Roxanne Rustand's Blog, page 10

Canine Critters …by Stephanie Grace Whitson

Guest blogger Stephanie Grace Whitson

 Dogs are better than any critter I know at modeling unconditional love, and we humans can never have enough of that. The animal star of my most recent book, A Captain for Laura Rose, is Logjam, a “fearsome-looking” mutt rescued off a logjam floating in the Missouri River.

Logjam decides that he is part-owner and therefore self-appointed security for a steamboat named the Laura Rose. He worms his way into my imaginary friend’s hearts with just as much finesse as did Samson, my Doberman Pinscher, who thought he was a lap dog (never mind that he weighed nearly 100 pounds).

This moment in A Captain for Laura Rose was inspired by the one time I let Samson up onto the bed and woke face-to-face with a sleeping Doberman who had decided to steal my pillow. The brat. Logjam came to the edge of the bed and rested his chin there, looking up at her mournfully. When she leaned down to pat his head, he swiped at the back of her hand. Just once, but it was enough to startle her and to make her laugh.

“You did good, you know.” She scratched behind one of the dog’s ears. He strained against her hand, then put one white paw on the edge of her bed. “Are you trying to beg your way up here, now?” With a soft whine, he removed the paw and rested his chin back on the comforter. He moved only his eyes. Back and forth, from      comforter to her face and back again. “I’m going to regret this,” Laura said, as she patted the space beside her. Who would have thought a big dog could move that fast?

Elijah arrived, cup and saucer in hand. He spoke to the dog first. “Well, look at you.”

“A reward for saving me,” Laura said.

“You do realize you’ve a permanent fixture unless you lock him out?”

“I imagine so,” Laura tucked her feet beneath Logjam’s warm body. “But I  don’t mind.”

“You’ll mind when you wake up in the morning and his head is on your pillow,” Elijah chuckled as he reached down to pat the dog …

After Samson came a German Shepherd named Tanner. Born and raised in the country, Tanner took the new fence around our yard as a personal insult. On more than one occasion when we left him in the back yard while we ran errands, we came home to a joyful dog who had spent the entire time we were away loosening one of the fence boards, loosening one just enough to get free so he could wait on the front porch to welcome us home.

I haven’t owned a dog for a while, and every time one of my fictional furry friends does something adorable, I find myself dog-dreaming. I have owned and loved Sundance and Micah (both shelties), Samson, and Tanner. And now dogless, late at night, I find myself dog-dreaming via the internet.

Have you shared your life and heart with a dog? What did the pup do that made you laugh?

Here’s an Amazon link for Stephanie’s book! A Captain for Laura Rose

And here’s the scoop on A Captain for Laura Rose

Laura Rose White’s late father taught her everything he knew about piloting a Missouri River steamboat. He even named their boat after her. Despite that, it seems that Laura will forever be a “cub pilot” to her brother Joe, because in 1867, a female riverboat captain is unheard of. The only way for her to overcome the nearly          insurmountable odds is with the help of her brother’s disreputable friend Finn MacKnight, a skilled pilot with a terrible reputation. Laura loathes having to accept MacKnight as her co-pilot, especially when she learns she must also provide passage for his two sisters. Straight-laced Fiona has a fear of water, and unpredictable Adele           seems much too comfortable with the idea of life in the rough and tumble environment of the untamed river and the men who ply it. Though they are thrown together by necessity, this historic journey may lead Laura and the MacKnights to far more than they ever expected.

Publisher’s Weekly says: “Whitson weaves a fine thread of faith into each relationship and plot development,

giving readers a view of maturity through trials …  a vivid portrait of life on the Missouri River … lively dialogue keeps the story’s pace clipping along … strong secondary characters … contribute to subplots that add depth.

Romantic Times says: “ … all the makings of a great romance:  love, intrigue, mystery, and unforgettable characters.” 4 Stars

If you’d like to check it out:  http://tinyurl.com/pjuphny

And to learn more about my books, www.stephaniewhitson.com

The post Canine Critters …by Stephanie Grace Whitson appeared first on roxannerustand.com.

Dogs, kids and a life in Texas by Caryl McAdoo

Guest blogger Caryl McAdoo

Thank you, Roxanne, for inviting me to All Creatures Great and Small. I love the name of your blog and have always–since I can remember–loved animals! I once told my husband Ron that at any gift-giving occasion, he’d always get a gold star if my present was breathing! How easy am I? So this is just a special treat for me!

From horses to dwarf goats and hamsters to hedgehogs, if it’s a warm blooded pet, I probably have had at least one. But choosing which to share with y’all today posed no problem; must be Franklin Doganor ‘ROO’sevelt, my role model for the loveable Blue Dog in my new historical Christian romance VOW UNBROKEN. Now the question is, can I tell Roo’s story in 500 words or less?

God led husband Ron and me to move from Dallas County where we’d lived fifty-eight years northeast to Red River County in March 2008. This dog showed up the second or third day. He followed the boys walking home from getting off the school bus. We’re rearing four grandsons, and they all begged to keep him.

Though in Texas March is generally mild and warm, the weather went crazy and snowed. The boys tented a chair, made the dog a warm bed under it on the porch, fed and watered him. We named him Franklin Doganor ‘Roo’sevelt (to go with my toy Pomeranian Sir ‘WINSTON’ Churchdog), and all fell in love with Roo. He was such a great dog, even

helped herd my dwarf Nigerian goats after they free grazed back to the barn.

After about a week, a neighbor rode up on his 4-wheeler and introduced himself. “Nice to meet y’all, but that’s my dog.”

“Okay.” My husband nodded. The boys’ smiles turned upside down as O’Pa continued. “We thought he was a stray.”

So the man tried to load him up. “Come on, Rocky.” He patted the seat, but Roo wouldn’t get aboard. The man tried to convince us his dog loved riding the 4-wheeler, but finally resorted to lifting Roo onto the ATV and took him home. In no time, the dog came right back. The neighbor came three or four times to retrieve him over the next few days. We’d hear Roo barking and howling. Once he came back dragging a chewed off rope dangling from a new collar.

The man finally gave him to us. We offered to pay, but he said no. Roo chose us of his own accord, and was truly a wonderful, smart animal, so that’s who I fashioned my hero’s Blue Dog after. As a matter of fact, that’s our Roo on the front cover of VOW UNBROKEN! How much fun is that?!? I LOVE it.

It so happened that the graphic artist Kirk DouPonce at DogEared Design was commissioned for VOW UNBROKEN’s cover. He found me on Facebook and messaged to ask about my story and characters. I sent him a long email and toward its end, told him about Blue Dog and his big role in the story. I attached Roo’s photo to show him what Blue looked like. The first time I saw the cover, I squealed, thrilled to see our Roo there. Almost as excited as when my agent, Mary Sue Seymour, called to tell me Howard Books had made an offer on  VOW UNBROKEN back in October 2012. But neither of those events compare to holding the actual book in my hands! I have to carry it with me now everywhere I go like a newborn baby,  except from its conception to its release March 4th was twenty-two months!

 I’m so blessed and honored that God gave me this story to minister His love to His children. It’s set in 1832 Texas—Red River County, our new home so rich with history. Matter of fact, Susannah Baylor, my heroine, lives on the very same 916 acres we McAdoos do today.

 Here is an Amazon link for Caryl’s new book:   Vow Unbroken: A Novel

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Thank you again, and bless you!

Hey readers, you may have noticed we like unique names for our pets. What unique names have you named a pet?  Bless all y’all, too, and thanks for your comments!

The post Dogs, kids and a life in Texas by Caryl McAdoo appeared first on roxannerustand.com.

My Best Friend …by author Mary L. Ball

Lou is my best friend, well next to my husband.  I have to admit he sees things and hears conversations my husband doesn’t.

Lou is a Seventy-five-pound boxer. I don’t need to worry about him finding me at my worst, nor does he care if I walk around the house complaining. He just looks at me with love in his eyes.

Lou’s the kind of dog that makes you feel like a queen. His human “mommy” can do no wrong.

 

He can be scary looking to others. All the elementary kids on the bus call him Vampire Dog, but he’s a baby. There’s nothing he enjoys better than climbing on your lap for a nap. Yes, all seventy-five pounds of him.

The house is never boring with Lou around and he’s too smart for his own good.

One day, he mastered the art of ringing the doorbell. It didn’t take Lou long to learn that when the music plays, someone opens the door. At first, I’d go to the front door, and no one was there, except Lou. He’d  look back at me on his way inside as if to say, “thanks Mom.”

Finally, one day we caught him in the act of standing on his hind legs and pressing the chime. One afternoon Hubby and I came home. We walked into the house to an odd smell. Upon investigating hubby found that the doorbell was stuck. He had to undo the electric wire to the ringer. That day was rainy, so we figured Lou was tired of being outside. His constant pounding of the bell made the button stick, burning the motor out.

Lou is adventurous. He discovered that if he stands (again) on his hind legs, and the wooden door is open. He came hit the handle on the storm door with his paw and open it, and then run outside. If only, I could teach him to grab the handle from the outside and let himself back in! He runs to investigate every sound, and then when he’s satisfied the noise isn’t threatening he wants back in, usually five minutes later.

When I’m on the couch and Lou is cuddled beside me, I think back to the day we brought him home. Up until Lou, I must admit I didn’t know much about dog breeds and the dogs I have had were pocket pouches. Hubby and I were out enjoying a warm February 14. We stopped at a flea market, and there he was; the cutest little brindle colored puppy I have ever seen. I glanced at Hubby with my, Oh it’s cute. I’ve got to have this, expression. Hubby said, “You know this is a boxer.” I shook my head. In my mind, a Boxer would grow to be about thirty pounds.  On the way, home my husband explained that my cute little puppy was going to be a seventy-pound dog.

Seventy-five pounds later, I still wouldn’t take anything for my Valentine.

Here is a link for Mary’s new book!   Stone of Destiny

STONE OF DESTINY

Mary L. Ball

Taylor has given up on everything but her work. After becoming the youngest CEO of Mugful’s Beverage Company, she believes life is complete–until her grandmother asks her to oversee the renovations of the family home, in addition to searching for a missing heirloom.

Her first contact with what she believes is an insignificant ring, lost for fifty years, sends her life spinning. Taylor experiences strange. Unexpected feelings surface that she doesn’t understand. Thoughts that should remain unspoken are voiced.

Taylor’s emotional journey begins, testing a heart as cold as the ring itself and forcing her to question everything she believes. Is this a fairytale, or simply her soul reaching out for a different world–a life she can only find  through faith and a divine trust in God?

And They Called it Puppy Love…by author Valerie Comer

Guest blogger Valerie Comer

 There’s nothing like life with a pup. When Brody was little—a hundred pounds or so ago—I was certain the two or three brain cells he certainly must have never even bumped into each other in the cavern inside his skull. Talk about a dog letting his nose—or whimsy!—lead him.

He was supposed to be much smaller. His black Lab momma weighed about forty pounds, and her people thought it was a Border collie that found his way to their farm. We thought that would make for a nice midsize intelligent pup. I will now pause for the laughter to subside.

During Brody’s first few months, I began working on a series of books that morphed into the Farm Fresh Romance series (of which the second title, Wild Mint Tea, has just released). A bumbling Border collie puppy named Domino became instrumental to bringing my first couple, a veterinarian and an environmentalist farmer, together in Raspberries and Vinegar. The working title up until signing the contract, in fact, was Domino’s Game. Many of Domino’s adventures came from watching Brody’s antics.

Domino makes several appearances in Wild Mint Tea as well. But like Brody, he grew up a bit over the year or so between the books, and his intelligence began to show. The heroine of Wild Mint Tea is a fastidious chef who isn’t keen on animals, especially in the house, and the hero owns a reforestation company and travels nearly all the time, so neither has pets.

I can’t imagine a pet-free home, myself. In our nearly 34 years of marriage, a dog or a cat has nearly always been at our feet or in our laps. At the moment we have Brody, who is six and over a hundred pounds now. Yes, he still climbs into my husband’s lap on occasion!

We also have a pair of calico cats to snuggle and keep the grandgirls entertained. Moxie and Coonie are four years old and get along better than most sisters I know. My life would be far less complete without all these furbabies in our home. I’d have less to trip over and wouldn’t have to vacuum as often, but what kind of trade-off is that?

My Farm Fresh Romance books http://valeriecomer.com/series/farm-f... are a unique farm lit series following the adventures, romantic and otherwise, of three college graduates who move onto a reclaimed farm where they plan to take the rural area by storm with their sustainable lifestyle and focus on local foods.

 

Raspberries and Vinegar http://valeriecomer.com/books/raspber... released in August, 2013, and is the story of a feisty environmentalist and local-foods advocate who falls for the junk-food-loving reluctant farmer next door (and with his bumbling puppy).

 

 

 

In the second book, Wild Mint Tea http://valeriecomer.com/books/wild-mi... (March 1, 2014) we find chef Claire Halford hosting weddings at Green Acres Farm, but the first bride comes with a globe-trotting brother. Noel Kenzie’s reforestation company provides him the means to enjoy life. This is no time for him to settle down…or Claire to spread her wings.

If you’d like a 40-second long grin, watch this trailer created by my cover designer!    http://youtu.be/9Gus85lL5kc

Author Veronica Heley and Midge the Cat

Guest blogger  Veronica Heley

Our daughter longed for a ginger tom. Could the local Cat Rescue Centre oblige? Yes, they thought they might.

A shade of anxiety entered the voice at the other end of the phone line. ‘Do we have any other pets?’

‘No, we don’t.’

‘The cat’s name is Midge. His present owners don’t want to part with him, but they live in a flat, which is not suitable.’

Midge? What a delightful name. We imagined a sweet little pussy, darting a paw at passing butterflies. ‘We have a cat flap, and a garden.’

‘He, er, escaped from the flat and killed a pigeon. A valuable racing pigeon. The owner of the pigeon wants the cat destroyed, so we need to rehouse him today.’

Midge arrived in the arms of his owner, who was in tears.

Midge was no delicate flower, but a strong, well-grown cat with definite ideas about who was the head of the household . . . him. He worked the room, sniffing at everything, including shoes and chairs. He inspected the view from the windows. He tested the cat flap in the kitchen which, fortunately, we had taken the precaution of locking before he came.

He ignored his past owners, who departed, still in tears. He looked his new family over. He slanted his head at me. Food?  I obliged.

He indicated that he wished to explore the garden. I unlocked the cat flap. He disappeared, as did every bird in sight.

He reappeared in due course, laid a dead mouse on the doormat, making sure the head was towards the door, and the tail laid out straight behind.

More food. He inspected the bedrooms, selected my daughter’s bed and went to sleep.

Unfortunately, Midge lived life in the fast lane and tried to stop a car with his head, which ended in tragedy. But I introduced him into Ellie Quicke’s life in Murder by Suicide, and he’s been a member of her household ever since.

He appeared as a logo on the cover of several books in this series . . . the latest of which is MURDER WITH MERCY .  . .

Here is an Amazon link for Veronica’s new book!     Murder with Mercy (An Ellie Quicke Mystery)

Murder With Mercy

Veronica Heley

ISBN 9780 7278 8281 3

Release date May 2013

. . . in which Ellie is asked to investigate whether some deaths in the community are exactly what they seem, while her pregnant, difficult daughter Diana is struggling to cope with work while her husband is in a wheelchair. What’s more, sabotage at the big house nearby is being blamed on young Mikey, who is certainly up to something. Can Ellie track down whoever it is who is killing for mercy, keep Mikey out of the clutches of Social Services, and steer her difficult daughter Diana into calmer waters?

Publisher’s Weekly.   ‘ . . . this rewarding cosy.’

Kirkus Reviews. ‘Heley’s 13th finds Ellie beleaguered but resolute as ever . . .’

 Booklist (Online) ‘This is a pleasant read that’s part British cozy and part women’s fiction.’

Veronica Heley

www.veronicaheley.com

http://blog.veronicaheley.com/

Grizzle the Boston Terrier…and author Leann Harris

Guest blogger  Leann Harris

While my children were growing up, we had a Boston Terrier named Grizzle, which we bought to be a buddy for my son.  The little guy, turned out to be a blessing for everyone in the family.  He was a bud to my son. The moment my husband walked into the back door when he came home, that dog was there and would jump almost 6ft to get my husband’s attention and wouldn’t stop until acknowledged.  My husband had no choice but to leave the problems of the day and give his attention to the dog.

For me, my guy was my champion when I was striving to get published.  The closer I got, the harder each rejection became.  The last rejection I got before publication, I sat at my desk and cried.  That dog sat at my feet and gave me all his attention and love.  He didn’t leave my side. The next day I went out and bought him lots of new toys and chews.

Animals can be the best therapists. In my new book, A Ranch to Call Home, when my heroine is injured when a suicide bomber walks into the café she was at in Baghdad, she comes home to face the problems of her past. Captain Brenda Kaye pours her heart out to several of the horses on her family’s ranch. The hero, Caleb Jensen, a rodeo pick-up rider is at the ranch, taking time to reevaluate is life since once of the cowboys he pulled from a bucking bronco was seriously injured.

When Caleb’s horse shows his approval and likes the heroine, it catches Caleb’s attention.  The horses—Razor (his) and Midnight (hers), are the bridge between the hero and heroine, providing comfort and an excuse for Brenda and Caleb to be together as they care for the horses. Also, both horses serve as “therapists” for the couple, allowing them to safely talk out their feelings.  But then again, animals are always good therapy.

Here’s an Amazon link to Leann’s latest book! A Ranch to Call Home (Love Inspired LP\Rodeo Heroes)

A Ranch Called Home

Love Inspired

Leann Harris

A cowboys promise…The thrill of the rodeo is gone for cowboy Caleb Jensen. Nowadays, he helps out at a Texas ranch and keeps bad memories locked away. Then the owner’s granddaughter unexpectantly returns home–with a request he can’t accept. Former Army captain Brenda Kaye is organizing a charity rodeo, and she needs Caleb to get back in the saddle. She is determined to save her family’s ranch, even is it means working with the smart-aleck cowboy–and uncovering the mysteries that lie in their pasts. Brenda is used to the dangers of war, but if she trusts Caleb, could the next casualty be her heart?

 

I am so thrilled!! Come meet the new member in our family!

As anyone knows, who follows this blog or follows me on Facebook  (www.facebook.com/Roxanne.Rustand  or ww.facebook.com/Roxanne.Rustand.Author )  I love animals of all kinds.  Truly, truly love them.

Last fall, we lost our beloved border collie mix, Harold….a big floofy puffball of a dog.  Such a sweetie…but old age hit hard, and eventually he refused to eat…and then refused to drink, and he was telling us it was time.

Elmo the Wonderdog, a border collie my husband and  I adopted at the Cedar Valley Humane Shelter some years before, has been our only dog since then, but I have longed for a golden retriever for many years and have so hoped to eventually find one at a shelter.   I grew up with goldens, and  when our kids were young we had a golden…they are just the most wonderful, loving dogs.

Well, today is a red letter day!!  Thanks to a friend, I  heard about a golden at the Cedar Valley Animal Shelter nearby, and hurried over.  And fell totally in lovel

Our paperwork is done, and after he is neutered tomorrow we will be bringing him home.  I am soooo excited!  We are completely dedicated to adopting pets from shelters rather than buying from petshops or breeders, and I am so thrilled that my dream of finding a golden has finally come true!

The only thing is…he is such a beautiful boy, but his name is Sarge and it just doesn’t fit him.  If you have any thoughts for some good names for this sweetie, we would love to hear about them! He posed so nicely for his photos with the staff member at the shelter, didn’t he? 

In fact, if someone comes up with a name we choose, I’ll send the winner two of my books, autographed (if paperbacks are chosen)  or I will send them my two new e-book–titles,  and a $20.00 gift card to either Barnes & Noble  or Amazon!

Have you ever adopted a pet from a shelter?  I would love to hear about it!

 

Blessings,

Roxanne

A Christened Tree…by author Davalynn Spencer

By guest blogger Davalynn Spencer

My first two books each had lovable dogs that figured into the storyline, but not my upcoming book, The Cowboy Takes a Wife. However, Nell, a beautiful, “yellow” draft horse plays a key role when her expectant condition brings about the meeting of Annie Whitaker and Caleb Hutton in 1860s Cañon City.

The mare’s foal, Dolly, shows up in the third book of the historical series, Romancing the Widow. But in between in book two, Branding the Wrangler’s Heart, an abandoned pup—Maverick—finds the soft spot in the hero. Dogs have a knack for doing that sort of thing—finding our soft spot and inching into our hearts one wet kiss at a time. Even when they do things we’d rather they didn’t.

I remember the Christmas we bought a “living tree” during our church’s landscaping campaign. We could get a live tree at discount from the local nursery if we promised to donate it to the church project after the holidays.

Cake, right?

Until we showed up for the little spruce and discovered it was attached to a 200-pound ball of burlap-wrapped dirt.   The nurseryman loaded it in our horse trailer with a forklift and my husband and I dragged it out of the trailer but couldn’t get it in the house. It reminded me of those inflatable clown punching bags that popped up if you hit them due to their weighted bottom. This little tree had a very weighty bottom.

We shoved it over to the garage to wait for our neighbor’s high school-aged son to get home and help us. That’s when Rocco, our Jack Russell terrier, noticed the new dirt on his turf, and well, you know how territorial a terrier can be.

We didn’t know Rocco had christened the tree into the family until the neighbor boy hefted it into our woodstove-warmed front room. But neither did we have the heart to ask the kid to haul it out again, so I spent an entire can of pine-scented aerosol spray dousing Rocco’s anointing.

That was possibly the most memorable—and aromatic—Christmas of all.***

Here is an Amazon link for Davalynn’s new book!  The Cowboy Takes a Wife (Heartsong Presents)

The Cowboy Takes a Wife

Davalynn Spencer

Heartsong Presents

Feb. 4, 2014

When Annie Whitaker and her merchant father set out for Cañon City and the Pikes-Peak-or-Bust gold rush, Annie finds much greater wealth in the heart of a runaway preacher.

ANNIE WHITAKER HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PLAIN JANE. But in the bustling gold-rush town of Cañon City, Colorado, she turns heads, especially that of cowboy Caleb Hutton. Annie’s seen Caleb many times in her father’s mercantile, and she’s surprised and pleased when he takes a special interest in her.

Caleb’s faith was shattered when his fiancée jilted him for a wealthier man. But as he gets to know Annie, his view of women—and God—soon takes a turn for the better. Can Annie’s steadfast faith help the former preacher find his way back to his calling and a second chance at love?

 Connect with Davalynn online at 

www.davalynnspencer.com

www.facebook/AuthorDavalynnSpencer

http://www.pinterest.com/davalynnspencer/

and on Twitter @davalynnspencer.

 

 

 

 

     

 

 

A Puppy Named General Lee …by author Diane Dean White

Guest blogger Diane Dean White

Our children were four, six, and eight, and we had built a home among the pecan trees in the South. Our yard was a good size, and my husband made a play fort for them in the back. A relative who lived in the same area had a large farm, and their dog was expecting pups. When the pups were old enough, we took the kids to the farm and picked out a little brown-haired puppy.

The children named the puppy “General Lee.” I’d like to tell you it was because of the great War General himself, but the truth is “The Dukes of Hazard” had come on the television screen and the boys loved that show!

The General slept in the utility room off the garage in his own little bed, made out of discarded clothing. A long rope went all around the yard for the General, so he could play outside. This was especially fun for the kids when their new little pet gave them kisses while playfully knocking them over. He was one of their pals, a playmate, and guard for their fort.

The General was growing; and one day they untied him to go for a walk and within moments he was completely out of sight. We called and called his name, took bike rides around the area, and finally the kids and I got into the car and headed towards town.

As we drove up and down the main street, a small figure next to the curbside drew our attention; before I could turn the car around to shield them from the sight, they saw their small still puppy. The children started to cry; their beloved General was gone. Then our oldest son spoke up. “Wait a minute…he is really whole again because he is in heaven, and when we go there, everything is all right.”

I told the kids we would tell their dad, and he would take their puppy and give the General a proper burial. They agreed, as they felt it would be too hard for them to attend this service.

I can still recall the vision on that afternoon, of our three heartbroken children sitting around the kitchen table talking. They told me they had come to a conclusion and decided it hurt too much to have this happen again, they never wanted another dog.  I wanted to cry, too!

A few nights later after the children had been tucked into bed and prayers were said, I waited for my husband to come home. When he came through the door, he was holding another little puppy. I had told him about their talk and what the children had said, but he felt eventually they would learn to love a new puppy, and he had made another trip to the Farm.

The next morning I didn’t say anything—it seemed like a shell had been broken as we watched our three children run over and pet the new puppy. He was adorable, licking them and endearing them with his little yelps. I was glad my husband realized what needed to be done.

“What should we name him?” our youngest son said.

“Not General again,” responded our daughter.

“No, he’ll never be a General,” agreed our older son.

The name “Slinger” was chosen. From where, I don’t know. It was their decision and they had fun with their new puppy.  Some of the pain had been replaced with love for the General’s sibling.

Years and other pets have come and gone, but there is something about that first one that they loved and lost which will remain in my heart for a long time. When we see our children hurt, it doesn’t leave us. That’s the way it is supposed to be for parents and the reason our love is so strong.

“Children and dogs are as necessary to the welfare of this country as Wall Street and Railroads.”

– Harry S. Truman

Here’s an Amazon link for Diane’s book!   On a Summer Night

On a Summer Night

by Diane Dean WhiteON A SUMMER NIGHT, Kate and Vanessa hadn’t planned on the summer night that changed their lives. Could they have imagined the darkness that descended and how gripping fear could be? The beauty and sweeping moss, gentle palm trees and Florida breezes was wrapped with the memory of the awful evening. They played at being cheerful and returned home to yet another sorrow. Times steals away from the 60′s, and the memory of what happened was hidden in the recesses of Kate’s mind. She and her husband, returned to the winter home where by-gone memories were stored. Can she trust God to help her find forgiveness? Will her husband understand? She knew he needed to hear her story.

The Oddballs Out of the West… by author Patricia Knoll / Patricia Forsythe

Why We Love Those Oddballs Out West by guest blogger  Patricia Knoll/Patricia Forsythe

There is something unique about the American West.  It’s partly because of the setting – wide open spaces, huge mountain ranges, deserts at the base of a mountain and dense forests on top.  It’s partly because of the weather, mostly dry, but be prepared to be pummeled by a sudden cloudburst resulting in a flash flood that can carry you many miles from where you intended to be.  It’s partly because of the dry, relentless sunshine and heat that can take a ferocious toll on you if you’re outside too long.

But the main thing that’s unique about the American West is the people.  Some of the blame for our eccentric westerners can be laid squarely at the feet of wealthy eastern families of the late 1800’s who sent their embarrassing sons west as Remittance Men – ones who were paid substantial funds to stay as far away from their refined kinfolk as possible and still be on the same planet.

Along with them came miners looking for gold, silver, or any other metal or stone that would make them a buck, cattlemen looking to buy up cheap land on which to graze their herds, farmers who thought they could turn desert lands into an oasis, merchants with goods to sell, and scoundrels looking for easy money.  They all tumbled together in places like Colorado and Arizona and developed an unusual culture of acceptance of all comers.

In every small town and big city there are those who go about their daily lives pretty much like people in any other part of the world.  Here in the west, though, we also have people who are set apart by their sheer nuttiness.  Since I grew up in a small mining town in Arizona, I had the opportunity to study these folks up close.  I won’t even go into the number of men who walked around town with a Colt 45 strapped to their hip.  Along with boots and cowboy hats, that was practically their daily uniform.  As far as I know, very few of them ever shot themselves in the foot.  You could tell the ones who had, though.  They had an occasional limp.

Although there are probably many eccentric people in big cities in the west, they tend to stand out in small towns and mostly, we’re proud of them.  We still accept all comers.  If you want to fill your house with the stuffed heads of elk and bison, come on out west.  There’s room for you.  If you want to buy a dual cab truck with an extra long bed and paint it jungle camouflage, more power to you – though I have to wonder how effective the camouflage will be against a backdrop of dry desert and saguaro cactus.  If you want to spend your days walking around town pushing an old-fashioned baby carriage filled with your pampered pooches, we’d love to have you.  Just remember all those wide open spaces.  We’ve got space for you.

Patricia Knoll lives in Arizona and writes under that name and as Patricia Forsythe.  With either name, she writes romantic comedies, mostly set in the west, including her Lucky Break, Arizona series that features a small town of eccentric people who have a hard time minding their own business.  Here To Stay and Love In The Afternoon are two Lucky Break books with more on the way.  They are available online at Amazon.  You can find Patricia at www.patriciaknoll.com.

Here is an Amazon link for Here to Stay: Here To Stay (Welcome to Lucky Break, Arizona!)

Here is an Amazon link for Love in the Afternoon: Love In The Afternoon (Welcome to Lucky Break, Arizona!)

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