Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Blog Tour Tuesday: PETTICOAT BALL BLOG TOUR 2016

Welcome to the

Blog Tour!

A celebration of a new sweet historical romance by Shanna Hatfield

in the Pendleton Petticoats series!

Bertie, the long-awaited sixth book in the Pendleton Petticoats series releases Thursday, April 7!

She needs an adventure —

He needs the warmth of her smile…

Bertie Hawkins survived a traumatic ordeal that stripped away her sunny outlook on life and left her afraid of every shadow. Terrorized and tired of reliving the past, she accepts an offer to change her situation. Although she only intends to work through the summer, the peace she finds at Nash’s Folly keeps her there every bit as much as her interest in a mysterious new ranch hand.

Desperate to escape his memories, Riley Walsh buys a run-down farm in Pendleton, Oregon. To pay for the many necessary repairs, he goes to work for his neighbor, never intending to fall in love with the effervescent girl who helps around the house.

Riley isn’t the only one enchanted with Bertie. His own crazy mule and the neighbor’s son both share his infatuation, driving him past the brink of jealousy.

A sweet romance that embraces the trials and triumphs of yesteryear, Bertie blends laugh-out-loud adventures with heartwarming moments.

Order your copy today on Amazon — http://amzn.to/1LbOdJV

In addition to the release of Bertie, two book covers will be revealed and pre-order links shared for upcoming releases!

Don't miss a first peek at Corsets and Cuffs, Book 3 in the Baker City Brides series.

Handsome, happy-go-lucky Sheriff Tully Barrett meets his match when a spoiled, pampered woman comes to town, catching his eye and capturing his heart.

And Millie, Book 7 in the Pendleton Petticoats series.

Determined to bring prohibition to town, the last thing Millie Matlock expects is to fall for the charming owner of the Second Chance Saloon.

Aundy, Book 1 in the Pendleton Petticoats series, will be available for free Kindle downloads April 7.

Make sure you grab your copy!

Desperate to better her situation, Aundy Thorsen agrees to leave behind her life in Chicago to fulfill a farmer’s request for a mail-order bride in Pendleton, Oregon. When a tragic accident leaves her a widow soon after becoming a wife, Aundy takes on the challenge of learning how to manage a farm, even if it means her stubborn determination to succeed upsets a few of the neighbors.

Born and raised at Nash's Folly, the family ranch, Garrett Nash loves life in the bustling community of Pendleton as the 20th century approaches. When his neighbor passes away and leaves behind a plucky widow, Garrett takes on the role of her protector and guardian. His admiration for her tenacious spirit soon turns to something more. He just needs to convince the strong-willed woman to give love another chance.

If you haven't met the characters from Pendleton Petticoats, here's a brief introduction:

Aundy (Book 1) - One stubborn mail-order bride finds the courage to carry on when she's widowed before ever truly becoming a wife, but opening her heart to love again may be more than she can bear.

Caterina (Book 2) - Frantic to escape a man intent on marrying her, Caterina starts a new life in Pendleton, completely unprepared for the passionate feelings stirred by the town's deputy sheriff.

Ilsa (Book 3) - Tired of relying on others to guide and protect her, Ilsa finally finds the strength and courage to take control of her life. Unfortunately, her independence drives a wedge between her and the man she's come to love.

Marnie (Book 4) - After giving up on her dreams for a future, Marnie finds her hope rekindled by one caring, compassionate man and the orphans who need her.

Lacy (Book 5) – Bound by tradition and responsibilities, Lacy has to choose between the ties that bind her to the past and the unexpected love that will carry her into the future.

Dust off your dancing shoes and choose your formal attire for the Petticoat Ball Party on Facebook April 7, 2016 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (Pacific Time) Giveaways and games will make for a splendid event as we celebrate the release of Bertie and cover reveals for two new historical romances!

The talented and fabulous guest authors joining in the shenanigans include:

10 a.m. - Melanie D. Snitker, Author

10:30 - Julie Lence Author

11 - Rachel Rossano

11:30 - CJ Samuels, Author

Noon - Author Kristin Holt

12:30 - Author Kit Morgan

1 p.m. - Magdalena Scott

1:30 - Caroline Fyffe

2 p.m. - Caryl McAdoo

Invite your friends to the party, and you could win a $25 Amazon Gift card. Go to the Petticoat Ball Party page, click on the "invite" button, invite your friends, then post how many you invited. One randomly drawn person will win! Also, ask your friends when they join the party to share that you invited them on the party wall. Each friend who mentions your name, earns you another entry in the contest!

The winner will be announced prior to the start of the party April 6!

http://tinyurl.com/petticoatball2

To enter the drawing for a $50 Amazon gift card, autographed books, digital books, an adorable apron, a tote bag, vintage picture frame, old-fashioned candy and more, fill out this form.

http://tinyurl/petticoatball2form

Convinced everyone deserves a happy ending, USA Today best-selling author Shanna Hatfield is out to make it happen, one story at a time. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances combine humor and heart-pumping moments with relatable characters. When this hopeless romantic isn’t writing or indulging in rich, decadent chocolate, Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller.

Find Shanna’s books at:

Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple

Shanna loves to hear from readers. Follow her online at:

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Dresses I've Wished For

by Shanna Hatfield

If I'm not wearing jeans and boots, I love to dress up. Yes, my friends think I'm weird, but what can I say... I totally am.

But I love dresses. Adore them, even.

This affection started way back in my childhood. Over the years, there have been any number of dresses that have left me completely enchanted.

Remember the dress Mary Poppins wore when she and Bert and the kids took a jolly holiday to the country?

The first time I saw this frothy white confection with the red accents and the fantastic red waist, I wanted it. I longed for it. I dreamed about it. I wanted the entire outfit, minus the parasol. It seemed trifling in comparison to this wonderful amazing dress, hat, and shoes.

Not long after my obsession for Mary’s dress calmed down, I saw Gone with the Wind. Oh, how I wanted to have Scarlett’s wardrobe. But more than anything, I wanted one dress in particular:

This beauty.

It may have been because of the color. It could have been because her waist looked so tiny and perfect in it and at that time mine was a whopping 19 1/2 inches (oh, how much I miss those days). Or maybe it was because she seemed so sassy and determined and I wanted to be like her.
Whatever the reason, I wanted this dress with a longing that went beyond description.

There have been many dress obsessions since the days of my teen years when all this longing began. Like the ice-blue Jessica McClintock dress I wanted my junior year. I tried it on multiple times, begged and pleaded with my mother, trying to rationalize why I needed a $200 dress to wear once and finally resigned myself to the fact that some girl luckier than me would be enjoying the beautiful creation.

My senior year, I fell in love with a mermaid style dress that was quite similar, in fact, to the bombshell design Rosemary Clooney wore in White Christmas.

She looked amazing. I loved every single thing about this dress from the dramatic neckline to fun mermaid skirt.

From there, my interest journeyed back several decades to leg o'mutton sleeves.

I’m was so fascinated by them, in fact, I altered my wedding dress pattern to include the poufy design.

I love the beautiful details of gowns from the 1890s, like the one shown above.

I've also got a place in my heart for Gibson Girl styles and the drawings of Charles Dana Gibson.

The women looked so undeniably feminine. Their clothes – they intrigue me so.

Gibson Girl was the first national beauty standard for American women. Her neck was thin and her hair piled high upon her head in the contemporary bouffant, pompadour, and chignon ("waterfall of curls") fashions. The statuesque, narrow-waisted ideal feminine figure was portrayed as being at ease and stylish.

Speaking of stylish, who wouldn’t want to be dressed in Rose’s wardrobe from Titanic.

I’ve always wanted a hat that could take somebody out from three-feet away.

Seriously, though, I love the look and style of the Edwardian era. It's by far my favorite.
The clothes are so pretty...

So elegant...

And make me wish I had the opportunity to wear such amazing fashions.

I keep thinking I’ll get over my obsession with beautiful clothes. So far, it hasn’t happened. While I continue dreaming of some day attending a real ball, I'm hosting an online version instead.

I hope you'll join me April 7 for the second annual Petticoat Ball on Facebook. In addition to games, giveaways, guest authors and oodles of fun, you can share a picture of the gown you would wear to the ball if it was something you could attend in person. One lucky winner will receive a $10 gift card and be named "Queen of the Ball."

To enter, just share the photo of your gown here: http://tinyurl.com/pb2dresses

And gents are welcome to post their formal wear, too!

Hope to see you at the ball! (I'm still "shopping" for my dress!).

~*~

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield writes character-driven romances with relatable heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

Convinced everyone deserves a happy ending, this hopeless romantic is out to make it happen, one story at a time. When she isn’t writing or indulging in chocolate (dark and decadent, please), Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller.