Handbag and Book: Brenda Whiteside - Is a Hobo bag a once upon a thing? #mfrwauthors #readromance #accessories #handbag

Hobo bags were a big thing once upon a time. I had a great patchwork, cloth bag I could sling across my body that held so many essentials. I won’t go into all of those essentials. After all, it was the late sixties and early seventies! It was the preferred bag of hippie chicks, and although I never quite made the leap to real hippiedom, my dress and mode of living came darn close.

Making your own hobo bag was the ultimate creation. I tried. Confession: I’m not a good seamstress. So, I settled for the store-bought kind. It had to be made of material and colorful. My original bags are long gone, but I found a similar one on the site Wanelo. My patchwork bag was my favorite. There were no inside pockets, only a small open one on the outside which made a good place to drop car keys. As for finding anything in the cavernous bag, a clueless hunt was required. Digging around with a flashlight was the easiest method. One thing in particular stands out in my memory—the smell. After a while, a gal’s cloth hobo bag took on the scents of all the items she carried. The bag became her brand.

When I wrote The Power of Love and Murder, I wanted my heroine to carry a hobo bag in the prologue. Why? No idea. It was just one of those details that comes into a writer’s head. Penny is a teen at the time of the prologue, but a wealthy one. I decided she would carry a leather hobo bag, more fitting of her financial world. What I had in mind is a photo from Art Fire.

In preparation for this post, I Googled hobo bag. Most of the ones pictured didn’t strike me as what we carried a few decades ago. They weren’t “slouchy” enough. If you buy one now, you might not even know you’re purchasing a hobo bag. Maybe the industry thinks they’ve improved upon the style. Nah… 

For thirteen years, Penny Sparks has managed to hide from the political powers who murdered her family. When she unwittingly exposes her true identity, not only is she marked for death, but the people closest to her risk meeting the same fate.

Jake Winters is out of rehab and coming to grips with his demons. When he meets his sister’s roommate, Jake believes Penny might be that someone who can help him find life after rock star status…until her secrets blow up his world.

With a government agent turned hit man closing in on her, Penny and Jake race to expose the presidential contender behind the murders of her family. Even if they win the race with death, the murder that stands between them could end their hope for a new life.

More about Brenda Whiteside: Brenda Whiteside is the author of suspenseful, action-adventure romance. Mostly. After living in six states and two countries—so far—she and her husband have decided they are gypsies at heart, splitting their time between Northern Arizona and the RV life. They share their home with a rescue dog named Amigo. While FDW is fishing, Brenda writes stories of discovery and love entangled with suspense.

Answer these questions:

Red, White or Blue? White (bright and goes with anything)

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? (winter…I live in central Arizona and summers are brutal. Spring and Fall are great, but just love cozying into sweaters)

Chocolate pudding, cake, pie? (pie, fruit pie especially—cherry and peach are the best)

Coffee, Tea, Champagne? (coffee…love my morning cup I make with a dab of coconut oil, a teaspoon of honey, a little half and half, and lots of cinnamon)

Country music or Michael Buble? I am so out of it. Had to Google Buble. I guess I’ll take country but the old stuff, not the phony pop stuff of late.

Pencil or Pen? Pencil mostly

Find The Power of Love and Murder, series book four at: Amazon

Find Brenda Whiteside at: website