Guest blogger Rebecca DeMarino with her dad, Howard Worley

First Novel Family Project by Rebecca DeMarino

June 2010, my dad, age eighty-seven, lay on a hospital bed, prepped for an angiogram. His aortic valve about closed, his cardiologist ordered the test as a first step to open-heart surgery. The heart surgeon would not want any surprises when he went in to replace the valve.

Now Dad held my hand and told me he wanted to tell me the end of the western romance he was writing, his first novel, the story he began to write nine months before.

His first novel was titled: The Stagecoach Murders. 

He had read and owned (from the look of his cupboards) every Louis L’Amour and Zane Grey novel printed. Now it was time to write his own.

As we wound our way through airport security on our return from The Highland Springs Resort in Cherry Valley, CA, I remarked the resort would make a good setting for a novel.

I was writing my own first novel, a historical romance set in the 1600s, but I was thinking of a contemporary suspense. Dad said 1800s. He’d been intrigued with the old photos of Highland Springs back in the days it was a stagecoach station.

A few days after the trip, I received an email from him.  Subject:  Highland Springs Story Line. The body of the email contained a complete synopsis of the story.  He signed it: How about it. Love, Dad. 

I wrote back, Dad, why don’t you write it? 

And so he did. Now his first novel was nearly finished. I had reach each chapter as he completed, carefully printed and mailed it to me by priority mail service. A western romance, where Louis L’Amour meets Zane Grey: The Stagecoach Murders.

Writing a First Novel Page Turner

Western Romance Author Howard Worley

I couldn’t wait to get each new package! Though he’d never studied the craft of writing, he was a natural and knew each chapter needed a hook. Dad was writing a page turner!

I didn’t want Dad to tell me the end of his first novel story. I squeezed his hand and told him he would be just fine. He would come home to his ranch to write his ending. But he insisted. As tears fell, I listened.

His heart surgery was a success, but his recovery was interrupted two days later when he suffered a major stroke to the left side of his brain. My siblings and I stayed by his side 24/7, both in the hospital and when he returned home. His physical recovery came quickly.

Soon he was taking care of himself and his horse, Cotton.

But speech, and the ability to write, were a struggle for him. He knew exactly what he wanted to say, or write, but the word would come out a jumble. Or sometimes the opposite of what he was thinking. He was frustrated, but determined to finish his book.

He was blessed with a speech therapist who determined to make that happen. When he told Dad his speech had improved to the point he no longer needed speech therapy, Shawn pointed out that there was still work to be done. Dad had a novel to finish.

Determined Speech Therapist

Inventive in his sessions with Dad, he printed out western art and asked him to write three short sentences about the action. Then he would have Dad connect two of the sentences, then bring in the third.

In January, at age eighty-eight, Dad finished his novel!

He never gave up or said, it was too late or too hard. Nor did claim to be too old, too tired. He left such a legacy for his children and grandchildren! The hope he gives to others recovering from stroke, and their loved ones, inspires many.

And he has proven the words on a little purple pin I put on his bulletin board a few years back. It says, Please be patient. God isn’t through with me yet. Thank you, Lord.

The Stagecoach Murders by Howard Worley

About Novel The Stagecoach Murders by Howard Worley: 

Both want to find the killer. Boone seeks justice. Lily is bent on revenge for the murder of her father. She sees Boone as the means to find it. Soon love ensues. But is it enough?

For a full review of THE STAGECOACH MURDERS, please click: FICTIONADDICTION.

CLICK HERE FOR DAD’s FIRST NOVEL: http://www.amazon.com/Stagecoach-Murders-Howard-Worley/dp/147761382X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1341626469&sr=1-1&keywords=howard+worley

About My Dad

He was born in Chanute, Kansas, in the year 1923. He grew up dreaming of being a farmer and cowboy. In 1943 he joined the Navy and met my mom when he was stationed at Beeville, Texas, as a flight instructor. He flew SNJ’s and AF’s.

In 1965 he traded airplanes for horses when he retired from the Navy. He moved with my mom, my three siblings and me to a small farm in Oregon. As we kids flew the nest, they put down anchor on a one-hundred acre ranch in the Willamette Valley. When they wre not taking care of cows, horses, chickens and a big vegetable garden, they delivered Meals-On-Wheels, were charter members of The Prince of Peace, an Episcopal church in Salem, Oregon. They served as volunteer directors at the Oregon State Penitentiary Day Care Center for seven years. They wre affectionately known as “grampa” and “gramma.”

My mom Helen Worley passed away in 2005. There is not a day that goes by that my dad, my siblings, and I do not miss her.

Howard Worley and wife

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