Second Chance & Later in Life Tropes ~ Jan Scarbrough

 

As the years go by, I find I’m drawn to second-chance romance and later-in-life tropes. (“A trope speaks to a ‘type’ of story that readers expect. It is a genre-specific device that is the catalyst for the central plot or conflict in a story.”)

I’ve written my share of twenty and thirty-something stories, but I also like exploring characters who have made mistakes, experienced sufferings, and are looking for a better life, even if they don’t know it. One of my favorites is a Montana cowgirl named Liz, divorced, remarried, and now a widow. She doesn’t have time for a third marriage—she thinks!

He’s a silver fox seeking solace. She’s a resilient widow guarding her heart. Can a Montana ranch give them both a second chance at love?

After a devastating loss and a life spent chasing Hollywood’s next big hit, producer and scriptwriter Chaz Kingston craves something real. He’s done with false glitz and tired of an ex-wife—and her fame-hungry family—who only care about trending headlines. When an opportunity arises to adapt a feel-good novel set on a working Montana ranch, Chaz jumps at the chance to escape. But he never expected his R&R to include a bold, beautiful widow who stirs feelings he thought were long gone.

Liz Dawson has battled heartbreak before—once with her wonderful second husband and another time with a man who wasn’t so kind. Now that she’s single again, her focus is on keeping the Six Buckles Guest Ranch going strong. Romance? She’s got no time for that. But when this handsome Hollywood outsider arrives, her determination to stay guarded wavers. As sparks fly in the wide-open Big Sky Country, will Liz and Chaz learn that sometimes love finds you—just when you need it most?

Discover this heartwarming, second-chance Western romance where two wary souls learn that finding hope—and taking risks—can lead to the most unexpected happily ever after.

Liz: The Dawsons of Montana Book 3 can be read as a standalone or as part of the beloved Dawsons of Montana series. Grab your copy today and immerse yourself in the rugged beauty and timeless charm of Big Sky Country!

 

 

Write what you know by Jan Scarbrough

My parents were married for fifty-three years. I wasn’t so lucky. I spent many years as a “single mother.” Of course, that experience found its way in many of my books.

Darby, in the Ghost Mountain Ranch series, is the widowed mother of two adult children, Slade and Kelsey. Her children both have a story in the romantic mystery series.

DARBY: What is the truth behind the death of Darby’s mother? When the past once again intrudes on the present, will Darby do what she’s always done—what her mother did—and run away? Grief and secrets had torn Darby and Hank apart once. Given a second chance at love, will the revelation of more shocking secrets from the past destroy their hopes for the future?

Audio Books: 

Audible

Apple AudioBook

Ghost Mountain Ranch Box Set

The same goes for Liz in the Dawsons of Montana. When a handsome stranger arrives at the ranch, Liz—divorced and widowed—fears her daughter-in-law is playing matchmaker. Her children, Brody, and Mercer, and her stepson Ben, are also featured in this contemporary western series.

LIZ: Jim’s widow is alone again with a ranch to run. Sometimes second chances come when least expected. Can Liz take a leap of faith with the new man in her life?

What do you think? Are books better if the author writes what she knows? Or can an author use her imagination to create a book?

I think it’s a bunch of both. Even when writing about a knight in 1282, I still put a bunch of myself in the story. I can’t write about things in which I don’t believe. And I’m always searching for Happily Ever After.

Brody https://books2read.com/Brody-DofM

Mercer https://books2read.com/Mercer-DofM

Liz https://books2read.com/Liz-DofM

Ben https://books2read.com/Ben-DofM

Louis L’Amour Western Writer by Jan Scarbrough

When going through my father’s things after he died, I found three shoe boxes filled with sixty-six paperback books by Louis L’Amour. Can I say my dad was a fan?

I must admit, I haven’t read L’Amour’s books, so I looked him up.

From Wikipedia

Louis Dearborn L'Amour (March 22, 1908 – June 10, 1988) was an American novelist and short-story writer.

L'Amour's books, primarily Western fiction, remain enormously popular, and most have gone through multiple printings. At the time of his death all 101 of his works were in print (86 novels, 14 short-story collections and one full-length work of nonfiction) and he was considered "one of the world's most popular writers".

A list of his books in order says:

Publishing his first novel, ‘Westward the Tide’, in 1951, his fate as a western novelist was sealed finally getting him the recognition he was hoping for. This was setting aside the books he wrote in 1950 under the name ‘Tex Burns’ featuring Hopalong Cassidy, something which he denied doing despite evidence to the contrary, explaining them as ‘books for hire’ therefore not officially his.

He was soon to capture the attention of John Wayne as well, when a book of his titled ‘The Gift of Cochise’ was read and subsequently had the rights to it brought. This was quickly made into a film alongside Robert Fellows.

All this rapidly led to Louis L’Amour becoming one of the most highly regarded novelists within his field, with both commercial and critical success achieved during his time.

Did you know?

In 1983, he became the first novelist awarded with the Congressional Gold Medal by the United States Congress, earning the Presidential Medal of Freedom a year after.

I love some of his quotes that mean much to novelists and especially western romance authors.

One day I was speeding along at the typewriter, and my daughter - who was a child at the time - asked me, "Daddy, why are you writing so fast?" And I replied, "Because I want to see how the story turns out!" . . . Louis Lamour

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” ― Louis L'Amour

“Once you have read a book you care about, some part of it is always with you.” ― Louis L'Amour, Matagorda/The First Fast Draw

Just a reminder of seven of my western romance books in two series. You can find them at most ebook retailers.

Ghost Mountain Ranch

https://books2read.com/HankGhostMountain

https://books2read.com/Darby

https://books2read.com/SladeGhostMountain

https://books2read.com/Kelsey

Dawsons of Montana

https://books2read.com/Brody-DofM

https://books2read.com/Mercer-DofM

https://books2read.com/Liz-DofM

https://books2read.com/Ben-DofM

We need cowboys (and cowgirls) today! By Jan Scarbrough

When I was a child after my family purchased our first television, I’d wake up Saturday morning while my parents slept and watch old western movies. I was a Roy Rogers fan, but Gene Autry was another popular cowboy for kids. At that time, Autry came up with a set of values for his fans.

“Gene Autry's movies, radio dramas, television episodes, and comic books always had storylines with Gene Autry doing the right thing or helping folks make the right choices in tough situations. In the late 1940s a formal code of ethics emerged and was known by his fans as ‘Gene Autry's Cowboy Code’ or the ‘Cowboy Commandments’.”

All I can say is that we could use this code today. 

What do you think?

Incidentally, the pronoun “he” was perfectly acceptable to use back in the day. As an English teacher, I used it for years as a “generic pronoun,” referring to “she” as well as “he.”

From Grammar Rules for He/She/They Usage:

For years, if the gender of an individual referred to in a sentence is unknown, “he” would be used as the generic pronoun.

• “We don’t know who started the fire,” a police officer might say, “but he will be held responsible.”

It was understood, by both the police officer and any listeners, that “he” could refer to either a woman or a man. To be inclusive, this did morph to the use of the clunky "he/she." However, he/she is limiting since it does not account for non-binary individuals.

But even old English teachers need to change. So I need to stop fighting what I consider the incorrect use of “they.”

As culture changes, so does the language, and many believe that the exclusive use of he or he/she for a person of unknown gender is outdated. Therefore, the singular they is the preferred pronoun.

I’ve several written romance novels about cowboys. Here’s my latest.

BEN of the Dawsons of Montana series. 

Even fake dates can ignite real romances. Are some promises worth breaking if it leads to a second chance at love?

BEN is available at most ebook retailers.