Romancing the West Blog Hop

Romancing the West Blog Hop

Why do we enjoy writing and reading about the West? What is it about cowboys that is just plain irresistible? Over thirty authors and bloggers tackle these and other questions by explaining why we love Romancing the West.

But that’s not all, as you enjoy some awesome blogs and find fantastic books, for every post you comment on with your email address, you will be entered for some amazing prizes.

***PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO QUALIFY***

Grand Prize: A swag pack which includes books (both ebooks and paper), Amazon gift card, custom made butterfly jewelry, book cards, magnets and much more all tucked away in a keepsake box. (Available to US residents only. Winner will be announced on February 26 at 10 PM EST)

We at NovelFriends are giving away a
*$20 Texas Roadhouse Gift Card!

Why do we love Romancing the West?

Donna: I fell in love with the west thanks to NYT bestselling author Linda Howard. While filling my basket at the local used book store, I came across a copy of A Lady of the West by Linda Howard. I did and BAM! I was in love. Not only with this amazing author (who is still one of my favorites!), but with the beautiful western states: Texas, Wyoming, Montana…Colorado. My love of Colorado deepened thanks to my NovelFriend, Stacey, And I was compelled to set my own story against the backdrop of those majestic Rocky Mountains.





Jamie: It’s hard to resist loving a cowboy. A man who is strong, hard working and has a love of the land. A guy who stays in shape by doing his job everyday, not because he spent hours in a gym. I’ve spent many hours admiring the cowboy heroes of Diana Palmer and Linda Lael Miller. How can you not love a man who is rough, tough, protective and true all in one very fine package?

Amazon

Delia:What isn’t to love about cowboys? I grew up wanting to be the Cartwright brother’s little sister, it didn’t take long for that fantasy to evolve along less familial fantasies. These are men who spend their lives both working with and fighting against the elements, using their strength and wits to not only stay alive, but to make a living while doing it. The fact that it’s done with a gun strapped to their hip and their butt looking all snug in a saddle just ramps the sexiness up a few levels (yeah, I’m talking about you, Little Joe).

AMAZON US CA UK DE, BN, SW, ARe, KOBO 

Stacey: I love horses, and I love good-looking, hard-working men in jeans and flannel or a button-up cotton work shirts. Putting the two together is a win-win no-brainer for me. Rolled up sleeves that reveal tanned, muscled forearms is sexier than a guy standing buck-naked—though I’d probably look either way. *grin* In my contemporary western Chasin’ Mason, Tripp is modeled after my all-time favorite cowboy picture: Matthew McConaughey in his Stetson Cologne ad.

* * * * *

So there you have it from the NovelFriends! To enter for our prize of the $20 Texas Roadhouse Gift Card, just use the Rafflecopter below.

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ALSO, to enter for the Grand Prize SWAG PACK of the Romancing the West Blog Hop

, you must include your EMAIL address leave acomment along with your EMAIL address.

** To be entered in our raffle, simply tell us who's your favorite cowboy, or what's your favorite western romance novel...or both!

Best of luck from the NovelFriends!

(* If there is no Texas Roadhouse restaurant near you, we will substitute a $20 Gift Card of winner's choice)

Romancing the West Blog Hop



Elvis Week

Each of us take a Tuesday of the month to post here, but since we've got 5 Tuesdays this month and there are only 4 of us, we needed to come up with something to do for today.  So, for your (and our) entertainment, we came up with a writing prompt and each of us ran off to play with it.   Our prompt?  An Elvis Song    And here are our results:

Jamie

Are You Lonesome Tonight?

Kate Monroe sat at a small table in the noisy bar. What had possessed her to move to a small town where the height of Saturday night entertainment was an Elvis themed bar? Ale House Rock, seriously? 

Not that the town she moved from had been much bigger, but it was closer to a city that offered at least a few options for having fun. Her coworker, Aubrey, had gone to the restroom a while ago, but had been stopped several times on her way back to their table. Kate tried to keep her focus on her drink instead of on the curious glances she felt directed her way.

The lights dimmed and a bright spotlight lit up the small stage next to her table. The sequined red curtains parted and a hottie dressed like Elvis in his younger years stepped forward.

“Welcome to Ale House Rock! Who’s ready for some singin’ and some dancin’?” As the rest of the bar broke into cheers, his deep, rough drawl slid through the speakers and wrapped around and let loose goose bumps on her arms.

Before she had a chance to catch her breath, he gyrated his hips, fake-strummed his guitar and belted out the opening lyrics of “Blue Suede Shoes”.

Ho-ly heaven!

Stacey

There is no such things as ghosts. You’re hallucinating.

That’s what the rational side of my brain told me as I stood there, right outside the revered gates, and he walked toward me. But I hadn’t had anything to drink stronger than a mocha latte. I certainly hadn’t smoked anything.

I raised my hand to my forehead. No fever.

Did people just have random hallucinations?

I was reminded of that song as I lowered my arm. You know, the one Marc Cohn sings. The one Little Big Town remade with Sugarland—Walking In Memphis.

His head turned toward me as he moved past. Our eyes met. He smiled with the signature curl to his lip, and then he winked.

Wow, what a hallucination! My heart skipped before beating triple time, leaving me breathless. I suddenly understood the swooning effect.

I watched him pass through the gates and disappear into the house as my friend bounded up to me with our tickets.

“I still can’t believe we’re here. I’m telling you, Graceland is definitely going to be the highlight of my trip!”

Still speechless from a moment ago, all I could do was nod in agreement.

Donna

Blue Hawaii.

Tamara’s chest tightened as she pulled the old VHS tape from the video cabinet in her parents’ living room. A lifelong Elvis Presley fan, her mom had been collecting Elvis paraphernalia since she was a teenager. She owned a vast collection of records, paintings, figurines, belts, key chains, coffee mugs, magnets, purses, a lunch box, several ornaments, a couple of clocks, dozens of T-shirts…and that was just what Tamara could recall off the top of her head.

Her mother also owned all thirty three of his movies—which included two documentaries—on either VHS or DVD. Some both. And though they’d seen every one of them many times over, Blue Hawaii had always been her mom’s favorite.

Her parents spent their honeymoon on the Big Island many years ago, so Hawaii had always held a special place in both of their hearts. "Two glorious weeks in paradise," her father would tease with a wink at her mother, who never failed to turn three shades of pink.

After her father passed, her mom often talked about heading back to beautiful Anaeho’omalu Bay to spread his ashes over the crystal blue waters of the Pacific Ocean.

Now that day would never come.

Slipping the movie from its cardboard sleeve, Tamara found herself holding her breath. She’d watched Blue Hawaii with her mother so many times she could recite the movie word for word. Because, frankly, it had been a favorite of hers as well, though she’d have cut out her tongue before ever admitting it. Part of the fun had been rolling her eyes and groaning whenever her mother declared it Elvis night. She’d make fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches—which, surprisingly, weren’t too bad—and they’d wash them down with ice-cold Pepsi. The King’s favorite beverage.

Unable to resist, Tamara popped the black tape into the old VCR. A strange feeling washed over her when the title song started to play, and Elvis’s deep, hypnotic voice filled every corner of the room. 

She closed her eyes and sang softly along…

“…Night and you and Blue Ha-waaaaiiii. The night is heav-enly, and you are heav-en to me…”

Tears blurred her vision before spilling down her cheeks. She gave her head a frustrated shake and swiped them away. She hadn’t seen the movie in several years, yet when she closed her eyes—

A sudden, comforting presence settled in beside her. Tamara’s eyes shot open as her heart warmed with inner peace. Whether in life or beyond, it seemed, her mother simply couldn’t resist Blue Hawaii.

Delia

“Are You Lonesome Tonight?”

“You Hound Dog!  I told you to never call me again!”

“I can’t help it, I’m Stuck on You.”

“That’s not my fault, I just want you to leave me alone.”

“Come on, Baby, Don’t Be Cruel.    I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You,   you’re my Good Luck Charm and I Just Can’t Help Believing that you Love Me Tender as much as I do you.”

“I filed a restraining order against you, if you come anywhere near me, you’ll be doing The Jailhouse Rock. “

“A restraining order??  Is that why all my Love Letters came back marked Return to Sender?  You’re a Hard Headed Woman.”

“No, I just don’t want to spend another night in Heartbreak Hotel.    You got me All Shook Up and then left me.  What was I supposed to do?”

“I’m sorry, I guess we both had Suspicious Minds and ruined what we had.  Do you think you could ever let bygones be bygones and give us a second chance? “

“Well, I suppose It’s Now or Never.  Come on over, and Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear…and make sure you’re wearing your Blue Suede Shoes.”

Comfort in the Chaos

Life seems like it is always throwing curves our way. Usually small things, sometimes big stuff. I do my best to try to take things in stride and not let them bother me. Most of the time I do pretty well. Once in a while though, taking deep breaths just doesn't cut it. This fall has been one of those times for me.

My oldest son is a senior this year so we've waded our way into the world of college applications, essays, scholarships and financial aid.  My youngest son just received his temporary drivers license. I now know for sure I was not meant to be a driver's ed instructor. After 20 years in our home we are finally remodeling our kitchen and getting rid of the mauve walls and countertops and the baby blue cabinets that didn't hold anything. I do not function well when the house is a mess, so I probably don't need to tell you how stressful it is to have our kitchen essentials all over our dining room. On top of all of this, I've been having some health issues that involve a series of tests that haven't exactly been a barrel of fun.

Dealing with so much at once makes it nearly impossible to get through the day in a relaxed state. When this happens I find myself seeking out some extra comforts. I have several fairly reliable sources that work for me.

Reading is a given. There is nothing like escaping into a good book. It's the next best thing to an actual vacation (sometimes it's even better!) Hand in hand with a good book, is a favorite movie. I have a few favorite romances that I can watch over and over and over again. How can a happily-ever-after ending not brighten your day?

Now, you can't get true comfort from a book or movie without the right accessories. Comfy clothes are a must. Comfort dress code includes flannel pajamas and slippers, soft comfy t-shirts or hoodies and a well-worn pair of jeans. A very specific menu is required for these chaos emergencies as well. Bring on the soups or stews and fresh baked bread. Chocolate (or pretty much any sweet) works well as a quick band-aid for most situations. If things reach a Code Red level, pizza from my favorite local pizza place is the only thing that will help.

When all else fails, one thing is guaranteed to make life better - a good old-fashioned hug. If the hug comes from one of my kids, it is a very special and rare treat. A hug from my hubby still gives me an amazing warm feeling like no other. Those hugs from my friends (even virtually!) let me know how much caring and support I always have. 

I'm hoping your life is mostly chaos free, but what comforts you when life does get a little crazy?

A Few of My Favorite Fall Things

My favorite time of year has arrived. I am in love with autumn. The temperatures have recently cooled quite a bit making me anxious to start enjoying some of my favorite things.

The sights… I soak up the vivid rusty-colored leaves grasping tree branches and covering yards, pumpkins, gourds, hay bales and cornstalks dressing up porches. A final burst of color before the snow falls.

The sounds… I relax to the harmony of crunching, crackling leaves on the sidewalk and the thumps and bumps of chestnuts falling onto the roof outside our bedroom window.  A soundtrack of the season.

The tastes…oh, the foods of fall - spiced apple cider, warm apple kuchen, hearty soups, fresh-baked bread and of course a handful (or two!) of candy corn. Mmmmm.

The smells… for me the mingled scents of decaying leaves, crisp wind-washed air, the smell of wood burning in bonfires, rooms filled with a blend of apples, pumpkins and spices. Ahhhh.

The feel… what could possibly make this symphony of sensations any better? Only a warm snuggly sweater, a soft cozy blanket, the comforting weight of a book in one hand and a warm mug of cider in the other. Sigh.

Now, consider that it is the one time of year when baseball and football seasons overlap and there are ridiculous amounts of school supplies available and on sale. It’s just the whipped cream on my pumpkin pie.

What are your favorite season and your favorite thing about it?