Roxanne Rustand's Blog, page 7

Verdun, 1964: Snowflake the Military cat, by guest blogger Donn Taylor

Snowflake: Playing Cats As Cats Can By Donn Taylor

We’d been stationed in Verdun, France, for about four months when we inherited a white tomcat named Snowflake. I say “inherited” because he’d belonged to my boss’s family (or vice versa), and they were rotating back to the States. They’d inherited him from a family that rotated a year or so before them. In their turn, they took their furniture with them, but not their cat.

So Mildred and I, with our three and soon-to-be-four children, inherited the duty. Snowflake knew exactly what he wanted and when he wanted it. When he wanted to go out, he’d go to the door and stand. If we didn’t respond, he’d give a discreet “Meow” to remind us. His vocabulary was not large, but his infinite variations in tone expressed his infinite variety of moods.

One night he’d been asleep and we forgot to put him out for the night. We were just dozing off when this ball of white fur landed in the middle of our bed with a horrendous yowl. Needless to say, we arose and obeyed his command. Each morning when he was ready to come back in, he’d be perched in the kitchen window waiting for one of his servants to show up. When we went on leave, he politely showed up in our next-door neighbor’s kitchen window.

He also had a habit of disappearing for two or three days. Then he’d return, looking like he’d been run through a blender. Once when we’d been gone for several days, we returned to find all in good order except that Snowflake was nowhere to be found. We asked our French maid where he was, and she replied with a single word: “l’amour.” Next day he reappeared in the kitchen window and all was normal again.

We’d read about and enjoyed the cat in Robert Heinlein’s sci-fi novel The Door into Summer. On the first snow of the year, Heinlein’s cat would not go outside until he’d seen that snow lay outside every door of the house and that no door opened into summer. When snow came to us in Verdun that year, Snowflake followed that example. We don’t know if he’d read Heinlein’s book, but he did refuse to go out until he’d proved that every door opened onto snow. So we resurrected that book and enjoyed it again.

When our furniture was shipped for our return to the States, we handed Snowflake over to a neighbor and moved into temporary quarters. On our final day, the neighbor reported that Snowflake had left and taken up residence in a nearby French village. We never doubted what had happened: that intelligent cat had quit wasting his time on short-lived American servants who disappeared every two years.

So he’d employed new servants among the French, who apparently had longer life spans than the Americans. We never saw Snowflake again, but fifty years later he still holds a special place in our family memories.

 

 

Here’s an Amazon link for Donn’s new book: Lightning on a Quiet Night

 

Lightning on a Quiet Night

by Donn Taylor

released November 3, 2014,

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas.

 Publishers Weekly’s review comment on the novel: “Taylor’s powerful historical romance is filled with passion and heart, spiced with mystery and a keen understanding of the human condition.”

In the years following World War II, a town too proud of its own virtues has to deal with its first murder. Despite the implications of this crime, the town of Beneficent, MS, population 479, tries desperately to hold onto its vain self-image. The young veteran Jack Davis holds that idyllic vision of the town and tries to share it with Lisa Kemper, newly arrived from Indiana. But she is repelled by everything in town. While the sheriff tries to find the murderer, Jack and Lisa’s contentious courtship reveals the town’s strange combination of astute perceptions and surprising blind spots. Then they stumble onto shocking discoveries about the true nature of the town. But where will these discoveries lead? To repentance? Or to denial and continuation in vanity?

 

About the author: Donn Taylor led an Infantry rifle platoon in the Korean War, served with Army aviation in Vietnam, and worked with air reconnaissance in Europe and Asia. Afterwards, he completed a PhD degree at The University of Texas and taught English literature at two liberal arts colleges. His published works include three suspense novels and a book of poetry. He is a frequent speaker at writers’ conferences. He lives near Houston, TX, where he writes fiction, poetry, and essays on current topics.”

The post Verdun, 1964: Snowflake the Military cat, by guest blogger Donn Taylor appeared first on roxannerustand.com.

A Turkey Encounter

A Turkey Encounter, by guest blogger Tammy Johnson

For nearly as long as I can remember, I’ve had a pet of some sort or another. Most days I prefer to think of them as friends versus pets. They’re always there for a hug or cuddle and know just how to listen. I think our furry and feathered friends sometimes know a lot more about unconditional love than a lot of people.

One of the first pets I remember was a green parakeet who I called Tweetie Bird. He would and talk and sing and always greeted me with a happy chirp. That was several years and pets ago, but I’ve never outgrown my soft spot for birds.

I had an interesting bird encounter just the other day. It’s just one of the many things I love about my small hometown. As inconvenient as it can be some days, I wouldn’t trade this life for anything. I was at my day job and my coworkers and I noticed three turkeys walking down the road.

Rumor has it, they’ve grown comfortable with people around town and meander from backyard to backyard being fed just like other wild birds. I’d think this would be a dangerous life with Thanksgiving coming up quickly.

This turkey spotting reminded me of a hobby I once had but haven’t done in several years. I’m not exactly sure you can call it a hobby, but I used to really enjoy feeding and watching wild birds. Someday I hope to have a special area dedicated to bird houses and feeders.

If I had a spot for it, I’d love to try to make a homemade bird feeder that I found on Pinterest the other day. It’s made from a pumpkin. I’ve been trying to think of something to do with pumpkins so I could roast the seeds.

 

 

Making a pumpkin bird feeder looks easy enough.

All it takes is hollowing out the pumpkin and filling it with your choice of seed. It is the perfect season for pumpkins right now and I’m sure the birds would love it.

It is another thing I’ve added to my someday list. For now though, I have to settle for watching the birds from my windows while I’m working on writing my next book.

 

 

 

Does anyone else have any quick and easy bird feeding or watching tips? Or what is your favorite bird to watch this time of year? I’d love to hear.

 

 

 

Bio:  Faith has always held an important place in Tammy Johnson’s life. Two of her biggest dreams were being a mother and becoming a Harlequin author. After raising and homeschooling four children, her writing dream came true when she sold her first novel through the Love Inspired Suspense “Killer Voices” pitch event.

Now Tammy enjoys sharing her faith by writing stories of strong heroes and heroines who find strength in their beliefs to overcome danger and fear. She is a country girl at heart and lives in a small Kansas town with her teenage son and dachshund. Her first book, Royal Rescue will be an April, 2015 release with Love Inspired Suspense. She enjoys cloud watching and summer storms. A glass of sweet tea and a new story are never far away.

Website/Facebook

www.tammyjohnson.net

https://www.facebook.com/authortammyjohnson

The post A Turkey Encounter appeared first on roxannerustand.com.

Lawn mowers, Highland Cattle and the Pied Piper

At the beginning of our third lifetime, my husband and I sold our house in Denver, Colorado, and purchased a small ranch in the far NE corner of Washington State.

The area is sparsely populated, except by trees, rivers, lakes, mountains and wildlife. Having a ranch and raising livestock was on our dream list. We knew nothing about ranching, but we knew we would have to raise a special animal that wouldn’t require large rangeland. We researched and discovered Highland Cattle.

 

 

roxannerustand.com.

Rabbit Rescue…. and author Amanda Cabot

by guest blogger Amanda Cabot

 One of the best things about where I live is the presence of rabbits.  Admittedly, I spend too much of what should be writing time looking out the window at the cottontails and jackrabbits who visit the backyard, but they’re so cute that I can’t help myself.  Who could resist the sight of a bunny hopping onto the deck and peering inside or a jackrabbit carefully folding its front legs so that it can fit under a shrub and shelter from the snow?  Not I.

As cute as the bunnies are, they have one very bad habit.  And, no, I’m not talking about the fact that they nibble the fresh shoots of most of my plants, forcing me to put wire cages around them.  Their nasty habit is falling into window wells.  The good news is that, even though my basement is deep, meaning that the bunnies are plummeting quite a distance, they never seem to be harmed by their falls.  The bad news is that they can’t get out without human assistance.  And you can imagine how reluctant they are to accept that help.

This happened often enough that my husband and I developed a routine for what we refer to as the rabbit rescues.  I stay inside, talking to the bunny through the window.  See what I mean about cute?  My job is to encourage the bunny to hop into the rescue wagon … er, the rescue bucket.  We’ve decked out one of those black plastic planters that nurseries use for shrubs with string so that it can be lowered into the window well, then hoisted out as soon as the rabbit hops inside.  Of course, rabbits don’t naturally climb into strange objects, so it takes a little encouragement and a lot of patience.  But eventually each one finds its way into the bucket.

Then comes the fun, a quick ride to safety for the rabbit and a sigh of relief for the humans.  But sometimes the rabbit doesn’t understand what’s happening.  As you can see from this picture, one was so confused that even though it was out of the window well, it thought the exit route was through the drainage holes.  That gave new meaning to the term “dumb bunny.”

We have three window wells on one side of the house, and for three consecutive days last summer, we had a rabbit in one of them.  Was it a dumb bunny, or did it enjoy the ride so much that it came back for more?  We’ll never know.  What we did know was that it was time for a new plan.  Rabbit repellant to the rescue.  The stench is horrible when the granules are first applied, but they seem to work, and this year only one bunny needed a ride in the bucket.  Success!

What’s your opinion?  If you have rabbits in your yard, do you consider them a nuisance or a delight?  And have you ever had the pleasure/ challenge of conducting a rabbit rescue?  If you did, I hope yours all had happy endings.

Click this Amazon link to buy Amanda’s latest book! At Bluebonnet Lake: A Novel (Texas Crossroads)

At BLUEBONNET LAKE

by Amanda Cabot

Revell Publishing

Her life is set to warp speed. His is slowing to a crawl. But love has its own timing.

Marketing maven Kate Sherwood’s world is fast-paced, challenging, and always changing. The last thing she wants to do is grind to a halt at Rainbow’s End, a dilapidated resort in the Texas Hill Country. Still, she cannot deny her ailing grandmother’s request to visit the place where she and her deceased husband spent one glorious week fifty years ago. There, Kate meets Greg, who appears to be the resort’s unassuming handyman. But there’s more to Greg than meets the eye—billions more, in fact.

Kate isn’t looking for romance, but she can’t deny the sparks of attraction that fly every time she and Greg are together. Could there be a future there? Or will Kate’s long-sought promotion take her back to the big city?

Amanda Cabot invites you to step into a place away from the pressures of the day. You might be surprised by what you find at Rainbow’s End.

Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of more than thirty novels including the Texas Dreams trilogy, the Westward Winds series, and Christmas Roses. A former director of Information Technology, she has written everything from technical books and articles for IT professionals to mysteries for teenagers and romances for all ages.  Amanda is delighted to now be a fulltime writer of Christian romances, living happily ever after with her husband in Wyoming.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

www.amandacabot.com

https://www.facebook.com/amanda.j.cabot

https://twitter.com/AmandaJoyCabot/

http://amandajoycabot.blogspot.com/

The post Rabbit Rescue…. and author Amanda Cabot appeared first on roxannerustand.com.

Author Miralee Ferrell and her chihuahuas

guest blogger Miralee Ferrell

All my adult life I’ve said I’d NEVER have a little dog. They yap. They’re hard to house train, and for some reason, they always seemed annoying to me. Until I visited extended family a few years ago who had a darling little dog who fell in love with me. They were looking for a new home for her and I was seriously considering it, until I researched online and found some poor qualities that typically went with the breed—and heard from the owners that the dog constantly runs away and was impossible to house train.

Yep. Exactly what I’d thought in the beginning. Scrap that idea.

But I couldn’t get away from the memory of how fun it was to cuddle and play with that little dog, and I started entertaining the idea of puppy shopping. My daughter helped, and before long we found an ad for two Chihuahua sisters, both long haired, being sold by a breeder. They were already 12 weeks old and hadn’t been placed.

We looked, and both of us fell in love with one (later to be named Bella) who was high energy and wanted attention. The other poor little thing was smaller, timid and only wanted to cower or be held and shiver. I felt sorry for her, and decided to take her if my daughter would take her sister. She agreed.

So began my journey into owning a 5 lb dog when all we’d had in the past was Shepherds, Labs, etc. I told my daughter I was worried I’d never really love little Lacey, as I didn’t think she was cute and Bella was SO much cuter.

Little did I realize how Lacey would worm her way into my heart.

 

 

She’s been with me and my husband for 4 ½ years now, and she’s my best friend. She often sits on my lap while I’m writing or is curled in her bed not far from my feet.

When my husband gets up early and I’m still in bed, he brings her back and she burrows under the covers with me for the final hour or so before I get up.

 

 

 

 

She’s brought untold joy and love to my life, and guess what…now I think she’s cuter than Bella! I included pics of when we first got them (with the stick in their mouth) and some later ones when full grown, so you can decide for yourself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Miralee Ferrell is the author of 11 books, with her most recent that released today, Dreaming on Daisies, book four in the Love Blossoms in Oregon series, a historical romance.

Miralee lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest on 11 acres, where she loves to ride with her daughter on trails near her home, play with her dogs, and garden with her husband of 42 years.

 

 

 

 

 

Here is an Amazon link for Miralee’s new book! Dreaming on Daisies: A Novel (Love Blossoms in Oregon Series)

Dreaming on Daisies

David C Cook, publisher

Release date: October 1, 2014

When her father’s debts, brought on by heavy drinking, threaten Leah Carlson’s family ranch, she fights to save it. When handsome banker Steven Harding must decline her loan request, he determines to do what he can to help. Just as he arrives to serve as a much-needed ranch hand, Leah’s family secrets—and the pain of her past—come to a head. They could destroy everything she’s fought for. And they could keep her from ever opening her heart again.

This is western historical romance that offers hope and healing to the deepest wounds in a woman’s past.

Miralee wants you to know that book one, Blowing on Dandelions is on sale right now on all ebook

The post Author Miralee Ferrell and her chihuahuas appeared first on roxannerustand.com.

Sweet Christmas Kisses anthology –only 99 cents!

I infrequently post about myself and my books, but I am so excited about this new release that I just have to share the news!

Fourteen award-winning authors, some who are New York Times and USA Today best-sellers have contributed full length novels to this anthology. A total of 1600 pages in all e-formats–Amazon, Nook, etc.  What fun this was, getting to know these gracious and talented authors while we pulled this project together!  The title came about because all of the stories are sweet romance (no racy, graphic aspects) or inspirational.

As I write this, the anthology has climbed to #27 on the  overall Kindle Top 100 Paid book list, and is #1 in inspirational romance,  #1 in Romantic Comedy,  #1 in Anthologies, and is climbing the Contemporary Romance list.

It’s a huge bargain, and a great opportunity to read a number of authors you may not have tried before.  My own story in the anthology is “A Scottish Christmas”, and I had such fun writing it.  It was a chance to “revisit” our two weeks in the Scottish Highlands  this past spring.  Here is the cover for my book within the anthology, complete with an adorable Westie who is a character in the story.

I so love Scotland–and now I’m totally hooked on the the Outlander series on Starz.  :)   Did you see any of the episodes?  It’s historical romance, and my  book in the anthology is contemporary romance, but ahhhhhh, those wonderful Scottish accents and kilts, no matter what era we’re talking about! 

Here’s an Amazon link, if you’d like to read the reviews for the anthology, would like to read more about the authors and their stories, or…..if you’d like to order it while it’s still on sale!    Sweet Christmas Kisses: Fourteen Sweet Christmas Romances

Blessings,

Roxanne

The post Sweet Christmas Kisses anthology –only 99 cents! appeared first on roxannerustand.com.

Horse People…and the Amish Horses, by Marta Perry

HORSE PEOPLE

By Guest blogger Marta Perry

We used to be horse people. I say ‘used to be’ since the barn is empty now, except for a few old straw bales, stacks of firewood, and a tractor cart. But when our three children were growing up, the stalls were filled—with two horses and a pony most of the time, although for a time we also had a foal my oldest daughter was raising.

When I was a child, my every wish, whether on birthday candles, sighting the first star at night, breaking the wishbone, or throwing a penny in a wishing well, was always for a horse of my own. Since we always lived in town, that was a fairly unrealistic wish, but that didn’t stop me from dreaming!

Then I married, moved to a small farm,  had three children of my own, and that long-forgotten dream became a reality. As often happens, the reality was much more work than I anticipated, but it was also a delight. Our children learned so much from the years spent with horses—not just physical skills but patience, empathy, persistence, and a love for all God’s creatures. To say nothing of all the joy I found in my relationship with the horses!

One of the reasons I so enjoy the Amish fiction I’m writing now is the opportunity it gives me to use all those memories in my stories, like the naughty pony who’d always be the first to find a way through the fence, or the horse that had a genius for finding a loose board and leaning on it until it broke, or the one who was irrationally afraid of men but loved the girls, or… Well, I could go on, but you get the picture.

For the Amish, the horse and buggy is a powerful symbol of Amish identity. It’s a very visual representation of typical Amish values: tradition, time, nature, separation from the world. Because car ownership is forbidden, even non-farm Amish usually have a buggy horse.

The horse shows the slower pace of Amish society—as one Amishman commented, if you’re late starting to church, you’re not going to make up time on the road! Because the use of a horse and buggy restricts travel, it encourages families and neighbors to spend time with each other.

Depending on a horse means taking the time and patience to care for the animal and staying in touch with nature through its needs. It serves as a daily reminder of the cost of living Plain in a world which seems to have forgotten those simple values.

In my October release from Berkley Books, THE FORGOTTEN, Book 1 of the Keepers of the Promise series, the traditional horse and buggy plays a role, showing how little that aspect of Amish life has changed between the world of the contemporary story of a young Amish widow struggling to begin anew and the story of her ancestor, a young woman coming of age in the troubling years during World War II.

Any other horse-mad girls out there?

Here is an Amazon link for Marta’s new book! The Forgiven: Keepers of the Promise: Book One

The Forgiven, Book One, Keepers of the Promise

October, 2014, Berkley Books

First in a New Series!

When three women, all cousins, are given the task of sorting through the treasures of several generations of their Amish family, they each discover a story from the past that provides insights and inspiration for their own lives.? ?Central Pennsylvania, current day. Rebecca Fisher gladly accepted her husband Paul’s dreams as her own, but now that he has passed away, she’s struggling to raise two children and keep her home. Renting her stable to carpenter Matthew Byler offers a partial solution—even though Matthew has a troubled history, having sometimes failed to embrace Amish beliefs. As Matthew seeks to prove himself, Rebecca realizes how dependent she has become on others. Where can she find the courage to grow and change?? ?Lancaster County, 1941. As war threatens, Anna Esch pours her experiences into her diary. Her world seems to crumble as neighbors turn against the Amish and her love, Jacob, is sent to a camp far away for refusing to fight. She can’t know, as she grows from a girl into a woman during a time of trouble and grief, that one day another Amish woman will gain strength from the words she writes and will learn that she, too, can become a keeper of the promise.

Marta Perry Bio:

A lifetime spent in rural Pennsylvania, where she still lives, and her own Pennsylvania Dutch roots led Marta Perry to write about the Plain People in her current novels. The author of more than fifty novels, Marta is active in her church and community. When she’s not writing, she and her husband enjoy traveling, gardening, and visiting their six grandchildren.

The post Horse People…and the Amish Horses, by Marta Perry appeared first on roxannerustand.com.

Dogs and Character Development

guest blogger Judy Christie

Some people go to weddings and come home with party favors or photos.  But I’m looking for dog names.

When my college roomie’s daughter married last summer, for example, I met Howie, the bride’s strong-willed pup, who wound up as a catalyst in “Magnolia Market,” my newest novel. The fictional Howie steals the show in one of my favorite scenes—all because the real Howie’s personality was enticing.

In my fiction with a Louisiana flavor, dogs always play a role—and naming them is a huge treat. Each dog and its moniker is chosen with great care: Sometimes I pull a name from those I’ve saved for years. My collection of dog names joins my collection of inexpensive, antique dogs, mostly chipped and full of personality. At other times, I offer a small salute to a friend by using her pet’s name.

Dogs inspire character development

While I confess that I don’t own a pet (unless one bonsai plant counts), I’ve found the dogs of friends and family to be creative sparks. In particular, I like the way animals draw people out and show the true core of a person.

Have you noticed how you can tell a lot about a character in a novel by how they treat animals? That detail helps me develop characters—many of whom first connect because of a dog.

It started with Mannix in “Gone to Green,” my debut novel. (I didn’t write my first novel until I turned 50, and I’d held onto the name Mannix, a TV detective, for decades.) Mannix helps the main character meet the love of her life, and he stars in a subplot in the third Green novel, “The Glory of Green.”

Somehow the names and animals come together and become a thread in stories, the same way they are woven into the lives of the people I love.

How about you? What’s your pet’s name? How’d you come up with it?  Leave a comment for a chance to win a signed copy of “Magnolia Market,” where you’ll meet Howie, Willie and Fearless.

Here is an Amazon link to Judy’s book!     Magnolia Market (Trumpet & Vine)

Magnolia Market

HarperCollins Christian Publishing

released September 23, 2014

“The second installment in the Trumpet and Vine series stands alone well; however, fans of the series will enjoy catching up with familiar characters.  The story moves at an even pace, but readers will keep the pages turning wanting to know what’s going to happen next.  The message that helping others is therapeutic shines through.” – RT Book Reviews, 4 stars

“A delightful tale that entices readers with the aroma of biscuits, romance and new starts.” – Publishers Weekly

About the book: “There’s been a change in plans.” With that proclamation from her former mother-in-law, Avery Broussard watches her hopes for a new start collapse. Avery goes from running a ritzy boutique to filling in at a forlorn corner market–where the help of carpenter T.J. Aillet makes her believe in second chances at love.

 About the author: Judy Christie’s first pet was a cat with the oh-so-original name of Boots; her fiercest pet was a Chihuahua named Taco, named by her brother. Library Journal has compared Judy’s novels to those of Jan Karon and Debbie Macomber. Visit with Judy on her green kitchen couch at www.judychristie.com.

The post Dogs and Character Development appeared first on roxannerustand.com.

Drifter, the Australian Cattle Dog

Guest blogger Misty Beller

Growing up on a farm filled with a menagerie of animals, they were always among my best friends. Cows, horses, chickens, goats, cats, dogs, and whatever else we happened to be raising at the time, each was special in its own way.

But we also understood the value of animals. And I’m not just talking monetary value. Sure, many of the cows and horses were worth several thousands of dollars apiece, and part of our income (and the food on our table) was derived from raising and selling them. But some of the animals had specific jobs, and without them, life would have been much harder (or at least not as fun!).

So as I write novels, it seems I can’t help but include animals in some of the leading roles. My new release, The Lady and the Mountain Man, is primarily set on a ranch in the Montana mountains, and one of my favorite co-stars is Drifter, an Australian Cattle Dog.

 Now, I have a big confession to make. I took a fair amount of creative liberty with the timeline for Drifter. My story is set in 1874, and while the Australian Cattle Dog breed had already been “created” by George Hall in New South Wales, the dog wasn’t known to be in America until later in the 1900s. In my book, I don’t actually label Drifter as an Australian Cattle Dog, but his descriptions and mannerisms exactly reflect those amazing animals!

Have you ever had the opportunity to see these dogs in action? They are high energy, with amazing endurance, which makes them a cattleman’s best friend. The breed was first created by crossing Old English Sheepdog types with tamed dingoes.  The result was an animal that combined the loyal friendliness and herding savvy of the sheepdog, with the endurance and hard-working abilities of the dingo.

Even the typical coat colors are the best of both breeds. The base color for each dog is a mottled blue or red from the dingo. And many Cattle Dogs have solid patches of black brown or white, with a stripe down the top of the head—all coat patterns of the English Sheepdogs.

In my novel, the hero Gideon Bryant is left to handle the ranch’s seventy cattle and ten horses on his own, because of the death of his parents and brother. There’s no way he could do this by himself, but with Drifter provides the extra help he needs. Together, they move the cattle to healthier pastures, round-up strays, protect them from wild animals, and anything else that needs doing.

But when a beautiful city girl shows up at the ranch to marry Gideon’s dead brother, Gideon is annoyed to find that Drifter seems to like this woman better than he likes Gideon. Traitor dog.

I had so much fun getting to know Drifter in this novel, and developed an even greater respect for Australian Cattle Dog breed.

Have you ever owned one of these amazing dogs? Or perhaps you’ve seen them in action herding cattle or sheep? I’d love to hear your stories!

Here is an Amazon link for buying Misty’s book!   The Lady and the Mountain Man (Mountain Dreams Series Book 1)

Leah Townsend, a recently orphaned heiress, flees Richmond after discovering her fiancé’s plot to kill her after their wedding. She needs a safe place to hide, and finds herself accepting a newspaper marriage proposal from a God-fearing young rancher in the Montana Territory. But when Leah arrives at the mountain ranch, she learns her intended husband was killed by a grizzly, leaving behind a bitter older brother and a spunky younger sister.

When Gideon Bryant finds a city girl standing in his log cabin, his first thought is to send her back where she came from. He’s lost too many people to the wild elements of these mountains––his parents, his wife, and now his brother. His love for this untamed land lives on, but he’s determined not to open his heart to another person.But when an accident forces Leah to stay at the ranch for seven more months, can Gideon protect his heart from a love he doesn’t want? Has Leah really escaped the men who seek her life?

 

Misty Beller was raised on a farm in South Carolina, so her Southern roots run deep. Growing up, her family was close, and they continue to keep that priority today. Her husband and two daughters now add another dimension to her life, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

God has placed a desire in Misty’s heart to combine her love for Christian fiction and the simpler ranch life, writing historical novels that display God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.You can find Misty on her website, blog, Goodreads, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

 

The post Drifter, the Australian Cattle Dog appeared first on roxannerustand.com.

What’s a Farm without a Dog?

guest blogger author Valerie Comer

I’ve lived on a farm for well over half my life. Dogs have been a steadfast part of my memories during those years. It hasn’t hurt that my husband is a dog person! I class myself as more of a cat person, and both species have a solid place on most farms.

Zebedee was part of our family when our kids were young. He was an ever-patient companion for toddlers, even ones who stuck their fists down his throat, peered in his ears, or sat on his back and bounced.

He was a blue-heeler-based mutt with boundless energy. He’d chase anything anyone threw for him, though he was none too happy when that included a swim. With a long suffering sigh, he’d head into the water to get the stick, but he let you know it wasn’t his favorite environment.

Snowballs were a source of both enjoyment and frustration for Zeb. He loved to catch them in mid-air, though the remains were impossible to bring back to the thrower, try as he might. But what was a self-respecting dog to do when the snowball smashed into smithereens upon impact against a snow bank or tree? He’d try to round the bits up, but to no avail. Yes, we did it often, because it was hilarious to watch.

Haying season was Zeb’s favorite time of year. We farm 40 acres, 25 of which are reserved for crops. Imagine the fun for an energetic dog, following the tractor around in circles day after day! When Jim would come in at the end of a workday, Zeb would lap his dish dry then collapse in the shade, but he was always ready to head straight back out. He delighted in catching and eating the mice that hid in the swaths of drying hay. When he’d eaten his fill, he’d keep killing and rolling on the bodies.

That sounds disgusting, I realize, but farmers know that mice can cause a great deal of damage. They can ruin the hay stacked for the cows’ winter feed. Having a dog that loved to keep the rodent population down made our lives much easier.

Besides that, though, dogs generally love to play. Zeb certainly did, and the kids adored him. It only seemed natural to include a dog on Hiller Farm, where the heroine of More Than a Tiara, my contemporary novella in Snowflake Tiara, lives. Baxter doesn’t play an active part in the story, but appears in all the scenes on the farm, romping with the children, chasing snowballs, and being a loyal companion.

Here is an Amazon link for her new book!   Snowflake Tiara

Snowflake Tiara is a new release containing a duo of Christmas and pageant-themed romance novellas.

The Debutante Queen by Angela Breidenbach ~ 1889 (Helena, MT): Calista Blythe enters the first Miss Snowflake Pageant celebrating Montana statehood to expose the plight of street urchins. But if her hidden indentured orphan is discovered, Calista’s reputation and her budding romance with pageant organizer, Albert Shanahan, could both unravel. Will love or law prevail?

More Than a Tiara by Valerie Comer ~ 2014 (Helena, MT): Marisa Hiller’s interest in competing in Miss Snowflake Pageant for the city of Helena’s 150th anniversary is at zip zero zilch when she discovers the official photographer is Jase Mackie. Can Jase make amends for past mistakes and offer her, not only a tiara, but a partner in her crusade to help needy children and families?

 

Valerie Comer’s life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the local foods movement as well as their creation-care-centric church. She only hopes her creations enjoy their happily ever afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.

Valerie writes Farm Lit where food meets faith, injecting experience laced with humor into her award-winning Farm Fresh Romance stories.

http://valeriecomer.com

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N70PXZW

The post What’s a Farm without a Dog? appeared first on roxannerustand.com.