New for October from Our Love Inspired Contemporary Authors

Jean C. Gordon here with four new must buys from our Love Inspired Contemporary authors. Just click on the cover or retailer links to purchase it. And to learn more about Lorraine, Jo Ann, Arlene, and Jill, click on their names.

Their Family Legacy
by Lorraine Beatty 
 
Can new love spring from old pain?

Hope lives in Mississippi Hearts
To keep her new inheritance, single mom Annie Shepherd must uphold an old court ruling imposed on Jake Langford, who’s still paying for the tragic accident from his youth. But as Annie and her twin boys get to know the grade school teacher, she discovers a kind, generous man beneath the past mistakes. Can Annie and Jake create a family through forgiveness?

 

Amazon | B&N | Harlequin | Kobo | Google Play | iBooks

The Amish Christmas Cowboy
by Jo Ann Brown 

A cowboy for Christmas…
or another year in the Amish Spinster Club?
Nanny Sarah Kuhns has her hands full with kinder, her overbearing brothers and her big dreams. And it only gets worse when she takes on the care of an injured cowboy. For Amish traveling horseman Toby Christner, tight-knit Harmony Creek represents everything he’s run from. Until he heals, he can’t leave…but will falling for Sarah make him want to stay?

Amazon | B&N | Harlequin | Kobo | Google Play | iBooks

The Rancher's Answered Prayer
by Arlene James 

A single mom. A bachelor cowboy…

and an inheritance forcing them to share Three Brothers Ranch
According to the will, single mom Tina Kemp’s stepfather left her his house, but his nephew, Wyatt Smith, inherited the ranch—including the land the house stands upon. With neither willing to give up their legacy, they must find a way to make it work. Can these adversaries possibly share a home…without falling for each other?

 

Amazon | B&N | Harlequin | Kobo | Google Play | iBooks

Wyoming Christmas Quadruplets
by Jill Kemerer 

A nanny at Christmastime…

Will she find love in this Wyoming Cowboys novel?
Six weeks on a ranch caring for quadruplets—aspiring nurse Ainsley Draper’s prepared for a busy Christmas. When the children’s handsome uncle opens the door, her task gets extra complicated. Marshall Graham is upholding his promise to look after his twin sister, the babies’ mom. But as family loyalty clashes with new love, will the perfect present include a future with Ainsley?

 

Amazon | B&N | Harlequin | Kobo | Google Play | iBooks

A God-thing

Arlene James here with the first post in a new Friday series. Ever wonder how a particular author sold her first book? My experience was purely a God-thing.

After my youngest son was born in 1978, I reluctantly agreed to a hysterectomy. Six miscarriages were enough for anyone. I wasn't happy about it. In fact, I was downright depressed, so my husband suggested I go back to college and finish my degree in creative writing. I was blessed with a professor who took my desire to write for publication seriously. He went so far as to contact a friend who wrote for a daily soap opera and ask him where I should start. That friend informed my professor that romance was a thriving part of the industry, always looking for new authors, and that Simon & Schuster was about to launch Silhouette Books in a bid to compete with Harlequin. I'd never read a Harlequin romance, but my professor brought several to me -- in a brown paper bag. LOL. I read them cover to cover and was hooked.

Nine months later, I had a manuscript that I was willing to submit. Having no clue how the publishing industry worked, I made two copies and mailed one to Harlequin and the other to Simon & Schuster. In the meantime, several things completely out of my control occurred.

A local Dallas-area author by the name of Parris Afton Bonds rang my doorbell. A neighbor of my sister's belonged to the same writers' group as Parris. My sister had mentioned my interest in writing romance, so Parris had taken it upon herself to make contact. She offered to hand my manuscript to her friend, Kate Duffy, who just happened to be the head editor at Silhouette Books. That didn't happen, but Parris did mention me to Ms. Duffy. Parris also introduced me to several other romance authors and suggested that I attend a writer's conference at the University of Houston.

Soon after Parris arrived on my doorstep, a New York literary agent came to Dallas, and my husband convinced me to seek an appointment. Frankly, he was rather condescending, but he took my manuscript, and the next day, to my shock, he called and offered to represent me. I think he was stunned when I turned him down, but I'd prayed about it, and I just didn't feel I could work with him. Besides, I'd gotten a letter from Harlequin that morning stating that they were considering my manuscript and would get back to me in a few more weeks.

With that hopeful missive in my back pocket, I queried several other agents then headed off to the writer's conference in Houston. Within moments of walking in the door, I met a Silhouette editor who informed me that Silhouette wanted to make me a formal offer! It was surreal. There, at that very conference, a group of romance authors, myself among them, got together and discussed forming what soon became the RWA (Romance Writers of America). I am a charter member.

Back home in the Dallas area, I continued my search for an agent, but no one seemed to connect, so when I talked to Silhouette, I had no representation and no clue what I was doing. When it was suggested that a 3-book deal might actually be offered, I balked. I didn't know if I could write a second book or if I could produce on deadline. I was honest enough to admit that Harlequin had also expressed interest -- and that's how I came to be Arlene James. Silhouette insisted that I take a pen name, which they owned. Before the second book was completed, I signed with an agent, who negotiated my personal ownership of the pen name AND my first multiple-book contract. I worked with him for the next 22 years. CITY GIRL came out in March of 1982. I never did finish my degree. But I have written nearly 100 novels. Definitely a God-thing.

The Country Girl Writes

Arlene James here to "talk" about how my childhood influenced my work. As a country girl growing up in the 50s and 60s near the small town of Comanche in south central Oklahoma, I rode the bus to and from school. We had neither television nor telephone for much of my childhood, so I grew up reading. Riding the bus gave me lots of time to read. By sixth grade, I had read every book in the elementary and middle school library, except the encyclopedia and dictionary, and I'd delved into both of those extensively. I happily read every textbook in my possession from cover to cover.
I knew early on that I wanted to write. I vividly recall that, one evening around the dinner table, my dad asked each of us three kids what we wanted to be when we grew up. I wasn't quite 10 years old, but I calmly said that I wanted to be a writer.
We were hardworking country kids, living in a tiny house (950 sq. ft.) on a big tract of land. Dad ranched, trained horses, sold real estate, owned an insurance agency that my mom ran, and was a self-taught auctioneer at the local cattle sales barn. I was privileged to grow up around a lot of "rodeo royalty." Neither of my parents had more than a high-school education, but my father firmly believed that his children could do anything to which they set their minds, so he didn't blink an eye when I said that I wanted to write. Instead, he said, "I'm happy to read what you write. Why don't you write something for me?"
Only he read my writings for some time. His usual comment was, "Very good." No further discussion would follow, but then I entered seventh grade, and on the first day of school I heard him tell my English teacher, "She writes better than most adults."
That teacher, God bless her, took him at his words. For a while, I thought she was picking on me because whenever she would assign the class a theme, she would call me to her desk and instruct me to write a short story on a particular subject of her choosing. Then one day, she presented me with a $5.00 check. She had been entering my stories in contests and submitting them to children's magazines. I was abruptly an award-winning published author! Ha!
Our school consisted of about 300 students in all twelve grades, but I'll forever believe that I received an excellent education while I was there. No one ever told this small-town, country girl that she couldn't fulfill her dreams. Rather, they calmly set out to help me do so in whatever ways they could.
When I write about ranching, cowboys, and small-town folk, I'm truly writing about what and who I know. And I'm proud to do so.
I moved to Texas, married, became a mother, was widowed, and married again. After my last child was born, I finally went to college, where a professor pointed me in the direction of romance. I'd never read a romance novel, but I knew immediately that I'd found a home. The very first book sold, and nearly 40 years later, I'm still at it, with almost a hundred books to show for it.
The latest is the third and final book in the Prodigal Ranch series, HER COWBOY BOSS. I know every inch of the fictional town of War Bonnet, where the series is set, and all the surrounding area. I've played in its dusty ravines, attended its churches and schools, driven its red dirt roads in a pickup truck, and ridden the pastures on horseback. I hope you'll come home with me and that you'll enjoy the trip as much as I always do. I've been blessed to see much of this big, beautiful world of ours, but at heart I'll always be a country girl. Who writes.

New for July from Our Love Inspired Contemporary Authors

Jean C. Gordon here with new must buys from our Love Inspired Contemporary authors. Just click on a cover to buy one. And to learn more about these talented ladies, click on their names.

Her Cowboy Boss
by Arlene James 

HEALING THEIR HEARTS
After nursing her ill father back to health, Meredith Billings must make a decision: stay on the family ranch or go back to Oklahoma City. Problem is, the one man who could help her is the only one she'd never ask. Widowed veterinarian Stark Burns is desperate for assistance in his busy vet clinic, but his tragic past has made him wary of letting anyone into his life—especially Meri. Because falling in love again isn't part of his plan. But working side by side with the pretty nurse slowly brings his heart back to life. This might just be the second chance at happiness he's been missing…

The Cowboy's Baby Blessing
by Deb Kastner

THE RANCHER'S NEW FAMILY
Rachel Perez needs a handyman to spruce up her in-home day care. So when she "wins" ex-soldier Seth Howell in a bachelor auction, she's glad he can swing a hammer. But when freewheeling Seth suddenly inherits a two-year-old and a sprawling ranch, he's got to grow up fast. Seth admires Rachel's kindness and easy way with kids, so he seeks her help in finding his footing as a father. And single mom Rachel sees how determined Seth is to do right by little Caden. Between his toddler and her teenager, they've got plenty of responsibilities. Finding time for love seems out of the question—but soon they're forging a new family…together.

Deputy Daddy
by Patricia Johns

A FAMILY FOR THE OFFICER
Officer Bryce Camden never expected his two-week stint in Comfort Creek, Colorado, would mean diaper duty. But that's exactly what happens when he stays at the local bed-and-breakfast where Lily Ellison is fostering an abandoned baby girl. Bryce is drawn to the lovely B and B owner, but being a dad is not part of his plans. His troubled past has shown him that he's not the nurturing type. But he soon finds himself wishing he didn't have to leave. Because Lily and the baby have taken root in his heart and made him think that maybe he could be a family man after all…

The Man of Her Dreams. Literally.

As a young, widowed, single mom, Arlene James didn't think she would remarry. She was occupied with other things, mostly her baby boy and her anger at God. After the death of her soldier husband, she could not force herself to walk through the door of a church. She couldn't even pray, and she didn't want to talk about it, not even with her beloved grandmother.
Her baby turned into a toddler. Suddenly one evening in October as she put him to bed, she realized that they had it pretty good. Her son was happy and healthy. They had a fine home in Duncan, Oklahoma, and steady income, supportive friends and family. So why wasn't she happy? Eventually she knew that she would never be happy as long as she remained angry with God. At long last she hit her knees and felt an enormous weight lift.
A few nights later, she had a vivid dream. In the dream, a huge hickory tree in the backyard fell on the swing set that her son so enjoyed. Somehow she saw it fall from inside the house and ran to the backdoor in a panic, only to realize that she could hear her son speaking with someone. In the illogical way of dreams, she ran to the window and looked out, seeing her son walking away hand-in-hand with a tall, slender man with long, dark, curly hair, glasses and a beard. Horrified, she darted from window to window in the house, watching this stranger walk away with her son. Finally, they turned to wave and smile at her, and somehow she knew it was okay. Relief overwhelmed her, and that was that, until...
She walked into the kitchen one morning the next week and saw through the window that the tree had fallen on the swing set! Even though she knew her son still slept soundly, she felt the same panic as in her dream and immediately called her grandmother to tell her all about it. Again, that seemed to be that, until...
Not long afterward, she went to visit her friend, Clora. She was sitting at the kitchen table, listening to the kids play, when Clora's cousin walked in. The instant she saw him, Arlene gasped, knocked over her coffee, and burst into tears. He was, literally, the man in her dream. Everyone thought she was upset because she'd spilled her coffee. Panicked, she left as soon as she gracefully could.
The stranger, however, got her phone number from his cousin. At first she refused to talk to him, but he showed up with Clora weekend after weekend, despite living 200 miles away, and gradually Arlene began to speak with him. Jim had finished his bachelor's degree after 8 years in the Navy and was working on his master's while holding down a full-time job in Tulsa.
The night of her son's 3rd birthday, December 26, Jim showed up at her house. Like a bad door-to-door salesman, he stuck his foot in the door and said, "Now, you know we're supposed to be getting married." Again, she burst into tears. Chuckling, he put his arms around her. They talked for hours, and she agreed to marry him.
Everyone who knew them was appalled. They hadn't even dated! So they dated. On their first date, they took her son to see Cinderella at the movie theater. The boy was calling him Daddy by the end of the evening.

They married on April 16, Good Friday, at Arlene's home church in Comanche, Oklahoma. 42 years ago. Arlene will always believe that God gave her this dear man in a dream.