Aussie Ways Versus American – Margaret Tanner

I am Margaret Tanner, an award winning, bestselling, Australian author with nearly two hundred books published on Amazon. I now concentrate on writing sweet Western Historical Romance, although in the past I used to write Contemporary and Australian Historical Romance.

I like to think my stories will tug at your heartstrings and evoke strong emotions.

My heroes hide behind a rough exterior. They are tough men who are prepared to face danger and overwhelming odds for the women they love. My heroines are brave, resourceful women willing to endure hardship and danger in an untamed land, if it means they can win their heart’s desire.

I have had many jobs over the years including being an Army Reservist, an Army Major’s secretary and a Medical Audio typist. My most memorable job, for all the wrong reasons, was as a postal delivery person. Surprisingly, I am scared of dogs, and I have to say I was accosted many times by dogs who were/or were not, intent on doing me harm.

I sadly lost my husband at the end of Covid. I have three grown-up sons, and two lovely granddaughters.

Outside of my family and friends, writing is my passion.

FRONTIER LIFE – AMERICA AND AUSTRALIA

Life on the American and Australian frontiers have a strikingly similar history, so it was fairly easy for me to make the transition from writing Australian to American western historical stories.

For example, take the Australian Act of Selection.

America: The original Homestead Act was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on May 20th, 1862. It gave applicants freehold title to up to 160 acres of undeveloped federal land west of the Mississippi River. The law required only three steps from the applicant – filing an application, improving the land, then filing for a deed of title.

Anyone who had never taken up arms against the U.S. government, including freed slaves, could file a claim on the provisions that they were over the age of twenty-one and had lived on the land for five years.

The Homestead Act’s lenient terms proved to be ill-fated for many settlers. Claimants didn’t have to own farming implements or even to have had any farming experience. The allocated tracts of land may have been adequate in humid regions but were not large enough to support plains settlers where lack of water reduced yields.

Speculators often gained control of homestead land by hiring phony claimants or buying up abandoned farms.

Homesteaders could often build a log cabin in a matter of days, using only an axe and auger. No nails were required for the task.

The first step in construction was to build a stone or rock foundation, to keep the logs off the ground and prevent rot. Once the foundation was laid, settlers would cut down trees and square off the logs. These logs were then “notched” in the top and bottom of each end then stacked to form walls. The notched logs fitted snugly together at the corners of the cabin and held the walls in place. After the logs were stacked, gaps remained in the walls. Settlers had to jam sticks and wood chips into the gaps, then they filled in the remaining gaps with cement made from earth, sand, and water.

Fireplaces were built of stone and often had stick-and-mud chimneys.

Most cabins had dirt or gravel floors, which had to be raked daily to preserve their evenness.

Rustic log cabins in a fall setting located at Grayson State Park in Virginia.

Australia The 1860 Land Act allowed free selection of crown land.  This included land already occupied by the squatters, (wealthy landowners) who had managed to circumvent the law for years and keep land that they did not legally own.

The Act allowed selectors access to the squatters’ land, and they could purchase between 40 and 320 acres of crown land, but after that, the authorities left them to fend for themselves. Not an easy task against the wealthy, often ruthless squatters who were incensed at what they thought was theft of their land.

The Act of Selection was intended to encourage closer settlement, based on intensive agriculture. Selectors often came into conflict with squatters, who already occupied land and were prepared to fight to keep it.

The bitterness ran deep for many years, sometimes erupting into violence.

The first permanent homesteads on the Australian frontier were constructed using posts and split timber slabs. The posts were set into the ground, about three feet apart, according to the desired layout. Slabs of timber were then dropped into the slots. A sapling or similar, straight piece of timber ran across the top of the posts, which allowed them to be tied together so they could support the roof.

Sunset above Craigs Hut, built as the the set for Man from Snowy River movie in the Victorian Alps, Australia

Clay was often plugged in between the joins and splits of the cladding to stop droughts. The internal walls were sometimes plastered with clay and straw, lined with hessian/calico, whitewashed or simply left as split timber.

Roofs were pitched using saplings straight from the bush and often clad with bark. Early settlers learnt from the aborigines that large sheets of bark could be cut and peeled off a variety of trees and used as sheets to clad the roof.

* * * * * *

 

I’m so proud of my Gun For Hire book – Dustin.

Please visit the series page HERE.

 

 

My latest release was on the 2nd of April – Callum’s Bride.

CALLUM’S BRIDE

Blurb:

Sebastian thought he was irredeemable. Will Carly’s love set him free?

Bounty hunter Sebastian Callum is ambushed and seriously wounded by the McSweeney gang.

He finds his way to Carly’s house and she and her young son give him sanctuary. But danger is an ever-present threat. And why does the littler boy think Sebastian is Jesus?

While nursing him back to health, Carly gives Sebastian her heart, even though he thinks he is an unworthy recipient. Will he accept this special gift from her?

If so, how far will a woman from his past go to keep them apart?

Readers can contact me via my FB author group. I would love to see you there. Or private message me on FB.

To find out more about my books please check out my Amazon link.

GIVEAWAY

One reader who leaves a comment, will win a $5 Amazon Gift Card. Have you ever been inside a log cabin?
What do you think would be the biggest challenge of making a home on the frontier?

From Lambs to Lilies – Eight Symbols of Easter

Happy Spring! Happy April!

Here in our neck of the woods, the vernal equinox (Spring) is in full bloom…literally. Along with the Bradford pear trees, Eastern Redbud, daffodils, and tulips, a sticky, hazy green pollen sticks to everything!

However, that aside, Easter will arrive in seventeen days. While many people list Christmas and Thanksgiving as their favorite holidays, Easter has always been my favorite. There’s the traditional ham or lamb dinner, chocolate bunnies, and Easter baskets for the little ones, of course. The holiday is low-key, giving folks time to relax and enjoy each other’s company.

And for many, Easter has been observed since the 2nd century as a way to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As it turns out, there is so much that makes this holiday what it is today — religious and otherwise.

Easter Lily

The Easter lily is both a pagan and Christian symbol, closely connected to Easter from either side. In the pre-Christian Roman tradition, the white lily was also associated with Hera, the Queen of Heaven. According to her myth, the white lily came from Hera’s milk.

Likely from there, the lily later became associated with Mary in the Roman Church. Lilies were also often mentioned in the Bible, although the wild Middle Eastern lilies at the time weren’t exactly the same flowers as the modern Lilium Longiflorum white lilies we often use on Easter.

Easter Eggs

Throughout most of Christian Europe, the pagan symbols of the spring hare, the egg, and chick were quickly adopted as symbols for the Christian Easter. The colorful ritual of decorating eggs also has an intriguing origin. As part of the Lenten season leading up to Easter, early Christians abstained from eating food from animals as the Lenten fast. Yet chickens continued to lay eggs, so eggs were hard-boiled, then decorated to celebrate the Easter season but were not eaten until Easter.

Easter egg decorating became a high art in Europe, especially in eastern Europe and Russia, that immigrants brought to America. The name of these Easter eggs contains part of their story. Pysanky (or pysanka in the singular form) is rooted in the Ukrainian verb “to write.” In this case, that refers to the pretty patterns you would scrawl across the eggs. Ukrainian Easter eggs often feature intricate designs and symbols, such as flowers, animals, and geometric shapes, each with its own significance.

There are a few different origin stories for how this cultural tradition began. According to Pysanky for Peace, the practice comes from ancient Ukrainian peoples who worshiped the sun as the source of life on earth. During pre-Christian times, they believed birds were the sun God’s chosen creations, so eggs decorated with nature symbols became integral to spring rituals. With the acceptance of Christianity, the egg took on new meaning as the rebirth of man.

The Easter Lamb

As the Bible calls Jesus “the Lamb of God”, it’s no surprise that the Easter lamb is a major sign of Easter. This Paschal Lamb symbolizes Jesus Christ himself and his sacrifice for all humanity on Easter.

Many Easter traditions from Eastern Europe to the US celebrate Easter with a lamb-based dish on Easter Sunday evening, after the end of Lent.

Easter Bunny

Like many Easter traditions, the Easter Bunny evolved out of ancient fertility and spring celebrations. Rabbits breed like, well, rabbits, and give birth in the spring. So, in places where the fields became overrun with baby bunnies, it was natural to incorporate the rabbit as a symbol for spring and, eventually, Easter.

Another legend tells of a poor German woman who loved children. She would hide brightly colored eggs in her garden as Easter treats. One year, while the children searched for them, they noticed a hare hopping past and believed that the animal had left the eggs.

Easter Egg Rolling

Given the egg’s symbolic significance representing the rock before the tomb, egg rolling became a popular children’s Easter activity in America in the 1800s, recreating the rolling away of the rock in front of Christ’s tomb. According to the White House Historical Association, some historians credit First Lady Dolley Madison (yes, her name is spelled correctly!)with first proposing the idea of a public egg roll around 1810. There are also accounts of informal egg rolls staged by the children of Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson on the White House lawn. The 1878 event hosted by President Rutherford B. Hayes on the South Lawn, however, stands as the first official White House Easter Egg Roll.

Easter Outfits

How many of us remember dressing up to the nines on Easter Sunday? Girls in frilly spring dresses with little gloves and purses? Boys in pastel suit jackets and bow ties? Purchasing a new holiday outfit may seem like a 20th-century commercial invention, but even early Christians followed the practice of wearing new clothes for Easter.  It was the one time of year when, if you had new clothes, you wore them. You dressed in your finest to go to church as a manner of honoring the resurrected Savior. In America, stores soon latched onto the idea that creating Easter outfits and sales during the season would help them sell fancy bonnets or suits.

     

Fueled by the popularity of Irving Berlin’s song, Easter Parade, as well as the resulting movie featuring Judy Garland and Fred Astaire, locals and visitors alike descended on New York’s Fifth Avenue to show off their new attire, eventually leading to the creation of the famous Easter Parade.  

Easter Egg Trees

It’s only in recent years that miniature Easter trees have become popular in North America. This Easter tradition from Germany is a favorite. Beautifully decorated Easter eggs are hung on branches in a vase in the home or on trees outside, adding a splash of color to spring’s palette.

Until this research, I never knew I was ahead of the curve on this tradition. From the time my children were babies, I’ve decorated a tree outside our home. Using plastic eggs (to endure the elements, e.g. ice/snow/wind/rain…you get the picture!), I would thread a ribbon through a hole in one end of the egg then loop them over the bare branches. Here is this year’s masterpiece!!!

Easter Bread

Easter bread comes in dozens of different shapes, types, and sizes – some sweet, some salty, some large, and others – bite-sized.

Hot cross buns, soft pretzels, Eastern European kozunak bread, and various other types of bread are all very much associated with the different Easter traditions.

Here is my Easter Bread made with the recipe handed down from my grandmother.

As with Santa Claus—who came first from the pagan Father Winter, then morphed into the Christian St. Nicholas—the Easter bunny and Easter chick had pagan origins that then became symbolic to the Christian faith. But the Christian symbolism associated with all three and the historical context behind them is, sadly, little known by most in modern America. It is worth remembering that all three are associated with birth and rebirth, sharing gifts and bringing joy, and peace and good will.

Happy Easter!

******** A Giveaway! ********

For a chance to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card, leave a comment below.

What is your favorite Easter memory or tradition?

 

An Upcoming Release…

An outlaw looking for a fresh start.
A schoolteacher who might hold the key to the entire town’s salvation.

Ash “Shotgun” McCrae can never make up for all the wrong he’s done. After leaving a notorious outlaw gang, he thought he’d discovered the peaceful existence he’d been looking for when he found work laying tracks for the railroad in Rivers Bend. Yet, when trouble shows up in town, he fears he may never free himself from the burden of his past.

Schoolteacher Kate Cummings stands as the one bright light in contrast to the curious looks and behind-the-glove whispers blowing through the town. The arrival of Padraic “Patch” Rooney and his gang challenges the small-town serenity she holds dear. Still, her steadfast trust in Ash awakens the strength of courage within them all, giving rise to the collective defiance against the approaching danger.

In a deadly game of dangerous outlaws and secret schemes, Kate and Ash must decide whether they are willing to risk everything for their love, including their lives.

Pre-Order Link

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

 

 

Creek is Out Plus a Giveaway!

I’m so excited to finally have Creek out! Have you ever watched water, waiting on it to boil? This was exactly like that. I thought it never would.

This is Book 1 of a multi-author sweet romance series called Gun For Hire that was the brain child of Charlene Raddon. She also created all of these gorgeous covers.

Ten hardened men. Ten life-changing loves.

This thrilling ten-book, multi-author series follows men who live by the gun, surviving one day at a time. Outlaws, bounty hunters, hired guns—each has walked a dangerous path, never expecting a future beyond the next fight. But everything changes when they meet the one woman they can’t walk away from.

Join us on this unforgettable journey of passion, redemption, and the power of love—March 15th to July 30th!

Here are all ten of the authors. You may recognize several Fillies.

Now about Creek. When he receives a letter from a friend asking him to come to El Paso, he doesn’t waste any time. He owes this dying woman a debt of gratitude. He just hopes he’s not too late. He’s immediately swept up in rescuing a young orphan girl and when she sees the drawing of a thunderbird on Creek’s wrist, she claims he’s her father.

The story takes several turns as he tries to figure out what to do and how to let this girl down easy. He has to make her understand why he can’t be who she wants. Danger soon follows and they’re trust into a life-and-death struggle. Who will survive?

Here’s a video of all the books created by the talented Dan Garrett. Enjoy!

This is the first real western romance I’ve written in a while and it felt so good to get back to my roots. I discovered the joy of writing the kind of man I love to read.

I come by this love honestly. My dad was fascinated by outlaws. He claimed he once saw Clyde Barrow. All I know is that he admired men like Clyde, Pretty Boy Floyd, and John Dillinger. Maybe it was because they did things he wanted to but couldn’t. My dad wanted to know just once what having “enough” felt like. Only he died a poor man, never knowing. When I was growing up, he used to take me and my little sister Jan to museums and displays about outlaws. Maybe that’s where I got my fascination from. Or it could’ve been the many westerns on TV that thrilled my heart.

Some of my favorites were Laramie, Bonanza, Gunsmoke, and Cheyenne. What are some of yours? I’m giving away two ebook copies of Creek so leave a comment.

Guest Author MK McClintock & A Giveaway!

How Writing Historical Western Romance Transports Me to a Simpler Time

As the sun dips behind the rugged peaks of the Rocky Mountains, my mind wanders, as it often does, back in time, envisioning a world where adventurers, seekers, and settlers roamed the vast landscapes and frontier towns bustled with life.

(And yes, I’m ignoring the realities of poor hygiene and a dearth of men who look like my characters, but I write fiction, so go with it.)

Growing up, tales of the Wild West—of fearless outlaws, resilient pioneers, and rugged cowboys—always captivated me. (Again, I’m okay with the fiction versions.) These stories painted a picture of an untamed world where every sunset brought new adventures and every thunderstorm whispered secrets of the land. The captivation was fueled by summer vacations in Colorado, where horse rides on mountain trails awaited, and sitting by campfires was the way to unwind after a busy day. The thrills continued when, from an early age, my family made the Rocky Mountains our home and still do today.

In my writing, I strive to capture the essence of the American West—the raw beauty of the untamed wilderness, the code of honor that defined interactions, and the unshakeable spirit of those who braved the unknown. Each character is a testament to the resilience and courage of the people who shaped the history of the American frontier, accepting the bad with the good. If authors play up the fiction quite a bit with romance, adventure, and mystery, all the better!

Every day, I feel the crisp mountain air on my skin and hear the whisper of the wind through the pines, allowing me to transport myself to a time long before the mountains became overcrowded with modern-day developments, hikers on cell phones, and so much traffic heading to some mountains that you wonder if you’ll ever reach the peaks.

With each word, we can be drawn deeper into an era where time moved a little slower and the vast expanse of the frontier held endless possibilities. The rugged beauty of Montana serves as the ideal backdrop for many of my tales of love, courage, and adventure, allowing me to escape into a world where the untamed spirit of the frontier still triggers dreams of what was and could have been had we had allowed it to remain wild.

As a fellow Western romance enthusiast, likely seeking a respite from modern life, I invite you to join me on a journey through pages where love knows no bounds and the spirit of the frontier beckons us to explore its untold wonders.

Thankfully, books allow us to escape to these times and places whenever we want.

I’m happy to give away either a paperback set of the three Crooked Creek books or an e-book set (1 winner, US only, reader’s choice on format). What do you do to escape life when it starts to wear on you? What brings solace and peace?

Everyday heroes who find the courage to believe in extraordinary love.

Two years after the devastations of war left their mark on a country torn apart, Wesley Davenport, a former soldier haunted by his experiences on the battlefield crosses paths with Leah Tennyson, a teacher who helps him heal his emotional wounds—and discovers unexpected love in the most unlikely place.

The Trail to Crooked Creek, a novella, is a tale of resilience, compassion, and the triumph of the human spirit set in the breathtaking and sometimes unforgiving landscape of post-Civil War Montana Territory.

 

BUY LINK

Guest Author Kara O’Neal and Giveaways!

Hi, there, fellow western romance lovers! Thank you for letting me visit y’all today to talk about the past.

I love history. I especially love how people lived. I enjoy learning about the tools they used, the recipes they made, the music they enjoyed, and the fun they had.

 

The Western saloon has always fascinated me. To me, it’s one of the symbols of the American West. Throughout the years I’ve learned a lot about saloons, and I love the variety of names. Some of them are funny, like the Holy Moses Saloon in Creede, Colorado. Or the White Elephant in, well, there were several saloons named White Elephant.

 

They were rowdy places, of course. Dangerous places. They were the settings for some deadly events.

One of the most famous happened in Deadwood, South Dakota, at Nuttal and Mann’s Saloon. Wild Bill Hickock was shot in the back by Jack McCall and killed. He was playing poker at the time, and the cards he was holding – a pair of black aces and a pair of black eights – became known as the “dead man’s hand”.

Saloons, though wild and dangerous, were a part of life in the American West, and I’ve set some scenes within their rowdy walls a few times. Including a wedding reception…

PRICKLY POPPY, the third book in my Wildflowers of Texas series, has quite the mischievous, swaggering, handsome hero. But he owns a saloon…

This is quite the problem for Hazel Rutherford.

Kit Kirby’s his name, and he’s got no problem sauntering about town, making all the ladies swoon over his looks, while irritating Hazel to no end.

And when he is the one charged with escorting Hazel to Brownwood to rescue her cousin from a terrible marriage, Hazel is livid.

Let me tell you…the sparks FLY in this book! I loved writing these two so much.

Yeah, Kit owns a saloon, but don’t you worry…he’s quite the gentleman.

I’d love to give away a copy – ebook or print – to three lucky readers! Just comment on the post and let us know your answer to the following question: Do you think a saloon can bring on the romance?

PRICKLY POPPY

Brownwood, Texas, 1883

Two years ago, Hazel Rutherford fled from her lying, greedy fiancé. Now, her young cousin is within his sights, and Hazel must return and rescue her. Which means facing a manipulative villain.

But her uncle won’t let her go alone…

Kit Kirby is the man tasked with escorting her and protecting her while she’s in Brownwood.

Kit Kirby. Saloon owner. Hell raiser. The man that all the ladies—from five to eighty—swoon over. All except Hazel, that is. Since the day she met him, they’ve done nothing but fight.

He calls her prudish. She calls him irresponsible. He calls her prickly. She calls him a conceited hell-trap. There’s no way she’ll make it to Brownwood with her sanity intact.

But when Kit changes the game and kisses her, she’ll be lucky if she gets through the ordeal still the owner of her heart.

 BUY LINK

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.

Guest Author Robin Lee Hatcher

Hello, Petticoats & Pistols friends. It is great to be back.

Earlier this month, my 93rd release and the third book in The British Are Coming series, To Capture a Mountain Man, became available. About it, author Trish Perry said, “The flow of Hatcher’s story will pull you along as swiftly as the Yellowstone river that triggers this adventure in the first place.” I love that! And author Tamera Alexander said, “Pure delight! The characters, the setting, the snappy dialogue… I’ve enjoyed the entire The British are Coming series but this one may be my favorite! A delightful story showcasing God’s love, goodness, and faithful hand in our lives.”

When I first came up with the idea for this series in 2009, I knew that headstrong, unconventional Lady Amanda Whitcombe from Lincolnshire, England, would fall for a rugged mountain man. I even knew his name: Isaiah Coltrane. What I didn’t know was just how much fun I would have bringing the two of them together or that Isaiah would quickly become one of my favorite heroes.

Here’s how the two of them meet:

“Help!”

He saw her then, flapping her arms, struggling to stay afloat against the river’s strong current. He pressed his heels into Buck’s sides, and they raced along the bank to get ahead of the woman. Finding the right spot, Isaiah vaulted from the saddle and slid down to the water’s edge. He grabbed hold of a shrub with his right hand as he stepped into the icy river, reaching out in time to grasp the woman’s water-sodden coat with his left hand. He felt fabric tearing and feared he would lose her.

God, help me.

Somehow, he got hold of her upper arm even as the current attempted to sweep her away. He tightened his grip—on her and the shrub—and hauled her toward the bank. Needles on the shrub pricked his right hand through his glove, and he grimaced against the pain as he drew the woman the final distance to the shore.

Still half in and half out of the water, he released her. She tried to crawl up the bank, coughing and choking. She only made it a couple of feet before she collapsed into a heap.

“Miss?” He leaned over, touching her shoulder. “Miss?”

There was no response.

He swept a wet mass of dark hair away from her face. Her eyes were closed, her expression slack, but she was breathing. She must have fainted. Quickly, he slipped both arms beneath her limp form and carried her to the top of the riverbank, where Buck and Bandit waited for him.

She was a slight thing, even with her clothes sopping wet, and it took little effort to carry her to a grassy area. He gently laid her on the ground, then straightened and took a step back. “Bandit.”

The collie was at his side in an instant.

“We okay?”

Bandit raised his nose, sniffing the air. If the poacher who’d fired the shot remained nearby, the dog would warn him. But Bandit gave no sign of alarm.

Isaiah’s attention returned to the unconscious woman. What was he supposed to do with her? How did she come to be out in this forest alone? Was she one of the poachers? That seemed unlikely. Even bedraggled, she looked too . . . refined.

And too pretty.

 

Ahhh … Gotta love that strong mountain man who rescues the heroine from a rushing river. Even if she did get herself into this predicament because of her maybe-not-so-slightly headstrong nature.

And just to give you another peek at who Isaiah is, this is a bit later in the book as he escorts Amanda through the mountains on the way to Eden’s Gate Ranch in Idaho:

Fog, gilded by the rising sun, floated through the trees surrounding them. The scene reminded her of the paintings Roger Bernhardt had done during his visit to the park. She’d thought the works of art beautiful, but they couldn’t compare to the real thing.

From across the campsite came Isaiah’s voice, soft and somehow intimate. “‘O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! Who hast set thy glory above the heavens.’”

Hard not to fall in love with a man who worships God on a mountain top on a Sunday morning.

Purchase here.

 

What traits make you fall in love with a hero?

Please comment to be entered to win an autographed paperback of To Capture a Mountain Man.

Website: https://robinleehatcher.com

 

 

A

 

Where Do You Get Your Story Ideas?

One of the questions authors are frequently asked is, “Where do you get your story ideas?” I tell people, from all around. I see something interesting, hear an anecdote, meet a colorful individual, or read about a real-life event in the news or online. “You just have to pay attention,” I’m fond of saying to them.

For example, I went to a journalism event last week and met the most interesting gentleman. About five years ago, he returned to the small town in Colorado where he was raised and purchased the local newspaper which was on the brink of bankruptcy. The first thing he did was to hire his daughter as his head and only reporter. Within six months, he proceeded to turn the newspaper around and get it operating in the black again. I was very impressed and quite entertained by his many charming small town newspaper tales, especially when he talked about the 67 letters he found in an old file and that were written by the original owner from the 1880s. What a treasure! Those are probably a book all by themselves.

Immediately, my writer’s brain started to spin. I told myself, “There’s a story in there somewhere.” Does anyone remember the movie We Bought a Zoo? I think it was a book first. Anyway, We Bought a Zoo is the story of a heartbroken widower and father who buys a small, down on its luck zoo. I loved it the movie, by the way, and began to picturing something similar  — like, I Bought a Newspaper. Of course, in my story, the hero would be young and hire his sister rather than his daughter as head reporter.

No, wait! Better yet, my heroine would buy the newspaper and hire her brother as the reporter. And, of course, she would have to be at odds with the hero. Maybe he’s a developer who has plans of buying the building that houses the newspaper and turning it into a manufacturing plant. Only that would make him a bad guy, and he has to be good, right? I know. He wants to turn it into a state-of-the-art Urgent Care facility to service the town which only has an outdated clinic.

But how to make that a western? I got it! His family is wealthy, having made their money in the cattle business. They have the biggest ranch in the area. And my heroine could dig up some dirt on his family when she finds these old letters in a storage box. The kind of dirt that could ruin them.

Except what if I want to make this into a historical western? That would add all kinds of conflict for my heroine. As a woman business owner back in the old days, especially a newspaper publisher, she’d have a hard time being accepted by both men and woman. Probably no one would want to talk to her, which would make investigating stories and getting witnesses to talk hard.

Hmm…this might be something I need to print out and put in my idea file, which, no joke, is at least an inch thick. Yeah, the story idea needs a little work and polishing, for sure, but it could make for a good book, I think. And I do have the business card of the gentleman I met should I have research questions.

If nothing else, I have a really good answer when people ask me where I get my story ideas.

Guest Author Janice Cole Hopkins and a Giveaway

Dime Novels

Dime novels came on the scene in America around the time of the Civil War. By then, printing technology had advanced, so it became feasible to produce cheaper books to sell in larger quantities. New York publishing firm, Beadle and Adams, published the first ones, calling them “Beadle’s Dime Novels.” Because of this and the fact that the books cost ten cents, dime novels became the term for all of them. In England, they were called “penny dreadfuls” with the first one being published in 1836.

These books were usually around a hundred pages long and had bright, colorful covers. The ones set in the West quickly became some of the most popular, but mysteries, military feats, explorers and adventurers, and romances had their niche. As you might guess, not all these writers were men. It’s estimated that from twenty-five to thirty percent were women. You might recognize some of the names among the dime novelists: Horatio Alger, Upton Sinclair, Jack London, Bret Harte, Zane Grey, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Max Brand, and Louisa May Alcott. Some used their real names, and some used pen names when writing dime novels. Often, this was how they got their start. Prentiss Ingraham, who made Buffalo Bill even more famous, completed more than 6oo novels.

The invention of the first practical typewriter in 1868 made it easier to write these short novels. An author could make up to $1,000 per book, which was a lot of money in the 1800s. One thousand dollars in 1870 would equal almost $25,000 today, and most writers could write a book a month. These books normally had a single plot and targeted the “common” class.

That’s what happened to my hero in The Writer’s Rescue. A debilitating accident on the ranch leads Wade Easton to become a wealthy Western dime novelist, but also a recluse. When he loses yet another housekeeper, he has no other option but to accept a woman he feels is too young for the job. However, she starts changing him without even trying. Can his own story perhaps be written with a different ending than he thought?

 

What do you find most fascinating about dime novels or novelists?

A name will be drawn from the comments to win a free Kindle copy of The Writer’s Rescue.

 

 

Check out The Writer’s Rescue at Amazon.

What is That I Smell?

Did you know that our sense of smell was the first thing to develop when humans appeared on earth? Our “smellers” are very old and very complex. It was not only vital to locating food but also finding a mate. Our nose can sense 1 trillion odors, both good and bad.

So when I’m writing stories, I need to implement the sense of smell far more than I do.

Fragrances and odors are closely entwined with memories. A sniff of Pond’s loose body powder for women instantly reminds me to my mom. And Old Spice always brings back times with my dad.

I remember so often coming home from school and Mom would have red beans cooking on the stove or she’d have a cake baking in the oven. If I smell those, it instantly sends me back to my childhood. Also, in my childhood, if a certain food gave off what to me was a bad smell, it wasn’t going in my mouth. I watch my great grandson who’s almost three. He always smells things before he puts them in his mouth. It think that’s very interesting. A dog often does the same thing.

Courtesy of Jade87 on Pixabay

My husband never wore any after shave much because he had asthma and smells would sure send on an attack. But I loved the natural smell of just the soap after he showered. Smells are so powerful.

We camped a lot and I still remember the smell of an open fire and my mom frying bacon or making coffee. There’s nothing like it.

Did you know our sense of smell is strongest in the evening? Smell is directly related to the sleep hormone. In man’s early days on earth, smell helped us not only find food but to discern danger. It came in mighty handy.

And then there’s the fragrance of rain in the air. The official word is petrichor. It’s the release of organic compounds in the soil into the air during and after a rain event. I don’t know about you, but that’s one of my favorite smells. I love to stand outside just smelling the fresh air. It refreshes my soul.

Smells are closely associated to romance. I once dated a guy for a short time that gave off a scent that I could not get past. He was clean and didn’t have body odor but I hated the scent of him. Later, I learned that he was not the person he presented to people and was thankful I dodged a bullet, thanks to my discerning nose!

Now it’s your turn. How has your sense of smell helped you in life? Do certain things spark memories? I can’t wait to hear your responses.

Also, don’t forget that Creek is available for preorder. It’ll be in ebook and paperback. The paperback should show up on Amazon in a few days.

This leads off the multi-author Gun For Hire series. I can’t wait for you all to see these fabulous covers that the Charlene Raddon made. Here’s a list of the authors: Margaret Tanner, Charlene Raddon, Heather Blanton, Carra Copelin, Jo-Ann Roberts, Caroline Clemmons, Tracy Garrett, Cheryl Pierson, and Winnie Griggs.

Here are the three of the series that are already up.

Next month, I’ll have some giveaways of Creek as well as an awesome book trailer.

Don’t forget about our Petticoats and Pistols Reader Group on Facebook! CLICK HERE

Wishing you all a blessed day and week.

Linda Broday 

Welcome Guest Author Lacy Williams and a Giveaway

One of my favorite childhood memories was heading over to my Aunt Donna’s house to spend the night. Often, we’d watch a favorite movie–the Apple Dumplin’ Gang was one of our top choices. It’s a movie hubby and I have shared with our kiddos to much laughter and shouts of “Mr. Donovan, I gotta go!”.

As a teen, While You Were Sleeping nudged out any other movie for my top favorite. It wasn’t only the romance that I loved, but the goofy family that seemed to enfold the lonely Lucy.

It wasn’t until I started writing that I realized there was a name for the types of movies and books where a main character gets enfolded in a friend group: the found family trope.

There’s a reason I love writing about this trope so much. I walked into a library meeting room in 2006 and found my writing family in an author’s group meeting. I’d always known I had stories inside of me, but sometimes it was difficult for my family (and later my husband) to understand how characters talked to me inside my brain. When I walked into that meeting room full of strangers and got to chatting… I knew I had found my people. They were just like me! It was as if an instant bond had formed.

Many of my books have explored the “found family” theme, including the second book I ever wrote, THE HOMESTEADER’S SWEETHEART, where the hero adopts a passel of boys, to ROPING THE WRANGLER, where a schoolteacher adopts three orphaned girls. And now I’ve got a brand new release, LOVE’S HEALING PATH, with heroine Maddie Fairfax. Maddie is a nurse and caring for a woman on her deathbed, a woman who demands a promise from Maddie. That promise is to take care of her three children when she dies. And it’s a promise that Maddie can’t refuse.

But Maddie is a single woman on a dangerous journey along the Oregon Trail and… and three children prove to be a LOT of work. I hope you’ll check out my new release and find out how things turn out for Maddie and the children.

Thanks for letting me visit with you today at P&P.

I’m going to give away a paperback copy of my brand new book and a $10 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner from those who comment. I’d love to know: do you have a favorite movie or book that explores the found family theme?

-Lacy

 Visit Lacy William’s Website

Click Cover to Order From Amazon.

Maddie Fairfax may be young, but on this Oregon-bound wagon train, the pioneers welcome help from the self-trained nurse. Until Dr. Jason Goodwin joins up with their company. The doctor portrays a frosty exterior, but Maddie may be the only one who sees the profound loneliness that haunts him.

After losing his wife and children in a terrible accident, Jason has vowed not to open his heart again. But when Maddie takes on the care of three young orphans, Jason finds himself entangled in the lives of the makeshift family. And as their journey west continues, Maddie’s radiant compassion begins to light up the darkest corners of his heart.

Until the unthinkable happens. Will Jason’s guarded heart and Maddie’s untamed spirit pull them apart?

Tropes/themes:

  • May/December
  • ready-made family / adopted orphans
  • grumpy/sunshine
  • love on the journey
  • emotional scars