Artist, Writer & Wild West Woman
Sunday 13 October 2024
JO. B. CREATIVE!: ALIAS JEANNIE DELANEY - THE TRILOGY
JO. B. CREATIVE!: ALIAS JEANNIE DELANEY - THE TRILOGY: ALIAS JEANNIE DELANEY - THE TRILOGY A devastating cowgirl comes of age on the wild frontier Her gun is snake strike fast & her sexualit...
ALIAS JEANNIE DELANEY - THE TRILOGY
ALIAS JEANNIE DELANEY -
I shared my cover reveal in the summer, and because it was so popular, I decided to share it again along with hubby's fun railroad promotional video and other details about my epic western trilogy. As I speak I'm editing Book 3, which is proving to be a challenge but certainly doable! That will be released before next summer. If you've bought my first two books, I trust that you're enjoying them, and would be extremely grateful if you could leave a positive review on Amazon. Thank you so much!
BOOK 1 - GO WEST, GIRL!
COVER REVEAL FOR BOOK 2 -
THE OUTLAW'S RETURN
(Turn up the volume!)
Jeannie Morgan, the fastest gun west of the Mississippi, is a devastating and charismatic pants-wearing cowgirl who is also a magnificent lover to both men and women. As she navigates the unforgiving frontier, she must confront her own identity and desires, all while facing down deadly confrontations and personal tragedies. Will she find happiness or will her her tomboy beauty, her powerful persona and her lethal gun finally be the death of her?
Available as e-novel & paperback & on Kindle Unlimited.
REVIEWS
'This is a top tier telling of an unconventional child to woman experience in the 1800's west. I'm loving everything about this story'
'This is a crack shot story, a unique blend of adventure, humor, and powerful storytelling that blazes across the wild frontier into the heart of the country at that time. It will leave you hungry for more!'
'A unique and fascinating Western theme. Kit Mackenzie has an enviable writing skill!'
I just grabbed my copy of "Alias Jeannie Delaney - Book 1 - Go West, Girl!" on Amazon. The premise of a charismatic and skilled cowgirl on a journey of self-discovery is absolutely captivating. Kudos on the rave reviews and the unique twist you've brought to the western genre.'
Book 1
Yee-hah! I'm enjoying this soooo much! Not just because of the story but also because of the quality of the writing, and the loving detail put into it. Clearly a lot of research - Kit Mackenzie writes as though she's actually been there. I so enjoyed reading the novel in detail, and relishing the nuances of the fab writing. Rereading it and absorbing the world and the atmosphere she's created. It's a terrific story with strong characters (to put it mildly!) and a powerful arc.
Yee-hah! I'm enjoying this soooo much! Not just because of the story but also because of the quality of the writing, and the loving detail put into it. Clearly a lot of research - Kit Mackenzie writes as though she's actually been there. I so enjoyed reading the novel in detail, and relishing the nuances of the fab writing. Rereading it and absorbing the world and the atmosphere she's created. It's a terrific story with strong characters (to put it mildly!) and a powerful arc.
Book 2
And here it is -- what a story! When I started reading I couldn't think how on earth you'd be able to make something interesting from the situation Jeannie was in, but OMG...
And here it is -- what a story! When I started reading I couldn't think how on earth you'd be able to make something interesting from the situation Jeannie was in, but OMG...
BOOKBUB REVIEW
Great western story! *****
'Not like any Western book I've ever read... Jeannie is best described as a difficult child. I love her grown-up character. She lives life on her own terms, not always liked but well-respected. I'm looking forward to more stories of her life.'
'Not like any Western book I've ever read... Jeannie is best described as a difficult child. I love her grown-up character. She lives life on her own terms, not always liked but well-respected. I'm looking forward to more stories of her life.'
THE AUTHOR & HER HUBBY
Thursday 10 October 2024
JO. B. CREATIVE!: JO, KIT OR KITTY?
JO. B. CREATIVE!: JO, KIT OR KITTY?: JO, KIT OR KITTY? Picture, if you will, this ultra creative and idiosyncratic gal and her fertile imagination. I call myself Jo Ballantyne...
JO, KIT OR KITTY?
JO, KIT OR KITTY?
Picture, if you will, this ultra creative and idiosyncratic gal and her fertile imagination.
I call myself Jo Ballantyne, artist and writer, Kit Mackenzie, western author, and Kitty Le Roy, wild western woman and steampunk pirate. Methinks I've overdone my pseudonym allowance and confuse myself regularly. The various pseudonyms had to be created so that I could identify myself with each facet. Confusing, eh?
Growing up I was already artistic, and was aware that I was somewhat quirky. I was brought up beside the River Thames, so automatically learned to swim and row a boat. Today hubby and I paddle our traditional Canadian canoe when we can, which works alongside my intriguing fascination for the wild west, particularly the wilder women who smoked cigars and packed guns.
I also had an evolving list of interests and hobbies, a bit like my hero Leonardo Da Vinci.
Flying was one of them.
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MY FIRST FLIGHT OVER A DAM IN ZELL-AM-ZE, AUSTRIA |
While still at school I took flying lessons. Some smartypants at school asked me why I didn't learn to drive like everyone else? I learnt straight and level so was rather pleased with myself. In latter years a friend of hubby and I flew us around the Isle of Wight in his company single engine aircraft and handed over the controls to me for part of it. I'll never forget it!
I'm fascinated by the paranormal, although the idea of ghost hunting scares me silly. I ghost hunted on Mother's Day with my son in a cemetery, as you do, but got chilly feet. I'll stick to watching ghost hunters being scared silly on TV ghost shows, thank you very much!
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'APPARENTLY' A PHOTOGRAPHER
CAPTURED THIS WHILE ON A GHOST WALK IN FLORIDA.
BLURRY FIGURE APPEARED IN PHOTO!
I'D LOVE TO BELIEVE IT.
(GHOST ADVENTURES)
I became interested in archaeology, human biology, science, travel, snorkeling and archery, among many other things, including writing and gardening (always wanted a pond - now we've got four), and steampunk.
I'd always wanted to dress western in buckskins, pants and a holstered Colt revolver. To re-enact the part of a wild westerner. Eventually my soulmate hubby and I camped at wild west living history events. I became Kitty (my granny's name) Le Roy, a factual western woman. My own character is a prospector/saloon owner. Hubby was quack Doc Jack Coltrane. We became quite popular among the western fraternity.
I have umpteen zillion items on my proverbial bucket list. One was to travel to as many countries as I could. A travel magazine told me that you can class yourself a traveller when you've been to twenty countries - and I have. I like the two extremes of climate that we've visited - Iceland and Malaysia. Another was the States, where I witnessed a rocket launch at Cape Canaveral in the distance, to the envy of my husband. It was heading for Venus on a research flight. I read about it on the internet!
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SATURN V (WHICH FLEW TO THE MOON) & MY ARTWORK |
And I had a meal with the Moonies in San Francisco. As you do. Luckily I'm too strong minded for them.
Another bucket list item was to write a novel. I've had in my head for years, a western that needed writing. I finally wrote a trilogy and self-published two of them very successfully. They're on the market and doing well. Marketing Alias Jeannie Delaney Books 1 & 2 has been my predominant endeavour for the last couple of years. Alias Jeannie Delaney - The Trilogy, is my epic western trilogy with a twist. The storyline follows the life of a devastating and charismatic pants-wearing cowgirl, Jeannie Morgan, who's the fastest gun in the west and a magnificent lover to both men and women. This is her journey to seek her identity through deadly confrontations and personal tragedies. I'm currently working on Book 3.
Meanwhile I'm attempting to return to my neglected artistic creativity and become a multidisciplinary artist - an artist who will try their hand at any subject, in any medium or style. Hubby tells me that I'm capable of genius work when I'm not experimenting and producing rubbish. Agreed. I've learnt computer graphics in order to promote my trilogy and that's very satisfying. I drew loads of illustrations of my protagonist Jeannie over the years and I'm using those to help promote the novels.
In recent times steampunk enthusiasm grabbed us. It's a Victorian view of the future, as envisaged by Will Smith's Wild, Wild West. Steampunk cowpokery is a common theme, and the rules... There are no rules except to be splendid to one another.
I watch scuba divers exploring shipwrecks when I'm on my treadmill and have briefly considered doing it. Definitely doable. But I don't like depths and it's not as easy as snorkeling, so I'll let that one slide.
Despite depression and anxiety issues throughout my life, which obviously sucks, I've told it what to do with itself because I'm determined to do some of these things even if it kills me. I'm bull headed enough for that. My head is always full of all the things I and hubby want to do which makes us super cool grandparents, according to our teenage twin granddaughters. And may that remain.
On that note... thank you for reading. Ta ra!
THE AUTHOR ME) & HER VERY ABLE &
EFFICIANT HUBBY!
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MY ORIGINAL DRAWINGS OF JEANNIE |
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TWO CHAPTER SAMPLES BOOK 1 |
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BOOK 2 REVIEWS 'This is a top tier telling of an unconventional child to woman experience in the 1800's west. I'm loving everything about this story' 'This is a crack shot story, a unique blend of adventure, humor, and powerful storytelling that blazes across the wild frontier into the heart of the country at that time. It will leave you hungry for more!' 'A unique and fascinating Western theme. Kit Mackenzie has an enviable writing skill!' BOOKBUB REVIEW Great western story! ***** 'Not like any Western book I've ever read... Jeannie is best described as a difficult child. I love her grown-up character. She lives life on her own terms, not always liked but well-respected. I'm looking forward to more stories of her life.' |
Monday 23 September 2024
JO. B. CREATIVE!: THAT GAL IS ALWAYS IN MY HEAD, DAMMIT!!
JO. B. CREATIVE!: THAT GAL IS ALWAYS IN MY HEAD, DAMMIT!!: THAT GAL IS ALWAYS IN MY HEAD, DAMMIT! Introduction: (or what this post is all about). Ali...
Tuesday 17 September 2024
JO. B. CREATIVE!: NOT EVERYONE'S MUG OF SARSAPARILLA ...
JO. B. CREATIVE!: NOT EVERYONE'S MUG OF SARSAPARILLA ...: (The illustrations are courtesy of AI. When I post other promotional material, I shall be creating my own artwork). ALIAS JEANNIE DELANEY S...
NOT EVERYONE'S MUG OF SARSAPARILLA ...
(The illustrations are courtesy of AI. When I post other promotional material, I shall be creating my own artwork).
ALIAS JEANNIE DELANEY
SHE'S NOT EVERYONE'S
MUG OF SARSAPARILLA ...
I'd watch TV and films and characters would pop up and inspiration would spark my mind. The person's appearance, their mannerisms, would evolve an idea. It took a very long time but it had to be done. I had to create Jeannie. She made me do it! Eventually, years later, I'd written half her life story up to the age of forty-five, which concluded as a trilogy, much to my surprise! (I may have other ideas later - I don't want to be finished with her).
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The narrative unfolds in her early years in New Orleans, in a townhouse in the French Quarter. She wilfully and strongly rebels against female restraints, cutting her long, wavy hair short, adopting boy's clothes and becoming a tomboy and natural leader. Some kids adore her and others loathe her. Parents despair of their off- springs' association with her. Pa adores his little tomboy, whilst attempting to tone her down a bit while Mama gives up in despair.
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The family migrate west when Jeannie is nine years old. Pa becomes a rancher in Wyoming and Jeannie learns to be a cowpoke alongside her brothers and loves it. It's with sheer delight when she's older that she discovers her instinctive handling of a gun, and ultimately her extraordinary ability at drawing and shooting with accuracy and the speed of a snake strike.
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Meantime, quite apart from her breathtaking, devastating tomboy beauty, her personality evolves into something many folk find hard to handle. Her charismatic magnetism can be overwhelming, but her irreverent humour counterbalances that. Soon enough her power over people will become evident. I wondered if she was OTT and perhaps she is, but this is one of the points of the story and I loved the idea, introducing people's jealousies of her.
This is no romance, although she falls in love. Nor is it erotica perse, although juicy adult portions are part of the narrative. Those form backdrops to the shocking discovery of her sexuality.
I've said that Jeannie ain't everyone's mug of sarsaparilla and she ain't. I'm not unduly surprised, although I've muttered to myself in the past: She's my heroine - can't others see her like that? But since publication I've become a little more understanding of others' opinions. I hope so.
I've grown up with her and she's become my constant companion, scary, sometimes terrifying, but the funny individual that she is. If I met her in the high street I'd be terrified and would run a mile! But I do love reading her story and I get shivers up my spine, so I think I've done something right. Again, I hope so.
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THE AUTHOR & HER PA |
Facebook Jo Ballantyne
Alias Jeannie Delaney follows the life of devastating and charismatic pants-wearing cowgirl Jeannie Morgan, who's the fastest gun in the west and a magnificent lover to both men and women. This is her journey to find her true self on the wild frontier throughout deadly confrontations and personal tragedies. Will Jeannie find happiness or will her tomboy beauty, powerful persona and lethal gun ultimately be the death of her? Read the story and find out!
Available in E-book & paperback on Amazon.
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MY ORIGINAL DRAWINGS OF JEANNIE |
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TWO CHAPTER SAMPLES BOOK 1 |
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BOOK 2 |
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