the boy?
I don't know... Wishing I knew the circumstances because I think the parents' background and how those poor children had been growing up influence just determine what kinds of names the kids have...
And "Maybe" the kids will have a happy ending down the road? *snort* (Excuse me for the un-ladylike sound, but come on! LOL)
Okay, have fun with all of this! *Hug*
Great news, Ruthy!
ReplyDeleteYAY!!!!!
Congrats, Ruthy!! More books for us to read!!
ReplyDeleteHow about Polly and Davie?
Cheers,
Sue
Well, sure 'n if it's names you be wanting I have me 1923 classic "Irish Names for Children" by Patrick Woulfe. Love a good Irish name, especially when the meaning behind the name fits the personality of the character. Though truth be known, I've used this book more for naming animals and teddy bears than human children. :-)
ReplyDeleteEistir - the Irish form of Esther, meaning "a star" and sure if that little wee lass isn't a light shining in the darkness, I don't know what is.
And her brother -- Bram -- that means brambles and of course, doesn't he stick to his sister like a burr?
Here's some more:
Girls:
Teagan -- beautiful
Eveleen - longed for child
Alannah - darling child
Aislin - a dream
Boys:
Cian (key-in) - enduring
Conleth - hero
Declan - full of goodness
Carney - victorious
Oooooh, I just have to say I love the Irish names--especially the ones I haven't heard before--beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI am glad that Piper's book made it through and it sounds just right with the last name. Seems as if it might beat Brenda Jackson's Piper book! Let us know when it is coming out!
Piper
well I'm with Melanie on Sammie for the girl! came here to post and saw it's already been suggested! not coming up with anything for the boy - Brandon, Logan, or my cousin's kid's name- Jed!
ReplyDeleteSusanna
Oooo, we have lots of votes on Sam for boy and girl!!!! That's huge, peeps! :) I'm adding them, and Mel....
ReplyDeletehahahahahahaha!
Do I know what will happen??? Well... I know that the FIFTH book (which should start a new contract) becomes their story.... But we get to know them through the next four. And the next four are in the works, so I should get to them in 2013... and isn't that some awesome planning for a PANTSER!!!!????? ;) So I don't really know what's going to happen, but I know I need to know in six months.
A race with Brenda???? :) I'm in! I would expect next fall, so Brenda will probably beat me. BRAT, BRENDA!!!
ReplyDeleteBut I'm working hard on it and it is DELIGHTFUL!!! :) I love farm stories, and this Piper is one hard-working tough little lady. I would not cross her, despite her size, and her long pony-tail. Because this girl has hands of steel... and a heart of gold. ;)
I have a list of like 22 more to add from Facebook... I'll do that later today. I think I'll make them a page because the list will get LONG... I'm so glad you guys jumped on this to help me. It's so much fun naming people in books...
ReplyDelete:) Thank you!!!!
Ruthy---congrats on your contracts. That's awesome. :)
ReplyDeleteI like Jenny's earthy suggestions. What about Lilly and Stoney. (I once knew a little boy named Stoney.)
I'm thinking flower names here---Jasmine, Iris, Violet...
For the boy something solid--old world--Phillip-Andrew-Edward-Robert.
Again, congrats! Fabulous news.
I love Teagan and Keagan
ReplyDeleteYeehaw with you, Ruthy! Congratulations! Looking forward to reading every one of them, and adding them to my collection.
ReplyDeleteHow about Bailey and Noah Sweedy?
Do we know their last name?
Or Grace and Noah Sweedy?
These are the choices the muse is whispering to me.
Ruthy! CONGRATS!!! I'm happy dancing too! (And will need to make more room in the H section of the bookshelves =)
ReplyDeleteI put names on Facebook. I can't remember what they were though, so maybe they weren't any good, LOL. *hugs*
Stephanie, what a muse!!!! :) Okay, adding them....
ReplyDeleteAnd Cristina, I love those Celtic names!!!! Adding them in.... (madly scribbling on old paper pad...)
And Lindi!!! Love them!!!! I've added all and it's interesting when you've gone in two polar opposite directions for the boy... But I'm kinda lovin' on the flower names for the girl. That takes me back to the Cactus Flower (Jan Drexler) that got suggested on FB... I love the Earth-friendly names.
Susanna!!! Thanks for coming over here, sweet thing!!! Okay, adding yours.... scribble, scribble...
ReplyDeleteYeah! I kept seeing you being all bubbly on FB but never could get away from hiking the Alps or eating chocolate long enough to dig deeper! So thrilled for you.
ReplyDeleteI put names on FB too but now that I am back from the mountains of Switzerland I have Heidi and Peter stuck in my head.
Peace, Julie
I guess I entered on the wrong page but my picks are Amy and Connor. I also like Becca and Liam too.
ReplyDeleteI came across your blog because I was doing a search online to find out information on a picture my grandmother gave me. Well, this is in fact the same photo. I am actually going to be selling it on Craigslist.
ReplyDeleteHi-d, I love this photo... We carry it in our local Christian book/gift stores, too. It's got an old-world lithograph look that you don't find in the newer, refined versions.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you have good memories of it too!