WELCOME TO PRP'S THIRD BIRTHDAY BASH! by Cheryl Pierson

Hey everyone! Livia, Kathleen and I want to welcome everyone to our fantastic third birthday “bash” here at Prairie Rose Publications! Yep, this month marks the “big date” for us when we became a company and actually set our dreams into motion.

From our very first publication, WISHING FOR A COWBOY, that made its debut in October 2013, to the present, we have strived to bring our readers the very best stories we could lay our hands on. And, we hope we’ve brought happiness and fulfillment to authors in all stages of their careers—from the newbies to the well-seasoned—who have all joined us and become part of the PRP and Imprints family. Over the past three years, we've expanded to SIX imprints, and have published hundred of novels, short stories, novellas, and boxed sets and anthologies--and we have loved every minute of it!

Our authors work hard to bring their characters and stories to life for readers, and our team here at PRP has enjoyed these past three years immensely—I love reading and editing the submissions I receive and coming up with new ideas for boxed sets, anthologies and series. 

Livia and I, along with Kathleen, hash and re-hash what we think would be fun ideas for our authors to participate in, and we’re always open for submissions when our authors come up with their own fantastic tales.

Livia creates some of the most wonderful book covers ever, and is the true guru when it comes to getting all our work up and available for sale. She writes the release blogs for all our projects, and is, in general, like the “Wizard of Oz”, working behind the scenes (remember the curtain?) LOL And she is my hero—did y’all know that when she had a broken arm, she still managed to get a couple of releases up from the hospital? She’s one tough lady! Ok, you guessed it...she is actually...

...NOT a mild mannered author-type at all! Do you recognize her in this picture?

Kathleen is our website queen, among other things. I will never know anything close to what she’s already forgotten about social media, website and blogging issues, general info we need to be aware of in the publishing world, and …wait a minute…I think I just said that Tex is more brilliant than I am! Oh, but just in these areas. Never mind. There are others! (Kathleen—aka Tex—and I do a lot of good-natured sparring with one another since she’s a dyed-in-the-wool Texan who loves to be cantankerous to us Okies.)

Livia, Kathleen, and I love working together and think so much alike about so many things that it’s easy to “move along” with plans and ideas we have. We wanted to celebrate our third birthday with some new releases, sales, and prizes. So please join us every day here at the PRP blog through the 19th of August for a variety showcasing of the talents of our many wonderful authors! We will be doing giveaways, so be sure to leave a comment with contact info on our blogs—your name COULD BE the one we pick! And you're certain to find some fantastic new books to add to your library, no matter what!

 

 

 

A Christmas tale in Nebraska? Brrrrrrr ~Tanya Hanson

Can a Christmas blizzard ignite love gone cold?

My Christmas story, Covenant, is now bargain priced at only 99 cents! It’s a gut wrencher...here’s what one reviewer has to say:

 In a romance I want a novella to deliver the power and enjoyable HEA that one would expect to enjoy only in a full size novel.
     “Covenant” is that kind of 5-Star novella.
     It opens with about as emotional a scene as you’d expect in a romance and then continues with that high level of tension until the last page. No padding and no sagging middle.
     “Covenant” provided a totally engaging and enjoyable reading experience. I loved it. Highest recommendation. 5-Stars!

http://tinyurl.com/ltj63hr

Part of the anthology, Wishing for a Cowboy, the story--now available separately, needed a Christmas food for a theme. My gram’s springerle cookies just jumped into my head. I clearly remember the lemony yet licorice-y taste of these little “picture cookies” from my childhood, but more than that, I remember just dreaming over the rolling pin.

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/holiday-springerle-recipe

In the story, Carsten Green courts his mail-order bride Ella across the miles by sending her hand-carved cookie molds depicting her life...and his love. She calls his carvings worthy of a museum. But sadly, Fate tosses them unexpected grief that tears apart the new marriage.

Also sadly, Gram's springerle recipe disappeared over time, a well as her story-telling rolling pin. But King Arthur Flour has generously given permission to use their recipe at the back of the story, and pictures..

Enjoy! It’s the perfect short read in front of a fireplace where stocking have been hung with care!

Blurb:

Alone, abandoned, struck with guilt and grief, mail order bride Ella Green refuses to celebrate their first wedding anniversary by herself on the Nebraska homestead. Her fault Charlotte died.

Her fault her husband couldn’t stick around. So it’s back to Pennsylvania. Until the snow hits.

But do the spingerle cookie molds depicting her life--Carsten’s hand-carved courtship gifts to her across the miles--still have more story to tell?

Or is it truly The End?

Widower Carsten Green took on a bride merely to tend his little daughter. Unbeknownst to Ella, he gave her his heart instantly. Yet he believed she’s got no reason to stay after the child’s death. So he’s left her first.

How can the Christmas blizzard separating them warm their hearts, brighten their future, and ignite love gone cold?

  

www.tanyahanson.com

wwwp.petticoatsandpistols.com

“Tuesdays with Tanya~ http://tanyahanson.blogspot.com

Tidbits about Texas and the Texas Rangers.

 

 

 

Phyliss Miranda

USA Today and New York Times Bestselling Author

I love the Texas Rangers ... how about you?  Until I began writing, I didn’t even know other states had rangers, particularly Arizona, but there’s just something about a Texas Ranger that I love to pieces. 

Since 1823, the Texas Rangers have represented the highest ideals of Texas and America to admirers around the world. Individually, they are some of the most colorful heroes in American history. Together, they brought peace to an untamed frontier, and in the process became one of the most famous and respected crime-fighting forces anywhere. 

Hitler and the Texas Rangers.  The name “Rangers” is synonymous with the Texas Rangers, and never was it more clear than during WWII. On August 19, 1942, three Commando units of the British 2^nd Canadian Division landed in France. The purpose was to create an illusion of a major invasion and force Hitler to halt troops bound for the Russian front. However, somewhere along the line the British Commandos became the Texas Rangers. Apparently the confusion came with leaks that a special American combat unit, the legendary U.S. Army Rangers, who were modeled after the successful British Commandos, had invaded. Hitler was rumored to have watched Amerikanische westliche Filme (American westerns), and only knew of the Texas Rangers who were depicted in American movies played in European theaters during the 20’s and 30’s. As a result, the only American "Rangers" known to Hitler were heroic men in white hats, who single-handedly cleaned up entire towns with blazing guns.  Ironically, the Texas Rangers did volunteer to go to Europe but were not allowed to do so by our military. For a short period of time, thanks to rumor, the legend of the Texas Rangers offered hope to the residents of occupied France, two years before the Allies successfully landed on the beaches of Normandy.  

Texas Ranger uniform.  Before the 1950’s there was no official uniform, although some companies tried to administer the coordination of outfits that proved unpopular. Traditionally, Texas Ranger clothing is conservative western attire, specifically with white or tan hats, cowboy boots, white western cut shirt, tie, pants and belt.  But there is one requirement. A Ranger must wear an “appropriate” Texas Ranger hat, which is light-colored and shaped in a businessman’s style, commonly called the Rancher or Cattleman. Brims must not exceed 4 inches or be flat with edges rolled up. Hats excessively crushed, rolled, or dipped are not acceptable.  The elite lawmen own both a quality straw and a felt hat to be worn as determined by the weather or assignment. 

The Texas Rangers and the Alamo.  In answer to Col. Travis’ request for assistance in defending the Alamo, a party of Texas Ranges responded. The Gonzales Ranging Company of Mounted Volunteers answered the call, fought, and died alongside the other defenders of the Alamo.

Santa Anna escaped death because he was a Mason. This myth isn’t about the Texas Rangers, but I thought it fit with today’s discussion. Although not all historians agree, this statement can be dispelled by truths. In April of 1836, Santa Anna was captured after the defeat of the Mexican Army at the Battle of San Jacinto, and legend has it that he saved himself from execution by giving secret "Masonic signs" when he was seized, and later when he was brought before General Sam Houston.  Some historians believe that he simply filled the air with Masonic signs and gave a distress signal grip to Houston because he feared for his life. In truth, by using his knowledge of Masonic rituals, the captured Mexican dictator may have appealed to his captors to spare his life. However, they were under no obligation to save him for several reasons. First, Santa Anna had disowned the Masonic fraternity and outlawed its practice in Mexico, thus placing him outside the protection of any Masonic obligations. Secondly, Santa Anna was worth more to Texas alive than dead. Incidentally, President Andrew Jackson and General Houston were members of the same Masonic lodge, the Cumberland Lodge No. 8 in Nashville, Tennessee. Jackson wrote to Houston and asked him to spare Santa Anna's life, reminding Houston that "while he is in your power, the difficulties of your enemy, in raising another army, will be great.... Let not his blood be shed, unless imperious necessity demands it....” Could it be that President Jackson intended to seek humanity and wisdom to halt an enemy?

In western historical romances, Texas Rangers make a terrific hero because of the qualities they are known for.  I have to admit, I love ‘um too, although my favorites to write are crusty ol’ retired Ranger sidekicks.

Whether it’s television, movies, or books, who is your favorite Texas Ranger?

 

 

In Which Pirates Board the S.S. Christmas

By Kathleen Rice Adams

First: Happy International Talk Like a Pirate Day! We hope everyone is wandering around clad in historically inaccurate garb while annoying friends and strangers with random, bizarre words that never existed except in Hollywood’s imagination.

If you don’t convince everyone your marbles left the planet some time ago, you’re doing it wrong. (Need help with fake-pirate lingo? Visit the handy-dandy English-to-Pirate dictionary.)

Now on to the legitimate stuff.

Nice segue, huh?

Prairie Rose Publications published its first book Oct. 29, 2013. The anthology Wishing for a Cowboy contained eight short stories set in the Old West at Christmastime. Seven popular authors in the western historical romance genre and one unknown contributed to the volume, which turned out to be quite a successful debut for a brand-new publisher.

Since then, anthologies seem to have cropped up everywhere, and the trend appears to be gaining speed. PRP won’t lay claim to revitalizing a form once eschewed by the publishing industry, but we like to believe we’ve played a small role in reinvigorating the anthology as a medium offering significant benefits to both authors and readers.

For readers, short story collections represent an opportunity not only to find bite-sized pieces from their favorite scribes, but also to encounter work by writers with whom they’re unfamiliar. Often, one or two of the unfamiliar voices become new favorites. Most short stories can be digested in a single sitting, which makes anthologies perfect for slipping into a fantasy when time is limited.

A warning probably should be mentioned here. Anthologies and bags of potato chips share a common trait: Open either, and you’re liable to munch through the whole package before you realize what you've done.

At least with an anthology, you don’t need to feel guilty about overindulging.

Most authors develop a love-hate relationship with short stories. Not every author wants to or can write short. Those who embrace the format enjoy producing a complete, satisfying tale in weeks instead of hiding out in a dingy garret for the months or years novel writing requires. At the same time, it’s enormously challenging to create a complete, satisfying tale in very few words.

Writing short stories and novellas teaches authors a) to get to the point, and b) the true definition of “kill your darlings.” Characters acting up? Lynch the weasels. Plot bunnies hopping out of hats uninvited? Poisoned carrots work wonders. Extra words and phrases creeping in from nowhere? Send them on a scouting expedition with Custer.

All of that sounds very cruel, but trust me: In a last-man-standing situation, anyone or anything that gets in the way is just begging for the use of deadly force.

Now that I’ve gone all the way around the frying pan to get to the handle, let me accomplish what I set out to do with this post:

The submission deadline for Prairie Rose Publications’ two 2014 Christmas anthologies is Oct. 12. 

If you have a Christmas story rambling around in your head, now’s the time to put it on digital paper and email the completed manuscript (attached as a Microsoft Word document) along with a query letter (in the body of the email) to Cheryl Pierson at prairierosepublications@yahoo.com. Put the name of the anthology for which you are submitting in the email’s subject line.

 

 

Present for a Cowboy

Got a sweet/sensual holiday romance about a present for a special cowboy? That’s what we’re looking for to fill Present for a Cowboy. The present could be a material gift—or a gift of the heart. Put a hunky cowboy and a feisty heroine together during the holidays and see what you can come up with—but don’t forget that special gift!

Wild Texas Christmas

Do you have a holiday story that’s on the hot side? Send your sensual/spicy submissions for consideration for Wild Texas Christmas. You know what they say about Texas: There’s no taming the men—or the women—from that part of the country.

When Christmas comes along and cold weather sets in, a cozy cabin, a warm fire, and some time alone together can heat up the Texas frontier. Turn your imagination loose and see what you come up with—but remember, it’s got to happen in Texas, where everything is bigger, better, and wilder! (No erotica, please.)

So Long, July—and a Giveaway

By Kathleen Rice Adams

Where did July go? Like the other summer months, July is sneaky. Even inside a locked room with no windows, June, July, and August will find a way to slip through a tiny crack in the wall and disappear before anyone notices the devious glint in their eyes.

Along with July, Prairie Rose Publications’ Christmas in July heroes and heroines rode off into the sunset, secure in the knowledge they had found everlasting love. The Prairie Roses enjoyed what we trust will become an annual event. We hope readers did, too.

Before the characters and the month disappear over the horizon, though, we'd like to applaud two more authors and their books. Without its authors and their fertile imaginations, PRP would be no more than a dream. Thankfully, some dreams come true.

Phylis Miranda—living proof that not all Texans are as wild and woolly as the still-untamed land in parts of the Lone Star State—resides in the Texas Panhandle. She sets her stories there, bringing to life an area with some of the state’s rawest, most breathtaking scenery. A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Phyliss collaborated with Jodi Thomas, Linda Broday, and Dewanna Pace to produce six western historical romance anthologies published by Kensington. Those anthologies introduced me to Phyliss, Linda, and Dewanna, and I became a fan of their work.

That’s the magic of anthologies: Readers “meet” authors with whom they’re unfamiliar, and thus begins a love affair with tales that otherwise might have gone unnoticed.

Phyliss is one of the original Prairie Roses: Her heartfelt “A Christmas Miracle” appeared in PRP’s debut anthology Wishing for a Cowboy, which bowed in November 2013. A Christmas Miracle is now available as a standalone novella.

Mattie Jo Ashley has lost too many people she loves. First, her outlaw father then her mother. She is determined not to lose her baby sister to a mysterious disease.

Because she feels shamed by the problems her father forced upon the townspeople of Carroll Creek, Texas, and now suffers their disdain, Mattie Jo cannot turn to her community for help. She has no choice but to seek aid from the shy, but skilled local doctor.

Dr. Grant Spencer has every confidence in his abilities as a third generation doctor, but is sorely in need of self worth in other areas of his life.

When Mattie Jo unleashes havoc in the community and takes Grant to the brink of testing his courage and fortitude as both a doctor and a man, all discover the true Christmas spirit and the power of genuine love and acceptance.

Tanya Hanson is another of the original Prairie Roses. She and her husband always seem to be gallivanting off to some exotic location. She’s a native Californian, so she’s a little wacky around the edges…but if there’s one thing the Prairie Roses embrace with unrivaled gusto, it’s wackiness. We may seem staid and proper in public, but no one would believe the kinds of shenanigans that go on behind the scenes.

In addition to western historical romance, Tanya also writes inspirational romance. Her alter ego, Anya Novikov, writes young adult novels. “Covenant,” her first story for Prairie Rose Publications, appeared in Wishing for a Cowboy and now is available as a novella in its own right.

Alone, abandoned, struck with guilt and grief, mail-order bride Ella Green refuses to celebrate their first wedding anniversary by herself on the Nebraska homestead. Her fault Charlotte died. Her fault her husband couldn’t stick around. So it’s back to Pennsylvania. Until the snow hits.

But do the springerle cookie molds depicting her life–Carsten’s hand-carved courtship gifts to her across the miles–still have more story to tell? Or is it truly The End?

Widower Carsten Green took on a bride merely to tend his little daughter. Unbeknownst to Ella, he gave her his heart instantly. Yet he believed she’s got no reason to stay after the child’s death. So he’s left her first.

How can the Christmas blizzard separating them warm their hearts, brighten their future, and ignite love gone cold?


The women who formed PRP’s “foundation stock” are all charming, warmhearted, hardworking ladies, and those traits show in their fiction. No matter the characters or the challenges they face, every story ends with a sigh-worthy happily-ever-after ending.

Just like July.

Our most sincere thanks go to everyone who joined us on the first Christmas in July adventure. As a gesture of appreciation, we’ll give away two more e-books today: one copy of A Christmas Miracle and one copy of Covenant. Be sure to leave an email address with your comment!

CHRISTMAS IN JULY WITH LIVIA REASONER by Cheryl Pierson

I met Livia when I became a member of the Western Fictioneers professional writing group. At that time, there were not very many women in the ranks, and I was sure glad to have her to ask questions of and to toss ideas out to. When she asked for help with the WF blog, I was more than happy to step up and help as much as I possibly could. As time passed, we became friends—a friendship I cherish. That’s what led to even better things!


We’d talked about starting a publishing company for women only –because, let’s face it, women have the devil’s own time breaking into genres that have always been male gender specific—westerns and science fiction offerings being the two biggest culprits. So, since we both wrote westerns, we decided that was a good place to start. We knew there were a lot of ladies out there who were darn good western writers that just needed a chance to show what they could do—and New York City was certainly not providing that opportunity any more—not even to a lot of the men who wrote westerns, and had done so for years.


Prairie Rose Publications will be one year old next month, as I talked about earlier this week. Livia and I have found that we work very well together, and the business has boomed and expanded so much that we’ve added another company administrator, Kathleen Rice Adams, as our Promotions, Publicity, and Media Coordinator! We can’t even imagine doing this without her help at this point.

Livia’s not one to “toot her own horn” as my mother used to call it, so I want to take this opportunity to show you some of the things that she’s done this year with PRP and our imprint for younger readers, PAINTED PONY BOOKS!

http://www.amazon.com/Wishing-Cowboy-Phyliss-Miranda-ebook/dp/B00G9GTWVC/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406426974&sr=1-1&keywords=Wishing+for+a+Cowboy
Let’s start with CHARLIE’S PIE! This short story first appeared in our very first anthology here at PRP. When Livia entered the anthology with eight stories into the Western Fictioneers Short Fiction category for the Peacemaker Award, something wonderful happened. Charlie’s Pie WON! We are all so proud of Livia’s win—we were in the same anthology, and it was our first venture, so we were all rooting for one another—and she took the prize!

http://www.amazon.com/Charlies-Pie-Livia-J-Washburn-ebook/dp/B00M2766X4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406426462&sr=1-1&keywords=Charlie%27s+Pie
One of the first books we published in our PAINTED PONY BOOKS line for our middle-grade reader group was a book by Livia and her husband, James Reasoner, called THE PHANTOM RANGER AND THE SKATEBOARD GANG.

JAMES REASONER, LIVIA'S HUSBAND
This was a book they’d written together, then put aside for a while—until Painted Pony Books became the venue to bring it to life for new middle grade readers!

http://www.amazon.com/Phantom-Ranger-Skateboard-Gang-ebook/dp/B00GYAOFU6/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406426555&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Phantom+Ranger+and+the+Skateboard+Gang
Codi Jackson and her father have been forced to move again. Codi’s getting used to being the “new girl” in her fifth grade class—but that doesn’t mean she has to like it. Can’t life just be normal? With her mother out of the picture and her father working odd shifts as a police officer, friends are important—as long as they’re not the wrong kind.

When Codi and a classmate, Keith Wright, are assigned to work on a history project, Codi has to make some hard decisions about her popularity in her new school.

But everything changes when Codi picks up an old Texas Rangers badge that belonged to one of her ancestors and he appears right before her eyes! Her great-great-great-grandfather says he’s come to help her, but how? And how is she going to explain the ghost of her long-ago Gramps to her history project partner and her father?

Livia and James also penned another middle grade reader book for the younger set about a young Indian girl named Mockingbird that is just wonderful. Here’s a bit about MOCKINGBIRD AND BIG EARL:

They were an unlikely team, the big, gruff circuit court judge and the talkative Blackfoot girl. Together they travel across the Old West solving mysteries and bringing justice. Judge Earl Stark comes to El Paso to try the case of a man accused of a crime, but it's Mockingbird who finds the clues that lead to what really happened. A man's future depends on a missing dog, and it's up to Mockingbird to figure out the truth!
http://www.amazon.com/Mockingbird-Big-Earl-James-Reasoner-ebook/dp/B00K6ETYB6/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406426646&sr=1-1&keywords=mockingbird+and+big+earl
GUARDING HER HEART was the short story Livia penned for HEARTS AND SPURS, our PRP Valentine’s Day anthology. Another winning novella, and if you have not read this entire anthology, you’re in for a very “sweet” surprise—for only $2.99!

http://www.amazon.com/Hearts-Spurs-Linda-Broday-ebook/dp/B00HU5SCYE/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406426709&sr=1-1&keywords=Hearts+and+Spurs
Take a look at MENDING FENCES, Livia’s full-length western historical romance novel that is guaranteed to steal your heart and your imagination! Right now, you can snap it up for only .99! Yep, that’s normally what you’d pay for a novella or short story! And with this gorgeous new cover, you can’t go wrong on what’s inside.

http://www.amazon.com/Mending-Fences-Livia-Reasoner-ebook/dp/B0057OE74O/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406426770&sr=1-4&keywords=mending+Fences
Livia’s latest novella, THE BRIDE AND THE BADGE, was written for one of the summer anthologies that PRP produced in May. If you’re looking for suspense, action and romance all mixed together, give THE BRIDE AND THE BADGE a read, as well as the other stories inside this collection!

Was Emily just bait for an outlaw trap—or did she mean more than that to the handsome Texas Ranger?


http://www.amazon.com/Lassoing-Bride-Gail-L-Jenner-ebook/dp/B00KFFFJ6K/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406426835&sr=1-1&keywords=Lassoing+a+bride
LIVIA WILL BE GIVING AWAY A COPY OF CHARLIE'S PIE TO ONE COMMENTER AND MENDING FENCES (DIGITAL) TO ANOTHER! BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR CONTACT INFO IN YOUR COMMENT IN CASE YOU WIN!

For these and all the other PRP books, visit our website here:
http://s528097299.onlinehome.us/books-2/christmas-in-july-2/

For all of LIVIA'S BOOKS, visit her AUTHOR PAGE:http://www.amazon.com/Livia-J.-Washburn/e/B001ILMB84/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_5

You Can’t Outdraw the Ozark Belle—and a Giveaway!

An unwritten law in the Old West remains true to this day: Never draw on someone who can out-shoot you.

This deceptively sweet-looking woman
is a crack shot with a six-gun.

Though none of the Prairie Roses is overly concerned about being gunned down by Tracy “Ozark Belle” Garrett, one thought remains in the back of our minds: She could, if she wanted to, plug every one of us. After all, she and her husband, Ozark Shark, are members of the Cowboy Single Action Shooting Society. They’re quick, and they’re deadly.

Tracy is also an accomplished musician…but it’s the weapons thing that keeps us polite around these parts.

Aside from her prowess with six-guns and instruments, Tracy is a talented author of western historical romance and one of the original Prairie Roses. So far, she has contributed stories to Wishing for a Cowboy, Hearts and Spurs, Lassoing a Bride, and Lassoing a Groom. She possesses a remarkable ability to create settings and situations that make characters come alive.

Tracy’s most recent release is the novella Her Christmas Wish. Originally published in the PRP anthology Wishing for a Cowboy, the story twists the enduring star-crossed lovers plot, giving Romeo and Juliet the happy ending they deserved but were denied.


Her Christmas Wish
Parental disapproval separated Kathryn and Will as young adults, before they could marry. A decade later, widowed Kathryn mourns the loss of her youth while honoring her late husband’s dream by tending his stagecoach stop in the middle of nowhere. An unexpected reunion with the man she never forgot—and his explanation for his sudden disappearance on the eve of their elopement—leaves her confused and angry.

Tracy wove freshness onto a well-worn framework. Plausible situations, behaviors, and emotions create very real doubt the characters will work out their differences and find a happily-ever-after ending. They do, in a most sigh-worthy way.

In May, Tracy’s stories were included in the anthologies Lassoing a Bride and Lassoing a Groom. The two shorts are related, and that type of writing presents a challenge for any author. Tracy climbed the hill with aplomb, producing excellent romances overflowing with warmth.

“No Less Than Forever”
Doctor Franz Bittner is satisfied with his life as it is. He has a good practice in a place where he is respected, in spite of his German birth. He has good friends and enough income to provide him with a few comforts. A wife would only complicate things. Then a tiny blond stranger is pulled from the river and everything changes. With one smile she captures his attention—and steals his heart.

Rebekah Snow Redmann barely survived her abusive husband’s attack. Though she was given to him to pay her father’s debts, she’d rather die than go back.  Then she ends up in the care of the handsome local doctor and he stitches up more than her wounds—he mends her soul. With him, she discovers everything that she believes she can never have...a love that will last forever.

“Wanted: The Sheriff”
Martha Bittner may be considered a spinster at twenty-seven, but she’s not planning to stay that way. For four years, she’s wanted the sheriff of River’s Bend, Missouri, to notice her as more than a friend and a really good cook. With the first annual spring dance only weeks away, Martha decides to announce her intentions—and declares the sheriff a wanted man.

Sheriff Matthew Tate always thought he was better off a bachelor. Growing up in Boston society, where marriage is a business transaction and wealth his greatest asset, he’s learned to distrust all women’s intentions. None of them even catch his eye anymore—until pretty Martha Bittner tells him exactly what she wants… and he wonders why he ever resisted capture.

Tracy’s story in the Valentine’s Day anthology Hearts and Spurs is equally delightful.

“Coming Home”
Sometimes it takes two to make dreams come true.

When a man who believes he’ll never have a home and family…
Former U.S. Marshal Jericho Hawken should have been shepherding a wagon train to new territory, but he unwillingly left them vulnerable to a vicious raider. The murder of the settlers he was supposed to be guarding is the hardest thing he’s ever had to face…until he meets the sister of one of the settlers.

…finds a woman who has lost everything…
Instead of a joyous reunion with her brother, Maryland Henry has come to River’s Bend to take responsibility for her three orphaned nieces. Fired from her teaching position and with no other family on whom to rely, Mary believes Jericho Hawken is responsible for all her woes. Or is he what she’s been searching for all along?

It takes a lot of forgiveness and a few fireworks to realize that together their dreams can come true.

Before joining the Roses, Tracy published two western romances with Zebra Books. Both received excellent reviews.

More about Tracy, including links to everywhere she lurks online, is here. Look her up and make friends. Trust us: Tracy is a sweetheart, but no one wants the Ozark Belle as an enemy.

To prove just how friendly she can be when not packing iron, Tracy will give a digital copy of Her Christmas Wish to two folks who are brave enough to leave a comment today. Please don’t forget to leave an email address!