Friday, January 16, 2015

Hello from the Kansas Prairie!

Linda Hubalek
Hello from the Kansas prairie! I'm Linda Hubalek, a new member in the Sweethearts of the West blog group, and I thought I'd introduce myself in my first post.
I didn't plan to be a writer, but maybe I started my writing career in sixth grade. We had to write a paper on "what I want to do when I grow up". I came across this paper while cleaning my closet a decade later (mom had kept it), and according to my dreams back then, I wanted to be a farmer, but my last line was "but alas, girls can't be farmers".
But I did go into my chosen field when I earned my Bachelors Degree in Agriculture and Horticulture from Kansas State University. I did agronomy research for years before starting a wholesale horticulture business. My company, Prairie Flower Creations, grew and dried flowers, ornamental corn, and mini pumpkins for the florist trade.
In 1990 I was featured in Country Woman Magazine, just when my husband's job transferred us to California. I sold my business and tried to cope, growing flowers and pumpkins in five-gallon buckets on our "cement lawn".
Historical fiction books by Linda K. Hubalek
I started writing about the family and farmland I was homesick for and started a new career, writing about my pioneer women ancestors who homesteaded farms in Kansas in the 1800's.

My husband and I eventually moved back to Kansas, bought land next to my family, and raised bison for a decade. So not only have I fulfilled my dream to be a farmer, I've made a career writing about pioneer women who also connected with the prairie land of Kansas.
Brides with Grit, Historical Romance series by Linda K. Hubalek
Currently I'm working on two series. My Brides with Grit series is classified as a sweet romance, featuring fictional couples living near the cow town of Ellsworth, Kansas in 1873. You'll notice they have a catchy title theme...
Rania Ropes a Rancher, 
Millie Marries a Marshal, 
Hilda Hogties a Horseman...so it's a fun series for you to start, and continue reading as I write the eight books planned in the series.
Kansas Quilter Series by Linda K. Hubalek
My Kansas Quilter series is loosely based on my great grandmother, Kizzie Pieratt's trip to Indian Territory and back to Kansas to homestead her farm. The first book, Tying the Knot is now available and Patching Home and Piecing Memories will follow later this year.

Please enjoy my future blog posts, and read my book series too. My books are available in paperback, ebook and audio versions on Amazon. 
If you're curious of what else I do, please go to my other two websites, Bison Farm, which promotes the great American Buffalo, and Linda's Buffalo Meat Recipes, where I've posted recipes featuring bison meat. Please visit my author website and my Facebook page too.

 Many thanks from the Kansas prairie...!
Linda K. Hubalek
Posted by at 1/16/2015
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12 comments:

  1. Kathy Heare WattsJanuary 16, 2015 at 9:59 AM

    Wonderful article and everyone of the books fascinate me. Will be checking them out.

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  2. Caroline ClemmonsJanuary 16, 2015 at 10:42 AM

    Linda, what an amazing career you've had--or make that several careers. I so admire your writing, and now I admire you for all you've accomplished. Welcome to Sweethearts of the West!

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  3. Beth TrisselJanuary 16, 2015 at 11:15 AM

    How fascinating, Linda. I so enjoyed your post. I'm a farmwife/avid gardener from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Your series sound great. Family genealogy has greatly influenced my writing.

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  4. Linda HubalekJanuary 16, 2015 at 2:36 PM

    Thanks for the welcome and notes everyone. I never thought when I got my college degree I'd be working with something other than plants...but all my careers have been related, and each helped the next stage of my life.

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  5. Sarah J. McNealJanuary 16, 2015 at 2:49 PM

    Welcome to Sweethearts of the West blog, Linda.
    It sounds like such fun to grow plants for florists. I knew those things had to come from somewhere. I'm sure it's very different than just gardening in my vegetable patch.
    I wish you every success with your wonderful stories here at Prairie Rose and much happiness for years to come.

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  6. Jan HouglandJanuary 16, 2015 at 2:58 PM

    I'm so glad I saw this blog post today, Linda, so that I could be introduced to you and your writing. Historical western romance. Prairie romance. Early American romance. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? I think so anyway. I just went and bought Rania Ropes a Rancher to start off with and signed up for your newsletter. Thanks again for your sharing today. jdh2690@gmail.com

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  7. UnknownJanuary 16, 2015 at 4:08 PM

    Welcome, Linda! This is the kind of introduction we just love. First, we want to know all about you, and second, we want a hint of the kinds of posts you'll offer.
    We here at Sweethearts, as well as other group blogs such as ours, want to know the author and her..or his...books...but mainly we are a teaching/learning site.
    Later this month I will have a guest, a rare male!...on here to tell us about his novel set in Kansas...and his entire life in Kansas.
    Thanks for joining Sweethearts of the West, and be sure to promote your own post...and we help, as well.

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  8. UnknownJanuary 16, 2015 at 4:10 PM

    Oh, Linda..I meant to say, I understand your gardening interest. Now listen...I once had a garden the size of my bathroom. That little garden gave me more squash, tomatoes, and okra than we could eat. But alas...I did not continue my gardening ventures.

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  9. Linda HubalekJanuary 16, 2015 at 4:59 PM

    Thanks for the welcome, Sarah and Celia.

    I have many file boxes of research and photos I've collected over 20 years of writing, so coming up with blog posts won't be a problem for me!

    Who's your male guest from Kansas that will be on this blog? I wonder if I know him. I'll look forward to his post.

    I have a big vegetable garden, but give the majority of the produce away to family, neighbors, church, etc. And I still end up with a freezer of veges that will last us all winter. Gardening is great physical and mental therapy for me.

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  10. Linda HubalekJanuary 16, 2015 at 5:09 PM

    Hi Janice, Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Your last name caught my eye because we had farming neighbors with the last name of Hoglund (Swedish background) but we pronounced it like your last name- anyway the "Hoag" part.

    Thanks for starting the Brides with Grit series, and hope you enjoy it. I always enjoy feedback from readers.

    Also, thanks for signing up for my newsletter too. I just sent my January issue this morning, so I'll try to forward a copy to you to get started.

    Enjoy Rania's story, then read Millie's next. Thanks again!

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  11. UnknownJanuary 16, 2015 at 5:17 PM

    Linda--my guest will be J.D. McCall, who lives in Ottawa..almost his entire life. His first full length Western novel is wonderful. I wrote a review for it under my reviewing name--Rising Star Reviews.Title is "South of Rising Sun."

    Before J.D. I had Dac Crossley on as a guest. He is something--he got such a kick out of being on Sweethearts. He asked if he could, and I said, Dac, this is a blog for Western romance authors. He then proceeded to convince me his "Escape from the Alamo" was a romance. Haha. He is delightful.
    I think everyone will like J.D., too.

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  12. Linda HubalekJanuary 16, 2015 at 7:37 PM

    Celia, I'll have to look up McCall's book. I'm sure he knew some friends of ours that had buffalo near Ottawa.

    ReplyDelete

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