Sandra Merville Hart's Blog, page 53

Double Jeopardy – The History Behind the Story

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Donna Schlachter, fellow author, shares historical background for her novel. Welcome to Historical Nibbles, Donna!

By Donna Schlachter

When most people think about opening up the Wild West, they picture cowboys, wagon trains, and, of course, the gold rush. And all of those would be true and very important to the reasons why folks left the relative comforts of the East—that being everything east of the Mississippi—to head into the Great Unknown.

Sure, there were many other reasons for the Westward Migration, including the promise of cheap land—or land at all, since so many lived in sharecropper or tenement situations in the east. There were also those scoundrels on the run from the law, and in the years just prior to the setting of my story, 1880, the country went through a civil war. So folks headed west in hope of maintaining slaves, in hopes of escaping slavery, and simply in hopes of escaping the whole war thing.

Some were adventurers, like Becky’s father, who simply couldn’t let a horizon stay in front of him but wanted to see beyond every mountain and every body of water separating him from “over there.”

The Colorado Gold Rush started in 1858 and lasted until around 1861, and brought thousands of miners, ancillary workers such as drovers, liverymen, blacksmiths, prostitutes, saloon keepers, and swindlers. However, apart from a few areas such as Cripple Creek, which saw its biggest mining deep into the 1890s, most of the gold petered out as quickly as it was found.

[image error]An interesting tidbit is that silver was discovered because so many were looking for gold. Exactly twenty years after gold was first discovered, silver was found in the area of Leadville and covering a three-hundred-mile swath from the San Juan Mountains to the Foothills west of Denver.

Robert Campbell, in the book, learns of this find, and heads for southwest Colorado, intent on getting in on the ground floor of silver mining in the area. Little did he know that the wealth he counted on would evaporate less than fifteen years later when the government stopped minting silver dollars, a decision that increased gold prices and sent silver prices into the basement.

Double Jeopardy is available at Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, Amazon.com, and fine booksellers in your area.

[image error]About Donna:

Donna lives in Denver with husband Patrick. As a hybrid author, she writes historical suspense under her own name, and contemporary suspense under her alter ego of Leeann Betts, and has been published more than 30 times in novellas and full-length novels. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Writers on the Rock, Sisters In Crime, Pikes Peak Writers, and Christian Authors Network; facilitates a critique group; and teaches writing classes online and in person. Donna also ghostwrites, edits, and judges in writing contests. She loves history and research, and travels extensively for both. Donna is represented by Terrie Wolf of AKA Literary Management.

As a special bonus, Donna is offering a small book of recipes.

Her Newsletter Stay connected so you learn about new releases, preorders, and presales, as well as check out featured authors, book reviews, and a little corner of peace. Plus: Receive a free ebook simply for signing up for our free newsletter!

Connect with Donna on her blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

 

 

A Heart for Freedom by Janet S. Grunst

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Book 2 in The Heart Set Free Series

The freedom of the Colonies is at stake. Matthew Stewart doesn’t want to put his family in jeopardy and choose a side. He’s been loyal to the crown all his life, so he’s tempted to become a Loyalist. On the other hand, Patriots want to throw off the shackles and govern themselves. He and his wife, Heather, have friends who have chosen opposite sides.

Arguments and fights are something Matthew wants to avoid, so when two men approach him with an opportunity to serve, he keeps it to himself. It’s the only way to protect his wife and children.

Heather knows that Matthew is hiding something, but what is it?

Then Matthew leaves under mysterious circumstances. Where is he?

The author does a great job with revealing the history of the Revolutionary War and its effects on colonist. Being a history buff, my interest was snagged. The characters and their struggles were believable.

I’m looking forward to reading the third book in the series.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas

The Story Behind My Next Civil War Series

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Hi, everyone! Today I am guest posting on Michelle Levigne’s blog. Find out the “Story Behind the Story” for my next series of Civil War romances. I’m writing Book 1 right now. It’s called  Avenue of Betrayal and is set in Washington DC in 1861. If you know your American history, you’ll know that the war began that year. Lots of spying going on in the Union’s capital city!

I invite you to find out more at Michelle Levigne’s blog .

The Story Behind A Rebel in My House

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Hi, everyone! Today I am guest posting on Michelle Levigne’s blog. Find out the “Story Behind the Story” for A Rebel in My House, my Civil War romance set during the Battle of Gettysburg. I invite you to visit Michelle Levigne’s blog.

 

Wyatt by Susan May Warren

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Book 4 in The Montana Marshalls Series

Wyatt Marshall, the goalie for the Minnesota Blue Ox NHL team, is really in Russia to rescue Coco Stanley, the woman he loves. Ruby Jane, his sister, is already safely back home in the States.

Coco Stanley, daughter of a Russian general, is in constant danger. She has to get some information to Wyatt and then let her son’s father go. She does what she does best—flee. Yet Wyatt can’t let her go that easily. Then he discovers she has a son. His son.

Danger follows Wyatt as Coco meets up with York, who is trying to protect.

York loves Ruby Jane (RJ) but feels unworthy of her. But RJ isn’t as safe as they’d all hoped.

This fast-paced romantic suspense had me on the edge of my seat the whole journey.

A second love story in this novel also tugged at my heart. The author does a wonderful job of weaving these into the story.

Multiple viewpoints tell a gripping story. There are lots of characters in the story and I had trouble keeping their various connections to each other straight in the beginning.

A page turner! The story ends with a cliff-hanger and readers will want to read the next book in the series.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Christianbook.com

Crustless Cheese Quiche

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I’ve been eating a lower carb diet for the past few months and even went on Keto for 3 months. The greatest challenge for me was finding delicious low-carb recipes.

I searched for a good quiche crust recipe. I finally created a pie crust using ideas from several recipes. Though the crust was low-carb, the sweet taste overpowered the savory quiche.

It didn’t work.

Then I decided to create a recipe for a simple cheese quiche without crust. Delicious! I’m sharing it with you.

Crustless Cheese Quiche

4 eggs

2 cups Whipping cream

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk the eggs, cream, and salt together in a medium mixing bowl.

Spray 6 ramekins with cooking spray. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of cheese over the bottom of the ramekins. Add a little over ½ cup of the custard over the cheese.

Place in a pan. Then add a ½ inch of warm water and bake until the top is lightly browned. Remove from over and sprinkle cheddar cheese over the top.

Serve hot.

The quiche is light and fluffy.  Baked cheese on the bottom provides a thin layer so that I didn’t miss the crust at all. I love that this dish is delicious and low-carb and Keto!

Enjoy!

-Sandra Merville Hart

 

Grand Canyon National Park

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If your family is planning a vacation to Arizona, one of the most beautiful parks in our country is located that state. The Colorado River carved out a canyon 277 miles long and 18 miles wide that is called Grand Canyon National Park.

When Theodore Roosevelt stood on the rim of the Grand Canyon in 1903, the sight filled him with awe. He said, “It is beyond comparison — beyond description; absolutely unparalleled throughout the wide world.”

[image error]The park was established in 1919 and 5,000,000 people visit it every year. It’s known as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

Six Native American tribes live in or around Grand Canyon:  Hualapai, Havasupai, Navajo, Paiute, Hopi, and Zuni. This is a sacred place for them.

There are many ways to see the Grand Canyon. Some people take mule trips down into the canyon. Plan ahead to ride a mule because the trips fill up way in advance.

[image error]There are hour rides and half-day rides. An overnight ride includes a stay at the Phantom Ranch.

Plane and helicopter rides over the Grand Canyon give a birds-eye view of the park’s beauty.

Others take river trips. There are half-day and full-day water trips on the Colorado River or two to five-day trips. Whitewater rafting trips from Lees Ferry to Diamond Creek are professionally guided but plan ahead—these are reserved a year or two in advance.

Tourists may spot mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, porcupines, bighorn sheep, mule deer, lizards, and frogs in the park. There are hawks, woodpeckers, owls, and the endangered California condor.

The view from the North Rim at Toroweap Overlook, with the Colorado River a 3,000-foot vertical drop away, is breathtaking. Look and listen for the Lava Falls Rapid.

Snap some photos while there. The beautiful photographs here are used courtesy of Photographer Keith Adams.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Sources:

Flynn, Sarah Wassner. National Geographic Kids: National Parks Guide U.S.A., National Geographic Society, 2012.

“Grand Canyon: Associated Tribes,” National Park Service, 2020/04/06 https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/historyculture/associated-tribes.htm.

“Grand Canyon: National Park, Arizona,” National Park Service, 2014/12/16 http://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm.

“Grand Canyon: People,” National Park Service, 2020/04/06 https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/historyculture/people.htm.

“Grand Canyon Tribes,” Grand Canyon Guru, 2020/04/06 https://grandcanyonguru.com/grand-canyon-classroom/grand-canyon-tribes.

McHugh, Erin. National Parks: A Kid’s Guide to America’s Parks, Monuments, and Landmarks, Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, Inc., 2012.

 

A Heart Set Free by Janet S. Grunst

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In 1770, with no way to reach the freedom of the Colonies, Heather Douglas indentures herself as a bondservant for seven years to pay for her passage from Scotland and a tract of land. She’s unprepared for the hunger, disease, and death of the ocean voyage. Ashore, she awaits her turn to see who will buy her indenture.

Matthew Stewart, a widower struggling to run his farm, despairs of bringing his two children back to their home until he sees Heather. He pays her indenture and marries her.

Heather, aware that marrying a fine Christian man is a better fate than could have befallen her, tries to be a good stepmother. Her stepdaughter resents her presence and defies her.

Falling in love with her husband wasn’t in her plans, though her feelings scarcely matter. She will never measure up to Matthew’s first wife.

The title exactly fits the story! My interest was snagged early in the story. The characters were believable and likeable, making this a page turner for me.

I’m already reading the second book in the series, A Heart for Freedom.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas

Follow the Dawn by Rachelle Rea Cobb

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Anna Emory lives at Ainsworth Hall in Northampton, England, with her stern, dictatorial father in 1569. She longs for her older sister, who had fled years ago to escape an arranged marriage. They’d been close and Anna wonders why Margried hadn’t sent for her … or even written, but the worry fades under her father’s ultimatum—Anna must marry. Her breath hitches as it always did in stressful moments. While her father is away arranging the marriage, Anna escapes to her sister’s new home miles away.

 

Since Captain Mathieu Tudder has been off fighting the Dutch Revolution in his ship, he entrusted the care of his son to friends. Defeated, he returns to pick up where he left off with his son. Too much time has passed and the boy feels closer to Anna, whom he mistakes for a nursemaid.

Anna enjoys her sister’s company yet worries what will happen when her father finds her. She has always felt a kinship with children—men are another story. Her father never wanted her so she assumes the same is true for all men.

The struggles of each of the characters kept my attention. Anna has lived in a verbally abusive relationship so long that she does not trust men. Tudder fights feelings of failure. Many readers can relate to these emotions.

Though Tudder longs for his son’s company, hours and even days pass without him spending time with his son. I found this strange because they were living in the same large castle.

Interesting secondary characters enhance the story, making it a good read.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas

Traditional New Mexican Biscochitos

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Norma Gail, fellow author and friend, returns to Historical Nibbles to share a delicious cookie recipe from her upcoming release. Welcome back, Norma!

Biscochitos or biscochitos in Northern New Mexico Spanish, means “little cakes” or “bizcochos”. They are the official state cookie, and one of the favorites of Bonny MacDonell, the heroine in my novels, Land of My Dreams and the newest, Within Golden Bands, releasing on May 19th. At one point, she escapes the constraints of her new husband’s Scottish sheep farm, under attack from a mysterious stalker, and flees to a spot overlooking the islands at the east end of Loch Garry. Her lunch consists of a sandwich with turkey and green chili and biscochitos.

Simple to make, the cookies consist mainly of shortening and flour, flavored with anise and a little brandy, and generously coated in a cinnamon-sugar mixture. Known as far back as the culture of Santa Fé de Nuevo México in the 1500’s, they were traditionally shaped like a fleur-de-lis, though round is more frequent today. They probably originated in Spain or Mexico. A Christmas favorite, they are also seen at weddings, baptisms, and other celebrations, and are delicious with hot chocolate.

Here’s my favorite recipe:

2 cups lard or vegetable shortening

¼ tsp salt

3 tsp baking powder

6 cups flour

2 tsp anise seeds

2 eggs

¼ cup brandy or sweet wine

¼ cup sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

Sift flour. Cream lard with sugar, anise seeds, baking powder, and salt until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add brandy. Mix in flour gradually, stopping when dough reaches the right consistency for rolling. Turn out on a floured surface and roll to ¼ – ½ inch thick. Cut into shapes. Dust liberally with cinnamon/sugar mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

-Norma Gail

[image error]About Norma Gail:

Norma Gail’s debut novel, Land of My Dreams, won the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award. Within Golden Bands releases May 19th. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals have appeared in several publications. She lives in New Mexico with her husband of 44 years.

 

[image error]Book Blurb for Within Golden Bands:

Newlyweds Bonny and Kieran MacDonell grieve the loss of her miracle pregnancy while struggling to discover the identity of the man who left Kieran beaten and unconscious. Reeling from the threat to her husband and loss of their child, Bonny fights to hold her marriage together as danger destroys the peace of their sheep farm on the banks of Loch Garry, Scotland. Will they choose to trust God when his ways are impossible to fathom?

Buy Link:  Amazon