Guest Author

BLUEBONNET FIELDS (AND A GIVEAWAY!) by Kara O’Neal

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Howdy, fellow western romance readers!

I’m so excited to be back with y’all to talk about books, the West, and history! I’ve learned so much from the posts on Petticoats and Pistols, and I’m glad I get to contribute to this blog.

When I was drafting Bluebonnet Fields, the final book in the Wildflower series, I got to visit the Hill Country in Texas, which is where the bluebonnets grow. It’s also where my grandma is from. And her mother, and her mother’s mother.

They were a family of cotton pickers. Migrant workers.

My grandma grew up running the roads of the Hill Country and picking furrow after furrow of cotton.

But, in between the work, they made time for fun, and dancing was often their favorite activity.

 

Gruene Hall, in Gruene, Texas, (pronounced “green”), is the oldest continually operating dance hall in Texas. It was started in 1878, and it hasn’t changed much at all. The layout of the building is the same—bar at the front, dance floor in the middle, side-flaps for open-air dancing, tin roof, and a small stage opposite the bar. The outdoor garden, with the live oak trees and stone walk-ways are also still the same.

Oh, the fun this building has seen! The music it has heard!

Gruene Hall is one of my favorite places in Texas, and two-stepping or waltzing the night away at this establishment, as so many others have done, is a privilege and an honor.

And in Bluebonnet Fields, I was able to give that joy to Kenna and Levi. It’s where Kenna has her first dance, and where they share their first kiss. It’s truly magical.

And I can imagine my great-grandmothers there, having themselves a grand time, loving the music, dancing the night away, and maybe giving away a kiss or two!

Do you have a favorite historic spot or town that instantly transports you back in time? Please share and one commentor will win a copy of Bluebonnet Fields!

 BLUEBONNET FIELDS

Texas, 1890

Kenna Ainsley has no use for love. It only brings betrayal and disappointment. She finds solace in her work as a Harvey Girl, and the independence that brings.

But one day a stranger sits down at her table. He’s a Deputy Sheriff, and before she can blink, he’s dragging her back to Galveston on an erroneous charge that she’s a runaway wife.

Kenna plots her escape. But even as she tries to free herself, her heart is working against her. She’s falling for the handsome Deputy Sheriff, which sends her fleeing to the one place she swore she would never go.

Deputy Sheriff Levi Brandt has plans, and Kenna is at the center of them. After one look at her, he knows there’s no way in hell she’s gonna end up hitched to anyone else but him. But he’s gonna have to do some heavy lifting to get her to trust him. Lucky for her, he welcomes the weight. No matter how far she runs, he’ll find her. Always.

 

Excerpt

When Kenna entered the hall on the arm of Levi, she took in her surroundings with an excited eye. The dance floor was in the direct center. A bar was at one end, near the main doors, and the stage where the band was playing was opposite it. The area was flanked by tables, and several rectangular windows that had flaps designed to draw in a breeze.

People were about, some at the bar with glasses of beer, some at the tables eating, while couples twirled to the lively reel being played by the band. Kenna knew the tune. She’d heard it once spilling forth from a saloon in Galveston. She’d stopped to listen outside the doors for a brief moment.

“You ready?” Levi asked, leaning down near her ear.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she announced. She looked at him, her pulse racing in anticipation of all that was going to occur and what might occur this night.

He grinned. “Then hang on to me, darlin’, because I don’t intend to let your feet touch the floor.”

And with that, he swept her up into his arms and twirled her onto the dance floor. With his gaze locked on hers, he took her through the lively steps, spinning and whirling her to the strains of the fiddle, guitar, drum, harmonica, and banjo.

Without a care, she put her trust in him, grateful not to have to worry for one night. She was going to forget her cares and let herself go.

When the first dance ended, there was barely a second to breathe before the next one was starting. He never relinquished his hold on her. His arm was tight around her waist, and he was keeping her deliciously close as he expertly slipped them into the waltz that was now being played.

As he turned her about the room, she basked in his intent attention and possessive hold. His gaze was gleaming with heat and promise, with want and delight. She fell into his eyes and hoped in hers he saw her own desire.

The waltz melted into a reel, then back into a waltz once more, and as the evening darkened into night, her heart soared to the Heavens and stayed there. Her head was spinning, her body was humming. She never wanted to let him go.

And when another fellow tapped him on the shoulder, making Levi pause, and indicating his want to cut in, her breath caught in fear that Levi would give her up.

“No,” Levi fairly growled at the man, an instant fury leaping from him.

The fellow raised his brow, then set his jaw and walked off.

Levi immediately began dancing with her again, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

He set his lips next to her ear. “I told you, Kenna, you’re mine for tonight. I’m not sharing.”

She squeezed his hand and curled her fingers more tightly about his arm. An involuntary reaction that showed her pleasure at his gruff vow.

His answer was to tighten his arm about her waist, pulling her even closer.

 Book Purchase Link:  https://books2read.com/u/bP2ewY

What about you? Do you like to dance? If so, what is your favorite kind and where? Leave a comment to be entered in the drawing for one ebook copy of Bluebonnet Fields!

 

Author Bio

Kara O’Neal is an award-winning author of over thirty historical romances. Humor, family, love, and romance take center stage in her novels, and her characters have been touted as “real, complex, and down-to-earth”. Her books are available in print and ebook.

When not writing, she’s a teacher, but she’s always a mother to three talented children, and the wife of a man quite worthy of being called “hero”.

Telling stories is her passion, and she does so with memorable characters and unique plots certain to keep you reading late into the night! Visit Kara O’Neal at http://www.karaoneal.com.

Where to Find Kara

Website ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ X ~ Pinterest ~ Newsletter ~ Goodreads ~ Bookbub ~ Amazon

FALCONRY (AND A GIVEAWAY!) by Kristy McCaffrey

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Falconry is the ancient sport of hunting wild quarry with a trained bird of prey. The practice didn’t arise in the American West until the late 1800s and early 1900s, although the practice was sporadic.

Spanish conquistadors noted indigenous people and Aztecs using trained raptors during the 16th century, and Christopher Columbus had one falconer in his party who hunted with hawks in what is now Haiti.

“Falconer” has been traditionally used to describe someone who flies a falcon. Hunting with a conditioned falconry bird was also called hawking of “gamehawking,” but those terms have fallen out of favor.

Raptors used in falconry include broadwings (Buteos and Parabuteos, which include Harris’s hawks), shortwings (Asturs and Accipiters, including hawks, goshawks and sparrowhawks), and longwings (Falcos, including peregrine falcons, kestrels, gyrfalcons and saker falcons).

In my upcoming historical western romance, The Falcon, the heroine is raising an abandoned prairie falcon fledgling, but as she has no experience in such an endeavor, she seeks out the introduction of a falconer from Argentina.

Prairie falcons are medium-sized falcons similar to peregrines located in Western North America. They might be better called desert falcons from their need for open space and arid dry habitats. They’re scrappy survivalists, with females much larger than males, and when trained well, they’re impressive hunters—aggressive, agile, and determined.

 

Mexico

December 1899

Josie Ryan’s connection to Texas runs deep, from the land to an almost preternatural kinship with the animals in the wild. This bond has led her to the edge of life and death, from saving a boy caught in a fire when she was eleven years old to being struck by lightning to a mountain lion attack that almost ended her life. The discovery of an abandoned falcon chick leads to a fierce attachment, but with only intuition to guide her, Josie struggles to train the wildest creature she’s ever encountered. When she learns of a man who could help, she’s determined to gain an introduction.

Mateo Almirón, El Halconero—The Falconer—and Argentine gaucho, is tasked with delivering two prized purebred Criollo mares to Matt Ryan, a man whose reputation casts a long shadow. Years ago, Ryan saved the life of Mateo’s father, and the horses will settle the longstanding debt, but when the exchange goes wrong, Mateo is entrusted with protecting Ryan’s daughter, Josie. Now Mateo and Josie must hide in the mountains of Northern Mexico where stories abound of Josie’s mother, a woman who lived among the Comanche and rose from the dead.

But in a place alive with superstition, Josie and her untamed falcon will give rise to a new legend …

Josie is the youngest child of Matt and Molly from The Wren (Book 1).

 The Falcon will be available 9/22/2026. Pre-order now at Apple Books and Nook. It will also be available at Amazon, Kobo, and Google Play books on release day.

Have you ever seen a falcon, hawk or eagle in the wild? Or maybe a zoo or rescue center? Leave a comment and be entered to win an e-copy of Book 11 in the Wings of the West series, The Swan.

 

In Oklahoma Territory Malcolm Hardy has created enough distance from his questionable family name to find a quiet purpose to his days, but then Dr. Anna Ryan walks back into his life, and his hard-won peace is in jeopardy.

 

Kristy McCaffrey writes award-winning historical western romances with grit and emotion, along with contemporary adventure stories packed with romance and suspense. Her work is filled with compelling heroes, determined heroines, and her trademark mysticism. She lives in the desert north of Phoenix with her husband and rescue bulldog, Jeb. Learn more about her books at her website, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

 

Graphics courtesy of Deposit Photos. Book covers by Earthly Charms.

Welcome Back – Penny Zeller!

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A Sneak Peek of What’s Next…

Howdy, y’all! Penny here. I am so honored to be a guest again on Petticoats & Pistols. This time, I’m giving a sneak peek into my upcoming Christian historical romance. A Heart’s Prayer is the second book in the Montana Hearts Series and takes place in the late 1800s in the Montana Territory. There are plans for six books total, and this one continues the heartwarming, faith-filled series that began with A Heart’s Hope. Enjoy the excerpt!

How had Darius found her?

His voice echoed through her mind. “I had you fooled, didn’t I? You’re a foolish woman, Kaydie. Ain’t no way I’m gonna die and let you go free! When you said ‘I do,’ it meant that you were bound to me forever.”

Kaydie flung her eyes open and jerked upright. She stared into the darkness. Shadows bounced off the walls, creating looming outlines. Sweat soaked Kaydie’s nightgown, and her heart pounded so loudly in her ears she could scarcely hear anything else. “No, he can’t be here.” Her words were more akin to gasps.

Had she thought she would be safe on the Sawyer Ranch? Safe with her sister, McKenzie, and McKenzie’s new husband, Noah? Safe, far, far away from the town in the Montana Territory where Darius had lost his life while robbing a bank?

Safe, or so it had seemed.

Kaydie’s legs shook, and for a minute, she was frozen in place. Finally, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood. Grabbing the bedpost to steady herself, Kaydie paused momentarily. He wasn’t in the room, was he?

Lord, please, please don’t let him be here. Please let me be free of him.

A shiver trilled through her. Groping in the dark, she made her way to the window and shoved the curtains aside. She peered into the darkness, the moon and the stars illuminating the immediate area around the house. She pressed her face against the window and scanned the area once more just to be sure her eyes hadn’t deceived her.

A past that won’t let go, a heart that dares to hope. A Heart’s Prayer releases in November and reminds us that God is the Author of second chances. It can be read as a standalone but is better enjoyed after reading A Heart’s Hope. Go here to preorder your copy of A Heart’s Prayer at the special preorder price.

I’m giving one lucky winner an ebook copy of A Heart’s Hope. (Limited to U.S. residents only. The ebook will be ordered directly from Kindle and gifted to you with a redemption code).

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment in answer to this question: Pretend you live in the late 1800s. Would you choose to reside in a small Wild West town or in a large, established city?

Thank you for joining me today.

As a special gift, be sure to snag An Unexpected Arrival, a Wyoming Sunrise novelette, for free by going here.

Penny Zeller is known for her heartfelt stories of faith-filled happily ever afters. Her books feature tender romance, steady doses of humor, and memorable characters that stay with you long after the last page. She is a multi-published author of over three dozen books and is also a fitness instructor, loves the outdoors, and is a flower gardening addict. Penny resides with her husband and two daughters in small-town America and loves to connect with her readers at her website at http://www.pennyzeller.com.

Welcome Guest Author Janice Cole Hopkins!

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Hope on the Nevada Horizon

Some stories arrive in a writer’s mind like a whisper, and others settle in and refuse to leave until they’re written. The Disabled Daughters trilogy belongs to that second category. These three sisters—Ava, Jo, and Chloe Walsh—have lived with me for years, waiting patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) for their turn on the page. I knew their stories would require tenderness, honesty, and a deep respect for the challenges women faced in the nineteenth century, especially women whose bodies didn’t fit society’s expectations.

The Walsh sisters’ journey begins with heartbreak. A devastating carriage accident claims their mother’s life and leaves each daughter with a lasting injury. Ava suffers from a damaged back that often leaves her bedridden. Jo walks with a permanent limp after her leg shattered in multiple places. Chloe’s right hand is weak and unusable. These injuries shape their lives, but they do not define their worth—something each sister must learn in her own time.

Their father, already weakened by an unexplained condition after the accident, fears he won’t live long enough to see his daughters settled. When the doctor urges him to prepare for the end, he makes a bold and loving decision: he’ll take his girls west to Nevada, where his sister and her husband run a ranch. He believes the wide open frontier may offer opportunities the East never could—fresh starts, new friendships, and perhaps even husbands who can see past the sisters’ limitations to the strength beneath. Each book follows one sister as she faces her fears, her hopes, and the unexpected ways God works in her life.

Ava

Ava is the eldest, the steady one, the daughter who tries hardest to hide her pain. Her injured back has stolen much of her confidence, and she’s convinced no man would willingly choose a wife who cannot always stand on her own two feet. Nevada challenges her in ways she never imagined, but it also offers something she never expected—hope.

 

Jo

Jo’s story is one of patience, courage, and learning to trust God’s timing. With Ava married and her father’s health failing, Jo knows she must consider marriage next. But she refuses to settle for convenience. Her journey is quieter, but no less brave, as she seeks a love that honors both her heart and her faith.

 

Chloe

Chloe is the spirited youngest sister, determined to secure a comfortable life, even if comfort and happiness aren’t the same thing. She believes she knows exactly what she wants, but God has a way of redirecting steps. Her story is full of surprises, growth, and a love she never saw coming.

The trilogy releases quickly—Ava came out in June, Jo will be released July 3, and Chloe on August 4, so readers won’t have to wait long between books. They will be available for Kindle, KU, print, and Audible. Ava is available now and Jo and Chloe are on preorder. Each novel stands alone, but together they form a portrait of resilience, family devotion, and the quiet strength of women who refuse to give up.

Disabled Daughters series

Ava

Jo

Chloe

 

Tell me why you like a series or standalone books best to be entered in a drawing for a Kindle copy of Ava.

About the Author:

Literature has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I was reading by age five, writing stories by third grade, and publishing poetry by the eighth. During my years as a teacher, I wrote magazine articles—short pieces that fit into a busy classroom schedule—but my dream was always to write a historical novel.

That dream finally took root when I became my mother’s caregiver. I see it as God bringing good from a bad situation, the way He promises. I wrote my first novel, published it, and discovered I never wanted to stop. Soon, I’ll have more than a hundred published books, and I’m still as excited about storytelling as ever.

Every novel I write has a complete, satisfying ending. If you enjoy reading series in order, you’ll get the richest experience following the regular series chronologically. But no matter where you begin, each book offers a full story on its own. Readers often tell me they can’t put them down, and I hope you’ll feel the same.

All of my profits go to a scholarship fund for missionary children, so every book you read helps make a difference in lives.

Welcome Guest Author KyLee Woodley

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What They Carried

  The Story of Shirley’s Basket

There was a lot of hubbub when my first novel debuted, including friends of friends and relatives who purchased it. One such person was my sister’s neighbor, who purchased it for his wife. This summer, I went to visit my sister and met her neighbor—a 91-year-old gentleman by the name of Don. He sat in his rocking chair before a grand fireplace, where a historical firearm, complete with a bayonet, hung on display behind him as he told me stories of coming west. Beside him sat an empty rocking chair, complete with an overstuffed cushion.

As he paused in his storytelling, my sister spoke up. When she mentioned that I wrote stories of the West and that I was the writer in the family, Don told me that Shirley enjoyed reading my book and insisted that I should take one of her ornamental glass baskets. Speechless, I thanked him yet stood unmoving, wrapped in the weight of the moment. He nodded solemnly, as our dear elderly friends do, and said, “In honor of Shirley.” It was a deeply humbling experience.

Figure 1 Shirley’s Basket with Books by KyLee Woodley, Photo cred. KayDee Parker

Holding that delicate glass, I realized that we never truly leave the past behind if we have something tangible to anchor it. Decades ago, many pioneers heading west set out with the prize of “the Promised Land” and a new life ahead. They brought with them an assortment of heirlooms and family treasures—some of monetary worth, and others of purely sentimental value. These precious items became the foundations of a home, surviving the journey even after the schooners themselves had been stripped down and remade into cabins.

 The Woven Basket: The Everyday Companion

While Shirley’s basket was an ornament of remembrance, the baskets carried across the plains were born of pure utility. Baskets were lightweight, durable, and did not overburden the beasts of burden that brought emigrants west. They were used for vital, practical purposes like collecting eggs, herbs, and berries, as well as for holding sewing essentials or keeping bread dough warm by the fire. Woven from natural materials and often handed down from generation to generation, these baskets stood as a symbol of the work of the hands and heart—a practical piece of history born from simple materials, a clever mind, and diligent hands.

The Signature Quilt: A Community’s Embrace

Quilt exhibit, interior of Negro building, Atlanta Exposition. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print

Where baskets provided daily utility, other trail treasures offered a different kind of survival: emotional comfort. The heirlooms that consistently made it across the plains were the family quilts. Before a wagon train departed, entire communities would gather to hold “farewell quilting bees,” stitching together pieces of fabric, names, and signature blocks from the families left behind. They sometimes signed their names directly onto the squares or inked scripture and words of blessings onto the cloth. Wrapping up in a signature quilt on a freezing desert night meant literally wrapping oneself in the warm presence of loved ones who were thousands of miles away.

 Heirloom Seeds: The Promise of Tomorrow

Old Pecan Orchard in Lebanon Oregon (by KayDee Parker)

Many of the pioneers were farmers, and how appropriate to bring with them the seeds of their home. Often, these were sewn into the hems of petticoats. Flowers, pinecones, and bulbs (like lilacs and old-fashioned roses) were stored in tin boxes. Planting a mother’s garden in untamed western soil was how they claimed a wild frontier and turned it into a home.

Living Sourdough Starter: A Taste of Home

Mixing Sourdough (Photo: William George James, 2019. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Alongside the seeds meant for future fields, pioneers carried another living heirloom to sustain them day by day: the family batch of sourdough. Many of these wild yeast starters were already generations old, carefully kept alive from the same batch used by mothers and grandmothers further up the family tree. Tucked safely away from the harsh elements, these starters lived in small stoneware crocks. They were a true “living heirloom,” ensuring that no matter how drastically their outer world changed, the pioneers’ daily bread tasted like the kitchens they had left behind.

 Vessels of Memory

Cherokee Pass, Rocky Mountains, LOC.gov. https://lccn.loc.gov/2004661635

We remember pioneers for their grit, but their heirlooms remind us of their heart—the things that mattered to them and to those who came after them. Like the basket from Shirley’s own living room, we honor those who walked before us and cherish the days gone by—a time when family ties endured even as new worlds beckoned and threatened.

What about you?

Is there a precious object passed down through your family, or perhaps a unique treasure you discovered at a local garage sale or antique shop?

I would love to hear your stories in the comments below. 

About the Author:

KyLee Woodley Author Kylee Woodley with long wavy blond hair, smiling, wearing a floral shirtwrites inspirational historical romance with a pinch of adventure. A cheery romantic, she loves to evoke bygone days and heartwarming love stories, as seen in her 2025 debut The Bandit’s Redemption and the subsequent installments, The Bounty Hunter’s Surrender (2025) and The Convict’s Courtship (2026)—all published by Wild Heart Books. KyLee teaches preschool at a lab school in Texas, where she lives with her husband and their three teenage children. When she is not busy, she hosts Historical Bookworm Show—a podcast for history lovers and fans of historical fiction. Raised in the Pacific Northwest and now rooted in Texas, KyLee carries a deep respect for American values and the power of redemption. She began ministering to the homeless and addicted as a teenager, and that compassion continues to shape her stories—loving the unlovely is a timeless theme.

Author Links: 

https://www.facebook.com/WoodleyWrites

https://twitter.com/KyLeeWoodley

https://www.instagram.com/kylee.woodley.writes/

https://www.pinterest.com/kypins13/

Podcast: https://historicalbookworm.com/?page_id=41

Personal Website:  https://kyleewoodley.com/

 

 

Welcome Guest Author Penny Zeller

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Howdy, y’all! Penny here. I am so honored to be a guest again on Petticoats & Pistols. This time, I’m here chatting about A Heart’s Hope, my latest Christian historical romance. A Heart’s Hope takes place in 1881, and as I was writing the book, I discovered many interesting things about toys and candy from yesteryear.

When high-society socialite McKenzie Chesterton answers a rugged rancher’s mail-order bride advertisement, she later discovers the man she is about to marry has a young son named Davey. As such, she purchases a few fun items from the toy shops and candy stores in Boston.

One gift McKenzie gives Davey is a harmonica. Some sources say the ancestor of the harmonica originated in the 1780s. Others believe the forerunner came from ancient China’s sheng instrument. Some sources cite the origin of the harmonica as a way to help tune pianos. Regardless, the harmonica as we now know it grew in popularity in the 1800s, and was even called a “mouth organ”.

Marbles came into great popularity when mass production started in the 1840s. Glass marbles were the most common.

The jump rope has been a common toy for at least a few centuries, but did you know it was called “skipping rope” in the 1800s? Different sources have cited a variety of origins for the jump rope, and there may be evidence that suggests it was used in Ancient Greece. It is believed the Dutch brought skipping ropes to America.

Just as toys have changed through the eras, so has candy. McKenzie gifts Davey a chocolate bar. Did you know the first chocolate bar was produced in 1847 by Joseph Fry? Hershey didn’t begin chocolate production until around 1900.

Chocolate bars weren’t the only thing to come along in the 1800s. One of the more interesting discoveries was that chewing gum was first produced from tree sap in the 1840s. One of the first, if not the first, packaged box of chocolate was released in 1854. The 1890s are when the first batch of peanut brittle is rumored to have accidentally been created due to a wrong ingredient.

Topics like toys and candy from days past always provide entertainment while we authors conduct research. I once heard that authors research for hours just to write one sentence. As one who has written numerous historicals, that is certainly true.

I’m super excited about the release of A Heart’s Hope on June 16.

She’s from high society. He’s a humble rancher. Can an unorthodox marriage lead to love?

What happens when truths are disclosed, and McKenzie’s real reason for answering Noah’s advertisement comes to light? Will the fragile love that has begun to grow between McKenzie and Noah survive the truth? Can God take an unconventional situation and bring two lonely hearts together?

A Heart’s Hope is a heartwarming, faith-filled, marriage-of-convenience love story that shows that God truly is the Changer of hearts.

Go here to snag your copy of A Heart’s Hope.

I’m giving one lucky winner their choice of a paperback or ebook of A Heart’s Hope. (Limited to U.S. residents only).

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment in answer to this question:

What was your favorite childhood candy or toy?

Thank you for joining me today.

As a special gift, be sure to snag An Unexpected Arrival, a Wyoming Sunrise novelette, for free by going here.

Penny Zeller is known for her heartfelt stories of faith-filled happily ever afters. Her books feature tender romance, steady doses of humor, and memorable characters that stay with you long after the last page. She is a multi-published author of over three dozen books and is also a fitness instructor, loves the outdoors, and is a flower gardening addict. Penny resides with her husband and two daughters in small-town America and loves to connect with her readers at her website at http://www.pennyzeller.com

 

Welcome Guest Author Tanya Agler!

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Chuckwagons, Campfires, and Diners

One of my favorite parts of vacations is reading the descriptions of the local restaurants as every family member on the trip gets to choose one eating establishment. I am always on the lookout for diners as there is something about the varied menu and fun décor that appeals to me. That might be part of the reason food always plays a major role in my books. In my upcoming Ruby Canyon series, Deedee Magill, a decorated retired rodeo rider, opened the Pinto Bean Café, which has a diner-like atmosphere. In the third book of my Rodeo Stars of Violet Ridge series, Her Temporary Cowboy, there’s a chuckwagon ride where the heroine, Elizabeth Irwin, anticipates the cook’s campfire pancakes. I hope you brought your appetite today as I explore the history of diners and chuckwagons.

Tanya with her daughter at a chuckwagon event.

The history of diners begins in the 1870s with lunch wagons that popped up in Rhode Island to feed laborers, newspaper workers, and others. Those led to the advent of night meal wagons, which offered the likes of coffee, pie, and sandwiches at all hours. By the 1890s, lunch wagons had boomed, providing meals for all social classes. After WW2, the current version of diners began to emerge with the advent of the modular, stainless-steel structure that can still be found today. Today, there are over 8,000 diners in the US alone, with New Jersey claiming the title of the diner capital of the world.

Chuckwagons also have a colorful history. Originally created by Charles Goodnight to feed cowboys on Texas cattle drives, the chuckwagon became synonymous with eating under the open sky. A chuckwagon is exactly what it sounds like. It’s often a wagon, often with a white tarpaulin, that serves as a mobile kitchen to feed cowhands and ranchers. In Goodnight’s version, the wagon came outfitted with a “chuck box” with drawers and shelves for food and equipment storage, and a hinged lid that would provide a flat surface for preparing the meals. Biscuits and beans are the meal most often associated with what would be served on the open range, although coffee and sourdough bread are also high on that list. Currently, the American Chuck Wagon Association was founded in 1997 to continue the historical legacy of this treasured historical way of eating. There are also contests for chuckwagon cooking, and it is now a staple of many dude ranches. My daughter’s engagement dinner theme revolved around chuckwagons and cobbler, and this is a picture of us at the event.

In The Hometown Hero’s Fourth of July, there are four former female rodeo contestants who were pivotal in their field. They have now settled in Ruby Canyon and call themselves the Bronze Gals. Deedee Magill is the unofficial leader of the group and is the grandmother of the heroine, Erin Perkins. Deedee named the Pinto Bean Café after her rodeo horse and is known for making the best omelets around as well as a mean bowl of turkey chili and a heaping slice of peanut butter pie. She also alerts her granddaughter to the happenings of Ruby Canyon. In the first chapter of the book, Deedee calls Erin and tells her to get to the Pinto Bean pronto.

Here is a small excerpt featuring Erin’s response:

Thirty minutes later, she approached downtown Ruby Canyon. If Erin had blinked, she’d have missed the turn from Main Street onto Meadow Valley Road and the café where Grandma Deedee had served thousands of breakfast platters in the past year alone.

As small as it was, there was something intangible about her adopted hometown that was deeply entrenched in her. During her tour of duty, she had dreamed about her grandmother’s award-winning chili, the annual softball game and the Fourth of July fireworks. Awakening, she started counting down the days until she once again smelled the wildflowers wafting in the summer air and felt the first snowfall buffeting her cheeks.

The Pinto Bean Café is part of Ruby Canyon, just as diners and chuckwagons have been a part of American culture for over one hundred years.

What about you?

Have you ever dined at a diner or been a part of a chuck wagon meal?

Let me know in the comments and one commenter will receive a signed print copy (US only) of

The Hometown Hero’s Fourth of July

along with a $10.00 Amazon gift card.

Tanya Agler moved often during her childhood and settled in Georgia where she writes sweet contemporary romance novels, which feature small towns, family and pets, and themes of second chances and hope. Tanya’s books for Harlequin Heartwarming are set in small towns located in the mountains of North Carolina, Colorado, and Wyoming.

When she’s not writing, Tanya loves classic movies, walking, and a good cup of tea.

Visit her website for more details.

Welcome Guest Author Charlene Raddon

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FROM SODA TO HOCK – A Discourse on The Game of Faro, as Played in The Wild West

The first card out of a faro box was called the “soda” and did not count in the betting. The last card in the deck, the “hock,” was also dead. Thus, derived the expression, “from soda to hock,” meaning from beginning to end, one of many idiomatic terms that came into the language from the frontier’s most popular game (from The Knights Of The Green Cloth by DeArment).

In preparation for the writing of my book, Maisy’s Gamble, I did an in-depth study of the game of Faro (also spelled pharo). Dealing faro, you see, was how my heroine, Maisy Macoubrie, earned her living.

Between 1850 and 1910, the stereotypical frontier gambler was found in every mining camp, railhead, cattle town, and army post, plus a few places in between. Hiding his thoughts and emotions took no effort for this man, for he naturally avoided letting anyone too close; they might discover his secrets. His eyes flick over every surface, every face, while his brain calculates the possible opportunities to be had on site. His ear takes in every clink of a coin, every whisper of pastebacks being shuffled. No weapons are visible on his person. Gems flash from rings and stickpins. He appears amiable, but don’t be fooled; he can be ruthless to a fault.

Seeing a game starting up at a back table whose occupants wear fine broadcloth suits, gold watch chains and polished shoes, he saunters over, watches for a moment, then asks, “Mind if I sit in?” The other players eye him up and down, decide he’s okay and motion for him to take a seat.

The dealer, a young man in clean but ordinary clothes, isn’t taken in by the new player but says nothing. Folks in the Old West tended to mind their own business.

By the time the game is over, the new fellow has a pile of money and chips in front of him and the other men wear disgruntled expressions on their faces. Our young gambler knew his fellow players were not gamblers but townsmen seeking entertainment. He never plays against professionals except when he wants to test his skills and mettle.

Maisy, in my book, Maisy’s Gamble, would also recognize the young dandy as a professional and know how to deal with him. Of course, Maisy never cheated, except to save the life of a mistreated dog. And Hock, as she named the dog, was forever grateful and gave her his love and devotion, ready to lay down his life to defend her. Hock manages to get along with Maisy’s other pet, a grumpy calico cat named, of course, Soda.

But there’s only so much a dog can do to keep his mistress alive, particularly when she has an enemy who wants to see her dead.

That’s where The Preacher comes into the story. Preacher is a professional gunman who tends to pray over his victim’s graves. He and Maisy have a mutual enemy and soon join forces in the biggest gamble of their lives against a ruthless killer.

Maisy’s Gamble

For years, Maisy McCoubrie, a woman haunted by a past filled with betrayal and tragedy, manages to stay out of the clutches of one Gold Kingsley who seduced her when she was a mere girl. But now, as she navigates the saloon world as a Faro dealer, hiding her illegitimate son from the world, and his father, she spots Kingsley on the street and jumps on a departing train.

Tasked by Kingsley with finding Maisy, The Preacher, a man with a shadowy history and a notorious repute, harbors doubts about the man’s plans for Maisy. When he stumbles upon a seemingly lifeless saloon girl, he learns Kingsley’s cruelty knows no bounds. But again, Kingsley turns the tables on his enemy and frames The Preacher for the girl’s murder.
As danger looms, The Preacher and Maisy are drawn together by a force more potent than revenge—love. Their shared quest to bring Kingsley to justice unites their hearts in a story of unlikely alliances turned passionate devotion.
But Kingsley will stop at nothing to see his malevolent designs come to fruition. When Maisy’s son becomes an unwitting pawn in the final confrontation, the lines between right and wrong blur. With Maisy and The Preacher working together, justice will be served, even if it means taking matters into their own hands.

In this Western historical romance, love blossoms amidst the dust and danger of the Old West, and justice is found in the most unexpected places. Join Maisy and The Preacher as they navigate a treacherous path toward happiness, leaving a trail of redemption and reckoning in their wake.

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Charlene will be giving away winner’s choice of an eBook copy of any of her books to TWO lucky readers. To be entered simply leave a comment here.

An avid reader, Charlene Raddon never planned to be a writer. A vivid dream changed that. She dragged out a portable typewriter and began to put her dream on paper. Originally published by Kensington Books, Charlene is now an Indie author. All her books have received high accolades, contest wins, and awards. When not writing, she designs historical book covers at her site  where she specializes in westerns.

 

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Welcome Guest Author Lacy Williams!

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When you put a puppy on the cover…

Lacy Williams here today. Thanks for having me!

I’ve always been an animal lover.

Some of my earliest memories involve a family collie named Lassie — yes, really. When I was around six, we adopted two gray kittens, a brother and sister, and later a calico cat joined our family too. Animals were just part of the fabric of home growing up.

As an adult, that love only deepened. My husband and I have had dogs over the years, and I’ll just say it plainly: I am a dog person to my core. There is something about a dog’s loyalty, their uncomplicated joy, the way they look at you like you hung the moon — my heart is completely lost to them. Always has been.

So maybe it shouldn’t surprise anyone that animals have a way of wandering into my books.

My very first published novel featured a dog named Wrong Tree. (Yes, that’s really his name. No, I don’t regret it.) Since then, the critters have kept coming. In the Wagon Train Matches series alone, we’ve had a horse in book two, a kitten in book three, a calf in book seven — and now, in Long Trail Home, a puppy.

Here’s a little behind-the-scenes secret about that puppy: he was on the cover before I knew what role he’d play in the story.

When my cover artist was designing the final book in the series, I made a special request. I wanted a puppy on that cover. It felt right — something warm and soft for the conclusion of a long, hard journey. But when I sat down to actually write Long Trail Home, I genuinely didn’t know how the puppy was going to work his way into the plot.

Then Coop showed me.

If you’ve followed this series, you know that Cooper is a man who pays attention. He watches. He notices things other people miss. And what he noticed about Belle was how her eyes would follow that little pup whenever it was nearby — that soft, longing look she’d try to hide, like she didn’t dare want something so small and sweet in the middle of everything else.

Coop saw it. And he decided to do something about it.

Because that’s who he is. He wants to give Belle the desires of her heart — not the grand gestures, but the quiet ones. The ones that say I see you. The puppy becomes a gift, and like all the best gifts, it carries more weight than the thing itself. It’s Coop saying: I know what matters to you. You matter to me.

I won’t pretend I didn’t tear up a little writing that scene.

Here’s a little more about the book:

Long Trail Home

All roads lead home in the dramatic conclusion to one family’s journey of love, sacrifice, and survival.

Since the moment he saw her, Coop Spencer has been single-minded in his quest to protect Belle. She’s running from something—someone—and he’s never met anyone so scared. When the wagon master forces an ultimatum: a marriage or Belle is expelled from the wagon train, Coop makes the only choice he can. He’ll do everything in his power to prove he’s the kind of man she can trust. But overcoming the mistakes of his past may prove too much…

Belle knows that the danger she escaped is still out there, still hunting her. Experience has taught her that she can’t rely on anyone, not even the man who promised their marriage was in name only.

As they traverse the Oregon Trail together, Belle is taken in by Coop’s big family, and the more time she spends with her temporary husband and his siblings, the more she starts to long for something she’d forgotten ages ago: home.

When danger closes in, one of them must sacrifice everything for love…

  • Forced marriage of convenience
  • Redemption
  • Family saga
  • Heroine with a dark past/sworn off men

PURCHASE LINK

Now it’s your turn. Are you a pet person? Do you have a dog who thinks they run the household (they do), a cat who tolerates your presence (barely), a horse, a rabbit, a goat named something ridiculous?

Leave a comment and tell me about your special animal — and here’s the fun part: if that pet were a character in a historical romance novel, what would they be known for? The brave trail dog who always sensed danger first? The ornery mule who secretly loved his owner? The barn cat who played matchmaker?

Everyone who leaves a comment will be entered to win a paperback copy of LONG TRAIL HOME and a $20 Amazon gift card.

Chuck Wagon Cook vs. Wagon Train Cook: Two Kitchens on Wheels

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Hello, Lynne Lanning here.

When we picture the American West of the late 1800s, two iconic images come to mind — the dusty cattle drive and the hopeful wagon train. Both depended on a cook to keep body and soul together across hundreds of miles of unforgiving terrain. But while these two cooks shared a canvas kitchen and an iron skillet, their worlds were surprisingly different.

The Chuck Wagon Cook: King of the Cattle Drive

On a cattle drive, the cook was royalty. Second in authority only to the trail boss, and he demanded respect. Feeding ten to twenty cowboys three times every day, for months on end, he was scheduler, medic, barber, and camp manager all rolled into one weathered, flour-dusted package.

His chuck wagon was his kingdom. The chuck box held everything from sourdough starter to liniment. Nobody touched it without permission. He rode ahead of the herd each day to select a campsite, set up, and have a hot meal waiting when the cowboys arrived, dusty, tired, and hungry enough to eat the wagon wheels.

His menu was simple but essential: beans, biscuits, salt pork, dried fruit, and coffee so strong it could lasso a steer on its own. Cowboys who complained about the food quickly learned that a hungry trail was far worse than a humble one. The cook’s word around camp was law, and even the trail boss thought twice before crossing him.

His sourdough starter was often his most prized possession, kept warm against his body on cold nights to keep it alive. Losing it wasn’t just an inconvenience. It was a tragedy.

Speaking of tragedy… A cattle drive was full of dangers, ranging from harsh and sudden weather conditions, wild animals, rustlers, and of course, the dreaded stampede! Join a cattle drive adventure with my book – The Miracle of Peace – Dangers ahead!

Mail Order Stonemason –  is a perfect picture of the range wars and how the homesteaders braced themselves against an intentional stampede, meant to wipe out their houses and even their lives!

But let me get back to the cooks! The cantankerous cook in Caleb’s Brides –  was seriously injured, but that didn’t stop him from being cantankerous! This is a fun, lighthearted read!

The Wagon Train Cook: Servant of the Family

The wagon train cook operated in an entirely different world. Instead of cowboys, he… or very often, she, cooked for families. Westward pioneers brought their own supplies, recipes, and opinions, making the cook’s job considerably more complicated.

Not all wagon trains hired a cook. Sometimes, families prepared their own meals, around individual fires at the end of each day. When a cook was employed, the role carried far less authority than its cattle drive counterpart.

The wagon train cook had to stretch supplies over journeys that could last four to six months, using whatever game, water, or trading posts the trail provided. Cooking was done over open fires or small camp stoves, often in wind, rain, or suffocating dust. With the needs of an entire community to consider, flexibility and patience were as important as any recipe.

The menu looked similar: beans, cornmeal, dried meat, biscuits; but the spirit was different. This was for comfort, with a taste of home dragged across the prairie in a wooden wagon.

Join the 4 to 6 month trek across the country, as A Journey for Keelie gives descriptive details of the blessings and dangers along the way –  (This is one of my all-time best sellers!)

Back to the cooks!

What They Shared

Although different, both cooks kept people fed, healthy, and hopeful in some of the harshest conditions imaginable. Both worked before sunrise and long after sunset, improvising, knowing that a hot meal at the end of a brutal day was worth more than almost anything else on the trail. They knew food wasn’t just fuel, it was what held people together when everything else threatened to tear them apart.

The Bottom Line

The chuck wagon cook was an authority figure, ruling with an iron skillet and an iron will. The wagon train cook was a nurturer, feeding families and the fragile hope of building a better life.

Two cooks. Two kitchens on wheels. One unforgettable era in American history.

It’s an honor to share a glimpse of my passion for the Old West! For this special occasion of being here with you, all 4 ebooks mentioned above are on SALE for 99c each this weekend.

Today, there will be three winners to celebrate my sweet, new book releasing May 15th – Garden Belles – Quince (on pre-order!) Winners will receive ecopies of my 2 published books in the Garden Belles series – Violet and Jasmine. What a sweet series it is! Prepare to fall in love!

Tell me about your experiences of cooking or eating outside. Campfire? Backyard grilling? What is your favorite campfire food?

If you were going to work as a cook on the trail, which would you choose: cattle drive or wagon train? Why?

Petticoats & Pistols