Western Romance Series

New Young Adult Novella, OUR ENEMY BRINGS CHANGE and Giveaway

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Howdy!

Welcome to a new and beautiful Tuesday!  I hope you and yours are doing wonderfully on this bright day in September (it’s supposed to be sunny here where I live).

My goodness, but there is lots going on these last few months with three new books (two of them novellas) and four of my backlist books being reissued by my new Publisher, OHB.

This newly released book is book #3 in The Untamed Frontier Series and is entitled, OUR ENEMY BRINGS CHANGE.  It is a Young Adult Book.  Also, on the 15th of September, the last book in The Lost Clan Series, book #4 in the series, THE LAST WARRIOR releases.

And so, let me begin with the newest release, OUR ENEMY BRINGS CHANGE and tell you a little about the book.  Now, I write these Young Adult books under the pen name of Genny Cothern.  Below and off to the left is the new cover for the book.

There’s a lot I like about this new cover for the book.  First, I think it is one of the most beautiful covers I’ve ever had.  Second, I love that the Montana landscape, as well as the Blackfeet encampment are so beautifully depicted.  The cliffs, the mountains in the background are what you might see if you were to go to Montana today.  And then there’s the way he’s dressed…his clothing looks quite authentic.

So let me post a blurb of the book and then an excerpt:

Our Enemy Brings Change

A spellbinding and sweet Native American historical romance for Young Adults featuring two people who are friends, but who must not fall in love with each other.

What Will Happen When We Give Our Enemy His Life?

When Starling Nelson begs Good Eagle—her best friend and partner— to spare the life of an enemy, little does she know how this one single action might affect her life. For a year now, Starling has realized her friendship with Good Eagle has blossomed into love. But, because Good Eagle’s heart belongs to another, she has learned to ignore the rapid beating of her own heart whenever Good Eagle is near.

Good Eagle finishes the fight the young Nez Perce warrior started and grants the warrior his life, but only because his partner, Starling, insists upon it. But when the Nez Perce warrior offers a piece of advice to Good Eagle, it has the effect of changing not only Good Eagle’s mind-set about love, it might very well change his life forever.

But, there are doubts about a happy ever after for Good Eagle and Starling, because, though Good Eagle’s past love is no longer alive, in spirit she still haunts him.

Can Good Eagle and Starling win against the supernatural? Or will this one chance at love fail, separating them forever?

Perfect for Readers who love

** A haunted hero and a beautiful “off limits” friend

** Sweet Native American Historical Romance

** Adventure and sweet love in the Old West

** Friends who believe love might destroy their honor

And now for an excerpt of the book:

OUR ENEMY BRINGS CHANGE

By

Karen Kay writing as Genny Cothern

CHAPTER ONE

Indian Territory

The Moon of Flowers, Summer

1849

“Saa, no, please do not kill him!” cried out my partner, Kills-the-bear-woman, I’nit kiááyo aakíí, or for short, Kiayo’aki, Bear Woman. She reached out toward me where I was sitting on my horse and placed her hand upon my shooting arm, but I didn’t look at her or at her hand. I dared not take my attention off of my enemy.

At a distance only a horse trot away, the man had, just a moment before, stepped out from a forest of pines. He hadn’t yet seen us. But, I knew at once he was an enemy warrior, but from what tribe was he? I did not recognize the manner in which he wore his hair, nor the pattern of the bead work upon his clothing and leggings.

I prepared myself for battle, and, as I did so, I felt the blood rush through my body, giving me strength.

“Do you know what tribe he is?” Kiayo’aki asked me.

“No.” Quickly I made the sign for the word, but I did not look at her. I had eyes only for my enemy.

In less time than it takes to observe it, I saw the sun was still rising up toward its zenith, and thoughts flashed through my mind in rapid succession. Kiayo’aki and I had left Fort Benton in the darkness of the early hours, I being her partner, but I was also responsible for her safety, she being my almost-sister and younger than I. On the previous evening, we had decided to journey to the Upper Two Medicine Lake this day in search of a better hunting ground.

Niitá’p, the game close to the fort was gone for now, hunted out. And, this being so, we had decided to travel farther away, toward one of my tribe’s favorite camping spots, the Two Medicine. We had last night decided we would even journey into the Backbone-of-the-world Mountains (the Rockies). But, only if we had to.

Luckily, it was unnecessary. Our decision to come closer to the Two Medicine area had been a good one, and we had been in the act following the trail of several buffalo when out from the forest, stepped this man, who was only now discovering the two of us. I watched as he quickly drew his bow and an arrow from his quiver and placed the arrow in a position to shoot. I raised my gun and sighted him.

“Almost-brother, I beg you, do not kill him.”

“Are you mad?” I practically shouted the words at her in reaction. “If I do not kill him, he will surely murder us both. While I do not care if he kills me, I care about what he might do to you!”

“Please! Do not kill him!” she begged me again. “Have mercy! Why, he looks to be the same age as we are. Truly, he is too young to die.”

She was right of course. But, her words faded into nothing when the chance to give the youth quarter faded. The young man was afoot, while both Kiayo’aki and I were mounted upon our ponies. Because the youth was clearly at a disadvantage—and perhaps it was because of this—the young man shot off a deadly arrow directly at me.

The shot missed me, and, seeing this, my enemy began to sing the strange melody of a song, perhaps his death song, as he quickly drew out another arrow in preparation.

However, my response to the coming fight was not my concern over the fight ahead of me, but rather, it was one of worry for my partner, and I shouted at Kiayo’aki, “You are to go back to camp at once and tell your uncle what has happened here.”

She didn’t answer.

“Did you hear me?”

“I heard you,” she answered back, her voice loud to my ears. “But I will not go there. It would take me too long to get there even at a run. And, by the time I would be able to return here, either you or the young enemy would be dead. No, I think I will stay here with you.”

I didn’t respond to her nor to the enemy…at least not right away. I pushed my rifle into position to get the best shot at the young man, and slowly I walked my pony forward. The youth, however, didn’t wait. Quickly, he set another arrow into position and was about to shoot when I pulled the trigger of my musket, my aim being to wound the young warrior in his shooting arm. In this way, I would not kill the youth, but he would also not be able to take another shot at me or my partner.

(Original Caption) Glacier National Park, MO: “On the Shore of Two Medicine Lake.” Blackfoot Indians

Looking forward, I could see the ball sail straight into my enemy’s right arm, and, at the same time, I beheld the enemy youth fall down to his knees.

While observing all this, I listened as my partner muttered, “Thank you, Good Eagle, for not killing him.”

I didn’t answer her.

I watched as the enemy’s arm fell useless at his side and his bow, along with its arrow, dropped to the ground. But, this youth was not a coward, and, with his other arm, he pulled his knife out from the belt around his waist. Then, though he was still on bended knees, he waited for what he probably thought would be the death blow from me.

Immediately, because a musket can only fire one shot, I grabbed hold of my own bow from its case upon my back and, just as swiftly, fitted an arrowto it. I didn’t let the arrow fly. It was there, instead, as a threat as I continued to slowly walk my pony toward this foe.

“Please, do not kill him!” Kiayo’aki cried out again.

“He started it!” I shouted back at her. Still, I knew I would not kill this warrior if I could avoid it. And, this was because I respected my partner’s wishes probably more than my own life. “Besides,” I added, “he has drawn his knife and intends to kill me.”

“But we are two and he is only one. Perhaps we have only frightened him, and this has caused him to draw his knife.”

I didn’t answer. My attention was on the coming fight.

Still, by my actions, I hoped to give the youth the impression that I would show him mercy. Niitá’p, though my actions were not swift as I jumped down from my seat upon my pony, the youth suddenly fell forward and lay there upon the ground as though he were dead.

Meanwhile, I stepped toward the young man, pointing my arrow straight at this enemy while I paced toward him. Coming down onto my knees beside the man, I turned him over and examined first the enemy’s chest to ensure he was still alive and breathing, and then I looked at his wound.

Kiayo’aki had followed me and was the first to speak, and she said, “He is still alive. But, he is hurt. I believe he has only fainted. And, I think his arm is broken. Come, help me to wash his wound and dress it and then assist me to take him back to camp. Please have pity upon him and let him live, I beg you.”

“As you ask, so will I do and he shall live,” said I.

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Well I hope you enjoyed the excerpt.

Here is the link to the book on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HG88KVRV?tag=pettpist-20

And now for even more news:

The last book in The Lost Clan Series will be releasing soon, next Tuesday.  Below is the cover of this fourth and last book in this series, THE LAST WARRIOR.  This book is on a Presale and you can pick up your copy of it here:  https://www.amazon.com/Last-Warrior-Lost-Clan-Book-ebook/dp/B0H7TD5VR7/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&sr=1-1&tag=pettpist-20

Also, I am looking for reviewers.  if you would like to review either of these books, please let me know in the comments.

Well that’s all for today.  Hope you have a beautiful and wonderful day today and for the rest of the week, also.  Don’t forget to leave a comment.  I’ll be giving away a free e-book of OUR ENEMY BRINGS CHANGE to one of the bloggers here today.

What Working at Summer Camp and Being Around Horses Taught Me and How I Use it in My Books

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What Working at Summer Camp and Being Around Horses Taught Me and How I Use it in My Books

By Michele Dunaway

Who wasn’t a horse girly? Besides reading about girls and their horses, there was nothing I loved more than summers when I went away to camp and got to ride. I did the wrangler week at Camp Cedarledge. Then there were my two weeks—two summers in a row—at Staghorn Ranch. I learned to ride, and I also canoed overnight on three rivers (the Courtois, Huzzah and Upper Meramec.) Those times in the Missouri Ozarks were precious.

Then came the two years after high school I worked at Camp Don Bosco, in Hillsboro, Missouri. I have so many memories of riding, including a ten-mile horseback ride with a group to move the horses from winter pastures to the camp. I can still remember that day—the heat coming off the gravel road, the sun on our faces, the creak of leather, and the way ten miles teaches your body exactly where every muscle lives. By the end I was dusty, saddle-sore, and grinning like a fool. Then there were my barrel racing lessons. I also competed in the Hillsboro (MO) Horse Show for Western style. Spoiler, I didn’t final, but our camp did place in the costume contest with the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters.

When my girls were little, I made sure they had riding lessons. My mom even bought my daughter a horse. This is Chase.

But life moves on, and Chase became more of a pasture pet, so we gave him to someone who would ride him more often. But that doesn’t mean I don’t try to pet horses any chance I get. Here’s my friend Liz and I on a Clydesdale tour (I’m on the left).

My background is one reason I was delighted to say yes to my editor when she asked me to write a western romances series. I set it in the fictional town of Legacy Canyon in homage to my friend Jodi Thomas, the bestselling author of the Ransom Canyon series (now also on Netflix) who once told me never to give up, and to leap and the net will appear. I’ve carried those words with me ever since. Saying yes to a western series felt like a leap, but it turned out the net was there, woven from every summer I’d spent at various camps, and from being in the stable with my girls.

Which brings me to Inheriting a Rodeo Cowboy, Book 2 of the Legacy Canyon series. While each novel stands alone and has a guaranteed happily-ever-after, Inheriting a Rodeo Cowboy picks up where Book 1, A Texas-Sized Fake Out, leaves off, with newly divorced Kristen Larrabee and her daughter attending her brother Wyatt’s wedding. I really leaned into the western themes. There’s a stable full of horses, there’s a rodeo, a foal is born, and you’ll meet one very sexy rodeo cowboy: Lucas Thomas. Throw in some matchmakers and forced proximity, this book features a literal match made in heaven between a vet and a cowboy as they discover their chance at true love.

 

You can find Inheriting a Rodeo Cowboy in Walmart, in bookstores, and many online retailers, including Harlequin.com and Amazon.

 

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Giveaway

Since horses have shaped so much of my life—and now my writing—I’d love to hear about your experiences. So, tell me, were you a horse girl growing up, or did you have a different childhood passion you still carry with you, even if you no longer pursue it? Do tell! I’d love to chat with you.

 I’m also giving away a signed copy of Inheriting a Rodeo Cowboy, plus two other books from my backlist to two additional commentors (US paperback mailing only/ebook international).

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 Thank you to Petticoats & Pistols for having me!

MICHELE

Michele Dunaway is a best-selling contemporary romance author who writes happily ever afters set in small towns with cookie stores and wine. With a career spanning more than 26 years, Michele writes “Hometown Sweet with a Hint of Spice” small town love stories featuring strong sexy heroes and feisty heroines who discover things about themselves as they travel the road to true love and self-fulfillment. Michele loves to travel, with the places she visits often inspiring her novels. Describing herself as a woman who does far too much and never wants to stop, Michele is a former English and journalism teacher who is serving as the 2026 NINC President Elect. A proud mom of two grown daughters, Michele shares her home with far too many rescued cats, who of course completely rule the roost. She loves to hear from readers at micheledunaway.com

Not So Luxurious Transportation of the 1850s (And a Giveaway)–by Jill Dewhurst

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Not-So-Luxury Transportation of the 1850s

Would you want to experience travel from San Francisco to Springfield, Missouri, on a stagecoach in 1860?  After my research for Clara’s Courage, I might forgo the adventure.  Modern cinematography of that time period tends to give us a romanticized image of stagecoach travel.

For travelers departing San Francisco for the Oklahoma Territory during the winter months, the Butterfield Stage Line was the only one of the three primary stage routes that dipped southward enough to avoid blizzards and Rocky Mountain crossings.  Because it prioritized mail over passengers, the accommodations were far from luxurious.  Unlike the Overland Stage Company that traversed the country further north, the Butterfield Line did not have coach houses along the route, for the stage kept going day and night.  Instead, the only stops were at way stations every two hours or so to change horses.  That fifteen-minute window gave passengers just enough time to stretch their legs, visit the outhouse, or purchase a light meal.

The twenty-eight-day trip was partitioned into nine divisions.  The First Division from San Francisco to Los Angeles most often used the Concord coach, the design we envision when we think of a stagecoach.  (The Overland Stage Line and Wells Fargo Company used the Concord.)  Los Angeles was a primary hub, and the town even had one choice for overnight accommodations.  The Bella Union Hotel in 1858 was a single-story building that housed the courthouse, a tavern, a mercantile, and the printing press for the Los Angeles Star.  Along the north side of the building ran a series of six-by-nine-foot spaces nicknamed “dog kennels.”  These rooms had a short door, walls, dirt floors, and a canvas roof.  No bed.  No washstand.  Just walls and a muddy floor.  Trip Advisor rating: zero stars.

From Los Angeles, the Butterfield vehicle switched from the Concord coach to the Celerity wagon.  The latter was commissioned by John Butterfield to be lighter and faster than the Concord.  The result resembled a flat-bottomed buckboard wagon with rectangular vertical framing, a canvas roof and windows, and a boot (trunk) for the luggage.  Think of it as a cross between a coach and a Conestoga wagon.  Some of these had an extra bench in the middle and could carry up to twelve passengers if their legs dove-tailed for the journey.  The only concession for comfort was that the back of the seats could be laid flat for sleeping.  Next to strangers.  Bouncing along rutted roads.  Lying on unpadded wood.  Doesn’t that sound like fun?

photo credit:  National Park Service

The Butterfield trail skirted the border of Mexico and the Gadsden Purchase (now southern Arizona and New Mexico) before heading across Texas to Fort Smith, Arkansas.  The route traversed desert, Comanche land (one of the more war-like tribes of the day), and low mountains.  Dotted along the way were a few military forts, the Butterfield’s primary resource for a blacksmith, physician, and protection against attacks.  Once the stage reached Fort Smith, Arkansas (the next major hub), travelers heading to Oklahoma Territory (also called “Indian Territory”) would secure their own transportation and head west to Fort Gibson and pick up the Shawnee Trail (known as the “Texas Road”) heading north.  This final stretch was a welcome respite for travelers, for the road was well-maintained and sported several coach houses (single night boardinghouses) along the route through the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations.

The primary setting of Clara’s Courage and the Rugged Cross Ranch series is the fictional town of Prairie Hills in northeast Oklahoma, but circumstances beyond Josiah Collins’ and Clara McClintock’s control send them on the journey described above.  How do they get to San Francisco in the first place?  That’s a story worth telling.

Meet Josiah and Clara in Clara’s Courage, a faith-filled story complete with an awkward meet-cute, a marriage of convenience, and a sweet western romance.  Check out the description below, and preorder Clara’s Courage to have it automatically delivered to your Kindle on release day ~ September 22, 2026.  Preorder pricing will only last for a limited time.

~~Giveaway~~

Have you ever visited a museum with a stagecoach?  Was it a Concord coach or a Celerity wagon?  Do you have a favorite novel, movie, or television show that features stagecoaches?  My favorite would be the Hallmark series When Calls the Heart inspired by Janette Oke’s novel.

Anyone who comments below will be entered into the drawing for an autographed copy of Clara’s Courage.  Be sure to chime in!  I’d love to meet you!

~*~*~*~

Clara’s Courage

A PRICELESS RING, A PERILOUS JOURNEY, AND A PROMISE THAT COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING

She vanished without a trace. He never stopped believing she was alive.
Three years after an awkward first meeting, Clara McClintock’s unexpected visit to the Rugged Cross Ranch forges a friendship with Josiah Collins that whispers the promise of something more. Receiving permission from her father to become her suitor, Josiah courts Clara via letters until she disappears with no clues leading to her whereabouts. One by one, the people in Josiah’s life succumb to the belief that Clara has perished, but Josiah never surrenders hope.
Far from home, Clara finds herself trapped with no hope of freedom or a future with the man she was beginning to love, yet she determines to hold onto her faith–a faith tested when a promise made to a dying young woman places her in the crosshairs of a dangerous man.
When an unexpected reunion brings Josiah and Clara together, their journey across the frontier is fraught with danger as a relentless pursuer closes in. With every mile testing their growing love and their faith, Clara must find the courage to trust God’s providence when the path before them seems impossible.
Sometimes the longest road home is the one that leads straight to the heart.

Clara’s Courage on Amazon

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A Selah Award Bronze Medalist, Christian Author Award Winner, Will Rogers Medallion Award Gold Medal Winner, and bestselling author of historical Christian fiction, Jill Dewhurst writes novels that seamlessly weave a page-turning story with the truth of God’s unconditional love. With her varied experience as an RN, a musician, and a homeschool mom, Jill creatively weaves a part of herself into each story.  When not writing, she enjoys playing her flute and thanking God for the hubby who lassoed her heart for keeps. Publishing her Rugged Cross Ranch series has been a dream come true.

 

I Thought I Was Writing for Men. My Readers Had Other Ideas–by R.J. Sloane

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I Thought I Was Writing for Men. My Readers Had Other Ideas.

By R.J. Sloane

I’ll be honest with you. When I sat down to write The Rustler Hunter, I figured I knew exactly who would pick it up.

Men. Specifically, men who grew up on Louis L’Amour and still reread Hondo every few years. Guys who like their westerns lean and mean with action-packed gunfights, manhunts, wide-open Arizona Territory, and not a lot of fussing about feelings.

So, imagine my surprise when the emails started coming in, and most of them were from women.

Not just a few. Most of my reader mail comes from women. Women who write things like, “I don’t usually read westerns, but I couldn’t put this down.” Women who tell me the Harper brothers remind them of the honorable men in their own families. Quiet protectors who show up when it’s important. Men who don’t make a speech about it. Women who say the family oath in the series—Proverbs 21:15 CSB, when justice is executed, it is a joy to the righteous but a terror to evildoers—impacted them profoundly.

I had to think hard about why my writing resonates so strongly with women.

This is what I think: women have always understood what justice costs. They’ve watched the men they love carry the weight of protecting others. They’ve been the ones keeping families intact while that work got done. They know, maybe better than anyone, what it means to hold a code when the world makes it inconvenient. I finally realized that’s not a masculine theme. That’s a human one.

The Harper siblings, children of a violent outlaw, aren’t compelling because they’re tough. They’re compelling because they chose to be something better than the man who raised them. And that kind of story resonates with anyone who’s ever had to rebuild their life or overcome a tough past.

Hayley Harper, the Pinkerton agent at the center of The Rustler Hunter, is probably part of the answer too. I write women who are competent, stubborn, and fiercely loyal. Women who carry the same moral code as the men beside them but fight their battles with their strengths. Women who don’t need rescuing but aren’t too proud to accept backup. I believe readers appreciate that kind of woman.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that she spends most of the book striking sparks off a certain legendary manhunter who didn’t see her coming either. J.J. Westin met his match in Hayley Harper, and I think readers enjoy watching two people who are equally stubborn and equally principled figure that out—one dusty Arizona canyon at a time.

What is it about action-driven western fiction that keeps you coming back or brought you to it in the first place?

I have a feeling you’ll teach me something, partner.

Giveaway

I’m delighted to offer a signed copy of The Rustler Hunter to one lucky winner. Just tell me in the comments below, what is it about action-driven western fiction that keeps you coming back or brought you to it in the first place?

The Rustler Hunter: Harper’s Justice Book 1

When forty-one successful manhunts make you a legend, there’s only one way left to go—down.

J.J. Westin, the infamous Rustler Hunter, goes undercover at Arizona Territory’s largest cattle ranch to expose the rustlers bleeding it dry. The thieves aren’t just stealing cattle. They’re trusted cowboys operating from inside the bunkhouse.

What he doesn’t expect is Hayley Harper, the tough-as-nails cook with secrets of her own. She’s a Pinkerton agent working the same case and the daughter of notorious outlaw Galen Harper.

When their covers are blown, they uncover something far deadlier than rustling. A corruption network spanning three territories. With enemies closing in and bullets flying, the legendary manhunter and the outlaw’s daughter must survive the badlands of 1898 Arizona, where trust is deadly and justice comes at gunpoint.

R.J. Sloane writes gritty Western adventures where justice rides hard across the untamed Southwest. Inspired by Longmire, Yellowstone, and a childhood of classic westerns watched with his dad, R.J. brings authentic frontier spirit to every page. His Harper’s Justice series follows territorial lawmen where doing right often means defying the law.

When he’s not writing fiction, R.J. releases original dark country music—outlaw Americana cut from the same cloth as his stories.

Find R.J. on his site: https://rjsloanewesterns.com and at all major retailers

 

Bingo Round-Up – Week #7

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Our series is winding down fast but it’s not too late to play another Bingo to celebrate Pam Crooks’

The Sky Between Us!

We’ve rounded up our Bingo clues to make it easy for you to play.

You know what to do, right?  Choose your answers, submit your entry for each clue, and you’ll still have a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card!

But hurry!  Only one day left!

Winner will be announced Monday in the Reader Group.  

 

Submit Entry

Submit Entry

Submit Entry

Submit Entry

Besides playing Bingo, be sure to join Pam in the Reader Group to celebrate

THE SKY BETWEEN US, 1955 style!

No right or wrong answers and every chance to win a beautiful prize!

 

 

Book #8 in the Petticoats and Patriots Series

Coming Tuesday

 

Preorder on Amazon

Don’t forget to check out our Series Page to see all the books, too!  

 

Save the Date!

 

We continue to honor our nation’s 250th birthday

with our Wrap-Up Party on Thursday in the Reader Group!

We hope you’ll join us for a day full of patriotism, games, historical trivia, and loads of prizes–and, of course, our books. 

One Day Only!

Games will close and answers revealed on Friday at noon.

 

Note: Shanna’s Bingo and a special tour around Holiday, OR, will continue all week long.

 

To stay up on our latest releases and have some fun, too, join our Facebook Reader Group HERE!

 

 

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!

 

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

The WASP – Brave Women with Wings by Pam Crooks

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If you’ve been hanging around here lately, you’ll know our beloved sweet romance series, “Petticoats & Patriots,” is in full swing.

While I helped my sister filly, Shanna Hatfield, develop the series, she gets full credit, and it was her idea to name our heroines off real-life patriots. We decided to include a Patriot Page with every book and include a brief biography of the patriot we had chosen. We came up with a list of names and time periods from our country’s birth in 1776 all the way up to modern day and invited the fillies to choose.

As soon as I saw Jacqueline Cochran’s name on the list, I knew I had my patriot. Not only have I always loved the name, I was fascinated that she was a female pilot, something I’d never written before. Even better, her patriotism took root in the 1940s–which worked out perfectly because the six books before mine were set in the late 1700s and mid-1800s. We definitely needed to bump up the locket’s journey to the 20th century!

Let me tell you a bit about her and how she proved to be inspiration for my heroine, Jackie Sinclair.

In 1942, Nancy Harkness Love formed and commanded a group of experienced women pilots who ferried military planes. Jacqueline Cochran was appointed to lead their flight training, and in August, 1943, when World War II was raging, the two organizations merged into the Women Airforce Service Pilots, more commonly known as WASP. Cochran served as director.

Jacqueline Cochran with WASP trainees

She was certainly qualified, having earned a reputation as one of America’s most accomplished aviators and a pioneering woman in flight, regaled for her speed, skill, and courage in flying.  She was the first woman to break the sound barrier and set numerous aviation records for altitude, distance, and speed.

During World War II, with the WASP organization under her belt, she was determined to prove that women could serve their country in the cockpit. She insisted on strict training, standards, and discipline, hoping their performance would prove women belonged in military aviation instead of being ranked as civilian employees.

More than 25,000 women applied to serve as WASP, but only about 1,830 were accepted for training, and of those, just 1,074 earned their wings. These female pilots flew a whopping 60 million miles during the war in almost every kind of military aircraft. They ferried planes, transported personnel, towed targets for live-fire training, and performed other domestic flying duties.

Some even trained male pilots to fly particular aircraft. Interestingly, one of the main purposes of the WASP program was to take over essential flying jobs so that 1,100 male pilots could be sent overseas for combat duty.

But even though these women couldn’t serve in the military, their work proved dangerous stateside. As I mentioned before, they towed targets for live-fire training, which meant male gunners fired live ammunition at targets behind their planes. Ferrying unfamiliar aircraft could also be risky, especially in bad weather or with mechanical problems.

Thirty-eight WASP gave their lives in service to their country. Because they were classified as civilians, those who died did not receive the same military honors or benefits at the time. Their families often had to pay to bring their daughter’s body home.

In 1944, Jacqueline supported a bill introduced in Congress, H.R. 4219, designed to give the WASP full military status, including benefits such as medical care, insurance, hospitalization, and burial rights. The bill failed in the House on June 21, 1944.

The WASP program was disbanded six months later, less than a year before World War II ended. Despite their skills and service, and all the lobbying Jacqueline did on their behalf, they were still denied veteran status and benefits. What a shame!

They finally received veteran recognition in 1977, more than three decades later. In 2009, they were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

Former WASPs or WASP-inspired pilots lived in a world that praised women for wartime service, then expected many of them to step aside afterward.

In my book, THE SKY BETWEEN US, #7 in the Petticoats & Patriots series, Jackie Sinclair refuses to give up flying, and she was so much fun to write.  Especially when she meets Beckett Archer, an officer in the United States Army during the Korean War. Except she doesn’t really “meet” him until several years later, when he’s a cowboy in the sandhills of Nebraska, of all places, and since she’d all but presumed him dead in Korea, you can only imagine how her world turns upside down when she learns he is very much alive.

PREORDER ON AMAZON

She’s lived with his name for three years. He’s never known hers. Until they meet.

Jackie Sinclair is good at what she does–flying airplanes during the Korean War. But when she makes a mistake that will haunt her forever, she’s determined to build a new life of peace and freedom in Nebraska. Except she comes face-to-face with Beckett J. Archer, the soldier she had failed so terribly, and her hopes for a new future threaten to fall apart.

Beck has returned to heal at the one place that means more to him than anything else–his father’s ranch. The memories of war have left their mark, but the brave and beautiful woman who lands in his life–literally–stirs up feelings he never expects, especially when an old family legacy threatens to drive them apart.

As trouble closes in from every side, Beck and Jackie are drawn together by danger, duty, and a growing love neither of them can deny.

Coming July 28th!

 

Had you heard of the WASP before, or is their story new to you?

Would you have had the courage to fly a plane in the 1930s and 1940s when female pilots were both admired and criticized?

When was a time you had to show real courage? 

Help Wanted, Cowboy

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I am generally loath to crow about my own books, which is sorta silly when you think about it. I mean, who else is going to crow about my books if not me? I’m not good at look at me, though, and if it were possible in this day and age to simply write a book, hand it to my publisher, and then crawl back into my writing cave and start a new one, without ever having to think about said book again, I would do it that way. But publishing doesn’t work like that these days. Maybe it never did.

Although I’ve been writing since I was a child and starting working as a book editor in 1996, I came into publishing as an author in 2012—on the cusp of digital first and e-books. I joined Facebook about that time and Instagram shortly after, but it took me awhile to figure out how to make those platforms work for me as an author. I’m not sure I’ve mastered it yet, you know, because it means being present when what I really want to do is stay tucked in my little writing space. My fictional worlds are so much safer than the real world of social media and promotion.

All that said, I’m here today to be Nan Reinhardt author (<– over there) promoting a brand-new release — out today, as a matter of fact. If you love romance and Montana and spunky heroines and handsome cowboys with big hearts, Help Wanted, Cowboy might just be the book for you. Rory and Millie’s story is book 3 in my Juniper Falls Ranch series, so if you’ve read books 1 and 2, you’ll recognize Beth and Del Foster, who own Juniper Falls Ranch, Gus, their grizzled ranch hand, Bo Kennedy, the former rodeo cowboy turned ranch foreman, and others, as well as the little Montana town of Marietta. Sage’s Chocolate Shop, the Graff Hotel, Copper Mountain—all the places in Marietta that you already know and love are part of the story, too, as Rory and Millie feel their way to their own happily-ever-after. Because of course, there’s always an HEA in a Nan Reinhardt novel.

I confess, the theme—Millie wants a little favor from Rory—was a tricky one to do in a sweet romance, but we pulled it off, and there is even a treasure hunt up in an old mine in the foothills to add to the fun. I hope you enjoy reading Help Wanted, Cowboy as much as I enjoyed creating it.

GIVEAWAY: To celebrate this book release—#17 with the fabulous Tule Publishing—I’m giving away three e-book copies of Help Wanted, Cowboy to three lucky commenters. Just tell me what attracts you to a cowboy romance—the cover? The blurb? The author? Inquiring minds want to know…

Help Wanted, Cowboy

A Montana bull rider temporarily working as a ranch hand. An OB nurse who wants “a favor.” Two opposites thrown together. A treasure hunt adds to autumn magic. 

When a family emergency brings cowboy Rory Pearson home to Marietta, he hires on to Juniper Falls Ranch for seasonal work. He’s hoping to explore an intriguing family legend. Armed with research and his grandfather’s stories, Rory thinks he’s ready, but nothing goes as planned. Then a sweetly sexy nurse propositions him.

Nurse Millie Sparks is tired of playing it safe. She’s been too focused on her education and career and romance and adventure have passed her by. Staying on the ranch to care for a patient with a tricky pregnancy, Millie’s interest in Rory is immediate. He offers to teach her to ride, and she wonders if the lessons could extend to something else she’s been hiding.

It’s a game of flirtation and fun. Feelings can’t be serious. But as the clock ticks down, hearts interfere, and saying goodbye just got way more complicated.

Amazon | B&N Nook | Apple Books | Kobo | Google Play

Oh, oh, P.S.: If you haven’t been to Juniper Falls Ranch yet, here’s a great opportunity for a first visit–Forever Cowboy, book 1 in the JFR series is just 99 cents right now! So race over to your favorite book retailer and nab it at that discount before it goes back to regular price.

Cowboys, Rodeo, & a Stray Dog

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I have to confess that I panicked last year when my publisher Jane Porter asked me to move from River’s Edge, my little town on the Ohio River to Marietta, Montana. I mean, holy schnikeys! Except for flyovers and the very urban Bay Area of San Francisco to visit our kids, I’d never been west of Mississippi, and now I was supposed to write in the mountains of Montana? About cowboys? And rodeos and ranches? Yikes!

To be honest, the only things I had going for me as I headed into this new writing territory was a love of and experience with horses, the fact that I’d read a lot of Tule Publishing’s Montana Born books, and a deep respect for Jane and the team’s marketing expertise. They’d never steered me wrong yet, so I took a deep breath and dove in. I even took a trip to Big Sky, Montana, in July with my pal, mystery writer Carol Light, just to get a feel for the setting. Wow, was that ever grand!

I was grateful that I was starting my Montana Born journey with three other romance authors, all of whom already wrote cowboys and Montana and ranches and rodeo. Our 4-book, 4-author series, Montana’s Rodeo Cowboys released one book a week throughout September of 2025. And we needed a theme that would run through the entire series—something that tied all the books together. Someone said, how about a stray dog? That was fine with me, so our little thieving pup first appears in Jeannie Watt’s Unforgettable Cowboy, turns up again in Nicole Flockton’s Headstrong Cowboy, and in Sinclair Jayne’s Rogue Cowboy. Each time, the little trickster is stealing something … and then disappearing. He is a sheltie/border collie mix and cute as can be! Check him out here.

Then my turn came. Because I am the last book in the series, I got to decide what would happen to the little dog we’d named Rascal—because he truly was! Husband and Son both said words to the effect of you can’t kill off the dog. Like I would ever do such a thing! I’ll grant you I’m more a cat person than a dog lover, but surely Rascal needed a happily-ever-after just like all our cowboys and their ladies. Sorry, I’m not going to tell you where that poor critter ended up. You’ll have to read the whole series, ending with my Forever Cowboy to find out. Just trust me … fairy tale ending are my specialty.

Hope y’all enjoy all four books in the Montana’s Rodeo Cowboys series—we sure had fun writing them! And here’s the best part: I have three more Montana Born stories coming up here in 2026! I got into the cowboy thing so much that I created my own Montana world—Juniper Falls Ranch, so although  Forever Cowboy may be book 4 in the Montana’s Rodeo Cowboys series; it’s Book 1 in the Juniper Falls Ranch series. Book 2, The Cowboy’s Comeback, released January 30, 2026. Book 3, Help Wanted, Cowboy releases July 7, 2026, and book 4, The Rancher’s Christmas Wife, which I’m currently writing, releases in November! And you know what else? I’m havin’ the time of my life in Montana! Come join me!

To whet your appetite for my Juniper Fall Ranch cowboys, how about we do a little giveaway? Just tell me below if you like to see pets–dogs, cats, parrots, hamsters, rabbits, really any kind of pet–in your cowboy stories? I’ll give away two e-book copies of Forever Cowboy to two lucky commenters!

Thanks for spending time with me today! See you next time!

Petticoats & Pistols