Cowboy Kisses

 

ROMANCING THE WILDERNESS - 

The True-Life Inspiration Behind These Stories

by Dorothy Wiley, Author

Today, I am so excited to share with you the publication of my first boxed set! It contains the first three novels I wrote and some of my most beloved characters. Together they have a 4.6 star rating with 831 reviews! 

A new, never-before issued bundle—ROMANCING THE WILDERNESS—containing three full-length, binge-worthy novels: WILDERNESS TRAIL OF LOVE, NEW FRONTIER OF LOVE, and WHISPERING HILLS OF LOVE. More than 900 pages of heroes, suspense, and tender romance.  Set in 1797, these frontier stories seamlessly blend breathtaking action with family, friendship, and laughter. Pick up an eBook copy of this bundle for just .99 cents or read for free in Kindle Unlimited!  

Let me share a little bit of what inspired these three books. Many years ago...I was trying to come up with a unique Christmas present for my husband. So I decided to research his ancestry. I wanted to document enough to get him qualified for membership in the Sons of the Republic of Texas (SRT). To be a member, you have to be a direct lineal descendant of those that settled in the Republic of Texas prior to February 19, 1846, when Texas merged with the United States as the 28th state. 

Larry didn't know much about his family past his Grandpa Garvin. Secretly, with dial-up internet and a few furtive trips to the genealogy library in Houston, I was able to find proof that he qualified for SRT. But what was really amazing was I found out that his third-great grandfather, Samuel Wiley, fought at the Battle of San Jacinto, the decisive battle against General Santa Ana. At the Battle of San Jacinto, he was a member of Col. Sherman's 2nd Regiment which formed the left-wing of the army. Per Sam Houston, "...having commenced the action upon our left-wing, the whole line, advancing in double quick time, raised the war-cry 'Remember the Alamo'." Samuel received $24 for three months of service fighting for Texas. (Note: This real-life Samuel Wiley is the baby in my latest series—Wilderness Dawning.) 

Digging further into the past, I also discovered that his ancestors were among the first settlers of Kentucky (1790's),  Louisiana (1805), and Texas (1818). That made them among the first families to settle in these states. Later, research through Kentucky historical websites, dozens of books, the Texas State Archives, and The University of Texas, made me realize how very courageous these men and women were. 

Their journeys inspired all thirteen of my books in three series. I wanted to honor these and other first wave settlers of early America by writing these books. The arduous journeys, brave battles, and daily sacrifices of these first-wave pioneers should not be forgotten. While my books are inspired by my husband's ancestors, the stories are not based on actual people, although some of their names are real. The tales are what I imagine their lives would have been like based upon my research and a spirited imagination. I attempted to balance the hardships of the frontier with amusing, romantic, and vividly compelling characters that I hope are very memorable.

The first three books in The American Wilderness Series, offered in this bundle, are the stories of three of the brothers—Stephen, Captain Sam, and William—all heroes in their own right who journeyed together to Kentucky, each for their own reasons. (Note: The Captain Sam in this bundle is the great uncle of the Samuel mentioned above who fought for Texas. If you have ever done any genealogy research, you probably came across the same problem I did. Babies were often named after grandfathers and uncles and they never used middle names, so you might have three men with the exact same name on the same census!) 

I believe you will find that my novels are both realistic and idealistic. They acknowledge the harsh realities of the frontier wilderness while including the ideals of boundless hope, strong family, and forever love. My goal is to touch the hearts of my readers and I hope that each of my thirteen books will do that for you. 

Grab the ROMANCING THE WILDERNESS  bundle on Amazon, at the amazing price of just .99, and immerse yourself in early colonial history as the brothers and the women they love bravely face a formidable wilderness frontier.  

"There is no question, Dorothy Wiley is one of the best American Historical Romance writers today." - Amanda Hughes, bestselling historical romance author