Taking the Plunge

So many "first" things in life can be scary, in my humble opinion.

The first haircut, when those awful scissors snip close to your ears.

That first plunge into your best friend's three-foot swimming pool, which looks about the size of the Atlantic Ocean.

And don't forget that very first walk into a classroom where everyone stands staring at you. They won't say a word because they're just as frightened as you are—but how can you think clearly enough to realize that when you feel like you're ready to upchuck on their shoes?

Just imagine, all those things can happen even before we graduate from kindergarten! It's a wonder we all make it into first grade. LOL

I'm talking about "plunges" and "firsts" today for a couple of reasons.



Caleb Cantrell, the hero of my February book,
THE RODEO MAN'S DAUGHTER, has literally taken a plunge. Thrown by an angry bull, he lands hard and does serious damage to his body—so serious, it's touch-and-go as to whether or not he'll survive. He barely makes it through and is left with the scars to prove it.

Those current scars are nowhere near as bad as the ones he's carried from the past. To heal those, he's got to take another plunge and go back to where his life began. To his little hometown of Flagman's Folly, where the reception he gets from folks isn't quite what he expected....

I'm taking a plunge today, too. Luckily, it's not a scary one. Then again, for someone who tends to stay at home with her characters and concentrate on telling their stories, it's a bit of a big deal. (smile)

With this post, I'm kicking off a virtual blog tour to celebrate the release of THE RODEO MAN'S DAUGHTER. There will be many stops along the way, and I look forward to seeing you on the Internet trail. (Visit my website to find the full list.)

Also, take a look at the end of this post for two chances to win a copy of A RANCHER'S PRIDE, the first book set in Flagman's Folly.

But first, please share! What's one big plunge you've taken in your life?



For a chance to win an autographed copy of A RANCHER'S PRIDE: answer the question asked above.

For a second chance to win: 1. Like my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, or sign up for my Yahoo group newsletter (link available at my website)—or do all three. (smile)

2. Then send me an e-mail via the Contact Form on my website letting me know which you've done.

(Drawings will close at midnight tomorrow, January 18. Check my blog www.barbarawhitedaille.com/blog on Thursday to find out if you've won and how to claim your prize.)

Thanks for reading and responding to this blog, and again, I look forward to seeing you on the trail!

All my best to you,

Barbara

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Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
http://www.facebook.com/barbarawhitedaille
https://twitter.com/BarbaraWDaille

Fort Worth Stockyards

If you’ve followed my blogs over the past few months, you’ve probably noticed that my hubby and I have been making an effort to get out and do different things. Having moved to a small town, it’s been fun to check out the local culture and activities.

But this month was our anniversary and we decided to just go bumming around for the day. One of our favorite pass times. No agenda, no plan. One thing leads to the next.

Hubby is a Fort Worth historian. He has shelves of books, old bottles, and tokens he’s collected from Forth Worth. And my current work in progress is centered around a Texas cowboy. So we ended up in the Fort Worth Stock Yards. Toured the cowboy museum, watched the cowboys herd the longhorns down Main Street. Checked out the local shops and watched a couple two-step to the tune of a guy strumming a guitar in front of one of the shops. We ended our day at the Flying Saucer Bar in downtown Fort Worth, sipping a beer and watching the sun fade away.

Quite a fun day given that we had no plans. Something a little different than dinner and a movie anyway.

What type of local activities do you have where you live?