Thank you to all who shared comments about their precious letters, notes, and cards today. I loved reading about them!
Our winner of today’s giveaway is Carol M! Congrats, Carol!
Shanna Hatfield
The Power of Letters
There is something so deeply and profoundly personal about a handwritten letter.
Long before text messages, emails, and quick comments on social media, people poured their hearts onto paper. They wrote of ordinary days and extraordinary hopes. They shared news, whispered dreams, confessed fears, and carried love across miles, months, and sometimes even years.
A letter could be a promise, or a confession, a lifeline, or part of a legacy.
The power of letters has been on my mind as I’ve worked on the Petticoats & Patriots series, especially with For Liberty and Love and Declaration of Love. Though the stories are set 250 years apart, they are connected by more than history. They are tied together by courage, devotion, sacrifice, and letters.
In For Liberty and Love, Lucy Carlson lives in Philadelphia during the summer of 1776, a time when every spoken word could carry danger and every written message might change a life. Secrets mattered. Loyalty mattered. Love mattered. For Lucy and Branch, words were not casual things. They held meaning, risk, longing, and hope.
I imagined what Lucy might write to Branch. What she would say to the man who had changed her life in the middle of such uncertain times? Or what Branch might write to Lucy. How he would put into words the ache of missing her, and the fragile hope of a future neither of them could yet see?
There is something that feels almost magical about a written letter, especially when we write from the heart, preserving what we might not say aloud.
Letters give our feelings a place to rest, and allow love to linger long after the last word is read.
That same emotional thread carries into Declaration of Love, the final book in the series. This time, the story unfolds in Holiday, Oregon, as America prepares to celebrate her 250th birthday. Kate Barton (a descendant of Lucy and Branch) arrives in town for what she believes will be a temporary stop for the summer.
As part of the celebration surrounding Declaration of Love, I’ve been creating a series of postcards from Holiday. Each one offers a little glimpse of the town, the story, and the heart of Kate’s journey.
Postcards are such small things. Just a picture on one side and a few lines on the other. But they can carry so much.
Postcards remind us that even the briefest message can create connection, like a simple note of “I’m thinking of you.” A few handwritten lines can bridge distance, spark memory, and let someone know they matter.
From Lucy’s letter in 1776 to Kate’s postcards in 2026, the heart of these stories is the same: love leaves traces, whether they are found in silver lockets or faded ink.
One of the things I love most about the Petticoats & Patriots series are the traces of love left behind with each story. The locket passes from one heroine to the next, but it carries more than metal and history. It carries memory, choices, and the courage of women who loved deeply, stood bravely, and left pieces of their hearts for the next generation to discover.
Letters do that, too.
They become little time capsules of emotion. They tell us who we were, what we cherished, what we feared, and who mattered most. They remind us that ordinary lives are filled with extraordinary moments of dreams, hope, and love.
I think that is why old letters are so precious.
In a world that moves so quickly, handwritten words feel especially meaningful because they ask us to slow down. To think. To choose each word with care. To leave behind something tangible, something that can become part of a legacy.
As America celebrates 250 years, I find myself thinking about all the letters that must have been written across those many generations. Letters from soldiers and sweethearts, mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, friends and neighbors. Letters filled with longing, courage, worry, faith, humor, hope, and love.
Those words helped carry people through uncertain days. In many ways, the letters that remain still do.
So perhaps today is a good day to write a note. Send a card. Tuck a letter into the mail that offers encouragement.
Because love written down has a way of lasting.
And sometimes, the smallest message becomes the sweetest legacy.
Do you have a handwritten letter, card, or postcard you’ve saved because it meant something special to you?
Share your comment for a chance to win a copy of Lucy’s letter to Branch, a handwritten note from me, and some other fun swag!
Welcome to High Street
Have you ever thought about what it would be like to wander down a street that existed 250 years ago?
Today, I hope you’ll take a little stroll with me along High Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the summer of 1776. It is the setting for much of For Liberty and Love, which just released yesterday! It is the first book in the new Petticoats & Patriots series that spans 250 years!
As a visual learner, I needed images of High Street to be able to write about it. The problem was that cameras were not around back then, and finding drawings or illustrations of High Street wasn’t easy.
This map of Philadelphia from 1776 was very helpful. You can see High Street appears to be the largest street in town.
This is an image of the Old Court House, Town Hall & Market in 1710, on High Street between Second and Third Streets.
It didn’t really give me the visual I was craving, so I asked ChatGPT to generate a few images and it brought the street to life for me.
In July 1776, High Street was the beating heart of Philadelphia, which was the largest city in America at the time.
Known today as Market Street, High Street stretched from Front Street at the Delaware River all the way up to the edge of the city where it met the Schuylkill River. High Street bustled with the noise, color, and energy of a city standing at the center of history. It was a place where merchants, farmers, tradesmen, sailors, servants, soldiers, and families all crossed paths.
Near the river, a long wooden market shed was crowded with activity. The market shed (or stalls) were long, narrow, open-air structures with heavy roofs supported by brick pillars, running directly down the center of the 100-foot-wide cobblestone street. Taken straight out of English and Scottish architectural traditions, they formed a permanent, covered marketplace that stretched continuously from the Delaware River waterfront at Front Street up to Third Street.
On market days, farmers arrived with wagons full of fresh produce from the countryside. Butchers sold meat. Fishmongers brought in their catch from the river. Women examined baskets of beets, beans, berries, herbs, and greens. Wheels of cheese, loaves of bread, eggs, butter, smoked meats, and jars of preserves might be set out for eager buyers. In July, the air would have been hot and humid (read John Adams’ letters to his wife because they offer great detail about how unbearably hot he found the city that year), and loaded with mingled scents — fresh flowers, ripe fruit, fish, horses, the waterfront, woodsmoke, tar from the wharves, and the unmistakable press of many people gathered in one place.
The stalls closest to the river were referred to as the Jersey Market section, specifically reserved for New Jersey farmers who rowed across the Delaware River to sell fresh produce and goods. Ships crowded the waterfront, their masts rising like a forest of harvested timber against the summer sky. Sailors unloaded goods while dockworkers rolled barrels and crates toward warehouses. Shops and taverns served the constant stream of merchants, sailors, and travelers moving through the port city.
If you looked toward the other end of High Street, you could see brick townhouses, artisan shops, print shops, taverns, and small businesses lining the street. Goldsmiths, shoemakers, cabinetmakers, tailors, and booksellers all had their place in the life of the city. High Street was not merely a place to buy and sell. It was where news spread, rumors flew, political opinions were debated, and ordinary people learned extraordinary things.
Just one block south stood the Pennsylvania State House, where the Continental Congress had debated and approved the Declaration of Independence. Although the first public reading took place at the State House on July 8, the news would have rippled quickly through nearby streets, especially with bells ringing throughout the day and peoples celebrating. Imagine the talk in the market stalls, the whispers in doorways, the questions asked over baskets of produce and bolts of cloth. What would independence mean? What would war cost? What kind of future was beginning?
High Street was also home to some historical figures. Benjamin Franklin resided right off of High Street. Jacob Graff, a bricklayer, rented out his upper rooms to Thomas Jefferson, who penned much of the Declaration of Independence there.
The street and the city gradually softened into gardens, orchards, and open ground. But along High Street, July 1776 was alive with the motion of a city on the edge of change.
It was a place of trade and gossip, heat and dust, courage and uncertainty.
And for the people of Philadelphia, it was the familiar street where everyday life carried on while history unfolded all around them.
Get a glimpse of the some of the history unfolding in For Liberty and Love!
Lucy Carlson works with her father in his High Street Goldsmith shop, making it the perfect place to gather intel on the Redcoats.
She never intended to become a spy … or fall for one.
Philadelphia, 1776
As whispers of revolution swell into a roar for freedom, Lucy Carlson is no longer content to simply watch from behind the counter of her father’s jewelry shop. When a mysterious woman—none other than Martha Washington—leaves behind a locket, Lucy discovers the piece is more than a pretty keepsake. The necklace is a secret vessel for the revolution that carries the promise of love.
Drawn into a dangerous spy ring, Lucy begins crafting coded messages concealed within the locket’s clever design, living a secret double life and risking everything she holds dear in a time of sacrifice and war.
Continental soldier Branch Barton is a man defined by duty. Tasked with rooting out traitors, he moves through the shadowed world of deception and divided loyalties. He’s trained to trust no one, yet he finds himself drawn into a slow-burning connection with the jeweler’s spirited daughter.
But when Lucy begins to suspect Branch may be a Redcoat in disguise, their fragile bond is tested by mistaken identity, growing mistrust, and the threat of betrayal.
In a war where even allies can become enemies, Lucy and Branch must navigate a world of hidden truths and guarded hearts. With the fate of the colonies—and their hearts—hanging in the balance as Lucy delivers a message in enemy territory, will they find the courage to trust each other and choose love?
Courage built a nation. Love made it worth fighting for.
Throughout 250 years of American history, a well-loved locket finds its way into the hands of eight spirited heroines—each standing at the crossroads of love and destiny, and each inspired by a true patriot. As it journeys from one heart to the next, these stories unfold with sweet romance, unwavering hope, and a deep love of country, proving that even in uncertain times, love is always worth the risk. Start reading the Petticoats & Patriots series today!
Don’t forget to download your digital copy of the first issue of the Petticoats & Patriots Magazine if you haven’t yet!
If you could travel back in time for one day, where would you go?
What would you hope to see? Or who would you like to meet?
Also, be sure to join us each day in our Facebook Reader’s group for more fun, games, and giveaways!
Shanna’s Winner
Thank you to all who entered today’s giveaway! I learned a few things from the tidbits you shared.
Our winner today is Mary Garback! Congrats, Mary!
5 Things I Learned About 1776
Researching For Liberty and Love for our new Petticoats and Patriots Series transported me to the bustling streets of Philadelphia during the summer of 1776.
While I expected to uncover fascinating details about spies, patriots, and the fight for independence, I also stumbled across plenty of surprising little facts that brought that period of our history to life.
Here are five things that I learned while researching the story.
1. Many People Thought Tomatoes Were Poisonous
Can you imagine looking at a tomato and thinking, Absolutely not. That thing might kill me.
In 1776, many colonists avoided tomatoes because they believed them to be dangerous. Part of the fear came from wealthy Europeans who ate from pewter plates containing lead. The acid from tomatoes would leach lead from the plates, causing illness. Naturally, the tomatoes got blamed instead of the dishes.
So while modern kitchens are filled with tomato-based recipes, Lucy Carlson and Branch Barton (the main characters in my story) would likely never have a fresh sun-ripened tomato in Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War.
2. Philadelphia in July Was Hot, Humid, and Miserable
When we picture the signing of the Declaration of Independence, it’s easy to imagine a grand and noble moment with patriotic music soaring in the background.
The reality? The summer of 1776 was oppressively hot.
Philadelphia streets were crowded, dusty, muddy, noisy, and filled with unpleasant smells from horses, refuse, and open gutters. The delegates meeting in the Pennsylvania State House endured the sticky July heat in layers of wool clothing, stockings, waistcoats, and coats.
John Adams, one of the delegates, frequently wrote to his wife, Abigail, complaining about Philadelphia’s “melting heats” and “fierce dog days.” He described the weather as exhausting and expressed profound dread over surviving the summer humidity while debating the Declaration of Independence.
“When the Weather is so extream, the Fatigue of even holding a Pen to write a Letter, is distressing,” Adams wrote.
As I wrote For Liberty and Love, I could feel that oppressive heat and wrinkled my nose at the thoughts of the odors it would have created in America’s largest city.
3. The Bells Truly Rang on July 8, 1776
One of my favorite discoveries involved the public reading of the Declaration of Independence.
Although Congress approved the Declaration on July 4, it wasn’t publicly read anywhere until July 8 in Philadelphia.
On that day, Colonel John Nixon stood in the yard (either on the steps or possibly a wooden platform) of the Pennsylvania State House and read the Declaration aloud to gathered crowds.
Bells began ringing to let people know to come to the State House. The reading was at noon. City and church bells “joyously tolled for most of the day and continued well into the night in celebration.”
I like to close my eyes and imagine hearing those bells echoing through the streets while realizing the colonies had officially declared independence from Britain. What a thrilling, terrifying, and unforgettable day that must have been.
4. Men’s Clothing Had Buttons Everywhere—Women’s Rarely Did
This detail fascinated me because it says so much about daily life in 1776.
Men’s clothing often featured rows and rows of buttons. Coats, waistcoats, breeches, and shirts all relied heavily on them—not just for function, but for fashion and status.
Women’s gowns, however, usually pinned closed or laced rather than buttoned. Buttons were expensive and time-consuming to make, and women’s clothing construction worked differently than men’s tailored garments.
I can’t imagine having to pin my clothes together every day. With my luck, I’d turn into a human pincushion!
5. There’s Surprisingly Little Information About Martha Washington During the Summer of 1776
Since Martha Washington plays a small but important role in For Liberty and Love, I spent quite a bit of time researching her movements during that summer, wanting to be sure she would be in Philadelphia in July.
I was shocked to discover there really is little information about Martha’s whereabouts that summer, other than to say she was likely in Philadelphia from the end of June until some time in August. Also, I couldn’t believe how few images there were of her from her younger years. This image of a younger Martha is one I used for inspiration of her character in my story.
We know far more about George Washington’s military activities than Martha’s daily life, thoughts, or experiences. Women’s stories were often poorly documented during the Revolutionary era, even when those women played important roles behind the scenes.
It makes it even more important to me, as a writer, to include in my stories courageous women whose contributions to history are sometimes overlooked . I’m pretty sure Lucy (and Martha!) would approve!
She never intended to become a spy … or fall for one.
Philadelphia, 1776
As whispers of revolution turn swell into a roar for freedom, Lucy Carlson is no longer content to simply watch from behind the counter of her father’s jewelry shop. When a mysterious woman—none other than Martha Washington—leaves behind a locket, Lucy discovers the piece is more than a pretty keepsake. The necklace is a secret vessel for the revolution that carries the promise of love.
Drawn into a dangerous spy ring, Lucy begins crafting coded messages concealed within the locket’s clever design, living a secret double life and risking everything she holds dear in a time of sacrifice and war.
Continental soldier Branch Barton is a man defined by duty. Tasked with rooting out traitors, he moves through the shadowed world of deception and divided loyalties. He’s trained to trust no one, yet he finds himself drawn into a slow-burning connection with the jeweler’s spirited daughter.
But when Lucy begins to suspect Branch may be a Redcoat in disguise, their fragile bond is tested by mistaken identity, growing mistrust, and the threat of betrayal.
In a war where even allies can become enemies, Lucy and Branch must navigate a world of hidden truths and guarded hearts. With the fate of the colonies—and their hearts—hanging in the balance as Lucy delivers a message in enemy territory, will they find the courage to trust each other and choose love?
Have you learned any interesting, odd, fun, or memorable facts recently?
Post your answer for a chance to win a mystery prize!
Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Shanna Hatfield
Howdy!
I love to bake and often experiment with ideas to come up with new cookie recipes. Or try out unusual ingredients.
Root beer is a well-liked flavor at our house, so when I saw a recipe for Root Beer Cookies, I knew I had to give them a whirl!
Root Beer Cookies
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup butter
1 egg
¼ cup buttermilk
2 teaspoon root beer extract (or concentrate)
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 375?.
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Add egg, beating well. Beat in buttermilk and root beer extract.
Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to creamed mixture.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. (I like to line mine with parchment.)
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.
Remove to wire racks to cool.
Root Beer Frosting
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter (softened)
1 tablespoon root beer extract
Mix powdered sugar with softened butter, and root beer concentrate.
Frost cookies.
Store in airtight container up to five days.
Yield: approx. 24 cookies
NOTE: You can cut back the root beer extract to 1 teaspoon. We like ours with extra “pop!”
Have you ever baked with soda pop?
Congrats to Shanna’s Winner
Thank you to everyone who shared such nice comments today! You are appreciated!
Today’s winner of Shanna’s Giveaway is Patti Whitaker! Congrats, Patti!
Giving a Series a Makeover
From time to time, it is necessary to give book covers a fresh look.
I recently concluded my Pendleton Petticoats series (all 11 books) needed a makeover.
It wasn’t something I particularly wanted to do.
And it wasn’t the first time I’d given the books a new “face.”
I thought you might like to see the evolution of the first book, Aundy.
Back when I first published the book in 2013, I was working with zero budget for buying nice book covers. So I made my own despite my lack of experience with them.
The woman who appears to be running off the cover was me, wearing an outfit my mom had made for me years ago. I photoshopped in the background and the lamb.
That finished the book. And I wrote a few others in the series.
Then I decided Aundy and the other books REALLY needed an upgrade.
By then, I could afford to spend a little on book covers and used images I found on a stock photo website I subscribed to.
I’m not sure if this cover is better or worse!
The next cover was much, much better (my skills had improved and I had access to better images).
Yet, it was still time for an update.
I am so, so pleased with the way Aundy turned out. And I love that Garrett is now on the cover as well!
If you are unfamiliar with the series, Aundy is the first book.
A widowed mail-order bride.
A stubborn rancher.
An unexpected second chance.
Aundy Thorsen crossed the country to become a mail-order bride … only to find herself a widow days later. With nowhere to turn and no intention of going back to Chicago, Aundy sets out to build a life for herself in Eastern Oregon. But forging a future on a rustic homestead is harder than she imagined, especially when it means wrangling unruly chickens, tending sheep, and proving she can manage on her own. The last thing she wants is help from her infuriatingly handsome neighbor.
Garrett Nash has spent his life working the family ranch and understands just how unforgiving the frontier can be. When tragedy leaves Aundy alone, the steady, protective cowboy offers his help out of obligation. Admiration for the brave, determined woman soon turns into something far deeper and richer.
However, Aundy has already risked her heart once and paid the price. She refuses to make that mistake again. But Garrett isn’t offering to rescue her. He’s proposing a true partnership.
In this sweet and wholesome historical western romance, a slow-burn love story unfolds between a strong heroine and the rugged rancher next door. Filled with warmth, gentle humor, and hard-won hope, Aundy is a moving story of second chances, found family, and a love powerful enough to take root in the wild, untamed West.
Welcome to Pendleton, Oregon, where courageous women, steadfast cowboys, and a close-knit community build lives filled with hope, humor, and lasting love. Each story in the Pendleton Petticoats series delivers a heartfelt romance, rich western charm, and a deeply satisfying happily-ever-after.
Start the journey today—and discover the story that began it all.
And here is what all the covers (in order) look like.
Which book cover (or book) in the series is your favorite?
Post your answer for a chance to win a digital copy of Aundy and a $5 Amazon Gift Card!
Eliza Barchus – The Oregon Artist
Since it is Women in History Month, I thought I’d share about a woman who is no longer well-known, but her career added beauty to the world around her.
Eliza Barchus was an artist who eventually became known as “The Oregon Artist.”
Born in 1857 in Salt Lake City, Utah, Eliza didn’t recall much about her father, other than that he died when she was young. When she was seventeen, she wed John Lansing. The couple had two children, one of whom died in infancy, before the marriage “failed” and they divorced. Eliza then wed John Barchus and the couple moved to Portland with her daughter Isabel in 1880. They had a daughter who died at birth, then a son, Harold, and another daughter, Agnes.
With an admiration for Western landscapes, Eliza began taking art lessons in 1884 from Will S. Parrott, who was known at the time as the “foremost artist” of Portland.” Eliza sold her first painting of Mount Rainier for $1 a year later.
In 1887 she won a gold medal at the Portland Mechanics Fair Art Exhibition for a painting of Mount Hood.
In 1890, a large oil painting she’d made of Mount Hood was displayed in New York City at the National Academy of Design and was considered quite an honor. It was also that year that several of her paintings were displayed at the Portland Hotel at the cigar and souvenir concession area. Her husband, who suffered from ill health, went south in the winter and persuaded an art emporium in Los Angeles to sell her paintings as well.
To supplement the family income, Eliza began to barter paintings for work by carpenters, plumbers, and other tradesmen as well as professional services from a dentist and physician. Eliza also sold her paintings, but to create additional income she sold modestly priced color postcards and illustrated brochures with reproductions of her work. Those marketing techniques helped immensely when her husband passed in 1899 and Eliza became the sole supporter of her family.
She produced thousands of paintings in what was referred to as an “assembly line” style of working on several canvases at once, doing similar parts on each canvas, that kept a roof over their heads, but was sometimes criticized. She advertised her paintings in catalogs and developed a good business through the mail.
In 1901, Eliza exhibited several paintings at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. Four years later, she won a gold medal at the Lewis & Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland for a collection of her Pacific coast landscapes.
Through the 1920s, Eliza traveled the Western United States, painting everything from the Cascade Range volcanoes to the Columbia Gorge, Yellowstone Falls, Yosemite National Park, San Francisco Bay, and hundreds of other locations.
She worked primarily with oils through the 1930s. Her career ended in 1935 when arthritis and failing eyesight made it impossible for her to continue painting. She lived to the age of 102. Eleanor Roosevelt marked Eliza’s 100th birthday in her syndicated column. Eliza had a long career, sustained by her business intelligence and her talent and skill.
After her death, the Oregon Legislative Assembly declared her “The Oregon Artist.” Today, examples of her work may be found in art collections in Portland and around the country.
Do you have a favorite artist?
What do you love most about their artwork?
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Copycat Recipes
Have you ever gone somewhere, eaten something amazing, and then returned home, determined to recreate that wonderful thing you just ate?
If you’re like me, trying to get it exactly right can prove challenging, and I find myself looking for “copycat” recipes.
Over the years, I’ve collected a few “copycats” and among our favorites are a doughnut recipe, a cheesy corn bake, and my husband’s can’t-watch-the-Super-Bowl-without-it Dill Pickle Dip.
Because winter seems like a perfect time to make doughnuts, I thought you might enjoy the recipe. If you don’t like to cook, just swing by Krispy Kreme and grab a box of their glazed doughnuts.
Raised Doughnuts
2 packets yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup shortening
5 cups flour
oil
Glaze
1/3 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
4-6 tbsp. hot water
Scald milk and then cool.
Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large mixing bowl. Add in milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening and two cups of the flour. Mix on low speed until blended, scraping the bowl frequently. Once all the ingredients are combined, mix on high speed for two minutes.
Stir in remaining flour until well blended.
Cover and let rise until double (about an hour).
On a floured surface, very gently roll out the dough until about 1/2 inch thick. Handle the dough as little as possible. Cut with a doughnut cutter (if you don’t have one, any circular object like a glass will work. I used a Wilton cake decorating coupler to cut out the centers.)
Cover and let rise until double (about 45 minutes).
Heat oil in a deep fryer or heavy-duty pan until it reaches 350 degrees. Slide doughnuts into hot oil very carefully. Cook until golden brown. I may have had my oil entirely too hot, but it was taken about 30 seconds per side. You can watch the inside of the doughnut hole and when it starts to turn brown, flip the doughnut over.
Remove carefully from oil when brown and drain.
Dip warm doughnuts on the glaze then set on a rack to cool slightly before devouring way too many!
To make the glaze, melt butter, stir in vanilla and powdered sugar then add enough hot water, one spoon at a time to reach desired consistency. It should be fairly thin. I placed the doughnuts right in the bowl of glaze, flipped them over to coat both sides then moved to the rack to finish cooling.
Makes approximately 24.
What’s your favorite copycat recipe to make, or the original to enjoy?