Cathy McDavid

Cathy McDavid has been penning Westerns for Harlequin since 2005. With over 55 titles in print and 1.6 million-plus books sold, Cathy is also a member of the prestigious Romance Writers of America’s Honor Roll. This “almost” Arizona native and mother of grown twins is married to her own real-life sweetheart. After leaving the corporate world seven years ago, she now spends her days penning stories about good looking cowboys riding the range, busting broncs, and sweeping gals off their feet — oops, no. Make that winning the hearts of feisty, independent women who give the cowboys a run for their money. It a tough job, but she’s willing to make the sacrifice.

Christmas Stocking Sweethearts! Cathy McDavid

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I’m so excited to be part of Christmas Stocking Sweethearts  – my first participation in a collection with my fellow Petticoats and Pistols fillies. Little known fact, I wrote western historicals early in my writing career before switching to contemporaries. I’m thrilled to be returning to one of my favorite romance genres. And the story also happens to be set in one of my favorite time periods:  the early 1900s.

A widow struggling to save her home

A cowboy sworn to protect his family

A Christmas neither will ever forget…

 

 

Merry Ann Bright may be pint-sized, but she’s chock-full of gumption. For the last three years, she’s fended off a wealthy and greedy neighbor bent on acquiring her land by hook or by crook — emphasis on the crook. The last thing she needs is more trouble. But when she unexpectedly encounters a family in dire straits, how can she turn her back on them?

Thèo Cartier is a man on a mission. Once he’s seen his sister-in-law and young nephew safely home, he’ll return to Texas and help his aging father run the ranch. The lovely widow Merry is a distraction he can ill afford. Especially when her roots are firmly planted a thousand miles from his own.

Can Christmastime, the shared love of favorite carols, and a special heirloom stocking show two people convinced they have no future together that anything is possible…if they just open their hearts?

Click here to purchase MERRY’S CHRISTMAS COWBOY

Click here to view the entire series on Amazon

 

Yes, we know. It’s that time of year when we sometimes feel less kind than we should.

Re-write the sentence in red to something less naughty and more nice.  For example:

NAUGHTY:  “Grandma’s eggnog is too thick and chunky.”

NICE: “Isn’t it wonderful Grandma is still with us to make her eggnog?”

THEIR DECORATIONS ARE SO GAUDY.

 

You might win this piano ornament from me – plus a backlist holiday book!

 

All entries will be eligible for our oh-so-beautiful Grand Prize, too!

Winners announced Sunday, December 15!

(USA Winners only, please.)

In the event the piano ornament becomes unavailable, we will happily make a substitute.

Happy Thanksgiving to You and Yours

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Hoping you have a wonderful day celebrating in a way that brings you joy and contentment.  May you be surrounded by love and loved ones and food you love.  May you eat too much, laugh too much, hug too much, and just plain have too much fun. Take a moment to count your blessings and share a smile. Go to bed contented and at peace.

One of Cathy’s Most Favorite Things!

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Kind of a funny story. The other day I was wondering what to write about for my favorite things post as I was getting ready to walk my 14-year-old hairless terrier dog Nacho. Walks are something I do most days, barring inclement weather or an illness. I mean, really, there is nothing better for your physical and mental health. Walks relieve stress. Boost your mood. Lower your blood pressure. Elevate your feel good hormone dopamine and your endorphins. The exercise is good for your heart, your joint health, and your muscle tone. Sunshine innaturally infuses you with vitimin D. Socializing on your walk, either going with someone or chatting with people you meet, is one of the best ways to fight off dementia. For me, walks are a short mental vacation. They’re also great for working through a book plotting problem or listening to a writer’s workshop on my phone. Frankly, walks are just what the doctor ordered.

Which brings me back to putting on my shoes and getting ready to go out. I thought, why not write about walking Nacho? Not only is it something I do almost every day, it really is a favorite activity of mine. But I can’t just write about walking. That would be boring, right? Agreed. So, come join me in a typical walk with Nacho.  Oh, and yes, he’s wearing Haloween pajamas.

As you can see from this picture of Nacho, walks are one of his favorite things, too. All the physical and mental benefits that are good for people are also good for your canine friend.

One of our favorite places is the park by our house. There’s lots of green all year long and cool places to explore like this wash.

Sometimes we have to take a break. Both Nacho and I have arthritis and and get tired 🙂

 

 

A Little Bit About Cameos and a Fun Giveaway

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A few weeks ago, I was rummaging through an old box in my closet and found this treasure. It’s a cameo locket my grandmother gifted me when I was about ten or eleven years old (we won’t say how long ago that was). The chain went missing who knows when, and the fastener is broken, but the locket itself is intact. It’s not expensive and has only sentimental value, but I’m flooded with many happy memories whenever I hold it, and for that reason I’ll continue to keep it.

I got to thinking, when did cameos first appear, and what are the different types? So, I did a bit of research. Seems cameos have been around since ancient times and were first made from soft stones like onyx and agate. Later, craftsmen began using shells. While lockets seem to be the most popular, cameos are also set in rings, brooches, earrings, bracelets, and pocket watch fobs.

In the early days of cameos, they were used for more than jewelry and ornamentation. Because they are a relief carving (created by cutting away background material), cameos were used as official seals with wax. For the Greeks, they doubled as a form of currency. Since their beginnings, cameos have been worn by both men and women in every way from the simple and inexpensive to the elaborate and costly – inlaid in gold and adorned with precious gems.

I noticed that a woman in profile — especially Greek or Roman in appearance — is one of the most common cameos. Other ancient figures you might see are Roman warriors, Greek mythological characters such as Zeus and Medusa, minstrels, mermaids, and sirens. You can also find animals such as peacocks, birds, and rabbits. Modern cameos often feature fairies, angels, Christmas bells, cats, dogs, flowers, and hearts. Oval is a prevalent shape, but I’ve seen circles, hearts, and squares. Some lockets, like mine, open to reveal a miniature photo. Cameos’ popularity have risen and waned over the centuries. They were very popular during the Victorian era (mid-1800s to early 1900s), so they often made their way west with pioneers and travelers.

If you could design a cameo, what figure would you use? As an author, I think it might be fun to have a cameo featuring an open book.

After all this talk, I decided it would be fun to end the day with a little giveaway. A cameo, of course. Just comment and let me know if you have a cameo, ever had one, want one, or what is your favorite. I’ll randomly draw a winner at the end of the day and mail this rose cameo along with one of my backlist print books (sorry, U.S. shipping only). So, have fun and play along.

My Visit to Western Author Zane Grey’s Cabin

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Back in August, my husband and I spent a week in Payson, Arizona. The trip was basically a get-out-of-the heat excursion for us as it was sweltering that time of year in the Phoenix area. While there, we decided to do a little sightseeing. Last month, I told you about our visit to the Payson Museum where we learned about the small plane crash in Hell’s Gate with the MGM lion aboard.

 

This month, I’m going to share with you a more writing related post – our stop at the Zane Grey cabin. For those who might not know, (Pearl) Zane Grey wrote more than ninety books, some published posthumously. He began his career as a dentist and, besides his love of hunting and the great outdoors, he was also an avid fisherman.  His wife Dolly managed his career, typed his manuscripts from his handwritten pages, and accepted his wandering ways, which included not only traveling most of the year but his various romantic dalliances.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Besides his famous westerns, Zane Grey also wrote hunting books, children’s books, and baseball books. His most famous western, Riders of the Purple Sage, has been made into more different movie versions than any other book ever. Here’s the part I like: most of his western books contain a strong romantic element. Way to go, Zane!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The cabin in Payson is actually a replica as the original one sadly burned down in the tragic Dude Fire of June 1990 when six firefighters lost their lives.  And, actually, that was considered the second cabin. The very first one was built in 1918 when Zane Grey came to the rim country and fell in love with the area. Most years, from then until 1929, Zane came to the cabin in the fall for the hunting season. He didn’t return after that because of a license dispute (the season dates had changed), and the cabin was left abandoned until 1963 when the Goettl family purchased and restored it. After Mr. Goettl died, the family turned the cabin into a private museum. After this cabin was destroyed in the 1990 fire, a replica was built in the town of Payson. It was meticulously constructed to duplicate the original in every detail, helped along by photos and consulting advice from Zane Grey’s son.

 

What I found most fascinating about the cabin was it’s design — basically one large room with “nooks” for sleeping, writing (he sat at a chair with a writing desk and composed by hand), eating, and relaxing. I particularly like the player piano in the corner, and some of my P&P fillies pals will understand why ? The kitchen is small and cramped and built off the main cabin so that heat from cooking didn’t make the cabin sweltering in hot weather.

I wish I’d been fortunate enough to see the original cabin, but I have to say, visiting the replica was quite fun and really informative. I felt so inspired afterward, I bought a book about Zane Grey in the giftshop and saved the most recent movie version of Riders of the Purple Sage to my watchlist.

Leo the MGM Lion’s Incredible Story of Survival

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Two weeks ago, my husband and I spent a week in Payson, Arizona. Mostly, we went to rest and recreate and get out of the scorching heat of Phoenix. But we did spend a few afternoons doing a little sightseeing. I’ve lived in Arizona most of my life and visited Payson many times. But I learned some new things on this trip that surprised me, and I think might surprise you, too.

We thought the small and quaint Payson Museum would be just a little stop on our afternoon outing. Instead, we spent almost two hours there, soaking up the local history. On one wall hung a series of pictures that I almost missed and would have if my husband didn’t call me over. After reading this truly amazing story, I can’t believe someone hasn’t made it into a movie!

I tried to take the best pictures I could. I hope you can read the account in full and make out the old black and white pictures. But here’s what happened in a nutshell:

Jackie, a lion cub born in the wild, went on to become the second Leo the Lion, the trademark logo for MGM Films (he was the first lion to roar). He also appeared in numerous films. In 1927, MGM planned a publicity stunt and hired a pilot to fly Leo from California to New York. Leo and his 400 pound cage were loaded into a small plane. Over the Mogollom Rim, in the area outside Payson, Arizona around Hell’s Gate, the pilot experienced trouble and was forced to crash land the plane. By some miracle, both the pilot and Leo survived with only minor injuries.

 

 

Having no choice, the pilot left Leo in his cage with a supply of water and hiked for three days before reaching help. When rescuers at last reached Leo, he was in bad shape but revived with fresh water and a butchered calf that had been dragged to the site. Leo  was eventually retired to live out his life at the Philadelphia Zoo.

 

Now, I’ve been to Hell’s Gate, and there’s a reason for the name. It’s some pretty rugged country, and the steep slopes leading down to the creek are almost straight up and down. I can’t imagine crashing a small plane there among the tall pines and craggily boulders and then having to hike out for three days with no food or fresh water. Not an easy feat. Both the pilot and Leo surely had the will to survive – and an amazing story to tell later!

 

What Fishing Was Like in the Early 1900s

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Good morning, everyone. And I’m sorry to be late with this blog. I admit, my calendar failed me (which is better than saying I forgot).

You may remember from a previous blog post of mine, I’m working on a new historical story. That means, for me, I have to stop every few pages and research something to make sure I got it right. In this book, my heroine is fishing for trout in a creek. Seems simple enough, yes? But no. first research item – were there trout in the area where I’m setting my story during 1915. Turns out there were, so I’m good there. Second item, do I call what she’s using a fishing pole or a fishing rod? Well, who knew there’s a difference?

Turns out, she’d use a fishing pole — which is basically a long stick from which a string is tied and seems to have been around for at least four-thousand years. A fishing rod is more complicated and sophisticated. It has ringed guides along the pole and a reel to store the line. My heroine would definitely not have that. But from my research, reels did first start appearing in the 1600s.  In those day, it was mostly a loop of wire attached to the end of the pole. An improvement, nonetheless, and the string didn’t get so tangled.

I also learned that most fishing poles and fishing rods, at least until the 1900s, were home-made by people. There were even books published about how to make your own fishing poles, such as Iziak Walton’s “The Complete Angler (1676). I wonder if my local library has that. Tackle shops which sold manufactured fishing equipment have only been around for a hundred years or so, which is probably when innovations to fishing rods really took off and we got the modern tools anglers use today.

There are other ways of fishing besides with a pole or rod. Early man used spears, sometimes setting traps or bait and standing in the water waiting until a fish approached. A more primitive version of the pole was to simply toss a line into the water, anchor it with a heavy rock and wait for a fish to take the bait. Large nets were also used, sometimes requiring two or more people.

All this is probably more than you wanted to know about early fishing and more than I needed for my one scene in the book when my heroine is fishing. But I always enjoy learning something new. I didn’t bother researching hooks, figuring that was going a little too deep and readers probably would care. But now I’m thinking, maybe that would be interesting…

Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Cathy McDavid

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My daughter recently sent me a picture of her in her garden. She’s very excited about the zucchini which are nearly ready to be picked and asked me what she can do with such a bountiful harvest. I told her to make zucchini bread (which can be frozen). As she loves to bake, this sounded like a great suggestion to her.

Just for fun, here’s a simple recipe. Here’s a helpful hint: shred the zucchini ahead of time and squeeze out the extra moisture with paper towels.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tablespoons apple juice, orange juice, milk, water, or the liquid of your choice
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, optional
  • 1-3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
  • 2 cups grated or shredded zucchini, medium packed
  • 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 3/4 cup golden raisins or currants
  • Optional 2 tablespoons light brown sugar for sprinkling on top

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ loaf pan.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the brown sugar, liquid of choice, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
  3. Whisk the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon into the flour, then add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients in the bowl, stirring or beating gently until smooth.
  4. Stir in the zucchini, walnuts, and raisins or currants.
  5. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it if necessary. Sprinkle with brown sugar.
  6. Bake the bread for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The top (just under the crust) may seem a bit sticky; but so long as the toothpick doesn’t reveal wet batter, it’s done.
  7. Remove the bread from the oven and cool it in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool completely. For best results, don’t slice until it’s cool.
  8. Store the bread at cool room temperature, well wrapped, for several days; freeze for longer storage.

Well, now I’m going to have to go out and buy some zucchini and make bread, which I love. Or book a ticket to visit my daughter. Maybe I can do both! Hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy!

 

 

 

Cathy McDavid has a Winner!

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There were so many wonderful answers. Thank you, everyone, for playing along. I had a wonderful time and even got a few inspirations to add to my stories.

Sadly, there can only be one winner, though I wish there could be more. And that is Sabrina. Whoo, hoo!

Sabrina, email me at cathymcdavid@yahoo.com with your snail mail address, and I’ll ship your prize package early next week.

Again, thanks for playing along. Hugs,

Cathy