Reprise (Dance Like a Chicken Day) by Merrillee Whren

 

May 14 is Dance Like a Chicken Day. I've mentioned this day before in a two previous blog posts. The first time was in 2019 and the second in 2021. Four years later, I'm taking advantage of this topic again. In the previous two posts, I mentioned that the "Chicken Dance" is often used at weddings receptions. In the first post I talked about a book that was only forming in my mind with a secondary character from another book. At that point I knew these four things:

Number one: Caroline Keller was the heroine's name. 

Number two: The book would be the fourth book in my Kellersburg series.

Number three:  Caroline was the sister of Nathan Keller, the hero of Hometown Dad, book #3 in the series.

Number four: Caroline had recently returned to the United States after serving as a missionary on the African continent. I still hadn't decided in which country.

This is the graphic I used in both of the previous posts. 

I mentioned that I had no idea that the chicken dance would appear somewhere in that book. I always marvel at how my pantser writer's brain can come up with unexpected things. At the wedding reception for her brother, Nathan, Caroline finds herself pulled into the chicken dance. In the scene just before the dance, the hero of Hometown Cowboy, Wyatt Bayer, has just had a hard conversation with Caroline, when the son's of the bride appear to ask Caroline to dance with them. The dance scene is in Wyatt's point of view, and he sees the smile that replaces her troubled expression. Even when life is troubled, the chicken dance can make you smile. Here is an excerpt from that scene. 

     “Aunt Caroline, Aunt Caroline.” Wyatt turned to see Ryan and Andrew, Melanie’s two sons, racing onto the portico. The boys stopped in front of Caroline. “You have to come and do the chicken dance with us.”
     Caroline looked at the two boys as a smile displaced her troubled expression. She stood. “Sure. I wouldn’t want to miss the chicken dance.”
     Wyatt followed behind while Caroline’s hard story stamped itself on his brain. Did this mean the end to their conversation and his plans? Probably. He figured she would never agree to go somewhere with him alone. He stood at the edge of the small dance floor and watched Caroline do the chicken dance with her nephews. He ached to make her that happy, but could she overcome what had been done to her? A dozen other questions danced in his mind to the frenetic tune filling the air.
     Nathan approached, a wide smile brightening his face. Wyatt looked pointedly at his friend. “You’re not doing the chicken dance?”
     “No. I’ll leave that to my wife and boys. I’m not sure who requested that silly song.” Nathan chuckled.  “I see you’re not joining in either.”
     Wyatt waved his cane. “I don’t want to fall on my face while I’m flapping my imaginary wings.”
     “Yeah, I see what you mean.” Nathan laughed. “Thanks again for finding this place for us. It’s great. Everything has been super.”
     “Glad to do it.” Wyatt’s thought wrapped around an idea. Maybe there was a way to take that trip to the ranch he’d planned with Caroline. “Did I hear your parents and the boys are staying here and enjoying the beach while you’re on your honeymoon cruise?”
     “That’s the plan.”
     “Do you suppose the boys would like to see a cattle ranch?”
     Nathan shrugged. “Why do you ask?”
     “The guy whose family owns this hotel also has a cattle ranch not too far away, and he’s invited me to visit. I’d like to do that, and I thought Ryan and Andrew might like to go with me.” Wyatt hesitated. “And I thought Caroline could drive us, since I can’t drive.”
     “Is this a ploy to get close to my sister?”
     Weighing his response, Wyatt stared at Nathan. “If it is, do you object?”
     Nathan clapped Wyatt on the shoulder. “No, but I’m not sure about Caroline.”
     “If she agrees, will it be okay with you?”
     Nathan shrugged. “You’ll have to run this by Melanie and my parents. Caroline can make up her own mind without my permission.”
     “I would like your approval.”
     “I think it’s Caroline’s approval you’ll need before mine, but I say go for it.”

I hope you enjoyed that little excerpt. You can buy Hometown Cowboy at these retailers.

Amazon

B&N

iBooks 

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Since the publication of this book, I've written two more books in the Kellersburg series, Hometown Hero and Hometown Girl. Please check out the whole series on my website. You can click or tap on here.

When you attend a wedding reception, if they play the chicken dance, do you participate?

Merrillee Whren is the winner of the 2003 Golden Heart Award presented by Romance Writers of American. She is married to her own personal hero, her husband of forty-plus years, and has two grown daughters. Connect with her on her Facebook page and sign up for her newsletter.