Meet Author Nan O'Berry

Hi, my name is Nan O'Berry. 

 

I spent my youth building ranches with the Cartwrights, cleaning up the streets of Dodge with Marshall Dillion, and making sure every wagon train made it to California. Inspired by stories, TV, and classic old western movies, I began writing for my own enjoyment at a very early age. Growing up riding horses on a small farm, it seemed only natural that I would be drawn to the romance of cowboys. Armed with a degree from Old Dominion University, I spend my weekends writing tales of romance situated on farms, ranches, and small town America. Now days, when not busy at the computer, I ride herd on two cats, three horses, a pony and a poor confused cow that can't decide if it's a dog, horse, or bovine. All in all, it gives me great fodder for my novels.

Writing has affected my life in many ways. Like most novices, I began writing in secret, keeping those little diaries, notebooks, anything where I could put down a few words with

paper and pen. I would send my stories to friends, and one finally suggested I take my little hobby a bit further and try to get published. To my surprise, the stories were accepted. It always humbles me that someone becomes so wrapped up in the tales that they offer me publication. I no longer have to put a sign around my neck that says, "Please do not disturb unless you are bleeding, dying of hunger, or will not survive without a word of encouragement".

Being a writer is perhaps one of the proudest accomplishments of my life. My mother instilled in me the love of reading. Friday mornings, we would either walk or hitch a ride with another mother in the neighborhood and journey up to the local library. There, I would hurry to the children's corner and pull books by Walter Farley, Marguerite Henry, and later Zane Grey. Winslow Homer's The Virginian still ranks as one of my favorites. However, in order to broaden my horizons, my mother insisted I read Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe, Robert Lewis Stevenson's Kidnapped, and Dickens' classics. Later on, she would turn me on to Harlequin's American Series who have some of my favorite authors such as Marin Thomas, Barbara White Daille, and Linda Warren.

A visit to Franklin Canyon, CA

 

When I'm not hard at work plotting or writing, I enjoy quilting, knitting, and crocheting projects while listening to the radio. Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, and Reba McIntire have often led me astray into other story ideas.

If you are thinking about writing, keep that little notebook handy and never go a day without jotting down a note to self. Who knows what juicy story tidbit you may uncover by looking at that random thought and saying to yourself, "What if???" Always remember, never let anyone tell you you're not a writer. Putting pen to paper means you have done something few people will attempt. Writing a 100,000 word novel begins with the first word on paper. Never stop until you believe your story has ended. With every submission, rejection, or acceptance, you will learn so very much about your craft. As John Wayne once said, Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.

My latest story is set in the early Texas Oil Fields. Lucy St. James and her father Lucas are as dead broke as can be. A wildcatter by the name of Chance McAllister may just change all that, if he can get them to believe there is an ocean of black crude just below their feet. However, Lucy St. James is not interested in oil, or automobiles that foul the air with their "infernal conbustion engines". She wants to raise cattle. Butting heads with Chance's vision of the future will leave her either a winner or have her running away with a broken heart.

Nan O'Berry has two short contemporary stories with Victory Tales Press. Apple of His Eye can be found in the 2014 Autumn Collection and her latest, Room at the Inn is contained in the 2014 Christmas Collection, both available now.

Apple of His Eye

Callie Dalton's truck runs out of gas on the road to her family's fruit stand. When a forestry agent Marshall Albright comes to her rescue, little does she know that he is the grandson of her grandfather's worst enemy, Brice Huntington. It seems the Dalton's and Huntington's have been waging a feud for the past twenty-nine years, ever since Laura Huntington left Stephen Dalton at the altar.

Falling in love was the easy part; the hard part is going to be keeping their grandparents from confronting one another. Can their love bring these two warring factions together?

Amazon

Smashwords

Also available in print.

 

Room at the Inn

Gift of the Magi has been handed down in James Buchannan's family since his great, great grandfather brought his Russian bride home from Europe. But the Magi is a secret place where James can hide from the world. 

Helena McCray slowly melts his heart and together they find out the magic of the inn could be in opening their hearts to a new beginning.

Amazon

Smashwords

Also available in print. 

 

Nan O'Berry

Website: http://oberrynan.wix.com/nanoberryauthor

FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/nan.oberry.3  

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Nan-OBerry/e/B00IV64SIA/

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/nanoberry