Mary J. McCoy-Dressel

Sensual western romance. Heartwarming stories. Strong family ties.
Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
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  • Tag: mary j mccoy dressel

    • Let’s Get Real

      Posted at 5:28 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on December 15, 2022

      It’s hard, sometimes, when nothing’s stopping you, to know what’s stopping you. ~Robert Brault, rbrault.blogspot.com

      Are you stressed in your rush to meet a goal before the year ends? I haven’t decided if I am or not. Sure, I’m stressed, but it’s not the same stress I experienced the last two years of rushing to get books out before the year ended. It’s not stress of meeting any goals before this year ends. It isn’t illness, though I’ve had my share of doctor appointments in 2022.

      This Year it’s Personal Stress

      My oldest son learned of a major eye condition. I came close to hopping on a jet bound for California. He’s going through treatment which includes shots in his eye. After the specified number of shots, they’ll determine if he needs more treatment.

      A very ill close friend I’ve know for years is having a difficult time with her health and is losing everything she has including her cat because she can no longer care for herself. Giving up her cat at this stage isn’t good for her mental health. Of all times, she needs her cat. She’s devastated.

      Another friend and I communicated with one of her family members, as we bounced ideas off of each other to find the best place for our friend to live. Her family member found a place two days ago. She’s moving in today. Through her illness, I’ve learned a lesson about doing a better job of caring for myself so this doesn’t happen to me.

      Whoever this new me is, has had a lazy year. It isn’t like I haven’t been writing, but four partially written books later, not one of them is ready to publish. It’s no different with reading books with none finished. The year started out in a new apartment, so for the next ten months, I “waited” to see where I’d be at the end of the year and dreaded making a decision on moving or staying. It’s good to know this is no longer a stressor.

      Photo by Ann poan on Pexels.com

      Back to the First Paragraph Above

      Maybe I am in a rush to see a new year arrive, but can it change me back to me? Since COVID came to my state, I’ve lived as if I’m waiting for something. Know what I mean?

      Next, it’s procrastination that has me stressed and the fact I can’t find a way to move on from it. Have you heard of Decision Fatigue? I think I’m experiencing this. Combining this with procrastination seems like a losing battle. Again, this has been common in people since COVID too.

      One of my best friends is a psychologist. The other day on the way to the hospital to visit our ill friend, I asked her about Decision Fatigue. She wasn’t familiar with the term. As I described the definition, she said she wasn’t surprised that it exists and was familiar with the symptoms. Have you heard of it?

      Here’s some info:

      “Decision fatigue is “the idea that after making many decisions, your ability to make more and more decisions over the course of a day becomes worse,” said Dr. MacLean, a psychiatrist. “The more decisions you have to make, the more fatigue you develop and the more difficult it can become.”

      Lisa MacLean, MD via Sara Berg, MS
      Senior News Writer at AMA.

      Distraction

      For the last half of this year, I’ve turned my TV on earlier and earlier in the day. To my credit, this doesn’t happen every day. This is odd for me, since I’ve never been a Daytime TV watcher since watching soap operas with my mom. It doesn’t help though I’m grateful – but my cable provider gives us the Premium Peacock streaming app as part of the package. Now, it has the Hallmark Channel on the app and free to me. Admittedly, it’s a nice distraction.

      It took two years to make the decision on when and where to get my hair cut since my regular person retired. It’s been six months now since the haircut, and I’m procrastinating and questioning where to go this time. It’s a simple haircut! Ekk.

      Here’s another article with a quiz:

      “Decision fatigue is a new term based on studies finding that the more decisions we make, the worse our judgement gets as we become increasingly worn out from, yes, the very process of decision making.”  

      Ellie Hughes via Women’s Health

      The article in Women’s Heath was written in 2013, so I guess Decision Fatigue isn’t as new as I thought. I know I’m not the only one going through this. It’s too personal of a question for me to ask, but I wonder if any of you are experiencing anything similar. Maybe it is time to set goals for next year so this doesn’t happen in 2023. Then again, I’ll need to do more than look at a goal list.

      Thanks for reading. Many of you are taking a blogging break for the holidays. Wishing all who celebrate a Happy Holiday season.

      Don’t forget to take care of you, my friends.

      Photo by Ann poan on Pexels.com
      Posted in #AmReading, #AmWriting, #WritersLife, new year | 18 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #WritersLife, Decision fatigue, Let's Get Real, mary j mccoy dressel
    • Short Snippet Saturday: In a Trance

      Posted at 10:20 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on September 17, 2022

      Hello all! This snippet really is short. As I searched through last years files for a short except to post on Facebook, I came across this one. If you follow my Facebook Author Page, you saw this with the same graphic as above.

      Blue Snow in the Moonlight: A Holiday Romance. We’re in our heroine’s POV.

      Sunshine burst through the conservatory. After her yoga session, she closed her laptop and squinted at the tracks left in the snow by Cullen and his son. The ladies she had led in her class giggled and pointed behind her, saying a hot lumberjack had come into her yard. They were right. Cullen had stood trance-like, holding his chainsaw—watching. It both embarrassed and thrilled her.
      ⁠
      Later, she took a hot shower, but it wasn’t the water raising her body temperature. After dressing, she strolled through the cottage. As if a ghost hung out here, the quiet bothered her now. Sadness happened in this place some time ago. He wore his pain in his demeanor. Memories of the cottage tore Cullen up inside. His family and even her uncle went along with a lie to protect his youngest. The Hollister family shared true family love.

      End of Excerpt. Thank you.

      Learn more about his book at Holiday Books in the menu.

      Available on Amazon internationally, but I’ll likely publish this one wide before Christmas. Visit Amazon now.


      Enjoy your weekend.

      Do you love fall? It’s my favorite season with spring coming in second. The colorful leaves, cooler nights, snuggling under a throw… Walks in the park. NO high bills from running air conditioning. The season makes me cuddly inside.

      This tree caught my attention with only a couple of red leaves on it. I had to capture it in Marshall, Michigan on a “girls’ day” out.

      My small town’s Fall Festival was last weekend. All the streets were blocked off except two lanes through town via Main Street, but even that took us to a detour. It’s all so much fun. Next, the scarecrows arrive.

      Blog posts relating to the second book can be found HERE and HERE.

      Posted in #AmWriting, #WritersLife, Blue Snow in the Moonlight, Short Snippet Saturday | 7 Comments | Tagged Blue Snow in the Moonlight, Blue Snow in the Moonlight Holiday western romance, cowboy, Holiday Romance, mary j mccoy dressel, Short Snippet Saturday
    • Questions, Blunders, Blue Snow, and Writing by the Seat of My Pants

      Posted at 5:36 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on June 27, 2022

      Not a Series – Not a Sequel?

      I posted the image below as my regular Facebook profile STORY post, but now I’m adding it here with an explanation.

      Yes, it’s true. Some readers asked for more after reading the first book. Yay, thanks! Big hugs. I’m writing a second book in the fictitious small town of Sugarton, North Dakota. Cullen Hollister, his family, and Elle from “Blue Snow in the Moonlight” will make their appearances. I can’t call it a sequel, I don’t think, but it is a SECOND BOOK.

      Or will it turn out to be the first book in a potential series? When it comes down to it, I’m not certain I can dedicate time to writing another series.

      Any suggestions as to what to call two books? It can’t be a duo because they’re one book with two stories (I think).

      Little Did I know

      At the time of writing Blue Snow, my new hero’s name popped into my head out of the blue as names do with me. I never expected to say or write his name again. The few lines with his name in book one were written to break up Cullen’s train of thought as he drove to his cottage. So, yes, to me he was just a name, and there was no reason to go further with him at the time. (Sorry, dude.)

      Things can change, can’t they? It took until a month ago to decide on a second book. As I jotted down a handful of ideas for this new book and my new hero, his name started sounding familiar to me. No wonder. I did a search and found a few famous people with his first and last name. Oh, great! Famous people? Duh. If I had plans on using him in the book or a second book, I would have completed a name search then.

      Since he is already mentioned in my already published book, I had choices: 1) keep his name, 2) come up with a new character never mentioned in Blue Snow, 3) change his name in Blue Snow in the Moonlight. Um, NOPE, or, 4) write a book in the same area not related to Blue Snow.

      Fixing the Name Blunder

      Pixabay by Tumisu

      The thing is, his first and last names are “first names.” Let’s take a first name and surname like John Roy (fictitious as far as I know). To fix my blunder, I separated my character’s first and last names with a hyphen and gave him a new surname. Lucky for me, I rarely have to mention the hyphenated name in the new book, because as it goes, he happens to hate his hyphenated name and insists on no one saying it like: “Don’t call me John-Roy! The name’s John.” Not my characters name.

      Moving On

      With this book, I’ve reverted back to writing “by the seat of my pants.” All I did was jot down a few paragraphs about what could happen, plus, I included character details. Let’s say, I finally got to know this hero. I’m looking forward to learning more. I changed my heroine’s name five or six times. Oh, I switched the spelling of her name three or four times. The poor girl is going to have an identity crisis.

      Next, I started writing. So here we are. I have no idea where the first 11,000 words came from, but boy-oh-boy was I glad when they poured out. Honestly, I’m not sure where it’ll go from here. Other than getting them to a happily ever after, of course. Did I mention I’m writing two other books? Long story there and maybe the “long story” might make it into a shorter blog post, cause this darn thing got long.

      Thanks for reading. Stay tuned to see how many more names I can change.

      It’s that time of year. Happy 4th of July Weekend, America. Also, Happy Canada Day to my Canadian friends.

      Featured Image: Pixabay JolaKedra

      Posted in #AmWriting, #WritersLife, Blue Snow in the Moonlight | 12 Comments | Tagged #WritersLife, Blue Snow in the Moonlight Holiday Romance, cowboy, mary j mccoy dressel, Questions Blunders Writing by the Seat of Your Pants, western romance
    • Snippet: South of True North ~ Some Things Never Change

      Posted at 12:15 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on May 28, 2022

      Hi! I’m sharing an excerpt from my second new December release, South of True North, featuring Cade and Faith. You’ll finally meet Faith in her POV.


      Book Description

      Townsfolk cheered when they fell in love. Then they destroyed them with rumors and lies.

      Rancher Cade Outlaw and his ex-fiancée share custody of their daughter. After a heartbreaking breakup seven years ago, they’re growing close again. Seven years ago, Faith’s ex-boyfriend’s vengeful attack on her destroyed Cade and Faith’s happily ever after. When he asks for a do-over, he vows to protect the relationship from the pain that separated them—to keep her and their child safe from their past. But how can he take a step back if he gets the chance to settle the score? Is his love for Faith and Nadia strong enough to hold on to the second chance they deserve?

      Heartbroken, pregnant, fired from her job, and Cade’s focus on avenging the assault took a toll on Faith Ribeiro. To heal, she’d left him. Years later, a Fundraising Executive and single mom, she lives with emotional and physical scars. Cade is the only man she’ll love, and she can’t deny the powerful chemistry between them. However, rekindling a relationship may invite wickedness back into their lives. What will she do this time if Cade still wants to pay back her abuser? How much will her heart break if Nadia gets swept up in their chaos after striving to keep her from it?

      They’re stronger together, though they need to overcome the challenges standing in their way of a peaceful life—hate, heartache, vengeance, and family betrayal. But how will they hang on to the profound love they once shared if they don’t come out of this unscathed?

      Available at Amazon.


      Setup: Faith hasn’t stepped a foot on Cade’s ranch for over seven years. Today, she put on her brave face and took their daughter, Nadia, to the Two-Five to get a school project she had started with her dad.

      A nauseous stomach overtook her as she drove up the ranch road. An unfamiliar horse to her grazed near the porch.

      “Grandma’s horse. Hurry, let me out.”

      Faith passed the porch, pulled off to the side, and stopped. “Please rush, Nadia. Grab it and come back. We have to get home.”

      “Why? Wanna see my pony?”

      “Not today. Hurry.” Cade’s horse grazed close to one of the barns. She sent a text: Are you near your house? I’m parked by the porch. A few moments later, he headed this way from the barn office. She rolled down her window.

      “Hey, is anything wrong?”

      She smiled. “Nope.”

      He leaned in to kiss her. “This is a pleasant surprise. What are you doing here?”

      “Nadia needed her project. I didn’t think anyone would be here, then Nadia said that was your mom’s horse.”

      He looked back. “It is. Mom’s talking to Ronni about finances.”

      “Can you please hurry Nadia along?”

      “You’re fine here. Settle down. Nobody’s going to bother you.”

      She glanced in her rear mirror. Nadia came out the door with Ruth. Cade put his hand on Faith’s shoulder, and she placed her right hand over it. Nadia and her grandmother stood on the porch checking out the pictures on her board. “You haven’t told me what went down between you and your mom yet.”

      “Leave it alone. Some things never change.”

      As she expected. Their daughter called from the porch. “Daddy, Mom wants the hot picture of you and Mommy on the beach.”

      Cade chuckled. “I’m sorry,” he muttered to Faith, “but that kid kills me. I’ll bring the pictures tonight, but they are not to be put on her board.”

      “Don’t worry!” Faith winked. “Your picture is going in my secret stash.”

      “Yeah? I’d like to see your secrets.” He ran his gaze over her, his eyes lowering and lingering on her chest in a low tee.

      She glanced down. “My secrets belong to you. Go get your daughter, or let me leave.”

      “Don’t go anywhere. Come on, Nadia,” he called.

      Faith glimpsed the side mirror as his mom peered at Cade.

      “Don’t be in such a rush. Let her stay and spend time with Grandma today. We’ll go for a horseback ride. Does she have a day off?”

      “Not today, Mom. Come on, sweetheart.” Cade went toward the porch, up the steps, and took her hand and the board. “They’re in a hurry. Nadia needs to finish her school assignment.” He returned to the SUV where he opened the back door for her. “Buckle your belt.”

      She waved to her grandma. “By Granny. Love you.”

      Ruth said she loved her back. Faith hadn’t wanted to fold in on herself, but it tore at her heart that she wasn’t a part of this, though it thrilled her to see Nadia so accepted.

      Ronni, Cade’s sister and a friend to Faith, came out and stood beside her mom. “Hello, Faith! Nice to see you. Have fun with your board, Nadia.”

      Faith made eye contact with Cade. “Scoot over.” She stepped out and waved. “Hi, Ronni. Have a nice day. You, as well, Ruth.”

      She got back in, and he clutched the door frame with both hands. “I’m proud of your confidence. I’ll see you later.” He leaned in and kissed her on the mouth, and Faith wrapped her hand around the back of his warm, sweaty neck. “Thank you,” she whispered, leaving her cheek to rest against his. “I’ll see you soon. Buckled in, Nadia?”

      “Yep! I can’t wait to work on my board. Come on. Bye, Daddy. You kissed Mom.”

      Faith hooked her seat belt and met Cade’s gaze with happiness in hers. “It’s nice to see you smile. Don’t work too hard.”

      “Uh, then they’ll fire me.” He winked at Nadia, “Guess what? I’m kissing Mom again.” He leaned in the window and planted a long-lasting kiss on Faith’s lips that she thoroughly enjoyed. “See ya.”

      “Soon, cowboy.” Faith turned the SUV around, lifted her hand, and gave a subtle wave to Ronni and Ruth as she passed the porch. “It looks like you have a lot of pictures. I’m excited to look at them.”

      Nadia asked, “Why didn’t you come in?”

      End of Excerpt


      Faith’s reasons for not going inside can’t be explained to a six year old. Making it as far as the driveway is a big deal for her. Find a recent snippet for another new release, Blue Snow in the Moonlight HERE.

      Thank you for reading! Have a wonderful weekend! ~MJ

      About me board images: Created @ Picmonkey by yours truly with Shutterstock Images

      Posted in #AmWriting, New Release, South of True North, Two-Five Ranch Outlaws | 4 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, Imprisoned in a Cowboy's Heart, mary j mccoy dressel, Romance, Snippet: South of True North ~ Some Things Never Change, South of True North, Two-Five Ranch Outlaws
    • Wordless Wednesday: Chill Time

      Posted at 12:15 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on May 18, 2022
      February 2022.
      Close-up of the globe on the top of the sculpture in the previous image.
      I love this dog sculpture.
      Ahh, Love!
      Part of the nose and tail broke off.

      Thanks for visiting. Enjoy your day!

      Posted in #WritersLife, Wordless Wednesday | 5 Comments | Tagged #WordlessWednesday, #WritersLife, February 2022, ice sculptures, mary j mccoy dressel
    • First Time for Everything

      Posted at 4:23 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on February 4, 2022

      Hi! Thought I’d let you know:

      If you’re still in the mood to read a holiday romance, this heartwarming two-hour read is now in Kindle Unlimited. This is my second ever book in KU.

      Book Description:

      Why does a stroke of bad luck happen now while on her way to Mackinaw City, Michigan on a blustery weekend? Two days before Christmas, Terra Westbrook and her young daughter have nowhere to stay. How can she convince her child that Santa will find her while sleeping in their car in a gas station parking lot—if they don’t die from hypothermia first? For her child’s sake, she accepts an invitation of a warm home from a resident in the village, but Terra soon learns, the kind person had no right to offer. However, she never expects the homeowner to be a lonely widower who hides tenderness and a big secret under his hard-hearted exterior.

      Jude Overton isn’t interested in a relationship let alone a wife. He tried marriage once. Sometimes his heart still aches. Now, if only his sister would get the message to stop matchmaking him with single women. His life is complete raising his daughter. He’s doing the best he can to make her happy. Jude accepts this as enough until he gazes into a stranger’s melancholy eyes that hold an unspoken yearning. As the big day rolls around, he expects it’ll be just another day like the past five Christmases as a single dad, but maybe this year, it’s a good thing his sister chooses to ignore his wishes.

      Secret Santa’s Rundown Sleigh


      This is different from the other books I write. For example:

      • It’s shorter–the low end of novella size. Two-hour read.
      • It isn’t a western romance. Don’t worry, I gave my hero horses!
      • It takes place in Northern Lower Michigan, my home state, and where, as a child, I used to spend time with my grandmother, aunt and uncle, and six cousins, and even more cousins and aunts and uncles when all of our families congregated there. Four of my cousins and their families still live “up north.”
      • It’s toned down in the heat department. Not steamy like my other books.

      Thanks for reading. Have a nice weekend.

      Posted in #AmWriting, holiday, Secret Santa's Rundown Sleigh | 3 Comments | Tagged #KindleUnlimited, amazon, Christmas romance read, holiday novella, Holiday Romance, mary j mccoy dressel, Secret Santa's Rundown Sleigh: A Holiday Romance Novella
    • Short Snippet Saturday: Cold Heart

      Posted at 6:34 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on January 22, 2022
      long stem red rose laying on sheet music, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, Western Romance, Blog Post Short Snippet Saturday

      Two-Five Ranch Outlaws

      Imprisoned in a Cowboy’s Heart

      This short scene in italics takes place earlier in the day and leads into today’s snippet below the fence post: Karis shifted in the saddle to look back at Tanyon standing in the doorway. He pointed to his watch. She’d be having dinner with him in a few hours. The thought made her tremble inside to think the ranch boss might find it in his heart to forgive her.


      I’ve made a slight modification to the excerpt. This scene follows in Tanyon’s POV:

      The closer it got to dinner time, the more stressed he became. He wanted to skip dinner out. A lot of work still waited on the ranch. Regardless, he had planned to drive up toward the Grand Canyon but decided against it. His heart wasn’t into having a date tonight. Dinner at one of the bar restaurants in Williams sounded doable and was a short drive away. A pretzel burger or ribs and a beer flight sounded good. Then again, with his sour mood tonight, he didn’t want the busyness of Williams or the Grand Canyon.

      He couldn’t shake the heavy heart concerning Karis. Now, he’d given her the wrong idea by asking her out. Like Sedona hadn’t given her the wrong idea? He sighed, still conflicted over what to do. He’d hoped the more time they’d spent with each other, the better it would get, but he had this wall to scale first. Being together hadn’t set him free from decisions. In fact, after holding her close during the dance, he didn’t want to call it quits yet.

      Before driving home, he pulled off the road at the gate to the open field where he’d taken her… Where he should’ve taken her fully. Maybe she would’ve gotten pregnant that night. She’d still be here taking advantage of the shoulder he could’ve offered when she damn well needed one. Instead, the night had led to a magnificent quickie, if you wanted to call what they’d done that night, a quickie.

      He glanced out at the openness. How dark it got on a moonless night. Now, the memory made him crazy with anger. Not the memory, no, the memory…aroused him, but the events that happened afterward had left him cold and heartbroken. She’d left him. He clenched the steering wheel tighter.

      She’d left him, and his heart had grown cold.

      Then the answer popped into his head. If anything could bring him back, it’d be sitting beside her in the bed of his truck with the silent musings of that night in both of their minds when he’d loved her so much. Tanyon nearly called her to tell her to dress casually, but she sure wasn’t dressed casual then. He made a turn to go toward the grocery store deli in Wills Bend.

      Two-Five Ranch Outlaws, Book #1

      Read Now: Universal Buy Link


      Book Description

      Four knife-piercing words in a frantic phone call from her mother, caused Dr. Karis Sutton to leave her cowboy in Northern Arizona to return home. While grief-stricken over a tragic loss, she’d let the man she loved slip away instead of allowing him to console her in a time of need. Now, a year later, and ready to break free from her world of gloom, she drives north to seek a second chance with the moody yet irresistible alpha-owner of the ranch. But she’s forced back to Phoenix to fight to keep two fatherless kids. While doing so, will Tanyon think she’s leaving him again and give up on any chance they might’ve had? She’s pulled in different directions. How will she make it right with so much distance between them all?

      Tanyon Outlaw never thought he’d see her again. Now, she’s returned as part of the summer crew on the Two-Five Ranch. In her sad eyes, he sees straight through to her pained soul while memories of their past love invade each thought. What will it take for his cold heart to grow warm toward her again? Then, when bad things happen on the ranch, it comes in droves. Karis is called back home. A lawsuit looms over his head. Fences are cut to maim or steal his cattle. Someone else has an eye for the woman he longs to love. He’s running out of time. How can he discover why people are out to get him while figuring out what his heart wants?

      Once again, Karis and Tanyon have separate, life-changing matters to attend to, so how will they keep it all together and still find a way to capture the love they once shared?

      Available at Amazon

      UNIVERAL BUY LINK


      Book #2

      Thanks for visiting today. Stay heathy and safe.

      Fence Post Credit: Pixabay caitgreer. Girl in Black dress: Pixabay StockSnap. Featured Image Pixabay: Edited by Mary.

      Posted in #AmWriting, Short Snippet Saturday, Two-Five Ranch Outlaws | 3 Comments | Tagged Grand Canyon, Imprisoned in a Cowboy's Heart, mary j mccoy dressel, Sedona, Short Snippet Saturday, Two-Five Ranch Outlaws, western romance, Williams Arizona
    • Snippet: South of True North ~ Don’t Expect Miracles

      Posted at 1:26 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on January 13, 2022

      Hi! I could wait until Short Snippet Saturday to post this, but I should keep “short” snippets for that topic. This one isn’t short. I’m sharing an excerpt from my second new release, South of True North, featuring Cade and Faith. Faith isn’t in this, but she’s the topic of discussion.

      Book Description

      Townsfolk cheered when they fell in love. Then they destroyed them with rumors and lies.

      Rancher Cade Outlaw and his ex-fiancée share custody of their daughter, and they’re growing close again. Her ex-boyfriend’s vengeful attack on her seven years ago destroyed Cade and Faith’s happily ever after. When he asks for a do-over, he vows to protect the relationship from the pain that separated them—to keep her and their child safe from their past. But how can he take a step back if he gets the chance to settle the score? Is his love for Faith and Nadia strong enough to hold on to the second chance they deserve?

      Heartbroken, pregnant, fired from her job, and Cade’s focus on avenging the assault took a toll on Faith Ribeiro. To heal, she’d left him. Years later, a Fundraising Executive and single mom, she lives with emotional and physical scars. Cade is the only man she’ll love, and she can’t deny the powerful chemistry between them. However, rekindling a relationship may invite wickedness back into their lives. What will she do this time if Cade still wants to pay back her abuser? How much will her heart break if Nadia gets swept up in their chaos after striving to keep her from it?

      They’re stronger together, though they need to overcome the challenges standing in their way of a peaceful life—hate, heartache, vengeance, and family betrayal. But how will they hang on to the profound love they once shared if they don’t come out of this unscathed?

      Available at Amazon


      Setup: On the way home from an auction, Cade’s dad, one brother, and his sister are with him, so he decides it’s a good time to blast some news.

      As they pulled out of the diner, a truck horn bellowed. Their big rig hauling new cows pulled around to the larger parking area. Jesse waved. Cade chatted with Nadia at her bedtime before blasting his news. They neared home now. Time ran out.

      He rubbed his hands on his knees as chatter from Ronni and Dusty blurred in the back seat. He turned the volume down and gave a sidelong glance to his dad leaning against the front door. “Listen up. I have news to share you aren’t going to like, but keep it to yourselves until we get home, or I’ll put you out of my truck.”

      “Uh, this is my truck. Nobody’s getting out, son.”

      He took a deep breath. “Faith and I are considering a second chance. We have a daughter together and want it to work between us.”

      His dad canted his head toward the side window. “It’ll kill your mama.”

      “Daddy,” Ronni said from the back. “No, it won’t. I agree with Cade. Nadia needs a mother and a father to parent her together. We don’t want to see another man raising our flesh and blood. You talk to Mom.”

      Cade dragged his palm across the steering wheel. For sure he didn’t want another man parenting his kid. “Thanks, Ronni, but I’ll tell her myself.”

      Dusty shoved the seat behind Cade. “You sleep together for two nights and think you can start over?”

      He just about blew a brain gasket. Cade slid to a stop on the shoulder of the road, got out, and pulled the seat forward. “I haven’t slept with nobody. Get your ass out of the truck.”

      Dusty narrowed one eye and remained sitting. “I told you you’d start a shit-storm. Happy now?”

      Jesse raised his voice. “Get in the truck. Your brother isn’t walking home. You’re a grown-ass man. Act like it!”

      “You can join him, Dad. I mean it. Pay attention.” Idiot. Shit. He kicked his dad out of his own truck. He grabbed his hat off his head and shoved his fingers through his hair and repeated Faith’s phrase. “You don’t have to like her, but you need to accept she’s with me.”

      “Get in the damn truck, Cade Lee Outlaw, or I’m coming around there to drive, and I don’t see well at night.”

      Cade turned his back on them and gazed upward. Then he faced his dad, lifted a foot to the running board, and laid his eyes on Dusty.

      His dad continued, “All right. Fine. You’re back together. You’re old enough to make your own decisions whether they’re right or wrong. I know how we raised you, so most of them are right.”

      “This one affects us all, Dad,” Dusty warned.

      “Shut up, Dusty!” Ronni leaned forward. “What’s the big deal? Get your damn facts straight. Hear me, Dad? Here we are all these years later still hashing out the same shit. How do you see Faith being at fault when an asshole started the whole thing to get back at Cade? He beat her!”

      “Calm down, darlin’.”

      “No! I consider her a friend. If you want to turn your backs on me, go ahead. I’ll miss you all a hell of a lot if you do. Like Cade, I’ll come to work every day because my name is on the flippin’ business too.”

      “Nonsense. You’ll always be my little girl. Ladies don’t curse like that, honey.”

      “You raised me to be a cowboy, not a lady. Give Faith and Cade a chance. Why make it hard on them? Now, they have an innocent little child. I hope you can find it in your hearts to do the same.” She sat back and folded her arms. “I thought Outlaws stuck together.”

      Well, obviously, Dusty wasn’t getting out, but wow, his sister let loose. Cade shoved the seat back and got behind the wheel, continuing to drive toward home. “I’ll have Nadia from after work tomorrow through the weekend. Please, for her sake, don’t bring this up because if you speak bad about her mom, you’ll lose her. If you can’t, I’ll keep her at Faith’s while she’s out of town.” He glanced in the mirror at Dusty who nodded. Wow.

      “You have my acceptance,” Dusty said in a calmer tone. “You’re right. This foolishness has gone on long enough. Everybody should be able to love who the hell they want to love. Right, Dad?”

      “No comment. You aren’t the one going home to talk to your mother.”

      Cade scoffed. “She’s wrong about her, Dad, and always has been. Let me handle Mom.”

      “No one handles your mother. You know, Cade Lee, I’d do anything for your little girl. If this is what it takes, so be it. I wish you the best, and I honestly mean it, but it’ll take time. Don’t expect miracles overnight, boy.”

      “We’re determined to make it work this time. No matter what, and I’m telling you up front, if Garrett returns to town, he’ll pay for what he’s done to her.”

      “I got your back, bro.”

      “Appreciated.”

      His dad laid his hand on Cade’s shoulder and flicked his gaze back to Ronni. “We do stick together, honey. And, Cade, if the day comes when Faith becomes your wife, she’s included. You’ve got my word. However, I repeat… Don’t expect us to change at the snap of your fingers.”

      Cade’s throat closed up in emotion at his dad’s words. He could’ve done this the first time. “Don’t worry. I know better. It’ll break my heart if I leave my family. I’ve had a broken heart before.”

      Ronni tapped his shoulder with her water bottle. “Here’s to no more heartaches for us Outlaws.”

      End of Excerpt.

      Two-Five Ranch Outlaws

      I try not to post long excerpts like this, but since South of True North and Blue Snow in the Moonlight are new releases, I made an exception. Find a recent snippet for Blue Snow HERE.

      Thank you for reading. Have a peaceful rest of your week. ~MJ

      Posted in #AmWriting, South of True North, Two-Five Ranch Outlaws | 3 Comments | Tagged amazon, mary j mccoy dressel, Snippet: South of True North ~ Don't Expect Miracles, Two-Five Ranch Outlaws, western romance
    • #AmWriting Short Snippet Saturday: Rumors & Lies

      Posted at 12:00 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on June 26, 2021

      Hello. I hope your weekend is off to a great start. This snippet is from book one in the Two-Five Ranch Outlaws series but refers to a conflict that sets up book two between Cade, his mother, and Faith. The thing is, most of the family sided with their mom against Faith and chose to believe rumors and lies that destroyed Cade and Faith’s relationship. Nadia is their six-year-old daughter.

      We’re in Karis’s POV. She’s the heroine in book one, and a few years after Cade and Faith’s breakup, Karis had become friendly with Faith and still is to this day.

      Imprisoned in a Cowboy’s Heart ~Two-Five Ranch Outlaws, Book One:

      Book cover cowboy touching his hat, lightning storm in the background, on a larger background of a Sedona sunset on red rocks, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, western romance

      Ruth glanced at her boys. “You’re all here, why not stay for supper? I got a lot of leftovers. I forget how to cook for only me and Jess.”

      “I don’t like leftovers, Grandma.” Nadia folded her arms and took a defiant stance.

      “You’ll eat them, child. Or go hungry. My leftovers aren’t like your mother’s.”

      “Mom.” Cade shook his head. “Be careful. You aren’t talking to a toddler anymore. Besides, Faith is a great cook.”

      Ruth had no qualms in showing her dislike of Cade’s ex-fiancée who had been rumored to have cheated on him. Rumor or not, Ruth stood firm in believing it to be true. Karis had believed Faith when she’d told her how the rumor materialized out of revenge. She’d recognized true pain in Faith’s eyes.

      It hadn’t helped to gain Ruth’s approval when Faith had kept the pregnancy from Cade until a couple months before their wedding. As the story goes, Ruth had been the one to insist he had a paternity test to prove the child was his before saying “I Do.” Turned out, seven months later, a bouncing baby Nadia came into the family with her dad at her mom’s side. By then, the family’s mistrust, and Cade not sticking up for Faith, had been enough to end their relationship. So, after knowing Ruth’s ability to quick-judge, it had worried Karis that Ruth might turn her back on her, too, but she hadn’t.

      Around here now at Jesse and Ruth’s, the family had always come together in times of need. Karis smiled at the loving banter between them. Nadia had been such a delight to Cade and the family. It saddened her that Ruth had never given Faith a chance to be a part of this.

      Book One is Available Now: https://books2read.com/u/mYKq7o

      Book Two Coming Summer 2021.

      Well, now… Cade and Faith have a lot to overcome before they can fathom a second chance. They may have a chance as long as their sworn enemy, and the one who started this whole ordeal, remains out of sight, because if he returns…


      Thank you for reading. Have a nice rest of your weekend. We’ve gone from drought to flooding in the area with more days of rain on the way while other parts of the state still suffer. We may continue with drought conditions after all this rain soaks in. Wishing you all the best. 💕

      Posted in #AmWriting, #WritersLife, Common Elements Romance Project, Short Snippet Saturday, Two-Five Ranch Outlaws | 4 Comments | Tagged cowboy, Imprisoned in a Cowboy's Heart, mary j mccoy dressel, Romance, Short Snippet Saturday, Two-Five Ranch Outlaws series
    • #WritersLife Decisions and Dilemmas

      Posted at 12:48 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on February 5, 2021
      Pixabay Geralt

      Hiya, folks. It’s me pondering again. Oh-oh!

      I’m wondering how many series writers ask themselves: When do I end a series? Ending a series also affects readers who are fans of the books. As a reader and author, I, too, have saddened to see a series end.

      Writers, have you ended a series?  How did you come to the decision?

      Readers, what do you think when a much-loved series is over?


      Decisions:

      Forgive me for making this about me, me, me. Haha. I might have mentioned this before, but early last year, I asked a few of my dedicated readers if my original subtitle Seasoned with Destiny: BILL’S FINAL GIFT sounded like the final book in the Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight.  

      My oldest son first pointed this out to me when he asked if this was the final book. Bless his heart. He’s great with critiquing my titles. Indeed, the readers I asked agreed it sounded like the last book in the series. Therefore, I changed the subtitle to “A Gift of Love” because lo-and-behold, I didn’t want it to sound like the last book in the series. I asked my cover designer to change the subtitle, and even she thought the first one sounded like the series would end.

      HOWEVER…

      Since then, and after days of contemplating whether I wanted to write more books in this series, I asked myself if book five should end it after all. The series can stop where it is without another book. But after two new and unexpected characters popped up in the story, and a surprise declaration from another, I mentally made a plan for a sixth and seventh book. Maybe eight.

      Should we step back from making major decisions at certain times in our lives? Wouldn’t illness be one of those times? Living in a pandemic when so many “normal” things change in our lives, also has an impact on decision making. Shouldn’t this be another time to take a step back and weigh all the options? This is what I’m trying to do. To me, these are rhetorical questions because I know the answer is yes.

      Way before the end of writing book one, I planned on a long series. I’d be sad to see this one end. An author who I admire has advised others to wrap it up if sales dry up. Sales almost had, but to be fair, I blame myself. One needs to put books in front of readers, and I neglected to do this for many months–nearly a year. Therefore, I can’t base a decision on low sales until I put my heart and brain back into my job and promote myself and my stories.

      When I promote, sales go up across the board and across all of my series books. My new book did push sales to all of my books. Needless to say, this encouraged me.

      Dilemmas:

      Another thing driving me to say farewell to the Carlson family is: I feel like I’m called to write something new.

      Do you know this feeling, writers?  

      This new idea rolled out of my head like a red carpet at an awards show. A little part of me thinks I can extend the spin off series with the new books that popped into my head. I’m sure this harebrained idea is me (or my muse) trying to hang on to the series??? You see, the spin off series takes us off the ranch and introduces us to friends and acquaintances who live and love in and around Canyon Junction. 😉

      I tell myself “The books can fit into the series.” Just in case, I wrote a short scene in Seasoned with Destiny: A Gift of Love for the second unexpected character who would begin with this “new” idea.

      I can make it happen if I want it to. I’m a writer!

      After all, I transformed an old draft for Finding Kimber into a western to fit into the spin off series. A new western setting changed everything especially my hero Zachary (Zach) Bryson, who is now a cowboy. He’s a mighty fine cowboy, too, though a stubborn–the way I like them–alpha. He was not named Zachary in the draft. The major parts of the story that I kept was Kimber’s name and her needing witness protection. Read her tempestuous beginning HERE.

      The Truth Is:

      It’s 2021, and I’m feeling a bit better than last year and thinking clearer now. The thing is, I have a new series to build in the Two-Five Ranch Outlaws. I’m behind in this series. Instead of writing the draft for book two, I should be writing book three, but in 2020 life got in the way… The same as it did for all of us. At this point, I don’t want to begin another new series. Shame on my muse for nudging me at the wrong time. Hmm. I’m leaning toward writing the next Double Dutch Ranch story and to go from there. Maybe the new series idea is for another life.

      So much to write. So little time. All I can say is “Stay Tuned.”

      Time goes, you say? Ah no!

      Alas, Time stays, we go.

      ~Henry Austin Dobson

      I’ve been writing and revising this post since last year. What does that say about decision making? So, if you continued this far, I thank you kindly for reading. 💖 Enjoy the rest of your day.


      Readers? Authors? Any thoughts on the ending of a series?

      Image credits: Featured image- Geralt. Signs & mountain-Pixabay JanBaby. Quote from The Quote Garden.

      Posted in #AmWriting, #WritersLife, Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series, Double Dutch Ranch Series | 8 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #WritersLife, Contemporary #western romance series, Decisions and Dilemmas, mary j mccoy dressel, Romance Series books
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