Western Romances with a Paranormal Twist

By Kristy McCaffrey

It’s October, so how about western romances with a bit of the other.

 

INTO THE LAND OF SHADOWS is a steamy standalone historical western novel set in 1893 Arizona Territory.

Rancher Ethan Barstow has spent years carrying the weight of his broken bond with his brother, Charley. Deciding to track him down is easy. Far more complicated is the journey itself, especially when he’s forced to travel alongside Kate Kinsella, Charley’s supposed fiancée. 

As they cross Navajo country, something stirs in the vast, haunted landscape. Whispers of the unseen and a growing, undeniable attraction pull Ethan and Kate closer together, drawing them into danger, mystery, and ultimately, each other. 

“…pure entertainment—a good old-fashioned western, a romance and an adventure with a tiny bit of comedy and a good twist of paranormal thrown in. I loved it!” ~ Barnes and Noble Reviewer

LEARN MORE about Into The Land of Shadows

THE SPARROW is Book Three in the Wings of the West series but can be read as a standalone. It’s a historical western novel with medium spice.

In 1877, Emma Hart comes to Grand Canyon—a wild, rugged, and, until recently, undiscovered area. Plagued by visions and gifted with a second sight, she searches for answers about the tragedy of her past, the betrayal of her present, and an elusive future that echoes through her very soul. Joined by her power animal Sparrow, she ventures into the depths of Hopi folklore, forced to confront an evil that has lived through the ages.

Texas Ranger Nathan Blackmore tracks Emma Hart to the Colorado River, stunned by her determination to ride a wooden dory along its course. But in a place where the ripples of time run deep, he’ll be faced with a choice. He must accept the unseen realm, the world beside this world, that he turned away from years ago, or risk losing the woman he has come to love more than life itself.

LEARN MORE about The Sparrow

In THE CROW BROTHERS COLLECTION it’s Hallowtide in the Old West. Join three bounty hunters fighting dark magic and the women destined to love them in these three short stories.

The Crow and The Coyote

Among the red-rock canyons of the Navajo, bounty hunter Jack Boggs—known as The Crow—aids Hannah Dobbin in a quest to save her pa's soul during Hallowtide.

The Crow and The Bear

When no one will help Jennie Livingstone enter a haunted ravine to find her papa, she must accept the aid of enigmatic bounty hunter Callum Boggs, sometimes called The Crow.

A Murder of Crows

Eliza McCulloch is determined to reclaim her family book of spells and her only hope is Kester Boggs, a manhunter named The Crow.

LEARN MORE about The Crow Brothers

BLUE SAGE is a contemporary western novella set in Northern Arizona.

Braden Delaney has taken over the family cattle business after the death of his father, but faced with difficult financial decisions, he contemplates selling a portion of the massive Delaney ranch holdings known as Whisper Rock, a place of unusual occurrences. Archaeologist Audrey Driggs arrives in the remote wilderness of Northern Arizona looking for clues to a life-altering experience from her childhood. Together, they’ll uncover a long-lost secret.

“Wow, what a story! … main characters were extremely likeable and the hint of the paranormal added a depth … that was awesome.” ~ Goodreads review

LEARN MORE about Blue Sage

And while ANCIENT WINDS isn’t a western romance, it does feature supernatural elements (shamanic time travel) in a contemporary jungle romance setting with medium spice.

Archaeologist Brynn Galloway is one bad headline away from professional ruin. When a rare Sumerian artifact resurfaces—one tied to a theory no serious academic will touch—she’s summoned to Bolivia, where the truth may cost her credibility… or her life.

The jungle holds more than lost ruins. It holds answers.

Pulled into a dangerous hunt for a stolen cuneiform tablet, Brynn finds herself reluctantly partnered with Dr. Tristan Magee—a talented, infuriating mercenary physicist whose theories about ancient visitors from the stars are as seductive as the man himself. He’s determined to reclaim the artifact at any cost. She’s determined not to become a footnote in someone else’s madness.

But as rivals close in and the jungle reveals secrets buried beyond recorded time, Brynn and Tristan discover the artifact may not just change history—it may fracture it.

Forced to trust each other in a place where survival is never guaranteed, attraction ignites in the heat and danger of the Bolivian jungle.

Perfect for fans of Indiana Jones and Romancing the Stone, with a slow-burn romantic edge and a touch of The X-Files.

LEARN MORE about Ancient Winds

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Eight Writing Tips

 

By Kristy McCaffrey

I always appreciate advice from other authors, so here’s a few bits I can offer.

Keep writing to learn your baseline

Every writer is different in how they approach a new project. Some outline, some don’t. Some write in a linear fashion, some don’t. If you compare yourself to other authors, you’ll likely become frustrated. Be patient and learn your own process. 

(Mine tends to be free writing followed by periodic outlining. I build a story in layers, so it will take about 8-10 revisions of a manuscript before I’m done.)

Trust your instincts and intuition

Follow your creative impulses—they’ll always be right and true. But be more business-like and discerning during the editing process and the subsequent marketing of a book. Don’t crumble at the first sign of criticism.

Learn the craft

This will be an ongoing process that never ends. You’ll make mistakes. Learn from them and move on.

A side note regarding AI

Writing is a skill that grows in direct proportion to the effort expended. If you allow AI to do the heavy lifting in your story, those writing muscles will weaken. However, AI can be an important tool in research, administrative tasks, and marketing, freeing up more time to be creative in the work itself.

The 80% Rule

If a story is 80% good enough, I send it off to the editor. With good editing, I strive to bring it up to 95%. It’s impossible to reach perfection, so stop tweaking and release your creation to the world.

Be authentic

As an author, as a writer, and as a person. You are your writing. At the same time, your job is to be as invisible as possible within the work itself. Dig into your characters and plot. Embrace research.

Surround yourself with people better than you

This is how you’ll improve. And you can always improve.

Have fun

If playing with words and stories wasn’t buried deep in your bones, you wouldn’t be doing it in the first place. There are no limitations, really, so don’t place any on yourself.

Be humble. Be curious. Be grateful.

New Release Date for The Falcon

The Falcon by Kristy McCaffrey

Wings of the West: Book 12

Coming December 22, 2026

Mexico

December 1899 

Josie Ryan’s connection to Texas runs deep, from the land to an almost preternatural kinship with the animals in the wild. This bond has led her to the edge of life and death, from saving a boy caught in a fire when she was eleven years old to being struck by lightning to a mountain lion attack that almost ended her life. The discovery of an abandoned falcon chick leads to a fierce attachment, but with only intuition to guide her, Josie struggles to train the wildest creature she’s ever encountered. When she learns of a man who could help, she’s determined to gain an introduction. 

Mateo Almirón, El Halconero—The Falconer—and Argentine gaucho, is tasked with delivering two prized purebred Criollo mares to Matt Ryan, a man whose reputation casts a long shadow. Years ago, Ryan saved the life of Mateo’s father, and the horses will settle the longstanding debt, but when the exchange goes wrong, Mateo is entrusted with protecting Ryan’s daughter, Josie. Now Mateo and Josie must hide in the mountains of Northern Mexico where stories abound of Josie’s mother, a woman who lived among the Comanche and rose from the dead. 

But in a place alive with superstition, Josie and her untamed falcon will give rise to a new legend …

Josie is the youngest child of Matt and Molly from THE WREN.

* * * * *

Available for pre-order from Nook and Apple Books.

(It will also be available at Amazon, Kobo, Google Play Books, and in paperback on release day.)

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The Legend of Montezuma’s Gold

 

By Kristy McCaffrey

The Aztec were a powerful Mesoamerican civilization with a complex system of politics, trade, and administration that lived in central Mexico from about 1300 to 1521. They founded the city-state of Tenochtitlan in 1325 on an island in Lake Texcoco. Today it’s the location of modern-day Mexico City.

They reached their pinnacle in 1519 when Hernán Cortés and his Spanish conquistadors arrived. He managed to take Tenochtitlan in 1521 with European diseases having already decimated the population, and from there the Spanish proceeded to move north into the Americas.

The Aztec emperor at the time was Moctezuma II (or Montezuma II). His treasure possibly consisted of gold bars, jewelry, coins, and elaborate headdresses. Legend states the treasure was moved to the north as Montezuma’s relationship with Cortés began to sour and was buried in northern Mexico or the southwestern area of the United States. A popular consensus is that it’s located in New Mexico or Arizona, specifically the Casa Grande region between Phoenix and Tucson, although some treasure hunters think it may be as far north as Utah.

No treasure has been found beyond a gold bar discovered in 1981 in Mexico City. It’s believed to have been looted by the Spanish during their conquest of Tenochtitlan.

* * * *

In my upcoming book, THE FALCON, Mateo and Josie are caught up in the search for an Aztec treasure that might be related to Montezuma's Lost Gold.

The Falcon by Kristy McCaffrey
Wings of the West: Book 12
Coming September 22, 2026

Mexico

December 1899 

Josie Ryan’s connection to Texas runs deep, from the land to an almost preternatural kinship with the animals in the wild. This bond has led her to the edge of life and death, from saving a boy caught in a fire when she was eleven years old to being struck by lightning to a mountain lion attack that almost ended her life. The discovery of an abandoned falcon chick leads to a fierce attachment, but with only intuition to guide her, Josie struggles to train the wildest creature she’s ever encountered. When she learns of a man who could help, she’s determined to gain an introduction. 

Mateo Almirón, El Halconero—The Falconer—and Argentine gaucho, is tasked with delivering two prized purebred Criollo mares to Matt Ryan, a man whose reputation casts a long shadow. Years ago, Ryan saved the life of Mateo’s father, and the horses will settle the longstanding debt, but when the exchange goes wrong, Mateo is entrusted with protecting Ryan’s daughter, Josie. Now Mateo and Josie must hide in the mountains of Northern Mexico where stories abound of Josie’s mother, a woman who lived among the Comanche and rose from the dead. 

But in a place alive with superstition, Josie and her untamed falcon will give rise to a new legend …

Josie is the youngest child of Matt and Molly from THE WREN.

* * * * *

Available for pre-order from Nook and Apple Books.

(It will also be available at Amazon, Kobo, Google Play Books, and in paperback on release day.)

Connect with Kristy

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The Aztec

 

By Kristy McCaffrey

The Aztec of Mexico are sometimes grouped with the Mayan and the Inca, but they were separate groups. The Mayan were the oldest, with a history beginning around 2000 BC.  The Aztec lived in the 13^th and 14^th centuries in central Mexico, while the Inca also shared this timeframe but were in South America. All three fell to Spanish conquistadors in the 1500’s.

The Aztec founded a settlement called Tenochtitlan in 1325, and initially it was controlled by the Tepanec people. In 1428, the Aztec formed an alliance with two other cities and formed the Aztec Triple Alliance and were able to gain control of their region.

A ceramic sculpture representing Mictlantecuhtli,
the God of Death of the Aztecs.

The Aztec practiced bloodletting (offering one’s own blood) and human sacrifice as part of their religious practices. It’s believed the violence of the Spanish conquest against the Aztec was due in part to the Conquistadors disgust over these rituals.

The Spanish arrived in 1519, led by Hernán Cortés, and he allied with city-states opposed to the Aztec. That same year, Tenochtitlan fell and the Spanish founded Mexico City on the Aztec city’s ruins.

At its height, Aztec culture had rich and complex philosophical, mythological, and religious traditions, along with impressive artistic and architectural accomplishments.

Montezuma, the ninth Aztec Emperor of Mexico.

The legend of Emperor Montezuma’s gold claims that around 1520 the Aztec moved a vast fortune of 3,000 pounds of gold bars and other artifacts into the American Southwest to keep it out of the hands of the Spanish Conquistadors. Modern-day treasure hunters continue to search for it in Utah, Nevada, and New Mexico.

In my upcoming book, THE FALCON, Mateo and Josie are caught up in the search for an Aztec treasure in the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains in Northern Mexico.

The Falcon by Kristy McCaffrey
Wings of the West: Book 12
Coming September 22, 2026

Mexico

December 1899 

Josie Ryan’s connection to Texas runs deep, from the land to an almost preternatural kinship with the animals in the wild. This bond has led her to the edge of life and death, from saving a boy caught in a fire when she was eleven years old to being struck by lightning to a mountain lion attack that almost ended her life. The discovery of an abandoned falcon chick leads to a fierce attachment, but with only intuition to guide her, Josie struggles to train the wildest creature she’s ever encountered. When she learns of a man who could help, she’s determined to gain an introduction. 

Mateo Almirón, El Halconero—The Falconer—and Argentine gaucho, is tasked with delivering two prized purebred Criollo mares to Matt Ryan, a man whose reputation casts a long shadow. Years ago, Ryan saved the life of Mateo’s father, and the horses will settle the longstanding debt, but when the exchange goes wrong, Mateo is entrusted with protecting Ryan’s daughter, Josie. Now Mateo and Josie must hide in the mountains of Northern Mexico where stories abound of Josie’s mother, a woman who lived among the Comanche and rose from the dead. 

But in a place alive with superstition, Josie and her untamed falcon will give rise to a new legend …

Josie is the youngest child of Matt and Molly from THE WREN.

* * * * *

Available for pre-order from Nook and Apple Books.

(It will also be available at Amazon, Kobo, Google Play Books, and in paperback on release day.)

Connect with Kristy

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Update on The Falcon

By Kristy McCaffrey

THE FALCON, Book Twelve in my Wings of the West series, has a new release date of 9/22/26.

One goal I had was to tie it back to THE WREN (Book One), to create a satisfying bookend to the entire series, since THE FALCON will be the last book. THE FALCON features Josie, the daughter of Molly Hart Ryan from THE WREN, and the two women are very much alike.

It’s taken me longer than I’d planned to find the threads that connect the two stories, but I've finally got a handle on the recursiveness I've been searching for, and now I just need to write it. (Hint: it involves the backstories of both Molly and her husband, Matt.)

If you preordered at Apple Books or Nook, then you're fine. No need to do anything. Your e-book will be delivered to your e-reader on the new date.

If you preordered from Amazon, unfortunately your order has been cancelled. Amazon only allows a change of one month. No worries, though. You were never charged. When the book releases in September, it will of course be available on Amazon, and you'll be able to purchase it then. (Which I hope you will!!)

On release day, the book will also be available at Kobo and Google Play Books, as well as Everand and Kobo Plus.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. I think it will be worth the wait!

 The Falcon by Kristy McCaffrey
Wings of the West: Book 12
Coming September 22, 2026

Mexico

December 1899 

Josie Ryan’s connection to Texas runs deep, from the land to an almost preternatural kinship with the animals in the wild. This bond has led her to the edge of life and death, from saving a boy caught in a fire when she was eleven years old to being struck by lightning to a mountain lion attack that almost ended her life. The discovery of an abandoned falcon chick leads to a fierce attachment, but with only intuition to guide her, Josie struggles to train the wildest creature she’s ever encountered. When she learns of a man who could help, she’s determined to gain an introduction. 

Mateo Almirón, El Halconero—The Falconer—and Argentine gaucho, is tasked with delivering two prized purebred Criollo mares to Matt Ryan, a man whose reputation casts a long shadow. Years ago, Ryan saved the life of Mateo’s father, and the horses will settle the longstanding debt, but when the exchange goes wrong, Mateo is entrusted with protecting Ryan’s daughter, Josie. Now Mateo and Josie must hide in the mountains of Northern Mexico where stories abound of Josie’s mother, a woman who lived among the Comanche and rose from the dead. 

But in a place alive with superstition, Josie and her untamed falcon will give rise to a new legend …

Josie is the youngest child of Matt and Molly from THE WREN.

* * * * *

Available for pre-order from Nook and Apple Books.

(It will also be available at Amazon, Kobo, Google Play Books, and in paperback on release day.)

Connect with Kristy

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The Sierra Madre Oriental Mountain Range

 

By Kristy McCaffrey

The Sierra Madre Oriental is a 620-mile mountain range located in northeastern Mexico. It’s part of the American Cordillera, a continuous sequence of mountain ranges that form the western backbone of North America, Central America, South America, and Antarctica.

The Sierra Madre Oriental runs from the Rio Grande on the border of Texas down to northern Puebla. The climate is dry and semi-arid in the north with more moisture in the south, although there can be intense thunderstorms in the north, including severe hail and tornadoes.

Cerro El Potosí is the highest point, sitting at 12,208 feet.

Black bears, cougars, and bobcats can be found here, along with several species of deer and javelinas. The high cliffs offer nesting grounds for golden eagles and peregrine falcons.

Sierra Madre Oriental Mountain Range

* * * * *

In my upcoming book, The Falcon, the setting is the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains.

The Falcon by Kristy McCaffrey
Wings of the West: Book 12

Coming July 3, 2026

Mexico

December 1899 

Josie Ryan’s connection to Texas runs deep, from the land to an almost preternatural kinship with the animals in the wild. This bond has led her to the edge of life and death, from saving a boy caught in a fire when she was eleven years old to being struck by lightning to a mountain lion attack that almost ended her life. The discovery of an abandoned falcon chick leads to a fierce attachment, but with only intuition to guide her, Josie struggles to train the wildest creature she’s ever encountered. When she learns of a man who could help, she’s determined to gain an introduction. 

Mateo Almirón, El Halconero—The Falconer—and Argentine gaucho, is tasked with delivering two prized purebred Criollo mares to Matt Ryan, a man whose reputation casts a long shadow. Years ago, Ryan saved the life of Mateo’s father, and the horses will settle the longstanding debt, but when the exchange goes wrong, Mateo is entrusted with protecting Ryan’s daughter, Josie. Now Mateo and Josie must hide in the mountains of Northern Mexico where stories abound of Josie’s mother, a woman who lived among the Comanche and rose from the dead. 

But in a place alive with superstition, Josie and her untamed falcon will give rise to a new legend …

Josie is the youngest child of Matt and Molly from THE WREN.

* * * * *

Available for pre-order from Amazon, Nook, and Apple Books.

(It will also be available at Kobo, Google Play Books, and in paperback on release day.)

Connect with Kristy

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Prairie Falcons

 

By Kristy McCaffrey

Prairie falcons are medium-sized falcons similar to peregrines located in Western North America. They might be better called desert falcons from their need for open space and arid dry habitats.

They’re scrappy survivalists, with females much larger than males. They don’t like human interaction much but are considered an entry level bird for falconry. They're smart but don’t catch on to routine well if training has been lacking. But when trained well, they’re incredible hunters—aggressive, agile, and determined.

Prairie Falcon
(courtesy of Deposit Photos)

Proper training includes providing abundant food (to avoid developing the habit of screaming for food) and extensive "manning" (close contact and handling). Unlike the peregrine, they do not respond well to training with the swung lure, as missing the lure brings out their impatience. Teaching prairie falcons to climb and "wait on" to stoop on game is best accomplished by a reward system of flushing game or serving live birds such as pigeons for the falcon to chase when the falcon has assumed the proper position several hundred feet or more above the falconer.

The prairie falcon's eagerness to hunt and chase requires it to be patiently taught that when it assumes the proper waiting on position the falconer can be trusted to reliably flush game. As the falcon comes to understand this, it learns to hunt as an effective team with the falconer.

* * * * *

In my upcoming book, The Falcon, the heroine is trying to raise a prairie falcon she found as a fledgling.

The Falcon by Kristy McCaffrey
Wings of the West: Book 12

Coming July 3, 2026

Mexico

December 1899 

Josie Ryan’s connection to Texas runs deep, from the land to an almost preternatural kinship with the animals in the wild. This bond has led her to the edge of life and death, from saving a boy caught in a fire when she was eleven years old to being struck by lightning to a mountain lion attack that almost ended her life. The discovery of an abandoned falcon chick leads to a fierce attachment, but with only intuition to guide her, Josie struggles to train the wildest creature she’s ever encountered. When she learns of a man who could help, she’s determined to gain an introduction. 

Mateo Almirón, El Halconero—The Falconer—and Argentine gaucho, is tasked with delivering two prized purebred Criollo mares to Matt Ryan, a man whose reputation casts a long shadow. Years ago, Ryan saved the life of Mateo’s father, and the horses will settle the longstanding debt, but when the exchange goes wrong, Mateo is entrusted with protecting Ryan’s daughter, Josie. Now Mateo and Josie must hide in the mountains of Northern Mexico where stories abound of Josie’s mother, a woman who lived among the Comanche and rose from the dead. 

But in a place alive with superstition, Josie and her untamed falcon will give rise to a new legend …

Josie is the youngest child of Matt and Molly from THE WREN.

* * * * *

Available for pre-order from Amazon, Nook, and Apple Books.

(It will also be available at Kobo, Google Play Books, and in paperback on release day.)

Connect with Kristy

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The Otomi People

 

By Kristy McCaffrey

The Otomi people are believed to have inhabited central Mexico starting in the 5^th millennium B.C. and may have been the first to colonize the area, predating the Aztecs and the Toltecs. They were skilled farmers, domesticating maize, beans and other crops, and they developed complex societies.

They lived in prosperity but were poorly treated by their neighbors, making it difficult to disseminate their contributions to great cities such as the ancient pyramids of Teotihuacan (near Mexico City). When the city was destroyed by fire in the 6th century AD, Otomi life began to change. 

With the disappearance of Teotihuacan and the people who built it, large numbers of Nahuatl-speaking people started to enter the region of the Otomi, among these the Nahua, ancestors of the Toltecs and through them, the Aztecs. Otomi independence came to an end, but they were absorbed rather than wiped out and became subjects of the mighty Aztec empire.

Pyramid of the Sun and
the road of death in
Teotihuacan, Mexico

Otomi life changed again when the Spaniards arrived. The Otomi initially treated the Spaniards as their saviors and sought alliances to help defeat the Aztecs, helping the Spaniards as they moved against other indigenous peoples. However, the Otomi soon found they had replaced one overlord with another. The Spaniards started to apply force against them and by the beginning of the 18th century had begun to subjugate and virtually enslave all indigenous people. Many of the Otomi community fled this system of servitude, and relocated to more desolate, desert areas.

Today the Otomi people primarily reside in the central Mexican plateau, with significant populations surrounding Mexico City.

* * * * *

In my upcoming book, The Falcon, the hero and heroine come in contact with an isolated Otomi settlement in the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains.

The Falcon by Kristy McCaffrey
Wings of the West: Book 12

Coming July 3, 2026

Mexico

December 1899 

Josie Ryan’s connection to Texas runs deep, from the land to an almost preternatural kinship with the animals in the wild. This bond has led her to the edge of life and death, from saving a boy caught in a fire when she was eleven years old to being struck by lightning to a mountain lion attack that almost ended her life. The discovery of an abandoned falcon chick leads to a fierce attachment, but with only intuition to guide her, Josie struggles to train the wildest creature she’s ever encountered. When she learns of a man who could help, she’s determined to gain an introduction. 

Mateo Almirón, El Halconero—The Falconer—and Argentine gaucho, is tasked with delivering two prized purebred Criollo mares to Matt Ryan, a man whose reputation casts a long shadow. Years ago, Ryan saved the life of Mateo’s father, and the horses will settle the longstanding debt, but when the exchange goes wrong, Mateo is entrusted with protecting Ryan’s daughter, Josie. Now Mateo and Josie must hide in the mountains of Northern Mexico where stories abound of Josie’s mother, a woman who lived among the Comanche and rose from the dead. 

But in a place alive with superstition, Josie and her untamed falcon will give rise to a new legend …

Josie is the youngest child of Matt and Molly from THE WREN.

* * * * *

Available for pre-order from Amazon, Nook, and Apple Books.

(It will also be available at Kobo, Google Play Books, and in paperback on release day.)

Connect with Kristy

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Monclova, Mexico

By Kristy McCaffrey

The city of Monclova sits in the northern state of Coahuila in Mexico near the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range. Established in 1577 by Spanish colonists, it was later the capital of Nueva Extremadura provincial. It was also the first colonial capital of Texas.

In 1836, the state of Coahuila y Tejas was divided into Coahuila and Tejas (or Texas). During this time the Texas revolution occurred—a rebellion by Anglo-American immigrants as well as Hispanic Texans against the centralist Mexican government. Mexico believed the United States had fomented the insurrection with the goal for annexation. Only the province of Texas succeeded in breaking from Mexico, creating the Republic of Texas. A decade later it was added to the U.S.

Monclova is known for silver, lead, zinc, and copper mining, and today is one of Mexico’s largest iron and steel works.

* * * * *

THE FALCON opens in Monclova, Mexico, as Matt Ryan faces his past with his youngest daughter, Josie.

The Falcon by Kristy McCaffrey
Wings of the West: Book 12

Coming July 3, 2026

Mexico

December 1899 

Josie Ryan’s connection to Texas runs deep, from the land to an almost preternatural kinship with the animals in the wild. This bond has led her to the edge of life and death, from saving a boy caught in a fire when she was eleven years old to being struck by lightning to a mountain lion attack that almost ended her life. The discovery of an abandoned falcon chick leads to a fierce attachment, but with only intuition to guide her, Josie struggles to train the wildest creature she’s ever encountered. When she learns of a man who could help, she’s determined to gain an introduction. 

Mateo Almirón, El Halconero—The Falconer—and Argentine gaucho, is tasked with delivering two prized purebred Criollo mares to Matt Ryan, a man whose reputation casts a long shadow. Years ago, Ryan saved the life of Mateo’s father, and the horses will settle the longstanding debt, but when the exchange goes wrong, Mateo is entrusted with protecting Ryan’s daughter, Josie. Now Mateo and Josie must hide in the mountains of Northern Mexico where stories abound of Josie’s mother, a woman who lived among the Comanche and rose from the dead. 

But in a place alive with superstition, Josie and her untamed falcon will give rise to a new legend …

Josie is the youngest child of Matt and Molly from THE WREN.

* * * * *

Available for pre-order from Amazon, Nook, and Apple Books.

(It will also be available at Kobo, Google Play Books, and in paperback on release day.)

Connect with Kristy

Website | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Newsletter

Criollo Horses

 

By Kristy McCaffrey

The Criollo is a native of the Pampas, a low grassland area in South America. The breed is famous for its hardiness and endurance capabilities. They have a strong body with a broad chest, and are intelligent, willing, and sensible creatures.

The history of the Criollo dates to 1535 when a shipment of 100 purebred Andalusian stallions were brought from Spain to South America. In 1540, the Spaniards were forced to abandon Buenos Aires and released anywhere from 12 to 45 horses. By 1580 that feral horse population had increased to 12,000, producing an extremely hardy horse able to survive extreme heat and cold, consuming low amounts of water, and living off the dry grasses of the area.

During the 19^th century, many of the breed were crossed with imported European Thoroughbred, coach, and draft horse stallions, resulting in a larger animal with a longer stride. This nearly ruined the characteristics of the native Spanish horse. In the 1900’s, a concerted effort was made by Argentine breeders to restore the animal closer to its Chilean origins.

Today Criollos are used mainly as cow horses, but they are also excellent rodeo and endurance horses. 

In my upcoming book, two Criollo mares are brought as a gift to repay an old debt.

The Falcon by Kristy McCaffrey
Wings of the West: Book 12

Coming July 3, 2026

Mexico

December 1899 

Josie Ryan’s connection to Texas runs deep, from the land to an almost preternatural kinship with the animals in the wild. This bond has led her to the edge of life and death, from saving a boy caught in a fire when she was eleven years old to being struck by lightning to a mountain lion attack that almost ended her life. The discovery of an abandoned falcon chick leads to a fierce attachment, but with only intuition to guide her, Josie struggles to train the wildest creature she’s ever encountered. When she learns of a man who could help, she’s determined to gain an introduction. 

Mateo Almirón, El Halconero—The Falconer—and Argentine gaucho, is tasked with delivering two prized purebred Criollo mares to Matt Ryan, a man whose reputation casts a long shadow. Years ago, Ryan saved the life of Mateo’s father, and the horses will settle the longstanding debt, but when the exchange goes wrong, Mateo is entrusted with protecting Ryan’s daughter, Josie. Now Mateo and Josie must hide in the mountains of Northern Mexico where stories abound of Josie’s mother, a woman who lived among the Comanche and rose from the dead. 

But in a place alive with superstition, Josie and her untamed falcon will give rise to a new legend …

Josie is the youngest child of Matt and Molly from THE WREN.

* * * * *

Available for pre-order from Amazon, Nook, and Apple Books.

(It will also be available at Kobo, Google Play Books, and in paperback on release day.)

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