One of my favorite movies is Michael Mann’s The Last of the Mohicans from 1992, based on the 1826 novel by James Fenimore Cooper. The story captivates me with its internal and external conflict, historical setting, and romance of course. But quintessential antagonist, Magua (played by Native …
Lucy Powell is a young widow with a hard summer ahead of her in my soon-to-release novella, The Columbine Bride. How soon, you might ask? Tomorrow! That’s right. July 14, 2015, Old West Summer Brides, book 3 in Barbour’s limited print collection of The 12 Brides of …
The Fourth of July always leaves me grateful for the freedoms of this country, and especially for those who fought and died to secure those freedoms. But I’m also grateful that I don’t have to live independently—totally alone, counting only upon myself for everything. Thank God for …
I have always admired the wit and wisdom of humorist, author, and actor Will Rogers—the cowboy philosopher from Oklahoma. He was also pretty handy with a rope and you can see a sampling of his work on this 3-minute video: Watch here. When I heard about the …
We’ve all heard it: “Train up a child in the way he should go.” It’s more of a principle than a promise, a good one to live by. My dad taught me how to drive a tractor when I was about 10, and his instruction included the …
How far can you ride a sheep? Over the weekend, I attended the Top of the World Rodeo in Cripple Creek, Colorado, to watch our bullfighter son Jake save a few lives during the bull riding. He also chased a few sheep. Back in the 1800s, cattlemen …
If you could be a tree, what kind would you be? No intent to wax poetic here. The great tree poem has already been written. But I’m serious – which tree do you like best? I love pine and cedar–the way they roar with the wind and …
Summer – yea! We’re celebrating the advent of warmer weather here in Colorado because we’ve had rain, rain, rain the entire month of May. Wish I could send some of it to my family and friends in California. In addition to the joy of blue skies and …
In preparation for Memorial Day at our house this year, I planted pansies and petunias in the back yard and stretched deer netting over the columbines and roses in the front to discourage nocturnal grazers. I also bought new lawn chairs. After setting everything up, I decided …
My guest today is Dianne Neal Matthews, multi-published devotional author. Dianne’s inspirational words last week on the Christian Authors Network prayer link were such a blessing I asked her to share them with you, my readers, today. You’d think that anyone who writes daily devotionals begins …
#Alwaysbeforeme In honor of Mother’s Day, I’m sharing a page from my devotional book, Always Before Me. Enjoy! Shiny Shoes The man with the shiny black shoes sat down on our living room sofa and told us why the US Army was a great career choice for …
Comment to enter my #giveaway! When I was a young summer bride, newly arrived in Colorado with my cowboy, our first home was in Greely—feedlot capital of the world. Locals called the beefy fragrance permeating the shady streets and college campus “the smell of money.” But it …
Today I’m guest posting on Alexis Goring’s blog with a devotional about happy-ending romance. Seriously? In this world? Check it out: Is a Happy-ending Romance for Real?
Saturday I drank coffee and sat at the feet of one of my favorite authors as she shared her expertise and experiences – all day! Rachel Hauk was the speaker for this year’s Write in the Springs conference hosted by the Colorado Springs chapter of American Christian …
He lives. Everybody thought it was over, but it wasn’t. Imagine yourself in Palestine around A.D. 33. Would you have been surprised? Would you have been frightened? Relieved? Looking over your shoulder, wondering who was your enemy and who wasn’t? Would life ever again be the same …