Looking Out the Window: Shannon Vanatter's Blog Tour for Rodeo Reunion. Enter to Win a Book and a Prize.
A Warm Welcome to Shannon Vannatter
But that's not all
One winner will receive this baseball themed memory board personally crafted by Shannon.
Winners will be revealed on Shannon’s blog here on July 22nd.
Today Shannon talks about Rodeo Reunion and shares her favorite Bible verse as well as a favorite recipe
Bible verse
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12 KJV)
Fruit Salad Recipe
8 oz. small curd cottage cheese
1 small box gelatin (any flavor)
At least four different kinds of fruit—fresh or canned
Whip cottage cheese with electric mixer until curds are mostly smooth. Whip in gelatin and stir in cool whip. Cut fruit in bite size chunks. If using canned, drain well. Stir in fruit.
My favorite gelatin to use is cherry. The cherry has a strong enough flavor to cover the cottage cheese if you’re not a fan—like me. My favorite fruit combination is fresh strawberries and green seedless grapes with canned pineapple tidbits and peaches. You can also use fat free cottage cheese and sugar free gelatin to reduce fat, sugar and calories. It can also be tweaked for diabetics by using fresh or sugar free canned fruit.
Yum.
About Rodeo Reunion
And Slade Walker's not a likely candidate. Even if the former major league pitcher just agreed to coach her son's little league team. The single mom can't risk everything on a bronc-riding chaplain who's only passing through Raquel's small Texas town.
Slade is taking a hiatus from the rodeo circuit to meet the sister he never knew he had. But the pretty widowed nurse next door is making him think twice about hitting the road again. He can't turn his back on the cowboys who need him, but Raquel and her boy need him, too. Can Slade fulfill his calling and finally find a place to hang his hat?
Buy Rodeo Reunion
Christianbook.com
Amazon
Excerpt from Rodeo Reunion:
Raquel placed their orders, then moved to the register, dug her money from her wallet and waited for her change.
The man behind her in line ordered and she turned to see if he was anyone she knew. He looked familiar. Inky waves, sage-green eyes, chin cleft. Where did she know him from? Parent from school? Church?
He smiled.
And her brain kicked in. Slade Walker.
Her mouth went dry. Her wallet slipped from her fingers.
Coins danced and rolled; bills fanned around her feet; credit cards bounced, spun and slid across the hardwood floor.
In most places, people would dive in and steal as much as they could. But this was Aubrey, Texas.
Slade knelt at her feet along with the lady behind him in line and helped her pick everything up. A man she didn’t even know handed her one of her credit cards.
“Thank you.”
In minutes the contents of her overstuffed wallet were back in place as Slade gathered stray change.
“Don’t worry about the change.”
“Is that everything?” He stood.
“You’re Slade Walker.”
“Yeah. Got all your cards and money?”
She tugged her gaze away from his long enough to flip through the bills and cards, then nodded. “Yes, thanks.”
A slow smile tugged at his lips. “I’m sorry, but have we met? I usually remember beautiful women, but I’m drawing a blank.”
Her face heated. “You were my husband’s favorite baseball player.”
“Wow.” He blew out a soft whistle and rubbed his right shoulder. “That was a long time ago and my career was short-lived. I can’t say I’ve been recognized for baseball in a long time.”
“Well, you should be. You were great. If my son was here, he’d be beside himself. Could I get your autograph for him?”
His face turned red.
“I mean, I don’t want to bother you.”
“No, it’s fine. It’s just been a long time since anybody asked. Got any paper?”
She scurried to the booth where her friend Caitlyn waited and grabbed her purse. “Caitlyn, this is Slade Walker. The Slade Walker.” She must have sounded like an idiot.
With a confused frown, Caitlyn offered her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“Not a baseball fan, I take it? No worries. It’s been a few years.” Slade accepted the grocery receipt Raquel handed him as several people brought her quarters, nickels, even pennies. Small-town proof there were still good, honest people in the world.
“What’s your son’s name?”
“Hunter Marris. I mean, you can just make it Hunter.”
“Marris? I went to elementary school with a Dylan Marris.”
Raquel nodded like a bobblehead. “My husband.”
“No wonder you know who I am. We were best friends until fifth grade when I moved. How is Dylan?”
Her heart squeezed. He didn’t know.
Bio:
Award winning, central Arkansas author, Shannon Taylor Vannatter is a stay-at-home mom/pastor’s wife. She lives in a town with a population of around 100, if you count a few cows and once climbed a mountain wearing gold wedge-heeled sandals which became known as her hiking boots.
She has eleven published titles and is contracted for four more. Learn more about Shannon and her books here and check out her real life romance blog.
Connect with her on facebook, GoodReads, Pinterest, and Twitter: @stvauthor.
Comments
We're kindred spirits. I played neighborhood baseball as a kid. I wasn't very good--always smacked the ball right to the pitcher--but I loved it. My son played for 4 years and then got sidetracked by basketball. Basketball bores me to tears and I so miss baseball.
One of the scenes in this book with Raquel and her son's batting practice was inspired by me trying to help my son long ago while my husband was at work. Part of the reason I wrote this book is because I miss baseball.
Love Shannon's books.
Shirley
straitfromthehive(at)gmail(dot)com
I already miss HP too. I was honored to be in the final shipment of books, but I wish there were more coming.
Gail, thanks again for a great post!
I was once at a very large church for a concert by a Christian artist. My husband was the youth director then, so we had 15 or so youth in our charge. I had a bunch of cash from the youth fund in my wallet and was putting change back in after paying for the tickets. I dropped it and money went everywhere, at least $100. A half a dozen people I didn't know stopped to help me pick it up--every dime. It hit me that in most places, people would be diving for money and running. Aubrey is a real town, a really sweet town. I thought the scene would get across what a nice town it is and how friendly and helpful the people are.
Best to you and it's nice to meet you at Gail's blog. :)
I'm a little league fan. I've never been to a pro game and get bored with them on TV. But I played neighborhood baseball as a kid and loved it. Even though I stunk. I always whacked the ball straight to the pitcher. I still loved it though.
My son played from the time he was 6 until 10 and I thoroughly enjoyed it, so this book came from that. At the time, my husband was a bi-vocational pastor. He had a full time job at a dental lab and when he was home, he had to work on sermons.
My husband made his games, but it was me trying to help my son with batting practice and I can't pitch worth a flip either. I was feeling like a single mom and wishing there was a pro baseball player or a coach next door to come over and help.
Just about the time our son started getting good, playing pitcher and third base, he got side-tracked by basketball. Which I don't enjoy nearly as much. I miss baseball, so it was fun for me to write this book about it.
My husband became a full time pastor four years ago and we're so thankful. We may not have as much money, but we have time. Time is much more valuable.
Wow! Loved the excerpt. Now I'm wondering what happened to the heroine's husband. And Mark Slade already sounds like a dreamy hero.
I enjoy any story set in Texas. My son was transferred there and stayed 6 years. Wish he was still there so I'd have an excuse to go back.
Gail, thank you for hosting Shannon. This was an interesting post.
I'd love to own this book. landtbeth at yahoo dot com
I'm so glad you enjoyed the interview. It's really fun to invent dreamy heroes. My husband has family in the San Antonio area, so we get to visit every few years or so.