building a small town

Guess what? I updated my website! 

If you click SHADY GULLY on the menu-bar above, you'll find some fun pics of small town life. Things like "old dogs, children, and watermelon wine." Actually, I couldn't find any pics of children or watermelon wine, but if you run across any cool pics that bring Shady Gully to mind, send them to me here. 

My plan is to fill the Page with images and anecdotes that highlight small town life. Eventually, I'd like to include a map of the town, four-way-stop and all! I'll just need to enroll in art school first.

You'll also see a RECIPE section on the drop down menu. You'll probably recognize some of the recipes Desi and Robin chat about in the books. The good, the bad, and the ugly. If you've already read Wolfheart, you know I'm talking about one character in particular. I'll keep my lips zipped at this stage, but I do hope you enjoy the page, and the little "hints" and "notes" under the recipes.

The featured Southern Recipe for this month is Shrimp & Crawfish Pie from Glenda Jolly Hathorn. If you have a great southern recipe, send it my way. Who knows, you might just find Desi and Robin chatting about it in the next book!

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Speaking of Desi, Robin, and the four- way-stop, have you read Wolfheart? Reviews on Amazon & Goodreads are very important to new authors. Check out these early bird reviews:

"Hallie Lee scores again with Wolfheart, the sequel to 2021’s Paint Me Fearless."
--Jeffrey Pentz, author of Sins of Our Fathers.

"I can't give enough stars or recommend this book highly enough. I was glad to be back, didn't want to leave, and cannot wait to return to Shady Gully." --Mark Cermak

"Wolfheart was a joy to read!"  ​--John Brothers

"I liked Wolfheart better than her first book and that's saying a lot." --Amazon Reader 

"Loved the first book in the Shady Gully Series, but loved this second one even more!!!" --Mona Wright

I can't wait to hear your thoughts on Wolfheart, both via Amazon and Goodreads, but also in Shady Gully's Cozy Corner Chat on Facebook. If you haven't joined the group, please do so! It's a relaxing place to chat about all things Shady Gully. ​

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While promoting Wolfheart, I've participated in a lot of Q & A's. All the interviewers have been very clever and their questions have ranged from serious and thought-provoking to amusing and hilarious. I've plucked a few of my favorites for you.

The first one is very, very silly...but required a lot of thought!
QUESTION:
Would you rather fight 100 duck-sized horses or one horse-sized duck?

ANSWER:
I hate to admit how much time I spent on this one. Quite a quandary. I'm going to go with the 100 duck sized horses. A horse-sized duck sounds especially fierce, and I'd have to make eye contact with him when he killed me. LOL!

FRIENDS of HALLIE, how would YOU answer that one? Come on, what's it gonna be for you? 100 duck sized horses? Or one horse sized duck?

The second question is more serious.
QUESTION:
Now that you have written and published two books, with a third on the way, how has being an author changed your life? What does it mean to you to connect with your readers in this way, through story? 

ANSWER:
It means everything. As a child I remember having trouble expressing myself. Even with my parents and people I felt safe with. It was frustrating because I knew what I was trying to convey, but I couldn’t pluck the words from my head in a way that made sense. Honestly, when it comes to verbal communication, I still struggle with that today. 

I suppose at some point in my life I began to use characters and stories to communicate, using imaginary people in imaginary settings to express frustration, grief, disappointment, and joy.
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So honestly, being able to connect with readers in such a profound way is the most rewarding gift I could imagine. I’m deeply grateful.

Thank you, readers. I'm thankful for you all. I wish you and yours a beautiful, joyous, and very blessed Thanksgiving month! Is there something you're especially grateful for this year? Please let us know in the comments below....after you answer the duck/horse question, of course! LOL

Stay Fearless,

​Hallie
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