Fresh Fiction Blog | Lois Greiman

I've been writing books for about a thousand years now: historical romance, mysteries, romantic comedies, but right now I'm trying something new. Hope Springs is a series set on a ranch in South Dakota. It's a coming home story, a comfortable meld of women's fiction and contemporary romance...quite different than anything I've done in the past. People keep asking me why. Why this? Why now?

The answer's pretty easy. I'm going back to my roots, back to simple, back to home. I grew up on a farm in North Dakota. Three thousand acres of horses, wheat and cattle. We raised other things too: barley, flax, rye, oats. That was before the days when the only crops grown seemed to be soybeans and corn. There were always chickens dust-bathing in the yard and ducks splashing in the creek. But the horses were the center of my universe. My brother and sisters taught me to ride long before I could walk.

brother on a horse My mother, however, preferred cattle. Mom was (and is) the quintessential farm woman: tough, loyal, tireless. We spent endless hours working together and from those hours I garnered a thousand carefully tended memories. Memories of late night cattle checks and early morning calvings. Of doctoring newborns and moving herds. As I've grown older those memories became increasingly precious until I felt the need to put some of them on paper.

lois
and horses

Okay, true, the hunky cowboy in FINDING HOME, the first book in the series, is purely fictional, as are many of the characters, but some of the scenes were pulled straight from the annals of my childhood. HOME was simply a vehicle to take me back in time, and I enjoyed the trip immensely. I hope you do too.

Here's a short excerpt:

Casie clawed for the door handle, but her skittering fingers couldn't work the latch. She twisted her neck to the right, ready to dodge out of her assailant's reach. But her intruder, it seemed, had his shoulder pressed against the passenger window and was staring at her in open-mouthed surprise.

She paused, managing to still her extremities, though her heart clattered with panic as she tried to make sense of the situation. Her right hand, she discovered, was grasping her keys like another might a stiletto.

"So..." The stranger's voice was low and edged with something that might have been animosity. On the other hand, it could very well have been amusement. "How's it going?"

She narrowed her eyes, then, as exhausted neurons began to fire with steadier regularity, she tilted her head and tried to see past the brim of the intruder's cowboy hat. A slanted, too familiar grin peeked out at her.

"Hey Case," he said and pushed up his Stetson to reveal dark coffee eyes.

Relief and irritation sluiced through her in equal measures. "Holy Hannah!" She was barely able to manage that much as she lifted her pseudo weapon toward her stuttering heart. "You scared the life out of me."

Richard Colton Dickenson removed his hat, placed it on the left knee of his frayed jeans and grinned. "Holy Hannah? Don't tell me you still haven't learned to cuss, Case."

"I can cuss just..." She shook her head, finding the no-nonsense course she had vowed to follow. "I thought you were in Abilene or Las Vegas or hell...or something."

He raised his brows. "Hell?"

"That last one was just a guess," she said.

So how about you, Fresh Fiction readers? What are your favorite memories?

To celebrate the release of FINDING HOME I'm giving away a $25 Amazon gift card to one much appreciated reader.

Comments

I love your excerpt and really look forward to reading your series...I also love the cover...very homey and sweet.
(Bonnie Capuano 5:16am January 13, 2013)

Wonderful photos, and I love the horses! I have many happy memories of growing up learning to ride at a riding school just down the road from my home.
They say you should write what you know, so good luck with the book about your memories!
(Clare O'Beara 9:03am January 13, 2013)

sounds like a great book, thanks for the chance here today
(Debbi Shaw 10:13am January 13, 2013)

This has been added to my tbr list. I love the cover.
(Cathy Thomas 10:15am January 13, 2013)

Hi

Thanks for a chance at your book. Great excerpt, I love small
town settings and the cowboy life for a romance.
(Pam Brewer 10:32am January 13, 2013)

Hi Lois. I love your historical fiction books. Thank you for the sneak peak of you latest book!
(MaryAnne Banks 11:21am January 13, 2013)

Hi everyone. Thanks for the warm welcome.

And MaryAnne, I'm so glad you've had a chance to read my historicals.

Hope you all enjoy finding Home. :)
(Lois Greiman 11:25am January 13, 2013)

A great post today. Makes me nostalgic for the wonderful time
I grew up in. Went bike riding all over the city, explored
downtown, had a simple but special freedom. Best wishes.
(Sharon Berger 11:46am January 13, 2013)

Congratulations on trying something different. The Dakotas are
a beautiful but desolate background. Great photo of you with
the horses!
(Michele Hunter 12:06pm January 13, 2013)

Hi Lois, this is my kind of book. Love the small town stories
and ranches and all those good things wrapped up into one.
Thanks for the great giveaway.
(Gail Hurt 12:15pm January 13, 2013)

My favorite memory is going to northern wisconsin to visit
my grandparents... We would help out in the barns of my
cousins houses milkin cows, feeding them, and roaming the
country side picking wild berries...Parents didn't worry as
they knew where we were and you can hear someone yelling for
miles... Loved being outdoors fishing,strawberry picking and
stare at the stars... When my dad retired we moved to
northern WI when I was in 7th grade got a huge farm house in
the country... Some of my favorite memories from that is
laying on the hood of my now hubby's car wrapped in a
blanket in his arms staring at the stars and just talking...
We we go home we still do this except we have two evil boys
who are with us and it is normally on a blanket on the
ground next to a fire.
(Jeannie Platt 12:17pm January 13, 2013)

I want to visit the Dakotas or Montana. Growing up in city, I want to see a
huge starry sky, and perhaps the aurora borealis.
(Susan Falkler 12:57pm January 13, 2013)

I visited Montana and loved it. I really enjoy mysteries, romance and
romantic comedies. Would love to read this book.
(Judy van Ryn 1:01pm January 13, 2013)

Jeannie, that sounds wonderful even with two evil boys. :)
(Lois Greiman 1:02pm January 13, 2013)

What a great post and excerpt, Lois. Thanks so much for visiting today. I'm looking forward to reading more of Finding Home.
(G S Moch 1:08pm January 13, 2013)

My mom used to take me on these really long bike rides whenever the weather was fantastically beautiful. We'd choose a new route every time. Those are some great memories!
(Kathleen Conner 2:15pm January 13, 2013)

It's a treat to be able to revisit your roots and write from the heart!
(Cheryl Castings 2:16pm January 13, 2013)

Wow...this is so intriguing!! Love the whole concept. My
favorite memory...there are so many good ones, but maybe
meeting my current best friend. We met a SeaWorld last
summer and we have so much in common. He is absolutely
wonderful and we hope we can be more than friends in the
future. Its a summer I'll never forget ^_^
(Samantha King 2:43pm January 13, 2013)

What a wonderful lifestyle - growing up on a farm with all those beautiful animals. I know it was a lot of work, but it seems so peaceful in comparison to today's hectic pace. I love the cover of your new book. Thanks for the giveaway.
(Bonnie H 2:48pm January 13, 2013)

When I was a kid I studied horse books because I loved them so much!
(Renee Pajda 3:13pm January 13, 2013)

I have different happy memories from childhood w/ family & friends that still many (many) years later will come to mind & bring a smile to face.
(d Kenney 3:14pm January 13, 2013)

First, I want to thank you for the opportunity to enter your
contest. Finding Home sounds like it will be an awesome
book to read. I have many happy memories of my childhood
spending time with my dad. We didn't live on a farm persay
but my dad owned two different pieces of land. Our house
was on one side of the road and then on the other side of
the road we owned three lots. My dad kept a cow and calf,
and some pigs. He also kept chickens which I always hated
going out to get the eggs LOL. I loved to go see the new
baby calf when it was born. I always had a cat and usually
she would have kittens. I even had a pet rabbit at one
time. I loved to go with my dad to stock sales. Everything
changed after my dad took cancer. I have many happy
memories of my childhood. It has been almost 31 years but I
am very thankful for the many happy memories and all of the
fun times we had.
(Mary Christian 3:54pm January 13, 2013)

This looks like such a great read. Thank you for the except. Can't wait to read the whole story. Thnk you.
(JoAnn White 4:47pm January 13, 2013)

Sounds fantastic :) My favorite memories are usually about places I've traveled to
(Lizz Comer 4:56pm January 13, 2013)

Some of my happiest memories from childhood were during our summers. My sisters and I were hired to go out to the huge farm where there were fields upon fields of strawberries and earn money at a young age. Of course, we spent it almost as fast as we earned it each day. It was fun to spend and a lot of work to earn as the pay was very low (only 5 cents for every heaping quart container filled)! We also loved going to visit our cousins on Sundays in the little town of Trempeleau, WI. We'd visit grandma and our aunt and seven cousins that lived across the road from each other. We'd pick corn from our aunt's garden and she would cook it up for us to eat. Grandma loved asparagus so we walked along the railroad tracks at the back of her property and picked her bunches that grew wild. We also visited her berry patch and ate lots of her berries (every kind you can think of she grew). We played a lot of softball and made forts in the fall from leaves from the big trees. They both had lots of property to run around, explore, etc. We always had so much fun we just hated to head home in the evening.
I love your picture of you with your two white horses. I've always loved horses (very beautiful animals). My uncle owned several when I was younger, and I loved to ride them.
Love your book cover and I'm looking forward to reading your new book, which sounds great!
(Linda Luinstra 5:10pm January 13, 2013)

"Finding Home" is on my wish list. : ) I grew up in the country and enjoy reading about country life.
(Andrea Abel 6:10pm January 13, 2013)

Like the post & excerpt. Would love to read the book.
(Penny Mettert 6:58pm January 13, 2013)

Love the excerpt - sounds like the start of a wonderful series.
(Mary C 7:09pm January 13, 2013)

Going fishing with my Dad and younger brother.
(Liesl Lane 7:12pm January 13, 2013)

Thank you for sharing. FINDING HOME looks like a fantastic
read.
(Mary Preston 7:16pm January 13, 2013)

Some of my all-time favorite memories are the memories I have of me reading to my grandmother, who was blinded and immobilized by Diabetes... but it never slowed her brain or restricted her heart. She was my mentor and my role model, and I'll never forget the things she taught me and how much she loved me.
(Donna Holmberg 7:48pm January 13, 2013)

Best memories, being with my friends and joking around together. Good times.
(Deb Pelletier 8:00pm January 13, 2013)

My favorite childhood memories revolve around cooking and
family meals. Loved reading your post. I am a city girl and
have a fascination with farm and ranch life...and cowboys.
(G. Bisbjerg 8:05pm January 13, 2013)

Sounds like a great read! And I love series books!!
(Kelli Jo Calvert 8:12pm January 13, 2013)

Loved my childhood - being able to play outdoors, making up games, loving to read, and I loved horse books! Your new book sounds great!
(Nancy Bird 8:27pm January 13, 2013)

looking forward to reading the book, it sounds wonderful.
(Wilma Frana 8:30pm January 13, 2013)

best memories include outdoor play and make believe, we didn't have the internet to spend our hours, we hung out and made snowmen, sandcastles and dreamed!
(Darci Paice 9:26pm January 13, 2013)

Loved the excerpt!! Loved to ride horses and play outside. The book sounds really great.
(Martha Lawson 9:51pm January 13, 2013)

Since I grew up in the city, my memories were a bit different from yours. I had friends who lived down the street from me, and I remember shoveling snow late at night, before bedtime, but finding time to have snowball fights with my friends before I went in the house. My best memories were those I had with my Mom, helping her bake, especially around Christmas. She was known for her home-made bread, and special cookies that were passed down to her from her Mother. These were a Polish recipe, and I would sit on my legs at the table, and help to put the filling on the cookies, after she rolled out the dough, so she could roll each cookie up and put them on the cookie sheet. As for the bread, some of it she made with a cinnamon-sugar filling. I would spread butter on the dough for her, after she rolled it out, and help her with the rest of the filling. Once the bread was in the pans, I would help her put Pet Milk on the top of the bread dough, which gave a beautiful coloring to the bread, before it went into the oven. I also used to help her when she made dumplings, which in Poland are known as pierogi. I would put the filling in, and help her seal each one up. She didn't really want me near the stove to drop them in the boiling water to par cook them until I was old enough, but we had a system to making them, and my older sisters would help, as well as my Dad, when we made them. We would make well over 100 of them, and eat a few after they came out of the melted butter bath!! I still make them today, as well as a few other dishes. My mother has been gone 11 years now, and it seems like only yesterday. I miss her dearly, and the memories will live on in my heart. I can't wait to read about your memories, and love the cover to your book!! Have a Happy and Healthy New Year!! Sorry to be a little long-winded in my reply.
(Peggy Roberson 9:59pm January 13, 2013)

your book sounds really great, can't wait to read it, I really enjoy series books.
(Frances Namuth 10:24pm January 13, 2013)

Some of my happiest memories as a child were when living in a
very small house that had a bunch of farm animals.
(Deidre Durance 10:35pm January 13, 2013)

I treasure my memories visiting my grandparents who
lived far from the city.
(Jan D 10:50pm January 13, 2013)

Great excerpt. Thanks for sharing!! Looking forward to reading it.
(Donna Simmonds 10:51pm January 13, 2013)

I love to hear that an author writes from their own
experiences.
(Diane Sallans 12:25pm January 14, 2013)

I really enjoy mysteries, romance and
romantic comedies. Sounds like my kind of read. Hope I am
blessed with winning your book I Would love to read this book.
(Shirley Sego 1:06am January 14, 2013)

There's nothing more fun than winning a free book that is delivered to your
home. I don't get out much these days with my physical limitations and then
the extra perk of winning a gift card. Thanks for giving your readers this
wonderful privilege. It's a generous opportunity. Thank you. Mary Ellen
Trella.
(Mary Ellen Trella 6:05am January 14, 2013)

I enjoyed reading about how you grew up on a farm. I remember spending alot of days at my grandparents farm. I really wish I had my own farm.
I would really like to read your book, I bet it will be very good.
(Debbie Penny 7:09am January 14, 2013)

I don't know about favourite memories. But for decades all my dreams were set in my parents' large Southern Illinois yard. (A Hogan's Heroes dream was admittedly rather strange there.) And some still are.
(Mary Ann Dimand 8:43am January 14, 2013)

I love your books, they make me laugh out loud. One of my favorite memories, is sitting with my grandparents and listening about the old times. My grandmother is Cherokee and listening to her tell about her sufferage in a white society was the greatest. Now she is gone and I still laugh at her memories.
(Shonda Abercrombie 8:45am January 14, 2013)

Happy New Year & thanks for the giveaway!The excerpt was fun to read and this sounds like a fun book to read.
(Chelsea Knestrick 9:24am January 14, 2013)

Very interesting read. Thanks for sharing & offering a contest to boot! God bless you & your heart!
(Kathy Smith 9:36am January 14, 2013)

I grew up on a farm in Australia and I remember the hard work. The book sounds great.
(Rita Wray 9:44am January 14, 2013)

Your book sounds great - and I loved the photos! Thanks for the chance to win. Even if I don't, I'll be getting the book because it sounds like something I'd love. Best of luck with it and a wonderful 2013.
(Nancy Reynolds 10:27am January 14, 2013)

Loved the excerpt The book sounds great. I remember learning about horses from my Aunt and Uncle, I have wonderful memories of the time I spent with them and when we would go to my Grandma and Grandpa's farm and work in the garden and sometimes in the fields. Even though it was hard work we always had a great time there.
(Crystal Young 10:46am January 14, 2013)

My favorite memories almost all stem from time spent with my partner of 23 years. He is such a generous spirit and puts up with all of my broken baggage. One of my best memories is something that happens all the time: when he runs his fingers thru my hair and just looks at me. He doesn't have to say a word for me to feel the love radiating off of him towards myself. It is amazing and I am blessed.
(Angie Lilly 10:47am January 14, 2013)

favorite memory-when I was young my family rented a lake home for 2 weeks each year - I loved it
(Vicki Wurgler 12:00pm January 14, 2013)

This sounds like a fun book to read. Thank you for the chance to win.
(Anna Speed 12:13pm January 14, 2013)

I totally enjoyed your excerpt, i bet the book is even more so. thanks for the contest and keep writing.
(Anthonia Sharp 12:30pm January 14, 2013)

What a great story and excerpt! Can't wait to read it. I, too, have great memories of growing up in a small town and spending summers at my grandmothers - a strong women that raised my father alone. She took care of most of the tiny villages residents and I went along with her. Her strength and determination has always been an inspiration. I can really relate to your story. Best of luck to you!
(Kathy Martocci 12:42pm January 14, 2013)

Cowboys are one of my FAVORITE subjects when it comes to romance novels. I would love to find out where this excerpt is going, thanks for the tease!
(Lorraine Rodriguez 1:36pm January 14, 2013)

Congrats on the new series, Lois. I really enjoyed your Christy McMullen mystery series.
(Anne Muller 1:37pm January 14, 2013)

Your excerpt was great. It made me really want to read this book. Thanks for the chance towin.
(Gayle Pace 2:16pm January 14, 2013)

Your excerpt sounds great! Congrats!

My favorite memories are the ones of my daughters and me....
(May Pau 2:33pm January 14, 2013)

You new direction sounds exciting. Good luck to you. I've
never visited the Dakotas. I spent my life in Michigan,
growing up with trees all around. It seems harsh to see the
open prairie land of Dakota. Now a little story about ND.
My son-in-law is a nature photographer and has visited N & S
Dakota on several occasions. On one trip through ND, he saw
an abandoned stove sans oven door sitting all alone in a
field. It had a sign on it that said "OPEN
RANGE"...seriously...someone had a dry sense of humor. Of
course, my SIL took a picture of it. Whenever he's giving a
presentation of birds & wildlife from the Dakotas, he throws
that picture in for comic relief!
(Karen Haas 2:52pm January 14, 2013)

I am a city girl trapped in a country gal body. My next place on my bucket list is Deadwood, Rapid City, Wall Drugs, The Corn Palace. You get the picture and I hope I win the Amazon gift card!
(Susan Coster 4:02pm January 14, 2013)

Thanks for chance to win. I have a lot of favorite memories. I'm a county girl!! I was raised on a farm with both sets of grandparents living really close by. My favorite memory would be my grandfather coming to get us kid and taking us fishing. We would walk to the fishing hole & on the way home we would pick wild flowers for my grandmother. Other times we would get in his truck and go to the nearest store. When we got there the owner would hand us kid a brown lunch sack for us to fill up with candy. It would only cost $3.00 for 3 full lunch bags.I loved those days.
(Carolyn Helms 4:52pm January 14, 2013)

My favorite memories are of my daughter as a little girl. I still remember some of the sweet and hilarious things she said and did. She is now married and I'm waiting for grandkids and more precious memories.
(Monica Vargo 5:00pm January 14, 2013)

really sounds interesting...have always head a love for the country....
(Mal Kaplan 5:02pm January 14, 2013)

Love the excerpt, I love cowboys and ranches. Maybe in my next life:)) Thanks for the give-a-way.
(Suzanne Bischoff 5:33pm January 14, 2013)

Fantastic book. Thank you for sharing your memories as well..
(Holly Vanderhule 5:39pm January 14, 2013)

So many of my memories center around my children. Milestones when they
were small and now that they are adults the milestones are still coming, just
different.
(Ann Sheiring 5:55pm January 14, 2013)

I love the cover. I have to read this. Sounds good.
(Cathy Thomas 6:16pm January 14, 2013)

Love Hunky Cowboys!!!! The FINDING HOME cover is beautiful!
Thanks for sharing with us Lois!!
Robin in NC
RW620 AT aol DOT com
(Robin Weiss 6:43pm January 14, 2013)

I have great memories of my working with my grandfather in his
workshop. He was a carpenter and boatbuilder, and I can
remember being very little and playing in the sawdust while he
worked. As I got older, he would let me help when he was
building something.
(Judith Cauthan 6:49pm January 14, 2013)

Finding Home looks like a wonderful book to spend the evening reading.
(Andrea Abel 7:29pm January 14, 2013)

Favorite memories are spring and summer fishing day trips with my Dad. We were both avid salt water and fresh water fishing enthusiats. My dad could catch a fish in a puddle. Oh the memories.
(Lisa Fitzgibbons 8:05pm January 14, 2013)

My favorite memories are of playing outside in the summer and being able to swim all day.
(Maureen Emmons 8:08pm January 14, 2013)

I like the horse pictures. I have a horse book from Barnes & Noble that shows different horse breeds. I live in the city, though.
(Michelle Fidler 8:13pm January 14, 2013)

My favorite memory is just lying outside and gazing up at the stars.
(Hyunjin Jeon 8:14pm January 14, 2013)

Love your western hat and wow do you look good for having been writing for about a thousand yesrs! Looking forward to defininely reading this book
(Shirley Younger 8:15pm January 14, 2013)

My favorite memories are growing up in a very small farming town with seven younger brothers and sister, and having a grandmother living next door.
(Sheila True 8:28pm January 14, 2013)

Would love to read this book as it sounds interesting hope I am the lucky winner as this week is my birthday and that would be a great present
(Shelly Itkin 8:31pm January 14, 2013)

Your book sounds amazing. Home is truly where you make it. I came home to start again and I am so glad I did. I found the man of my dreams and have never been so happy. Thanks for the chance to win a new book.
(Lynsey Peterson 9:36pm January 14, 2013)

This book sounds wonderful. Hope to read it !
(Maria Gibb 9:41pm January 14, 2013)

thanks for a chance, great reads you produce.
(Michael Cuchinelli 10:25pm January 14, 2013)

the book sounds like a great read...love to win
(Kimberly Hoefs 10:44pm January 14, 2013)

well mine would be when my grand would come over and her and the lady across the alley we call her grandma 2and then the lady up stairs would get together and cook meal for about 30 poeple on sunday morning my grand would cook the sauce the lady 2 would make meat ball and then the family would come to the house for dinner and then skating and then we have fresh bread and home maid meat ball and spaghetti then the table would be full of food
(Desiree Reilly 11:48pm January 14, 2013)

My favorite memory was going camping and learning to ride horses. It took a bit of persuading for my parents to allow me to go.
(Kai Wong 12:32pm January 15, 2013)

I, too, grew up on a farm---but a very small one and my best memories are playing with the animals--not only did I ride my shetland pony I rode the big buck sheep. Great memories of finding nests of newborn kittens in the hayloft.
(Sue Farrell 10:18am January 15, 2013)

I own my own farm and love all kinds of animals,but my favorite is horses! I
raise my own! I have my fabulous stallion Zip, 3 mares, 2 babies ( 2 on the
way) and my donkey Pedro! Thanks for the giveaway and introducing me to
a new author!
(Kim Cornwell 1:14pm January 20, 2013)

Book sounds great i never grew up around horses and stuff.
(Raeline Peterson 2:33pm February 8, 2013)

Books sounds great a had two horses once loved them
(Debbie Lord 2:34pm February 8, 2013)

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