Dime Novel Romance ~ Julie Lence

Ah, February. The month dedicated to love. Sweethearts gift each other with flowers, candy, and dinner. Students address cute Valentine’s Day cards to hand out to classmates while snacking on anything from cupcakes to heart-shaped candies. Parents may surprise their kiddos with a small trinket, and Hallmark continuously airs romance movies geared to tug at your heartstrings. But neither Hallmark nor the movie industry were the first to draw your attention (and your purse strings) to sweetheart’s month. Books did that, to include the dime novel.

When I think of dime novels, the first thing that comes to mind is a short stand-alone paperback from the 1800’s featuring dashing heroes from the old west. While some of what I imagine is correct, there was more than one story in a dime novel and not all centered around action, adventure, and intrigue. Some were romances. Selling for 10 cents a copy (some for 5 cents) and averaging 100 pages in length, with their brightly illustrated covers and slimness, dime novels were easy to carry and often marketed toward the working class.

While one person isn’t credited with creating the dime novel romance, Erastus and Irwin Beadle were the first to publish the dime romance, under the imprint Beadle’s Dime Novels. Malaeska, the Indian Wife of the White Hunter was the first title.  Check out this dime novel and a few others below.

Malaeska, the Indian Wife of the White Hunter by Ann S. Stephens, is often cited as the first American dime novel. Malaeska includes works from authors Charles Garvice and Laura Jean Libbey, to include Only a girl's love and Daisy Brooks; Or, A Perilous Love, respectively Other stories  include The Girl He Loved by Adelaide Stirling and Forrest House by Mary Jane Holmes. 

 

Belles & Beaux: A Home Weekly for Winter Nights and Summer Days. [1874]

Belles & Beaux was one of the very first story papers devoted exclusively to young women and marked publishers Beadle & Adams’ first attempt to reach an all female audience. Launched in  January 1874 for ten cents per copy, it was a mixture of serialized love stories, (usually with two stories running at a time) short stories, poems, and reader’s letters. The first issue featured a poem entitled “Belles and Beaux, Greeting”, and included a large illustration detailing the phases of courtship and marriage.          

 

Waverly Library. “The Only Young Ladies Library of First-Class Copyright Novels Published. Complete and Unabridged. Price but Five Cents Each.” [1879-1886]

The Waverly Library was Beadle & Adams most significant contribution to women’s dime novel romances. This series began in November 1879 and was one of the first sustained and successful attempts to reach a woman’s market in cheap, mass-produced fiction. It promised to cover “the field of Love and Society Romance” with a complete story in each issue. Advertisements promised “Wholesome, Vigorous and Fresh” stories avoiding tedious narrative… nothing but good strong stories of today.  (Source: https://chnm.gmu.edu/dimenovels/wp/romance-series-and-story-papers.html)

 

My favorite romance stories are Double Standards by Judith McNaught and Gentle Rogue by Johanna Lindsay. What are some of your favorite romance stories?  

 

 

Writing an Outlaw Hero ~ Julie Lence

Pinterest

    I began my career of writing western romance many years ago. The first book I wrote (and had published) was Luck of the Draw. The heroine in the story is Paige. Throughout the story, Paige believes her sister is dead, but has the shock of her life when Missy shows up on her doorstep. Very much alive, Missy has spent two summers searching for Paige, and as I developed Missy’s character, I realized that she needed help finding Paige, and who better to help her than an outlaw. Buck Grayson was so much fun to write, because in this story, and again when he appears in Lady Luck, unlike the hero, he is free to act and speak in the unruly and crude manner most of us depict an outlaw.  As Lady Luck came to an end, I had an inkling in the back of my mind that Buck needed his own story. It wasn’t until a few years later when I decided to create a new series that I went back to Buck, but as I honed in on the fictional town of Revolving Point that I created in Luck of the Draw, I kept wondering if Buck was hero material.
        In Luck of the Draw and Lady Luck, Buck is hard and unyielding. He’s temperamental, deadly accurate with a gun, and speaks without thinking, not caring who he offends. He trusts no one. Even worse, he likes no one… except Missy… and Suzanna, one of the girls who works for Missy.  Aha! Somewhere deep inside, Buck did have heart and soul. The all important questions I had to deduce is why did Buck abandon the good inside of him, and could Suzanna soften him enough to make readers warm up to him?  
        As in most movies, television shows, and books, there’s a reason why the villain is cold-hearted. Buck was no exception, so I sat down and slowly started to unravel him by asking him easy questions; where did you grow up? Do you have siblings? Do you dress in black because that’s your favorite color? As he answered, he began to open up more about himself, how he had sisters and adored them… how his parents were honest, hard-working people… the awful afternoon when his world shattered… how something inside took a shine to Missy, and not in a romantic way… how Suzanna wormed her way inside his heart with her outrageous flirting… how she became more important to him than his own life… And luckily, I was able to convey his goodness and weaknesses to the reader, but I wasn’t done. I had two more stories in that series to write, and again I had to sit down and dig deep in to Roth’s background and into Gage’s background, find out what made them tick, why they chose to strap on a gun, too. For some reason, Roth wanted to open right away and let me know he’d do anything for his sister. Gage took a bit of persuasion, most likely because he didn’t want to live his life in a prison cell for something he didn’t do, disappointing his family and the woman he loved.
      The more I learned about my outlaws, the more I realized that circumstances beyond their control forced each of them into a life of crime, a life they never would have chosen. But, as rough and ruthless as they were on the outside, the softer they were on the inside, and the love of a good woman didn’t necessarily change them. Rather it soothed an ache deep inside because someone actually took the time to understand the bad and accept it, to care.

Revolving Point, Texas is my 2^nd series and you can find each book on Amazon. Just follow the links below.

Zanna’s Outlaw https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006XJWW08

Lydia’s Gunslinger https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007873DIE

Debra’s Bandit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0095IG390 

Cowboy Up! by Jan Scarbrough

When I wrote Kentucky Cowboy, I researched the Professional Bull Riders and became a fan. Several years ago, my husband and I attended the Bass Pro Chute Out, in Louisville, KY, at the KFC Yum! Center.

 

Instead of a basketball court or the stage where Fleetwood Mac performed a few nights earlier, the floor was covered with dirt, chutes, pyrotechnics, determined cowboys and even more determined bulls. A bovine aroma permeated the arena and hard rock and country music blared loudly.

 

It was a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Seriously. We saw Bushwacker, the 2011 World Champion Bull, buck one of the top riders in the world off his back. The bull scored 48.25 points out of 50. Asteroid, another contender for champion bull, bucked off a top rider.

 

Bulls won most of the time, but cowboys scored a few 8 second rides. There were only nine qualified rides in each of the two long rounds ― a total of 18-for-70 ― and one in the final round.

 

Tennessee native Cody Nance earned his first Built Ford Tough Series win of 2013. Nance rode Rock & Roll for 86.5 points and was the lone rider to cover all three bulls at the KFC Yum! Center.

Here’s an excerpt From Kentucky Cowboy 

 

This was the championship round. After seven rounds in a period of two weeks, he and a Brazilian cowboy were stalemated. Either one could win the finals with a high score. But to win it all, the world title and the million bucks, all Judd had to do was stick on the back of the last bull for eight seconds. His score didn’t matter.

 

He had drawn Bad to the Bone.

 

Sweat coated his upper lip. It would be the longest eight seconds in his life. He had put himself in a fix by getting bucked off twice in the first seven rounds. He had lost focus. Forgot to concentrate. Now everything was riding on his final effort. His effort, his injuries this past year, and the accumulation of so many points over the whole season would mean nothing if he didn’t ride this ornery bull one more time.

 

“You’re up, Romeo.”

 

Judd jerked a quick nod. He didn’t say a word, just jammed the mouthpiece into his mouth and climbed into the chute. The cowbell tied to the end of the bull rope clanged almost like a warning signal.

 

As he had done every regular-season event and championship for ten years, Judd pulled the slack out of the rope around the bull’s midsection. Next he wrapped the rope underneath his gloved right hand and across his palm. Closing his fingers, he made a fist. With his free hand he pounded his fist—once, twice.

 

Blinking, he shut out the past. The future. Only the present counted. Eight seconds. His heart slammed into his throat.

 

Judd nodded to the gateman. The gate swung open and Bad to the Bone blasted out of the chute in three powerful jumps. The bull turned back to the right, spinning, his power building, the motion throwing Judd off balance.

 

Judd pitched to the right, jerked out of position, slipping. No! I’m gonna ride this sucker. The muscles in his right arm burned from the strain. His jaws cramped.

 

Where’s that damn buzzer?

 

He tipped farther to the right, not really riding any longer, just hanging on. Inches from the dirt, Judd smelled defeat. He squeezed the bull rope, holding on with raw determination and fiery gut.

 

The buzzer sounded.

 

Judd released his grip and fell hard. He scrambled to his feet, the roar of approval in his ears. Thanks to the bullfighter, the bull veered away to the right. Judd sailed his cowboy hat into the air. It hadn’t been pretty, but he had stuck it. He’d won! His head buzzed as the sweet reality hit home.

I used my first hand research in two other western romances: Brody and Mercer, both of the Dawsons of Montana series.

 

What do I like on my hot dog? by Rhonda Lee Carver

 Hi, y'all! I CANNOT believe we're halfway through March already. Where has the month gone? This year? I am excited that we're one month closer to warmer weather. Spring is such a wonderful, renewing time for every living thing. The trees and flowers blossom. Plants grow. Fur babies are born. Each morning brings with it a scent that is unexplainable...the scent of spring. 

I'm always getting questions from readers. Mostly they relate to my books, and sometimes they are questions that relate to me personally.  I've decided to answer a few of them here. Be prepared, some will bring a laugh...

What is your favorite alcoholic drink?

I'm not a big drinker. I grew out of that stage years ago, but at times I do enjoy a cocktail. My fave is a lime margarita...not mango, peach, raspberry...lime. With a ring of salt, not sugar. 

In some of your videos you're wearing glasses. Are they prescriptions?

No. Actually, I can see perfectly, except for up close. Age has done a number on me, and I need readers.

Mustard or Ketchup on your hot dog?

I haven't eaten a hot dog in a very long time. I guess if I had to choose, I'd go with mustard. The only thing I eat ketchup with is fries.

If you were reincarnated, what would you come back as?

That's an easy decision. One of my characters :)

Would you choose three million dollars or a vacation house on the beach?

That is a hard one. I'd have to flip a coin. I chose heads for the money, and it came up tails.

Lace or satin?

There's a time and place for both.

Name some pet peeve of yours.

Don't pretend to be my friend then not have friend qualities. If I'm your friend I have your back, through thick and thin. I put a lot of stock in good friendships and they're hard to find these days.

I have zero tolerance for someone taking something I said, jumbling it sideways to make me look bad, then that person playing innocent. Nope, can't do that. Those who know me realize I'm one to say it straight. 

NOW ONTO THE BEST STUFF...

I have FOUR, yes FOUR, preorders right now and you don't want to miss these.

Purchase them here!

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Guest Author Lariette Lee

 Hello Cowboy Kisses: I'm back as a guest author to introduce you to my other works in my Spinsters of Adeline Series.

My Cowboy’s Cemetery 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B9CGRKBN 

 

He didn’t want to be her enemy—he wanted to be her lover.

Xavier’s dream of settling on his family’s old homeplace ended in a nightmare, leaving him with a property he could never live on and never sell. When he catches Adeline’s sexy historian trespassing, he knows she’ll uncover more than the town’s pioneer past. He has no choice but to seduce Stacia away from the town she loves—and where all his secrets are buried.

She wanted all of him—not just the part he thought she should have.

Stacia Dix is tired of being known as that ‘gal from the big city.’ When she discovers a cemetery that proves she’s as good as native, she also falls for its owner. Part-time cowboy and full-time gorgeous, Dr. Xavier Butcher is the man Adeline would love to hate. If he won’t trust her with his secrets, he will never have a place in her adopted home town or in her heart. 

Can they put aside the place they want so they can give each other the love they need?

 

Excerpt:

Here was a guy who shared Stacia’s love for the area. The name of Xavier’s company, Alibates, suddenly seemed charming instead of cynical. The ancient flint and its history must have spoken to him as it did to her. And best of all, he seemed to enjoy being here, in her little house, right across the street from his property.

Right. The cemetery. What about that?

Xavier had finished his coffee. It was an opportune moment for him to say goodbye. In fact, he did say he ought to get going as he put his cup in the sink. And here she was begging him to stay.

He hesitated, assessing her with that penetrating silver gaze of his. He leaned against the old surface of her kitchen countertop, his boots creasing as he shifted his weight. They proclaimed him a traditional cowboy, with heavy vamps to protect his feet while riding in brush. They slid against the wood-planked floor, making a masculine sound that filled her ears. His powerful shoulders and biceps in his fitted thermal shirt filled her vision.

An almighty rush was coming.

“I don’t want to wear out my welcome.”

“I’ll let you know if you do.”

The frown Xavier usually wore softened as a slow smile spread across his mouth, warm, almost lazy, arousing a strange pressure in Stacia’s lower abdomen. He really ought to leave, before impossible ideas carried her away. They already had, tumbling in her mind, along with thoughts of the empty hours left in the day—nothing planned, no visitors expected.

The companionable atmosphere had long since evaporated. All was silent except for the rain against the windows. Another storm had come, hovering overhead, darkening the kitchen. Stacia gripped the edge of her stool, hands behind her back.

In the gloom, something was rising up between her and Xavier.

He straightened, gently pushing away from the countertop. Had he read her mind? Did he understand just how very much she wanted him? She was too honest with herself to pretend she didn’t. She was too candid to discourage him as he came toward her, cautiously, until he was so close to her she smelled the clean scent of cedar from the trees he must have brushed up against earlier.

“You’ll tell me to leave when you want me to, won’t you, Stacia?” he asked softly.

“Uh-huh.” Maybe she nodded, maybe she shook her head. Oh, he’d gotten her message all right. He’d heard and understood her silent plea. He was so good-looking he must have had a lot of practice reading women. Hell, they probably blasted him all the time with the same signal she was sending him now. 

My Cowboy’s Commitment 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B9CJGBPT

The past she never knew…

When Sloane Trentham goes out of her way to confront a thieving cowboy, she discovers the darkly handsome Luc Valencia is more than what he seems. In fact, he’s the only man who can protect everything she loves from burning to the ground. Her heart is on fire for him, but his old commitment to her family might keep them apart forever.

…is the past he thought he’d forgotten.

Adeline is the perfect place for Luc Valencia to lay low while lawyers try to save his business. So why does he let perfectly lovely, completely icy Sloane Trentham provoke him into taking on the duties of the town fire chief? He knows how to put out fires, but the blaze of desire he has for the sister of a man who betrayed him is something else. And the longer he stays in Adeline, the harder it will be to put out.

The past is dormant until a spark of love sets it ablaze. 

 

Excerpt:

Luc shifted his weight, his expression changing from contrition to something far different, filling with the possessive hunger Sloane recognized in the volunteer fire department parking lot. He’d threatened to seduce her. If he succeeded, he would nail that skin on his wall and move on.
Keep telling yourself that.

Luc’s big-boned body gracefully leaned over her as she stared up at him. She really ought to say goodnight and shut the door. She didn’t. He’d paralyzed her with his empathy.
Now he was about to go in for the kill.

A winged grasshopper, attracted by the security light, its habitat likely destroyed by the fire, flew through the opening between the door and its frame. It went straight for Sloane’s head, tangling in the waves of hair tucked into the loose bun she’d thrown her hair into earlier. She jerked backwards, stumbling away from the open door, trying to extract the insect without success.

Instantly Luc stepped inside the doorway, reaching out to grab her. “Hold still,” he commanded.

Shivering with agonized disgust, trying not to flinch, Sloane obeyed. The bug buzzed right in her ear, the sound nauseating as well as frightening. It fought to free itself from her hair, only tangling itself even more, scratching her scalp, its wings flapping against her ear. She gasped and gripped Luc’s shoulder as he quickly released her bun. She couldn’t help shaking her head, her hair falling below her shoulders. 

“Hold still,” he repeated, his voice softening.

Luc grasped her chin with powerful fingers, restraining her so she couldn’t move. She was forced to meet his eyes. His never left hers as he quickly plucked the insect and threw it outside in one smooth movement, closing the door behind it.

Relieved, she forgot she was still clinging to his shoulder. Her chin rested in the palm of his hand, still cupping her face. His fingers caressed her cheek. She leaned into his touch, like a cat who wants to be stroked.

Blushing, she straightened and pulled away. “Thanks. Generally I’m not afraid of grasshoppers but when one gets in my hair—blech.”

“It’s been a rough night, hasn’t it?” Luc murmured, his wide shoulders blotting out everything else, his voice caressing.

Just being this close to him aroused all kinds of heady feelings—and outright honesty. “It’s what I’ve come to expect whenever you’re around, Luc Valencia.”

He answered her with a darkly speculative grin.

She gathered up the ends of her quarrel with him to put some distance between them but her effort was weak. “After tonight, I hope you plan to improve the department’s communications.”

“From now on I will call you personally.”

“That’s not necessary,” she protested, breathless.

“It is for me,” he argued softly, implacable.

Luc gazed at her with hot intent. Sloane’s heartbeat raced back up with a surge of adrenaline, just like when she believed her stable was about to go up in flames. This time she rode the heady rush rather than being dragged along by it. When Luc reached out to touch her, a cautious caress, his fingers barely touching her cheek, she dared to turn her head and kiss his fingertips.  

I enjoy meeting up with other fans of the western romance genre. Please connect with me here:

www.LarietteLee.com

https://www.facebook.com/LarietteLee

https://twitter.com/LarietteLee

https://www.pinterest.com/LarietteLee

 

New Cowboy by Rhonda Lee Carver

Interesting slang terms from the old west... 

Wheel-horse--a good friend
Acock-- knocked over
California Widow-- a woman whose husband is away
Fancy woman-- high dollar whore
Half Seas over-- someone who is drunk
Whacker-- anything large
What do you think Wipe your chin means? (Scroll to the bottom of the page and find out...)

Pre-order Here!

Blue Dawson has been in love with Maggie March for as long as he can remember. When her father is arrested and asks Blue to watch over her and the farm, he jumps at the opportunity. Maybe he can finally confess his feelings to her.

The only way Maggie can save her father is to hire the best attorney, but her savings is depleted, and the farm is in trouble. She sees a chance in raising the funds, while keeping her father’s predicament a secret from the townsfolk of Dove Grey. However, she needs a dance partner. She thinks she has found the perfect match…

Blue isn’t a dancer. He actually hates dancing, but he’s made a promise and now he’s stuck. When things start to heat up, on and off the dance floor, he’ll do just about anything to keep the music playing. How will he transition from protector to boyfriend material? Or will he always be in the friend zone?

Maggie might have a few secrets that’ll turn Blue inside out, but nothing ever comes easy, especially not in Dove Grey.

Have you read the other books in the series?
All Cowboy and Charm is FREE!

Grab your cowboys here!

Wipe your chin means "shut up" :)

And one of my faves... Wrinkled his spine (a horse bucking)

Greetings ~ Raine Rochelle

 Hello, and thank you for inviting me to Cowboy Kisses. I released my first sweet cowboy romance, His Hot Property, in November 2020, and have since written another five books in the series, The Billionaires of Brightside Ranch.

The series follows the three Devereaux brothers, Ben, Chase, and Jamie, and their very different paths to finding ‘Miss Right’.  The loss of their parents a couple of years ago has had a profound effect on the boys, who all find their own ways of coping. Ben, the eldest, has sunk his efforts into running the family ranch, and prides himself on being the head of the family. Chase is the most laidback of the guys, who works hard but also looks out for his brothers, especially the youngest, Jamie, who has starting drinking a little too much for his own good. Jamie is strong-minded, though, and doesn’t like being told what to do. His attempts to impress his older brothers only seems to have the opposite result, leaving him feeling lonely and bitter. Ben and Jamie both have very fiery tempers, which rear their heads on more than one occasion, while Chase endeavours to be the peacemaker of the family – until it all becomes too much for him.

Each book of the first trilogy follows each of the brothers, with their own story. The second trilogy in the series, The Brides of Brightside Ranch, meets their girls in more depth, and follows their rocky roads to happiness with the brothers.

ICE CREAM COMES TO THE OLD WEST By Kathleen Lawless @kathleenlawless

Many different eras and cultures claim credit for the earliest form of ice cream, which appears to date back to China’s T’ang period, or ancient Persia. Creating this frozen treat must certainly have been a labor of love before the invention of ice houses, ice boxes, and finally, modern-day refrigeration. Eventually the recipe for this frozen confection made its way to the New World by way of the Quaker Colonists where, before long, it was sold in shops in New York and other large cities. Small-scale hand-cranked ice cream freezers were invented in the 1840’s although it was still an expensive, labor intensive treat before commercial manufacturing got underway in the latter half of the nineteenth century. In my Western series, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Georgina, a spinster who owns the town’s café, is introduced to this yummy treat in a different town. It was important Georgina do something to ensure the café’s popularity and planned expansion, so I had her start making her own ice cream to sell in her café. Thank goodness, the time period made this a credible undertaking for this heroine, who eventually becomes one of the brides for the seven Mason brothers.

If you’ve not yet read this series, Book 1, Brody’s Bride, is on sale during Black Friday and Cyber Monday for only 99 cents, starting November 25th.



I’m not sure who first had the genius idea to dip a homemade cookie in ice cream, but if cookies and ice cream are your go-to dessert pairing, here’s a free cookie recipe book to download at your favorite online book store. target="_blank">https://books2read.com/dickens-cookie

USA Today Bestselling author, Kathleen Lawless, blames a misspent youth watching Rawhide, Maverick and Bonanza for her fascination with cowboys, which doesn’t stop her from creating a wide variety of interests and occupations for her many alpha male heroes. Her hero, Steele, in HER UNDERCOVER COWBOY, is a modern-day cowboy, so when she was wooed by a man called Steel— while he’s not a cowboy, he is an alpha male and her forever hero. Which is why all of her stories end Happily Ever After. Sign up for Kathleen’s VIP Reader Newsletter to receive a free book, updates, special giveaways and fan-priced offers. http://eepurl.com/bV0sb1 AMAZON | WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | BOOKBUB

Guest Author Jan Scarbrough

 

Jan Scarbrough 

Writing a western series is fun

 

When I decided to set a series in the American West, I looked for a location. Enter the trusty internet. My setting became a guest ranch in Montana, with the name changed, of course. I knew a little bit about professional bull riding, having researched it for another book. So, I incorporated both things into the series. Then in 2016, my husband and I took a dude ranch vacation. We had a great time and saw the setting for my first series.

 

After that trip, the Ghost Mountain Ranch series was born.

 

 

Let me introduce you to The Dawsons of Montana.

 

BRODY

When champion bull rider Brody Caldera learns his stepfather has suffered a serious accident, he heads home to the ranch he’d left behind years before. Maybe the clean Montana air of the Six Buckles Ranch, near Yellowstone Park, will help him forget his cheating ex-girlfriend. But returning will also force him to confront another woman, the one he deserted when she needed him most.

 

MERCER

The sudden death of Mercer Dawson’s beloved father hit her hard. Everyone at Six Buckles Ranch grieved, but bright spots are appearing in the blue Montana skies. The tragedy brought Mercer’s stepbrother home and now wedding bells are ringing. The best man is a sexy cowboy and Mercer’s teenage crush. Will he notice her now that she’s all grown up?

 

LIZ

Since her husband’s tragic death in a riding accident, Liz Dawson has done all she can to keep the Six Buckles Guest Ranch running. When a handsome stranger arrives at the ranch, she fears her daughter-in-law is playing matchmaker. Liz has already been married to two different men—one wonderful and one not so much. She doesn’t need another man in her life.

 

Then a telephone call opens the door to the next chapter. Hank’s story brings both series together.

 

Ghost Mountain Ranch

 

HANK

On Christmas Eve, Hank, the head wrangler at Six Buckles Ranch, accepts the job of ranch foreman over the mountains in the Gallatin Canyon, Montana. But something dark is happening at the Ghost Mountain Ranch, where the past is reaching out in dangerous ways to haunt the living.

 

DARBY

Thirty years ago, Darby Heston fled her family’s Montana dude ranch. Now she must return to help her father. Would the boyfriend she’d abandoned still be there? Hank Slade has never stopped loving Darby, but is he willing to risk his heart again? Secrets tore them apart once. Given a second chance at love, will more shocking secrets from the past destroy their hopes for the future?

 

SLADE

Slade Heston is spending the summer as a hired hand at his grandfather’s dude ranch, trying to figure out life, not fall in love. Laurie Chastain is supposed to write promotions for the ranch, but she has a secret goal. What did a 1970s radical resistance group have to do with her grandfather? Laurie’s only clue leads her to Ghost Mountain Ranch. Will their growing attraction be enough to protect Slade and Laurie from the ghosts of the past?

 

KELSEY

Kelsey Heston’s using the skills learned at her family’s Kentucky horse farm to improve tourism at her grandfather’s dude ranch. But what is her old college sweetheart doing here? Max Lee has come to Ghost Mountain Ranch searching for a missing woman. Instead, he finds Kelsey. But old secrets are stirring, secrets someone might be willing to kill to keep. Can they finally lay the old ghosts to rest, or will the echoes of a decades-old murder destroy their second chance at love?

 

The secrets of the past still haunt the living…

 

The Dawsons of Montana series is on Kindle Unlimited, but Ghost Mountain Ranch is available at most ebook outlets. Thank you Cowboy Kisses for letting me share my stories with you.

 

 

About Jan Scarbrough

 

Whether it is the Bluegrass of Kentucky, the mountains of Montana, or Medieval England, Jan Scarbrough brings you home with romances from the heart.

 

The author of two popular Bluegrass series, Jan writes heartwarming contemporary romances about home and family, later in life heroines, single moms, and children, and if the plot allows, about another passion—horses. Living in the horse country of Kentucky makes it easy for Jan to add small town, Southern charm to her books and the excitement of a Bluegrass horse race or a competitive horse show.

 

Jan leaves her contemporary voice behind with two paranormal gothic romances, Timeless and Tangled Memories, a Romance Writers of America (RWA) Golden Heart finalist. Her historical romance, My Lord Raven, is a medieval story of honor and betrayal.

 

A member of Novelist, Inc., Jan self-publishes her books with her husband’s help.

 

Jan lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with two rescued dogs, one rescued cat, and a husband she rescued twenty-one years ago.

Cowboys, Rebels and Rogues

Hi, all!

I’m thrilled to be part of the Cowboy Kisses Blog! 

Since this is my first post, I thought I’d introduce myself. I'm Mina Beckett and I write kissing books about cowboys, rebels and rogues that range in heat levels from sweet to spicy hot. 

My husband and I live on a small farm in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains along with our two sons and three grandchildren. Fun facts about me: I’m a Capricorn.  I like getting my hands dirty. I traded my high-heels for work boots three years ago when I left my day job to work on the farm and pursue my writing. My dogs have nicknames. I can operate a skid steer and my number one rule about rescuing animals is if I name them, they stay on the farm. 

I’m always writing, if not on a computer, then on my iPhone. But I’m not an author who can sit down and write three-thousand words without leaving my desk. I have a short attention span and I get bored easily. I'm more productive when I weave other activities into my word count. I usually write a page or two and then sketch, paint or sculpt. Sometimes I cook in between chapters, especially in the summer when there are veggies to preserve. 

When I'm not working on a book, I'm out and about taking pictures and posting them on Instagram. I have three miniature horses and six dogs that also keep me busy. I enjoy sewing, baking (maybe a little too much) and working in my tea and vegetable gardens.

I started my writing career in 2012 when I submitted to a small press publisher because my husband convinced me I could write. I cried when I received an email from the acquiring editor saying they wanted to publish my story. I released my first historical romance that year while working full-time and completing my master’s degree. In 2013 I released my second book and walked across the platform to claim my diploma. I was all set to enroll in a doctorate program the following year but chose to turn my attention towards writing. I spent the next three years writing, submitting to contests and learning the craft. 

While at the 2016 RWA conference, I attended a workshop with Liz Maverick on creating a series proposal.  I wrote one for my Coldiron Cowboys series and began submitting it to agents.  2017 was one of the most stressful and exciting times in my writing career. I signed with a literary agency in September and we started pitching The Heartbreak Cowboy a month later. The book and proposal went through numerous edits and rewrites. One editor suggested I rewrite my cowboys as werewolves. I still chuckle about that. One by one, the rejections came in and my agent wanted me to submit to a smaller publisher. I refused.  By September of 2018, I had parted ways with my agent and was on my own.

My announcement to go indie was made on my Facebook page: "After receiving yet another rejection email from my agent this morning, I called an emergency meeting with my characters to inform them that drinking, smoking, and swearing would no longer be allowed. One-night stands, secret babies and ex-wives would also be eliminated, and that we would be following one troupe per story. As you can imagine, they weren’t pleased. But after they settled down, I explained that if we wanted to be on a bestseller list, we had to conform. Two of them flipped me the bird. One bearded fellow with a very flat Kentucky accent gave me crude directions as to where I could shove my stories. Three cowboys walked out and two of my leading ladies swore they were never speaking to me again. The rest are at the bar. I don’t think traditional publishing is for us. But hopefully, someone out there will want to read about this rebellious crew. Now, I’m off to write my indie book goals."

It was my humorous way of dealing with all those rejections and feedback. I don't regret anything about the experience. I had a great agent, made wonderful friends and learned a lot about writing and the industry.  And I have never regretted my decision to go indie. I love the freedom of writing what I want when I want to. I love having control over my blurbs, covers, content, and marketing. 

The Heartbreak Cowboy is the first full-length book in my Coldiron Cowboys series. McCrea and Eleanor fell in love years ago, but because of fear and circumstances chose to walk away after one night together. The story introduces McCrea to a daughter he never knew existed. It forces him and Eleanor to overcome the mistakes of their past and mend fences for the sake of their daughter. 

First loves can be so influential in our lives. They hold a special place in our heart that is always reserved for that person, that time, that place...When hurt is tied to it, moving on can be hard so I knew writing a second chance romance was going to be challenging. There needed to be a special ingredient added to the story and Sophie (their four-year-old daughter) was it. Children have a way of bringing out the best and worst in us. Their honesty, sincerity and innocent view of the world can help us find clarity in the muddiest situations. Sophie did that for McCrea and Eleanor. She let them see their love for each other in its truest form ─ her. There was also a fun side to writing Sophie because when children are involved, the conversations are always fun and surprising. The pancake scene is one of my favorites. 

The Cowboy’s Goodnight Kiss is a prequel to this book and was written so readers could experience the backstory of what happened between McCrea and Eleanor four years earlier.  It’s a free download on my website but doesn’t have to be read before The Heartbreak Cowboy. It’s my gift to readers. The books have received great reviews and I’m looking forward to releasing the second book, The Fallen Cowboy in March.

I’ll be blogging again on February 15th about my impressionable teenage years spent in West Texas, the sons of roughnecks and the history of oil boomtowns. 

Have a wonderful weekend!