Award-Winning Author Tammy Barley Shares Her Inspiration

Today, my guest blogger is Tammy Barley, an author who is new to me but shares my love of western romance. Here's Tammy:


"Few people know this—inspiration for my characters often comes from strangers I meet only in passing, whose actions, inner strength, or uniqueness memorably touches me. Two people in my family also inspire my characters, and my personal outlook, and the way I live—my mother and her mother. During the Great Depression, my grandmother was a little girl with three sisters whose family had to share a home with two other families (her cousins). The rent? $5 a month, which was nearly impossible to come by. When she was thirteen she quit school to work so she could help support her sisters and family, even though the poor eyesight she’d been born with was a challenge. When she grew up and married, she had three daughters, all lovely, lovely women. My mother is the youngest. She was raised in a family where family always came first. Together they worked their huge garden (my mother hated picking basket after basket of ripe strawberries every day; it’s my idea of heaven ), and together appreciated simple pleasures.

As I grew up, my mother encouraged and shared my love of horses and riding. Together we rode half way across Arizona with twenty other adventure-loving enthusiasts, and even now I enjoy tending a garden (complete with strawberries), and I keep my family the center in my life. I nearly died of kidney failure a few years ago. I lay on my bed and realized that I would never get up from it, that I was about to die. I wished that I could tell my mother once more that I loved her. Then I remember smiling; I realized she already knew. God saw to it that I did survive, and my mother gave me a kidney.


Perhaps many of us are inspired by the courage and strength of our mothers, who were inspired by theirs. Jessica Hale, the main character in Love’s Rescue, was certainly inspired by hers. I can think of no greater way to show my love and respect to the women who proceeded me than to pass along their love, strength, and encouragement to the next generation, and to enjoy with the children life’s simple pleasures. The contest giveaway for Love’s Rescue reflects this togetherness, love of horses, and simple pleasures. I wish you God’s great blessings!

For more about Tammy and her books and to
find your favorite Western and Prairie Romance authors and their newest releases, visit http://www.TammyBarley.com

and learn more about her new "Sierra Chronicles" Western Romance Trilogy
Book One ~ Love's Rescue ~ Coming July 2009 (Visit http://www.tammybarley.com/Bookshelf.html , to see the Book Trailer and to enter to Win a Vacation!)