Summer Sunflowers

 

There is just something about August that brings sunflowers to mind. 

It could be that they are blooming in the neighbor's yard and grow with abandon along roadside ditches. 

Or it could be their cheerful, bright faces turned upward to the sun, reminding me to do the same.

 According to the National Sunflower Association website, sunflowers are native to North America, found commercial success in Russia, and only in more recent years returned to North America as a crop. 

Native Americans first domesticated the plant into a single headed plant with a variety of seed colors including black, white, red, and black/white striped.

Some archaeologists suggest sunflowers were domesticated before corn, cultivated by Native Americans as far back as 3000 BC in present-day Arizona and New Mexico. 

Tribes used the seed to grind or pound into flour. Some mixed the meal with vegetables such as beans, squash, and corn. The seed was also cracked and eaten as a snack. References note squeezing the oil from the seed and using it in making bread. 

Non-food uses include dye for textiles and decorations. Parts of the plant were used medicinally for a variety of purposes, ranging from ointments to treatment for snakebite. The plants and seeds were used in ceremonies, and dried stalks could be used in building material.. 

Spanish explorers reportedly took sunflowers with them to Europe around 1500. It became widespread throughout present-day Western Europe, mainly as ornamental, but with some medicinal uses. An English patent in 1716 was grated for squeezing oil from sunflower sees. 

By 1830, sunflower oil was manufactured on a commercial scale. The Russian Orthodox Church inadvertently increased the popularity of sunflower oil when it forbade moist oil foods from being consumed during Lent. Sunflowers were not on the list, and the oil could be used. 

Russian farmers were growing more than two million acres of sunflowers by the early 1800s. Two specific uses emerged for sunflowers: oil production, and direct human consumption.

Russian sunflower seed found its way to the United States in the late 1800s. By 1880, seed companies advertising the "Mammoth Russian" sunflower seed in their catalogs. The seed name was still being used in the 1970s!

The first official government sunflower breeding program began in Canada in the 1930s. The plant breeding material came from Russian immigrant gardens. Acreage spread because of demand, and soon spread into Minnesota and North Dakota. 

Acreage in the late 1970s escalated in the U.S. Due to strong European demand for sunflower oil, more than five million American acres were dedicated to growing sunflowers. Today, the demand has drastically decreased for the US to export to Europe. 

And here I was just admiring how pretty the flowers looked. 

Are you a fan of sunflowers? 

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield grew up on a farm where her childhood brimmed with sunshine, hay fever, and an ongoing supply of learning experiences.

Shanna creates character-driven romances with realistic 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.”

When this award-winning author isn’t writing or testing out new recipes (she loves to bake!), Shanna hangs out at home in the Pacific Northwest with her beloved husband, better known as Captain Cavedweller.

Honey: Liquid Gold of the Prairie

By Kimberly Grist


A Sweet Hum in the Distance

Imagine a quiet summer afternoon in 1883. The prairie grass sways gently in the warm breeze, and the faint hum of honeybees resonates from a pioneer woman’s kitchen garden. For settlers who bravely faced the unknown West, a thriving beehive was more than just a pleasant sound; it was a beacon of sweetness in hard times, a source of healing for the sick, and a precious “liquid gold” for trading when supplies ran low.

Honey as Food: Sweetness in Lean Times

On the frontier, where sugar was a luxury found only at distant trading posts, pioneers discovered honey as the perfect substitute. They drizzled it over fresh cornbread or biscuits, stirred it into coffee, and used it to glaze wild game, transforming simple meals into flavorful dishes.

Honey not only enriched the flavor of baked goods but also kept them moist longer, a true advantage when baking was a rare occasion. Honey biscuits and gingerbread sweetened with honey, along with invigorating vinegar-honey “switchel,” became cherished staples that nourished both body and spirit during the demanding harvest days.

Honey as Medicine: A Pioneer’s Pharmacy

Honey was more than just a sweet treat; it served as a natural medicine. Pioneers used it as an antiseptic, applying it to cuts and burns to prevent infections. When mixed with vinegar or lemon, honey was taken to relieve coughs and soothe sore throats. Additionally, when combined with herbs, it helped ease upset stomachs.

Beeswax, another valuable product from the hive, was used as the base for salves and ointments, lip balms, and even poultices for aching joints.

Honey as Trade: Liquid Gold of the Prairie

 
On isolated homesteads, a jar of honey could be exchanged for eggs, flour, seeds, or the use of a plow horse. Those who had more hives than they needed often sold comb honey in nearby towns or to traveling peddlers. Beeswax was also valuable; it was used for making candles, sealing jars, waterproofing leather, and lubricating tools.

Challenges of Frontier Beekeeping

Keeping bees on the frontier came with challenges:

• Bears and skunks were relentless hive-raiders.
• Harsh winters posed a serious threat and could wipe out entire colonies if the hives weren’t insulated properly.
• In true pioneer spirit, settlers improvised and crafted hives from hollow logs, straw skeps, or rough wooden boxes, skills they learned from their neighbors or books brought from the East.

Hard work? Absolutely, but the rewards were sweet, medicinal, and profitable. A case in point, check out the historically inspired recipe below for Honey Gingerbread. A close authentic parallel for this recipe would be Amelia Simmons’ 1796 recipe in American Cookery, which includes honey, sour milk, egg, spices, and flour.

Making Beautiful Music in Fiddler’s Gap

 

There’s something irresistible about a western town with a quirky origin and a lot of heart—and that’s exactly what inspired my Fiddler’s Gap series.

When I began writing the first book, I had one question in mind: What if an entire town was built by musicians? Not just any musicians—an orchestra heading west that, through a series of unexpected events, settles down in a remote spot and calls it home.

Thus, Fiddler’s Gap was born: a tiny town tucked between the mountains and hope, with a population of eighteen and only two women. It doesn’t take long for the townsfolk to realize something must be done—after all, how do you get a bank, a doctor, or a proper church choir if your town might vanish off the map by spring?

Their solution? Mail-order brides.
But not just any brides. Virtuous women... who also happen to be virtuosos.

Each book in the series introduces a new bride and a new love story—sometimes sweet, sometimes a little bumpy, but always full of charm. And, the town does have its quirks. There's Mozart and Brahms, two great danes owned by Clara Johnson who also owns the general store. They have a thing for chasing the stage coach out of town. 

Each bachelor built their own little house, be it a one story cottage like Sheriff Coles, or a two story

farm house. Everyone helped everyone else when they first settled the town.  I recently released a boxed set featuring the first seven books in the series, and if you enjoy community-driven western romance with a splash of whimsy, this might be your cup of tea (or tin cup of coffee, depending on the town budget that month).

Here's a quick peek into the stories:

 Miss Penelope – An heiress fleeing an arranged marriage who finds refuge—and romance—in a town looking for talent

Miss Iris – She’s not letting that dreadful Leopold Wadsworth III claim two brides. She runs to Fiddler’s Gap for a friend... and finds a whole new path

Miss Arabella – Her arrival is so dramatic her intended ends up injured. But the real trouble starts when the sheriff reveals what she’s been hiding...

Miss Ellie Mae – Running from an arranged marriage, she finds herself wondering if she’s made a terrible mistake—or the best decision of her life.

 Miss Hespa – A would-be veterinarian with a meddling family and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity she can’t afford to miss.

Miss Beatrice – Escaping a controlling brother and a bleak future, she bets everything on a new start... but Fiddler’s Gap has its own surprises.

Miss Trinity – Brilliant, bold, and a little explosive (literally), Trinity’s intellect has scared off every suitor in Boston. She’s hoping the West is ready for her.

I had so much fun writing this series and creating a town with heart, humor, and a whole lot of hope. If you're new to Fiddler’s Gap or want to revisit the beginnings of the town, you can now grab the first  seven stories in one convenient collection.

 Find the Fiddler’s Gap Boxed Set on Amazon

I've since reached book #13 and will soon be writing book #14! Goodness gracious, but my little town is certainly growing! 

Thanks for taking a stroll through Fiddler’s Gap with me. The town may be fictional, but the friendships (and the occasional musical mischief) feel very real to me, and I hope they will to you, too.

DID THEY HEAR WHAT I HEAR? by Marisa Masterson

 Bonk! Now, don't think about the modern use for that word. Nothing dirty is meant here.

https://tattoobird.tumblr.com/post/651562898279235584

I simply wanted bonk to describe a hit on a character's head in my latest writing project. Then I began to reconsider. Did someone in 1880 use that onomatopoeia?

https://collections.theworldwar.org/argus/final/Portal/Default.aspx

Strange to realize it, but even our words used to represent sounds can reflect the time period when we live. And no, bonk would not have been used in the 1880s. It originated during World War I. Then it meant to fire artillery. To be bonked meant being hit by a shell. In the 1920s, the word changed. It described hitting someone or something.

What words were commonly used onomatopoeia in the 1800s? What could I use and stay true to my historical time period?

https://www.audible.com/pd
/The-Bells-Audiobook/B0854966F4

I only have to look at a favorite poem of mine, one I loved to teach when I was in the classroom. Edgar Allen Poe gives us a wonderful list of used sound words in The Bells.

Taken from the poem:

 Yet the ear it fully knows,
            By the twanging,
            And the clanging,
         How the danger ebbs and flows;
       Yet the ear distinctly tells,
            In the jangling,
            And the wrangling.
       How the danger sinks and swells,
By the sinking or the swelling in the anger of the bells—
             Of the bells—
     Of the bells, bells, bells, bells,
            Bells, bells, bells—
 In the clamor and the clangor of the bells!

(https://poets.org/poem/bells)

 

Would I, in 2025, use wrangling as a sound word? Probably not. Clangor? No, that's not a common one in my vocabulary. Was it common at Poe's time in the nineteenth century? I'm not sure, but it does make me wonder.

 By studying nineteenth-century literature, we get an impression of some of the more common sound words used. A Google search suggested this list:

• Tinkle: Imitating the light, high-pitched ringing sound of bells.
• Clang: Representing a loud, ringing metallic sound.
• Clash: Similar to clang, depicting the sound of two objects striking forcefully.
• Crackle: The sound of something dry breaking apart or a fire burning.
• Thump: A dull, heavy sound of impact.
• Whir: The humming or buzzing sound of a spinning object or machine.
• Knock: Imitating the sound of someone tapping on a door.
• Click/Clack: Representing short, sharp sounds, often mechanical, like a door latch or high heels.
• Splish-splash: The sound of liquids hitting a surface, typically water.
• Tick-tock: The sound of a clock. 

The last one is definitely something from the past. So few people use anything other than an electronic device for time nowadays. Clash is another seldom-used word, at least as an adjective. It has become a verb.

What does this all mean? The dialogue in my books definitely needs to reflect a time that is different from my own. 

Maybe I'll thump my character on the head rather than give him a bonk. To my modern ears, that sounds so much more wholesome.

Look what our authors published in July!

Our authors have been busy writing your next favorite story.

Look what we published in July!

 

Etta Lures the Lumberjack (Uncertain Sweethearts Book 5)

By Marisa Masterson

     Etta Larson thought she had lost her husband forever. But when he suddenly reappears, she can't help but feel angry and betrayed. She demands answers about his mysterious disappearance.
     Little does she know Erik Larson has been keeping secrets from her - secrets that might just bring them closer together or send him running away once more. Will he take the risk and reveal his truths, or will their love remain lost in the past?"
     Set in a small western town filled with colorful characters, this sweet historical romance is a story of second chances and the power of forgiveness. With action, adventure, and plenty of angst, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Fans of "Outlander" and "The Notebook" will fall in love with this heartwarming tale.

Release date: July 10, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DK9JHVM1

 

Mail-Order Artist: Hopeful Husbands

By Linda Carroll-Bradd

     Raised on the land of the family’s vineyard, Pascal Gaspard never took to farming, unlike his older brothers. Encouraged by his grandmother, he focused on his passion for sketching and painting. Following his graduation from Académe Julian, he visited an aunt and uncle in America, further developing his skill. The past two years, he’s traveled across the country, painting portraits to pay his way and replicating landscapes to feed his soul. Until he is commissioned to paint a portrait of a young woman who is so mercurial, his talent is tested.
     Rhosyn Caddock will soon turn twenty-five, and her aunt demands Rhosyn take a more active part in the ranch’s management. Aunt Gwyneth believes the sheep ranch is Rosyn’s legacy, but Rhosyn views it as her prison. For now, neither brother shows an interest in returning home to take on the ranch’s management. She longs to travel away from the Caddock land and see what the world has to offer, so she submits an ad to a matrimonial newspaper. A man arrives who she believes has responded to her ad. When she sees him setting up painting supplies, she realizes something else is going on. Monsieur Gaspard is actually there to paint her portrait. His accent identifies him as from a foreign country, and his roster of previous clients labels him as a traveler. Rhosyn is smitten, but how can she get him to see her as more than a subject?

Release date: July 17, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F6KVK9XW   

Miss Isolde (The Brides of Fiddler's Gap Book 13)

By Kit Morgan

One small town.
One gentle doctor.
One chance to begin again...

     Famed violinist Isolde Weatherford has performed for thousands, but she’s never been more terrified than she is now—alone in a strange town, her carefully arranged future in tatters. She was supposed to meet a prospective groom, one her identical twin sister kindly screened on her behalf. But now that groom is taken, the town knows the truth about the twin swap, and Isolde has no one left to marry.
     Worse, her contract with a controlling manager will trap her for years unless she weds. But who would want a bride too sick to stand through a wedding march?
     Dr. Aston Garrett is a man of science, but there’s nothing clinical about the way he feels when he looks at Isolde Weatherford. She’s brilliant, beautiful… and hiding more pain than she lets on. He knows he can help her heal, but can he convince her she’s worthy of love, just as she is?
    With danger closing in, Isolde must choose: return to the life that nearly broke her, or trust her heart, and the town doctor who’s come to claim it.
     Find out what happens in this sweet historical western romance!

Release date: July 22, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FJMJ6ZXB 

 

Mail-Order Physician: Hopeful Husbands

By P. Creeden

No one in town believes Judith Avery belongs in a doctor’s coat—let alone running the practice her father left behind. When she learns her mother sent for a mail-order husband without telling her, she’s ready to send the surly doctor packing. Judith wants respect, not romance, and she never expected to share her medical practice—or her heart—with a grumpy mail-order husband she didn’t ask for. But Emmet Reed’s steady presence and hidden tenderness may be just what she needs to win over the town… and discover love where she never dared hope for.

Release date: July 24, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F6LNVVZZ

   Not all of our authors make their books available on pre-order. For those who do, those advance sales go a long way to help their book ratings.

Below are some future books.

August Releases

  

Mail-Order Barber: Hopeful Husbands

By Zina Abbott

     Rowena Healy’s happiness over being reunited with her husband in the gold mining town of Columbia, California, is short-lived after he is caught in the crossfire of a Saturday night shoot-out and killed. She soon receives offers—many not honorable, none appealing—from the women-starved men in town. She must find a way to support herself and her nine-year-old son, Tobias. The only items of value she now owns are her late husband’s barber shop and its contents. As part of her plan to save the barber business for her son to someday inherit, she advertises for a husband of convenience. The catch? He must have experience as a barber and be willing to teach her son the trade.
     Disillusioned now that most of the streams have been stripped of their easily panned placer gold, Baird Tucker knows he must either hire on as a wage-earning miner or find another occupation. Back east, he had worked as a barber. However, he sold the tools of his trade to finance his journey to California’s gold fields. A newspaper advertisement offers a position for a trained barber—including a shop, supplies, and equipment—in exchange for a marriage of convenience. He is not interested in marriage—he can barely support himself. Recognizing it might be a fool’s errand, the temptation to earn his gold by cutting hair and styling facial hair again is too strong to resist. What does he have to lose by looking into the matter?

Release date: August 7, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/Mail-Order-Barber-Husbands-Zina-Abbott-ebook/dp/B0DT7TCH4P

 

September Releases 

Aggie Ambushes the Rancher (Uncertain Sweethearts Book 6)

By Marisa Masterson

      Aggie's sharp instincts always lead her into trouble. So when she stumbles upon a rancher's advertisement, she can't resist responding. But when she shows up on the afternoon train, Clint Evans is less than thrilled with the bride he's been promised. Despite her mature words, Aggie appears to be only twenty years old. But with no other options, Clint reluctantly agrees to marry her.
      Before they head to his ranch, Clint enlists the help of Fox Creek resident, Ida Parton, to serve as a chaperone. But Ida's prickly demeanor only adds to Clint's frustration. Will Aggie's time on the ranch change her mind about becoming his wife? And why does Clint suddenly find himself imagining Ida as more than just a chaperone?

     For fans of historical romance with a strong-willed heroine and a rugged cowboy hero, this book is a must-read. If you enjoyed 'The Bride Wore Blue' by Cheryl Bolen, you'll love this captivating tale of love, adventure, and unexpected twists. Reserve your copy now!

Release date: September 5, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DK91SSFW

Floree Sequoia Bride : National Park Brides Book 2

By  Linda Carroll-Bradd  Due to the impact of commercial interests on the scenic land that became known as Yosemite, the 38th United States Congress passed legislation creating the Yosemite Grant, which President Abraham Lincoln signed into law on June 30, 1864. It was the first time land was set aside by the U.S. government specifically for preservation and public use. Although initially Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove were ceded to California as a state park, this action set a precedent for the 1872 creation of Yellowstone National Park, the nation’s first national park. Over the years, as more lands were set aside as national parks, these natural wonders captured the imaginations of those who visited and enjoyed their beauty. Join several of your favorite authors as we share romances and adventure set in several of North America’s early national parks.      Artist Floree Percival goes to stay with the Sampsons, old family friends, in Sequoia National Park. Captain Hank Sampson serves as park manager and agrees to chaperon her. A student in the natural science department of University of Southern California, she’s also the illustrator for her father’s book on the birds of California. But her heart’s desire is to write and illustrate children’s stories.

Release date: September 5, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F92RZDX2

 

Emma Yellowstone Bride: National Park Brides Book 3 

by P. Creeden Emma Sterling finds herself between a rock and a hard place. Will marriage help her find a way out? Longer description coming soon…

Release date: September 12, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F9YGZG47

 

October Releases

 

Isabella : Rocky Mountain Bride

By Angela Raines

Scarred in body and spirit from the 1902 Philippine-American War, Michael (Jim) Welling fled to the untamed Colorado mountains seeking peace and isolation. Isabella (Bella) Harrison, a spirited and independent woman of the early 1900s, defies her well-meaning family to retrace Isabella Bird’s legendary journey through the rugged frontier. When their paths cross in the wild heart of the Rockies, neither expects the spark of connection—or the healing power of love. As they work to preserve the breathtaking land that will one day become Rocky Mountain National Park, they must confront their pasts and decide if they can build a future together.

Release date: October 28, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FBR9NJSN