Prickle Forrest Chronicles
August 2026
By Chrissy Hartmann
Howdy, All!
Well, pull up a chair, grab yourself a cup of coffee, and settle in, because there’s been plenty happening around this little corner of the trail!
First things first—Hayden, affectionately known around here as “Butterscotch,” is settling in just fine.
When he’s in harness, he’s all business. But take that harness off and you’ve got yourself ALL PUPPY! He loves carrying his stuffed bone around, and—believe it or not—he has apparently decided that a stuffed coffee cup makes a fine puppy toy, too.
We took a little venture at the end of last month to a Braille Trail at Hogback Ridge Park in Sunbury, Ohio, hosted by the American Council of the Blind of Ohio. Butterscotch absolutely loved it! It was a wonderful outing, and we had ourselves a whole heap of fun.
The book festival season is officially back in full swing, and this cowgirl has plenty of irons in the fire. Not only am I participating in festivals, but I’m also helping with the marketing for three different events, including the BVI Lions Club ACB Ohio Fall Festival. Add in everything I’m doing for the book festivals, and you might say I’ve got my boots firmly planted in the marketing corral!
And you know what?
I’m having a blast with it. I even found a new app for my phone that lets me put text overlays on pictures. I’m still learning the ropes, but I’m having fun experimenting with it. And when I get myself into a bit of a digital pickle, there’s always my Eagle Scout to ride in and lend a hand with photoshop every now and then!
August 17th was a mighty busy day around here because two new books hit the trail!
First up is my second short story:
💕 Life Flight Kisses*
This is Short Story #2,following Tacking of Hearts. Life Flight Kisses is now available in paperback, digital, and Kindle Unlimited, just like its predecessor.
And then there was another little celebration…
🖤 Whiskey Kisses
My newest novella, Whiskey Kisses, also officially galloped onto the trail on August 17th!
And let me tell you, Punkin was mighty pleased about the timing.
Why?
Because August 17th just happened to be National Black Cat Day!
I certainly didn’t plan that little bit of magic, but I’ll happily take it. Sometimes the trail has a way of lining things up just right.
So if you haven’t met Chet, Violet, and that mischievous little black kitten yet, saddle up and come on over to Whiskey for a little cowboy romance, kitten trouble, and plenty of kisses.
You can find that broody cowboy, stubborn veteran, and ornery black kitten within the pages of Whiskey Kisses ! Don’t miss out!
Now I need a little help from my trail hands.
I’d love to know what you think about the covers for Life Flight Kisses and Whiskey Kisses. Which one catches your eye first? What do you like about them? I’d love to hear what you think! Want to make sure I’m on the right trail with them. Drop me a reply to this newsletter or send me a message through my website. I always enjoy hearing from readers.
And here’s some good news for folks who’d like a signed copy of my books.
You can now purchase autographed copies directly from my website! And because no good cowboy—or cowgirl—should ride away empty-handed, every book comes with some SWAG.
So if you’re looking for a signed copy for yourself, a gift for a fellow reader, or just want to add a little more cowboy sparkle to your bookshelf, come on over and check it out.
I’ve got another event coming up this month to help support PAWS and the Wayne County Dog Pound, and I may just try my hand at baking fresh dog biscuits right there at the event.
Yep.
Fresh dog biscuits.
From my cookbook, The Grub Wrangler and Gruff: Dog Biscuit Almanac.
Now, before anybody gets too excited, I should probably mention that this little baking adventure is still in the “we’ll see how this goes” stage!
But I did find myself a brand-new toaster oven at a thrift store last month when I went thrifting a while back.
So maybe the stars are lining up for some fresh-baked puppy treats!
Treasuring Whiskey’s SalvationIs Almost Ready!
The book is formatted, and now all that’s left is to make those edits. Got only 22 chapters to edit. That won’t take long, right?
If everything goes according to plan, there’s a good chance this one could still see publication before the end of this year!
I’ve also got a great idea brewing for the cover. I just need to get it made.
And Then There’s Another Story…
Now here’s where things get downright difficult.
I’ve got another story brewing. The outline is written. I’ve got my notes ready to go, and there are just a few edits to make before I can really get rolling.
And this one?
Well…
I’m going to try writing a western romantasy!
Yep. You read that right.
A little western. A little romance. A little fantasy.
And, of course, it takes place in Whiskey.
I am already having way too much fun thinking about this one, and it’s just about killing me not to start writing it right now. But I’ve got to keep myself honest. Treasuring Whiskey’s Salvationneeds to be edited, and these festivals need to get finished first.
Then?
It’s time to saddle up and ride into a whole new story.
I also just got word that I’ve been asked to chat up the Indie Authors for the Buckeye Book Fair!
I suppose that makes sense. After all, I’m an indie author and I’m the social media assistant for the Buckeye Book Fair marketing team. SO I’m busy thinking up publicity stuff for a few of the indie authors. At the moment, the director’s got me writing a few articles for the Buckeye Book Fair Bookmark newsletter. I guess they figure I know a thing or two about what indie authors need promoted! I’m looking forward to helping get the word out and giving our wonderful indie authors some well-deserved attention.
And to top off my day, just got word, I’ve been selected to participate on a panel regarding book marketing for the Canal Town Book Festival. I’m tickled pink over this honor. Yeehaw!
Well, folks, that’s about all the news from my little corner of the trail for now. There’s writing, editing, book festivals, marketing, dog biscuits, new stories, new books, a puppy with a stuffed bone—and apparently a coffee cup—and somehow I’m having a mighty fine time keeping up with all of it.
I hope you’ll join me and Butterscotch out on the trail sometime soon.
And if you can’t make it in person, don’t be a stranger! Send me a reply to this newsletter or drop me a message through my website. I always love hearing from readers.
Until next time, keep turning those pages, chasing those dreams, and leaving a little room for some cowboy kisses, messy hearts, and small-town sparkle with hope.
And remember…
💖 Don’t forget to saddle up for Whiskey Kisses! 💖
Happy reading, all!
Chrissy Hartmann
• Contemporary Western Romance Author
• Award-Winning Short Story Writer
• Book Reviewer
• Blogger
Prickle Forrest Chronicles by Chrissy
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Don’t miss out on the Whiskey Salvation Series…
Where you’ll find cowboy kisses, messy hearts, and small-town sparkle filled with hope… So kick off your boots, grab a Whiskey, and settle in for some romance … and more!
