FEATURED BOOK: Her Unforgettable Cowboy by Debra Clopton

A New Beginning

Everyone in Dew Drop, Texas, is thrilled that Jolie Sheridan has returned to Sunrise Ranch. Everyone except Morgan McDermott. Eight years ago, Jolie left the ranch—and Morgan—for a career as a competitive kayaker. Now after an accident has sidelined her, she's back as a teacher for the ranch's foster boys. Morgan knows he can't risk getting his heart broken again. But watching Jolie's gentle ways with the boys opens his eyes to the truth: he's never stopped loving her. Can a "family" of foster kids help give this couple a second chance at love?

Ask Elnora--About Farm Lit--Lenora Worth :)

Hello, my little chickadees. It's 3rd Friday Writing Day (actually, it's the 4th Friday but who's counting) and I'm fascinated by a term I heard on a writer's loop--farm lit. The link below provides an interesting article about novels where a city girl either returns to her small town roots or leaves the city and finds love in the country.

http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2013/05/chick-lit-is-dead-long-live-farm-lit/275643

This got me to thinking about why our readers seem to love small town stories. Our editors, too, for that matter. Maybe it's the bucolic beauty of a flowery meadow as compared to the cracked dirty drudgery of a crowded sidewalk. Or maybe the smell of fresh apple pie is even more intoxicating than the richness of a coffee shop on every corner. What is it about small towns and the simpler life that readers seem to love?

I grew up in a small town. Couldn't wait to get out of there. I lived on a crossroad and just about every day after I got up old enough to cross the road, I'd go stand in the middle of the crossroads and turn my head in each direction and I'd wonder which way I'd go--North to Atlanta, South to Florida, West to the Pacific or maybe East to the Atlantic. As it turned out, I went North to Atlanta and then West to Louisiana. And I've traveled to both the Pacific and the Atlantic since then and now I live in Florida. While I felt stifled and restricted in my small town, I still have places there that are dear to me, places that I often dream about at night and daydream about during the day. Now I'm humming that John Mellencamp song in my head: "I was born in a small town...."

So is chick lit dead and is farm lit alive? Or can a city chick really survive on a farm? Okay, now I'm singing  the "Green Acres" theme song in my head. "Darlin', I love you but give me Park Avenue." That's my favorite line! Let's talk about city verses country and which we love for settings. I like them both because I believe love happens in both, but there is a different dynamic in each. Kind of like the television show "Smash" as compared to the television show "Nashville." Both are about music but each has a distinctive flavor. Having said that, cowboys are always welcome on Broadway. What do you think? Will we argue until the cows come home or until Carrie Bradshaw comes stumbling home carrying her Manolo Blahniks? I think I'm  a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll. And no, I'm not going to sing anything by Donnie and Marie!

Romantic Times Convention, Kansas City, 2013 by Sherri Shackelford

The first week in May I had the opportunity to attend the Romantic Times convention in Kansas City, MO. There are a couple of big conferences for romance writers, including the Romance Writers of America convention and the Christian Fiction Writers convention. Like children, each event has its own personality.

The Romance Writers of America (RWA) convention is a more stately, well-organized event. The Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) is like a big, extended family. And the Romantic Times, well, let's just say it's like a trip to Vegas. What happens at RT stays at RT.

Cheryl St. John and I attend a 70's-themed Party

This year the trip was within driving distance, so my critique group planned a getaway. I'm lucky to critique with Cheryl St.John, *lizzie Starr, Eve Savage, MK Meredith, as well as pre-pubs Deb and Donna. The seven of us shared adjoining rooms and took two cars. With all the luggage and promo materials, I drove the entire way without being able to see out of the rear-view window!

We managed to squeeze out a little room for Deb

Now for some shameless name dropping....I had lunch with the amazing Winnie Griggs and Lenora Worth as well as two editors from Harlequin-- Dianne Moggy and Glenda Howard. The editors treated us to a fabulous meal at Union Station. We laughed and talked for over two hours. On the way back to the hotel, Lenora and I even crashed a book release party. (We're such rebels!)

The orange juice and pomegranate drink complimented the book cover perfectly.

While I admit I haven't read her books, I couldn't resist a peek at EL James, the author of the 50 Shades series. Cheryl and I attended the Harlequin Soiree and had a chance to interact with some wonderfully enthusiastic fans. Harlequin provided us with lovely foam-core posters that became our mascots for the event. We took them to lunch, to parties, they visited other hotel rooms....

Lynn Raye Harris, Cheryl St.John, Me

I also did an interview with a Canadian film crew working on a documentary about Harlequin books. We'll see how that turns out! While I was a little concerned they would be looking for the more salacious angles of the romance industry, they proved to be really kind and genuinely interested in the writing process. 

My husband said I traveled with more costume changes than Beyonce... 

Writing can be a lonely business, and I always enjoy the opportunity to see my fellow authors in person. My critique buddies and I taught a class on forming and maintaining a successful critique group. I even managed to attend a few workshops and learn a few things...I'm always, always learning. 

The final morning Cheryl and I had breakfast with fellow Harlequin authors Ann Lethbridge, Kate Bridges, and Jeannie Lin. 

Deb displays the amount of luggage three women need for five days.

The trip home was bittersweet. We were exhausted and out of outfits, but incredibly sad to let go. We laughed so hard my sides hurt. I'm not kidding, I thought that was just a myth--but my sides actually hurt. 

Sherri Shackelford is an award-winning author of inspirational, Christian romance.

A wife and mother of three, Sherri’s hobbies include collecting mismatched socks, discovering new ways to avoid cleaning, and standing in the middle of the room while thinking, “Why did I just come in here?” A reformed pessimist and recent hopeful romantic, Sherri has a passion for writing. Her books are fun and fast-paced, with plenty of heart and soul.

Sherri is putting the final touches on three more books for her Cimarron Springs series. Winning the Widow's Heart is currently available. The Marshal's Ready-Made Family releases in February of 2014. 

Of May and Mothers

Jean C. Gordon here. For me, May has been all about mothers. To start, I was invited to write a Mother's Day piece for the Harlequin Reader Service Simply Books Extra Home page.It's a tribute to my mother. I love the picture. Mom and Dad had it taken for their 50th wedding anniversary. http://simplybooksextra.readerservice.com/simplybooksextra/2013/05/jean-c-gordont-talks-about-puting-on-your-rose-colored-glasses-for-mothers-day/.

Next was Mother's Day itself. We had special music at church — my husband is in the choir — including "Be Still My Heart" and as our closing song, "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High," one of my favorites. All mothers received a handkerchief, pen, and quote. My quote was "Children are a great comfort in your old age — and they help you reach it faster too." by Lionel Kauffman. (Does he know our son?)

Back at home, my daughter and her family gave me just what I wanted and needed, a courier bag to carry all my stuff back and forth to work. And it's my favorite color. My husband made me mac and cheese and asparagus for dinner.

After the holiday, it was back to work on my current manuscript, which is full of mothers and babies. The heroine is a midwife and the hero an obstetrician. I have my own resident expert for the book, my daughter who's a certified nurse midwife. My deadline to get the book to my editor is June 1.

Finally, I'm looking forward to the July release of my next Love Inspired, the third in my Paradox Lake series, appropriately titled Small-Town Mom.

So, what do you have going on this May?

Scent of Danger Interview with Parker Adams

Today we're welcoming Parker Adams the hero Scent of Danger by Terri Reed, a May release from Love Inspired Suspense.

Wow, you've just had quite an adventure.   

1.    Tell us a little about yourself and how you came to be in the midst of such suspense. I’m a narcotics detective with the K-9 unit in Sagebrush Texas. My canine partner, Sherlock and I take our job seriously and ridding our streets of illicit drugs is our mission.  We responded to a call from the local youth center, the director had been attacked in her office.  Since there have been rumors that the place is a front for drug trafficking, I knew we had to check it out.

2.    So, during the book you met Detective Melody Zachary.  Tell us a bit about her.  What was your first impression?  When did you know it was love? Not only is Melody a cold case detective with the Sagebrush PD, she runs the youth center in honor of her late nephew. She’s impressive and pretty, but when I first met her I suspected she was involved with drug trafficking.  It soon became clear she was as committed to stopping the drug flow in our town as I was.  I’m not sure exactly when I fell for her.  She kind of got under my skin.

3.    What strengths/skills do you have?  What is your greatest weakness?  I’m a patient man and sometimes that patience can be a weakness. 

        

4.    What scares you?   Kids dying of drugs, like my younger brother did.

5.    If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?  I’d loosen up a bit.  I tend to see life as black and white.

6.    Where are you in your faith at the start of your story?  My relationship with God is a bit rocky.

    

7.    Where are you in your faith at the end of the story?

I’ve come to rely and trust in God wholly.  When Melody’s life hung in the balance I realized my faith was the only thing I could cling to.

   

8.    You've got a scripture at the beginning of the story.  Tell us why this scripture is significant.

The Lord is my light and my salvation: Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life: Of Whom shall I be afraid? Psalms 27:1

This verse is significant to me because Sagebrush has been dealing with powerful crime syndicate that seemed to know our every move.  Reminding myself that God is with me and for me helped me to stay strong in facing the evil that is trying to take over our town.

9. If you could be a dessert what would you be and why?  Pecan Pie, of course.  A true Texas dessert.  Deep dish, thick and rich, loaded with pecans and served with cinnamon ice cream. Yum!

FEATURED BOOK: SCENT OF DANGER by Terri Reed

Detective Melody Zachary is determined to find who killed her

nephew in a drug-related murder. She’s launched her teen center

in his memory, to keep kids off the streets. And she’ll prove to

narcotics officer Parker Adams and his K-9 drug-sniffing partner,

Sherlock, it’s not a haven for dealers. As they risk their lives to save others, Melody discovers that Parker and she share the same deep commitment to making a difference. Will circumstances allow them to take the biggest risk yet—on love? 

Ask Elnora--About traveling to exotic places--Lenora Worth

Where in the world have I been? Well, I've been jetting here and there all over the world. Actually, I was riding in a car (sometimes with the top down) and traveling all over the United States. First, I drove an hour to Gulf Shores, Alabama to visit with some of my Louisiana friends. Then after a whirlwind weekend of sun and fun, I came home and unpacked then loaded the suitcase to head off to the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. Had a blast there then hurried home to write for two days before packing again for a wedding in St. Augustine, Florida.

(Insert picture of old walls and jasmine here) Yes, I tried to download pictures and they kept coming in sideways so you'll just have to image them being here unless someone can tell me how to make them stand up straight!) Not very happy about that and after trying several times, had me a royal hissy fit. But ... St. Augustine is beautiful and old and has the most gorgeous palm trees and old, moss-draped oaks. I remember it from a high school choir trip--well, I remembered the city and flirting with one of the boys from the choir a lot. This time,  I wanted to stay there and explore more of the city but we had to come home.

All of this traveling got me to thinking about exotic locations and how we use them in our stories. I'm sure I'll set a book in St. Augustine one day. Which means another road trip to St. Augustine. It is the nation's oldest city and it begs a writer to stroll down the cobblestone streets and stop for coffee in one of the quaint cafes. The shopping is pretty good, too. There is a lot of art to study and some of the most beautiful buildings you'll ever see. A perfect place for a wedding and a perfect place to set a romance novel.

So tell me, what is your favorite exotic location? Tell us about it!

Fairy Tales

Hi Terri Reed here talking about Fairy Tales.  Most of us have grown up hearing fairy tales, either through written stories read to us by our parents and caregivers, or watching the reworked Disney versions.  Or watching television current shows like Once Upon A Time or Grimm.  I have to say I'm enjoying both shows, for different reasons.  Once Upon A Time takes well loved versions of classic stories and reimagines them, intertwining them with days of old and modern times.  While Grimm is a retelling of the Grimm Brothers tales set in modern day Portland Oregon.  Where I happen to live!
Its been exciting for us Portlander's to see the Grimm crews filing around town, to catch sightings of the actors and recognizing the setting.  If any of you watch Grimm, the scenes in the diner that Nick and Hank frequent is directly across the street from my husband's office.
Are you a fan of these shows?
Who is your favorite character?

Oh, next week on May 22nd, I'm doing a live chat at Romance Reviews Today, 9m Eastern time.  I've participated in some live chats. but never as the guest.  If you're interested, stop in.
www.romrevtoday.com

Scent of Danger out now!

What is your favourite genre to read?

We all have that one favourite genre, or setting, or plot we love to read. Sometimes it stems back to our youth, when we would slip under the covers of our bed and read with a flashlight, or when we put that book in the center of our school textbook and just read freely, hoping our parents would only glance our way and be pleased we were finally showing an interest in history.
Oh, yes, we were. Or at least I was. I was deep in English history, fighting Normans alongside the Saxons, or exploring a great old castle with a Victorian maid brought to be a governess.
These old faves brought comfort to us. They were soul food for our minds.
Do you still read them? Does your heart still flutter when you spy a novel so like the ones you used to read?

But I can honestly say I took the love of that genre one step further. This past March, I was published in it with Bound To The Warrior.

Bound To The Warrior

Yes, my all time favourite time period, the Norman conquest of England. There was something about it, the last time England had been conquered. That paradox of wanting a strong king and an English one, getting a Norman King who would forever change history.
Did you know one of the first things William the Conqueror did was abolish slavery in England? He was a brutal, unyielding king, who paradoxically forgave those Saxons who fought against him. There is absolutely no evidence in the history books that he ever cheated on his wife, who bore him many fine sons. And yet, she also defied him, and fought him, and he mourned her when she died.
All periods of history are fraught with interesting tidbits. The rulers of each time period instilled upon them cliches of time and yet, unique aspects of that often contrary human spirit. Queen Victoria bemoaned her fate when she was told she should not have any more children, asking what she was to do for fun. And in the Regency Period, only the poor paid cash. Everyone else lived on credit.
With Bound to the Warrior, I was able to incorporate all the wonderful things I'd come to love about the medieval period, and found out so much more. 'Twas a dangerous time, aye, but one on the cusp of greatness.
What is your favourite time period or setting? What bit of trivia do you know about that time period? What setting do you like, and why?

Knit Brock's Hero Hat from Alaskan Hero!

Happy Monday, everyone! Alaskan Hero, my latest book for Love Inspired, is on the shelves now. In addition to being chock full of snow, romance, avalanche search-and-rescue dogs and goofy grizzly bear costumes, this book also features one of my favorite hobbies - knitting!

I learned how to knit last year as one of my New Year's resolutions, so I couldn't resist putting my heroine, Anya Petrova, in a church knitting group that knits warm winter hats for underpriviledged folks living in the hard to reach areas of Alaska. Along the way, she also knits a crazy striped hat for the hero, Brock Parker. And that hat ends up helping save someone's life.

No, I won't tell you who! It's a surprise.

If you'd like to try knitting Brock's hero hat, here's a special pattern that my knitting teacher was kind enough to create for the release of Alaskan Hero... Happy knitting and reading!

BROCK’S HERO HAT

Pattern and photos by Wendy Pohlhammer

Skill level: Easy

To fit head size: 20” (22”, 24”)

Yarn used: Worsted-weight 100% wool, such as Cascade 220 or Ella Rae Classic, needs about 60 grams each of red and off-white and small amounts of yellow, teal, orange, & royal blue.

Knitting needles: 16” US size 8 (5 mm) circulars & US size 8 (5 mm) double-pointed needles.

Tools: stitch markers, scissors, darning needle, pompom maker

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4” in stockinette

Work as follows:

With red, cast on 80 (90, 100) stitches on circular needle.  Join to work in the round, placing a marker at the beginning of the round.  Work k 2, p 2 ribbing for 4 inches.

Change to white and knit (stockinette) for 6 rounds.

Continue color pattern as follows: 4 rounds yellow, 6 rounds white, 4 rounds teal, 6 rounds white, 4 rounds orange, 6 rounds white, 4 rounds red, 6 rounds white, 4 rounds blue, 6 rounds white.  On last row of white, place markers as follows:* K 16 (18, 20), place marker, repeat from * to end of round.

Work decreases as follows, beginning with yellow:

Round 1: * k2tog, k to marker, slip marker, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 2: knit

Repeat these two rounds until 30 stitches remain, keeping the following color progression: 2 more rounds yellow (for a total of 4 rounds of yellow), 6 rounds white, 4 rounds orange, 6 rounds white (end of small size); med & large continue with 4 rounds teal (end of med size); large only continue with 4 rounds white.

To finish: Break yarn, leaving an 8-inch tail.  Thread tail through remaining stitches and pull tight.  Bring yarn to inside and take a few stitches across closure to secure.  Weave in all ends.

Make a 2 ½ inch wide pompom, following the instructions on the pompom maker.  Attach pompom to top of hat.

© Wendy Pohlhammer, 2013.

Happy Mother's Day

I'd like to wish my mother a happy Mother's Day! Thanks, Mother, for all the ways you made my childhood special!
Missy Tippens

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. My mother has passed away but there isn't a day I don't think about her and all she gave me--love, support and good examples of how to live.
Margaret Daley

 Happy Mother's Day.  I miss my mother so much.  My favorite memory is waking up in the middle of the night and finding her in the kitchen drinking hot tea. She's pour me a cup and we'd sit like adults and just talk.
Pamela Tracy    

Sending love and prayers to moms everywhere and wishing all the moms who visit this blog a very Happy Mother's Day!
Debby Giusti

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms. You are special every day of the year, not just today. My mom's love and encouragement have given me the confidence to follow my dreams. How blessed I am to still have her around so I can ask for advice, get treasured recipes, and share stories and laughter. May God bless every mom.
Christine Johnson

Have a wonderful day, mothers one and all! This one is for you, Mom.

http://simplybooksextra.readerservice.com/simplybooksextra/2013/05/jean-c-gordont-talks-about-puting-on-your-rose-colored-glasses-for-mothers-day/

Miss you.
Jean Gordon

To all the mothers out there:

Who didn’t just walk away and leave their screaming toddler in the store during the throes of another tempter tantrum.

Who didn’t disown their mouthy teenagers, or send them to live with their father, or mail them to China...with no return address.

To those who raced to the Emergency room without makeup in the middle of the night and said, “It doesn’t matter about the car. I’m just glad you’re alive,” and meant it.

To those who dried heartbreak tears over the boy or girl you were ecstatic to hear was history.

To those who cried during the wedding, babysat the grandkids when you or they were sick and never heard more than a hurried word of thanks.

To those who helped pick up the pieces of a broken marriage, your own or your children’s.

You are out there and you know who I mean.

Happy Mother’s Day. May God continue to give you strength, cause He sure enough blessed you with more than enough LOVE.
Patricia Davids


I have been very blessed with a God fearing mother and this year I am spending the day with her. This is rare because I live in New Mexico and she's in Oklahoma. So where ever you are I wish you all A happy Mothers Day!!!
Rhonda Gibson

Wishing all the mothers out there a Happy Mother's Day! Although my mother is no longer on this earth with me, I was blessed to have her for a mother and will always treasure my memories of her. They become more special with each passing year.
JanetB

Happy Mother's Day to all the mother's out there. I am grateful to my mother for introducing me to the world of books. She passed away many years before I had a book published, but my mother-in-law was my biggest cheerleader until she passed away at the end of last year. I miss them both.
Merrillee Whren

FEATURED BOOK: ALASKAN HERO BY TERI WILSON

Never stay in one place too long. These are the words Brock Parker lives by. Roaming the world to save avalanche victims keeps the search-and-rescue patrolman from getting too close to anyone. The resort ski town of Aurora is no different. Until Brock meets Anya Petrova. The Alaska native needs someone to train her dog. Who better than the man who works wonders with his canine rescue team? Haunted by a family tragedy, Brock doesn't think he's anyone's hero. But Anya refuses to believe that. And when she shows her true mettle in the face of breathtaking danger, Brock realizes what he'll risk for the woman whose love has healed his heart.

Interview with Brock Parker

How exciting to have Brock Parker, the hero from ALASKAN HERO, written by Teri Wilson, a May release from Love Inspired Romance.

Brock, tell us a little about yourself and how you came to be in the midst of such an adventure.

I’m an avalanche search & rescue expert. I train dogs to find people who’ve been buried in avalanches, and I place those dogs with various ski patrol units throughout the world. At the beginning of ALASKAN HERO, I arrive in Aurora, Alaska, with two pups ready to go to work at the Chugach Mountain Range. Before long, I find myself being chased by a herd of reindeer through the streets of Aurora and falling head over heels for a woman with eyes the color of Rocky Mountain lavender.

During the book you met Anya Petrova. Tell us a bit about her. What was your first impression?

Anya came to me for help with a timid dog she’d rescued. To be honest, at first I thought she was a bit of a smart-aleck. And complicated. But I’ve never been one to back down from a challenge.

What strengths/skills do you have? What is your greatest weakness?

I have the tenacity and strength to hold back an avalanche with my bare hands, but a single, captivating look from Anya’s violet eyes gets me right in gut. Every time.

What scares you?

Losing a loved one. It’s happened before, and I have no intention of letting it happen again.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I would let myself believe Anya when she tells me that I can’t save everyone. No man can.

Where are you in your faith at the start of your story?

At the beginning of my story, I’m a man without a home. I travel from one mountain to the next, roaming the world to save avalanche victims. Or at least that’s what I’m telling myself. Am I actually trying to outrun God? Maybe. But little did I know he would follow me all the way to the Land of the Midnight Sun.

Where are you in your faith at the end of the story?

At the end of the story, this search & rescue patrolman realizes that love, and God, are the things most worth searching for.

You’ve got a scripture at the beginning of the story. Tell us why this scripture is significant.

The Scripture at the beginning of ALASKAN HERO is from Isaiah 54. “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken.”



These words are particularly meaningful to me because they promise that the love of God stands firm, even in an avalanche.

If you could be a dessert what would you be and why?

Baked Alaska, of course. It reminds me of my Anya.

Our Visit with Ausjenny!

Debby Giusti (L) greets Jenny Blake (R), an LI reader
and dear friend from Australia.

Last Thursday I talked about setting in a suspense story, which goes hand-in-hand with location. Often the spots we choose in our stories are real places we like to visit.

On Monday, a number of Atlanta Love Inspired authors gathered at the airport Ruby Tuesday's Restaurant to meet a dear friend who stops by the Craftie Ladies' site almost daily. Jenny Blake, from Australia, was passing through Atlanta on her whirlwind USA vacation. Missy Tippens, Patty Smith Hall, Patti Jo Moore and I were able to spend three delightful hours visiting with Ausjenny!

From the pictures, you can tell we had fun. The conversation often centered on LI books and favorite authors so if your ears were burning, you know why! Jenny is a huge reader and LI supporter and a wonderful person with a heart of gold.

(L to R) Debby Giusti, Jenny Blake, Missy Tippens,
Patty Smith Hall and Patti Jo Moore.

The location was perfect for our get-together, although I did make a wrong turn taking her back to the airport after lunch. We joked if it were a suspense story there probably would be an explosion and a run for our lives. Luckily, we turned around and followed a nice cabby to the terminal and got Jenny to her next connection on time.

Safe travel, Jenny! Thanks for being with us Monday. Hope to see you on your next trip to Atlanta.

(L to R) Debby Giusti, Jenny Blake and Patti Jo Moore.
Welcome to Atlanta, Ausjenny!

What's your favorite location for a story, and do you like to read about real places or do you prefer fictional destinations!

Wishing you abundant blessings,
Debby Giusti
www.DebbyGiusti.com
www.seekerville.blogspot.com

Cowboy Slang

 

Renee Ryan here.  My father will turn 90 years old this year. To mark this entrance into a new decade, he’s decided it might be time to retire.  Yes, you read that right.  He’s still working, part-time, at his age.  He also continues the habit of running every morning, Monday through Friday, and then completes a complicated array of calisthenics he learned during his years in the Navy during WWII.  I could continue with all the things I admire most about him but, instead, I’m going to share my top two of his favorite sayings/teachings he’s shared with me through the years. 

If you lie down with dogs you’re gonna come up with fleas.

You can make a pretty woman drunk, but you can’t make a drunk woman pretty.

I love both of these sayings because, well, they’re true.  My daddy also loves a good “cowboy” movie.  A southern gentleman to the bone, he relates to the code of ethics and the way good always wins over evil.  I especially love the cowboy slang in the movies.  But I’ve always wondered, is it real?  Where did all those terms come from, anyway?  And, um, what do they mean?  I went surfing on the web recently and found a great site that breaks down many of the most popular slang, phrases, etc.

 Here are some of my favorite slang terms and their meanings.   

Airin’ the lungs: a cowboy term for cussing

Barrel Fever: a hangover

Prayer Book: a small packed of papers used to roll cigarettes (also called a bible)

John B: a cowboy hat, named after John B. Stetson

Marble Orchard: a graveyard

Taffy: flattery

Kick up a row: create a disturbance

Persuader: a gun

Pie eater: a country boy, a rustic

Sold His Saddle: disgraced

There are many, many more.  So, tell me.  Do you have any favorite sayings, or favorite slang/phrases?  Leave a comment and you’ll be eligible to win an advance copy of my July 2013 release, THE OUTLAW’S REDEMPTION set in, you guessed it, the Old West. 

Leigh Bale Talks About Wild Horses

Did you know you can adopt a wild horse?  Well, you can.  And the Bureau of Land Management can provide you with more information on how to do that.  I have a new book available from Harlequin Love Inspired titled HEALING THE FOREST RANGER.  The story is centered around the wild mustangs that live and run free here in Nevada.  I’ve tried to tackle a very difficult issue about whether or not the wild horses should be rounded up and moved off the land when they become too numerous to support their herds with food and water.  The heroine is a forest ranger who loves the horses, but views this dilemma from an ecological perspective.  The hero is a medical doctor and former prisoner of war and a wild horse advocate who thinks the mustangs should be left alone.  The horses serve as a metaphor for the struggles the main characters are dealing with in their personal lives.  A very poignant read I hope you’ll enjoy.

 

When I was a girl, my dad took me with him to check on “his wild horses.”  He was raised on a ranch and is now a retired U.S. forest ranger.  The picture above shows the mustangs living around Cherry Creek, Nevada, when Dad was the ranger over the Ruby Mountains, just outside of Well, Nevada.  One time, Dad parked his truck on the dirt road between the stallion and his herd of mares.  The stallion was furious with us, screaming, rearing, and charging the truck until Dad skedaddled us out of there.  I was grateful to be safely inside the truck, but I also didn’t want the stallion to hurt himself in his goal to protect his harem.  The opening scene of HEALING THE FOREST RANGER is based on that pulse-pounding experience.  Have you ever had an encounter with a wild or domestic animal that made you nervous or afraid?  What is your favorite color for a horse?  Have you ever ridden a horse before?  (There are no right or wrong answers here.)

Today, I’d like to randomly give away two copies of this heart-warming new book.  So, stay tuned.  J

Healing the Forest Ranger Interview

How exciting to have Lyndsy Warner, the heroine from “Healing the Forest Ranger,” written by Leigh Bale a May 2013 release from Love Inspired Romance.

1.     Lyn, tell me the most interesting thing about you.

I’m a forest ranger.  Most people find that career choice interesting for a woman.  But I love it.  There are less than 400 forest rangers in the United States.  It’s a very specialized field and requires a variety of skills and whole lot of education.  Managing grazing, timber harvest, fishery and wildlife, parks and recreation, wildfires, and mining issues on national lands isn’t an easy job.  But the personal rewards are amazing.

2.     What do you do for fun?

Lately, I did nothing but work.  My husband, Rob, was killed in a terrible car accident a year ago.  My 9-year old daughter, Kristen, lost her leg in the accident.  It broke our hearts.  But losing Rob really damaged my relationship with Kristen, too.  I think we both blamed ourselves for the accident, even though it wasn’t our fault.  The accident was caused by a drunk driver.  But in retrospect, I think it’s normal to think of all the “would-of,” “could-of,” and “should-of” thinks I might have done in order to prevent the accident.  Now that I have Cade Baldwin in my life, I enjoy so many things.  Mostly riding horses.  Cade and I love watching the wild horses running free in Secret Valley, Nevada.  We rescued a mustang foal and took it home to raise.  My daughter named the filly Lightning.  And that little horse was the catalyst to help my daughter on the road to recovery after the accident.  It’s been a long, but remarkable journey to heal our broken hearts.

3.     What do you put off doing because you dread it?

Are you kidding?  I’m a normal mom.  Laundry and housework are not my favorite.  But gardening?  Planting and weeding flowers?  I’m there.  As a forest ranger, I love spending time outdoors.  I always have.  There is something so surreal about being alone on a horse on a mountain top at over eleven hundred feet elevation and gazing down at a mountain lake and the carpet of Douglas fir and aspens.  For me, it’s one of the closest places to heaven on earth.  Not because of the high elevation, but because I get to view God’s creation without disturbance.  And I start to reflect on my life and how blessed I truly am.

4.     What are you afraid of most in life?

Losing someone I love and not having the faith to make it through.  Having gone through it before, I know the helpless, lost panic that can come over you when it happens.  It took me a long time to recognize that God is there, even in our deepest, darkest moments.  He never leaves us.  Not even then.

5.     What is the most important thing to you?

The Lord and my family.  Being there for my loved ones.  Being strong when they are having trouble making it through.  Life is hard.  Very hard.  I don’t know how I could get through everything life throws my way without the support of my family and the Lord.

6.     Do you read books? If so, what is your favorite type of book?

Sorry, but I don’t read a lot of books.  I read a lot of research and studies.  Because of my work, I’m always reading up on the latest research, wildfire fighting techniques, grazing studies, plant studies, you name it.  Sounds kind of boring when I put it that way, but then I take the information I’ve learned and find ways to put it to use.  How to get an over-grazed pasture to come back to life.  How to keep the mine tailings from destroying a watershed and filtering down to kill numerous wildlife and poisoning the water supply of a town.  That kind of stuff.  And that work is incredibly exciting to me.  Especially when I succeed in my work.

7.     If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I’m too much of a pessimist.  I always fear the worst will happen.  But of course, weaknesses can also be strengths.  Because I fear the worst, I tend to anticipate and take precautions and prepare.  That’s one of my great strengths.  My challenge is to find a happy medium.  J

8.     Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?

Oh, boy!  Do I ever have pets.  Of course, they’re not “traditional” pets.  I have a whole national forest filled with pets.  And I am their caregiver.  Wild horses, mule deer, antelope, desert bighorn sheep, gophers, coyotes, black bears, sage grouse, and even lowly lizards and snakes.  They are all my concern.  At home, I have horses and love to ride.  In fact, I practically live on a horse.  For me, horses are a tool I use to perform my daily work as a forest ranger.  They’re also my friends.

9.     If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?

I’d love to go back to 1905, when the U.S. Forest Service was first established.  My great-great-grandfather was one of the first forest rangers.  Back in those days, it was dangerous to be a forest ranger.  They had the unsavory job of telling some very hardened ranchers when and where they could graze their livestock on lands that were previously open to anyone and anything.  But once President Roosevelt established areas of protected national lands, in order to preserve them for future generations, we had to step in and stop the abuse.  Those early forest rangers packed a gun on their hips.  And the first rangers were tough men in their own right.  They had to be in order to get the job done.  Being a ranger is still dangerous work, but we no longer pack a gun.  We have very solitary work and are frequently alone out in nature where we encounter the occasional escaped convict on the run.  We have to be vigilant and careful.  But I’d love to travel back in time to meet those men who first started my profession.  They might be stunned to see that a woman is a forest ranger, but I’d love to talk with them just the same.  Especially my great-great-grandfather.  I have a feeling we’d have a lot in common.  And I’d love to thank him for the great work he did in paving a legacy for our future.