Family

Summer Wrap-Up

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

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

I’ll start things off!

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

 

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

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

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

 

Photograph of Biltmore house and lawn in front

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

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

 

Photo of a cloudy day on Myrtle Beach

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

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

Picture of mama elephant and baby elephant at Toledo Zoo

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

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

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

Here’s to a fabulous fall!

 

 

A Western Theme Park Adventure

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At the end of June, my husband and I took a trip to Branson, MO for a few days to celebrate our 32nd wedding anniversary. We had a great time! We stayed in a cabin in the woods and really felt like we were stepping back in time. Especially the first day, when we visited Silver Dollar City.

If you’ve never been to Silver Dollar City, I recommend it. Especially if you love the idea of exploring life in the 1800’s. I had never been, but when I heard that there was a theme park celebrating 19th century pioneer life, I knew I had to visit. We weren’t able to do everything on my list in one day, but we squeezed in as many things as possible.

We rode a few rollercoasters, including the steampunk-inspired Time Traveler. Wes and I had our picture made to commemorate the event.

But even better than the rides were the historic buildings available to explore. We started at the Wilderness Church, an authentic log structure, orignally built near a local creek, that was dismantled log by log, and lovingly rebuilt in its current location. Not only could we go inside and explore, but several times a day, they had old-fashioned hymn sing-alongs! I adore hymns, so Wes and I made a point to join one of the sing-alongs and enjoyed worshipping with other park attendees.

Next to the church was McHaffies Homestead. A real, hewn-log cabin built in 1843 by the pioneering Levi Casey family, it was home to the McHaffie family before it was reassembled and preserved at Silver Dollar City in 1960. Most historic buildings are “look but don’t touch,” but this one was open for exploration. I loved that! I decided to fix my hubby a little snack while we were there.

After some actual lunch, we headed to the local saloon for some entertainment. The bar served sodas and rootbear floats, but Wes and I headed to the balcony to watch the show from there.

After spending over 8 hours in the Missouri heat and humidity, we decided to unwind in a shaded area full of good old country rocking chairs. Most of the other guests had cleared out of this section of the park by this time, so we enjoyed the quiet along with some end of day treats. We found a shop that sold our two favroites desserts – Cakes & Cones. Wes loves funnel cake, and I’m an ice cream girl. Such a sweet way to end the day.

On the way out of the park, we spotted a giant-sized triangle peg game. My son and daughter-in-law always play this game whenever we go to Cracker Barrel. So in their honor, we grabbed a quick picture.

They have working craftsmen who demonstrate trades from eras past as well, like blacksmiths, candymakers, glassblowers, and soapmakers. I wish I’d had time to watch them work. We also weren’t able to find time for the train ride or exploring the cave the the theme park is built over. I guess we’ll just have to go back for another visit!

Have you ever visited Silver Dollar City?
If so, what is your favorite thing to do there?

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

 

Purchase Training the K-9 Companion

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Read an excerpt!

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

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

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

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

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

Maybe they kept each other out of trouble.

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

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

Jewel River needed a veterinarian ASAP.

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

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

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

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

Thank you for celebrating my new release with me!

Love Inspired Western Stories

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Thank you for inviting me to your blog. It’s been several years since I posted here, and I’m delighted to be back. Today I’d like to address the topic of Love Inspired western stories. Why are these some of our bestsellers? Because these are my favorite books to read, perhaps our LI readers agree will with me.

First of all, the American Wild West is legendary around the world, fed by the plethora of western movies and television shows over the past century. I grew up watching those shows and fell in love with the Cowboy mythos. The cowboy hero is manly, and the cowgirl heroine is feminine. Both are honest, strong, and hardworking. They face the hardships of the untamed West with courage and resilience. We all love brave characters who overcome adversity and the Bad Guy. Throw in a few horses, a herd of cattle, and we are cheering for them to earn their happily-ever-after.

A couple of years ago, I rewatched almost the entire twenty years of Gunsmoke on INSP. Part of it was for nostalgia, and part for research, since I’d begun writing historical western stories for Love Inspired. I fell in love again with Marshal Dillon, Miss Kitty, Chester, Festus, and all the rest. My favorite character was Doc Adams, and every frontier doctor I ever include in my stories, whether historical or contemporary, is modeled on that dear old man. All of my heroes have a hint of Matt Dillon in them. And while my female characters have very different occupations from Miss Kitty (ahem, we won’t go there), they all have her courage and feminine resiliency.

Loving westerns as I do, it was natural for me to write them. My first was a novella, Yuletide Reunion (LIH 2010). Inspired by the little ranch where my late sister retired, I set my story beside the Rio Grande in New Mexico Territory and created the Mattson family of five brothers, each of whom deserved his own story. I took time out to write a six-book historical western series set in Colorado (also a family saga), then came back to New Mexico to explore more about those five brothers. In the end, each brother found his happily-ever-after with the perfect heroine for his personality. I’m honored to say Finding Her Frontier Family and Finding Her Frontier Home were both finalists for the prestigious Selah Award. These stories were so much fun write, and I was sad to leave this family behind. With the Love Inspired Historical line coming to an end, I was doubly sad, because I love to write historicals. By the way, you can find my complete Booklist and more info about my writing at my website: https://louisemgougeauthor.blogspot.com/ 

After LIH closed, I was feeling a little bit adrift and searching for something contemporary to write. Then it occurred to me that I could write about the modern Mattson family! I mean, think about it. If there were five ranching brothers in the late 1800s, just think about how many descendants they would have! And many of them would have stories worth telling! My editor at Love Inspired loved the idea, and so far, I’ve written two more books in the series. The first one, Safe Haven Ranch, was released last month, and I’ll save the news about the next book, A Faithful Guardian, for another day.

Here’s the story of Safe Haven Ranch:

Can two little children help turn a feud into a family?

It should be easy for widow Olivia Ortiz to despise Will Mattson, the man keeping her from buying the ranchland she needs for herself and her daughter, Emily. But when Emily becomes instant friends with Will’s nephew, Jemmy, Olivia and Will find themselves growing closer as well. And as Olivia’s feelings for the handsome cowboy shift, competing for the property could be the start of something more…

GIVEAWAY: I’m delighted to give away one print copy of Safe Haven Ranch to a U. S. resident. Please leave a comment below and answer this question: Do you have a favorite Western hero or heroine from the old movies and television shows? What did you admire about that character? Full sentences, please.

South Carolina author Louise M. Gouge writes contemporary and historical romance fiction, winning the prestigious IRCA in 2006 and placing as a finalist in 2011, 2015, 2016, and 2017. She was also a finalist in the American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Awards in 2005, 2007, and 2008, and placed in the Laurel Wreath contest in 2012. Most recently, she was a finalist in the 2023 Selah Awards and is a current finalist for the 2024 Selah Awards. A former college English and humanities professor, Louise is a member of the Christian PEN and has been copyediting for well-known authors for fifteen years. Married for fifty-four happy years to her beloved husband, David, Louise is now widowed and spends her days researching and writing her next novel.

Website at https://louisemgougeauthor.blogspot.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LouiseMGougeAuthor

Follow me on BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/louise-m-gouge

A Cowboy Surprise

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It’s always a special treat when my birthday falls on Memorial Day as it did this year. Not only do I get a day off of work (the day job, anyway) but I also get to spend extra time with my family. But my husband surprised me a couple days early with a romantic cowboy gesture on the Friday night before.

First, he showed up at my office unannounced and kidnapped me from work an hour early. He brought me a change of clothes, including my cowgirl boots, then showed me his own footwear. He’d bought HIMSELF a pair of cowboy boots that afternoon just for the occasion. He hasn’t worn boots ince high school, so this was a big deal. He wore Wrangler jeans, boots, a button-down shirt, eveything but the hat. It was as if he’d walked out of the pages of one of my books!

Then he took me on a 90+ minute drive through the country (we saw wildflowers, longhorn cattle, herefords, deer, and sheep) to a ranch outside of Graham, TX called Wildcatter Ranch. They have a steakhouse there with beautiful hilltop views.

We had a scrumptious dinner next to a large set of windows looking out over this porch and the wooded hills below. So lovely! They served cheesy southern biscuits with a honey glaze for an appetizer, which were scrumptious! I had trout with glazed carrots and salad and Wes had a half-rack of ribs with a baked potato and salad. My fish was good, but when he let me sample the ribs, I regretted not getting some for myself. They were literaly melt-in-your-mouth tender and delicious.

After dinner, we walked around the grounds, and took lots of pictures.

One of my favorites was when we sat in a pair of rockers on the back porch of the Wildcatter Hotel and snapped a photo of our boots.

Then in true Texas style, we stopped at a Dairy Queen in Breckenridge,TX on the way home for a Blizzard. Ha!

It was a wonderful western evening with my personal cowboy hero!

When was a time you received a fun surprise?

Two of My Favorite Things and One of My Favorite People

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Since childhood, one of my favorite places in the world, though I haven’t traveled that much, is my grandparents’ farm. I found a sense of peace, a connection to the Earth, and the warmth of belonging there I haven’t found anywhere else. I believe in large part these feelings bloomed in me because of my grandmother, Pearl Henrietta Blaess Walter. (Side note for a chuckle—growing up, my paternal grandmother told me she’d wanted me named after my grandmothers. Her suggestion had been both their first names, Goldie Pearl. Yikes, huh?)

My Grandma Walter holding me with my Uncle Wayne sitting beside us.

Now back from the side trip to the main highway.

Many of my other favorite things come from my Grandma Walter. She taught me to crochet and sew. Working with her in her garden taught me to appreciate that activity and value the calming it can bring to the soul. My love of and value of the past and old items, came from her. Many of the things I cook or bake are her recipes. Two of my favorites she made were cream puffs and angel food cake. (I think I’ve shared I requested her angel food cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream as my birthday cake.) I regret never asked for her angel food cake recipe. Or rather that I didn’t do as I did with the recipe I’m sharing today. Because she carried the recipes in her head, one day when she made cream puffs, I grabbed pen and paper. I’m smiling as I write this remembering when I asked how much flour she put in. She said she guessed about a cup. She couldn’t be sure because she used an old coffee cup to scoop out the flour. Yes, she was an I-toss-in-about-this-much-and-cook-it-until-it’s-done kind of cook.

 

A year or two ago I was back in Iowa to bury my parents’ ashes. I had the opportunity to visit the family farm, now a B&B owned by a cousin. Though the land looks different today because nature has reclaimed it, the minute we turned into the driveway, the memories flooded back making me smile.

Cream Puffs

1/2 C butter

1/2 tsp salt

1 C water

1 C sifted flour

4 eggs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place water, butter, and sauce in sturdy pot. Bring mixture to a full bowl. Dump in flour all at once. Stir until mixture sticks together and pulls away from the pot. Transfer to a bowl. Cool 5 minutes. Then add eggs one at a time, stirring after each until fully incorporated. Drop a tablespoon amount, heaping in the middle on a greased baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Without opening oven, reduce heat 35o degrees and bake 10 minutes more.

Filling:

1 C milk

1 egg yolk

4 TBS sugar

2 TBS milk

1 TBS cornstarch

Mix egg yolk,, sugar, cornstarch, and the 2 TBS milk until smooth. Warm 1 C milk in heavy saucepan, but do not boil. Pour egg mixture into milk. Stir until thickened. When cooled, combine with whipped cream and fill cream puffs.

I hope you enjoy this recipe for one of my favorite treats, that I learned to make at with one of my favorite people, in one of my favorite places.

Where is your favorite place? Leave me a comment to tell me all about it.

 

Bet You Didn’t Know This! (Or Did You?) by Pam Crooks

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I’d like to think I’m an observant person, but after preparing for this blog, I’m more clueless than I ever realized.  Some things I see, I just don’t question.  Things that are just THERE, and they go over my head in importance.

Here’s a few:

The little hole in the side of a pen.

Most of us grew up with Bic pens, right?  I used to buy them in 10-packs for the girls.  Of course, I saw the hole, but I never realized without it, the pen would be completely airtight, which would prevent the ink from flowing to the tip, and you couldn’t write.  Also, in really low pressure areas like planes, the pen could explode, spraying ink everywhere.

The hole in the cap of a pen.

Without it, air gets trapped in the cap, creating pressure that will push ink out of the tip.  But more importantly, if someone accidentally swallowed the cap (who among us haven’t chewed on that cap while doing schoolwork?) the hole will help you breathe until it can be surgically removed.  Who knew?

 

 

 

The circle on milk jugs.

 

Since milk is filled to the very brim (customers want absolutely full cartons, you know), in case the jug is dropped, the inverted circle (or a similar design) will expand to prevent bursting.  Also, if you leave the milk in the ‘fridge too long, it will build up gas and expand.  That circle will help there, too.  Ditto when freezing milk, although I always remove about 1/2 cup of milk to allow for plenty of expanding.

The hole in airplane windows.

Have you ever noticed one?  I never have!  But my husband has, and he knew that it is meant to allow air to flow into the plane and regulate pressure.

Arrow on the gas gauge in your car.

Another one I never knew.  Heck, I never even noticed that arrow, at least not enough to question why it was there.  But starting in 2010, all cars were required to have this arrow, which indicates which side the gas tank is located.  Now isn’t that handy?  Especially if you’re driving a rental car or are in long lines waiting to get gas.  Much easier (and less embarrassing) to get on the correct side to fill up the tank!

Why men’s buttons are on the opposite side of women’s.

While buttons have been around since the Middle Ages, they weren’t produced en masse until the industrial age in the late 1800s.  Before then, mostly the wealthy had buttons, and they had maids who dressed them up in those buttons.  So, for the ease of the maids, the buttons were put on the left, but since men mostly dressed themselves, they were put on the right side.  Also, by having the buttons on that side, it was beneficial as men removed their swords during war.  (Okay, I admit – I don’t get that part.)

Tabs on foil or plastic wrap.

I’ve been a housewife for a long, long time, and I never knew this!  In fact, I had to leave my office and check out my foil, wax paper, and cling wrap, and sure enough, the perforated tabs were there, on both ends of each box.  But they are so much a part of the design, and the perforations were hard to see, I’d always missed them.  You can bet I’ll remember now, and they will be a big help in keeping the rolls in their box!

Let’s test YOUR knowledge, okay?  See if you know these handy tips, and I’ll post the answers tonight!  (Please, no Googling!)

1. What is the purpose of the little hole in padlocks?

 

2. Why are headrests detachable?

 

3. What is the purpose of the can’s tab?

 

4. Why does a tube of toothpaste have these colored blocks at the end?

 

5. Why do some garments come with little swatches of fabric?

 

Be sure to check back tonight, and I’ll tell you why!

Yup, I’m a Crazy Dog Lady!

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Today I get to share one of my favorite things with you…fostering dogs.

Before my oldest left for college I responded to a post to foster a little black puppy. (I love black dogs and have since learned they are less likely to be adopted.) That pup had a foster, but the guy pictured here, Rowdy, didn’t. Thus began my journey fostering dogs with Cody’s Friends Rescue.

Our first foster Rowdy

We foster puppies, often as young as two months. At that age, they love being held. They’ve been snuggling with mom and their siblings and desperately miss that connection. I get the joy of puppy cuddles and kisses. It doesn’t get better than that. We usually take two or occasionally three puppies, because it’s easier when then they have a playmate their size.

Brothers Axel and Brody

The question I’m asked most is how do I let them go? We have adopted some. And while we love every foster, some are different. Like Kingston, a puppy with mange we fostered. My husband was a cat person, but Kingston latched onto him. While he was sweet, we joked how he wasn’t bright because after weeks, he didn’t recognize his name. Then one night someone came to the door. The other dogs barked. Kingston remained blissfully asleep. Thus, we discovered Kingston was deaf. Combine his special need with his and Kevin’s best bud status, and he was our first “foster fail.” But I digress. Big surprise there!

Kingston when we he first arrived.
Kingston and our foster Bear

It’s never easy letting go, but I cope with my husband’s help. I pick pups up and see to their vet care. He talks with potential adopters and takes fosters to their new homes. He loves seeing how far they’ve come and their joy with their new family. I’m usually crying at home, remembering that every dog we let go makes room for another who needs help. And the need is huge, especially Texas who euthanizes more dogs than anywhere in the country. At times, I think I’m on the Titanic bailing with a teaspoon. Then I remember, while I can’t save every dog, I save the ones I can.

Foster Bella helping me write.

The rescue I foster with, Cody’s Friends Rescue, takes any breed. They also take dogs needing medical care. The most recent, Memphis, was found in a ditch by a friend of a Cody’s foster. Both his rear legs were broken, with the right in three places, which required surgery. I was blessed to be his medical foster, getting him from his “regular” foster the night before, taking him to his surgery appointments, and then getting him back home.(To learn more about Memphis’ heartwarming journey, click here.)

Some fosters have come and gone so fast my head spun, some of whom I thought we’d have forever. Others, despite being fabulous dogs, have waited longer for their humans. Like our current boy, Dalton. Despite being loving and playful, with a huge heart, no one has shown interest. So until then we love him.

Our current foster Dalton

If you’ve ever considered fostering, contact a local rescue. You may discover as I have that you get more than you give. I realize not everyone can rescue, but everyone can help. Rescues need people to transport dogs from shelters to fosters, or from fosters to vet appointments. They also need help at adoption events. If you don’t have time for that, share posts you see on social media. I remember a story about a dog in the Weatherford, Texas shelter. A woman saw a Facebook post, fell in love, and drove from Colorado to adopt this dog. Please, please share those posts. You never know when your share will save a dog’s life.

Giveaway:  To be entered in today’s random giveaway for a signed copy of A Cure for the Vet containing my book The Rancher and the Vet which has a spirited foster dog, leave a comment about a favorite animal or just one of your favorite things!

 

Tess Thompson Visits the Corral

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Hello to all the Western Romance fans! I’m delighted to be with you today. I’ll be giving away two paperbacks of my bestselling historical romance, The School Mistress of Emerson Pass. See how to enter at the end of my post.

I recently finished writing my Emerson Pass Series. I’ve been working on the books for over two years, so you can imagine that saying goodbye was a bittersweet. On the one hand, I was thrilled to have completed a 14 book series. I always feel a sense of accomplishment and relief when they’re done. On the other hand, the Barnes family felt like old friends and saying goodbye was hard. It’s a strange thing, this writing fiction. Characters I made up out of my head feel as if they’re real when I know they’re not. Readers tell me they feel the same way about the books they really enjoy. As a reader, I’m that way too. Book friends can sustain us during hard times! They never let us down.

 

 

Emerson Pass, set in 1910, is about a young school teacher who takes a job in a little mountain town out west. Once she arrives, she meets a widower and his five children and they all fall in love. Yay. The entire Barnes family and my heroine, Quinn Cooper, came to me in dream. I’m a woman of faith and fully believe that God whispered their stories in my ear while I was sleeping. I woke up to an image of Quinn getting off on a train in the middle of a snowstorm. In addition, my hero, Alexander and all five of his children were all so clear in my mind that I knew what they looked like and their personalities before I even opened my eyes that morning. However, I was in the middle of writing Cliffside Bay so I had to be satisfied with jotting the details in my journal so that I wouldn’t forget. I didn’t start writing The School Mistress until two years later! I went back to my notes and it was all in there, like the characters had been waiting for me to share them with the world. So, I did. I’ve enjoyed writing all my characters but these ones are special. If you haven’t met them, I hope you’ll give the series a try. They’re all in Kindle Unlimited and available in paperback.

Giveaway:  When was the last time you read a series or book that you loved so much you hated for it to end? Let me know in the comments below and you’ll be entered in the random drawing to be one of two winners of a paperback copy of The School Mistress.

Happy reading and thanks so much for joining me today!

Tess Thompson is the USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author of clean and wholesome Contemporary and Historical Romantic Women’s Fiction with nearly 50 published titles. Her stories feature family sagas, romance, a little mystery, and a lot of heart.

To follow Tess on:

BookBub click here
Facebook click here
Goodreads click here
Pinterest click here
Instagram click here

To buy The School Mistress click here

 

 

 

How One Movie Scene Created a Fictional Family

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Please welcome Tina Wheeler to the Petticoats and Pistols Corral today.

I watched way too much television growing up. Okay, I still watch more than I should, but in my defense, I’m a visual learner and seeing characters in settings helps me build my fictional world.

I come from a military/law enforcement family, so I already had a solid grasp of alpha males who own guns. Watching mysteries with my mother influenced my desire to include a puzzle in my novels. But why cowboys?

When writing my debut, Love Inspired Suspense, I created the Walker family and their ranch outside Sedona. Jackson, Cole and Zach are brothers who are the fictional embodiment of all the heart-stopping cowboys I’ve seen on television and their finer qualities. I’m an Arizona girl, born and raised. Every time we hosted out-of-state visitors, we headed to Old Tucson Studios to watch cowboy gunfights with stuntmen falling off buildings. Five hundred movies had scenes filmed there, including four John Wayne Westerns. Feeding my love for cowboys were TV shows like Bonanza, The Big Valley, Gunsmoke, The Virginian, The Wild Wild West, The Rifleman, and The High Chaparral which was filmed at Old Tucson.

Man in coat on the wind

My absolute favorite movie scene of all time is in Tombstone. Kurt Russell, Bill Paxton, Sam Elliott, and Val Kilmer (playing the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday) are walking down the dusty town road toward the O.K. Corral to reenact the famous thirty-second shootout. They’re wearing mostly black with their cowboy hats and boots, but it’s the black duster coats that complete the image. My heart skips a beat every time I watch that scene. I could replay it a hundred times. The Earps were close brothers, cowboys, and lawmen. Together, they bravely protected the town. Yes, they had their flaws, but in that moment, they were four strong, good-hearted men about to prove that good conquers evil. Yesterday, we had the Earps. Today, we have the Walker brothers.

 

Ranch Under Fire, a Publishers Weekly Bestseller

A witness on the run.

A mission to survive.

Fleeing after witnessing a shooting in her office, Bailey Scott must rely on cowboy Jackson Walker for protection when the gunman turns his sights on her. With a drug ring determined to silence her, Jackson promises to protect her at his ranch. But he’s an undercover DEA agent with secrets he can’t reveal. Can he take down the criminals before their pursuers lead them straight into an inescapable trap?

More About Tina:

Tina Wheeler is an inspirational romantic suspense author and retired teacher. Although she grew up near a desert in Arizona, her favorite place to plot a new story is on a balcony overlooking the ocean. She enjoys spending time with her large extended family, brainstorming with writing friends, discovering new restaurants, and traveling with her husband. Visit authortinawheeler.com to read more.

To buy a copy of Ranch Under Fire click here.

Giveaway:

Tina is giving away a copy of Ranch Under Fire. To enter the random drawing, leave a comment about your favorite cowboy, real or fictional.