by Melissa Bourbon
I was named after my great-great-great granddaddy, Butch Cassidy. Bet you didn’t know he had a child and descendants, did you? Not many people outside of Texas pay any heed to old stories about old outlaws. But he is related and it is thanks to him that I—and all the Cassidy women—have special charms.
Here’s the story. Butch was…well, he was an outlaw. He and the Sundance Kid had the Hole in the Wall Gang and they robbed stagecoaches and banks and did other dastardly deeds long before he and the kid escaped to Argentina. What he didn’t know was that Texana, the love of his life and his wife, was pregnant. She had a little girl named Cressida. When he found out, Butch made a wish in an Argentinian fountain for blessings to be bestowed upon the women in his life and his descendants. He also sent Texana a little trinket, or so the story goes, but that has never been found,
Ever since that wish was made, all the women in my family have kept the name Cassidy and held it up with pride. Myself included.
My everyday life isn’t nearly as exciting as Butch’s and Texana’s would have been. I don’t plunder or rob and I’m not on the run. But I do have a magic charm—when I make something for someone, designed from the initial glimpses of the garment all the way to completion, their dreams and wishes come true.
The catch? That sometime what people want and what they dream about are not good things. But they’ll get them, anyway. Mama has a green thumb, but she grows as many weeds as she does flowers. Nana is a goat whisperer, and thank goodness for all those goats. They keep Mama’s weeds down!
One thing about a small town is that you know everyone, but I truly thought I’d left all the crime and mayhem behind when I’d come back home to Bliss, Texas. No such luck. Murder after murder after murder has afflicted Bliss, and I’ve been in the thick of it each time. So I guess you could say I’ve turned into something of an amateur sleuth, but truthfully? I just want to design garments for Cassidy designs and sew.
You can read more about Harlow Jane in DEADLY PATTERNS, the third book the “Dressmakers” mystery series. The first book in the series is Pleating For Mercy.
**Melissa is giving away the first two books in the “Dressmakers” series: Pleating For Mercy and A Fitting End. Contest open to US residents only and ends October 27. Leave a comment to be included in the giveaway. The books will be sent directly from the author. **
Meet the author
Melissa Bourbon, who sometimes answers to her Latina-by-marriage name Misa Ramirez, gave up teaching middle and high school kids in Northern California to write full-time amidst horses and Longhorns in North Texas. She fantasizes about spending summers writing in quaint, cozy locales, has a love/hate relationship with yoga and chocolate, is devoted to her family, and can’t believe she’s lucky enough to be living the life of her dreams.
She is the marketing director at Entangled Publishing, is the author of the Lola Cruz Mystery series with St. Martin’s Minotaur and Entangled Publishing, A Magical Dressmaking Mystery series with NAL, and is the co-author of The Tricked-out Toolbox and two romantic suspense titles.
Visit Melissa at her website | Twitter Page | Facebook Home | Goodreads | and Books on the House, a website bringing books and readers together!
Books are available at retail and online booksellers.
I loved the first book in this series. Thank you for the chance to win this one.
Angela, so glad you loved Pleating for Mercy. I love the series!
Family “secrets” can be such fun when used in books! All 3 books are on my wishlist.
kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com
Thank you, Karen!
Sounds like a fun series!
It is, Dina!
What a clever idea for a main character, to be a descendant of Butch Cassidy! Would love to win the first two books!
harvee44 at yahoo.com
I love this series and would love to win a copy of Deadly Patterns.
Thank you, Cheryl! Would love to know who your favorite character is 🙂
this sounds great! i’d love to win!
Good luck, Sarah!
Sounds like a fun series.
Thank you, Tonya!
Sounds like a great series. Just added them to my wish list.
Lisa, thank you!
Harlow Jane and Lola are both wonderful characters, and I’ve enjoyed getting to know them both.
lynettek51(at)yahoo(dot) com
Wow, Lynette, thrilling to hear you like both my main characters! Thank you for reading them 🙂
I have this series on my wishlist!
Wish, wish, wish! Good luck, Lisa.
I’ve read the first two in the dressmaker series. Clever stories, complicated and clever characters, LOL situations. Fun reads. Congrats on the third coming out, Melissa, and good luck on sales. Though you don’t need much of that. The covers and premise and good writing sell these.
Marsha, you are so sweet! So glad to hear you’ve read Pleating for Mercy and A Fitting End. That means a lot to me 🙂
Thanks for hosting this giveaway Dru. I’ve read the first book in the series (got it from the library I think) and would love to actually own the first two of the series (never read the second one).
NoraAdrienne(at)gmail(dot)com
Ms. Nora Adrienne, you are awesome! Love the library and that they make books available. Thank you for reading!
I’ve only read one book in this series but I loved it! Such a fun series!
One is good, Vicki! Thank you for reading 🙂
Sounds like everybody who’s read Bourbon is eager for the latest. While I haven’t read the earlier books, I’m inspired to do so from their kind words. Sign me up, please. Thanks. judydee22002@yahoo dot com
Judy, why haven’t you read any?! Kidding. When you do, hope you love them!
Poor Bliss, Texas! But it does make for plenty of writing material!
Thank you for this giveaway.
CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)copm
No kidding! Not so Blissful, eh, Carol? LOL
I like the idea that the Cassidy women have “powers”—even if one of them is goat whispering—I need to learn more about that. I’d love to read these books.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
Goat whispering is a fun and quirky power. Not much you can do with it, and yet it comes in handy for Nana every now and then. 😉
I would like to be included in the give away for Deadly Patterns.
6186pep(at)msn(dot)com
Good luck, Darlene!
I’m new to your books (reading the Lola Cruz books) and really enjoying them! I’d love to be entered to win this series!
Rachael, thank you for reading Lola! She is a favorite of mine and will always have a special place in my heart. Harlow is different, but equally fun!
I just finished reading the first book of the series. I enjoyed it and looking forward to reading the 2nd book. Cassidy women made me laugh thru out the book. elisanabby at gmail dot com
Thank you for reading, Elisa!
I would love to win these books. Great series.
Cheryl, thank you for entering! Good luck 🙂
Dru Ann, thank you for hosting a giveaway with Deadly Patterns!!!
Thanks Melissa for letting Harlow give us a glimpse into her family.
It was my pleasure, Dru Ann. 🙂
Another great cozy! Gotta love ’em. Thank you for hosting this giveaway.
wfnren(at)aol(dot)com
contest is closed.
Congratulations Tonya!