Monday, February 18, 2013

Callie Hutton: Emma's Journey #western #historicalromance


Emma's Journey
by Callie Hutton

Romancing The West welcomes author Callie Hutton this week! Callie has been making up stories since elementary school, and putting pen to paper gave her a way to turn off the voices in her head. Writing has always been her passion, and she’s authored several romance novels, with an emphasis on the American West, both historical and contemporary.

Oklahoma is where she hangs her hat with her husband, two young adult children, and three dogs.  You can catch her hanging out at Facebook, Twitter- @CallieHutton, and her home base. Stop by sometime and say hello.

RTW: Tell us about your featured book, Emma's Journey.

CH: Emma Thorpe did not want to leave her life in Indiana to travel to Oregon on a wagon train, but her husband, Peter, had other ideas. Barely three weeks into the trip, Peter is killed, and Emma is shocked that the wagon master won’t let her return home.

Wagon Scout Davis Cooper has decided this would be his last scouting trip, he intends to obtain land in the new Oregon territory, find a wife, and start a family.

When the Wagon Master orders Emma and Davis to marry, she rebels, but eventually comes to realize she can’t go it alone, no matter how stubborn she is. But nothing will make her give up her dream to return home.

Can Davis change her mind, and have the life he’s always wanted with his unexpected wife?

Drawing!
$25 Gift Card
(details below)

RTW: Why do you write Westerns? What aspect of life in the Old West intrigues you the most? Did you work that into Emma’s Journey?

CH: I think what intrigues me the most about the Old West was how strong and courageous the men and women were who ventured forth to start a new life. In Emma’s Journey, she starts out anything but strong and courageous, and that’s part of her journey.

Callie Hutton, author
RTW: If you lived in 1851, what would you visit first? Is there something you’ve been curious about that you can’t find in your research sources?

CH: If I were zapped back in time (I would love to be), the first thing I would be anxious to investigate is all the clothes and furniture that fills museums that look so old. I’d like to see what they looked like when they were brand new. I’d love to visit a mercantile and other stores of the period, as well as a ‘typical’ home.

RTW: Same here. An afternoon in a mercantile would sure be an education! If a person who had never read a Western (any sub-genre) asked you for a recommendation, what novel or movie would you recommend and why? What did the author do to bring the story alive for you?

CH: There are so many. I particularly loved Leigh Greenwood’s westerns. I think his characters were so well developed you felt like you knew them. I also loved Legend by Jude Deveraux. That fascinated me with how the ‘past’ looked one way, and then another way on a second visit. The story itself was unique in that one. Of course, Sandra Brown’s Sunset Embrace and Another Dawn, although she says on her website she has no intention of re-writing the ending of Another Dawn. I think she upset quite few fans with that one. But I loved them both.

RTW: Why must Emma take this particular story journey? What does she have to prove? How does Davis affect her journey?

CH: Although Emma is a married woman, she never really grew up. This trip brings her, kicking and screaming, from childhood to adulthood. And Davis is the one dragging her the entire way.

RTW: Give us a little taste, please!

CH: In this scene Davis and Emma are now married (against her wishes), and they must cross a river. She’s terrified.

Excerpt from
Emma's Journey
by Callie Hutton

Four wagons had already crossed when Emma and Davis’s turn arrived. One wagon had overturned, causing precious supplies to float down river. Even now she could see barrels and boxes floating away. The occupants and their somewhat bruised wagon had made it safety to the other side, however.

Emma climbed up onto the seat, her whole body shaking with fear. She swiped at the sweat gathered on her brow, then gripped her middle. Dear God, she couldn’t do this.

“You ready, darlin’?” Davis reached for her cold hand and squeezed “Trust me, Emma.”

He grabbed the reins, his full concentration on the animals that would lead them across. They started into the river and hit a bump, swaying the wagon. A jolt of fear sped through her. Her eyes grew wide as the animal’s front hoofs hit the swirling, rapid coursing water. Before she could even think about it, she jumped off the wagon seat, splashing in the water, and ran back to shore.
*
“Emma!” Shouting a spew of curses, Davis pulled up on the oxen, but once in the water, they refused to stop. Having no choice, he continued across the river, trying his best to concentrate on keeping the animals from panicking as they went deeper into the water. By the time he reached the other side, muscles he didn’t know he owned burned with the strain of holding the animals tight. Moving his wagon up off the bank, he stopped the oxen and hopped off the seat.

“Davis, you better get that wife of yours under control.” Ezra stomped behind him. “Now whaddya gonna do with her over there, and you over here?”

"I’m going back for her on a horse.” He stalked over to several riders on horses guiding the emigrants from the rider. Davis nodded to Nate. “I’d appreciate the use of your horse, Hale.”

“I can go back for her, Davis.”

“Don’t make me drag you off that animal.” He growled.

After mounting the horse Nate had reluctantly vacated, Davis splashed back into the river and returned to the other side.

Emma's Journey is available at Amazon

RTW: What’s next? Is Emma’s Journey a part of a series?

CH: Not really part of a series, but the Nate mentioned above is the protagonist from my already published book, An Angel in the Mail. I currently have two books under contract, a contemporary western, and a Regency. My current WIP is a time travel to 1872 Kansas.

RTW: Anything else you’d like to add?

CH: I want to thank you for having me here this week. It’s always fun visiting Romancing the West.


Win a $25 Gift Card!

One lucky commenter will win a 
$25 gift card 
to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble 
(winner’s choice) 
In addition, if the winner has not yet read 
An Angel in the Mail 
Callie will send an autographed copy as well.

Drawing will be held Saturday, February 23rd at 9pm Pacific Time. Please be sure to include your email address in your comment!

27 comments:

  1. I have to once again thank Jacquie for introducing different authors here. I just purchased Emma's Journey and Ms. Hutton is a new author for me. I'm putting my current contemporary down! Western historical romance is my favorite genre...so I put dinner in the crockpot, did a load of laundry and I plan on reading this new purchase until it's time to pickup the kids from school:)

    micheleghao@yahoo.com

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    1. Hi Michele, I hope you enjoy Emma's Journey. I love crockpot dinners.

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  2. Very nice interview. Loved the excerpt. I tweeted.

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    1. Thank you, Ella. Supportive, as always. I appreciate your visit.

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  3. If you haven't read Emma's Journey- I highly recommend it. I saw the cover on The Romance Reviews and I love historical western romance. I saw the covered wagon and knew I had to read it. It was the first book of Ms. Hutton that I had read and I'm thrilled that she has a catalog of books on amazon. Started her novel A Run for Love.

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    1. Thank you so much, Kathleen. I hope you like A Run For Love, and I'm glad you liked Emma and Davis's story.

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  4. I already have Emma's Journey on my Kindle and can't wait to read it...I just adore wagon train stories :) Great interview!

    melissa0908@hotmail.com

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    1. Thank you, Melissa. I hope you enjoy it. I love wagon train stories myself.

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  5. Wonderful interview and a great book. A winning combo. Good luck with this, Callie! And your future projects.

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  6. Hi,

    thank you for introducing Callie Hutton to me. I love to add writers to my list. EMMA'S JOURNEY sounds like a fabulous read.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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  7. I recently began my writing venture into westerns (historical pre-1900 era) and am loving the drawls, history and story lines of sweet and forever love.
    Great post!

    Dawne

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    1. Hi Dawne, (you spell you name like my niece). I love that time period. Thanks for coming by.

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  8. Callie, I so enjoyed ANGEL IN THE MAIL and look forward to your new release. Don't count me in the drawing because I already have your book. Best wishes for continued success.

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    1. Thanks, Caroline. Stay in the drawing, and I'll send you whatever book you haven't read. Most of them are ebooks.

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  9. Hi Callie. Emma's Journey sounds wonderful! Do you remember an old TV series called Wagon Train? It was a favorite of mine as a kid. Your excerpt made me think of it. Thanks!

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    1. Hi Lyn, Yes, I'm old enough to remember that TV series. I loved it also. Thanks for coming by

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  10. Well yesterday was a great day because my crockpot dinner and Emma's Journey turned out wonderful. Davis was a strong, take charge and sweet hero, my favorite type. I loved Mae too! I hope you continue the story. The Campbell brothers look like they would make great heroes. I am interested to see how Nate is as a hero and if I'd like him. I'm curious, what is the timeline from Emma's book ending and Nate's begining in Angel?

    I just purchased A Run for Love. I hope I can start reading it today. It's my turn to babysit. My three grandsons get all my attention, as they should. But maybe I can sneak in a little reading during their naps :)

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    1. Hi Chele, I'm so glad you liked Emma's Journey. Nate's story (An Angel in the Mail) takes place ten years after Emma's Journey ends. Trust me. You'll like him.

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  11. How delightful to discover a new western romance writer. I, too have found that this is where I love to spend most of my time writing and rading. I think it's a hoot that my first western romance "Fiona's Journey" came out last year and is also about a wagon train heading for Oregon. I look forward to reading yours.
    agnesalexander100@gmail.com

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    1. Hi Agnes, That is funny. I'll have to check out Fiona's Journey. Thanks for coming by.

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  12. Great interview, Callie & Jacquie! The west is always a favorite in my book and on tv! One can never have too much.

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    1. Hi Kay, I love the west, too. My favorite when I was a teen was Bonanza. Remember that one??

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  13. I grew up with my grandparents always watching westerns and Louie L'Amour books on the bookshelves. They take you to a time of hard work hard lives and strong love!!!

    josiehink122026(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Hi Josie,

      Absolutely. Men and women were stronger then. And in my research for Emma's Journey I realized how difficult life was back then.

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  14. Great interview.
    Thank you for the introduction into some great new books.
    I can not wait to read more!
    Barbara
    bkg0605(at)aol(dot)com

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