Artist, Writer & Wild West Woman
Sunday, 22 December 2024
JO. B. CREATIVE!: AUDACIOUS, ADVENTUROUS & UNAPOLOGETICALLY HERSELF
JO. B. CREATIVE!: AUDACIOUS, ADVENTUROUS & UNAPOLOGETICALLY HERSELF: AUDACIOUS, ADVENTUROUS & UNAPOLOGETICALLY HERSELF ALIAS JEANNIE DELANEY - BOOK 1 - GO WEST, GIRL! ONLY 99 CENTS FROM 26TH DECEMBER PA...
BRIGHTEN YOUR POST-XMAS BLUES WITH A GRIPPING WESTERN
AUDACIOUS, ADVENTUROUS &
UNAPOLOGETICALLY HERSELF
ALIAS JEANNIE DELANEY - BOOK 1 -
GO WEST, GIRL!
ONLY 99 CENTS FROM 26TH DECEMBER
PACIFIC STANDARD TIME FOR A WEEK!
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JEANNIE & HER GIRLFRIEND VICKY |
Jeannie Morgan: "Audacious, Adventurous & Unapologetically Herself" is a gripping and rebellious tale that breaks the mold of traditional Westerns.
Jeannie’s story is introduced by the narrator and begins with her birth against the vivid backdrop of 1865 New Orleans where she cuts her hair, adopts pants and rejects societal expectations as a child. She takes on the rugged western frontier to become the fastest gun west of the Mississippi - a fierce, gun-slinging cowgirl who owns her shockingly discovered sexual identity. Jeannie is a heroine who refuses to conform and the story pulses with courage, grit, and defiance as she grows into a tomboy beauty with a charismatic persona whose power extends to everything and everyone around her, tempered by her own unique sense of irreverent humour.
This book is more than a Western; it’s a bold exploration of identity, resilience, and the fight to live authentically in a world that demands otherwise. Readers will root for Jeannie as she takes on the perils of the wild frontier and the prejudices of her time. A must-read for fans of unconventional characters and stories that dare to challenge the norm!
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AUTHOR & PA HUBBY |
Facebook Jo Ballantyne
IF YOU READ & ENJOYED SHARON STONE STARRING IN THE QUICK & THE DEAD OR ANG LEE'S BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, YOU MIGHT LIKE ALIAS JEANNIE DELANEY BOOKS 1 & 2!
OF JEANNIE
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TWO CHAPTER SAMPLES BOOK 1 |
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BOOK 2 |
Friday, 20 December 2024
JO. B. CREATIVE!: BEING SCAMMED & THE RESULT!
JO. B. CREATIVE!: BEING SCAMMED & THE RESULT!: BEING SCAMMED & THE RESULT! Hubby and I have been the victims of a scam - a con artist, but we grew suspicious before anything serio...
Monday, 16 December 2024
CHRISTMAS - A TIME FOR REFLECTIONS
Howdy folks -
It's approaching Christmas, so, because I'd like to, I want to talk about a bit of writing I've done for ... well, forever.
I'm Jo Ballantyne, Artist, aka Kit Mackenzie, Western Author. A UK granny. Easy to get confused so please forgive. Christmas is all about forgiveness. 😄
Over a year ago I self published on Amazon the first novel of my epic western trilogy Alias Jeannie Delaney - Book 1 - Go West, Girl!. The result was a great surprise. My readers were as keen as an ol' west prospector who'd struck gold. I accumulated a load of five star reviews and ratings, and an ever growing number of readers. A year later I published Book 2 - The Outlaw's Return. The response has been amazing and I've accumulated more five star reviews and reached eight hundred and sixty readers.
The narrative follows the life of a devastating and charismatic pants-wearing cowgirl, Jeannie Morgan, who's the fastest gun west of the Mississippi and a magnificent lover to both men and women. She must navigate the rugged frontier and face her desires and identity through deadly confrontations and personal tragedies. Will her tomboy beauty, her powerful persona and her lethal gun finally be the death of her? That's for the reader to find out.
My readers have said that they thoroughly enjoyed my story and that they had never read a western like it. I'm delighted, and I'm proud of the fact that I've been able to use art that I'd created as a mere youngster as a basis for my front covers and also for promotional material.
I wrote the story at intermittent periods after my kids were born and through depression - I created Jeannie as the individual I wanted to be because my fascination for the wild west and gun totin', cheroot chompin' gals was growing and my biological family found this ultra creative somewhat offbeat daughter/ sister hard to understand.
The whole thing was a struggle, but I'm so pleased that I've done it, and, being an aspiring mental health advocate, I'd like to encourage others in a similar position to go for it, whatever their 'it' is. It's never easy when you're struggling mentally but it can be done. You don't have to write a trilogy, and I don't recommend it unless you really, really mean it like I did, but go for your 'it' if you can, whatever it is.
So, this being Christmas any minute, and gift giving time, how about presenting your nearest and dearest, or even your mates, with Books 1 & 2 of my trilogy? (Book 3 will be out next year). Not everyone will love the story, I know, but maybe they will!
On that note, I'll wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a lovely New Year and see you soon!
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AUTHOR & PA HUBBY |
Facebook Jo Ballantyne
IF YOU READ & ENJOYED SHARON STONE STARRING IN THE QUICK & THE DEAD OR ANG LEE'S BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, YOU MIGHT LIKE ALIAS JEANNIE DELANEY BOOKS 1 & 2!
OF JEANNIE
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TWO CHAPTER SAMPLES BOOK 1 |
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BOOK 2 |
Sunday, 15 December 2024
RIP-ROARING REVIEWS!
'Brilliant reviews - and for the record, I’m reading ‘The Outlaw’s Return’ at the moment and am thoroughly enjoying it although it isn’t my normal genre. I’m on holiday in Sardinia and it’s a great holiday read. Looking forward to Book 3!'
'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 Kit Mackenzie has brought to the western genre.'
'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 - THE OUTLAW'S RETURN
C S. Ashley-Cooper
5.0 out of 5 stars
A different -- and memorable! -- Western adventure
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 February 2024
This story took me right into the world of the wild west -- but far from your usual male-centred shoot'em-ups, this is the story of a young woman of extraordinary courage and skill, and powerful sexuality. What a combination! Highly recommended.
C S. Ashley-Cooper
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fast, furious fun with historical insights
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 August 2024
I enjoyed 'Go West, Girl' so much that I couldn't imagine that this, the next book in the series, could possibly top it. But ... it did! 'The Outlaw's Return' is a whizzbang adventure, yet full of authentic detail, giving me a window into a world long gone, yet still relevant to our own lives. Lovely job, Kit Mackenzie!
'A unique and fascinating Western theme. Kit Mackenzie has an enviable writing skill!'
'A unique western read. well written and entertaining! Five stars.'
'This is a different take on a western and I really enjoyed it. Jeannie is an independent woman focused on living her life on her terms before it was socially acceptable to do so. It is well written and entertaining!'
'A 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.'
'Just finished reading Alias Jeanne Delaney. I found it a really fascinating and an interesting read. Quite extraordinary. Loved your ability to set the scene, making it feel as if the reader was there themself experiencing the scene and the surroundings. I know that you said it might not be my kind of book but I have to tell you that it is! quite unlike anything I have read before.'
Jeannie's adventures continue...
'Jeannie is back with her band of followers. The author wastes no time in kicking this story in gear. Gun fights, fist fights, bar fights, a dalliance with a saloon girl... On to chapter three... There was a time in the middle-ish that the story seemed to drag a bit. Stay with it - it picks back up and the last third of the book just flies by. I've enjoyed seeing her find her way, trying to do the right thing, and hope to see more.'
THE AUTHOR & HER HUBBY
JO. B. CREATIVE!: CHRISTMAS - A TIME FOR REFLECTIONS
JO. B. CREATIVE!: CHRISTMAS - A TIME FOR REFLECTIONS: CHRISTMAS - A TIME FOR REFLECTIONS Howdy folks - It's approaching Christmas, so, because I'd like to, I want to talk about a bit o...
Sunday, 8 December 2024
JO. B. CREATIVE!: THE BRILLIANCE OF KINDLE UNLIMITED
JO. B. CREATIVE!: THE BRILLIANCE OF KINDLE UNLIMITED: THE BRILLIANCE OF KINDLE UNLIMITED I shared this post a long time ago, and since then, the first two novels of my epic western trilogy, Al...
Saturday, 7 December 2024
THE BRILLIANCE OF KINDLE UNLIMITED
THE BRILLIANCE OF KINDLE UNLIMITED
I shared this post a long time ago, and since then, the first two novels of my epic western trilogy, Alias Jeannie Delaney - Book 1 - Go West, Girl! & Book 2 - The Outlaw's Return (Book 3 is currently being edited) have gone leaping and bounding like a cowpoke on an untamed stallion.
Considering that this is an offbeat western, a traditional, epic western trilogy with a twist, Ah sure ain't complainin'.
The story is controversial. I knew this from the very beginning, but I had to write it. The story I wanted to read back during the seventies, but since no-one had written it, I had to. The reason I had to write it, despite all the blood, sweat and tears that went into it, is a long, convoluted one, told in this post.
Jeannie was way, way ahead of her time back when I began daydreaming her in the late 60s into the 70s, because there were no decent female role models in westerns back then, and my fascination for the wild west and its gun totin', cheroot chompin' gals - there were a lot - was blooming. Intriguing for a Brit gal, now a granny, I know. I finally began writing her story during the 80s, after the births of my kids, knowing that she was way ahead of her time even then.
Even now lovers of traditional westerns spit on the very idea of Jeannie, just as many of the characters in the story itself do. When hubby spotted a poster for Sharon Stone's The Quick and the Dead on the side of a bus when the film first came out, he exclaimed: "Look, they've filmed your story!". So gun slingin' gals were becoming a thing, finally, and Sharon, the Lady, or Ellen in the film, became my closest role model.
The number of readers who've read my novels and don't wish to spit on Jeannie and love the story can't be over estimated, and I am delighted and growing even more so.
Right - here's the download on this extraordinarily gritty western of mine:
The narrative follows half the life of Jeannie Morgan, a devastating and charismatic pants-wearing cowgirl. Her life starts in 1865 New Orleans where she rebels against a girly existence, raids her brother's wardrobe and chops her hair short.The family move west, her Pa takes up ranching, and Jeannie becomes a fearless cowgirl. She becomes the fastest gun in town, ultimately the west - snake strike fast - and she discovers that her sexuality is as fluid as a miner's whiskey
As Jeannie 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 tomboy beauty, her powerful persona and her lethal gun finally be the death of her? That's for readers to find out.
I'm delighted to say that I have accrued well over 850 readers and many five star reviews and ratings. In order for readers to take a chance on this story, Kindle Unlimited is an invaluable means of doing so.
The e-book can be borrowed through Kindle Unlimited, an Amazon virtual library system, which costs $11.99c a month. A Kindle is smaller than a book, allowing you to read on your e-reader or the Kindle app on your phone or tablet from the palm of your hand. You don't need a Kindle to use Kindle Unlimited. You can use the free Kindle app on your phone or tablet with just a few taps. With Amazon's Kindle subscription service, you can access unlimited books for less than what it would cost you to buy one physical book per month.
There are invariably readers going through my novels on Kindle Unlimited, either Book 1 or Book 2, and always have been. Some of them have steamed through it like a railroad train. As an author on Kindle Unlimited you can access the reader's progress. Apparently when a reader likes Jeannie's story, they really like it, and can't put it down. Amazon itself doesn't show this. Kindle Unlimited is therefore very useful.
The Kindle version of Book 1 - Go West, Girl! and Book 2 - The Oulaw's Return is $2.99 and the paperback version in $12.50.
Here are comments from readers of Book 1:
"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."
"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'm relishing the nuances of her fab writing. 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. The writing is 24 carat gold."
"A unique and fascinating Western theme. Kit Mackenzie has an enviable writing skill!"
"I’ve just finished reading ‘Go West, Girl.’ It was a very good read - a real page-turner, or whatever is the right term on a Kindle. Your descriptions were so vivid I could imagine I was in Coyote Creek. I’m not sure whether or not I like Jeannie - I feel sorry for her that she is so unhappy, but realise it’s because she was ahead of her time, and getting frustrated as she kicked against the social rules of her time. I admire that she refused to accept the norms of times - and people like her made things much more equitable for us today. No doubt you’ll keep us posted re the next book."
"A unique western read. well written and entertaining! Five stars. This is a different take on a western and I really enjoyed it. Jeannie is an independent woman focused on living her life on her terms before it was socially acceptable to do so. It is well written and entertaining!"
"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."
"Just finished reading Alias Jeanne Delaney. I found it a really fascinating and an interesting read. Quite extraordinary. Loved your ability to set the scene, making it feel as if the reader was there themself experiencing the scene and the surroundings. I know that you said it might not be my kind of book but I have to tell you that it is! quite unlike anything I have read before. Well done and I hope that it becomes a best seller. I look forward to the next instalment in book 2."
Available in E-book, paperback & Kindle Unlimited on Amazon.
Ps - if you enjoyed the story, or even have constructive thoughts on offer, I'd be extremely grateful if you could write a review for Amazon. This will help sell the story and also be useful for future readers. Thank you so much!
THE AUTHOR & HUBBY
Facebook Jo Ballantyne
IF YOU READ & ENJOYED SHARON STONE STARRING IN THE QUICK & THE DEAD OR ANG LEE'S BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, YOU MIGHT LIKE ALIAS JEANNIE DELANEY BOOKS 1 & 2!
OF JEANNIE
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TWO CHAPTER SAMPLES BOOK 1 |
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BOOK 2 |
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