It has been a wild ride through the lives of the McQuaids and the Colorado Cowboys series.
Take one reformed bad boy, a baby he did not know about and a compassionate midwife and Dylan is determined to do the right thing: Marry Catherine, whom he thinks is the girl he left in Chicago. Catherine accepts because she is running from false accusations.
Dylan is repentant and wants to follow the will of God. As sheriff, he has a wise and godly deputy, Stu: “When we do what is right, then we can trust the good Lord for the outcome.”
Catherine is an experienced but young midwife and proves herself worthy in this marriage of convenience story. But love naturally follows as does danger. Cue the McQuaid brothers to help with villains and cattle rustlers.
“When a McQuaid man loves a woman, there is no going back. It’s fast, furious, and forever.”
Ms. Hedlund has penned an exciting and adventurous tale with relatable characters and moral lessons in a winsome story.
A fitting conclusion to a fantastic series. *I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House on behalf of the author. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*4 stars and a solid faith thread
BackCover Blurb: With danger drawing ever closer, their only hope of saving their futures lies in each other.
As a midwife, Catherine Remington is successful in bringing new life into the world, but she's failed one too many times in finding true love. When she's accused of a murder she didn't commit, she's forced to flee to Colorado to honor a patient's dying wish by delivering a newborn infant to his father.
The repentant prodigal Dylan McQuaid is finally back in Fairplay. As sheriff, he's doing his best to prove to the town he's a changed man and worthy of their trust. When a woman shows up with an infant son he didn't know he had, Dylan is left with only complicated choices on what to do next.
Having grown attached to Dylan's son, Catherine doesn't want to part ways with the infant, but what she doesn't bargain for is how easily she'll fall for the charming sheriff, or how quickly the past will catch up with her and put their love and lives in danger.
Bethany House Publishing, February, 2023
Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook:
TRIXI'S REVIEW: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. ~Proverbs 16:9”
An old antique shop in desperate need of restoration and a journal make up this story of a hundred-year old mystery that historian Abigail Prescott simply can't resist trying to solve. With the help of her childhood friend Benjamin Greene, these two embark on a journey of discovery, intrigue, a little suspense, and learning that perhaps God really does have their future firmly in His hands!
I've often day-dreamed of buying an old run down house to restore and finding a diary or old letters behind a wall and wondering about the people who wrote them and the kind of life they lived. I think I would have a lot of fun trying to solve that mystery! This is what The Glass Cottage is about, solving a hundred-year old mystery of who Iris is in the journal Abigail finds. Giving voice to a mysterious person is what drives her to discover all she can and I so admired her passion and motivation! Watching a long-term friendship develop into something more with Ben was of particular delight to me. They have so much history between them that it sparked a surprising romance and great teamwork as they worked side by side.
I think I fell in love with everything about this story; the small-town feel, the characters that made this up, going along with Abigail and Ben as they hunted out more clues and even Iris as I got to know her through the journal she penned. The author really brought this story to life in all the little details that made me want to turn the pages. The ending was surprising and just tied the whole story together so perfectly in my mind. I also appreciated the faith thread Alyssa included and how it played out in Abigail and Ben's life. They both overcame some fears they had held on to for far too long and it also helped remind me of some truths in my own life.
If you love discovering debut authors and reading a book to get lost in, consider picking up a copy of The Glass Cottage for yourself. I don't think you will be disappointed! *I received a complimentary copy from the author and was not obligated to leave a favorable review. All opinions expressed here are my own. * NICOLE'S REVIEW: “It was time to trust Him with it all, not just with the blessings, but with the heartbreak as well.”
With being so busy in my everyday life, I’m often hesitant to read books by debut authors since I don’t know if their writing style is my cup of tea. However, after reading the blurb of The Glass Cottage, it sounded exactly like something I would enjoy…a dual timeline novel focusing on the mystery behind a journal discovered from the 1800s along with a romantic thread of former childhood friends in the contemporary storyline. I am so glad I took a chance on a debut author because now I have another author to add to my must-read list.
A swoony hero, fun banter, and of course the romance…everything I look for in my inspirational fiction. The spiritual messages throughout the book were exactly what I needed and were so beautifully incorporated into the storyline. And the best part is…this is the first book in a series! I can’t wait to read more of the Prescott family adventures.
The Glass Cottage is highly recommended for readers of dual timeline novels, contemporary romance, and historical fiction. If you’ve read any books by Amanda Cox, I think this book has a similar writing style that readers will appreciate. *I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine. I enjoyed The Glass Cottage so much that I also purchased a paperback copy for my keeper shelf. PAULA'S REVIEW: This debut, dual time story captured my interest from the first page as Iris is running for her life in a snowy landscape. The author uses a diary from 1883 that is found in an attic of an old antique store to connect the two time periods. Abigail Prescott and her Aunt Josie are fixing up a Victorian house to re-open an antique shop. Abby finds an old journal and she cannot help but wonder who the owner was. Ben Greene, a childhood friend, is helping paint and repair the shop. As they re-connect, Abby and Ben find more than childhood memories to build a relationship on. In their search for answers to the owner of the journal, Abby realizes that she has no control over the past and little over the future. Only God can lead her. “We know the One who holds everything together. You can trust Him to hold you together, too.”
So many interesting things to learn about the Colorado mountains and early mining. Some spiritual parallels are shown about how gems are made through heat and pressure under the surface of the earth.. “As God refines us through the fire of our afflictions, He is turning us into something new, something that can reflect His brilliance like a diamond reflects the sun.” *I received a complimentary ebook from the author. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.* Four stars and a solid faith thread.
BackCover Blurb:
A Prescott Family Romance, Book #1 Could a nineteenth-century diary be the answer to Abigail’s prayers?
Iris wanted nothing more than to live her own adventure. But on the tails of the Colorado gold rush, a certain discovery could upend her world before it’s even begun.
Over a hundred years later, Abigail Prescott returns to the sleepy mountain town she once called home to help her great Aunt Josie restore the old antique shop, The Glass Cottage. Looking for peace and God’s direction for her life, the last thing she expected to encounter was a ghost from her past—Benjamin Greene—her childhood best friend. The boy who got away. Is this just a coincidence, or could it be the start of something greater?
Together, Ben and Abigail work to fix up the shop and stumble upon an old journal. With more questions than answers, Abigail embarks on a journey of self-discovery to track down the mysterious Iris, but the truth is not always what it seems. In this tale of friendship, love lost, and love found, Abigail must decide for herself: Is every story worth saving, and if so, at what cost?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Contemporary romance author Alyssa Schwarz is a graduate of the Colorado School of Mines with a Master's in Geology & Geological Engineering. She also works as a professional watercolor artist along the Colorado Front Range and is a member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). Alyssa's debut novel, The Glass Cottage, is set in the Colorado mountains, and is scheduled to release later this year. You can find her online at www.alyssaschwarzauthor.com.
“God had given him a chance to fix an old mistake. One way or another he was going to make up as much of that error as he could.~pg 22”
Isaiah is raising his niece and nephew after the tragic death of his brother and his sister-in-law. He's also of native American heritage breeding some of the best Appaloosa horses around. Char moves to town following her two sisters at the bequest of her uncles will and to try to save a business going under due to her late father's foolish decisions. Already positive changes are happening and it seems business on the ranch is beginning to thrive once again. When a group of abandoned and neglected horses are found and Char insists on saving them, it opens old wounds and sheds light on family secrets. Will Isaiah have strength enough to face them head-on in order for healing to come?
Ruth Logan Herne writes some of the best family themed books around! I love the diversity she incorporates with each story. Her spiritual wisdom and practical advice come out in the form of her character Corrie, who raised the sisters after tragedy struck when they were but children. She's the glue that binds this make-shift family together! I think she has to be my favorite character of this series.
“Did you ever wonder why when things go well, we call it coincidence, but when things go bad, folks blame God? God brought us here child. All of us. Through the generosity of your uncle, yes, but it wasn't an accident. It was a blessing.~pg 97 and 98” “Healing the Cowboy's Heart” is heartwarming and emotional. Herne fills it with family drama, faith that fuels strength to the soul, a growing love to stir the heart, the binding of people who stand strong in life's storms, and learning to lean on the Lord who holds them up. Hope for a future and beauty from ashes! *I received a complimentary copy from the author and was under no obligation to leave a positive review. All opinions are mine. * BACKCOVER BLURB: A perfect match…or sworn enemies?
Only time will tell at Shepherd’s Crossing.
Horse breeder Isaiah Woods can’t believe his only ally in helping a neglected mare is the descendant of his family’s bitter enemy—veterinarian Charlotte Fitzgerald. Despite the feud, Charlotte risks everything to save the horse. But as she falls for Isaiah—and the orphaned niece and nephew in his care—the mare isn’t the only one who needs saving.
A story with two Pinkerton agents? Count me in! These are among my favorite kind to read because I know there’s going to be a case to solve, and I like trying to solve it right along with them.
Andromeda (Andy) Barrington and Connell O’Brien have two separate missions and two criminals to catch. But they can’t alert the town of Jerome, Arizona as to their real identities, and a good Pinkerton agent can pull it off and catch their man at the same time. Another reviewer called Andy sassy and quirky, and I’d have to agree with that. She has enough spunk and smarts to fool the best of them. There were enough clues to guess what her past life was too! As for Connell, I’m a sucker for an Irish accent and he has plenty of that to go around! Putting that aside, he’s a good agent and plays his cards just right to catch his murderer. These two end up working together tangling missions and hearts! My favorite part of the story is always the happily-ever-after. I also found it to be action packed and a little bit of danger to keep me on my toes.
What I loved the most was Debra put circus definitions before each chapter. For example, did you know that the term “Gag” is the short, silly clown tricks used as transitions between circus acts? Or that “Circus Candy” is the fancy packaged, yet low quality sweets hawked to circus crowds with the promise of secret prizes inside? These little tidbits where fascinating to learn and added fun to the story; makes me want to find a circus near me to go to!
All in all, this was a good afternoon read with just the right amount of pages and plenty to keep me interested and invested.
*I received a complimentary copy from the author and was under no obligation to leave a positive review. *
BACKCOVER BLURB: Jerome, Arizona Territory, 1899 When Andromeda Barr left her colorful
past behind in pursuit of a normal—albeit solo—life, she didn’t exactly
settle for the mundane. Performing is in her blood, and right now she
has to believe she’s lying for all the right reasons—justice for the
excluded, the overlooked of society—a debt she owes to the two unusual
people who raised her.
Pinkerton Agent Connell O’Brien is on the
trail of a wanted murderer holed up in ‘the wickedest town in the west.’
Hiding his identity is part of the job, but when he meets the
surprising Miss Barrington, he begins to wonder how many secrets are too
many.
Two close calls with disaster seem to suggest it’s time
they both stop running from the guilt of the past and let mercy catch
up, but will these two solo acts join forces before the danger of
discovery becomes a matter of life or death?
Take one feisty, independent, hard-working cowgirl and one slightly chauvinistic, set-in-his-ways hunky cowboy; throw them together and watch the sparks fly—in more ways than one. With lots of witty banter, head-butting, and intrigue, Tina Radcliffe’s writing pulled me right in and kept me turning pages. Her realistic, engaging, wounded characters came to life on the page and made me feel as if I knew them.
I loved the setting on Big Heart Ranch, which the Maxwell siblings run for orphans and neglected, abused children. It sounds like just the place to heal those wounded hearts, and if it can heal a few of the adults’ hearts as well, then all the better! A tender message of faith, forgiveness, and hope runs through the story and gives it an added dimension.
This is the second in the Big Heart Ranch series, but it can be read as a stand-alone book. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.
*I won this book and was under no obligation to review or or to provide a favorable review. This is my own opinion.
BACK COVER BLURB: She won the job…
Can he win her heart?
Hiring Amanda “AJ” McAlester as his assistant at the Big Heart Ranch
isn’t foreman Travis Maxwell’s first choice—but his sisters insist
she’s perfect for the job. And AJ’s determined to prove she’s just as
qualified as any man. But with money on the line, AJ and her innovative
ideas could put him at risk of losing everything…including his heart.
The Accidental Guardian by Mary Connealy is the first in the series High Sierra Sweethearts.
I have long been a fan of Mary Connealy. She is my go-to author when I’m in the mood for a cowboy story.
There are troubling times in October, 1807. Deb and Gwen Harkness are caretakers of two small children in exchange for passage to California on a wagon train. Fortunately, they are away from the train in the tall grass early one morning when tragedy strikes. Three outlaws arrive and slaughter everyone in their five wagon group.
Trace Riley is a loner. He is coming back from a cattle drive to his small spread in the Sierra Nevada’s. His two hired hands have gone on ahead to tend to the cattle left behind at the ranch. Trace rides up on the site of the ruined camp and something he didn’t expect to see: Survivors! With Winter coming quickly, the only thing he can do is take the two women and two little ones back to his ranch with him. Trace knows what it’s like to be a survivor of a massacre and wants to protect others from the same fate.
Will Trace find the men who committed this atrocity? Are they the same men who killed his father years ago? How much danger are they in? Will Deb and Gwen make their way to California to deliver their young charges?
Deb struggles with deciding if she wants to fulfill her dream. Is her dream changing? Trace stuggles with the fine line between anger and revenge versus relying on God to set things straight. Mary’s narrative shows the beauty of Lake Tahoe. The descriptions are breathtaking. In Trace and his two hired men, she depicts the loyalty and honesty of what a real cowboy should be. And let’s not forget being polite and respectful of women. Gwen and Deb exhibit their gratefulness for being rescued by being very hardworking.
There are familiar trademarks in this novel such as the echoing voice from one character to another. An example is from Chapter 26 after Deb has a disagreement with Trace: “All he could figure really was the simple fact that women were strange creatures.” And next: “Deb watched until Trace disappeared around a bend in the trail. Men were strange and that was that.” The humor is there but is against a backdrop of a serious, sobering situation.
This novel leaves some loose ends for Mary to tie up in the upcoming books. I am looking forward to the next installment of this series .
BACK COVER BLURB: When Trace Riley finds the smoldering ruins of a small wagon train, he
recognizes the hand behind the attack as the same group who left him as
sole survivor years ago. Living off the wilderness since then, he'd
finally carved out a home and started a herd--while serving as a
self-appointed guardian of the trail, driving off dangerous men. He'd hoped those days were over, but the latest attack shows he was wrong.
Deborah
Harkness saved her younger sister and two toddlers during the attack,
and now finds herself at the mercy of her rescuer. Trace offers the only
shelter for miles around, and agrees to take them in until she can
safely continue. His simple bachelor existence never anticipated kids
and women in the picture and their arrival is unsettling--yet enticing.
Working
to survive the winter and finally bring justice to the trail, Trace and
Deborah find themselves drawn together--yet every day approaches the
moment she'll leave forever. * I checked this book out of the library. All opinions are my own.* Available in paperback, digital ebook, hardcover and audiobook: BUY The Accidental Guardian at Amazon BUY The Accidental Guardian at Christianbook.com
Take a man who
survived to make his living on the Sierra Nevada range, two women and two
small children who escaped a wagon train massacre, mix them up and you have an
adventurous tale of epic proportions! Connealy’s imagination runs as wild as
the mountainous terrain that Trace has made his home in this story.
“I’m
going to change, Gwen. I am. The West is different than where we came from. It’s
a land that demands strength of people. A land that tests courage."
One would think after
the many years Trace lived here that he was a rugged, rough mountain man with
ill manners, but just the opposite is true.
Once he encounters Deb and her sister Gwen and the two children after
the massacre, he sets out to do what’s right by them. Pushing for home and
shelter, he’s made it a lifelong vow to bring the men responsible to justice. A
true hero in every sense of the word. Protective, defender of the weak, tender
when needed but just as tough when situation calls for it, and he don’t take no
guff. Deb was one character that
surprised me! She was tough and had what it takes to survive with plenty of
backbone and hard-working attitude to get by; she bucked up and did what had
doing. These two definitely had plenty of sparks and banter between them! Fun
to watch from the sidelines.
“And…well,
I can’t be kissing a man. That’s a good way to get tangled up….in forever.”
Deb: “But
men and women not understanding each other is a mighty common thing I’d say.”
Trace: “It’s a
wonder they don’t do a better job of avoiding each other.”
One word
description: Un-putdownable (if only real life didn’t interrupt)! I can’t say I’ve
never met a book I didn’t like, nor a hero I didn’t fall in love with written
by this author. Western adventure stories are her specialty! I know I’ll find a laugh or three, strong
characters, a little faith mixed in, and romance brewing. This one also had a
few heart-in-my-throat scenes when danger edged a little too close for comfort,
and plenty of action to keep it going. She had me wanting more; but that’s just
a common thing with a Connealy tale! I’m already anticipating the next novel,
it can come soon enough for me. BACK COVER BLURB- When Trace Riley finds the smoldering ruins of a small wagon train, he recognizes the hand behind the attack as the same group who left him as sole survivor years ago. Living off the wilderness since then, he'd finally carved out a home and started a herd--while serving as a self-appointed guardian of the trail, driving off dangerous men. He'd hoped those days were over, but the latest attack shows he was wrong.
Deborah Harkness saved her younger sister and two toddlers during the attack, and now finds herself at the mercy of her rescuer. Trace offers the only shelter for miles around, and agrees to take them in until she can safely continue. His simple bachelor existence never anticipated kids and women in the picture and their arrival is unsettling--yet enticing.
Working to survive the winter and finally bring justice to the trail, Trace and Deborah find themselves drawn together--yet every day approaches the moment she'll leave forever.
*I received a complimentary
copy from Bethany House via Netgalley and was under no obligation to leave a
favorable review. All opinions are my own. *
Karen Witemeyer, Mary Connealy, Melissa Jagears and Regina Jennings.
Hearts Entwined by various authors:
When I first began to read this, I saw characters I knew about and then
realized that each of these novellas took place after the authors last
full length novel. I was very happy about that because I often wonder
what the characters are up to * smile *! That being said, here's a brief
review on each story:
The Love Knot by Karen Witemeyer
When
Claire meets the train to pick up a package her sister sent her, she
never expected to run into her old love Pieter van Duren. And with a
baby to boot! Untangling the mess will take more determination and
explanation than a lifetime can afford...but did God himself knot these
two together with unbreakable bonds?
I loved learning about the Celtic love knot since Claire is Irish. Look for it in the ending, so sweet!
The Tangled Ties that Bind by Mary Connealy
When
Connor Kincaid returns home after five years, it's with the
determination to marry his childhood love, Maggie. If only she would
have him that is! Pining away for him did her no good, so she made her
own plans by moving away to study to become a doctor in Denver. Connor
will do anything to prove his love for her by following her.....but will
God grant them a second chance?
Mary infuses her own unique humor in this sweet love story!
Bound and Determined by Regina Jennings
Whoever
thought camels would bind two people together? That's exactly what
happened between Private Bradley Willis and Ambrosia Herald met! Helping
to escort her retired officer father across Oklahoma with a herd of
camel through Indian territory, can God make love bloom in a
dry-as-a-bone adventurous journey?
Again humor reigns in this
story. I've not read the Fort Reno series by Regina but I will after
reading this cute and fun novella to learn more about the characters!
Tied and True by Melissa Jagears
A
wealthy heiress to the family fortune is in love with a lowly business
assistant. But that doesn't stop Marianne Lister from pursuing Calvin
Hochstetler! In spite of the possibility of being disinherited & the
loss of a job for Calvin, she plunges in headstrong to prove that love
can truly conquer all.
Melissa uses the parable of the Pearl of
Great Price and how the farmer will sell all to obtain it! This was a
beautiful love story, look for the meaning of the crocheted heart in the
end.
Humor, love, faith, knotted lives and happily-ever-afters
are what a reader will find in these four heartwarming short stories! I
enjoyed each one of these by four of my favorite authors and recommend
them to any lover of inspirational historical romances.
BACK COVER BLURB
Four top historical romance novelists team up in this new collection to offer stories of love and romance with a twist of humor. In Karen Witemeyer's "The Love Knot," Claire Nevin gets the surprise of her life awaiting her sister's arrival by train. Mary Connealy's "The Tangled Ties That Bind" offers the story of two former best friends who are reunited while escaping a stampede. Regina Jennings offers "Bound and Determined," where a most unusual trip across barren Oklahoma plains is filled with adventure, romance, and . . . camels? And Melissa Jagears' "Tied and True" entertains with a tale of two hearts from different social classes who become entwined at a cotton thread factory.
Each tale is a fun blend of history and romance that will delight readers.
February 7, 2017, marks the 150th birthday of American author Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Born in a log cabin near Pepin, Wisconsin, Wilder traveled in a covered wagon
with her pioneering family through the Upper Midwest and Great Plains. Her
beloved “Little House” series of books describe a young girl’s coming-of-age in
a harsher, simpler time. Loosely based around Wilder’s late-1800’s childhood on
the American frontier, they have never gone out of print, and later became the basis for a long-running television series, a television miniseries, and a musical. Because of their popularity, Wilder's later years inspired two made-for-TV movies and led to the posthumous publication of her earlier articles and journals.
Now, you may have noticed that I said the books were loosely based on her life, and the books were only the basis for the TV series. Like most authors, Laura didn't hesitate to change the timeline or details to make for a better story, and the TV show writers used creative license to take the story even further from actual events. (I don't think I ever watched more than a couple episodes of the TV show. They were just so very different from the books, I didn't particularly enjoy them.) So, how much do you know about the real Laura Ingalls Wilder vs. the literary and TV ones? Some of the questions are easy, but some of the answers may surprise you.
1 1.What
were Pa’s and Ma’s first names?
(a) Carl and Charlotte
(b) Charles and Caroline
(c) Curt and Carla
(d) James and Angeline
The
correct answer is b, Charles and Caroline. Savvy readers may know that Charles
and Caroline (and also Carl, Charlotte and Carla) all derive from the Latin name Carolus. (The two US states named for England's King Charles are North and South Carolina). Which
means, Ma and Pa had the same first name, sort of. James and Angeline were the
names of Almanzo’s parents.
Ma and Pa Ingalls. Unlike television Pa, real Pa had a beard.
22. How
many children were there in the Ingalls family?
(a)3
(b)4
(c)5
(d)6
The
correct answer is c, 5. The books and TV series open when the family had only three:
Mary, Laura, and Carrie. There was a seven-year gap between Carrie and the
youngest child, Grace. Laura wrote her book series for children, which may be
why she left out any mentions of her brother Charles Frederick (Freddie) who
died at ten months of age in 1876. Freddie was the fourth child, between Carrie and
Grace, and was named for his father and for Caroline Ingalls’s stepfather,
Frederick Holbrook. Baby Freddie appeared briefly in Season 1 of the TV series. The adopted children introduced later in the TV series were pure literary license.
3 3. How
many children were there in the Wilder family? (a)3 (b)4 (c)5 (d)6
The
correct answer is d, 6. Laura wrote about Almanzo’s childhood in the book Farmer Boy, but the book only mentions the middle four children—Eliza Jane,
Royal, Alice, and Almanzo. The oldest was Laura, who was 13 years older than
Almanzo. She was left out so as not to confuse readers with another Laura
character. In the book, Almanzo complains about being the youngest – which was
true during the time the book covers. However, when Almanzo was 12, the Wilders
had one more child, Perley Day. While Perley Day wasn't mentioned in any of the
books, he did make it onto the television show.
4.Where
did Laura and Almanzo meet?
(a)Wisconsin
(b)Minnesota
(c)South Dakota
(d)Iowa
Trick
question! The correct answer is e, none of the above. If you watched the
television show but never read the books, you might have guessed Minnesota. The
producers chose to keep the series set in Walnut Grove far longer than the Ingallses actually lived there. (I suppose making them move would have meant losing all
the supporting cast members.) Of course, if you read the books, you might have chosen South Dakota...which isn't technically right either. After leaving Minnesota, the family settled
near the new town of DeSmet, which is where Laura and Almanzo met. However, at
the time, DeSmet was in the Dakota Territory. Three months after Laura and
Almanzo’s marriage, the southern portion of the Dakota Territory joined the
union as the new state of South Dakota.
5.So
then, how many years did the Ingalls family actually live in Minnesota?
(a) 4
(b) 5
(c) 6
(d) 7
The
correct answer is a, 4 years—but there’s a catch. The timeline for the books
follows the family more closely than the television series, but Laura left out
the year the family spent in Iowa. The Ingallses moved to Minnesota in 1874. About
a year after Freddie’s death, they moved to Burr Oak, Iowa, where Grace
was born. They stayed about a year, then returned briefly to Walnut
Grove, Minnesota before traveling west to the Dakota Territory. Altogether, they
were in Minnesota about four years. 6. Who was Laura's nemesis at school? (a) Nellie Oleson (b) Stella Gilbert (c) Genevieve Masters (d) Nellie Owens Oh, dear, it's another trick question. The correct answers are b, c, and d, so give yourself a point if you picked any of them. However, if you guessed Nellie Oleson, too bad—there was no girl named Nellie Oleson in Laura's childhood. The character, which appears in three of the novels and seven seasons of the television show, was a composite of several girls Laura knew in Walnut Grove and DeSmet, probably Nellie Owens, Genevieve Masters, and Stella Gilbert. Nellie Owens was the daughter of a Walnut Grove shopkeeper and had a young brother Willie. Originally from New York, Genevieve Masters wore beautiful clothes and was fond of telling everyone how things were done back in the east. Stella Gilbert lived on a claim near DeSmet and apparently had a more than a friendly interest in bachelor Almanzo Wilder.
7.Which musical instrument did Mary Ingalls play? (a)piano (b)fiddle (c)organ (d)drum
The
correct answer is c, organ. Pa played his fiddle in each of the “Little House”
books (except Farmer Boy, the one about
Almanzo’s childhood), but nowhere is there a mention of any of the girls
learning to play it. Mary went blind at 14 shortly before the family left Walnut Grove,
Minnesota. (Those must have been some very difficult years, what with Freddie’s
death followed so closely by Mary’s blindness.) During the 1880’s, Mary attended
the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, where she learned to play the organ. Ma
and Pa then bought one for their home in DeSmet, so Mary could play there.
8.How
old was Laura when Almanzo began to court her? (a)15 (b)16 (c)17 (d)18
The
correct answer is a, 15. In the book Little
Town on the Prairie, Almanzo asked Laura if he could see her home after a
revival service at church. She walked into the house to hear Ma saying, “But
she’s only fifteen!”
Laura around the time she married Almanzo Wilder
9.Almanzo
was how many years older than Laura? (a)4 (b)6 (c)8 (d)10
The
correct answer is d, 10. In the books, Laura took liberties with the timeline in order to make
the age difference smaller, perhaps in deference to modern sensibilities. In
real life, Almanzo was ten years her senior. No wonder Ma expressed dismay. He
did have honorable intentions, but I wouldn’t recommend this situation to any
modern romance writers. Interestingly, the TV show portrayed them as having a sizable difference in their ages. Dean Butler, who played Almanzo, is eight years older than Melissa Gilbert, who played Laura. However, the producers of the show changed the dynamics of their relationship by having Laura pursue Almanzo rather than the other way around, perhaps another nod to modern notations of courtship. In her unpublished autobiography, Laura suggests that her teenage crush was actually schoolmate Cap Garland.
Almanzo, around the time he married Laura
10.How
many children did Laura and Almanzo have? (a)1 (b)2 (c)3 (d)4
The
correct answer is b, 2. Rose was their first, and she became a well-known
writer before Laura started writing novels. Like Laura’s parents, the Wilders
also lost a son at a very young age. Baby Boy Wilder had not even been named yet when he died at less than two weeks old. In the last season of the TV show, Almanzo got custody his niece Jenny after his brother Royal's death. The real life Royal lived to be 78 years old. And he never had a daughter named Jenny.
11.How many grandchildren did Ma and Pa Ingalls have? (a)2 (b)4 (c)6 (d)10
I'm feeling generous, so count either a or b as the correct answer. Laura had
Rose and the son who died as an infant. Unlike TV-show Mary, the real Mary
Ingalls never married. Grace was 24 when she married Nathan Dow, but they had
no children. Carrie married later in life (age 41) to widower David Swanzey. He
had two young children (8 and 5) from his first marriage, whom Carrie raised as
her own. Final total: two grandchildren and two step-grandchildren. 12.Who was the first member of the family to be a published author? (a)Mary Ingalls (b)Laura Ingalls Wilder (c)Carrie Ingalls Swanzey (d)Rose Wilder Lane The correct answer is c, Carrie. After high school, Carrie taught school for a short time (like Laura) and worked as a typesetter. She learned all facets of the newspaper business (including writing and editing) and eventually landed a job as manager for some of businessman E. L. Senn's newspapers. The job led her to Keystone, South Dakota, where she met David Swanzey. Laura sometimes consulted with Carrie about events from their childhood when she was writing the "Little House" books.
Carrie Ingalls
13.How
many grandchildren did Laura and Almanzo have? (a)0 (b)1 (c)2 (d)3
Sadly,
the correct answer is a, 0, although I suppose an argument could be made for b, 1. Rose Wilder Lane’s only child was stillborn, after
which she was unable to have children. She and her husband later divorced. Rose
went on to become an successful writer in her own right (and worthy of her own post...perhaps someday), being counted one of the
highest paid female authors of her day. Unfortunately, the Great Depression
wiped out most of her and her parents’ savings. She was living in a separate
house on her parents’ farm in 1930 when Laura showed her a rough draft of a children's book later titled Little House in the Big
Woods.
Rose Wilder Lane
14.Where are Laura and Almanzo buried? (a)South
Dakota (b)Florida (c)Missouri (d)Minnesota
The
correctanswer is c, Missouri. Life
proved difficult on the Wilders’ South Dakota homestead, and they endured incredible hardship during the first four years of their marriage. Crop failures, the death of their second child, an illness that partially paralyzed Almanzo, and a house fire left the couple physically, emotionally, and financially broken. With their young daughter, they retreated to Minnesota to live with Almanzo’s parents for a time while they recovered. They tried a stint in Florida (the
humidity didn’t agree with them), returned to DeSmet briefly, and then bought a
farm in what would be their final home of Mansfield, Missouri. It was on Rocky
Ridge Farm that Laura wrote her books. She was 65 when she sold the first one, and 75 when the last in the series came out. Almanzo passed away in 1949 at the age of 92, and Laura died three days past her 90th birthday. The books' success allowed the Wilders to finally enjoy financial security during their last years.
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