Willie, My Love by Judy Ann Davis

Wild Women Authors is pleased to welcome back Judy Ann Davis as she celebrates the release of .Willie, My Love, her latest historical romance, this one with a flair of suspense. With Judy Ann is Elizabeth Wilhemina “Willie” Wydcliffe who will go first.

Welcome, Willie. Where are you from? Clearfield, Pennsylvania.

Tell us a bit about Willie, My Love. With my father, I own a logging operation and three sawmills along the Susquehanna River. The year is 1856, and white pine is king of the forest. Settlements up the coast and over to Europe are hungry for our lumber for ship masts and for building.

What did you think the first time you saw Jonathan Wain? He was an arrogant, big buzzard and Limey from the Chesapeake Bay. And, by the way, he has big feet. 
Interesting about his feet, but we digress. What was your second thought? He rode the most magnificent horse I’d ever seen. 
Was it love at first sight? Are you kidding me?

Guess not. What do you like most about him? He caught me acting as a decoy to get our payroll to our downriver mill and assured me he wouldn’t tell my father—although he did confiscate my gun.

How would you describe him? He’s at least three inches over six feet with midnight black hair that falls in careless waves over his forehead and the back of his collars. He has a chiseled aristocratic nose and angular chin. Why, I guess, he almost as good-looking as his horse.

How would he describe you? I’m a sharp-tongued, spunky, golden little spitfire who carries a knife and a gun.

What made you choose a career in logging operations? I was brought up by my father, without a mother, in the Pennsylvania wilderness. I have always loved the land, loved the forests, and loved the Susquehanna River. With no brothers, I was the logical one to help my ailing father.

What is your biggest fear? With unknown enemies nipping at my heels, I’m afraid I could lose the business and disappoint all my crews and their families who are depending upon me for their living.

How do you relax? I ride my horse, Silver Cloud, bareback up the mountain to my favorite ledges, high above the river and town of Clearfield.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Betsey Trotwood from Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? “Even the proud and strong fall to pieces at times. But if you have a dream, you go on despite the anguish, the pain, the problems, and the suffering to achieve it.”

Thanks, Willie. Now, we'd like to chat with Judy.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? I was an avid reader since childhood and enjoyed Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little House” series and all the Nancy Drew books. Later, I discovered Louis L’Amour, one of America’s greatest storytellers, and read all his books about Early America and taming the wilderness.

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? I’m born and raised on a dairy farm in Northeast Pennsylvania. I understand the importance of the land, its wildlife, and its resources.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? My editor with my publisher retired, and the book would have been stalled for over a year and a half, so I decided to self-publish. It was an exciting adventure in itself.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? I just finished Olive Kitteridge for my book club in preparation for Olive Again. On my TBR pile is Suffragists in Washington , D.C. [The 1913 Parade and the Fight for the Vote]

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I’m working on a novella about ice cream for The Wild Rose Press. I plan to write the third and final novella for my “Musical Christmas Series” titled, LUCY ~ The Clarinetist, to be released in the fall of 2020 and bundled with the first two novellas of the series which were released during the 2019 Christmas season.

To Purchase Willie, My Love, go to: AMAZON

To learn more about Judy Ann Davis, go to:

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AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE