Jill Kemerer

Jill Kemerer is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of heartwarming, emotional, small-town romance novels often featuring cowboys. Her essentials include coffee, caramels, a stack of books and long walks outdoors in Ohio where she resides with her husband.

Summer Wrap-Up

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Photo of orange-yellow sunflower. Text, "Summer Wrap-Up: Petticoats & Pistols"

The day after Labor Day (in the USA) signifies the unofficial start of fall. Summer went by WAY too fast! I thought we could do a summer wrap-up and discuss the highs of summer 2024. Who’s with me?

I’ll start things off!

In June, I participated in a fun book event in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with a group of writers, including one of the fillies–Karen Witemeyer! We spent the day hanging out with readers at Baker Book House. What a fun event! The next day, we stopped at Captain Sundae’s in Holland for a delicious treat. That’s me and “cappy” below.

 

Photograph of Jill Kemerer standing next to wooden statue of sea captain

June was a super busy month for me on the writing front. Thankfully, I met my deadlines. Phew! I also had a book release–Training the K-9 Companion–so that was fun! Honestly, June was SO busy on the writing front, I did nothing else. Some months are like that…

In July, my husband and I celebrated our anniversary (a few weeks late) by heading to Asheville, NC, to tour the Biltmore. What a property! We spent two days walking around the grounds, learning about the Vanderbilts, and generally having a fantastic time.

 

Photograph of Biltmore house and lawn in front

After Biltmore, we drove to Myrtle Beach, SC. On the way we stopped at the famous Buc-ees gas station/supercenter. It was crowded. I could not believe how many people were in there! Were there a few times I almost walked out? Yes. I don’t handle crowded stores well.  I did purchase a ginormous cinnamon roll, and the hubs opted for beef jerky. We were glad we experienced Buc-ees. But we’re not sure we could handle it again!

Onward…to the beach. The overcast weather didn’t deter us. There’s something very relaxing about hearing the ocean waves. We made simple meals in our condo and strolled to a nearby ice cream shop one night. I’m thankful for the downtime.

 

Photo of a cloudy day on Myrtle Beach

July, too, was a very busy writing month. But I met my deadlines, so phew!

August rolled around, and I thought, How is it August already? I managed to visit the BABY ELEPHANT (How cute is that??!!) at the Toledo Zoo. Little Kirk is adorable! See picture below:

Picture of mama elephant and baby elephant at Toledo Zoo

August was a busy writing month for me (see a pattern here?), and I had to force myself to sit and write every day. I really wanted to be outside. Doing anything. Anything except writing–and I love to write. I fantasized about sitting on my deck, strolling through the park, buying stacks of books, sipping coffee for hours at a coffee shop. I like the simple things. But the books don’t write themselves, so I persisted.

Other than that, we spent quality time with our extended families, I read several books, watched the birds at the birdfeeders, put together a jigsaw puzzled, finished a Christmas craft, and spent as much time on my back deck as I could fit in. And I wrote…but you already knew that!

Okay, your turn! I’d love to hear YOUR summer wrap-up in the comments!

Here’s to a fabulous fall!

 

 

A Bear Situation

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Illustrated bear walking through grasses. Peach-tan background. Text "A Bear Situation. Petticoats & Pistols blog. Jill Kemerer."

So…we recently had a bear situation.

My husband and I  went to Asheville, North Carolina, to tour the Biltmore Estate. What a stunning property and house! I don’t know if house is the right word. Mansion doesn’t even do it justice. Castle, perhaps? It’s breathtaking. We rented an Airbnb for a few days and, on the way to the estate, took a wrong turn (okay, more than one!). Things got a little heated.

While I was fiddling with my phone’s Maps app and yelling at the GPS voice telling me to “proceed to the route,” my husband said, “Are you seeing this?”

I looked up, and there was a black bear crossing the road in front of us! Of course, by the time I pulled up my camera app, the bear had disappeared into shrubbery along the side of the road. We’d been noticing people jogging and walking their dogs in the park along the river where the bear had gone. Yikes. I hope they were safe.

Naturally, my hubby and I started discussing what would we do if a black bear appeared in front of us at a park. I told him I’d probably just die. I don’t see myself fighting off a bear. But you never know. Stranger things have happened.

Photo of author Jill Kemerer inside Biltmore House
Here I am in the Biltmore House!

Fast forward to last week when I saw this headline, “Punching an Attacking Grizzly in the Face Might Work, but not Recommended” by Mark Heinz via CowboyStateDaily.com. Apparently, a man in Canada was riding a mountain bike when he came across a mama grizzly with two bear cubs. The bear came at him, knocking him down, and he kept his bike between them to protect himself. She kept coming at him. Out of options, he punched her in the snout, got on his bike and escaped. From the above article:

“Grizzlies almost never attack people with the intent of trying to kill and eat them. But when that happens, all bets are off,” Neal said.

“In the case of a predacious attack, then the victim must fight back with everything that he has, and the nose and eyes should be his top targets,” Neal said.

 

I didn’t realize punching a bear in the nose could be used as a last line of defense. It got me to thinking about the black bear in Asheville.

What would I do if I came across a black bear?

The National Park Service website (NPS.gov) recommends the following if you’re in a bear situation.

“If you are attacked by a black bear, DO NOT PLAY DEAD. Try to escape to a secure place such as a car or building. If escape is not possible, try to fight back using any object available. Concentrate your kicks and blows on the bear’s face and muzzle.” (Staying Safe Around Bears)

And for grizzlies?

“If you are attacked by a brown/grizzly bear, leave your pack on and PLAY DEAD. Lay on your stomach with your hands clasped behind your neck. Spread your legs to make it harder for the bear to turn you over. Remain still until the bear leaves the area. Fighting back usually increases the intensity of such attacks. However, if the attack persists, fight back vigorously. Use whatever you have at hand to hit the bear in the face.” (Staying Safe Around Bears)

To summarize–if you come across a black bear, ESCAPE! If escape is impossible, punch its face. But if you come across a grizzly or brown bear, PLAY DEAD! If playing dead is impossible, punch its face.

Have you ever had a bear situation? If yes, what did you do? If not, what do you think you’d do?

Thanks so much for stopping by!

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Two of my books are discounted this month for Kindle Deals! The Prodigal’s Holiday Hope is on sale for $1.99, and A Cowboy to Rely On will be on sale for $3.99. Both books are part of my Wyoming Ranchers series through Love Inspired. I hope you’ll give them a try!

 

New Release! Training the K-9 Companion {Giveaway!}

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Meadow background, book cover Training the K-9 Companion by Jill Kemerer, text "New Release & Giveaway, Petticoats & Pistols"

The third book in my Wyoming Legacies series is in stores now! TRAINING THE K-9 COMPANION follows Cade Moulten, a rancher opening a high-end horse-boarding operation, and Mackenzie Howard, the new veterinarian in town, as they train little Tulip to be a therapy dog for his grandmother. This Love Inspired book takes place during the summer in fictional Jewel River, Wyoming.

I enjoyed learning how rural vets utilize mobile trailers to treat cattle and horses on ranches. I also love writing books with dogs in them. Talk about a win-win! Mackenzie’s trying to convince local ranchers to trust her with their cattle, but she’s terrified she’ll make a mistake and lose an animal. And Cade needs high-paying clients to offset the reduced rates he plans on charging the locals to board horses at his new stables. On top of that, Cade’s mother insists on training a therapy dog to comfort his beloved grandmother, who has Alzheimer’s. Poor Cade never knows what to expect when he visits Nana.

Dementia and Alzheimer’s are terrible diseases. My father suffered from Parkinson’s and dementia, and I spent a lot of time at the nursing home with him before he passed away. I’m blessed with a supportive family who loves Jesus, and this story reflects it.

Don’t worry–the book isn’t all gloom and sadness! Cade’s mom is an unrelenting matchmaker. Add the warm, rowdy members of the Jewel River Legacy Club, and you won’t want to put the book down.

 

Book cover Training the K-9 Companion by Jill Kemerer. Mountain background, Pomeranian in meadow with daisies

Man’s best friend…
Could be the key to a second chance.

When rancher Cade Moulten decides to get a therapy dog for his ailing grandmother, he doesn’t expect a fluffy Pomeranian—or a pretty veterinarian trainer. But Cade will do anything to prove he’s a changed man, even train the small K-9 alongside Mackenzie Howard. Soon the weekly sessions with Mackenzie have Cade wishing for more. But will he risk revealing his shameful past for a chance at acceptance?

 

Purchase Training the K-9 Companion

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Read an excerpt!

As usual, the restlessness snuck up on him, and, too late, Cade Moulten realized his mistake. Offering to help his mother train a therapy dog was just another attempt to atone for his past.

He couldn’t back out now. He wouldn’t if he could. Cade had other reasons—good ones—for being here.

“It’s not much to look at, is it?” His mother, Christy Moulten, sat in the passenger seat of his truck and stared at the small industrial building with faded gray aluminum siding. Next to it, a matching structure roughly three times its size shared the parking lot. The early June sunshine began to fade as the day wound down.

Cade cut the engine, and his mom bent to pick up her purse. A few months shy of turning sixty-four, his mother hadn’t slowed a bit. Her stylish blond bob, subtle makeup and smile lines gave her the appearance of someone who enjoyed life, but she also had a stubborn streak wider than a country mile.

At thirty-five, he’d mellowed to the point of not minding driving her around town whenever her driver’s license was suspended—and that was often—nor did he mind living with her in the big house on the ranch. Kept her out of trouble.

Maybe they kept each other out of trouble.

He pocketed his keys. “What’s it supposed to look like? It’s a vet clinic, not a spa, Ma.”

Cade had personally taken a loss on this property by selling it to the new veterinarian and her father for pennies on the dollar. Anything to convince a vet to take a chance on moving to Jewel River. When Dr. Bill Banks, the only veterinarian within two hours of here, retired last fall, it had affected every rancher and pet owner in this swath of Wyoming.

Jewel River needed a veterinarian ASAP.

***

Want to read more? Purchase Training the K-9 Companion!

You can find Training the K-9 Companion in Walmart and all stores that carry Love Inspired books!

To celebrate, I’m giving away one copy of  Training the K-9 Companion (US winner will receive a signed paperback, International winner will receive an ebook, void where prohibited by law.). Simply leave a comment below, and I’ll select a winner via random number generator. Giveaway ends on July 3, 2024 at noon EST, and winner will be announced in the comments of this post and in a separate post!

Do you love books with dogs and cowboys? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Thank you for celebrating my new release with me!

Gardening, Canning, and Country Pursuits

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Dirt soil, gardening tools, text, "Gardening, Canning, and Country Pursuits. Petticoats & Pistols"

It’s that time of year–time to watch things grow! Winters linger where I live. I wait until the end of May or early June to plant flowers, and I’ve been planting herbs in pots on our deck for several years, too.

 

Pink and white petunias in planter outside
Our petunias and one little basil plant popping up in the pot next to it!

 

We used to have a garden. I’m lazy about keeping up with it after the first month, so we decided to let it go. Since we’re blessed with numerous local farmstands and U-pick farms nearby, I don’t miss my garden much. When I do, I browse online sites like Fine Gardening and soak in the pretty flowers of A Wyoming Garden to get my fix!

Next week I plan on spending a few hours in the strawberry patch a few miles away. My goal? Bring home a flat of bright red berries. I make lower-sugar freezer jam each year with pectin specifically made for low or no-sugar recipes. You can find the Sure-Jell brand at Walmart or other grocery stores. I also make blueberry jam. It’s delicious!

Last year I bought a few dozen ears of corn. Blanching them didn’t take long. Quart-sized freezer bags stack nicely in our chest freezer. I wished I’d frozen more. This year I will.

Canning or freezing produce doesn’t require a huge time commitment if I focus on one thing at a time. And it certainly makes my family happy in November when we’re still enjoying peak flavor from the food I’ve preserved.

Other country pursuits I enjoy (even though I’m in the suburbs!) during the summer:

  • Filling a glass pitcher with water and letting tea bags steep in it all day on my deck for sun tea
  • The farmers market! Local honey has so much flavor.
  • Sitting out back, watching the birds fly from tree to tree and the clouds drift through the sky
  • Baking summer treats, like peach cobbler or blueberry breakfast cake (recipe is linked)
  • Walking around ponds at rural parks
  • Reading a book on our back deck

I could go on and on. Each season brings its own joys!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on gardening, canning, and other country pursuits. What do you enjoy about the summer?

 

The Delights of Cottagecore

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Light gray background with sprays of purple flowers. Text "The Delights of Cottagecore. Petticoats & Pistols"

As usual, I’m late to the party when it comes to trends. Are you familiar with the term Cottagecore?

According to “What is Cottagecore? A Simple Guide” by Kristin Hohenadel via The Spruce, “Cottagecore is a social media hashtag and internet-based lifestyle trend inspired by a quaint vision of country life. Based on an idealized back-to-nature concept of simpler times, its romanticized aesthetics center on natural materials, wholesome pastimes, handmade crafts, homemade baked goods, gardening, and other hallmarks of bucolic domesticity.”

I stumbled across it last year while scrolling through Instagram Reels. Every so often, I’d see a video of a cute country kitchen. There would be a lit candle on a butcher block counter. Cozy instrumental music would be playing. A loaf of homemade bread might be on the counter along with a bouquet of wildflowers.

Watching a Cottagecore video provided the same relaxation as sipping a hot cup of tea. I was hooked.

 

Photo by Forté Foundry on Unsplash

I need more beauty in my life. And if they center on homemaking, all the better. I’ve always enjoyed simple pleasures like baking, crafts, lighting candles, and reading.

The Delights of Cottagecore (in no particular order)

  • Vintage linens and curtains
  • A kitchen that reminds you of visiting your grandma
  • Candles with flames dancing
  • Mellow, happy instrumental music
  • A teapot steaming on a stove
  • Fresh bread on the counter
  • A jar of homemade jam next to it
  • Birds singing outside
  • Handpicked flowers in a rustic vase or mason jar
  • A wooden table that looks like it’s been used for generations
  • Crafts! Sewing, knitting, flower arranging, baking…
  • Cozy, cozy, cozy

I could go on and on. I’m enamored. I hope you are, too!

Photo by Vicky Sim on Unsplash

Below is a link to a video with a Cottagecore playlist if you’d like to get in the mood.

A Cottagecore Playlist to Feel Like You’re in Nature

Have you heard of Cottagecore? What about it appeals to you the most?

Enjoy your day!

Favorite Things: End of April

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Pale blue background with apple blossoms. Tag "End of April Favorite Things" Petticoats & Pistols

The end of April brings oodles of my favorite things! Today is my mom’s birthday (Happy birthday, Mom!)–a favorite thing, for sure.

Winter always seems to last forever here (I live in NW Ohio), and by the end of April, we’re almost finished with the cold weather. There still might be a day or two where I’ll need a winter coat, but for the most part, I can pack away the cold-weather clothing. That’s another of my favorite things–replacing my winter clothes with my summer wardrobe.

We’re big football fans in my house, and while the end of April doesn’t seem like it would be related to football, it is. My husband, son and I went to the University of Michigan spring football game on April 20 to check out the new team. It was COLD! Snowflakes came down twice–not cool, Michigan. We still had a great time! (See pics below)

 

Photo of Jill Kemerer in winter hat at University of Michigan Spring game

Block M sign outside of the Big House, Ann Arbor, Michigan

The end of April also brings the NFL Draft, and I watched it last Thursday and Friday night. I loved seeing where all my favorite players landed. This year the draft was held in Detroit. It looked like a good time!

What else? Since I’m a nature gal, flowers, blooming trees, birds and bunnies and squirrels all make my list. The view outside my windows shouts spring, and I couldn’t be happier about it! In another month, I’ll be hitting up the local farmer’s markets, the botanical gardens, and all the summer fun I’ve been missing. Until then, I’ll enjoy the moment.

Do you have any favorite things for the end of April?

Enjoy your day!

What Birds Are In Your Backyard?

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graphic with hydrangeas and bluebirds. Text "What Birds are in Your Backyard?" by Jill Kemerer, Petticoats & Pistols Blog

I’ve always enjoyed watching birds. When I was ten or eleven, I was a Lutheran Girl Pioneer–similar to a Girl Scout–and we built birdfeeders. My father mounted the feeder near the edge of the forest in our backyard and bought food. How I loved getting out the binoculars to see what birds were stopping by! I even bought a pocket book about the birds of North America, and I wore that book out.

Fast forward to about five years ago…

My husband bought me a bird feeder for Christmas. I was so excited! It took about three weeks for the birds to arrive. I watched for them every day, and when they finally did? Oh boy! I couldn’t get enough.

My backyard has robins, house finches, goldfinches, purple finches, several types of sparrows, cardinals, mourning doves, blue jays, grackles and juncos. Now and then Cedar waxwings will stop by. Beautiful birds.

Below is a cardinal sitting on a fence in our backyard. Grackles are on the ground at at both feeders, and a mourning dove sits at the pole base.

Ohio backyard in winter, birdfeeder, cardinal

Where I live in Northwest Ohio, I’m able to experience some of the best spring bird migration in the United States. The Biggest Week in American Birding attracts thousands of bird enthusiasts to our area. Lake Erie, especially, has fantastic parks and marshes for bird viewing. Not far from where I live, there’s a park where I see a variety of warblers every spring.

We have amazing diversity with waterfowl here, too. Bald eagles, snowy egrets, great blue herons, Canadian geese, mallards, mersangers, different swans, and occasionally buffleheads can be seen near rivers, marshes and nearby Lake Erie.

All of this “birding” got me wondering about the backyard birds in other parts of the country. I was happy to learn that the characters in my Wyoming books would see the same birds as I do. “Common Birds in Wyoming” features birds I see either in my backyard or on walks nearby.

I’d love to hear the types of birds you see in your area. Please let me know in the comments!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

Two Fun Afternoons

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Spring flowers in background, text "Two Fun Afternoons Jill Kemerer, Petticoats & Pistols"

Two weeks ago, I finally did it. I left the house to do something other than buying groceries or picking up books from the library. Yeehaw!

The first fun afternoon happened to be on my release day. My new book, UNITED BY THE TWINS, released on February 20, 2024, and I always take the day off to celebrate. This time I decided to drive out to the country to visit a cute boutique/tea shop that had been on my list of places to check out for over a year. It didn’t disappoint.

The little boutique resides in an outbuilding on a farm miles away from the nearest town. I loved driving past the fallow farm fields to get there. Winter can be dreary, for sure, but I find beauty in the season, too. When I arrived, I entered a warm, cozy, well-lit space. Upbeat music from the 40s played through the speakers, and every step revealed a different display of super cute items. Here’s a snapshot of the interior.

Interior of boutique

As you can see, the shop had an assortment of lovely items. From purses and decor, to honey and tea, it had all the cute things I tend to adore. I ended up purchasing a precious little lamp with three birds on the base. My husband and I have several bird feeders in our backyard, and I enjoy watching them.

The second fun afternoon was in a vastly different area than the first. My husband and I went downtown Toledo to browse a reclaimed home furnishings store. Basically, a large, old building had been converted into a secondhand store for home items such as old knobs, doors, hinges, chandeliers, even colored toilets/sinks/tubs from decades ago.

We were amazed at how intricate many of the items were. Engraved hinges, wooden bureaus with inlaid designs, elegant lighting. It made us both appreciate the craftsmanship of yesteryear.

Below is just one of the massive sections.

Old warehouse with secondhand home furnishings

We had a great time wandering through the space, and we even met a friend–the kitty, Amy. I would have gladly taken that little cutie home!

Amy, the cat

The photos don’t do either place justice. The first shop felt like walking into a warm hug. Very cozy and contained. The second was more like strolling into an adventure–you weren’t sure where the sprawling space would take you.

I’m thankful to have visited both. And now, back to my usual outings. Kroger and the library, here I come!

Have you visited a new place recently? What did you think of it?

Have a wonderful day!