Kelly Nelson's Blog

For years I have entered the PNWA writing contest for unpublished novels and while I have been a finalist three different times, I never won. So being a finalist for a fourth time in 2023 felt a little anti-climatic, because, you know, I never win.

Expecting another year of disappointment, I almost didn’t attend the awards banquet. I couldn’t see myself sitting through another dinner, clapping for everyone else, and wondering what winning might feel like. I knew all too well what not winning felt like–a heavy weight that settles in your gut and a stifling lack of motivation and energy.

Imagine my surprise when they called my name as First in Romance! Falling for Paris, the third book in the Crooked Creek Romance series came through for me with the win! Thank you to my characters, rodeo cowboy turned paramedic/firefighter Lyle Strong and P.A. Stiles (Paris Anne) a NYT Bestselling crime thriller author who has lost her muse.

If you are an aspiring writer, check out their contest. It is a great way to get feedback.

After a long hiatus, a pandemic, and three children getting married, I finally have a book published!

Yay!

And I love the premise—a modern-day arranged marriage. Amelia Grayson is propelled into an unlikely match with Montana cowboy Garrett Strong when they bid against each other for the Double J Ranch. Financing is tight for Garrett, but he is determined to preserve his beloved rodeo mentor’s historic ranch—the place he considers a second home. Amelia’s dream of starting a teen addiction recovery ranch is within grasp, but first she needs the money from her trust fund. Unfortunately, her grandmother included a marriage clause in the irrevocable trust, stating Amelia must be wed before she sees a dime.

Private investigators, past secrets, and a land-hungry oil and gas company threaten both of their dreams. When it appears neither will secure a contract for the ranch, can a city girl and a rodeo cowboy agree to a marriage of convenience for the sake of the Double J?

Opposites attract in this cowboy fake fiancé romance, delivering a delightful blend of sweet romance, humor, and a touch of mystery.

Begrudgingly Engaged is the first novel in my Crooked Creek Romance Series.

The Woman with No Name kicks off day one of the Valentine Countdown Blitz!

Limited time only —  copy on sale for $.99 on !

Check out the Facebook page for links to featured blogs and contests. Lots of sweet romance reads to keep you going!

Here are three sneak peek snippets of this fun book:

1)

Colt frowned at what appeared to be the beginning of a bruise on her face. “How did you get way out here?”

“I was . . . um . . . This is so weird. I’m not sure.”

She met his gaze, and the confused look on her face turned to annoyance. “I thought you were leaving. This is really none of your business.”

A gust of wind threatened to steal the hat off Colt’s head, so he tugged the brim down lower. “Not after the way my mama raised me. She’d tan my hide if I left you alone out here. Let me help you get somewhere safe, and I promise I’ll be on my way. Now, what’s your name?”

The girl’s expression softened as he mentioned his mama. “I’m . . . wait . . . I know my name,” she said. It’s . . .” She shook her head once more, a frustrated huff escaping her lips. “I can’t believe this. I don’t remember.”

2)

Smiling, Colt balanced the camera on a decaying log and peeked through the lens. “Get ready to smile. I set the timer so it’ll automatically take our picture. On your mark, get set, go.”

He pushed the button and scrambled across the hillside toward the bull. Skye laughed as he slid into place next to her and dropped to one knee. But so near her and those big blue eyes, he forgot about the camera. Forgot to look at it when she was gazing so intently at him. Instead of taking hold of the impressive antlers, Colt wrapped his fingers around the back of Skye’s pretty neck. He tipped his head and kissed her just as the camera clicked.

Stunned at his own boldness, he dropped his hand. “Sorry.”

Her surprised expression softened as she smiled at him. “Don’t be.”

3)

Another officer began searching Colt for weapons. “We’re taking you down to the station for questioning.” The cop’s hands continued roving. Down one leg and then the other. The hunting knife was pulled off Colt’s belt and his wallet and keys were removed from his pockets.

With four pistols trained on his chest and no indication that the officers would change their minds, Colt started to worry. “Why? What’s going on? I haven’t done anything wrong.”

The cop who had taken Colt’s keys and wallet piped up. “Then you’ve got nothing to worry about. But you just showed up in town with the missing victim, and you match the description of the suspect, so for now—” The officer paused, looking through the wallet. “Mr. Murdock, you’re under arrest for the armed robbery of the One National Bank, assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated kidnapping of Lily Vanasche, and the attempted first-degree murder of a bank employee.”

Blogs to visit:

Room With Books

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T’s Stuff

For Spring Break, we decided to hit the great American freeway system for an epic road trip. Our journey started in Oregon, meandered through Utah with a stop at the incredible Arches National Park for a hike to one of the world’s most amazing natural wonders.

Then on to the Four Corners Monument for a blustery and somewhat chilly experience of being in four states at the same time.

From there we drove through New Mexico, then turned west onto I-40, which follows a similar path as the historic Route 66. A snowstorm greeted us as we crossed into Arizona. Not at all what we were expecting from the desert state. The Petrified National Forest was our next stop, though the lunch we had anticipated eating there morphed into peanut butter and honey sandwiches made on the tailgate of our pickup because the park didn’t have any running water that day. After living with a Port-a-Potty for nine months while we built our house, we were experienced Port-a-Potty users, so we made due with the limited services and went on to thoroughly enjoy the Painted Desert scenery, ancient petroglyphs, and bounteous petrified logs.

Our hotel for that night was in Tuscan, so we piled back into the truck and hit the road again. We took the scenic route through what the locals termed ‘Little Grand Canyon’ and it was spectacular. We arrived at our hotel after dark, but my girls still wanted to swim in the pool. I headed down with my laptop to watch them, and wow, I never knew the scent of orange tree blossoms was so intoxicating. Talk about an inspiring venue for writing. I plucked a blossom and took it to bed with me that night. Oh, how I wish orange trees could grow in Oregon. On to historic Tombstone the following morning. If you ever want to buy a western-themed Halloween costume, this is the place. Reasonable prices and selection galore. So many buildings have been preserved and the reenactment of an old west gunfight was thoroughly entertaining. There are three gunfight shows to choose from in the town, depending on if you are looking for comedy and entertainment (which we were), or a more historical approach.

An afternoon of driving brought us to Camelback mountain near Phoenix. Due to recent accidents and growing popularity of the hike, Park Rangers had begun to limit the trail to daylight use only and were apparently issuing tickets if you came off the mountain after dark. We hiked partway up and caught a great view of the setting sun and the surrounding valley, then headed back down to avoid the threatened fine.

That night we slept in Prescott, AZ and prepared to hike to the Juniper tree saved by the Granite Mountain Hotshots. (See my previous post on that memorable hike.)

Reaching the Grand Canyon was the pinnacle of our road trip. We loved the inspiring views as we walked along the rim and took advantage of the many photo opportunities presented by the setting sun. That night I couldn’t sleep. The double bed was as soft as a board, and with my husband’s broad shoulders, the two of us felt like we were crammed in steerage back in the 1800s, not a modern-day hotel. With my three hours and nineteen minutes of sleep, according to my FitBit, I started hiking down the Grand Canyon at 7:47am, temperature around 40 degrees. At first I felt sleepy and tired, my muscles complaining about the daunting task ahead. When we reached the Three-mile house and paused for a snack and water break, I already felt beat. My youngest daughter, who inspired this crazy trip of ours with her Bucket list item See the Grand Canyonkept talking about hiking all the way to the bottom, saying, “It would be so lame to come all this way and not hike to the bottom.”

After my online research and the prominent warning signs about the dangers of hiking all the way down and back in a single day, I was hesitant to commit to that and had originally planned to visit Plateau Point, then hike back out.

The last thing I wanted was a lecture from some Park Ranger if we ended up needing rescue. But the other side of my brain, my daring adventurous side, hadn’t completely discounted the idea of making a run for the Colorado River. This might be our only chance after all, and with me and my older daughter being distance runners and my younger daughter a sprinter and jumper with the track team, it wasn’t like we weren’t physically prepared for a challenge.

I kept saying let’s wait until we get to the fork in the trail and then we will decide. Indian Garden is an oasis in an otherwise formidable desert canyon and also the point the trail forks. We ate another snack and drank water there. My husband chose to go to Plateau Point. My girls were convinced they could tackle the additional three miles to the Colorado River. I was committed to sticking with my kids no matter what. So, we parted ways, the three of us girls waving to my husband as he hiked along the bluff above us. We later decided those three miles down to the river was the most beautiful stretch of trail we hiked that day.

Waterfalls and gurgling streams. Dramatic cliff sides and steep switchbacks. Deer foraging in the grasses, and a California Condor soaring in the blue sky above.

We finally set foot in the Colorado River at 11:15am. Soaking my tired feet in the icy water revived me, along with my peanut butter and honey sandwich. After fifteen minutes, we decided to head back up.

Hearing the horror stories about how it can take more than twice as long to hike up, I didn’t want to use up too much daylight hanging out at the bottom, plus we knew my husband would be ahead of us and we didn’t want him to have to wait too long for us.

A sense of urgency had us moving at a good clip. We returned to Indian Garden by 1:00pm, where we refilled our water bottles and took a bathroom break. Other than taking care of the necessities, we didn’t rest there for any length of time. As we hiked the remaining miles up to the rim, I noticed I felt pretty darn good until I reached Three-mile house (which is three miles from the rim). The temperature was probably in the sixties—perfect weather for hiking. Things would be completely different if you were to attempt this hike in June or July. At this point I began feeling tired and my pulse was pounding in my head, which is irritating and always makes me wonder if my blood pressure is going wonky. I remember whispering several prayers as I focused on setting one foot in front of the other. I slowed down a tad at that point. With a mile and a half left, my distance-running daughter outpaced me and my younger daughter and soon pulled so far ahead we couldn’t see her. With three-quarters of a mile remaining, the ligaments behind my knee started to twinge. Again, I whispered a prayer and channeled all the positive energy I could. I didn’t want to pull something, so I walked a little easier that last stretch, determined to reach the top without injury. My sweet, youngest daughter could have pulled ahead as well, but she stayed by my side and we set foot on the rim at 3:22pm, about fifteen minutes after my older daughter. My husband had gone to the Plateau and returned to the truck about an hour before us.

An incredible, almost indescribable feeling of accomplishment coursed through me as I set foot on the top. There is great power in challenging oneself and then successfully completing all you set out to do. Thank you Grand Canyon for being the wind beneath my wings this day.

A couple of months ago my teenage kids wanted to see the movie Only the Brave about the nineteen fire fighters who were killed in an Arizona wildfire in 2013. I still remember that fateful day. My son-in-law was living in Prescott, AZ at the time, one of the cities closest to the wildfires, so I kept tabs on the news story. Hearing that 19 men lost their lives left my heart breaking for them and their families. When the movie came out, we knew it would be hard to watch, but we couldn’t not see it.

After watching Only the Brave, both of my kids said they wanted to hike to the famous juniper tree featured in the movie. Plans were already underway to visit the Grand Canyon and other sights in Arizona over spring break, so I began an internet search to figure out where this juniper tree was exactly and could we possibly hike to it.

I found two posts from individuals who had found the tree, but nothing ‘official’ looking. After telling my kids this and asking how important this was to them. They both said it was their top priority. So, I took notes and dedicated a day of our itinerary for the “Hike to the juniper tree.” If nothing else, I figured searching for it would be something of a treasure hunt, and as an author I’m always up for an adventure. Honestly, I didn’t know if we could find it, but I figured we could get to Prescott, AZ and then ask the locals.

Prescott is a bigger town than I envisioned. When I asked a grocery store checker about hiking to the juniper tree, he gave me a blank expression and said, “I’ve never heard of it.” Maybe this wouldn’t be as easy as I thought.

I did another internet search from the hotel that night and found some additional information, enough that I thought I could find the trailhead. But the next morning, I missed the road on my first pass and had to make a U-turn.

Ultimately, we found it and began our hike. We met another hiker from Colorado who was looking for the trail. Then as we were hiking in, we crossed paths with a father and son who had hiked a mile past the turnoff to the tree and had to retrace their steps. An older couple from Iowa was also hiking the trail. In the end, finding the tree some call The Old Juniper Tree, others call The Grandfather Juniper or Big Alligator Juniper, believed to be over 2,000 years old, became the highlight of our week-long journey across Arizona.

For anyone else out there who feels inspired by the sacrifice these nineteen men made and wants to honor them by visiting the famed tree, here is the information I wish I would have known sooner.

Directions for the Hike: Head west out of Prescott on Iron Springs Road, then turn right onto Contreras Road. (The maps app on my iPhone took me right to Contreras Road, Prescott, AZ).

Check your odometer because after .7 miles on Contreras Road there is a dirt turnaround/parking area to your right.

There is a brown marker on the lefthand side of the road with the number 9261U.

At that sign, turn right into the parking area and look for the rough road at the back of the turnaround. It looks more like a long driveway.

This is where you want to go. If you have a four-wheel drive or SUV with higher clearance you can drive up this road and park .8 of a mile closer to the trailhead. If not, no worries. Park on the edge of the turnaround like I did and begin your hike. My husband, on the other hand, started walking then said, “I can drive up this.” And went back for our truck.

Follow the road until you reach another flat, turnaround spot used as a cattle watering area. Look up the hill and you will see a gate. Follow the road to that gate.

You’ll see a brown marker for trail #38 and a wooden sign pointing out the direction for Upper Pasture Trail #38, Junction White Rock Springs Trail #39, and Junction Little Granite Mountain Trail #37. There is a path around the gate to the right.

Here, you are on trail #38. After nearly a mile, you will come to the junction. Watch for the brown markers. This fork in the road is well-marked.

Look for burn scars from the fire. We saw several charred trees. Turn left onto #39 White Rock Springs trail. After about a half mile look for the white quartz rocks, (or maybe they are granite since it is part of the Granite Mountain range) littering the trail. After that stretch, the trail dips into a dry creek bed. The trail to the tree is definitely the road less traveled and like that father and son we met as we hiked in, we nearly missed it.

Once you turn off trail #39, it is a short walk to the monument erected in honor of those brave Granite Mountain Hotshots.

For me, the mood was both reverent and somber as I contemplated the lives lost and those people left to carry on without their husbands, their fathers, their sons. An immense feeling of gratitude overcame me.

These brave men battled one of the fiercest forces of Mother Nature to save homes, property, and our beautiful national forests.

So, after soaking in the spirit of the Grandfather Juniper Tree, we decided to build a better trail marker so that those who followed would have an easier time finding it.

We gathered the brightest, quartz rocks we could find and formed an arrow to point out the trail. We shall see whether it stands the test of time, or not.

Depending on where you park, this hike is 3.5-5 miles long and fairly easy going with a minimal incline. If you plan to visit the Grand Canyon, the Grandfather Juniper Tree is a little over two hours south and well worth the trip, especially if you have seen the movie.

Hello Readers,

As a lover of all things reading and romance I am excited to celebrate Valentine’s Day. What would we do without the holiday of love? February can be such dreary month. The novelty of winter, with evenings by the fireplace, hot mugs of cocoa, and a blanket of white powder, starts to fade yet spring is still weeks away.

I love the excuse Valentine’s Day gives me to schedule a date night with my sweetheart. Some years we dress up and go out to dinner and a movie. Other years we pick up pizza and launch Netflix. Whatever we do, it is always fun to celebrate the day together.

But for some, Valentine’s Day can be less than thrilling. Perhaps you dream of being married, but haven’t met Mr. Right. Or the relationship you find yourself in isn’t quite what you dreamed it would be. Rather than focusing on what you might not have, make the day special for someone else. If you have kids, surprise them with a Valentine’s card and a treat when they wake up on February 14th. Or send a note to that best friend who is always there with a listening ear. Or pick up a bag of chocolate for that co-worker who always has your back.

I write YA fantasy, as well as clean romance, and I do believe in magic. Giving of ourselves to others has a magical way of coming back to bless us. For cowboy Colton Murdock in The Woman with No Name rescuing Lily Vanasche brings a few headaches before the blessings arrive. In The Keeper’s Calling, Chase Harper touches a button on an ancient gold device and finds himself in 1863 where he meets Ellie Williams. Falling in love with a girl born nearly 150 years earlier creates quite a tangle for this high school senior. But he never gives up on true love and I hope you don’t either.

To celebrate the week of romance the Kindle version of my latest release The Woman with No Name is on sale for $2.99. If you haven’t read it yet, now’s your chance.

Happy Valentine’s Day! And Happy Reading!

Kelly Nelson

A while back I ran across a story that caught my eye, commanded my attention, and stuck with me.

It goes like this:

A long time ago a young man asked Socrates, an ancient Greek philosopher, the secret to success. Socrates told the young man to meet him near the river the next morning. They met and Socrates invited the young man to walk with him into the river. When the water got up to their necks, Socrates took the young man by surprise and dunked him under the water. The boy struggled to get out but Socrates was strong and kept him there until the boy started turning blue. Socrates pulled his head out of the water and the first thing the young man did was gasp and take a deep breath of air.

Socrates asked, “What did you want the most when you were there?”

The boy replied, “Air.”

Socrates said, “That is the secret to success. When you want success as badly as you wanted the air, then you will get it.” There is no other secret.

Moral of the story: A burning desire is the starting point of all accomplishment. Just like a small fire cannot give much heat, a weak desire cannot produce great results.

Nurture the desires that will motivate you to achieve your dreams. Don’t be afraid to DREAM BIG!

Want to win a free download on Audible?

Simply contact me via email kellynelsonauthor@gmail.com, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to tell me you are interested.

For additional chances to win, post a review on Amazon for any of my books and then let me know how many reviews you have posted. I will start drawing winners on Valentine’s Day! There are twenty copies up for grabs so you’ve got a great chance at winning, especially if you beef up your number of entries with reviews!

Here in the Northwest, Old Man Winter has been busy the past month. He’s thrown a monkey wrench in life on more than one occasion this season. My kids were getting too comfortable with all of those no-school days.

On the other hand, all of the snow allowed for plenty of computer time, so I’m thrilled to announce the release of my newest book The Woman with No Name, which is now available on Audible as well as Kindle and paperback. Scroll down to read more about this romantic suspense.

Watch for it at Portland area Costco stores! I’ll soon be posting signing dates in the Events Schedule on my website.

If you are a Keeper’s Saga fan, the audible version of Book 4 is finished and now the entire series is available on Audible.com. See the link below

Happy reading to all of you!

Kelly Nelson

In a recent author interview I was asked the following two questions. As a tribute to my dad whose birthday is in October, I decided to share my answers.

“Who is your “hero” and why?”

My dad. He always worked hard to take care of us. I know he loved me unconditionally. I could talk to him about anything. He was completely honest and well liked by everyone. If there was a project or job to do, he was there. He has always been my favorite person to work with. When he got a brain tumor he made a comment to the family that if someone had to get it, he was glad it was he—he wouldn’t want any of us to have to go through that. I knew at that moment that given the choice, he would have taken the burden willingly to spare the rest of us. He has always been my inspiration and the wind beneath my wings.

“Can you tell us the story about why you got the Camaro?”

My Dad got a new metallic blue Camaro in 1968. He had the car until he passed away in 2005. That was the car I learned to drive on when I was 16. In The Keeper’s Quest I patterned parts of Garrick’s life after my Dad so I gave him a blue 1968 Camaro as well. When I got to the end of Book 3, I wanted something really good to happen to Chase after he had suffered so much at the hands of Lord Arbon and Legard. Thinking of what every teenage boy would dream of, I gave Chase a brand-spanking-new sports car for graduation. What would be more appropriate than a Camaro since Chase had driven Garrick’s in 1968? I wrote the car into the book and then got to thinking. Other than a glimpse of Bumble Bee in Transformers a year or so earlier, I didn’t really even know what those cars look like.

So the next time I was down at CARR Chevrolet getting my oil changed, I decided to have a look. As I was wandering the Camaro section a salesman came over and persuaded me to take a test drive. I assured him I wasn’t buying a car, but he insisted we could still take a test drive. So we took an Imperial blue V8 automatic for a test drive. It was nice. Of course when we got back to the dealership they wanted to ‘talk’ about the vehicle. I again told them I wasn’t going to buy a car and that if I did, I would be buying a stick shift anyways. So Nick the salesman ripped up the paper he was writing on and said, “Now that’s another experience all together. Have you driven a manual yet?”

“Not yet,” I said.

He jumped up. “Then come on.” He grabbed the keys to a white Camaro with orange rally stripes and off we went. He drove me to Aloha High School parking lot and then turned the vehicle over to me. I killed it once on that 10-mile test drive, but the driving experience was awesome.

After that I couldn’t get the car out of my head. I researched the cost and features online. A couple of months later Greg and I were talking about a budgeting class we were preparing to teach for the youth and I said, “I know I shouldn’t, but I really want to say ‘YES’ to the car.”

Greg thought about it and he wanted to do something nice for me, so he decided he’d buy me the car. I ordered the exact car I wanted and wrote the check for it on October 8—my dad’s birthday. He had had a stick shift Porsche when I was 17 and I think I acquired my taste for sports cars from him. I know if he were alive he would have bought a Camaro too.

Before he died I was really distraught. He told me that after he was gone I needed to keep living. He didn’t want us to languish in despair and flounder. So sometimes when I drive my Camaro I’ll think of my dad. I’ll smile as the accelerator approaches the floor and my head presses against the seat back and I know I’m living.

My LDS contemporary romance novel Love’s Deception will release early this summer.

Catherine Lewis lost her husband to a roadside bomb in Baghdad shortly after discovering she was expecting their first child. Now seven years later she fears her chance at true happiness has slipped through her fingers.

After growing up the son of a humble Oregon farmer, Kip is driven to climb the corporate ladder of an accounting firm in California. But when his father suffers a heart attack he returns home to help with the family farm. Rescuing the beautiful cowgirl stranded on the rural road transforms his previously miserable leave of absence into one of the happiest times of his life.

Unlike Cat Kip isn’t a member of the LDS church and normally she wouldn’t give him a chance. But against her better judgment, Cat falls for him under the pretense he is a farmer. But once she realizes Kip is leading a double life, will she shut the door on that relationship for good? Or could Mr. Wrong possibly be the right one for Cat after all?

Romantic, humorous, and bittersweet—Love’s Deception is a heartwarming story of love, family, and forgiveness.