Bonus Material from the Nebraska Series

By Ruth Ann Nordin

This collection of blog posts by Ruth Ann Nordin features fun times with the characters in the Nebraska Series. Included are interviews where we get to hear directly from the characters what they think of the books they are in. These are a behind the scenes look at Her Heart's Desire, Shotgun Groom, To Have and To Hold, and Shotgun Groom.

Most of the time, they aren't happy and aren't shy about voicing their opinions. For example, Joel Larson was surprisingly resistant to marrying April Edwards in Shotgun Groom, and she almost ran away because of it. Dave Larson wasn't at all happy about his son, Isaac, marrying Emily Craftsman in Isaac's Decision, and he even tried to take over and write his own ending to the book. When Ruth Ann Nordin refused to take his rewrites, he called for a ban on her books!

Other bonus features found in this collection are as follows:

Dave Larson, Tom Larson, Joel Larson, Rick Johnson, Owen Russell, and Neil Craftsman compete for who is the best hero in the Nebraska Series.

Dave Larson calls for a boycott on Ruth's books and is later kidnapped as a result.

Then, due to the grief Dave has caused, Ruth sues him for pain and suffering.

All posts are done for fun, so if you enjoyed the books, you'll enjoy these behind the scenes posts that never made it into the books, too!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ruth Ann Nordin
• Release date: Mar 5, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311934963

Ruth Ann Nordin

Ruth Ann Nordin has written almost 100 romances, ranging from Regencies to historical westerns to contemporaries. She plays with other genres from time to time, but her first love is romance. She has been happily married for twenty-two years to a sweet and funny guy, and they have four sons, who are all taller than Ruth now that they're 16, 17, 19, and 20. The good thing is she doesn't need a ladder. She considers herself very lucky to have led such a charmed life. Being able to play with characters and create stories is just icing on the cake. Hopefully, she'll get to keep doing this many years to come.

Book preview

Posts From Ruth Ann Nordin's Blog: Book 1

Bonus Material

from the Nebraska Series

Ruth Ann Nordin

Bonus Material from the Nebraska Series - Smashwords Edition

Published by Ruth Ann Nordin at Smashwords

Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Ann Nordin

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes:

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold. If you would like to share this book with another person, please do. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Cover Photo images Dreamstime at www.dreamstime.com. All rights reserved – used with permission.

Cover made by Stephannie Beman.

Interior photos credited according to sites Dreamstime at www.dreamstime.com and Shutterstock at www.shutterstock.com. All rights reserved – used with permission.

Table of Contents

The Best Hero in the Nebraska Series Competition

Shotgun Groom: Character Interviews

Isaac’s Decision: Character Interviews

Her Heart’s Desire: Character Interviews

A Call to Boycott Ruth Ann Nordin’s Books

Dave Larson’s Missing (Who’s Responsible?)

Ruth Ann Nordin Sues Dave and Mary Larson!

Update on Other Books Written Featuring the Larson Family

All Books Written by Ruth Ann Nordin

Find Out More About Ruth Ann Nordin

Join Ruth Ann Nordin’s Email List

The Best Hero in the Nebraska Series Competition

This series of posts was a lot of fun to write. I had people vote for the winners in each post and then totaled up the results to find out who won. Here are the characters who competed for the slot of Best Hero in the Nebraska Series:

Her Heart’s Desire – Rick Johnson

A Bride for Tom – Tom Larson

Eye of the Beholder and To Have and To Hold – Dave Larson

The Wrong Husband – Owen Russell

Shotgun Groom – Joel Larson

His Redeeming Bride – Neil Craftsman

Without further ado, here are the posts. Enjoy!

***

The Best Hero in the Nebraska Series: Who is the Sexiest?

(Posted on December 26, 2011)

Ruth Ann Nordin: I see we have Dave Larson up first. Dave, what makes you the sexiest hero in the Nebraska Series?

Dave: I’m sexy because I work out in the fields a lot. I believe exercise and eating right are good for the body. Plus, I get two books instead of one. That’s because I’m the most desirable male lead in any of the books you’ve ever done. I don’t hear women clamoring for a sequel for Tom, Joel, Rick, Neil, or Owen. Nope. Only me. And that’s because I’m the sexiest hero you got.

Joel: *rolls eyes* You’re not the sexiest hero, Dave. You’re the most conceited. I have never seen anyone more in love with himself. Next Christmas, I’ll remember to buy you a pocket mirror so you can see the one you love most wherever you go: you.

Dave: Hey, that’s not fair. I love Mary more than anyone else.

Joel: Yeah, I feel sorry for her sometimes. It’s amazing that bed fits both of you and your big ego.

Ruth: So Joel Larson, you’re all dressed up. No body to show off?

Joel: Ruth, looks fade over time, and even with great exercise and diet, there’s no substitute for what truly makes a man sexy: intelligence. Women love a thinker, someone who isn’t afraid to challenge the world with his wisdom instead of his physical strength. This is why I became a doctor instead of confining myself to farming. I want to learn and never stop.

Dave: I guess that works if you don’t have a great body.

Joel: Your body isn’t that great, Dave.

Dave: For the 19th century, it is. We don’t have gyms in our time.

Tom: No, no, no. You both got it wrong. Physical beauty and intelligence aren’t the best things about a man.

Ruth: What do you think makes a man sexy?

Tom: Giving the woman chocolate. And not just for Valentine’s Day or her birthday. He must have a steady supply of chocolate on hand at all times, and if she worries she’s getting fat, you say, Oh honey, you look better today than you did when we got married. You’re sweet so you deserve chocolate. Reward yourself for the loveliness that is you.

Joel: *gags* The loveliness that is you? Wow. Now I know why Jessica stays with you. You fill her up with chocolate all the time.

Tom: I’ll have you know that chocolate has a rather romantic influence on her.

Joel: Right, because it’s a natural aphrodisiac. But you don’t have to fatten her up. There are four other aphrodisiacs right in your kitchen. There’s cornstarch, buttermilk, tomatoes, and avocados. I know all of this because I’m an intellectual. I can keep April pretty happy without shoving something fattening in her face all the time.

Tom: Oh please! Like any of those other four things are as good as chocolate. *rolls eyes*

Ruth: Okay, so next up is Owen Russell. What do you think makes a man sexy?

Owen: The others got it wrong. The sexiest thing a man can do for the woman in his life is to shower her with gifts. And lots of them. Don’t be afraid to pick up flowers and candy and whisper sweet nothings in her ear. Be romantic. She’s special, so you need to let her know it.

Joel: So that’s what Owen looks like! I always wondered.

Tom: I wonder what Richard looks like.

Owen: Richard?

Joel: We have an older brother named Richard. He is mentioned a couple of times in the books, but he probably won’t ever get his own book.

Dave: Because he wasn’t a farmer in Nebraska. He married his wife when we were all in New York, and Ruth has this policy where if it’s not out west, she’s not interested anymore. I mean, she was interested in the East Coast when she wrote the Virginia books, but then she went through her Harlequin Historical western romance phase and was hooked. Well, actually she wrote Eye of the Beholder–my book that started the whole Nebraska Series–and was hooked on historical westerns. You can all thank me for being so sexy that she had to keep writing them. If it weren’t for me, you would never have had your own books.

Joel: Tom and Owen, refer to what I said about his ego a few paragraphs up.

Ruth: Moving on to Rick Johnson. What do you think makes a man sexy?

Rick: You want to know why I waited until last to have my own book in the first generation of Larson siblings? Because I refused to show up when Ruth was ready to write Her Heart’s Desire. I was determined to do my own book on my own time. You know why? Because the sexiest thing on Earth is a bad boy. I’m so bad, I’m good.

Tom: Actually, you don’t look like a bad boy. You look like a psychotic killer. You’re not carrying a knife or something behind your back are you?

Rick: What? No. What gave you that idea? I’m a bad boy. The black leather jacket, the serious look, the facial hair, the sultry look, the dark background.

Tom: To be honest, you look a little scary. Are you sure you didn’t become a judge to get away with your murdering spree? I mean, who’s going to convict a judge, right?

Joel: Oh, get real, Tom. He’s not scary. He’s just trying to play danger and excitement to women gullible enough to fall for it. The truth is, he’s a big softie. He’s as dangerous as a dust bunny. You want something scary? Be locked in a room with Sally for an hour. *shivers* It happened to me once, and I didn’t know if I was going to make it. If I had to listen to her ramble on for one more minute, I would have gone crazy.

Ruth: That being said, let’s move on to Neil Craftsman. Neil, what makes a man sexy?

Neil: You’re missing out, Joel. The best way a man can be sexy is by listening to women, especially the love of his life. I make it a point to listen to Sarah whenever she wants to talk. A woman loves it when a man takes the time to discuss her feelings and then shares his. Don’t be afraid to be sensitive.

Tom: Sensitive?

Joel: Don’t worry. You got that covered with the pink buggy and all those girls you got. You even tear up whenever they say they love you.

Tom: I don’t tear up. I have something in my eye.

Joel: If that’s true, you need some eye drops because you tear up a lot. You might need antibiotics or something. I could check you out if you want.

Tom: Back off, Joel. There’s nothing wrong with me.

Neil: Don’t be ashamed of caring about your wife and children, Tom. Believe me, when it all comes down to it, nothing is more important than family.

Ruth: Well, on that note, it’s time to vote on the sexiest Nebraska Series hero.

Poll Results:

Dave Larson 70.65% (65 votes)

Joel Larson 8.7% (8 votes)

Tom Larson 0% (0 votes)

Owen Russell 2.17% (2 votes)

Rick Johnson 5.43% (5 votes)

Neil Craftsman 13.04% (12 votes)

Photo credits:

Dave building up his body: File ID: 4308660 © Yuri_arcurs | Dreamstime.com, picture purchased on 12/20/2011, picture no longer available

Joel the intellectual: ID 14776382 © Jason Stitt | Dreamstime.com

Tom handing out chocolate: ID 7045372 © Imagery Majestic | Dreamstime.com

Owen giving out gifts: ID 20441689 © Pares1 | Dreamstime.com

Rick the bad boy: ID 7497954 © Curaphotography | Dreamstime.com

Neil the sensitive type: ID 2601184 © Geotrac | Dreamstime.com

***

Best Poetic Hero from the Nebraska Series

(Posted on December 29, 2011)

Ruth: The results for the sexiest hero are in, and in a pretty strong lead is Dave Larson.

Joel: You’ve got to be kidding me.

Ruth: Nope. He got the most votes.

Joel: It has to be the books. There’s no way he could win had it not been for Eye of the Beholder.

Dave: Sour grapes, Joel. Sour grapes.

Joel: What do you know?

Dave: Well, I know that being a nerd is highly overrated.

Joel: *gasps* I am not a nerd!

Tom: I didn’t get any votes. Not a single person voted for me.

Joel: That’s because no woman wants a big bar of chocolate shoved in her face.

Rick: Who came in second?

Ruth: Neil.

Dave: Neil?

Ruth: Come on, Dave. You worked things out with him in Isaac’s Decision. Don’t be so surprised.

Joel: That settles it. Dave is only nice in the books. Otherwise, he’s a blowhard.

Ruth: That was only one competition. There will be more. Tonight we’re going to find out who is the best poet. Who’s up first? Tom?

Tom: Okay. I’ll go.

"Rose are red.

Violets are blue.

You’re super cute

And fun to be with, too."

Joel: Wow. I see another 0 votes coming your way.

Tom: What’s wrong with it? I wrote this for Jessica when I proposed to her.

Joel: You’re not making your case any better, Tom.

Tom: But she giggled, said it was adorable, and agreed to marry me.

Joel: You’re still not helping your case.

Tom: Oh fine. If you’re so great, you do one.

Joel: I will. *clears throat*

"Lady rose

of my desire

ever yours"

Tom: And you said mine wasn’t any good? At least mine made sense.

Joel: Mine is an English Haiku.

Tom: Bless you.

Joel: What?

Tom: You sneezed. I just said ‘bless you,’ to be nice.

Joel: Oh good grief. It’s haiku, not achoo. And it’s an English one, not a Japanese one, so there are fewer syllables required per line.

Tom: But it doesn’t even rhyme.

Joel: Not all poems have to rhyme, Tom.

Rick: Move aside, guys. Here’s how it’s supposed to be done:

"If I were to judge beauty

How far would I have to go

To the heights of heaven

With its stars all aglow

Or would I seek out the fields

Where the spring flowers bloom

Maybe the sunset with its glory

Right as twilight looms

How about the majesty of the

Mountains towering high

Or the swell of the surf

As it brings in the tide

From east to west, I’ve been

And high and low have I sought

But I searched in vain

And found it’d all been for naught

Then you came into my life

Now I understand beauty

Not just in your touch and kiss

But also in the way you love me"

Joel: Oh sure. That’s fine if you’re going by length.

Tom: At least it rhymed.

Owen: I just finished mine. It’s called Jenny.

"Just for being you

Each and every day

No other is as lovely

Nor as desirable as you

You are in my heart forever"

Tom: What is it with these poems that don’t rhyme?

Owen: It’s a name poem, Tom. Those don’t have to rhyme.

Tom: At least Rick’s poem rhymed. I hope he beats both of you.

Dave: I got one that rhymes.

Joel: *rolls eyes* I suppose this will be another winner.

Dave: Hey, I worked hard on this. It’s not easy for me to write.

Joel: You can say that again. I still remember your silly endings for Isaac’s Decision.

Tom: Oh come on. He wasn’t that bad.

Joel: And then he gave himself all those 5-star reviews. Tacky, Dave. So tacky.

Dave: I will not let you get under my skin, Joel. I wrote this for Mary.

"My life was incomplete

Until the day I met you

The empty hours, lonely nights

I didn’t know how I made it through

But that’s all over now

Since you came into my life

To make my house a home

And to be my cherished wife

With each and every passing year

I love you more than the one before

And with the years we still have

I know I’ll love you even more"

Joel: Hey, you didn’t write a poem to yourself.

Tom: Of course, he didn’t.

Joel: With Dave, you never know. I seriously thought we’d be hearing something like this:

"Yo, the name is Dave

and I’m really buff

I work on a farm

so I’m ultra-tough

I get two books

Instead of one

And I’ll have number three

Before I’m done

The sun revolves around me

And the moon and stars too

It’s me, myself, and I

No one else will do"

Tom: Honestly Joel, that poem fits your picture up above a lot better than the achoo one.

Joel: *groans* Haiku! It’s a haiku! I really wish I could force you to take an interest in learning something that doesn’t involve farming.

Neil: Can I do my poem, or are you all going to bicker all night?

Joel: Oh, right. I forgot there was someone else in this competition.

Neil: I appreciate the warm welcome, Joel.

Joel: Oh, I was kidding. Go on with your poem.

Neil: Here goes:

"How lovely is my bride who makes my life worthwhile, my life worthwhile;

What sweet dreams could entice you while you sleep?

For in this sleep, your lips curl into a most becoming smile.

Are you dreaming of memories to cherish, of memories to keep?

Could it be me who occupies your mind at night as the moon kisses your brow;

While the summer breeze caresses your skin, caresses your skin.

For whether it be day or night, in wake or sleep, as time allows,

I often find you stealing my thoughts, time and time again."

Owen: *sighs* So much for the Jenny poem.

Joel: It’s better than Tom’s. And a most excellent choice, Neil, to pick a Refrain Type poem.

Tom: I don’t know. It rhymed, which was cool, but there were those weird repeating phrases. Like life worthwhile. I think it should only be said once.

Joel: *rolls his eyes* Of course you do. You don’t understand the structure of this type of poem.

Tom: I don’t care what you said. My poem was better than that. I should get at least one vote this time.

Neil: Oh, good grief. It’s not up for you to decide. It’s up to the people to vote.

Poll Results:

Tom Larson 6.14% (7 votes)

Joel Larson 5.26% (6 votes)

Rick Johnson 6.14% (7 votes)

Owen Russell 0.88% (1 votes)

Dave Larson 74.56% (85 votes)

Neil Craftsman 7.02% (8 votes)

Photo credits:

Tom the poet: ID 7524460 © Imagery

Reviews for Bonus Material from the Nebraska Series

[viscountdrake · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This is written more like an interview between characters and the author. Not a fan of the format but do love the authors books, DNF.