CHARACTER TALK TUESDAY-LUKE WALKER

How long have you lived in Peakview?

All my life. That would be 24 years. I grew up on the Walker Ranch, with my parents, Jeff and Susan Walker and my older brother, Matt. What a place to grow up. My earliest playmates were horses and cows. You could say ranching is in my blood. Unfortunately, Mom died of cancer when I was just twelve. Dad did a pretty darn good job of being a single parent. Although his cooking skills took some practice. I credit Violet for keeping us alive those first few months.

I hear you meet your wife, Penny, in kindergarten. Was it love at first sight?

Not exactly. We were always friends. Her parents own the ranch right next door to ours. It wasn’t until Mom passed that we became more. She was just there for me, got me. I don’t think I’d have made it through that time without her. After that, we became an item–dated all the way through high school. But my dream was always to stay on the ranch, raise quarter horses with Dad, and Penny wanted out. She dreamed of big cities. We broke up when she went off to college in Chicago. I hardly saw her for four years. And then she was back. She found a job at Peak Adventure Camp and the rest is history. I never really stopped loving her.

Tell us about your son.

Bronco. He’s the best. He’s four months old now. He already loves horses. Being a dad is the hardest and best thing I’ve ever done. Every day he does something new. I hope he grows up to love the land as much as Dad and I do. Penny is a great mom. I knew she would be.

Tell us something we don’t know about you.

I’m an introvert. I was the football star in high school, ran with the popular crowd. Everyone viewed me as outgoing. Really inside,  I hate crowds. I’m more comfortable around horses than people. Give me a nice evening at home with my wife and son, that’s heaven for me.

CHARACTER TALK TUESDAY-MARISSA DALTON

What’s your name and how old are you?

My name is Marissa, and I’m ten years old. I live on the Dalton Ranch outside of Peakview.

Have you lived here your whole life?

Nope. First I lived with my mom and Grammie in Denver. Then Mom couldn’t take care of me anymore so I just lived with Grammie. But she got sick and couldn’t take care of me, so I had to go live in an awful foster home. The other kids were mean to me. That’s when I got to come to Peak Adventure Camp. I loved it there, and I learned to ride horses. I met my best friend, Penny, and her boyfriend, Luke. I guess Penny told her friend, Melanie about me, and Melanie said she’d be my new foster mom. I was so excited when I ‘rived in Peakview. I got a new mom and a sister, but Mom started dating Hank, and I thought she’d run off with him and leave me like my real mom did. I was scared. But you know what? They didn’t run off, Hank lobed me too, and asked all of us to be his family. Hank is  a cowboy, and cowboys don’t lie. Now I have my own dog Scruffy, and my own horse and we live in a big, beautiful house. They’re going to ‘dopt me and keep me forever.

It sounds like you like it here.

I love it. I have my fambly and all kinds of grandparents. Penny just had a baby, and Mom is going to have a baby brother for me. I got lucky, some foster kids don’t. That makes me sad.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I think I might like to be a horse trainer, or a dog trainer. I love animals. Or maybe I’ll be  a social worker and find homes for kids like me. That would be good.

Enter to win Cowboy romance

Have you seen this awesome giveaway from BookSweeps
You can win my book, Colorado Wranger, plus books from authors like Shirleen Davies and Ruth Logan Herne,and a brand new eReader PLUS you get FREE
ebooks just for entering. This giveaway ends soon, so make sure you hurry and enter! Good luck! Join the fun here!
http://bit.ly/cowboys-march2018
When you’re done, tell me which books you’re most excited to win!

Image may contain: 5 people, people smiling

CHARACTER TALK TUESDAY-HOWARD CRANDALL

Welcome, tell us about yourself.

My name is Howard, my wife, Violet, told me I had to do this interview. What do you want to know?

What do you do in Peakview and how long have you lived here?

I’ve been here almost 40 years. I was in my twenties, when I happened upon this town. Never left. I’d worked a mechanic, so I was able to purchase the gas station and shop cheap from the estate of a man who had run it many years before. I love it here. You asked what I do. Besides running the garage, I own some cabins down by Apple Creek that I rent out in the summer, I plow and tow folks out of jams, and I’m kind of the unofficial mayor of this place. Someone’s got to make sure the town functions.

Tell us about your family.

There’s Violet, of course. My beautiful bride, We’ve been married a couple years now. Known her for over thirty. Stan, her deceased husband, was my best friend for years. After he passed, I watched out for her. You know, it’s what friends do. Somehow, it gradually become more than a friendship. I still don’t see what she sees in an old cout like me, but I’m glad she gave me a chance. That same year, I met my daughter, Melanie and my granddaughter, Sophie for the first time. I didn’t even know they existed, now I can’t imagine life without them. And now there’s Melanie’s husband Hank and their daughter, Marissa. My life is full.

What do you like best about living in Peakview?

Aside, from it being far from any big city or civilization, I like how everyone looks out for each other. We’re one big family here. No one goes without help. I credit my wife for much of that, she’s the glue that holds this town together.

Tell us one thing most people don’t know about Howard Crandall.

Let’s see. I used to be quite the dancer in my younger days. I could really cut a rug. I may appear clumsy, but I’m pretty limber as long as my arthritis doesn’t flare up. Violet loves it when I take her dancing. We don’t get to do that near often enough.

Any last words.

If you’re ever in north central Colorado, stop on by and check out our tiny town. Who knows, you might never want to leave.

 

Character Talk Tuesday-June Walker

Good morning and welcome. I hear you are a relatively new resident to Peakview. How do you end up in this little town?

That’s right. I’ve only been here about two and a half years. Actually, coming to Peakview was totally unintentional on my part. After Alexis, my youngest, left for college, I decided to take a roadtrip from my former home in Ohio to visit my son and granddaughters in San Diego. The Colorado Mountains were so breath-taking that I decided to take some back roads. That’s when my car broke down along Apple Creek Road. Lucky for me, my now step-son, Luke, happened along and rescued me. He graciously invited me to Walker Ranch while Howard worked on my car. The rest is fate. I met Jeff and fell in love. I sometimes wonder if Luke planned it that way.

What do you think of the community?

Honestly, it’s the best place on Earth. I don’t think you’ll find friendlier folks anywhere. They’ve accepted me as one of their own. I’ve made some great friends here. And Violet’s cafĂ©. Let just say it’s the center of this community. Violet doesn’t miss a thing, and she has a heart of gold.

Tell us about your family.

I have three children. My oldest, Paul and his wife Cindy life in San Diego with my three adorable grandchildren. My middle child, Mary, is a world traveler. I hope to get her out here for a visit again soon. Then there’s Alexis, she’s in college at LSU. And, of course, my step-sons, Matthew and Luke. Matthew is a CPA down in Denver, and Luke lives on the ranch with his wife, Penny, and their new baby boy, Bronco. Honestly, he’s the cutest baby I’ve ever seen. We’re so lucky that they live so close to us.

Tell us something we might be surprised to know about you.

I’ve always been an amateur artist. Since moving to the ranch, I’ve taken up water color. You can find me on a nice afternoon, out in one of our pastures, painting scenery or horses. I’m not very good, but it’s fun. Jeff has even humored me by hanging a couple of my paintings in his office. I have the best husband.

Character Talk Tuesday-Violet Crandall

Today I have the pleasure of talking to Peakview’s very own, Violet Crandall. Introduce yourself to us.

Hi! My name is Violet and I am the owner of Violet’s CafĂ©. The cafĂ© is the center of our small town of around 150 full time residents.

How Long have you owned and run the café?

Goodness, for almost 40 years now. My former husband, Stan, rest his soul,  and I came to Peakview right after college and opened this place. The rest is history. Sadly, I lost Stan ten years ago, but I’ve continued on with the restaurant he loved. And now, of course, I have my Howard. God has blessed me twice.

What can you tell us about Peakview?

We’ve got the friendliest people you’ll ever meet. We’re really just one big family. Not a soul here who won’t help out his neighbor. I love helping people. In fact, I’m known as quite the matchmaker. I can spot a connection from a mile away. Most of the folks here have me to thank for their happy relationships. Frankly, I don’t know what they’d do without me. This place would probably shrivel up and die, but instead the town is growing. I might add that many of the new babies we have here, would never have been conceived without a little nudge from me. Have you seen that little Bronco Walker? What a cute child.

Any thoughts about retiring?

Heavens no. I don’t want to just sit around and play bridge all day. Howard suggested we might want to look into heading south for the winters. I told him I’m not that old yet. This old girl has a lot of good years left in her. I’ll be around for a while.

Thank you for being my guest today, any final thoughts you want to leave us with?

If you find yourself in Peakview County, please stop by the cafĂ© and say hello. There’s a good chance some of your favorite characters will be hanging out. It’s a special place. Oh, and if you want to know anything that’s going on in Peakview, leave a comment below and I’ll answer all your questions. Nothing gets by me. 

Release Day

Hi everyone. Book 8 in my Peaview Series, Colorado Sunrise, is now available at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07828MFF1 If you’re looking for a fun contemporary romance just in time for Christmas, this is the book for you.

Forty-three year old, Kelly Charm, feels her life slipping away in Prairie, Nebraska. A single mom, she longs for a better life for herself and her teenage son, Ethan. Having scoured online job ads for months, she finally finds an ad for a hardware store manager in picturesque Peakview, Colorado and decides to take a chance.

Forty-six year old, Jake Midnight, is Peakview County’s most beloved EMT. He’s the best at what he does—professionally, that is. After a failed marriage, which ended over twenty years ago, he’s put his personal life on hold. He’s content to live alone. That is if you don’t count his three horses, two dogs, five cats, and two pigmy goats.

 When the unfamiliar high altitude of the Colorado Rockies causes Ethan to have an asthma attack, Jake is quick to jump to the conclusion that Kelly is an irresponsible parent. Kelly is furious at the arrogance of this man who know nothing about her or her son. Sparks fly, but there’s no denying the underlying attraction that sizzles between them. The warmth of the holiday season has been known to melt hearts, even one’s which have been closed for years.

 Come home to Peakview, Colorado where everyone has the chance at love.Golden Sunrise Front Cover (422x640)

 

Free Christmas Novella

The air has turned cooler even here in East Texas. I’m looking forward to Thanksgiving in a couple of weeks, and starting to get in the Christmas spirit. Only 45 more shopping days until Christmas, and the Hallmark Christmas movies are in full swing 🙂

In the spirit of the season, for the next five days, my Christmas novella, Colorado Cowboy Christmas, is available for free at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MFD0T97

Cynthia Welch has made a name for herself as one of Chicago’s top divorce attorneys at the expense of her personal life. Burnt out, she heads to Peaktop Guest Ranch for a couple of months of solitude over the holidays. AJ Coulter, a cowboy from Wyoming, has been a loner and a drifter ever since his divorce and his teenage daughters leaving for college. He finds a temporary job at Peaktop Ranch as the head wrangler.When their paths cross, Cynthia begins to question her life in Chicago, and AJ struggles to find a way to keep her in Colorado.Can the spirit of Christmas bring these two people from very different worlds together and help them find their way to true love? This Christmas, come home to Peakview, Colorado where everyone has a chance at love.CCC cover front