It is wonderful to be sharing with you today. The last time I was here, back in February, I shared the first book in the Cactus Creek series, Second Choice Bride. Today, I would like to share the two other books in the series that have been published since then, Sterling Orphans and Poor Relation.
Often town leaders in the West encouraged the establishment of churches if they wanted a family-oriented, growing town. Pastors were recruited through various organizations to come west. But pastoring could be a harrowing task, and it often took tough, tenacious men to stay. There were even rare cases of men who held both the positions of sheriff and pastor and toted guns most of the time. Congregations also preferred their preacher to be married, but this could be a challenge, too, unless the man brought his wife to the West with him. Eligible, single women could be scarce in the early West. In Sterling Orphans, Preston King finally finds a man to start a church in Cactus Creek. He had been holding Sunday services for the people on his ranch prior to Gray Fox rescuing Dan Proffit from the Apache and bringing him to the ranch. Preston talks him into starting a church in town. Dan becomes one of the two main characters in Poor Relation, and readers get a good look at his life as a pastor in a small, Western town.
These books continue the family saga of Preston and Abby King, but their family grows to not only include children, but also close friends. In Sterling Orphans, Book Two, Rose Sterling needs to leave the Sterling Orphan House since she’s turned eighteen. She’s asked to take toddler, Katie Hudson, to her father who works on the King Ranch in New Mexico Territory. She thought her biggest adventure would be getting there on the wagon train, but she was wrong. And Will Hudson can’t believe he has a daughter. His wife left him for a gambler, and he’d been trying to cope ever since. He doesn’t make the best impression on Rose Hudson at first, but he sees how much his little daughter loves and depends on her. Can he adjust to fatherhood, or will he always be a disappointment to the women in his life?
Letty Sawyer also comes to the King Ranch, and she’s traumatized by the sight of an Indian since they killed her adoptive parents. Gray Fox terrifies her, but he wants to show her that all Indians aren’t alike, and he would protect her with his life? All this sets the stage for adventure, conflict, personal growth, and a great ending.
In Poor Relation, the third book in the Cactus Creek series, Dan Proffit, Cactus Creek’s pastor, mistakenly thinks the niece of the town’s busybody will be a young girl. Instead, Hannah York turns out to be a beautiful young lady with remarkable musical abilities. However, she is also shy, overworked, and under her two aunts’ thumbs. As his attraction grows, so do the problems.
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What is a specific problem you think a pastor in the early West might encounter?
I will give a free Audible promo code for Second-Choice Bride, the first book in the series, to anyone who has an Amazon Audible account and asks for one in the comments as long as they last. Please specify if you need a U.S. or U.K. code. You’ll have to check back later in your comment for your promo code.
Please be sure to do that.
I think he would encounter lots of abuse.
He certainly might see some dangerous situations. The thing that could work in his favor was that the ruffians tended to want to avoid him.
gun fights.
Gunfights were certainly a problem for all citizens.
Welcome back and happy weekend! I think a pastor would encounter so much danger and violence. And have to be a very strong person to try and keep going through it.
(I would love an Audible code if you still have any. Audiobooks are great for my daily walk and a series like this is perfect for listening. Thanks)
Thank you, Sally, and I agree with you about the pastor needing to be strong. I listen to a book when I walk, too. Here isyour code – Please enjoy one free audio review copy of Second-Choice Bride (Catcus Creek Book 1), now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible.com/acx-promo
3RG77TK5M4KFR
Got it and thanks so much, Janice. I will be happy to leave a review after listening.
You are most welcome.
History tells us preachers were scarce, and sometimes worked in a circuit where they only made it to a town once a year or even longer, so some couples got together “in God’s eyes” and started a family without a preacher. Some preachers married these couples and baptized the children at the same time when they traveled through again. I’m sure legitimizing these unions and families may have included some alteration of dates to satisfy some churches strict rules.
I imagine it was very dangerous and he would need to be armed at all times. I would love to read your books and would be happy to receive an Audible code!
Some of the pastors were armed, but not all of them. Some relied totally on God. Here is your code for Second Choice Bride – Please enjoy one free audio review copy of Second-Choice Bride (Catcus Creek Book 1), now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible.com/acx-promo
46JNNPJYNQ57P
I think he would encounter a lot of alcoholism, fights and abuse.
Yes, the saloons provided some strong temptations.
I think he might have to deal with orphans and women without their husbands rather frequently. These could be the result of abandonment as well as death. There were few reputable options for women. Children were often not adopted, but used as free labor and not cared for properly.
If you still have codes for Second Choice Bride, I would like them. I need a US code.
Best wishes for the success of this series.
You are right. The church often needed to provide help to the orphans and widows. Thanks for that insight. Here is your code – Please enjoy one free audio review copy of Second-Choice Bride (Catcus Creek Book 1), now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible.com/acx-promo
5KQX4HR8KB7FM
Thank you Janice for the code! I look forward to listening to your first book!
You are most welcome, Sharon. I hope you love it and thank you.
I would think preachers would have a rough life during that time period with all the fights and drinking going on. I would love to have a US audio code if you still have them. I would love to listen to your book.
Yes, they would. Thank you . Here is your code – Please enjoy one free audio review copy of Second-Choice Bride (Catcus Creek Book 1), now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible.com/acx-promo
752FXAY7EBDZJ
I’d say money would be an issue. He’d have to work I’d imagine. The lower numbers of parishioners and not great wealth for many would be challenging. US code please if there are any still. ?
This would more than likely be very true, although his parishioners might help with eggs, produce in season, meat when they butcher etc. Here is your code – Please enjoy one free audio review copy of Second-Choice Bride (Catcus Creek Book 1), now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible.com/acx-promo
75DJC5YSZL4ES