This little bit of humor comes from The Fairplay Flume of February 5, 1897
"They say that the sense of humor is very rare." "Well, most men have a sense of their own humor, but they haven't any sense of other people's humor."
To finish the piece about humor, I thought this article from the Colorado Daily Chieftain of May 26, 1892, might be of interest to we writers of the West.
There are so many strange articles in these old newspapers. I sometimes wonder how they got into print. I just have to share them for 'historic' purposes, I swear.
Cupid, ancient Roman god of love in all its varieties, the counterpart of the Greek god Eros and the equivalent of Amor in Latin poetry. According to myth, Cupid was the son of Mercury, the winged messenger of the gods, and Venus, the goddess of love. He often appeared as a winged infant carrying a bow and a quiver of arrows whose wounds inspired love or passion in his every victim. He was sometimes portrayed wearing armor like that of Mars, the god of war, perhaps to suggest ironic parallels between warfare and romance or tosymbolize the invincibility of love.
Wow! I love the idea of the invincibility of love. As psychic medium Blair Robertson says, love never dies.
Romance novels (and Hallmark Channel movies) are about the conflicts leading up to true love. We love reading about whatever keeps the hero and heroine apart, but we always know they will end up happily-ever-after (HEA). Let’s face it, life is not always HEA. Because of that, we often need to escape into the world of books.
In my book Liz: The Dawsons of Montana, the hero Chaz thinks: Novels gave the reader the opportunity to experience the possibility of other choices without making those choices. In a book, the reader lived a life outside his normal existence, helping him learn about himself—or herself, as the case might be.
I often let my characters say the truths that I’ve learned from a few years of living. Here are a few quotes from different books:
The big world beyond was scary.
“C’mon, Mel. Make an old man’s dream come true.”
“That’s just it, dreams don’t come true.” She sounded as if she had voiced an inner conviction.
“Sure, they do, Mel. If you make them come true.”
Stef had also said it was dumb to love a man who didn’t love you back.
“I guess a person can love more than once.”
“Yes, your dad and I are proof of that.” Liz gave a small laugh, her gaze faraway as if she envisioned someone standing across the floor. “And when that happens, you’re blessed.”
Have you learned anything about yourself from reading a romance novel?
Set down your
phone (unless you’re using it to view this post) and explore the
playful side of the Old West, where children's imagination ran as wild as the buffalo.
In the 1800s,
children didn't have video games or battery-operated toys. Instead, they had their
creativity. Toys were often homemade, carved out of wood or sewn from scraps of
fabric.
Little girls played
with corn husk dolls, while boys had wooden figurines, which could be anything
from a simple cowboy to a fierce-looking bear. These were so much more than just toys;
they were characters in the clever stories sparked by the minds of the
children.
Miniature wagons, horses, and other animals were popular. Children
would recreate the adventures of their parents, leading their own wagon trains
across the perilous living room floor.
The great outdoors
offered a vast playground where imagination and adventure knew no bounds. The classic
Hoop & Stick game, which used large metal hoop from a barrel,
could provide hours of entertainment. Kids ran, guiding the hoop along,
keeping it upright as long as possible.
Hide & Seek was
also a favorite, as the farm offered countless places to hide. Children hid
behind hay stacks, in barns, or sometimes even among the livestock!
Foot races, sack
races, and even improvised rodeo games kept the young'uns active and
competitive. What could be more Western than learning to lasso? Kids would
practice on fence posts and willing—or sometimes unwilling—siblings.
As the sun dipped
below the horizon, and the lanterns flickered to life, the fun didn't stop. Without
the city lights, the night sky was a spectacle. Children learned to identify
constellations and tell stories about them.
The whole family would gather
around the fire, mesmerized by tales of outlaws, brave settlers, and maybe even
a ghost story or two. Music was a big part of life, as well, with many families
having at least one member who could strum a guitar or play the harmonica.
Playtime in the
Old West wasn't just about fun; it was a training ground for life. Through
play, children learned the skills they would need as adults, like sewing,
woodworking, and animal care. They also learned values like teamwork,
responsibility, and the importance of a good imagination.
Anytime I study life
in the 1800s, it makes me appreciate the simple joys of life. Maybe tonight, I'll put down the smartphone and look up at the stars. Or better yet, tell a story
or two.
Hello everyone! January is behind us and we're beginning February by welcoming a new author to the blog; Gini Rifkin. Gini writes western romance and is excited to join the group. Her first day to blog is February 28th. She is the Cowboy Kisses Facebook Group. Please take a moment to say hello and welcome her. Thank you!
The first books I
ever penned were contemporary romances, and are currently buried in a box in
the basement. Though they had workable plots and a dashing hero, once each story
was written, the excitement fizzled. Sure, I was proud I had actually written 2
stories from beginning to end, but something was missing. Something I couldn’t
quite figure out. I felt the same in my home life. I’d look around at the contemporary
décor on the walls and anxiety would bubble inside me because what I was
looking at wasn’t what I wanted. It took time to deduce that a western flair
was. Ever since I was young, I loved horses. And John Wayne. Moreso the women
in his films. I liked their clothing, their hair, and the ranches and saloons
where they lived.
At the time, I was
living in New Jersey. The state along the Atlantic didn’t offer much in the way
of cowboy décor, (that would come later when I moved to Colorado), but my
admission helped to ease some of my home life anxiety. A typewriter and
notebooks helped to ease the writing anxiety. With pen in hand and a good
imagination, I was able to hit on a storyline involving a cowboy and a girl who
had amnesia. The more I thought about the story and wrote in my notebooks, the
more I began to take notes, to include the color of Royce and Paige’s hair and
eyes, the ranch Royce owned, the town not too far from him. I branched out from
there into other characters; Royce’s siblings, his father and mother and his
backstory concerning his mother. Then came Paige’s background and family. And
with it came the realization Royce’s brother and Paige’s sister needed their
own story, so out came another notebook. Not just to detail Lucas and Missy’s descriptions
and backgrounds, but Missy’s home. She lived in California and researching the
Barbary Coast led to her residing on a ship that had been converted into a
gambling hall. Plus, there were her girls, her maid and an evil banker requiring
their own stories. And a ruthless outlaw. But I wasn’t done there. Royce had
other siblings, and as you guessed it, I needed more notebooks.
Fast forward to
the present, and I currently have notebooks and computer files for 3 series, to
include 10 novels and 6 short stories. Some of those notebooks are combined,
and all contain not only the main characters, but secondary characters to
include descriptions and jobs. Two series’ notebooks contain hand-drawn layouts
of towns. When developing the hero and heroine, I don’t ask many questions, such
as their favorite book or color, but I dig deep. I start with the hero and
where he is in his life when the story opens and work backward to his childhood.
It’s how I discover what in his past brought him to the beginning of the story,
what defined him to be untrusting, wanted by the law, or just needing to keep
to himself. And then, I do the same for the heroine. And when the story is
finished, I set the notebook aside, because I know when I begin the next book
in the series, I’ll have to go back to it for something. Usually that something
relates to a secondary character’s name, or his occupation. It isn’t until I’ve
finished the series that I put the notebook(s) away. But they’re never too far from
my hand. In all honesty, they are my heart and soul to my characters, to my
writing and me.
We've all heard the song about walking in a winter wonderland. Although it gets stuffed into the Christmas category, it's technically just a song about winter.
A man named Richard Smith wrote a poem in 1934. At the time, he was in the West Mountain Sanitarium in Pennsylvania, being treated for tuberculosis. While there, he entered contests for jingles and ads for various companies.
Inspired the beauty of freshly fallen snow outside his window, he penned "Winter Wonderland."
Later that year, Smith showed his poem to a friend, Felix Bernard. He was a musician who saw promise in Smith's poem. Bernard decided to compose a melody to go along with the poem.
Tragically, Smith passed away in 1935, at the age of just 34. Some say he passed away before he could hear the song. Others say he got to listen to Guy Lombard and his orchestra perform the song the Christmas before he died.
The beauty of the song inspired me to write a book called Winter Wonderland Romance.The story is about a doctor who returns to her hometown (albeit reluctantly) to take over the medical practice there, and a veteran who needs a quiet place to sort out his life while dealing with PTSD.
In the book, Alex and Olivia even discuss the song's origins, so I thought I'd include the scene below:
Olivia felt like she and Alex strolled through a winter
wonderland. Unable to stop herself, she started to hum the tune to “Winter
Wonderland.”
“‘Winter Wonderland,’
right? Seems rather appropriate at the moment. Let’s see. We’ve heard sleigh
bells ringing. We’re strolling down a sun-glistening lane. We saw a new bird,
if turkeys count.” Alex smirked at her. “But if we build a snowman and he
offers to marry us, I’m going to assume my meds are doing weird things and
heading home.”
Olivia laughed. “Okay. That’s fair enough. Do you know the
history of the song?” she asked as they walked across the footbridge.
Alex shifted the leash from his left hand to his right as he
grabbed on to the railing.
“You okay?” Olivia asked, as Alex kept his gaze on his feet.
“Just a little dizzy. No biggie.” Alex glanced up as they
stepped off the footbridge.
Olivia stopped and gave him a moment to regain his
equilibrium. She wanted to pepper him with a bunch of questions only a
physician would ask, but instead she silently stood beside him.
“Thanks,” Alex said a moment later, then motioned to a
footpath visible through the snow where others had walked along the banks of
the creek.
“You mentioned the history of the song. What do you know?”
Alex asked as they walked along the snowy path.
“The words were written by Richard Smith, who was known as
Dick. He died young, at age 32, from tuberculosis. ‘Winter Wonderland’ was the
most famous of the songs he wrote. Felix Bernard, a World War I veteran, was a
professional pianist. He composed the music. Supposedly, Mr. Smith was looking
out the window at the snowy landscape of a Pennsylvania park in 1934 when the
beauty of the scene inspired him to pen the words for the song. It was the
opening song at the Radio City Music Hall Christmas show, and was used by Guy
Lombardo with the Royal Canadians in the Ziegfeld Follies. It wasn’t until the
late 1940s that the part with the circus clown was added.”
Alex grinned at her. “Quite a connoisseur of winter romance
songs, aren’t you?”
Olivia laughed. “Not in the least. I had to write a report about the song my sophomore year, and for whatever reason, the details stuck with me. Probably because you can’t help but hear the song dozens of times during the holiday season.”
“It’s odd, though, isn’t it, that there isn’t a single mention of Christmas in the song, but it is such a popular holiday tune.” Alex smiled. “I think it should get to stand on its own as a winter song.”
Olivia’s foot slipped on a hidden patch of ice, and she clung to Alex’s arm, feeling the muscles bunch as he reached out with his free hand. She squeezed it with appreciation, then let it go as they continued on their stroll. “Isn’t a winter wonderland romance as elusive as that new bird in the song?”
Alex shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not. I suppose it depends on who you ask..."
While I was writing the story, I listened to various versions of the song, but my favorite by far is the one by Dolly Parton.
What's your favorite version of the tune?
~*~
USA Todaybestselling author Shanna Hatfield is a farm girl who loves to write. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances are filled with heart, humor, hope, and hunky heroes. When Shanna isn’t dreaming up unforgettable characters, twisting plots, or covertly seeking dark, decadent chocolate, she hangs out with her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller.
Shanna loves to hear from readers. Follow her online at:
In 2023 I celebrated a milestone - the 20th anniversary of the publication of The Wren. It was the first book I wrote and published (in 2003), and I've been so grateful over the years for how readers have loved and embraced the story of Molly Hart and her return home after a childhood spent with the Comanche. I knew I wanted to do something special to commemorate the event and so this hardcover edition was borne.
I published the new edition at the end of 2023 but am only now announcing it because it took weeks for my author copies to arrive, and I wanted to make sure everything was perfect before I shared the news. And I couldn't be more pleased with how it turned out!
Su at Earthly Charms did an absolutely amazing job on the cover (which includes a dust jacket - squee!!). My daughter-in-law, Alex, did the interior illustrations, and she brought to life elements of the story so beautifully. My many thanks for her fabulous contributions. When I finally held a copy in my hands, I cried because a huge dream of mine had been achieved.
There are other fun additions - two short stories featuring Matt and Molly that until now were only available in digital to my newsletter subscribers, a new forward by me, and three essays previously published on my blog about the making of the Wings of the West series (The Wren is Book 1).
Copyright Alexandra McCaffrey
Copies are available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Walmart.com, and Booktopia. Autographed editions can be ordered on my Etsy shop and will include a new bookmark, a sticker of Molly's slingshot, and a cup coaster. I'll drop the links at the end of this post.
Copyright Alexandra McCaffrey
A 20th Anniversary Special Hardcover Edition
(Includes two bonus stories not published anywhere else - The Shiny Penny
and Song of
the Wren)
Captured by Comanche as a child, Molly Hart was assumed dead.
Ten years later, Texas Ranger Matt Ryan finds a woman with the same blue eyes.
Such a little sprite she’d once been, stirring up
emotions within him he’d never expected—affection, fondness, protectiveness.
Such a resolute woman she’d become, stirring … he really didn’t want to dwell
on that. Nothing good would come of it.
“A rousing,
spicy story of long lost love in the gritty Old West. The Wren will make your
pulse flutter and your heart sing.” —Ann Charles, USA Today Bestselling Author of the Award-winning
Deadwood Mystery Series
Ten years have passed since Molly Hart’s ranch was attacked,
her folks murdered, and she was abducted. Now, at nineteen, she’s finally
returning home to North Texas after spending the remainder of her childhood
with a tribe of Kwahadi Comanche. What she finds is a deserted home coated with
dust and the passage of time, the chilling discovery of her own gravesite, and
the presence of a man she thought never to see again.
Matt Ryan is pushed by a restless wind to the broken-down
remains of the Hart ranch. Recently recovered from an imprisonment that nearly
ended his life, the drive for truth and fairness has all but abandoned him. For
ten years he faithfully served the U.S. Army and the Texas Rangers, seeking
justice for the brutal murder of a little girl, only to find closure and
healing beyond his grasp. Returning to the place where it all began, he’s
stunned to encounter a woman with the same blue eyes as the child he can’t put
out of his mind.
A sensuous historical western romance set in 1877 Texas.
Bonus Content
THE SHINY PENNY - A Short Story Christmas Eve 1878 Molly Hart Ryan and her sister, Emma Blackmore, return to
the abandoned Hart Ranch to visit the gravesites of their folks. While
confronting the past revives a deep heartache and sadness that has long been
buried, it also offers an unexpected gift.
SONG OF THE WREN - A Novella October 1879 Matt Ryan finds more than rustlers when his cattle begin
disappearing. Forced to confront an enemy he thought long gone, he must ready
for a fight, but he’s never faced a battlefield like this before, and only his
wife, Molly, can save him this time.
Also included are three essays by the author about
creating the series: Naming A Series After Birds The Psychology Behind the Wings of the West Series Fun Facts about the Wings of the West Series
Reading order of the Wings of the West Series:
The Wren (Book 1) The Dove (Book 2) The Sparrow (Book 3) The Blackbird (Book 4) The Shiny Penny (Short Story 4.1) Song of the Wren (Novella 4.2) The Bluebird (Book 5) The Songbird (Book 6) - Novella Echo of the Plains (Book 7) - Short Story The Starling (Book 8) The Canary (Book 9) The Nighthawk (Book 10) - Preorder Now
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