Thursday, July 17, 2025

Lawman Turned Outlaw....Or Was He?

 


Henry Plummer remains one of the most enigmatic and debated figures in Old West history. Born in Maine in 1832, Plummer headed west during the California Gold Rush, where he quickly made a name for himself--first as a lawman, then as a man with a darker edge. By the early 1860s, Plummer found himself in the lawless gold camps of Montana Territory, where he was appointed sheriff of Bannack. Tall, well-dressed, and well-spoken, he seemed the very image of frontier justice. Yet whiskers began to spread that the lawman might also be running with--or even--leading the very outlaws he was sworn to stop.

Those whispers soon turned into accusations. Locals claimed Plummer was the head of a ruthless gang known as the "Innocents," responsible for dozens of stagecoach and gold shipment robberies, as well as cold-blooded killings. Tensions ran high, and with no formal justice system in place, vigilante committees took matters into their own hands. In January of 1864, without a formal trial, Plummer and two of his deputies were hanged by the Vigilantes of Montana. According to some reports, Plummer pleaded for time, promising to whistle in the rest of his gang if they spared him--but it fell on deaf ears.


 To this day, debate rages over whether Henry Plummer was truly an outlaw kingpin or simply the victim of frontier paranoia and mob justice. Some historians argue that evidence linking him to the Innocents is thin and largely circumstantial, while others believe he played both sides of the badge to enrich himself. Whatever the truth, his story captures the raw tension of the Old West--where the line between lawman and outlaw could be no thicker than a drawn gun.


 Amazon

 

 

 

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Colorado for inspiration by Rhonda Lee Carver



My second trip to Colorado was spectacular!

I didn't take many pics because time got away from me. But we visited Pike's Peak and Garden of the Gods. 

I came away with a lot of inspiration.

Describing the mountains never compares to actually seeing them in person. There's a mystic quality about the area that rejuvenates the soul and mind. I didn't realize how much I needed an electrical jolt to my body and mind. 

Have you been to Colorado? I'd love to hear where your favorite spot(s) are.

HERE'S what I've been up to...





 They thought it was one night. A secret. A mistake they’d never make again. They were dead wrong.

 

This age-gap romance anthology is a fever-dream of obsession, taboo heat, and men old enough to know better who don't care. He’s her best friend’s dad. Her professor. Her boss. The man she ran from…and the one she keeps running back to.

 

Inside, you’ll find possessive men who break every rule—billionaires crossing lines, sheriffs protecting more than secrets, and professors failing their own moral tests. With runaway brides, enemies who can’t stay dressed, and fake fiancés who turn dangerously real, this collection drips with angst, jealousy, and filthy devotion.

 

Come for the chaos. Stay for the slow burns that snap, the anti-heroes who                never beg but will grovel for her.

 

You haven’t read age-gap romance like this. Until now.

 

 

Including stories by:

Stephanie Morris - USA Today bestselling author

Ari Thatcher - USA Today Bestselling Author

Cora Lyle

Michelle Rose

Rhonda Lee Carver

Tamsin Cross

Brielle West

Ella Braeme

Lara Norman

Taliyah Rose

Daisy Oliver

Lenore Ashwood 

Links: 


Universal Link: https://books2read.com/unexpecteddesire

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FD1958H5

Apple: http://books.apple.com/us/book/id6747219309

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/unexpected-desire-a-limited-edition-age-gap-romance-collection

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unexpected-desire-stephanie-morris/1147604494

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=s0FlEQAAQBAJ&pli



Pre-Order Here!

The Texas Heat is hotter than ever. Love unfolds and protective sides unravel.

When members of the Texas Heat Rangers Reconnaissance Team are ambushed and shot, they receive orders NOT to retaliate. However, rules mean little when someone wants to eliminate the undercover team off the map.

First, they must recover from near-fatal injuries.

Sharp Creed returns home to Fin’s Creek to recuperate and plan his vengeance, but something diverts his focus—a beautiful, untrusting single mother who has moved into the neighboring house. Although he tries to resist getting involved in whatever drama she is chasing, he feels drawn to her fiery independence and spirit. And the kid ain’t so bad either.

CaDee Lang has twenty dollars to her name and is on the run from her troubled past. She comes across a job ad that could be the lifesaver she needs. Yet, can she pull it off? She has no inkling how to run a farm.

Almost immediately, she finds herself face-to-face with a brooding cowboy, a ranger, and a local hero. The last thing she needs is him getting involved in her business. She’ll do anything to keep her son safe, but can she handle a menacing cowboy?

As she starts to realize Sharp isn’t the enemy, she understands he may be the only one who can truly protect her son. However, what will shield her bruised heart from the unexpected feelings that arise?





Ridge Ranch Character Interview: Meet Isaac


Meet Isaac: An Interview with the Man Who Never Stopped Loving Her

As we close out the Ridge Ranch series with Loving Annie, we sat down with Isaac McGrath, former Navy corpsman, ranch hand, and the man who’s been quietly breaking our hearts since Finding Liv.

Q: Let’s start with the obvious—why did you leave Maple Creek all those years ago?

Isaac: Because staying would’ve broken me. I loved her. I still do. I tried to stay, tried to be a friend, but I couldn’t keep pretending it didn’t kill me to see her with him. He was my friend too and none of it made sense. 

I knew she wasn’t happy. He didn’t treat her the way she deserved, the way I would have. There was no way I could stay and watch him break her and for her to allow it to happen. That’s not the kind of pain you just live with. So I left. For her, and for me.

Q: Did you ever think you’d see her again?

Isaac: I didn’t. I figured that chapter in my life was closed. I tried to move on. And then I found her car wrecked in a snowstorm, everything shifted.

Q: How has your time at Ridge Ranch shaped the man you are now?

Isaac: In every way that matters. I called Conner a broken man and he offered me a place to stay and a job. The ranch gave me space to breathe again. After everything I saw and did in the military, and everything I left behind in Maple Creek, I needed that.

Out here, things are simpler. Honest. You show up, you work hard, you take care of your people. There’s healing in that kind of life. The animals don’t lie to you. The land doesn’t play games.

Ridge Ranch gave me more than a job. It gave me purpose. A second family. Without this place, I don’t know what type of man I’d be. Not one that deserves her that’s for sure.

Q: You’ve been the steady one for everyone else—who’s steady for you?

Isaac: That’s a tough one. For a long time, there was no one. I kept my head down, stayed busy, and convinced myself that was enough. Being needed felt safer than needing anyone.

But over time the ranch became that steady place. Conner, Ryan, the crew, they showed up. They didn’t push, but they didn’t let me disappear, either.

And now? It’s Annie. She always was, even when she didn’t know it. When she lets me in, really lets me in, there’s nothing steadier than that.

Q: What can readers expect from Loving Annie?

Isaac: Truth. Some of it’s messy. Some of it hurts. But it’s honest.

You’ll see what happens when two people who were never quite finished with each other get a second chance, even older, bruised, and carrying a lot more than they did the first time.

It’s about forgiveness. Letting go of guilt. Fighting for something real, even when it scares the hell out of you.

It’s not just a love story. It’s about finding your way home—sometimes to a place, sometimes to a person. And sometimes, if you’re lucky… both.

 

Friday, July 11, 2025

What is a Reticule? ~ D. K. Deters

In my new work in process (WIP), the main character carries a reticule when she goes to town. While I’m aware what a reticule is, I wanted to understand its origin because, as we all know, a handbag can tell you a lot about the lady who carries it. I conducted a little research and found several interesting articles.       

First, a reticule is an 18th or 19th century handbag used by women. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary: Reticule "a lady's small handbag," originally of network, later usually of any woven material, from French réticule (18c.) "a net for the hair, a reticule," from Latin reticulum "a little net, network bag.”

As women’s fashion evolved in the late 18th century, the shift from large, layered skirts gave way to a form-fitting silhouette. Women needed a place to store their possessions that wouldn’t cause their clothes to bulge. The reticule emerged as a practical solution and functioned perfectly as an exterior pocket.

              

According to the 1831 American Girl’s Book: or Occupation for Play Hours, the bag has many styles: circular, basket, three-sided, pocket book, plaited, pointed, halbert-shaped, dimity, and braided.

The sizes vary, but they are typically small, measuring between four and eight inches in width and height. You’ll find reticules made from a variety of materials, such as satin, silk, cotton, linen, velvet, leather, and tapestry. Many embellishments feature embroidery, beading, tassels, and even tortoise shells.

             

These 19th century design examples show the classic drawstring closure.  The bags, though small and dainty, held an assortment of items a woman might need. Those items included: coins, hairpins, jewelry, a pocket watch, and even smelling salts. If you’re wondering where ladies kept their belongings before bags became popular, they tied pockets around their waists under their dresses. But I digress.

                   

According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s (The Met), “men critics ridiculed the reticule, claiming that women would overstuff the bags…” Of course, the reticules of yesteryear are nothing compared to the options available now. I think the men back then would have to see the bags today to understand the concept of overstuff. Don’t you?