(Image Description: I’m in Appalachia now and this is how it looks today with the fog and wet weather. Also this is where the photo of the tree I took on my hike.)
While hiking in the Appalachia Mountains a couple of years ago, I came across I spotted this beautiful tree, a natural tree burl growing out from the trunk like a secret knotted into the bark. I couldn’t help but stop and think about Bluegrass Ridge Ranch Mystery Series, where burl wood plays a quiet but meaningful role in Cussy’s memories of her uncle and the land she’s fighting for.
In the book, Cussy remembers standing beside a tree just like this, her uncle resting his big calloused hand on the burl and telling her how the wood’s twisted grain comes from struggle—but that it makes the finest, most beautiful lumber you’ll ever see.
He wasn’t wrong.
Burl wood, formed when a tree undergoes stress or damage, creates stunning, intricate patterns that are prized by furniture makers and woodworkers. It’s used in high-end tables, instruments, and art pieces—but for Cussy, it meant something even more valuable: a promise that no matter how far she went, a piece of home would always be with her.
Seeing this on the trail felt like a little nod from Uncle Amos himself.
Have you ever seen a tree burl in the wild? Or better yet, do you have a memory that’s tangled and twisted, but beautiful just the same?
PREORDER NOW! 🤠🐎
Secrets buckle tighter in Kentucky horse country.
LASSOES & LIES is a cozy mystery filled with:
🌾 Bluegrass charm
🔎 Deadly rodeo secrets
💕 Slow-burn chemistry
☕ Southern gossip
🐎 Ranch rivalries and family scandals
Cussy Hollingsworth is about to learn that saving Bluegrass Ridge Ranch may cost more than she ever expected.
And somebody tied to the rodeo circuit will do anything to protect their secrets.
Preorder your copy today!
AMAZON: https://bit.ly/45Pt2t2
GOODREADS: https://bit.ly/4uY1GvJ
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