Many of my readers know I recently flew to Magnolia, TX to attend a book signing for my book, 'Bring a Cowboy Home' because the setting for this series of novels is a ranch outside Magnolia, TX.
I have had many people ask me about the trip and how it became a 'thing' and what I did there. I thought I would write this post so y'all could hear the story at one time.
When I visited my daughter and her family in November, 2015, we visited many of the small towns near her home in Cypress. I told everyone we met about the books I had written and their connection to Magnolia, Tomball, Montgomery and Spring. I was encouraged to contact them when the book was available so I could come back and sell them.
So....when it was available, I called Nina, a lady who was especially enthusiastic when I was there and asked her if there were any upcoming festivals or somewhere that I could sell the books. She put me in contact with Tana in Magnolia's office of Community Development. Tana was so excited, she took the ball and ran with it. She told me the best time would be Depot Day, an annual event featuring food, vendors and live music surrounding the original Magnolia Depot.
I have had many people ask me about the trip and how it became a 'thing' and what I did there. I thought I would write this post so y'all could hear the story at one time.
When I visited my daughter and her family in November, 2015, we visited many of the small towns near her home in Cypress. I told everyone we met about the books I had written and their connection to Magnolia, Tomball, Montgomery and Spring. I was encouraged to contact them when the book was available so I could come back and sell them.
So....when it was available, I called Nina, a lady who was especially enthusiastic when I was there and asked her if there were any upcoming festivals or somewhere that I could sell the books. She put me in contact with Tana in Magnolia's office of Community Development. Tana was so excited, she took the ball and ran with it. She told me the best time would be Depot Day, an annual event featuring food, vendors and live music surrounding the original Magnolia Depot.
I arrived on Thursday around noon, my daughter picked me up at the airport and took me immediately to Magnolia City Hall. There I met Tana, who took us out for lunch and then, with a newspaper photographer and reported in tow, took us to a ranch owned by Pat and Sue Zaiontz, located down a dirt road that seemed to go on for miles. (This could be the ranch in my book.)
The Zaiontzs were the most gracious hosts you could ever want. They showed us their beautiful home, the barns, small animals, every type of fowl and then took us out to the pastures in the 'Gators.' We were up close and personal with a bull that Pat told me was a gentle guy.
The Zaiontzs were the most gracious hosts you could ever want. They showed us their beautiful home, the barns, small animals, every type of fowl and then took us out to the pastures in the 'Gators.' We were up close and personal with a bull that Pat told me was a gentle guy.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. The next day, Nina was my guide. She took us through their beautiful library after we ate lunch at The Magnolia Diner. Then she introduced me to Celeste, who is in charge of the Magnolia Historical Society. This dear woman is a walking information individual about all things Magnolia. We toured the Depot which houses MANY historical items. It was so much fun and gave me lots of things to add to the next books in the series.
Saturday arrived sunny, but quite windy. Kari and Jim set up the canopy and tables for me and we arranged the books the way we thought they looked best. I met many lovely people, including one who is my 'adoption advisor' for the books. It really was a once in a lifetime experience. I was actually where I had been writing about.
The newspaper ran an article about the visit. Talk about feeling like a celebrity...wow. I can't thank the people enough for making my visit so memorable.
I apologize for the quality of this photo. AND the number of acres listed in the article is definitely incorrect.
I apologize for the quality of this photo. AND the number of acres listed in the article is definitely incorrect.
Midwest author writes series based in MagnoliaTony Gaines
Midwest author writes series based in Magnolia
Author Gloria Doty stands with her host Pat Zaiontz.
Gloria Doty
Midwest author writes series based in Magnolia
"Bring a Cowboy Home" is the first book from Gloria Doty's Magnolia Series.
Tony Gaines
Midwest author writes series based in Magnolia
Gloria Doty with her host, Pat Zaiontz.
Posted: Sunday, April 17, 2016 9:32 pm
Midwest author writes series based in Magnolia By Taelor Smith Houston Community Newspapers
Gloria Doty an author from Fort Wayne, Indiana, has been writing her whole life. She has published a devotional, a book chronicling the life of her daughter living with Asperger’s, and has contributed to many magazines. When it came to writing her first fiction novel, Doty knew she would have go outside of her everyday to better create a captivating tale.
“My daughter and her family lives in Cypress. Even when they lived in Katy, we would come [to Magnolia] to visit and I always like the name Magnolia. I don’t know why, I just liked it. I like the flowers, everything.”
Doty’s book “Bring A Cowboy Home,” is the first novel in her new fiction series. It follows the love story of a cowboy in a rural town. She drew her inspiration of the people and the town particularly from Magnolia because she had become so familiar with the Texas city.
“When I started writing this romance novel, my main character was in Chicago but she was going to meet a cowboy. I wanted him to come from somewhere I knew. I just decided I’d make him be from ranch outside Magnolia, and it just grew.”
Although it is a love story, Doty says the book gives readers a bit of adventure. The characters take readers on a journey through Magnolia and epitomize some of the very people you’re bound to meet in the beautiful area.
“It’s not the typical boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy meets girl type of romance. It is a romance, but it has some mystery. Lucy carries a gun with her at all times. There’s some excitement.”
The books were written quickly as Doty started writing the series in July 2015. It only took her one month to write each book and she says it all came to her pretty easily because Magnolia was so inspirational.
“I fell in love with the people in the book, therefore I fell in love with the town of Magnolia.”
Doty spent the few days leading up to Magnolia’s Depot Day come down and explore the precious town of which she has based her series. She enjoyed a day out on the 11 acre farm of 4B Community Development President Pat Zaiontz. While there, she along with her daughters and granddaughter experienced life out on a real Magnolia farm. They were able to see many of the animals kept on Zaiontz’ farm such as rabbits, donkeys, cows, and geese. Doty shares that she was taken aback by the experience because she had never seen anything like this.
“I was actually raised on a farm and lived on one, but not one this big. I’m loving it.”
In all of the research done while writing the series, Doty had not been able to visit a Magnolia farm until then and she loved every minute of it. The experience is sure to inspire her writing for the two additional novels she plans to add to the series. Doty shares that fans have been so excited about the series so far that it would only be right to give readers more in the series.
Tana Ross, City of Magnolia Economic Development Coordinator and member of Magnolia Historical Society, was able to put Doty in contact with Zaiontz so she could have a true Magnolia experience. In addition to spending time with her family visiting farms in Magnolia, Doty was able to learn history about the city. She will finish up her visit to Magnolia by attending Depot Day, the annual fundraiser held by Magnolia Historical Society where the community comes out for a day of fun, food, and games.
The first book from the Magnolia Series titled “Bring A Cowboy Home” is now available on Amazon. Doty will be at Magnolia’s Depot Day on April 16 to meet fans and sign books. The remaining two books from the series, “Loving A Cowboy,” and “Riding With A Cowboy,” will be available later this summer. For more information on Gloria Doty, her wonderful book series and other writings, please visit her website at http://www.writingbygloria.com.
Midwest author writes series based in Magnolia
Author Gloria Doty stands with her host Pat Zaiontz.
Gloria Doty
Midwest author writes series based in Magnolia
"Bring a Cowboy Home" is the first book from Gloria Doty's Magnolia Series.
Tony Gaines
Midwest author writes series based in Magnolia
Gloria Doty with her host, Pat Zaiontz.
Posted: Sunday, April 17, 2016 9:32 pm
Midwest author writes series based in Magnolia By Taelor Smith Houston Community Newspapers
Gloria Doty an author from Fort Wayne, Indiana, has been writing her whole life. She has published a devotional, a book chronicling the life of her daughter living with Asperger’s, and has contributed to many magazines. When it came to writing her first fiction novel, Doty knew she would have go outside of her everyday to better create a captivating tale.
“My daughter and her family lives in Cypress. Even when they lived in Katy, we would come [to Magnolia] to visit and I always like the name Magnolia. I don’t know why, I just liked it. I like the flowers, everything.”
Doty’s book “Bring A Cowboy Home,” is the first novel in her new fiction series. It follows the love story of a cowboy in a rural town. She drew her inspiration of the people and the town particularly from Magnolia because she had become so familiar with the Texas city.
“When I started writing this romance novel, my main character was in Chicago but she was going to meet a cowboy. I wanted him to come from somewhere I knew. I just decided I’d make him be from ranch outside Magnolia, and it just grew.”
Although it is a love story, Doty says the book gives readers a bit of adventure. The characters take readers on a journey through Magnolia and epitomize some of the very people you’re bound to meet in the beautiful area.
“It’s not the typical boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy meets girl type of romance. It is a romance, but it has some mystery. Lucy carries a gun with her at all times. There’s some excitement.”
The books were written quickly as Doty started writing the series in July 2015. It only took her one month to write each book and she says it all came to her pretty easily because Magnolia was so inspirational.
“I fell in love with the people in the book, therefore I fell in love with the town of Magnolia.”
Doty spent the few days leading up to Magnolia’s Depot Day come down and explore the precious town of which she has based her series. She enjoyed a day out on the 11 acre farm of 4B Community Development President Pat Zaiontz. While there, she along with her daughters and granddaughter experienced life out on a real Magnolia farm. They were able to see many of the animals kept on Zaiontz’ farm such as rabbits, donkeys, cows, and geese. Doty shares that she was taken aback by the experience because she had never seen anything like this.
“I was actually raised on a farm and lived on one, but not one this big. I’m loving it.”
In all of the research done while writing the series, Doty had not been able to visit a Magnolia farm until then and she loved every minute of it. The experience is sure to inspire her writing for the two additional novels she plans to add to the series. Doty shares that fans have been so excited about the series so far that it would only be right to give readers more in the series.
Tana Ross, City of Magnolia Economic Development Coordinator and member of Magnolia Historical Society, was able to put Doty in contact with Zaiontz so she could have a true Magnolia experience. In addition to spending time with her family visiting farms in Magnolia, Doty was able to learn history about the city. She will finish up her visit to Magnolia by attending Depot Day, the annual fundraiser held by Magnolia Historical Society where the community comes out for a day of fun, food, and games.
The first book from the Magnolia Series titled “Bring A Cowboy Home” is now available on Amazon. Doty will be at Magnolia’s Depot Day on April 16 to meet fans and sign books. The remaining two books from the series, “Loving A Cowboy,” and “Riding With A Cowboy,” will be available later this summer. For more information on Gloria Doty, her wonderful book series and other writings, please visit her website at http://www.writingbygloria.com.
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