To All the Heroes, I Salute You

I recently read a Facebook post by a man who had returned to the Napa fire area to rescue his horses. His American flag flew in front of his house and it hurt him to have to leave it, but he had no time to try and save it. Two fire crews were already in his yard, ready to try and save his house and he had to leave. When he returned, his house still stood, but his flag no longer flew. When he went inside, he found his flag, slightly charred and covered in soot, draped over the back of his couch. He was so touched that the firefighters had taken the time to take the flag down and save it.

That brought these thoughts to mind...

To the brave men and women who leave their parents, wives, husbands, children to defend our country against terrorism, against enemies who would seek to destroy us, I salute you. You endure hardships most of us cannot even imagine and risk--and sometimes give--your lives, often without thanks. You work for less than most fast-food workers, you endure extreme temperatures, you sleep in a hole in the ground because you love our country and respect our flag. You are deserving of the highest honor this world can give. I pray for your safety every day and pray you will return home to your family safe and sound.

To the brave men and women who fight the good fight at home, whether it's fighting fires or standing between us and the criminals on the street, I salute you. Your service, also, is often without thanks, and sometimes you face derision from the very people you are charged to protect. Your pay might be a little more than what our soldiers receive, but not by much. It is not nearly enough for what you do for us. I also pray for your safety every day and pray you will return home to your family safe and sound.

To our President and Vice-President, our First and Second ladies, I salute you. You have taken on the most thankless job of all. Not only are you derided by the vicious left, but you have to fight a daily battle with a media owned by some of the evilest men our country (and in some cases foreign countries) have produced. They have an agenda to destroy this country in order to bring in their New World order and they don't care how many lies they have to tell to do that. But please know that you have many, many people who stand with you, who don't believe the lies, and who pray every day for God to grant you wisdom and safety.

To the NFL leaders, coaches, and players--for you, I take a knee. You do nothing for this country. You make millions of dollars every year and burn through it with drugs, fancy cars, mansions, and women. Oh, you might break a leg or get a concussion, but it's all in fun, right? You make those millions doing nothing more than throwing or chasing a ball. And then you have the audacity to kneel there and say you are oppressed! How about getting off your high horse and putting those millions to use righting the wrongs you supposedly see? But no, the NFL takes in billions and then gets the taxpayers to pay for the stadiums. You pay no taxes because somehow you got non-profit status. That is a disgrace. I hope President Trump takes your tax-exempt status away from you so you can feel the pinch like the rest of us. I hope the citizens stop paying for your stadiums. Even better, I hope they show their displeasure with your "protests" by using their remotes to change the channel, by no longer buying tickets or merchandise until you grow up and start using your position and money for good, in a way that benefits this country rather than just yourselves.

I am proud of my country, despite those who vilify everything good about it. My country is more than a political party or a political agenda. My country is our soldiers, our police and firefighters, the farmers in the heartland, the small business owners trying to survive against the giants like Amazon and Walmart, the mothers and fathers doing their best to raise their children in a scary world and keep the bills paid and food on the table. To all of you who are trying to be the best you can be against incredible opposition, I salute you.

When You Can't Write, Paint!

The thyroid issues have really messed with my head. I no longer get those lines of dialogue, story ideas, or unfolding scenes as I lay down at night. I can't seem to string the words together to make a coherent sentence these days. So to fill in the time until I can get my body and brain straightened out, I've been painting and decoupaging furniture. And hey, it helps buy the groceries when I sell something. Here are a few of the things I've done so far.

I thought I did this post a couple of days ago. In fact, I know I did. I have no idea what happened to that post.

Anyway, I'm taking part in a new contest. This time it's contemporary western romance authors teaming up to lasso you a chance to win 55+ books and a Kindle Fire. Runner up wins the books.

Here's the official ad: Today, I have a fun surprise that I’d like to share with you. To celebrate the fall, I’ve teamed up with more than 55 fantastic contemporary cowboy romance authors to give away a huge collection of novels, PLUS a Kindle Fire to one lucky winner!You can win my novel Carter Country: Cade, plus books from authors like Patricia McLinn and Loralei James. Enter the giveaway by clicking here: bit.ly/cowboy-rom Good luck, and enjoy!

$3,000 Big Romance Author Spring Giveaway

Attention all awesome people! This month is a cool time to be a reader. 101 of your favorite authors contributed to one massive giveaway! Giveaway rules are listed on the rafflecopter. International peeps can play! Got any questions? Feel free to ask. There are 100 ways to enter for a maximum possible 500+ entries per person. The giveaway lasts the entire month of April, so come back every day and hammer away at a few more entries until you're all done! ONE PERSON WILL WIN $3,000 USD! That's the biggest giveaway I've seen recently! Tell your buds! Don't miss out. You'll kick yourself if you miss this one.

a Rafflecopter giveaway   Terms & conditions are listed on the rafflecopter. Read it for full details. The winner will be chosen on May 1, 2016 and contacted via the email address they used to enter. CHECK YOUR EMAIL! The winner's name will also be posted on the rafflecopter widget above. Participating Romance Authors: 101 different authors came together to make this giveaway possible. If you've been looking for a new book boyfriend, or you're literally famished between your fave author's releases, check out some of my peeps! They write in various hot romance genres including contemporary romance, new adult romance, erotic romance, steamy romance, urban fantasy romance, dystopian romance, historical romance, futuristic/ sci-fi/ fantasy romance, Teen/ YA romance, inspirational romance and time travel romance!

 H.M. Ward
Kim Golden
Drew Jordan
Christi Caldwell
Scarlett Metal
Chris Almeida &
Cecilia Aubrey
Heidi McLaughlin
Jenny Gardiner
Stacey Joy Netzel
Merry Farmer
Mallory Crowe
Julia Kent
Jean Oram
Vella Day
Meli Raine
Sherri Hayes
Jayne Rylon
Sarah M. Cradit
Erica Ridley
Christine Zolendz
Beverly Preston
Marquita Valentine
Melissa Storm
Dana Marton
Amy Bartol
Michelle Fox
Magan Vernon
Ainsley Booth
Venessa Kimball
Sidney Bristol
K.M. Scott
C.C.Wood
J.M. Miller
Zara Keane
Eliza Knight
L.P. Dover
Sadie Haller
Patricia McLinn
Suzanne Rock
Katherine Lowry Logan
Erin Richards
Tori Scott
Danielle Stewart
P.T. Michelle
Suzan Tisdale
T.M. Franklin
Evelyn Adams
S.E. Hall
Lauren Hawkeye
Josie Bordeaux
Melanie Marchande
Raci Ames
Catherine Gayle
Sam Cheever
J.M Cole
Brooke Blaine
Ella Frank
Allison Bell
Cristin Harber
Jacki Delecki
Tawdra Kandle
Sydney Logan
Laura Kaye
Laura Kamoie
Evie Harper
P.J. Fiala
Taylor Law
Pamela DuMond
D.L. Roan
Jenni Moen
LG Castillo
Rachel Schurig
Nina Levine
Rachel Hanna
Cheryl Bradshaw
Jessica Scott
Beth Yarnall
J.T. Geissinger
Stacey Mosteller
Kylie Gilmore
Maryann Jordan
Cari Quinn
Lauren Royal
Renea Mason
Christine Bell
Felicia Tatum
Fabio Bueno
RaShelle Workman
Nana Malone
Annika Martin
Sophia Knightly
Nikki Lynn Barrett
Marian Tee
Sarah Castille
Allyn Lesley
Ambrielle Kirk
Jami Davenport
Bonnie R. Paulson
Laura Stapleton
Kennedy Layne

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

Must be 18 years of age or older to win. No cash value. Void where prohibited. Open to international & US residents. *The winner will receive an e-gift card via PayPal in the amount of $3000USD for this prize.* Winner must have: 1. an email account, 2. may be requested to fill out additional paperwork for tax purposes, and 3. must have a PayPal account to accept the prize. We are not responsible for fees taken by PayPal for this transaction, nor are we in any way responsible for VAT and/ or taxes. We are not responsible for items damaged or lost in the e-mail. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. We hereby release Facebook of any liability.  By entering you agree that we are in no way to be held liable for anything pertaining to this giveaway. Winner(s) will be contacted by email 72 hours after the giveaway ends. You must claim your prize or it is forfeited and another winner will be selected. If you have any additional questions - feel free to send us an email!

Check this blog on April 1st for a huge announcement!

New Release! Cowboy Masquerade

There's a new addition to the Lone Star Cowboys series--Cowboy Masquerade. This novella picks up with Doc and Susan's story. You'll also see most of your favorite characters from the Triple S crew.

Dr. John Marshall has spent most of his life moving from town to town, following the rodeo circuit to patch up injured cowboys. Now he's ready to retire, open a practice in a small town somewhere, and enjoy life. His only real regret is that his lifestyle never gave him the chance to marry and have kids. At forty-five, he thinks he's too old to do so now. If he followed in his parents' footsteps, he didn't have too many good years left. 

Susan Hunt is a young widow with three children. Her husband died on the back of a bull three years earlier, and Dr. Marshall has been her rock ever since. He's been there for her through the grieving, the acceptance, he helped her get back on her feet and make a new life for herself and her kids. The one thing he isn't willing to do for her, though, is the one thing she needs the most. It's going to take some ingenuity and a little help from the Triple S crew to help Dr. Marshall see where his future lies.

It's available now on Amazon, and soon on most major retailers.

New Release! Book One in the new Carter Country series: CADE

New Release! Book One in the new Carter Country series: CADE

Cade Carter is the oldest of seven children and the lead guitarist in the family's Country and Western band, Carter Country With his mother urging him to remarry, a more than full-time job as a veterinarian,and trying to raise his two boys on his own, Cade is feeling a little overwhelmed. After losing his first wife in childbirth, Cade is afraid to risk his heart again, but he knows his mother is right. He needs help, and his boys need a mother. 

Sarah McCutcheon has taken over her grandparents' old farm where she grows her own vegetables, raises chickens, and even milks her own cow. She also cooks up healthy meals for her food blog, and makes a pretty decent living from it. Life on a farm can be lonely, though. When Sarah meets Cade and his boys, her lonely life is changed to one full of fun and laughter. But does Cade really want Sarah, or does he just love her cooking?

You can get your copy of CADE at all major retailers. I hope you enjoy it!

So far, Blame it on Texas has had over 30,000 free downloads. Do you have your copy yet? You should grab it before I decide to put it back to full price. Amazon link
Blame it on Texas has 153 reviews with an average rating of 4.6 out of a possible 5.

"Another reviewer wrote that "this is everyday people, in their everyday lives, facing everyday problems" and that is such a great way to put it. It is such a refreshing change to see that all these people aren't rich and successful. They are down-home working class individuals who are as real to you as the people next door, maybe more so. This book had everything you would want in a story. This author is great at that and her books are those that no matter how much you try, you cannot put it down. I personally recommend this book and the author to anyone who is looking for a spark of laughter, a spark of sadness and a heavy dose of real life by characters that you will fall in love with."

"One of the very best books I have read. I AM A TEXAN You have found the true pulse of small town Texas. I enjoyed every page. Please continue. As this really moves my heart. Thank you again."

"Just finished "Blame it on Texas" & if Ms. Scott's other books are this good, then I'm definitely a fan of hers. Money is extremely tight for us right now, but thankfully this book was offered for free & I downloaded it. And am I happy that I did.....I'm one of those that re-reads books that they love & want to enjoy again & again; this book will be re-read several times! :-)

I really like her style of writing, thought she did an excellent job telling a story that not only flowed but you didn't want to stop reading it. Or I didn't at least, but I had to as it was getting too late last night & I really needed to be in bed. Believe me, I picked it up as soon as I was able to the next morning. She made me laugh, cry, roll my eyes at some of the things that happen in the story....Ms. Scott even had me liking the character Nancy toward the end there.

If you want a good read, a story that keeps moving along, some lightheartedness/laughter, even a bit of suspense & yet not page after page of descriptive writing of how the ranch looked at dusk/or whatever.....then I think you'll enjoy "Blame it on Texas"".

Coming in August! A brand new series about 5 brothers and one sister--The Carter Family--set along the Red River in Cooke County, Texas. I'll post here as soon as it goes live.

New Release!

The long-awaited sequel to Lone Star Justice is finally available on Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords. Still waiting for distribution to the other vendors.

This is Deputy Cody Wills' story. Cody has a new partner, a female one. He's not thrilled, but he's determined to make the best of it and hope that Rand will eventually come around and make things like they were before. But Greendale is changing. It's no longer the sleepy little county it once was. Civilization is creeping closer, bringing more crime and more traffic with it.

Charlie Booker is looking for peace. She's just returned home from a multi-tour Middle East assignment, bringing with her nightmares and guilt. Taking a job with a small town sheriff's departments seems like just what she's looking for, but she's about to get an education she won't forget.


In other news, Blame it on Texas is still free on Amazon and Smashwords, and for this week only, until March 8, Satisfaction Guaranteed and Superstition are free on Smashwords during ebook week.

And if you haven't read Lone Star Justice yet, book One in the Southern Justice series, be sure to get a copy at your favorite retailer.

Cover Reveal

We have a cover for Rookie Justice! Just awaiting final edits and formatting before uploading. It should be ready to go this week!

My new kitchen has inspired me to be more active about meal planning, shopping, and making new things. I got a refurbished Kitchen Aid Pro 600 for Christmas, so I've been playing with it a bit. Last night I made chocolate chip cookies with walnuts, and today I made butter.

Yes, butter. Never knew it could be so easy to do. I had 3 pints of whipping cream expiring, so I decided to use it rather than waste it. Hubby wanted me to make ice cream with it, so I took out about half the cream when it was whipped to the right consistency for ice cream, stirred in a can of Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk, a teaspoon of vanilla, and a can of chopped up peaches, and stuck that in the freezer.

I turned the mixer back on and let it do its thing until I had a mixture of butter and buttermilk. Poured the buttermilk into a Mason jar to use later for baking, rinsed the butter in cold water and added some sea salt, formed it into a ball, and put it in my butter jar.

In all, it took about 30 minutes to make a quart of ice cream and probably about a half-pound or more of whipped butter. And I saved wasting $6 worth of cream.

Just call me Tori Homemaker from here on out. :)

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Here it is almost Christmas, and I just realized I haven't posted since June! So much has happened over the past few months. If you're Facebook friends, you've heard it all and can skip most of this. :)  If not, and you're interested, read on.

In June we drove our grandson to Georgia Tech for his Duke TIP summer program, and then came home and started packing for our trip to California. My oldest son had just remodeled his kitchen and they saved their old one for me. A far better kitchen than I currently had. We took Bo to the Lone Star Dog Ranch to board for 3 weeks. It was hard for me to do, but I'd searched boarding facilities for weeks until I found just the right place.

For him, it was a three week resort vacation, complete with playmates! The Ranch posts daily pictures so I was able to keep up with him and his activities.

I'd post pictures, but theirs are copyrighted. If you'd like to see what Bo was up to, check out Bo at the Lone Star Dog Ranch. Once we'd dropped him off and I'd dried my tears, we were off to California, pulling a 6 x 12 trailer with our Ford Edge. Gotta give kudos to my Ford. It performed like a champ.

We drove through the middle part of West Texas so I could get some pictures and do some more research on the area where my Lone Star Cowboy books are set. I grew up in this area, but things have changed in mumblesomething years. Not a lot, but some.

Then we drove through New Mexico, stopping overnight in Roswell, visiting the White Sands Monument, before heading for Arizona and the Superstition Mountains. My book, Superstition, is set there and I'd never actually been there. I'd done all my research online. It was starkly beautiful, even though we hiked the park in 107 degree heat.

And then it was on to California! It's a long haul from east Texas to Los Angeles. Up and down hills and mountains, through rain storms and dust storms. I was never so glad to finally make it through the maze of L.A. highways and arrive at our destination.

 We stayed with our son for a couple of days, leaving the trailer at his house so he could use it to haul their camping gear up to Yosemite for their annual camping trip, and then we headed up the 101 (Pacific Coast Highway). It's been a dream of mine for a long time to make that drive. It's absolutely breathtaking. Sometimes literally when you're on hairpin turns coming down or going up a mountain.

The first couple of days were foggy and cold. After that it was mostly beautiful sunshine, but still chilly. We drove the PCH all the way to Washington, where we veered inland to Seattle because we'd spent so much time taking pictures that we were a full day behind schedule. We barely got to see Seattle because just after taking the trip up to the top of the Space Needle, we got a call that our youngest daughter had been involved in a bad accident. She wasn't hurt, but the two people on the motorcycle who hit her were.

There was nothing we could do from so far away, and our oldest daughter and my sister-and-brother-in-law were there to help her, but we'd lost the enjoyment of seeing new places and wanted only to go home. But we couldn't just yet. Our son and his family were on the way to Yosemite with our trailer, and we were supposed to join them. I really didn't think I'd enjoy it at all under the circumstances, but I did. Yosemite is beautiful, something every American should experience at least once. And yes, we roughed it.

After a week at Yosemite, it was time to go back to L.A. and load the trailer with my new kitchen. We got everything but the center island and the range hood in the trailer, and my son brought those out to us in October.

But first, we had two girls to move. My oldest bought a new house, so we moved her and the boys the first week in August. Then the youngest got a job and we moved her from our house to her new place the last two weeks of August.

We started work on the kitchen around the end of September, and finished it on the 22nd of November. We went from a small, cramped, rotting-floor mess to a beautiful, shiny new kitchen in just 8 weeks, doing most everything ourselves (meaning hubby did it and I handed him stuff). The boys came out for a week to help replace the rotted floor joists, run plumbing and electrical, and they helped carry in all the cabinets. Here are a few in-progress pictures.

And the finished product. I love it! Well, almost finished. We still have to put up the backsplash and do some painting around the window, but we're putting that off until after the holidays.

Needless to say, little to no writing has been done along the way. But now that life is settling down a bit, I'm back to work! I'm hoping to have a new release, the sequel to Lone Star Justice, out soon.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas/Holiday season. 

It's That Time of Year--Wedding Season!

The newest boxed set by the Authors of Main Street is now live at Amazon, B&N, and most major retailers. Check out the trailer for Weddings on Main Street in the previous post, or watch it here

 And here are the eleven books offered in Weddings on Main Street: 

What a Cowgirl Wants by Tori Scott. It's wedding bells for Blake and Mandy, but the fairy tale wedding Mandy wants is in jeopardy when Blake's father butts in. Can Mandy still pull off the wedding of her dreams? 

April Fool Bride by Joan Reeves. Is it a marriage of convenience or something more? Something that sizzles like steam heat between Maddie and Jake that neither can resist. 

Wedding Surprise by Mona Risk. Two weeks before the big day, Claire and David receive some startling news that can destroy their relationship. Is their love for each other strong enough to turn the worst wedding surprise into the best? 

Small Town Glamour Girl Wedding by Stephanie Queen. USA TODAY Bestelling Author. Julie and Jack are over-the-moon in love. When their soon-to-be mothers-in-law reveal a stunning secret from the past, Jack and Julie must re-think the wedding. Will they or won’t they say I do? 

The Vow by Pepper Phillips. Coming home after ten years, Ann Normand is still not wanted. Except for Clay Couvillion. He’s a man now and he wants her to stay. Can she forget the past and open her heart or will she run again? 

The Reluctant Bride by Jill James. Jimmy and Claire were highschool sweethearts. After a decade of living together, there is still no wedding in sight. With the help of Claire’s family and friends, Jimmy has a plan to surprise, ambush, and wed his reluctant bride. 

Kiss the Bridesmaid by Susan R. Hughes. Serving as a bridesmaid at her brother’s wedding should be a piece of cake for Mari. The icing on that cake is a gorgeous wedding photographer with an adorable daughter. Life couldn’t be sweeter until a problem Mari had thought she’d left in the past resurfaces to threaten her future. 

Second Chance Wedding by Leigh Morgan. After high school, loss strikes again and, Sunshine MacAlister leaves home with a broken heart. Twelve years later, Sun, now Dr. “Mel” MacAlister, returns home for her best friend's wedding, and comes face to face with the man she loved and left. 

Once Upon a Wedding by Kelly Rae. Cassie Anderson, bridesmaid extraordinaire, is tired of flying solo to all of her friends’ weddings. Unfortunately, the one man for whom she feels any spark has a nasty habit of having a date on his arm. 

Stuck with You by Kristy Tate. Whit offers to forgive Andie's debt if she’ll pose as his date at his brother’s wedding. Andie needs the money, and Whit believes it's the perfect way to escape his mother’s match-making schemes. Whit calls it a win-win situation, but Andie is afraid she may lose her heart. 

I Thee Wed by E. Ayers. A product of broken marriages, Julia never sees marriage for herself. She throws everything she's got into her career with Main Street Bridal Salon, until a crazy redhead with freckles named Aaron sweeps her off her feet. But a family secret is about to change everything. 

The 11 novella boxed set is just $2.99! That's more than 900 pages for less than the cost of most single books.

You're cordially invited to join us for Weddings on Main Street at a retailer near you.

Weddings on Main Street: A Romance Collection (Some Sweet; S

Cover Reveal

I'm taking part in another collection of stories with the Authors of Main Street. This one is titled Weddings on Main Street. Eleven novellas revolving around brides in Main Street towns, and what most of them have in common is that they've ordered dresses from DeeDee's Bridal Salon.

My story is related to my Lone Star Cowboys series. Blake and Mandy are getting married in What a Cowgirl Wants. Here's the cover.

Look for Weddings on Main Street June 9 at all major retailers.

RONE AWARD FINALIST

Beneath a Texas Star is a RONE Award finalist in the Cowboys, Cops, and Jocks category!  Thanks so much to everyone who voted and helped move my book into the final judging category. I'll let you know if it wins.

 

No more Amazon gift cards...

My sincere apologies to those of you who've enjoyed winning Amazon gift cards in the past, but I will no longer be offering those as prizes. You see, Amazon pulled nine of my sixteen 5-star reviews from Behind a Texas Badge because I gave away gift cards, and they see that as me buying reviews. I don't even ask you to use the card to buy the book, much less ask you to leave a review in return, but that doesn't matter to them. They have the power to remove them (and removed more after I complained), and there's nothing I, as an author, can do about it.

I wish Google Play was a bigger player in the market, but so far I've sold exactly one book there, so they aren't going to be an Amazon competitor anytime soon. B&N sales are increasing, but not enough to make up for the sales I'll lose due to the lack of reviews and the inability to advertise because most sites require at least 10 reviews.

Am I angry? Yes. Frustrated? Yes. Is there anything I can do about it? Nope, not a thing. It's like dealing with the government. All the power is in the hands of people who couldn't care less about me, or you.

I've been MIA from my blog lately, but I've had good reasons. A back-home college kid with a Great Dane puppy (the size of a small horse) and a cat, and I've been working on a new book!

Book 6 in the Lone Star Cowboys series, Behind a Texas Badge, is out now! It's up everywhere except Google Play, I think. Working on that now.

Shelby Campbell has a secret she's kept from her friends and her newly-found family. She's a victim of domestic abuse, hiding from her psychopathic ex-husband. She hopes to leave her past--and her ex--behind when she moves to Morris Springs and changes her name. She thinks she's left no trail for him to follow, but she quickly discovers her ex is more resourceful than she gave him credit for.

Tommy Bell is the sheriff of Morris Springs and it's his job to keep Shelby safe. He has no idea how determined her ex-husband is to make sure that if he can't have Shelby, no one can. When Shelby--or Dani as she's now known--leaves the protection of the Triple S to save her son, Tommy has to find her, before it's too late. 

Don't miss the final book in the Lone Star Cowboys series! 

I also have a small bit of news to share. Beneath a Texas Star is a 2014 Rone Award nominee! We'll see if it got enough votes to advance to the final round. Fingers crossed!