We like them big, round, and juicy by Rhonda Lee Carver

 

Here's a list of BIG, ROUND, and JUICY things that we all (most) LOVE!

1. Pickles

Dill, Bread and Butter, Cornichons, Sour, Kosher, Gherkins, Garlic...there are so many to choose from. You can eat them on burgers, chicken, meat loaf, but I like them on fried rice too.

2. Pizza

The bigger the better.

3. Apples

Did you know that there are more than 7,500 varieties? I feel like I need to try each and every one.

4. Oranges

5. Butts

I had to throw that in there because I know you all were thinking it. We all want a big, rounded bottom. Here are some women who have "popular" booties (can't promise they're all natural).

JLO

Kim Kardashian

Sofia Vergara

Nicki Minaj

Iggy Azalea

Beyonce

Now for something BIG and JUICY!

I have a new release that I'm excited to share.

Buy HERE!

BLURB:

A single father is looking for a nanny, but what he gets is an old flame.

Whiskey Ryder spends most of his time on the back of a horse on a mountain. Whether it’s on a search and rescue mission, or on the Ryde Hard Ranch working the land with his brothers. He’s all about being a cowboy…and a single father of a preteen who woke up one morning hating him. He’s been told it’s a normal phase for all kids, but he’s like a parenting fish out of water. He’s a millisecond away from chewing leather but his stunning first love comes back to town and, to his relief, has a way with his daughter...and his heart.

They are better together than whiskey and cola but claiming a second chance won’t be easy because someone sees her as a threat and wants her to leave town…dead or alive.

Codee Fields finds herself helping an old friend—old friend as in the cowboy who was her first love, first kiss, first everything. She’s had a couple of failed relationships, but Whiskey is “the one who got away”. Her priority is to solve the mystery of her sister’s death now that she knows the truth.

Whiskey will protect her at all costs, but will it be enough for a second chance at romance? Or will tragedy strike and everything he’s wanted disappear?

If small town romances with lots of emotion and adventures in the mountains, and sweltering chemistry between the lead characters, are what you crave then grab books by Rhonda Lee Carver.

EXCERPT:

“Hell, there are a lot of people I thought I knew and I was way off mark.” He opened the bottom drawer to the desk and took out the small envelope that had been stored there for years. He set it in front of her, watching realization cover over her expression. “I’ve kept it all these years. It belongs to you.”

Did her eyes become misty? He wasn’t sure because she blinked and the moisture was gone.

“I sent it back to you,” she said softly.

“What the hell will I do with it? I’ve thought about pawning the diamond for a couple of bucks but can’t seem to find the motivation. Maybe I should just toss it into the trash just like you did with our relationship.” Damn, once the words were out, he wanted to reel them back in. He swore he’d keep his trajectory on business only and less than fifteen minutes later he’d lost his internal GPS. He opened his mouth to tell her to ignore that statement, but he was too late.

“You really think you’re something, don’t you?” She lost some of her composure. “The man who cheated with my best friend. I guess you would have the courage to pretend complete innocence.” Her nose wrinkled.

“Wow. You certainly know everything, don’t you?”

“I’m pretty good at math. Theresa would have gotten pregnant while you and I were still together.” Her skin paled. “Just so we’re clear, I needed you and you were distant. Now I understand why.”

He laughed. What else could he do? “Since you’re so good with math, you should be good at English too. I just got home from fighting in a war, carrying real guns—big guns—and saw death. Lots of death and destruction. I needed you too.”

Her bottom lip quivered. “Well, I guess Theresa filled in for me quite nicely.”

He ground his teeth. “You think you can waltz back into town and pretend like nothing happened?”

One corner of her mouth twisted. “Are you suggesting that I have something to feel guilty about?” Her icy laugh sent a chill through him. “That’s rich, Whiskey, seeing that you …” She didn’t finish. Instead, she exhaled slowly and some of the harsh lines disappeared from her face. “It doesn’t matter any longer. I didn’t come here to rehash the past. That’s history and so we should leave it there.” She stood and leaned on her hands on the edge of the desk. Her scent got caught in the swirl of the ceiling fan and spun around him, making him feel a little dizzy. “Here’s the deal. I can’t help the past is in the past and I won’t regurgitate it like a cat hawking up a hairball and descend into all its ugly details. Facts are facts. Let’s agree to disagree and move on. We can help each other.”

Breathing in deeply, he nodded. “Fine by me. Take the ring or toss it in the trashcan on your way out the door.” He tapped the envelope.

With a groan, she swiped it up and walked out.

She hugged the envelope to her chest and felt an internal pain. He could never understand how hard it had been to end things with him.

Creating a world.

I am super excited to be part of the Cowboy Kisses team! I live in the Pacific Northwest where I spend my summers camping and kayaking. In December, I celebrated twenty-two years with my wonderful husband who has been super supportive of my writing.

Last year, I published one novel and a novella–Finding Liv and Managing Ryan. This year the plan is four novels, a novella, and a piece for an anthology. Of these pieces, four are already written and are in the editing process. I couldn’t even attempt to do all of this without my loved ones.

Science-fiction and fantasy writers are expected to build intricate worlds for their stories, but over the last two years I have discovered that every fiction writer has this opportunity. My town of Emerson, Minnesota doesn’t exist in the “real” world, but if you pick up a book in the Ridge Ranch Series, the community comes alive and draws you in.

After the first book, I not only fell in love with the Ridge family, but with the town as well. This led me to create sketches of the town. I have a map of the town including the hardware store, their favorite cafe, restaurant, and, of course, the bar Ranger’s—each with their own cast. Each book allows a different aspect to shine through.

How it all starts -

I start the process with full character sketches which allows them to come alive in my head. I also scan photos on Pinterest for inspiration. Once I have the two stars, I build a supporting cast, taking time to outline each with their own personality and motivations. Next comes the setting. Unless you are basing your writing on a real-life town that you know well, the great part of writing fiction is that it gives you a chance to make stuff up.

For example—Emerson is based on a small town in Oregon where I once lived. Everyone knew everything about everyone and was happy to share. It had its pros and cons, but I loved the small-town life. Everyone looked out for each other and there was no need to lock your doors at night or worry about leaving the keys hanging in the ignition of your car.

The bittersweet part is completing the series and saying good-bye to friends you’ve made along the way, while knowing that the next series will soon come along with more characters to fall in love with. I’m excited for the next two series that are planned for four books each. One small town- not named yet and the other not small town but a spin off of the Ridge Ranch Series- The Lancaster-Grant series. I can’t wait for you to meet the casts.

Hope your 2023 is productive and a happy one.

Check out my bio page for my published works.

Absaroka the 49th State..... Almost

 Absaroka might sound familiar to many. It is a mountain range in the Shoshone National Forest in Wyoming. But it’s most well known for Absaroka County. A fictional county and the home of the Longmire series by Craig Johnson. Who lives down the road in Ucross, Wyoming. The fictional county is located in northern Wyoming in a portion of the proposed Absaroka State. In 2012 Buffalo, Wyoming started Longmire Days. Each year the actors of the TV series and author Craig Johnson come to Buffalo to celebrate. It’s a good time. I confess living in Buffalo, I’ve only gone three times. I haven’t watched the show or read the books, but it’s on my list of things to do.

In 1935 the idea to make a new state began. Southern Montana, Northern Wyoming, and Western South Dakota came together with the plan to make a new state. During the Great Depression, the citizens were not pleased with their states government for failing to provide Roosevelt’s New Deal federal aid to rural ranchers and farmers. The ranchers and farmers felt the state money and attention was going to other parts of the state and they were getting short changed.

 The people were serious about their new state. There was a beauty pageant and Dorothy Fellow was crowned Miss Absaroka. They even made a state license plate as well as state coins. The king of Norway toured the area and supports of the secession claimed this even as official recognition of the new state.

Samuel W. King, a congressional representative for the Hawaii territory stated “Hawaii is entitled to be the 49^th state. Let Absaroka be the 50^th but Hawaii has claim to the 49^th.” A.R. Swickard appointed himself Governor of Absaroka and held many grievances hears about the perceived wrongs committed by the state of Wyoming. These hearings led to the increased media attention on the secessionist movement and its criticisms of the state government, prompting Wyoming, Montanna, and South Dakota to spread state revenues more broadly to rural communities. This effort rendered the secessionist movement mostly defunct by 1939. Following the onset of Worl War II the secessionists activities ceased and were forgotten by the time of the Eisenhower presidency.

I knew nothing of the proposed Absaroka State story until a few years ago. I thought it was interesting. If the state had been created, I would have been born and lived all my life in Absaroka instead of Wyoming. I may have to use Absaroka as a town name in a future book.

I'd Rather be Writing

January is a favorite month of mine. The holidays - though enjoyable - are over, my house is back in order, and a brand new year awaits to accomplish goals. The weather is sometimes cold or rainy, allowing me to remain indoors without guilt or disappointment and giving me time to craft my latest WIP (work in progress).

This January is off to a slow start, though, at least where writing is concerned. I stepped into the role of unit educator at my job and took on doing the night shift schedule. Then a client sent me a manuscript for editing that should've arrived weeks before. I'm powering through that only to do taxes in early February, then another edit.

I did manage to get quite a bit of research done around the end of the year. My goal is to have more plot- and setting details worked out before I start writing this time. That will make drafting go faster when I finally get going.

I made one choice as part of a new year's resolution that is going to be a game changer. I signed up for Factor75 keto meal delivery. The food is fabulous, and not having to cook supper has freed up a ton of time.

There's also the fan factor. Book four of the Forging America series is the most requested story of all. I have no doubt that fans will nudge me until it gets written. LOL

What are your plans for 2023?

 A very warm good morning to y'all!

I'm so excited to join everyone here at Cowboy Kisses. I'm look forward to interacting with all of you and to celebrate my participation, I put Love in the Bargain and The Bounty Hunter's Bargain on sale for this weekend! 

Sale starts Friday the 13th and ends on Sunday the 16th. Also, all my books are enrolled in Kindle Unlimited.

Some random nuggets about me:

I met, dated, got engaged and married my husband all in six months. We're celebrating our sixteenth anniversary this year.

I had Hypermesis Gravidarum with both pregnancies (the same illness The Princess of Wales, Catherine, suffered with in her pregnancies).

I hate stickiness. Absolutely a struggle, especially with two small kiddoes.

I love Beta Heroes and tend to write Beta Heroes. So if you like a good story featuring a Beta Hero, I hope you'll check out my work.

If you're keen on joining my Newsletter, I would love to have you!

Hugs!

Lucette

Colorado City's First Doctor

 

Doris McCraw aka Angela Raines

Photo property of the Author

Colorado City, otherwise now known as Old Colorado City had a doctor almost from the very beginning of its existence.

James Paul Garvin was born in September 1832 in the state of Pennsylvania. While no record has been found of his early medical education, we know that he came to Colorado at around the age of twenty-seven.

Image of Dr. James Paul Garvin from 
the Oct 12, 1952 edition of the
Colorado Springs Gazette

Once he arrived in Colorado city he and M. S. Beach set about building a cabin where Dr. Garvin not only lived and practiced medicine but also worked as a pharmacist, making his home a doctor's office and a drugstore.

Dr. Garvin remained in Colorado, not taking part in the fighting that we know as the Civil War. There is also the possibility that he was a sheriff in Denver for a brief time, but so far that has yet to be verified.

During Dr. Garvin's stay in Colorado, there is a very good chance that he would have traveled to other parts of the state, specifically gold mining camps, to tend to those who were ill. That he also might have spent time searching for gold is a real possibility.

There is much still to be found about Dr. Garvin's stay in Colorado, however brief that might have been.

From the Find A Grave website.

Sometime in the late 1860s Dr. Garvin left Colorado for good and returned to the East. He may have continued studying medicine, but we do know that he married Cedelia A. Butz, in January 1875 in Terre Haute, Indiana. It was her second marriage and his first. They had three children, two boys, and one girl. The couple later moved to St. Louis Missouri and then to Alton, Madison County Illinois. He remained there until his death in 1902.

Dr. James Paul Garvin and his time in Colorado city has been overshadowed by the cabin that he and Beach built. If one is to visit old Colorado city you will find the cabin standing in Bancroft Park. The building is considered the second oldest building in Colorado City and played a part in the storied beginning of Colorado as a territory and the "First Territorial Capital of Colorado". That is a story for another time.

Until next time, Doris 

Winter Western Horses by Jan Scarbrough

In 2016 when my husband and I visited The Covered Wagon Ranch in Gallatin Gateway, Montana, near Yellowstone, I was given my own horse for the two-day stay. He was a six-year-old Tennessee walking horse named Mr. Black. He didn’t trot but racked. We never got up enough speed to go that fast because we were climbing up the sides of mountains! The view from the top looking down over the ranch property was scary. Believe me!

During my stay, I learned the horses were driving to a nighttime pasture. Wranglers drove them back in the morning for their job as trail horses for us dudes. I was surprised to find out “The Covered Wagon Ranch and Performance horses spend the off season at lower elevation with less snow and typically warmer weather…” This is not unusual for other ranches in the area. They live outdoors in the snow!

Coming from “back East,” I take riding lessons at an American Saddlebred barn. These horses usually spend most of their time in stalls. Sometimes, they’re turned-out part of the day to graze and be horses. Show horses are sometimes “let down” during the winter and spend some time outdoors. However, other horses “shown year-round usually must be kept inside. Plus, a combination of blankets and stall lights keeps coats short and slick for upcoming competitions.”

The life of Triple Crown Winner American Pharoah consists of time outside, even during breeding season. “As for his daily routine, it’s not complicated. Breeding in the morning, out in the paddock afterward, then lunch. Back to the breeding shed, to the paddock, dinner, and then they are bedded down for the night. However, if a horse is “particularly busy,” the stallion manager said, there’s an evening breeding session.”

All this is to say, I never realized resilience of horses and their ability to remain outside in winter pasture. In her article, The Hardy Horse: How Horses Handle Winter, Heather Smith Thomas gives good insight into the way horses handle chilly months. “Our horses handle winter much better than we do, and my ranch horses in Idaho have managed nicely outdoors, even at 40 below zero. They have several unique ways to stay comfortable in severe weather and do well if allowed to adapt to colder temperatures gradually.” Check out the article for the ways a horse is built to handle the winter.

That’s not to say ranch owners are not concerned about their stock. During that horrible cold snap before Christmas, I spotted this message on the Covered Wagon Ranch Facebook page: “Praying for our horses in these cold temps.”

Of course, I used this knowledge of winter horses in my Western books. You'll find three of my books in the Ghost Mountain Ranch series in a new anthology. You'll be able to read the three romances and discover why the secrets of the past still haunt the living… 

Ghost Mountain Ranch is available at many eBook retailers.