The Secret to Happiness ~ Suzanne Wood Fisher

 This is book two of the Cape Cod Creamery Series, Contemporary Christian read.  Callie has her dream job of being and Executive Chef and then one day is fired.  She is shocked to say the least and needs to get away.  She goes to her aunt's home in Cape Cod with an ice cream shop to escape.  When her cousin Dawn finds Callie in depression and staying in her room all the time, she decides to step in to help.  Dawn takes Callie to a class called Secret to Happiness at the community college.  They befriend the instructor, Bruno and he insist that Callie must hit rock bottom in order to go forward.  Will the class make Callie realize who she is?  Can Dawn make Callie get out of the depression and live life to the fullest?  What part does Bruno have in Callie's future? 

If you like an afternoon sitting and relaxing with a good book, this may be the one for you.  It is a heartfelt fun story about when you have a career and then it is gone the next day.  I enjoyed this book for it's characters, little town feel, and a meaning of how friends play a part in your life.   It is book two of the series but can be read as a stand alone.  I would suggest reading book one as it is as fun as this book and you will get the background of how Dawn came to the ice cream shop.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.

Second Time Around ~ Melody Carlson

 This book is a Christian Contemporary Read.   Mallory is going to Portside, Oregon to take care of her grandmother's shop that she inherits.  When she gets there and sees that the place is run down and needs work, she is not sure what she should do.  Grayson, a childhood friend offers to buy the place and take it off her hands.  Mallory thinks about it, however she learns his plan is to buy it, tear it down and make it an outdoor mall.  Mallory is heartbroken and will not let her childhood memories be torn down.  She decides to live in the upstairs of the shop and restore it all.  Then when she learns that the person she hired to help her is no help at all.  Can she save the shop and her memories?  Will Grayson and her be able to stay friends or more?  What does the future hold for them and the town of Portside?

I love this book and would recommend it to all Melody fans and anyone that love a good Hallmark movie.  This book will keep you interested from page one until the end.  I really didn't want to see it end. Loved the storyline, the characters and the town setting.  But then again, I love this author, when you read Melody Carlson books you are never disappointed.  Great light romance read!!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.

Under Fire ~ Lynn H. Blackburn

This is book 3 of the Defend and Protect Series a Christian Suspense and Mystery read.  This is the story of USSS Special Agent Zane Thacker and Special Agent Tessa Reed.  When they both are assigned to detail the President of the Untied States during a fundraiser, they never expected their past to come back to haunt them.  Zane is determined to stay by Tessa's side, no matter what happens.  Can they keep the President safe?  Will the past be the problem for both of them?  Will they keep the faith?

I would recommend this book to those that like a  fast moving, suspense/thriller read, that has many twist and turns that you can't put down.    I was intrigued and interested to finding out the way this book ends, and I couldn't put it down until I found out who really was the killer and if everyone survived to the end. I really enjoyed reading this book. This is book 3 of the series, however, can be read as a stand alone. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.

The Maid of Ballymacool ~ Jennifer Deibel

This book is a Christian Historical Read, taking place in Ireland.  Brianna works at the Ballymacool House and boarding school all her life and plans to stay for the rest of her life.  She likes to explore the school grounds and comes across a silver platter.  What is this for and why is out in the woods?  When Michael is sent to Ballymacool to handle his cousin, he didn't expect to find a friend.  Michael and Brianna become friends and soon find that they have alot in common.  What holds the key to the past and this silver platter?  Can they find the truth?  Do they want to know the truth?  Do they have a future? 

I would recommend this book to those that want a romance, mystery and enjoy reading of Ireland.  It is a page turner with twist and turns until the very end.  Great read to keep you wondering what is going to happen. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.

After the Shadows ~ Amanda Cabot

 This is book one of the Secrets of the Sweetwater Crossing series, Historical Christian Fiction.  Emily is a widow and has decided to move back to her home in Sweetwater Crossings.  She has found that her father dies a suspicious death and wonders what happened.  When she has to decide how she can survive now that her father is gone, she decides to turn the house into a boarding home.  Craig is left homeless after his home is burnt down, they find Emily's home to rent.  Craig and his son move in with Emily and find themselves working to find what happened to Emily's father.   Can they prove what happend?  Will they find something in common with each other?  How does Emily see her future?

I would recommend this book to anyone that would like to read a book that keeps you in suspense.  It is a page turner of mystery from her father's death to how will her and Craig end up.  This is book one of the series and I can't wait to read book 2.  

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.

A Country of Their Own ~ Hope Bolinger

This is a young readers book, but can be read by anyone to enjoy this wonderful story.  Priscilla and Carter are doing community service at a Florida retirement home and not happy about it.  They find that the residence are not what they expected.  When they try to put two residents at that home together, little did they plan what the outcome would be.  Will they be able to handle the emotions of what they learn?  Are they doing the right thing?

I would recommend this book to anyone that wants a heartfelt story.  It is a book that will touch your emotions as you turn the pages.  I was so intrigued by this group of teenagers and elders that I didn't want it to end.  The story could be a true story of teens in todays world.  I really enjoyed this book it says for young adult, but pick this book up and read it, you will be amazed and touched by it. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.

About the Book

Book: A Country of Their Own

Author: Hope Bolinger

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Release date: April 4, 2023

THE NOTEBOOK meets SEVENTEEN AGAIN

Priscilla is an old soul. Carter can’t wait to leave Florida, a haven for the elderly.

Together they’re forced to do community service at a retirement home. But all the residents look like teenagers. Are they meant to bring together the lovable residents Scarlett and Paul—who are actually 80 years old? Or is it too late for them to find love?

 Click here to get your copy!

 About the Author

Hope Bolinger is a Managing & Acquisitions Editor at End Game Press and the Founder of Generation Hope Books.

More than 1400 of her works have been featured in various publications ranging from Writer’s Digest to Keys for Kids to HOOKED to Crosswalk.com.

She has worked for various publishing companies, magazines, newspapers, and literary agencies and has edited the work of authors such as Jerry B. Jenkins and Michelle Medlock Adams.

Twenty-one of her books are under contract or out now with traditional publishers, and she hopes more of her stories will find a home soon. She has also contributed to twelve other books.

 More from Hope

Can you write a book based on a photo series.

 I did. I stumbled across this photo series in my college days and it never let me go: https://digitalsynopsis.com/design/reflections-of-the-past-tom-hussey/

 It made me think about how all people, young and old, are young at heart and wise beyond their years. In the publishing industry, I have experienced a great deal of ageism. You can seldom go to a conference without someone telling you something along the lines of, “Wow. I had no idea that you were so wise. I assumed because you are young that you know nothing.”

 And I know that many of my fellow writers who are older have experienced ageism to the same degrees.

 So I wanted to write a book that would level the playing field.

 I wanted to have two teen main characters who end up good friends with two characters who are well into their 80s—who simply look like teens thanks to the funhouse mirror effects of Country Acres (a retirement home in which the 80-year-old characters are residents).

 What made the book hit even closer to home was that I wrote it right after my grandma passed away—and right as the COVID shutdown took effect in 2020.

 Grandma had played a huge role in my writing. She and I read my first book together. She owned a bookstore in which, when I was eight, I helped her to run the cash register. And she always supported me in my publishing dreams.

 I am sad that she and Grandpa passed long before they could read this. But this book also encapsulates them. That my grandma tap danced well into her eighties, and that my grandpa would ride the waves on a boogie board.

 We’re all young, we’re all wise … let’s listen to one another.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Hope is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway!

click here

Sylvia’s Mother ~ Jennifer Lynn Cary

This is book 2 of the Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue series,  Christian Romance read.  This book takes you back to 1970's in Kokomo, Indiana.  The story of Sylvia and her mother Eileen, based on the song from Dr. Hook. Sylvia is determined to have control of her life and have her mother stop being so strict.  As it is her senior year, she finds getting along with her mother is going to be with God's help.  When they both realize that her mother's past is the reason she is today, will it bring them together or make them further apart?  Will Sylvia have a plan to have the future she wants?

I would recommend this book to anyone that has been reading the series and those that want a great fun read.  It deals with the 70's era, carefree people and forgiveness all wrapped into one. I loved this book, it is another great addition to the series.  It is book 2, but can be read as a stand alone. If you choose to read this book, read the Weather Girls series also, you will be glad you did. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.

 About the Book

Book: Sylvia’s Mother

Author: Jennifer Lynn Cary

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: February 26, 2023

She’s an overprotective single mother…

…He’s a former protector who can’t give up the role.

But who will guard their hearts from scheming high school matchmakers?

Eileen Avery is determined her daughter Sylvia won’t experience the heartaches she did. Even if it means taking parenting lessons from her mother, the dragon lady. But she is not like her mother. Not even remotely.

If only Sylvia could see that.

But she wants independence. How much is a good thing? And how much is too risky?

Besides, Sylvia is in love and needing a little freedom. It’s not like she’s about to run away to a commune and become a hippy. However, she is willing to try about anything to get her mom to loosen up, even play matchmaker. Maybe if her mother had her own love life, she’d quite trying to put Sylvia’s under a microscope.

But will it all blow up in her face?

Seth Matthews thought he’d said goodbye to Kokomo until an on-the-job injury with the FBI changed his plans. This town holds more than his family, and those memories had better stay buried for all concerned. But how was he to put his honed instincts on the back burner and stop safeguarding the ones closest to him?

He was willing to help his family with almost anything. But pretending interest in some woman to help with his nephew’s romantic endeavors? That was one thing he couldn’t see himself doing.

Until he realizes there was more than coincidence at play.

Forget about Women’s Lib. Return to 1972 Kokomo, Indiana for the second installment of The Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue series—Sylvia’s Mother—and the fight for personal independence. Join Sylvia, her mother, Eileen, and the kooky mix ups that all point to romance in this small town romp. If you enjoyed the Weather Girls and Judy in Disguise, then this book is a must read.

You will love Sylvia’s Mother, inspired by the pop 1960s song by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show, because everyone dreams of a second chance with a first love.

 Click here to get your copy!

 About the Author

Historical Christian Romance author, Jennifer Lynn Cary, likes to say you can take the girl out of Indiana, but you can’t take the Hoosier out of the girl. Now transplanted to the Arizona desert, this direct descendant of Davy Crockett and her husband of forty plus years enjoy time with family where she shares tales of her small-town heritage and family legacies with their grandchildren. She is the author of The Crockett Chronicles series, The Relentless series, and The Weather Girls trilogy as well as the stand-alone novel, Cheryl’s Going Home, her novella Tales of the Hob Nob Annex Café, and her split-time novels The Traveling Prayer Shawl and The Forgotten Gratitude Journal. Sylvia’s Mother is the second book of her spin-off series The Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue.

 More from Jennifer

Do you remember your high school prom? The one in Sylvia’s Mother is based on an actual prom—the Stardust Ball at Kokomo High School. I didn’t attend it—I’d gone to the Autumn Prom, but not the Stardust Ball in 1972, so I had to contact fellow classmates to get the scoop.

The date in the book is actually when it really occurred. And there are a couple other real events and personalities added to this otherwise fictional dance. It was fun to have friends tell me of their memories and to find out what some of the nominees were doing now.

Something else I learned that made me want to write this story. I had been researching and found an old interview by Chuck Buell who used to be a disc jockey for WLS in Chicago. I’d always liked him so when I ran across the interview, I wasn’t too worried about getting anything specific—it was pretty much a stroll down memory lane.

And then he told a story about meeting up with Dr. Hook. They were hanging out in Monterey, California on the good doctor’s houseboat when he offered to introduce Chuck to the guy who wrote the lyrics for “Cover of the Rolling Stone.” Turns out the guy lived a couple boats down the marina, so they walked over and Chuck Buell met Shel Silverstein for the first time.

Yep, the man who wrote The Giving Tree and those childhood collections of poetry—Light in the Attic, Falling Up, and Runny Babbit—got his start writing rock and roll lyrics. Among them are “Cover of the Rolling Stone,” “A Boy Named Sue,” and “Sylvia’s Mother.” And once I learned that, I couldn’t help hearing his style (“voice”) in the songs since I had taught from his books in my elementary classrooms for many years. The thought made me smile and I had to write a story from one of those. “Sylvia’s Mother” fit the plan for my new series, so I borrowed the title.

I hope you will enjoy the story, even if you’ve never heard the song. But if you do know that old pop hit, I think you will enjoy a couple Easter egg surprises I hid along the way.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon card and an eBook copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click Here to enter

The Escape Game ~ Marilyn Turk

 This is book six of the Heroines of WWII series, Historical Christian reads.  This book takes you back to WWII times when Berly is in Leeds, England taking care of her mother and working as a secretary for Waddington Game Company.  When the Nazis start bombing, she must keep her mother safe.  Her brother, James is fighting the war as a pilot and is shot down and taken to a prison camp.  There he meets Kenneth a POW from America and they become friends.  When the Red Cross sets out to help them escape, it is all about a board game.  Both men are wondering what this board game is all about, when Berly knows the game well.  Can she get the secrets to her brother and save him and his friend?  Do they win the game?  

I would recommend this if you like reading history or have been reading the series.  This book is a page turner and another great story in this series of women during WWII.  It will keep you reading from page one until the end, and you will be wondering how it all ends.  It will touch your heart and make you feel for the characters.  

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.

About the Book

Book: The Escape Game 

Author: Marilyn Turk

Genre: Historical Christian Fiction 

  Release date: March, 2023 

A Board Game Holds Keys to Prisoners’ Escape Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII. After the Nazis started the bombing blitz of England, Beryl Clarke puts her college on hold to return to Leeds, care for her mother, and work as a secretary at the Waddington game company. While she endures the war at home, her brother James fights the enemy in the air. When he is shot down, injured, and captured, James meets American POW Kenneth Anderson, and they plan to escape the Nazi prison camp. Beryl knows there is a board game with escape plans being delivered to POWs by the Red Cross. But how will the men discover the game’s secret?  

Click here to get your copy!

  About the Author
Award-winning author Marilyn Turk writes historical fiction flavored with suspense and romance. Marilyn also writes devotions for Daily Guideposts. She and her husband are lighthouse enthusiasts, have visited over one hundred lighthouses, and also served as volunteer lighthouse caretakers at Little River Light off the coast of Maine. When not writing or visiting lighthouses, Marilyn enjoys boating, fishing, gardening, tennis, playing with grandkids, and her golden retriever Dolly. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers; Faith, Hope and Love; Advanced Writers and Speakers Association; and Word Weavers International.   

More from Marilyn

The Story behind The Escape Game

In the process of writing my books, I’ve become fascinated by the real stories that happened during World War II. I’ve discovered information I didn’t know before and am finding out that many people I know, even those older than myself, didn’t know either. Every time I come across an interesting tidbit, I want to write about it. Since my husband knows I look for such things, when he came across a story about how the Monopoly game was used during the war, he shared it with me. The true story was kept top-secret for over fifty years after the war, so few had heard about it, especially outside the United Kingdom. Of course, my writer’s mind set off asking “What If?” So the story developed about a woman who works for the company that makes the game and what happened after she found out about the secret. What if she had a close relative who had been captured before the British informed their soldiers about the game and he needed to know the information? How could she convey that to him? I wish I could have gone to the UK for research, but that was not a possibility. Maybe someday. However, the people I contacted there were very helpful, and I was thrilled to make contact with the great granddaughter of the president of Waddintons, the company which manufactured the game. She was able to fill in a few details about the company, although when she was a child, her grandfather ran the company. One thing many people find hard to believe, based on the horrible treatment the Nazi army inflicted on people they thought inferior, is that the treatment of POW’s was somewhat better, especially for pilots. Thanks to the rules of the Geneva Convention after WWI, the Germans abided by them for the most part. That involved treatment of prisoners who escaped. Most of them were caught and returned to the camp from which they escaped. And normally, the punishment was solitary confinement. The biggest hardship of the POWs besides lack of freedom was the meager food they were given, especially as the war continued, since the Germans themselves were facing food shortages. The challenge for me as a writer was to accurately describe life in both England and the POW camp. The other big challenge was writing a love story when the two characters were apart for so long. But it’s true that many soldiers fell in love with women they corresponded with back home. That fact is verified in the many letters on record, including the ones my father-in-law wrote to a fellow soldier’s fiancé after the soldier was killed in action. Their relationship grew into love, and after the war, the two met in person at the train station for the first time and married the same day.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Marilyn is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon eGift card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway!

 Click to enter.

Do Your Best, Tess! ~ Janet Morris Grimes

This is a young children's book about just doing your best you can do.  When Tess has a hard time keeping her room clean, doing what her parents tell her to do and just paying attention to school, she learns that trying means more than you know.  Tess wants to sing in the play, however, she does other things and then doesn't go to the try outs.  She gets a second chance to audition again.  Will she be able to do the audition?  Will she make it to be in the play. What can Tess do?

I would recommend this to all the little ones as a read out loud book with adults.  It shows how to do your best you can in any situation.  It is a great story to teach kids about just trying, not having to be perfect, just be themselves.  

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.

About the Book

Book: Do Your Best, Tess!

Author: Janet Morris Grimes

Genre: Children’s picture book – ages 4 – 8

Release date: June 28, 2022

Tess is as scattered as the toys and clothes all over her floor. She flits from one activity to another and forms the habit of never finishing anything.

But when her dream is on the line, she discovers the importance of not getting distracted so she can finish what she starts.

Do Your Best, Tess! is a read-aloud participation book. The reader will encourage and cheer for Tess as she learns to truly do her best.

The first in the Character is a Choice! series.

 Click here to get your copy!

 About the Author

Janet Morris Grimes may not have realized she was a writer at the time, but her earliest childhood memories were spent creating fairy-tale stories of the father she never knew. That desire to connect with the mysterious man in a treasured photograph gave her a deep love for the endless possibilities of a healing and everlasting story.

A wife of one, mother of three, and Tootsie to four, Janet currently writes from her quiet two-acre corner of the world near Elizabethtown, KY.

Her debut novel, Solomon’s Porch, was a 2022 American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Awards Finalist.

 More from Janet

The idea for this series started over twenty-five years ago, when it was my turn to write a skit for our children’s worship service at church. I came up with a rhyming, read-aloud, interactive story where the kids could help the main character make better choices. They loved it, and they remembered the fun catch phrase long after that night. We created some great memories through the story, and that’s what I hope to offer to children of today.

Do Your Best, Tess! is about a little girl who’s learning to finish what she starts, and why that’s so important. Tess gets distracted easily, and I think we can all relate, especially with today’s culture.

I so enjoy reading this story to my own grandchildren. They love helping Tess remember to put forth her best effort, even when she doesn’t feel like doing so.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Janet is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a signed hard-cover copy of Do Your Best, Tess!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! 

Click the link to enter.

Forged in Love ~ Mary Connealy

This is book one of the Wyoming Sunrise series,  Christian Historical Romance.  This book takes you back into time to the western days of when stagecoach was the way of travel.  When Mariah is found after her stagecoach is robbed and her father and brother dead, she has also lost her memory.  When she starts to wonder what happened that day of the killings, she wonders if she is safe.  Clint is new in town and just wants to start a fresh new life for himself.  When he meets Mariah they are drawn together, but will the past be a problem?  Will they find that trouble in town may be more than they can handle?  Will they realize that feelings and faith outweigh the trouble times?

I would recommend this book to those that want to go back to the western times with a light romance.  This is a good book that will keep you turning pages and routing for their relationship to grow.  Enjoyed this book from beginning to end.  Looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.

About the Book

Book: Forged in Love

Author: Mary Connealy

Genre: Historical Romance

Release date: February 28, 2023

When sparks begin to fly, can a friendship cast in iron be shaped into something more?

Mariah Stover is left for dead and with no memory when the Deadeye Gang robs the stagecoach she’s riding in, killing both her father and brother. As she takes over her father’s blacksmith shop and tries to move forward, she soon finds herself in jeopardy and wondering–does someone know she witnessed the robbery and is still alive?

Handsome and polished Clint Roberts escaped to western Wyoming, leaving his painful memories behind. Hoping for a fresh start, he opens a diner where he creates fine dishes, but is met with harsh resistance from the townsfolk, who prefer to stick to their old ways.

Clint and Mariah are drawn together by the trials they face in town, and Clint is determined to protect Mariah at all costs when danger descends upon her home. As threats pursue them from every side, will they survive to build a life forged in love?

 Click here to get your copy!

 About the Author

Mary Connealy (www.maryconnealy.com) writes “romantic comedies with cowboys” and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has sold more than one and a half million books. She is the author of the popular series Brothers in Arms, Brides of Hope Mountain, High Sierra Sweethearts, The Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas, Lassoed in Texas, Sophie’s Daughters, and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero.

 More from Mary

The Inspiration

I started plotting this novel when I found out that Wyoming was the first state (then a territory) in the Union to grant women the right to vote. Then I discovered it wasn’t just the right to vote; all sorts of other rights were given to women as well, like the right to run for elected office or be appointed to office. In fact, the first woman justice of the peace in the U.S. was from Wyoming. This inspired me to have one of my heroines be the second justice of the peace in the country.

As I continued my research, reading about all that went on in Wyoming was fascinating. They became a territory in 1868—with women voting—and yet they weren’t allowed statehood for another thirty years. With other states being granted statehood in only a few years, why was this? Because the U.S. government refused to let Wyoming in unless they took the vote away from women.

Because Wyoming adamantly refused to strip the vote from women, year after year they were denied statehood. When they finally did get it, the state’s women maintained their right to vote because Wyoming would not budge on the issue. The whole history of this was great reading.

So I wrote a three-book series called Wyoming Sunrise in which all my heroines play against the normal, conventional female roles of the day.

Now, what job could I possibly think of that wasn’t traditionally for women? How about Mariah who happens to be a blacksmith? And while I’m writing against stereotypes, I created a man named Clint who runs a diner. That wasn’t too unusual, for lots of diners were run by men back in the day. Yet not many of them were talented chefs trained in high-class restaurants in New York City. Clint is an excellent chef. Of course, an excellent chef in a small Wyoming town is kind of wasted on folks who prefer fried chicken and beef stew.

Clint makes chicken and beef, but he calls his dishes weird names and makes them unusually delicious. Meanwhile, Mariah is working over a hot forge for long hours every day. When her father and brother are killed in a stagecoach holdup, she becomes the only blacksmith in town.

There’s some resistance to her doing such a masculine job, but even among those who disapprove, well, they’ve got a broken wagon wheel or a hole in their kettle and it’s either let Mariah fix it or go without. Mariah is allowed to be a blacksmith out of pure necessity.

My second book, The Laws of Attraction, has a female justice of the peace, while the third, Marshaling Her Heart, features a tough lady rancher. I write westerns, and honestly, writing about tough, feisty lady ranchers like Becky the Rancher comes naturally to me. Writing about a blacksmith and a judge, however, presents more of a challenge.

Mariah, who survived the stagecoach holdup, learns that the robbers believe she might know something that will reveal their identity, and she needs to be silenced. Clint tries to protect her and finds himself stepping between her and a murderous gang of outlaws.

Through it all, love finds them, and they begin to forge a life together.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Mary is giving away the grand prize package of a $15 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of the book Forged in Love!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway!

CLICK HERE