Cowboys & Mistletoe

Christmas Stocking Sweethearts with Pam Crooks!

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Book #2!

JOY TO THE COWBOY is the only story in our series with a guy on the cover, and I love the looks of him.  He’s just how I envisioned my cowboy (even though he is a little grumpy at first!)  Trust me, you’ll love him in the end as much as I do!

She was sunshine. He was clouds.  Until a sprig of mistletoe changed everything.

Griff Marcello must live with the shame of the crime he once committed for his mobster father.  As he grows into a man, he’s found security as a cowboy living in Glory Hill, Nebraska, but the memory of his sin never leaves him.

Joyanna Hollinger is devoted to the community of Glory Hill, and with Christmas approaching, her plans for a special Christmas Eve service consumes her. All her efforts are falling into place–until she loses a key part of the celebration.

When Griff receives an unexpected gift from his former piano teacher, he never thinks her kindness will fill him with the spirit of Christmas, even when Joyanna needs him most.

Could the simplicity of a hand-stitched stocking and the Christmas carol tucked within chase away the clouds in his heart and warm him from the sunshine of Joyanna’s love?

AMAZON

Also Available in Audiobook!

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

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

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

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

THE ELECTRIC BILL HAS GONE UP.

You might win this musical piano ornament, new this year from Hallmark!  

(I love how it looks just like the one on my cover. Even better, it plays “Joy to the World,” the carol I’d already chosen for JOY TO THE COWBOY!)

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

Winners announced Sunday, December 15!

(USA Winners only, please.)

Christmas Stocking Sweethearts with Winnie Griggs!

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Hello, everyone, and welcome to our Cowboys & Mistletoes celebration! This year, we’re doing things a little differently—spreading our celebration over two weeks instead of one. For this first week, we’re thrilled to introduce a fun new Christmas series, Christmas Stocking Sweethearts, which we wrote specifically for this event. The connecting thread for the series is that the hero or heroine of each book is a former student of the same piano teacher, Melody Nightingale. At the opening of each book, the hero or heroine receives a package from Melody containing a very personal, handcrafted Christmas stocking and a letter written on the back of the sheet music for a Christmas carol.

Once we had our premise, we realized it would be helpful to explain a bit of the backstory about who Melody Nightingale was and why she would send these gifts to her former students. That’s how this first story came to be. I’m very pleased to present to you Melody’s story.

CHRISTMAS STOCKING SWEETHEARTS Book #1!

CHRISTMAS MELODY kicks things off with a story that not only introduces Melody, but gives us a peek into who the characters in the other books were as children

Stitching melodies of love, one stocking at a time…

In 1854 Nightingale, Texas, nineteen-year-old Melody Nightingale feels trapped by her family’s expectations. As the only daughter of the town’s founding family, she’s expected to make an advantageous marriage and take her place in society. Instead of attending the endless round of tea parties, Melody longs to share her love of music with others. She also has no interest in the eligible suitors her mother parades before her, she’d much rather discuss her favorite books with shopkeeper John Hartley.

When she discovers her housekeeper’s daughter secretly playing the piano, Melody makes an impulsive decision to give the child lessons—a choice that defies the strict social boundaries of her time. And in doing so she helps shy young Zoe find her confidence through music.

Melody realizes she’s finally found her own path, one that leads far from her family’s carefully laid plans. Ignoring her parents’ disapproval, she becomes the town’s piano teacher. It’s a calling that she pursues with great enjoyment and passion, eventually touching the lives of hundreds of students. And perhaps even that kind-hearted shopkeeper…

This heartwarming story of love, music, and finding one’s true path launches the Christmas Stocking Sweethearts series, introducing readers to the remarkable woman whose handmade gifts will touch lives for decades to come.

From now through the end of the year, this book will be available for only 99 cents!
PURCHASE HERE

 

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

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

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

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

THE TREE IS LOSING NEEDLES.

You might win this piano ornament that plays
Hark The Herald Angels Sing!

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

Winners announced Sunday, December 15!

(USA Winners only, please.)

Cowboys & Mistletoe – Window Closing…

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Just a friendly reminder that you still have time to visit and comment on any of the eleven posts this week you might have misssed – but not much time! Winner names will be drawn on Saturday evening, including the winner for our Grand Prize, pictured below.

Cowboys & Mistletoe – Winnie Griggs

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(POST  2 of 2  for Thursday)

Hello everyone, Winnie Griggs here, and I get to wrap up our Cowboys & Mistletoe Two Truths and a Lie posts. I hope you all have been enjoying them as much as we Fillies have. It’s always so fun to share festive silliness with special friends, which how I feel about this wonderful community that’s developed and blossomed here over the years.

Christmas books are not only fun to read but to write as well. For the writer it allows us to tap into everything we love about the season and it can bring up memories, both happy and emotional, as well as bittersweet thoughts of what used to be.

I’ve written a number of books set around the holidays, but today I want to feature His Christmas Matchmaker. I love Janell and Hank, they are such engaging, honorable characters who are perfect for each other – they just take a while to figure that out. But it’s the two children in the story, Chloe and Alex, who really touched my heart. Recently orphaned with one of them rendered deaf by the same accident that took their parents, they are truly hurting. And gruff, confirmed bachelor Uncle Hank means well but he has no idea how to help or deal with them. The fact that it’s just a month until Christmas drives this home all the more.  Janell, a schoolteacher, recognizes that this newly-formed family is hurting and impulsively steps in to help.

Here’s a little more info:

A guilty secret…

Vowing to put her past behind her, schoolteacher Janell Whitman has resigned herself to spinsterhood and she’s erected walls to guard her heart from all but her students.

A solitary heart…

Hank Chandler is quite comfortable with his uncomplicated bachelor life. But when he suddenly finds himself the guardian of his orphaned niece and nephew he knows all that will have to change. Not only do the children need a mother’s love, but he’s not fit to be a single parent. So he’ll need to marry quickly, whether he wants to or not.

A Christmas bargain…

Seeing their need, Janell impulsively reaches out to help the hurting Chandler family. But when Hank proposes a businesslike marriage she draws the line at becoming his wife. She softens her refusal, however, with a counteroffer – she’ll take care of the children after school and help him find an appropriate wife in time for Christmas. After all, with a man as great as Hank, how hard can it be?

But as the holiday grows closer, it seems increasingly difficult to find a suitable candidate––not to mention even harder to deny their growing feelings for each other. It might take a miracle for these two hearts to become one, but Christmas is the season of miracles–and love.

Click here to BUY NOW!

 

And for my prize, I’ll be giving away a signed copy of one of my other Christmas titles, Her Holiday Family, along with a fun  reader ornament.

 

And now, on with the fun!!

Below you will find three statements, two are true, one is not. 

Guess which is the lie in the comments to be entered in the drawings.

Winners and answers will be announced on Sunday 12/03.

 

  1. I LOVE Christmas decorations and must have hundreds of tree ornaments alone. In fact I have a walk in closet dedicated just to the storage of my Christmas stuff. Because it became impossible to use all of my decorations on the tree at one time, several years back I began doing themed trees, which allows me to rotate them in and out. Some of the themes I’ve done over the years include angels, bells, stars, snowmen, and even a fairytale theme – but my favorite was the year I did a nativity themed tree.

  2. When my children were very young I started a tradition of buying them one ornament of their very own each year so that when they grew up and moved away they would have a ‘starter set’ of ornaments of their very own. My plans, however, met with mixed success. Two of my kids took theirs when they established their own homes, two of them still have their collections boxed up and stored in their former closets here at my house with the intention (or so they say) of taking them ‘someday’.
         
  3. My siblings and I are all big on Christmas candy and treats and when we have our extended family gathering, which usually includes over 45 people, we all try to outdo each other. In fact there are usually more sweets than ‘regular’ food. My personal specialties are peanut butter fudge and a rice krispie based candy – and I like to experiment with at least one new item each year. As for the scrumdiddlyumptious candy my mom used to make, while my other relatives vied for her pecan pralines, I’d pass those up and go straight for her coconut pralines!

Thanks again for stopping by to play 2 Truths And a Lie with us this week. Remember that the answers and winners will be announced on Sunday.

And if you missed any of the 11 posts this week there’s still time to go back and get all caught up. Winners won’t be drawn until Saturday 

Cowboys & Mistletoe – Shanna Hatfield

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(POST  1 of 2  for Thursday)

Warmest greetings of the season! 

I’m so happy to be here with you today celebrating our annual Cowboys & Mistletoe event, and also to share about my new sweet holiday romance that releases today!

 

Will an innocent offer of help lead two obstinate hearts along the road to love?

Truitt Lucas is the guy who brings laughter wherever he goes and refuses to take life too seriously. Beneath his carefree exterior, though, he yearns for more adventure and excitement than he’ll find working on the family ranch alongside his cousin and grandmother. When the opportunity arises to assist a trick rider, Truitt eagerly lends a hand. However, he soon finds himself drawn to the perplexing woman who barely tolerates him.

Jolee Judson is living her dream as a trick rider on the rodeo circuit, using her lifelong passion for horses and gymnastics to wow the crowds. But when her partner unexpectedly abandons her, Jolee is just desperate enough to accept a good-natured cowboy’s offer to help. Fascinated and infuriated by Truitt and his shenanigans, Jolee struggles against her growing feelings for him. Falling for Truitt could spell disaster for her future and derail everything she’s worked for.

Can the two of them find common ground where trust is earned and love becomes a cherished gift?

A sweet holiday novel full of the magic of Christmas, Tricking Christmas brims with small-town humor, heartwarming moments, and wholesome romance.

Get your copy of Tricking Christmas today on Amazon, and in Kindle Unlimited!

 

FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A $10 AMAZON GIFT CARD,

JOIN IN THE FUN BELOW!

 

Below you will find three statements, two are true, one is not. 

Guess which is the lie in the comments to be entered in the drawings.

Winners and answers will be announced on Sunday 12/03.

 

1. I listen to Christmas music all year long. 

2. I love to bake with eggnog.

3. I once received a bag of dog food for Christmas.

Cowboys & Mistletoe – Pam Crooks

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(POST  3 of 3  for Wednesday)

Now that our Cowboys & Mistletoe celebration is in full swing, I hope you’ve been enjoying the fun and silliness of trying to determine if we are telling you the truth – or lying right at you!!

It’s hard to beat a romantic Christmas story, isn’t it?  I’ve written several, but today I’m featuring THE CATTLEMAN’S CHRISTMAS BRIDE, Book 2 of my Wells Cattle Co. trilogy.

After Allethaire Gibson was kidnapped several years earlier in the wilds of Montana Territory, she tries hard to put her life back together in civilized Minnesota. She almost succeeds—until she’s framed for a crime she didn’t commit. With her reputation in shreds, she flees back to Montana to seek her father’s help in proving her innocence.

Mick Vasco never expects to see Allethaire again, but when he finds her in the middle of a train-robbery-in-progress, he has no choice but to kidnap her—again.

Together they race against time to find crucial answers. But during the blessed season of Christmas, they find wondrous gifts of forgiveness and love instead.

Find The Cattleman’s Christmas Bride on Amazon

Only 99¢

Find the Wells Cattle Company Series on Amazon

(Note: Book 1 and Book 3 are not sweet romances.)

TO WIN A $10 AMAZON GIFT CARD . . . 

 

Below you will find three statements, two are true, one is not. 

Guess which is the lie in the comments to be entered in the drawings.

Winners and answers will be announced on Sunday 12/03.

1. I once celebrated Christmas with my family in a bike shop.

2. A couple of years ago, we made 18 pans of the Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon rolls as gifts, and none of them raised.

3. My Christmas dinner was once delayed for several hours because the fresh turkey just wouldn’t get done.

Cowboys & Mistletoe – Mary Connealy

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(POST  2 of 3  for Wednesday)

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. It starts on Thanksgiving and lasts until after New Years Day and the decorations come down.

We’re kicking off the season here with games and prizes. My prize today is a $25 Amazon gift card. Every one who guesses which is the lie, gets there name in the drawing.

First a little bit about my next release, coming January 1st. The Legacy of Rocking K Ranch.

Six Decades of History Unfurls on a Wyoming Ranch

Journey to untamed Wyoming where four generations of women experience love, loss, grace, adoption, struggles with the law, relationships with natives, and through it all, family bonds.

Eleanor by Mary Connealy
1850 – Wagon train guide, Ray “Wild Cat” Manning, can’t ignore the abandoned wagon stricken with smallpox. Eleanor Yates, now widowed with an ailing daughter, says yes to Wild Cat’s marriage of convenience. It is her only choice—but far from her romantic dreams.

Grace by D. J. Gudger
1867 – Grace Manning abandons her journey east at Fort Laramie. The ranch is where she belongs. Unable to reach her father, Grace scrambles to find a way home. Captain Winfield Cooper is mustering out in a few short days. The gold fields at South Pass City are calling but a lonely laundress pleads to tag along with him and his motley men. Will this woman who refuses to unveil her face derail his dreams?

Caroline by Becca Whitham
1886 – Ray Cooper escaped reservation life by pursuing a degree from Harvard, but it hasn’t granted him the respect he craves in Washington, DC. Caroline Forrester longs to be more than a society hostess for her father. As the two fight against the Dawes Act, they also fight their growing attraction.

Penelope by Kimberley Woodhouse
1910 – Penelope Cooper, an ambitious writer, is commissioned by her publisher—and future husband—to present tales of the American West. She returns to her family’s ranch in Wyoming along with photographer, Jason Miller, to interview the women of her family. But will rediscovering her past make Penelope reconsider her future?

 

Below you will find three statements, two are true, one is not. 

Guess which is the lie in the comments to be entered in the drawings.

Winners and answers will be announced on Sunday 12/03.

I’m one of eight children. The only author

 

My most recent release is book #75

 

I got my first book published the same year my youngest daughter went to Kindergarten

Cowboys & Mistletoe – Linda Broday

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(POST  1 of 3  for Wednesday)

Hope’s Angel is a sweet romance about accepting others who are different and showing compassion.

When a horrendous accident leaves Jericho Cane disfigured, he retreats to the dark refuge of his childhood home. People label him a monster, a phantom and jeer. Only while the town sleeps can he find courage to venture out and seek solace in midnight rides.

But who is making mysterious repairs to broken items, leaving food on doorsteps and wooden angels on children’s graves?

Newly arrived, Irish doctor Kathleen O’Shea, has no fear of Jericho Cane. Armed with determination, she offers hope for him to live again. Still, can he thrive walking in daylight amongst the ones who call him a monster? If she fails, the darkness will consume him for good.

A holiday read that will touch your heart and remind you that Christmas is a time of acceptance, kindness, and for healing wounds.

Kindle Unlimited or buy for $2.99

AMAZON LINK 

I’m giving away a $15 Amazon Gift Card!

 

Below you will find three statements, two are true, one is not. 

Guess which is the lie in the comments to be entered in the drawings.

Winners and answers will be announced on Sunday 12/03.

I published my first book when I was 52 years old

I studied abroad for a year out of high school.

My sister is also a published writer and we had a sister who painted pictures.

Cowboys & Mistletoe – Kit Morgan

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(POST  3 of 3  for Tuesday)

Hi everyone! It’s so great to be here for this year’s Cowboys & Mistletoe! It’s Day 2, and I’m sure you’re having fun discovering some new books, and reading some of the other fillies’ two truths and a lie! Those are always so much fun! And speaking of fun, I love this time of year! For many of us the holidays are all about family, traditions, and of course fun! Those are also a lot of the reasons I like writing about them! I love Christmas books and have written quite a few, but the one I want to showcase is Christmas in Clear Creek.

Christmas in Clear Creek was the first Christmas book I ever wrote, so it holds a special place in my heart. I’d created my little town of Clear Creek, Oregon, and topping off my first series, Prairie Brides, with this book was fitting! It deals with a small town in the old west, an outlaw wannabe, and the effort he puts into being bad, when all along he has a gift of doing good! Here’s a little more about the book:

Bowen Drake had a gift. Unfortunately he didn’t want it. He even went so far as to do ‘bad’ in order to thwart the ‘good’ that seemed to follow him everywhere! For when HE needed it the darn thing didn’t do HIM any good at all! He tried drinking, he tried womanizing, he even tried outlawing, but nothing worked. Finally he stumbles into the little town of Clear Creek and there discovers why we’ve been given the gifts we have…

Elsie Waller came to Clear Creek after the death of her grandfather. She had high hopes for her life in the little town including looking for a husband. Imagine her elation when she happens upon the man of her dreams the very day after she arrives! Of course, the fact he was half frozen did put a damper on things, but once the townsfolk of Clear Creek thawed him out she endeavored to make sure Bowen Drake stayed around long enough to see she’d make him a mighty fine wife! The only question was, how?

Enjoy Bowen and Elsie’s fanciful tale of mishaps, miracles, and love!

You can find the book on AMAZON

I’ve giving away an e-copy of Christmas in Clear Creek and a $5.00 Amazon e-gift card to one lucky commenter!

Below you will find three statements, two are true, one is not. 

Guess which is the lie in the comments to be entered in the drawings.

Winners and answers will be announced on Sunday 12/03.

 

I had a lovely apartment in New York for four years. Christmas in the big apple is the best!

One of my family’s kooky Christmas traditions is re-wrapping and re-giving the same CD of the worst music ever, to another family member, who then must do the same the following year.

My six kids are spread around the country, which makes getting them together for Christmas hard, but this also means I get to travel sometimes for Christmas, which is fun!

 

Cowboys & Mistletoe – Karen Witemeyer

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(POST  2 of 3  for Tuesday)

I adore Christmas. It is by far my favorite holiday of the year. Time off from work, family reunited, giving and receiving gifts (I love both!), singing carols, eating goodies, and celebrating the gift of our Savior come to earth. I do my best to stretch the festivities into a full month.

This year, I’ve combined several of those passions into a Christmas short story. This one is filled with joy, romance, and plenty of Christmas spirit.

My True Love Gave to Me

The Twelve Days of Christmas get a romantic Texas twist!

Anna King has pledged her heart to Simeon Shepherd, but her father refuses to grant her hand to the young farmer. Simeon determines to be patient and earn David King’s respect over time with hard work and evidence of his ability to provide. However, when a wealthy new suitor arrives in Bethlehem, Texas to woo Anna with her father’s support, patience is no longer an option. Simeon has twelve days before Christmas to best his rival and prove once and for all that he is Anna’s true love.

A fun, quirky read that is short enough to squeeze into even the busiest holiday schedule.

Grab a copy here or buy one for a friend as a digital stocking stuffer.

Giveaway

Today, I’m happy to give away this adorable bookish ornament along with an e-book copy of My True Love Gave to Me. Just play the game below to enter.

Below you will find three statements, two are true, one is not. 

Guess which is the lie in the comments to be entered in the drawings.

Winners and answers will be announced on Sunday 12/03.

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  1. I once unwrapped a toilet seat as a Christmas gift.
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  2. My husband has bought me something cowboy-related every year for Christmas since I published my first western romance in 2010.
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  3. The Christmas gift that made the biggest Witemeyer family splash was when I gave my high school daughter a copy of the MLA Handbook.
Petticoats & Pistols