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Thursday, May 18, 2017

#ThursdayThoughts Guest post by Judy Ann Davis

Good Morning Friends!

Well May is just marching right along isn't it? 

Today's guest has been featured once before here on our blog but please give a great big welcome to Judy Ann Davis!

Although the rose has always been my favorite flower, it is also the flower of June, my birth month. Growing up on a farm in northeastern Pennsylvania, I cherished the intoxicating fragrance of the antique rose bushes growing around the stonewall foundations of old razed houses on our property where early settlers lived, but later moved westward for reasons unknown. Every June, like a birthday present from the earth and heaven above, it was a delight to see the many bushes, growing wild, bursting into riotous pink blossoms, and spreading over an entire knoll of our pasture.

Old roses, also called “old-fashioned roses,” “heirloom roses,” “antique roses” and “old garden roses” are those plants introduced in America prior to 1867. Although there are hundreds of old rose varieties, they are best known for their hardiness and fragrance.

The oldest rose planted today was in existence some 2,000 years before the birth of Christ. It migrated from Persia (Iran) through Turkey to France and finally into England Later, clippings of these old garden roses were often hand-carried to America by early immigrants from Europe.

In my novel, Four White Roses, I chose to have the heroine try to save the last white Austrian rose that the hero’s great-grandmother brought with her stateside just prior to World War I.

Sometimes writers don’t know where they get ideas for writing a novel. Sometimes thoughts and ideas just pop into our heads. To be honest, only when I started writing Four White Roses did mental sparks erupt—and I was able to draw an eerie connection to my own life. I have actually saved the last old roses bushes planted on my family farm and dating back to the 1800s.

Luckily, I took cuttings after my husband and I were married. With the passing of my parents, the rose bushes eventually died out, probably succumbing to harsh winters, the elements and wildlife, and lack of nourishment and care. Now, more than ever, I find it humbling when I realize I possess the very same roses planted by the hands of our first settlers. And, the lineage is still alive for over a hundred and fifty years.

Ralph Waldo Emerson best reflects my feelings about these beautiful flowers with those prickly thorns:
             “There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of its existence.”


Wow Judy, I don't remember that quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson but it really made me think of my devotional Love is a Rose that parallels the love of God and the Christian life to the words of the song, The Rose. Thanks for sharing your sentiments on roses with us! Now tell us a little more about Four White Roses and yourself.....

When widower Rich Redman returns to Pennsylvania with his young daughter to sell his deceased grandmother’s house, he discovers Grandmother Gertie’s final request was for him to find a missing relative and a stash of WWI jewels.

Torrie Larson, single mom, is trying to make her landscape center and flower arranging business succeed while attempting to save the lineage of a rare white rose brought from Austria in the 1900s.

Together, the rich Texas lawyer and poor landscape owner team up to rescue the last rose and fulfill a dead woman’s wishes. But in their search to discover answers to the mysteries plaguing them, will Rich and Torrie also discover love in each other’s arms? Or will a meddling ghost, a pompous banker, and an elusive stray cat get in their way?

BUY LINK for Four White Roses:   https://www.amazon.com/Four-White-Roses-Judy-Davis-ebook/dp/B06XPBKY7F/      

Judy Ann Davis began her career in writing as a copy and continuity writer for radio and television in Scranton, PA. She holds a degree in Journalism and Communications and has written for industry and education throughout her career.

Over a dozen of her short stories have appeared in various literary and small magazines and anthologies, and have received numerous awards. She has written four novels to date, one novella, and an anthology of short stories.

When Judy Ann is not behind a computer, you can find her looking for anything humorous to make her laugh or swinging a golf club where the chuckles are
few.

She is a member of Pennwriters, Inc. and Romance Writers of America, and divides her time between Central Pennsylvania and New Smyrna Beach, Florida.


Visit her on:
Facebook: Judy Ann Davis Author https://www.facebook.com/JudyAnnDavisAuthor/
Twitter: JudyAnnDavis4   https://twitter.com/JudyAnnDavis4
Author Page:
Goodreads:

Other Judy Ann Davis titles
RED FOX WOMAN
UNDER STARRY SKIES
KEY TO LOVE
SWEET KISS
Thanks again Judy!

And Thank YOU dear friends for dropping by. I hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll visit each week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God Bless.
PamT

11 comments:

Judy Ann Davis said...

Thank you, Pamela, for hosting me today.

Patricia Kiyono said...

What a nice informational post! It's wonderful that you were able to connect your family history to your story. Thanks for sharing!

Tena Stetler said...

Wonderful informational post. I love roses, but alas, mine are covered in snow. AGAIN! Best of luck with your latest release.

Judy Ann Davis said...

Patricia, thanks for stopping by. Have a great day.

Judy Ann Davis said...

Tena, snow again? And I thought Central Pennsylvania was never going to move into spring. All our flowers and trees are now in bloom. Crossing my fingers for "no more frosts." Thanks for stopping by.

Leah St. James said...

Great post, Judy. Fascinating about the lineage of the roses. That must be so cool to trace your garden back.

Diane Burton said...

Judy, I love your story about saving roses from your family farm. I have lilies of the valley from my grandmother's farm. Gram had given some to my mother when we moved into our first house. Since they're so prolific, Mom insisted I take some for my first (and subsequent) houses. I brought some to my current house along with some of Mom's tiger lilies, irises, and Shasta daisies. Both Gram & Mom are gone now, but their flowers remind me of them and their green thumbs. Best wishes on your new release.

Susan Oleksiw said...

I enjoyed the back story for your novel and the lore about roses. You have a great cover for your mystery as well. Good luck with your new book.

Jacqueline Seewald said...

Roses are so special, and so many of the older types have died away with time. It's great when some of the vintage roses are saved.

Alicia Dean said...

Wow...fascinating info about roses. And how special, how wonderful that you have that cutting. Your book sounds like an excellent read. Best wishes!!!

Judy Ann Davis said...

Thank you, everyone, for stopping by. I had so much fun with FOUR WHITE ROSES that it almost wrote itself. The only problem was the ending and my husband convinced me to delete the last chapter and end with the second to the last one. I'm so glad I listened to him!

Diane B, I also took lilies of the valley from my farm. What a wonderful spring frangrance--but they can really get out of hand!

Much luck to all who stopped by! A big THANK YOU.