Jacqui Nelson’s North of the Border - Rustic Cabin Inspiration

One Summer when I was a teenager, my best friend invited me to her family’s lakeside cabin in northern Alberta, Canada. The location was 370 km (230 miles) north-east of our families’ neighboring farms. The lake was named after a bird…whose name I can’t remember…but I do remember the lake was a smaller one near a larger one called…wait for it…Cold Lake. How fitting is that for a remote northern location? And yes, I remember the Mysterious-Bird-Named Lake being very cold to swim in.

But what I remember most is their cabin. It was small and rustic. No electricity or running water. Only a bed, table, wood stove, and a couple of kerosene lanterns inside a one-room hideaway in a small clearing in the forest. The walk to the outhouse on the other side of that clearing felt extra-long in the dark with only a lantern to light the way. In contrast, my family’s farmhouse was a 3-bedroom new-built 1960s bungalow which was very modern at that time.

In my new book, A Bride for Brynmor (releasing Sep 19), my heroine and hero (Lark and Brynmor Llewellyn) get stranded in a tiny log cabin at an equally small train junction. Brynmor and his brothers have hired the station attendant to transform the location (which sits in the perfect location between Denver and Noelle, Colorado) into a freight hub. But when Brynmor and Lark first arrive at the junction, they must get off the train unexpectedly.

Below is an excerpt that follows their getting off (or the jumping off) the train as it leaves the junction and picks up speed on its way to Noelle. And below that is a chance to win an e-copy of A Bride for Brynmor. 

But first my series & book blurbs...

Songbird Junction Series

Welcome to Songbird Junction where Welsh meets West in Colorado 1878. The journey to find a forever home and more starts here. Brynmor, Heddwyn, and Griffin Llewellyn are three Welsh brothers bound by blood and a passion for hauling freight—in Denver where hard work pays. Lark, Oriole, and Wren are three Irish-Cree Métis sisters-of-the-heart bound by choice and a talent for singing—in any place that pays.



A Bride for Brynmor - Book Blurb

Can a sister who’s lived only for others find freedom with one man? Family has always come first—for both of them. He’s never forgiven himself for letting her go. She’s never forgiven herself for almost getting him killed.

When Lark and her songbird sisters are separated fleeing their cruel and controlling troupe manager, only Brynmor Llewellyn can help Lark save her sisters and escape to the far west. But Lark wants more. And so does Brynmor. When they’re stranded in a spot as difficult to guard as it is to leave—a rustic cabin at a train junction between Denver and the mountain town of Noelle, Colorado—they find themselves fighting not only for survival but for redemption, forgiveness, and a second chance for their love.

Will the frontier train stop of Songbird Junction be Lark and Brynmor’s salvation? Or their downfall when her manager, a con artist who calls himself her uncle but cherishes only his own fame and fortune—demands a debt no one can pay?



A Bride for Brynmor -  Excerpt (with Cabin Inspiration)

(Some backstory: Ulysses is Lark’s troupe manager and Barnum and Bailey are orphaned lambs that they are transporting to Noelle.)

“I didn’t want to face Ulysses’ anger again so I jumped.” Lark pressed her lips tight, ending her story there. Let him think she had been most afraid for herself.

“Or…” Brynmor doffed his wool cap and raked his finger through his hair. The soft glow from the stove's growing fire turned his thick auburn waves even redder. “You didn’t want me to face him again.”

She’d accomplished that. Her stubbornly helpful Welsh giant was safe.

Her shivers lessened and her bravado returned. She raised her chin. “Or I never liked watching from the wings. Now I can see what you discovered in this cabin.”

“You’ll see nothing.” His long sigh left a ghostly trail in the air. “The attendant’s belongings are gone. He didn’t even stay long enough to make a dent in the food supplies we’d left him.”

“Good news. He left with intent, and there’s no need to search for him. You can stay here.” With me.

He grabbed several blankets from a nearby stack and arranged them on the floor by the stove.

“What are you doing?”

“Making a nest for our lambs.”

Our. Her heart thudded as she savored the silent echo in her soul. “How cozy,” she murmured, trying not to appear undone by a single word. When she placed Barnum and Bailey on their bed, her arm brushed Brynmor’s and her body flushed with heat.

“Everything in here is snug,” he muttered as he stepped back to give her room. Or at least tried.

She set the bag—that she’d slung over her shoulder before bolting from the train—on the floor, took out two bottles of milk, and handed one to Brynmor. They both knelt to feed the suddenly very wiggly lambs.

Barnum and Bailey’s eagerness to guzzle every drop consumed her attention. They rocked forward and back, bouncing against the bottles as they enjoyed their feast. Their darling eyes widened, their impish tails wagged, and their spindly legs quivered. When they finished, they flopped down on their bed and curled up close to each other, becoming one enticingly fluffy ball of wool.

No matter how cute, she couldn’t stare at them all night. She turned her gaze to the clutter in the cabin, so she wouldn’t be tempted to stare at Brynmor all night as well.

“If you see a feed sack,” he said, “let me know. When Barnum and Bailey wake up, they might enjoy some ground corn.”

The corner of a familiar shape caught her eye. She wound her way through the freight to get a better look. “Of all the things to have in an office, and one this size, why is a piano here?”

~ * ~ 

Is there a location from your youth that has inspired you? 

Maybe a cabin or a friend's house? Or even a treehouse? As a kid, I always dreamed of having a treehouse—they seemed like great fun in the stories I read and watched on TV.

Comment below (before the end of the day on Sunday, Sept 15) for a chance to win an e-copy of A Bride for Brynmor. 

~ * ~ 

Fall in love with a new Old West...where the men are steadfast & the women are adventurous. 

Website: JacquiNelson.com

Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/jacquinelson

BookBub: www.bookbub.com/authors/jacqui-nelson

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/JacquiNelson

Join my newsletter & receive Rescuing Raven (Raven and Charlie's story in Deadwood 1876) for free: JacquiNelson.com/download-my-free-read 

Jacqui Nelson’s North of the Border with guest Rick Lauber

Who’s next on my North of the Border guest blog series? Today we have Rick Lauber, author of Caregiver's Guide for Canadians and The Successful Caregiver's Guide. 

Where does Rick get his inspiration? How is Canada part of his inspiration? Read on and see...

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From Trails to Trials - by Rick Lauber

Canada’s majestic Rocky Mountains stretch between Alberta and British Columbia. Their snow-capped peaks, seemingly, touch the sky. My family visited these mountains and hiked their trails often when I was younger.

I have fond memories of these trips. Our little group must have been a sight to see … Dad would lead, my two sisters and I would follow, and Mom would bring up the rear. Mom’s standard excuse for lagging behind was that she wanted to admire the wildflowers; however, I suspect now she followed us to corral any of her stray children. Among our many hiking destinations were Lake O’Hara, Mt. Edith Cavell Meadows, the Lake Agnes Tea House Trail, and Crypt Lake (a full-day hike including a tunnel through a mountain wall).

Granted, it’s been a long time since our family hiked together. Mom and Dad have passed away. Leukemia took my mother and Dad, in his later years, was stricken with Alzheimer’s disease and could not even remember the mountain trails, the current day of the week, his career, nor even me as his own son. Both Mom and Dad lost a great deal of personal strength and stamina. Tackling a steep trail became out of the question; they could barely walk a few blocks without tiring.

In their final years, I became a co-caregiver for both of my parents. Working with my two sisters, I helped move them; shuttled them to and from doctor’s appointments; served as their banker; and, in due course, was appointed the jobs of Joint Guardian and Alternate Trustee for Dad.

Caregiving can be similar to hiking … you may have a destination you wish to reach; however, which trail you take, how long you take to reach that destination, and who you choose to bring along on your trip can vary. Some caregiving trails are flat, smooth, and easy to travel on (this will depend on the level of your own caregiving experience, your loved one’s health condition, your readiness to ask for help and delegate work to others, your relationships with others, your personal strengths and weaknesses, your recognizing the importance of your own self-care, and so on). Other caregiving trails can be long, steep, and rocky – thus making navigating them time-extensive and difficult. The latter trails can be physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausting – when you finally reach your end goal, you may breathe a sigh of relief and satisfaction following your achievement.

While I did not completely recognize it until after my parents’ deaths, I found my own caregiving trail quite rewarding and I enjoyed my view from the top. Not only did I did learn more about my parents, I strengthened my bond with my sisters, I became more self-confident with what I could do. Caregiving also increased my interest in writing as I used this as a coping mechanism when the trail got tough.

Since my parents’ deaths, I have returned to Banff and/or Jasper to hike the same trails I did as a youngster. With doing so, I frequently recall our own family processions and smile.

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Book Giveaway

Comment below for a chance to win an e-copy of one of Rick's books (winner may select the Canadian or American title): Caregiver's Guide for Canadians or The Successful Caregiver's Guide. 

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As a former co-caregiver, Rick Lauber helped and supported his own aging parents (his mother had Parkinson's and Leukemia and his father had Alzheimer's). Rick learned that caregiving is challenging and used writing to personally cope. His stories became two books, Caregiver's Guide for Canadians (found at https://tinyurl.com/y3cnsb2a and in Chapters – Indigo bookstores) and The Successful Caregiver's Guide (found at https://tinyurl.com/y22ntrmg and in Barnes & Noble bookstores).

Both of Rick’s books offer support for prospective, new, and current caregivers and discuss what to expect as a caregiver, highlight relevant issues, and identify resources where caregivers can find help.

Learn more about Rick and correspond with him via...

Website: www.ricklauber.com

Facebook: facebook.com/CaregiversGuideForCanadians

Twitter: twitter.com/cdncaregiver

Amazon: amazon.com/Rick-Lauber/e/B00E9ZM4TM 

~ All pictures (except for the 1st) are supplied by today’s guest with their assurance of usage rights. 

Jacqui Nelson's 1-year "Get Lost in a Story" blogging anniversary celebration

It’s been one year since I joined Get Lost in a Story and I feel like celebrating! Continue reading for a chance to win a special gift from my home in Canada...

It’s been a good year. It’s been fun and has gone by fast. It’s been a privilege to be a GLIAS host, to hang out with my fellow hosts, to read their blog posts and their guests' posts as well. I've loved getting to know everyone better, including the amazing GLIAS blog readers!

A behind-the-scenes confession... 

I could have had the pleasure of being part of Get Lost in a Story much sooner. Angi Morgan asked me to join earlier (a lot earlier—we're talking years earlier) but…I was shy about blogging.

What could I share regularly in a group blog? Did I have anything to share even in one blog post? How could I find (or entice) my fellow authors to join me as guests? Could I give blog readers something interesting to read?

Well, one never gets the answers to these types of questions until one tackles them. So, I’m lucky that last year at the Wild Deadwood Reads author-reader event (after having an amazing time touring South Dakota with Elisabeth Burke, and also sharing a room with her at the event), Amanda McIntyre asked me to join GLIAS. And Angi did again, as well. 

What happened next? 

• On July 24, 2018, Elisabeth wrote a blog post introducing me to the GLIAS blog.
• On August 6, I hosted myself as my first guest in my North of the Border guest blog series. I needed something (or someone) to introduce my vision for the theme of sharing something/anything about Canada that has inspired a writer or their stories. And what better way to introduce something than with yourself as the test subject? 
• On Sept 6, I hosted my first guest author, Alice Valdal. 
• And now on Sept 5 (one year later in 2019), my next guest will be Rick Lauber—and I’ll have hosted 27 guest bloggers! 

That’s approximately one guest every 2 weeks. Or maybe one guest every week and a bit, since for the entire month of August I took a break from blogging in order to fully enjoy a trip to southern France—a getaway from all things writing-related.

Sometimes it’s good to take a break from something you do a lot—so that you can return to that something refreshed and eager to continue.

And now for the chance to win my special gift from Canada, that celebrates my 1-year GLIAS blogging anniversary! 



COMMENT BELOW saying why you enjoy the GLIAS blog or just simply by writing "hi" (before the end of the day on Sept 2) for a chance to win a Canada-themed cup and coaster set.

The cup is from Victoria (where I currently live on Canada's southwest coast) and has a bunch of “Canadian fun facts” on it…such as “the longest beaver dam in the world is located in Northern Alberta.” Who knew?

I like that "fun fact" best because Northern Alberta (with its prairies, forests, and farmland) is where I grew up—and it leads perfectly to describing the coaster set in my giveaway.

Last year, while visiting Alberta in August, I found these super cute, vintage Royal Canadian Mounted Police (with a chipmunk on his shoulder) coasters. And I immediately knew I had to take them home. AND save them for a day like today—when I could give them away in a blog just like this 🙂❤️

Jacqui Nelson’s North of the Border with guest Laura Stapleton

Who’s next on my North of the Border guest blog series? Today we have Laura Stapleton, author of the Nova Scotia Murder Mystery series.

Where does Laura get her inspiration? How is Canada part of her inspiration? Read on and see...

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I’d been a fan of everything Canadian since the early 1980’s. From watching SCTV to adoring the later Corner Gas, when the opportunity presented itself, I was more than happy to attend London, Ontario’s Ignite Your Soul Author Event. Check it out here: www.facebook.com/groups/241391349387419 for yourself. I’d never been to the Great White North and couldn’t wait to see if the country was as wonderful as TV had shown it to be.

It was better than I’d expected. So much better. The people are wonderful, the landscape beautiful, and those All Dressed chips? So yummy. Molson’s is terrific, I’ve made the best friends from Vancouver to Halifax, and we plan to live in Canada at least part time someday soon. My husband and I are debating over his desire to live in Newfoundland and my need to live in Nova Scotia. Actually, I think we’ll both be happy in either place. St. John’s is on our must visit list and we may not come back home.

Until we set our move, we’ve been making do with watching Republic of Doyle and Schitt’s Creek on Netflix while cobbling together poutine from US ingredients. It helps that the Ignite Your Soul event happens every other year. The gathering gives me a chance to hug on most of my Canadian friends while refueling my Tim Horton’s gift card. I gain a couple of pounds from the massive amount of Timbits every time. I also smuggle back All Dressed and Zesty chips. By smuggle, I mean tell the border patrol everything in our rental car. I’m a really bad liar and the back seat full of chip bags would tip them off anyway.

With all this northern love of mine, you’ll probably not be surprised to learn I couldn’t resist writing a Canadian story or two. In fact, I had to write a series, which is still a work in progress. Three books are finished with four more planned. I love the Atlantic Maritime and had to set a romantic suspense in Halifax and Dartmouth. The hero is from Vancouver, the heroine from Halifax and I’ve been to both places for research. Yes, I’m bragging. No, I’m not ashamed.

I found writing and researching Canadian law and law enforcement fascinating. I’ve had to study tax law, medical issues, small businesses, and the little things Canadians take for granted. I wanted the stories to feel as if someone who lived there had written them. I had my assistant from Ontario read over them, making sure my neighbors were neighbours and I had all of my colours correct.

Now it’s show and tell time! I’d written Imposter, a short story that kicked off my Nova Scotia Murder Mystery series. A few years later, I was able to visit the exact place my hero had an “accident” over a cliff. A scene of a crime I created and so much fun to see in real life.

But before then, I’d been able to visit Crystal Crescent Beach for the final action setting in Betrayal, the first full book in the series. We had the best time on our family vacation/research trip. The beach is so lovely, a great place for an attempted murder. But, only in fiction!

I do have several Canadian based historical romances planned. Since the United States tend to focus on only our history, I’m looking forward to learning far more about our terrific neighbors to the north. There’s an entire past I’ve created for my Nova Scotia characters and I can’t wait to get started on their saga.

~ * ~

Death rolls in with the tide. 

Beauty salon owner Mandy Hays was distracted by a painful divorce and a sexy new neighbor until a friend of her family is found dead on a local beach. After talking with her friend on the force, Officer Evan Rogers, Mandy and her neighbor, Dr. Aaron Nicholson, decide to help find the killer.

One by one, they eliminate people least likely to carve up someone before dumping them in the North Atlantic Ocean.

When Mandy gets too close to finding the killer, can Aaron or Evan get there in time to save her from a kidnapper's bullet?

"...a story with all of the romantic mystery of Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh."

On Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B01KJ7JZ9K

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With an overactive imagination and a love for writing, Laura Stapleton decided to type out her daydreams and what-ifs in order to share her lovable characters and their worlds with readers. She currently lives in Kansas City. When not at the computer, you'll find her in the park for a jog or at the yarn store's clearance section.

Don’t be a stranger. Hang out with me in my readers group here www.facebook.com/groups/533987740310913, on my Facebook page here www.facebook.com/llstapleton, or read my blog at http://lauralstapleton.com for more. Want to know just the sales? Check me out at BookBub here www.bookbub.com/profile/laura-stapleton. They’re amazing at giving just the new books and sales for readers.

~ All pictures (except for the 1st) are supplied by today’s guest with their assurance of usage rights. 

Jacqui Nelson’s North of the Border with guest Elizabeth Clements

Who’s next on my North of the Border guest blog series? Today we have Elizabeth Clements, author of Beneath A Fugitive Moon and the Prairie Moon Trilogy.

Where does Elizabeth get her inspiration? How is Canada part of her inspiration? Read on and see...

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At 4:10 a.m. on April 29, 1903, the eastern summit of Turtle Mountain collapsed and in 90 seconds 90 million tons of limestone roared down upon Frank, Alberta, covering the coal mining town with rocks and boulders, some as huge as a two-story house. An interpretive center at nearby Blairmore in the Crowsnest Pass now pays tribute to the dozens of people who perished in Alberta’s worst coal mining disaster.

As I strolled among the exhibits, I paused in front of a life-size cardboard cutout of four immigrants. One face in particular captured my attention. I gazed into her weary, sad eyes and time and place slipped away and then there was just the two of us in silent communication.

It’s moments like this, when one’s imagination takes flight, that are inexplainable magic for a writer. I went home but couldn’t get her sad face out of my mind. I wrote a book, inspired by that disaster, then put it aside as the reality of job and family demanded attention.

Yet at times that story came to mind, so when Prairie Rose Publications asked for submissions for the Hot Western Nights anthology, that little lady stole into my dreams and whispered in my ear, “What about Diamond Jack?”

It’s not easy to condense a 400-page book into a 70-page novella and change the setting from the Crowsnest Pass to Colorado, but it was a challenge I thoroughly enjoyed. There’s some truth in the statement: better the second time around. I hope you will agree. I love being included in this anthology with five wonderful authors. Here’s a short excerpt from Diamond Jack’s Angel.

EXCERPT - Diamond Jack's Angel

Angela Summers has cared for her grandfather in the mining camp for many years. But when danger strikes, saloon owner Jack Williams must try to protect the woman he loves in DIAMOND JACK’S ANGEL.

Brookstown, Colorado, 1888

“I tell ya, Boss, that crazy old coot’s trouble. Every time it thunders, he says the mountain’s talkin’ to him. And it’s gittin’ worse.”

Sam Brooks sighed and set down his whiskey before looking up at his burly foreman. “All right, Bart, what’s he saying now?”

“He says there’s a fault in the mountain and it’s gonna come down. I tell ya, Boss, that kinda talk’s gonna spook the miners. They’re grumblin’ and talkin’ about goin’ on strike.”

Sam gritted his teeth, fed up with this constant trouble at the mine. Staring into his glass, he sighed like a tired old man and tossed back the rest of the whiskey. “Then take care of it. Make it look like an accident. There’s a bonus in it when the job’s done.”

Bart nodded. “You betcha, Boss. You can count on me.”

“I sure hope so,” Sam muttered, nodding dismissively toward the door.

~ * ~  

All my other books are set in Canada and places I’ve been able to physically visit. When I wrote my first book, I was advised to change the setting to the United States. I didn’t agree because I felt Canada has beautiful scenery and fascinating history to offer to readers. The response I’ve received from readers since the publication of Beneath A Horse Thief Moon last year supports my belief. Beneath A Fugitive Moon was published in June and Beneath A Desperado Moon will conclude the series next year.

I’ve written blogs about the Cypress Hills and its history, which has readers wanting to visit there. My prairie moon trilogy was inspired by a Garth Brooks song. The words and melody captured my imagination. What if he comes back? Another song written and sung by Ian Tyson about a full moon inspired part of the title. Thus, all three books of this trilogy are set in the beautiful Cypress Hills bordering southern Alberta and Saskatchewan.

My son accompanied me to the Cypress Hills because I wanted pictures for my website Nick is an excellent photographer with a great eye for detail, which you’ll see when you visit my website. He built that for me because I’m technically-challenged when it comes to computers. All the photographs here, including my bio photo, have been taken by my son.

I’m grateful and honored to have been invited by Jacqui Nelson to guest on North of the Border and share my love of Canada and writing romances. I hope my words will encourage you to take a trip north of the border or read a bit about Canada vicariously through my books.

Thank you so much and please comment below to enter the draw for an e-book of your choice.

Beneath a Horse-Thief Moon | Beneath a Fugitive Moon 

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Elizabeth Clements resides deep in cowboy country in western Canada with her husband who is her real-life hero. She admits she’s an incurable romantic and thus her sensual stories always focus on romance, whether her heroine drives a buggy or a convertible. She has set all twelve of her books in Canadian provinces because she believes Canada has beautiful scenery and fascinating history for her readers to enjoy. Elizabeth is often inspired by her surroundings, a photograph, or a song and the thought—what if… begins a delicious new journey into romance. Visit the author at her website:  www.elizabethclements.com to learn a bit more about her and see pictures of the setting for her western historical romance trilogy set in the beautiful Cypress Hills of southern Alberta and  Saskatchewan.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/elizabeth.clements.549 

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/17898781.Elizabeth_Clements 

Amazon: www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Clements/e/B07C9RL5HQ 

~ All pictures (except for the 1st) are supplied by today’s guest with their assurance of usage rights. 

Jacqui Nelson’s North of the Border with guest Marisa Masterson

Who’s next on my North of the Border guest blog series? Today we have Marisa Masterson, author of Manny’s Triumph. 

Where does Marisa get her inspiration? How is Canada part of her inspiration? Read on and see...

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Canada—An Immigrant Hub

As a writer, I dig through family history for ideas and character names. I was raised by grandparents and heard fantastic stories about my ancestors. That said, I had no idea my family and countless others actually immigrated by way of Canada. This set me on my researching journey. After all, this would make for a great part in a novel. I could see it in my mind--immigrant heroine lands in Canada and travels across that country by covered wagon in order to reach the Cornish community in Southwestern Wisconsin.

Statistics I discovered really surprised me. For over a hundred years, eight people left Canada for every ten that arrived as immigrants. So where did they go? Though a very few returned to their native country, most headed to the United States.

Before I started searching for an answer to my question of where the emigrants from Canada went, I already knew that logging drew many Canadians away from their country. As I wrote my book Manny’s Triumph, I looked into the history of the lumber camps and learned that Canadians made up the majority of workers there. In fact, the term lumberjack is a Canadian word. Northern Michigan and Wisconsin experienced a lumber boom that started around the 1830s, and my home of Saginaw was a sort of “command central” in the Michigan lumber trade. (Logging image courtesy of https://fineartamerica.com/featured/michigan-lumbering-granger.html.)

Something called Michigan Fever called to many people, natural Canadians and immigrants alike. According to familysearch.org, “During the "Michigan Fever" of the 1830s, large numbers of Canadians streamed westward across the border.” Though I grew up in Wisconsin, Michigan is now my home state. I had no idea that many people from Canada bought land in it. In fact, during this time period, more than three times the amount of land was settled. That equaled a huge population explosion, mostly in the Detroit area which is one of our key areas in Michigan.

Image courtesy of http://geo.msu.edu/extra/geogmich/michigan_fever.html

Families like my own came decades later. In Wisconsin, if people entered the country through Milwaukee, then very likely that they’d “arrived first at a port in Canada, and then came through the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes to enter the United States at Wisconsin.” (https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Wisconsin_Emigration_and_Immigration) Most of the English and Scottish settlers to Wisconsin came through Canada and then dispersed. My own family stayed in the Cornish pocket found in Southwestern Wisconsin, a group that made up nearly one third of the British coming to Wisconsin. Many of the settlers, both farmers and miners, traveled across Canada to reach an area of the country which reminded them of Cornwall. My great-great grandparents met there and later married, both having been for a brief time residents of Canada.

~ * ~

From a logging camp to a local farm, this man and woman are on a collision course that leads them into marriage and a fight for Carlene’s life. Will Carlene’s determination and Manny’s desire to save her be enough to give them a happy ending?

www.amazon.com/dp/B07SGL29ST

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Marisa Masterson and her husband of thirty years reside in Saginaw, Michigan. They have two grown children, one son-in-law, a grandchild on the way, and one old and lazy dog.

She is a retired high school English teacher and oversaw a high school writing center in partnership with the local university. In addition, she is a National Writing Project fellow.

Focusing on her home state of Wisconsin, she writes sweet historical romance. Growing up, she loved hearing stories about her family pioneering in that state. Those stories, in part, are what inspired her to begin writing.

Let’s keep in touch…

https://amzn.to/2E1ucpi

www.bookbub.com/authors/marisa-masterson

www.facebook.com/marisa.masterson.33

https://allauthor.com/author/marisamasterson

www.goodreads.com/author/show/18946072.Marisa_Masterson 

Don’t forget to visit my website—www.marisamasterson.com

~ All pictures (except for the 1st) are supplied by today’s guest with their assurance of usage rights. 

Jacqui Nelson’s North of the Border with guest Kay P. Dawson

Who’s next on my North of the Border guest blog series? Today we have Kay P. Dawson, author of the RNWMP (Royal Northwest Mounted Police) - Mail Order Mounties series.

Where does Kay get her inspiration? How is Canada part of her inspiration? Read on and see...

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I’ve lived in a small town in rural southwest Manitoba, right smack in the middle of the Canadian prairies, my whole life.  We are a farming town, and most of the communities around us are all involved in agriculture.  The closest city to us is Winnipeg, about a two and a half hour drive away.

Living on the prairies might have had something to do with my fascination with Laura Ingalls and everything to do with Little House on the Prairie while I was growing up.  I used to run through the fields around my house with my sister and pretend I was Laura, living my own version of life on the prairies.

After high school, many of my friends wanted to branch out and head west, into the mountains where they could work at the resorts and ski hills.  But for some reason, I knew being in the mountains would never be comfortable to me.  I love the wide, open prairies where you can drive and see for miles all around you.  To me, seeing the fields growing with crops in the summer, blowing in the wind that is always present out in the open, just makes me feel like I’m “home”.

In Canada, we’re “known” for our cold winters, and on the prairies, we likely get even colder than most people realize.  But, something a lot of people don’t know is how all of our seasons are beautiful…in the spring when the fields are being planted, the leaves and grass are turning green again after the long winter; then summer when it becomes almost too hot to enjoy; fall when the crops are coming off the fields and the colors are vibrant with orange, yellow and red; then, of course, winter when everything is covered with a blanket of white snow.

When I write my books, there is always some aspect of the prairies in them when I can include it.  I was involved in an entire Canadian series that was set in different provinces back in the early 1900’s.  One of my favorite books in the series that I wrote was RNWMP: Bride for Andrew.  That story took place in a little town in southwest Manitoba, which we modeled around my own hometown around that timeframe.

Each of our stories that took place in a province featured an animal that would be native to that area. In the Manitoba stories, there was a bison named Chip.  (You’d have to read it to understand why…although if you know much about history or how they would have started fires on the trails, you’ll likely have a pretty good idea.)

In our town, we have a bison compound that is home to about ten bison.  We have a place for tourists to see them and to learn about them when they’re here.  While they might not be free to roam the prairies like they did so many years ago, it’s good to know they have places where they are safe and where they can be protected for generations to know about them.

My next series, which will be coming out soon, takes place just across the border in what would have been the Dakota Territories in the late 1800’s. While it doesn’t take place in Canada, everything will be based around life on the prairies.  Since it’s so close to where I live, the climate and the landscape is the same and will be easy for me to bring to life in my books.  I want to be able to share all of the seasons and what life is like for those living on the prairies.

I grew up listening to the stories from my grandparents and great-grandparents about the struggles of growing crops, the cold winters, and the hard life of trying to survive when you are so reliant on the land around you.  They shared the tough times and what they did to get through them, and they talked about the good times when life was so much simpler.  They worked hard, but family and community were everything and as long as they had the necessities, that was all that mattered.

Everything I will write about in this new series will be taken from what I’ve experienced and know myself.  I’m a prairie girl through and through, so this series will be my tribute to what I love.   I want to share with others the joy of living in wide open spaces, in a small town where everyone knows each other and will always lend a helping hand when needed.

The times might have changed over the years, but where I live in this small, rural town in Manitoba, life still revolves around farming, community and family.  Everything I write about in my books comes from what I’ve lived and loved in my little town on the prairies.

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GIVEAWAY

I will giveaway one physical copy of RNWMP: Bride for Andrew, which takes place in Manitoba, to a random winner from the comments below.  All you need to do to enter is comment whether you live near the mountains, the prairies, the ocean…or wherever it is you call home, and what you love about it.  The physical copy will be sent to you directly from Amazon, and I will mail you a signed bookplate to put inside along with some other little goodies.

RNWMP:  Bride for Andrew

No longer wanting to be a burden on her brother, Ida agrees to let Miss Hazel match her with a Mountie looking for a wife. She knows her daughter needs a father to help raise her, but she has no intentions of letting her heart get involved. She did that once and doesn't intend to ever let it happen again. It's a practical decision—nothing more.

Andrew never even realized what was missing in his life until he meets Ida and her daughter Lily. The little girl ends up stealing his heart, and he vows to protect her with his life. However, her mother is proving to be a bit more difficult to come around.

Will Ida be able to let go of the pain she endured in the past and trust Andrew with her heart?

RNWMP: Bride for Andrew: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079PRBDY2


IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ THE MAIL ORDER MOUNTIES BOOKS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, YOU’LL FIND THEM ALL LISTED AT www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BDK5DJV

*And be sure to pick up RNMWP:  Bride for Theodore, which sets up the series that takes place entirely in Canada…www.amazon.com/RNWMP-Bride-Theodore-Order-Mounties-ebook/dp/B071KHMYBN

ABOUT ME

USA Today Bestselling Author, Kay P. Dawson writes sweet western romance - the kind that leaves out all of the juicy details and immerses you in a true, heartfelt love story. Growing up pretending she was Laura Ingalls, she's always had a love for the old west and pioneer times. She believes in true love, and finding your happy ever after.

Happily married mom of two girls, Kay has always taught her children to follow their dreams. And, after a breast cancer diagnosis at the age of 39, she realized it was time to take her own advice. She had always wanted to write a book, and she decided that the someday she was waiting for was now.

She writes western historical, contemporary and time travel romance that all transport the reader to a time or place where true love always finds a way.

You can connect with Kay through her website at www.kaypdawson.com 

She also has an active fan group where she hangs out with her readers... www.facebook.com/groups/kaypdawsonfans

OTHER LINKS:

Newsletter:  kaypdawson.com/newsletter 

Bookbub:  www.bookbub.com/authors/kay-p-dawson 

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/kaypdawsonauthor 

Kay P. Dawson Author Page:  www.amazon.com/author/kaypdawson 

~ All pictures (except for the 1st) are supplied by today’s guest with their assurance of usage rights. 

Jacqui Nelson’s North of the Border with guest Shereen Vedam

Who’s next on my North of the Border guest blog series? Today we have Shereen Vedam, author of the Harrington Bay Mysteries series and the new release, Missing You. 

Where does Shereen get her inspiration? How is Canada part of her inspiration? Read on and see...

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Trees love to toss and sway; they make such happy noises – Emily Carr

We’re within kissing distance of Canada Day, July 1st. Writing a blog about my country made me pause to consider what I love most about Canada. What comes immediately to mind are trees. Everywhere I’ve lived across this beautify country, I’ve loved the trees.

I’ve moved from Ontario (grew up in Ottawa) to Manitoba (met my two best friends there) to Saskatchewan (where I learned all about veterinary practices in a farming community) to British Columbia (I finally settled on Vancouver Island and laid claim to this spot as the home of my heart).

In every one of those provinces, I’ve adored the trees that grew there. Now, thinking back, the maple trees in Ontario remind me of school trips and my very first taste of maple syrup. Yum!!!

In Manitoba, I went on my first ever camping trip and was surrounded by oaks and spruce and Cedars. I remember a group of us carrying a canoe over our heads through the forest to go paddling on a lake.

In Saskatchewan, I remember there were miles and miles of flat country. I was lucky to see one tree as we drove down country roads. I searched for trees at every farm the vet and I visited.

By the time I arrived in British Columbia, I was surrounded by trees again. They were everywhere. Planted along the sidewalks, growing in the parks, along highways and down mountain paths. This is where I had my first taste of white-water rafting, as we sped through lush forest landscapes.

I now live in a house where I planted a spooky Weeping Sequoias at the front and back of the property and an Arbutus tree in my immediate backyard.

It’s almost time for me to move from here into a condo. I think I’ll miss the trees the most. In the back of my mind, though, there’s a plan growing for a container garden in my new balcony. It’s going to be spectacular. Though I’ll be limited in how big the plants can be there, guaranteed, there’s going to be a tree in one of those pots! Fingers crossed, the strata council isn’t reading this post.

If you’ve read this post down to here, you might have gained the impression that I like to travel as much as I love trees. In my books, you’ll encounter reflection of both these loves, as characters go from place to place exploring vast new landscapes, encountering interesting new folk and sheltering against trees.

Below is an excerpt from my newest release called Missing You, a travel mystery romance (big surprise).

Excerpt from Missing You 

Copyright Shereen Vedam, 2019

Still a little bleary-eyed from her twenty-one-hour flight and the shift in time difference, Phoebe texted her aunt. I’m home.

She got out of the Uber, hoping Aunt Helen would come downstairs and let her in. It would save her waking up her parents or her great-grandfather Walter.

After a three-year absence, it felt odd to be back in Harrington Bay, or HB as it was known among the locals. HB was located south of Portland, Oregon, close to the coast. She stood partially shielded by the thick trunk of a white oak as she observed their closed front door. It was past midnight, so the porch light had been switched off. The moon, too, wisely hid on this cloudy spring night that vibrated with tension.

Her phone buzzed. Another text from her aunt. Finally.

Thank God you’re back, Phoebe! I’m already in. Hurry!

Phoebe ran toward her front door while thumbing back the obvious question. In where?

The next text flashed a different address than theirs. She stopped in her tracks, her astonished gaze swinging left, toward the large Victorian house next door.

She fished a flashlight from her travel duffle bag before tucking her kit behind a bush near her front door. She then cautiously headed to the neighboring property.

According to her aunt, Tucker Harrington, a retired army major, had recently returned to the town his ancestors helped build and then brought this house.

Over shoulder-high box hedges, the neighboring home’s exterior appeared to have been painted a new lighter shade. The garden had been tamed since Phoebe left home. It no longer grew wild, appearing tended and landscaped, with fresh dark mulch spread thickly on the beds.

Why was her septuagenarian aunt texting Phoebe from inside Tucker’s house? No porch lights on there either. Tucker was also in his seventies, so he could be asleep. Was her aunt in his bed? Phoebe shook off the unsettling image. Just how close was Aunt Helen to this old dude? Was his grandson home?

A light flickered in one of the downstairs windows. Her phone buzzed. Another text from her aunt. You coming? Head to the right of the front door. Don’t wake Tucker!

It was the longest note Phoebe had received since Aunt Helen first mentioned this family emergency. It set her alarm bells ringing.

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GIVEAWAY

Enter your name in the comments below for a chance to win a Kindle copy of Missing You.

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Once upon a time, USA Today bestselling author Shereen Vedam read fantasy and romance novels to entertain herself. Now she writes heartwarming tales braided with threads of magic and love and mystery elements woven in for good measure.

Shereen's a fan of resourceful women, intriguing men, and happily-ever-after endings. If her stories whisk you away to a different realm for a few hours, then Shereen will have achieved one of her life goals.

Website: www.shereenvedam.com 

Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/Shereen-Vedam/e/B005A53Q10

Goodreads Author Page: www.goodreads.com/author/show/3415603.Shereen_Vedam

Bookbub Author Page: www.bookbub.com/authors/shereen-vedam

Facebook Author Page: www.facebook.com/ShereenVedam

Pinterest: www.pinterest.ca/shereenvedam/boards

Twitter: twitter.com/ShereenVedam

~ All pictures (except for the 1st) are supplied by today’s guest with their assurance of usage rights. 

Jacqui Nelson’s North of the Border with guest Eleanor Webster

Who’s next on my North of the Border guest blog series? Today we have Eleanor Webster, author of A Debutante in Disguise.

Where does Eleanor get her inspiration? How is Canada part of her inspiration? Read on and see...

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Getting Inspiration 

Sir, 
It has been stated to me that Inspector-General Dr James Barry, who died at 14 Margaret Street on 25 July 1865, was after his death found to be female. 

This was included in a letter sent by the British General Registrar to the doctor who attended Dr. James Barry at the time of death, July 25, 1865.

I learned about Dr. Barry while researching Canadian doctors for a non-fiction middle grade children’s book.  Unfortunately, that manuscript still remains hopefully on my laptop entitled ‘doctors’ . However, feisty, fascinating Dr. James Barry intrigued me and this story of disguise and subterfuge inspired aspects of my newest release, A Debutante in Disguise.

Barry came to Canada quite late in life as Inspector General of Hospitals and remained in that post until illness led to retirement. Dr. Barry was mercurial in temperament, tactless and quite brilliant. Indeed, Barry succeeded in performing the first Caesarean Section in African where both mother and child survived – no mean feat in those days. Barry also espoused radical ideas like the concept that adequate sanitation and nutrition may improve health.

However, the most fascinating aspect of Barry’s story occurs after death when it was reported that Dr. Barry, who had lived his entire life as a man was, in fact, a woman.

Most now believe that Barry was either a woman or possibly inter sex.  This remains up for debate and conjecture but it is generally agreed that Barry was Mary Anne Bulkley’s child. Mrs. Bulkley had one son (named John) and two daughters. Her older daughter, Margaret Bulkley, evaporated from history and, four years later, Barry emerged from the University of Edinburgh’s Medical School. Following graduation, Barry became a medical surgeon and was posted throughout the British Empire and eventually, Canada. I have not done sufficient research to form an opinion as to whether Barry was female or intersex. The burial was prompt and that may always remain a mystery. (Although – interesting factoid- if female, Barry would be Canada’s first female doctor).

However, I am convinced that Barry had a secret and lived a life of pretense in order to pursue a medical career.

This inspired me to create the protagonist in A Debutante in Disguise, Letty. She is a brilliant woman with a scientific mind and drive to be a doctor in a time when society did not believe that women had minds and certainly could not pursue ‘doctoring’.

Even when not in disguise, Letty is somewhat of an oddity. She lacks an interest in the occupations which most society women enjoyed and often felt different from others. It seems too often we adopt the sheep mentality. We like those who are the same and are apprehensive of those who seem different. I loved creating this character and loved that she was shaped, in part, by the medical pioneer with a Canadian twist.

Eleanor's Pictures

Canadian winters - great for uninterrupted writing...until the power goes off

Friendly Neighbors

More Friendly Neighbors

Bear Glacier, outside Stewart, British Columbia

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Giveaway

I love to interact with my readers! Please post a comment below by June 19 and I will select someone to receive an e-copy of my latest book A Debutante in Disguise.

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A Debutante in Disguise

A society lady

…with a secret!

Determined to help people, Letty Barton has a double life—she’s a trained doctor! No one must know “Dr. Hatfield” is actually a woman. Called to an emergency, she comes face-to-face with her patient’s brother, Lord Anthony Ashcroft… They’d once shared a spark-filled flirtation—now he’s a brooding, scarred war hero. But how long will it be before he recognizes her beneath her disguise and the sparks begin to fly once more?

Amazon Print | Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble Print | Barnes & Noble Nook | Google Play

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Eleanor Webster loves high-heels and sun, which is ironic as she lives in northern Canada, the land of snowhills and unflattering footwear. Various crafting experiences, including a nasty glue-gun episode, have proven that her creative soul is best expressed through the written word. Eleanor is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in psychology and holds an undergraduate degree in history and creative writing. She loves to use her writing to explore her fascination with the past.

Mills & Boone: www.millsandboon.co.uk/authors/p3633/Eleanor-Webster 

Harlequin: www.harlequin.com/shop/authors/13076_eleanor-webster.html 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/eleanorwebsterauthor

Twitter: twitter.com/ewebsterauthor

Website: EleanorWebsterAuthor.com

~ All pictures (except for the 1st) are supplied by today’s guest with their assurance of usage rights. 

Jacqui Nelson’s North of the Border with guest Rachel Goldsworthy

Who’s next on my North of the Border guest blog series? Today we have Rachel Goldsworthy, author of Kiss in the Wind.

Where does Rachel get her inspiration? How is Canada part of her inspiration? Read on and see...

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Tuning up a tale

Even silent movies had a soundtrack. When Canadian Mary Pickford became America’s Sweetheart in the early 20th century, the theatre pianist would signal danger with bass notes, emphasize on-screen sorrow with a minor key and andante through the upper octaves to announce a happy ending.

In my head, my stories have a soundtrack too – or at least the beginnings of one. When I was writing my first novel, the harmonica intro to Blue Rodeo’s “Bad Timing” teleported me straight to the treeplanting camps of northern BC, where the story was set. It was the whole package, both the tune and the words sung by Jim Cuddy, that did it for me. It took me years to write that book and through the whole process, all I had to do was slide the CD into the player, forward to Track 3 and when the muse (that would be Jim) said, “Hey it’s me,” I was instantly in a clearcut with a shovel in one hand and seedling spruce in the other, or behind the wheel of a pickup truck with a sticky clutch, cracked windshield and patchy paint job. It was magic.

I’ve had a song for almost every story I’ve written since that first foray into fiction.

When I joined the crew in Corsair’s Cove, I had two. Tom Waits’s “Shiver Me Timbers” describes someone sailing into the unknown to find what they’re longing for, which is how Corsair’s Cove – the place and the collaboration – came to be. For me, Tom’s raspy voice singing “my heart’s in the wind…” set the stage – or the sails – for the whole Corsair’s Cove experience. I also relied on Carly Simons singing “Let the River Run” to take me to Livy Tarbert’s world in a hurry.

In Kiss in the Wind, Livy left a safe life to pursue a dream when Great Aunt Ruby bequeathed to her and her cousins a chocolate shop in a tiny West Coast community. The town also had an insatiable appetite for truffles, a talking parrot that might or might not have been channelling Aunt Ruby, and a warm breeze that blew whenever that good-looking bar owner showed up.

Good Spirits is set in the 1920s when the US brought in Prohibition and Canadians became rumrunners. In both places, the Charleston was the dance for daring girls. My great-aunt was the muse for this one – not because she was a rumrunner (as far as I know) but she did get kicked out of a dance hall for doing the Charleston only a few miles north of the border. Every time I wondered what newly married cider-maker Hulda would think or do (or want to do), I imagined my Auntie Mary, with her short hair, short skirt and Charleston rhythm. Often, she and Hulda were of like mind.

Lately, I’ve been relying on Sara Bareilles’ “Brave.” Before the song’s half over, my head’s in Three Sheets, Betsy Lund’s fabric store.

I don’t have to turn on the GPS or search the glove box for a map or wrestle (much) with the demon Procrastination. It’s as if the music, and especially the lyrics, conjure a genie, a fantastical being that whisks me inside another person, one I made up, in a town I imagined.

So…Jim Cuddy as muse?

Hey, it works for me.

Green Spirits: A Corsair’s Cove Companion short story

It’s springtime in Corsair’s Cove, when trees bloom, tourists arrive and spirits get lively.

But for Betsy Lund of Three Sheets Fabric Shop, this year it’s not a happy season. She misses her beloved business partner. Someone – or something ¬¬– is using her quilting machines when she’s not around. And she can hardly get out of her own yard because her hedge is growing weirdly fast; she’s wearing out hedgetrimmers at an uncanny rate.

Orchardist Stan Redfern would love to do more than sharpen Betsy’s blades but his shy invitations are getting him nowhere.

Betsy isn’t even sure that romance is what Stan’s offering; her mojo eloped so long ago she can’t remember what it looked like.

When her hedgetrimmer gives up the ghost, she’s literally stuck, and Betsy has no illusions, or desire, that Prince Charming is going to ride up and save her.

What’s a self-rescuing middle-aged princess to do?

To read an excerpt from Green Spirits, visit the Corsair’s Cove blog. I hope you enjoy it!

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I write fun feminist fiction. In my stories (like real life), women try to figure out the right thing to do and then to do it. Also like real life, love and laughter show them they’re on the right track. Or maybe not the right track, exactly, but they can have a good time even if they’re a bit lost.

I love working with the Corsettes – Shelley Adina, Sharon Ashwood and Lee McKenzie – who are all award-winning storytellers. We share real estate, stories and apple fritters in Corsair’s Cove, the magical town that calls you back when you need it most.

Green Spirits and all Rachel’s books are available on Apple, Amazon, Kobo and Nook.

Corsair’s Cove website: CorsairsCove.com 

Email: Rachel@rachelgoldsworthy.com

Corsair’s Cove on Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/corsairscovereaders

~ All pictures (except for the 1st) are supplied by today’s guest with their assurance of usage rights.