Shannon Taylor Vannatter – Real Life Romance – Part 1 of 1

I’m celebrating! Rodeo Ashes is officially in Walmart, Kmart, & Meijers department stores this month. I’ve heard reports of sightings in New Mexico. Now is the time to support your favorite Heartsong Presents author. If sales go well, the stores will continue to carry the line. Today I’m sharing a sweet gesture my husband made, plus a chance to win a copy of Rodeo Ashes. Comment on this post to get your name in the drawing. Deadline Oct. 13th, 11:59 pm central time.


Two nights ago, we were leaving our house to run after school errands. As we pulled out of our road, a puppy popped up out of the ditch.
“A puppy!” My son was all excited.
“He probably has a home.” I hoped.
“He looks lost and hungry.” My husband nailed it. “We’ll see if it’s still here when we get home.”
We went on our way. Numerous errands later, we neared home well after dark. I scanned the ditch. No puppy. Relieved, we did our nightly routine and went to bed.
The next morning, we got up early and got ready for school. My husband took our son to school and I made me a cup of coffee to prepare for a long writing day. But I heard the truck pull back in our drive and a honk. Still in my jammies and bleary-eyed, I stepped out on the porch. The passenger side door opened. Out popped my son. And the puppy.
“What are y’all doing? Are we keeping it?”
“I don’t know.” My husband called. “But I couldn’t just leave her there to starve. She was living in the drainage ditch under the road.”
They left and I fed the puppy. She ate so voraciously and in such a hurry, she slung food everywhere and had to chase it down.
Two days later, the puppy is still here. No one has called or stopped by asking about her. She had a harness on. I can’t imagine anyone dumping a puppy with the harness still on. I can’t imagine anyone being heartless enough to dump a puppy. But we really don’t need a puppy.
I’ve already put her on facebook and plan to take her picture to all the local vets and the humane society. If she doesn’t have an owner, we plan to find a good home for her.
In the meantime, she’s wagging herself into our hearts. She’s so happy. We’d forgotten how rambunctious and sweet puppies are. And not to leave anything laying around. Today I caught her chewing up the tape measure my husband left on the porch after a recent remodeling project.
My son is calling her his puppy. My husband calls her spud head. He says her head is shaped like a potato. I call her tater.
Our dog isn’t thrilled at all with the hyper little interloper stealing our son’s attention. Our cats are even less thrilled. They liked only dealing with a dog who couldn’t care less about cats. The puppy wants to play with the cats, but they don’t get that concept, so they run. Scaredy cat barely comes out of her hidey hole.
In the meantime, I’ll take care of Tater. And keep my tender-hearted husband who couldn’t let her starve. Now that’s my hero.
About the book – Rodeo Ashes: It’s never too late to start over.
Lacie Gentry, a young widow and mom, is struggling with the aftermath of her husband’s tragic death. When she bumps into former classmate Quinn Remington, her future is undecided. She accepts a job teaching kids to ride at Quinn’s neighboring ranch, hoping to revitalize her life with an old pastime but soon sees in Quinn a chance to move forward with new love. . .if she’s ready.
It’s been years since Quinn has seen lovely Lacie Gentry—the girl he always admired in high school but never came close to dating. By the time they met, Lacie was engaged to rodeo star Mel Gentry then happily married. Now Lacie’s closer than ever. The attraction is still there, but so is a secret that might end any chance of romance.
Can they rise from the rodeo ashes?
Come back Oct 8th for Sandra Orchard!