McClanahan, Jeffery
(Dixie Cash, a joint pseudonym, Anna Jeffrey)

PERSONAL:

Born in Stephenville, TX; female; married; children: a daughter.

ADDRESSES:

Agent—c/o Author Mail, 7th Fl., Harper-Collins Publishers, 10 E. 53rd St., New York, NY 10022. E-mail—[email protected]; [email protected].

CAREER:

Writer. Formerly worked in real estate and collectibles retailing.

WRITINGS:

WITH PAMELA CUMBIE, UNDER JOINT PSEUDONYM DIXIE CASH

Since You're Leaving Anyway, Take Out the Trash,Avon Books (New York, NY), 2004.

My Heart May Be Broken, but My Hair Still Looks Great, William Morrow (New York, NY), 2005.

I Gave You My Heart, but You Sold It Online, William Morrow (New York, NY), 2006.

UNDER PSEUDONYM ANNA JEFFREY

The Love of a Cowboy, New American Library (New York, NY), 2003.

The Love of a Stranger, New American Library (New York, NY), 2004.

The Love of a Lawman, New American Library (New York, NY), 2005.

Sweet Water, Signet Eclipse (New York, NY), 2006.

SIDELIGHTS:

Jeffery McClanahan is a fifth-generation Texan who started writing romance novels with varying amounts of mystery and comedy later in life. McClanahan writes under two different pseudonyms. She pairs up with her sister, Pamela Cumbie, to write under the joint pseudonym of Dixie Cash. When writing on her own, however, she publishes under the name Anna Jeffrey. The Dixie Cash writing team began one year after McClanahan published her first book. According to the Dixie Cash Home Page, Cumbie's "zany sense of humor" and McClanahan's "dry wit" provided the right combination to write books together.

Jill M. Smith, writing on the Romantic Times Web site, labeled Cash's writing style as "southern to the bone and lots of fun." This style is found throughout the locations and characters of her first three books. The first book Cash published was Since You're Leaving Anyway, Take Out the Trash. The book introduces several characters found throughout Cash's other stories, including Debbie Sue, the owner of a gas station cum hair salon. When the town's wealthiest citizen dies, Debbie Sue works around her ex-husband, the town's sheriff, to solve the crime and win the cash award offered by the family. Reviews were positive for the debut novel of the writing pair. A critic inPublishers Weekly wrote that the "authentic dialogue and a strong Texas flavor nicely compliment the slapstick tone of Cash's rollicking debut romance." Several reviewers enjoyed the individual characters. Melissa Parcel, writing on the Curled Up with a Good Book Web site commented that "the unique, quirky characters are all endearing and smart."

My Heart May Be Broken, but My Hair Still Looks Great continues the happenings of the small-town characters of the previous book but focuses more on two newcomers, Paige and Spur. The former, a rich girl forced to be independent of her family's money, and the latter, a veterinarian, are being matched by Debbie Sue as she tries to figure out why horses are disappearing around town. Writing in Booklist, Carol Haggas praised the characters, saying that "Cash's good ol' gals … deliver big laughs." Harriet Klausner's review on the Best Reviews Web site, however, was more critical. While believing fans would ultimately enjoy the book, Klausner felt that "the suspense seems anticlimactic in spite of references alluding to stolen horses throughout the plot." A critic inKirkus Reviews summed up My Heart May Be Broken, but My Hair Still Looks Great by calling it a "droll romantic comedy with a splash of mystery and lots of Texan sass."

McClanahan's first book published was The Love of a Cowboy, written under the pseudonym Anna Jeffrey. This romance has Dahlia, a half-Filipina, half-Caucasian Texan, moving to Idaho for work after her husband dies in a car crash while intoxicated. There she meets Luke,a divorcee who has something of a grudge against relationships after his divorce because he still takes care of three kids and an unstable, alcoholic ex-wife. The two struggle to overcome their emotional baggage while deciding whether or not to take their precarious relationship further. Critics gave mostly positive reviews of Jeffrey's debut novel. Kay Mayo reviewed the book on the Romantic Times Web site, commenting that "Jeffrey writes a straightforward narrative and moves her plot along nicely." B. Kathy Leitle was moved by the story. In her review on theRomance Reader Web site, she recalled that "there are some very emotional scenes that caused me a few tears. … The love scenes were quite warm. All of these emotions pulled me into the story."

Jeffrey's next book, The Love of a Stranger, revolves around two divorcees from Los Angeles who now live in Callister, Idaho. Alex, a real estate mogul, first meets former LAPD officer Doug when she throws him off her property for trespassing with a local barkeep. The two eventually work together to fight a plan to build a road through Alex's property while taking precautions against those trying to hinder their efforts. Vivian Outen, reviewing the work on the Curled Up with a Good Book Web site, wrote that Jeffrey "is superb at creating the different layers of her characters." A critic in Publishers Weekly commented: "Jeffrey's hot-blooded heroine, hot hero, complex story line and polished writing make this a riveting read."

Jeffrey's 2006 publication, Sweet Water, puts a more IT-related spin on the classic romance story. Here, the entire town of Agua Dulce, population of ten, has been sold on eBay without any of the residents' knowledge or consent. Marisa, back in town to look after her ill mother and her café, leads the charge against the real estate mogul who has plans to change the town beyond recognition. The two become romantically involved and must find a way to move beyond their uncompromising stances on the future of the town to have their relationship work. Reviewing the book in the Detroit Free Press, Marcia Abramson found that Jeffrey has a knack for mixing "just the right amounts of soft, sweet, and funny." Romance Reader at Heart Web site reviewer Kristal Gorman commented that Sweet Water"is exciting and believable with a great plot and secondary characters that will have you laughing out loud."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Abilene Reporter News, October 1, 2005, Miz Cheevus, "Miz Cheevus Spills Beans about New Romance."

Booklist, September 1, 2005, Carol Haggas, review ofMy Heart May Be Broken, but My Hair Still Looks Great, p. 58.

Daily Texan (Austin, TX), July 20, 2005, Rachel Bilardi, review of My Heart May Be Broken, but My Hair Still Looks Great.

Detroit Free Press, January 25, 2006, Marcia Abramson, review of Sweet Water.

Kirkus Reviews, July 15, 2005, review of My Heart May Be Broken, but My Hair Still Looks Great,p. 749.

Library Journal, November 1, 2005, Shelley Mosley, review of My Heart May Be Broken, but My Hair Still Looks Great, p. 63.

Publishers Weekly, March 15, 2004, review of The Love of a Stranger, p. 60; August 30, 2004, review of Since You're Leaving Anyway, Take Out the Trash, p. 38; August 29, 2005, review of My Heart May Be Broken, but My Hair Still Looks Great, p. 32.

Star-Telegram (Dallas-Fort Worth, TX), December 1, 2005, Jane Ramos Trimble, "Dixie Cash: Sisters Blend Humor, Mystery, Romance in Popular Books," p. 48.

ONLINE

AllReaders.com,http://www.allreaders.com/ (April 20, 2006), Harriet Klausner and Rina Hall, review ofThe Love of a Cowboy; (April 20, 2006), Harriet Klausner, review of The Love of a Stranger.

Anna Jeffrey Home Page,http://www.annajeffrey.com(April 20, 2006).

Authors Den,http://authorsden.com/ (April 20, 2006), author profile.

Bella Online,http://www.bellaonline.com/ (April 20, 2006), Elizabeth Darrach, review of The Love of a Lawman; (April 20, 2006), Elizabeth Darrach, review of Sweet Water; (April 20, 2006), Elizabeth Darrach, review of The Love of a Stranger.

Best Reviews,http://thebestreviews.com/ (August 28, 2004), Lory Martin, review of Since You're Leaving Anyway, Take Out the Trash; (October 15, 2005), Harriet Klausner, review of My Heart May Be Broken, but My Hair Still Looks Great.

Curled Up with a Good Book,http://www.curledup.com/(April 20, 2006), Melissa Parcel, review ofSince You're Leaving Anyway, Take Out the Trash;(April 20, 2006), Vivian Outen, review of The Love of a Stranger.

Dixie Cash Home Page,http://www.dixie-cash.com (April 20, 2006).

Romance Reader,http://www.theromancereader.com/(April 20, 2006), author interview; (April 20, 2006), Cathy Sova, review of The Love of a Lawman;(April 20, 2006), Shirley Lyons, review ofThe Love of a Stranger; (April 20, 2006), B. Kathy Leitle, review of The Love of a Cowboy.

Romance Reader at Heart Web site,http://romancereaderatheart.com/ (April 20, 2006), Kristal Gorman, review of Sweet Water.

Romantic Times,http://www.romantictimes.com/(April 20, 2006), Jill M. Smith, review of My Heart May Be Broken, but My Hair Still Looks Great; (April 20, 2006), Jill M. Smith, review ofSince You're Leaving Anyway, Take Out the Trash;(April 20, 2006), Susan Mobley, review of Sweet Water; (April 20, 2006), Kay Mayo, review ofThe Love of a Cowboy; (April 20, 2006), Susan Mobley, review of The Love of a Lawman; (April 20, 2006), Jill M. Smith, review of The Love of a Stranger.