Help me welcome author Ellen Fannon as she shares about wrestling characters and story lines into shape, and read to find how you can enter a random drawing for a free ebook copy of Love in the Wind.
Writers often find themselves constructing scenes in their minds while doing other things. When I was working on my latest novel, Love in the Wind, I had time to kill while waiting for my son at yet another destination from which I had to pick him up. So, I used my time constructively by trying to come up with good names for horses. My male protagonist lives on a ranch and has horses. The horses need names.
I’m going to let readers in on a little secret about fiction writers. There are basically two types of fiction writers. Some outline everything and know exactly where the story is going before they sit down to write the first sentence. Then there are the others of us, called “Pantsers,” because we write “by the seat of our pants.” When I start to write fiction, I have a very loose (make that very, very loose) idea of where the story may go. In other words, I have an opening scene (or opening line) and maybe a vague idea for the end. What happens after my opening scene? I don’t have a clue, which is why my characters sometimes run amok and take me to places I hadn’t planned on going.
Take my horse names for example. I came up with a list off the top of my head and wrote them down on a scrap of paper I found in my purse. (Writers often write things down on scraps of paper that later make no sense when we try to figure out why we wrote them down.) Later that afternoon, when I sat down to write, I picked two names for the horses the male protagonist (MP) and female protagonist (FP) were going to ride that day. When the MP told the FP the horses’ names, she said, “I take it there is a story behind the names.” What? Why did she have to say that? I had no story behind the horses’ names other than I thought they sounded good.
Great. Now I had to figure out the story behind the horses’ names. Or tell the FP to shut up. But if she shuts up and there is no dialogue, the story won’t move forward and ever get to the end.
So, I had to stop and ponder whether I could make a backstory for the horses’ names or have to come up with other names that I could work into the story. More work for me because the FP shot off her mouth. Turns out, after Googling the first horse’s name, I could make the meaning of the name work with circumstances in the MP’s life history. Who knew when I picked that particular name just because it sounded good, that it might actually be useful for anything else? With the second name, I made up a different scenario without having to Google anything. Good, now the MP and FP could get on with their day, and I could get on to writing the story, provided they didn’t veer off into left field again.
Why do my characters keep doing this to me? If I were into the science fiction or horror genres, I could probably write some pretty creepy stories about my characters going rogue and taking over the book, leaving me in the dark. Surely, someone has already used this plot line. If not, feel free to borrow it, unless, of course, Twilight Zone steals it, in which case, I want full credit and royalties for the idea. But for right now, I’d just settle for my characters behaving themselves and not hanging me out to dry when all I want to do is finish my book.
About Love in the Wind:
Wyoming rancher, Ben Parish, is struggling to keep his ranch afloat. Veterinarian, Darcy Fuller has moved to Wyoming to start a new life but is struggling to become established in a new area. Both have been badly burned by past relationships and are not looking to become involved in another. When their paths cross, Darcy has an idea to bring extra income to the ranch, as well as provide her with an outlet for her passion for working with horses. But can their growing attraction coexist with a business partnership?
A Peek inside Love in the Wind:
CHAPTER ONE
Ben Parish cupped his hand over his brow to block out the blinding sunlight as he scanned the distant road for Doc Tippins’ familiar truck. His mare, Maggie, had been in labor for too long, and his anxiety rose steadily with each passing hour of no results. Whispering Winds Ranch had been struggling ever since his father’s death two years ago, and he couldn’t afford to lose this mare. Or the foal, either, for that matter.
A constricting band of worry squeezed his heart with the ever-present thought that he would fail and lose what his father and grandfather had worked so hard for. If only Dave had stuck around to help. But ranching had never been in his brother’s blood, and when Dad passed unexpectedly, Dave had taken his chance to move on to other endeavors. Ben didn’t begrudge his brother. He knew Dave had only stuck it out at the ranch as long as he did for their father’s sake. Still, Ben couldn’t help wishing he and Dave could have continued running the ranch together as a family.
A gust of nippy wind assaulted him, and he buttoned up his faded denim jacket with the holes in the sleeves over his old flannel shirt. The cold air stung his reddened cheeks and work-roughened hands, but he didn’t want to take the time to look for his gloves. Jamming his hands into his pockets, he paced the distance between the house and the detached garage several yards away, his scuffed boots wearing a deeper rut into the dried mud path.
Ah! Finally. He released the breath he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding as the sight of a pickup truck appeared on the isolated road running past the ranch. Doc Tippins would assess the situation with the unproductive birth and soon set everything right. The old veterinarian had been doctoring their animals since Ben was a boy, and the man exuded competence and confidence with his years of experience.
But as the vehicle drew nearer, Ben realized it wasn’t Doc Tippins’ old blue Ford. Did he get a new truck? The old one had to have a lot of miles on it from driving all over southern Wyoming. Well, good for Doc. He deserved something more modern than that old broken-down rust bucket he had driven for the past twenty years.
The truck turned in at the entrance to Whispering Winds Ranch, the gravel crunching under the tires, and kicking up dust in its wake. A smile of relief tugged at the corners of Ben's lips as he walked forward to meet the only man in three counties who could perform animal miracles. Just as quickly, the smile slipped from his face when he realized it wasn’t Doc Tippins at the wheel. Drat. Who was this stranger and what did they want?
A young woman in baggy brown coveralls hopped out of the truck, her chestnut-colored ponytail whipping in the breeze. Her smile seemed forced as she stepped forward, her hand extended.
“Good morning,” she greeted. “I’m Dr. Darcy Fuller. I understand you have a mare with dystocia.”
Ben’s brow now furrowed into a full-blown scowl. Ignoring her outstretched hand, he said, “Where’s Doc Tippins?”
The young woman’s smile disappeared as she dropped her hand to her side. “He’s doing an emergency surgery. I’m his new associate.”
Ben’s lips flattened as he appraised the girl. She looked like she was no more than eighteen, although if she was a veterinarian, she had to be older. Still, she couldn’t have much, if any, experience—probably a new graduate. What was Doc Tippins thinking sending this wet-behind-the-ears newbie to attend to a critical case like his? He tried to swallow his irritation but failed.
Scrubbing his hand over his forehead, where a throbbing headache had suddenly taken root, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose, blowing it out slowly through his pinched lips.
He opened his eyes and attempted to be pleasant. “Look. I’m sure you can do vaccines and worming and Coggins testing and the like. But for something serious like this, I need Doc Tippins. I’ve known him for over twenty years and I trust him.”
The woman seemed to deflate as she let out a defeated sigh. “I understand. I can try to call Dr. Tippins and see how much longer he will be.”
A prickle of compassion tugged at Ben’s conscience. This girl, whatever her name was—he had already forgotten it—was probably used to rejection, being the new associate when everyone wanted Doc Tippins. But still, he didn’t know anything about her qualifications, and Maggie’s desperate situation required someone with experience whom he could rely on.
"No offense,” he said, as she walked back to her truck, her head down and shoulders slumped. He watched as she held a cell phone to her ear, although he couldn’t quite make out what she said. Still, it didn’t take much imagination to figure out what the discussion entailed. The woman had probably had several similar conversations with her boss about clients preferring to see him rather than her.
After a moment, she got out of the truck again, tucking the cell phone into her back pocket. “He says he should be able to get here within an hour. Would you like me to take a preliminary look at the mare, or do you want to wait for him?”
Ben hesitated. He didn’t like hurting her feelings, but what if she caused more trauma to an already precarious condition? No, it was better to wait for the doc. No need to put Maggie through more handling than necessary. He cleared his throat and his eyes fell just short of meeting hers. “Um, no, that’s okay. I think it would be better to wait. Again, no offense.”
She lowered her chin and nodded. “Okay then. If there’s nothing I can do for you, I’ll go on to some other calls.” This time, she held her head high as she returned to the truck and slid inside. Just before closing her door, she said, “Good luck. I hope your mare is okay.”
“Thanks.” Ben gave her a half-hearted smile and a wave. Mixed thoughts swirled through his mind as he watched her put the truck in reverse and turn around to head back down the long driveway. Should he have given her a chance? What if Doc Tippins was delayed even longer? Was he taking a risk by waiting? Well, here he was, back at square one. He turned to go check on Maggie.
***
Tears stung Darcy’s eyes as she headed back toward the road. Why was it when someone said, “no offense,” they were about to say something offensive? To a degree, she understood the reluctance of the clients to trust her ability when they were used to Dr. Tippins. But sooner or later, they would have to get used to someone else. Dr. Tippins was getting up in age and wouldn’t be practicing forever. Part of her reason for coming to the remote area of Baker, Wyoming, had been the incentive to one day take over his practice.
But how was that ever going to happen if no one allowed her to do her job? How was she supposed to prove herself if no one gave her a chance? So far, in the few weeks she’d been here, she’d been met with doubt, hesitation, and downright hostility. Only a handful of clients had been friendly and welcoming.
Why had she moved hundreds of miles away from home to make a fresh start? Maybe she had made a mistake. At the rate she was going, she wasn’t even earning her paycheck. Perhaps she should move back home. There, she had contacts. Veterinarians she had worked for in school and after she’d graduated would be happy to take her on as an associate, knowing she was a capable, hard worker.
But if she went back home, she’d have the constant reminder of Josh. She didn’t think she could bear that. Coming to Wyoming had seemed such an adventure, a whole new world where no one knew her and her history. That decision had proved to be a double-edged sword. While having no history had its advantages, it also had its drawbacks when getting to know people, let alone trying to establish herself in a demanding career where trust meant everything.
She’d tried to give the decision to God. She’d prayed repeatedly about the move, and although God hadn’t exactly sent a burning bush, she had peace about her decision. But since being in Baker, she wondered if that peace had been a product of her own wishful thinking to escape the small-town wagging tongues back home.
Swiping a finger under her lower lids, she said, “Darcy, you will not cry.” After all, it took time to get established in a new area. Even Dr. Tippins had to start somewhere. She took a faltering breath and, putting the arrogant cowboy out of her mind, drove to her next appointment to pull blood for Coggins testing.
Random drawing: Hop on over and subscribe to Ellen's blog, and she'll draw randomly one lucky winner to receive a free ebook copy of Love in the Wind. https://ellenfannonauthor.com/subscribe/
About the Author:
Award-winning author, Ellen Fannon, is a retired veterinarian, former missionary, and church pianist/organist. She and her retired Air Force pilot-turned-pastor husband have fostered more than forty children, and have two adopted sons. She has published six novels, and her stories have appeared in One Christian Voice, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Divine Moments, and Guideposts; and her devotions have appeared in Open Windows, Guideposts All God’s Creatures, and The Secret Place.
Please visit Ellen’s website, Good For a Laugh, and sign up to follow her weekly blog at: https://ellenfannonauthor.com/
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Written in Love series: What happens when a romance writer and a book publisher come together? Love!
Cactus Lil and the City Slicker (Book 1)
A rough-and-tumble cowgirl, “Cactus” Lil Duncan longs for true love, but is afraid to let down her prickly exterior when a city slicker from New York City, with less-than-honorable intentions, tries to win her trust and her hand.
Written in Love (Book 2): Cactus Lil's Big City Debut
Lily and Peter Golding arrive triumphantly in the Big City. But when they learn of Uncle Phillip’s mysterious disappearance, Peter and Lily are pulled into the dark underside of the Big City, then thrust onto the front pages of the newspapers as ‘persons of interest’ in the investigation.
Can they survive the onslaught of attention on themselves, their marriage, and the seedy side of the publishing industry? Can they survive? Period? Or can they discover who is behind this nefarious act, save Uncle Phillip--and themselves?
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IF YOU LIKE MYSTERIES, YOU'LL LOVE THE “BY THE NUMBER OMNIBUS COLLECTIONS”. THREE COMPLETE CARLY TURNQUIST NOVELS IN EACH VOLUME, FOUR VOLUMES IN TOTAL. AVAILABLE HERE
Hearts of the Pony Express series: Follow these brave men and women along the Pony Express Trail as they look for a new future and find much more, thanks to God.
Hollenberg Hearts (Book 1)
A mail order bride. A crippled stationmaster. No way out for either of them—except with each other. Can they surrender their hearts and find true love?
Hollow Hearts (Book 2)
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Hearts of Julesburg (Book 3)
Adventure and freedom—can a pair of Pony Express riders find their way from danger to daring?
Hearts of Midway (Book 4)
Missing horses. A missing Pony Express rider. A sheriff's daughter with a nose for mystery and a penchant for wearing trousers. And a Pony Express rider with a secret. Releases: August 31, 2024. Available for preorder now.
Counting the Days A 31-day devotional for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial folk
Mail-Order Romance series: marriage sight unseen, hoping love comes later. Will these men and women find what they’re looking for?
New Hope Train (Book 1)
John Stewart needs a wife. Mary Johannson needs a home. On her way west, Mary falls in love with another. Now both must choose between commitment and true love.
The Road to Freedom (Book 2)
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Recipe for Disaster (Book 1)
A spinster, a man looking for family – Can God somehow turn this for good for all?
Cooking Up Trouble (Book 2)
An unsuitable match to satisfy a debt. Can Holly find another solution? An unsuitable calling--a man in the kitchen. Practically unheard of. Can Adam find the strength to step into his purpose in life? Or will Holly and Adam both resist God and make their own way?
A Fresh Start for Elizabeth (Book 3)
Elizabeth Maddock, widow and chef, answers an ad and finds herself in Boulder, Colorado, passing her infant son off as her brother.
Evan Hamden, childless widower, searches for a cure for TB. While drawn to Miss Maddock, he resists falling in love, But when his patients start dying, he doesn’t know who to trust. Certainly not this invisible God Miss Maddock relies on
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Can Evan and Elizabeth discover whether his treatment plan is faulty, or is somebody behind the deaths? Can they trust each other—and God—to reveal the truth? Releases May 28, 2024 -- available for preorder now.
Healing the Wounded Heart series: Follow these brave women as they venture into fields of medicine early in
our country’s history.
Testing Tessa (Book 1)
Can Tessa find a way to heal a wounded heart through loving the father’s son?
Justice for Julia (Book 2)
Should love come before or after marriage? Julia escapes unfounded medical malpractice claims. Josiah hides in a small town in Iowa with his daughter. But will they be willing to settle for a loveless marriage? Can they fool the residents with their subterfuge? Or will their pasts catch up with them?
Prairie Roses Collection: Adventure and romance in a covered wagon setting.
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An orphan left with the responsibility of raising her younger siblings falls for a mining engineer with adventure on his mind. Another steps in with an untenable solution. Is making a bad choice better than making no choice at all? And can God really turn even the worst situation to good for His glory?

The Switchboard Sisterhood series: Brave women travel to Anchorage, Alaska, in 1925 to look for love in a town where men outnumber women 10 to 1. But will they find more than they bargained for?
Juliette (Book 7)
Morgana (Book 13)
A shattered heart, an unplanned pregnancy, a ruined reputation. Can God—and love—repair what was so deceitfully stolen?
Christmas Under Main Street series: Will these entrepreneurial women in Pueblo, Colorado,
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Time Will Tell (Book 2)
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The Suffrage Spinsters: Tired of being ignored and treated as inferior members of society, the brave women of the mid-1800’s decided to do something about it. They banded together to initiate what is now known as the Suffrage movement – the decades-long fight for women to achieve the right to vote. The stories in this fictional romance series feature strong heroines of this era who were unwilling to give up their collective voice in order to discover true love.
Rollie's Riddle (Book 10)
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Theresa's Talent (Book 25) Releases September 2024 -- Preorder!
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The Reclusive Man/Hers to Redeem series: every man has a secret. And when a woman has a good reason, she won’t let go until she knows what it is.
Dianna’s Dilemma (Book 18)
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Oregon Trail Mysteries: Traveling west in the 1800s wasn’t easy, and neither was settling in Oregon City, Oregon. Join Tom and Kate as they explore the country and solve mysteries.
Kate (Oregon Trail Mysteries Book 1)
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Second Chances and Second Cups
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books by other authors
Kelsey the Christmas Tree, by Gary Vargo, is a sweet story of believing in yourself when it seems impossible.
Full color, great for reading aloud or with.
Bella and The Friendship Sled, by Gary Vargo, is a richly illustrated story that transcends Christmas and time. Sure to be a family favorite.
Jezebelle by HG Ferguson: a gothic horror set in the back country of Alabama, where the line between legend and fact is dulled, and where monsters still live. (warning: R rating for graphic violence and thematic elements. Think Frank Peretti)
By the Numbers series: Join Carly Turnquist in 2002 as she pokes her nose into one mystery after another. Watch as a nudist colony threatens to take over her hometown, then join her as she and hubby Mike travel the country, stopping by Bear Cove, Maine, often enough to still be called residents.
No Accounting For Murder (Book 1)
Most people think accountants are boring. Carly Turnquist is about to prove them wrong. Join Carly, a forensic accountant, as she gets involved with a mystery business that threatens her quiet East Coast town, embezzled money, a missing mayor, and several attempts on her life. Will she live long enough to reveal who the killer is?
There Was a Crooked Man (Book 2)
Carly Turnquist, forensic accountant, is joining husband Mike on a working vacation--working for him, vacation for her--at a dude ranch in New Mexico. First she learns of missing stock and unpaid invoices, then veiled threats and a dead foreman threaten to ruin her trip.
Can Carly figure out who wants to put this family-owned ranch out of business, or will she die trying?
Unbalanced (Book 3)
Carly Turnquist, forensic accountant, is at home in Bear Cove, Maine, happily planning her son's wedding, when she sees a bank robbery. The only problem is that nobody else sees the robbery, and when she tries to investigate, her credibility is called into question. Add into the mix her husband's long-lost brother who disappears, leaving his son behind.
Five and Twenty Blackbirds (Book 4)
Join Carly Turnquist as she accompanies husband Mike to his twenty-fifth college reunion in Arizona. However, a sleepy little town is about to wake up to its first murder in over a hundred years, and Carly's nose for a mystery is on high alert.
Broke, Busted, and Disgusted (Book 5)
Back in Bear Cove, Carly's best friend is being courted by a smarmy stranger, and Mike's latest client is unhappy with him. When the client turns up dead and Mike is nowhere to be found, the police suspect him, and the video and paperwork they have that shows someone matching Mike's description maxed out their credit cards and cleaned out their bank accounts is compelling. But Carly knows her husband couldn't kill anybody. Could he?
Hidden Assets (Book 6)
Carly Turnquist, forensic accountant, responds to a call from her friend, Anne, who is in the middle of a nasty divorce, and travels to Wyoming to help find assets Anne thinks her husband has stolen. But the mystery begins before Carly even arrives when she sees a man thrown off a train. Except there’s no body. Husband Mike uncovers an illegal scam in a computer program he has been asked to upgrade, and then Anne is arrested for her ex’s murder. Can Carly figure out what’s going on, and why a strange couple is digging in Anne’s basement? Or will she disappear along with the artwork, coins, and money?
Petty Cash (Book 7)
Can Carly enjoy a peaceful vacation on Cape Cod, or will a local ghostly legend and a murder keep her too busy to notice what else is going on around her?
A Deadly Dissolution (Book 8)
Carly loses more than daylight when the total lunar eclipse and crime come to town. Can she figure out what’s going on before the suspects escape?
Silent Partner (Book 9)
Carly and Mike take the vacation of a lifetime--an Alaskan cruise. Unfortunately, Carly can't turn off her nose for trouble. Or mystery. Pretty soon she's embroiled with a series of allegations, innuendoes, overheard conversations, and even a shoving match. And before she knows it--a body. Can Carly figure out who the killer is before she ends up floating on an iceberg--or worse?
In the Money
(Book 10)
A million-dollar jackpot, a missing neighbor who won the money, a mysterious investment advice friend, and a cyber-security expert blended together with a dollop of insurance fraud and a smidgeon of gossip—can Carly get to the bottom of it all without ending up sunk in the harbor?
Missing Deposits (Book 11)
Carly looks forward to a vacation when Mike is hired to assist a rancher family in western Colorado catalogue their various mineral rights following the discovery of a large copper field on their property. However, Carly soon learns that the real wealth—and the real danger—aren’t below ground. Someone is out to keep a secret bigger and more profitable than copper. And they’re willing to kill for it.
Risk Management (Book 12)
When Carly is confronted with three terrible monsters, will she survive all three – or will this be her end?
Carly can’t ignore a good mystery. But when her investigations come close to home, she must decide whether to step back or continue, because now her family—and her own life—are at stake. Will she continue? Or will she retire gracefully? Perhaps she can do both.
Mysterious Ink Mystery Bookstore series: Join Margie Hanson, Carly Turnquist’s now-adult granddaughter, as she inherits a mystery bookstore in Edgewater, Colorado. This light-hearted cozy mystery with a dose of romance series is sure to delight you as Margie finds herself in the midst of missing books, murder, hidden secrets, and clandestine affairs. She undoubtedly inherited her grandmother’s sleuthing gene.
The Game is Afoot
(Book 1)
When Great-Aunt Roselda calls, everybody comes running. But by the time Carly Turnquist, forensic accountant, and her now adult granddaughter Margie Hanson arrive, Roselda is dead. Follow Carly on her absolutely final case as she mentors Margie into the finer art of solving a murder.
Little Grey Cells
(Book 2)
During renovations to her inherited house, Margie Hanson, library science graduate, discovers a suitcase with several items, including a wedding album, a baby's bonnet, and a rare manuscript. Who hid them there? And why? And where did two people and a newborn disappear to?
Heavier Than Broken Hearts (Book 3)
Dead men are heavier than broken hearts—at least according to Philip Marlowe, the legendary detective. Margie Hanson discovers a copy of “The Big Sleep” in a box lot of books at an estate sale, and she snags it to sell in her bookstore, along with a spice rack and spices for her kitchen. At home, she discovers neither is what she first thought. Can she solve these two mysteries before somebody succeeds in snuffing her permanently?
Nothing is Easy (Book 4)
Margie hosts a Christmas mystery month, featuring four different mystery books for the month. When a series of murders mimics the plot in the books, and she is the prime suspect, she soon learns that nothing is easy.
Christmas Ridge Romance series: a small town in the Colorado mountains. A community center that is the heart and soul of the town. Can the entire town’s Christmas wish list come true?
A Mommy by Christmas (Book 2)
Standalone Books
Always a Wedding Planner Romance Collection
Business partners Felicity Anderson, the cake baker; Kiki Bell, the seamstress; Cassie Blackthorn, the coordinator; and Chef Saffron Delarosa are best of friends in a town that is a romantic wedding destination for many couples—who work together at Weddings by Design to make every bride’s special day perfect. Could each falling into their own romance be the key to working out their differences and learning to trust each other—and God—with their futures?
A Mistletoe Mystery (Merry Little
Mysteries Anthology)
Christmas trees, cattle—and mayhem. Can Holly & Ivy Christmas figure out who is behind this nefarious deed?
Christmas Past, Christmas Present
A widower and his two daughters; a boy lost in the woods -- all in desperate need of a Christmas miracle.
Can Grace and Luke solve the clues in her grandmother’s scavenger hunt and uncover the truth about their real feelings, or will the tension and their differences in goals and faith drive them apart?
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