Raised in the Piney Woods of East Texas runnin' barefoot and wild through the woods, Ms Fraser spent most of her life taking care of others, as she was raised in a medical family. She is a retired nurse-paramedic, firefighter and licensed massage therapist.
Ms. Fraser has two grown children and several others she raised as her own. In all, she has thirteen grandchildren. They are her greatest joys and blessings. Ms. Fraser sets her stories in Texas, bringing to the page the essence of life, love, family and a touch of spiritualism, without focusing on religion. These stories are written in Texas dialect along with some Gaelic and Native American dialects.
Eilish's upcoming works include The Piney Woods Saga: Spirit, The S.L.U.T.'S. Memoires (Southern Lady Under Tremendous Stress), and the long awaited The Phoenix Three series. More info to be released soon, as well as covers. ~~~~~~ I played with these stories my entire life, then three years ago I was struck by a speeding vehicle, while I was walking into a store. I could no longer work as a nurse and massage therapist. So, I decided it was time to do something productive, rather than sitting at home each day feeling sorry for myself. I began taking my storytelling seriously.
I was raised in the oral tradition of storytelling. Having a grandmother of Native American and Celtic heritage, storytelling was a requirement in our home. It was a special time for me, as Grams' stories came alive while we sat 'round the fire in her humble and modest home. She was an amazing storyteller, creating stories off-the-cuff, and making those listening believe some of these were ancient stories passed down through the generations.
We had a special game we played. Story-weaving, she called it. She would say a sentence, and then I would add a sentence. We never knew which direction these stories would go. I wrote these sentences down each night, adding to them until we had a complete story. These were funny, adventurous, and heartwarming tales I raised my own children on.
It is my wish to bring back a bit of the magic of old time storytelling in my novels, making the reader feel as if they are sitting 'round a fire listening to the storyteller.
A Piney Woods Christmas
Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Old time story telling at it's best! September 5, 2012 By Jennifer Brookins Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase Reviews
A Piney Wood Christmas
"Old Time storytelling at it's best"
Eilish Frazier intentionally writes in an uneducated back woods grammar, influenced and consistent with an East Texas backdrop, and Native American influences. "A Piney Wood Christmas" is old time story telling that allows the reader to dive into the heart of each character as they develop.
As a first time reader of Ms. Frazier's books, I enjoyed being immediately drawn into the lives of this East Texas family - each member struggling to find purpose after tragedy; of family bonds and a renewal of faith - all woven into a heartwarming story that came alive for me, page after page. Ms. Frazier's outspoken faith as well as her disdain for the commercialism of Christmas, colors "A Piney Wood Christmas."
At a time, when an avalanche of books are being written that make the brain ache in its attempt to arrive at the finish line, "A Piney Wood Christmas," is an easy read, utterly unsophisticated and lacking in guile. For those of us who enjoy a book with a straight story line, where good triumphs over evil, where running for an Excedrin and making ten trips to Webster's Dictionary, or worse still, Roget's Thesaurus in order to grasp the obvious, isn't an option - this is a book for you too. I'll read the sequel ... for sure.
***
5.0 out of 5 stars A simply delightful story of love and acceptance February 15, 2012 By R.K. Finnell Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase Family love, acceptance of others, and hope all come together in this book. Ms Frazier writes in an old fashioned style that one envisions sitting by a warm fireside listening to the stories being told by a beloved family member in a simpler time. While this book may not appeal to everyone, I found the use of dialect effective in the story telling and it brought the characters to life in a charming way that we rarely see in books written today.
My sweet readers, a new storm...uh story is blowin' in. A time travel paranormal novella. Begins in present day and goes back in time to the Great Hurricane which hit Galveston, Texas in 1900. Will Tristan and Carley discover why they are destined to meet, at this moment and time? And, why they are so drawn to each other? The Great Hurricane happened on September 8, 1900. Tristan and Carley meet on September 8, 2012. They have one week to solve this mystery, and return to present day, or they may be lost forever in the mighty winds of the deadliest hurricane in U.S. history. Stay tuned for more updates of this whirlwind attraction. ♥
~Eilish Fraser
From ebook To Paperback, Now In Hardbound Edition Novella, And A Novel in the works. 08/31/2012
While on a road trip with my husband last year, I went to bed with a migraine. I got up an hour later with an entire cast of characters screaming at me. I had no choice but to write, if for no other reason than to get them to shut up, already! I wrote non-stop for three days, frantically writing as fast as I could, to get the entire story written. I was afraid the characters would leave me, before I finished the job.
Now, the entire story was written in long-hand, and I know I burned through a package of ink pens in three days. Yes, it only took three days to write it, but it has taken months to fine tune it. When we arrived back home, it took both my husband and myself another three days to decipher everything I had scrawled all over the pages, and it was a mess!
As we were translating my own personal font, I typed it into a file. I thought surely the story was finished, and actually thought it would merely be a short story of maybe a few thousand words. Nearly thirty thousand words later, I published it as an ebook on Smashwords, on 31 December 2011. Then, in January, of this year I published it in paperback. It is now on Kindle ebook, and in paperback at Amazon. Thus, A Piney Woods Christmas novella was born.
Last night I released it in a hardbound version, on Lulu.
It doesn't end there, the characters continue screaming at me, fifty thousand words later. I'm in the process of expanding this story into a full novel. I've found an amazing copy editor, and she'll be helping me get the final manuscript ready for publishing.
At this time, I'd like to thank every single person who has read this story, encouraged me, shared posts on Facebook, and tweets. Your support has kept me going. Thank you for believing in me and this story!
I wish y'all a wonderful weekend. Love and blessings to all.
~Eilish Fraser
A Few Of My Favorite Things 08/27/2012
Everyone seems to have a few favorite things. Mine are quite simple outside my family, of course. My favorite things are the written word and the art writers choose to cover that work.
I like to write a story and I love to read them. One of my favorite stories I've read recently and have read several times, is R.K.Finnell's Kickshaw Candies.
Kickshaw Candies is a captivating little story, which invites the reader into a magical candy shop in the small town of Baile, and into the lives of the characters. It is not, however a children's fairy tale. This is for more mature readers, who enjoy a taste of the dark chocolates. The story is plot driven and has all the magical elements of Celtic folklore and even a bit of Gaelic.
Teagan O'Brien, the knowledgeable proprietor of the candy shop knows exactly which candy you will need or enjoy the most. The entire town is filled with dark secrets which threaten the existence of all humanity. Even the characters, themselves are unaware of the secrets they possess.
Kickshaw candies draws you in and holds you captive until the conclusion. Kickshaw Candies is currently available at Amazon in ebook and paperback versions. Order yours today! http://www.amazon.com/Kickshaw-Candies-ebook/dp/B004U359HW/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
But, it doesn't end there! Book two in the series is just around the corner and soon to be released. The Plague Son. I can hardly wait until its release!
In search of the Death Bringers, Fáelán discovers a truth within himself that could evoke the end of humanity. Now, he must either embrace what he is, or bring Death to its knees.
This fabulous cover is designed by Dark Dawn Creations. I have commissioned her to do a cover for Spirit of Piney Woods, and can't wait to see what she creates for my work. She takes pride in her art and you can see for yourself the quality of her work by visiting her website. http://www.darkdawncreations.com
I will bring you more news of these talented ladies, soon. Until then, I wish all y'all a wonderful week!
~Eilish Fraser
Reflections of Lonesome Dove 08/24/2012
Ever wonder what it would be like to take a trip back in time? Back to the simpler ways of life...
Lonesome Dove is one of my favorite stories of all time. Larry McMurtry penned a classic when he wrote this epic Western saga. Did he realize at the time he was writing it that it would one day be a classic? Or, did he just dream up the story, and as I do have a burning desire to grab pen and paper, allowing the pen to blaze a trail across the paper into the Western frontier? The latter, is what I envision when I think of how he wrote this story.
I know it is a fictional story, but I would so love to live in Lonesome Dove, within the pages of that classic. I know times were hard back then, but times are hard now, too. We have different hardships today, than in yesteryear.
Today, we worry over car payments, home mortgages (if we even own a home), job security, health insurance, electricity, gas, water, sewage, garbage disposal and a plethora of other concerns for basic living requirements. Then, we have concerns over who we are going to elect for president, world hunger, world peace and civil rights.
It would be so nice to take off on my horse for a trip to the store, and not have to worry about fueling up at the gas station. I wouldn't need as much at the store as I do now, because I would grow most of my own food. I wouldn't need to worry about corporations putting hormones, dyes, and other toxins into my food. As long as I have a steady supply of ink and paper, I'll be a happy girl!
Gus and I (Not the one in the story), my husband, Gus, and I could ride out to check on the livestock and maybe get lost on our way back to the cabin. Yep, we could mosey on down to the creek for a bit of skinny dippin', then just lie atop our saddle blankets sippin' sweet tea from our canteens.
We'd be so far out, who would need clothes? ;D Just some of my musings for the day. For now, I'm going to eat Chinese with Gus, my daughter and grandbabies.
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