Artist, Writer & Wild West Woman
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).
.jpg)
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.
.jpg)
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.
%20(2).png)
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.
 |
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.
 |
MY ORIGINAL DRAWINGS OF JEANNIE |
.png)
 |
TWO CHAPTER SAMPLES BOOK 1 |
 |
BOOK 2 |
JO. B. CREATIVE!: NOT EVERYONE'S MUG OF SARSAPARILLA ...
JO. B. CREATIVE!: NOT EVERYONE'S MUG OF SARSAPARILLA ...: (The following images were created using AI as an experiment. When it comes to me creating promotional material, I'll be using my own ar...
Tuesday 10 September 2024
ALIAS JEANNIE DELANEY - A CRACKSHOT EPIC WESTERN TRILOGY
ALIAS JEANNIE DELANEY - A CRACKSHOT EPIC WESTERN TRILOGY
Now, if you want to work your way through the following, fab and good luck! I'm delighted that I have over 700 readers to date!
When I tell people the plot of this western, they're often as keen as a miner who's struck gold, which is fabulous, considering the whole thing took me over thirty intermittent years to write.
Who says that the western is dead? That the space age has taken over? There's room on this planet for all, and the fact that my particular brand of western, in which my hero is a gal, is one of a comparatively new breed of western in which the protagonist gals are strong leaders who take on the same roles as John, Clint and Gary. Not everyone will it. Fair enough. Some folks hate westerns. Some people - lovers of traditional westerns - may hate it. Some people won't approve (don't read it then). But so far I've encountered very little discordance. The majority of folk think it's a fabulous idea, even if they're not particularly western fans.
Talking of fans, mine include two young male baristas in our local Costa. One of whom, a tall, handsome lad boasting a headful of black curly hair responded with 'Yay! I love that! Bring it on!' Or words to that effect, when I explained what my story is about. The other barista sports a pony tail and wants to be a writer himself so regularly asks me how the marketing is going. Another fan, to our surprise, is PA hubby's old boss. He's loving Book 2 - The Outlaw's Return.! Then there are two neighbours and a friend who lives at the end of our road. Readers live in my locale in Hampshire, including two of our son's friends, and various family members. This seems to prove that anyone and everyone might enjoy the story. I have no typical reader, and the people you would have thought wouldn't be interested in the subject - are interested.
Friends and family don't really count in the grand scheme of reader numbers or sales. What does count are the umpteen unknowns who are reading my words or have read them. I suppose seven hundred readers includes all of them, and that's not a bad number, is it? I've had five star ratings and reviews, proving that it's a good - even great - story overall. My editor was the first professional to assure me that it wasn't a rubbish plot. My first reader was my PA husband, who went through the initial editing phase with me, and he's very objective and good at the job and knows his English grammar and doesn't praise the story just because I'm his missus. He loves the story on the whole, although he doesn't always like Jeannie, my protagonist. Well, who does, eh? He does gets very emotional when the plot is working. I'm currently working on Book 3 and it's coming along really well.
So, pick up the first novel, have a read and see what you think.
*****************
This epic western trilogy, Alias Jeannie Delaney , is the life story of a devastating and charismatic pants-wearing cowgirl who's the fastest gun in the west and a magnificent lover to both men and women. The adventure follows her journey to find her true self on the wild frontier throughout 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? Read Books 1 & 2 and follow Jeannie's endeavours to find acceptance and respect.
WATCH MY COVER REVEAL FOR
ALIAS JEANNIE DELANEY -
BOOK 2 - THE OUTLAW'S RETURN
(TURN THE VOLUME UP!)
THERE'S HUMOUR IN THERE, TOO
|
MY ORIGINAL DRAWINGS OF JEANNIE |
RESPONSES & REVIEWS
'This sounds like a powerful and compelling story! Jeannie Morgan seems like a truly complex character — a blend of strength, charisma, and fierce independence. The tension between her desire for revenge and the risks she faces because of her power and sexuality sets the stage for some intense drama.'
'The mix of western grit with themes of identity, desire, and survival is really intriguing. I’m curious to see how her journey unfolds in the trilogy and how she navigates the challenges of being a strong woman in a world that fears her. It feels like there’s a lot of potential for action, emotion, and depth in this series!'
'The mix of western grit with themes of identity, desire, and survival is really intriguing. I’m curious to see how her journey unfolds in the trilogy and how she navigates the challenges of being a strong woman in a world that fears her. It feels like there’s a lot of potential for action, emotion, and depth in this series!'
'Wow, your trilogy sounds fascinating! I can see why it has garnered such a strong following. The unique blend of western and LGBTQ+ themes, combined with your bold and charismatic protagonist, Jeannie Delaney, makes for a compelling story. It's impressive that you've built a loyal readership of 680 readers, with many five-star ratings and reviews. That's a testament to your writing skills and the connection you've made with your audience.'
BOOK 1 - GO WEST, GIRL!
'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!'
'What an incredible offer! 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 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
'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...'
'I just love kit Mackenzie's descriptions of where Jeannie is, so atmospheric 😌 I'm loving it! A fascinating angle. Jeannie and her Dad are so happy to be moving West !! This novel is a refreshing change from the usual western. Easy to read and I'm thoroughly enjoying it! Kindle was easy to put in my phone so I can read now anytime, truly I don’t always take to a book right away , and if I was finding I wasn’t getting along with the story I wouldn’t say anything ,Kit writes brilliantly, describing the American Plains in all their beauty as they were back then. I am thoroughly enjoying the read !!
Five stars
'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 Kit will keep us posted re the next book.'
'A unique and fascinating Western theme. Kit Mackenzie has an enviable writing skill!'
REVIEWS FROM BOOKSPROUT
'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.'
Five stars on Goodreads. On Amazon
Five star reviews and a 4.7 star average on Amazon.
'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.'
BOOKSPROUT - BOOK 2
A strong sequel in this Wild West world
'I really enjoyed the Western element to this book, it had everything that I wanted from the first book. It was a great followup and had the characters that I was invested in. It worked with everything that I enjoyed from the wild west and enjoyed the main character and cast. I can't wait to read more in this series and from Kit Mackenzie.'
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 daliance 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.'
BOOK 1 - GO WEST, GIRL!
 |
BOOK 2 - THE OUTLAW'S RETURN |
JO. B. CREATIVE!: ALIAS JEANNIE DELANEY - A CRACKSHOT EPIC WESTERN T...
JO. B. CREATIVE!: ALIAS JEANNIE DELANEY - A CRACKSHOT EPIC WESTERN T...: ALIAS JEANNIE DELANEY - A CRACKSHOT EPIC WESTERN TRILOGY Now, if you want to work your way through the following, fab and good luck! Otherw...
Tuesday 3 September 2024
THE WOMAN BEHIND THE WOMAN IN FRONT
THE WOMAN BEHIND
THE WOMAN IN FRONT
I had a brainwave! I get them occasionally. How about creating a graphic using my illustrations of Jeannie and photographs of Yours Truly in western mode as the author? The above photos were taken during my thirties - the black and white one taken by our local paper and the coloured one by a Sunday Supplement. The others were taken in my fifties and sixties (put a bit of weight on since then - boo!
I used Canva for it and I have to say I'm rather pleased with it, although perhaps it is a tad crowded. Some of the text is a little blurred, but the important stuff, ie. the blurb, or synopsis, is below and easy to read.
Since publishing 666 the Number of the Beast, or Number of readers, that number has reached the late sixties, plus I have more five star reviews. Very good news. Still feels very surreal and bemusing! Meanwhile, working very seriously on Book 3!
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.
|
MY ORIGINAL DRAWINGS OF JEANNIE |
|
TWO CHAPTER SAMPLES BOOK 1 |
|
BOOK 2 |
Wednesday 21 August 2024
JO. B. CREATIVE!: ALIAS JEANNIE DELANEY - A YEAR LATER....
JO. B. CREATIVE!: ALIAS JEANNIE DELANEY - A YEAR LATER....: It's just over a year since self-publishing the first book of my epic western trilogy Alias Jeannie Delaney - Book 1 - Go West, Girl! a...
ALIAS JEANNIE DELANEY - A YEAR LATER....
It's just over a year since self-publishing the first book of my epic western trilogy Alias Jeannie Delaney - Book 1 - Go West, Girl! and Book 2 - The Outlaw's Return was published in early August.
It's been swings and roundabouts throughout. The results have been tremendous, thankfully, considering that the subject matter is very niche-y. Not everyone is going to like it, and it is hard to market, but we did it! Between PA hubby and me, with our communication and graphics skills and learning capabilities, we got the word out and readers have bought and are buying. Every day hubby gives me the numbers - Kindle Unlimited readers and orders of Books 1 and 2 (mostly e-novels but occasionally the softback).
Here are a couple of reviews from Booksprout:
FIVE STAR REVIEWS FROM BOOKSPROUT!
'A strong sequel in this Wild West world
I really enjoyed the Western element to this book, it had everything that I wanted from the first book. It was a great followup and had the characters that I was invested in. It worked with everything that I enjoyed from the wild west and enjoyed the main character and cast. I can't wait to read more in this series and from Kit Mackenzie.'
'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 daliance 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.'
One thing I need to emphasise - the drama, emotive feelings and intensity of the story using music. I hear a lot of music which takes me straight to the story and Jeannie - not necessarily western music. Two of these are the following YouTube clips. I imagine Jeannie singing them - not such a strange thing, I'm told, because I used to be so embarrassed about it. Not any longer! I'm glad to reveal such things, and I find it an enormous relief, strange or not. After all, Doris Days' Calamity Jane sang, didn't she?
ROBBIE WILLIAMS
FEEL
THE WEEKEND
BLINDING LIGHTS
 |
THE AUTHOR |
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.
|
MY ORIGINAL DRAWINGS OF JEANNIE |
|
TWO CHAPTER SAMPLES BOOK 1 |
|
BOOK 2 |
Sunday 18 August 2024
JO. B. CREATIVE!: MY ONLY NOVEL & THE REASON BEHIND IT
JO. B. CREATIVE!: MY ONLY NOVEL & THE REASON BEHIND IT: MY ONLY NOVEL & THE REASON BEHIND IT Is my trilogy Alias Jeannie Delaney my only story? Yes, it is. I wonder why? Here's a sna...
MY ONLY NOVEL & THE REASON BEHIND IT
MY ONLY NOVEL &
THE REASON BEHIND IT
Is my trilogy Alias Jeannie Delaney my only story? Yes, it is. I wonder why? Here's a snapshot of the story:
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 three novels and find out!
First and foremost in my life came art, creative anecdotal writing, a renaissance soul life - I wish! - and a growing fascination for the wild west. Alias Jeannie Delaney was the only novel length story I ever came up with and felt a true passion for. I wrote one or two fairy stories when I was young and, aged fourteen, I won a competition. I then wrote a gritty murder when I was older, but nothing stuck.
Alias Jeannie Delaney came into my head as a result of watching sixties' and seventies' westerns and noticed the lack of decent roles for women, much less the fastest gun. Over the years, as my fascination for the wild west evolved, so did the story in my head. I began to illustrate Jeannie and it all became very exciting. Little did I know that it was an antidote for dealing with my mental health issues.
 |
MY JEANNIE |
Courtesy of parents, siblings and wives, I encountered emotional abuse and neglect over the years - a drip-drip of meanness, sarcasm or criticism mixed with my being ignored emotionally by family from the year dot until I turned sixty, after which time my parents died, leaving me free at last. My parents and I were good friends, but I was 'so sensitive' and none of the family were. They were the reason for me writing my trilogy. I was creative and quirky. They weren't. If I became moody and depressed, I was teased. Mother was of the 'pull yourself together' brigade.
Jeannie was an antidote. Of course I was unaware of this at the time. Jeannie was the woman I wanted to create and ultimately, the woman I wanted desperately to send out into the world. She was me. The 'perfect woman' (in my eyes). I desperately needed to tell the family about my evolving story, so I told them that I was writing a life story of a Calamity Jane character (most people have heard of Calamity). But Jeannie was, apart from being the fastest gun, also a magnificent lover to both men and women. I couldn't tell anyone that until my soulmate hubby prised it out of me and I showed him my drawings. He told me that she was sexy, and for goodness sake write that story!
 |
CALAMITY JANE |
My story was partly a result of my determination for the world to see that it wasn't only men who carried the fastest gun! My being a wild west enthusiast, that had to be. Jeannie had to take on the role of a traditional western hero and become a cowgirl, an outlaw, a deputy sheriff, a powerful rancher and finally a mayor and a member of the posse because she's unbeatable with a gun, and her magnetic charisma holds people to ransom. To top all this, she had to be devastatingly beautiful, but not in a chocolate box way. I wanted her to be a tomboy beauty, and I think she is. She represents me - a successful me. It's a wild west theme simply because that's my fascination. She could just as easily have been a pirate (mm - there's a thought). If I get her successfully out into the world, that means I'm successful. I wasn't aware of any of this until recently. Psychologically it's a very complicated and knotted up reasoning. Jeannie's story turned into a trilogy, covering half her lifetime. A friend of ours said recently: 'You've written a trilogy? Good grief!'
I've never been inspired to write another novel. Nothing came with quite the same passion, the same drive. My desire to achieve good research, great atmosphere, believable characters and a credible, exciting plot was my driver and caused me endless angst, heartache and tears over the years, causing me to end up in therapy - my counsellor is fab - the only therapist ever to completely understand Jeannie and me.
I've enjoyed writing anecdotal articles as well, and have had many published. They're relaxation, a complete break from something as intense as a trilogy. My first calling as an artist remains, and to be multidisciplined and make a name for myself as an artist and creative writer would be so satisfying.
I've learned about published authors with only one novel, or trilogy to their names. Anna Sewell's Black Beauty, for one, and Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind for another (written after she broke her ankle, to help pass the time).
These days traditional publishers won't take on authors with only one book to their names because in these fiercely competitive days they can't risk an unknown author who can't be guaranteed to write more. Your only novel is likely to end up on slush piles of manuscripts and not even glanced at. One person, the publishing company's professional reader, will decide on the fate of your novel.
That's where Amazon comes in. It's free to self-publish, and many people remark that a lot of rubbish is put out as a result. True. But great writing as well. That's where a discerning reading public come in. If astute readers dislike a book, the book won't get read and will languish on Amazon's bookshelves forever. Alternately, if the reading public enjoy a book, it will be bought and read and the deserving author will receive payment.
So there I am. The first two novels are selling - I won't say like hot cakes - but considering it's a very niche subject which is hard to market, they've done extremely well and have earned many five star ratings and over six hundred and fifty readers. Of course there is negativity and those who hate the story, so I'm careful to avoid reading anything negative.
Well-meaning folks utter: 'How exciting!' It's not. It's ******* hard work! Still, I've published Books 1 and 2 and I'm working on Book 3 now. I am, hubby tells me, successful. I believe him, but I still feel very bemused, if not surreal. I've got over surreal. I won't be writing another subject any time soon, but I may well write further stories about Jeannie. Apparently that's what some authors do when they can't part with their heroes. I'm not surprised.
 |
ME! |
|
MY ORIGINAL DRAWINGS OF JEANNIE |
|
TWO CHAPTER SAMPLES BOOK 1 |
|
BOOK 2 |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)