There’s just so much to say about this I don’t know where to begin.
First a portable steam engine. By portable they mean it gets hauled around on a wagon drawn by horses. Not portable like it drives itself around or someone could pick it up and carry it. These things were huge.
Steam engines existed for trains. But they were massive. Portable engines, called traction engines (tractors?) were much smaller and still really big. They were being used on farms to run threshing machines as early as 1799. Then in 1812 a smaller version of this portable engine was invented and wasn’t nearly as large or expensive and was more widely used. But this portable engine still had to be pulled to where ever it was needed by oxen or draught horses. Most commonly they’d be hooked to a threshing machine, or saw mills or grain mills. They’d be set in in one spot, then left in the same place, permanently.
And then someone said, “The thing is way more powerful than a horse, why not make the traction engine drive itself?”
So they did but that required gears and steering wheels and all sort of complex additions. Hard to build, hard to maintain, hard to drive.
They certainly didn’t act like tractors do today. For one thing they were so heavy they couldn’t drive across a field planting or plowing. They’d sink.
So the traction engine, though used far and wide, wasn’t used as a true tractor in that form. But all the little (and big) improvements, taken one by one, to improve the engine, became the building blocks of industry and automobiles.
While these things were being used in industry, an intrepid, inventive woman like Michelle Stiles knows all about it and knows all the things that would run so much better with an engine hooked up to it.
She also knows the four-stroke cycle engine has been theorized but not yet invented. And she wants to be the one to invent this much smaller machine. She wants to change the world and while she’s at it, she wouldn’t mind making herself famous and making a tidy fortune with her invention. And she wants to invent at the same time she’s got to hide from her horrid step-father and the ugly old fool who’s paid a fortune to gain her hand in marriage…without her consent.
Zane can’t keep up with how fast her mind moves, but he can step in between her and danger.
Coming in July, Inventions of the Heart. The inventor in the Stiles family.
Inventions of the Heart
Her heart seeks safety. But will trouble find her even here?
After her sister’s marriage, Michelle Stiles is left hiding at Two Harts Ranch with the handsome but stubborn Zane Hart. She’s managed to stay one step ahead of her stepfather and his devious plans, but if he finds her, she will no longer be safe.
Zane has problems of his own. Having discovered a gold mine on his property, he must figure out how to harvest it without kicking off a gold rush. Michelle, educated and trained to run her father’s business, wants to manage all aspects of the mine, but Zane thinks for a person so smart she can have some misguided ideas. Running the mining operation will be a dangerous job, and he can’t risk putting her in harm’s way.
But danger finds Michelle anyway when she’s suddenly attacked. If they go to the sheriff, they’ll reveal her location, but if they do nothing . . . their troubles have only just begun.
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Author of Romantic Comedy...with Cowboys including the bestselling Kincaid Brides Series
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The history of motorized vehicles is intriguing. YOur book sounds amazing. thanks for the great post.
Debra, I read that theh autombile has over 100,000 patents involved in it’s invention.
What a wonderful invention for your character Michelle to bring to life!
I’ve seen the early steam engines and later tractors in person.
Denise, in a museum? Where did you see that? I’ve been to Pioneer Village in Mindon NE and seen old vehicles but don’t remember a traction engine. I need to go look again.
I’ve been to several railroad and transportation museums and I’ve been to the Thresherman’s Reunion as a child.
https://roughandtumble.org/viewreference/40/eventschedules/
This sounds like a book I could really get into!
Lots of running and fighting besides inventing. 🙂
Mary come to Midwest Old Threshers in Mt. Pleasant Iowa. Huge display and information about them. A working steam show and much more. Sept 1-5 this year. You can also go thru their museum all year long.
I googled Mt Pleasant. That’s a long long way. Still, I’ll remember it and think about it!
I found the Midwest Old Threshers website. It looks so cool! It even talks about traction engines! And says I can climb on them!!!
Hi Mary
I am really looking forward to the next two books in this series. The first one was so good.
I have to tell you, I found a copy of the Nosy in Nebraska series and just finished it this past weekend. I really enjoyed those stories. Your books are so fun to read. – Deb V
Nosy in Nebraska? 🙂 I just came across that in my collection of my own books and was tempted to re-read it. Pretty fun and a little bit more than silly, I suppose. But I loved those books.
Sounds like another great book coming out!
Thanks, Trudy!
Interesting plot
This is big into cowboys. More so than maybe the first one…though of course there were cowboys there, too!
This sounds like a fantastic read.
I had no idea, Mary! Thank you for sharing that with us. This series is just so fun!
Can’t wait to read another of your stories. Sounds entertaining and interesting. Have a wonderful week!
Can’t wait to read the book and Thank you for sharing the amazing post!
thank you f or your wonderful post today. I have seen someone whose brain works like this. In a way it is exciting, cool even and in a way it is intimidating. So many emotions go through when I witnessed this person in every day life. One of Gods creatures and really all I could do was marvel at how God made this persons brain. I see some of this in my husband. WOW Your book sounds like it will be super exciting and wonderful. Cant wait.
Lori, I hope I captured that genius thinking…I’m not QUITE Smart enough to do it, huh??? 🙂
Mary I have read your writings. You nail it every time. I have learned that we dont always have to be SMART to understand some of genius thinking. Why I understand my husband more times than he thinks I do. You have got this nailed down. I so look forward to your book
I’m so excited for this book to come out! I devoured the first one in two days, it was sooooo good!
Thank you so much for sharing. The information about the evolution of the automobile is interesting. God bless you.
Thank you for sharing your research on steam engines, quite interesting. Inventions Of The Heart sounds like another good addition to this series and a book I will thoroughly enjoy.