western romance

When the Past Surprises a Writer: Copying Documents Before Photocopiers by Martha Hutchens

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Being a historical author comes with its pitfalls. One common problem is figuring out how people handled not-so-daily tasks in the era you’re writing about—especially when it leads you down a rabbit hole of research!

You can never predict what tiny bit of historical minutiae will have you stuck for hours—or days. In my recent book, the culprit was figuring out how to make a copy of a marriage certificate. My heroine needed to prove to her lawyer back home that she was married. Being a modern person, I naturally wrote that the lawyer requested a copy of her marriage certificate.

Then, I thought, “Wait a minute. No photocopiers back then.” Wyoming wasn’t a state yet, and its counties were massive—some as large as 10,000 square miles. The idea of running to the county seat to get an official copy didn’t seem practical. After all, traveling by horse would have taken days, especially across such vast, rugged terrain. 

After a bit of thinking, I decided to have the pastor send a letter confirming that he had performed the wedding.

But then something funny happened. I visited The Bird Cage Theatre in Tombstone, Arizona.

 

Images of The Bird Cage Theater used with permission.

The Bird Cage, a notorious brothel, closed its doors in 1892. When new owners opened them again in 1929, they discovered something remarkable: nothing had been touched in the intervening fifty years. Layers of dust covered the furniture, posters, and even the famous painting of Fatima that still hangs there today. The owners saw this not as a mess to clean up but as a time capsule—a treasure trove of the past. It was almost like stepping back in time, into the Old West. 

As I wandered through the back room where many of these items are displayed, I came across something called a Letterpress. This device was used to copy documents by moistening ink, placing new paper next to it, and applying pressure, which just goes to show that human ingenuity has never been restricted by technology. Even before the photocopier, people had created tools to replicate documents, and the Letterpress was one of the earliest methods.

Images of The Bird Cage Theater used with permission.

A little more research turned up other interesting historical copying methods. For instance, George Washington used a copying press to make duplicates of the official letters he sent. This early method involved placing a wet sheet of paper over an inked letter and pressing it, transferring the ink and creating a duplicate. I even found a video of some one demonstrating the technique using the actual device Washington used. Can you imagine touching history in that manner?

Then there were the mimeograph machines, which I remember from my school days. When we used those duplicated worksheets, I had no idea that this device was invented by Thomas Edison in 1876. The mimeograph used stencils to transfer ink onto paper, and while it might seem old-fashioned, it was an essential tool in offices and schools for decades before photocopiers came along.

And, of course, the printing press was used to mass-produce newspapers, pamphlets, and other printed materials across the West. The printing press played a significant role in shaping the way information spread, making it a cornerstone of historical communication.

 

Images of The Bird Cage Theater used with permission.

 

So, it turns out that humanity has been making copies of documents long before the photocopier was invented. While modern technology makes it easier, the solutions of the past were equally creative, even if they were a bit more labor-intensive. The lesson here is simple: when people need something badly enough, they always find a way.

 

Your turn: What’s the most fascinating piece of historical trivia you’ve learned recently? Is there a historical invention that you think is underappreciated, yet made a huge impact on its time? Have you ever come across a historical detail that made you rethink a well-known event or idea? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Three commenters will receive an ecopy of my book, A Steadfast Heart.

NEWSPAPERS IN THE OLD WEST–AND A GIVEAWAY! by Robin Lee Hatcher

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Headlines on the Frontier

When we imagine the Old West, we often think of wide-open plains, dusty boots, and rugged towns born almost overnight. But tucked into nearly every small frontier settlement was a heartbeat of civilization—the local newspaper. These humble print shops played a vital role in the daily life of townspeople in the late 1800s, delivering not just news, but connection, community, and a sense of order in an often chaotic and rapidly changing land.

The Press Arrives with the People

By 1879 (the time of my novella, To the Editor with Love), the American West was booming with railroads, homesteaders, gold rushes, and cattle trails. As new towns sprang up, one of the earliest establishments, after a general store and a saloon, was often a newspaper. Many frontier editors lugged hand presses, type cases, and lead type across rough terrain, determined to bring newsprint to the wilderness.

The press wasn’t just a luxury. It was a necessity. People longed for news of the outside world, for updates from Washington, the East Coast, or even Europe. But just as importantly, they wanted to see their own lives reflected on the page: births, marriages, land sales, sermons, socials, and saloon fights.

What Did They Print?

A typical small-town Western newspaper in this era was a weekly, usually four pages long. Here’s what you might find inside:

  • Local News: Council meetings, church gatherings, who was building a new barn, or who’d skipped town without paying their debts.
  • National and International Reports: Reprinted via telegraph or from larger Eastern papers.
  • Advertisements: Blacksmiths, milliners, doctors, boarding houses, or “a fine gelding for sale, sound and steady.”
  • Legal Notices: Homestead claims, land disputes, estate sales—all critical for settlers and ranchers alike.
  • Editorials and Sermons: Often fiery, sometimes humorous, and nearly always opinionated.
  • Fiction and Poetry: Short moral tales, serialized novels, or a sentimental poem about home.

The Editor: Typesetter, Journalist, and Town Agitator

The small-town editor was often a jack-of-all-trades—reporter, printer, typesetter, philosopher, and sometimes preacher. He (or occasionally she) might sleep in the back of the print shop, gather news by walking Main Street, and work by lanternlight to hand-set each line of type. The printing process was laborious and messy, involving ink, lead, and plenty of elbow grease.

Many editors weren’t afraid to stir up trouble. The paper might feud with a rival editor in the next town, support a particular sheriff or schoolteacher, or call out corruption in city hall. The editor’s pen could be as sharp as any six-shooter—and sometimes just as dangerous.

A Voice in the Wilderness

In isolated towns, the newspaper was more than a news source. It was a mirror of identity, a memory book, and a record of God’s grace and human grit. Church bulletins were shared, revival meetings announced, and sometimes a line or two of Scripture found its way into the editorial column. The tone of these papers could be bold, hopeful, humorous, or raw. But always deeply rooted in the place and people they served.

In those humble newspapers, the West told its story—one column at a time.

HAVE YOU READ ANY BOOKS ABOUT NEWSPAPER EDITORS OR WATCHED OLD TV SHOWS WHERE THE NEWSPAPER IS CENTRAL? I’M GIVING AWAY ONE PRINT COPY OF “TO THE EDITOR WITH LOVE” TODAY! BE SURE TO COMMENT TO BE ENTERED IN THE DRAWING!

Now, here’s a bit about the story!

 

TO THE EDITOR WITH LOVE
A Christian Historical Romance Novella

She’s got the words. He’s got the red pen. Things WILL get messy!

Molly Everton has ink in her veins and fire in her soul. Raised in her father’s newsroom, she’s fearless with a pen. And when her father bypasses her for the editor’s chair and hands the job to an outsider, Molly’s determined to send the new man packing—before he dares rearrange her beloved paper.

Jack Ludlow came West chasing adventure, not to fight with the boss’s headstrong daughter. Yet the more sparks Molly throws his way, the more intrigued he becomes. She’s smart, stubborn, and impossible to ignore—and Jack can’t resist the challenge of winning her over.

She’s determined to send him packing. He’s determined to stay. But in this battle of ink and wits, love might just rewrite the ending.

 

To learn more or order your copy of To The Editor with Love, visit the book’s page on my website at: https://robinleehatcher.com/books/to-the-editor-with-love/

INDIAN TERRITORY & THE ALLOTMENT PROCESS–AND A GIVEAWAY! by Kristy McCaffrey

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Federal Indian policy between 1870 and 1900 focused on breaking up reservations and granting allotments to individual Native Americans. In 1887, the U.S. Congress passed the Dawes Act, also known as the General Allotment Act. This law authorized the President to break up reservation land into small allotments. At that time, several tribes were exempt, including the Cherokees, Choctaws, and Chickasaws. However, in 1893 President Cleveland appointed the Dawes Commission to negotiate with the Five Civilized Tribes—the Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws, and Seminoles—to begin dividing their lands and dismantling their governments.

The purpose of the Dawes Act, and subsequent extensions, was to protect American Indian property rights, particularly during the land rushes of the 1890s that occurred in the Twin Territories, which encompassed Oklahoma and Indian Territories. But the result often did more harm than good. Some allotted land was unsuitable for farming, and those individuals who did want to take up agriculture often couldn’t afford to invest in the tools, animals, seed, and other supplies needed to begin.

To protect tribal members from land speculators, the government held most of the allotted land in trust, with a stipulation that it couldn’t be sold for twenty-five years. Since tribal land far surpassed the acreage needed for allotments, the government reserved the right to sell the “surplus” to white settlers. Many Indians leased their allotments and moved to urban areas where they later lost touch with tribal ways.

In 1896, the Dawes Commission received congressional approval to compile rolls of tribal members in the Five Nations who would be eligible to receive allotments, allowing it to add individuals who maintained they had not been included on the various tribal census rolls. The commission thus effectively undermined the power of the tribes to determine their own membership and, in the case of the Choctaw and Chickasaw, hastened extensive court action and legal battles over rights to be enrolled. The Choctaw were particularly concerned that large numbers of individuals claiming to be Choctaw from Mississippi came forward to lay claims, thus complicating and delaying the final allotment process.

It wasn’t until 1897 that the commission successfully concluded an allotment agreement with the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes. The Atoka Agreement called for an equitable distribution of the tribal land base among the members, except for lands set aside for schools and townsites and land reserved because of coal and asphalt deposits. Homesteads of 160 acres would be inalienable for a period of twenty-one years, and the surplus land could be sold, one-fourth in the first year, one-half in the second year, and the remainder by the fifth year after allotment.

In my new novel, The Swan, a group of women must stand against those who would take advantage of Chickasaw orphans and their allotments. The Swan is Book 11 in my Wings of the West series, but it can be read as a standalone.

 

Twin Territories

November 1899

Dr. Anna Ryan has been spurned by the Dallas medical community for the simple reason of being a woman. Wanting more than a rural practice alongside her mother, also a doctor, Anna accepts an invitation from a mentor to join a private hospital for disabled children in Oklahoma City. But when she falls in with a band of women attempting to protect the rights of Chickasaw orphans, she’ll need more than her medical training to survive.

Malcolm Hardy has skirted the line between lawlessness and justice since escaping the mean streak of his father and his no-good half-siblings a decade ago. In Oklahoma Territory he created enough distance from his family name to find a quiet purpose to his days. But then Anna Ryan walks back into his life, and his hard-won peace is in jeopardy.

The last time Malcolm saw Anna, she had been a determined girl he couldn’t help but admire. Now she was a compelling woman searching for answers that could lead straight to him. But one thing was clear—Anna’s life path was on a trajectory for the remarkable while Malcolm’s was not. Surrendering to temptation would only end in heartbreak.

The Swan is an emotional story of a woman finding her true calling and a hero moving forward after a difficult past. It has light steam and a heartfelt and poignant ending.

Read Chapter One and find vendor links at Kristy’s website.

The Swan is based on the idea of The Magnificent Seven, but instead of men, what if the seven were women?

Giveaway

One commenter will win an eBook of THE NIGHTHAWK, Wings of the West Book 10. What is your favorite western movie? Be sure to comment for a chance to WIN!

 

U.S. Deputy Marshal Benton McKay is undercover tracking the notorious train robbing Weaver gang when he’s forced to work with reporter Sophie Ryan.

 

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

 

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

 

SHE BELONGS IN MY WORLD — A New Release & Sale

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Howdy!  Howdy!

Hope your 4th of July was wonderful, full of fireworks, good food and activities with good friends.  My husband and I had special hamburgers (a good recipe) and fries and watched the movie 1776, a musical.  Two cute little puppies were cuddled up with us and the movie was very good and very funny in places, too.  Somewhat accurate, too, I think.

Recently, I had an mp4 video (59 seconds) made for the book.  Thought I’d share it with you!

Hope you enjoyed!

Because this is a new release, the book has not been on sale except for now.  For two days only, the book will be on sale for $.99 and it’s also available on KindleUnlimited.

Here is an excerpt of the book.  This scene occurs about halfway through the story.  Otahki (O-tah-ki) is Liliann’s Blackfeet name, meaning Ermine Woman.  The hero, First Rider, and two of his friends are intent on enacting a scout’s revenge upon the man, Ernest, (Liliann’s husband) who tried to kill her, but she managed to escape.  They have been following him as he is fleeing toward the gold fields of Montana and have been systematically working on him, taking little things from his camp that he needs to survive, but making it appear he left them in his last camp.  So, here we go.

EXCERPT, She Belongs In My World

 

It happened after a week and a half out on the trail.  Ernest became dangerously careless, and while bathing in the river, he left his clothes on a large rock, his boots next to it.  He had also left his rifle behind, propped up next to the rock.  Also, the guns he usually wore about his waist were buried beneath the wad of his clothing.

It was an open-ended invitation to gain their next advantage over him.  Yet, to sneak into camp and take his guns and his rifle was risky at best because, as careless as Ernest was, if he discovered First Rider and his friends in the act of taking away his only means of defense, he could become a wild man…and there was the possibility he could kill one or more of them with his knives if he had retained them on his person as he bathed.

Also, though the light from the sunset was low in the western sky, there was still enough of it that could outline a scout.

But still, here was the chance they had been waiting for: the means to disarm Ernest.  The opportunity could not be dismissed.

Now they just needed to determine which one of the three scouts would be the one to accomplish the task.

“I will go,” signed First Rider at once, causing Liliann to gasp.  First Rider instantly placed a finger to his lips, asking for her silence.

Then, not being able to use words nor even to whisper, Liliann began to use her eyes to plead with her husband to reconsider and to remain safely here in camp.  But, when First Rider ignored her, she reverted to sign and said, “No, do not do it!  Do not take on such a duty!  It is too dangerous!  What will Ernest do to thee if he sees thee?”

First Rider frowned at her, then signed, “Do I appear to you to be a coward?”

“No!” she responded in sign.  “I just want thee to be safe and remain alive!”

“What is a life worth without some risk?” he countered in sign.  “Besides, this is my duty to perform.  You are my woman.  This man abused you and would have killed you had you not escaped.  I will allow no other to do what is mine alone to do.”

“But—”

“Come here,” he interrupted.

While she scooted around their small, smokeless fire toward him, both Stands Strong and Red Fox appeared to have suddenly found other chores to do in camp, and they silently crept away from the council.

Sitting down in front of First Rider, her knees once more touching his, he reached out to take her hand within one of his own while he signed his thoughts with his other and revealed, “This is my duty.  This I will do.  But, you might help me by praying to the Creator to guide my path.”

“Of course I will pray.  But—”

“It will go well, I think.”

Gazing up at him, she bit her lip before throwing herself into his arms, and she whispered in his ear, “If I cannot keep thee here with me, then I shall watch thee from this place where I sit.”

“Soka’pii.  And, you will do nothing to interfere,” he added in a murmur.  “Promise.”

“How can thou be tryin’ to force me to make such a promise?”

“If you do not give this vow to me,” he signed, “I will not allow you to watch.”

“Not allow?  Not possible.  I will sit here and look at thee.  Just try to stop me,” she said, back talking to him in sign.

“Then, you must promise you will not interfere.”

Leaning forward, she again whispered in his ear, “Well, I be not makin’ any other promise but this: I will watch thee.”

She heard his slight chuckle before he whispered, “A fireball…I have as…woman mine.  A fireball.”

She frowned at him.

“It…good…not bad.  Heap much good.”

Liliann shook her head, yet couldn’t help smiling because of his very bad English, knowing it was deliberately done.

“But,” he signed, setting her away from him, “if not promise, I will set one of my friends to watch you and put a gag over your mouth if you try to shout out a warning to me.”

“Thou would not dare to do it!” she whispered.

“I would,” he muttered softly.

“Oh!” she moaned softly.  “How be I to help thee if thou will not let me?”

“By praying,” he whispered.  Then he repeated, “By praying.”

“I will be doin’ it, no mistake, but don’t thou see?” she asked under her breath.  “Me own self needs to go with thee.  Does thou forget the very reason I be here?  My dream?”

He shook his head.

“Then thou must know this: where thou goes, I must be goin’, too.  What thou faces, then I shall face it with thee.  If I be needin’ to share thy life—and I do—then if thou dies in doin’ justice, then I will be with thee, dyin’ alongside of thee.”

As he sat before her, he appeared to be stunned and he did nothing more than stare at her.  At some length, he reached out to touch her face with the back of his fingers.  Then, at last, he signed, “My brave, brave woman.  I did not realize what sharing my life with you truly meant to you.  Come with me, then.  I shall not stop you from showing me and my friends, also, how courageous you truly are.”

Upon seeing his signs, she threw herself suddenly into his arms, almost knocking him backward.  And, her voice shook as she whispered, “Thou shall not regret this.  I promise I will be doin’ as thou say.  I promise.”

And, as he took her into his arms, she cried, there against his shoulder.

****

Slowly, slowly, she belly crawled behind First Rider, having been warned that she was not to let so much as the crunch of a leaf sound beneath her.  Therefore, she was committed to move forward, but very, very slowly.

More important it was, First Rider had said, to take the weapons without detection.  And, because any noise might alert Ernest to their plot, they each one carefully determined where to place their arms and legs as they slowly pushed forward, one elbow after another.  To her rear crawled Stands Strong and behind him, Red Fox, both of them slinking along on elbows and belly, also.  The plan was simple: First Rider was to take one weapon and would then pass it to her; she was to send it along to Stands Strong, and he would give it to Red Fox, who would later distribute the weapons to the three of them.

It had been going well until, as though he suspected he was being watched, Ernest looked over to where he had left his clothing and guns.  Immediately, all four scouts—including Liliann—froze in place, and she didn’t dare to even breathe.

Ernest’s scrutiny seemed to go on and on, and Liliann knew she had to take a breath without movement and without noise.  In doing so, she shut her eyes, forcing herself to think of nothing.

However, she found First Rider was gently nudging her, and, looking up, she saw he was passing Ernest’s rifle to her, the last of his weapons.  Glancing quickly toward the river, she was shocked to discover she could not see Ernest.

There was a tap on her leg, and, glancing over her shoulder using as little movement as possible, she discovered Stands Strong was slowly, but methodically, inching back.  Was something wrong?

Looking forward, she saw First Rider had crawled backward until he was almost parallel with her.  Oh dear.  Trouble.

She and First Rider had no more than slinked in behind a bush when he placed his arm around her waist, forcing her into a full-bodied position on the ground.  Imitating First Rider, she did nothing but smell the earthy scent of the ground beneath her.

Without lifting her head but a little, she looked up through the bushes and gazed at a completely nude Ernest as he approached the rock where he had left his clothing.  But, he didn’t seem to notice the ground around the rock, which was this moment devoid of his weapons.  Instead, he reached into a pocket of his pants and pulled out a tiny box, and upon opening it, he reached in, took a bit of powder, and placing some of the snuff into his nostrils, he inhaled deeply.

For a moment, he turned his back on the four scouts, and she watched his shoulders lift and sink as he took in several breaths.  Then, as if making a decision, he walked barefoot across the sand which slanted gradually down to the river, and, wading in waist deep, he took a dive into the gentle waves.

At once, First Rider signaled to her to back up, slowly, slowly, inch by careful inch, until at last they reached the shelter of the pines and the surrounding red and black willows lining the shore.  Then, rising up into a crouching position, they stepped as noiselessly as possible back to their own camp, protected as it was with the surrounding pines.

As soon as they entered their tiny shelter and sat down in a circle, Red Fox asked in sign, “Did you get all his guns?”

“Yes,” First Rider signed.  “Even his knives scattered there.”

Red Fox nodded.

“And, now what does thou do?” asked Liliann silently in sign.

“‘Thou will wait,” First Rider replied quietly, gesturing toward his friends and her.

“Does thou include thee in those who must wait?” she asked in sign.

First Rider shrugged, casually signing, “There is more I would like to take from this man.”

“Oh?” she asked, slanting him a frown.

Upon looking around their circle, Liliann noticed Stands Strong was smiling, though faintly.  However, he didn’t utter a sound.  But then, as he glanced at the three of them, Stands Strong reached around behind himself before bringing his hands back to the front to show his arms to be filled with…clothing—a white man’s shirt, pants and boots.  Stands Strong smiled as he murmured, “No need to go back, Almost-cousin.  I knew you would want these.  His disgrace would not be complete without him being properly….undressed.”  Stands Strong grinned.

First Rider smiled, then signed, “You are a better scout than I.  I did not even see you return there.”

As Stands Strong nodded his head, a masculine scream ripped through the air, followed by the heated words, “Who are you?  Where are you?  What do you want from me?  Bring me back my clothing…my weapons or I’ll…I’ll…”

No one answered.  No one even smiled.

“I’ll find you!” yelled Ernest.  “I swear I’ll find you, and when I do I’ll kill you!”

Still no one answered.

Then, gradually, First Rider came up to his knees and crawled toward the opening of their shelter, Liliann following at his heels.  Slowly, he turned back and signed, “No, you stay here.”

“But, I thought I be goin’ with thee.  Did we not already talk about this?”

“Too dangerous.”

“Thou will not be stoppin’ me.”

Shaking his head, First Rider nonetheless grinned at her and signed to her, “If you must come, stay behind me.”

“Good.  I will be doin’ it.”

****

Well, that’s all for today.  As I mentioned above, the book is on sale for $.99 at Amazon and is also on Kindle Unlimited.

If you would like to review the book, just message me at karenkay.author@startmail.com

Here is the Amazon link to the book:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FBPKBXBZ?tag=pettpist-20

 

MAIL-ORDER FREIGHTER BY PAULETTE D. MARSHALL–AND A GIVEAWAY!

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Hello dear friends and fellow historical romance lovers!

Every book I write begins with a spark—an idea that won’t leave me alone. Mail-Order Freighter was no exception. This time, the inspiration came from a question that tugged at my imagination: What if a woman in the Old West inherited not just a store… but an entire freighting business—and the danger that came with it?

Researching this book was both exciting and eye-opening. I dove into the world of 1800s freighters and wagon trains, learning about the rugged, relentless work these men (and sometimes women!) did to keep goods moving across the rough terrain of the West. From hauling mining equipment and tools, to delivering food, barrels of flour, and even coffins—these freight wagons carried it all. It really made me appreciate the hardships they endured—hours spent on hard wooden seats, in the blistering heat or freezing wind, without even a roof for shelter. It sure makes our modern-day road trips feel like luxury cruises!

 

 

I also loved researching the inner workings of a mercantile. In Helena’s case, her store is the heart of the town, stocked with everything from canned goods and bolts of fabric to lantern oil and hand tools. But as the story begins, she’s not just running the mercantile—she’s fighting to keep it out of the hands of a dangerous man who’s determined to take everything she has. With her late husband gone, and a baby on the way, Helena is running out of options… and time.

Enter Issac—a ranch hand with a restless spirit and a heart ready for more. When he agrees to take on a favor for his boss, he never expects to walk straight into Helena’s storm. And after an accidental scandal and a quick decision that changes both of their lives, Issac becomes more than just a helping hand—he becomes Helena’s husband.

But marrying her doesn’t make the danger disappear. In fact, it puts a target on his back. I love writing characters who are brave in quiet ways, who make hard choices, and who find strength in each other—even when everything seems stacked against them.

Writing Mail-Order Freighter reminded me that sometimes God sends us help in unexpected ways. Just when Helena had lost hope, her letter—her plea for help—was answered.

If you enjoy stories with grit, faith, romance, and a little suspense, I hope Mail-Order Freighter finds a special place on your reading shelf!

Now I’d love to hear from you:

What kind of freight do you think they would’ve hauled in those days? Supplies for the mines? Dry goods for the store? Maybe something unusual? Let me know in the comments! One lucky reader will win an eBook copy of Mail-Order Freighter!

BLURB: (shortened version)

Mail-Order Freighter
Newly widowed and expecting a child, Helena is desperate to protect the mercantile and freighter business she ran with her husband. A ruthless man is determined to claim both—and her—and her time is running out. With no one left to turn to, she sends a letter, praying for help.

Issac, a restless ranch hand, agrees to a favor that leads him straight into Helena’s troubles. When circumstances place them in a compromising position, there’s only one honorable choice: marriage.

But marrying Helena means more than protecting her. It means stepping into danger—and risking everything.

I’d love it if you stopped by my Facebook page and said hi or chat: https://www.facebook.com/paulette.marshall.90

Or joined my reader group Paulette D Marshall’s Readers group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1146608329550650

Until next time,
Blessings,
Paulette D. Marshall

 

 

Recent Interview for She Belongs In My World & Giveaway

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Howdy!

Hope y’all are doin’ well on this lazy Thursday, the last one in the month of June this year.  Cathy has kindly given her blog spot to me today and I only hope I can fill her shoes.

The big news in my part of the world is that I have a new release this month, SHE BELONGS IN MY WORLD, an American Historical Romance/Native American.

Only a few days ago I was interviewed about the book by Written Word and I thought I’d post it here.

Interview Written Word with Karen Kay, author of the book, SHE BELONGS IN MY WORLD.

What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book?

This is the fifth book in The Medicine Man Series, and two of the characters from book four in the series needed to have their story told.  

Often these characters come alive once they have been created and this was the case with these two characters.  

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of your book, what would they be? 

It would be the country song by the late, great Jim Reeves, Welcome To My World.

What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write? 

Definitely Romance, whether historical or contemporary, paranormal or western, I love them all.  However, another genre is becoming a favorite and these are the true stories I read from James Willard Schultz about the Blackfeet Indians of long ago. 

What books are on your TBR pile right now? 

Many true adventure stories of Pitamakan and Thomas Fox;  true stories of Rising Wolf and Red Crow and his sister, Mink Woman and many other  true stories of the long ago.  For my other love, romance, I love the stories of Linda Broday, Pam Crooks, Shanna Hatfield and Cassie Edwards, Madeline Baker and many others. 

What scene in your book was your favorite to write? 

This would be a tossup, I think, between one scene where the hero first sees the heroine for the first time after a long four years apart; or it could be the scouts revenge scene where the villain is not killed, but is brought to his knees in order to pay for his injustice to the heroine; but perhaps the other favorite scene in the book is the snow scene where the hero and heroine have a snowball fight and where they learn more about themselves as individuals and as a couple.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? 

Perhaps.  I write to music.  I don’t edit to music, but I love having music that inspires me playing in the background when I’m newly writing a scene.  Also, with the acquisition of four new pets, I generally have quite a crew of the four leggeds around me nowadays when I write.

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by? 

Help others as much as one can.  Be a willing ear to listen to another’s woes.  And be as kind as one can be.  There’s not enough kindness in the world today, I think.  There should be more. 

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be? 

I would like to take the reader on the journey along with the heroine and hero.  I’d like the reader to be able to experience the story as if she or he were there.  I’d like my readers to be able to forget their cares, if only for a little while. And if I can accomplish this, perhaps then all my study and research and doing my best to pour emotion into my stories will be worth the effort.

Well, that’s all.  Hope you enjoyed the interview.

Questions?  Comments?  I’d love to hear them.  Come on in and leave a post.  I’ll be giving away two e-books today to one lucky blogger, SHE BRINGS BEAUTY TO ME and SHE BELONGS IN MY WORLD.

 

 

U.S. Boarding Schools for Native American Children

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We have a guest at the junction today! Let’s give a big welcome to our guest, Kiersti Giron!

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When I began researching the story that would become my historical novel Beneath a Turquoise Sky, I decided to set it at a mission school on the Navajo reservation in the early 1900s, since I’d spent five years in that area of northwest New Mexico during my teens. However, I soon realized I had much to learn—including that to be historically accurate, my mission school needed to be a boarding school for Native children. But why?

Only a few generations ago, the United States grappled with what was known as the “Indian problem.” European settlement—and even railroads—had spanned from coast to coast by the late 1800s, yet many First Nations tribes, the original inhabitants of the land, remained. And conflict abounded, especially since the United States government broke nearly every treaty it made with tribes as sovereign nations.

Some Americans subscribed to the “annihilation” solution. Shocking as it may seem to us today, the author of The Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum, wrote this in a South Dakota newspaper in the 1890s:

“The Whites, by law of conquest, by justice of civilization, are masters of the American continent, and the best safety of the frontier settlements will be secured by the total annihilation of the few remaining Indians.”

But other more “progressive” voices spoke also. Captain Richard Henry Pratt promoted the “assimilation” solution instead, advocating in a famous speech that white people should “Kill the Indian in him, and save the man.” Pratt founded the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania, which took Native children from tribes all over the country and attempted to, indeed, “kill” all about them from their own cultures, including language, dress, and family ties, molding them into the image of Euro-American culture as much as possible.

 

Students at Carlisle Native Industrial School in Pennsylvania, c. 1900 (public domain)
Students at Carlisle Native Industrial School in Pennsylvania, c. 1900 (public domain)

 

This school became a model for other government and mission boarding schools all over the United States. Between 1869 and the 1960s, tens of thousands of Native American children were taken from their families, sometimes by force, and placed in boarding schools. It is estimated that by 1926, over 80% of school-age Native children attended these military-style residential schools, numbering over 60,000 students just in 1925. Many children endured horrible abuse at these schools, and many never returned home, often buried in unmarked graves and still unaccounted for by the U.S. government. Even well-intentioned teachers and missionaries did grave damage in removing children from their families and stripping them of their Native identity and culture, tragically cloaking Christianity in Euro-American, “white” garb. Generations of children lacked parenting and endured punishment and trauma merely for speaking their own languages, trauma that still wracks Native communities today.

 

Three Rosebud Sioux children the day after they entered boarding school, 1883
Three Rosebud Sioux children the day after they entered boarding school, 1883. By John N. Choate, Carlisle, PA – https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e1-1b90-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99, Public Domain.

 

The same boys several years later, after their forced cultural assimilation
The same boys several years later, after their forced cultural assimilation. By John N. Choate, Carlisle, PA – https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e1-1b90-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99, Public Domain.

As I continued to research my story and learned from Navajo friends and mentors, the history I hadn’t known before broke my heart. Yet I also saw hope for healing and relationship, though so much work remains to be done. My Navajo mentor and his Dutch-American wife met and married at a mission boarding school in Gallup, New Mexico, back in the 1960s, and their true story—and how they welcomed me into their hearts and lives—did much to shape the story I was writing, changing my own life and perspective on history and Native peoples for good.

If you’d like to learn more about the history of U.S. boarding schools for Native children, I recommend The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition at https://boardingschoolhealing.org/. You can also look up the powerful short film “The Cutting of the Tsiiyéél,” by Susie Silversmith, a Navajo boarding school survivor.

 

Giveaway:

I am giving away one copy of Beneath a Turquoise Sky! Here’s a little about the book:

Cover of Beneath a Turquoise Sky by Kiersti Giron. Western background with mountains, a Native American on horse, and a woman in pioneer clothing.

A young teacher at a Navajo boarding school begins to wonder whether the mission is doing more harm than good.

After her life takes an unexpected turn in 1911, Caroline Haynes pursues a long-buried dream westward to teach at a Navajo mission boarding school. However, walls of hurt and cultural misunderstanding threaten to keep her from reaching the children she longs to touch. The handsome Rev. Willis Abernathy seems sure he knows what is best for the Navajo people—and for Caroline—but she finds herself drawn instead to Tse, the young Navajo man in charge of the mission’s livestock, who claims to still follow Christ despite returning to the ways of his people.

Tse Tsosie longs to introduce Jesus to his people in a way they can understand, but now that family need has brought him back to the mission, he battles past wounds and the disapproval of the missionaries. Meanwhile, Caroline’s arrival brings surprises and more turmoil to the school…and to Tse’s heart.

When crisis forces Tse and Caroline to make a choice, will they find a path together…or will the chasm between their peoples be too great to span?

Purchase Beneath a Turquoise Sky here!

“Beautifully written, Beneath a Turquoise Sky is as colorfully woven as a Navajo blanket with well-drawn characters, a fresh setting, and heartrending history. Kiersti Giron tells a tender, soul-stirring story unlike any other in this moving journey of change, forgiveness, new beginnings, and ultimately, love.”

~ Laura Frantz, Christy Award-winning author of Courting Morrow Little 

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One reader who leaves a comment on this post will win a copy of Beneath a Turquoise Sky! The winner will be randomly selected from the comments and announced on Sunday, June 8th!

Had you heard of the “Indian boarding schools” before? What is a little-known side of history that has surprised or sobered you?

Kiersti Giron writes stories to lift hearts toward hope and healing in our divided world. Her debut novel, Beneath a Turquoise Sky, came inspired by her years living in New Mexico near the Navajo Nation. Kiersti also collaborates on series of historical fiction series with bestselling author Lauraine Snelling. When she’s not writing, Kiersti enjoys spending time with her husband, little boy, and two kitties, as well as teaching writing and literature to teenagers. Learn more at http://www.kierstigiron.com or follow her on Instagram @kierstigiron or Facebook.

Sarah and World War I

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I have a new wholesome historical romance releasing tomorrow.

The research for the story, set during World War I, took me on several journeys into the past as I learned about everything from an infantry division known for their singing to the sad fact that one battalion was left with nothing but carrots to eat for three days.

One of the things that really dug into my heart was learning about the sheer number of horses and mules that died during the war.  The estimates are around eight million, but it’s hard to know for sure.

World War I required hundreds of thousands of horses and mules to pull and pack artillery, supplies, communications, medical supplies and ambulances, and engineering services, as well as to carry the cavalry. When the war began in 1914, Europe did not have enough equines to support massive armies. France, England, and Germany looked to other nations to shore up their numbers of horses, mules, and donkeys.

British and French purchasing agents and their staff came to North America in search of horses. They selected animals based on size, breed, and type from specific regions, shipping them mainly from Newport News, Virginia, and Montreal, Canada. Ships were modified with stalls and fodder storage. By the fall of 1917, more than half a million American horses and mules had been sent to Europe for service. By the summer of 1918, approximately 300 horses and mules were being shipped every day to France. Because there was such a desperate need for horses, agents even rounded up wild horses from southeastern Oregon, Nevada, and northeastern California to ship over.

One shipping port for the hoses was Newport News, Virginia. An account I read said that a Germany spy poisoned the water and they lost hundreds of animals before they figured out the cause.

Another thing Germans used to bring great harm to horses were an ancient weapon called a caltrop.  I’d never heard of them before I started the research for this story, but apparently, they were used in Roman times and found their way to America during the Civil War. The caltrop is a four-pronged metal spike used to impede enemy movement, particular those on horses.

During World War I, it was written in a soldier’s journal that the Germans would toss these small weapons “like a child’s jacks” in the mud as they retreated or moved to other areas, hoping to damage as many horses as possible. Their theory was “no foot, no horse.” Once a horse stepped on one of these sharp prongs, it penetrated into their hoof deeply enough it couldn’t be treated and the horse would have to be put down.

Horses also faced the same trials as the soldiers: pouring rain, baking heat, poisonous gas, mortar fire, whizzing bullets, lack of food, and so many other challenges.

In my book, Sarah, the hero, Brett, works under the direction of a veterinarian in France. He and his friend, Rory, help take care of the horses in their division. Brett bonds with a Kiger mustang named Keegan, and it was such a special thing to write that into the story.

She desires his heart.

He longs for her love.

Can they find common ground when he returns forever altered by the war.

In a world turned upside down by World War I, all Sarah Richards desires is to love Brett Rawlings and build a future together. After graduating high school a year early, she’s ready to dive into her dreams of college and a home filled with laughter and love. But one impulsive decision threatens all her aspirations—as well as her relationship with Brett.

As the war rages on and men head off to fight, sixteen-year-old Brett reluctantly follows his twin brother, Ben, sneaking off to France to join the American Expeditionary Forces. As the months pass, Ben thrives amidst the chaos of battle, while Brett finds himself haunted by the girl he left behind and the uncertainty of his own heart. When Ben reveals a life-altering secret, the bond between the brothers is shattered, forcing Brett to grapple with betrayal as he faces the brutal realities of war.

Brett returns home a changed man, burdened with memories too heavy to bear, yet yearning to mend the fractures of the past. Will Sarah still be waiting for him, or have time and truth forged an unbridgeable chasm between them?

Find out in this heartfelt historical romance that weaves a tale of hope, grace, forgiveness, and sweet, enduring love.

I’m giving away an autographed copy of Sarah and some fun goodies.

You can ENTER HERE,

then come back and share a comment about your favorite animal.

I’ve always loved horses and dogs. My favorite horse was a Palomino named Doc, and my favorite dog was our Border Collie because she was so super smart and sweet.

 

 

Kathleen Lawless on the Significance of Family

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Throughout history, the existence of the family unit has played a significant role, continuing to have a huge impact on most of our lives. Because of the opportunity to improve one’s fortune, and the types of employment available, never mind plain old gender inequality, the early settling of the West drew more men than women. As more communities were created a settled, the result was a disproportionate percentage men and women of marrying age.

The early settlers who struck out in search of new opportunity and the chance to settle new lands soon realized that when people compete for the same land and resources, success and failure often depended how prolifically one is able to reproduce. Extra sets of hands are imperative to work the farm or the ranch. One way men chose to attract a woman partner was to advertise for a bride.

I’ve written many mail order bride romances, but I wanted to do a different type of series with Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Thus, I set out to create a family of seven brothers; a series where each man eventually meets and marries his soul mate.

As I started creating my leading men, developing their personalities, interests, skills, and goals, I quickly realized that having my heroes be biological brothers didn’t lend itself to the types of conflicts and storylines that would make interesting reading. I didn’t want them to all come from the same background and parents.

I felt the series would have far more appeal if each man was a loner, a product of his individual background and baggage. It’s difficult to be a loner if you grow up in a large family. Thus, I brought together seven young men from a diversity of backgrounds, circumstances, fortunes and talents. Swearing a loyalty to each other, this new family united in a single cause. Revenge.

For fun, I included a set of identical twins, but the others were as different from each other as they could possibly be. My newly-formed ‘found family’ banded together over a stretch of years at different times for different reasons. Having been knocking about on their own, none of them were accustomed to being part of a family dynamic, let alone the cooperation and compromise required to ensure a family functions and thrives.

One of the rabbit holes my research into families throughout history led me to was the ‘birth order theory’, where the eldest is perceived as the leader, the most responsible and conscientious. Middle children are thought to be more adaptable, diplomatic, and good at keeping the peace. The youngest is often seen as more playful, sometimes having a rebellious streak, or being irresponsible.

With seven brothers in my fictional family, did that mean there were five middle-children? Or two that were more irresponsible, while two who clashed for the leadership role. Numerous possibilities presented themselves. Maybe the elders were the first ones who formed this rag-tag family, while the late-comers were viewed as the youngsters, regardless of biological age.

Along the way, I couldn’t resist a quick analysis of my own siblings and my own children to test out the birth order theory.

Meanwhile, the series progressed with varying levels of commitment from the ‘brothers’ some intending to leave once the need for revenge had been fulfilled, others resenting the changes that befell their family, as one-by-one each brother claimed a bride. The remaining bachelors weren’t always happy about the intrusion of a woman, let alone several women into their male-dominated lives.

The end result was tons of fun, with lots of conflict. Not unlike every family I have ever known, including my own. But one thing is for sure. Differences aside, family is and always will be, the backbone of society as we know it today.

What do you think about the birth order theory as it applies to your own family?  Do you think a found-family, together by choice rather than birth, can share the same loyalties as one that shares blood? What about children who are adopted? Or an only child? I don’t always see eye-to-eye with my siblings, but when we lost a parent recently, I was very grateful not to be an ‘only’.

Leave a comment below, sharing some of your thoughts and theories regarding family for one of three chances to win a free copy of Book 1, Brody’s Bride. If you’ve already read the series, I’ll gift you a different title from my back list.

Meanwhile the series prequel, Before the Brides is available to everyone who signs up to join my VIP readers list. http://eepurl.com/bV0sb1

You can learn about the Seven Brides for Seven Brothers series, tagline: “Bridgerton meets Yellowstone.” CLICK HERE

About Kathleen:

USA Today Bestselling Author Kathleen Lawless blames a misspent youth watching Rawhide, Maverick and Bonanza for her fascination with cowboys, which doesn’t stop her from creating a wide variety of interests and occupations for her many alpha male heroes. Blaze in One Fantasy Fall is a movie stuntman, who rides a Harley instead of a horse.

With over 60 published novels to her credit, she enjoys pushing the boundaries of traditional romance into historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense and women’s fiction.

She makes her home in the Pacific Northwest and loves to hear from her readers.  http://www.kathleenlawless.com

Sign up for Kathleen’s VIP Reader Newsletter to receive a free book, updates, special giveaways and fan-priced offers.    http://eepurl.com/bV0sb1

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Aussie Ways Versus American – Margaret Tanner

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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.

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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?