Strange Things by Mary Alford

My husband and I live out in the country, which is a huge blessing. We have no close neighbors so it’s very peaceful and I love it.

But let me tell you, through the years, we’ve seen some pretty interesting things around here. Whether it be mountain lions, wild hogs, bobcats, various fowl life passing through, or simply a snorting and angry deer, it’s never a dull moment in the country.

One night while sitting outside in front of a fire we heard a noise that sounded like something straight out of a horror movie. My husband and I both wanted to run.

But I have to say, the strangest and most amazing thing I’ve witnessed lately happened when our three granddaughters were out visiting a few weeks back. We took them on a ride in our side by side four wheeler and what we saw, well, we couldn’t believe our eyes. There in the small creek that crosses our property was a group of otters. Otters in Texas? We were certainly stunned. I’ve seen them on TV and at the aquarium in Galveston, but never in the wild.

My husband got online and did some checking. As it turns out river otters originally ranged across most of the eastern half of Texas and even into the Panhandle. The animals were and are inexorably tied to rivers, creeks, bayous and other waterways. In the past, a lot of otters disappeared due to habitat loss or degradation and unregulated hunting and trapping, but they are making a comeback and that sure was lucky for us.

Unfortunately, we only spotted the little otters, (there were six of them) one more time so I think they were just passing through. But still, how great is it to be able to show your granddaughters real live otters in the wild. Thank you God.

So what about you? What is the strangest thing you’ve seen lately?

 

All the best…

 

Mary Alford

www.maryalford.net  

    

 

Having Fun by Leann Harris

I thought I'd never be a grandma. My children decided to do their thing before having children. I decided not to ask the question when are you going to give me grand-babies because I got that question from my parents. But I now have two and I'm having the time of my life. Sunday, the family gather to see our youngest, Isaac, dedicated. He has the sweetest nature and a smile that wilts any heart. And he loves flirting. There were six babies in rows one and two. How beautifully my life has turned around. Proverbs 17:6 Children's children are a crown to the aged. (I don't consider myself aged, but blessed.)

The Fate of "Returned" Books

Keli Gwyn here to talk about unsold books.

Have you ever wondered what happens to books that sit on the shelves at your favorite booksellers and don't sell?

The logical answer is that the booksellers return the books to the publishers. But, sadly, that's not what happens to all books.

In the case of mass market paperbacks, which are the smaller-sized paperbacks such as those published by Love Inspired, a different fate can await them.

If you look at the copyright page of a mass market book, you might see a box similar to the one in this photo. Unless you're a curious sort, though, you might not be in the habit of reading copyright pages and the fine print found there.

In this close-up shot, you'll see that the books might not be shipped back to the publisher. Instead, a mass market paperback might (shudder) have its cover removed, and the remainder of the book would be "destroyed."

Yes, it's possible an employee would wield a box cutter, slice that pretty cover off the book and toss the rest of it in the trash. The mere thought causes me to blink back tears. Perhaps your reaction is similar.

Why would a publisher allow an unsold book to be destroyed? Good question.

Publishers know that not all the books they print are going to sell. They factor that into their planning. Because mass market paperbacks are priced lower than the larger trade paperbacks, the publishers figure it's more cost effective to have the book sellers return the covers for credit than to ship the books themselves back.

It's sad to think of books meeting such a sorry end, but that is the nature of the publishing business. What can help is realizing that every time you purchase a mass market paperback, you're ensuring that the book will not end up lying in some dumpster "stripped" of its cover.

As I stood in our local Walmart a few days back, I saw that all five copies of my August Love Inspired Historical, Make-Believe Beau, were still on the shelves. Knowing what awaited them if they didn't sell, I grabbed four of the books and headed for the register.

Since I'm a softy and believe those books deserve good homes, I gave them away to some happy Facebook friends who will provide them.

Questions for You 

 

Have you ever wondered what happens to books that don't sell?

 

Have you ever noticed the "stripped book" message in a book?

If you were to rescue books from such a fate,
who would you give them to?

Release day!

Jenna Mindel here, excited for the release of my third installment of the Maple Springs series.  Today should be the day A Temporary Courtship hits the shelves at my local Walmart and Meijers!  Yours too.   I'll check on that later today.  Although this is an October book, Sept 20 is the day paperbacks can be ordered off Amazon and Barnes & Noble .  I still prefer a paper book to read, how 'bout you?.

Below, I included the cover blurb, but that's not quite the whole story. My hero, Darren is a man of the land with a deep connection to the area.  He has a chip on his shoulder against the summer residents and tourists who he believes do not appreciate his town like they should.  And Bree happens to be one of those summer people who thinks nothing of Maple Springs other than its a place to vacation.

I'm excited about this book for a couple reasons.  First, there's beagles on the cover!  I love beagles.  But more importantly, I was able to showcase the wild edibles Northern Michigan has to offer.  That was fun research even though I fell in love with hunting for morel mushrooms years ago.  Hopefully, that love translated into this book.

 An Inconvenient Attraction 

Before leaving for a coveted two-year musical residency, cellist Bree Anderson is taking one month for a relaxing lakefront vacation. But she's thrown off track by the instant attraction she feels for one of the resort's instructors. The last thing local Darren Zelinsky needs is a privileged summer resident like the fiancée who jilted him. Bree's no threat to his heart…until he uncovers the vulnerable woman beneath the pristine exterior. And soon Bree is in danger of falling for the rugged outdoorsman. The clock on her stay is ticking and Bree's facing an impossible choice—between a lifelong dream and a lifetime love.

 

ps.  Here's a picture of our beagle, Lana.   We also have a rat terrier, Peanut and her puppy Walnut who will be 4yrs old in Jan, but will always be the baby. :) 

Have a wonderful day!

Best wishes and many blessings,

Jenna

www.jennamindel.com

A Regency Romance Writer Goes to Texas

Regina Scott here. Many of you know me from my dozen or so Regency romances over the years. But that’s not the only period of history that fascinates me. I love a story about knights in shining armor, pioneers heading west on the Oregon Trail, and cowboys riding across the plains. That’s why I was thrilled to be asked to write the third book in the Lone Star Cowboy League: The Founding Years series, A Rancher of Convenience, out this week.

So, how did a Regency author fit in Texas? The Texas Hill Country in 1895 is a far cry from the English drawing rooms of the early nineteenth century. For one thing, there are no butlers, maids, or other servants hanging about ready to dress and clean and cook for my hero and heroine, just a couple of cowboys tending the herd. But that just means Hank and Nancy have to be more resilient. If they want something done, they have to find a way to do it themselves. And those cowboys were so sweet to Nancy when she lost her first husband.

And the language! It was a lot of fun to use a more common dialogue than the elegant sentences my Regency lords and ladies are used to uttering. But that doesn’t mean those cowboys and the ladies they love aren’t witty. Take this exchange between Hank and Nancy.

“For richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health,” he murmured, releasing her.

She’d said those vows twice now, but never had she felt them more surely. “That’s right. I mean to honor those commitments.”

His smile inched into view. “Even the obey part?”

“Don’t be absurd.”

Then there’s the food. Those ladies in Little Horn sure know how to cook! In fact, Renee Ryan (Stand-In Rancher Daddy), Louise M. Gouge (A Family for the Rancher), and I had a grand time coming up with recipes for our heroines to cook. Here’s one of my husband's favorites:

You can find eight more recipes, along with extended excerpts from our books, in the Lone Star Cowboy League: The Founding Years Sampler, free on Amazon. 

Because even a Regency author can get carried away in Texas.

How about you? Do you have a favorite time period or setting?

My Volunteer Flower Garden

Hi everyone, Winnie Griggs here.

Unlike many of the other ladies who post here I do NOT have a green thumb. Mine, I'm afraid, is much closer to brown. That's why am so enamored of what I call volunteer flowers, those that just pop up on their own without any effort on my part. In the spring there are those lovely yellow daffodils.  And this time of year I always look for the first signs of spider lilies.

And today was the day I stepped out in my back yard and saw them!  With their blazing red color and slender, tendril like petals they are a sassy close out for summer and harbinger of the Autumn to come.  Here are a couple of pictures of the ones in my back yard.

I did a little reading up on spider lilies and learned that they normally bloom a few days after the first good rain in September, so I guess mine are a little early.

I also learned that they have several other common names (none of which I'd ever heard before) British Soldiers, Guernsey Lilies and Surprise Lilies. 

So are you a bona fide gardener? And how do you feel about 'volunteer blooms'?

TEXAS CINDERELLA - A September 2016 Release

In Search of a Groom 

After a life of drudgery on her family's farm, Cassie Lynn Vickers relishes her new-found freedom working in town as a paid companion for feisty Mrs. Flanagan. When her father suddenly demands she come home, she has no choice. Unless she can find a husband. If only she could convince handsome town newcomer Riley Walker to marry her… 

Riley is on the run. He's desperate to keep his niece and nephew safe from his crooked half-brother. But a delay in Turnabout, Texas, shows him everything he didn't know he was missing: home, family—and Cassie Lynn. Can he find a way to both keep the children safe and become her Prince Charming?