Heroine Interview for Wrangler in Petticoats by Mary Connealy

This week I’m hosting Mary Connealy with Wrangler in Petticoats and Candace Calvert with Code Triage. If you want to enter the drawings, please leave a comment on one of the post during the week with your email address. I will not enter you without an email address (my way to contact you if you win). If you don’t want to leave an email address, another way you can enter is to email me at margaretdaley@gmail.com. The drawings end Sunday (November 14th) evening.

Interview with the heroine from Wrangler in Petticoats by Mary Connealy:

1.Sally McClellen, tell me the most interesting thing about you. I am as tough as any cowpoke on my pa’s ranch. I love riding beside my pa when we work cattle or hunt. I was the third daughter born to my ma and her first husband, who I barely remember, but I knew, even as a real little girl, that my pa wished I’d’ve been a boy. I’ve been doing my best to be one ever since. And, well, not everyone knows this about me, but I don’t really like it all that much. I like ribbons and lace and dressed. But Pa wants a boy. My first pa did. Now my second pa, Clay McClellen, he’s never said he wanted boys and he’s never acted like he might stop loving me if I acted girly. But I’m afraid, deep inside, he might stop if I start wearing frills.

2. What do you do for fun? I’m never having more fun than when I’m out-roping, out-riding, and out-shooting the ranch hands my pa hires. Of course the manfolk don’t seem to want a woman who can best them in manly things, so I haven’t had any luck rounding up a husband. I seem to scare ’em off. But who wants a husband I can out-shoot anyway.

3. What do you put off doing because you dread it? Getting dressed to go to town. Ma is as stubborn as a mule about me not wearing my chaps and spurs to church. She won’t even let me wear a riding skirt. I dread getting gussied up on Sunday mornings.

4. What are you afraid of most in life? That my pa won’t love me. That I can’t be good enough to make him happy I was born.

5. What do you want out of life? Well, I don’t like admitting it, and I wouldn’t if Pa was around, but I’d like a man to think I’m beautiful. I’d like to be treated like a delicate, empty headed female, who needs to be cared for and flattered. . .just once in a while.

6. What is the most important thing to you? My family. I’m on my way to visit my sister, Mandy right now. She’s far along on her third baby and living where there aren’t any women folks for miles. She needs someone and though she doesn’t say it directly, I think she’s not real happy with her husband. I feel something riding me, pushing me, to get there, to help her. Mandy’s the toughest girl I’ve ever known and if she needs help then things must be really bad. She didn’t ask for help, you understand, but I read between the lines and I think it’s urgent I get there soon.

7. Do you read? If so, what is your favorite type of book to read? I’m not a reader. I’m busy working the herd from early morning until late at night. We read from the family Bible each evening and I’m usually falling asleep before Pa’s done with his chapter.

8. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I wish I didn’t love the ribbon I keep pinned inside my clothes. That ribbon, I just love it so much. I wish I didn’t have it in me to love girly things. But it’s my secret pleasure and I can’t seem to let go of it.

9. Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet? No pet. Animals are for riding, herding and eating.

10. If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why? I’d go back exactly four years and I’d find that skunk who married Mandy and I’d thrash him until he couldn’t stand up. Anything to keep him from taking my sister off, halfway across the country and treating her so bad. Especially since, hours after Mandy had left with him, we found out his first wife died on her way out to find him. He courted my big sister when he was already married. Oh, yes, I’d like just a few minutes along with Sidney Gray.