Western but Not in the West

My husband reads very little fiction that isn't Western. When I first started publishing in 2015, he didn't want to read my first novels because they weren't set in the Old West. After some deliberation, he agreed to try one set in the Appalachian Mountains. To his amazement and delight, he said that it read much like a Western. He's read every one of my books since.

Coming from an Appalachian heritage, I understood exactly what he meant. The two cultures share a surprising number of similarities. Both are shaped by an indomitable spirit and a rugged determination. Both have long histories of making do with limited resources and improvising when needed. Family, whether by blood or choice, has always been a priority. Living close to the land and nature, many times in places with unique beauty, often deepens an appreciation for and reliance on God. Many smaller traits fall under these larger themes, creating a sense of kinship between regions. Even scenes can echo one another. Take this circa 1910 photograph of Spruce Pines, North Carolina, in the Appalachian Mountains. Doesn't it look strikingly similar to an Old Western town?

Perhaps growing up in the Appalachians is one of the reasons I've written so many Westerns. Of the ninety books I currently have listed on Amazon, nine are predominantly set in the Appalachian Mountains, and forty-six take place in the Old West. I love both regions and plan to continue writing in both. If you'd like to explore my books, you can find them here:  https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00SIFWZLG/allbooks

_____________________

 Integrity

"Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful (Luke 6:36).
“… but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing (1 Peter 3:9b).

Think about the people you admire. What are the traits that cause you to respect them? More than likely, it’s things that have to do with integrity. Integrity is one of those intangible concepts that’s hard to explain, especially since this one includes a lot of different facets. Accountability, authenticity, being ethical, character, consistency, contentment, fairness, generosity, godliness, honesty, humility, moral strength, respecting others, responsibility, trustworthiness, etc. Really, most good traits can fall under the heading of integrity.

“For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil (1 Peter 3:12). 

We can’t be close to God if we have unrepented sin in our lives. It separates us from God. But when we repent, God is quick to forgive and restore us. Having a close, personal relationship with God is one of faith’s great blessings. As we get to know and love Him, we understand His Word and trust Him too much to fear. In that state, who can really harm us? No matter what happens, we feel safe in God’s arms, knowing that even if we die, we will be in His presence. With such an attitude, we are a strong testimony for God, showing non-believers the hope and strength that is within us because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. When we submit to the will of God, our consciences are clear. We will study His Word, wanting to know more about Him and to experience more of Him. This also makes us good witnesses.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33).

We know that in this world, there are going to be trials and troubles. It’s part of living in a fallen world. But even in the midst of problems, we can have peace, because true peace doesn’t come from easy situations; it comes from God. Peter experienced both suffering and peace. In one incident, he suffered great mental anguish after he walked away from his integrity, put his eyes on the circumstances again, and denied Christ after He was arrested. Matthew 26:75 tells us Peter went out and wept bitterly. Yet he went on to become one of the steadfast, faithful leaders of the early church. He learned these lessons of remaining true and having integrity the hard way. Peter was an overcomer. In Christ, we can be overcomers, too, and we can begin by relying on the Holy Spirit and choosing to live as a person of integrity.

__________________________

 

 

 

 

 A Special Series within a Series

Usually, when I write in a multiple-author project (MAP), I publish standalone books like most of the other authors, even if I write several in that collection. However, occasionally, I connect the novels and have a continuing setting and characters. This was the case in the Western MAP, The Matchmaker - Agatha Returns. All six of my books in the series are set in Pinyon Falls in the Texas Hill Country. Also, the main characters in one book become secondary characters in the following ones, so the reader doesn't lose touch with them. And because the last one has already been published, you can read them all in order without having to wait.

A Match for Marshall features Marshall Walker and Callie Jones. Callie goes to Texas as a mail-order bride for Marshall, but she comes from a poor, itinerant-farming family in South Carolina, and she wants nothing to do with him when she finds out he's a rancher. Marshall talks her into staying around and giving him a chance. Now, if he can just show her that he's responsible and can provide well for her.

In A Match for Cord, Cord Atwood is Marshall's foreman, but he wants to start a horse ranch instead of working on a cattle ranch. Once his ranch is underway, he sends for a mail-order bride through the same matchmaker Marshall used. Moriah Williams has always been sought after for her exceptional beauty, so her parents pick the richest man for her to marry, but he's not the sort of man she wants for a husband. She decides to run away and ends up matched with Cord. The first words out of his lips when they meet are "You're beautiful," and she freezes. She doesn't want another suitor who just wants her for her looks and doesn't see who she really is. 

Silas Barrett is a blacksmith, like his father, in A Match for Silas, and he's lonely. He sends for a mail-order bride, asking for a bride of simple means who will appreciate a good home and steady husband. His mother had left because she didn't like the lifestyle of a blacksmith, and he wants to avoid the same situation. Who does the matchmaker send him? A woman from high society. What can a lady like Jacqueline Hamilton see in a dirty blacksmith?

In A Match for Merle, Vanessa Acker has never been able to find a husband because she isn't well-liked. People see her as bad-tempered, forward, and sometimes too flirty. She's watched some of the men in Pinyon Falls sending for mail-order brides, so why shouldn't she send for a husband? When Merle Warner arrives, he is nothing like she'd hoped for. He isn't compliant or easily manipulated. But just when he's growing on her, an English nobleman comes to town. Merle can't offer her the benefits of being a real English lady, but things might not be as they seem.

Widower Milton Cauley is the barber in Pinyon Falls. His first marriage hadn't been a happy one, no matter how hard he tried, and he plans to remain single. However, his friend has other ideas and sends away for a bride in his name. When Lauren Page arrives, Milton is furious. The widow might be lovely, but how dare Leon! See how it all plays out in A Match for Milton.

When Adrianne Clark witnesses a crime in Chicago, the mob involved starts looking for her, and she knows she needs to leave the city. She doesn't have the money, so she goes to a woman she knows for help. Agatha Sinclair turns out to be a matchmaker and arranges for Adrianne to go to Pinyon Falls, Texas, to marry the sheriff there. Who better to protect her than a lawman? Meanwhile, Reece Felps has always felt that a lawman's job was too precarious to marry. However, as he's matured, he still longs for a family, and in a weak moment, he writes to the matchmaker others in town have used. Yet, when he learns that she's on the run, he wonders if she wants to marry him or just escape a bad situation. A Match for Reece ends the series with all of the main characters getting together for a holiday party at the end.

I loved writing the books in this series, and readers have continued to show their appreciation for them, too. Spending time in Pinyon Falls with these characters feels like visiting with old friends and making new ones. If you're looking for an intriguing historical series filled with heartfelt romance, small‑town charm, and characters whose stories intertwine in satisfying ways, this may be your answer. Settle in, visit Pinyon Falls, and enjoy the journey.

________________________

 A Christian Lesson from India

Charles Spurgeon is often quoted as saying, "There is no such thing as secular; all is sacred." Whether or not those are his exact words, the sentiment reflects his teaching: every part of life belongs to God, and every moment is lived before Him. I learned something similar from my summer in India on a Fullbright-Hays scholarship. Hindus consider their religion to be a part of who they are and their everyday lives. Many families keep shrines in their homes dedicated to the god the family chooses to honor, and Hindu temples with their priests are common in almost every large neighborhood.

I knew the Ganges River is considered the "Mother of India" because it personifies the goddess, Ganga, a life-giving figure. Pilgrims travel from all over the country to bathe in its waters. So when I visited it at Varinasia early one morning, I expected to see it being treated as a sacred shrine. What I didn't expect to also encounter were people brushing their teeth, washing their hair, and doing their morning exercises by the banks of the river. Hawkers even sold their wares from rowboats.

The Indians live with an acute awareness that everything they do is done before their gods. I came home, reflecting on this and decided to make the one true God who loves me so deeply a part of my daily life, too. If there was something I couldn't do in His company, then I shouldn't be doing it at all. That simple shift drew me closer to Him and changed my life. It's a better way to live -- more rewarding, more fulfilling, and far more peaceful. My experience in India also reminded me that God can use the most unexpected places and things to teach us profound Christian truths. He wants us to live every moment in His presence, and we're much happier when we do. 

___________________________

Mountain Men: Echoes of Thunder 

I'm excited to share about my next book that releases on April 21. Malachi's Mountain is part of the multiple-author series, Mountain Men: Echos of Thunder, the second round of rugged mountain-man stories, following the hugely successful Mountain Men: Longing Hearts in the Wilderness. I would have loved to write in that first collection, but my 2025 schedule filled up before the opportunity arrived. Still, this new round promises to be every bit as good and perhaps even better.

These mountain men have chosen the solitude of the high country for reasons as varied as the peaks themselves. When heartache or loss rips through their quiet world, their sorrows roar through the valleys and bounce off the mountainsides like echoes of thunder. Even so, hope finds them again, softly at first and then with a strength that reshapes everything. Each man's journey is unique, and each story stands on its own, so don't miss a single one. All titles are on preorder now at a special reduced price until they're published, and what Western fiction fan doesn't love a rugged mountain man with a heart of gold?

There are twelve books in all. The first one releases on March 3, 2026, and the series ends with the last one publishing on May 19. As the release dates draw near, I can't wait for you to meet Malachi and step into the world we've built for this series. If you enjoy stories filled with determination, tenderness, and the healing power of love in the wilderness, this collection is for you. I hope you'll get them all and get ready to travel deep into the mountains where adventure is around every corner, and misfortune gives way to second chances.

_________________________

God's Amazing Love

God's love is so amazing, so vast and all-encompassing that we can't really fully grasp its depth. It is unconditional, given freely, because that's who God is. And because He loves us so completely, we can trust Him above all else. As we approach another Valentine's Day, it's worth pausing to reflect on God's unmatched love. Here are just a few of its defining characteristics:

God's love is forever, eternal. Jesus is "... the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8 & Jeremiah 31:3).

God's love is patient and longsuffering (2 Peter 3:9). 

God's love is a keeping love. No one shall take us out of the hand of the Father or the Son (John 10:28-30).

God's love is a protective love. (Psalm 91:1-4).

God's love is a forgiving love. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1John 1:9).

God's love is a guiding love (Psalm 23:3 & Isaiah 58:11).

God's love is a sacrificial, giving love. Jesus died on the cross to take away our sins and to restore us to fellowship with our Heavenly Father (John 10:10, 1:12, & 3:16).

God's love is a transforming love (Romans 12:2 & 1 John 4:19).

As we celebrate a season so often centered on romance, may we remember that human expression of love is only a faint reflection of the One who loved us first. God's love is steady, sacrificial, and unfailing -- far greater than anything this world can offer. When we rest in that truth, we find the courage to love others with the same grace we've received. This Valentine's Day, may our hearts be anchored, not in fleeting emotion, but in the eternal love that never fails.

_________________________

 

The Price of Books in 1883

The farther back in history one goes, the more expensive books become relative to the standard of living. In the past, often only the wealthy could afford to own them. I research and write a lot of books set in the latter half of the nineteenth century, and in 1883, a book generally cost more than a day's pay for the average working man. They were a luxury many people couldn't afford. That's one reason dime novels became so widely popular and why newspapers and magazines often published serialized fiction. 

In 1883, a standard hardcover book usually cost around $2.00 and up. That's $60.00 in today's prices. Special editions or multi-volume works ran much more. At the time, a typical laborer made somewhere between $1.00 and $2.00 a day, so a $10.00 multi-volume series or set of books represented a week's wages. This is why libraries were spreading rapidly across the United States in the late nineteenth century, often funded by men like Andrew Carnegie, and making books accessible to people who couldn't otherwise afford them. 

Seen in this light, the reading habits of the late nineteenth century make perfect sense: books were treasured objects, expensive enough to require real sacrifice. Whether borrowed from a new public library, devoured in serialized installments, or purchased one precious volume at a time, reading was an investment. Understanding the cost of books in 1883 not only sheds light on the era’s literary culture but also reminds us how profoundly affordable books have shaped modern life.

___________________________