New Releases

Welcome Guest Author Nicole Helm!

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Thank you all for hosting me today. This week my book, Cold Case Discovery released. This is the 6th book in my Harlequin Intrigue Hudson Siblings Solutions series. As you can tell by the title, and all the titles in this series, all 7 books involve a group of siblings who work cold cases together. There is also one cold case that is in the background of the first five books, and takes center stage here in book six—the mysterious disappearance of the Hudson siblings parents some fifteen years ago.

When I first started the series, I didn’t quite know for sure what had happened to the parents myself. I like to let the story guide me towards answers that both make sense and surprise me as I write, but sometime when I was writing the first books, I was on a vacation to South Dakota and we went to Wind Cave National Park. There, I saw a map of all the cave systems in the United States and got a lot of information about caves. It started lots of potential ideas percolating, especially since, years ago, I worked at a state park, and while we didn’t have caves, it was at this job where I learned that Missouri (where I live), believe it or not, is known as the cave state. And I did some work at a different park dedicated to one such cave. So I had some basic knowledge of caves as dangerous places and delicate ecosystems. The perfect place for not just a mystery, but a murder!

Wyoming—where my Intrigues are set—doesn’t have nearly as many caves as Missouri, but there are enough that I knew it could be the backdrop of this mystery (and then the final book in the series as well.)

What better place to hide than somewhere underground and undiscovered? Caves are mysterious and easy to get lost in. They make a great hiding place if you know how to survive. A good thing to know for heroes and villains alike!

For both Cold Case Discovery and the following book, Cold Case Murder Mystery—releasing next month, I had to do some more research on caves—what would it take to hide in one for any period of time? What kind of effect would the ecosystem of a cave have on human remains? I also looked into old stories about bodies found in caves, just to spark some potential ideas.

In the end, the fictional cave system I created was the perfect backdrop for an old crime that turned into a new crime. It also gave me the idea for the heroine in Cold Case Murder Mystery’s job (forensic anthropologist). In the end, that trip to Wind Cave, a combination of my previous knowledge and new research, led me to interesting and surprising places in both Cold Case Discover and Cold Case Murder Mystery.

Cold Case Discovery on Amazon

Have you visited any state or national park caves? Did you think they were interesting…or maybe a little creepy? One random commenter will be entered to win a digital copy of the entire Hudson Sibling Solutions series.

 

What the Heck Are Wrist Cuffs?

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I had never heard the term wrist cuffs that cowboys wore until pretty recently. I’d seen pictures of them but didn’t know what they were called or why they wore them. Maybe you already did and are way ahead of me. That’s quite possible.

Definition: Wide soft leather bindings that cowboy wore on their wrists to protect them from barbed wire fencing, cattle kicking and causing injury and protecting shirt sleeves. They also protected against rope burns and branding irons. They are also called roping cuffs and sometimes gauntlets.

I’ve seen them on motorcycle riders quite a bit for protection on the road. These were very popular on cowboys until the turn of the century but you can still see them on some working cowboys today.

I admit, they’re pretty cool and make the wearer look tough.

When I started writing Creek, my sweet western romance, I wanted him to wear them but in his case it was partly to conceal an ink drawing on his wrist. My cover designer put them on him but they looked horrible so we took them off.

I have an eleven year old girl in my story. Willa July Calder was left orphaned when her mother dies but she was told to look for a man with a thunderbird drawing on his wrist. That would be her father. When she happens to see Creek’s, she’s convinced he’s her father and starts following him everywhere.

Thunderbirds were revered by Native Americans who believed the mythical birds carried magic and could protect the person.

I won’t give the plot away. The book is available for Preorder. This is Book 1 leading off a multi-author Gun For Hire series with two others of the books also available for preorder now. These are Sweet Western Romances and mine goes on sale March 15. Margaret’s will be available March 31 and Charlene’s April 15. There will be 10 altogether. Here’s the series link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DTHVRM6K?tag=pettpist-20

Here are the rest of the series: Zane by Heather Blanton, Keith by Carra Copelin, Ash by our own Jo-Ann Roberts, Shad by Caroline Clemmons, Clint by Tracy Garrett, Landon by Cheryl Pierson, and Luke by another Filly Winnie Griggs.

We sure hope you’ll find these entertaining. Have you read a good western lately? If so, what is the title? Do you like westerns? Let’s talk. I don’t have any copies to give away yet but I will later on.

Welcome Guest Author Jolene Navarro

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When fiction reflects real life.

Hola from the back porch of my aunt’s Texas Hill Country ranch. My husband, cousin and I are listening to my nephew singing.

As a seventh-generation Texan from a long line of ranchers and farmers, it’s logical for my stories to explore the lives of those people I know. Using the setting that shaped me came naturally. Horses, dogs, cats, and various other animals are a part of my stories because they are a part of my life. The best thing about creating stories is I get to make sure everyone who deserves it gets a happy ending.

Life is too short and, at times, tragic for sad stories. So, I write about struggles that lead to happy endings.

The path to becoming a published writer is rarely straightforward, but for any neurodivergent individual, it can be fraught with unique challenges.

The Texan’s Journey Home is ironically closest to my own journey.

The Texan’s Journey Home is my 20th book. For the first time, I used my personal experience of going through school with an undiagnosed learning disability to create my hero’s scar. Reno Espinosa has gone through life not knowing he was dyslexic. He dreams of being a firefighter but can’t pass the written exam.

Personally, I didn’t get dysgraphia diagnoses until I was studying education in college.

Dyslexia and dysgraphia are learning disorders (LD) that affect reading, writing and oral language-based processing skills. It is not a simple matter of “backward” letters. Think about b, d, p, q – what if the line and circle shifted on you – how can you tell them apart?

It significantly impacts a person’s educational and personal development. When a learning disability remains undiagnosed, the challenges it presents can be misinterpreted as laziness, lack of intelligence, or behavioral issues.

My hero learned to cover it up by smiling and making a joke out of everything.

People with undiagnosed a LD, often internalize the struggle and blame themselves and are afraid of asking for help. The difficulties with reading, writing, and spelling can lead to feelings of inadequacy and frustration. The fear of judgment and the constant comparison to peers can further erode self-confidence.

I was an avid reader. Growing up, I probably spent more time in a book than with real people. So, I didn’t understand why I had a problem with spoken words, grammar and spelling. I would know all the answers on a test but would fail it because the answers were spelled wrong.

Making up stories was how my brain liked to spend time, but I didn’t have the confidence to try and write them.

I mean the message was clear. If I couldn’t spell, I couldn’t write. That was the falsehood I believed until I was almost forty.

People have asked me to speak about the journey of a published author with a learning disability, but it never occurred to use that experience for a character.

Until Reno. He needed a turning point to find his place and purpose in life.

The journey from undiagnosed to a purpose-driven life often involves a turning point—a moment of recognition, a diagnosis, or a newfound strategy that unlocks potential. This for me is where reality and fiction meet.

Turning points can take various forms:

  • Diagnosis: Receiving a diagnosis of dyslexia can be a life-changing event. It explains the struggles experienced and opens doors to support and accommodations. With a diagnosis, I understood the problem. It was freeing to understand it had nothing to do with my intelligence. For Reno, I brought in Lyrissa Martinez. The heroine is a trained special ed teacher who recognizes the signs and sees the strategies Reno has been using to cover his inability to read. She sees him, the real man he is hiding.
  • Self-Discovery: Some individuals may discover their own learning style and develop coping mechanisms that enable them to navigate the challenges of their LD. This is what I did in college as I earned my master’s degree in special ed. Again, I used Lyrissa to walk Reno through ways he can learn. Movement can be a big help for processing new information. In a traditional classroom this can cause problems.
  • Mentorship: A supportive mentor or teacher can play a crucial role in recognizing potential and providing guidance and encouragement. I meet a woman you might know. Jodi Thomas. She was amazing and inspirational. Every time I heard her speak; I grew in confidence. Lyrissa does this for Reno.

Of course, Lyrissa has lessons she needs to learn too. Reno’s charming smile and ability to live in the moment, helps her open-up and trust herself to live her fullest life. Truth be told Reno and Lyrissa might be my favorite couple from all my books.

Recognizing strengths, celebrating achievements, and seeking positive feedback is something all of us could use a little more of. And I think reading romance is just one way to do that for ourselves.

The Power of Perseverance

One of the strongest lessons I have taken from Jodi Thomas is the power of perseverance. No matter the obstacle, it is perseverance that gets us through the hard times and into success.

The journey from an undiagnosed learning disability to being a published author or a first responder is a story of resilience, determination, and the unwavering belief in your faith. This is why I write what I write.

Despite the challenges, neurodivergent individuals can and do achieve remarkable success in the literary world and beyond. Their unique perspectives and experiences can enrich their lives and inspire others to overcome their own obstacles.

Here I am, signing copies of The Texan’s Journey Home at The Boerne Bookshop.

Reno and Lyrissa’s story can be found in The Texan’s Journey Home and is available now in Walmart and anywhere books are sold.

The link is the direct link to Harlequin.

A surprise homecoming…

Could give him a second chance.

Working as a ranch hand isn’t Reno Espinoza’s dream job, but it lets him keep his lifelong secret hidden. Until an accident on the ranch leads him to unintentionally reveal his learning disability to his childhood crush, Lyrissa Martinez. Teaching Reno to read is no trouble for the special ed teacher, but his carefree attitude reminds her of a past she’s trying to move on from. As the two spend more time together, can they help each other heal old wounds for a chance at forever?

From Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.

I haven’t seen many books with a lead character with a learning disability. Have you. Do you have a certain type of hero you love reading? I’d love recommendations to any book you have recently enjoyed.

I’m delighted to give away one print copy The Texan’s Journy Home to a U. S. resident. Please leave a comment below.

Jolene, a seventh-generation Texan, knows, as much as the world changes, people stay the same. Good and evil. Vow-keepers and heart breakers. Jolene married a vow-keeper who showed her that dancing in the rain never gets old.
Her stories are full of family, faith, and grit. Spoiler, they all end with a happy-ever-after. She loves spending time with her four kids, and can be found at jolenenavarro.com and fb @ jolenenavarroauthor

A soon-to-be release, a sale, a Goodreads giveaway and a prize

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How’s that for a title, huh?

My new book, Whispers of Fortune, comes out next month. Early in the month, too. February 4th. It’s book ONE of a new series, Golden State Treasure.

That’s right, this is a treasure hunt series. It takes them THREE BOOKS TO FIND…….oh, wait. I should probably not say what. 🙂

I made a lot of promises in that title didn’t I?

To enter to win one of 10 copies of Whispers of Fortune–that’s on Goodreads–Click HERE

To get a good sale price and a signed book plate, a book mark, other stuff, you have to pre-order at Baker Book House. To do that, click HERE

To buy it on Amazon click HERE

And I’m giving away a signed copy today!

WHISPERS OF FORTUNE

In a land of gold and grit, can two hearts uncover the true treasure?

In 1875 California, Brody MacKenzie arrives at the Two Harts Ranch on a mission to find his runaway brothers, worried they may have fallen into harm. Instead, he discovers them thriving at the ranch’s school and orphanage under the care of Ellie Hart, a woman with a heart as resilient as the land she calls home. His options limited, Brody reluctantly takes on the role of ranch doctor, and he forms an unexpected bond with Ellie, who’s kept a steady eye on Brody’s two rapscallion brothers. When the boys show him a mysterious journal that has been guiding their travels and may hold the key to a lost treasure, Brody and Ellie are captivated by the possibility of a thrilling adventure.

With winter approaching and his brothers threatening to bolt again, Brody and Ellie race against time to decipher cryptic clues and unearth the hidden fortune. But along the way, old adversaries resurface, threatening their newfound affection and the safety of those at the ranch.

Leave a comment to get your name in the drawing for a signed copy of Whispers of Fortune. Tell me the coolest thing you’ve ever found. I once found, in the creek alongside my house, the old dumping grounds for a house that used to be here more than one hundred years ago. No treasure, but there were some really cool old bottles. I have them still.

 

 

 

Christmas Stocking Sweethearts! Cathy McDavid

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I’m so excited to be part of Christmas Stocking Sweethearts  – my first participation in a collection with my fellow Petticoats and Pistols fillies. Little known fact, I wrote western historicals early in my writing career before switching to contemporaries. I’m thrilled to be returning to one of my favorite romance genres. And the story also happens to be set in one of my favorite time periods:  the early 1900s.

A widow struggling to save her home

A cowboy sworn to protect his family

A Christmas neither will ever forget…

 

 

Merry Ann Bright may be pint-sized, but she’s chock-full of gumption. For the last three years, she’s fended off a wealthy and greedy neighbor bent on acquiring her land by hook or by crook — emphasis on the crook. The last thing she needs is more trouble. But when she unexpectedly encounters a family in dire straits, how can she turn her back on them?

Thèo Cartier is a man on a mission. Once he’s seen his sister-in-law and young nephew safely home, he’ll return to Texas and help his aging father run the ranch. The lovely widow Merry is a distraction he can ill afford. Especially when her roots are firmly planted a thousand miles from his own.

Can Christmastime, the shared love of favorite carols, and a special heirloom stocking show two people convinced they have no future together that anything is possible…if they just open their hearts?

Click here to purchase MERRY’S CHRISTMAS COWBOY

Click here to view the entire series on Amazon

 

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

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

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

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

THEIR DECORATIONS ARE SO GAUDY.

 

You might win this piano ornament from me – plus a backlist holiday book!

 

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

Winners announced Sunday, December 15!

(USA Winners only, please.)

In the event the piano ornament becomes unavailable, we will happily make a substitute.

Christmas Stocking Sweethearts! Winnie Griggs

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I hope you’re enjoying these books as much as we enjoyed writing them. When we started working on this series we each picked a Christmas carol as a theme or inspiration for our story. As I was looking through a list of Christmas carols to inspire me I came across “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing!” and I immediately pictured the premise of my story – a little girl with a nickname of Angel who had stopped speaking due to a tragedy and her guardian’s dearest Christmas wish was to hear her speak again. And thus Hear Harold’s Angel Sing was born!

CHRISTMAS STOCKING SWEETHEARTS Book #8!

HEAR   HAROLD’S  ANGEL  SING

One silent child. Two lonely hearts. Three lives changed by a Texas Christmas.


Emma Garland has worked hard to rebuild her life and reputation after a very public, painful rejection years ago. Now Crossvine’s respected piano teacher, she’s content with her quiet life—until the day she confronts Marshal Harold Winters about keeping his traumatized, silent niece in his office near the jail cells while he works.

Despite some misgivings, Emma agrees to help care for Lucy while the marshal’s housekeeper is away. Her own childhood struggles with a stammer help her understand Lucy’s pain, but Emma is determined to maintain professional distance. She knows all too well how quickly a woman of her status can become the subject of town gossip.

When Emma receives a beautiful handmade Christmas stocking from her former piano teacher, its message that “Music Speaks” touches something deep within her. As she, Lucy, and Harold work together decorating for Christmas, she finds her carefully constructed walls crumbling. But with long-buried secrets threatening their growing bond, Emma must decide if the promise of love is worth risking her heart again.

PURCHASE HERE

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

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

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

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

THERE ARE TOO MANY GIFTS TO WRAP!

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

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

Winners announced Sunday, December 15!

(USA Winners only, please.)

Surprising Facts Plus a Christmas Novella!

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As most people already know, I’m a bit of a history buff. I’m always running across things that surprise and interest me, so I found an article quite by accident that’s provided material for a blog.

With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up, it’s a given that we’ll be eating tomatoes. But did you know that in the early 1800s, tomatoes were only used as medicine and not eaten? In fact, people thought they were unappetizing, poisonous in fact!

Compliments of Pixabay

An Ohio doctor put them in pill form and sold them as a medicinal tonic that would cure indigestion, jaundice, and a host of other problems. But when F. & J. Heinz began making and marketing ketchup, people decided they were tasty.

In 1883, the Supreme Court declared tomatoes as fruit due to them having seeds and growing from a flowering vine.

This has always been a bit weird to me because they seem to be a vegetable.

But ketchup changed the way people thought of tomatoes and began eating them.

* * * * *

Compliments of Goosebumps on Pixabay

Another weird article I saw was about cucumbers. They weren’t well liked prior to the 18th century and people saw them only as food for livestock. They called them “cowcumbers” and that continued until after 1870.

Louisa May Alcott joked about cowcumbers in a letter to her sister Anna. Food was a scarcity from the 14th century to the 20th and people could’ve been eating them all along. Just seems so strange to me to starve when there was food.

So when you’re eating your Thanksgiving dinner, you’ll have something to tell your guests. Tomatoes were medicine and cucumbers were cowcumbers. HaHa!

* * * * *

I have a new Christmas novella coming on November 30th. LOVE COMES TO CHRISTMAS is #7 in the Christmas Stocking Sweethearts series by seven of the Fillies.

I loved writing this story and making some Christmas magic. It stars Gillian Everly and Brett Love. Also Zema the border collie.

It’s available for preorder HERE.

The launch date is Dec. 4th and I’ll have a post then also and tell more.

But, here’s a blurb. Also, there is no mention of tomatoes or cucumbers in this story.

Someone is going to great lengths to convince Gillian Everly her beloved Christmas store is haunted. Sudden, mysterious occurrences keep her unsettled, still she doesn’t buy into ghosts and spirits. An intruder has to be getting seemingly through locked doors. With a big Christmas Eve performance planned, she doesn’t have time for strange shenanigans.

Brett Love, a new customer, is taken by the beautiful shop owner and tries to help. He loans her a dog to keep her safe against whatever is happening in the shop. It seems the perfect solution.

The unthinkable happens when Gillian confronts the intruder, and she’s left with a maimed hand. Will she ever be able to perform again? Watching another dream die will shatter her fragile hope.

Tell me if you’ll be eating tomatoes and/or cucumbers this Thanksgiving. Or you might mention if you like this cover. I’ll give away a $10 Amazon gift card.

 

 

Happy Veterans Day and A New Release Coming Soon!!

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Hello everyone, Winnie Griggs here.

First off I want to wish everyone a Happy Veterans Day and to thank all of our military members, both active and retired, for your service to our country. It is a day very close to my heart since not only am I married to a Navy veteran, but it is also the anniversary of the day my parents married. It would have been their 73rd anniversary today.

And just a note of trivia. I wanted to write the word Veterans with an apostrophe but knew that the official name did not include one. Since punctuation isn’t my strong suit, I looked it up and here is the official explanation:  The holiday is not a day that “belongs” to one veteran or multiple veterans, which is what an apostrophe implies. It’s a day for honoring all veterans — so no apostrophe needed.
So now I know. 🙂

 

 

 

On the book front, if you’ve been keeping up with the posts here on the blog or over in the Reader Group, you know that we’ve got a fun new Christmas series coming – Christmas Stocking Sweethearts. I’ve been privileged to not only have one of the actual stories in the series, but to be able to write the Prequel as well. The prequel sets up the series by introducing you to Melody Nightingale, the remarkable woman who defied  social conventions to become the town’s music teacher and in doing so touched  the lives of many, many students. You’ll meet 8 of her students in particular, children who will grow up to be the hero or heroine of the other books in the series.

And as a special treat, from Nov 17th-21st the book will be available to you for free!! Because the book actually goes on sale on the 16th at 99 cents I suggest you DON’T preorder – Amazon wouldn’t let me set it for free the first day it’s available. Instead wait until the 17th to order it. But make sure you order it by the 21st because after that it goes back up to 99 cents!

 

Here is more info about the book

CHRISTMAS MELODY

Stitching melodies of love, one stocking at a time…

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

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

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

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

Leave me a comment – about Veterans Day, the new Christmas Stocking Sweethearts series, or anything you feel like sharing – and you’ll be entered in a drawing for any of my backlist books as well as a little surprise gift.

 

The Family Dinner Feeling: Guest Lacy Williams

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Watercolor mountains and trees. Text "New Book & Giveaway, Guest Blogger Lacy Williams, Petticoats & Pistols"

We’re excited to welcome Lacy Williams to the corral! She’s discussing her new release and has a giveaway for you!

“Are we fishing with marshmallows?”

“Did you hear Aunt Linda had to go to the doctor again?”

“Blood pressure?”

“My catfish was so big it broke the line–it was the granddaddy of the one Gramps caught!”

“Can we play cards yet?”

Lacy Williams

Hello! Lacy Williams here today to chat and I’ve just brought you a real-life conversation from around our dinner table when extended family gets together. (Names changed to protect the innocent).

I absolutely love big family get togethers. When I was a kid, there might be one Sunday lunch a month, or Thanksgiving, or “just because”–I loved the time together with my cousins and aunts and uncles and grandparents and great-grandma and great aunt. I can barely remember gathering around a big ping pong table that was brought in so everyone would have a place to eat. Later, we changed to TV tables and criss-cross applesauce on the floor just so we could fit everyone in.

And the conversation usually goes about like what I’ve written above. Catching up with someone we haven’t seen in a while, news we haven’t heard yet. My youngest daughter is a nature lover and so is my grandpa (my only grand still living). They will chat about birdwatching or dogs or other animal stuff and it’s adorable.

And sometimes it’s difficult keeping track of the multiple conversations that start winding around the table! This family dinner feeling is something I tried to capture in my new release, A CONVENIENT HEART. The catch is, my bookish hero Jack is an orphan. Now an adult, but from a very broken family situation. He can’t remember a time when he sat down for family dinner.

Until it happens when my heroine’s extended family descends on the two of them. It was a fun scene to write and I loved capturing this confident man feeling very out of his element in this scene. I’ve shared it below if you’d like to read it.

Blue and silver ripples. Book cover A Convenient Heart by Lacy Williams. Text "Book One Wind River Mail-Order Brides"

Merritt had abandoned him.

At least, she’d excused herself to the kitchen to cook supper. He’d heard the clank of pans, the crackle of kindling taking hold in the stove. The two girls had gone with her. David and Nick had gone to settle the horses and wagon at the livery for the night.

Which left Jack in the room with her cousins Drew and Ed.

“Where did you say you were from?”

Drew had asked the question, but Ed’s intense gaze was a mirror of his brother’s.

“Here and there.” Jack still didn’t know what John-the-groom had written in his letters, didn’t know how much Merritt had told her cousins about her potential groom.

“What happened to your hat? Hey, Merry,” Drew called into the kitchen, “I’m not sure I can trust a guy without a hat!”

“Lost it,” Jack said cheerfully. “How far’s your ranch?”

It must be pretty far if they were staying the night in town. The oldest brother had mentioned staying in the bunkhouse of a rancher nearby. The girls would stay the night here with Merritt.

Drew stared at him.

It was Ed that answered. “About half a day’s ride.”

“How many cattle you run?”

If he could keep the conversation focused on the brothers, it’d make everything simpler.

“Almost a hundred head,” Drew answered. “You got family back home?”

Jack sat down on the sofa, crossing one ankle over his knee. “No family. Why do you want to know?”

Drew’s eyes narrowed. “Wondering whether you’re going to try to take Merritt away from her family.”

They’ll be your family in a few days. Merritt’s words from moments ago whispered through his mind.

They wouldn’t. He knew it.

And it seemed Drew wasn’t too keen on the idea of this match.

Merritt appeared in the kitchen doorway. The scent of frying ham had his mouth watering. The sounds of something sizzling on the stove were muted, as were the girls’ voices behind her.

“We’ll be staying in Calvin long enough for me to finish the school year,” she told her cousin primly. “Not that it’s your business.”

She set several tin coffee mugs on the table with a clank. The pot followed with a heavier clunk.

“You can pour, Ed,” she said. She pointed a finger at Drew. “Be nice.”

There’d been a flurry of introductions outside, and the young girl he thought was named Tillie skipped into the room, carrying a glass of milk. There’d been no mention of a mother. Was Drew widowed? Jack’s curiosity was piqued, despite knowing he should ignore those thoughts.

“What’re you doing, peanut?” Drew asked as she skirted him and then came to sit right next to Jack on the sofa.

“Merry asked me to come rescue Mr. Jack.” She took a sip of her milk and set her cup on the table too. She had a small milk mustache across her upper lip, and it made her look innocent somehow.

He felt another kick in his stomach. Had Dewey ever been as innocent as this girl seemed?

Her leg swung where her foot didn’t touch the floor. “What d’you need rescuin’ for, Mr. Jack?”

He glanced up to where Ed had turned his smile into his shoulder and Drew was staring at him. “I reckon I don’t.”

She tipped her head to one side. “Then how come Merry thinks so? She’s real smart, ya know? If she says you need rescuin’, ya prob’ly do.”

She said the words with such earnestness that he couldn’t argue. But Merritt was wrong. He didn’t need rescuing from these men. He could hold his own at a card table with men more dangerous than these. Men with loaded weapons in their laps. He wouldn’t be afraid of her family.

Tillie pointed toward a small pile of brown-wrapped packages in one corner of the room, half hidden behind the edge of the sofa. He hadn’t noticed them until now.

“Those’re our Christmas presents.” Tillie whispered so loudly that the sound carried across the room. “Merry always gets me a book, but this year I’m hopin’ for a dolly.”

His lips twitched with the urge to smile. “You’ll be as smart as your cousin if you read lots of books,” he said.

Nick and David stomped inside, complaining that the wind was turning colder. The added bodies and noise turned the attention off Jack and filled the room fair to bursting.

Soon enough, Jack found himself seated at the round table in one corner of Merritt’s kitchen, surrounded by the children, his knee pressed against Merritt’s.

“How come you haven’t decorated for Christmas?” Tillie asked, her mouth full.

“I supposed I haven’t had time this year,” Merritt said with a furtive glance at Jack. “I’ve been extra busy with the pageant.”

The family camaraderie was evident when Tillie spilled her cup of milk and David helped her mop it up. Jo rolled her eyes, but he also saw the girl sneak a piece of her biscuit onto Tillie’s plate when the girl complained of still being hungry.

Drew and Nick ribbed Ed about the wooden top he’d promised to craft his nephew for Christmas and promptly forgotten about.

Merritt was teased for keeping her mail-order beau a secret, but she took it with good-natured laughter, nudging his boot with her shoe beneath the table.

Jack knew every move to make at the poker table. How to present himself, how to hold his cards and arrange his chips to let his confidence shine through.

But in the middle of a family supper like this…he was completely out of his element…

 

What about you? Do you have a favorite memory of a big (or small) family dinner? Share in the comments and you’ll be entered to win a $15 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of A Convenient Heart . These are to one winner.

Thanks for hanging out with me today!

-Lacy

 

Blue and silver ripples. Book cover A Convenient Heart by Lacy Williams. Text "Book One Wind River Mail-Order Brides"

ABOUT LACY’S NEW RELEASE:

Spinster schoolmarm Merritt Harding is done waiting for the future she’s always wanted. Which is why she answered a mail-order bride ad and is anticipating her groom’s arrival on the eve of Christmas. She’s about to get everything she’s dreamed of…

Except the Jack who steps off the train can’t be the same man who wrote her letters. That Jack was a steady, mild-mannered businessman. This Jack is an enigma with flashing eyes and a pirate’s smile. He’s too charming, too keen, too perfect to be real.

And too secretive. What exactly is he hiding?

Jack wasn’t looking for a bride, only an escape from the danger chasing him. But the longer he stays in the small Wyoming town, the more he wants to stay. How can he, when his intended doesn’t even know his real name?

 

This sweet historical romance is perfect for fans of the following tropes:

*Spinster schoolmarm

*Marriage of convenience

*Mistaken identity

*Swashbuckling hero

A Convenient Heart is available now!

PURCHASE A CONVENIENT HEART HERE!!

Marrying the Mechanic

by

I love October. And roses. And chocolate. Warm bread fresh from the oven. Captain Cavedweller. And books!

In fact, I have a new book releasing October 24 that I’m excited to share with you today.

 

Marrying the Mechanic is book 7 in my wholesome small-town Summer Creek series. It can be read as a stand alone, but it’s fun to follow along with the series and all the quirky characters who live there!

A heartwarming journey of love, growth, and the bonds that tie hearts together even when life leads down unexpected paths. 

Mechanic Jace Easton grapples with the sudden changes happening around him. His younger sister, Tassie, has always relied on him, but now she’s off traipsing around the globe with the prince of her dreams. As Tassie prepares to step into her future, Jace is confronted with the harsh truth that she has matured, and so has her best friend, Deena. The deepening attraction he feels for Deena—a pull that becomes increasingly difficult to ignore—leaves him further unsettled and struggling to accept his new reality.

Deena Durant may earn her living welding farm equipment, but her true passion lies in crafting metal sculptures. Alongside her artistic dreams, she clings to the hope that Jace might eventually see her as more than his sister’s friend. Until then, she conceals her feelings and does her best to encourage him as everything familiar shifts into unchartered territory.

When Jace and Deena work together to help Tassie’s dreams come true, will they discover their own path to true love?

Marrying the Mechanic is a celebration of unexpected love, personal growth, and the power of relationships in a wholesome, small-town romance.

 

Here’s an excerpt from the story. It’s from the first scene when Jace realizes Deena has grown up.

~*~

The newer deep blue metallic pickup looked like the one Tassie’s best friend, Deena, drove. The dog in the back, leaning around the side of the crew cab with its tongue lolling out of its mouth sure looked like Deena’s mutt, Cleo. But the long-legged beauty sliding out of the pickup wasn’t someone Jace recognized.

The breeze carried her scent to him, and Jace drew in a deep lungful of the fragrance that was a mixture of vanilla, peaches, and something spicy he couldn’t identify but found entirely intriguing.

The pretty woman took a step toward him, her pink lips curving into a wide smile. Slowly, she lowered her sunglasses and Jace took a staggering step back, bracing himself on the bumper of the pickup.

His rescuer wasn’t a stranger after all.

Deena Durant had grown up and changed—seemingly overnight—into an alluring woman. When had it happened? How had he failed to notice?

The change in Deena caught Jace squarely in the jaw, delivering a blow he wasn’t prepared to receive. He rubbed his hand over the scruff on his chin, and too late, realized he’d just smeared grease all over his face.

 

Today just happens to be my birthday, so I have a special gift for you. It’s a short story, a recipe, and some other fun goodies you can download and / or print.  Just click the button below to get your copy!

Then pop back here and answer this question:
The Summer Creek series includes the following occupations. If you had all the skills, talent, funding, and equipment, which one would you choose to spend “a day in the life” walking in their shoes?

Cowboy

Rancher

Mechanic

Welder

Princess

Attorney

Tour Guide

Waitress

Chef

Billionaire

Outdoor Guide

Ballerina

Deputy

Counselor