Cowboy Kisses

 

You'll Want to Read This New Release, An Irresistible Tale of Love, Friendship, and Courage

Today, September 29, is a special day for me. It's my birthday and LAND OF HEROES is now available on Amazon in both print and eBook formats! 

You may have met Alexander MacKay in my last book, BUCKSKIN ANGEL, where his cousin Rory Wyllie became the hero and Jessica Harrison the heroine. In LAND OF HEROES, Alexander becomes a truly heroic figure and plays a prominent role in the Battle of Nacogdoches (na·kuh·dow·chuhs), an often overlooked but important battle for freedom. Fearing for her father and brother’s safety, Alexa Anderson opposes the formation of a Texian militia. Rebels risked being shot by firing squads at the Mexican army’s fort in Nacogdoches. 

Nacogdoches is believed to be the oldest town in Texas and is located in beautiful East Texas, about five hours north and east of our ranch in Central Texas. This historic town made a great setting for a story that occurs in 1824, although the battle actually occurred six years later in 1832. 

I hope this novel helps my readers to understand what it might have been like in Texas in 1824. Many of us have ancestors who invested their lives and blood to settle this country and we owe it to them to remember their sacrifices and incredible courage. In fact, it was my husband's ancestors, very early settlers of Kentucky, Louisiana, and Texas that inspired all fourteen of my novels. (See them all here on Amazon.)

As I imagined what James Bowie, one of the main characters in the book, might have said, "Texians are here at the invitation of first Spain and then Mexico both of which wanted Americans to fight Indians for them and to grow crops and raise livestock. They have come from all over America, traveled hundreds of miles, and endured great hardships to get here. They have bled upon, plowed, and nurtured this land with calloused hands."

This memorial honors all 253 participants of the Battle of Nacogdoches. 

We know the names of only 80.

The Old Stone Fort Museum is located on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University, in the city and county of Nacogdoches, Texas. It is a 1936 replica of a structure that had been erected circa 1779 by Nacogdoches militia commander Antonio Gil Y'Barbo.

These are my heroes—the Wyllies and MacKays!

REVIEWS for LAND OF HEROES

"Amazing storyline and grand adventure! This book is filled with real-life heroes and those the author used her literary license to magnify the story. Based on the actual lives of some of those who lived in the era of 1824, the realism written keeps the reader enraptured with events. Jim Bowie is alive and well in this story; the Stephen Wyllie family is expanding and involved in freeing Texians and fellow citizens from the grips of Mexican cruelty; and, there’s the romance of the young as they meet, court, and marry. There are moments where I ran out of Kleenex but kept on reading. Thanks to the author for keeping me totally entertained, even through tears."- Amazon Review by Marlene

"Ms. Wiley is one of my go-to authors of historical fiction set in the expansion of the West. It has always been one of my favorite periods in history. She brings a realism to each story and each of the characters that makes me feel like I am there. I can't wait to read what she pens next."- Reviewer JoAnne Weiss

The WILDERNESS DAWNING SERIES. 

The first three books in the series have a 4.8 average star rating from 270+ reader reviews. These novels are tastefully romantic and authentic historicals set against the stunning backdrop of the wilderness. Each book is a stand-alone, full-length novel.

LAND OF HEROES EBOOK

LAND OF HEROES PRINT PAPERBACK