Guest Post ~ Romance Author Shanna Hatfield

I'm pleased to welcome romance author Shanna Hatfield to my blog today. Take it away, Shanna.

Hardman History

 

Thank you for hosting me today, Kristy!

When I decided to write a Victorian Christmas story, I wanted to use a real town from the 1800s. After doing a little research, I settled on Hardman, Oregon. Located in Eastern Oregon, about twenty miles from present-day Heppner, Hardman is now a ghost town. Around twenty to thirty residents still call Hardman home, but for those driving through the town, there isn’t much left from the days when it was a thriving community. I used details from Ghost Town Gallery for my research about Hardman and to create the Hardman Holidays series. Although the stories are works of fiction and most of the town exists only in my active imagination, the town did boast a skating rink, four churches, a school, and newspaper office in the 1880s. John F. Royse, reportedly one of the most successful farmers in the area, and his brother, were said to be the first permanent settlers in the Hardman country.

Originally named Dairyville, the town was popular as a freighting center and saw promising growth in its early days. Dairyville became known as Raw Dog, while a mile away a rival settlement sprang up, known as Yellow Dog. Stagecoaches and wagon trains traveling north and south through eastern Oregon and Washington found a convenient stopping point in both Raw Dog and Yellow Dog. The rivalry between the two locations escalated as they competed over which town would secure the stagecoach depot for the area. When Raw Dog received a permanent stagecoach station, the two towns became one, known as Dogtown. The town’s name changed to Hardman in 1881 when David N. Hardman, an old pioneer farmer, moved to town and brought the post office with him, by consent of the government, which he previously operated from his farm. The town took the name of the post office and became generally known as Hardman. It was rumored the railroad would go through Hardman in the late 1880s. When it was routed through Heppner instead, it was a devastating blow to the community, effectively stunting future growth of the town. By the 1920s, trucks replaced horses, mail routes changed and Hardman began its decline. The last business in Hardman closed in 1968.

Visit Hardman as I see it in my imagination through the holiday series: The Christmas Bargain, The Christmas Token, The Christmas Calamity, The Christmas Vow, and the new release The Christmas Quandary!

Holiday surprises await two lonely hearts in Hardman…

Tom Grove just needs to survive a month at home while he recovers from a work injury. How bad can it be to return to Hardman for the holiday season? He arrives to discover his middle-aged parents acting like newlyweds, the school in need of a teacher, and the girl of his dreams already engaged. 
After the loss of her parents and her fiancé abandoning her to spend a year abroad, Lila Granger desires a change of scenery. She leaves her home in New York to spend a few months with relatives in Hardman, Oregon. The idea of stepping off the train into a place that gives her a true sense of coming home never entered her mind. Neither did the notion of falling in love with a man who clearly can’t wait to get away from the small town. The Christmas Quandary is a sweet Victorian romance, full of laughter and heartwarming moments, perfect for a holiday read. Available on Amazon!

You’re Invited to PARTY!

You’re invited to join in the online Cowboys & Christmas Facebook Party, Thursday, Nov. 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (PT). Drop in anytime during those four hours to enter to win great prizes, chat with guest authors, and more (giveaways will stay open until the following morning)! Here’s the link to the party: http://tinyurl.com/cowboychristmasFB3

Enter to Win Prizes!

To enter the drawing for a $50 Amazon gift card fill out this form. Winner will be randomly drawn and announced Nov. 14. http://tinyurl.com/cowboychristmasprizes3

About Shanna Hatfield

Convinced everyone deserves a happy ending, hopeless romantic Shanna Hatfield is out to make it happen, one story at a time. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances combine humor and heart-pumping moments with characters that seem incredibly real. When she isn’t writing or indulging in chocolate (dark and decadent, please), Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller. This USA Today bestselling author is a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, Romance Writers of America, Sweet Romance Reads, and Pioneer Hearts. Find Shanna’s books at: Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple Shanna loves to hear from readers! Follow her online: ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | You Tube | Twitter Make sure you sign up for her Newsletter to get the latest on new releases and exclusive giveaways!