Wednesday, May 9, 2018

The Cutter's Creek Series is Two Years Old



Two years ago, I was thrilled to publish my first Cutter's Creek story with three of my friends. Kari Trumbo, Kit Morgan, Vivi Holt, and I had a blast creating the quirky town of Cutter's Creek, Montana. The characters that have come out of the series have been fun and sweet. 
 
I didn't want to let the milestone go by without a mention! 
 
The series started with a picture of a little red chapel in the hills and created the town around that sweet little building used for worship and weddings, funerals and festivals. It's a place of hiding and healing.
 
The first four novellas introduce you to the town, the chapel, and its lovely characters. We've added twenty-one more books after the first four for a total of twenty-five books in the series.
 
 
The first four novellas in this series are threaded together by a beautiful little red chapel nestled in the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains, Cutter’s Creek, Montana. The heroine in each of these novellas finds solace inside the walls of the building and the God it was built to serve. The chapel is the center of town and is an important landmark to the residents of Cutter’s Creek. Its unusual red color has become a symbol that all are welcome. The chapel isn't the center of future stories, but it's mentioned in many and it's the site of the Christmas festival in the Christmas novellas.

Romance seems just out of reach for these couples. At times, it’s as though they aren’t meant to be together. Sometimes, they’re too stubborn to see what’s right before their eyes. Each has a lesson to learn before they get the prize of happiness in love. These stand-alone, happily ever after stories will melt the coldest heart and make the disenchanted believe in love again.
 
We've put together boxed sets for the first three stories for each author. If you've somehow missed the first twelve stories, you can get them now in boxed sets!



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Annie Boone writes sweet western historical romance with a happy ending guaranteed in every single story. Inspiration comes in many forms and Annie finds more than one way to make her stories entertain and inspire.
 
To connect with Annie, find her on Facebook, Twitter, or her website.

Follow Annie on Amazon, Bookbub and get email updates.



Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Mother's Day Special for Lockets & Lace Series

























The Sweet Americana Sweethearts authors who wrote for the 
Lockets & Lace 

series are bringing you a special offer to celebrate

Mother's Day!

At this price, 99 cents, you can afford to gift all the important women in your life with their own set of this exciting multi-author series.

This special sale will last from
May 8 through May 12, 2018.

To reach all the purchase links, please

If you have not already done so, as you visit each book's purchase site, please click to follow the author on Amazon.

For a quick review of each book, either
or click on the tab at the top titled Lockets & Lace.

The Sweet Americana Sweethearts authors who wrote for the Lockets & Lace series wish you a 

Happy Mother's Day!



Friday, May 4, 2018

May Day Oddities in the Victorian United States ~ by Kristin Holt







May Day falls on the first of May, and has been an occasion for celebration on various continents since at least the 13th century. Today’s world has long-forgotten most of the lore surrounding May Poles and Beltane (pre-Christian holiday of rebirth and fertility).


 

 

MAY DAY IS UNIQUELY AMERICAN


Have you read Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle? Or Jack London’s The Iron Heel? I read The Jungle in high school—and some of those dastardly images are still engraved on my brain. What was Sinclair trying to do? Effect reform in the workplace. The late nineteenth century was fraught with workers’ battling their powerful (and moneyed) employers for shortened work hours, shorter work weeks (who wants to work 14 hours a day, 6 days a week?). Finally, in the late 1880s, organized labor unions triumphed! An 8-hour work day was here to stay! (For much more, see Eric Chase’s The Brief Origins of May Day).


None of this is odd. In fact, most of us are glad our late nineteenth century ancestors worked out the long work days, employment of children in factories, and many other less-than-appealing truths in American history.


 

MAY DAY—PARTIES, DANCES, HOT AIR BALLOONS


May Day Festivals were as good an excuse as any to gather together for one of the first warm-weather social gatherings of the season (at least in much of the United States). Young women were crowned the May Day queen, theater productions (live actors) opened on May Day (intentionally), children danced around the May pole, and people gathered to hear music performed. (Can you imagine living in an era when “live music” was the one and only option?)


 

 

NOW, THE ODD STUFF


Americans loved “May” so much, they named their daughters “May”. Okay. Not all that bizarre. Until you consider those whose surnames were Day.

If your parents, Mr. and Mrs. Day gave birth to you, a daughter, would you—seriously—want to be named May Day? (Keep in mind that the “help! help!” call: Mayday didn’t show up until 1923, and then, the SOS signal had nothing to do with “May Day”... it simply sounds like the French “Help Me”: venez m'aider. So little girls running around the neighborhood, sought by their parents with a “May Day!... wouldn’t necessarily raise a panic.
 



Is it odd to name a child “May Day”? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Please scroll down and comment.



VICTORIAN AMERICANS CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR


Curious about how our Victorian-American ancestors celebrated everything from New Year’s Day, to Independence Day, to New Year’s Eve? Come see! I’ve gathered useful information from credible sources:



Thanks for reading! Please scroll down and comment. Your thoughts are valuable!







Kristin Holt, USA Today Bestselling Author, writes Sweet Victorian Romance set in the American West. She writes frequently about Old West history and contributes monthly to Sweet Americana Sweethearts.


 


 Copyright © 2018 Kristin Holt LC