Wednesday in Wyoming -- September 13, 2017

It's not only the inside of the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens' Grand Conservatory that's green. So too is the roof.

Cover Reveal -- A Borrowed Dream

Even though we've all been told not to judge a book by its cover, I do, and I suspect you do too. That's why I'm always eager to see the cover art for one of my books and to be able to share it with you.

So, with no further fanfare, here it is -- the cover for A Borrowed Dream.

Isn't it beautiful? I never cease to be amazed at how the team at Revell manage to capture the spirit of my stories in the covers.

I love the way the designer incorporated so many authentic details:

• The bluebonnets that tell you more clearly than words that the book is set in Texas
• The stone schoolhouse, because one in the Texas Hill Country would have been made of stone rather than wood
• The bell that students could ring to signal the end of recess 
• The Texas flag
• The heroine's blouse, which is virtually identical to one I saw in an historic costume book  

I could go on and on, but that might bore you. Instead, let me share the back cover copy with you, so you have an idea of the story that's inside this gorgeous cover.

Catherine Whitfield is sure that she will never again be able to trust anyone in the medical profession after the town doctor's excessive bleeding treatments killed her mother. Despite her loneliness and her broken heart, she carries bravely on as Cimarron Creek's dutiful schoolteacher, resigned to a life without love or family, a life where dreams rarely come true.

Austin Goddard is a newcomer to Cimarron Creek. Posing as a rancher, he fled to Texas to protect his daughter from a dangerous criminal. He's managed to keep his past as a surgeon a secret. But when Catherine Whitfield captures his heart, he wonders how long he will be able to keep up the charade.

With a deft hand, Amanda Cabot teases out the strands of love, deception, and redemption in this charming tale of dreams deferred and hopes becoming reality.

Have I intrigued you? I hope so. And, if you'd like to learn why I wrote this particular story -- the story behind the story -- here's the link.

A Borrowed Dream will be released in March 2018, but it's available for pre-order at all the major sites right now. Here are some links.

Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Christian Book Distributors

Wednesday in Wyoming -- September 6, 2017

How often do you get to see the tallest palm tree in Wyoming being pruned? I was fortunate to be given a sneak peek at Cheyenne Botanic Gardens' new Grand Conservatory before it opened to the public and happened to be there the day that the palm tree was being readied for the opening.  What fun!

You've probably heard me say that the Botanic Gardens are one of the reasons my husband and I chose Cheyenne for our home, and it's true. Now, with the Grand Conservatory, the Gardens are even more wonderful -- well worth a trip.

Wednesday in Wyoming -- August 30, 2017

What a difference a snowfall makes! Remember the grayish sky in last week's picture of Grand Teton National Park? Not only did snow cap the mountains, but it cleared the air, creating the quintessential picture of autumn in the park.

Wednesday in Wyoming -- August 23, 2017

Yellowstone's southern park sister, Grand Teton, is noted for its spectacular mountains and sparkling lakes. The sky is normally a deeper blue, but the smoke from fires in Yellowstone polluted the air this day.

Wednesday in Wyoming -- August 16, 2017

No trip to Yellowstone would be complete without at least one sighting of a bison. This one's resting in a meadow, perhaps because he realized that snow was coming and wanted to conserve his energy.

Did you know that not only is the bison the dominant design on Wyoming's state flag, but it was recently declared the national mammal of the United States?

Wednesday in Wyoming -- August 9, 2017

Summer and early fall are fire season in Yellowstone. If you're old enough, you may recall the fires of 1988 which destroyed a huge portion of the park and created an uproar when the flames approached iconic parts of the park.

The dead trees that you see in the middle ground are evidence of that fire, but -- as you can see from the amount of new growth -- new trees have grown, creating a reminder that while fire is destructive, it can also benefit forests by providing opportunities for new trees.

Did you know that some trees are so well prepared for fires that they produce two types of seeds, one of which germinates only after the heat of a fire opens the shell? Those seeds are called serotinous.  (Even though spell checker is protesting, that's the correct spelling.)

Notice the smoke hovering over the hills in the background. Yes, it's yet another fire, although fortunately not one of the magnitude of the '88 fires.