Out on the ranch by Rhonda Lee Carver

A while back, we had a photo shoot for my book covers.

We had a blast. We spent hours at a ranch shooting cowboys, cows, sunsets, and scenery.

You'll see many of these cowboys on my covers.

I like to use local "cowboys" on my covers and these fellows are all from my area.

You'll see Brian on my newest book cover.

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www.rhondaleecarver.com

The tangled web of sisters, love and the greed for land continues at Sagebrush Rose Ranch. The land holds secrets and desires, and soon everything will be unearthed.

Sam Rose, the patriarch, may wield his authority like a branding iron, but Justice Rose won’t be branded. She’s the wildflower that refuses to be tamed, even if it means risking her inheritance—her home. Yet, someone from her past is out to stir up trouble for his own greedy needs and she might be forced into following the rules.

Jinx Weathersby was shaped by hardship, his hands calloused from years of labor and putting everyone before himself. There’s something about the ranch, and Justice, that softens him. Jinx, with his rugged charm, becomes more than a hired hand. He becomes a part of Justice’s life that she can’t turn away from. But one mistake might ruin any chance he had to win her heart.

As trouble flows from every direction, Justice and Jinx will have to face secrets that will tear them apart or bring them closer together. They might be the only two left after the fire is extinguished.

Jinx is willing to fight for her because he is Loving Justice.

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Loving Bonnie by Katina J Rose

 🔥 She’s fierce and independant

⚡ He’s tough and protective
Can Bonnie prove she deserves her spot on the ranch without letting her feelings for Bo get in the way? Or will he be the distraction she can’t ignore?
Discover the tension, the passion, and the unforgettable story of Bonnie and Bo in The Ridge Ranch Series: Loving Bonnie! 📚
📖 Grab your copy now and dive into their love story.

In a man’s world of ranching, she was determined to prove she belonged—Not even the alluring blue eyed cowboy in charge or her team.

Bonnie

I was not going to be derailed by a breakup. The timely acceptance letter to a premier Ranch Management Intern Program gives me time to clear my head. It’s not the first time I’ve come across men who don’t think I belong in their world. I might have to work harder than they do, but I deserve it just as much. When there's a mention of a permanent job, I know it’s mine. I just can’t let a handsome ranch hand distract me no matter how much I want him.

Bo

Helping oversee the boss’ Internship Program is not my idea of fun. I’d rather muck stalls all year, than babysit a bunch of wannabe ranchers. Girls in our program are few and far between and the guys don’t take it easy on them. Several of the interns don’t feel she belong, but she earned her spot just like they did. In fact, she gives them a run for their money. As an intern, she’s off limits, so why do I feel I want to protect her? She won’t let anything get in the way of what she wants, even me.

What Readers are saying...

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't get enough of Ridge Ranch

I love the Ridge Ranch series. I fell in love with this series after reading Saving Maddie, which was about one of the brothers in the main story. Getting Bonnie and Bo story was a nice treat/addition to the series. The story focuses on Bonnie, a young woman who wants to learn everything she can about running her own ranch. She got into the internship at Ridge Ranch. From there, she feels she has to prove to herself that she can do it without any help. Some side not important characters have that stereotype that a woman's place is only in the kitchen. Luckily, the main characters from the series see how hard she works and feel that after the internship, she'd make a great addition to the ranch. During all this, she meets a ranch handler named Bo. The two are immediately attracted to one another.

Throughout the story I love the development between them, the growing attraction. Seeing how these two characters can be when they are together. These two characters were well-written. Though they were initially only side characters in the main story, getting their story was perfect. I loved reading it and cannot wait to see what else the author has in store with the Ridge Ranch series.

5.0 out of 5 stars Katina is absolutely talented 😌

5 stars!! Wow

Really wow! I loved them so much Katina, you're absolutely talented 😍🤭❤

Bo Remington and Bonnie Sullivan 😫❤ Absolutely stunning together 🔥😌

Bonnie is feisty, brave, hard-working, intelligent, independent and absolutely stunning. She finds out that the guy she's dating is only doing so, so he can get her family's ranch. She breaks up with him, rather perfectly 😈🤭 and decides she needs time away to think. She's worked on her family's ranch since a young age and is also seeking out an internship so she can help improve their ranch. She lands one at Ryan and Heather's ranch 🤭 iykyk.

She stops at the Rangers bar the night before. This is where she meets Bo. Handsome, stunning Bo. He's absolutely hardworking, protective, possesive, a sweetheart and obsessed with her 😫🔥 my love 😘 He's a wrangler at The Ridge Ranch, and is absolutely brilliant at his job. He's smitten with Bo, the second he meets her. But he finds out the next morning that she's going to be an intern at his workplace, so for now they have to keep their distance. 😏

I love how the story progressed and gave them even more depth and character development. Each chapter revealed so much more to love and admire about them. The pacing was perfect and the wording even better. Katina is absolutely talented and I cannot wait to dive in to the rest of her work 🤭❤

Mules to the rescue by Jan Scarbrough

What do I know about mules? 

• In Kentucky in the early 40’s, my father, a band director, marched with his band in a Mule Day Parade. You had to watch your step! (or so I was told)
• New Orleans carriage drivers use mules instead of horses.
• The Kentucky State Fair, where the fancy horses show in the World’s Grand Championship, always has a show for mules. They look like draft horses with big ears.

What is a mule?

I found the answer in the trusty Wikipedia:

The mule is a domestic equine hybrid between a donkey and a horse. It is the offspring of a male donkey (a jack) and a female horse (a mare). The horse and the donkey are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes; of the two possible first-generation hybrids between them, the mule is easier to obtain and more common than the hinny, which is the offspring of a male horse (a stallion) and a female donkey (a jenny).

 

A mule has 63 chromosomes, intermediate between the 64 of the horse and the 62 of the donkey. Mules are usually infertile for this reason.

Why would you want a mule?

From A-Z Animals:

Mules are extremely sturdy and tough and can carry very heavy loads and pull a wagon or cart. Their shorter stature and stocky build are suited to long treks on narrow or uneven ground. Combined with a steady and easygoing temperament, mules can travel up steep inclines, mountain heights, and through the water with little difficulty.

 

Why this sudden interest in mules?

Many of you know about Hurricane Helene. From CNN, “Hurricane Helene laid waste to the southeastern United States. Its sheer wind force and deadly floods left behind a path of destruction stretching over 500 miles from Florida to the Southern Appalachians.”

 

As I write this blog, the death toll climbs. Eastern mountain states are devastated, and clean-up will take years. The light in this tragedy is neighbor helping neighbor. One such volunteer group is the Mountain Mule Packer Ranch. I found their story on Facebook. Using a team of mules, these guys are taking needed supplies to isolated parts of the mountains.

 

I thought I’d share, because sometimes in modern society, the old tried and true ways are better.

New Release! Battered Pride

The most-requested novel in the Forging America series is finally here!  Help me celebrate the release of BATTERED PRIDE!

Passion knows no prejudice.

Eva McCabe may have been raised in the genteel tea rooms of North Carolina, but she isn’t one to surrender. Even after finding her husband’s scalped and mutilated body in the field of their Oregon Territory land grant, she refuses to leave. But tenacity won’t be enough. If she can’t meet the grant’s conditions of cultivation, she’ll forfeit her independence and all 640 acres.

Hatchoq is a man of mixed blood and clashing heritage. His father’s people tolerate him, and his mother’s people want him dead. When he kills a rogue member of his clan to save a white, he’s doomed to wander brutal lands alone.

Hatchoq camps on Eva’s land and secretly lends the struggling widow some aid. Once his presence is discovered, Eva is torn between bitterness and need. Reluctantly, they work side by side, farming her land and navigating a burning attraction neither one wants. Love grows as stubborn walls of hurt and anger crumble, but can it survive? If Hatchoq stays, he must deny his Mojave identity or risk both their lives.

Battered Pride released earlier than expected.

You can grab a copy of this enemies-to-lovers romance now! 

Currently available in paperback & e-book on Amazon.

Also in Kindle Unlimited.

Add Battered Pride to your list on Goodreads.

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Infectious Reading

Aiming for Truth

I recently read an interesting article by the ever-interesting novelist Neil Gaiman about the importance of reading. Often, I see posts on Facebook and other places wherein people fret about the younger generations not appreciating reading and preferring to play video games. This fretting flies in the face of huge sales of Harry Potter books and many other adventure novels aimed at children and teens.

I'm of a mind that there will always be avid readers, just as surely as there will always be those who can't bring themselves to read more than a caption under a photograph or instructions on how to play a new game.

Gaiman quotes Rebecca Solnit, who asserted that "a book is a heart that beats in the chest of another." That's so very true, and it's why many people not only enjoy books, but also films, TV, and video games. A book, however, gives you a wholly different journey because, when done well, it allows you to know someone else's mind, feelings, and experiences. You don't just "watch." You live and breathe with a character or characters.

As Gaiman puts it, "books are the way we communicate with the dead. The way that we learn lessons from those who are no longer with us, that humanity has built on itself, progressed, made knowledge incremental rather than something that has to be relearned, over and over. Fiction is the lie that tells the truth..."

He cautioned against preaching and writing what you wouldn't be that interested in reading. Difficult tasks. That might surprise some, but writers know it's true. The need to "preach" hinders us all. We have beliefs and truths we want to present in every novel, but if we hammer home these "lessons," we risk alienating our readers. Likewise, every writer has written "fluff" to fill out a book. Fluff is usually scenes that go on too long and serve no real purpose other than to add pages, relating information the writer has recently learned and feels compelled to share even it's boring to others, or fascinating facts that end up stopping the book's narrative. To strike out paragraphs and whole pages takes courage, but it's necessary. Like cutting out a cancerous growth.

Lessons or ideas should be sprinkled in, rather than poured into book pages. Otherwise, you will over-season and ruin your original, good recipe for a well-told tale.

In my novel. SOLITARY HORSEMAN, I dealt with three "lessons." With so many, it was a delicate mission to keep them under rein so they didn't trample my story. Throughout, I had to remind myself why we read -- to immerse ourselves in another place, time, and body, so that we emerge different than when we entered that fictive world. Also, and this is no small thing, to entertain and delight. When I write, I craft scenes that I hope will compel readers to keep turning the pages, but also to elicit smiles, frowns, and maybe even a giggle or longing sigh. This happens when readers "become" the characters; when they forget where they are and what they're doing and take breath for breath with the character in the book.

I recall when I read THE STAND by Stephen King. In it, a deadly disease was killing off most of the population and symptoms started off with people coughing. I had been reading the book during my break at work. When I went back to work, a co-worker walked past me and coughed. My heart froze and my gaze snapped to the person as a sickly fear slithered through my mind with the thought, He's infected! Of course, in the next instant I was back in my own world and laughing at myself even as I marveled at Mr. King's ability to wrap me up so tightly in his fictive world.

That, my friends, is talent. And that is also why we read. 

Cowboys, Romance, and Spooky Tales

 

By Kristy McCaffrey

It’s October, which means sweaters, hot drinks, and getting cozy with a good book!

If you’re in the mood for cowboys, romance, and stories with a chill, then I’ve got TWO for you, and both are on sale in eBook for the entire month.

The Crow Brothers Collection is perfect for the Halloween season. Three Old West short novellas set during Hallowtide with medium spice romances.

The Crow and The Coyote
Among the red-rock canyons of the Navajo, bounty hunter Jack Boggs—known as The Crow—aids Hannah Dobbin in a quest to save her pa's soul during Hallowtide.

The Crow and The Bear
When no one will help Jennie Livingstone enter a haunted ravine to find her papa, she must accept the aid of enigmatic bounty hunter Callum Boggs, sometimes called The Crow. 

A Murder of Crows
Eliza McCulloch is determined to reclaim her family book of spells, and her only hope is Kester Boggs, a manhunter named The Crow.

Grab a copy here

Into The Land Of Shadows, is a full-length western romance that blends humor, a high-stakes romance, a protective wolf named Bart, and the exorcism of an evil spirit. Yes, I went there lol. This is a standalone book and includes one of my favorite scenes I’ve written. Keep reading for a sample!

The eBook of Into The Land Of Shadows is at a reduced price of $2.99 for October.

Rancher Ethan Barstow is weary of the years-long estrangement from his brother, Charley. Deciding to track him down is easy; riding in the company of Kate Kinsella, Charley’s supposed fiancée, proves to be anything but.

In this first-kiss scene from Into The Land Of Shadows, Ethan Barstow and Kate Kinsella have been fighting an attraction as they team up to find Ethan’s brother, Charlie, who’s disappeared. Charlie happens to be Kate’s “fake” fiancé, and while she has her reasons for not telling Ethan the truth, it puts Ethan in a dilemma regarding his feelings for her.

As this scene unfolds, Kate has escaped her captors—three bumbling ruffians who are using Kate to lure Charlie and his potential copper mining location into the open. There’s no question in Ethan’s mind that he would rescue her.

Setting is Tuba City, Arizona Territory, 1893.

Kate moved around a trading post but sensing a presence from behind, she jerked her head around and stared. A four-legged creature ran past, disappearing.

With a hand on her chest, she struggled to calm her breathing. It was just a dog.

She peeked around the building and saw Clive walking down the street carrying his gun. Rufus wasn’t in sight. She needed to find a place to hide but most establishments looked closed.

Movement to the left caught her eye. Joe Tohonnie? Maybe she hadn’t dreamt him after all.

The shadow moved across the street and disappeared behind a blacksmith building. Kate ran to the other side of the street, hunching over to hide herself. Once she made it to the blacksmith, she glanced around.

“Joe?” she whispered. “Mister Tohonnie? Is that you?” 

No answer but the wind. Kate began backing up toward the rear of the building, dread gripping her stomach. She swallowed hard, feeling uncertain. Staying close to the structure, her heart wouldn’t stop pounding and her hands were clammy from fear. She swallowed hard again then turned to run but was caught short, letting out an involuntary gasp when the four-legged creature cut her off with a growl.

The animal’s yellow eyes glowed by the light of the moon and he watched her with rapt attention, his body poised for attack.

A wolf.

Another low growl emanated from deep in the animal’s throat and Kate fought the urge to flee. The wolf’s head easily came to her chest; he would have no trouble chasing her down and ripping her to pieces. The gash on her face would pale in comparison to what he would do to her.

A commotion from behind startled her. Someone grabbed her, and in a frenzy Kate fought back, kicking and straining against the iron grip the man exerted around her waist. His hold loosened and Kate fell to the ground. She grabbed a loose board, and screamed as she swung it around, hitting the man’s leg. But he didn’t go down. She scooted backward and scrambled to her feet. The man grabbed her this time, facing her. Thinking it was Clive or Rufus, she continued to struggle.

“Katie! Katie! It’s me. It’s Ethan.” He held her tight against the building. A sob escaped from deep inside her throat, a maelstrom that matched the wind roaring in her ears, and then Ethan’s mouth was on hers.

Hot, insistent, devouring. She molded into him, her lips and tongue hungry for the sudden and consuming contact. She pushed her body against his, clinging to his broad shoulders, desperate to be closer still.

He didn’t abandon me.

His mouth crushed hers and she felt on fire, head to toe.

“Rufus, you find her?” Clive yelled in the distance.

Ethan broke the kiss, and Kate reeled back against the building. “Let’s go,” he said and grabbed her hand, pulling her behind the blacksmith building.

“Wait.” She tugged his hand to stop him. “There’s a wolf.” Her voice shook—either from the men chasing her, the wolf challenging her, or the man who had just devastated her defenses with one kiss. She could take her pick. She’d had a busy day.

“He’s with me,” Ethan said quietly.

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A & W – A Restaurant With History

Whiskey, coffee and sarsaparilla—three drinks every cowboy craves.

A few months back, Sandra Cox, one of Cowboy Kisses very own authors, wrote a great post on the history of sarsaparilla. While it doesn't replicate sarsaparilla exactly, the modern day version of this spicy, fizzy drink is root beer, and I am a big fan!

My favorite root beer is Barq’s. The tagline on their commercials is 'Barq’s has bite' and boy, is it true! Of the three popular root beers on the market - Barq’s, Mug, and A &W - Barq’s is the only one that has caffeine. I confess to being a daily drinker of soda and for a long time my drink of choice was Barq’s.

During Covid, along with a shortage of masks and toilet paper, came a shortage of Barq’s root beer, which forced me to mourn and change my ways, drinking whatever was available in dire times. There was never a happier day when production ramped back up and I was able to get my old favorite once again.

But I digress. The real focus of this article is not Barq’s nor even root beer in general, but the restaurant that grew out of the beloved drink—A & W.

According to a 2020 blog post on their website, there are more than 900 A & W restaurants worldwide. 460 of those are in the U.S. spread across 35 states.

A & W populates central California fairly heavily but of the handful that exist in Southern California – I am lucky to say one of them happens to be near my home. My kids and I pass it all the time. Just seeing the orange and brown sign gives me an endorphin kick, somehow jettisoning me back to childhood when stopping for a soda was a real treat. 

In present day, it’s the thought of cheese curds (put on the menu in 2003) with marinara sauce that has me swinging the wheel, accelerating my car into the parking lot, and squealing up to the drive through board. I’m exaggerating. No squealing haha. Just anticipation.

Fast food is always a pull when you’re on the road with kids, but fast food and root beer? A no brainer. If only the root beer budget was bigger. So the last time I forced myself to drive past the restaurant without stopping I began to wonder about the history of the quaint little chain. What I dug up was pretty interesting.

Over 100 years old, A & W dates back to June 20, 1919 when Roy W. Allen set up a roadside root beer stand at a WWI veterans parade in Lodi, CA. A few years later, He and acquaintance Frank Wright partnered together, opening a second stand which they quickly released to other operators so they could grow the business. A from Allen and W from Wright, became the name of their delicious little business—A&W. A few more years went by before Allen began to sell franchises. This established A&W as the first franchise restaurant chain in the U.S.

By 1950 there were 450 of the restaurants and Allen sold the whole shebang to a California company named A&W Root Beer Co.

Canada was home to the first restaurant that took A&W to international status. With outlets in the Philippines, Malaysia, Japan, and other locations throughout Southeast Asia A&W has grown by leaps and bounds with more restaurants slated to open every year.

In addition to being the first franchise restaurant in the U.S., A&W also lays claim to being the first chain restaurant to sell a bacon cheeseburger. The first! Can you believe it? What restaurant nowadays doesn’t sell a bacon cheeseburger?

In 1971 the drink became available in both bottles and cans. Cans are my personal favorite because in my opinion cans keep the drink colder and fizzier than the bottled version - not that I will turn down a bottle mind you.

Rooty the Great Root Bear became the restaurant's mascot in 1971 and still sits outside many establishments today on a barrel of root beer. 

If you’re lucky enough to have an A&W near you, or you can hunt one down the next time you hit the road on vacation, you’ll have your choice of burgers, chicken, hot dogs, sides, and sweet treats.

Which brings us to the tasty conclusion: Root beer floats. Who doesn’t love the smooth, creamy vanilla flavor and spicy fizz of root beer frothing over a giant scoop of ice cream? My kids and I made some at the house just last week, but that did not stop me from ordering one at the restaurant when I swung in to take pictures for this post. Haha.

Long story short, times and names have changed. History has given way to modernity and Sarsaparilla has segued into root beer, but the next time you get a hankering to live the cowboy life or to taste a bit of Americana, jump in your car and program your GPS for the nearest A&W restaurant. Order a float, take a picture with Rooty the Bear, and please, for the love of all things tasty, eat a cheese curd for me.

To see some fun pictures through the years and for more A&W facts visit awrestaurants.com and read their blog.

Until next time, friends. 

Cali Black

Visit Cali Black’s website @ Authorcaliblack.com

Follow Cali on Facebook and Instagram @authorcaliblack

Check out Cali Black’s books

Sweet With Faith The Blue Sky Series

Sweet With Sizzle The Fake Series

Sweet With Grit – All That Glitters – Free with newsletter signup

Coming Soon: Sweet Christmas - Christmas In The Cascades – releasing October 25, 2024