May New Releases from Sweet Romance Reads Writers

Julia

Vickie McDonough

The War Between the States may have ended, but prejudice is still strong among the families journeying together on a wagon train headed down the Santa Fe Trail.

Julia Scott is traveling to New Mexico with her father and younger brother. Her pa fought for the North in the war where her two older brothers lost their lives. Pa is looking for a fresh start in a new place, but Julia just wants him to be happy again.

Taylor Marshall, a Southerner who fought for the Confederates, is on his way to Colorado to raise horses. He’s attracted to Julia, but her father adamantly forbids them to talk to one another.

Circumstances continually throw Julia and Taylor together, and their attraction grows. Will a forbidden romance bloom? Or will they go their separate ways when the trail splits?

Available for pre-order on Amazon

Mail-Order Mishaps

Vickie McDonough, et al

Dreams of Finding Mr. Right Go Wrong in the Old West
in four novellas

The Marriage Sham by Vickie McDonough

Texas, 1888

Mail-order bride Zola Bryant is devastated. Her newlywed husband is dead. But even worse, they were never truly married because the man who wed them was an outlaw not a preacher. What will she do now that her life and reputation are in tatters?

Other novellas:

The Bride’s Dilemma by Susan Page Davis
Romancing the Rancher by Linda Ford
The Galway Girl by Erica Vetsch

Available on Amazon

Finding Love Again

By Margaret Daley

Two wounded people, too afraid to trust...

Laura Williams first encounters high school principal, Peter Stone, when he suspends her son for fighting. New to town, the widow and mother of four struggles to hold her family together.

Peter is drawn to Laura and wants to help her and her son, both of whom are hurting, but he's no stranger to pain. It's a daily struggle to overcome his own past. Will these wounded souls find love again, or will rocky pasts destroy all hope for a happy future?

Available on Amazon

Lone Star Standoff

By Margaret Daley

Presiding over the trial of a powerful drug cartel member, Judge Aubrey Madison finds her life threatened, and Texas Ranger Sean McNair isn’t taking any chances. Protecting the widow and her twins comes naturally to Sean—maybe too naturally for a guy who’s convinced he shouldn’t have a family. But he can’t help wishing for a future with Aubrey…if he can keep her alive.

Available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple, Kobo and Google Play

Sweet Horizons

By Jean C. Gordon

There’s nothing like a wedding to bring people together, but family dynamics can be complicated, especially newly blended ones.

Sonja Cooper is thrilled that her daughter Lauren is marrying Jesse Brewster and giving her a ready-made granddaughter in the irrepressible 3-year old Shelley. The fact that Jesse is also Sonja’s business partner in the launching of the Morrison Mansion B&B is just a bonus.

Custom bike shop owner Jeff Brewster is also delighted that his son Jesse is marrying Lauren and building a new family. The one awkward aspect is the unexpected attraction he feels towards Sonja. For although Sonja feels the same spark, having been burned in her divorce from Lauren’s father, she’s determined never to be dependent on a man again.

Then the Indigo Bay Business Association pits Sonja and Jeff against each other by having their businesses compete for the coveted “New Business of the Year Award.” All’s fair in love and war, but hearts don’t always listen!

This is the 3rd novel in the Indigo Bay Second Chance Romances series, but all books can be read as standalones.

Available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple, and  Kobo  

(Pre-order now; Releases May 23)

Opposites Attract

Lyn Cote

What could unite a disgruntled DA and the pretty teacher, responsible for his hung jury? Perhaps a little boy in need of love . . .

Young and eager, Patience begins her first year of teaching. One first grader, Jackson, sparks her concern. Can she help him start off his school years on the right foot? She knows first hand what getting a reputation for trouble may do to a child’s future. A stint of jury duty takes her out of the classroom, away from Jackson, and into conflict with Jackson’s dad, by-the-book DA Gil Montgomery. Her “not guilty” vote means he’ll have to try the assault and burglary case over again. And she’s upset that her absence had a bad effect on Jackson. He’s been branded the “class troublemaker,” just what she was trying to prevent.

After Gil’s wife left him, Gil and his ex-wife’s conflicting parenting styles continue to jeopardize Jackson’s emotional well-being. As irritated as Gil is with Patience, he soon realizes she is the key to helping his son. And Gil wants to be a better father than his dad was to him. Patience is willing to help. But is Gil willing to “hear” her as she uncovers evidence for the re-trial that could change his mind about who assaulted Bertha Perkins and stole her valuable antiques?

Four unlikely couples find opposites do attract even in the Shadow of Myster~

Available on all online bookstores, click below.

https://booksbylyncote.com/SWBS/books-by-lyn/the-heart-hopes

Fall colors...and a free book! Roxanne Rustand

I love autumn. Unpacking sweaters, gloves, jackets.  The crisp bite of the air, the promise of blazing colors and then, eventually, snow.

Being a Minnesotan from birth, the prospect of snow fills me with excitement as I await those first delicate flakes.

This is a bit early for that of course, but leaving the heat of summer behind is always a delight!  What is your favorite season?

The color almost always turns quicker up north, so these are some photos from a trip to Wisconson. Seeing such beauty never fails to astonish me!

The skeletal white birch trees, set against the deep green of the pines and the wild abandon of the hardwoods trying to out-do each other is a ceaseless delight.

Something else that delights me is that I have  Christmas-themed book, Montana Mistletoe, coming out in November.  In fact, though it's technically a Christmas book, I believe it will be available on Amazon in mid-October!

This book was great fun to write. After living in the country and having horses all my life, I love to occasionally write series set in ranch country with cowboys and horses...along with the dynamics of blended families and the challenges so many people face these days...along the way to a once in a lifetime love.

Anyone leaving a comment will be in a drawing for a free-copy of this new book.

Here's the cover!

Best wishes to you all for a wonderful autumn!

Roxanne Rustand

USA Today Bestselling Author

Montana Mistletoe, Love Inspired      12/2018Falling for the Rancher, Love Inspired  6/2017 

High Country Homecoming, Love Inspired 6/2018 

  follow me at:  

https://bookbub.com/authors/roxanne-rustand 

amazon.com/author/roxannerustand
www.facebook.com/Roxanne.Rustand 

www.facebook.com/Roxanne.Rustand.author http://tinyurl.com/RoxanneRustandNewsletter

www.roxannerustand.com 

Unexpected things...fun and danger on the Fourth of July

I hope you all had a wonderful Fourth of July, spent with friends or family--or just enjoying the holiday on your own. 

I remember all the years when our kids were growing up, when our extended families were at least five hours away, and many of the holidays were spent by ourselves.  I always tried to make every holiday special and fun, but being with a bigger crowd makes the day more fun, doesn't it?

Now our kids are all married, and two have moved far away, but we feel so blessed to have one son and his family less than an hour away.  Further blessed, because he married into a wonderful family that includes my husband and I in their holiday gatherings if the rest of our kids and grands haven't made it home.

Yesterday, we had a lovely time with son Brian's family and his extended "in-law family"at their Fourth of July potluck and then enjoyed a small town parade.  A Norman Rockwell sort of holiday to be sure, and we enjoyed every minute.  

Then in the evening, we joined dear old friends--Judy and Bill--to watch fireworks from their pontoon boat.  A beautiful, cool evening, and delightful company.

But not everyone on the lake had such a pleasant time. 

We were cruising the lake when we suddenly noticed people on the  nearby shore shouting at us and waving desperately toward a distant, isolated cove well away from the usual path of boat traffic.  

We headed straight for the cove and discovered two young families--three small children crying desperately in one canoe with one adult, but three  other adults clinging to an overturned canoe. The woman clinging to that canoe looked exhausted, scared, and her husband looked just as frantic because she was at least eight months pregnant.  

Bill drew along side and we pulled the woman into the boat, then soon had her terrified kids with us as well. Once another boat approached, Bill managed to get the overturned canoe righted, then rolled to dump out the water.  

DNR officers and yet another pontoon showed up, and the family was taken back to the rental place.  Whew!  What a day for that poor family--instead of enjoying a festive holiday, the day could have so easily ended up in tragedy if the pregnant woman hadn't been wearing her a life jacket.

Bill's quick thinking and experience made all the difference for that family--but as Judy said later, she'd had no doubt.  He'd been an Eagle Scout and knew how to handle emergencies like this one.  Which made me glad once again that both of our sons got their Eagle Scout ranks, and gained a variety of experiences both on the water and wilderness camping!

I would love to hear about your holiday.  Did you have fun?  Did you see fireworks this year?

All the best,
Roxanne Rustand


Roxanne's newest book, The Single Dad's Redemption, is a July 2016  Love Inspired release, and is in the stores (and online) right now!

Changes, changes....

A few weeks ago, we got to attend our granddaughter's pre-school graduation ceremony.  What fun!  Each child wore a bedazzled paper crown, with "what they want to be when they grow up" printed on it in bold letters. It was so sweet to see how many want to be teachers, or police officers, or airplane pilots...goals that may change many times in the future.

Now that the high school graduation season is behind us--and the ceremonies and celebrations over for another year, I've been thinking about the students who will soon be embarking on their college experiences. Many, at the tender age of eighteen or so, are completely sure of what they want to be. Indeed, some of them are.  Maybe they've been planning and dreaming all their lives about this very future, and will pursue it until they regretfully retire.  But not all.

I remember sitting on the steps of a building on the University of Minnesota campus at the tender age of twenty, debating about my future. There seemed to be two, widely divergent roads ahead, which would lead to totally different lives. The opportunities, the people I met in the future, the part of the country I ended up in, all seemed to hinge on this one choice.

The decision seemed monumental, with all of the grave importance of choosing whether or not to take a rocket ship to Mars.  Should I stay in college, where I'd been given an all-expenses paid grant to finish my education in my chosen field...or accept a job working with a nationally known horse trainer who conducted training clinics for people all around the country?  Adventure, or responsibility?

To my parents dismay, I chose adventure.  And what an adventure it was!  The travel, the people I met, the experiences, were all a real treasure.  But in the end, I learned that a single "monumental" decision doesn't always have to be permanent.  I eventually came back to Minnesota and went back to college...and continued on the path I'd set out to follow in the first place, sure that I knew exactly where I was going.  Except....soon, that seemed rather boring. And so, I changed paths yet again: chose a new major, went back to grad school, became a registered dietitian, and enjoyed a variety of roles in that field, thinking "this was it."

And then, a friend  (waving to Judy!) introduced me to books by a stellar author and I was instantly hooked....which led to writing. Some thirty-five books later, I realize that it had taken a lot of twists and turns to find what I really wanted to do, and it just took a while to get there.  :)

How about you?  Did you follow a straight path to what you wanted to be as an adult?  Or did it take you a while, too?  Do any of your original goals make you chuckle now? Or make you feel a twinge of regret if they didn't come to pass?

Best wishes to you all for a wonderful summer!

Roxanne Rustand

A Single Dad's Redemption

Aspen Creek Crossroads

Love Inspired

July, 2016

USA Today Bestselling Author

The Single Dad's Redemption, 
Love Inspired 7/2016

An Aspen Creek Christmas,     
Love Inspired 11/16

www.roxannerustand.com 

www.facebook.com/Roxanne.Rustand 

https://www.pinterest.com/roxannerustand

Selling my way to RWA in New York by Roxanne Rustand

There are several very large organizations for writers. One of the biggest is Romance Writers of America, which holds its conferences in July in various large cities from coast to coast.  It's educational, it provides wonderful opportunities for networking with other writers, and for meeting with one's literary agent and editors. It's also a chance to "give back" to writing community by offering to give workshops or by volunteering in other ways.  

It's also a way to visit other parts of the country...and this summer it's back in New York. Be still my heart!  Wonderful restaurants.  Broadway shows. Incredible museums. And an exciting vibe this country girl loves in...well, smaller doses before slipping back into her office in a quiet, rural state. :)  Especially exciting is that my daughter, who is also a writer, will be there.  We'll stay with two of my writer friends at the conference hotel, and enjoy every minute of the conference and the big city. 

But, it's an expensive affair what with airfare, a big city hotel, restaurant meals and the conference fee.  

A few days ago I enjoyed reading Denise Devine's blogpost about searching for bargains.  A gal after my own heart!  It's such a treasure hunt, going to consignment stores, resale shops or browsing through eBay.  You just never know what you'll find!  

On the flip side of that coin, I enjoy donning my alter ego now and then, as Christiana 116, and providing that sort of experience by listing items on eBay.  All of us have things we don't really need, and apparently this form of buying and selling is very popular, as there are now many "cash from your closet" type auction sites online.

Years ago, a dear friend set a goal of going RWA based in what she saved via couponing, and she succeeded!  This year, I decided to do the same, only via what I could make selling on eBay.  I'd been quite inactive there for sometime.  Was it even possible?  

Well, I'm part way to my goal, and thinning out my closets and shelves makes me feel good, too.  I have had a passion for Coach, Dooney & Bourke, Fossil and Kooba for way too long!  As hard as it is to let them go, sending them off to new homes so that I can go to RWA with our daughter this year is worth it!

Those of you who comment here will be (if you choose)  entered in a drawing for any book from my backlist (which can be seen at my website, and the address is below.)

So...do you have travel plans this year?  What is your dream trip for the future?

Wishing you all the best,
Roxanne

Roxanne Rustand is the author of thirty-five traditionally published books, plus self-published books and a novella in the Sweet Christmas Kisses anthology. She lives in the snowy Midwest with her husband, two dogs, three horses and a herd of fat, lazy barn cats.  She recently signed a new three-book contract with Love Inspired.  She can be found at: www.roxannerustand.com  &   www.facebook.com/roxanne.rustand

Frosty nights and New Year's resolutions.... by Roxanne Rustand

Brrrrrrr!!  Here in the Midwest, we are looking at about seven more inches of snow tonight, followed by high winds, plummeting temps and windchills of -40 F by tomorrow morning.

We live on acreage out in the country, so this means there's a good chance our dead-end country road will be drifted shut.  Winter is here! 

So, I ran all necessary errands in town today, bundled the three horses up in the barn early this evening before the snow started, and counted tails to make sure all six kitties were safe inside before closing the doors.  A little planning, and we are set for whatever weather difficulties arise.

Now, as I settle down at the computer to write this and re-read Mona's charming Sweet Romance Reads blog post from two days ago, I'm reminded of my own New Year's resolutions for 2015--most of which are meant to help me plan and prepare for having a
productive year of writing.

With the high probability of being snowbound tomorrow,  I can get started on the first resolution: tackling my disaster of an office so it will be clean, organized and conducive to being able to buckle down and focus.  I'm excited about getting back to work, now that the holiday rush is over,  and can't wait to get started!


So how about you...did you make some resolutions on January 1st?  Have you started on them yet? What things do you plan to accomplish in 2015--more time with friends and family?  Something related to career or hobbies or self-fulfillment?



Elmo the Dog is certainly pursuing his own resolution: staying warm when the wind is howling outside!  :)

Award-winning author Roxanne Rustand has written over thirty-five titles for Harlequin's Superromance, Heartwarming, Everlasting, Love Inspired and Love Inspired Suspense lines. She self published three novels last year, and her A Scottish Christmas novella was part of the USA Today Bestselling anthology,  Sweet Christmas Kisses.

She is currently starting a three-book contract for Love Inspired and also continuing her self-published projects.

Roxanne Rustand's Winter Chili Recipe

Where did the last two months go?  It seems like just last week that I was thinking about all of the family members coming home for Thanksgiving...and suddenly we are in January. The wonderful Christmas season flew by--and now those of us in the Upper Midwest are buckling down for more cold, more snow, and high winds that will be driving our wind-chills way into the sub-zero range.  Brrrr! 

We live on an acreage in the country, on a windblown, dead end gravel road, so on snowy days the farthest I get is out to the barn to do my horse chores.  But I love this weather!  After getting supper started in the crockpot, it’s a perfect time to work at the computer in my office, with a nice cup of fragrant tea at my side--and without the temptation (or even the possibility) to run to town for errands.  And later, curling up by the fire with a good book while listening to the wind howl outside is a perfect way to spend an evening. 

Have you had a chance to enjoy books from all of the authors here?  Becoming part of this group has introduced me to some authors I hadn’t read before, and what a delight it is to be catching up on their wonderful backlist!  And I’ve read and enjoyed books by the others for a long time. What a wonderful group this is! 

For those of you who are also enjoying winter weather, here’s our family’s favorite chili recipe--great for a snowy evening!   

CHILI

4# ground beef, browned

2 medium onions, chopped

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp ground oregano

1 tsp cumin seed

3 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp onion powder 

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Two   28oz cans stewed tomatoes

Two cans  red beans (rinsed well and drained)

2 cups water 

Mix everything in the crockpot, and simmer on low all day.  Season to taste.  Enjoy!

 

Roxanne Rustand has written over thirty books for the Harlequin Superromance, Everlasting, Heartwarming, Love Inspired, and Love Inspired Suspense lines. Her two new independent releases are sweet, contemporary romances:  Comeback Cowboy, and  Summer at Briar Lake, which was released this month.  She lives in the country with her husband, three horses, and a goofy, talkative Border Collie her husband refers to as Elmo the Wonderdog. You can learn more about Roxanne and her books at www.roxannerustand.com, or find her at www.facebook.com/roxanne.rustand.author