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    1. It’s doubtful I will be hosting any more annual contests. They are so much work, and I think the Seasonal contests give more writers more chances to enter and win. You could write a modern-day story for a fan fiction if you want, but a modern-day story for a contest would probably be a waste of your time. The annual contest rules state that the setting needs to be within the reasonable historical setting (like, Andi can’t go to the moon or go on a cruise to Alaska, LOL). The seasonal contests have the same rules. But hey, fan fiction is something different.

      Hope that helped.

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      1. Yeah, I bet the annual contest are ALOT of work! I love seasonal contest, and I can’t wait to enter the fall one!
        Thanks for your help, maybe sometime I’ll send in a fan fiction story!

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Hi Mrs. Marlow! This is really random, but I was reading Stranger in the Glade (The story, not the book) a little while back. Andi says, “We haven’t been to our secret glade for so long, not since you showed it to me” (Marlow 73). But, in the story about Andi’s shooting lesson (From Yosemite at Last), they go to the glade again.
    I was wondering if you wrote ‘Stranger in the Glade’ (The story) before ‘The Shooting Lesson’.
    Thanks!

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  8. I was just reading the Christmas Collection.
    In the one about the hunting lodge, it says that an old prospector friend helped James Carter building the hunting lodge. Was that talking about Elijah Hunt?
    Thanks!

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    1. And the bonus is . . . now the posts type (writing) is finally black. The blue was starting to get on my nerves and the only way the type color changes (in this theme of WordPress) is by changing the primary background color. I think it looks crisper and cleaner. Glad you like it.

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      2. I have NONE of these at home, since I now read your comment correctly. I have only the old Tales from the CC Ranch (purple book) but no MEMORY CREEK books. Read explanation in another of my replies.

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      4. I can’t imagine why you would. There’s nothing in the old ones that is not also in the new ones. 🙂 And read my other reply, as I misread it and thought you meant the Tales from the Circle C ranch, which is also being republished and improved.

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    2. Oh, WAIT a minute! You don’t want the Tales from the CIRCLE C RANCH (purple book). You want the TALES FROM MEMORY CREEK RANCH. Sorry, I have ZERO of those old books. I had to take them down off AMAZON when I signed the contract for the new TALES books. They are the exact same stories as the NEW BOOKS, plus the new stories added, so you are not missing ANYTHING. Sorry for the confusion

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    1. The Circle C Adventures books are middle grade, and they are 40,000 words each.
      The Stepping Stones (younger readers) are each 16,000 words.
      The Beginnings (early readers) are 8,000 each
      The Milestones (YA-like) are well over 50,000 and the last two books are each about 75,000!

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  21. Hello! I am trying to create my own blog right now but it seems as though WordPress has updated its content which is different than the video you made showing how to create a blog. I am sooo confused on how to work it. Is there any way you can help?

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      1. thanks for the comment. I may go in and redo the video if like you say… WordPress has changed stuff. 😉

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    1. I right click on my mouse and emoji is an option. Then I just choose one or search for one I like. I do not know how you would do this on a phone or tablet. I always blog on my laptop.

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  24. Sorry for all of these questions but I just made my first post and saved it on my blog (I haven’t published it yet) but when I go to view my site and scroll down, the post isn’t there. Do I need to publish first?

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  25. Do Mitch and Andi have a close brother-sister bond? What about Chad and Andi? Also, why is there a big age difference between Andi, and her brothers, and just in general, all her siblings?

    Love your books, Mrs. M!!

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    1. Yes, I’d say Mitch and Andi are close, and Chad and Andi are close in an entirely different way.
      In answer to your question about a big age difference, I say, “well, why not?” LOL
      Actually, in regards to the story, since their father died in a ranch accident, I needed the brothers old enough to have more of an influence and caring for their younger sisters. If the kids were all the same age, it just would not be the same.

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      1. How are Mitch and Andi close? And what about Chad and Andi? I normally see them always clashing….

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      2. Have you read all the books? Mitch is always ready to take Andi’s side in any argument between her and Chad. In the younger series, he makes her a fishing pole so she can fish, saddles her horse, etc. Chad and Andi argue and clash, but he’d give his life for her. Some of these things are more apparent when she’s younger, like in the Stepping Stones series.

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      3. Sorry I have so many questions… I’m just trying to write a long story for my own fun, lol

        Does Andi confide in Mitch though? Would she tell him secrets and think of him as one her friends?

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      4. Absolutely, she would! She can trust him not to blab. And I like questions. And I hope–if this is a Circle C story–that you will be willing to share it with all of us sometimes as a fan fiction!

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      5. Would Chad and Justin take over as Andi’s parent? for example, in Pony Memories, doesn’t that seem too harsh for Chad, Andi’s brother to tan her?

        And what did Andi’s mother say when she heard about it?

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      6. So, which books have you read? If you’ve read the Circle C Adventures (Andi is 12), you would know all about this. 🙂
        It’s pretty much stated that Justin took over for Father after he died. And in the first Circle C Adventures book, Chad threatens to tan her hide but he never does. In fact, in Thick as Thieves, she sees Macy’s marks and is horrified because even though big brother yells a lot about tanning her, she can’t remember Chad ever touching her. When she was small, he took her to Mother (Beginnings books). In Pony Memories, I had Andi actually remember the few swats she got and Chad was immediately sorry. Fans wanted a story about Chad actually giving it to her, so I wrote one. Andi confesses she never remembered, and that’s probably because it was so insignificant.

        As far as what Mother said, I have no idea. I never wrote it. You can have her say whatever you want, so long as it’s consistent with her character.

        What books, exactly, have you read?

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      7. Again, sorry for all these pestering questions, you truly are really patient…

        lol, I read all the books, but the younger books when I was little, so I can’t remember as well! Thank you!

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      10. No, Mitch would not, not with Justin there as the oldest. Chad’s got a ranch to run, so he defers to Justin as well. But Mother is the final say in every matter except when it comes to the ranch.. The Chad is even the boss of Mitch.
        Mitch is the ideal “big brother” and not any parenting stuff.
        Mitch is so nice, and he loves Melinda and Andi equally and they are both his favorite sisters. I’m afraid he can’t say the same thing about Kate, as she left when he was pretty young and it’s different when they return as adults.

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      1. Thanks!
        And i asked this question before, but

        who are Chad and Justin’s favorite sister?

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      3. I would think Justin’s is Andi, because obviously they’re very close and he took over for Father for her. And Chad’s is Kate when they were younger, because they were only 2 years apart. Later, as Andi gets older, Chad becomes closer with her. He certainly seems be protective over Andi the most, for sure….

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  27. How would the Last Ride ended if you had used your original(Chad’s POV)? Would Andi have forgiven her brothers sooner?)

    Are her brothers and Mother mad and annoyed when she didn’t forgive them or were they sympathic and understanding?

    Does Mitch try talking to Andi during that time?

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    1. The story ended exactly the same. My editor suggested I remove the POV attributed to Chad and let the reader find out Taffy had been shot when Andi finds out (at supper weeks later). So, it had no bearing on how Andi’s forgiveness problem was originally resolved. The revision took place after I sent the entire novel in.

      I never explored that so I don’t know if Mother and the rest were annoyed. I think . . . based on Andi overhearing her brother scorch Sid when he thinks Andi should “move on,” shows that they are very understanding. And also, Justin gives her little gifts of like . . . the Jules Verne novel.

      The book never says, so I can’t speak to that. I imagine they tried to act like things were normal and talk, but Andi doesn’t answer. And so they finally give up. At least that’s how I see it.

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      1. Would Justin have taken Andi to San Fransico for her birthday even if she hadn’t forgiven them?

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  28. Was it true that Mitch and Chad talked great things about Andi to everyone in the Last Ride? Or was Riley just saying that to make her feel better?

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  29. Which brother does she share the most secrets (besides Justin)

    Would Andi have been sent to San Fransico in the Long Ride Home if she hadn’t run away, or was her brothers just bluffing?

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  30. Would Justin have gotten married earlier if Father was still alive since he didn’t have to be Andi’s substitute father? Would Andi be as close to her brothers if herr dad hadn’t been killed?

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  31. Would Andi have been sent to San Fransico in the Long Ride Home if she hadn’t run away, or was her brothers just bluffing?

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      4. Chad was not bluffing, and Justin insisted it was a bad idea, anyway. So, probably after everyone calmed down (mostly Chad), they would not have sent her. Mother and Andi would have talked, some other kinds of restrictions would have been put on her, and bang. The story would have ended after chapter 4 or 5 (or whatever chapter it is).
        How do you spell . . . BORING?
        Without drama/conflict there is no action/adventure story, so of COURSE they were not bluffing. LOL

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  32. Was Mitch there after Andi and Lucy were kidnapped in Courageous Love to help find them? Was he there when Riley made the announcement about courting Andi?

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      1. Sorry, I should have been more specific….

        I read the book, I wanted to know which person (Chad, Justin, Mitch, the sheriff?) took Andi home on his horse?
        I was trying to write a pov…

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      2. Oooh, I don’t know. You can decide that! Have fun! But it’s not the sheriff, since this was the ranch and family looking for Andi, especially after Taffy returned home riderless. 🙂 They would not have gone all the way to town for the sheriff when they have plenty of hands to help them look.

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  34. Did lydia and benjamin and daniel come for Melinda’s wedding?
    Did Andi not attend the town’s 4th of july celebration due to her accident in the Last Ride?

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  36. Where did you get the idea to have Mitch and Andi very close in Heartbreak trail? Like, why isn’t there much interaction between Chad and Andi, or Justin and Andi.

    Don’t get confused, tho, I like their special bond, but I just want to know how you had the idea…

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  37. @Anonymous it sounds like you’re writing quite a story with all these questions! It sounds really cool! I hope you send it to Mrs M as a fan fiction, I would love to read it!

    -Luca B.

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  38. Howdy Mrs. Marlow!

    I am in the process of self-publishing another book, and I was wondering if my book would be considered public domain or copyrighted.

    Thanks!

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    1. Absolutely it’s copyrighted . . . by you! Write this (or something similar) on the back page of the title page (copyright page)
      Basically, once you put it down on paper it is automatically copyrighted. You don’t need to BUY a copyright. Just write this:

      Copyright © 2024 by [fill in your name]

      You can also add this stuff below. Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don’t bother. But it looks fancy. LOL

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews, without prior written permission of the publisher.

      This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

      ISBN: PUT IT HERE. KDP GIVES YOU ONE and you can paste it here.

      Printed in the United States of America

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  39. Hello Mrs. M! I started reading your books about a year ago and I absolutely love them! Just curious, is this post where people can ask any questions related to the book. It seems that way, scrolling through this….

    If so, I have a few:

    Would Andi, Melinda, Kate, and Elizabeth Carter wear any makeup/cosmetics during that time?

    What would the Carter’s DITL look like on a typically look like?

    Thank You!

    -Caroline. S

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    1. You can ask questions on pretty much any of the posts or pages. 😉

      No, they would not wear any cosmetics during that time period.

      Please expand on the DITL. Do you mean a day in the life? If so, well…. Reading any of the books would give you a normal DITL, right?
      Most stories start out normal until some drama initiates the book’s main plot. 🤪

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  40. Hey Mrs.M,
    I notest that we can’t tell how many followers there are anymore.
    Can you tell me what you are at now?
    Thanks!

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    1. Do the boys and Mother get annoyed with Melinda’s ladylike flaunts?
    2. Is Melinda or Andi respected more in town?
    3. Does Andi ever feel bad that she can’t be like Melinda and ladylike and does she lash out her anger on Melinda?
    4. When is the new fan fiction coming out?

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    1. Do the boys and Mother get annoyed with Melinda’s ladylike flaunts?
    2. Is Melinda or Andi respected more in town?
    3. Does Andi ever feel bad that she can’t be like Melinda and ladylike and does she lash out her anger on Melinda?
    4. When is the new fan fiction coming out?
    5. Does Andi ever feel left out in her family?

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    1. Here you go, LOL.
      1. I don’t know. Maybe on the inside.
      2. I have no idea.
      3. Sometimes.
      4. When somebody sends in a fan fiction story. But nobody has for a long time, so hence, no FF this month.
      5. Not after she grew up, but when she was younger, absolutely.

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      1. At what age do you mean when she grew up and didn’t feel left out? Was it a change in her own mind or did her siblings include her more when she was older?

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  45. Hi Mrs M, sorry to bother you. I just have a question for a fan fiction story I am writing with a friend.

    When Toledo kissed Andi in Heartbreak Trail was that Andi’s first kiss?

    Thanks!

    -Luca B.

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    2. Mrs. M, did Toledo kiss Andi because he liked her or did he do it to intimidate/ anger her?

      Was Andi pretty and attractive?

      In Family Secret, why was Mitch so excited (and spun Andi around) about Kate in front of Andi? Didn’t he have to keep it a secret from her? Or did he think that Andi had already found out from Mother about Kate?

      Is Andi close with Kate?

      -Laura. D

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      1. I think it was a combination of both–he clearly was attracted to her, but also he knew well that it would cause dissention and he wanted to (probably) give her brothers a “goodbye” irritation as he made off with their cattle. LOL

        Yep, she’s pretty cute–blue eyes, wavy black/brown hair, a splattering of freckles.

        Nobody said Kate was a secret, at least it’s not in the book. Mitch was so excited that he couldn’t help himself, anyway, even if it might have been a secret. It’s kind of implied it might be a secret when Chad doesn’t tell her, but mostly it’s a “whoa, that’s above my paygrade” kind of reaction, like he does not want to be involved in such an earthshattering revelation and would rather leave that to their mother.

        Andi is close with Kate now . . . (post-Family Secret)

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  46. Who’s the prettiest sister in the Carter family?
    Was Andi everyone’s favorite (even tho it looks like they are always scolding her, they’re protecting her becuz they love her that much)? It kind of looks like she’s her brothers’ favorite, is that true too?

    Mrs. M, which was the first ever Andi Carter book you wrote?
    Which is your fav book u wrote?

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    1. Well, ya know what? I usually let readers decide the answers to those first two questions, based on what they read in the books. It’s purely subjective and how the reader sees it.

      As far as the last two questions, I have answered those and many like it in the Ask Mrs. M category, which you can access here. If you don’t find an answer to your questions, I can start compiling another list of fun questions to answer for an Ask Mrs. M part 9 later this summer.

      https://andicartersblog.com/category/ask-mrs-m/

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  47. Do you have any sales coming up for your Milestone Audiobooks on USB please.

    Out of your 30 Andi books, (including your fan fun books) I have 27 so I’m a HUGE fan.

    Thanks Mrs M!

    -Sarah

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  49. Why did you make Andi (who’s the least ladylike and not interested in boys) get married just when she turned 18 and made Melinda(who had many suitors and love affairs) 21 when she was married(which is pretty old)?
    And why did Chad and Justin get married VERY late and why is Mitch not even married?

    Did society look down on the boys because they were not married?

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    2. By the way, the answers to a couple of these questions have already been answered in previous “Ask Mrs. M” posts, so I won’t be addressing those questions again. Take a look at Part 8 to find your answers.

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  50. Did Andi’s family feel bad about not telling Andi after Kate comes home? Or are they annoyed that she hasn’t been nice to Kate? Does Kate try to spend time with Andi and does Andi just shut her off?

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    1. I have an Ask Mrs. M post all ready to go in a couple of weeks, but it will not address these questions because . . . well . . . the answers are easily inferred in the story, Family Secret. Everything is pretty much resolved. I think all of the emotions you’re referring to come “full circle” by the end of the book.

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