#TrueStory – Jan Sikes

May 1, 2025March 3, 2026

THROWBACK THURSDAY – #FREE BOOK

On this special Throwback Thursday, I'm going out of order to share a book that was probably one of the hardest for me to write. Sixteen years ago today, my husband, Rick Sikes, departed from this earthly existence. But he left so much behind, including a huge story which created the opportunity for an entirely …

Continue reading "THROWBACK THURSDAY – #FREE BOOK"

October 17, 2023

Ten Days of Flowers – Day 10 -The Wrapup

Welcome to Day 10 and the final segment of the Ten Days of Flowers! To everyone who has followed along, thank you from the bottom of my heart. This entire series, from beginning to end, was a labor of love. At the heart of it is a love story, but it's also much more. Each …

Continue reading "Ten Days of Flowers – Day 10 -The Wrapup"

October 16, 2023

Ten Days of Flowers – Day 9 – The Shock – The Promise

PURCHASE LINK As I draw to a close on the Ten Days of Flowers, I want to share one of the most important turning points in this story. Texas justice in 1971 was still raw and easily manipulated. Perhaps it still is, but this is a glaring example. First, the shock Excerpt: Norma burst into …

Continue reading "Ten Days of Flowers – Day 9 – The Shock – The Promise"

October 13, 2023

Ten Days of Flowers – Day 8 – Texas Music History – Dance Halls – London Hall

One of the things I wanted to portray in this part of the story was the deeply rooted Texas music history. Imagine, if you will, dance halls often set in the middle of nowhere, and yet people would travel for miles around to attend a music show. Folks worked hard, and they played hard. They …

Continue reading "Ten Days of Flowers – Day 8 – Texas Music History – Dance Halls – London Hall"

October 12, 2023

Ten Days of Flowers -Day 7 Go-Go Dancing #BookAnniversary #Giveaways

I hope you've been enjoying the posts celebrating the 10th birthday of Flowers and Stone. There are so many aspects to the book, including Darlina's background and growth. When she first met Luke, she was go-go dancing at a club that had live music but that she could legally get into because she was underage. …

Continue reading "Ten Days of Flowers -Day 7 Go-Go Dancing #BookAnniversary #Giveaways"

October 11, 2023

Ten Days of Flowers – Day 6 – It’s All About the Music #Giveaway

PURCHASE LINK Besides a love story, at the heart of Flowers and Stone is music—creating it, performing it, loving it, and living it. Luke Stone was a songwriter. While he performed many cover tunes, his true passion lay in writing and performing his original songs. In the book, I describe what Darlina saw the day …

Continue reading "Ten Days of Flowers – Day 6 – It’s All About the Music #Giveaway"

October 10, 2023

Ten Days of Flowers – Day 5 #TexasHonkyTonks #Giveaway

In 1970, the Texas honkytonks were rough and rowdy places. What a contrast for Darlina, from a strict religion to spending countless hours in the bars. It was where you found the music, dancing, and often big drama. Today, I'll share an excerpt that authentically shows this. As with all the incidents in the book, …

Continue reading "Ten Days of Flowers – Day 5 #TexasHonkyTonks #Giveaway"

October 9, 2023

Ten Days of Flowers – Day 4 – New Cover Reveal and Book Trailer!

I apologize, but there will be no Monday Motivation post for the next two Mondays as I continue with the Ten Days of Flowers, but I promise it will return. I have been talking about making a new book cover for Flowers and Stone for months. I perused hundreds of images, finding nothing that spoke …

Continue reading "Ten Days of Flowers – Day 4 – New Cover Reveal and Book Trailer!"

October 8, 2023

Ten Days of Flowers Day 3 – Flowers and Stone #BookAnniversary

Welcome to day 3 of the Ten Days of Flowers! I have something a little different today, and it's something that's never been shared anywhere. So, thanks for joining in! Luke Stone strode into the KSJT radio studio in San Angelo, Texas, removing his sunglasses and hat. He approached a young woman behind a counter. …

Continue reading "Ten Days of Flowers Day 3 – Flowers and Stone #BookAnniversary"

October 5, 2023

Ten Days of Flowers! Flowers and Stone #BookAnniversary #Giveaway

Ten years doesn't sound like much, but when you say "decade," it suddenly sounds like a long time. On October 17th, I will celebrate the Tenth Anniversary of the birth of Flowers and Stone, the book that started my entire writing journey. Leading up to the bookiversary date, I will have a series of Ten …

Continue reading "Ten Days of Flowers! Flowers and Stone #BookAnniversary #Giveaway"