#NewRelease: THE SECOND-BEST RANGER IN TEXAS

By Kathleen Rice Adams

Texas Ranger, c. 1846 (Library of Congress collection)

As a Texan, I’ve always been fond of the Texas Rangers, an elite law-enforcement agency that functions as the state’s own FBI. Like their predecessors who patrolled Texas’s wide-open spaces during the 19th Century, the 150 men and women who compose the force today are a tough, savvy bunch no one wants to find on their trail. Texans revere the organization not only for the outfit’s history, but also because today’s Rangers serve as an outstanding example of upstanding devotion to an ideal.

Unofficially formed in 1823 and made official in 1835 by an act of the newly formed Republic of Texas government, the Rangers are the oldest statewide law-enforcement body in the U.S. At first the tough, hard-bitten men were a paramilitary force tasked with protecting the frontier from Indians and desperados. They were poorly paid and expected to furnish their own horses, weapons, and ammunition, but their never-say-die attitude quickly became legendary. Admittedly, sometimes they abandoned the letter of the law in pursuit of their objectives, but they always got the job done.

Fearful of the organization’s reputation, the federal government disbanded the Rangers during the post-Civil War Reconstruction Era. Texas re-commissioned the outfit in 1874, after the state emerged from martial law under Union occupation forces. Shortly before the turn of the 20th Century, the Rangers acquired the motto that still follows them today: “One riot; one Ranger.”

Except for one brief-but-notorious period of corruption in the 1920s, the organization has performed its function with stellar character.

The hero in The Second-Best Ranger in Texas, a 99-cent standalone short story Prairie Rose publications released today, is a Texas Ranger booted from the force when his partner’s death turns him into a loose cannon bent on revenge...as soon as he does his brother-in-arms one last favor.


A washed-up Texas Ranger. A failed nun with a violent past. A love that will redeem them both.

His partner’s grisly death destroyed Texas Ranger Quinn Barclay. Cashiered for drunkenness and refusal to follow orders, he sets out to fulfill his partner’s dying request, armed only with a saloon girl’s name.

Sister María Tomás thought she wanted to become a nun, but childhood dreams aren’t always meant to be. At last ready to relinquish the temporary vows she never should have made, she begs the only man she trusts to collect her from a mission in the middle of nowhere.

When the ex-Ranger’s quest collides with the ex-nun’s plea in a burned-out border town, unexpected love blooms among shared memories of the dead man who was a brother to them both.

Too bad he was also the only man who could have warned them about the carnage to come.

Available as an e-book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords.

To celebrate the release, I'll give a copy of The Second-Best Ranger in Texas, in the format of their choice, to one of the folks who comments on today’s post.

So...what inspires YOU?

Merry Christmas in Jesus’ name, and a most blessed 2015!

Okay, so if you’re like me...places you go inspire your stories. I drove through Red Cliff, a tiny mountain town in Colorado a year ago, when my story Open Hearts cried out to be set there. So back at the condo, I hunkered down on a snowy day and started to write it.

Something similar happened to Reverend Phillips Brooks in 1868. (Good heavens, not that I’m comparing myself to one of the most gifted orators of the 19th century.) Nonetheless...the young Pennsylvania pastor (1835-1893) was touring the Holy Land at Christmastime when he got the inspiration for the most popular Christmas carol of American origin.

Gazing down on Bethlehem on Christmas Eve, he experienced one of the “sublime memories” of his life. Three years later, he wrote a poem about that night, O Little Town of Bethlehem, for the children of his Sunday School at Holy Trinity Church in Philadelphia.

Church organist Lewis Redner (1830-1908) promised to write a melody for the poem so the children of the Sunday School could sing it at the next Sunday’s church service. When he went to bed on Saturday night, he had yet to compose a melody. During the night, he claimed an angel refrain woke him, Jumping from bed, he quickly jotted down the notes he’d heard. He presented the new song the next morning, and Redner forever after insisted the music was a gift from heaven.

Phillips Brooks, who became one of the greatest orators and best-loved preachers of the 19th century, was the Episcopal Bishop of Boston when he died in 1893. He was popular for preaching not from the pulpit but from the chancel steps. Lewis Redner remained organ-master and composer at Holy Trinity for 19 years.

Anyway, to make writing this post even more fun, the wonderful Prairie Rose Publications has just released Open Hearts, originally part of an anthology, as a singleton story for just 99 cents! If you love snowbound love stories, this one’s for you!

Ps. The hero’s name was inspired by one of my former students! He and his wife were delighted when I asked if I could use Keith’s name in a story!

http://tinyurl.com/o7flvaq

To honor her brother’s last request, Barbara Audiss takes on his identity as a district judge. Letting loose her secret will get her arrested. But keeping it prevents her from giving her heart to handsome sheriff Keith Rakestraw.

Furious at “Judge Audiss’” latest verdict, Keith discovers she’s a fake and consequences seem easy: toss her in jail. But he finds himself eager to give her his heart.

Special Christmas Memories by Linda Broday

When I was growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, my favorite things to play with (when I wasn’t reading a book) were dolls. I liked the limp kind that seemed like a real baby, where the arms and legs flopped around. The more realistic the better, especially the ones that had eyes that closed when you laid her down. And I was in sheer heaven when I got a Betsy Wetsy one year. I loved changing her diapers.

I still have to this day the very last doll I got for Christmas. I think I was about ten years old and a little old for dolls so I didn't play with it much.

Then, when I got around ten or twelve years old my youngest sister and I became obsessed with paper dolls. We’d patiently cut out their clothes with tabs and dress them up. We’d make up stories and have the cardboard dolls act them out. We spent umpteen hours on end playing with them.

Christmas was a special time for us. Growing up poor, I didn't expect a whole lot because I was aware pretty early on about our lack of money so my Santa list only included a couple of items. 

My sister and I usually got two toys then the rest was needed things like clothes and socks. Here's a picture of me that was taken on Christmas Day about 1955 with all my goodies except stocking stuff which was usually an apple, an orange, nuts of some kind and a few pieces of ribbon candy.

Today, kids get I-Pads, XBoxes, I-Phones and all kinds of expensive things that parents spend at least a thousand dollars on. And stockings gifts amount to a pretty penny. Kids see no fruit or nuts in theirs.

But do they appreciate it? Most don't. They expect (sometimes demand) certain gifts and throw huge fits if they don't get whatever their hearts desire.

I'd love to go back to the old days when simple was the norm and kids were happy just knowing they were loved.

I remember one Christmas in particular around 1959. My daddy had gotten severely burned on his job and was in the hospital. We didn't know if he'd make it. My mother spent all her time by his beside. So I knew that we'd not get anything but that didn't worry me. I just wanted my daddy to get well. I remember my brother who was seven years older tucking us into bed because Mama was at the hospital. I said my prayers and asked God to let my daddy live.

When I woke up Christmas morning, Mama was there and she was smiling for the first time in weeks. She told us Daddy had turned a corner and would make it. That was certainly the most memorable Christmas I ever had. I still cry when I think of it as I'm doing now.

So on this Christmas, on day of Jesus' birth, I wish you all health, happiness, and much love. May you find contentment and joy in your hearts.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Christmas 1866 at Fort Laramie

In my recent novelette, A Christmas Promise, I concluded with an author's note about one of the events that took place at Fort Laramie on Christmas night in 1866. Here is a little more detail about that Christmas day.

1858 view of Fort Laramie with walled remains of old Fort John to the left.

Like most frontier forts, Fort Laramie was built in a location based on its strategic value in relation to the surrounding terrain, its access to water, its defensibility and, in this fort's particular case, because there was an earlier trading fort there that provided a foundation on which to expand. It was not built near large cities with easy access to civilian populations. In other words, it was isolated. This resulted in a dearth of opportunity for recreation and sociability for officers, men and their families. To help make up for that, those stationed at the fort made a special effort at organizing memorable celebrations on certain holidays, including Christmas.

Thanks to the German influence of Prince Albert when he married Queen Victoria of England, Christmas celebrations including Christmas trees, Christmas stockings, special foods, decorations and Christmas caroling and become popular in the United States as well as Great Britain. Much of the information about what was popular in Europe and the eastern United States was passed to the frontier through Godey's Lady's Book.

However, Fort Laramie was not near a pine forest. In fact, wood was scarce. Firewood for use in the fort was obtained from as far away as forty to fifty miles. At the fort, often another type of tree, or even a twig of a tree, was decorated with fruits, nuts, pine cones, and small homemade gifts. Decorations were cleverly devised from pictures clipped out of magazines, old buttons, painted cigar butts, bits of lace and ribbon, egg shells, strings of apples/berries, and paper chains substituted for the classic pine tree of traditional celebrations. 

If there were children present, the tree might also include tiny hand stitched dolls and children’s mittens added a personal touch, and treats such as candies and sugar cookies. Mrs. Elizabeth Burt, wife of Captain Andrew S. Burt wrote of Christmas at her home, Fort Laramie, in 1866:

“As Christmas approached we made as great an effort as possible to enter into the spirit of the season. We made different kinds of candy… Judge Carter had brought a small supply of gifts in his ox train...The stockings were hung in the, wide open fireplace, down which Santa Claus could descend with ease. My six Sunday school scholars were made happy by homemade candy, ice cream, cookies and doughnuts.”

1877 Old Bedlam

For the adults, the Christmas celebration centered on dances, music and food. Officers, non-commissioned officers and enlisted men did not celebrate together, but there were several social events with feasting, drinking and receptions being enjoyed by nearly all members of the garrison.

Restored "Old Bedlam"- Photo by Robyn Echols June 2014

1866 had been a year of tension due to the hostilities between the Cheyenne and Sioux and the white settlers traveling through Indian land up the Bozeman trail effectively breaking an  earlier treaty that guaranteed that land for the sole use of the native tribes. The fort, along with the other forts in the area had been under constant threat of attack. To help provide relief from that constant fear, it was decided by the officers and their ladies to hold a white glove ball in Old Bedlam on Christmas night.

The party was in full swing in "Old Bedlam," a nickname reminiscent of the insane asylum given to the single officers' quarters, with everyone enjoying the merriment which was expected to last until midnight. It was cut short when about 11 p.m. a man, stumbling with exhaustion and dressed in an ice-fringed buffalo robe appeared in the doorway, asking hoarsely to see the commanding officer. The man was John (Portugee) Phillips, one of Colonel Carrington’s scouts. He had just ridden 236 miles, mostly at night to escape observation, to report that 81 men led by Capt. William J. Fetterman had been massacred while riding to the relief of one of Fort Phil Kearny’s beleaguered wood parties.

John "Portugee" Phillips

The news shocked the party-goers, many of whom knew Capt. Fetterman and some of his men. It brought the reality of the danger to the eastern Wyoming forts posed by the hostile Sioux and Cheyenne. The party immediately broke up and the officers and families returned to their homes. 

John Phillips passed along Colonel Carrington's request that reinforcements be sent to Fort Phil Kearney at once. Plans were set into motion to provide the requested relief. Unfortunately, blizzards and -23 degree weather kept the relief Carrington wanted so desperately from leaving Fort Laramie until January 2, 1867.

Zina Abbott is the pen name for Robyn Echols. Her current historical western novelette is titled A Christmas Promise and is available on Amazon, Nook and Smashwords.