TAMARA ROSINI INSPIRED ME

I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS WOMAN! An amazing singer/songwriter, Tamara Rosini Laney sizzles on stage. It is appropriate that I post this blog today because we met and became friends the day after Thanksgiving of 2005. Since then we have laughed, cried and played music together. She met her husband Gary in Nashville, Tennessee where he engineered for country artists including, Garth Brooks, Keith Whitley, Trisha Yearwood and the Texas Tornadoes. His golden ears earned him the title of engineer of the year in Nashville and currently records music in San Angelo, Texas.

Tammy has a unique, positive energy that makes my heart smile every time I see her or hear her voice on the phone. The part of Aunt Rosey was written with Tammy in mind. As I wrote it I could hear her voice in my head and feel the essence of her character in my heart. In fact the part of Aunt Rosey was fashioned from stories Tammy tells about her grandmother who used to empty her husband's pockets when he'd come home late carousing around town after having too much to drink.

I cannot say enough about my good friend Tammy. We get each other, and that is not an easy thing to do. Here is my good friend Tamara Laney reading the part of Aunt Rosey from Joysey in the audio book Pearl.

RESEARCH AT THE CHICKEN RANCH

For over 25 years my family has gone to Pahrump, Nevada for our family reunion. Located about 50 miles from Las Vegas, my Aunt Dorothy and Uncle Al moved there in the 80s and we have shared many fond memories through the years watching our kids grow up and sadly losing family members along the way.

For years, we all stayed at the Saddle West Hotel and those that loved golf played while the rest of us gathered around the pool. I remember my grandmother, Tita, loved to play Roulette and would stack the table with her blue chips.

At some point I learned that prostitution was legal in Pahrump. I remember at one of the reunions my cousin came in and said that she had played Black Jack with Heidi Fleiss, the famous Hollywood Madame. Research is important to me because I want my books to be as authentic as possible. My brother told me that we should go to the Chicken Ranch and just get a drink. "You can do that," I asked. "Let's go!"

Me, my uncle and two of my brothers jumped in the car. "It's only 15 minutes," my brother informed us. 

It wasn't at all what I expected. We walked into a cute little cottage that looked like a storybook house you would see at Fantasy Land. A lady met us when we walked in. "Do you want a line-up or is there someone specific you want to see?"

I have to admit it felt weird. "We're just here for a beer," my brother chimed.

They gave us a menu of services offered. I still have it. Whoah! The bartender told us that some of girls were making money for college, some had kids some were even married. It was clean and friendly. Not what I expected but then, I really don't know what I expected. All I know is that I am glad I went.

It was named for the famous Chicken Ranch in La Grange, Texas where patrons would bring chickens for services rendered during the Depression.

Clean, cute, professional and one girl peeked her head out. She was really cute. "I wonder what her story is?" I asked myself. That's what made me want to tell the stories at Miss Pearl's Parlor. Everyone has a story.