What Cowboys Read on the Trail

 

For a cowboy riding the open range in the  late nineteenth century, reading material was often as scarce as shade beneath a prairie sun. Still, when a man had a few quiet moments beside the chuck wagon or around a campfire, he might reach for a well-worn dime novel, a newspaper, or a small pocket Bible. Dime novels were especially popular, offering tales of gunfighters, scouts, outlaws, Indians, and larger-than-life frontier heroes. Some were wildly exaggerated, but they provided a welcome escape after long days spent in the saddle. Newspapers, when available, brought news from distant towns and cities--politics, cattle prices, railroad developments, crime and stories from the ever-expanding American West.

Not every cowboy was a devoted reader, and literacy varied considerably among working cowboys. those who did read might also carry  popular adventure stories, poetry, almanacs, or religious pamphlets. The Bible was a particularly practical companion, small enough to tuck into a saddlebag and meaningful to a man living a hard and sometimes dangerous life. Cowboys could also encounter Shakespeare, Robert Burns, Edgar Allan Poe, or popular American poets in inexpensive editions or through recitations around the fire. In fact, storytelling and reading often went hand in hand on the trail A cowboy who could remember a good poem, song, or story might entertain an entire crew during a quiet evening.

The picture of the cowboy as a rough, uneducated loner is therefore only part of the story. Many were young men with ordinary interests--curious about the world beyond the ranch, eager for news, and fond of a good adventure. When a book or newspaper made its way into camp, it might be passed from hand to hand until the pages were grimy and worn. For a few minutes beneath the vast Western sky, a tired rider could leave the cattle behind and travel somewhere else entirely--into a dime-novel adventure, a newspaper from back East, or the pages of a well-thumbed Bible. 

 

Sandra

Available at Amazon  

 

 

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?  

 

 

A Newsletter Freebie! ~ Raine Rochelle

 

Hello,

If we’ve met before it may be that you’re a reader of my latest series, The Billionaires of Brightside Ranch, and, if so, I hope you enjoyed it and left me a review. I’m currently working on the follow-on series, The Johnsons of Junova, and am writing the second book in the series, Heartbeat.

However, I’m aware that you may have never heard of me or my books, so I’d like to introduce you to my FREE BOOK which you can get simply by signing up to my newsletter HERE. Don’t worry; if you find it’s not for you then you can easily unsubscribe—no hard feelings.

The Father, The Son and the Bottle of Rum is a standalone novella, telling a story of healing and forgiveness. It also has a smattering of humour, as do all my stories—reading is fun, after all! I hope you’ll give it a chance.

Here’s a little about it:

The wrong kind of spirit causes a massive headache for the Lamberts of Charity Creek

The Father…

John Lambert, pastor and founding member of the church of Charity Creek is a proud man; well-respected by his parishioners. But he hides a dark secret.

The Son…

Joe Lambert is a successful carpenter with his own business. When his mother asks him to come home to help mend the church roof he doesn’t hesitate. But should he?

The Bottle of Rum…

Homeless and destitute, Leah Bailey seeks shelter from a storm in the church of her hometown, Charity Creek. Warmed only by a couple of blankets, some hassocks and the dregs of a bottle of rum, she curls in the corner while the storm rages on. When a tree crashes through the roof of the building she escapes injury, but not the wrath of the pastor who finds her.

Just why is the old man so bitter? And what is the underlying problem between him and Joe?

Will Leah be the catalyst that heals father and son, or will she just widen their rift?

I hope you enjoy it!

Raine

LIST OF LINKS – Raine Rochelle

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRaineRochelle/

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/raine-rochelle

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20913677.Raine_Rochelle

Newsletter:   https://dl.bookfunnel.com/ghw7shi5rz

The Billionaires of Brightside Ranch: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08NCHVJGQ

 

Christmas Reading ~ Julie Lence

 

My Christmas tree
 from 2020

As a child, Christmas was always a magical time of year. My brothers and sister and me awed over Mom’s nativity ( I think she had around 50 pieces), eagerly awaited the arrival of Santa Claus, and stretched out on the floor in front of the television to watch Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. There was also the excitement of going to New York City to have a second Christmas with our grandparents on New Year’s Eve, and through all the anticipation and festivities, to include parties in school classrooms, one thing always made the month special; the brightly decorated Christmas tree. Dad strung the lights and us kids helped hang the ornaments and tinsel. We even made paper chains from red and green construction paper to hang on the tree and around the house. In many homes the tree was the focal point of the holiday season, and that tradition holds true today, with ornaments more detailed and elaborate than my childhood, with tinsel exchanged for delicate ribbons, and with tree toppers ranging from delicate angels to snowmen. And just as I admired Christmas trees  from childhood and closeness of my brothers and sister and parents, you’ll find the characters in my Christmas stories enjoy a gaily decorated tree and the spirit of the season, too.  

 

Christmas Miracles: With a winter storm threatening to blanket the land in snow, James Landry boards a train to Denver two days before his Christmas Eve wedding to Tess Weston, despite her misgivings that the storm will hinder his return trip home. But James has to go to the big city to replace the worthless ring he mistakenly bought for her with a band of real gold, and assures her nothing, not even snow, will keep him from arriving at the altar on time. But James doesn't count on finding himself stuck in knee-deep drifts, with a Colt .45 staring him in the face.

Tess has had an eerie feeling that something bad is going to happen to James since the moment he told her of his trip. With fat, flakes of snow falling steadily from the sky, images flicker in her mind of him stranded in a hotel room, or on a cold train car. But for some reason, the snow piling up outside her window doesn't lend weight to her fear that James is in grave danger. Determined to help him, Tess sets out on a course to find him, only to have one obstacle after another deter her from reaching him.      

 Available at: www.amazon.com/dp/B009YZDXOC

 

 

Christmas Hearts: After spending two years in Wyoming, Cade Weston is eager to return to his family’s ranch to celebrate the Christmas holiday. But fate intervenes in the form of a tortured soul—Nicole. Her guardian has abused her, leaving Cade with little choice but to pay for her freedom and take her with him. Holed up with her in a Denver hotel, a feeling hints he wants more from her than a thank you for having helped her. Problem is she doesn’t return the feeling.

Nicole Lamar has spent the past six months dreaming of freedom. Savannah, with its warmth and sunshine, beckons. Now that Cade has rescued her from an evil proprietor, that freedom is within reach. But when the handsome cowboy proves he’s the owner of a Christmas Heart, a life without him suddenly isn’t so desirable. Before she can approach him about the matter, he purchases a ticket for her on an eastbound train. And one for himself on a southbound train.

Available at: www.amazon.com/dp/B00FL000FY

 

Christmas Wishes: U.S. Marshall Chance McBride has spent weeks tracking Steve ‘Smarty’ Jones. Ambushed and wounded by the outlaw, Chance is forced to seek help at a nearby school. But the teacher isn’t what he imagined. Instead of a male wearing trousers, a female takes charge of his care. Bright blue eyes and soft curves; Tabitha’s sassy nature awakens a deep-seated loneliness only she and a Christmas wish can soothe.

Tabitha Weston has never favored anything girlie. She’d rather saddle-break wild horses than bat her eyelashes and flirt with a man. But one glimpse into Chance’s molasses-colored eyes and Tabitha’s abhorrence to relationships is suddenly corralled by her need to win the lawman’s favor. Can a wish upon Christmas snow for him to trade the freedom of the trail for a home with her actually come true? She’s about to find out.

Available at: www.amazon.com/dp/B016PPALO

 

Happy Reading and Happy Holidays to you and your family!

Julie    

What a Day

Post by Doris McCraw

writing as Angela Raines

Photo Property of the Author

April is National Poetry Month and April 12th is also: 

• Big Wind Day 
• D.E.A.R. Day (Drop Everything And Read) 

So how can you celebrate three different and seemingly unique ideas/days? First, let's take a look at what each is about.

National Poetry Month is probably one of my favorite concepts. I love poetry and always have. There is something intriguing, musical, and challenging about this art form. 

Big wind day is celebrated on April 12 of each year. It stems from April 12, 1934, when the Mount Washington Observatory recorded winds at 231 miles per hour. This high wind record stood until 1996 when a typhoon off the coast of Australia clocked winds at 256 miles per hour over a small island. I may enjoy a stiff breeze now and then, but...

After National Poetry Month, D.E.A.R. makes so much sense to me. The day was set up to encourage families to spend time with their children and read. I would say it is a good idea for everyone. I've always enjoyed reading, not just for research, but just for fun. If I'm stuck at a spot in my writing, and can't get outside, or even if I can, stopping and just reading a book for fun can reset my brain. It's amazing how much easier the words flow after taking that break.

After the last two years, it is good to be back at the stories that were set aside. The lives of those people have taken on a new luster. I look forward to offering them to the world.

Photo Property of the Author

For now, I leave you with a haiku.

Seasons by Doris McCraw

Wind blowing through trees

Raindrops watering the earth

Seasons always change

How about you? Do you love poetry, wind, or just sitting and reading? So on those windy days, grab a poetry book, novel, or magazine and sit back and enjoy. In case you can't find something to read, you might check out the offerings on my Amazon page. Angela Raines - Amazon

Until next time...

Doris

The Father, The Son, and the Bottle of Rum ~ Raine Rochelle

Hi, it’s Raine Rochelle here again just dropping in for a chat. I’m not sure if you’ve come across my Sweet Cowboy Romances yet, but if not, and you’d like to get a feel for my writing (and my sense of humour), you can get a FREE copy of my novella, The Father, The Son, and the Bottle of Rum by signing up for my newsletter HERE. I’ll keep you informed of my upcoming projects, run Giveaways and Competitions, and generally keep you in the loop of my world. I really hope you’ll give my books a chance, and would love to keep in touch.

Here’s a little about it:

The wrong kind of spirit causes a massive headache for the Lamberts of Charity Creek

The Father…

John Lambert, pastor and founding member of the church of Charity Creek is a proud man, well-respected by his parishioners. But he hides a dark secret.

The Son…

Joe Lambert is a successful carpenter with his own business. When his mother asks him to come home to help mend the church roof he doesn’t hesitate. But should he?

The Bottle of Rum…

Homeless and destitute, Leah Bailey seeks shelter from a storm in the church of her hometown, Charity Creek. Warmed only by a couple of blankets, some hassocks and the dregs of a bottle of rum, she curls in the corner while the storm rages on. When a tree crashes through the roof of the building she escapes injury, but not the wrath of the pastor who finds her.

Just why is the old man so bitter? And what is the underlying problem between him and Joe?

Will Leah be the catalyst that heals father and son, or will she just widen their rift?

I really hope you enjoy my novella, and, if so, take a look at my series The Billionaires of Brightside Ranch. All of the books are available on Amazon, and FREE if you’re a member of Kindle Unlimited.

Until next month, take care,     

Raine Rochelle

Link for Raine Rochelle NL: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/ghw7shi5rz

Link for The Billionaires of Brightside Ranch: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08NCHVJGQ

Christmas Reading

Years ago, when I first created Royce Weston, his twin sister, brothers Lucas and Creel, and his father, I had no idea I would expand the Weston family into 4 novels and 3 short stories. But as I kept writing, the family kept growing. The brothers married and the children grew up. It is 3 of those children I’m interviewing today, as they are the leads in the Weston Family Series Christmas stories. (Tess and Cade Weston are Lucas’ children and Tabitha Weston is Royce’s daughter.) Purchase links are at the end, and each story is .99 cents on Amazon.

Tess Weston:

Tell us a little about Christmas Miracles:

With a winter storm threatening to blanket the land in snow, James Landry boards a train to Denver two days before his Christmas Eve wedding to Tess Weston, despite her misgivings that the storm will hinder his return trip home. But James has to go to the big city to replace the worthless ring he mistakenly bought for her with a band of real gold, and assures her nothing, not even snow, will keep him from arriving at the altar on time. But James doesn't count on finding himself stuck in knee-deep drifts, with a Colt .45 staring him in the face.

Tess has had an eerie feeling that something bad is going to happen to James since the moment he told her of his trip. With fat, flakes of snow falling steadily from the sky, images flicker in her mind of him stranded in a hotel room, or on a cold train car. But for some reason, the snow piling up outside her window doesn't lend weight to her fear that James is in grave danger. Determined to help him, Tess sets out on a course to find him, only to have one obstacle after another deter her from reaching him.     

What did you think the 1^st time you saw James?

That he was another ranch hand pa had hired.

What was your 2^nd thought?

With his broad chest and muscles, I could snuggle against him all day.

What do you like most about James?

His smile and his honesty.

How would you describe James?

He’s loyal and a hard worker. And sometimes he’s shy.

How would James describe you?

Bold, sassy, determined, stubborn; I inherited the best of my parent’s traits. But I think James also sees I have good heart and I’m kind.

What is your biggest fear?

Losing James, or any member of my family.

Cade Weston:

Tell us a little about Christmas Hearts:

After spending two years in Wyoming, Cade Weston is eager to return to his family’s ranch to celebrate the Christmas holiday. But fate intervenes in the form of a tortured soul—Nicole. Her guardian has abused her, leaving Cade with little choice but to pay for her freedom and take her with him. Holed up with her in a Denver hotel, a feeling hints he wants more from her than a thank you for having helped her. Problem is she doesn’t return the feeling.

Nicole Lamar has spent the past six months dreaming of freedom. Savannah, with its warmth and sunshine, beckons. Now that Cade has rescued her from an evil proprietor, that freedom is within reach. But when the handsome cowboy proves he’s the owner of a Christmas Heart, a life without him suddenly isn’t so desirable. Before she can approach him about the matter, he purchases a ticket for her on an eastbound train. And one for himself on a southbound train.

What did you think the 1^st time you saw Nicole?

She was beaten and wearing flimsy clothing on a cold winter’s day. I wanted to punch the man she was with.

What was your 2^nd thought?

To get her away from the man she was with, take her to someplace warm where her body could heal, where she could find warmer clothes, and where she would be safe.

What do you like most about Nicole?

She’s a fighter. In her situation, plenty of other women would’ve died.

How would you describe Nicole?

Strong willed, kind, lonely, cautious.

How would Nicole describe you?

Her first thought most likely was I’m another man intent on hurting her. After that, I’m fairly certain she would say I’m trustworthy and someone she can depend on.

What is your biggest fear?        

Not sure that I have one, unless you count something happening to a family member, or Nicole. We Westons look out for each other, and when one of us hurts, we all hurt. As for Nicole, I’m going to make sure her captor doesn’t lay claim to her again.

Tabitha Weston:

Tell us a little about Christmas Wishes:

U.S. Marshall Chance McBride has spent weeks tracking Steve ‘Smarty’ Jones. Ambushed and wounded by the outlaw, Chance is forced to seek help at a nearby school. But the teacher isn’t what he imagined. Instead of a male wearing trousers, a female takes charge of his care. Bright blue eyes and soft curves; Tabitha’s sassy nature awakens a deep-seated loneliness only she and a Christmas wish can soothe.

Tabitha Weston has never favored anything girlie. She’d rather saddle-break wild horses than bat her eyelashes and flirt with a man. But one glimpse into Chance’s molasses-colored eyes and Tabitha’s abhorrence to relationships is suddenly corralled by her need to win the lawman’s favor. Can a wish upon Christmas snow for him to trade the freedom of the trail for a home with her actually come true? She’s about to find out.    

What did you think the 1^st time you saw Chance?

He was big and muscular. Grabbing me from behind and forcing his way into the schoolhouse, I was sure he was an outlaw and meant me harm.

What was your 2^nd thought?

Upon discovering he was a U.S. Marshall and wounded, I had no time to admire over his handsomeness and his muscles. I had to dig a bullet out of him.

What do you like most about Chance?

His bravery. I know my poking around his insides had to hurt, but he didn’t complain.

How would you describe Chance?    

Despite his putting the fear of God into me upon our meeting, I’ve come to realize Chance is a good man. He’s handsome, somewhat fearless, and is as skittish over matters of the heart as I am.

How would Chance describe you?

Sassy, bossy, and not prone to swooning.

What is your biggest fear?

At the moment, worrying Chance will take a turn for the worst because of something I did wrong.   

Purchase Links:

Christmas Miracles: www.amazon.com/dp/B009YZDXOC

Christmas Hearts: www.amazon.com/dp/B00FL000FY

Christmas Wishes: www.amazon.com/dp/B016PP3ALO

    

Thank you for your continued support of not only me, but the Cowboy Kisses authors, blog and Facebook page. I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. All the best to you in 2019!

Julie