Bachelors and Babies by Hebby Roman

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Please join us in welcoming Hebby Roman as our guest author today! Welcome, Hebby! It’s great to have you join us!

 

 

Zach is the eleventh book in the Bachelors & Babies series. As with three of my other sweet western historical romances, I chose to set this book at a Texas fort, Fort McKavett.

I’ve been researching Texas forts for over two years, and I’m amazed by how many different kinds of forts there have been in Texas. In the early days, regions of Texas were claimed by both France and Spain. Each of them built forts to protect their claims. The Alamo is an example of a Spanish presidio, built to bring Christianity to the natives.

Along with the Spanish presidios and the log forts of the French in East Texas, there were many families who moved to the wild lands of Texas and built their own personal forts. The John Parker family established Parker’s Fort in 1833 on the banks of the Navasota River. This fort was the site of a well-known Comanche Indian raid in May 1836, where the Comanche captured 12-year old Cynthia Ann Parker. She was the mother of the last great Comanche chief, Quanah Parker.

The famous Texas Rangers built base camps to use for their raids on hostile natives and various outlaw bands. Before Texas became a part of the United States, it was an independent nation, known as the Republic of Texas, and the Republic built forts as well. Most of the Texas Republic forts were “rough” affairs of mud brick and timber. Prior to the Civil War, the United States built two lines of forts to protect settlers from hostile natives. Some of these forts were taken over by Confederate soldiers during the Civil War, others were decommissioned and abandoned, a few were used as outposts for state militia or even as stagecoach stops. Many of these forts were taken back by the U.S. cavalry and protected the Texas frontier for years.

Fort McKavett, where my book Zach is set, was one of those frontier forts that changed hands during the Civil War and was reclaimed as part of the U.S fort system. Originally, it was known as the Camp on the San Saba River, and it was established in March, 1852 to protect settlers from Comanche and Kiowa raids in Menard County, Texas. Later that year, in October, the fort was renamed Fort McKavett, in honor of Captain Henry McKavett, who had served meritoriously in the Mexican-American War.

With the outbreak of the American Civil War, the post was occupied by members of McCulloch’s Company E, 1st Texas Mounted Rifles, and the camp served as a prisoner-of-war camp for Union soldiers who had survived the Battle of Adams Hill, which took place north of San Antonio, Texas.

The fort was reactivated by the United States Army in April, 1868, as part of “the redeployment of a frontier military force,” by Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Eugene Beaumont’s 4th Cavalry Company.

From 1868 to 1883, Fort McKavett served as a major supply depot providing food and provisions for most of the Texas military campaigns, along with scientific and mapping explorations for other forts in West Texas. The spring of 1869 brought dramatic historic developments to the post with the arrival of the 41st Infantry, and its commanding officer, Colonel Ranald Mackenzie. The 41st was one of the army’s six regiments, and Mackenzie would become one of the foremost Native American fighters of the post-Civil War army.

Nestled in the picturesque Hill Country of Texas, Fort McKavett was characterized by General William T. Sherman as “the prettiest post in Texas” on his inspection tour of Texas forts in 1871.

My giveaway includes a $10 Amazon gift card, along with a digital copy of my boxed set, “A West Texas Frontier Trilogy.” “Zach,” which is set in Fort McKavett, as discussed above is the fourth book of my Texas fort series and it is currently in pre-orders. When it is released on April 1st, I will also send the winner a digital copy of “Zach.” One lucky winner will receive all three prizes! All you have to do to enter the drawing, is to comment on this blog and P&P will randomly select a winner.

Please,  leave a comment so we can chat and good luck!

Hebby Roman is a New York traditionally published, small-press published, and Indie published #1 Amazon best-selling author of both historical and contemporary romances. Her WEST TEXAS CHRISTMAS TRILOGY is an Amazon Bestselling and Award-Winning series. SUMMER DREAMS, was #1 in Amazon fiction and romance. Her medieval historical romance, THE PRINCESS AND THE TEMPLAR, was selected for the Amazon Encore program and was #1 in medieval fiction. She won a national Harlequin contest. Her book, BORDER HEAT, was a Los Angeles Times Book Festival selection. She has been a RONE Finalist three times and in three different categories.

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99 thoughts on “Bachelors and Babies by Hebby Roman”

    • Hi, Abigail, good morning! I’m glad you like the cover. All the “Bachelors and Babies” series have the cute booties and a picture of an infant on the cover. Coupled with the hero, who is very masculine, (mine is a sergeant in the U.S. cavalry), the cover tells you this is going to be an interesting situation, how kind a masculine guy in the 1880’s, who is also a bachelor, going to cope with having a baby dropped into his life!

    • Thank you, Carol, as I mentioned above, the covers are very descriptive, giving you an idea of the nineteenth century mayhem that will follow, with a bachelor coping with a tiny infant. And I love writing about Texas forts, too. Their function was so important to settling the frontier, I like writing about all the drama and courage with our U.S. cavalry during this time.

  3. Hebby- I am so excited to read this 4th installment. I have loved the 1st three and know this one will be equally phenomenal.
    I loved the history you incorporate in your books. I’m so glad to claim I am a proud Texan even though I reside in Kansas due to my work. One question!! Out of all the forts you’ve researched, which has became your favorite & why?? No pressure, right?? LOL!!
    You have a great day and I’m going to preorder this book now. Love and hugs my dear friend.

    • Good morning, Tonya, and thank you for stopping by. I’m glad and honored that you enjoyed the other three fort books in my “West Texas Frontier Trilogy.” I do enjoy writing about the history of Texas forts, as they were so important to the settling of our frontier.
      Tough question because all the forts are so distinct–the fort in this book is set in the beautiful Texas Hill Country, but to be honest, I guess I can’t help but love Fort Davis, in far West Texas. The dramatic backdrop of the Davis Mountains makes it a very special place.
      Thank you for pre-ordering, but you should wait and see if you win the Giveaway!

  4. Welcome, Hebby! You are a new-to-me author, and I am so glad to have met you here as well as being introduced to all of your books! I love Zach’s story, and that cover — love a man in uniform lol! — I can’t wait to read it. And thank you for writing and sharing some Texas history.

    • Hi, Sharon, I’m happy to make your acquaintance and glad you discovered me here. Zach’s story is really interesting, as he WANTS to keep the baby, despite all the obstacles he has to overcome, being a sergeant in the U.S. cavalry. Ahh, men in uniform, I know what you mean! There’s something about a man in uniform!

  6. Welcome Hebby and I love this part of history for reading. When I do I place myself there and feels so real. How things have changed so very much over the years. Love the cover of the book. Have a blessed day.

    • Good morning Hebby! I’m so happy to see you on P&P. I’ve absolutely loved this series and I can’t wait for book #4. I’ve loved all your fort history you have shared. I do not remember learning so much about forts the different times I had a Texas History class. It may be just because I was a teen and didn’t care. Then there is the fact that my Texas History teacher in high school was so boring that it was hard to enjoy her class. Best of luck with the release of Zach!!

      • Good morning, Stephanie! Fancy meeting you here! I’m being silly, as I know you love P&P and regularly post. It’s a great blog with so many fascinating subjects from the Old West.
        I’m so happy you’ve enjoyed the history of these forts. I love the history, as well, and as to Texas history teachers… you never know. Some of them just present the material, but they don’t involve the students in a “feel” for those times. That’s what I hope my books do, as I love writing about life on the Texas frontier and what an important part the U.S. Army forts played in settling our state.

    • Good morning, Kristi, and I agree with you, writing historical fiction or romance is so interesting when you “deep dive” into the history of the time and learn about how those people lived their daily lives and the challenges they faced. People don’t really change, over the centuries, but the details of their lives have altered dramatically, and it’s fascinating to learn how different those times were.

  7. Welcome Hebby! Thank you for sharing your very interesting post! I love the cover of your book and would love to read it. Hope you have a great weekend!

    • Hi, Melanie, I’m happy to be hear, such a wonderful blog! I’m glad you enjoyed reading the history and the family tie in, too. I’m glad you like the cover, too, it’s great a raising questions–what’s a U.S. cavalry sergeant doing with a baby? Thank you about reading my book, I hope you will. Happy weekend to you, too.

    • Cathy, I’m glad it caught your attention. Yes, the latter part of the 1800’s after the Civil War is fascinating, as how quickly the frontier filled up and settlers staked out their claims to a new life and future. It was an exciting time!

  10. Hi Hebby … I sure enjoyed your blog today. I have been to Texas only once. Never visited any forts, but I can see now that a return trip would be most interesting. So much history to be explored. Thank you for sharing a bit of your research.

    • Kathy, glad you enjoyed my blog, and yes, Texas has tons of history! It’s a huge place, and I (a native Texan) haven’t gotten around to all the historical sites I would like to, not to mention the forts. I believe Texas probably had more forts than any other state. Hope you get to return to Texas and visit us again!

  11. Welcome, welcome, Hebby! Thanks for being here today and for sharing your wealth of knowledge on forts and Texas. I just love the cover for ZACH. It really stands out. Wishing you many sales after it releases!

    • Pam, thank you so much! You’ve been a great inspiration for the “Bachelors and Babies” series, and I’m glad to include my part. I love writing about Texas forts, as they have such a varied and interesting history. Appreciate all your kind words! Oh, and thank you for taking the initiative to post on my blog on our readers’ page. I was headed that way, but you beat me to it–very kind of you!

    • Debra, so glad you enjoyed the blog. Hope you get to return to Texas and check out some of our forts here. There’s quit a few of them that are well maintained and fascinating to visit.

    • Interesting to learn about the history of Texas. So much that I did not know. It is so refreshing how in reading a romance novel one can learn about history i an enjoyable and exciting way. Solid post.

    • Hi, Jess, thank you! I think because I grew up 30 miles from Fort Clark and went there a great deal during my childhood and learned about the long history of the fort, that has stuck with me. Fort Clark was one of the Texas forts that stayed active through WWII. It made me realize how many forts are in Texas and what a varied history they all have. The forts and their history make for a great backdrop to write western historical romances.

  14. Wow this is so cool. I didnt know that about Quanah Parker. A lot of really interesting information. This is so wonderful that we can go and research history like this. This must have been not only relief to those traveling but helpful. There were a lot of forts.
    What started you to think about Texas forts, thereby doing the research and writing a series?
    Thank you for sharing this today.

    • Lori, yes, once you start researching Texas forts, you realize there is just tons of information out there and a lot of forts that have been lovingly restored and are open to visitors.
      As I told Jess above, I believe my association with Fort Clark, near my hometown, gave me the original inspiration to write about these important places for settling the Texas frontier. And you’re welcome; I enjoyed sharing, too.

    • Hi, Margot, welcome to P&P. I’m glad you found me as a new reader. Tonya is great about introducing readers to lots of different authors. I’m glad she recommended me to you, and I hope you enjoy my stories.

  16. Interesting post about the Texas forts. I love the cover of your book Zach and looking forward to reading the book. Thanks so much for the great giveaway.

    • Gail, you’re so welcome! I hope you might win! But then, it would be great if everyone could win.
      I’m happy you enjoyed the history behind the book and my cover. I love all the “Bachelor and Babies” series’ covers, as they make you wonder, how a bachelor of the nineteenth century will deal with having a tiny infant to take care of.

    • Teresa, so happy you’ve enjoyed the series. I’ve read each one of the books and enjoyed the diversity of stories. Seeing macho 19th century men, wrestling with taking care of tiny infants is a lot of fun!

  18. Love the cover of Zach. I enjoyed your historical lesson on the Fort. I love to Watch Red Stegall Somewhere West of Wall St. The show visits places and tells the history of the place and he’s had Old Forts on his show before and it’s very interesting as are your history lessons.
    Love and Hugs Hebby!!!!

    • Good morning, Glenda, happy to see you here. Glad you’ve enjoyed the history of my Texas forts. I’m unfamiliar with the program you mentioned. I will have to look it up. Sounds fascinating, and I always like to learn about the history of places, especially in the Wild West!
      Love and Hugs Back!!!

    • Thank you, Charlene, for popping over! Yes, it is a beautiful fort. The Hill Country, where Fort McKavett is located is one of the prettiest parts of Texas, in my humble opinion.
      And thank you for an awesome cover, too. Everyone loves your cover!

    • Hi, Zona, glad to meet you! Yes, I love the “Bachelors and Babies” books, such interesting stories about macho 19th century men, learning how to care for infants.
      And being a native Texan, I’m glad you enjoy reading about my home state!

  21. I enjoyed this post so much. I didn’t know we had so many forts here in Texas, although with the size of our state, it shouldn’t be surprising. I love learning these historical tidbits. The cover of your book is great. It makes me want to read the story to find out how that soldier winds up with a baby. ?

    • Good morning, Christy, so happy you enjoyed the post. Yes, I had the same reaction about how many forts were in Texas, as you did. I’m pretty certain Texas has had the most forts. Like you said, it’s a big state, and it went through several successive waves of settlement, so forts were especially important to bring safety and civilization to our state.
      Yes, the covers are really evocative, making you want to find out what a nineteenth century guy is doing with a tiny infant. I enjoyed writing the book.

  22. Congrats on the new book! Love that cover. Interesting post. Texas is a treasure trove of history stories like this, isn’t it? Thanks for the giveaway and have a great weekend.

    • Hi, Sally, and thank you for your congratulations. Yes, you’re right about Texas, so much history here that you’d be hard pressed to run out of subjects for your books. I’m a native Texan, but even then, I’m always learning new tidbits about our state. Makes it easy to come up with great historical stories.
      You’re welcome about the Giveaway and I hope you have a great weekend, too!

  24. Hi, Diane, glad you enjoyed the history about Texas forts–it’s so varied that Texas forts make great backdrops for my sweet western historicals. I love writing about them!
    Glad you like the cover, too. I think it draws you in, making you wonder what a U.S. cavalry guy is doing with a tiny infant.

  25. Hebby, Thank you so much for this fascinating post! I’m a Texas gal and I’m so appreciative of the rich history here.

    HAPPY FRIDAY!

  26. I’ve never had the pleasure of visiting the vast state of Texas. I do love history. I enjoyed your post featuring Texan forts.

    I’ve visited two forts one on Mackinaw Island, Fort Mackinaw and the Spanish one in St Augustine, Florida, Castillo de San Marcos.

    A couple of years ago my son and D-I-L stayed overnight at Fort Jefferson in Dry Tortugas National Park. They work for the National Park Service as environmental scientists

    • Hi, Laura, sounds like you’ve visited lots of places, maybe one day, you will come down our way in Texas–lots of history here and renovated forts, too. I’ve actually been to the fort in St. Augustine, the Castillo. It’s a fascinating place, too.
      That’s wonderful about your son and DIL, so great to hear young people working for our environment–I’m sure you’re very proud of them, too.

    • Thank you, Shanna, for your warm welcome! Great blog place, P&P. I always feel special when I’m able to blog here.
      And now that I’m talking to a founding member, I would like to thank all the ladies of P&P for hosting me today and having such a great blog spot for westerns! I appreciate you letting me participate.

  28. I love the cover and am really enjoying the book. My daughter lives in Texas and I have visited and did some history traveling.

  29. Good morning Hebby:
    Love the cover and must tell you that I am loving the book. Can hardly wait to
    Post a review for you. I done some traving in Texas with my daughter that lives there. Texas is so full of history

    • Pauline, I’m so glad you’re liking the book and the cover, too! Thank you for offering to read an ARC for me, that was very kind of you, and I appreciate it.
      Yes, I think there’s a lot of great history in Texas. I’m glad you’ve been able to come and visit and see some of it. Which part of Texas does your daughter live in?

  31. Hi Hebby:
    Love the cover. I can not tell you how good this book is. I started it yesterday and can hardly put it down.

  33. Loved the post. Very informative. I was wondering why you chose Texas to write about? What led you to it?

    • Hi, Amanda, I’m a native Texan, born and bred and lived here all my life, except for a few months in Washington, D.C. So it was a natural for me, knowing a lot of great history of my state and wanting to share it with readers.

    • Debbey, so glad you like the cover; I’m getting a lot of positive comments about it. I think it’s pretty cool, the juxtaposition of a bachelor cavalry officer with a tiny infant. Makes you wonder what is going to happen!
      So happy you want to read the book, too. that’s awesome!

  35. How interesting that the forts have such history! Great blog about them, too!! I’ve been to Ft. Christmas and the old fort at St. Augustine. The books sound great, too!!

  36. Hi, Trudy C. Yes, I’m always fascinated by the history of places and old forts really have a lot of history associated with them–it’s amazing. Other than my native Texas, if you really want to find forts with fascinating histories, there are some awesome places in Puerto Rico. The forts there are so old, 500 years or so, and their history is just amazing, too!

    • Good afternoon, Melinda M, what surprised me the most in my fort research was that some forts saw very little Native American hostilities. Fort McKavett, for one, had only a couple of limited skirmishes, in and near the fort. However, they did send soldiers to fight other places, like The Red River War, and they also were a supply depot to send supplies to other forts, further west. In addition, they were a center for geographic surveys and exhibitions that were sent out to map the frontier. Overall, I was surprised by how important forts were at keeping the peace, overseeing exhibitions, stagecoach routes, and keeping the local peace. I had always thought their sole purpose was to guard against Native American attacks. But not so, they did a great deal more than that.

  39. Hi Hebbey, yep, Texas has plenty of Forts, and I just happen to live in one, we actually live about an hour away from Fort Davis which is Beautiful, there is a lot of history thats for sure. I always love to visit Fort Davis. Wow, you have been doing a lot of researching. I love learning history from authors, you make History so much more fun then when I was in school, it was not one of my favorite subjects that’s for sure. Your book sounds like a very good book, and I love the cover, it is Beautiful ! Congratulations!! Have a Great weekend. God Bless you.

  40. Hi, Alicia, Fort Davis is probably my favorite fort. The mountain backdrop makes it look so beautiful, and I love visiting it. I visited it last year, and it’s so gorgeous out in the Davis Mountains. I used to go to the Prude Ranch Camp when I was a girl, and now, it’s a historic marker place–kind of interesting!
    Thank you for all your kind words about my book and cover! I appreciate them. Blessings to you, too, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

    • Vicki, if your husband teaches history, and particularly American History, Texas has lots and lots of history. The forts are just a part of it, but to extend on some of my answers from above, as to why I choose to write about forts for my historical western romances, I remember a lot of the older western movies where the cavalry galloped to the rescue. I’ve often thought it’s a part of western history that has been overlooked in our romance genre. There are lots of contemporary military heroes and western sheriffs or Texas rangers, but not very often do you see U.S. soldiers as our romantic heroes. I wanted to fill that gap.

  42. Your books sound very interesting. I look forward to reading them. I love the covers of your books and the pictures in your blog.

  43. Good evening, Darlene, and thank you for stopping by. I’m so glad you enjoyed the blog, the pictures, and my cover. I love writing historical romances, particularly ones set in my native Texas, and I’m so glad you’d like to read them.

    • Good evening, Margie, and you’re more than welcome! As another native Texan, I really enjoy researching the history of Texas of learning new things. It makes my writing so enjoyable! Thank you for dropping by.

  46. Good evening, Kim, and I’m with you, I love researching forts and writing about them. If you and your son decide to take a trip to Texas, be sure to start with the most famous fort of them all, the Alamo in San Antonio. It’s an amazing place to visit and near the Hill Country where there are several other forts, too. Thanks for stopping by.

  47. Today has been awesome! I’ve enjoyed interacting with all the readers and answering their questions. Good luck to everyone, I’m signing off for the night. I can’t wait to find out who is the lucky winner!

  48. Loved learning about the forts in Texas. Thanks for the information.

    My great-great grandfather was in the 13th Calvary of Tennessee.

  49. This series brings up an interesting story line. Most bachelors are ill prepared to care for a baby, especially one they did not that unexpectedly appears. It will be interesting to see how these men cope.
    We visited Ft. Davis, TX on a trip a couple of years ago. It was a big surprise. In movies, when you see western forts, they are depicted as stockades surrounded by tall timber walls. That is so far from accurate. It was more like a small town, in the open. No walls or closely packed compound. It did have a hill behind it. I would think that would be a tactical disadvantage. It is a nice area and the restoration work they doing is very nice. I would think these forts assumed they would not have a massive attack against them or if they did, their numbers would be enough to defend the complex.

  51. I am excited for you, Hebby. I have a copy of West Texas Trilogy signed by you and have read my digital copy. Zach does crown the series. Nobody can have too many books, hardcopy or digital. Amazon money for books and Zach to bring my heart into flip flops.
    Hugs!!

  52. I found the forts in Texas was very interesting.and I’m so glad to find about the Texas fort,
    I loved,it. Thanks for sharing.

  54. Interesting post, as usual, Hebby. I love reading about the western forts and have been trying to find time to get down to Laramie for a visit, up my way in WY. I visited Fort Yellowstone in Mammoth Great Falls in the park–quite a magnificent setting. Thanks for sharing your Texas forts!

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