Review, Interview and Giveaway - Wyoming Heather by DeAnn Smallwood

Wyoming Heather

by DeAnn Smallwood 

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BLURB: 

Heather is a spirited, independent woman living alone on a ranch left to her by her parents. She is also a healer of animals, domestic and wild. A woman doing a man's work, running a ranch that everyone said couldn't be done, not in this untamed, vastly unsettled land, in the mid 1800's. The ranch had everything she needed except water. She stole that from a neighboring abandoned ranch watched over by a lonely cabin and a grave. 

He rode alone, coming back after five years to an empty cabin, a run-down ranch, and a grave on a hill. A former Texas Ranger burnt out on life and afraid to love. Whip had spent five years hunting the man that took his wife's life and left him to die. 

Whip and Heather meet in an explosive moment on the banks of the Powder River. Both lonely, both drawn to one another, and both stubbornly fighting the attraction. 

Whip vowed he would take up his dream abandoned five years ago and make his beloved ranch profit and to put aside the sweet linger of all memories shared by him and his wife. The ranch would be a jealous mistress occupying his every thought and every minute. He had no time or desire for a woman much less a pair of runaways from The Orphan Train, stowaways in Whip’s wagon and onto the Powder River Ranch. 

But fate heeds no one or no thing. The criminal from Whip’s past reemerges in the present. Now, Heather is in danger and Whip stand, once again on the cusp of loss. Fate shows a strong, willful woman, full of love and compassion, just what she’s been missing in her life. And it shows a calloused Texas Ranger that Heather and love does flourish on the Wyoming plains. 

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Short Excerpt: 

Her mouth was dry, her clothes filthy. She was wearing not only the dust of the land, but hair and blood from the calves she’d spent the morning branding. Hair, blood, and dust. 

Some perfume, she thought with disdain. I’m a real lady. 

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Buy Link:  Amazon

 

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Review:

Heather is a young rancher, a single woman, beautiful but tough who runs her ranch, the Circle C, as well as any man in frontier Wyoming. Whip is a widower who returns home to his ranch, which borders the Circle C. Now an inactive Texas Ranger, Whip has been away for five years in a fruitless search for his wife's killer. He and Heather meet when he discovers she has been routing water from the waterway on his land to hers so she can take care of her stock. There are fireworks the minute the two meet but this develops into a deep friendship, which the reader longs to lead to a lasting love. There are plenty of characters and sub stories, which set in early Wyoming, sweeps the imagination of the reader away to a time long past. I truly enjoyed this book and will look to purchasing it in hard cover for my library. ~ JoEllen

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Let's Learn a Little About DeAnn Smallwood:

My writing environment is an extra bedroom that I’ve made into my office and, I might add, my haven. I love this room. At this moment, the sun is shining through one of the windows, and it fools you into thinking it’s warmer than the 24 degrees outside. It got down to 15 degrees last night. Cold Colorado! I have two desks, one that is a computer desk, and the other an antique desk with spindle legs. I refinished it last summer, but it needs another coat of polish. It’s beautiful and I love spreading out papers and research books on it. Most of my wall space is taken up with bookcases. I’m an avid reader and have to surround myself with books. Any blank space on the wall has pictures of wolves. Black wolves, white wolves, wolf babies, wolves howling at the moon, you name it. I have this thing about wolves.

Who is my perfect hero and why? Hmmm, I think its Reacher. He’s the hero in Lee Child’s books. He’s strong, self-contained, take charge, brilliant, patriotic, good lover, deep, good looking, a loner, sexy, has an analytical mind, commands respect, etc., etc. Did I mention good lover and sexy? ‘Course I’m real fond of Whip in my book Wyoming Heather. He’s a wee bit laid back, a tease, very handsome, sexy, strong, cute drawl, and a take charge type of guy.

Which authors have caught my interest lately and why? I’ve just started reading books by Richard Paul Evans. A friend introduced me to his books and they really are great. He seems to have a way to say profound things and make them easy to understand and accept. He makes me think. I have to say, though, my romance writers have a solid spot in my heart. I enjoy Nora Roberts, LaVyrle Spenser, Debby Macomber, Jodi Picoult, and that author, DeAnn Smallwood. (wink) There are a lot of authors at SoulMate Publishing that have some dynamite books out.

The type of book I have always wanted to write are the two types I’m writing now…romance and suspense/thrillers. I love writing my romances. They flow easily from my fingers and make me smile inside. However, the suspense/thrillers that I write under the pen name of D.M. Woods, really make me think outside the box. I call this my ‘death’ series. The first one, Death Crosses The Finish Line, is out now and available at Amazon.com and SoulMate Publishing, both ebook and paperback. The second in this series, Death Is A Habit, will be out January 8^th, I’m so excited. It’s available ebook at Amazon.com and SoulMate. Of course, there is romance between the two main characters. I’d love to hear what my readers think about these books. Heck, I feel that way about any of my books. I can live days, weeks, months, on a good compliment.

The last movie I watched and loved was Saving Mr. Banks. The story was sweet and well done and Tom Hanks lived the part. I so enjoyed Mary Poppins so of course this story appealed to me. Also the fact that my husband who hasn’t wanted to see a movie for the last twelve years went with me helped.

Top three things on my bucket list? Hmmm. Okay, here goes. I’d like to see my book Montana Star made into a Hallmark movie. So number one would be to have it or one of my books reach that goal. Number two on my list, I’d like to travel to Rome and see Pope Francis. He’s a dynamic man and I’d feel blessed to see him. Number three, I’d like to tour the Civil War states and battlefields. I want to write a book about the Civil War and it would definitely be a romance. This was a sad and compelling time period and the men and women that lived then are larger than life to me.

I got the idea for Wyoming Heather from observing my granddaughter’s love and healing care of animals. Her name is Heather. And I’m drawn to the western states of Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado, having lived in all three. My family homesteaded Colorado and my grandmother was a midwife and healer. I have a medical background, so I like to research and throw in something of that nature. Long before I wrote Wyoming Heather I came across an old veterinary book in a used bookstore. When I read the cures and smiled over the outdated names and diagnoses, I promised myself that someday I’d write a book and use that information. Wyoming Heather took root in my mind and finally came to fruition.

My favorite scene in my release? Just one? I’ve got several. I really like Whip and Heather’s first meeting on the bank of the Powder River. I like the one where he’s leaning against her porch wall watching her drag home a calf she’d had to put down. I loved the one, and my husband laughed aloud at it, where Whip comes home from a trip to town and unloads his wagon…nope, can’t go there or I’d give away a real special part of the book. You’ll recognize this scene when you read the book. I like the ending because I love Whip’s drawl and favorite response when Heather has managed to once again overwhelm him. His, “Well now, Heather.” I can just hear him.

My idea of a perfect date would be, camping in my Scamp trailer. Parked in front of a lake, stretched out in a chaise lawnchair, a glass of White Zinfadel or a cup of campfire brewed coffee in my hand, golden silence around us, my two Yorkies curled up in their little camp chairs, and my man smiling over at me as he takes my hand in his.

Where would I take a romantic trip? Wow! These questions are really making me think and dig deep. Hawaii. I’ve been there twice, but this time I’d like to get away to one of the smaller islands. I love the gentle breezes, the warmth, the sand, the birds, and the whole ambiance. Once you step off the plane, Hawaii beckons with a subtle, romantic call. It’s made for lovers and for us old marrieds.

Thank you so much for interviewing me. I hope I’ve given you some insight into the person I am. Some days I’m not sure who that is as I tend to become the heroine in my books. I loved writing Wyoming Heather. But I have loved each book I’ve written for each one speaks a different and unique story.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links: 

 I live in Colorado with my husband and my two Yorkie kid dogs: Stormy, four pounds, and Eli, six pounds. I’m a native of Colorado, but I lived several years in Wyoming and Montana.  I draw from these beautiful states for much of my material. My historical romances are: Montana Star, Sapphire Blue, Unconquerable Callie, and Wyoming Heather.  Tears In The Wind is a contemporary romance. Then I changed genres from my beloved romances and wrote, under the pen name of D. M. Woods, my first suspense/thriller: Death Crosses The Finish Line. The second book in this ‘death’ series, Death Is A Habit, will be out later this year. Truly, I mean it when I say my greatest pleasure next to writing is having my books read and enjoyed. There are many more stories just waiting to be written and enjoyed.

 

Author Links:     facebook  website 

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Giveaway:

DeAnn will be awarding a $25 BN gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.  The more you comment, the better your chances of winning!

Follow the tour HERE