Cindy M. Amos

 

 Cindy M. Amos writes inspirational fiction steeped in truths taken from nature’s sketchbook. From her education in ecology and training in endangered species conservation and natural resource management, she weaves stories of humankind living close to the land.

She began her writing career in North Carolina with technical scientific writing and quickly assumed the role of newsletter editor for every club and non-profit organization she attended. She also established the quarterly newsletter for the Bald Head Island Conservancy from its initiation, now an expansive campus on Cape Fear. In 1982, she received the Governor’s Award for meritorious Service to the people of North Carolina for her conservation work there.

Relocating to south Florida for her career as an environmental consultant, she received the Boy Scouts of America’s Golden Beaver Award in 1992 for authoring a long-term conservation plan for a local camp turned repository for relocated endangered species. There, she met and married her husband, an aircraft engineer. Ms. Amos enjoyed a 13-year career prior to becoming a stay-at-home mom in 1994.

After moving to Kansas in 1999 to raise her two sons near her husband’s fifth generation family ranch in the picturesque Flint Hills, she worked as Volunteer Coordinator for the Great Plains Nature Center for ten years on a part-time basis. During this period, she first began to craft her inspirational fiction. Sensing a shift in careers, she resigned in 2012 to write fiction full-time.

After penning a five-part sequel set on the tallgrass prairie, she began a contemporary, heroine-led series in 2013 called “Landscapes of Mercy” where a feature of the local landscape becomes analogous to the romantic couple’s relationship. Upon polishing her writing through membership in American Christian Fiction Writers, including being a finalist in their national Genesis contest for unpublished writers, Ms. Amos signed a publishing contract with Cynthia Hickey of Forget Me Not Romances, an imprint of Winged Publications, for this five-book wholesome romance series. She became a debut author with the release of Redeeming River Rancher in July 2016.

Other writing interests include non-fiction nature-based devotions, an eclectic mix of folk sayings and faith verses on the change of seasons, a missionary memoir and a running collection of lyrical nature journal entries over a decade in duration. Ms. Amos also plans to complete a three-book historical romance series set in the Midwest during the 1950’s that captures the industrial grit and determination of post-war America.

When not writing or promoting her work, Ms. Amos enjoys walking among the pasture wildflowers in the Flint Hills, gardening, home canning, making beaded jewelry, riding her bicycle, exploring small-town Kansas and fellowshipping with her women’s ministry group at church. A Christian since age ten, she hopes to complete her faith walk to the glory of God.

 

  With summer break devoted to his brother’s hauling business, Kenan North finds his days filled with run-of-the-mill estate sale leftovers—until feisty heiress Jaslyn Jenson falls through a second-story floor right into his arms. The Jenson manor house must be razed by mid-July, but when evidence hints that the estate auction company is bilking clients, the North brothers step in to monitor the action. Kenan has a bone to pick with auctioneer Troy Talon, the guy who stole his state wrestling title back in high school.

Risk-taking Jaslyn plays up to Troy hoping to gain evidence against him, but on the eve of the razing, the worst-case scenario strikes like a wrecking ball. Can Kenan keep his wits about him in a last-minute scramble — or will love end up disqualified like his bid for the wrestling title?

When the clutter is cleared, two hearts can connect for a clean slate…

As long as they don’t wait for the dust to settle! AMAZON

 

Jace Anders harbors a clutter of racing trophies at his marina. But when he hires stylish Sunny Del Reo with Kitsch Kick-Out for a business makeover, he can’t seem to stay out of her redesign plans on a more personal basis. Claiming to be colorblind to the messes he leaves in his wake, her improvements are hard to accept. Upbeat Sunny gains his confidence, but when the racing circuit members arrive for the opening night mixer, everything starts to falter. While Jace tries to protect his kid sister from recurring harm, his romantic ties with the designer founder on the rocks. Can he jettison his love affair with his trophies in time to catch the real prize?

Opposites can always find middle ground in rough seas…
As long as love and trust keep an even keel. AMAZON

 

Attending opening day at Riverfront Stadium with her player-hunting girlfriends, Amelena Hart shifts from spectator to staffer with a spot on the Promo team when Gage Landers, a sports management intern, rescues her from an awkward situation. As the Wind Splurge baseball team strings together a series of wins in their inaugural season, Gage tackles problems that arise using his resolution first mantra, but he doesn’t factor in attraction to Lena among those nightly complications. After all, he’s headed for a dream career in professional football once the baseball season ends. When a hidden scam starts diverting team revenue, shady characters darken the sidelines. Lena helps Gage strategize against invisible 3-D threats, but struggles to win his heart.

Just like crime, romance doesn’t pay.

Lena has until the last out of the season to turn Gage’s misaligned logic in her favor.

Will this home run hunter accomplish a last-minute walk-off win? AMAZON

Sparks fly when Chastain Landers submits a demo video to promote the baseball team’s charity raffle and gains a job for season two at Riverfront Stadium. Working alongside the handsome Promo Team leader Reynolds Newby seems dreamy until a series of odd happenstances occur around the ballpark. Down on the field, hard-working groundskeeper Clint Ryder has trouble keeping his crew in line, but a substitute assignment brings pretty sports trainer Tanya Whiting out of the dugout and into his arms. Both Reynolds and Clint struggle to keep day-to-day operations intact as the home team quests for postseason playoffs.

Will there be too many snafus to win a championship this season?
Two couples dare to ride the tempest and find love during season two! AMAZON

 

A breach of the safety net throws rising baseball star Brody Breeson a curve ball as beautiful Melee Hendricks takes a hit for the home team right on the cheekbone. Indebted and more than a little attracted, Brody makes a pledge to join the stadium staffer for community service during the postseason. Attraction leads to mid-summer romance, but his dream to play major league ball takes a requisite turn in a boost to Triple-A ball right when he least wants to leave Riverfront Stadium. Legal trouble soon clouds his future, but quick-witted Melee tosses him a hope-filled lifeline. With Christmas parties at the baseball museum uniting them in purpose, Brody waits out his suspension and befriends a little leaguer destined for foster care. Though he holds the league record for doubles, Brody aims higher for a grand slam resolution. But a walk-off win never comes easy—not even when aided by a touch of Christmas miracle.

Can the shortstop pull off the ultimate clutch hit as Yuletide approaches…
or will he leave the bases loaded and hearts broken in his climb to fame? AMAZON

 

Pursuing a seasonal job at her favorite craft store, Etsy Barber gets more than she bargained for when she joins a ragtag team to accomplish the store’s pending relocation to a newer building. Helping to guide this “upload” process, assistant manager Trevor Miller befriends Etsy and can’t fight the attraction that leads to a cozy partnership back in the warehouse as they clear out the old store to fill the new one. Trouble-bound, the upload crew must weather the ire of the head manager Ray Birch, and accidents start occurring with startling frequency. Tiptoeing around the company’s anti-fraternization clause, Trevor and Etsy join forces to pull the team together, but a career-threatening retaliation may just end their allegiance. When a devious Santa shows up during the holiday rush, can Etsy count on her training—or end up with a tainted Upload Christmas?

A storefront romance is bound to have too much visibility,

but Trevor might have a saving option right in plain sight. AMAZON

 

Marine researcher Jaima Delarie’s world tilts out of predictable routine when Perry Manning shipwrecks off Cape Hatteras, forcing her into rescue mode. Attracted to the handsome fisherman, more than a hull repair ensues while an upstart boat towing company scours the shore looking for undisclosed salvage. Unexplainable complications follow, putting the tranquil coastal community on edge. Sabotage at her aquarium facility wraps Jaima too deep in involvement, lending Perry the perfect reason to come around more often. When the wrecked hull produces a hidden surprise, Perry’s reluctant quest for resolution finds traction, right when it will damage Jaima’s allegiances the most.

 

  Can anyone live on the shore without being salt-stung along the way?

Find out if heartache always lurks beyond the shore break—

Or if love can triumph over time and tide.  AMAZON

A daunting task, Shaina Gillespie endures the solitude on Cape Lookout to prepare the vintage lighthouse keeper’s house for relocation to the mainland. When ebbing currents force a mishap on her paddleboard, she crosses the inlet to Shackleford Banks where the rescue fills with a herd of wild ponies and one reclusive veterinarian, Judd Pearce. An oceanfront dinner-for-two sparks romantic interest, but Shaina determines to remain unbiased since Judd favors his hometown as a prime relocation site. A dark secret enshrouds his wild pony research and cuts a swath of betrayal between them while the tugboat captain gets all-too-friendly when they transport the historic building. Shaina questions worthy allies as her project founders on the shoals.

When the current rips away isolation’s safe perimeter, can the heart make the crossing to gain something more? AMAZON

 

  Invincible as island naturalist, Ciera Journey completes her nocturnal patrol for sea turtles nesting on Cape Fear and happens upon Ryne Faulkner rowing to the private resort island at the helm of a rowdy group of marginalized campers. With the turtle work by night and nature appreciation outings by day, Ciera begins to feel the sting of burnout, though the campers rise to the challenge of hands-on interaction. Shared adventures at the settler’s hidey-hole and legendary hermit’s shack spark a bond between her and the camp’s enigmatic counselor, but dare she contemplate a life beyond the sheltering island? As the lunar cycle progresses toward full moon, back-stabbing breakdowns occur at every juncture within the isolated island community, but Ciera doesn’t see the ultimate trap coming right in front of her.

Conservation on the shore can be a two-edged sword.

Good thing ties that bind the heart are not readily severed.  AMAZON

 

  An addition to the lighthouse keeper’s quarters in 1929 turns Kettie Gaskill’s world out of kilter when handsome carpenter Drey Parker makes a crashing appearance onto Ocracoke Island. A temporary co-teaching assignment keeps her best friend Mirabel from non-stop flirting, but circumstances deliver a new replacement assistant, giving Kettie one too many suitors for such a small island. When the Black Tuesday stock market crash chases a spreading influenza epidemic on the mainland, a winnowed heartache follows. With a wedding set for Christmas Day, which suitor will meet Kettie at the altar?

The lighthouse shelters a few choice secrets but never falters in shining a light on true love. AMAZON

 

  On sabbatical, rodeo entertainer Lyndie Leigh Sessoms strikes out on her quest to find a real life, riding the coattails of a wildfire into Kansas where she rescues trampled rancher Burk Crosby from the ashes. Drawn together in a cascade of heart-wrenching events, they work selflessly to counter damage from the wildfire and resurrect the rural community around Ashland. Small-town kindness combines with widespread generosity in the wake of the fire, but a greedy siphon infiltrates the distribution site, casting a dark shadow of suspicion over the recovery efforts. To salvage their blossoming affection, Burk solidifies the ranchers to force the siphon out of hiding with a trap—but Lyndie never suspects that she’s positioned as the bait. A late-arriving warning leaves her nowhere to turn: do not trust anyone in Ashland, Kansas.

Based on the true story of the Starbuck fire of 2017 that ravaged western Kansas–

and area ranchers who demonstrated vulnerable resiliency in its aftermath.

Strength for the day…with eyes on the Almighty. AMAZON

 

  Fed up with the good-old-boy treatment at her current job in Emporia, conservation officer Aley Halstead plans a lateral move for more equitable treatment in nearby Council Grove, Kansas. A real hitch in her departure plan, she meets enigmatic Hake Warren, a young lawyer attempting to ranch on a newly-purchased acreage. As her final project, Aley commits to helping the rookie weekend rancher design the best plan for restoring the overworked operation, but when their interests turn more personal, his outlying ranch becomes a romantic midpoint to ease her transition. Living in the new town grows perilous, right when Hake’s class action lawsuit work gains momentum. Whether poacher or poltergeist, the unhinging threat turns sinister, and only Hake’s knowledge about his property will prove the difference between life or death. Can Aley’s lessons on protecting the land come to her rescue in return? Watch Hake push matters to the edge to reconcile her from heartache. AMAZON

On break from her vendor booth selling bittersweet swags at a craft fair, Lolo Henley accidentally witnesses illegal activity down along Atchison’s waterfront and runs for her life.

Ever short of his dream for ordination at St. Benedicts Abbey, gardener Karch Riley rescues Lolo from an unholy search party.

As trouble mounts, Karch discovers veiled threats on the adjoining college campus and teams with law enforcement to protect the innocent. Evidence of illegal gun purchases becomes linked with the abbey’s Vicar Copley, Karch’s harsh boss. Trouble deepens when human trafficking emerges as the ring’s source of funding. Sensitive to the plight of trafficked victims due to a past slight, Karch rallies awareness support from college students who start a prevention movement. Knowing a woman once cost him his ministry aspirations, does he dare trust another woman to salvage it? When the pressure peaks, a battle of savvy maneuvering along the river becomes a matter of life or death.

In the heat of pursuit, ordination slips toward a far-off horizon—
or can Karch safeguard Lolo and recapture his dreams from oblivion? AMAZON

 

Deep within Montana Territory in 1885, miner Chance Mullan checks the rail spur for his expected shipment but picks up two famished siblings instead—the adult offspring of his recently deceased work partner. Relegated to sleeping on the rear porch,

Serafina Redmann never imagined such a bleak existence at the edge of civilization, but the fervor of the villagers to grow the settlement into a permanent town makes her want to stay and contribute. An untimely death in the village casts suspicions her way, opening a rift with the Blackfeet Indians who use the pass to reach their hunting grounds in the mountains. Serafina stumbles upon an inexplicable cache which places her at further risk. Dare she offer Chance a way out of peril?

Intent on keeping Mustang Pass from becoming a ghost town, Chance fails to see one remedy for growing the town standing right in front of him.

Could a strong woman with golden hair become his silver lining solution? AMAZON

 

  Miner Argus Drury rescues a comely red-haired traveler when a laden cargo breaks loose at the steamboat wharf along the Missouri River at Fort Benton in spring of 1886. Claretta Lovell arrives in Montana Territory as escort to her betrothed cousin
Rebekah, but is burdened by her father’s dowry—a gristmill’s grinding stone. On the way to Mustang Pass, Claretta auditions in a talent show, which lures Argus back to Helena with a full entourage to watch her compete. A crisis arises before the final round, leaving Argus and his best friend Chance Mullan to take matters into their own hands—a risk that could sidetrack their noble attempt to land the county seat designation for Mustang Pass.

 

Working double-time to ready the silver mine for extracting twin ores, will Argus discover a copper halo to highlight a higher purpose?  AMAZON

 

On the verge of abandoning the fur trade in Montana Territory circa 1886, Frenchman Rene Dubois rescues lovely trespasser Brynelle Merriman from a line of traps set to catch a pesky beaver. Uncommitted to staying in Mustang Pass despite appeals from friends Chance and Argus, Rene becomes drawn to the fleet-footed daughter of the new mercantile’s owner, but cannot persuade her to run in his direction. Building shelves for the store sets him in better position for feminine attention, but he scarcely gains ground when trouble threatens Granite Mine. As the women retaliate, Brynelle determines to secure help involving a questionable destination.

Can a restless trapper discover the value of defending a homeland

and recognize the true enemy before the battle begins?

A marathon for alliance may persuade him. AMAZON

 

Quick-thinking deputy Nate Rayburn saves the probate judge’s pretty daughter when their arrival to Montana Territory in autumn 1886 goes awry. Smitten with her rescuer, Imperia Bell takes every opportunity to thank the handsome public servant for his heroism, though her father doubts his qualifications for holding the office of sheriff come Election Day. Imperia infuses the hardscrabble mining town with her fanciful snippets and confections, while Nate puts odd jobs aside to assist friends Chance, Argus and Rene in building the much-anticipated church. With three weddings planned for the Christmas Eve service, can Nate deliver the peril-prone grooms in time for their nuptials? What are the holidays without a few hitches along the way?

When timeliness is next to godliness, anything can happen…

but even the best-laid plans of good men can go up in smoke. AMAZON

 

  Who doesn’t try to peek around the corner to see what’s coming up next on nature’s calendar? Enjoy this mash-up of whimsical folk sayings with related faith verses that accompany the reader through the four seasons. The year unfurls through spring’s profuse blooms, summer’s startling booms, and autumn’s migratory tunes before ending growing season with winter’s frigid doom. Signs of the seasons are everywhere! Stars above and grass below, a droplet of rain and a handful of grainAll hold a hint of nature’s message—spoken in folk and faith. AMAZON

 

  The scales of justice possess keen discernment, yet love never needed a final verdict to overcome.

When a hometown parade explodes with violence targeted at obese onlookers, District Judge Ilie Walton is forced to team with former classmate Traynor Henning for a trial reduction program for the victims. None too pleased over the partnership with Tray, Ilie claims to remain blind to his Zach Efron good looks in the name of justice. As the fence lengthens and the pounds melt off volunteer participants, Tray’s devotion softens her resolve, launching a romantic partnership. When new evidence emerges on a cold case involving a death at their senior class party, Ilie insists that justice prevail, though it threatens to sever their tenuous relationship. Tired of bearing the guilt, Tray faces off with his buddy Rex about what really happened that day in his boat. When the cold case turns red hot, will Ilie stand with the hardworking rancher—or do justice and reconciliation take two separate paths? AMAZON

 

  Paraeducator Bella Sylvanio has grand plans for the kick-off to the Christmas programs at her elementary school, but the fire alarm sounds before her cookies are baked, and then the cocky new resource officer Maguire Raines upends her orderly world. An unwilling ringmaster for the Christmas Circus, Mag attempts to keep the wayward fifth graders in alignment and works with a troubled second-grader to ease Bella’s concerns. A search for a new business niche lands Mag a bevy of clearance items which become her treasure trove of costumes for the performance. An unseasonal snow turns matters romantic, but when things go haywire at school, Mag begins to lose control. With the paras playing Santa’s elves at every turn, he’ll have to perfect his baking skills to match Bella’s lofty holiday ambitions.

Can love find a way through the cookie press to turn out a tantalizing treat?

Only when the thrill of Christmastime hangs in the air! AMAZON

 

 Riding the popularity of Florida’s expanding rail line in 1904, Mattie Jo Pike has to administer first aid after two hobos squabble at her water tower stopover in Favoretta. The kindly victim, Mo Rudyard, doesn’t seem like the train-jumping type, but her stern Florida cracker father won’t let the man hang around long enough to learn more about him. Undercover, Morrison can’t seem to please his entrepreneurial father, and to aggravate matters, his priceless secret token has been stolen. He traces the token’s path to a hobo village where anarchy rules the cutthroat roost. With the kingpin of the hobos his target, the last thing he wants is for lawless Dell Wilkes to end up in Favoretta—where lovely Mattie Jo has taken up selling her orange marmalade to the tourists. A clash of shifty railroad characters leaves the local sheriff scratching his head as to who can be trusted. Mattie Jo sets out to settle the conflict, armed with a sassy attitude and a pistol hidden in her skirt.

No man steals her kisses and then jumps a train without explanation—
because she’s had about enough of a one-way relationship along a two-way track. AMAZON

 

 

Bree Borden is so busy orchestrating Sourwood’s farm-to-table movement, she scarcely has time to pull off the town’s harvest festival until she runs into Kyler Jennings. A successful book author temporarily running the local bed and breakfast for his uncle, Kyler determines to help the workaholic farmer slow down and smell the roses. After showing up at the farmer’s market, he lends some masculine attention to prove to Bree she’s really a dirt-encrusted diamond in the rough. Each week in December, secretive gifts arrive to aid Bree’s dream of expanding her line of products and make her life easier. At Christmas on the Square, sweet affection falls prey to long-distance regrets, but a fiery tempest will ultimately test their bond.

Can Christmas Eve lend a wandering writer a real reason to put down roots?

Only if true love can be garden grown and traced to a banquet of the heart. AMAZON

 

Journalism student Harper Townsend covers an election rally on assignment which turns electric when a rowdy activist group attacks, forcing a rescue by charismatic campaign manager Wink Dunn. The deeper she delves into surfacing rumors, the more compelling her new friend becomes. Though the Fed-up Brigade has an agenda that won’t let the campaign transpire peaceably, Harper’s intuitive drive to expose the truth helps muffle their vocal protests. As November approaches, candidates begin to drop from the ballot at every disclosure, which might leave a crook to run unopposed. Good thing Harper has a few rumors of her own to unpack—and just in time for write-in votes to be counted!
A grassroots campaign may grow a successful candidate, but can it also nurture budding love?
Only Election Day will render the final tally where romance earns a lasting majority. AMAZON

 

Greer Trousdale finds her new job at Chicago’s Cook County Hospital off to a rocky start in the spring of 1937 when her special skills as medical transcriptionist collide with the handsome x-ray doctor, Thane Keaton, during a crisis. A Geiger counter becomes an intermediary of sorts until a date at the lush Garfield Park Conservatory sets their hindered mutual attraction into better alignment. When a careless orderly poses an internal threat, Greer must learn more about the x-ray machine, using her typewriter keyboard’s QWERTY as a secret code. On a hunch, she’ll employ a low-dose of unwavering support for the hero behind the x-ray machine, a device whose invisible power has the strength to penetrate damaged tissue for amazing diagnostics—or irradiate it for a harmful demise.

In a tragic year where the Hindenburg and Amelia Earhart fall from the sky, surely something uplifting can endure for posterity—like love meant for all time.

. On a hunch, she’ll employ a low-dose of unwavering support for the hero behind the x-ray machine, a device whose invisible power has the strength to penetrate damaged tissue for amazing diagnostics—or irradiate it for a harmful demise.

In a tragic year where the Hindenburg and Amelia Earhart fall from the sky, surely something uplifting can endure for posterity—like love meant for all time. AMAZON

 

 Denton Stephens plies his trade as a hauler until he drops through a rain-slicked bridge and falls into the Marias Des Cygnes River, where he’s rescued by pretty Haven Christiansen from the nearby ranch. Even with her father in a wheelchair, Haven manages to keep the Kansas ranch running, but when the construction crew lines up equipment to build the replacement bridge, realignment of the pasture’s fence puts her on overload. Needing a new hauling base, Denton trades off ranch work for room and board. When a troublesome project boss makes unwanted appearances, Denton infuses his personal romantic intentions with vigilant defense. With the addition of a truck for hauling and a ranch dog for guarding, 1919 just might be his year for unexpected gain—if he can keep his country girl happy.

When an unscheduled stop turns out to be just what a man needs, his heart might get waylaid in the process.

Book One of Roping the Rancher’s Daughter AMAZON

 

 

~Where a shared heritage becomes a bonding landscape~

On a forty-acre pocket of land his Grandpa Rowdy received as a gift off the neighbor’s sprawling ranch, accountant Reece Myers methodically strives to improve his standing in life. Next door, sassy Jodie Givens continues her sequined approach to ranch living, secretly scheming to regain Reece’s land until betrayed by hired help, leaving her entire ranch to face dissolution. A cataclysmic kiss exchanged the day she’s apprehended for owing back taxes turns into a pact between them to rectify land holdings. Jodie struggles to reinvent herself on the straight-and-narrow, while Reece keeps tight guard on her expense ledger, nurturing a fragile friendship. Both revered Grandpa Rowdy and his folksy wisdom, but can the remnant forty-acre haven he entrusted to Reece offer a truce for something more?

When a land title is really a loan, it pays to get at the heart of the matter. AMAZON

When Happy Lehman rolls her VW bug over right in front of Kirk Anders’ house, she lands on a novel way to get the building pro’s attention. Quick on her feet to recover, she pitches a partnership plan to match up a construction fundraising idea for her nonprofit clothes closet, The Prosper Portal, with some masculine hammer power. Kirk has a few hesitations of his own—including being scorched by his last goodwill partnership. And those fancy she sheds Happy has in mind for her Flirty Half Dozen aren’t exactly his specialty. Happy’s quest for the ultimate chandelier-topped pink shed may be her undoing, as a misdirected client becomes more than a nuisance. Kirk will have to overcome his impasse to letting the season progress—and get Happy on board for their next joint project—if his heart doesn’t teeter off the back porch railing first.

Springtime can be such a wonderful time to build! AMAZON

~Where touching the ocean somehow touches two hearts~

Ready to escape high-and-dry Kansas, Wynn Yardley arrives too late for the Dreams Come True event, but her request for a trip to the ocean’s edge still falls within foundation director Teague Montgomery’s power to grant. Following his plan to cut expenses, Teague brings Wynn to the Outer Banks at his grandmother’s beachfront timeshare while he stays with an old family friend in Millionaire Row. Wynn’s open-eyed delight of time spent on the shore fills a lonely spot in Teague’s heart. A walk on the pier takes them beyond the ocean’s edge to forge a romantic bond, but a situation at the Mansfield cottage soon challenges their togetherness. Only quick thinking will yield a workable plan, but Wynn feels the pain of being an outsider during the deal.

Is she simply building sandcastles that will wash away?

Or is there hope at the ocean’s edge for something meant to last? AMAZON

Home economics student Annalee Blanchard hastens to get her field practicum in place, but her arrival distracts handsome farmer Turner Sloan, overturning his tractor into a gully which puts her in rescue mode. Compliant and a bit endearing, the farmer agrees to become Client Number Fifteen and seems eager to accept dietary instruction during her weekly sessions. When trouble rears its head with an elderly client, Annalee presses him for compliance using her food deliveries for leverage. Days before graduation for the Class of 1959, a shocking loss in the Home Economics Department throws her schedule into overdrive. The much-desired career opening as a home extension agent dangles just beyond her fingertips, but what will she do about the tender feelings she has for a certain farmer who lives in the opposite direction?

Once the heart-touching seed of love is sown, only a farmer knows how to nurture it to harvest. AMAZON

~Where the town’s Christmas tree becomes a special to-from messenger~
Hospital administrator Rondi Kaye begins her first Kansas Christmas with a giant Douglas fir tree wedged into her front lobby. Having citizens mark gift tags to request acts of kindness, Rondi inserts a little extra heart into Wellington’s traditional celebration. New ambulance driver Layne Pearce lends a different kind of interest to her holiday hubbub, and when he tosses a candy-invitation to her during the parade, a romantic adventure launches. When trouble rides in on the wings of a Christmas Eve ice storm and threatens Rondi’s gift tag wish of “Peace on earth,” it will take nothing short of a miracle to turn this not-so-silent night into a Merry Christmas for all. But Christmas is all about miracles, even when the night is not calm and bright. AMAZON

Colorado rancher Rait Danner hires a restoration expert right out of college and figures he can step back and let her take the lead—until Serena Thornton turns out to be the far side of pretty. Dividing his time between the ranch and Silverdale’s Old Town, Rait finds himself drawn to the perky blonde, though her Bohemian fashion sense rubs him the wrong way. After two sisters traipse down the matrimonial aisle, he can’t seem to recover from the family’s double loss. Trapped on the dance floor with Serena at the bride’s request, she tries to help him work through his dilemma. Taking a deeper look at her upright character might mean ignoring the irritation of her fashionably torn jeans—if only he could stop focusing on the tatters to let love win out.

Cross Creek Church is more than another restoration opportunity,
as Rait finally realizes he’s the one being rebuilt.

Meet the Danner clan of the Rockin’ D Ranch.
Where all six siblings are destined for the altar in
The Cowboy Brides Collection. AMAZON

~A collection of five novellas across the great American landscape~

AMAZON

 

 

 

 

 

~His quest for quality…Her conquest for a trusting heart~

Quality control manager Weston Durand searches out flaws and defects to keep airplanes in top shape, but when a test flight’s propeller makes a collision course with the hangar door, he dashes to save upholsterer Myla Templeton from harm. Upping the group’s aesthetics, blue-eyed Myla attends his Quality Circle meetings for continuous improvement in the workplace, where her brainstorming efforts contribute the first major improvement—a high-grade line of western-style upholstery. Admiration leads to romance when they celebrate success. While other members catch and spread the innovative vision for betterment, the new jet engines on a prototype aircraft become a pesky gadfly. Weston aids safety manager Duncan Reed, making changes in protocol that safeguard against the powerful engine’s accidental ingestion of foreign objects, but sabotage rears its vengeful head, tipping the balance toward harm. Can Myla heed Weston’s cautious warning of “poka-yoke” or is she already too aligned in the saboteur’s crosshairs to avoid error?

Welcome to the false start of the jet age, a touch-and-go maneuver where an errant wrench-in-the-works can topple a vulnerable sky-giant.

Set in Wichita, Kansas, the Air Capital of the World, in spring 1953. AMAZON

~ His quest for safety… Her conquest for love~
Safety manager Duncan Reed works to flush out an illicit labor union tapping out the oil company’s insurance benefits in El Dorado, Kansas. When his path crosses newly widowed Lorna Rae Holmes, their friendship lends her courage to pursue a long-held dream. Lo-Rae Cakes becomes a reality after she moves to prosperous Kansas City. But the harrowing Midwest floods in the summer of 1951 pressure Lorna Rae to evacuate, reuniting her with the compassionate safety manager who has a soft spot for both her cake and her daughter. A cresting flood, a fire held in innocent hands, and a fiendish last attempt by the union leader all threaten to damage the fragile connection between Duncan and Lorna Rae.
Safety must return to the oil fields, but what will Duncan place at ultimate risk? AMAZON

~Embracing progress becomes a matter of the heart~

The Lure of Modernization

Busy with her downtown beautification work, Elina Marshall witnesses near calamity as Lathe Dailey, Flora’s new town manager, rescues a widow and her children from a downburst when the old railroad water tower fails. The Marshall family soon attends the world-famous 1904 St. Louis Exposition, and Lathe is invited along to contract the new waterworks that will modernize their town with running water. Romance leads the way through exotic gardens and a gondola ride, until drama unfolds down The Pike’s rowdy midway. The untimely mishap drives a wedge between Lathe and the chairman of the town council—Elina’s stern father. July 4th ushers in a lot auction to expand the town and pits Elina dead set against Lathe’s top bid.

Orderly-minded, Lathe always has a plan, but can Elina align with it? More than chaos will be “coming down The Pike”
as Missouri determines to go modern with a progressive mindset that always allows room for romance. AMAZON

New in town, Willow Stevens arrives at The Master’s Toolbox hardware store, hoping to get some assistance with a detailed home improvement project. Caught soldering a seam for his latest metal-craft project, Evan Masterson soon becomes interested in another type of bond—right in time for Valentine’s Day. When Willow offers to help with his Etsy page and shares an idea to improve the store’s garden section, how can Mr. Fix-it refuse? Find out why Evan’s toolbox might need a trinket to guard it from here on out.

When romance flutters down on Sweetwater, Kansas, the hardware store marks love’s epicenter! SHORT STORY AMAZON

~ Where natural bridges span the sky to evoke romance below~
Stopping by Landscape Arch after delivering her lavender soap supply to the park’s visitor’s center, Kenzie Drummond rescues a fallen hiker and offers to help walk him out. Pressed with a deadline for his photographs to make the next Canyon Country calendar, Ford Wesley can’t afford any delays. When his knee injury threatens to wreck his schedule, his travel plans merge with Kenzie’s soap delivery route and the two strike out to admire some of Utah’s most stunning scenery together. With romance budding under a cascade, their cozy travelogue-for-two crashes at lavender harvest, complete with sharp machetes and a menacing boss. The heady aroma of essential oils masks the scent of danger for Kenzie, leaving Ford to navigate his loneliness back at the ranch. Like the natural bridges featured in his photos, will he span the distance in time?
From wind-bruised fields of lavender to rain-carved palisades,
Utah boasts a phenomenal sculpted horizon where love can take root and flourish. AMAZON

~Where staying above sea level requires careful alignment~

Indigo Ownley hesitates to aid a motorist in distress along the Great Dismal Swamp, and then cringes when she sees the NBA Tidewater Titans’ star center, Shae Swain. Reprimanded for his ejection from a game, Shae receives a penalty of two hundred community service hours and frantically needs to get started before another December day passes—so he selects Indigo’s nonprofit that mentors promising athletes. A chance encounter with a poster in the mop closet reveals that Indigo is really IOU, a lithe player he shared the court with back in his college days at Old Dominion University. As he delves into the fate of a note of affection spurred by his college crush, his one-sided admiration ignites into something more mutual. Will Indigo enforce the stringent Rule of Verticality on which Latchkey Locker is established—or lean in to meet him halfway?

To successfully navigate the Tidewater region of North Carolina,

it pays to respect the swamp. AMAZON

~Where the heart’s freedom to take wing starts in a cozy roost~

When event coordinator Season Aldridge takes a position in Red Cloud to promote writing at the famed Willa Cather Foundation, her quest to discover the best of Nebraska brings her into a collision course with handsome wildlife outfitter Rance Foreman as their observation blind collapses on the banks of the Platte River. A disruption in the courtship of the flocking sandhill cranes marks the beginning of another kind of allure, but when his group of rowdy hunters crashes her all-ladies writing retreat weeks later, the lodge suddenly teems with contrasting characters. Adverse weather blankets the setting and cooperation becomes a must. The writing group’s cleverly turned colliding word pairings offer entertainment during their joint survival effort. Private strategy sessions in a cozy pantry with Rance kindle a spark, leaving Season under a “romantic ransom” of unavoidable proportions.

With a flame lit despite Rance’s no-touch house rule, more than one captive may hope the firewood doesn’t run out. Though Season finds her “reckless restraint” melting, their cooperative survival could be an answer to prayer. Whether ransom or rescue, the retreat turns bittersweet for two willing hearts. AMAZON

~A new destiny floats ashore on an island swept by love~

Visionary Remi Fontaine arrives for his summer job as distinguished visiting professor at a coastal university in North Carolina, hiding his faltering allegiance to his family’s legacy as pioneering oceanographers. As his faculty contact, graduate coordinator Nia Parnell introduces him to little-known natural gems along the coastline as they co-teach a summer session course. Remi’s growing affection for all things terrestrial mingles with his attraction for Nia, until a diving malady strikes and forces him to contemplate a major redirection. Launching a new focus for the underwater society at the summer’s end may force Remi to leave Nia high and dry—or can they explore the new horizon together?

When a heritage must be reimagined, the letting go frees a heart to love.

After all, every man must dare to leave his own footprints in the sand.

A novella in the John Denver 20th Anniversary Collection

Based on his tribute song “Calypso” AMAZON

~ A little artistic persuasion thaws even the most rough-hewn heart~

Set on collecting rocks to stack her next waterfall, artsy entrepreneur Bibi Harrison doesn’t see the bobcat lurking in the meadow until too late. Young rancher Lodge Reddeck fires a shot in the nick of time, and soon ends up with a beautiful woman in his arms. Reclusive due to an unresolved brush with the law, Lodge hesitates to offer her a load of fieldstones to make amends. As they work side by side on the planning committee for a business expo in Council Grove, Kansas, an unlikely attraction begins to kindle. Driven to hunt down a local woman gone missing, Bibi hopes to unshackle Lodge’s cold heart, and her godly determination soon has an unexpected rippling effect in the caring community.

Bibi’s challenge to leave a mark on the landscape forces Lodge to view his ranching heritage in a whole new light, but will his reluctant heart thaw out in time? AMAZON

~Where love salvages two hearts on the ledge of loneliness~

Delayne Davidson has a knack for flushing secretive birds from their cover, but when she goes into the Ozark backwoods to buy a puppy, she flushes out a handsome young veterinarian as a bonus. Try as he might, Kemp Junkowski just can’t seem to gain business at his fledgling animal clinic in Harrison, Arkansas, park headquarters for the picturesque Buffalo National River. As they bond over a mutual love of animals and time spent on the river, Delayne suggests inventive ways to strengthen his business ties. When evidence of vehicle tampering unfolds right in the department’s motor pool, trouble starts showing up in unexpected places. Kemp tastes success while subbing for an ailing vet at a non-stop animal clinic, so how can he return to an empty appointment schedule?

Delayne helps Kemp step beyond his fear of ledges, but can she come up with a strategy to keep his clinic doors open?

Trepidation may toe the ledge, but true love only lands after a leap of faith.

~Because when you’re on the ledge of desperation, the only lifeline is love~ AMAZON

~Where only the bond of love can make redemption possible~ Lacey Woodhouse arrives at River Ranch to deliver the bank’s notice of default for unmade mortgage payments but plunges into a horse trough and meets the struggling owner, rancher Wray Benson, up close and personal. When a bouquet of field daisies finds its way to her car windshield weeks later, she decides to throw caution—and conflict of interest—to the wind. Time in the country charms Lacey and she learns of Wray’s support of an ailing niece which softens her heart. Soon deconstruction of his perimeter fence during the foreclosure countdown hints of trouble within her REO unit at the bank. An investigation launches with Lacey at the helm, but she has problems navigating the sole condition mandated by the bank president—she can’t see Wray until the foreclosure process concludes. Committed to staying the course, she pins the guilty conspirators and offers a secret deal on the foreclosure in the nick of time. But will Lacey be able to reach out to downtrodden Wray and reconnect heart-to-heart? A troubled river runs through the flower-strewn meadow of their relationship, one that the redemptive river of love must overcome. AMAZON

~In Mount Hope, Kansas, the power to heal grows in a bedraggled flower garden~

Rellie Lassiter arrives in Mount Hope for her Aunt Mo’s knee surgery and discovers an unkempt flower garden out back, perfect for healing her big-city woes. Rancher Trevor Garner shares the driveway to Mo’s farm, but sure doesn’t welcome any feminine company—pretty or otherwise. When he tries to bush hog the floral evidence of love-turned-tragic, Rellie turns a bruised back to his advancing tractor and takes a stand to spare the bloom-tousled garden. In this battle of bruised versus bitter, it will take hail-fire and brimstone to help them see eye to eye. Count on the tempestuous Kansas weather to avail the perfect opportunity, and cap it with a touch of divine resolution from Rellie’s roadside flower stand.

Journey to Mount Hope, Kansas, where secondhand doesn’t mean second best. AMAZON

~Where healing love can lend the power to save~
Nurse Cami Walsh meets an interesting man the hard way when she sideswipes cyclist Holt Ellis on his way down Lookout Mountain. Holt survives the collision with shredded hopes of improving his dire state of unemployment, but Cami’s tender touch revives the man he longs to be. Cami’s son Mitch insists on substituting for Bicycle Man, a local hero who’s mysteriously gone missing, but she questions how Holt happens to know the delivery route for food distribution to the area’s homeless. When a once-in-a-lifetime job opening emerges for Holt, Cami slips a newspaper clipping into his resume package that links his marketing genius to his anonymous community service. With her dark paternity secret finally disclosed for justice, Cami finds herself plunged into a battle to regain Mitch after he’s abducted by his birth father.
Will saving Bicycle Man be enough of a back-up plan to restore her little family?
Only a bridge of community support can break the threat of the brooding mountains
that hem her in—and only love can conquer fear. AMAZON

~Where honest advocacy justifies an investment of the heart~

Marin Evans finagles her way into a rowboat with a temperamental sound-side resident who’s about to have his salty heritage crumble beneath him on the Outer Banks. Tyde Fearing lowers his guard to give the insistent land use planner her interview, but doesn’t expect to enjoy her company as the threat of condemnation for the historic Fearing cottage makes his future seem bleak. Marin goes into advocacy mode when the historical society and recreation department clash for use of the Fearing land donation. An outbuilding with a shadowy past stands to further condemn the Fearing family—or will the shed become a plank of justification when the truth is revealed? All hope falls to ashes when the Fearing cottage is taken by an act of nature, plunging Tyde into despair. Marin’s land use plan is the only life raft that will save him—and she employs a flotilla of creative reinforcements to pull it off at the grand opening of Fearing Landing.

Will the shifting sands of the Graveyard of the Atlantic sink its last authentic waterman? AMAZON

~ Where taking the higher road can sanctify the journey~

Paisley St. James discovers Brace Cordan, the charismatic leader of the Re-Occupy movement, has been left behind to fend for himself at the wildlife park where she works in Pawnee Rock, Kansas. Sympathetic to include him in the community, she gives him a job tending the lorikeets, where he devises a gymnastics act that covers him with avian attention. When Brace lends his marketing expertise to increase daily attendance and passes romantic glances her way, small town living starts looking up. Betrayal strikes the park, leaving a tag-team staff shored up by nomadic Re-Occupy members to run the Shakespeare event. An unbelievable offer emerges from the show when the post of a wacky performance goes viral on social media, but Brace allows his financial burden to overshadow any hope for her inclusion.

Paisley will have to utter the words no woman should have to say, but will that sacrifice be enough to convince Brace? The path ahead becomes the higher road when it starts on a towering rock. AMAZON

~Where the right heart connection can lift the heavy spirit~

Stationed at the locks leading to Lake Okeechobee, Florida, Fallon McKenzie admires the heroic rescue of a disabled boater as the lock rises with floodwater. In the right place at the right time, Bait Crate shop owner Court Reynolds offers to take Fallon around to her lake checkpoints after the surplus boat is docked, which leads to a sunset dinner invitation. Court’s lifelong ties in his coastal community of Port Salerno start to fray with one neglect-driven catastrophe after another. Fallon lures Court inland with the suggestion of expanding business to include corporate fishing frolics at her horse ranch in Loxahatchee. Despite promising success, a deep wound cuts at the family’s wellness. Fallon seizes the moment to save Court, but trouble in uniform lurks ahead, right when her guard is down.

Fallon’s love lifts Court with her lyrical boatman’s renderings,

but can he rally to play the hero’s part one more time?

A lake lends tranquility only when the heart can be lifted up above the mounting floodwaters.

Book Five in the series

Landscapes of Mercy

~Because when you’re on the ledge of desperation, the only lifeline is love~AMAZON

A 3-in-1 Novella Collection
Three couples meet during the rush of Christmas countdown…
…and prove it’s a holiday of the heart. AMAZON

 

 

 

 

 Outfitter Tinsley Graham is hiding something remarkable in the vast expanse where Shark Slough drains the southern tip of Florida to form the Everglades. Videographer Rand Melton shows up to film the annual eradication of the evasive predator bent on demolishing the park’s native fauna. Paired to capture the python challenge as it unfolds, Tinsley has two weeks to trust him with her secret—and her heart. Together they’ll bring a winged gift back to the American public, but is their entanglement the kind that lasts? Everglades National Park, where the balance of water and land can make the difference between endangered or entangled. Never count love as the limiting factor. AMAZON

Amid the record heat of August 1955, artist Kathleen Litton comes to Mesa Verde to restore the pictographs left in cliff dwellings by the ancient Anasazi people. Plagued by a contaminated seep at beloved Balcony House, geologist Miles McShane has to match wits with an unknown threat to protect the nation’s antiquities. Kat’s colorful charm softens his heart, yet her commitment to excellence leaves her vulnerable to the danger of deception. The unyielding heat of late summer places the entire park on a crumbling edge as recurring trouble strikes Miles’ last nerve.
Ropes and ladders lead to their precarious cliff-side rendezvous but will the two abandon the romance like the Anasazi left the mesa?
Love tucks into unlikely places, rock solid and always meant to last. AMAZON

SOUTHWEST SALAD – A Family Favorite

5-6 cups Romaine or mixed salad greens, chopped

1cup Black Beans, rinsed and drained

¼ cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped

1 medium Tomato, diced

½ medium Red Onion, diced

1 Banana Pepper or Jalapeno, seeded and finely diced

1 Avocado, pitted, peeled and diced

1-2 Tbsp Lime Juice (Optional)

2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

½ Tsp Ground Cumin

1-2 Tbsp Honey, to taste

In large salad bowl, mix greens, beans, cilantro, tomato, red onion, pepper and avocado.

Shake together lime juice, vinegar, oil, cumin and honey. Pour over salad mixture and toss gently. Serve immediately as side dish or wrap in tortilla shell with meat for a stuffed burrito.

Makes 8 (1-cup) servings.

 

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