Aw...SPRING!

 A robin built a nest on the window ledge outside of the sauna. There was one egg on Saturday, two on Sunday, and sure enough, three today. I promised all of the grandchildren that I’ll keep checking on it every day. Ironically, I bought them each one of those window bird houses for Christmas—but they haven’t had any ‘takers’ as of yet.

This nest reminded me of years ago when our youngest son was a teenager. I’d hung a ‘decorative’ birdhouse off one of the flower boxes on the back deck, never imagining it was big enough for a bird to actually use. One afternoon my son yelled from upstairs, “Mom, grab the gray tape and meet me on the back deck.” A bird had used the house, but because it was ‘decorative’ the bottom was falling out due to the weight and the mommy bird was in a tizzy. We taped up the bottom and once the birds ‘flew the coop’ I threw that birdhouse away.

I do love all the new life of spring. The trees are budding, the tulips and Showy Lady Slippers are poking through the ground, and I’ve put out the hummingbird feeder and the oriel feeder. I also bought several bars of Irish Spring soap. I read that will help keep the deer from eating the Hostas, so we’ll see.

On the writing side, early readers are saying they love Mail Order Brides of Oak Grove, and are looking forward to more books in that series. Kathryn and I really enjoyed creating these stories. She has a post about the book over at Petticoats and Pistols, so stop by if you have a chance. We both will have more books in this series released in 2017 and 2018.

Twin sisters say "I do" in the Wild West! 

SURPRISE BRIDE FOR THE COWBOY by Lauri Robinson

Mary McCary never wanted to be a mail-order bride, but falling off the Oak Grove train into Steve Putnam's lap changes everything… Could he be the cowboy to tempt her down the aisle?

TAMING THE RUNAWAY BRIDE by Kathryn Albright
 
Running from trouble, Maggie McCary signs up to be a mail-order bride. She doesn't intend to actually marry…until she shares one sensational kiss with Jackson Miller!

Stay happy! Life is good and the world is a better place because of you!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

Wishing you many blessings and I hope that your day is shared with family and friends.

We hosted our annual egg hunt on Friday evening, and had a wonderful time. Never able to depend on the weather, we hold the event in my husband’s shop. I’ve lost count on how many hundreds of eggs I fill with candy, toys, and change, but it doesn’t take the kids long to find each and every one of them. So we add to the fun with a scavenger hunt. Special eggs have letters on them, and once found, they are placed on a sheet of tag board spelling out each child’s name. Once every one’s name is complete, and all the eggs are found, each child is given an envelope with a rhyming clue as to where their next envelope is. Everyone gets five clues, with the final one ‘suggesting’ where they will find their baskets. Old and young love the challenge of this, and I’m challenged each year coming up with new rhyming clues.

This year our three-year-old grandson’s basket was hidden inside the deer feeder, which he loves to fill with Papa every time they visit. After finding his basket with the help of his mommy and daddy, he came running up to me and said, “Grandma! Look! The deer left me this basket!”

While the children are collecting eggs, their parents have their own goodies to find. Hidden high

above all the eggs are bottles of adult beverages, and our three sons are as competitive as ever to find more than their brothers.

We always buy a couple fun games or things for the kids to keep at our house to play with, and this year that included one of those blow up costumes. This one is a dinosaur and the kids had a great time playing dinosaur tag, which they incorporated to include their squirt guns. It certainly was a fun time, and considering we had twenty-two people at our event this year, I’m glad I baked two hams!

On the writing side, THANK YOU for purchasing The Cowboy’s Orphan Bride. It’s been on best selling lists all because of you. I so appreciate your support and I do hope you enjoyed Garth and Bridgette’s story. 

Next up will be the first book in The Mail Order Brides of Oak Grove Series. I had so much fun collaborating on these stories with Kathryn Albright. Surprise Bride for the Cowboy and Taming the Runaway Bride will be released on June 1^st.  Winning the Mail Order Bride will be released on September 1^st and A Bride and A Baby for Christmas will be released in October in the Western Christmas Brides anthology. 

Stay happy and keep smiling. Life is good.

Release Day!

The Cowboy's Orphan Bride is now available in ebook and print.