excerpt

Here Come The Brides: Forced into Marriage!

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Whether it’s by shotgun or another equally pressing reason, sometimes proposals and weddings don’t come at the right time  – even if they’re the right thing. Here are Donna Alward and Mary Connealy with glimpses into a few forced unions from their books!

From THE REBEL RANCHER (June 2012)

“I thought about it all night, Clara. Thought about you and the baby and Diamondback and I know what we have to do.”

She wasn’t sure she liked the sound of this. He seemed very sure of himself and considering she’d already explained her proposal this meant he wasn’t likely to go along with it. She tangled her fingers tighter together and replied, as evenly as she could, “I already told you what I’d like to do. This doesn’t have to change anything, not really. I can keep my life and you can keep yours, and we can work it out so that our baby has both a mother and a father. Right?”

Somehow in the twisting of her fingers, she managed to cross hers, hoping he would see reason.

Another step closer, and this time he was shaking his head. “That doesn’t work for me, Clara. I can’t be a father hundreds of  kilometers away.” He reached out and pried one of her hands loose, clasping it in his strong, warm fingers. “What makes the most sense is…”

He paused, then got down on one knee while her mouth fell open. No, no, no! This couldn’t be happening. He couldn’t possibly be proposing. It would ruin everything! She didn’t want to get married. Didn’t want to lose herself in another relationship where she wasn’t loved in return. Why couldn’t he just be reasonable?

She tried to slide her fingers out of his but his grip was too firm. Oh God, he was looking up at her with those heart-on-his-sleeve eyes and she couldn’t look away.

“I want you to marry me,” he said softly. “Come home to Diamondback, and we can raise our child together.”

Panic threaded its way through her body. “We don’t have to get married to be parents,” she answered, adding a nervous laugh to the end that fell completely flat. Ty’s brow furrowed and a wrinkle appeared just above his nose.

He got to his feet and Clara realized once more how very tall he was. Ty had such presence that he tended to fill a room with it without even trying. It was hard to go toe to toe with that. But the truth was Ty had mentioned absolutely nothing about love. He had asked her but for all the wrong reasons. And it would be a disaster to marry without it. They would end up resenting each other and then what sort of parents would they be?

She had to make him understand that somehow. “Ty,” she tried, praying for calm, “getting married would be a mistake. We’d end up regretting it, I’m sure of it. And then there’d be a child stuck in the middle. If we’re calm and practical now, it’ll be so much better, can’t you see? We’ll make rational decisions rather than running on emotion.”

“Of course there are emotions involved. We’re not talking about buying a car or taking a job. We’re talking about a baby here. My baby.”

“And mine,” she reminded him.

A muscle in his jaw ticked. This wasn’t going the way she wanted at all! It had never crossed her mind that he’d propose. He didn’t love her. She wasn’t a naïve little girl after all. She knew that one night of passion and grief did not a love affair make.

“You’re asking me to make an impossible choice, do you realize that?” He ran his hand through his hair. “I either have to try to be a father on special occasions and holidays, or…”

He dropped his hand. “Damn,” he muttered.

“Or what?” she asked, wondering what choice she’d possibly forced.

“Or leave Diamondback.”

Her lips dropped open. “You’d do that?”

The chocolatey eyes she’d drowned in earlier now hardened. “What choice would I have? You should know me better, especially after everything I told you.” His voice turned accusing. “You know my history. You know how I feel about what my parents did. Thank God Virgil and Molly were there, but what if they hadn’t been? Don’t you think I know how it might have ended up for me? Maybe this was unplanned, but I could never turn my back on my own child. I could never put them second in my life and I thought you understood that.”

And now she saw his eyes glisten with the barest sheen of moisture before he blinked and turned away from her.

“But you love Diamondback,” she said weakly.

“Yes, I do.” His voice was hoarse with emotion. And he didn’t need to say anything more. If she insisted on staying in  Saskatchewan, he would leave the ranch behind. His birthright. His family.

For a chance to win a copy of THE REBEL RANCHER, leave a comment!!!!!!!!!

 And now here’s Mary, with an excerpt from CALICO CANYON:

“I can’t be out here alone with you wearing a nightgown.” Grace clutched the blankets. “It’s not proper.”

Daniel’s fair skin turned an alarming shade of pink as he stared at her. “I’ll bet it wasn’t proper of us to sleep together either.”

“It most certainly was not.” The deep voice from behind hit them at the same instant the cold did.

They all turned to face Parson Roscoe.

The boys wheeled fully around. Daniel sat up. Grace clutched the blankets to her chest and looked into the startled eyes of the  kindly parson and, just behind him, his gentle-hearted wife, Isabelle.

“Parson, it’s not what it looks like,” Grace said.

“Oh, thank heavens,” Mrs. Roscoe said. “Because it looks like you and Daniel spent the night together in this cave.”

“Then it is exactly what it looks like,” John said into a silence more frozen than Grace had been last night.

“Well, yes,” Daniel said. “We did spend the night together, but…”

“Daniel,” Grace gasped in horror.

Daniel looked away from the parson, his skin now fully flaming red. “Well, we did. Do you want me to add lying to the parson in on top of having you in bed…I mean, sleeping together…I mean…” Daniel lapsed into silence.

“Pa brung her home to be our ma, but he tried her out for the night and he decided to return her,” Mark said.

Parson Roscoe stepped fully into the cave. “Both of you get up immediately.”

“In front of the children, Grace? I’m shocked.” Mrs. Roscoe came in and shut the door behind her. The plump woman clutched her hands together in front of her chest as if desperate to get away and spend an hour in prayer just to wash the shock out of her mind.

Grace climbed to her feet. She fumbled with the blankets, there were too many of them to hold. She tried to drop a few of them and managed to drop them all. She caught at them and almost fell forward trying to keep herself covered.

In a voice that seemed to promise eternal flames, Parson Roscoe said to Daniel, “We’ll get on with this and no one will have to know what exactly went on here last night.”

The parson gripped his big black Bible in both hands as if he needed to physically hang on to his faith in the face of this indignity. “Do you Daniel take this woman…”

Daniel was staring at her, his eyes so wide Grace would swear the man had seen a ghost, shook his head.

“I don’t even know how I got here.” Grace flung her arms wide, narrowly missing backhanding Daniel in the face.

“I do.” Daniel grabbed her hand to protect himself.

“About time.” The parson turned his fire and brimstone eyes on Grace.

“No, I didn’t mean…” Daniel dropped her hand like it had sprouted cactus bristles.

“Silence, Daniel.”

“Do you Grace take Daniel—?”

“We told you we aren’t keepin’ her for our ma.” Mark turned on Grace. “You want out of here as bad as we want you out of here, don’t you?”

Grace nodded frantically. “I do.”

“Hallelujah!” The parson raised his hands to heaven.

“I now pronounce you—”

Mrs. Roscoe threw herself, weeping into Grace’s arms, whispering ‘congratulations’.

The parson, whom Grace had always liked, and his wife who seemed like such a sweet-natured woman in the normal course of things, swept out of the cabin. The door slammed shut.

“But I need a ride back to town,” Grace called after them.

“You’re not getting a ride back to town, woman. You’re married!”

Daniel might as well have been a cougar trapped in this cave with her, she’d have felt no safer.

“I’m what?” Deafening silence followed her question.

“To who?” Mark shoved himself to the front of the pack of boys.

Grace looked at Daniel, and it hit her. She was the mother of five—including two ten-year-olds. And she was only seventeen. Grace sank onto the floor and pulled all six blankets over her head.

 Mary’s giving away signed copy of her SOPHIE’S DAUGHTERS trilogy! Just leave a comment to be entered for the draw!

Win A Copy of MARRYING THE MAJOR!

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I got my author copies last week and can’t wait to start giving them away.  Just leave a comment and I’ll toss your name in the Stetson. Late tonight I’ll draw three names . . . Most of you know that Marrying the Major is Book #4 in the “Women of Swan’s Nest” series.  It’s about Caroline and Bessie, so it’s a two-for-one romance.  Here’s the back cover blurb:

 A Very Practical Proposal . . .

He hired a governess, but what retired officer Tristan Willoughby Smith needs is a wife. Not on his behalf, but to protect little Dora and Freddie. When Caroline Bradley arrives at his Wyoming ranch, she seems perfectly suited–capable, efficient, intelligent . . . if a trifle too appealing.

Caroline knows what a real union of hearts should be, and the major’s polite, no-nonsense offer hardly qualifies. Still, she accepts for the children’s sake, little knowing the complications the marriage will bring to test her confidence and her faith. Yet in this unusual match, Caroline starts to see a glimmer of something strong and true–the makings of the family she never thought she’d find . . .

Here’s an excerpt . . .

This is from the middle of Chapter Two, and it’s one of my favorite scenes. Tristan is ferrying Caroline across a river on the back of Cairo, his prize Arabian stallion. Caroline is terrified of horses. To reassure her, he’s just bragged that Cairo would never disobey him. But that’s exactly Cairo does. He balks in the middle of the river, and Caroline takes a fall…

The water went over Caroline’s head with whoosh. She couldn’t see or breathe. She could only feel the sudden cold and the current grabbing at her skirt. The stallion was bucking and stomping. If she didn’t get out of the river, she’d be pulled downstream or trampled. She tried to stand but stumbled because of the weight of her clothing.

“Get back!” the Major shouted.

He had his hands full with the unruly horse. She didn’t know why it had bucked, but the medical case was slapping against its side. She had a horrible vision of it coming loose. Major Smith would lose the quinine, and she’d lose her only picture of Charles. Bracing against the sandy bottom, she pushed to her feet. She wanted to run for the shore, but if the case tore lose she’d go after it.

Cairo reared back and whinnied. She half expected Major Smith to land in the river with her, but he moved gracefully with the horse, aligning his body with the stallion’s neck and back. Behind her she heard Jon sloshing toward them on Grandma. Being caught between two horses terrified her more than drowning, so she hoisted her skirts and ran downriver.

She stumbled a dozen steps, tripped on her hem and went down. Rocks pressed into her knees and she cried out. She kept her head above water, but her skirt was tangled around her legs. Seemingly out of nowhere, male hands gripped her arms and lifted her from the current.

“Caroline.” She heard the major’s voice, the accent thick as he set her on her feet. “It’s all right. I’ve got you.”

She felt the strength of his arms and the sureness of his stance. As he steadied her, she wiped her eyes with her sleeve and became aware of his body shielding her from the current. She had no business noticing him in a personal way. She was merely an employee, a woman who was afraid of horses and had fallen in the river.

She pulled back from his grasp and staggered away. “I’m all right.”

He splashed closer, reaching for her. “Let me walk you to the shore.”

“No!” She didn’t want to feel his arm around her waist. “Go take care of your horse.”

“Jon has Cairo.”

She looked past him to the shore where Jon and Grandma were leading Cairo up the sandy bank. The black horse had calmed, but he still looked on edge . . . much like the major. He stepped closer to her, his hand extended as if he were giving her a peppermint. “Come now,” he said with authority. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“Oh yes, there is!” She was afraid of him, afraid of her feelings because she couldn’t help but like this man. With malaria symptoms, he had no business jumping into the river to help her. He should have taken his horse to shore and let Jon come to her rescue. Instead he’d risked getting a chill. Even more revealing was the compassion in his eyes. He looked both sincere and commanding, a man of courage who understood fear. She could imagine soldiers following him into battle, trusting him to lead them to victory.

She trusted him, too. But she didn’t trust her feelings. How many times had she felt this spark of interest in a man only to have it dashed?


Don’t forget to leave a comment to be eligible for the drawing!  To order now  from Amazon, click here:  Marrying the Major

Wyoming Lawman . . . Book Giveaway!

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It’s been a long time coming, but Wyoming Lawman, the second book in “The Women of Swan’s Nest” series, will be released on Tuesday, October 12th.  Some of you will remember Pearl Oliver from The Maverick Preacher.  She gave birth to a son out of wedlock and had plans to move to Cheyenne. This is her story and it’s got vigilantes, a little girl who needs a mother, and a deputy sheriff with a secret. 

To celebrate the coming release, let’s do a drawing. And to make the drawing more fun, let’s each include our home state or country.  That’s optional, but I thought it would be cool is see how far P&P reaches.  Three copies are up for grabs, so here we go . . .

Wyoming Lawman . . .

Matrimony? Never again for deputy sheriff Matt Wiley. The only good thing from his first marriage is his daughter. His little girl might want a mother, but Matt knows that no woman should have to deal with his guilty secret, or his anger at God. He’ll do his duty, serve the town of Cheyenne and keep his distance.

Yet when courageous single mother Pearl Oliver comes to town, watching from the sidelines isn’t an option—especially when Pearl lands herself in danger. His heart, Pearl’s life and the safety of their town are all at risk. Only the love and faith he thought he’d left behind can help him win his way to happily ever after.

Here’s an excerpt from the middle of Chapter One. It’s the moment Matt and Pearl meet. 

             “Get back!” Pearl shouted at the mob.

            The crowd parted but not because of her. Every head had turned to a man shouting orders as he shoved men out of his way. As he shouldered past the cowboy who’d whistled, Pearl saw a broad-brimmed hat pulled low to hide his eyes, a clean-shaven jaw and a badge on a leather vest. She judged him to be six feet tall, lanky in build but muscular enough to command respect. He also had a pistol on his hip, a sure sign of authority. The city of Cheyenne, fighting both outlaws and vigilantes, had enacted a law prohibiting men from wearing guns inside the city limits. Foolishly Pearl had taken it as a sign of civility. Now she knew otherwise.

            When the deputy reached the street, his eyes went straight to Pearl. They flared with recognition and she thought of Sarah calling her mama. Just as quickly, his gaze narrowed to a scowl and she knew this man and his wife had parted with ugly words. Loathing snarled in his pale irises, but Pearl didn’t take his knee-jerk reaction personally. She had them all the time . . . to crowds and stuffy rooms, black carriages and the smell of a certain male cologne.

            The deputy’s gaze slid to Sarah and he strode forward. When he reached the child’s side, he dropped to one knee, muddying his trousers as he touched the back of her head. “Sarah, honey,” he said with a hush. “Look at me, darlin’”

            Pearl heard Texas in his voice . . . and love.

            The child peeked from the folds of her skirt. “I’m sorry, Daddy. I was bad.”

            “Are you hurt?”

            She shook her head, but her father wasn’t convinced. He ran his hand down the child’s back, looked at her muddy knees and inspected her elbows. Apart from the scare, Sarah and her doll were both fine. Pearl watched as he blew out a breath, then wiped the girl’s tears with his thumb. When Sarah turned to him, he cupped her chin. “You shouldn’t have left the store.”

            He’d put iron in his voice, but Pearl knew bravado when she heard it. He’d been scared to death.

            Sarah hid her face in Pearl’s skirt. “I know, Daddy. But I saw a puppy.”

            The man frowned. “Sarah–”

            “Then I saw her.” She raised her chin and stared at Pearl.

            Instinctively Pearl cupped the back of Sarah’s head. She’d been close to grown when her own mother died, but she missed her every day, even more since Toby’s birth. If she’d caught a glimpse of Virginia Oliver in a crowd, she’d have acted just like Sarah.

            The deputy pushed to his full height, giving her a closer look at his clean-shaven jaw. Most men in Cheyenne wore facial hair, but the deputy didn’t even sport a moustache. He had a straight nose, brown hair streaked with the sun and the greenest eyes she’d ever seen. If her life had been simpler, she’d have smiled at him, even flirted a bit. Instead she pulled her lips into an icy line. Until she secured the job at Miss Marlowe’s School, she didn’t want to speak with anyone.

            He took off his hat, a sign of respect that made her belly quake because she longed to feel worthy of it. The intensity in his eyes had the same effect but for different reasons. He frightened her.

            “I can’t thank you enough, Miss.” His drawl rolled like a river, slow and unstoppable. “I was in the store. I had an eye on her, and then . . .” He sealed his lips. “The next thing I knew, someone said a child was down in the street.”

            Pearl knew how he felt. Toby had suffered a bout of croup and she’d been worried to death. Her heart swelled with compassion, but she blocked it. “As you can see, your daughter’s fine. If you’ll excuse me–”

            “But I owe you.”

            “No, you don’t.” She tried to step back, but Sarah tightened her grip.

            The man skimmed her dress the way he’d inspected his daughter for injuries. “Your dress is ruined. I’ll buy you a new one.”

            “No!” She could only imagine what kind of talk that would cause.

            Instead of backing off, the lawman thrust out his hand. “Forgive my lack of manners. I’m Matt Wiley, Deputy Sheriff.”

            If she accepted the handshake, she’d have to give her name. She’d be trapped in a conversation she couldn’t have until she spoke with Carrie and the school board. The less she said to this man, the safer she’d be. She indicated her muddy glove. “I don’t want to dirty your hand. I have to go now.” Before he could argue, she pivoted and headed for the hotel.

            “Wait!”

            The cry came from Sarah. Every instinct told Pearl to hug the child goodbye, but she couldn’t risk a conversation with the girl’s father. Walking faster, she skirted a puddle and stepped on to the boardwalk. Thinking of Toby, her father and the new life she wanted for them all, she hurried to the hotel.

 

Hope you all enjoy the book! Be sure to leave a comment with your name and home state or country. Winners will be announced later tonight.

Day Five: Filly First Lines Extravaganza

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Get ready, ladies!  Tonight the Filies will be announcin’ the winner of the $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble.  As the official counter of guesses, Miss Felicia can tell ya it’s a real horse race.  Take your best shots. Today’s prizes are…

 

Give Me a Texas Ranger from Phyliss Miranda

An e-copy of Hearts Crossing Ranch by Tanya Hanson

Doctor in Petticoats by Mary Connealy

A Lady Like Sarah by Margaret Brownley

An e-copy of A Night of Miracles by Cheryl Pierson

 

Filly #10

 

1. Whoever said hell was hot had lied.

2. Jaret Walker crested the last hill and hauled back on the reins.

3. Thunder hauled him from a restless sleep.

 

Filly #11

 

1. Zeb Garrison didn’t think much of church or preachers, but he had to give Reverend Preston credit for striking a chord that hadn’t stopped echoing since Sunday morning.

2.  If Adelaide Clarke had been asleep like a sensible woman, she wouldn’t have heard the thump on her front porch.

3. Cassiopeia O’Rourke had been named for a constellation, but Heaven couldn’t have been further away as she stepped inside the Guthrie Corners sheriff’s office.

That’s all, ladies!  The Fillies are gonna tally up all the guesses for the winner of the $25 Barnes & Noble gift card.  Looks to me like they’l have to take off their boots and use their fingers and their pretty toes!  Check back for the winners of today’s prizes and the biggest prize of all!

Congratulations to the Day Four Winners!

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 Y’all sure know the Filly books! You guessed ‘em all, but no surprises there.  You ladies are good at this!   Filly #7 is none other than Miss Elizabeth Lane.  Those first lines are from The Borrowed Bride, His Substitute Bride and The Horseman’s Bride.

 Filly #8 made things nice and easy. Miss Tanya Hanson even had a title in her first lines. She wrote Marry Mattie, Hearts Crossing Ranch and  Marrying Minda.

 Filly #9 is none other than Miss Winnie Griggs. Her titles are Something More, Lady’s Choice and The Christmas Journey.

 

Let’s get to the prizes! 

 

Congratulations to catlady!  You won a glass beaded bookmark and a book to go with it from Miss Cheryl St.John. Give her a shout at SaintJohn@aol.com

Doctor in Petticoats by Mary Connealy goes to . . .  ReneeC!   Give Mary a holler at Mary@MaryConnealy.com

Another shout-out goes to Tabitha.  She won Give Me a Texas Ranger from Phyliss Miranda. Email Phyliss at PhylissMiranda@aol.com

A hard copy of Marrying Minda  by Tanya Hanson goes to Laurie G!  You can find Miss Tanya at TanHanson@aol.com

Hello, ellie!  You won the title of your choice from Winnie Griggs’ back list.  Email Winnie at winnie@winniegriggs.com

And one more prize . . . Miss Phyliss is giving away an extra copy of Give Me a Texas Ranger. It goes to JackieW.  Email Miss Phyliss at PhylissMiranda@aol.com

That’s it for today, ladies! Tomorrow’s our last day for Fabulous Filly First Lines. The Fillies will be tallying up the right answers and announcing the Friday winners and the winner of that Barnes & Noble gift card in the wee hours of Friday night.

Day Four: Filly First Lines Extravaganza

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Ready for more prizes?  Y’all know how to play.  Take your best guess at which Filly wrote these cowboy-loving first lines.  No need to guess the book unless you want to show off! Leave a comment and you’re eligible to win a prize for today. The grand prize of a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble will go to the gal who gets the most right answers at the end of the week. In case of a tie, which there sure could be, the Fillies will put the names in the Stetson and pick one. Take a look-see at today’s give-aways… 

 

A Glass Beaded Bookmark and a book to go with it from Cheryl St.John

 

Doctor in Petticoats by Mary Connealy

 

Give Me a Texas Ranger from Phyliss Miranda

 

A hard copy of Marrying Minda  by Tanya Hanson

 

Title of your choice from Winnie Griggs’  backlist 

 

Okay ladies… take yer best guesses!

Filly #7

 1. Hannah felt the approaching train before she heard it.

2. By the time Quint found the woman, she was dying.

3. Clara Seavers closed the paddock gate and looped the chain over the wooden post.

 

Filly #8

 1. Caldwell Hackett was getting married tomorrow, and Lord save him, he was a virgin.

2.  Underneath the brim of his black Stetson, Kenn Martin squinted against the sun rising over Hearts Crossing Ranch.

3.  Where is Norman Dale? Minda’s heart thumped. The noon stage had run late, so he had plenty of time to get here. Unless he had backed out.

Filly #9  

1. Caleb crept downstairs, carefully avoiding the creaky third step.  He wasn’t supposed to be up, but this was important.  Besides, he was six.  That made him a big boy.  Daddy said so.

2. An unholy shriek ricocheted through the forest, startling a raucous cloud of blackbirds from the roadside trees.   “Easy, Trib.”  Adam Barr patted the horse’s neck as the animal shied.  What now?

3. “Hey!”  The reedy voice coming from inside Wylie’s Livery and Bridle Shop thrummed with outrage.  “You can’t take those horses ‘til you settle up with Joe.”

Announcing The Day Three Winners!

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The Fillies are impressed!  You ladies know yer stuff!  Sure ‘nuff, Filly #5 is Miss Cheryl St.John, and the books are Her Colorado Man, A Husband By Any Other Name and The Lawman’s Bride.  

 Filly #6 is Phyliss Miranda. Her titles are Give Me a Texan, Give Me a Cowboy and Give Me a Texas Ranger.

The Fillies are chompin’ at the bit to give away more prizes, so let’s pull same names outta that hat…

 

The Horseman’s Bride by Elizabeth Lane goes to Stephanie Buckner.  Send Miss Elizabeth an email at elizlane@msn.com  and she’ll mail ya yer prize. 

 Congratulations to Merry! You won Give Me a Texas Ranger from Phyliss Miranda. Give her a shout at PhylissMiranda@aol.com

 A gift certificate to White Rose Press from Tanya Hanson goes to Judy An. Email Tanya at TanHanson@aol.com

 Congratulations to kammie! You won A Lady Like Sarah By Margaret Brownley. Give Miss Margaret a ring at Margaret@MargaretBrownley.com

 A Doctor in Petticoats by Mary Connealy by goes Quilt Lady! Give a shout to Mary at Mary@MaryConnealy.com

Day Two: Filly First Lines Extravaganza

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The Fillies have a heap more prizes to give out, so keep your guesses a-coming’.  It’s as easy as pie to enter.  All you gotta do is take wild-mustang guess and leave a comment. Right or wrong, your name gets dropped in that big ol’ Stetson. Let’s round up two more Fillies and give away five more prizes. Take a look-see at what’s up for grabs.  

 

 Give Me a Texas Ranger from Phyliss Miranda

 

Doctor in Petticoats by Mary Connealy

 

A gift certificate to Wild Rose Press from Tanya Hanson

 

Lone Cowboy and other goodies from Donna Alward

 

Title of your choice from Winnie Griggs’ backlist

 

  

 

HERE WE GO….Remember now, all you gotta do is guess the Filly who kicked off her books with these first lines…

 Filly #3

 1. Vultures signaled trouble ahead.

2. Of all the blasted luck!  Josh Travis couldn’t believe his eyes.  Now he had no choice but to cut the dumb thing off.

3. Old man Hank Applegate should have known trouble was brewing the moment the stagecoach thundered into town one week and two days late.

Filly #4

1. “Don’t kill me! Please!”

2. The steel wheels screamed as the train slowed.

3. Angela Bentley breathed a sigh of pure exasperation.

Day One: Filly First Lines Extravaganza

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Are y’all ready for Filly First Lines?  Before we get started, here’s what’s up for grabs from that ten gallon hat chock full of prizes…

 

Doctor in Petticoats by Mary Connealy

 

A Lady Like Sarah by Margaret Brownley

 

Give Me a Texas Ranger from Linda Broday

 

Fire Eyes from Cheryl Pierson

 

Touched By Love and a bracelet from Tracy Garrett.

 

Winning sonethin’ is easier than falling off a greased log.  You don’t have to guess which book, just the name of the Filly who wrote these high-kickin’ first lines. Leave a comment and your name goes in the hat  for today’s drawin’.  Right or wrong, you’ve got a shot at a prize.

 On Friday the Fillies are gonna count up the guesses on their fingers and pretty little toes. Whoever gets the most right wins a $25 gift card from Barnes & Noble. If there’s a tie, we’ll  break out the hat and have a draw-off. Good luck, y’all!  

 

Filly #1

1. The Five Horsemen of the Apocalypse rode in, late as usual.

2. Belle Tanner pitched dirt right on Anthony’s handsome, worthless face.

3. Beth McClellen would die before she missed Mandy’s wedding.

 

Filly #2

1. There were times in life you either had to go big, or go broke.

2. When Mike Gardner came walking up the path in just that way, Grace knew she was in trouble.  

3. “In two hundred meters, turn left.”

 

Post your guesses, ladies!  The lucky winners will be named in the wee hours of the mornin’, so check back tomorrow .  . . There’s good stuff a-coming from Wildflower Junction!

Book Giveaway!

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Vicki LogoWould you like to win an advance copy of Kansas Courtship? It’s my March 2010 release, but  I’m giving away three copies today.  To enter the drawing, just leave a comment below.  I’ll pull three names at random. 

This is Book #3 in the “After the Storm” series, a continuity set in 1860 in High Plains, Kansas, a town that’s been devastated by a tornado.  The first two books are High Plains Bride by Valerie Hansen and Heartland Wedding by Renee Ryan.  We’ll be hearing more from Renee on Saturday.

 Here’s the back cover blurb:

 Rising Storm . . .

Town founder Zeb Garrison is finally getting his wish–a qualified physician is coming to High Plains. Yet when Dr. N. Mitchell turns out to be the very pretty Nora Mitchell, Zeb is furious. The storm-torn town needs a doctor, but Zeb needs someone he can trust–not another woman who’s deceived him. If Nora’s going to change his mind, she’ll have to work fast. All she has is a one-month trial to prove her worth . . . to High Plains and to Zeb.

 

And here’s an excerpt . . .

Chapter One

 August 1860
High Plains Kansas

      “Look over yonder, missy,” said the old man driving the freight wagon. “That’s where a twister snatched up those children.”Kansas Courtship cropped

     Dr. Nora Mitchell turned on the high seat. With the dusty bonnet shielding her eyes, she looked past Mr. Crandall’s gray beard to a lush meadow. A breeze stirred the grass and she smelled loamy earth. With the scent came a whiff of the mules pulling the three freight wagons the last miles to High Plains. In her black medical bag she had the precious letter from Zebulun Garrison inviting her to interview for her first position as a paid physician.

     Never mind that she’d signed her letter to him as “Dr. N. Mitchell.” What difference did her gender make when it came to practicing medicine? None to her, but it mattered terribly to men with old fashioned ideas.

     She’d lived with that prejudice since the day she’d entered Geneva Medical College, the alma mater of Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female doctor in America. The prejudice had become even more challenging once she graduated. She’d interviewed for fourteen positions in the past year and received fourteen rejections, all because of her gender.

     You’re female, Dr. Mitchell. That makes you unqualified.

     Women shouldn’t be subjected to the vulgarities of medicine.

     Perhaps you can find work as a midwife. That suits your gender.

     She’d been close to despair when a cousin wrote to her about an advertisement in the Kansas Gazette. Wanted: a licensed physician for a new Kansas town. Compensation dependent on experience. Contact Zebulun Garrison, High Plains, Kansas.

     She’d posted a letter to Mr. Garrison immediately. Not only had he offered “Dr. N. Mitchell” an interview, he’d sounded enthusiastic. “Our current doctor is retiring,” he’d written back. “We are a growing a community in need of a skilled practitioner with an adventurous spirit.”

     Nora had pictured bustling shops and a busy church. She’d imagined delivering babies, setting broken bones and treating croup and sore throats. Those expectations had changed as she’d traveled with the Crandalls. She’d split the riding time between Mr. Crandall and his wife, a buxom woman who’d birthed nine children and never stopped talking. As they’d traveled from St. Joseph to Topeka, south to Fort Riley and on to High Plains, the woman had told horrific tales about Kansas weather. Two months ago, a tornado wiped out half of High Plains and devastated a wagon train. Most frightening of all, it had snatched away the children Mr. Crandall just mentioned.

 

To pre-order from Amazon, click here:   Kansas Courtship, After the Storm.

Good luck to everyone! 

Petticoats & Pistols