Thanks to everyone who dropped in to leave a comment on my post. I had so much fun, I decided to give TWO books away. And the randomly selected winners are:
and
Congratulations!! If you’ll use the contact info on my website to send me your mailing address I’ll get the book sent off to you ASAP!
Hi! Winnie Griggs here.
Since today is Columbus Day I thought I’d share some trivia and fun facts with you relating to the man and the day. When I was doing the research on this, some of the facts I discovered surprised even me.
Oh, and read all the way through to bottom where you’ll find info on a giveaway I’m sponsoring today.
So, did any of these facts surprise you? And do you have any tidbits of your own to share?
And now for the giveaway. In honor of my upcoming November release, Her Holiday Family, I’m giving away an advanced copy to one person who leaves a comment here today.
HER HOLIDAY FAMILY
What happens when a straight-laced young widow’s home is invaded by ten rambunctious orphans and their handsome caretaker just in time for the holidays…
Reserved widow Eileen Pierce never considered herself the kind of woman who was cut out to be a mother. She wouldn’t know what to do with one child, much less ten. But when handyman Simon Tucker is stranded in town with a group of young orphans just before Thanksgiving, she discovers she can’t just turn them away.
Simon knows there’s more to Eileen than meets the eye. Though his easygoing demeanor immediately clashes with her buttoned-up propriety, Simon’s kindness soon melts Eileen’s stern facade. Simon and the children have already upended Eileen’s quiet, orderly life. Will they do the same to her guarded heart?
Most of you know I’m a Cowboy Action Shooter known as “Ozark Belle.” This past weekend I participated in the Southern Missouri Rangers’ annual shoot, the Show-Me-Shootout! Besides lots of fun laughing with fellow cowboy and cowgirl shooting enthusiasts, and sending a lot of lead down-range, we spent our down time chatting, getting to know each other, and renewing friendships.
On Thursday, while waiting for the shooting to start—literally—someone asked: if you were going to be sent back in time to the late 1800s, what would you want to take with you?
Some of the answers were:
Air Conditioning
Flushing toilet & toilet paper
Electricity (that was available on the east coast, it just took a while to get west)
Running water (this wasn’t far off, either)
Refrigeration
But the consensus was—
ANTIBIOTICS!
Don’t you wonder who might have been saved and how different our world might be if we’d had penicillin sooner?
What about you? If you were returned to the Old West, circa 1870, what would you just HAVE to have?
I’ll give away one autographed copy of either “Lassoing a Bride” or “Lassoing a Groom” – winner’s choice. All you have to do to enter is join in the discussion (and leave your email address).
See you on the Range!
P.S.> My fellow authors at Prairie Rose have just released a pair of Halloween anthologies, Cowboys, Creatures & Calico, Volumes 1 & 2. Don’t miss out on the creepy fun!
With Tina Radcliffe
Hi Fillies! Thanks for having me in your corral. I wanted to share my confusion with you today. Why keep it all to myself?
Cowboys. When I moved to Oklahoma I saw nothing but cowboy hats and pickup trucks. I lived there for 17 years before moving to Colorado and spent many a day wondering what sort of head was under those hats. Lots of rodeos at the state fair too. Lots of cowboys.
I rarely saw a cowboy hat in Denver or the surrounding area in the next 19 years. Only when the Western Stock Show came to town. Were there no cowboys in Colorado? Yes, I discovered, they are alive and well, but strangely enough not a one of them lives in the suburbs of Denver. You heard it right. None at my local Starbucks ordering a mocha frappe with extra whipped cream.
With the launch of my latest release from Harlequin Love Inspired, Stranded with the Rancher (here’s Niall Matter, the actor who is the inspiration for my rancher .) I spent a lot of time researching cowboys.
Here’s some of what I learned along the way:
-According to the US Cattle Industry quotes, the US Department of Agriculture 2007 Census:
“There are more than 1 million beef producers in the United States who are responsible for more than 94 million head of beef cattle. When it comes to beef cattle production, most operations are smaller than you might think; according to USDA, the majority of beef cattle operations (79%) have less than 50 head of cattle. Although cattle farms and ranches are spread across the United State, nearly a third of cattle operations are located in the Plains states.”
–Beef cattle production is the single largest segment of American agriculture. (This is great! Cows = Cowboys!)
-90% is consumed domestically and 10% is exported.
-There’s another blogging rancher out there (besides Mary Connealy). Check out Feedyard Foodie.
-Deep Hollow Ranch, 110 miles (180 km) east of New York City in Montauk, New York, claims to be the first ranch in the United States, having continuously operated since 1658.-Wikipedia. Is that crazy or what? Puts an interesting spin on the Pace (NEW YORK CITY??) commercial.
–From the National Cattleman’s Association 2014 Cattle inventory (as of July 1, 2014)
Number of beef cow operations: 729,000
Number of cattle & calf operations: 915,000 – 29.0 million beef cows (down 1%)
The average cow herd size: 40 head (FORTY???? SERIOUSLY??)
Average producer (rancher/cowboy) age: 58.3. (Yep. They are getting older!)
More than 50 percent of the total value of U.S. sales of cattle and calves comes from the top 5 states:
The big question? Where ARE the cowboys? The answer is that they are in ALL 50 states. That’s right. Every single state in the US produces cattle. Here’s the January 1, 2014 stats. They are in our own backyard.
Great sources of cowboy information:
The American Cowboy Chronicles
The Last American Cowboy: Season 1
And especially the movie City Slickers. (snort)
Oh, and it really helps to have a friend who is married to a cowboy and lives on a ranch in Nebraska.
So what do you think about my trivia? Leave a comment for a chance to win my friend from Nebraska. No, wait, I mean a copy of my latest release, Stranded with the Rancher. Two winners.. International readers will be sent a Kindle copy.
~~~~~~~~~
The Doctor and the Cowboy
Stranded at single father Dan Gallagher’s ranch during a Colorado blizzard, Dr. Beth Rogers is counting the days till the roads are clear. She can’t wait to leave for her exciting new life in New York. But suddenly the big-city doctor is delivering babies in log cabins, helping to feed newborn calves and teaching Dan’s little girl to play hymns on the piano. No-nonsense Beth even throws a snowball or two at the handsome, love-shy cowboy. She thought she had her heart set on leaving, so why does she dream of Dan asking her to stay forever?
~~~~~~~~~~
Tina Radcliffe writes fun, inspirational romance for Love Inspired. She is a 2014 ACFW Mentor of the Year finalist and a 2014 Carol Award finalist in the short novel category, with her first Paradise book, Mending the Doctor’s Heart. Her latest Paradise book, Stranded with the Rancher is a September release. The next Paradise book releases in June 2015. She’s also teaching Self-Editing for Beginners in October in Seekerville’s Night Classes.
Don’t you just love those red boots on Carolyn’s cover?
Two lucky winners are going to enjoy reading all about that feisty gal.
Congratulations to . . .
(winner of the print copy)
and
(winner of the Kindle copy)
Carolyn will be contacting you soon to help you claim your prizes, ladies!
Hello, Fillies! Thank you for inviting me back to prop up my boots and visit for a spell.
It’s great to be back here to visit with y’all about my newest book that just hit the racks yesterday morning. I’m so excited to be starting a brand new series, The Palo Duro Series, with Long, Hot Texas Summer.
It’s Jackson and Loretta’s second chance story. Loretta is a fiery tempered, tall red head and Jackson is the tall, dark and handsome cowboy, who’s even sexier at forty than he was at eighteen.
They were married more than twenty years ago but they were both very young and it didn’t work. Loretta had doubts about Jackson’s love since she was pregnant when they got married. Jackson always felt like she could have done better than a rancher with her intelligence and ambition.
Now it’s twenty years later and their daughter, Nona, has decided to quit college and live at the ranch in the canyon. Loretta is bound, damned and determined to change Nona’s mind even if she has to live at the ranch during a long, hot Texas summer to convince her.
Jackson never stopped loving the red-haired spit fire that stole his heart in elementary school but hell’s bells it’s been twenty years and he’s moved on. At least that’s what he thought. Somehow his heart did not get that message or else it didn’t give a damn. After all, it wanted Loretta in the beginning and it hasn’t changed its mind one bit.
Still, Loretta has no right to move right into their old bedroom without an invitation and the battle lines are drawn. Nona is his only child. If she wants to learn the ranchin’ business, then she should be able to make up her own mind. She sure doesn’t need her mother getting in the way.
Loretta disagrees loudly and often and believe me, more than the weather got hot that summer and more than one decision was made. The past had to be dealt with before Loretta and Jackson could look forward to the future and enjoy the present to the fullest.
I really, really enjoyed writing this story. Having Loretta and Jackson, with their passion and their arguments, in my head all that time was quite an experience. The Palo Duro Canyon is a desolate area. I know because I visited it in all four seasons to get a feel for the place before I started this series. But something about that area called out to me, telling me that there was more than one story out there in the cow tongue cactus and the wild daisies.
The sequel to Long, Hot Texas Summer will hit the shelves in December. Daisies in the Canyon, also set there, carries the tale even further with a new set of characters, one of which my readers will meet in Long, Hot Texas Summer.
Tell me, have you ever stood in a place and felt something in the wind that told you there was a story there? Maybe one with a sexy, bull-headed cowboy and a sassy lady who wouldn’t take no for an answer?
Carolyn will be giving away two copies of Long, Hot Summer – one Kindle version, one print. So be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win!
Thank you so much for celebrating our blog’s birthday. It was such an encouragement to hear all the great comments from you.Congratulations ladies! You will be contacted by each of the sponsoring fillies for your particular prize package for your mailing address so that we can get your prizes in the mail to you. What an honor it is to celebrate the romance of the American West with all of you!
Time to Celebrate!!!.
Petticoats & Pistols is 7 years old today. Can you believe it? This blog devoted to lovers of western romance has been sharing hunky cowboy heroes and fascinating research tidbits with our readers since 2007. And it is because of our devoted readers that we have been able to have such wonderful longevity.
Thank you!!!
In order to show our appreciation for your loyal support, we are offering 3 spectacular prize packages that will be given to winners drawn from those who leave comments today.
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Prize Package #1
The entire Slades of Sunset Ranch series (4 books) from Charlene Sands
A copy of Karen Kay’s The Last Warrior
The Lassoing a Groom anthology from Tracy Garrett
$10 Amazon Gift Card + a copy of The Cattleman Meets His Match from Sherri Shackelford
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Prize Package #2
Two books from Tanya Hanson – Midnight Bride and The Circle Girls (YA)
A complete set of the Irish Brides continuity from Love Inspired Historical from Winnie Griggs
A copy of Fire Eyes from Cheryl Pierson
$10 Amazon Gift Card + $10 Bath and Body Works Gift Card + a signed copy of The Trouble Texan from Phyliss Miranda
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Prize Package #3
A signed copy of Full Steam Ahead by Karen Witemeyer
Four Weddings and a Kiss anthology from Margaret Brownley
All 8 books in Renee Ryan’s Charity House series (yes, that’s 8 books!)
A signed copy of Tried and True by Mary Connealy
A $25 gift card from Amazon from Linda Broday
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To be entered to win one of these three fabulous prize packages, leave a comment telling us what you enjoy the most about visiting all the fillies here at the Junction. And if you are a new visitor, tell us what you love the most about western romance.
Winners will be announced tomorrow. (Only US addresses are eligible. Sorry.)
Thanks for comin’ to the party, y’all!
I set REDEEMING the CEO COWBOY primarily in Reno, Nevada because it’s an extension of The Slades of Sunset Ranch Series and my hero Casey Thomas, is the CEO of Sentinel Construction from the Lake Tahoe area. Casey was born and raised in Reno and he’s come back to expand the business in his hometown. Well, that’s only one of the reasons…Susanna Hart has a little to do with the other reasons.
Reno was known in earlier days as “Sin City”, gaining its name and reputation for underground gambling and prostitution. After gold was discovered Virginia City, Charles Fuller decided to construct a bridge over the Truckee River charging a toll to cross, but the bridge wasn’t sturdy enough and his venture failed. Right before the Central Pacific Railroad came through the area, Myron Lake bought the bridge and land surrounding the area. The sturdier bridge he had constructed soon became known as Lake’s Crossing. In 1868 Lake’s Crossing was renamed Reno after Civil War hero, General Jesse Reno.
Reno became an important freight and passenger center. In 1928, the Reno City Council decided “Sin City” wouldn’t do, they needed a new slogan for their town and started a “motto” competition. The winner received $100.00 and the new slogan and now famous arch that hovers over the main street in town reads: The Biggest Little City in the World!
Susanna Hart owns a home-based business, Sweet Susie’s Pastries and More in Reno, Nevada. Here’s one of her recipes!
Rocky Road Chocolate Muffins (credit to Cupcakes Made Simple)
6 TBSP sunflower oil OR 6 TSP butter, melted and cooled
1 ½ cup all purpose flour
2 ounces unsweetened cocoa
Pinch of salt
1 TBSP baking powder
½ Cup super fine sugar
½ Cup white chocolate chips
1 ¼ ounces white mini-marshmallows cut in half
2 eggs
I Cup of milk
Grease a 12 hole muffin pan. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Stir in sugar, white chocolate chips and marshmallows.
Beat eggs in large bowl, add milk and oil and beat gently. Make a well with dry ingredients and add in beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until just combined. Spoon batter into muffin pans.
Bake in pre-heated oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Enjoy!
Romantic Times Book Reviews: Sands continues the Slades of Sunset Ranch series with a heartfelt story, three-dimensional characters and a storyline that flows with relative ease. This is a SURE BET! Reviewed by: Susannah Balch
REDEEMING THE CEO COWBOY is available for pre-order and in bookstores August 1st.
Ten years ago = ancient history…right?
So what if former rodeo champion turned construction mogul Casey Thomas is back…living right next door? Susanna Hart is busy running her Sweet Susie’s pastry business and raising her two-year-old cousin. Why pay any attention to the man who took her virginity ten years ago, then left town?
Casey still feels guilty for taking advantage of his little sister’s best friend. A helping hand is just what her business—and his conscience—need. But guilt isn’t his only motivation. Casey’s got a sweet tooth for Susie. And the more she resists, the sweeter it gets!
Do you have a favorite muffin or cupcake recipe? How would you feel about your EX- moving in next door? Have you ever been to Reno or Lake Tahoe? Impressions? I’d love to hear from you!
Post a comment to any or all of these questions and a random blogger will be drawn over the weekend to win a $10.00 Amazon or BN Gift Card!
Today I’m giving away “book-ends”–the first e-book in my contemporary, inspirational ranch series, Hearts Crossing Ranch, as well as the latest, book seven, Seeing Daylight~so please leave a comment after you endure my lecture on Aspen Trees!
You see, Seeing Daylight takes place in autumn in Colorado, and last fall, Hubs and I witnessed the aspen trees in all their fiery glory, mostly yellow and gold, occasionally red. I still get goosebumps.
Aspen are found throughout North America, from New England to Alaska, even down into California and Arizona. But the best, the most, and brightest are found in Colorado and Utah. (Aspen, Colorado was named that for a reason!)
Petiole–the stalk attaching the leaf to the stem–are long and flat, giving the leaves the chance to flutter or “quake” in the slightest breeze. Depending on their location, aspen endure temperatures as low as -78 F, and as high as 110 F. While they prefer moist soil, they can grow in desert climes that get a half a foot of rain a year. Their absolutely only requirement for survival is abundant sunlight.
With white bark and black scars, the aspen is often confused with the birch. However, birch bark easily peels like paper and aspen bark does not. And…an aspen isn’t really one tree at all.
A stand of aspen is actually one huge organism, a large system–up to twenty acres–of underground roots. When there is finally enough sunlight, roots sprout up into the famed white trunks which eventually shoot off leaves.
This is called vegetative, or asexual, reproduction. These root systems are called “clones” and can live for thousands of of years. The oldest known clone at 80,000 years old is the “Pando” north of Bryce Canyon in central Utah. Five-to-ten thousand year old clones are more common,
Aspen are unique in another way…beneath that lovely white back is an inner green layer necessary for photosynthesis. Making sugars keeps the aspen growing all through the winter when other trees go dormant.
This green layer also becomes survival food for deer and elk when winters are long.
In the fall, the trees of each aspen “clone” structure will have the same color turning from green to gold or red at the same time.
The intensive root systems appear immune to plant diseases. The aspen is not endangered and never will be. Even dormant root systems come back to life…especially after a forest fire clears out other growth and brings back the sun.
The only natural enemy of the aspen are pocket gophers who, in abundance, can gnaw through root systems. But chopped up roots can still grow.
The aspen turn gold earlier in the mountains than say, Denver, and we sure timed it right during our vacation in Vail.
(view from our condo…pretty swell!)
Have you ever seen aspen? Did you find any interesting facts today? Please leave a comment to win either kindle or PDF copies of my “book-end” books.
![HeartsCrossingRanch_w4841_300[1]](https://i0.wp.com/petticoatsandpistols.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/HeartsCrossingRanch_w4841_3001.jpg)
…a beautiful attorney widowed by a foolhardy man…a successful builder vanquishing guilt over his wife’s death. Can they rebuild faith and find love enough to give each other and their kids a happy home together?
….Sixteen months since the foolish death of her husband, attorney Rachel Martin aches to move on as much as she fears the future. Cutting back on her practice and moving back to her childhood ranch means her three-year old son has all the attention he needs. Finding love again is the last thing on her mind…until she meets Brayton Metcalf.
After ten year’s of self-blame for his wife’s death in a plane crash, successful businessman Brayton Metcalf is instantly drawn to Rachel when he brings his his daughter to Hearts Crossing Ranch for therapy riding lessons. But Rachel backs off at his impetuous personality. He whittles away at her doubts…until he jumps head-fist into a business decision that will affect her family. Rachel, her trust in Brayton endangered, turns to trusting in God. Can the couple’s shared grief and guilt permit them to see daylight once again?
