The Anatomy of a Boxed Set- Come Love A Cowboy by Kathleen Ball #ASMSG #CLAC

Come Love A Cowboy is my forth boxed set. I was honored and excited to be invited to each. You've heard the old adage- women can't work together. Total nonsense. Many of the boxed sets made USA Today best seller lists. Since most sell at 99cents readers have wondered why we do it.

I do it for the exposure. I do Western romance sets with other authors in the hope that their fans will soon become my fans. If the set is good it works. Are we under valuing our work- you bet but sales of my other books from the new fans make up for it. 

If you have a good leader, strong writers, and everyone willing to market, that is the secret to success. You need to see the big picture, not just your book. You also have to have a thick skin. The group may not like your idea and that's fine. If you can go with the flow it can be a great experience.

My Newest Boxed Set is 

Come Love A Cowboy

ONLY 99cents  Kindle Unlimited

Eight stand-alone Contemporary Western Romance novellas from Bestselling and Award-Winning Authors.

From firefighters, bronco busters, and wealthy ranchers to bad boys, we have them all for you! If you've ever wanted to fall in love with a sexy, alpha cowboy of today...now's your chance.


On sale for $.99 via Amazon: http://myBook.to/Come-Love-A-Cowboy

Luke’s Fate by Kathleen Ball

Meg O’Brien hoped never to lay eyes on the one man who broke her heart. To her dismay, Luke Kelly arrives at her ranch a much different and broken man. Can Meg ever forgive his callous treatment of her and help Luke become the man he used to be?

Grant Me The Moon by Caroline Clemmons
All Tory Fraser intended was to show her high school history club students a local archeology dig. How could she know the excursion would involve a murder?

Three for The Win by Keta Diablo

Hollis should have known better than to fall for a bone-melting man like Stede. He’s gone now and Eli is left to pick up the broken pieces of her life.

Border Affair by Hebby Roman

When his partners’ daughter is kidnapped in México, a self-made millionaire must confront his feelings about their affair and the future of their relationship.

Leaving Necessity by Margo Bond Collins

Mac has one week to convince his ex-girlfriend Clara not to sell his oil company. In this high-pressure reunion, can they strike love again?

The Shape of Destiny by Julie A. D’Arcy

A young male shape shifter. A beautiful female ranch owner. Can love be born in a web of deceit?

Bad Boy, Big Heart by Andrea Downing

She’s a New Yorker escaping her parents. He’s a Wyoming cowboy supporting his dad. One summer, two young people—three months to find love.


Desert Heat by Patti Sherry-Crews

A single mother struggling to keep her guest ranch puts her own desires on hold. When a handsome and persistent fireman sets his sights on her, she must decide how much she’s willing to give.

Luke’s Fate

By Kathleen Ball

Blurb:

Meg O’Brien hoped never to lay eyes on the one man who broke her heart. To her dismay, Luke Kelly arrives at her ranch a much different and broken man. Can Meg ever forgive his callous treatment of her and help Luke become the man he used to be?

Excerpt:

“You’ve changed,” he said, his voice soft and low.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He hesitated. “You used to be easy to read. You wore your emotions on your sleeve. Now I don’t know what you think except you want me gone. I can understand why. I mean I left you just as we were starting something good, something I had hoped would be permanent.”

“Permanent?”

 “You must have known how I felt about you. I was just waiting for you to grow up so I could start dating you.”

Tears filled her eyes. All this time she had thought he didn’t find her appealing. “You left without a word.”

“I know, and I’ll be forever sorry for hurting you.”

Tears trailed down her face, and she closed her eyes willing them to stop. “Why?” Her voice squeaked.

Luke shook his head. “I wish I could tell you but I can’t.

Meg wiped away her tears. “Can’t or won’t?” She waved her hand at him. “You know, don’t, just don’t. The whole town thinks I drove you away. I’ve lived the last five years with people whispering behind my back. I don’t even bother going into town unless I have to. Now  I’m foreman of this ranch, I’m perfectly content with my life. I do what I love, and people stay out of my way.”

Luke’s stare was intense. “Is that what you want? You want people to stay out of your way? Hell, Margaret Mary, I thought you’d gone on with your life. I expected to find you with a husband and babies. Even I got married.” His face shuttered as he turned away.

Married? No one had told her. Her mouth opened but there were no words. She folded her arms in front of her trying to keep from flying apart and her stomach threatened to rebel. What a fool, she’d been, thinking all this time that something tragic had happened to him, thinking he’d be back for her if he could, and the whole time he’d been married.

Of course, he would have dated while he’d been gone, but marriage… Her thoughts had never strayed that far. How stupid, of course he’d be married. If imagining it would have been too much for her, the reality was shattering. Her body began to shake, and she clasped her hands together trying to still herself. After a few large swallows it worked, but the lump in her throat stayed.

 Well, where the hell was his wife now? She should be here wiping her husband’s nose instead of leaving it to others. He had the gall to come here when he had a wife? Her stomach dropped. Was he planning to build a house on his land and live there, raising a family?

Everyone had told her to get on with her life but she refused to listen. Damn my stubborn hide!

Luke’s Fate started as a free Sunday serial my publisher had on their website. I added a new part every week and it ended up with 366 parts before it was done. Not only did I have to keep readers entertained, I had to keep it exciting for me to write each week. It’s packed with action, romance and suspense. I hope you enjoy it.

  Sexy Cowboys and the Women Who Love Them...

Finalist in the 2012 and 2015 RONE Awards.

Top Pick, Five Star Series from the Romance Review.

Kathleen Ball writes contemporary and historical western romance with great emotion and

memorable characters. Her books are award winners and have appeared on best sellers lists

including:


Amazon's Best Sellers List, All Romance Ebooks, Bookstrand, Desert Breeze Publishing and

Secret Cravings Publishing Best Sellers list. She is the recipient of eight Editor's Choice

Awards, and The Readers' Choice Award for Ryelee's Cowboy.
Winner of the Lear diamond award Best Historical Novel- Cinders' Bride

There's something about a cowboy....

***Order of my Books***
Lasso Spring Series

Callie's Heart
Lone Star Joy
Stetson's Storm

Dawson Ranch Series

Texas Haven-- can be found in the Cowboy Mine boxed Set
Ryelee's Cowboy


Cowboy Seasons Series

Summer's Desire
Autumn's Hope
Winter's Embrace
Spring's Delight

Cinders' Bride
Keegan's Bride
The Greatest Gift

Cowboy Mine Boxed Set
Silver Belles and Stetsons Anthology

Follow Kathleen Ball on Amazon

New Release Cinders' Bride by Kathleen Ball #ASMSG My First Historical Romance

I'm exited to announce the release of my first Historical Western Romance

Cinders' Bride 

(Mail Order Brides of Texas Book 1)

By Kathleen Ball 

 

 Shannon McMurphy travels to Asherville, Texas as a mail order bride expecting to marry a rancher. Instead, her intended is a saloonkeeper. Her refusal to marry enrages John Hardy and he slices her cheek with a knife so no other man would want her. She runs into the street and no one helps her until blond, blue eyed Cinders rescues her.
Sexy, rancher Cinders saves Shannon and offers her a job. To protect her reputation he must marry her. They both agree it’s a marriage of convenience. He admires her spunk and willingness to learn everything about surviving the Texas frontier. He waits for her to ask to go home but she never does.
They learn a lot about each other through, stolen horses, Indian troubles, a cattle drive and the busybodies of the town. Their attraction for each other grows, but can they learn to trust enough to love?
Join me in Asherville, Texas and see how this love story unfolds.

Available on Amazon

Sexy Cowboys and the women who love them...

Finalist in the 2012 RONE Awards.

Top Pick, Five Star Series from the Romance Review.

Kathleen Ball writes contemporary western romance with great emotion and memorable

characters.Her books are award winners and have appeared on best sellers lists including

Amazon's Best Sellers List, All Romance Ebooks, Bookstrand, Desert Breeze Publishing and

Secret Cravings Publishing Best Sellers list. She is the recipient of eight Editor's Choice

Awards, and The Readers' Choice Award for Ryelee's Cowboy.

There's something about a cowboy...

SAILING UP TO NORTHEAST TEXAS

A riverboat port in Northeast Texas?  Strange as it sounds, Jefferson, on Big Cypress Bayou, was an important port in the 1870’s. Jefferson is one of my family’s favorite places to sightsee. We visit antique shops and the candy store (for yummy fudge), drive along the lovely streets, and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Many of the 19^th century homes are now bed and breakfast inns, and the Excelsior Hotel still accepts guests. We’ve even been known to go fishing in Lake Caddo. (Not me - I read a book while my husband fishes.)

During the late 1840s efforts were made to clear Big Cypress Creek for navigation. As the westernmost outpost for navigation on the Red River, Jefferson quickly developed into an important riverport. The first steamboat, the Llama, reached Jefferson in late 1843 or early 1844. Within a few years steamboats were regularly making the trip from Shreveport and New Orleans, transporting cotton and other produce downstream and returning with supplies and manufactured goods, including materials and furnishings for many of the early homes. By the late 1840s Jefferson had emerged as the leading commercial and distribution center of Northeast Texas and the state's leading inland port.

Among the persistent legends that have grown up around the town was the belief that Jeffersonians had shunned the railroads. While much of the city's wealth during the antebellum and early postbellum years derived from the river trade, city leaders recognized early the importance of rail transportation and made efforts to build a railroad linking the town with Shreveport and Marshall. Construction of a line began in 1860, but only forty-five miles of road was completed by the outbreak of the Civil War. During the Civil War a meat cannery was established there, as were factories for boots and shoes.

Jefferson was an up-and-coming city after the Civil War. In 1867 Jefferson became the first town in Texas to use natural gas for artificial lighting purposes, and ice was first manufactured on a commercial scale there in 1868. By 1870, Jefferson was the sixth largest city in Texas. In the late 1860s more than 75,000 bales of cotton were being shipped annually. By 1870 only Galveston surpassed Jefferson in volume of commerce.

Loading cotton bales

The town reached its peak in 1872, but in 1873 two events occurred that eventually spelled the end of Jefferson's importance. The first was the destruction of the Red River Raft. The Great River Raft or Red River Raft began in prehistoric times as the river ate away at the river’s bank, causing trees at the river’s edge to collapse into the river. Timber and driftwood formed solid bridges that stretched across the river. In some places the raft was reported to be twenty-five feet deep. Some areas were solid enough to serve as land bridges that could support a man on horseback, although I can’t imagine a poor horse having to cross. With slow-moving flow of water, the silt carried by the river sank, damming the bayous along the river.

Breaking up the raft

Imagine a 165-mile log jam. In November of 1873 nitroglycerin charges were used to remove the last portion of the raft, which had previously made the upper section of the river unnavigable. The demolition of the raft reopened the main course of the river, but significantly lowered the water level of the surrounding lakes and streams making the trip to Jefferson by boat difficult.

Even more important to Jefferson's decline was the completion of the Texas and Pacific Railway from Texarkana to Marshall, which bypassed Jefferson. Death to any city!  Although another line of the Texas and Pacific reached Jefferson the following year, the development of rail commerce and the rise of Marshall, Dallas, and other important rail cities brought an end to Jefferson's golden age as a commercial and shipping center. Though efforts were made in later years to raise the water level on the Big Cypress, the railroads soon displaced the riverboats, and with them Jefferson.

For my latest release, BLUEBONNET BRIDE, I placed a fictional town called Pearsonville a few miles from Jefferson that shared in the riverboat shipping trade. The heroine’s late husband bullied his way to control Pearsonville. Fortunately for Rosalyn, my heroine, she severed all ties with the area only a month before the area’s decline.

Here’s the blurb for BLUEBONNET BRIDE, Men of Stone Mountain book three:

He’s a by-the-book Texas sheriff; she’s on the run from a murder conviction...

When a tornado provides Rosalyn with the opportunity to escape the gallows, she collects her daughter Lucy and flees. They travel far enough West that Rosalyn believes she’s gone to the ends of the earth. She hopes she and Lucy will be safe in this remote North Texas town where she embarks on a new life as a dressmaker. If only she could avoid contact with people, especially the handsome sheriff who pops up every time she turns around. She fears either she or her chatterbox daughter may slip and reveal too much.

Joel Stone has been content with his life, even if it’s not the one he’d dreamed. His younger brothers are married and living nearby, his aunts have moved to Radford Springs, and he is respected for the efficient job he does as sheriff. When he meets the new widow in town, his instant attraction staggers him. She appears uninterested, but he is determined to win her hand in marriage. 

But life doesn’t turn out the way either Rosalyn or Joel plan. They overcome temporary obstacles, but what of the secret she protects? Can he save her from the gallows?

BLUEBONNET BRIDE is available at Smashwords in e-book:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/287177?ref=CarolineClemmons

And in print or e-book from Amazon at:

http://www.amazon.com/Bluebonnet-Bride-Stone-Mountain-ebook/dp/B00BHOC7L8/ref=sr_1_10?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1361679076&sr=1-10&keywords=caroline+clemmons

Thanks for stopping by!