Saturday, March 30, 2013


Character Name Calling by Author Stephen Bly
Stephen Bly (1944-2011)
In my book Cowboy For A Rainy Afternoon, the narrator is never identified by a particular character name. He is just called "Little Brother" by the six old cowboys.


However, had he a real bona fide character name, what should he be called? I was pondering that as I read this week the 10 MOST POPULAR NAMES FOR 2008: 1) Aidan, 2) Jayden, 3) Jacob, 4) Michael, 5) Ethan, 6) Caden, 7) James, 8) Caleb, 9) Andrew, and 10) Matthew. 
But "Little Brother" in this story is 10 years old in 1954. That puts him in the 5th grade, born in 1944. So, the question is ... what were the 10 MOST COMMON BOYS NAMES IN 1944?

Friday, March 08, 2013

13 Ways For Favorite Author Book Promotion



book promotion - Bly Books & other authors

Janet Chester Bly

Want suggestions for how to do book promotion for your favorite authors?

You can make a difference! 

Here's 13 things you can do for your own personal favorite author book promotion campaign ... 

Pick one or more: 

1) Tell a friend what you liked about his or her work. Word-of-mouth book promotion is the best! 

Sunday, March 03, 2013

Western Slang: Ketch My Saddle!


Cowboy saddle, hat & boots by fence post
Stephen Bly (1944-2011)

Copyright©1994





No one likes being bucked off a horse. Especially a cowboy or cowgirl.



In the Old West out on the range, when the broomtail you forked decided to break in two, hop for mama, jackknife, swap ends, take you to church, chin the moon or wrinkle his spine ... your face ended up plowing the ground. And you had a more serious problem than cuts and bruises.