Updated: Mar 13
It is a pure delight when I get to welcome another author to visit Tales & Tidings. Linda Broday writes immensely entertaining historical western romance novels, and her newest release, A Cowboy of Legend, will no doubt live up to her . . . legend (Sorry, couldn't help it.). Let's Join Linda now in Hell's Half Acre. What's that, you might wonder? Well, read on to find out.
Hells' Half Acre
Thank you so much for having me, MK. This is such a treat. I’ve long admired your work and like that we share a huge love for the old West.
There were a few places in the Old West that became famous for their wicked, dangerous ways that only the most daring of men sought out—Tascosa, Texas; Dodge City, Kansas; Deadwood, South Dakota; Bodie, California to name a few. But one section of Fort Worth, Texas called Hell’s Half Acre was one of the worst.
Many often referred to this area as the Bloody Third Ward due to the heavy amount of violence. Actually, it was a several block radius in the lower end of town where saloons, bordellos, gambling houses and the like operated. It’s a place where outlaws and gunslingers hid out. Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch frequented the area as well as Doc Holliday, Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, and Sam Bass.
But finally, Fort Worth’s citizens demanded something be done and in 1889 they elected Sheriff Jim Courtright. He put a serious dent in the Acre, but it still took until 1920 and several subsequent sheriffs to clean it up.
This is the setting for A Cowboy of Legend.
Deacon Brannock owns a struggling saloon called the Three Deuces and if he can just hang on, he has big plans for his future. Unfortunately, Grace Legend and marchers with the Temperance Society descends beating drums and carrying signs, determined to shut him down.
As you can imagine with their differing views, Deacon and Grace clash from the start, both convinced they’re right. Tempers run high. Even so, Grace can’t deny her attraction.
Add in a group of homeless kids, a monkey named Jesse James, and a really bad villain and you have a story that just might keep you reading all night.
Both passionate people, Deacon and Grace hold secrets—lots of secrets. Some deadly.
Who is Deacon Brannock? There’s no record of him in the state of Texas.
And who’s writing those inflammatory articles in the Fort Worth Gazette under the name Sam Valentine?
A new generation of Legends are itching to make their mark.
You can find an excerpt at: https://bit.ly/38kpdiF
A Cowboy of Legend released on April 27, 2021. This the first of a new series called Lone Star Legends. Then Book 2 – A Cowboy Christmas Legend – will be out in September so watch for that.
Scroll down for a question and a book giveaway!
A Cowboy of Legend
It's time for a new generation to become Legend.
Deacon Brannock is determined to make a name for himself and the saloon he's worked his whole life to afford. He was prepared for life in the Wild West, but he hadn't counted on Grace Legend...
Grace has always fought hard for what she believes in, and after her best friend is killed at the hands of her drunk and angry husband, that includes keeping alcohol out of her town. When the owner of the new saloon turns out to be a kind and considerate man, she can't help but wonder if they could have a future together...if they weren't on opposite sides of every issue.
Content Rating: Sensual with some graphic scenes.
Book Giveaway + a Question from Linda
If you could travel back in time to any place in the world, where would it be and why? For me, I’d choose the mining town of Cripple Creek, Colorado in 1890. It was an exciting place but not as rough as some.
Linda is generously giving away two copies of A Cowboy of Legend!
Two winners will be chosen after the giveaway closes to entries on May 10, 2021. Winner's choice of e-book or print. Enter via the form below, and earn a bonus entry by answering the question in the comments.
About Linda
I'm a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 30 full length western romance novels and short stories. Watching TV westerns during my youth fed a love of cowboys and the old West and they still do. Here in the Texas Panhandle I can often hear the voices of American Indians, Comancheros, and early cowboys whispering in the breeze. My stories focus on family life and you’ll find children in almost all of my books.
You can find me at:
And if you’re looking for a complete (printable) list of my books, come to: https://lindabroday.com/books/booklist
Question from Linda:
If you could travel back in time to any place in the world, where would it be and why? For me, I’d choose the mining town of Cripple Creek, Colorado in 1890. It was an exciting place but not as rough as some.
Updated: Mar 13
Research brings many rewards, chief among them the acquisition of knowledge, and my favorite kind of research is delving into the past. History is filled with a plethora of wisdom, accomplishments, heroics, cautionary tales, and fascinating stories. For my contribution to the McKenzie Sisters Mystery series, I traveled back in time to 1899 Colorado, specifically Durango.
This historically-rich town was not the original setting, but as Cassandra (aka Casey) and I were getting to know each other, we couldn't agree on a number of things, and where she would spend most of the book was among our disagreements.
Enter Durango, a railroad town in southwestern Colorado where I lived on a small ranch in my youth. Even thirty years ago (yep, I'm kind of giving away my age) the town was quite different from what it is today, but what has not changed is the intriguing history of a wild west town filled with contradictions and tales of both survival and prosperity.
While my memories could not help me with what the town would have been like one hundred twenty-two years ago, it did provide me with a good foundation for the area, climate, and scenery. Riding the Durango & Silverton train up to Silverton is still one of my fondest childhood memories. At 9,318' elevation, there are no end of wonders to see. Go higher up to 11,200' and one can explore the Animas Forks ghost town, a mere 12 miles northeast from Silverton. I recently came across a treasure of childhood photographs that showed me riding the train and running through those high mountain valleys.
Of course, as a child I did not consider the area's history, but I have spent a considerable number of hours the past few months researching Durango, and each time I uncover an interesting tidbit I try to think back to what I recall from my days there.
Cassandra doesn't have my memories, but together we are unearthing all sorts of fun facts, like how on the fourth floor of The Strater Hotel, Hattie Mashburn was a sort of madam to soiled doves who occupied what was known as the "Monkey Hall." A lot of research I've done has been on the grand hotel because that is where Casey is staying, and also where I used to enjoy brunch (more on that another time).
For western fiction fans, it might be of interest to know that Louis L'Amour was a regular fixture at the hotel, and wrote many of his Sackett series novels there. They even dedicated room 222, located above the saloon, to Louis & Kathy L'Amour. Apparently he enjoyed listening to the ragtime piano music while he worked.
Have you been to Durango?
The gorgeous building that has been The Strater Hotel since it opened in 1887 plays a minor role, though significant, in the book, but the town as a whole is a wonderful place for Casey to solve her case involving, none other, than mining, money, and murder.
Have you been The Strater Hotel?
Durango, founded in 1880, was constructed because of the gold beneath the rocky mountain soil, and built on the backs of miners, prospectors, bankers, and enterprising men and women who found various ways to make a profit off the land, and off the people who worked the land.
Cassandra's book is a rollicking adventurous mystery with a touch of romance, and while 90% of the history doesn't enter into the book, it is indeed fascinating, and vital to the foundation of the story.
Further Reading:
Thank you for visiting!
Our souls need time for solitude and self-reflection, and it is in nature where we can always find both.
It had been a little while since I ventured up to Glacier, and most of the roads are still closed. The colors are still in the transitional phase from winter's end to springs beginning, so at first glance the landscape might appear a little dull.
Then comes the moment of chastisement, when I take another look and of course, it is impossible to look upon such grandeur and not find the wonder and majesty. The water's slight ripples prevented perfect reflections, but there is no need to search for perfect in an imperfect world.
Nature, in her beautiful and unpredictable way, holds the answer to any question we will ever have. Not because we look upon her mountains, trees, water, or sky and are given what we need without work. I believe it is because when in the face of nature, whether it be seedlings in a garden, the awesomeness of a vast ocean, or the highest peak on earth, we are not merely looking outward, but searching within ourselves.
Of course, it is nice to just gaze in awe and think of nothing at all. To the right, cut off in the above picture, is a dock. It was empty this morning save for a man and his dog. He stood on the edge, a ceramic mug in hand, with the dog sitting next to him, and appeared to bask in the beauty. Was he thinking of anything other than the stillness and peace those few moments offered? He did not appear to be, and that in itself is a kind of reflection. We all need minutes and hours when our mind has no responsibility other than to enjoy serenity wherever we can find it.
I did not have the right lens on hand when the geese took flight (image below), skimming over the lake's surface, and settling on the other side. The crunch of gravel under my feet, no matter how quiet I tried to be, warned them that their solitude had been interrupted. I was sorry for it, but knew they would find more.
The park was a refuge this morning, as it often can be during the off season, when a person can sit and bask in silence with nature's gentle chorus for company.
Human noise is invading natural places more and more, polluting the environment as much as trash left on the ground. The cacophony is not only detrimental to nature, but to human health. We need quiet and peaceful places in order to thrive. Did you know that noise pollution can interfere with memory retention and a good mood? Well, I did, but not from a scientific standpoint. I just know I am happier when human noise doesn't interfere with nature.
And so I relish the tranquility of days like this, when nature is allowed respite and the people who are there, like the man enjoying the view from the dock, respect the land and creatures on it, knowing that we are merely guests.
"Like water which can clearly mirror the sky and the trees only so long as its surface is undisturbed, the mind can only reflect the true image of the self when it is tranquil and wholly relaxed." – Indra Devi
Happy Easter to you, along with wishes of hope, peace, and goodness today and many days hence.
Be well, be kind, and stay safe.
—MK
