Cowboys – General

Roped Into Paradise

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Sometimes the idea for a story catches me completely by surprise.

Such was the case for my wholesome rom-com that releases next week.

Last February, I was sitting at my desk, looking outside at the cold, wintery day, and wondering why we don’t plan vacations to sunny locales during the coldest months of the year, when an email popped into my inbox from my dad’s cousin, J/J.

J/J loves to go on cruises. In fact, at the time, he was on a multi-week, back-to-back series of cruises in the Caribbean.

When I saw an email from him, I thought, “Oh, fun! More news from someplace where it is warm and sunny and you don’t have to put on wool socks just to go get the mail.”

The email read:

“Is there any chance in the future I might see a book about romance on the high seas where a cowboy takes a cruise to some exotic location?”

After reading that question, I couldn’t help myself. My imagination shifted into high gear and I began brainstorming story ideas.

What if there was a cowboy from someplace cold, going to spend time with his grandmother who lived someplace warm, and the grandma—being an eccentric ol’ gal—drags him onto a cruise without giving him any warning or opinions on the matter? From there, the ideas kept rolling.

I’ve never been on a cruise, but, thankfully, J/J was so kind to answer my many questions and share day-to-day cruising details with me. For a week, I almost felt like I was right there on the cruise ship. J/J was also kind enough to save a bunch of information he received on the cruise, like their daily planners, and mail them to me when he returned home. There was so much great information that he shared, and I tried to work in as much as I could into the story.

A cowboy, a cruise, and a meddling grandma—what could go wrong?

JJ McKade expected to spend two weeks with his grandmother at her condo in sunny Florida, celebrating her birthday. Instead, he got shanghaied by his mischievous grandma on a Caribbean cruise—complete with hot pink luggage, a gaggle of giggling octogenarians, and a humiliating childhood nickname haunting his every move.

Between meddling matchmakers, unexpected friendships, and the endless chaos of cruise life, JJ can’t help being drawn to Kinsley Kline, the ship’s enchanting horticulturist. There’s just one catch: crew fraternizing with passengers is strictly forbidden.

With only a few months left in her contract aboard The Affinity, Kinsley can’t let anything rock her boat or derail her plans. Then the arrival of a hunky cowboy on the ship makes her question if some rules are meant to be broken, and a little boat rocking is a good thing.

From sun-drenched beaches to moonlit strolls, JJ and Kinsley must decide if an onboard romance can last on land, and if love is worth risking their hearts.

Packed with laughter, longing, and a grandmother who refuses to play by the rules, Roped Into Paradise is a heartwarming and wholesome romantic comedy about family, hope, and finding love where you least expect it. Perfect for fans of witty banter, unexpected romance, and cruise ship escapades that sweep you off your feet.

Here’s a little excerpt from the book:

JJ tugged on the only pair of clean jeans he’d packed in his bag and unrolled a green plaid western shirt, fastening the snaps with one hand while using the other to finger-comb his hair. In the adjoining bathroom, he splashed his face with cold water and brushed his teeth, then he moseyed into the kitchen, lured by the scent of coffee.

“Here,” Grams said, shoving a travel mug into his hand. “You can drink that on the way.”

“On the way to where?” he asked, taking a long, bracing sip of coffee so strong and black, he could feel it peeling away layers of tissue as it traveled down his throat.

“The store, JJ. Do try to keep up,” Grams said, snagging her car keys off a hook by the door that led into her garage. She gave him a look that clearly conveyed her thoughts that he was hopeless as he stumbled over the step into the garage. “I’ll drive.”

He thought about arguing, but refrained. Until the caffeine kicked in, he wasn’t sure he could find his way out to the end of the driveway.

Ten minutes later, Grams pulled into the nearly empty parking lot of a superstore that sold everything from fried chicken to pontoon boats. Hungry as he was, the fried chicken didn’t sound all that bad, even if it was a grease-soaked remnant from yesterday’s offerings.

Confused as to why they were at the store before most of the population was even awake, JJ took another long drink of coffee and then set the mug in the cupholder of the SUV.

“Why on earth are we here?” he asked as he got out of the vehicle and walked with his grandmother to the door.

“We can’t go on the boat ride until you are properly outfitted.”

“Boat ride? Outfitted?” JJ thought maybe he’d dreamed the part about Grams mentioning a boat ride last night. Did he really need new attire for a ride around the lake? Usually, they took a fishing charter cruise around the lake at some point during his visit. Cargo shorts, a T-shirt, and an old pair of sneakers would work just fine for that. “What are you talking about, Grams?”

“I told you I booked a boat ride, JJ. Aren’t you listening?” Grams asked as though he were five and incapable of paying attention.

He watched as his grandmother snagged a shopping cart from the row of them outside the door, set her purse inside, and grabbed his arm in one seemingly smooth motion as she marched inside the store.

“What kind of boat ride requires getting up this early in the morning to come shopping here, of all places, so I can be properly outfitted? Last I checked, you and Mom would both develop acute hives if you had to purchase your wardrobe here.”

Grams smiled at the greeter standing near the door and made a beeline for the men’s clothing. JJ hoped he could still move with as much agility as his grandmother had when he was her age. Then again, she attended a yoga class three times a week and took pride in walking at least a mile every day.

“It means, JJ, that we are boarding a cruise ship at half past ten this morning and setting sail for the Caribbean. You need clothes for an eleven-day trip. From the pathetic contents of your duffel bag, you’ll be forced to wash your undies in the bathroom sink every other day. You should have listened when your mother suggested you pack a suitcase with plenty of clothes, baby. Now, stop dawdling and get to shopping.” Grams pointed to a rack of cargo shorts.

Releasing January 29!

If you could snap your fingers and be on a dream vacation today, where would you go and what would you see?

Post your answer for a chance to win a $5 Amazon Gift Card!

Creating Cowboys

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Confession? I don’t know any real cowboys. I’ve read about them in the novels that my fellow western romance authors write; I’ve watched myriad TV westerns both new and old and rodeo videos galore. We had horses for fifteen years, so I’ve met lots of horsemen, some may even have thought of themselves as cowboys, some sure acted as if they thought they were. But a cattle drive in Montana is very different from riding the horse trails in a state park in the Midwest.

So when it came time for me to write cowboys as characters in my new series for Tule Publishing, Juniper Falls Ranch, I admit I was daunted. Mostly because my heroes have all been pretty much beta guys—kind, sensitive, nerdy men who have no idea how truly desirable they are until my heroines show them. Oh, don’t get me wrong, they’re all pretty confident in their own abilities, they’re just not the swaggering type I always pictured cowboys to be. I’ve never really written alpha heroes because the men in my life, Husband, Son, the friends we are drawn to, are quietly strong, thoughtful men who are always there for me without fanfare or machismo.

But as I learned more and more about cowboys, I discovered that “alpha” didn’t really define the cowboy heroes I was reading about and watching. The swaggering stereotypical cowboy I’d always imagined was so far off the mark that I was actually shocked … and delighted. That quiet strength, that determination that I’d written into my beta winemakers, veterinarians, carpenters, college professors, and chefs were also hallmarks of the cowboy persona. When I created bronc rider Del Foster and rodeo cutting champion Bo Kennedy, those qualities—gentleness, intelligence, supportiveness, loyalty, steadiness, awareness of their own emotions as well as others—were all things my cowboys could be … and are.

And okay, I admit I had to learn to curb my heroes’ proclivity to be too chatty, something my critique partner and my editor ding me on even when I’m not writing cowboys, it’s been so very rewarding to create the cowboy heroes at Juniper Falls Ranch in Marietta, Montana—strong, brave, gentle men who make readers’ hearts (and mine!) beat just a little faster.

So tell me, what’s your favorite thing about cowboy heroes?

The Cowboy’s Comeback, book 2 in the Juniper Falls Ranch series, releases, January 29, but free ARC e-book copies are available here if you’re interested in reading and reviewing. I’d sure appreciate it if you did!

Thanks for stopping by today. I do hope the New Year treats you well and that you’ll find lots of cowboys (including my Montana guys) to fall in love with in 2026!

Covering Christmas

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Covering Christmas is my last holiday release this year. It was such a fun story to write about a bareback rider trying to win a world championship title, the western lifestyle reporter who catches his eye and his heart, and Ella – the daughter he never knew he had until her mother dies and he suddenly finds himself in the role of single parent.

He wants a gold buckle. She needs a fresh start. But love—and a little girl—have other plans.

When the reigning world champion bareback rider retires, Keller Drake finally has a clear shot at claiming the title he’s chased for years, until an attorney corners him at a rodeo with life-altering news. Keller has a five-year-old daughter he never knew existed, and Ella’s late mother named him guardian in her will. Suddenly, the man who can ride the rankest broncs in the world is terrified of something far more dangerous—fatherhood.

 

 

In the book, Keller is a peanut butter addict. He loves anything made with peanut butter. His daughter, Ella is the same way.

Here’s a little excerpt from the story I thought might make you smile.

 

“My wife said to tell you that Ella is staying with us tonight, and you can pick her up after breakfast tomorrow.”

Keller turned to stare at Cooper as they stood in line at the hotel’s coffee shop. Cobie had knocked on their door and offered to style Ella’s hair, so Keller had volunteered to hustle downstairs to get breakfast. He’d run into Cooper in the elevator, and they’d made their way to the coffee shop. A line snaked out the door, but they weren’t overly concerned because the service on previous mornings had been fast and efficient.

“Is there any reason in particular your wife is kidnapping my daughter?”

Cooper grinned. “She said you and Cobie need some time together without a five-year-old chaperone. Buy tickets to a show and take Cobie out on the town after the rodeo tonight. You both deserve to have a little fun. Ella and Alex get along like two little peas in a pod, and it isn’t any trouble to keep her tonight. Just bring a bag with her jammies and whatever she’ll need to our room before you head over to the rodeo this afternoon.”

“Are you sure, Coop? I already feel like I’ve taken advantage of you and everyone else who has helped with Ella while I’m riding.”

Cooper looked insulted. “You aren’t taking advantage of us. We’re all glad to help, Keller. Paige and I know how hard it is to have a child and rodeo, and there are two of us working at it. You deserve a little time to enjoy life. You’re only what? Twenty-seven?”

“Just turned twenty-six, and I feel like I’m careening toward fifty.”

Cooper chuckled. “Exactly what I mean. Take Cobie somewhere fun and spend the evening being a young, not entirely ugly, single guy out for a great evening with a beautiful woman who clearly does not find him to be totally repulsive.”

“Ugly and repulsive. Guess I’m moving up in the world,” Keller quipped as the line inched forward. “Seriously, man, I appreciate it, and tell Paige I’ll gather Ella’s stuff and drop it off before we head out for the day. How about I reciprocate and keep Alex for you one evening so you and Paige can have some time alone?”

“I’d love that, but let’s make it during the day. We’re both too exhausted to do anything after the rodeo. I’m not as young as I used to be, you know.”

Keller shook his head in disbelief. “You’re going to be perpetually younger than us all, Coop. How about you leave Alex with me tomorrow morning? I can make sure he gets lunch, and you can reclaim him sometime in the afternoon before I need to head over to the rodeo.”

“I like it. It’s a deal,” Cooper said, shaking Keller’s hand.

“Any food allergies I should know about?” Keller asked as they got closer to the counter.

“Nope, and he’s usually a good eater. Takes after his dad.”

“I’m pretty sure a refined palate is more a trait from his mother, but what do I know?” Keller teased, then placed his order for breakfast. He got yogurt and an assortment of whole fruit, and could hardly believe his luck when he spied peanut butter muffins studded with chocolate chips in the pastry case.

“One of those muffins, please,” Keller said as the young woman behind the counter gathered his order.

“You and your peanut butter addiction,” Cooper pointed to the case of pastries. “I heard Ella has been known to eat it straight out of the jar.”

“What?” Keller asked, staring at Cooper. “Where did you hear that?”

“From Alex. He said they were hungry, and Ella got out a jar of peanut butter and ate it with a spoon. He went with a bag of fruit snacks. That was back when we were in Pendleton, or was it Walla Walla? Anyway, the gist of my story is that your daughter also has a predilection for peanut butter and eats it straight from the jar.”

Keller thought of all the peanut butter he’d eaten the last few months and wondered how much of it had five-year-old slobbers living in the jar. He would have been grossed out, but considering some of the things he’d cleaned up when Ella had the twenty-four-hour tummy flu, he decided slobber was the least of his worries.

Here’s an easy recipe for Peanut Butter Candy

Peanut Butter Drops

INGREDIENTS

1 11-ounce bag white chocolate chips

1 11-ounce bag peanut butter chips

1 cup cocktail peanuts

1 cup crushed pretzel pieces

DIRECTIONS

Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

In a microwave-safe bowl, stir together white chocolate chips and peanut butter chips, then melt in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until the chips are smooth (1-2 minutes).

Stir in peanuts and pretzels, then drop by spoonsful onto the parchment.

Let cool, then store in an airtight container up to a week.

What is your favorite must-have flavor or treat, or holiday indulgence? 

Mine would chocolate in various forms.

Welcome Guest Author Nicole Flockton

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Hi everyone! I’m Nicole Flockton and I’m excited to be with you all today.

Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I write contemporary romances set in cities and small towns. I also write steamy protector romances with heroes that will do anything to keep you safe. I love watching sports, with my kindle in my hand, throwing glitter around social media, tiaras and chocolate. I’ve got two adult children, one loving husband, a needy Pomeranian and two indulged cats.

If I’m a little slow in responding to your comments today, it’s because when this post goes live I shall be sleeping! Why is that you may ask? Well, it’s because I’m coming to you from the most isolated city in the world – Perth, Western Australia.

While Perth is a bustling metropolis, in terms of our location, we’re like those small country towns that don’t often get visited. Many people who live on the east coast of Australia grumble about coming to Perth because it’s so far away but for me it’s always been home and the best thing about Perth is we’re only a forty-minute ferry ride across the Indian Ocean to the cutest animals in the world – the Quokka! Now that’s worth the endless flight and losing a day from the USA to see. Or the five-hour flight from Sydney!

I should also mention that for 12 years I lived in Houston Texas. Houston definitely makes Perth look like a small town.

My latest book Headstrong Cowboy is set in Tule Publishing’s iconic small-town Marietta Montana and is part of a 4-book series centered around the annual Copper Mountain Rodeo. I was so excited to contribute to the legacy of Marietta and created the Bloom family, who run a flower farm in Marietta – something a little different than them running a ranch.

Chrysanthemum (Chrissy) Bloom, is the oldest daughter and she’s back at the farm after her divorce and the sad passing of her former husband. The farm is in financial difficulties and she feels it’s her responsibility to save it.

Ryder Chamberlain, is a bull rider who was forced to end his career earlier than planned due to injury. He’s landed in Marietta to fulfil a wish from his long-deceased mother, a wish he didn’t know about until recently. Only to do that, he’s going to have to go head-to-head with Chrissy.

The book is full of family love, secrets and two people who find out that what they thought they wanted is the opposite of what they actually need. Guaranteed happy ever after, it is a romance after all.

 

Headstrong Cowboy

When Chrysanthemum Bloom returns home to the family flower farm after her father’s death, she finds it on the brink of bankruptcy. Her mother is determined to sell it, but Chrissy believes she can turn the business around if given the chance. She enters the Copper Mountain Rodeo’s barrel racing competition in the hope of winning some prize money, never mind that she hasn’t competed in years.

Ryder Chamberlain’s bull riding career ended suddenly when he lost an argument with the bull he was riding. Following his late mother’s wishes, he arrives in Marietta, determined to reclaim what had been taken. The Bloom Flower farm sits on land once owned by his kin and is Ryder’s for the buying, until he meets Chrissy and discovers it’s not going to be an easy purchase after all.

Both Chrissy and Ryder are determined to win the fight for the farm, but the unexpected attraction that flares between them has them both wondering if, instead of fighting, becoming a team is the best outcome for all.

Learn more or purchase HERE

 

 

For a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card, tell me what is the favorite thing about where you live?

About Nicole Flockton 

Award winning and USA Today Bestselling author Nicole Flockton writes steamy contemporary romances that sparkle and seduce you one kiss at a time. Nicole likes nothing better than taking characters and creating unique situations where they fight to find their true love. When she’s not busy writing she’s living life with her very own hero – her wonderfully supportive husband, as well as her two fabulous kids and various fur babies. Her kindle is never far from her reach. She’s a tiara wearing certified chocoholic, Cinderella lover, major BTS fan, sports lover and a glitter aficionado. You can visit Nicole at her website .  Sign-up for her newsletter here. Join her reader group.  Follow her on Facebook , Bookbub, Amazon, Instagram.

 

Guest Author Sinclair Jayne – Rogue Cowboy

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Petticoats and Pistols is proud to host guest author Sinclair Jayne:

Hello – Sinclair Jayne here. One of my favorite places to set a romance is in Marietta, Montana, which is a Tule Publishing and Tule author created town loosely based on Livingston, Montana. I’ve traveled to Montana many times, but never yet to Paradise Valley, where Marietta is, surrounded by two intensely gorgeous mountain ranges—Gallatin and Absaroka.

It’s a given that a Montana romance not only stars the hero and the heroine, but also the setting—the connection to the rugged and beautiful land, the traditions, the tight, smalltown community where people are fiercely independent, yet may need their neighbors, especially in a ranching community. And of course, there’s the spectacular scenery, along with the geology, geography, wildlife and of course weather.

Any time there is an opportunity to participate in a multi-author series at Marietta, Montana’s Copper Mountain Rodeo, my hand shoots up. “Me, me, me.” I live in a rural town in Oregon, and the annual rodeo and the fair are a must and a way for the community to reconnect to the ranching and agrarian roots. For my new book Rogue Cowboy, I wanted to dig into rodeo culture and embrace the healing power of family, small town, ties to the land and of course second chances.

Rogue Cowboy is a reunion romance along with a secret marriage of convenience. The love story features Riley Telford, a local horse trainer cowgirl and former Special Forces soldier, Cole Jameson, who grew up ranch in Texas, but has come to Montana to reclaim his secret bride. No one in his tightknit ranching family has ever divorced so he’s determined to win Riley’s heart so their marriage can be ‘real.’

Western Cowboy romances are my absolute favorite to write. Readers and writers love them for a reason. Cowboys are iconic. The cowboy code. The western hero might be morally grey, but they have their own code of honor and way of being in the world that feels both classic, but so necessary in our complicated present. There is no dialing in a cowboy hero. Readers have high expectations, and I lean into the challenge of meeting them. A Cowboy doesn’t need to swagger (but yum if he does). He does require confidence, goals, a can-do attitude and yes, even if he’s a bad boy, he needs to be kind in some way, take care of the heroine, even when she’s convinced he’s the last thing she needs. Cowboys commit.

Rogue Cowboy: Excerpt (after five-year separation)

 

Riley headed to the barn, needing time to rope her carefree, cowgirl persona snugly around her.

She drew in a deep breath and her heart leapt to her throat. What a gorgeous smell, teasingly familiar. It took her back to the before. She closed her eyes remembering. Bergamot, hint of cedar, sun-warmed leather and something exotic like sandalwood—not that she’d smelled actual sandalwood.

But it smelled heady. Taunted familiarity and safety. Miles out of reach.

Cole. If only. She inhaled again. Pretended she could go back in time to when she’d desperately crushed on him and wanted to show off. Before when life was simple, and the future was a sparkly gold and pink road she could run down, her head full of dreams.

How had she been so stupid and young?

She opened her eyes and through a crack in the door dandelion seeds floated in the shaft of light.

Make a wish.

From behind, a strong arm slipped around her shoulders and a hand anchored lightly on her hip, trapping her between a hard body and the cool metal of Cinnamon’s stall.

“Hello, Riley.”

 

Want to learn more? Here’s my website & newsletter sign up: https://sinclairjayne.com

About Jayne:

Sinclair has loved reading romance novels since she discovered Barbara Cartland historical romances when she was in sixth grade. By seventh grade, she was haunting the library shelves looking to fall in love over and over again with the heroes born from the imaginations of her favorite authors. After teaching writing classes and workshops to adults and teens for many years in Seattle and Portland, she returned to her first love of reading romances and became an editor for Tule Publishing last year. In addition, she’s published over 30 romances of her own.

Sinclair lives in Oregon’s wine country where she and her family own a small vineyard of Pinot Noir and where she dreams of being able to write at a desk like Jane Austen instead of in parking lots waiting for her kids to finish one of their 12,000 extracurricular activities.

 

 

Now it’s your turn – do you think a strong sense of setting enhances a story? Do you have a favorite setting? Share your thoughts in the comments and you’ll be entered in the drawing for the special prize package pictured below.

Sunrise Surf

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When I was kicking around ideas for the hero in my new book, Sunrise Surf, releasing July 31, I decided to make him a surfer, mostly because I’d chosen the book title last year and wanted surf to have some significance to the story.

However, I wanted the hero to be a guy with integrity who can carry a lot of responsibility on his shoulders.

Just before I started writing this book, the news featured details about a huge multistate drug bust that has been dubbed the largest fentanyl bust in DEA history. That gave me the idea to have Logan be a state police officer working undercover as the laid-back, no-cares-in-the-world surfer named Bodhi.

The only problem with making him a surfer was that I knew nothing about it, except how much I smile when I hear the song “Wipe Out,” which really doesn’t count for anything.

So, I started doing research about surfing and learned about waves, boards, surfer slang, sharks in Oregon (ack!), and wetsuits.

I’m a very visual learner. I wanted to watch a documentary or movie about surfing. I stumbled across Chasing Mavericks, a 2012 American biographical drama film about the life of American surfer Jay Moriarity.

Not only did I learn about surfing, I learned about someone who impacted the lives around him. Jay was a 15-year-old surfing phenomenon who wanted to ride the Mavericks surf break in California, one of the biggest waves on Earth. He trained with surfing legend Frosty Hesson, and a photo of his wipeout on the Mavericks became the cover of a surfing magazine. Jay went on to become an accomplished surfer, waterman, and adventurer. The day before his twenty-third birthday, he was free-diving in the Maldives and died. No one is sure what happened. In honor of his life, of the inspiration he gave to the people he encountered, a Live Like Jay movement began.

Live Like Jay embodies living a life of passion, positivity, and authenticity.

The thing about this movie that I randomly decided to watch is that I unknowingly watched it on the anniversary of his death date. It gave me goose bumps when I started doing research about Jay Moriarity the next day, which would have been his birthday. Even typing that just gave me goose bumps.

By now, you are wondering what an undercover state police office pretending to be a surfer has to do with anything western.

Well, not a lot, except Logan, the hero, grew up on a ranch in Central Oregon and our surfing cowboy still loves to rope and ride any chance he gets.

I hope you’ll check out Sunrise Surf!

When a police officer posing as a surfer and a doctor wading through the unchartered waters of parenting a teen join forces to dismantle a drug operation, anything is possible.

Oregon State Police Officer Logan Wright swaps his badge for a board, posing undercover as a homeless surfer to infiltrate a deadly drug ring. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Seaside’s rugged coastline, he struggles with his dual life, especially after meeting a beautiful doctor who turns his head and touches his heart. Troubled by the fine line between duty and authenticity, Logan fears sharing the truth of his identity will drive her away.

Laken Hayes is a devoted doctor, fiercely protective of her teenage nephew, and determined to keep her hectic life in balance. But when a free-spirited surfer enters her world, nothing will ever be the same. Unexpectedly drawn to the charismatic man, Laken finds joy in his upbeat outlook on life while inadvertently becoming entangled in the web of Logan’s mission.

As their connection deepens and mysteries unravel, Logan faces a heart-wrenching dilemma: will he continue the deception to protect his cover or reveal his true self to the woman who has captured his heart?

Join Logan and Laken as they navigate a tide of secrets, false identities, and a wave of fast-moving danger in Sunrise Surf, a wholesome small-town romance that proves love may be the ultimate risk worth taking.

I found the idea of Live Like Jay so inspiring. 

What is a slogan, saying, or something that has inspired you? 

Campfire Ballads and Cowboy Truths + Giveaway

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Mountains and prairie in background. Campfire in foreground. "Campfire Ballads & Cowboy Truths"

We have a guest at the junction today! Let’s give a warm welcome to KyLee Woodley, author of The Bounty Hunter’s Surrender. KyLee’s giving away a copy of her book!

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Campfire Ballads and Cowboy Truths

Photo Credit: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print/%5B/caption%5D
 
Before playlists and pop charts, what did music mean to a cowboy riding under the stars?
Music was more than mere entertainment—it was a tool for teaching lessons, building community, and expressing faith. On Petticoats and Pistols, we’ll focus on songs and stories that shaped cowboy culture.
The first song we’ll look at was used in a minstrel-style format, with a with versions dating from colonial times to the early 1900s. “Root Hog or Die” had a quirky title—rooted in colonial practices of letting pigs roam free to fend for themselves—that helped it evolve into a colorful and enduring piece of Americana.
“Root Hog or Die” started as a sort of proverb or adage, warning folks to work hard. The Vermont Gazette (1829) called it a “vulgar proverb” but admitted it often encouraged a strong work ethic. During the Civil War, both the Union and Confederate sides created their own versions of the song. One variation, taken from the Confederate tune “Flight of Doodles,” goes:
I saw Texas go in with a smile,
But I tell you what it is, she made the Yankees bile;
Oh! it don’t make a nif-a-stifference to neither you nor I,
Texas is the devil, boys; root, hog, or die.
 
A 1911 folk version of the song shares a glimpse into the difficult, unpredictable life of the cowboy. One verse reads:
Sometimes it’s dreadful stormy and sometimes it’s pretty clear.
You may work a month and you might work a year.
But you can make a winning if you’ll come alive and try.
For the whole world over, boys, it’s root hog or die.

[caption id="attachment_107357" align="aligncenter" width="363"] Photo Credit: Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads. (1918). United States: Macmillan.

 

This next song is dear to my heart. I’ll forever remember my mom singing “The Streets of Laredo”—likely the Johnny Cash version—with its hauntingly sweet melody and timeless cowboy sorrow. “The Streets of Laredo” traces its roots to the late 19th century and was first published in 1910 in Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads by John Lomax. It originated from the older Irish folk tune The Unfortunate Rake, which also later influenced St. James Infirmary Blues. Over time, cowboys adapted the lyrics to reflect frontier life, making it one of the most enduring Western ballads. (You can listen to a gorgeous duet version by Marty Robbins and Johnny Cash online.)

Photo Credit: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print%5B/caption%5D

“The Texas Ranger” is a traditional ballad, dating back at least to the 19th century, tells the story of a young Texas Ranger facing danger on the frontier. It often highlights encounters with Native American tribes and frontier justice. Passed down through oral tradition, one well-known version was documented in 1959 but here is one of the earliest versions.

I was scarcely sixteen years of age when I joined that jolly band;

We marched from San Antonio unto the Rio Grande.

Our captain there informed us, perhaps he thought it right,

“Before you reach the station,” says he, “boys, you’ll have to fight.”

As we trace the melodies of the old West, we’re reminded that the music of that era wasn’t polished or perfect—but it was real. These songs echo the grit, humor, grief, and resilience of everyday folks navigating life on the frontier. Whether sung around a campfire or carried in a mother’s voice at bedtime, they were a reflection of a people learning to hope, endure, and belong. And maybe, just maybe, in a world that feels far from simple, they still have something to teach us today. Thanks for taking this journey with me. I’d love to hear which cowboy tune holds a place in your heart.

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THE BOUNTY HUNTER’S SURRENDER

 

Book cover The Bounty Hunter's Surrender. Man in frontier clothing and brunette woman in prairie dress

An expecting widow, a rugged bounty hunter, and a set of secrets that might shatter her fragile heart.

The death of Aubrey Willot’s wealthy but abusive husband left her with an unborn child, an empty chateau, and the last name of a criminal. When she learns he double-crossed a ruthless business associate, she’s forced to accept the protection of the handsome and daring bounty hunter tasked with finding her late husband’s fortune. Though Aubrey swore never to trust another man, she can’t help but be drawn to the bounty hunter’s rugged charm.

After a tragic mistake cost him everything, Nathan Reed spent years running from his past. Now, he needs funds to care for his orphaned niece, and quickly. The chance to retrieve a set of stolen documents offers an opportunity he can’t resist. He’ll find those papers and claim the reward, even if it means deceiving the alluring young widow.

As danger rises, Audrey’s strength, honesty, and compassion break down Nathan’s defenses, daring him to embrace a future he never imagined—a loving wife and a family of his own. But when his secrets are exposed, will his chance at redemption and Aubrey’s heart slip through his fingers?

Purchase links can be found HERE.

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Author Kylee Woodley with long wavy blond hair, smiling, wearing a floral shirt

KyLee Woodley teaches preschool at a lab school in Texas where she lives with her husband of 18 years and their three teenage children. Having been raised in the Pacific Northwest and spent part of her adult life in Texas, she has a deep respect for American values. She grew up in an impoverished area and began ministering to homeless, drug addicted, and desperate people while in her teens. As a result, she feels a deep sense of concern for society’s unloved. This comes through in her stories, enriched with historical detail that shows how loving the unlovely is a timeless need. On weekends, KyLee cohosts and produces the Historical Bookworm Show—a steadily growing author interview podcast for history lovers and readers of historical fiction.

KyLee has generously offered to give away one copy of The Bounty Hunter’s Surrender to one commenter. The winner will randomly be selected on Sunday.

What ballads, nursery rhymes, or songs shaped you growing up?

Thanks, KyLee, for being our guest today!

Riding Shotgun on the Express Stage and Mail + Giveaway

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We have a guest at the junction today! Let’s give a warm welcome to Tracy Garrett, author of Clint!

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Riding Shotgun on the Express Stage and Mail

For the safety of passengers and cargo—such as payroll for the Army stationed in remote forts across the Plains—stage coach companies began using hired guns. Referred to as Shotgun Riders, they road up top with the driver and a rifle, watching the land around them for the outlaws that were the scourge of the stage companies.

When I was invited to write a book in the multiple-author series “Gun for Hire,” my hero appeared fully formed in my mind. I had done research for a previous book, “Grace,” and found a shotgun rider hero for her. Only I latched onto Wells Fargo as the stage company.

It wasn’t until I was refreshing my mind on the job of the man with the gun that I discovered Wells Fargo never employed a shotgun rider—they never carried money or payroll, only mail and passengers. So, in spite of the name of the Hollywood TV series “Tales of Wells Fargo,” starring Dale Robertson, the setting was inaccurate.

Black and white photo of stagecoach and horses running

For “Clint” I chose another stagecoach company, then changed the name a bit to the Express Stage and Mail. You can check out the actual companies that covered the Santa Fe Trail at http://www.legendsofamerica.com/stagecoach/.

These stage lines could travel the 740 miles from Independence, Missouri, to Santa Fe, New Mexico, in fifteen days. The drivers and shotgun riders would have a section of the trail and ride it back and forth, handing off to other drivers and riders. I imagine they got to know the contours of the land they traveled very well: where there was water, where they could take shelter should it become necessary, and where the outlaws had enough cover to prepare an attack.

In “Clint” my shotgun rider was very good at his job—any outlaws crazy enough to attempt to rob a stage he rode never did so again.

“Clint” is the eighth book of ten in the Gun for Hire series and it will hit Kindles on June 30.

Cover for Clint by Tracy Garrett. Cowboy in front of old west building

 

Clint McGuire has always lived by his gun. Desperate to leave behind a past that haunts him, he becomes a deputy in a small Kansas town and vows to protect its citizens from all dangers—even those he brings with him.

Ophelia Walcott enjoys her job as a schoolteacher, but she wants a family of her own and a man who will love her. She finds herself intrigued by the elusive loner who courageously defends the place she calls home.

Clint knows all he can offer Ophelia is trouble and heartbreak, but he is unable to resist the charms of the beautiful schoolteacher. When his secrets threaten their blossoming love, Clint must choose between continuing to live a lie in order to make Ophelia’s dreams come true or facing the truth about his previous life and risk it destroying them both.

 

Excerpt from CLINT:

Chapter One

March 1876

Vinduska, Kansas

“Charlie Ingraham, what is wrong with you today?” Ophelia Dolores Walcott, Lea to all who knew her, joined the ten-year-old at the door to the schoolhouse and scanned the yard of the schoolhouse. She’d left the door open after the other children departed, opening windows on each side of the large room to air it out and clear out some of the chalk dust from her class’s vigorous cleaning of their slates. “You’re as jumpy as a flea in a pack of puppies.”

“I’m just excited. The Stage and Mail is late, Miss Walcott. The westbound stage is already gone, but the eastbound is late. Ma’s coming home today. She said. Her last letter said Grandma was doing fine and she’d be on the stage today. But it’s late and it’s never late. Maybe something bad happened!”

“I’m sure everything is fine, Charlie. Perhaps they were delayed leaving the last stop.” Although it was unusual for the Express Stage and Mail not to be on time. Well, nothing to be gained by speculation. “Come on, help me lay the fire for tomorrow morning, and close up the schoolhouse.” She patted his shoulder gently. “It’s time for you to be getting home.”

“Yes, Miss Walcott. Maybe Pa will know why the stage is late.”

Charlie’s father, Wilson, ran the mercantile and post office. If anyone had news to share, he would. “I bet he will. Let’s close up and go ask him.”

A crowd was gathering by the time she and the boy reached the mercantile, waiting for the stage to arrive. Though it came through on a regular schedule, it took on the excitement of a new adventure every time. Charlie spotted his friends and ran to them. As if on cue, the rattle of the coach wheels on the hard-packed soil sounded in the distance and approached fast.

As it rolled to a stop in front of the Express office, the doors were flung open on both sides and seven passengers spilled out. “That’s it, I don’t care if it costs more. Next time I’m taking the train.” The speaker stumbled off, obviously overwrought. Wilson reached in to help his wife out. Maybelle looked pale.

“Welcome, home, wife.” Wilson kissed her cheek, bringing a little color back.

“I’m glad to be home, Wilson. That was an experience I don’t care to repeat, I must say.”

Charlie came running up. “What happened, Ma?”

“A gang of riders tried to overtake the stage, apparently to rob us.”

Charlie’s eyes rounded. “Outlaws?”

Wilson tucked her closer to his side. “Are you alright, my dear? You weren’t injured?”

Her chin rose as dignity reasserted itself. “They were unsuccessful.” She turned to the driver. “Thank you, both of you,” she included the man on the roof, “for getting us here safely.”

Lea stayed out of the way as luggage was unloaded and the man the driver called his shotgunner sat down where he was and began cleaning his rifle. He was a tall man and lanky, but strong, as he’d hefted boxes and trunks as if they weighed nothing. His dark chestnut hair was a little long and the ends curled just past his collar. As he glanced at her, she was surprised to see eyes as brown as mahogany.

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“Well, Shotgun, we made it.” The driver slapped Clint on the back as he finally climbed down, and huffed out a relieved breath. “That was some fancy shootin’ back there, McGuire.”

They moved out of the way as fresh horses were put in the traces and the wheels of the coach were greased. Then the new driver and shotgun who would take the stage on east to the next stop climbed aboard. Luggage and freight were secured, passengers got in and with a shout and the crack of a whip, the stages began to move.

When the dust settled, Clint McGuire shoved his hat back with one finger. “Johnny, your driving made it easy as a turkey shoot.”

Johnny cackled. “I’ve seen my share of good shotgunners, but you beat all. Between you and that repeatin’ rifle, you made sure them outlaws couldn’t run us to ground, or the westbound, come to that.”

“They won’t be running anyone to ground anymore.” Clint’s expression was grim. It was his job to see that the stage got through and none of the passengers or cargo lost. And he’d done that job well for nearly seven years. Necessary though it was, he was tired of the killing.

The stationmaster, Howard Mills, hurried to where the driver stood stroking and calming the six lathered horses. “What happened? You’re late. I was getting concerned.”

“Howdy, Mr. Mills.” Clint greeted the stationmaster. “We ran into a bit of trouble a few miles out.”

“What kind of trouble?”

“The kind you’ll need the law for.” Johnny joined them. “And the undertaker. If not for Shotgun here, your perfect record of no passengers or cargo lost would have been ruined.”

Mills studied both men. “I’ll send for the sheriff.”

“Before you do, who was the lady standing there a minute ago? Pretty, blue eyes, with a pile of blond hair up on her head.”

“Little thing?” When Clint nodded, he smiled. “That would be our schoolteacher, Ophelia Walcott.”

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Order CLINT today! Available June 30 for Kindle from Amazon.

Haven’t started the series yet? Find our series page HERE.

Covers of all books in Gun For Hire series

Tracy is giving away one ebook of Clint to a commenter! The winner will be randomly selected on Sunday, June 22nd.

Would you be excited, afraid, or both to be a passenger on a stage coach in the Old West?

Leave a comment to be entered into the giveaway!

In the Market For Love

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I never intended to write the book.

The one that just released two weeks ago.

In the Market for Love is a story of redemption, hope, second chances, forgiveness, and listening to your heart. It’s just that the hero was originally the evil twin of the hero in my book Capturing Christmas.

Try as I might, I couldn’t think of Ransom Kressley in terms of hero material.

But my readers could.

In fact, over the years, you’ve requested his story more than any other.

After I received another flood of requests after Christmas for Ransom to please get a happily ever after, I surrendered to the inevitable and decided to try seeing him in a new light.

The result is In the Market for Love . It has laughter, love, heartache, and heartwarming moments, and I hope if you give it a chance, it will make you smile (and maybe sigh a little at the sweet ending).  You can even preview the first chapter here.

 

He’s never opened his heart to anyone. She wears her emotions on her sleeve. When romance blooms, will they realize love is what they both need?

Ransom Kressley possesses the gift of gab, striking good looks, and a blistering disdain for his family’s Idaho ranch where he resides with his father and identical twin brother. His genuine passion is football, but a knee injury shattered his dreams of an NFL career. After years of channeling his frustration and anger toward those who care about him most, Ransom resolves to change. He accepts a job in Portland as a promotions manager for an arena football team and eagerly steps into his new life. As he makes a fresh start, his past continues to plague him, interfering with his chance to get to know the woman who lingers in his thoughts.

Despite her sunny smile and tender spirit, Kelly Truman isn’t in the market for love or even a relationship when she agrees to have lunch with her best friend’s soon-to-be brother-in-law. Familiar only with Ransom Kressley’s notorious reputation, Kelly is determined to keep her guard up around him. However, Ransom proves to be nothing like she expected. Soon, she realizes she cherishes time spent with the man, but fears trusting him with her heart.

When their friendship evolves into something more, will Ransom’s charm and silver tongue split them apart or bind them together?

A sweet romance full of warmth and humor, In the Market for Love is a story of hope, forgiveness, and redemption.

In the story, Kelly’s favorite flowers are tulips. 

For a chance to win a mystery prize,

just share your favorite spring flower and why you like it. 

Bonus question: Do you like redemption stories?