Research

Inside an 1800s Blacksmith Shop

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Recently, we got to enjoy a trip to the Frontier Culture Museum, in Staunton, Virginia. If you ever get the chance to go, I hope you will. They are expanding right now, so a few parts are under some construction, but there’s so much to see at this living history site, from houses (even as old as the 1600s) brought here, stone by stone, to demonstrations by craftsmen. 

Since I was writing a book where the town blacksmith is the hero, I knew that I needed to get just a little more familiar with how a blacksmith did things. I was grateful that so many of my questions were answered, and I wanted to share some of the amazing things I learned. 

 

 

Walking inside of the blacksmith’s shop, we were greeted with a smoky smell. Soot hung on the walls, right alongside the many tools. One tool might be in multiple sizes and used depending on the thing being made. Hammers came in multiple weights too. 

 

 

The iron rods, which you can see the blacksmith working one of here, were not made by the blacksmiths but ordered and then shipped to them. 

The town blacksmith held an important role in the community. He could do anything, from mending tools to creating horse shoes, hooks, nails, wagon parts, and hinges, just to name a few. 

Something I found fascinating, yet I couldn’t get a picture of, was that often the blacksmith was the one who fit the metal band around wagon wheels, to help make them last longer. And, do you know what they called the metal band? A tire! The band was actually smaller than the wheel, but when heated fit it perfectly. 

One thing I was curious about was the pretty twisted design I saw being made. The blacksmith told me that was the most simple thing of all to make. You simply heat the iron rod, pinch it with the clamping tool, and twist.

Isn’t that so pretty? 

 

 

I also asked about nails and how long it took to make them. The blacksmith said that a skilled blacksmith could make one in one minute. Think about how many were needed to build a house or make a porch…! And how long it would take for them to make that many nails! 

 

 

The blacksmith also said that every blacksmith was different in how they worked. Some stood, others sat on a stool or a bench. It was personal preference but also how they were trained or what they were working on. A blacksmith’s forge this size was typical of a small town, where a single person could work everything on their own. He might or might not have had an apprentice. 

At the end of the workday, there were two choices for the coals. Bank them to restart in the morning or extinguish them completely. Some choose to extinguish the coals completely, to prevent a fire risk. 

If you’d like to read more about blacksmithing, you’ll learn more interesting facts, all from the eyes of Gail, a woman who is headed to California…at least she was until her guide abandons her, steals her money, her horse, and her supplies, leaving her in the middle of no where.  The book is called New Beginnings and releases November 19th. 

 

 

And…you have a chance to win an ebook copy of Love’s Second Chance, the start of the Hearts of Deepwater series. Two winners will be randomly chosen to get a copy. All you have to do for a chance to win is to answer this question:

Every November, I donate 25% of my proceeds for any of my books bought on Amazon or read in KU (K+) to Toys for Tots. Is there a charity that is near and dear to your heart? 

 

The Bridge to Yesteryear by Tanya Agler

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One of my favorite memories of my daughter’s childhood involved her Girl Scout troop’s advancement ceremony at a historic covered bridge in a neighboring town. Each girl started crossing the bridge as a Brownie and became a Junior after completing her walk. It was a special moment for everyone as there were many hugs and pats on the back at the end. When it came time for me to write the book that became Thanksgiving for the Firefighter, I was brainstorming interesting careers for the heroine and the field of structural engineering beckoned to me because of an interest in bridges and all sorts of fascinating aspects relating to buildings and foundations. Instantly, I envisioned Amelia Foster as a STEM heroine, interested in merging the beautiful aspects of nature with the preciseness of calculating loads for buildings and other infrastructure for stability and functionality. Then I began thinking of ways that she could express to Dan Mitchell’s twins, Lexie and Leo, the everyday wonders of her job and I considered how excited the troop was to cross that bridge. Out of that came Amelia’s love for truss bridges and the history behind them.

 

 

 

A truss bridge itself is an interconnected network of beams that holds the structure in place. A triangular pattern is what distinguishes the system as the shape is more impervious to stress, and its versatility made it a popular choice. It is different from an arch bridge or a suspension bridge because it does not support the roadway from above but rather makes the road stiffer and stronger. Instead, they distribute the weight and can handle heavy loads. The Pick Bridge is the oldest existing truss bridge in Wyoming.

Truss bridges were essential in America’s expansion and helped revolutionize the industry. With the development of the steam locomotive, the use of truss bridges became a tool to enhance transportation and architecture. Wooden truss bridges could be built relatively quickly and inexpensively with an advantage being the ease by which they could be constructed. Because truss bridges could be designed to handle either wagons or trains, they could be constructed to span waterways and deep canyons. They are attributed with helping the railroad industry prosper and provided resources to the frontier. Here is a picture of the Rairden Truss Bridge in Wyoming.

 

 

In Thanksgiving with the Firefighter, Amelia is fascinated  with structures around her sister’s adopted hometown of Ruby Canyon, Wyoming. When she is tasked with taking care of the local fire chief’s young twins, she struggles to find activities that might interest them until she comes upon the idea of combining sightseeing with instilling Lexie and Leo with a love of science and the environment.

 

 

 

Here is an excerpt of Amelia taking Lexie and Leo to the nearby truss bridge:

“See those. They used pins as fasteners a long time ago, but we use rivets now.” Lexie and Leo craned their necks and nodded. “And those are standard beams. They’re not as wide and aren’t shaped like an H, like newer beams. This is an older bridge, probably built over a hundred years ago.”

“Wow, that’s almost as old as Dad.” Leo’s eyes grew wide.

“Your father is nowhere near the century mark,” Amelia said, suppressing a giggle. In fact, she’d guess Dan to be close to her own age of thirty.

Leo looked at her with disdain. “He’s really old. He told us this morning his bones were creaking like he was a hundred.”

Lexie nodded with so much vigor that her braids flapped along with her. “And his birthday cake was almost on fire with so many candles.”

 

Just as truss bridges were essential in holding heavy loads, they became a metaphor for the emotional growth that both Amelia Foster and Dan Mitchell undergo regarding career opportunities and navigating their relationships as they fall in love.

Bridges have been the site of some fun family memories for me and for the Mitchells and the Fosters.

What about you? Do you have any fun memories involving a bridge? Or do you have a favorite bridge? Let me know!

One commenter will receive a $10.00 Amazon gift card and an e-copy of the first in the Ruby Canyon series, The Hometown Hero’s Fourth of July.

And, you can learn more about Thanksgiving with the Firefighter by going here.

Barnes and Noble: https://bit.ly/4zaKTrj

 

Corn Shucking Bees

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Corn-shucking-on-farm-near-the-Fred-Wilkins-place-Granville-County-North-Carolina-Nov.-1939-by-Marion-Post-Wolcott-Library-of-Congress-e1494532931192

 

Picture mounds of couch chest high, thousands and thousands of ears. It’s been a good harvest, but if you don’t get the silk removed and the corn chucked quickly, it will rot. 

Corn shucking bees, though sometimes called by other names, were not exclusive to Americans. In fact, the practice started with Native American tribes. Later, their ways were adopted by European settlers as a way to turn tedious but necessary labor into a social event. 

In exchange for many hands making light work, there was a community event with stories, songs, and after the job was complete, a large feast. 

And…if you were husking corn, and happened to find a red ear, a kiss. 

 

 

Why a kiss? Originally, the Iroquois tradition that said the discovery of a red ear meant that one had a brave admirer. Settlers changed that tradition to say one finding a red ear (even if some enterprising individuals “found” one) means a kiss was owed.  

The “bee” wasn’t named after the insect that flies and makes honey. It evolved from the Middle English word bene, which meant a prayer or favor for someone, and the archaic term biden, which meant an invitation.

But what might you expect at one of these bees?

In the late fall or early winter, the corn shucking bee would usually be inside of a large, cleared barn or a large open area outside. Piles of unhusked corn, often mixed with colorful multi-hued Indian corn (which was where that red ear might come from!) were dumped on the ground. The workers would sit around the piles of corn and used tools like wooden husking pegs to tear off the leaves quickly. 

 

 

The workers would tell stories, sing, and even have little competitions between themselves to see who could do the most husking, and also make the chore less difficult. After all, there were thousands and thousands of ears of corn needing to be husked. While individual competitions were common, so were team competitions. 

During a team competition, the host farmer would divide his pile of corn exactly in half, using a log or a long rail. Those who came to help were split into two teams. They’d race to see who could get their half completed first. For a prize, it was usually that team got to fill their plates at dinner first or kept bragging rights. 

Once the work was finished, the event turned into a social celebration called a “frolic,” which was the communal dinner, music, and dancing. Sometimes these events would get quite rowdy. Depending on the group, one could expect the dancing and music to last well until morning, between fights or young couples slipping away together for romantic moments. 

Still, these events served a dual purpose at the time. They helped the labor to get done and provided entertainment. As fun as this tradition sounds, you might wonder if it still exists. It does! In many Amish communities, there are still corn husking parties, and there is still the search for the red ear of corn to claim a kiss. 

Let’s talk fall traditions, and you also might have a chance to win an ebook. 

 

 

The plan? Pretend he’s her betrothed and try not to fall in love.

Sheriff Asher Steele doesn’t plan to settle down. Not ever. In fact, he avoids the ladies all together. And he doesn’t plan to explain why that is. No one’s been able to break through the walls of his emotions and that’s just the way he likes it.

But when Isabelle Bowman comes to town with a secret of her own, and a heap of trouble following her, he might be the only one who can help her. What he’s not counting on is falling in love along the way and considering opening the walls of his heart to protect her.

Running from her half-brother, who desires nothing more than to kill Isabelle Bowman and take her inheritance, she’s desperate for a place to hide. Uninterested in marriage, she thinks the sheriff’s idea is preposterous. But she’s left with no option. With no funds, a sheriff who thinks she’s a troublemaker or a liar, and his plan that will never work, she’s sure things are not going to end well.

But could they both be wrong about what the future holds?

Do you also have a fall tradition that you do or grew up doing? Comment below, and you might win a prize. I’m giving away one copy of Asher’s Secret in ebook or audiobook! 

VERONICA’S SECRET RESCUE (AND A GIVEAWAY!) by Paulette D. Marshall

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Veronica’s Secret Rescue: Building Homes and Hope in Mariposa

While writing Veronica’s Secret Rescue, I enjoyed learning more about the role lumber mills played in California’s growing communities during the late 1800s.

Before modern building supplies were readily available, local lumber mills were essential. They provided the wood needed to build homes, barns, churches, schools, stores, and nearly every other structure a growing town required. In many areas of California, especially near the Sierra Nevada Mountains, abundant pine forests made the lumber industry an important part of daily life.

Many mills were family-owned businesses passed down through generations. Families often worked together, with fathers teaching sons the trade and everyone contributing to the success of the operation. These businesses weren’t simply a source of income; they helped build the surrounding community. The lumber produced at local mills helped new settlers establish homes and create lasting roots.

The town of Mariposa, California, has a rich history dating back to the Gold Rush era. Founded in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, Mariposa became an important center for miners, ranchers, merchants, and travelers. Its location near Yosemite made it a gateway for those heading into the mountains. By the late nineteenth century, the town had grown into a close-knit community where neighbors often depended on one another through both hardships and celebrations.

In Veronica’s Secret Rescue, Tucker Harper owns a family lumber mill and ranch near Mariposa. His mill reflects the hardworking spirit that helped shape many California communities during that time. The steady rhythm of the sawmill, the scent of fresh-cut pine, and the importance of honest labor all became part of Tucker’s character and the life he built.

For Veronica, however, the story is about much more than a lumber mill or a ranch. After a difficult journey filled with uncertainty, she discovers something she never expected. She isn’t simply finding a husband. She is finding a home, a family, a community, and a future. Most importantly, she learns that God often provides exactly what we need, even when His plans unfold in ways we never imagined.

 

Blessings,

Paulette D. Marshall

Today, I’m giving away a digital copy of my book MAIL-ORDER FREIGHTER. Be sure and leave a comment to be entered in the drawing for this story! Here are a couple of questions I’m interested in hearing your answers to:

What makes a place feel like home to you? Is it the people, the location, the memories, or something else?

Or

If you could choose, would you rather live on a ranch, in a small mountain town, or near a bustling city? Why?

Thanks so much for being here today!

 

Patriotism, Parades, and Picnics: The Centennial of 1876

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Hello everyone, Winnie Griggs here. As many of you know, I’ve been hard at work on my upcoming historical romance, The Heart of Honor, my contribution to our Petticoats and Patriots series. The story is set in 1876, a year that held special significance for Americans because it marked the nation’s one hundredth birthday.

 

While doing research for the book, I found myself paying particular attention to how people actually celebrated the Centennial. We all know about fireworks and Fourth of July picnics, but what did the celebration look like for ordinary folks living in small towns and rural communities far from the nation’s largest cities?

The Centennial Exposition held in Philadelphia was one of the most visible parts of the national celebration. It was the first official World’s Fair held in the United States and drew visitors from around the globe. New inventions, technological marvels, and exhibits showcasing America’s progress filled the fairgrounds. For many people, attending the exposition was the opportunity of a lifetime.

But not everyone could travel to Philadelphia.

Across the country, both large and small communities found their own ways to celebrate. Towns organized parades, patriotic speeches, church services, brass band concerts, community picnics, and readings of the Declaration of Independence. Buildings were decorated with flags and bunting, and local newspapers often devoted special coverage to the occasion.

What I found especially interesting was that the celebrations often reflected the region where they took place.

In New England, many communities highlighted their connections to the Revolutionary War and the nation’s earliest history. In the South, the Centennial arrived just eleven years after the end of the Civil War, so the celebrations often carried a different tone as communities continued rebuilding and healing. Meanwhile, in the growing western states and territories, festivities frequently blended patriotic observances with the practical realities and traditions of frontier life.

One detail that especially caught my attention was how the Centennial encouraged Americans to look back as well as forward. While much attention was given to the nation’s progress and future possibilities, there was also a renewed appreciation for the people and events that had shaped the country’s first hundred years. Some communities and families reflected on their own histories, sharing stories and preserving memories of earlier generations.

In fact, this aspect of the Centennial helped inspire a key part of my story. My heroine, Mercy Owens, serves on her town’s Centennial Planning Committee and is responsible for collecting the stories and artifacts of the people who helped build the community. Like me, she believes that family stories are often what bring history to life. Dates and events have their place, but it is the people behind those events—their sacrifices, dreams, struggles, and triumphs—that make the past meaningful.

As I continue working on The Heart of Honor, I find myself thinking about that balance between remembering where we’ve been and looking ahead to where we’re going. Perhaps that’s one reason the Centennial captured the imagination of so many Americans in 1876.

So now I’m curious: If your hometown were celebrating its 100th anniversary, what story, keepsake, or piece of family history would you contribute to a community display? Leave a comment to be entered in a drawing for a signed copy of one of my books.

 

Fun news! The first issue of Petticoats & Patriots Magazine is here! Filled with Revolutionary War features, inspiring articles, patriotic recipes, reader activities, and stories celebrating the courage that built a nation, this special collector’s edition is the perfect way to begin celebrating America’s 250th birthday. Available now! Get your FREE digital copy HERE!

If you haven’t had a chance to check out our Petticoats and Patriots series yet, you can read about the first 5 books on our series page HERE.

And don’t forget, the first book in the series, Shanna’s For Liberty and Love. releases on June 16th and is available now for PREORDER!

 

 

Welcome Special Guest Christie Williams!

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What is the most random thing you’ve googled lately?

Hi, I’m Christie Williams, author of the Haven River Brides sweet historical western romance trilogy.

I am NOT an expert on the Old West, and I won’t pretend to be. But I do try really hard to make sure my books are historically accurate, which for me means doing a boatload of research, gathering a ton of information… and then maybe mentioning it in one sentence when I actually write the book.

What did I research for the Haven River Brides trilogy?

Cattle ranching (and cattle rustlers). I originally planned the trilogy for the late 1880s, but I learned that the winter of 1886-1887 was so bad that it caused huge losses of cattle in Wyoming, now called the “Great Die Up.” (If you’re interested in reading more about it, this is a good article.  I didn’t want my characters dealing with that, so I bumped the setting earlier to 1880 instead.

I also researched:

-the Union-Pacific Railroad

-the dates of the first and last snowfalls in Wyoming

-the history of greenhouses

-the history of wrought iron and coal stoves

-locations of coal and copper mines in the area

-how fast and far a horse could travel in a day

Was most of that research visible in my books? Nope.

Was it necessary for me to know as the author? You bet.

 

Now I’ve just released Winning Cora, the first book in a new trilogy, on April 15. It’s set on a pair of homesteads near Haven River Falls, so I was able to use most of that same research for the setting. But small homesteads are not the same as cattle ranches, so I read up on those. (I really enjoyed Twenty Miles from a Match by Sarah E. Olds, if you like first-hand accounts.) I learned about soddies, beekeeping, and the history of canning. I researched droughts and milking cows. I discovered that flocks of chickens have alpha hens.

One of the homesteads raises sheep, so I contacted a local friend who has a flock. I was invited to attend shearing to help with skirting (which is when you pull bits of grass, debris, and other organic matter out of the fleeces after they’ve been shorn so that only good wool is being sent to the mill to be spun). Through her connections to a sheep farmer in Wyoming, I got timelines for lambing, shearing, and releasing the flock out to pasture, and I also learned about the conflicts between cattle ranchers and sheep farmers over open range (preferred for cattle) versus fenced-in land (ideal for sheep).

Whether most of that research shows up on the page or not, I think it makes the books richer and more realistic despite being lighthearted fictional romance. But try them and see what you think for yourself!

Here’s a bit more about the first book.

Winning  Cora

When her parents died, Cora Hewitt promised her ma that she’d look out for her siblings, and she has. She runs the family homestead like a military general, locking away all dreams for her future, at least until her siblings are married and no longer need her. She has no time for love and no wish to expose her fragile heart again after it was broken five years ago.

Neighbor Jack Brooks has been in love with Cora for years, but he didn’t realize it until it was too late: first she was courting another man, then she lost her parents. She may not be seeing anyone now, but that doesn’t mean she’ll stay single forever. And Jack can’t risk missing his chance again.

Winning her heart seems impossible when he gets tongue tied and can’t even write secret admirer letters—and she has emotional walls a mile high. But Jack has determination and a plan.

Thankfully, a picture’s worth a thousand words.

Winning Cora is a sweet and clean, boy next door, brother’s best friend, historical western romance with a strong FMC and a dyslexic MMC set in 1880s Wyoming territory.

PURCHASE LINK

What was the most random thing you’ve googled lately? I’m giving away an ebook of Winning Cora, so please comment!

Thank you so much for having me today, and happy reading!

Christie

Jodie Wolfe – How Research Helps Define a Novel & a giveaway

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What reasons do you enjoy reading historical novels? Is it a certain time period? Perhaps you’re a big history buff. Or maybe you love the romance of bygone years, when things seemed simpler. Easier. Maybe less stressful. What is it that draws you to pick up a book? Many mention a great cover helps and back cover copy that tugs you into the story. For some, it’s the place, time, or story itself.

When I started out to write a series set in the town and surrounding area where I currently live, I didn’t know some of its vast history. The more I research, in fact, the more I realize of things not known. Honestly, I hadn’t planned on stepping away from penning books set in the Midwest until my husband suggested focusing a series closer to home.

During a recent tour of the original Brady Farm, a homestead dating back to the early 1700s near Newburg, Pennsylvania, I learned of Captain Samuel Brady. One article I read online likened him to Captain America because of his exploits. Some others considered him on the same level as Daniel Boone. Sam was the grandson of Hugh and Hannah Brady, who migrated from Ireland in 1738 and settled in south-central Pennsylvania. Sadly, the log cabin where Samuel was born in Shippensburg was torn down many years ago.

Known for his undertakings as a frontier scout and defender against Native Americans, he also fought in the American Revolutionary War. Samuel’s life and adventures are thought to have been the inspiration for James Fenimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans. I had never heard about this man until I took part in a private tour of his grandparent’s home.

While Samuel won’t likely be featured in any of the books I write, since it’s quite a bit earlier time period than I typically create, learning about the place the original Brady’s built fits into my current work in process. Especially one tidbit the guide mentioned about the trail from the farm to Middle Spring, which led to Shippensburg. I’d been trying to learn the path that locals would’ve taken from Newburg to Shippensburg. That one small comment during the tour helped me form a clear picture of the details I needed.

Sarah’s Search will be available early summer, Lord willing. This is book three in my Time to Come Home series. Each book has required more and more research as I learn more about the place where I live. It’s been such fun diving into history.

How about you? When’s the last time you learned something new about the place where you live? What’s the next history search you plan to undertake? Please share it with us. I can’t wait to hear about it.

Be sure to comment for a chance to win an ebook of Hannah’s Quest, book two in my current series.

 

 

 

 

JODIE WOLFE loves writing historical fiction after years as a homeschool mom. She enjoys spending time with her husband in Pennsylvania, reading, knitting, and walking. Jodie creates novels where hope and quirky meet. Visit her at http://www.jodiewolfe.com.

The Tattoo Culture in the Civil War

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If you read the Fillies’ “It’s Yee-Haw Day” on Monday, you know that I got a tattoo…my very first (and probably my last!) in early February. My nephew owns a tattoo business in Florida. At the invitation of my son and daughter-in-law, we flew down for a long (and I might add, VERY COLD) weekend. While I was getting the tattoo, we talked about the history of the art of tattooing.

My daughter-in-law immediately got on her phone, offering information. When I heard that it was popular during the Civil War, my radar went up as I was researching interesting tidbits for my next book.

Tattoos have a long history as a means of identification in the military. In ancient Rome, mercenaries were marked with a permanent ink from acacia bark, corroded bronze and sulphuric acid to help in identifying deserters. When King Harold II was disfigured beyond recognition at the Battle of Hastings, his common-law wife was only able to recognize him based on his tattoos.

Tattoos were used to mark slaves, criminals, and gladiators, and the Latin word “stigma” was used to mean a brand, or scar–any permanent mark left on a person’s skin. When French and British traders met native people, they often recorded the markings on their bodies, instead of their names in trading logs. During the Revolutionary War, colonial sailors decorated themselves with symbols of their newborn country–the “goddess” Columbia, the face of George Washington, eagle with sheaves, or the American flag. 

“A sailor may not wear his heart upon his sleeve, but he does wear it upon his chest.”                                                                  E. Barnes

With the onset of the Civil War, these patriotic themes gained in popularity. Martin Hildebrandt, a talkative man with a crucifix inked on his back was happy to tell newspaper reporters about his unusual trade.

“During the war time I never had a moment’s idle time. I must have marked thousands of sailors and soldiers…I put the names of hundreds of soldiers on their arms or breasts, and many were recognized by these marks after being killed or wounded.” 

Tattooing can be excruciating (I can testify to that!) and in the Civil War, methods were relatively primitive and conditions less than sanitary. Hildebrandt’s tattoo method required about six #12 needles, bound together in a slanting form, dipped into India ink. The puncture of the skin was made at an angle, ensuring that the needles pricked only the surface. Colorants could be made up of ink and wet gunpowder. However, he was restricted to only two colors, blue and red.

       

“If we could only get a green to work into a wreath, the contrast would be charming, but I am afraid it can’t be done.”      M. Hildebrandt

After the tattoo was done, any excess blood and ink was washed off with water or alcohol, usually rum or brandy. Many a soldier had his name, regiment, and residence inked for identification. 

“Every regiment had its tattooers, with outfits of needles and India-ink who for a fee decorated the limbs and bodies of their comrades with flags, muskets, cannon…and patriotic emblems…It was like writing one’s own epitaph, but the custom prevented many bodies from being buried in ‘unknown’ graves.”                                           William Hinman

In addition to identification and patriotism, tattooing during the war was used to memorialize the experience of war and the lives of fellow soldiers. Much like the sailors who pioneered tattooing before them, these soldiers wanted to honor the memories of fallen comrades, to show regimental pride, and demonstrate their love for their homelands.

But beneath their clothes, many men held the marks from the war–voluntary scars to commemorate a shared trauma, claims of individuality in the face of mass death, assertions of humanity that couldn’t be taken away.

*******************A Giveway!*****************

To win a digital copy of “No Finer Dream,” comment on the following question…

Have you gotten OR would you be interested in getting a tattoo?

 

New release coming tomorrow, March 6th…

“Your journey doesn’t have to end in disappointment.”

Lila Hartley had waited for hours on the frozen train platform, a mail-order bride no one came to claim, her trunk beside her like a tombstone. The man who’d promised her marriage, a home, and a future, left her stranded two thousand miles from Boston with nothing but the clothes on her back and a heart full of shattered dreams.
Just when hope was fading, a man emerged from the white curtain of snow like an apparition, took off his coat, and changed her life.

Clay McCallister viewed every woman who had taken a chance on the frontier as the sister he’d failed…a woman who’d risked everything for the possibility of something better, much like the woman standing on the platform in the bitter cold.

Sometimes warmth doesn’t always come from fire — sometimes it comes from the heart.

Pre-Order Link

 

 

Handcuffs and Criminals

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As an author of historical western romance, I’ve written a lot about criminals and bad men. Even jails on occasion but lots of lawmen. The fact is, I like writing about them.

If you think handcuffs originated in the 18th Century, think again. The earliest metal handcuffs were used during the Bronze and Iron ages with new improvements as the centuries have passed. Maybe you already knew this but I did not. It never occurred to me that metal ones existed before the 18th Century. I assumed they used rope or leather bindings, not metal.

Inventor John J. Tower patented a pair of cuffs in 1865 that were widely used in America. They were ratcheted and therefore adjustable to the size of the criminals’ wrists which was a remarkable adaptation. They allowed a lawman to carry only one pair of cuffs whereas he used to have to carry multiples in various sizes.

The picture below is of Tower’s design and is the courtesy of The Science Museum.

John Tower’s Adjustable Handcuffs

Here is a set of Old West handcuffs that were widely used. Again, courtesy of The Science Museum.

Old West Handcuffs

As I said above, I’ve written about a lot of outlaws and criminals. One of my favorite stories was Saving the Mail Order Bride. It was 2nd book in my Outlaw Mail Order Bride series. Outlaw Jack Bowdre finds himself handcuffed to a lawman on a stagecoach on the way to jail when the stage overturns and kills the lawman. There’s one passenger on board, a woman named Nora, who panics and tosses the key to the handcuffs out the window. Jack would like to have wrung Nora’s neck. He’s never able to find the key. This story has so much humor and I just loved writing it. This is not a sweet romance though since it has love scenes.

 

What makes a book truly memorable? If you’d like to get your name in the drawing for one copy of Saving the Mail Order Bride, let me know in the comments. I’m also giving away one copy of Summer’s Heart which is my latest sweet romance.

Summer’s Heart, Book 2 The McIntyres, came out in January.

Texas, 1882. A suffocating blizzard locks Summer McIntyre inside a small town just as her world blows apart. A strange woman emerges from the storm carrying a baby and a damning accusation—Sheriff Dan Bodine fathered her child. The man Summer meant to marry suddenly seems like a stranger.

While the town is paralyzed under snow and suspicion, Summer receives even more staggering news: her missing little brother is alive, but being held by a deranged woman somewhere in the frozen wilderness. Summer and Dan want nothing more than to ride out and save him, but the storm has sealed every trail and turned the hills into a death trap.

With time running out and trust shattered, Summer must decide whether Dan is the ally she needs—or the heartbreak she can’t outrun.

Hear a Little About Early Hearing Aids

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I’ve had a big change in my life recently—one that took me a bit by surprise. I got hearing aids. Let me start out by saying I’m WAY TOO YOUNG to need hearing aids. But here we are, right? Truth be told, I had noticed some difficulty hearing things this past year. It became really apparent when I went to a conference and struggled to hear the speakers. So, not long after that off to the ENT doctor I went and got tested. I don’t like the word “profound” but that’s what he used when describing the level of my hearing loss. Sigh.

I decided to be optimistic about this change, and I’m glad I did. I actually love my new hearing aids. I have a good friend who talks very soft, and I used to miss about a third of what she said. No more. I hear every word! And who knew my favorite pair of shoes squeaked when I walk? Or that the neighbor’s dog barks all day (okay, maybe this isn’t a good thing). I told my husband, I can now hear the sun shine and grass grow.

This got me wondering a little about how people throughout history dealt with hearing loss. I mean, these devices I’m currently wearing are so technologically advanced, I think they could transmit a message into outer space while tracking a bald eagle in the Colorado Rockies (only slight exaggeration – ha, ha). So, I did a little research.

The first recorded use of hearing aids, which may date back as far as Egyptian times, were called ear trumpets. They were pretty much what you’d imagine them to be—a horned shaped object, small on one end and large on the other. Most were constructed of wood, hollowed out animal horns, and in later years, brass. During the old west, hollowed out buffalo horns were often used. These ear trumpets didn’t work all that well, amplifying sounds only directly in front of the user and then to a small degree. They functioned best when someone spoke directly into the ear trumpet at close range.

The interesting part, however, was how clever ear trumpets became in their design. No one likes admitting to having a hearing loss, so inventors created some pretty cool ways to make hearing aids less conspicuous and a true fashion statement. They hid the devices in wardrobe accessories like ladies’ fans and headpieces and men’s canes­. In the home, hearing aids could be hidden in vases. King John IV of Portugal had a throne designed for him with ornately carved lion heads on the arms. The lions’ open mouths transmitted sound to the back of the throne and into the king’s ear via a speaking tube.

In 1898, the first electric hearing aid, called an Akouphone, was invented. As you can imagine, it was huge and bulky and not very portable. But then in the early 1900s, carbon hearing aids came into being, using similar technology to early microphones and telephones. While they amplified sound, they weren’t all that effective. In the 1920s, vacuum hearing aids came along, an advancement that allowed the size to be greatly reduced. One of the biggest jumps came after WWII with the invention of transistors–which reduced the size of hearing aids even more. For a while, there were even hearing aids built into eyeglasses, though these were awkward to wear and didn’t last long.

In the early 1960s, some smart person came up with the first behind the ear hearing aids – a style still in use today by 70% of people who wear hearing aids. But everything changed around 1995 with fully digital versions hit the market. Rather than simply amplifying sound, the user could now differentiate between low, mid, and high frequencies and adjust the hearing aid to their surrounding.

Interesting, huh? You know what I like best about my new hearing aids, besides the improvement to my hearing? They are connected to my phone, and I can listen to audio books without earbuds or headphones. Now that’s cool 🙂

 

 

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