“Somehow I knew you’d want this,” Ada told Hobo, trying to hold back happy tears as he scarfed down a chopped grilled chicken breast. “I was putting away leftovers when Mabel came running into the kitchen, waving her arms like the barn was on fire, saying you might have been found.”
Ada eased down into the grass next to Melinda and put her arm around Hobo, who had finished his meal and was now trying to lick Ada’s face.
“My dear boy. You’ve always been here to look after my brothers. Do you know how special you are? And now, we are all going to look after you.” She gave Melinda a wink.
“That’s right,” Melinda said as Hobo scooted over and laid his head on her shoulder. “I’m here,” she whispered. “We’re all here. You’re safe, and you’re home.”
Don't miss Book 2, “Harvest Season”
Read on for details about the entire series as well as a “Harvest Season” sneak peek!
What’s next
“Harvest Season” sneak peek: Melinda’s journey is just getting started! Read on for a special excerpt from the second book in the series. Purchase the Kindle edition here.
About the books: Details on all the novels follow the excerpt from “Harvest Season.” Then discover “A Tin Train Christmas,” a short story set on the Schermann farm during the Great Depression. Visit my author’s page on Amazon to access all the titles.
Recipes and more: Part of the fun is discovering what Melinda is cooking up in her farmhouse kitchen. Head over to fremontcreekpress.com to find recipes inspired by the series!
Stay in touch: Visit the website to sign up for the email newsletter. You won’t hear from me too often, but when you do, it’ll be something worthwhile … like release dates for future titles.
So, what did you think? Did you love “Growing Season?” Or do you wish you could get those hours of your life back? If you’re reading this, you probably made it all the way through, so I’d like to ask a big favor. Please hop on to Amazon and/or Goodreads and leave a review. While I’d love for everyone to love this book, that’s not likely to happen. So if you were annoyed by a character or hated the ending or whatever, go ahead and say so. But if you did enjoy it, please tell your friends, or recommend it for your book club.
Thanks for reading!
Melanie
Sneak peek
August: Prosper Hardware
Prosper’s Main Street was quieter than usual Wednesday morning as Melinda drove into town just before seven. The store didn’t open until eight, but she came in early to straighten the shelves, sweep the floor, water Aunt Miriam’s hanging flower baskets out front and do whatever else was needed before customers began to arrive.
There was only one vehicle parked in front of Prosper Feed Co. this morning, the car that belonged to Dan Pritchard, the assistant manager. That meant the co-op’s owner, August Kleinsbach, was already down the street at Prosper Hardware, setting out the chairs and brewing the coffee.
Sure enough, she rolled into the heart of town to find three trucks parked in front of the store: Auggie’s gray work truck, a white topper on the back and an unrepaired dent in its right side; the navy SUV owned by Jerry Simmons, a retired school principal and Prosper’s current mayor; and the maroon pickup with an underbelly of gravel dust that belonged to John “Doc” Ogden, the community’s veterinarian.
Auggie, Doc and Jerry were already sipping their first cups of coffee, and she had to smile at the two vacant chairs pulled up to the vintage sideboard. One was waiting for George Freitag, a gentle man in his eighties who had left his farm for town just a few years ago. The other was reserved for her.
“It sure is slow down at the clinic,” Doc was saying, his lined face and wiry frame looking rested for a change. Too many mornings, his first farm call of the day came even before he stopped by Prosper Hardware for coffee.
“Why, in this heat, when I pull in the driveway, most dogs don’t even bother to get up out of their shady spots to greet me. They just open one eye, give me an appraising look and roll over.”
“And that’s why it’s called the dog days of summer,” Auggie chortled as the others groaned.
“I set that up just for you, Auggie,” Doc said with a twinkle in his eye.
“And I appreciate it.” Auggie raised his mug in salute. “You know I can’t resist a joke, even a bad one. Well, look who’s here.”
Melinda waved and set her purse behind the oak counter that stretched down the middle of the store. “Reporting for duty. Jerry, how do Miriam’s flowers look? Do they need another shot of fertilizer?”
Jerry was a certified master gardener, along with his official title of mayor. More than once this summer, he had given Melinda advice that kept Horace’s garden thriving.
“I think you’re good for another week. They’re holding up pretty well, considering how hot it’s been. I’m glad you and Bill had time to take them down before that bad storm a few weeks ago. Miriam worked so hard to get those baskets planted.”
Melinda had just returned from watering the flowers when the front door’s bell jingled again and George shuffled into the store. She was surprised to see him come in that way, as he only lived a block from the store and counted the walk as his daily exercise. But then she saw George’s modest car out front and the container tucked under his arm.
“Good morning all, had to drive over today because Mary sent us a special treat.”
Melinda knew it was going to be a hot day, as George had chosen a short-sleeved shirt to pair with his clean and pressed overalls.
“What is it?” Auggie leaned forward, expectant.
“Some kind of applesauce bread.” George set the container on the sideboard and started to place slices on napkins and pass them around. “Melinda, do you know what that is?”
Since she brought in treats on occasion, the men looked to her for insight on all things that came from a kitchen.
“Well, it probably has less butter in it, meaning that it’s healthier,” she explained, then took a bite. “George, tell Mary this is wonderful. I love the nuts in it, it has great flavor.”
A chorus of mumbles agreed with her assessment. Doc seemed especially buoyant. He had his slice gone in a few large bites, then looked around the group with a big smile on his face. “Everybody, it’s fitting that we have treats this morning, because I’ve got a special announcement to make.”
Melinda wasn’t sure how old Doc was, maybe in his late fifties. He had one of those friendly faces that showed his years of experience yet never seemed to age much. Surely he wasn’t retiring?
“Well, out with it, Doc,” Auggie said. “Because I can see you’re about to burst. Must be a pretty big deal. Are you adding on to the clinic or something?”
Doc’s practice was based out of a dark-green building with sharp white trim at the far end of Main, by the water tower. While he made farm calls for large animals and cared for cats and dogs inside the clinic, it wasn’t unusual to drive by and see a calf or sheep staked out front.
“Well, not really, but that might have to come in a year or two. You see, I’ve hired another vet, an assistant. I’m not ready to retire, but I will someday. And I can hardly keep up with the calls. Anne says I need to slow down a bit, and I guess she’s right. The new vet’s got her degree from ISU, has been working in a small-animal clinic in Cedar Rapids for about ten years. But she grew up on a farm over by Storm Lake and wants to get back to small-town life.”
When Melinda heard “her degree,” she paused with the coffeepot in her hand. The guys didn’t seem to catch on at first, as they were so shocked by this news. Doc had been the only veterinarian in Prosper for more than twenty years.
“Hey, that’s great!” Jerry stood and clapped Doc on the back. “Glad you’ll be able to slow down a little.”
Then Jerry did a double take. “Wait … did you say she?”
Auggie’s head snapped around and George’s blue eyes widened in surprise.
Melinda dropped her chin and tried
to keep from laughing. The modern era of veterinary medicine was coming to Prosper. She just wasn’t sure if these guys were ready. Or many of the area’s farmers, for that matter.
Harvest Season is available in Kindle, hardcover and paperback formats
About the books
Don’t miss any of the other titles in this heartwarming rural fiction series! All are available in Kindle, paperback and hardcover editions
Growing Season (Book 1)
Melinda is already at a crossroads when the “for rent” sign beckons her down a dusty gravel lane. Downsized from her job at a Twin Cities ad agency, she’s struggling to find her way forward when a phone call brings her home to rural Iowa. It’s not long before she’s living in a faded farmhouse, caring for a barn full of animals, and working at her family’s hardware store. And just like the vast garden she tends under the summer sun, she soon begins to thrive.
Harvest Season (Book 2)
Two months into an unexpected sabbatical from her life in Minneapolis, Melinda’s efforts at her rented farmhouse are starting to pay off. But even in tiny Prosper, nothing stays the same. One member of the hardware store’s coffee group shares a startling announcement, and a trip back to the city makes Melinda realize how deep her roots now run in rural Iowa. As the seasons change, she must choose between the security of her old life or an uncertain future.
The Peaceful Season (Book 3)
When a reflective hush falls over the harvested fields, Melinda turns her thoughts toward the coming holidays. She has a list of what will make the season perfect: Prepare her acreage for the coming winter, host her family’s Christmas dinner, and use her marketing smarts to upgrade Prosper’s charming holiday festival. But when a mysterious visitor arrives, she is reminded there is more to the Christmas season than elaborate celebrations and expensive decorations.
Waiting Season (Book 4)
Melinda finds herself struggling to keep the worst of winter’s threats from her door. She pushes on because Horace’s offer still stands: If she wants to stay, he’ll sell her the farm in the spring. But as winter tightens its grip on rural Iowa, her biggest challenges are still to come. A series of events threatens to break her heart and shatter her hopes, and it will take all of Melinda’s faith and the support of her family and friends to see the season through.
Songbird Season (Book 5)
The first blush of spring finds Melinda filled with great expectations and lofty goals. But as the songbirds return, not everything’s coming up roses: A no-nonsense housing inspector claims her sweet deal with Horace could come at a high cost, and her latest idea to improve life in her rural community meets with skepticism from some of the locals. And when Uncle Frank makes a shocking discovery in the town’s archives, friendships are tested and family ties start to fray.
The Bright Season (Book 6)
Moving to the country’s brought her a new set of skills, but does Melinda have what it takes to fix matters of the heart? It’s hard enough to let the past go, and let a new love in. But when a mysterious box is pulled from her farmhouse’s crawlspace, she’s torn between protecting the former owner’s privacy and tracking down the woman he once loved. And as the temperature climbs, the shadow of hard times falls over her rural community. Can she make the tough choices that will keep her dreams from turning to dust?
A Tin Train Christmas
The author of the heartwarming “Growing Season” novels brings you this old-fashioned story of family and faith to brighten your holidays!
The toy train in the catalog was everything two young boys could wish for: colorful, shiny, and the perfect vehicle for their wild imaginations. But was it meant to be theirs? As the Great Depression’s shadows deepen over the Midwest, Horace and Wilbur begin to worry that Santa might not stop at their farm. But with a little faith and their parents’ love, the boys just might discover the true spirit of Christmas. And there's more: At the end of the story, you'll discover three holiday recipes handed down in the author’s family!
A Tin Train Christmas is available in Kindle and paperback formats
About the author
Melanie Lageschulte grew up on an acreage in northern Iowa with a menagerie of four-footed friends. She’s spent much of her professional life telling the stories of Iowa and its residents, including several years as a features reporter and editor for the Des Moines Register. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in American history from the University of Iowa.
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