historical western romance

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

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Not-So-Luxury Transportation of the 1850s

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

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

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

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

photo credit:  National Park Service

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

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

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

~~Giveaway~~

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

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

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Clara’s Courage

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

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

Clara’s Courage on Amazon

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

 

Location, Location, Location (And a Fun Giveaway!)-by Nancy Fraser

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Location, Location, Location

Nancy Fraser

As dedicated as most authors are to the authenticity of our characters, their professions, and the historical details of the time period we’ve chosen, we get a small amount of latitude from… you guessed it… our latitude and longitude! Our location, to be exact.

While some authors choose to set their stories in real-life towns with the location’s history already built in, a good majority of western romance authors create their own small pieces of eventual paradise. I say “eventual” because it’s not uncommon for one or both of our main characters to be thrust into a place or situation not of their choosing.

As an author with over sixty sweet, western romances under my belt, I’ve gone in both directions. The three books I wrote for the popular Christmas Quilt series were all set in the real town of Castle Rock, Oregon. I chose Castle Rock because of it’s interesting history. From the early Native American Yakima tribe who drove their horses across the Columbia River, to the thirteen-family wagon train campsite in 1847 who were subject to a livestock stampede initiated by a number of tribes from the surrounding area, the early going was difficult.

Eventually though, Castle Rock was settled. By 1881 they had a train station, a steamboat landing, warehouses for wheat and wool, and a general store. They got their first post office in 1883 (a fact I used when I made my heroine’s father the postmaster). And, while some dreamed of leaving Castle Rock for bigger and better things, that didn’t always happen. My heroines, Audrey, Sarah, and Raine, were destined to find their HEA so I’ve bundled all three stories into A Castle Rock Christmas and the ladies seem right at home.

While bringing history to life is a worthy endeavor, creating a fictitious town is also a lot of fun. In one of my earliest sweet western historical romances, A Christmas Baby for Beatrice, I created White Mountain, Washington. Designed as a somewhat remote location, my hero’s home sat on the side of a mountain, surrounded by trees. Given my hero is an author and a professor of horticulture with his own university-funded greenhouse, the location made sense… even to a city girl like my widowed heroine.

All these exciting locations (real and made up) aside, I’m about to embark on my biggest location challenge. On September 25, I’ll release Agnes: Cape Breton Highland Bride. Set in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia in the early 1900s, it’s part of the National Park Brides series that began a couple of years ago and is still going strong today with it’s third set of books scheduled for this fall.

It’s not just the location that’s going to be a challenge. I’ve been to Cape Breton Highlands National Park a number of times. The story I’m planning is a homage to my late mother-in-law and father-in-law. It’s their love story and, while I may bend a few of the details to fit the book, the locations and romance are all true. I’m excited and nervous in equal measure.

However, before I get myself off to Cape Breton, I still have to deal with one of my favorite twice-used locations, the fictitious town of Santa Rosa, Montana. My latest release, Their Marriage Bargain, is the second book set in the small town not far from Bozeman.

Their Marriage Bargain

Julia Wilson is tired of life in Baltimore, and of her mother’s incessant attempts to marry her off despite having a career of her own. When the opportunity to travel to Montana and work with her doctor cousin presents itself, she jumps at the chance.

Lucas Palmer is the sheriff of Santa Rosa, Montana, a growing town surrounded by large cattle ranches and mining concerns. He’s also a recently jilted groom, his intended shunning the cold winters of Montana in favor of the warmer western coastline. Determined to remain single rather than face another failure, he must delicately sidestep the young women looking to snag a husband.

When Julia arrives, it’s attraction at first sight for both her and the handsome lawman. Yet, she’s determined to settle in with her new job and new home before she even entertains being courted. Frustrated by the unwanted advances of the town’s men, she’s at her wits end when Lucas suggests they strike a bargain.

A pre-marriage, engagement bargain. While they’re both immediately taken off the market, their ruse is anything but convenient with each passing day making them long for a real arrangement, rather than make believe.

Which one will crack first and admit their feelings? Or are they destined to suffer in companionable silence?

You can find Julia’s and Lucas’s adventure on Kindle Unlimited HERE.

GIVEAWAY

I’d love to hear from the followers of Petticoats & Pistols. Do you have a favorite book location? It can be either real or a figment of the author’s imagination. Did they sell their make-believe town so well, that you fell in love?

For all those who comment, I’ll be giving away a few prizes as follows:

Two e-book copies of my latest release, Their Marriage Bargain

Two e-book copies of A Castle Rock Christmas anthology, and

I’ll reserve one e-book copy of Agnes: Cape Breton Highland Bride to be sent on release day.

BONUS! In addition to the above giveaways, Nancy has a free copy of A Christmas Baby for Beatrice for everyone! You can download your free copy Available today through the weekend only.

Thank you so much for allowing me to spend some time here on the blog. I look forward to your comments.

Blessings,

Nancy

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NANCY FRASER is a bestselling and award-winning author who can’t seem to decide which romance genre suits her best. So, she writes them all.

Her preferred genres are sweet western historical and sweet small-town contemporary. However, she has been known to dabble in the most unusual genres.

When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.

You can follow Nancy here:

Amazon Author Page ~ Bookbub ~ BlueSky Social  ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

 

 

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

The Rose of Sharon by Kara O’Neal–and a giveaway

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Howdy, fellow western romance readers! It’s great to be back!

I’m excited to share the sixth book in my Wildflowers of Texas series – THE ROSE OF SHARON – with y’all.

This romance features Miss Libby Mae Truman, who first appeared in PRICKLY POPPY. Libby became quite the person for me. She’s formidable and had suffered a broken heart, so I just had to give her a happy ending.

We also meet the man who adores her in PRICKLY POPPY. Except…he’s already married.

Brannon Welch has had a painful life, but he’s managed it with as much care as he possibly could. He’s secretly in love with Libby, and when his wife deserts him, he decides to go after what he wants.

This is my first “later in life” romance, and I must say that I truly enjoyed writing these two characters. They are both people I admire, and I think you will, as well!

This series has been interesting, because each heroine connects with a wildflower in some way. When I first “met” Libby, her flower came instantly to my mind.

The Rose of Sharon is strikingly beautiful, and it can withstand the harshest elements of West Texas. This describes Libby perfectly. She’s a leader, manages all sorts of problems and people, and doesn’t cower in a corner when faced with something difficult. She’s a “general of the west” for sure!

 

THE ROSE OF SHARON represents Libby’s resilience. If you had to pick a flower that describes your personality, which one would it be and why? One lucky commentor will win a free copy (print or ebook)!

Blurb

Brownwood, Texas, 1883

Libby Truman was once a fool for love, and she vowed never again to be so ridiculous. Time has passed, and she’s now forty-two, a pillar of society, and in complete control of her life. But when someone begins leaving the striking blossoms of the Rose of Sharon for her, her heart begins to yearn.

Brannon Welch, forty-five, successful businessman, respected member of the town, is in love. But not with his wife. With Libby. He’s tired of hiding his feelings. And now that his wife has deserted him, he’s found the courage to give romance another try.

But vengeance comes for Libby, and Brannon must do whatever it takes to save her. Even if it means his own life.

Excerpt

He loved her.

He had to stop lying to himself, stop pretending.

He loved her.

Libby Truman.

Libby Mae Truman.

At the thought of her name, his heart swelled to almost bursting.

He allowed her angelic form to materialize in his mind’s eye, and his pulse began to race.

Letting out a slow breath, he rose from the chair behind his desk. He drifted closer to the second-story windows of his office and looked out at the sunset.

The red was blending into orange. West Texas had its beauty, and it never failed to amaze him. The rawness of the land, the untamed nature, had appealed to his soul, and despite what his wife had wanted, he’d settled here to build his legacy.

And that’s when it had all gone bad.

Penelope hadn’t wanted to live in Brownwood. She’d wanted Austin. Or Houston.

He’d put his foot down.

That had been his mistake, but he’d tried to make up for it. He’d worked his fingers to the bone, had created three companies, had amassed enough wealth to give her whatever she wanted.

Whatever she wanted, though, was never enough.

He hadn’t known that the strawberry-blonde curls, the sparkling hazel eyes, the sweet smile had hidden a selfish, manipulative viper.

After ten years of trying, he’d given up. He’d fallen out of love, which made having a marriage impossible. Not that Penelope had cared or noticed. She’d thrown all her efforts, time, love, and care into their son, Anson.

Who was now in prison. For murder.

As it always did, the memory of his child being arrested, tried, sentenced, and taken away made his heart crack. It was a wonder the organ still worked.

He thought about his life, catalogued his mistakes and regrets. Hanging his head, he slipped his hands into his pockets, pushing his gray suitcoat back.

There was only one bright spot in his world.

Libby Truman.

Blonde-headed, blue-eyed, petite.

Generous. Hard-working. Highly intelligent.

Fiercely independent.

They’d operated side-by-side over the years, both helping with various social functions. He’d sat on the Town Council multiple times, and she’d been the leader of many events that had needed the council’s approval. They also attended the same church, where she was very active, and had consistently inspired him to be the best he could be.

She was the epitome of womanhood.

And yet, she’d never married. He didn’t even know if she’d ever been courted.

The man who might turn her head would be the best of men.

And he was not.

Yes, he was a good businessman, and he had reasons to believe he was a good boss and a good Christian. But he’d failed as a husband and father, the two most important roles.

He lifted his head and gazed once again at the setting sun.

And thought of her.

Libby.

He loved her.

Brannon Welch loved Libby Truman.

He would hold the truth inside, though. He would never act on his feelings.

He had a wife. She’d deserted him, had moved back to Dallas, but he had one.

And Libby had principles. She never went back on them.

He smiled softly.

My God, how I love her.

Book Purchase Link:  https://books2read.com/u/3L1Q8D

Kara O’Neal is an award-winning author of over thirty historical romances. Humor, family, love, and romance take center stage in her novels, and her characters have been touted as “real, complex, and down-to-earth”. Her books are available in print and ebook.

When not writing, she’s a teacher, but she’s always a mother to three talented children, and the wife of a man quite worthy of being called “hero”.

Telling stories is her passion, and she does so with memorable characters and unique plots certain to keep you reading late into the night! Visit Kara O’Neal at http://www.karaoneal.com.

Where to Find Kara

Website ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ X ~ Pinterest ~ Newsletter ~ Goodreads ~ Bookbub ~ Amazon

 

Is There Ever Such a Thing as a New Idea?

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We’re so happy to welcome back guest author Nancy Fraser! She’s toting four books to give away so be sure to leave a comment.  

One of the things authors struggle with the most is the challenge of finding a new historical romance trope… something that hasn’t been done hundreds of times. It’s not easy.

It helps if you’re writing your book as part of a multi-author series, because the initial trope is already there. Whether it’s a mail-order bride scenario, or wagon train romances, or even the land rush decades, the author’s job is to breathe fresh life into a tried-and-true formula.

Where to begin?
One thing that helps me is to first set a time period. I’m partial to the late 1880s or early 1890s, and for the silliest of reasons. I want indoor plumbing. I can’t tell you the number of historical romances I’ve read where nobody goes to the bathroom because there’s nothing engaging about hiking to the outhouse.

Indoor plumbing came to the cities and states east of the Mississippi not long after the Civil War. In some instances, e.g., well-to-do homes, it a was even earlier. However, the luxury was slow to arrive out west. In the more remote areas, homes didn’t rid themselves of the outdoor facilities until well into the 1900s. As a child (1950s), I remember one aunt who still used her outhouse. Believe me, for an eight-year-old, that pre-bedtime hike was both exciting and scary. Especially when you were being followed by an ornery turkey.

I digress. My intention was to talk about finding a different story angle.

So, how do you find that one ‘new’ story? Once I’ve set my time period and chosen my main character’s profession and the location for my story, I search for late 19th century facts about the area and the job, e.g., “1880’s medical facilities in rural Oklahoma”. Once I’ve found something quirky or, at least, interesting, I can fashion my plot around a little-known fact. I’ve even begun adding a feature to the back of most of my books called, “The More You Know”. I recap my research and share what I’ve learned over and above weaving it into my story.

Earlier this month, I released Lost in Her Dreams as part of the Chasing a Dream Series. I set the story in Alaska at the time of the Klondike Gold Rush. My fact sheet was full for that one.

Once an author has an idea for something unusual, the plot twist comes next. The what-ifs are used to tweak the facts without breaking them. Whether your unique story comes from the location or the premise itself, there are a number of ways to work in new ideas without compromising your research.

I’ve had the privilege of writing for a most unusual series of western historical romances beginning late last year. The series is titled, “The Bride Who…”. The objective of the series was to put our heroine brides in unusual circumstances. The titles in the series have been wonderfully entertaining.

Yesterday, February 26th, marked the release of my third book in the series. Titled: The Bride Who Writes Penny Novels, it was fun to create an alter ego for my heroine. Worried that some would deem her a loose woman, she chooses a nom de plum to honor her family history and stay hidden at the same time.

My first two books in the series were equally as much fun (and as challenging). The Bride Who Keeps Running Away came first and is an old-west reimagining of the movie, Runaway Bride with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere.

The second book, The Bride Who Reads Too Much, gave my heroine a goal and a profession… one that the hero was happy to accept (eventually).

Whether it’s research that drives the author’s new idea, or maybe a unique group premise, the important thing is always to entertain and draw the reader into the story.


Here’s a sneak peek at The Bride Who Writes Penny Novels:

Kathryn (Kate) Montgomery has a secret… a big one.

Trained as a schoolteacher, she’s happy to spend her days teaching the primary grades in one of Denver’s most prestigious schools. By night, Kate sets aside her primers for a vocation of a different kind. Writing penny novels.

Left an inheritance of property in the small town of Elbert, Colorado, Kate decides to leave Denver behind and try her hand at writing full time.

Sheriff Rafe Nichols is summoned by a neighbor of the old Montague property because they suspect a squatter. When he arrives at the slightly rundown home, he’s surprised to find a beautiful, young woman who claims to be the owner. They butt heads when he tells her he’ll need to check into the legality of her claim.

What will happen with the small town of Elbert discovers her alter-ego’s identity? And how will it effect her relationship with Rafe?
You can find Kate and her handsome sheriff on AMAZON
As with all my books, it’s enrolled in Kindle Unlimited and available in print.

When you’re looking for a new book to read, do you try to find something with an unusual plot, twist, or historical detail? Or do you prefer to stay with the tried and true? As a thank you for the commenters who will spend time with me today, I’m pleased to give away four prizes, two copies of The Bride Who Writes Penny Novels and two copies of Lost in Her Dreams. 



Until next time, stay happy, stay healthy, stay well-read.

Nancy

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NANCY FRASER is a bestselling and award-winning author who can’t seem to decide which romance genre suits her best. So, she writes them all.

Her preferred genres are sweet western historical and sweet small-town contemporary. However, she has been known to dabble in the most unusual settings.

When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.

You can follow Nancy here:

Amazon Author Page ~ Bookbub ~ BlueSky Social  ~  Goodreads

 

Campfire Ballads and Cowboy Truths + Giveaway

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Mountains and prairie in background. Campfire in foreground. "Campfire Ballads & Cowboy Truths"

We have a guest at the junction today! Let’s give a warm welcome to KyLee Woodley, author of The Bounty Hunter’s Surrender. KyLee’s giving away a copy of her book!

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Campfire Ballads and Cowboy Truths

Photo Credit: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print/%5B/caption%5D
 
Before playlists and pop charts, what did music mean to a cowboy riding under the stars?
Music was more than mere entertainment—it was a tool for teaching lessons, building community, and expressing faith. On Petticoats and Pistols, we’ll focus on songs and stories that shaped cowboy culture.
The first song we’ll look at was used in a minstrel-style format, with a with versions dating from colonial times to the early 1900s. “Root Hog or Die” had a quirky title—rooted in colonial practices of letting pigs roam free to fend for themselves—that helped it evolve into a colorful and enduring piece of Americana.
“Root Hog or Die” started as a sort of proverb or adage, warning folks to work hard. The Vermont Gazette (1829) called it a “vulgar proverb” but admitted it often encouraged a strong work ethic. During the Civil War, both the Union and Confederate sides created their own versions of the song. One variation, taken from the Confederate tune “Flight of Doodles,” goes:
I saw Texas go in with a smile,
But I tell you what it is, she made the Yankees bile;
Oh! it don’t make a nif-a-stifference to neither you nor I,
Texas is the devil, boys; root, hog, or die.
 
A 1911 folk version of the song shares a glimpse into the difficult, unpredictable life of the cowboy. One verse reads:
Sometimes it’s dreadful stormy and sometimes it’s pretty clear.
You may work a month and you might work a year.
But you can make a winning if you’ll come alive and try.
For the whole world over, boys, it’s root hog or die.

[caption id="attachment_107357" align="aligncenter" width="363"] Photo Credit: Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads. (1918). United States: Macmillan.

 

This next song is dear to my heart. I’ll forever remember my mom singing “The Streets of Laredo”—likely the Johnny Cash version—with its hauntingly sweet melody and timeless cowboy sorrow. “The Streets of Laredo” traces its roots to the late 19th century and was first published in 1910 in Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads by John Lomax. It originated from the older Irish folk tune The Unfortunate Rake, which also later influenced St. James Infirmary Blues. Over time, cowboys adapted the lyrics to reflect frontier life, making it one of the most enduring Western ballads. (You can listen to a gorgeous duet version by Marty Robbins and Johnny Cash online.)

Photo Credit: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print%5B/caption%5D

“The Texas Ranger” is a traditional ballad, dating back at least to the 19th century, tells the story of a young Texas Ranger facing danger on the frontier. It often highlights encounters with Native American tribes and frontier justice. Passed down through oral tradition, one well-known version was documented in 1959 but here is one of the earliest versions.

I was scarcely sixteen years of age when I joined that jolly band;

We marched from San Antonio unto the Rio Grande.

Our captain there informed us, perhaps he thought it right,

“Before you reach the station,” says he, “boys, you’ll have to fight.”

As we trace the melodies of the old West, we’re reminded that the music of that era wasn’t polished or perfect—but it was real. These songs echo the grit, humor, grief, and resilience of everyday folks navigating life on the frontier. Whether sung around a campfire or carried in a mother’s voice at bedtime, they were a reflection of a people learning to hope, endure, and belong. And maybe, just maybe, in a world that feels far from simple, they still have something to teach us today. Thanks for taking this journey with me. I’d love to hear which cowboy tune holds a place in your heart.

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THE BOUNTY HUNTER’S SURRENDER

 

Book cover The Bounty Hunter's Surrender. Man in frontier clothing and brunette woman in prairie dress

An expecting widow, a rugged bounty hunter, and a set of secrets that might shatter her fragile heart.

The death of Aubrey Willot’s wealthy but abusive husband left her with an unborn child, an empty chateau, and the last name of a criminal. When she learns he double-crossed a ruthless business associate, she’s forced to accept the protection of the handsome and daring bounty hunter tasked with finding her late husband’s fortune. Though Aubrey swore never to trust another man, she can’t help but be drawn to the bounty hunter’s rugged charm.

After a tragic mistake cost him everything, Nathan Reed spent years running from his past. Now, he needs funds to care for his orphaned niece, and quickly. The chance to retrieve a set of stolen documents offers an opportunity he can’t resist. He’ll find those papers and claim the reward, even if it means deceiving the alluring young widow.

As danger rises, Audrey’s strength, honesty, and compassion break down Nathan’s defenses, daring him to embrace a future he never imagined—a loving wife and a family of his own. But when his secrets are exposed, will his chance at redemption and Aubrey’s heart slip through his fingers?

Purchase links can be found HERE.

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Author Kylee Woodley with long wavy blond hair, smiling, wearing a floral shirt

KyLee Woodley teaches preschool at a lab school in Texas where she lives with her husband of 18 years and their three teenage children. Having been raised in the Pacific Northwest and spent part of her adult life in Texas, she has a deep respect for American values. She grew up in an impoverished area and began ministering to homeless, drug addicted, and desperate people while in her teens. As a result, she feels a deep sense of concern for society’s unloved. This comes through in her stories, enriched with historical detail that shows how loving the unlovely is a timeless need. On weekends, KyLee cohosts and produces the Historical Bookworm Show—a steadily growing author interview podcast for history lovers and readers of historical fiction.

KyLee has generously offered to give away one copy of The Bounty Hunter’s Surrender to one commenter. The winner will randomly be selected on Sunday.

What ballads, nursery rhymes, or songs shaped you growing up?

Thanks, KyLee, for being our guest today!

THE 19TH CENTURY BRIDE: FROM THE MAILBOX TO THE CHURCH (AND A GIVEAWAY!)–by Nancy Fraser

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As a reader (and author) of sweet, historical western romance, nothing gets me more excited than seeing a new mail-order bride story. While I can’t begin to imagine what these women went through, I can certainly create a scenario that seems plausible to me.

When I wrote my first mail-order bride romance, I did a lot of research and found some of the most hilarious recounts of how and where men found their match. Of course, it wasn’t always done by mail. There were many different avenues to explore should you be in need of a wife. Or, for that matter, a husband.

 

The Standard Mail-Order Bride

The most familiar scenario was the “advertisement”. This was also the longest process given the time it took for a letter to cross great distances during the mid-1800s (the height of the phenomenon). Generally, a man would place an advertisement in a handful of larger newspapers throughout the East and Midwest. The ads varied from short and to the point, to longer explanations. I found a wonderful example of these ads during my research and used of few of them to create a meme insert in my book, A Christmas Baby for Beatrice.

The Bridal Service/Matchmaker

The use of a matching service took a lot of the unknown out of the process. Applications for both men looking for brides and women seeking to be a bride were (hopefully) scrutinized by the person running the matchmaking service. Matches were made and, depending on the applicant’s preference, contact was then done via letters until the couple became comfortable, OR they went on blind faith that the matchmaker knew what they were doing.

Matchmakers, especially during the time of the gold rushes and land grabs, would often set up meet-and-greet parties, where you could meet face-to-face before selecting a partner. For the most part, these were among the most successful of all the matching types.

Matches weren’t always perfect and, occasionally, the bride was ‘returned’ which usually involved paying for their travel expenses back to where they came from. Or, by receiving a refund from the matching service. My very first mail-order bride romance, Seth’s Secretive Bride, was a mismatch that turned into a beautiful love story.

 

The Arranged Marriage

Arranged marriages were the norm among the rich, most often for business purposes of mergers or financial bailouts. Given most young women would never defy their father or mother’s wishes, these marriages often ended up cold and heartless. Children were only conceived out of a sense of duty, and husbands often took mistresses. Personally, I’m not a fan of arranged marriage brides. I much prefer a strong heroine who refuses to accept her fate. I’ve written a few of those. All with happy endings, of course. My latest arranged marriage story, Adela’s Solemn Vow, ended in rejection by the would-be groom. Thank goodness my heroine was strong-willed because she took it in stride and made a new life for herself with a much better hero.

 

The Church Marriage

Probably the least known form of matchmaking was those that were facilitated by the church. It wasn’t widely practiced but did happen when a newly ordained minister was single. The church, preferring a stable homelife for the man in charge of their faith, would find a suitable wife for the minister to marry.

My grandfather, Peter M. Weaver (b. 1860), was first ordained as a Methodist minister in Tennessee in 1884. His church arranged a marriage to Nancy Ann Melson (b. 1864), a lovely twenty-year-old from a nearby community, and so began my lineage on my mother’s side of the family. They had two children right away, a son and a daughter, born in 1885 and 1887.

In addition to his small country charge, my grandfather also covered two other remote areas on his circuit (not unusual at the time). When he was home, he and my grandmother ran a small farm to help feed their family. However, in 1909, at the age of 45, my grandmother became with child for the third time. My aunt Lillie was born in September of that year. My mother followed two years later in September of 1911. By the time both my aunt and mother were born, the two older siblings had children of their own, making both babies aunts to children older than themselves.

Despite my personal family history, a church-arranged marriage is the one scenario I’ve not attempted to write. I’m not sure why, but likely because it hits home too closely.

 

I’d love to hear what you think of the mail-order bride scenarios. Is there something you’ve not read that you think would make a good premise?

I have four signed/print books to give away. So, please feel free to comment for your chance to win.

Wishing you all a happy, blessed day!

Nancy

NANCY FRASER is a bestselling and award-winning author who can’t seem to decide which romance genre suits her best. So, she writes them all.

When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.

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Angela Christina Archer and Those Hidden Gems of History

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The Fillies are thrilled to have Angela Archer aka London James come to talk about the incredible hidden gems in history. She has a giveaway as well.

Imagine being yanked from the comfort of your home (or, in most cases, your wagon) and thrust into an unfamiliar world where you don’t speak the language, understand the customs, or recognize the faces around you. It’s the stuff of novels, and yet, it was the reality that a lot of women faced when Native American tribes captured them.

I first stumbled upon these captivating tales while researching for my book, “A Terrible Glory,” which delves into the fascinating history of the Battle of Little Bighorn. The more I learned, the more I realized that these women’s stories were not just an essential part of history but also a testament to the incredible strength of the human spirit. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed reading about them; they were like hidden gems waiting to be unearthed, revealing their hardships, incredible strength, and resilience.

In the late 1800s, Native American tribes captured European and Euro-American women for various reasons – revenge, warfare, alliances, and even survival. These women, who were forcibly taken from their homes, faced unimaginable hardships. Yet, amidst the struggles, they had a spirit that defied even my imagination. Many of these women were adopted into the tribes that had captured them. They were given new names and began to assimilate into the tribe’s way of life, learning the language, traditions, and skills of the tribe.

Take the story of Cynthia Ann Parker, for instance. Captured by the Comanche tribe in Texas in 1836, she eventually became an integral part of the tribe. She married a Comanche chief and raised a family. Like many others, her transformation shows the incredible journey these women embarked upon during their captivity.

I won’t deny that many women didn’t have the same outcome. There were cases of abuse and murder, the dark side to the light side, just as with everything in history. But for some, the initial trauma of capture gave way to a period of learning and adaptation. Most of the women even brought their own skills with them, such as farming, cooking, and homemaking, to their captor’s communities, and, in return, they absorbed valuable survival skills and gained a profound understanding of Native American customs.

Olive Oatman’s story stands out as an example. Captured by the Yavapai tribe in Arizona in the 1850s, she was eventually adopted by the Mojave tribe. During her time with the Mojave, she learned how to adapt to the harsh desert environment and even embraced traditional tattooing as a part of her identity.

When some captives were eventually released or rescued, they faced the arduous task of reintegrating into society. The transition was far from smooth, as they had become deeply assimilated into their captor’s culture. Their own communities often viewed them with suspicion, fearing they had become too “Indian.”

Sarah Wakefield’s story is a testament to this struggle. Captured during the Dakota War of 1862, she defended the Dakota people during the trials that followed. Her actions led to accusations of treason and hostility from some in her own community.

And then there’s Mary Jemison, the famous author who was taken captive by the Seneca tribe during the French and Indian War. She chose to live the rest of her life as a Seneca woman and became known as “The White Woman of the Genesee.” Her story reflects the profound transformation captivity could have on one’s sense of self and belonging.

These women’s stories, so rich in detail and emotion, represent a complex and often overlooked chapter in American history. Not to mention, they challenge our preconceived notions about Native American-European relations.

In the end, they were remarkable survivors and often lived in two worlds, and their lives remind us of the resilience and the capacity for cultural exchange and understanding, even in the most challenging circumstances.

Question time! What part of the Native American history/culture interests you the most?

Leave a comment, and you might win an e-book copy of A Terrible Glory!

BOOK BLURB:

“It is observed that in any great endeavor, it is not enough for a person to depend solely on himself.” ~ Lakota Proverb

They called it a terrible glory and the last great battle for the American West. While the battle of the Little Bighorn was the last stand by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer against the Lakota tribes, to Lily Sinclair, it was the last stand between her old life and her new beginning.

After her in-laws squander away the family fortune, Lily and her husband, Alfred, head west to the mountains of Montana, the only land available to poor people and far away from the debts haunting them. When a band of Cherokee warriors attacks their wagon train along the way, they kill her husband and take her captive, selling her to a Lakota tribe for the price of several horses.

Widowed Lakota warrior Tahatan has vowed never to take another bride after his wife’s death. However, he soon finds himself forced into a marriage with the outspoken, yellow-haired Yankee who challenges every thought in his head.

With Custer’s sights set on the hidden gold in the depths of the Black Hills, the Colonel begins his warpath on the tribe villages. Can Lily overcome the demons of her past and defend Tahatan and his people? Or will she betray them all for the actions against her dead husband?

This book was previously published with the title: “Through the Eyes of a Captive”. When I first started writing under Angela Christina Archer, I thought I would write Historical Romance forever. I have since changed genres, and with this change, my Historical Romance titles now bear the name London James and are predominantly Clean & Wholesome, often graced with light Christian elements. “Through the Eyes of a Captive” has been re-envisioned under this lens and has been revised and edited. *****THAT SAID, I HAVE TO ISSUE A WORD OF CAUTION: this work delves deeper and darker than typical London James titles. Centered on the Battle of Little Bighorn, it paints a realistic, sometimes stark picture of hardships, fights over land, and war, including its toll on children. Despite its serious themes, there’s no profanity or explicit content.

AMAZON

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Regina Scott: In the Footsteps of the Pioneers

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It’s not always possible to step into the shoes of a pioneer. I value a good history book that walks me through the social, political, and geographic changes of the nineteenth century. But my favorite way to research is hands on. Don’t make me read about the various ways to hitch a team of horses to a wagon. Take me out and let me hitch them myself. Don’t tell me how to make butter. Sit me down at a churn and let me make it myself. (And if I get to put it on freshly baked bread warm from the oven with raspberry preserves afterward, even better!)

So, I am blessed to have two living history museums within a short drive of my home. One is a re-creation of Fort Nisqually, the Hudson’s Bay Company outpost on Puget Sound. Though it was originally situated closer to the Nisqually Delta, in present day Dupont, some of the original buildings were moved to a wooded area in Tacoma’s Point Defiance Park, and other facsimiles were added to represent what the fort would have been like in the 1840s.

The other is Pioneer Farm Museum above the Ohop Valley, on the way to Mount Rainier. The clearing surrounded by forest re-creates an 1887 homestead, and two of the cabins date from that era. With live animals and a smithy, you can really get the feel of living on a pioneer farm. You can grind grain, scrub laundry, card wool, and even curl your hair with a curling iron heated down the chimney of an oil lamp.

Here’s a few of the things I’ve learned:

Make your space count. When you have to cut and prepare the logs, lift them into place, put in a chimney, and add a sturdy roof, you don’t build a 2,500-square-foot California split! The inside of some of these cabins is no more than about ten feet square, and the length often depended on the length of the logs available. You might have a loft or a second story, but the main room needs to do duty as parlor, dining room, kitchen, sewing room, and even bedroom.

Learn to scrape. Sugar came in cones rather than sacks. Cinnamon came in sticks. Even laundry only got clean by scrubbing it over something. Those pioneer ladies must have had strong hands, wrists, and arms!

Follow fashion judiciously. One of the first questions I asked one of the reenactors at Fort Nisqually, who was wearing a large-skirted gown from the 1850s, was about whether they employed the big hoop skirts so popular back East. She confided that petticoats were more the thing out West, and I’m not surprised. How would a pioneer lady have navigated those narrow ladders leading up to the sleeping loft or even squeezed through a door in one of those things?

Whatever I learn, I always factor into my books, and The Schoolmarm’s Convenient Marriage, out November 6, is no exception. My heroine’s schoolroom bears a close resemblance to this one from Pioneer Farm.

Alice Dennison travelled across country to start life over as a schoolteacher in Wallin Landing, north of Seattle. No one there knows the humiliation and hurt hidden in her heart. Then a storm forces her to seek shelter with a handsome logger for the night, and suddenly she’s facing marriage or scandal! Again! Jesse Willets had always hoped for a love match like his parents. But he steps up to save Alice’s reputation through a marriage of convenience. When Alice’s past intrudes, they must work together to discover that true love may not be so distant after all.

In celebration of the new release, I’m giving away a copy of Her Frontier Sweethearts (print in the U.S., ebook internationally), which introduces many of the characters in the new book. When feisty Ciara O’Rourke starts a frontier restaurant, someone thrusts a baby at her and disappears. Logger Kit Weatherly will do anything to protect the niece he never knew he had. Can he convince Ciara to take a chance on them both?

To be entered in the drawing, answer this question: How do you prefer to learn about history?

Bio

Regina Scott started writing novels in the third grade. Thankfully for literature as we know it, she didn’t sell her first novel until she learned a bit more about writing. Since her first book was published, her stories have traveled the globe, with translations in many languages including Dutch, German, Italian, and Portuguese. She now has more than sixty-five published works of warm, witty romance, and more than 1 million copies of her books are in reader hands. She currently lives forty-five minutes from the gates of Mount Rainier with her husband of thirty years. Regina Scott has dressed as a Regency dandy, driven four-in-hand, learned to fence, and sailed on a tall ship, all in the name of research, of course. Learn more about her at her website at http://www.reginascott.com

PALEONTOLGY IN THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST–by Kristy McCaffrey

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Paleontology is the branch of science focused on fossilized animals and plants, or the study of ancient life. It lies on the border between biology and geology, and in the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was usually part of the geology department at many universities because fossils were important for dating rocks.

Dinosaurs lived during the Mesozoic Era (sometimes called “the Age of Reptiles”), which spanned from 252 million to 66 million years ago. It was comprised of the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous Periods. Early dinosaurs emerged in the Triassic, but they were quite small. Giants such as Tyrannosaurus rex and enormous sauropods like Brontosaurus lived during the late Jurassic and Cretaceous.

 

 

The first professor of paleontology in the United States was Othniel Charles Marsh. He served as professor of vertebrate paleontology at Yale University beginning in 1866. At the Peabody Museum at Yale, he was the first to create skeletal displays of dinosaurs, which are now common in countless museums of natural history.

Marsh and his many fossil hunters were able to uncover about 500 new species of fossil animals, which were all later named by Marsh himself in nearly 400 scientific articles he published during his career.? In May 1871, Marsh uncovered the first pterosaur fossils found in America, along with Cretaceous and Jurassic dinosaurs such as Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Brontosaurus, Apatosaurus, and Allosaurus.

Marsh was at the front of the Bone Wars, a period of intense and competitive fossil hunting in the U.S. from 1877 to 1892. His main rival was Edward Drinker Cope of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. They both used bribery, theft, and destruction of bones to outdo the other, while also directing attacks through scientific publications. In the end, both men were financially and socially ruined. Marsh died on March 18, 1899, a few years after his great rival Cope.

 

 

There is wide consensus today that birds evolved from small specialized coelurosaurian theropods, a dinosaur clade characterized by hollow bones and three toes and claws on each limb, and today are represented by over 10,500 living species. The most well-known theropod, T. rex, has more in common with modern-day chickens than to a crocodile. Birds and theropods both shared wishbones, likely incubated their eggs, had hollow bones, and were covered in feathers.

In my new release, THE CANARY, the search is on in the Painted Desert of Arizona Territory for fossils of Coelophysis, a small bipedal carnivore theropod from the Triassic period and one of the earliest dinosaurs to walk the earth. It was similar to the velociraptors of the much later Cretaceous Period.

 

Arizona Territory

1899

Sarah Ryan grew up in Texas digging up animal bones and potsherds, but she always dreamed of searching for the extraordinary dinosaur fossils in the American West. When a wealthy benefactress gives her the opportunity to join the team of esteemed paleontologist Dr. Allan Brenner, she eagerly accepts. But when she arrives in the wild and wooly town of Holbrook, Arizona Territory, ready to start digging, she’s faced with the very real obstacle of being a female in a world dominated by men.

Dr. Jack Brenner is looking for his father who disappeared into the Painted Desert two months ago. Mounting an expedition to find him, Jack is suddenly saddled with Sarah Ryan, a young paleontology student hired as an intern to his father. When Jack’s guide refuses to let Sarah accompany them into the wilderness without a chaperone—and a colleague threatens her—he finds himself in a pretend marriage to protect the determined woman whose passion for paleontology was something he once possessed. But he has bigger problems than his beautiful new wife—his father is pursuing a controversial theory about the origin of birds, and it’s attracted the attention of men who would rather destroy evidence than excavate it.

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

 

 

Tell me your favorite dinosaur and one commenter will win an eBook of THE STARLING.

Kate Ryan has just been promoted to field agent at the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Her first assignment? Assume the role of “wife” to fellow agent Henry Maguire, already undercover. Only Henry isn’t expecting her …

 

 

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.

Petticoats & Pistols