It's Great To Be Here

Pamela Tracy here and I'm still pinching myself.  Why?  Well, I'm looking around and rubbing elbows (albeit cyberly) with Muriel Jenson, Roz Denny Fox, and more!  BTW, as soon as we can figure out how to get Carolyn McSparren here, she'll be joining us.


I belong to the I-Got-Published-By-Mistake-And-Someone's-Sure-To-Notice-Soon club.  I bet you've heard of it.  See, I've always wanted to be a writer.  When I was little (before I could form words on paper), I'd hand my dad a piece of paper and dictate stories to him.  Or worse, I'd hand him a piece of paper with scribble on it and force him to read my story (No, I had no clue what I'd written; he had to make something up).  He was an awesome father, one who quit school in sixth grade to go to work. He served in two wars.  And when things settled down, he wound up with me all the while trying to have seven more.  When that didn't happen, there was still me.

I told him I was going to be a writer.  He said, "Yup, you will."

When I set my first book in his lap, he read the first three lines and said, "What took those fool people so long to publish you?"

LOL, he never read past those three lines.  He wasn't a reader.

But I was, always, and he made sure my room was full of books.

My August Heartwarming will be book 21.  Wow, how did that happen? Especially since I belong to the before mentioned club.

I got the call this summer.  I was sitting at my computer working on a book (that's what writers do when they're not working the job that pays the bills or playing legos with their seven-year-old or wondering if their husbands will complain if dinner is Campbell's noodle soup again).

My agent, Steve Laube, said, "How you doing, Pam?"

I said, "What's the good news?"

He only calls me if I've made a sale so I really like his calls.

Heartwarming is an awesome place.  It's where tender stories are deepened, characters are developed, and the happily ever afters make you sigh and want more.

My good news had to do with a story I call One Owner Heart and an editor named Victoria Curran who believed in it.  I got the idea while visiting Out of Africa, a wildlife park, here in Camp Verde, Arizona.  I fell in love with a black panther and thought, "What if...?"

Roz talked about wishing there was a storehouse in the sky.  I have the storehouse, my problem is there are so many ideas that sometimes ideas get shoved to the back and lost, kind of like the warehouse in the first Indiana Jones. 

Thank you for stopping by!  We have lots of things planned on this blog and hope you'll get to know us and our books.

Comments

  1. Dads are cool that way. Mine wasn't much of a reader either, but many many years ago I had been entering poetry contests and the local paper wanted to do an article about me. They talked to my Dad. It was cute. He really didn't know what to say and didn't say much. Just that he was proud.

    Question - will you still be writing for Love Inspired or are you Heartwarming all the way now?

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  2. Hi, Pam,

    Congrats on your sale! Just dropped by to read a bit about Harlequin Heartwarming. You all sound like good people and I really hope the books sell well. I know librarians will love them.

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  3. Pam, I can tell the world for certain that your selling a book wasn't a mistake. I've loved your stories from the first one I read and I think I have all of them on my keeper shelves. Love the concept for the new book. By the way, I'm all for letting you be in charge of the storehouse, but sift a few of those ideas out into the vast wilderness once in a while. Roz

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  4. Marcie,
    I'll, hopefully, be writing for both lines :) My Heartwarming LOL is called One Owner Heart but my heart belongs to both Love Inspired and Heartwarming so I must have a two owner heart.

    My dad wouldn't have said much either.

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  5. Jacqueline,
    Thanks so much for stopping by. Are you a librarian?

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  6. Ah, Roz, you are such a cheerleader. I've always cherished our friendship.

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  7. Pamela, hi! How nice to see your face after all the technical help you've been to me.

    I had a great dad, too. He was a reader of westerns! I remember being about eight years old and looking for something to read. My sister, who was in high school, had several Jane Austen books, and my dad had a shelf of Zane Grey. I read Riders of the Purple Sage and was so hooked! Then started Pride and Prejudice but the language was too difficult for me at that age. Didn't really learn to love her until I was in high school.

    I'm proud to be rubbing elbows with YOU! When you start sending some of those ideas to Roz, a direct hit on my head, too, would be greatly appreciated. (Astoria, northwestern-most tip of Oregon.)

    As a cat lover (domestic and wild - isn't that how we love our men, too?) I can't wait to read your book!

    Muriel

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  8. LOL, Muriel, you should go to the Craftie loop to see what I usually look like. I posted a camping picture today.

    Zane Grey lived here in AZ. In Payson they've got a remake of his cabin (the original burned in one of our many fires).

    I've never been to Oregon but it's on my bucket list.

    We rescued a cat last year. He's a big love and has seven toes on each of his front paws. His name is Tyre (he's in the book as a bad guy).

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  9. I'm so happy and excited to see this book in print, since I got to read it as Pam wrote it - the perks of being a critique partner. Really looking forward to the new books coming out this summer.

    Cathy McDavid
    "Cowboy for Keeps" Harl American 3/13
    www.cathymcdavid.com

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  10. Ah, my best friend and America author Cathy McDavid stops by. She was my maid of honor! And, yes, with the exception of the first three books, she's had a part of each novel, especially this one since she used to work at a zoo. Her best advice this book: Pam, do you know how little burros are? Grown-ups really don't ride on them." LOL

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  11. How nice to see one of the Gemsters here! Anxious for your book--you're certainly in good company, aren't you? :-)

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  12. Thanks Liz for stopping by. The Gemsters pop up just about everywhere. I still have a picture of me and Hilary Sares somewhere.

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  13. It's great to hear about your journey to Heartwarming. After reading everyone's posts, I'm prouder than ever to be a part of this amazing group of writers and line! Your upcoming Heartwarming sounds fascinating and I can't wait to read it. I also loved hearing about your sweet relationship with your father! How wonderful that he's been your cheerleader from "go" and that his faith in you has been rewarded so many times over!

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  14. Loved your stories that your dad had to interpret. How sweet!

    I had heard the editors talking about your book on a chat, and I can't wait for it to come out!!!

    So excited to be here with you.

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  15. I love your story Pam and can't wait to see what new stories you write for the new line.

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  16. Karen,
    I should mention that my mom was just as wonderful.

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  17. Syndi,
    Roz emailed me when that was happening and I went over and read the posts. You know, it's moments like that when you hear the bell sound and you know that someone believes.

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  18. Linda,
    You are such an awesome friend. Thanks so much for stopping by.

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  19. Pam,
    Great blog post. I love the name of that club and should at least be a member too! Also, love that your Dad made sure you had plenty of books. Good luck with your new blog and the Heartwarming line.

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  20. Thanks for stopping by Anna. LOL, maybe we need a blog by that name.

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  21. What a heartwarming story about your Dad! Every writer, every creative person, every one!, should have a supportive parent like that!

    I know that feeling--I'm a faker and they'll see it!

    Very excited for you and your new endeavor here!

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  22. Hi Pam, Loved hearing about your dad and your relationship with him. Your childhood was certainly blessed. Congratulations on the new sale. Both of us, Bev and Chris aka Tia Dani, love your books! Good luck with your new blog and at Heartwarming. We'll check back again to see what's new.

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  23. Congrats, Pam. Wishing you a long and happy relationship with Harlequin Heartwarming! Can't wait to read your new release.
    Marie Patrick

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  24. Nina,
    So good to see your here. I'm excited about my new endeaver too.

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  25. Tina Dani, aka Chris and Bev, thank you so much for stopping by. It was great seeing you tonight. I'm so glad you love my books.

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  26. Marie,
    Here's to a long and happy relationship :) I'm so pleased you stopped by.

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  27. Pam,
    Thank you for sharing the story about your father. His actions speak volumes about his love and support of your efforts especially when he isn't a "reader".

    I've enjoyed visiting Out of Africa too.
    The large cats are magnificent creatures.
    I'm looking forward to reading your story with Heartwarming. I hope that the imprint finds lots of readers!

    All the Best
    Rose

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