Nan Reinhardt

Nan Reinhardt is a USA Today bestselling author of sweet, small-town romantic fiction for Tule Publishing. Her day job is working as a freelance copyeditor and proofreader, however, writing is Nan’s first and most enduring passion. She can’t remember a time in her life when she wasn’t writing—she wrote her first romance novel at the age of ten and is still writing, but now from the viewpoint of a wiser, slightly rumpled, woman in her prime. Nan lives in the Midwest with her husband of 52 years, where they split their time between a house in the city and a cottage on a lake.

How I Spent My Writing Vacation

by

Last week I was on a writing retreat/vacation in the Wisconsin Dells. Not the west, but a place I’d never been before. I confess I had preconceived notions about the Dells. I thought it was a tourist town full of water parks and resorts and geared to kids and families. Well, to be honest, the Dells are a tourist town full of water parks (20!! Supposedly the most water parks in one town in the world) and geared to kids and families. But you know what? It turned out to be fine because we saw some gorgeous natural sights, drank some amazing wine, and enjoyed some remarkable scenery while we were there.

The resort where we stayed was pretty family-oriented, but it was lovely and clean and pretty luxurious really except there was no swimming pool, which was a disappointment because I had counted on getting my exercise in at the pool. There was only an indoor water park that was rather overrun with kids on fall break from school, so we avoided that and got our exercise was walking around the resort grounds, which were lovely.

The history of the area was most fascinating and what I mainly want to share with you today. The gorge that the Wisconsin River flows through is a wonderland of sandstone cliffs formed some 19,000 years ago when a glacial lake burst an ice dam and unleashed a flood that cut deep narrow gorges into the sandstone. What was left were all kinds of  unusual rock formations, sone as high as 100 feet.

We took a tour boat ride up the river to view the incredible cliffs and even walked through a formation that was called the Witch’s Gulch—a fascinating moss-covered slot canyon that was spectacular with different-colored striated layers of sandstone. At one point, we had to squeeze through two sections that were very snug together. Beautiful trees, ferns, and other plants grow out of the sandstone cliffs. We also learned about the photographer H.H. Bennett (he invented the stop-action shutter for catching motion in photography), who made the Dells famous with his photographs of the area. We discovered the history and culture of the Ho-Chunk Nation, who’ve lived in the region and across Wisconsin for thousands of years.

On our way home from the Dells, we stopped for a night in Kenosha to visit with my travel buddy’s family, and I got to see the west side of Lake Michigan for the very first time. The magic is there, no matter from which side I view that glorious body of water. I’ve always maintained that my address is in Indiana, but my home is Lake Michigan. It was on the shores of that vast great lake that I learned about the possibilities of life and began writing at the age of ten. The feeling of coming home was just as intense from the Wisconsin side as it’s always been from the Michigan west coast.

I got words written on my WIP, my travel buddy got a blanket made for her college-age grandson so he’ll be warm in his Wisconsin dorm this winter, so all in all, a successful trip. If you’ve never been to the Wisconsin Dells, I recommend a visit, but unless you’re looking for a waterpark experience, I’d make it in late fall after the tourist season. The town may be known as the water park capital of the world, but it’s also full of history and natural wonders that are must-sees.

Tell me, what is the most fascinating place you’ve visited recently?

~*~*~*~

FYI and apropos of nothing I’ve been talking about: If you love sweet cowboy romance, Forever Cowboy is on sale for just $1.99 for a short time.

Cowgirls in the Kitchen with Nan Reinhardt

by

 

I was thinking about recipe what I wanted to share with y’all and immediately, my mom came to mind. She was a fabulous cook–not fancy, but always wholesome comfort food. Her mac and cheese was to die for and so was her chocolate wacky cake. So many memories of her are about food and meals together, either in the little house I grew up in or around a campfire in Michigan, where we went camping nearly every weekend all summer long when I was a kid.

One my favorite of her dishes was her pork and beans. I have such fond memories of Mom’s pork and beans, made with a pork roast and beans you’d soaked overnight, then mixed with catsup and mustard, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and spices. She’d plop that roast down in a Dutch oven, fat side up, pour the bean mixture over it, cover the pan, and bake it low and slow. The scent filled the house. She served it with corn bread—not sweet corn muffins, real corn bread. Man, that was good.

My sister PJ and I talk about Mom’s pork and beans often, and we’ve both tried to copy it because we don’t have anything written down from her. The recipe was in her head and she just tossed it together. As kids, we didn’t pay attention to how she did it and when I called her for the recipe when I was new bride, her instructions were what you see in the paragraph above.  I think I’ve pretty much got it now, though, so here you go… see what you think.

Mom’s Pork and Beans

1 large package of dry great northern beans
1 pork shoulder roast–good sized with or without a bone
1 onion, chopped
1 bottle of catsup
1 Cup of canned beef broth
2 Tablespoons of yellow mustard (to taste)
2 Tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce (to taste)
1/2 Cup brown sugar (to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste, along with whatever spices you choose–I add Morton’s Nature Seasoning and a dash of thyme

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 275-300 degrees F

Soak the beans overnight, drain and sort to take out any stones or detritus. Set aside and in the bean pan cook the chopped onion in a little butter until translucent. Remove from the stove and add the beans and all other ingredients except the roast. Mix it all together well.

In a separate large Dutch Oven, place the pork shoulder roast. Now here’s a step that is entirely optional: Sear the roast on all sides in a little olive oil. Mom never did, but I’ve done it both ways and it’s tasty seared or not. Your call.

Either way, with the roast in the Dutch oven, pour the bean mixture over the top of of it, covering the roast. Bake it low and slow for about 6-to-8 hours or until tender (roughly 1.5 hours per pound), or until the internal temperature reaches 200°F (93°C) and the meat shreds easily with a fork. Your bean mixture will thicken as it cooks, but check it now and again and if they appear to be drying out too much, add a little water or extra beef broth and stir to mix it in.

Enjoy! And if you think of it, give Mom a little nod up there in heaven. She’ll appreciate it and be really glad you’re enjoying her pork and beans!

P.S.: Unfortunately, I don’t have a picture of this dish–we’re too busy eating to think of photographing it. But if you make it, take a picture and show me, and I promise, next time I make it, I’ll take one and post it to my social.

 

Author Life Is More than Writing…

by

Did you really write all these books?

How long have you been writing?

How long does it take you to write a book?  

Where do you get your ideas?

Those questions and others came up from readers at the author event I participated in yesterday. Harvest Fest is always a treat with several thousand people wandering through six “art fields” along the Nickel Plate Trail, perusing artisans’, artists’, and creators’ booths, including a local authors’ booth, where I sat. There were even strolling musicians and food trucks and beer! It was quite an event and I really had fun!

So, to answer … Yes, I really did write all these books. I’ve been writing since I could hold a pencil; I wrote my first book at age 10, but I’ve been published since 2012. It takes me about four to six months to write a book. My ideas come from the people in my head who are in a long line waiting for their story to be told. Ordinarily, a long line of people talking in my head would be a confession that would get one rushed into therapy, but writers get a pass.

However, a couple of years ago when I was at an author event, I was asked, Do you like doing this? Do you like writing? I had to pause for just a second, and frankly, the question’s been in my head ever since. Simmering in the back of my mind.  First of all, it didn’t happen while I was sitting at my table, it was from a person sitting at her own table, where I’d stopped by on my way back from the restroom to look at her books and say hello, mostly because she looked so … young and sad and out of place and maybe even a little bored.

She was in her late twenties and wore a black T-shirt. Her table was sparse, a couple of titles arranged in two rows, some bookmarks, a stack of business cards, and an 8-x-10 photo of herself with her name written across it like an autograph in a plain black frame. Truthfully, I can’t remember what the books were. But it doesn’t matter because it was clear, she would rather have been anywhere else.

The question that started as Do you like doing this? eventually in our short exchange, became Do you like writing? which is an entirely different question.

Do I like doing author events? Well, it’s a fun way to meet readers, to get your face connected to your stories, to network with other authors and writers groups, and to talk story. You do have to prepare–to have all the “stuff” you need together, to wear comfortable clothes, and to be “on,” which is, I admit, hard for most writers. Writing is a solitary profession, and we’re in our own heads way more that the average person, so stepping out of it is a little bit harrowing, but always fun in the end.

But the second question was the one that surprised me was, Do you like writing? The first response that rose to my lips was Would I be here if I didn’t? But the look on her face–sad, confused, and maybe a little overwhelmed, stopped me from being flip. I told her and I meant it with all my heart, It’s who I am. There’s no me without writing. I wish that thought was original to me; it’s not. I was quoting a fellow author, Anne Stuart. But when I first heard (read) Anne say it, I felt seen as writer for first time in my life. So I use it … often.

That morose young woman just stared at me like I’d suddenly grown an extra pair of ears, and she merely said, Oh, okay. There was so much more I wanted to say, to ask her, like why are you doing this if it’s not what you love? What are you avoiding? What is your true passion? But someone else came along and picked up one of her books, and I had to get back to my table to meet and greet, so I simply said, Good luck today, and I moved on.

But she’s stayed in my head, although I don’t even recall her name or what table she was at. I didn’t even pick up her card or a bookmark, which is sad too. If I was left only with the impression of someone who was unhappy at an event that was all about the happy, how did she affect others? I wonder if she sold any books. If she engaged any readers. If that event was her last. In a way, I hope so, because she was clearly not enjoying herself and that’s kinda tragic.

I confess author events are work, and writing is hard work too. I’ve been known to spend an hour working over one sentence in a sixty-thousand word manuscript. And toiling over characterization, fixing plot holes, moving the story forward can be exhausting, but the people in my head insist I write, and writing is so very much my happy place. There’s no me without it. I hope that girl found her happy place–whatever it might be.

Readers, do you have questions for this author who’s only recently come into cowboy romance? Ask me anything …I’d love to talk to you!

~*~*~*~

Here’s a treat for you! My book, Meant to Be, is just 99 cents on all ebook platforms right now. It is sweet, small-town romance–no cowboys, but lots of emotion and family and romance. I hope you’ll check it out here.

Can a near-tragedy help two best friends realize they’re meant to be so much more?

Best friends since grade school, high-powered Chicago attorney, Sean Flaherty, and small-town mayor Megan Mackenzie have always shared a special bond. When Sean is shot by a client’s angry ex, Megan rushes to his side, terrified she’s about to lose her long-time confidant.

Upon his return to River’s Edge to recuperate, Sean discovers that his feelings for his pal have taken an undeniable turn for the romantic. While Megan struggles with an unfamiliar longing for Sean, she worries that he may be mistaking a safe place to land for love.

Can Sean help her realize that they are truly meant to be so much more than friends?

Nan Reinhardt Has Two Winners!

by

Winners!!

Vicki J and Judy Sexton were randomly chosen to receive an e-book copy of Help Wanted, Cowboy from Tuesday’s Words, Words, Words post. Ladies, we’ll ge those books right out to you!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to share their favorite regional words and sayings.

Words, Words, Words

by

I love words. I’m sure every writer does. I am a word freak, a  language maven, a…a vocabularist, if you will. Okay, so maybe vocabularist isn’t actually a real word, but it should be because it describes me to a T. I am fascinated with language and how we use it, especially regional or quirky terms.

As a writer and an editor, I have a passion for learning new words and using them. I got it from my mom, who also loved language and insisted we choose our words well. She spent serious time increasing our vocabularies with word games like Scrabble, Boggle, and Probe and crossword puzzles. To this day, family gatherings always include word games. I adore discovering new words and finding ways to use them in my writing.

One of the things I am learning as I make the switch from small-town romance that happens in the Midwest to Montana cowboy romance is how language is different from one area of our country to another.

I’ve lived in the Midwest my whole life and there are things that we say that have unquestionably shown up in my River’s Edge books. “You betcha,” comes to mind. So does, “For cryin’ out loud” and “Slow as molasses in January” and talking about corn being “knee high by the Fourth of July.” (It’s always way higher by then, btw.) I remember my grandpa saying something moved “like a bat out of hell,” which always conjured the picture of a flock of bats darkening the sky and sometimes gave me nightmares. When Mom tucked us in at night, we were “snug as a bug in a rug,” and I recall my grandmother saying, “If I had my druthers” when she wanted us to know what she wanted to happen in any given circumstance.

But, the lingo out West comes from a different history and has lingered in the vernacular in Montana, Texas, Wyoming, and other ranch and cowboy states just like words have stayed in the Midwest. “Skedaddle” and “Ornery” and “Hold your horses” are all words/phrases that come from life on the cattle trail or ranch life. “Howdy” instead of “Hello” and someone who looks like a cowboy, but has no experience is “all hat and no cattle” are terms you don’t hear much in the Midwest.

Some of the terms around horses I already knew because we had horses for sixteen years, and I think barn slang is pretty universal in the US. “Barn sour” is when a horse is too eager to return home and a term I learned when I was first riding. But calling horses “critters” isn’t part of the cowboy vernacular according to my editor, when she queried the use in my first book, Forever Cowboy. (See what I did there? A link to the book is what I call ninja promo—my own term.) “Hightailin’ it” and “Tinhorn” are terms that might show up in Western romance. My hero in Forever Cowboy was originally from Boston, so he got a little pass when it came to cowboy speak.

Another difference between my Montana cowboys and my Indiana winemakers, government analysts, firefighters, and attorneys is how much they talk. One of my critique partners has always told me that my heroes talk too much. Maybe they do, but I live with and raised men who ruminate and discuss and share their feelings, so my heroes probably do talk too much–just like the men in my real life. Not so much my cowboys, though. They keep it short and simple with Yup and Nope and dropping the g from the end of their verbs. They’re goin’ and ridin’ and fixin’ and of course always lovin’.

You can show exactly who a character is simply with the words they use… so authors choose their characters’ words carefully as they build their arcs and tell their stories. Remaining as true as possible to where your character hails from helps readers stay in the story.

Where do you come from? Are there words or phrases that are especially peculiar to your neck of the woods. Share with me, won’t you? There are a couple of e-book copies of my newest cowboy romance, Help Wanted, Cowboy (ninja!) up for grabs for two lucky commenters.

Stay well and Keep Readin’!

Nan Reinhardt Has a Winner!

by

Colleen, you are my $10 Amazon gift card winner from my Where Is Felicia Filly post on Wednesday. I’ll get that right to you!

Thanks to everyone who came out to play with Felicia and me. I think every one of you guessed that Felicia was with me in Indiana!  Here’s a toast to y’all!

Nan Reinhardt Has Three Winners!

by

I have three winners of an e-book copy of Help Wanted, Cowboy! Ann Stewart, Sarah Axsom, and Barbara Raymond, watch your email boxes for your free e-book!  Have fun at Juniper Falls Ranch with Millie and Rory!

Help Wanted, Cowboy

by

I am generally loath to crow about my own books, which is sorta silly when you think about it. I mean, who else is going to crow about my books if not me? I’m not good at look at me, though, and if it were possible in this day and age to simply write a book, hand it to my publisher, and then crawl back into my writing cave and start a new one, without ever having to think about said book again, I would do it that way. But publishing doesn’t work like that these days. Maybe it never did.

Although I’ve been writing since I was a child and starting working as a book editor in 1996, I came into publishing as an author in 2012—on the cusp of digital first and e-books. I joined Facebook about that time and Instagram shortly after, but it took me awhile to figure out how to make those platforms work for me as an author. I’m not sure I’ve mastered it yet, you know, because it means being present when what I really want to do is stay tucked in my little writing space. My fictional worlds are so much safer than the real world of social media and promotion.

All that said, I’m here today to be Nan Reinhardt author (<– over there) promoting a brand-new release — out today, as a matter of fact. If you love romance and Montana and spunky heroines and handsome cowboys with big hearts, Help Wanted, Cowboy might just be the book for you. Rory and Millie’s story is book 3 in my Juniper Falls Ranch series, so if you’ve read books 1 and 2, you’ll recognize Beth and Del Foster, who own Juniper Falls Ranch, Gus, their grizzled ranch hand, Bo Kennedy, the former rodeo cowboy turned ranch foreman, and others, as well as the little Montana town of Marietta. Sage’s Chocolate Shop, the Graff Hotel, Copper Mountain—all the places in Marietta that you already know and love are part of the story, too, as Rory and Millie feel their way to their own happily-ever-after. Because of course, there’s always an HEA in a Nan Reinhardt novel.

I confess, the theme—Millie wants a little favor from Rory—was a tricky one to do in a sweet romance, but we pulled it off, and there is even a treasure hunt up in an old mine in the foothills to add to the fun. I hope you enjoy reading Help Wanted, Cowboy as much as I enjoyed creating it.

GIVEAWAY: To celebrate this book release—#17 with the fabulous Tule Publishing—I’m giving away three e-book copies of Help Wanted, Cowboy to three lucky commenters. Just tell me what attracts you to a cowboy romance—the cover? The blurb? The author? Inquiring minds want to know…

Help Wanted, Cowboy

A Montana bull rider temporarily working as a ranch hand. An OB nurse who wants “a favor.” Two opposites thrown together. A treasure hunt adds to autumn magic. 

When a family emergency brings cowboy Rory Pearson home to Marietta, he hires on to Juniper Falls Ranch for seasonal work. He’s hoping to explore an intriguing family legend. Armed with research and his grandfather’s stories, Rory thinks he’s ready, but nothing goes as planned. Then a sweetly sexy nurse propositions him.

Nurse Millie Sparks is tired of playing it safe. She’s been too focused on her education and career and romance and adventure have passed her by. Staying on the ranch to care for a patient with a tricky pregnancy, Millie’s interest in Rory is immediate. He offers to teach her to ride, and she wonders if the lessons could extend to something else she’s been hiding.

It’s a game of flirtation and fun. Feelings can’t be serious. But as the clock ticks down, hearts interfere, and saying goodbye just got way more complicated.

Amazon | B&N Nook | Apple Books | Kobo | Google Play

Oh, oh, P.S.: If you haven’t been to Juniper Falls Ranch yet, here’s a great opportunity for a first visit–Forever Cowboy, book 1 in the JFR series is just 99 cents right now! So race over to your favorite book retailer and nab it at that discount before it goes back to regular price.

Nan Has Two Winners

by

I have two winners from my post on June 2! The two people who will receive an e-book copy of Forever Cowboy–the book where Rascal the stray find his Furever Home are:

  • Julie Bullock
  • Kim Hansen

Ladies, watch for an email from Tule Publishing!

Thanks everyone for stopping by!

 

 

Cowboys, Rodeo, & a Stray Dog

by

I have to confess that I panicked last year when my publisher Jane Porter asked me to move from River’s Edge, my little town on the Ohio River to Marietta, Montana. I mean, holy schnikeys! Except for flyovers and the very urban Bay Area of San Francisco to visit our kids, I’d never been west of Mississippi, and now I was supposed to write in the mountains of Montana? About cowboys? And rodeos and ranches? Yikes!

To be honest, the only things I had going for me as I headed into this new writing territory was a love of and experience with horses, the fact that I’d read a lot of Tule Publishing’s Montana Born books, and a deep respect for Jane and the team’s marketing expertise. They’d never steered me wrong yet, so I took a deep breath and dove in. I even took a trip to Big Sky, Montana, in July with my pal, mystery writer Carol Light, just to get a feel for the setting. Wow, was that ever grand!

I was grateful that I was starting my Montana Born journey with three other romance authors, all of whom already wrote cowboys and Montana and ranches and rodeo. Our 4-book, 4-author series, Montana’s Rodeo Cowboys released one book a week throughout September of 2025. And we needed a theme that would run through the entire series—something that tied all the books together. Someone said, how about a stray dog? That was fine with me, so our little thieving pup first appears in Jeannie Watt’s Unforgettable Cowboy, turns up again in Nicole Flockton’s Headstrong Cowboy, and in Sinclair Jayne’s Rogue Cowboy. Each time, the little trickster is stealing something … and then disappearing. He is a sheltie/border collie mix and cute as can be! Check him out here.

Then my turn came. Because I am the last book in the series, I got to decide what would happen to the little dog we’d named Rascal—because he truly was! Husband and Son both said words to the effect of you can’t kill off the dog. Like I would ever do such a thing! I’ll grant you I’m more a cat person than a dog lover, but surely Rascal needed a happily-ever-after just like all our cowboys and their ladies. Sorry, I’m not going to tell you where that poor critter ended up. You’ll have to read the whole series, ending with my Forever Cowboy to find out. Just trust me … fairy tale ending are my specialty.

Hope y’all enjoy all four books in the Montana’s Rodeo Cowboys series—we sure had fun writing them! And here’s the best part: I have three more Montana Born stories coming up here in 2026! I got into the cowboy thing so much that I created my own Montana world—Juniper Falls Ranch, so although  Forever Cowboy may be book 4 in the Montana’s Rodeo Cowboys series; it’s Book 1 in the Juniper Falls Ranch series. Book 2, The Cowboy’s Comeback, released January 30, 2026. Book 3, Help Wanted, Cowboy releases July 7, 2026, and book 4, The Rancher’s Christmas Wife, which I’m currently writing, releases in November! And you know what else? I’m havin’ the time of my life in Montana! Come join me!

To whet your appetite for my Juniper Fall Ranch cowboys, how about we do a little giveaway? Just tell me below if you like to see pets–dogs, cats, parrots, hamsters, rabbits, really any kind of pet–in your cowboy stories? I’ll give away two e-book copies of Forever Cowboy to two lucky commenters!

Thanks for spending time with me today! See you next time!

Petticoats & Pistols