by Misty M. Beller
If you’ve ever had a pet, you know they can be far more than just animals that share our space. Pets become cherished family members that provide companionship and comfort, teaching us about unconditional love. They leave paw prints on our hearts and create memories that remain even when the animals are no longer with us.
Losing these dear friends can be almost as hard to manage as losing a human friend sometimes. But the memories…they bring joy even in the sadness.
Our family is very “animal friendly,” and we always have a collection of dogs, cats, horses, goats, cows and chickens on the property. In the last two weeks, we experienced the loss of two of our dearest companions: Sushi, a sweet cat we’d raised from a kitten who lavished so much affection on us, and Cayenne, a gentle soul who spent nearly 15 wonderful years with us, becoming an integral part of our family's life. Our oldest daughter, Logan, grew up riding her, as well as all four of our other kiddos, the cousins, and anyone else who wanted a chance! I even gave riding lessons on Cayenne for a while. She was so great with the kids, and I never worried about her being rough or headstrong.
When my grandfather asked to ride a horse on his 75th birthday, and then again on his 80th, I knew Cayenne was the only horse I could trust with him. This same grandfather passed away in May of this year, so pictures like this one when Pop turned 80 are doubly precious to me. Pop was always a cowboy! You might recognize Cayenne if you saw my author photo anytime between 2014 and early 2021. She was definitely the star of the picture!
Animals have always been such an important part of my life, I include them in my stories whenever I can. In my newest book, a special white buffalo calf plays a starring role!
I learned when I was reading a trapper's journal that white buffalo are so rare, they were considered sacred by the Native Americans and very highly prized by natives and trappers alike. I immediately knew I had to include a white buffalo in one of my stories! Rocky Mountain Promise came alive as I started dreaming about what would have happened to the heroine, Lorelei Collins if she found an orphaned white buffalo calf on the plains and brought it home to care for. She has such a soft heart for animals and people alike, but she never imagined how her life would change because of sweet little Curly. Thankfully, the hero steps in to provide a place of refuge for her and the calf.
If you have a chance to read Rocky Mountain Promise, I pray the tale of Lorelei and Curly reminds you of your own special pets, and the precious memories they’ve helped you create.
About the Author
Misty M. Beller (mistymbeller.com) is a USA Today bestselling author of over forty Christian historical romance novels. Raised on a farm in South Carolina, she combines her love for Christian fiction and the simpler life by writing historical novels that display God's abundant love through twists and turns in the lives of her characters.
About the Book
When Lorelei Collins finds a buffalo calf bawling beside its lifeless mother, she can't help but bring it home to raise on the ranch she and her sisters are building in the Rocky Mountain wilderness. Little does she realize that its white coloring is rare, which makes it highly valuable. Men soon begin to visit their ranch, but when the men's advances become more sinister, Lorelei approaches Tanner Mason, the quiet and mysterious owner of the new trading post, for help.
Did You Know?
The word gospel should only be capitalized when referring to the first four books of the New Testament. And garden is lowercased when referring to Eden or Gethsemane. And kingdom is always lowercased—even God’s. And did you know that the book industry’s standard references sometimes offer conflicting advice?
Webster’s says the Flood in Noah’s day should be capitalized, but The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style has flood lowercased.
The Chicago Manual of Style capitalizes the Fall, but The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style lowercases fall.
Webster’s says Scripture(s) is capitalized when referring to the Bible and “often capitalized” when referring to a passage from it; The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style says Scripture should always be capitalized.
How often have you wondered whether a word like north or south, master’s degree or jeep should be capitalized? I just released a second edition of my Capitalization Dictionary, adding many new words and checking every entry in the current editions of the industry-standard reference books. This handy reference provides a quick way for you to find the definitive industry-standard guidelines for capitalization.
-Kathy Ide, Capitalization Dictionary, second edition
Why I LOVE My Local Christian Bookstore
“There’s something exciting about a Christian bookstore. Is it the possibility of finding a new novel I could escape into for the rest of the afternoon? Or will I find the perfect book that answers my deep-seated questions about faith? Maybe it’s a wall plaque, gift book or Bible that would make the perfect present for a friend. The possibilities are endless as I browse the aisle. It’s a store full of resources to help me grow my faith and expand my joy!”
-Carol Grace Stratton, Deep End of the Lake
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