Callie Hutton's Blog, page 7

Photo Shoots

Back in July, I traveled to visit my family in New Jersey. While I was there, we did a photo shoot with my daughter and three nieces to use on future book covers. My nephew did the photography. Since they say one picture is worth a thousand words, here’s five thousand words about our fun day.

 

What Did You Do All Day?

 

I deided to make scrambled eggs for breakfast. When I pulled the eggs out, I noticed something had spilled in the frig. So I cleaned it up, and while I’m there, pull out three out-of-date containers and take them to the garbage. Except the garbage is full, so I take the bag out. While I’m out there I realized I hadn’t picked up the mail in a couple of days. Picked it up, one was a magazine that I tossed on the living room couch and noticed my daughter had left her shoes there. I brought them to her room where the dog was still asleep on her bed, so I let him out in the back yard.

My plants were drooping, needed watering, so I went into the house to fill a jug with water and spilled some of it near the back door. Went to find the mop and found it outside drying from the last time I mopped. The dog bounds up to me and jumps, covered with mud. I drag him into the house and give him a bath. After that I need to take a shower. As I blow dry my hair, I notice the sink is stopped up, so I have to go to the kitchen to get the Drano, which is where I see the eggs still sitting on the counter.

My cell phone rings. It’s the husband. “What are you doing?”   

“Getting ready to make breakfast.”

“Boy, it must be nice to lay around all morning and have breakfast at 11 o’clock AM.”

Can’t slam phone down cause it’s an iPhone, so I push the off button and go back to bed.

It Never Stops

Do you have adult children? Counting my wonderful daughter-in-law, I have three. Son and DIL live about 20 minutes from me. They have twin baby boys. Adorable little 13 month old tykes, with mischief in their eyes. I also have a daughter at home who is in her last semester of college. She’s studying law enforcement, plans on joining a police force when she graduates.

Why is it no matter how old they get, they’re still your babies, and you want to ‘make it all better’ for them? When life slaps them in the face you want to hand them a lollipop and give them a hug..  It used to work when they were four.

Now they seem more concerned about my health and well-being. If I don’t answer my cell phone after they try a few times, they’re ready to call out the SWAT team. Reminds me of all the times I chewed my lips assuming the reason they weren’t answering their cell was because they were clinging to life somewhere on the road. I dismissed the idea that they’re battery had run dead, or they left the phone in the car.

The tables have turned  . . . . But hey, children, I’m not that old. 

The Surprise Brides: Caleb

I’m excited to announce the release of The Surprise Brides: Caleb. This is one of four stories by myself, Sylvia McDaniel, Cynthia Woolf and Caroline Clemmons. Four brothers with four surprise brides. Here is a snippet from the book:

The sleigh climbed the small rise, and she was treated to a welcomed sight. In the moonlight, a small, but cozy house stood downhill, surrounded by several large trees. The structure had a fresh coat of pale yellow paint, with deep blue shutters and trim. Aside from that, it didn’t take much to surmise no woman lived there.

There was no evidence of a clothes line, and no space in the back that would have been a kitchen garden. No curtains on the windows, and the lack of any type of coziness on the front porch announced this was a bachelor’s home.

But with a little bit of work and some effort on Caleb’s part, it could be a very comfortable house for the two of them. Despite her annoyance with the man, she turned and smiled at him. “It’s very nice. More than I expected.”

His bright smile in return caused a fluttering in her stomach and weakness in her knees. Lord, he was a good looking man. Dark blond hair, deep blue eyes and a smile that she’d just learned could wreak havoc with her senses. She scowled. Her virginal senses.

The sleigh came to a halt and Caleb sat back, his arm resting on the edge of the seat. “I built the place myself with the help of my brothers. I wanted to be away from the main house. Privacy. That way I could do what I want without everyone knowing my business.”

Dare she ask this not-known-to-her man what it was he did that he needed privacy and no one else’s knowledge? A kernel of fear settled in her stomach.

“What do you do that you need to hide it from your family? I hope nothing illegal.” The startled look on his face and the tightening of his lips told her that had not been a question she should have asked.

He scowled. “If I decide to entertain friends, I like to have a place where I can.” He wrapped the reins around the rail and climbed down. This time she waited for him to assist her. No point in falling in the snow and making a fool of herself again.

They walked up to the front door. Caleb opened it, and waved her in.

She stood tapping her foot. “Aren’t you going to carry me over the threshold?”

Already in the house, he turned back. “What?”

“Carry me over the threshold. It’s what new husbands do.”

Caleb removed his snow covered hat and slapped it against his leg, sprinkles of water and slush scattering everywhere. “That’s stupid. Unless your leg is broken, you can walk through.”

She fisted her hands at her side. “It’s a custom.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.” She waved her hand around. “I think it has something to do with ages ago when a man kidnapped his bride so he carried her over the threshold because she was considered ‘his’ if she was in his house.”

“And is that something you read in your library?”

“I don’t know where I heard it, but it doesn’t matter. What matters is, it’s a custom.”

“I carried you to the sleigh kicking and screaming. Consider yourself kidnapped. I’ve had enough for one day.” He walked away and left her standing at the door. “I’m going to see to the horses.”

 

http://amzn.to/1V8kzt3.  It is also available on iBooks, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Oyster, Scribd, Tolino, and Page Foundry.

Callie Hutton’s Tortellini Soup

I love the cooler weather that we’re having this coming week. Fall is my favorite season of the year. Since cooking is my hobby, I enjoy pulling out my recipes for stews, soups and casseroles, all the things we don’t make during the  hot weather of the summer.

Here’s my recipe for Tortellini Soup:

1 bag of tortellini (meat or cheese)

2 cans of Italian Diced Tomatoes (14.5oz.)

1 box of vegetable broth (4cups)

1 8 oz. Cream cheese softened

1 small bag of chopped spinach

I also add 1 can of cannellini beans (opt) you can also add mushrooms (optional)

Put everything in crock pot on high for 4-5 hrs. Delicious!

I’m sure this could be adapted to a regular soup pot, adding the tortellini later.

Happy end of summer!

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for visiting. Right now my little grandbabies are suffering from colds. Their parents started them in daycare, and after only three days they were both sick.

Our town is having its annual community day and we’re headed out the door soon for a parade, carnival and fair. We’re very lucky because the weather has finally cooled off, and we have temps in the low 80s now.

On Tuesday, my book, Heirlooms of the Heart releases. This is a contemporary western romance novella that was previously entitled Tessa’s Treasures. My heroine has a new name and a new antique shop. If you haven’t read Tessa’s Treasures, check out the new version. It will release for 99 cents as a special for the first week, so grab your copy before the 22nd.

I love to hear from readers, so feel free to leave a comment here. Happy Autumn!

Welcome to my world!

Hi everyone, and thanks so much for stopping by. Take a look around and say hello!

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Pre-order your copy of Wild Western Women now on Amazon ...

Pre-order your copy of Wild Western Women now on Amazon and iBooks!

Add it to your Goodreads WANT TO READ list!

The Wild Western Women Box Set launches tomorrow! To celebrate, I’m bringing you an excerpt from Sylvia McDaniels’ Desperate, one of the stories in the collection. Enjoy!

1876

Chapter One

“I don’t believe you. My sister was not charging boys to kiss her.” Meg McKenzie said, standing in the field of her small east Texas family farm. Her sister’s school teacher stood in front of her, arms folded, the school marms temper barely held in check.

At nineteen, Meg felt too young to be the responsible parent of a fifteen year-old. And Ruby was definitely more than one person could handle.

“I’m sorry, Meg. I know you’ve had to raise this child without much help from your father, but I can’t have her coming back to my class. She’s a distraction in the classroom,” the young woman told Meg, her parasol shielding her from the sun.

They stood out in the pasture where Meg had been hoeing the spring garden, preparing it for spring planting. Her working pants were coated with mud, she smelled of manure and her hands were calloused and rough from time spent working the land.

Meg dreamed of being a woman who had few responsibilities and wasn’t accountable for the care of the farm and her two sisters. She didn’t want to be a parent. She longed to wear skirts, go to dances and flirt with young men. She wanted to feel young, not like her life was half over, before it had even begun.

And Ruby seemed to stay in trouble. “My sister may not have had a mother to raise her properly, but she’s been taught that girls don’t chase boys.”

Staring at the school marms clothes, Meg recognized her poke bonnet and how she wore a bustle beneath her skirt. From the last catalogue her Papa had brought home, it was the latest fashion.

“She wasn’t chasing them, Meg. She was charging them a nickel a piece to kiss her,” Miss Andrews said, her parasol held tightly in her gloved hands. The old maid had driven out here in her buggy, her fourth visit this school year.

Meg couldn’t help herself, she laughed. Not even Ruby would be foolish enough to do something so naughty. “I don’t believe you.”

Miss Andrews placed her hands on her hips and almost snarled at Meg. “I would never have found out about it, if the line hadn’t gone clear around the building. I caught her in the act of kissing Jimmy Brown.”

###

From Best Selling Author Sylvia McDaniel: Desperate

After the death of their father, the McKenzie sisters, Meg, Annabelle and Ruby try the normal ways for women to earn a living in a small western town. When they fail, the McKenzie sisters decide to take up their father’s profession, bounty hunting. They quickly learn they can use their feminine wiles and their Baby Dragoons to earn their way in the old west. They’re tough and resilient, badass women in this historical western novella. Kick off the adventure with the first installment of the new series, Lipstick and Lead with Desperate.

{ Find Sylvia on her website, Facebook, and Twitter. }

Pre-order your copy of Wild Western Women now on Amazon and iBooks!

Add it to your

Halloween Blog Hop!!

Here is a picture of my 2 month old grandbabies, Carson and Mason in their cowboy Halloween get up. Their mom entered them in a contest with our local TV station.

Once you’ve enjoyed the picture, comment below to be entered into a drawing for a

$10 amazon gift card and one of my ebooks (your choice). Then click on that funny little guy on the top left of the screen and catch the rest of the Entangled authors on the Blog Hop!! Lots of fun and prizes.

HUGE WESTERN ROMANCE SALE!!

I’m excited to announce 30 western historical authors have their books on sale for .99 from October 17th to the 20th. Check out all the great books by some of your favorite authors and some new ones!!

 

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