The Final Episode by Leann Harris

I bet I wasn't the only one who watched Downton Abby's final Episode. I enjoyed how Julian Fellowes wrapped up the different story lines running the the series. Seeing the growth in the characters delighted me. Mary grew the most with helping Anna with her problem pregnancy and how she set up the meeting with Edith and Berdie, trying to undo the break she caused. If that hadn't happened, I would've pitched a fit. That's one of the main reasons I started writing, to put the right ending to a story. For me Downton Abby ended on a high note. I would've loved for the the series to go into WWII, but then that would've required new actors to play the children. The thing that is encouraging is this series has found fans all around the world. What did you like best about Downton Abby?

SHIFTING GEARS by Marta Perry

When I was learning to drive, a few eons ago, my father insisted that I should know how to drive a standard shift. It only took one lesson for both of us to decide that we'd be far better off if I learned to drive on automatic, leaving standard for later lessons and a different teacher. Eventually I did learn to drive standard shift, thanks to my husband who had more patience than Dad did. I drive it if I have to, but it's not usually a happy experience, especially if I have to stop and start on a hill. And that's unavoidable in Pennsylvania!

The trouble is that my preferred mode is to deal with one thing at a time, in driving and in writing. That being said, you can understand the difficulties I face when I switch from writing 100,000 word novels to 60,000 word novels to 25,000 word novellas and even the occasional 3000 word short story. In fact, I've probably blogged about it several times, not because I want to vent but in the hope my experience will be of use to someone else.

In another life, before I wrote for Love Inspired, I wrote a number of short stories for Woman's World magazine under my married name, Martha Johnson. I found that the most crucial thing in developing a short story was the size of the idea to begin with. That means, given the basics of a character with a problem, that the story begins as close to the crisis and resolution as possible. I knew that, of course, but I still wrote a number of stories that straggled on far too long before getting to the point. Then I hit upon the strategy of getting the character's problem out in the open in the first paragraph of the story. There's no space for a leisurely showing of the problem, so I sometimes resorted to opening with another character saying to the protagonist, "The trouble with you is...". Amazingly enough, the first story I wrote with that technique sold, and I was launched on a decent career in writing short stories.

So, when this winter I was tasked with turning from completing a 100,000 word romantic suspense novel (How Secrets Die, out in July from HQN Books) to writing a 25,000 word Christmas novella for Love Inspired, I had to go back to the basics once more. How do you write a compelling, satisfying story in only 25,000 words? The size of the idea came to the forefront again. While a longer novel might include several subplots and side issues, along with a few red herrings to throw the reader off the track, a novella has to stay focused on the main issue, meaning the love story and those things which immediately impact the hero and heroine on their journey to happily ever after.

As I planned the ten chapters that would make up the novella, I made sure that the heroine's external conflict and her romantic conflict came onstage in the first few pages. That done, I could focus on getting the hero onstage (on page 5 or so) and introducing his external conflict and his reaction to the heroine. Once the story was off and running, I could settle in and make sure that I gave the reader a satisfying trip to The End.

The novella I'm finishing up now, The Midwife's Christmas Surprise, will be out in November from Love Inspired. I hope you'll enjoy it!

Blessings,
Marta

Bond, James Bond...

the newest Bond book...

Greetings! Lee Tobin McClain here, writing about book titles. Specifically, the titles of my Sacred Bond and Sacred Bond Guardians series... and how I'm running out of them!

When an author starts a series, she rarely knows how long it will go on. That all depends on whether readers love the series and beg for more, or whether reader reaction is more of a "meh, it's okay..." type of thing.

When I started my Sacred Bond series a couple of years ago, I found it easy and fun to come up with titles. The stipulation I gave myself was that every title needed to have the word "Bond" in it. Why? The books are about a group of former delinquents who attend a Christian reform school together. They make a pact with each other as teenagers: to rise above their rough beginnings and help those in need. Each of the boys gets a tattoo on his forearm with the words "Sacred Bond" and a cross, to remind them of their commitment they've made. So I started out with Love Inspired type titles: A Christmas Bond, His Baby Bond, The Bride's Broken Bond, Her Reunion Bond, A Doctor's Bond. Each title tells readers something about the book's premise, and also lets you know that the book is part of the Sacred Bond series.

The Sacred Bond books were a success, and readers wanted more... and I just happened to have a couple of Christian romantic suspense novels just waiting to be brought out. So I planned out the Sacred Bond Guardians, a more suspenseful spinoff of the Sacred Bond series. It starts out with another group of boys from the Covenant School, most of whom want to go into military or law enforcement professions. So now I had The Protector's Bond, A Brother's Bond, A Bond at Risk, A Bond of Vengeance, A Bond Fulfilled... and just yesterday, A Western Bond came out. I am running out of "Bond" titles!

Check out all those "Bond" titles!

So my next projects involve a friend of Mark Stern (hero of A Western Bond), and Esperanza Lopez, a long-lost foster sister of Maria Moretti (heroine of A Bond Fulfilled). PLEASE HELP! I need to find Bond titles for both of these books. Any ideas?

Stop by my website to grab the free short story that starts off the whole crazy series. You guessed it: it's called BEFORE THE BOND.  And thank you in advance for helping me come up with some decent titles... help me avoid naming a book after James Bond!!

For the Love of Words

 Keli Gwyn here to talk about words...

I love words. I have a hunch you do, too. Whether writing them or reading them, they can bring us such delight.
 
I'm often asked if the heroines of my stories and I have anything in common. Becky Martin, the heroine of my March Love Inspired Historical, A Home of Her Own, and I both love words.

One of Becky's most prized possessions is her late mother's dictionary. Since Becky wasn't able to attend high school, she struggles with feelings of inadequacy. She reads the dilapidated dictionary regularly, memorizing new words and proudly incorporating them into her speech in order to sound more intelligent.

As I researched the story, I longed to see what Becky's dictionary would have looked like, what words it would have included. Imagine my delight when I found this facsimile copy online for a mere three dollars. I snapped it up.

I love reading the entries in this historic dictionary. They were so succinct. Since all type was handset back then, that makes sense.

I enjoy seeing the old text. Note the way the letter S was written more like a lower case F.

I chose to photograph this particular page in the dictionary because I'm excited about the release of A Home of Her Own. I love knowing that readers will soon be reading the words I labored over. It's my hope they will enjoy the experience.

* * *

Do you have a love affair with words?

* * *

 A Blossoming Love

Becky Martin knows that she can’t stay at James O’Brien’s apple farm forever, but she wishes she could. After her brother framed her for arson, she flees Chicago, traveling cross-country to California and finding work caring for James’s ailing mother. Beneath the apple blossoms, it’s almost as if she has a real family…but her secret won’t stay buried forever.

James, scarred from an explosion, didn’t expect to connect to the pretty young traveler. Could she really love someone damaged like him? He knows she’s hiding something. If only she’d trust him. Can she let go of her past and believe in the possibility of a future amid the apple trees?

Click here to read an excerpt.

Copyright © 2016 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited
Cover art and cover copy text used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited.
® and ™ are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises Limited
or its affiliated companies, used under license.

Trivia by Leann Harris

Most authors are walking trivia experts. If you're setting a book in 1927, you better know what happened that year. My first book was set in Colorado in 1886. It's call the centennial state, since it joined the union 100 years after US declared it's independence. I've set a book in 1066. It was a bad week for Harold Godwinson, the Saxon king. He defeated the Vikings invaders, then turned around and fought the Norman invaders and lost. I know all sorts of trivia about Scotland in 1692. The Glencoe massacre occurred when the Campbells rose up one night and killed their MacDonald hosts at the king's order.

Of course with my modern stories, I've varied the years they happen and given my heroes and heroines various occupations. I had a boot-maker as a hero, lots of professional cowboys, and military men and women. The book I'm working on happens in 1972. "Hey Mikey! He likes it!" was the famous line from the Life cereal commercial. Miss Hawaii, Tanya Wilson, was Miss America that year. The Summer Olympics in Berlin was when the Israeli athletes were murdered by terrorist. Cell phones looked more like walkies-talkies and weren't in wide use. Leisure suits and polyester were popular. And it was my first year to teach. What do you remember about the year you graduated high school/college or am I the only person that needs to look it up on the internet?

Knowing Your Novel's Setting

Welcome to Love Inspired Author's Blog from Gail Gaymer Martin

I prefer to write about places I know or I've been, so one of my goals is to visit the settings of most of my novels and novellas. My Love Inspired novels have been set in Michigan for the most part. I've lived there all my life, but for the past seven years, I've enjoyed winter in Sedona, and spending time here has stimulated ideas for new plots in the beautiful red rock setting.

This town opens the door for many new ideas not as available in Michigan. We have mountains but not those multitude of amazing red rocks with names as these which we see from our front deck. The dessert landscape, rock climbing, Pink Jeep trips, hot air balloon rides, animals such as: javelinas, bobcats and coyotes are prevalent and I've seen them all near our townhouse here. Sedona holds the, International Film Festival,  and the town is known for it's artistic environment for artists, craftsman, jewelry making, poets and writers. The story opportunities are staggering and the aura and emotions the landscape brings twists through an author's heart and mind.

My newest novella, Lattes and Love Songs, is set in Sedona in a coffee house. It will become a coffee shop series, called A Mocha Marriage and will eventually become an anthology.

On our way west from Michigan, we travel Hwy 40 which is the old Rte#66, and I am presently working on a new short novel called A Trip To Remember that is set on the famous road in the town Tucumcari. This book will be part of the series Get Your Kiss on Route 66. My next short novel will be also be set in Tucumcari and will connect with the first book. I look forward to having you read about both the Littleton sisters.

I hope you enjoy books set in a series and in interesting settings, and I look forward to hearing from you on Facebook  or my website 

Snowbound!

click to learn more!

Hi everyone! Lee Tobin McClain here, writing about the romantic joys of being snowbound! Seriously, being stuck inside, by the fire, with your sweetheart... what could be more romantic? That's why I wrote HIS SECRET CHILD. Shy librarian Fern Easton thinks she's going to have a week to herself with her foster daughter, a bunch of rescue dogs, and time to write and paint. The sudden snowstorm that sweeps the Ohio countryside just ensures she'll have privacy... she thinks. And then there's a knock on the door....

Check out what happens when a rugged veteran invades Fern's world, bringing risk and love and a great big secret with him.

To celebrate Valentine's Day, I'm giving away a $10 gift card to a random commenter. Just comment on a time you were snowed in... or, if you live in a warm climate, tell us about what weather keeps you inside with your sweetheart.

What's in a cover?

Hi Everyone! Danica Favorite here, and today I'm talking about covers, and what's in a cover. I always have people ask if I get to design my covers, or how that happens, and today I want to share a little about that with you as I share the cover for my April release. :)

When it comes time to put together a cover, our editors ask us to fill out an Art Fact Sheet. In my opinion, it's just a few notches shy of torture, but it's necessary for the artists to come up with the concept. I give them three scenes that happened in the book, sending example pictures of what the area might look like, what the characters look like, and even the poses the characters might be in. I share a summary of the story and important themes. Then, the cover artists get together and look at what other books they have coming out that month, and they put it all together into the cover. Months later, they give me a peek, and I have the opportunity to tell them if there's something they need to change. However, at that point, it's really hard to get too much changed.

I've always been really pleased at how my covers come out. And, to be honest, the characters are always much better looking than I envisioned them. I'm really terrible about picking out people, what they look like, and deciding what they're going to wear. So I love that the art department does such a great job!

A reader commented that she thought it strange that it's a shotgun wedding, but they look so happy in the picture. Here's a little secret for you: they're happy in the end! That's what I love about writing for Love Inspired Historical. I hate sad endings, so I love that I know what I'm going to get!

Do you have more questions about the cover process? What do you find appealing about my latest cover? Share your thoughts in the comments to be entered to win a copy of Shotgun Marriage.

Here's a little more about the book:
 

Conveniently Wed 
Forced to wed to protect their reputations after being trapped overnight in a mine, Emma Jane and Jasper Jackson's marriage is one in name only. Resenting the choices taken from him, Jasper's determined not to lose his heart. But it's not so easy to stay distanced from his new bride when a gang of bandits abducts them both.

Other young women might be ecstatic to land Leadville's wealthiest bachelor. But Emma Jane would rather have Jasper's love than his family's money. A true bond with her handsome husband seems impossible…until their ordeal leaves Emma Jane caring for an orphaned baby. In reach now is the one thing neither expected—the chance to turn a convenient marriage into a forever family.

About Danica:

A self-professed crazy chicken lady, Danica Favorite loves the adventure of living a creative life. She and her family recently moved in to their dream home in the mountains above Denver, Colorado.  Danica loves to explore the depths of human nature and follow people on the journey to happily ever after. Though the journey is often bumpy, those bumps are what refine imperfect characters as they live the life God created them for. Oops, that just spoiled the ending of all of Danica’s stories. Then again, getting there is all the fun.

You can connect with Danica at the following places:

Website: http://www.danicafavorite.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/danicafavorite
Instagram: https://instagram.com/danicafavorite/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanicaFavoriteAuthor

 

jcp is the winner of our quarterly giveaway!

Congratulations to "jcp" for winning our quarterly giveaway basket! (jcp, I’ve emailed you so please contact me if you didn’t get it.)

Be sure to re-enter every quarter. Click here for the entry form.

Also, get extra entries by commenting on our blog! (One extra entry per person per blog post.)

Get a peek at the new giveaway basket here.

Thanks for reading and loving Love Inspired romances!

~The Love Inspired authors

New Release by Cheryl Wyatt! The Hero's Sweetheart

Hello friends! I am so excited to announce that I have a brand new Love Inspired book out (on shelves) now.

The Hero's Sweetheart is part of the Eagle Point Emergency series from Love Inspired, but can be read alone/apart from other books too.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

THE HERO'S SWEETHEART: Titanium-willed military commander Jack Sullenberger has his rules. Small town waitress Olivia Abbott is about to break them all. 

His Perfect Match 

Military commander Jack Sullenberger is used to saving the day. But when his father has a stroke in his beloved small-town diner, it's waitress and EMT student Olivia Abbott coming to the rescue. Jack rushes home to tend to his father and take over the business—running right into Olivia's very strong opinions. The steely military man and the waitress can't agree on what's best for the restaurant. When Jack sees something that shakes his growing trust in Olivia, their undeniable connection is put to the test. But if Jack's open to the truth, they'll have a chance at finding a future together.

The book is available online, wherever books are sold. It's also available at most online retailers, such as Christianbook.com, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, etc. 

Here are a couple purchase links: 

http://www.amazon.com/Heros-Sweetheart-Eagle-Point-Emergency-ebook/dp/B013BD9KNA

http://www.amazon.com/Heros-Sweetheart-Eagle-Point-Emergency/dp/037371937X

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

USA Today bestselling author and RN Cheryl Wyatt writes romance with virtue themed with rescue. She’s grateful to be a worshipper of Jesus, a mom, wife, orphan/troop advocate, plus wrangler of words and spoiled Yorkies.

I love readers and cherish interaction at: https://www.facebook.com/CherylWyattAuthor.

Join my newsletter for new release news, freebies and other goodies exclusive to subscribers at: http://bit.ly/CherylWyattNewsletterSignup

View my downloadable booklist at: www.cherylwyatt.com

Thank you SO much for stopping by. I hope you enjoy the story! Thanks also for all of your support, readership and encouragement through the years. It means a lot--YOU mean a lot! 

Blessings,

Cheryl Wyatt

My Type of Surprise!

Keli Gwyn here to talk about unexpected gifts.

As I entered the lobby on a sunny Sunday morning early in the new year, a fellow member of our church family stopped me and asked if I'd like an antique typewriter. It took me all of two seconds to say "yes!"

Little did our friend know that the historical writer in me had been pining after just such a typewriter since I began actively pursuing my writing career ten years ago. I would often stop in front of the antique stores in town and gaze longingly at the models in their front windows that would come and go over the years. The hefty prices being asked for them were well beyond my budget.

Lo and behold, God chose to give me this desire of my heart via the generosity of a friend. My husband helped the gentleman heft the 1920s typewriter into the trunk of our car after the service, and we took the beauty home, where it now occupies a place of honor in my office.

One look at this piece of history, and I'm swept back in time. I remember my days in typing class pounding out endless fjfjfj and jkljkl exercises. Although I didn't use a machine as old as this, seeing the typewriter helps transport me to my story world, as well.

When is the last time someone surprised you with an unexpected gift?

Do you have memories of typing class?

Literacy by Leann Harris

RWA has always supported literacy. At every national conference there is a big signing where money is donated from book sales. Our local chapter has a literacy tea to raise money for our local chapter. We also reach out to the local school districts. I've spoken several time to 5th graders about reading. The last time I talked I brought my book, which wouldn't have interested them, but I brought the book my son had to read in the 6th grade. Hank, The Cowdog, by John Erickson

The kids learn everything they need to know from that book. Viewpoint--who is talking, setting, description. They loved the book. When I read Hank with my son, I loved it, too. The questions they asked were thoughtful and sincere. Afterward, they wrote me wonderful thank you letters. If you have kids or grandkids, I'd recommend Hank. He's a great

adventure

Writing vs. Revising from Marta Perry

Someone recently commented to be about how easy it is to get a book into print these days...the implication being that all it involved was sitting down in front of the computer for a few hours! We all know better, right?

At the current moment I am simultaneously writing an Amish Christmas novella for Love Inspired and revising HOW SECRETS DIE, the latest in my suspense series for HQN Books. As I bounce back and forth, trying not to lose momentum on the novella while I revisit the suspense story, it occurs to me that anyone who thinks this is easy hasn't tried it!

That said, I do love the revision process. My editor has a gift for finding exactly the spots in the manuscript that need attention. And better yet, she leaves the fixes to me. Which brings me to the point: good novels aren't written--they're rewritten. Again and again, sometimes.

I've heard writers moan and groan about revisions, and I confess that sometimes I'm the one doing the groaning. But usually I welcome the chance to go through the manuscript just one more time in the constant pursuit of a perfection that probably can't ever be achieved. I have such a wonderful vision of the book in my mind before I start a project. Then I start writing, and with every word I put down I'm falling just a little short of that image. If I ever produced something I was completely satisfied with, I'd know I was ready for therapy!

HOW SECRETS DIE will be out in April through the combined efforts of the writer, the editor, the copy editor, the art department, and who knows how many more people. My name may be the only one on the cover, but I couldn't have done it without a lot of help, including my husband, who knows just when to say he'll fix his own supper!

All the best,
Marta

Allie Pleiter welcomes you to Blue Thorn Ranch

There’s nothing like the launch of a new series!

Now that I have a son going to school in Texas (hook ‘em, Longhorns!), it was time to set some books there.  Texas, cowboys, cattle ranches, right? 

Well, not completely.  Texas and cowboys, but you know me—I have to do things just a bit differently.  I went for a bison ranch.  And no, it wasn’t just because you can make spectacular yarn from bison hair—although that was a large part of it.  One has to do one’s extensive research yes?

When the friendly folks at Lucky B Bison Ranch welcomed me with open arms, I knew I had a great setting from which to launch the fictitious Blue Thorn Ranch that would host my next five books.  Here’s another glimpse at one of my favorite videos:  me getting up close and personal with the bison.

Starting with February’s The Texas Rancher’s Return, you’ll get to meet matriarch Adele Buckton and her five strong willed grandchildren as each of them returns to the family ranch.  First up is Gunner, Jr, who is determined to live down his black sheep reputation and save the family land by creating a thriving bison ranch.  Beautiful single mom Brooke Calder needs the cooperation of the Buckton family to save her job, but she’ll lose her heart to Gunner before the adventure is over.  Throw in Brooke’s adorable daughter, one bull-headed mama bison, and a thorny misunderstanding, and you have what’s become one of my favorite books I’ve ever written.

I hope you’ll enjoy all the books in the Blue Thorn Ranch series as they arrive.

In good company with February Releases from Love Inspired...

Jenna Mindel here, excited to report that A Soldier's Valentine is on the shelves along with a great line up of fellow Love Inspired Authors!

When preparing to write a book, I typically choose occupations for my characters that I find interesting.  Makes researching super fun getting a peek into some cool jobs.   When I first saw a glassblowing demonstration,  I was mesmerized.  Talk about the perfect kind of work for a hero...

Enter Zach Zelinsky, the latest hero of the Maple Springs series.  He's an army captain who comes home to to pursue his passion of glassblowing and gets more than he bargained for when he meets his new tenant, Ginger Carleton.

Romantic Times Magazine stated that  A Soldier's Valentine is a great read for the holiday.
I hope you think so too. ♥




 As Valentine's Day approaches, have you made any special plans how to the spend the day?


Thank you for stopping in and happy reading!
 Jenna Mindel

As Rocks Are Carved So Are Our Words

Welcome to Love Inspired Authors blog from Gail Gaymer Martin.


Today I am writing from Sedona,
Arizona where I love to spend time in the winter. I look out my windows or from my deck to view amazing red rocks in a variety of shapes and sizes carved by wind and rain.

This setting inspires me as I write, realizing that this natural beauty is one of God's gifts to us in variety and breathtaking forms. It stirs our emotions and our memories. We know that God not only give us the gift of natural beauty but He  inspires our writing in the same way.  Our words are carved not by wind and rain but in the difficult and blessed times of our lives, carving and molding us as human beings. This inspiration creates moving stories and plots that stimulate emotion in our readers in the same way that the view of these rocks stimulate my creativity.

 The red rocks in Sedona go on and on for miles as our lives go on each day, carved a bit more by experiences and molded by our response to each event. All my novels bring to live modern day parables of life and love that teach the truths about who we are as God's children and the promises and blessings available if we only learn to trust, forgive and love.

Presently I'm working on three new stories to add to the Lilac Circle Series. Readers responded well to the first two stories: A Mother To Love and A Husband For Christmas. I hope the next three are greeted with the same enthusiasm.  Look for all my books on my website at  Gail's Book List

Wishing you love, joy, peace and good reading in 2016

Reader Connection Questions by Cheryl Wyatt

Hello all! Cheryl Wyatt here. I hope you had a Merry Christmas and are off to a nice new year. I want to be more intentional with blogging and connecting with readers this year. So I thought I would take this opportunity to ask what kinds of posts you'd like to see?

One of the blessings of writing books is getting to know readers. I love when readers share aspects of their lives, hopes, dreams, quirks, stories and just life with me. I feel so blessed and honored.

I'm pretty bashful in person, but online it's easier for me to communicate. One benefit of blogging is the connections and friendships I'd be too shy and awkward to initiate in person. What are some things that you love talking about? Things you'd feel comfortable sharing with us online?

I'd love to hear about your life, your pets, your hobbies, your faith walk-things God's been showing you in His word, encouragement you've received.

I'm hoping you'll share insight into what sorts of subjects you'd be excited to discuss/share.

Thank you so much for the blessing of your readership and for visiting our blog. We appreciate you more than words could say.

In short, for the purpose of future blog posts, I'd love to know:

1. What things would you like to know about me/my life/my family/my writing?

2. What things would you love to talk about regarding your own life/family/career/hobby/etc.?

I interact with readers daily on my Facebook page, and invite you to join us: https://www.facebook.com/CherylWyattAuthor

I also provide freebies, story extras, series-related recipes, giveaways and other goodies, exclusive to subscribers of my newsletter. You can sign up for that here: http://bit.ly/CherylWyattNewsletterSignup

Lastly, here's my prayer for you, dear readers: 

Blessings,

Cheryl Wyatt

Baking in the Wee Hours of the Morning

Regina Scott here. Christmas and New Years are behind us, but I’m still eating the last of the cookies and candy my family made over the season. How about you?

I enjoy cooking for family and friends, even though I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a genius in the kitchen. Maddie O’Rourke, the heroine of my January release, Instant Frontier Family, can bake rings around me. But she has to get up ridiculously early to do so.

You see, Maddie owns the best bakery in pioneer Seattle. Burly loggers and miners have been known to stampede into her shop demanding the fresh bread, cookies, and rolls she makes each day. I think they all have a crush on her.

But Maddie’s made of tougher stuff. Pioneer baking involved long hours in a hot kitchen carrying heavy loads. Here’s the schedule I worked out for her. It starts at 5:00pm the night before, after she’s finished selling for the day:

• 5pm—Feed the barm (the yeast starter on which her bakery depends) with flour and water leftover from boiling potatoes; sift enough flour for the next day into the mixing trough. Cover the trough to keep the cat out!
• 5:30—Go upstairs and make dinner for the family. Clean up and spend a little time with the family before going to bed.
• 7pm—Go to bed.
• 11:15pm—Get out of bed; get dressed, and stumble downstairs. Melt butter with molasses.
• 11:30pm—Mix the flour in the trough with the butter/molasses mixture and the barm. Have it done by midnight so it can rise.
• Midnight—Lay the fire in the oven; go back upstairs for a nap.
• 3:00am—Get up, go downstairs, knead down and smooth out the dough.
• 3:30am—Divide the dough into loaves of exactly 8 pounds each; cover with cloth.
• While the dough is rising for 2 hours, make cookie dough of various sorts
• 5:30am—When the oven bricks are hot all the way through, rake out the coals and sweep out the ashes. Roll out some of the bread dough to make cinnamon rolls. Then put the loaves and rolls into the oven using the peel, a paddle with a long handle.
• 6:00am—Bake and don’t fuel the fire. Close the door and shut off the flue with the damper.
• 6:30am—Brush the tops of the loaves with egg for a crisper crust at the half-way point. Make icing for the rolls.
• 7:00am—While the bread cools, bake the cookies. Ice the rolls.
• 8:00am—Sell it all to customers and start all over again for the afternoon rush.

Phew! Is it any wonder Maddie pays for a woman to come from New York help in the bakery, escorting Maddie’s little brother and sister to come live with her in the process? Yet the person who arrives with them isn’t someone with experience baking. He isn’t even a woman . . .

Regina Scott has twice melted a spatula into what she was cooking. The author of more than 30 historical romances, she’s currently working on a series set in Seattle’s early years:  Frontier Bachelors, bold, rugged, and bound to be grooms. Sign up here for a free e-mail alert with exclusive bonus material when her next book comes out, or visit her online at her website or Facebook.