Roses and Loweed takes you into today's wild west, behind the scenes of what it is really like to be a cowboy's wife. To all gals who fantasize being married to a handsome cowboy, take heed. You will love this life, but be ready for tough times, locoweed and manure in your life as well as the beauty of glorious sunsets and the beauty of lovely roses.
Freia's other book, The Winter Years of World War II will bring you into the midst of World War II, on the German side, into the Nazi empire, into the smells, sounds, emotions and sights of the most horrific war in history. There are insights and historical facts in this book that are not known to Americans and very few Germans. Freia Hooper-Bradford's family was scattered to eight theaters of war from Russia to Berlin to Africa. They faced tragedies and death almost unimaginable. Freia was a war baby, born into the midst of Germany falling into rubble and the constant smell of death, with no hope for the soldiers and their families. Freia listened to the war stories her entire life, recalled after new hope and some tears in the eyes of those who saw too much. She researched this memoir for six years to be sure every sentence was historically correct. The book should be required reading for WW II history, as it describes much that is not recorded in archives. Because the book is written in novel style, it comes alive as no narritive can do.
After growing up in Germany and immigrating to the US of A, the author's life has been horses ever since she was a teenager. "I think it kept me out of trouble," she says. I spent after school and weekends with horses. Then came college, rodeos, horseshows, and a marriage to a cowboy. A real cowboy. She and her cowboy lived onranches, several big outfits with cowboy teams, dogs, a string of horses and a huge country to ride in. The author rode with the cowboys, but in those days, she was seldom paid. Free help, but lots of good riding. A dream come true. A ranch is also an ideal place to rasie kids to become honest, responsible, hardworking adults. Neither of the author's kids wanted to become cowboys, although they loved horses, riding and taking care of a managerie of animals. The song, Mama, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys, rings true. The author would never trade her life on a ranch, but its tough, paycheck to paycheck, some good wrecks, and pretty much trusting in good luck because there is no security for a cowboy's life.
The author, although the cowboy husband is gone, up to the big sky, still rides. She feels privileged that she got to live a life that most people only know from coffee table books or in documentaries.
The author has recently started an internet shop with cafe press, www.cafepress.com/freiasfunphotos, where she sells gifts with horse , boot and spur motives.
iUniverse has published two of her books, Roses and Locoweed, and The Winter Years of World War II. Share your thoughts visiting Freia Hooper-Bradford's website www.psychittome-booklady.com , where you can click on 'write me'.