Dorence Atwater and The Death List

The story of Dorence Atwater and the price he paid for the truth

(Read carefully for a chance to win a signed copy of my 3 in 1 June release Sophie's Daughters Trilogy) In Andersonville, Ga, the most notorious Civil War prison of them all led to the deaths of 13,000 Yankee soldiers. There were terrible deprivations in prisons on both sides, but Andersonville became the best known. While doing research for my August release Over the Edge, book #3 of the Kincaid Brides Series, a quiet piece of history in Andersonville caught my attention. The story of Dorence Atwater and the price he paid for the truth. Dorence Atwater was among the first prisoners to be locked up in Andersonville and he was sick when he arrived at the prison and put in the prison hospital. While he was healing it was discovered that he was well educated (for a sixteen year old) and had beautiful handwriting. Dorence was put in charge of the Death List—a list of all the Yankee soldiers who died and where they were buried. Dorence was told to keep two lists. One for the Confederate Army and one to be sent North to the Union Army. Dorence feared that the south wouldn’t send the second list North, especially because of the horrors of Andersonville. So he began a third list and kept it hidden, knowing that he could be hanged for keeping this secret list. He remained in Andersonville for the duration of the war and even with the meager priviledges he received for working for the South, he was gravely ill. He wrote, “People are dying all around me. I can do nothing to save them, but I can let their families know exactly where they are buried--where to put flowers and pray.” He hid the list containing 13,000 names in his laundry bag and smuggled it out through the Confederate lines.

The Confederate army did send a list of all the dead soldiers to the north but there were thousands of names missing and much of the ink was smeared so badly the names were unreadable. Once home he handed the list to his father and immediately fell ill with diphtheria, typhoid and scurvy. Each of these diseases often kill, Dorence had all three. Within a month, Dorence, though thin and frail, was on the mend. He got a telegraph from Washington DC asking him to bring his Death List to them. On the train to the capitol word came that Abraham Lincoln had been shot. Only twenty years old, Dorence got a job as an intern in DC and his list was taken to be published. Except it never was. The men who’d taken the list refused to publish it or return it. Dorence stayed at his job hoping he’d have a chance to retrieve the Death List. Months went by and Dorence heard that Clara Barton was looking for the burial sites of all Civil War soldiers. She’d raised the funds to mark their graves but had no way to locate those graves. Dorence told Clara about the Death List and the two began a life long friendship. Dorence and Clara were receiving thousands of inquiries about loved ones who had not returned. With time the List became old news in Dorence’s office and nothing had yet been done about it; it was available to anyone who worked there. Dorence had only leased the List to the government and the lease was long expired. Dorence took the List since it was the only copy that wasn’t short thousands of names. Clara had already arranged the trip to Andersonville with Dorence for the purpose of putting markers on the graves. President Lincoln had approved this action before his death. Dorence took the Death List and traveled via boat with Barton, and forty-two headboard carvers. Upon discovering Dorence’s original List was missing from Washington, the government clique sent a messenger to Andersonville to bring it back. Dorence "accidentally" handed him the copy that the Confederates had kept so carefully—thousands of names missing, smudged, and generally unusable. The messenger never noticed. He went back to Washington carrying the Confederates’ useless list, while Dorence and Clara guarded the original with their lives. While the courier never noticed, the people who had sent him did. Upon return to Washington D.C., Dorence refused to tell where his List was. He’d hidden it at the house of Clara Barton. Dorence was given a choice to either tell them where the List was or be court martialed. When he refused to reveal it’s location he was put in ankle chains and marched through town to Old Capitol, a prison which housed the worst criminals. Atwater was placed under arrest and immediately taken to be court martialed. He was given twenty minutes, no defense, a dishonorable discharge and a life sentence. Clara Barton, knowing Dorence’s health was still fragile, knew he wouldn’t last even a month in prison. She consulted President Andrew Johnson who gave Dorence a full pardon and Johnson, impressed with Dorence’s will to stand up for what he believed was right, named him an Ambassador. He ultimately ended up in Tahiti and married a Tahitian princess. Dorence struggled with frail health for the rest of his life. During a trip back to America, while in San Francisco, he was caught in the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1908. Dorence and his wife survived but the Death List did not. Dorence had kept his copy of the List with him at all times for the rest of his life. In the fire that resulted from the earthquake the official, carefully preserved List was burned. Dorence never regained his health enough to leave San Francisco, though he and his wife made plans to return to Tahiti several times. He died in San Francisco at age 65 in 1910.

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http://www.maryconnealy.com

  It seems the most frequently asked question of a writer is where our stories come from. My first two published books - KNIGHT ON THE TEXAS PLAINS and THE COWBOY WHO CAME CALLING - came from real life experiences. I didn't know at the time why certain things happened and why I had to live through them. I didn't know that I was a writer-in-training and storing up all these life events for future stories.

The Story Behind Knight on the Texas Plains

When I was a child growing up, our family lived next door to a Latino couple. They had a daughter who was a few years older and we became playmates. I was around eight or nine years old. One day an ugly truth came to light and it affected me in a huge way. We learned that the neighbor's girl wasn't really theirs. The man had won her in a poker game and brought her to the U.S. illegally. He was really mean. He didn't work and stayed drunk all the time. He made life miserable for his wife and my friend. I began to wonder what her real father must've been like to have wagered his daughter in a poker game. Did she mean so little to him that he could give up his own flesh and blood so easily? I never got an answer to that. But it stayed with me, refusing to go away. That was long before I even knew I'd be a writer one day. I had a burning desire though to give Juanita the happiness that she was denied in life. I just didn't know how I'd do that. And then I became interested in writing fiction. I joined writing groups and learned how to put a story together and how to perfect my craft. A few years later, Knight on the Texas Plains was born. I knew I wanted to write a story about a child that was won in a poker game. I named her Marley Rose. Duel McClain is a down and out cowboy who'd just buried his wife and son. He's wandering from town from town, not caring about anything other than dying. So he sits in on a poker game and comes away with an innocent little girl to take care of. On his way back to where his parents lives, a woman stumbles into his camp. She's hungry and desperate. He strikes a deal with her-ride along and take care of Marley Rose just until he gets the child to his family and he'll take her anywhere she wants to go with no questions asked. Jessie Foltry agrees, only she doesn't count on the fact that Marley Rose and Duel would wiggle into her heart. All she's wanted for as long as she could remember is to be a mother. Holding the sweet baby in her arms forges an unbreakable bond. And the nights under the stars with Duel make her dream of things a woman like her can never have. Trusting Duel was the easy part…living without her knight on the Texas plains would be next to impossible. This book came out with Dorchester Publishing in 2002. It has recently been re-released as a Kindle e-book for $2.99. I'm so glad that readers who didn't get a chance to read it now have the opportunity.

The Story Behind The Cowboy Who Came Calling

During the writing of "Knight on the Texas Plains," I knew I had to write a story about Duel's brother, Luke. It seemed as natural as breathing. At the time I had just been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and began losing my vision. One day I could see fairly well and the next I could see little more than shadows. It was one of the scariest times in my life. I didn't know how I could deal with being blind. I was a writer and I had many more books to write. In Luke's story he meets a woman named Glory Day. Glory is her family's sole support. Her father is in prison and her mother has sunk into a deep depression and she's developed an addiction for laudanum. Glory's vision begins to swiftly fade and she doesn't know how she'll provide for her mother and younger sisters if she can no longer see. But Luke isn't going to let her find out. He means to do whatever he has to do to help make Glory's life easier whether she gets as mad as a hornet or not. He'll risk life and limb for the woman he loved. And he does. Today, I'm happy to say that my vision has returned. Unlike Glory I never had to find out what permanent blindness was like. At least not yet. But it sure let me immerse myself fully in Glory's character. The Cowboy Who Came Calling was a 2003 release by Dorchester Publishing. It has recently come out again as a Kindle e-book and sells for the low price of $2.99. Have you ever dealt with something in your life and then found out much later the reason why such a thing happened? Or feel free to just talk about anything. I'm giving away a Kindle version of KNIGHT ON THE TEXAS PLAINS to two people who comment.

Hannah Benning, the heroine in HANNAH'S VOW, was the daughter of a master thief and confidence man--and in her youth, a student of his trade--so of course, I had to show her in action at some point throughout the book.  I located the help of the most famous detective at the time, Allan Pinkerton, who'd written a book chronicling his thirty years of experience dealing with the criminals who kept his agency thriving throughout his remarkable career. With the exception of modern technology, I suppose there's not much difference between the thieves of then and now, so I must ask--do not try this at home. THE PICKPOCKET - One scenario describes a 'mob' of four men who would target victims as they entered, then left a bank.  One 'stall' would watch the bank patron to ensure he withdrew a wad of cash,  and seeing that he'd placed the cash in the inside pocket of the right side of his coat, follow him outside.  His accomplices bided their time until the unsuspecting target entered a busy thoroughfare, a side street, or a narrow hallway of a building.  Two of the stalls would move in front of the victim, a third (the 'hook') slightly ahead, then signal with a cough when the  time had arrived.  The first two would suddenly halt, forcing the victim to do the same.  The hook, with a coat over one arm to conceal his hand, would delve into the bulging pocket and quickly lift the cash, while the fourth stall jostled him on the *left* side to distract him.  The first two men show no interest in the heist and merely resume their walk, and by the time things settle down, the victim is unaware he'd been robbed. THE MOLL-BUZZER - This is a thief who steals a lady's pocketbook.  Thieves of this type owe their success to wearing a loose sack-coat in which the pocket had been cut open.  Since the coat's lining hangs free at the bottom, he is able to slip his hand completely through.  In addition, he always keeps a handkerchief in the pocket.  His target is the lady seated in a streetcar, always crowded and jostling.  From outward appearances, he sits (or stands) with his hand in his pocket, yet he manages to pull up her overskirt enough to reach her pocketbook, then catching hold of the bag, draw it up his own pocket then step away.   If she feels the movement of his hand against her person, he merely pulls out the handkerchief and makes a show of wiping his face, and no one is the wiser.  WEEDING A LEATHER - For the most expert of thieves, this entails dipping two fingers into the lady's pocket and opening her pocketbook, hooking one finger and clearing out its contents without even removing the thing.  Imagine the speed and dexterity you'd need to do that! I've managed to infuse several more examples throughout HANNAH'S VOW.  Let's read one below: Set-up:  After her father's death, Hannah flees to a monastery to escape her sins and seek the peace she craves.  But a late night visit to a nearby penitentiary goes horribly wrong, and she's kidnapped by one of the prisoners,the hero,  wrongly accused Quinn Landry.  Worse, he's deathly ill, and she must save both him and herself.  To do that, she must call upon old skills, the very ones she's vowed never to use again, to survive. Excerpt: A sturdy lock kept her from the contents.  She returned to the rig and searched for the key, her fingers skimming over the floor, up the sides, under the seat. But, of course, she didn’t find one.  Fenwick wasn’t that stupid. She sat cross-legged on the ground, the box in front of her.  It was made of tempered steel, too solid to jimmy apart without the proper tools.  She studied the lock and recognized its make.  A set of bar-keys wouldn’t work, even if she had them. But a widdy would. The knowledge came rushing back in a torrent too powerful to stop, memories of skills she’d learned under her father’s watchful eye, tricks she’d vowed never to use again. But tonight, she had to.  To survive. Hannah returned to the carriage again, retrieved Fenwick’s umbrella, and opened it.  She bent one of the wires, wiggled it back and forth until the metal snapped, then tossed the umbrella aside. She sat on the ground again and fashioned a loop on one end of the wire.  All she needed next was a length of fine cord. She hesitated. The cord stringing her rosary beads would complete the widdy, but to destroy something so sacred to burglarize another man’s belongings . . .. Mother Superior would be mortified. But Hannah assured herself that if the abbess were cold and hungry and holed up in the middle of New Mexico Territory with an accused murderer, she’d do the same thing.  Surely, this was all part of the test?  Finding a way to survive? Hannah removed the rosary from her waist and broke the cord; the beads slid off into a pile in the grass.  She formed a tight knot on the unlooped end of the wire.  At last, the widdy was finished. And it was perfect. Keenly aware of the deepening cold and rapidly fading light, Hannah slid the knotted end into the lock’s mortise.  Closing her eyes, she worked the tool, allowed a portion of the cord inside.  She felt her way and knew just when to pull the cord taut. The lock snapped open. She flipped the box lid up and gazed in wonder at the contents inside: a scattering of gold coins and bills; a miniature bottle of whiskey; a pearl handled derringer; laudanum; a pocket-knife, cheroots; and a box of matches. Only then did Hannah remember it was Christmas night. And Fenwick couldn’t have given them finer gifts.

To buy HANNAH'S VOW for your Kindle, click here! 

Now I'm curious.  Have you ever been robbed before?  Wronged by some smooth-talking con man?  Taken in by some scam? I hope not!  But if you have, we'd love to hear about it!

Thank you for inviting me back to your blog site for a visit. One Hot Cowboy Wedding hit the book stores last week and I’m so excited. It’s the fourth book in the Spikes & Spurs series and there are three more on the docket behind it. So keep your cowboy hats and your boots on—there are more sexy cowboys and sassy women on the way. One Hot Cowboy Wedding is Ace and Jasmine’s story. They’ve been best friends for well over a year so it’s understandable when he comes into her café, Chicken Fried, with a hang-dog look on his handsome face that she’s worried. Turns out that there’s a clause in his grandfather’s will that has just surfaced which says that he must be married within a year of taking over the Double Deuce ranch and stayed married for a year or else the whole ranch…cows, bulls, equipment, land, barns and house goes to his worthless cousin. He’s got a week to find a wife and it’s looking like a damn near impossible mission because he doesn’t even have a girlfriend. Jasmine, being the good friend that she is and running from any kind of commitment anyway, says that she’ll marry him. Of course it will be a secret that no one will ever know and in a year, they’ll go to the divorce lawyer and end it quietly. No problem! Now what does a fake bride need for a fake wedding? They have to convince the lawyers and Ace’s scumbag cousin that it’s a real marriage so Jasmine chooses a cute little white dress that she’s never worn before. She attaches a veil to a white western hat and packs her white western boots for the trip. Everything is in order since Ace is picking up a set of cheap wedding rings at the Wal-Mart store on the way. The wedding chapel will provide all the rest so the bride is ready! What happens in Vegas, and all that, right? You got it! It stands true that it won’t leave Vegas and will be their secret right up until the time that the wedding kiss has happened and they are legally married. Then they find out that they’ve won a weekend honeymoon because they were the 5000^th couple to get married in Cupid’s Wedding Chapel. And it is broadcast on national television on the ten o’clock news that night! Oops! Secret is out and phones are ringing. Both mothers are suddenly up to their eyeballs making preparations for a “real” wedding because everyone knows that a Vegas wedding in a chapel can’t be one hundred percent guaran-damn-teed legal. So now Jasmine finds out that what she needed to get married in Vegas and what she needs for a Texas sized wedding is two very different things. She must have a designer dress and her mother intends to bring a back up dress of her choosing if Jasmine picks out something to plain and cheap looking. She has to have at least eight bridesmaids because Ace will have to use all six of his brothers and his two best friends, Rye and Wil, as groomsmen. And there has to be a meeting of minds about their dresses, shoes, jewelry and their bouquets. There has to be a rehearsal dinner and motel rooms and an enormous reception after the wedding and it all has to be planned in one month’s time. The difference in a Vegas wedding to Texas wedding is about to drive her and Ace both crazy but what is she to do? Upset her mother who has had her heart set on a big fancy wedding for her daughter since the day she was born? Or put a stop to the whole thing? The answer is in One Hot Cowboy Wedding. What I think a bride needs for a cowboy wedding is just what Jasmine had when she went to Vegas. She needs a dress that makes her feel pretty; whether it’s long or short, from the second hand shop or a fancy designer, makes no difference. She needs a pair of boots because there will be some two-steppin’ at the reception or in the bedroom after the wedding. And a cowboy hat to hold a puff of illusion. But the most important thing a girl needs for a cowboy wedding, big or small, Vegas or Texas, is a cowboy who loves her, promises to be faithful forever and thinks he’s the one getting the prize. Anything more than that is what you want; not what you need. If you were planning a cowboy wedding what would you need? I’ll be looking forward to your answers. I’ll be away from the computer about two hours this evening because at 7:00 CST, my granddaughter, Kela Rhae, will be getting married at the Arbuckle Wedding Chapel and I’m going to go see just exactly what she’s doing for her cowboy wedding.  

ONE HOT COWBOY WEDDING BY CAROLYN BROWN – IN STORES APRIL 2012

A marriage made in Vegas... Hunky cowboy Ace Riley wasn't planning on settling down, but his family had other plans for him...The only way to save his hide, and his playboy lifestyle, is to discreetly marry his best friend, Jasmine King. Can't possibly last… Fiesty city–girl Jasmine as just helping out her friend—that is, until their first kiss stirs up a whole mess of trouble, and suddenly discretion is thrown to the wind.

One hot cowboy, one riled up woman...

And they'll be married for a year, like it or not!

  Miss Carolyn is giving away 2 copies of One Hot Cowboy Wedding to 2 lucky winners. All you have to do is leave a comment to enter.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carolyn Brown is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with more than forty books published, and credits her eclectic family for her humor and writing ideas. She writes bestselling single title cowboy and country music mass market romances. Born in Texas and raised in southern Oklahoma, Carolyn and her husband now make their home in the town of Davis, Oklahoma, where she continues to write more cowboy romances! For more information, please visit www.CarolynLBrown.com.

  These two talented successful ladies write western romance together. We wanted to know their secret. Here is what they said. Linda: Every now and then, a project comes along and it's like a gift. The characters speak to you, the words flow. This was one of those projects, for me. I can still hear the characters' voices in my head, clear as day. And working with Lori was a huge plus! Lori:  That's for sure.  I've never been involved in a project with another author who was easier to work with.  It helped that we were already friends (and we still are!).  It was also a plus that we have the same working style.  Pantsers all the way. Linda: Hey, Lori! What side of town is the river on? Lori:  Can I plead the fifth?  No?  Okay, it's on the left side. Linda: Nope, that's wrong. Riding into town from the north, the river is on the right/West side of town. Yep, we saw the town in a mirror image, and didn't discover it until about midway through writing the series. We ended up taking out some specifics that made it OH so clear that we weren't seeing the same thing. Lori: But all in all, that was minor.  Everything else we saw as one.  Everyone else we heard as one.  I've never written books where I could hear the characters speaking so clearly.  But the really weird thing was that I could hear HER characters. Linda: The strangest thing about this series, for me, is that Lori's characters -- especially the heroes -- were as crystal clear to me as my own. And they were from the beginning. We could have dialogue with NO tags, and I could tell you who was speaking. Lori: We should try that as a parlor game.  I felt the same way.  I've had readers ask me if I wrote all the books because they couldn't believe that two different authors could write such consistent characters across six books.  But, no, Linda wrote hers; I wrote mine.  We did read each others' books and offer suggestions, though I don't really remember suggesting much if anything. Linda: Whenever you're writing a series with someone else, time and other existing contracts are always issues. I actually wrote Sullivan, book 2, and sent the rough draft to Lori before she wrote Reese, book 1. We continued that way throughout, with me writing the last book before she wrote Nate. I always saw her rough draft before I finished my books, so I could add in details I didn't know when I wrote that first draft. Lori: This worked out for the best since I knew where I was headed before I started the book.  I'd already been there while reading Linda's book.  A happy accident that turned into the best way of doing things.  If we ever write more Rock Creek books, I'd want to do them exactly the same way. Linda: I can't tell you how thrilled I am to finally have all six books available for purchase again! Love these guys, all six of them. :-) Lori:  Me too.  They're like family.  :) We miss westerns.  Do you?  Are there any other kinds of romance novels you can't get enough of?  Or that there don't seem to be enough of?  Like Pirates!  We miss Pirates. We're giving away one copy of each of these newly released e-books. Leave a comment to get your name in the ten gallon hat. * * * * You can find more about Linda Devlin at: www.lindawinsteadjones.com And Lori Handeland at: www.lorihandeland.com

  What always strikes me most about stories of the old West are the poor down-trodden men and women who struck out across this vast country with little more than the clothes on their back. Nothing but big dreams and a promise for a better tomorrow provided the strength to weather the tough times. With grit and determination most carved out a good life for themselves. These types of people are lots more interesting than the ones who have lots of money and little hardship. I guess I like the struggle and the making of something from nothing. And maybe it's the fact that I, too, came from such humble beginnings. While I've written stories about both rich and poor, my heart has always been with the less fortunate. One of my very favorite characters was Glory Day in THE COWBOY WHO CAME CALLING that's just been re-released as an e-book. Glory shoulders the responsibility of providing for her mother and two sisters after her father was wrongly convicted of murder and sent to prison. In addition to managing their small farm, she does the hunting and seeing that they don't go hungry. But then one day she begins to have problems with her eyesight and the confidence that she's capable of doing whatever needs done is severely shaken. If she can't see, she can't kill meat for the table. Panic sets in. Then a cowboy with a heart of gold enters her life after she accidentally shoots him. Luke McClain seems the answer to a prayer. He wastes no time in taking up the slack. In fact a little too well and has Glory seeing red. She doesn't want him taking completely over and making her feel like she's an invalid. Sparks fly and when the dust settles she finds out she's attracted to the man who can fix anything. But of course, as all good heroines do, she doesn't let him know. It would simply go to his head and that was too swelled to start with. I had so much fun writing this story. It originally came out in 2003 by Dorchester Publishing and won the National Readers' Choice Award. EXCERPT: For an instant Glory seemed about to hand him his head on a platter.  Then almost shyly, she accepted his grip and dismounted. "Pure luck, McClain." He suspicioned she tucked that shyness behind the gruff exterior because it was easier than dealing with other emotions.  Ones that scared the living daylights out of her.  And him, too. Glory untied the legs of two large gobblers and let them fall to the ground. "Nice shot," Luke said, examining them.  "Punkin might have a point after all when she claimed you could shoot whatever you aimed for.  Now, I'm not sure filling my leg full of lead was all that accidental.  Could be-" "Could be you talk too much."  She probably meant the flippant tone as a warning.  "As you said, you can't believe everything that bratty sister of mine says." Luke should've let sleeping dogs lie, but he couldn't help stirring the boiling pot.  Even if he got scalded.  Manure for brains his father had said many a time. "Like the part about you never having a beau?  Or never lettin' a gentleman call on you?  Or is it the part about never been kissed that's bunched your tail feathers in a wad?" A shocked gasp filled the space.  "Mr. McClain.  That's my business.  What right....?" Before he realized his intentions, he slid his hand beneath her hair.  With a tug on the back of her neck, he pulled her against him.  Glory trembled under his touch, a fragile leaf in a storm's path. * * * * This e-book as well as my other release REDEMPTION is available for $2.99. Click HERE to buy. Which types of stories bring you more satisfaction…the ones that feature the poor and downtrodden or ones where the characters have everything their hearts desire? I'm giving away one copy of this today in e-form to two people who leave a comment.

  I'm so excited to be back at Petticoats and Pistols with all these gals.  I had a blast last time!  Today I'll be giving away an e-copy of HER HEART FOR THE ASKING, book #1 in my Texas Hearts series, to one lucky commenter. I'm really excited about the e-release of my Texas Hearts series, which was originally published in hardcover by Avalon Books.  Texas Hearts includes HER HEART FOR THE ASKING, HIS HEART FOR THE TRUSTING and THE MORE I SEE. All three of these titles have something about them that I absolutely love and that resonated with me while I was writing the stories.  HER HEART FOR THE ASKING is the book that was never going to be a book!  That's right.  This story started out as a quick little blurb in an article I was writing over 12 years ago on how to pitch your story to an editor. I'll admit I was a bit shy about using one of the pitches I'd used in actual editor appointments at conferences.  Why I don't know.  I'd always received good feedback on those pitches which resulted in a request from an editor.  So in writing the article, I just wrote up a quick pitch about a Philadelphia girl who needs to learn how to run her uncle's Texas ranch from the rodeo cowboy who'd broken her heart years ago. Simple right?  Hmm, wait a minute.  I think I threw in a twist and a secret and a promise from the past, too.  I don't recall exactly.  But the response I got from that article surprised me.  Readers emailed me asking when the book was going to be published. I scratched my head.  I hadn't even planned on writing it!  But since people were so interested in the story, I decided to give it ago.  HER HEART FOR THE ASKING sold during a face-to-face editor appointment with an Avalon editor.  I can't even tell you how exciting it was to get a contract offer this way. Here is the blurb and excerpt from HER HEART FOR THE ASKING: Mandy Morgan swore she'd never step foot in Texas again after Beau Gentry left her for life on the rodeo circuit eight years before. But now her uncle's heart is failing and she has to convince him that surgery will save his life. She never dreamed the first thing she'd see when she stepped off the plane would be her biggest nightmare...the one man she'd never stopped loving. Beau Gentry had the fever for two things: the rodeo and Mandy Morgan. But for Beau, loving Mandy was complicated by his father's vendetta against her uncle. This led him to make the hardest decision of his life, and he can still see the bitterness and hurt on Mandy's face. All these years it has killed him to think Mandy had forgotten him and moved as far away as possible from him. But now they're back in Texas, and he's going to do all he can to win back her love.

Excerpt:

"What are you doing here?" Mandy Morgan asked, dropping her too-heavy overnight case on the sun-roasted tarmac. After a grueling forty-eight hour work stint and a five-hour flight from Philadelphia, she stood wilting under the brutal Texas sun, facing her biggest nightmare. Beau Gentry. She groaned inwardly, drinking Beau in with her eyes as if she hadn't had a drop of water in months. Eight years was more like it. If she were eight years smarter, she would be moving her aching feet as fast as she could in the opposite direction. But all she could do was stare at eyes so bright they rivaled the blazing sun. At lips so kissable she'd spent the better part of her adult life trying to wipe the memory clean from her mind. She had expected Beau would have aged some. When she allowed herself to think about him at all, she reminded herself. The faint lines etched in the corners of his sleepy gray-blue eyes gave a hint of maturity, but most probably caused by long days in the cruel sun. She fought the urge to take a closer look at his ruggedly handsome features, but failed. How could he have gotten better looking after being abused by every bronc-busting horse on the rodeo circuit? His angular jaw, strong and determined, was shaded with beard growth that was probably a day old, maybe more. Mandy suspected if Beau grew a full beard, it would grow in thick and be the smooth texture of his almost black head of hair. She forced aside past memories that gave her such knowledge with renewed irritation. The man didn't even have the decency to have a crooked nose. What should have been bent and awkward from being broken a few too many times was instead long and straight, shaped perfectly between high cheek bones most women would swoon over, or kill to have themselves. But on Beau Gentry, it was just one thousand percent robust cowboy. Damn him. "I'm your ride out to the Double T," Beau said, gripping the edge of his white straw cowboy hat and tipping it in a cordial gesture. She ground the heels of her low pumps into the soft tar to contain her growing irritation. Did he think she was an idiot? "No way." "'Fraid so," he said, his expression slightly askew. "Hank didn't mention anything about you coming to get me when I spoke to him on the phone." "I suspect he thought you would have found some excuse not to come if you knew I was picking you up." "He would have been right. Why didn't one of the hands come get me?" Settling his hand at the base of his neck, Beau replied, "You're looking at him. As of three weeks ago I am one of the ranch hands at the Double T." * * * * * * Texas Hearts series includes: HER HEART FOR THE ASKING HIS HEART FOR THE TRUSTING THE MORE I SEE These are available as Kindle, Nook and Smashwords. You can visit Lisa at http://www.lisamondello.blogspot.com/

That’s the theme for the upcoming Love Inspired Historical spring wedding anthology, Brides of the West.  It won’t be out until April, but my author copies arrived in a nice big box. Time for a giveaway!  Leave a comment and I’ll toss your name in the Stetson--a white one to honor weddings.  Sometime tonight I’ll pull out two names and post the winners. I’m delighted to be sharing the antho with two wonderful LIH authors, Janet Dean and Pamela Nissen. Here’s our back cover copy: Josie’s Wedding Dress by Victoria Bylin Desperate for someone to help her save her ranch, Josie Bright makes a deal with Ty Donner. Now the man who left her waiting at the altar is making her hope for things she had long stopped wishing for. Last Minute Bride by Janet Dean Elise Langley was stung to the quick when her would-be suitor suddenly left town. But when David Wellman returns and they are thrown together organizing their friends’ wedding, can she open her heart again. Her Ideal Husband by Pamela Nissen As a girl, Lydia Townsend hoped to marry Jebediah Gentry--until his rejection spoiled her dreams. When family duty brings her home, it’s Jeb’s chance to show Lydia that now is the time for wedding dreams to come true. Now here’s an excerpt from Josie’s Wedding Dress. It’s taken from the middle of the first scene. We’re in a church cemetery and in Ty’s point of view as he faces the woman he left at the altar…

 EXCERPT

The buggy halted, then creaked as the female climbed down. With his neck bent, Ty listened to the squeak of the gate as she opened it. He tried to follow her movements, but the grass muted her steps. He listened for the rustle of her skirt but heard nothing. Frozen and alert, he thought of the years he’d waited in a prison cell. He’d learned to be patient. He could be patient now. He wouldn’t budge until the woman went on her way. He thought of the graves he’d seen. Was she visiting the small one that belonged to a child? A newer one with a name he didn’t recognize? A rose-like fragrance drifted on the air, becoming stronger as the woman approached. Josie liked fancy soaps. She also liked roses. A soft gasp confirmed his deepest fear. This woman knew him. This woman was Josie. “Ty? is that you?” He turned enough to see the hem of her skirt. It took him back to the day before the wedding and the banter about “something borrowed, something blue.” She’d whispered in his ear about a blue garter, and he’d loved her more than ever. Now he looked up slowly, taking in the hard line of her mouth. Gone was the cheerful girl who’d teased him with mischievous smiles. In her place he saw a woman burdened by life. Her eyes were still turquoise and her chestnut hair gleamed under a straw bonnet, but she’d lost her sparkle. Ty had come home for this very moment, yet he felt unprepared as he matched her gaze. Instead of the words he’d practiced, he stared into her eyes, feasting on the past until he found his tongue. “Hello, Josie,” he said in a drawl. “I’m hoping we can talk.”

 Don't forget to leave a comment to be eligible for the drawing.  For fun, let's share our favorite wedding memories.  What made you smile or laugh?  Or do you tear up like I do?  My favorite part of any wedding is when the bride and groom exchange their vows.    

THE LAST CAHILL COWBOY rides into Cahill Crossing this month, completing the miniseries, CAHILL COWBOYS Texas’s Finest.  Author Jenna Kernan talks about writing a continuity series. Ever wonder what it would be like to write four stories with four authors in four months?  That’s what the authors of the Harlequin Historical series, CAHILL COWBOYS Texas’s Finest did exactly.  I had the joy and responsibility for winding up the series.  I remember thinking, Boy, I hope I don’t disappoint the other authors.   Not the readers, or my editor—the other writers.  Here’s why… Three talented women passed on their own precious heroes and heroines to my control.   All of them would appear in my story.  I’d never written a story with a character who was not holy my own creation and that was very disconcerting.   And I didn’t have to face the same, because my hero, Chance Cahill, doesn’t appear in their stories except by reference.  Plus, I didn’t get to see the others stories, as we were all working on them nearly simultaneously.  Was my vision of Quin, Bowie and Leanna the same as their creators? The best part for me was the creative collaboration on the overarching mystery, of who killed the patriarchs.  That was a bunch of fun.  Why, we even had our own yahoo group that filled up with images, photos, landscapes, maps, character details, story synopses.  You can’t imagine the number of messages (431) we had back and forth. What color is Bowie’s horse?  Who ran the saddle shop?  What does the inside of Leanna’s saloon look like exactly?  Questions and more questions. The best part of this series, for me, was working with Carol Finch, Carol Arens and Debra Cowan. I hope you get to meet all four of the Cahills, The Rancher, Quin, The Marshal, Bowie, Saloon owner Leanna and my favorite, Bounty Hunter Chance.  In case you want a short introduction to story, THE LAST CAHILL COWBOY, here’s a little excerpt from the opening, after Chance rescues Ellie from a crazed gambler by shooting him.

EXCERPT

“Welcome home, Chance,” Ellie murmured. He nodded, thinking about hugging her again. “I’ve heard you’re a bounty hunter and that you’ve killed over a dozen outlaws.” Chance said nothing to this.  Did the number impress her or sicken her?  “But not one person mentioned you had a death wish.” Chance drew up short.  Ellie halted beside him regarding him with a disconcerting fixed stare.  It took him a moment to mask his surprise. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”            “I saw you back there, Chance Cahill.  Are you trying to kill yourself?” He gave her a look that made grown men run, but she continued to stare, her thin brows now descending low over her eyes.  This was Ellie, and she knew him or had known him back when he was another person.  The little spitfire didn’t retreat.  Instead, she stood toe-to-toe and lifted her chin in a defiant attitude.  If a man looked at him like that, he’d knock him down.  As it was he’d a good mind to kiss her, just to teach her a lesson. “Why do you care?” “Your mother would roll right over in her grave if she saw what you pulled in there.  You were going to let that man shoot you.” He folded his arms across his chest.  “What do you want me to say, that sometimes I think about it?  Well, I do.  Now get out of my way, Ellen Louise, or I swear you’ll be sorry.” Her jaw dropped open, though whether from the threat or what he had said before that, he wasn’t certain.  He left her there, wondering what possessed him to tell her the truth.  And why was it that Ellen Jenkins was the only one who had noticed that he no longer cared if he lived or died?  Her voice followed him.  “What’s happened to you?” He kept walking.

Excerpt THE LAST CAHILL COWBOY © Jenna Kernan

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Award-winning author, Jenna Kernan has over a dozen novels published including Western historical & paranormal romance.  She has received two RITA nominations & won the Book Buyers Best Award in 2010.  Follow Jenna on twitter jennakernan@twitter.com or at www.jennakernan.com

What is it about cowboys and horses and rugged individualism that brings readers back to Westerns again and again? Their popularity may wax and wane, but the stories of cowboys and the West are constants in the fiction world that might see the rise and fall of vampires, wizards and fantasy. (I’m not criticizing—I’m a huge fan of the Harry Potter and Twilight series.) The Western is always there, like a patient, mild horse, waiting for us to come back. And we do. Even now, I’m often drawn to contemporary feature articles and photos about the vast rangelands on the east side of the Oregon Cascades. Cowboying, though diminished by time, is still alive and well over there, and those vast, wide-open spaces make up a majority of the state’s area. The entire West is huge compared to places in the East. Here we think nothing of getting in the car and driving 25 or 30 miles to have lunch with a friend. Imagine doing that on horseback or in a buckboard with no cell phone, no nearby help, and only your wits and survival instincts to rely on in case of a catastrophe like a horse breaking a leg or a wagon wheel coming off. Those are the characters I write about. For my latest release, Home By Morning, I updated the period a bit. It takes place during the Spanish influenza epidemic and World War I. Although many cities were bustling places of commerce and modern conveniences, the majority of the US was still agricultural, and the town I created for my backdrop has a mix of both. A few people actually have telephones but most do not. There is a car or two but original, four-legged horsepower is still the primary means of transportation. For my heroine, Jessica, who has lived in New York for a few years, this return to a slower pace of life is a welcome change. Dr. Jessica Layton returns from the East to her hometown for a visit, only to find the Spanish influenza has arrived as well. Although she has not planned to stay more than a few days, with no other physician in Powell Springs she feels compelled by duty and loyalty to care for the people she’s known since childhood. Believing Jessica abandoned him for her career in medicine, horse breeder Cole Braddock has been half-heartedly courting her sister.  Jess sees Cole as a fickle and faithless, and yet neither can ignore the heat that still sizzles between them, or recognize the duplicity that drove them apart. Want to know what happens next? This book is available in both e-book and paperback from Amazon.com. I'LL GIVE AWAY A KINDLE E-COPY TO THE FIRST TEN (10) PEOPLE WHO SEND ME AN EMAIL AT ALEXIS@ALEXISHARRINGTON.COM.