When is a Cowboy not a Cowboy? By Kathleen Lawless @kathleenlawless

Merriam Webster defines ‘cowboy’ as an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks.

Then I saw this other definition: One having qualities (such as recklessness, aggressiveness, or independence) popularly associated with cowboys.

Lightbulb Moment!

Thus inspired, I created Blaze, a dare devil stuntman who wears leather chaps and rides a Harley instead of a horse.  And like any cowboy who loses his ability to rope and ride due to an accident, Blaze has to reinvent himself after a failed stunt nearly kills him. Which is when we meet him.

 

“You’re early.”  Kaitlin opened the door to see a man clad in dusty, formfitting leather, his shaggy caramel-colored hair badly in need of a trim.  She stepped back a pace.  “Come on in. Let’s see what you look like under all that road dust.’’

The stranger stepped past her and into the front hall. “You must be Kaitlin. Steve said—’’

“My brother knows I can’t resist a challenge.’’ Kaitlin circled the man, eyes narrowed as she inspected him from all angles. Actually, in the right clothes, this one should clean up quite nicely. And he did possess a certain undeniable something.

“One good thing. We should be able to fit you off the rack. There’s no time to wait for custom tailoring.” Broad shoulders tapered to lean hips, which were hugged by a modern-day version of cowboy chaps in supple-looking black leather.

“But those chaps. The look is all wrong unless you’re auditioning for a cowboy commercial.” The garment in question sheathed him like an intimate glove, up over snakeskin boots to hug an impossibly long length of leg, before ending in a V of faded denim below his belt. The scrap of exposed denim was the exact same shade as his eyes.  Realizing where her gaze lingered, she looked away and hoped she wasn’t blushing.

He rocked back on his heels and crossed his arms over his impressive chest.  One side of his mouth quirked up in an endearing half-smile.  “I wasn’t expecting an audition.”

Dead silence hung between them and Kaitlin felt herself flush.  Weren’t people supposed to outgrow adolescent blushing?  Apparently not her. Even her ears were burning. “Somehow, I get the feeling you’re not my brother’s friend/wannabe model I was expecting.”

“Is that what he told you?”  The newcomer braced one shoulder against the doorframe as if he had every right to be there, thumbs hooked in the pockets of his jacket. His half-smile turned into the real thing.  The change in expression deepened the grooves in his cheeks and gave him a lazy look that matched his careless pose.

His smile was addictive and Kaitlin caught herself starting to smile back. “How about I introduce myself properly? The name’s Blaze.” Lazily his right hand stretched toward her, broad and sun-browned with a faint line of scars visible across the first two knuckles. “I’m your date for the weekend.”

 

One Fantasy Fall is on sale in the US for only 99cents this week.  Grab your copy here! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096CRGV1L

USA Today Bestselling Author, Kathleen Lawless, blames a misspent youth watching Rawhide, Maverick and Bonanza for her fascination with cowboys, which doesn’t stop her from creating a wide variety of interests and occupations for her many alpha male heroes.   

With well over 40 published novels to her credit, she enjoys pushing the boundaries of traditional romance into historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense and women’s fiction. and stories for young adults. 
    

Sign up for Kathleen’s VIP Reader Newsletter to receive a free book, updates, special giveaways and fan-priced offers.    http://eepurl.com/bV0sb1

 

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ICE CREAM COMES TO THE OLD WEST By Kathleen Lawless @kathleenlawless

Many different eras and cultures claim credit for the earliest form of ice cream, which appears to date back to China’s T’ang period, or ancient Persia. Creating this frozen treat must certainly have been a labor of love before the invention of ice houses, ice boxes, and finally, modern-day refrigeration. Eventually the recipe for this frozen confection made its way to the New World by way of the Quaker Colonists where, before long, it was sold in shops in New York and other large cities. Small-scale hand-cranked ice cream freezers were invented in the 1840’s although it was still an expensive, labor intensive treat before commercial manufacturing got underway in the latter half of the nineteenth century. In my Western series, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Georgina, a spinster who owns the town’s café, is introduced to this yummy treat in a different town. It was important Georgina do something to ensure the café’s popularity and planned expansion, so I had her start making her own ice cream to sell in her café. Thank goodness, the time period made this a credible undertaking for this heroine, who eventually becomes one of the brides for the seven Mason brothers.

If you’ve not yet read this series, Book 1, Brody’s Bride, is on sale during Black Friday and Cyber Monday for only 99 cents, starting November 25th.



I’m not sure who first had the genius idea to dip a homemade cookie in ice cream, but if cookies and ice cream are your go-to dessert pairing, here’s a free cookie recipe book to download at your favorite online book store. target="_blank">https://books2read.com/dickens-cookie

USA Today Bestselling author, Kathleen Lawless, blames a misspent youth watching Rawhide, Maverick and Bonanza for her fascination with cowboys, which doesn’t stop her from creating a wide variety of interests and occupations for her many alpha male heroes. Her hero, Steele, in HER UNDERCOVER COWBOY, is a modern-day cowboy, so when she was wooed by a man called Steel— while he’s not a cowboy, he is an alpha male and her forever hero. Which is why all of her stories end Happily Ever After. Sign up for Kathleen’s VIP Reader Newsletter to receive a free book, updates, special giveaways and fan-priced offers. http://eepurl.com/bV0sb1 AMAZON | WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | BOOKBUB

WESTERN TOWNS - REAL OR FICTITIOUS By Kathleen Lawless @kathleenlawless

When I choose a historical book setting, I usually pick an existing town that boasted a railway station in the 19^th century, then create a fictitious town not too far away.  That way, my character can travel most of the way West by train as opposed to stage coach, but I can be free with my creativity wherever I plunk them for the story. 

It was exciting to find this photo of Durango in the 1880’s, a year before the first train stopped there in August 1881.  Ridgemont is my latest fictitious town an indeterminate distance away.  The name seemed to fit, given there are mountain ridges all over the area. 

The first book to feature Ridgemont takes place when the town is in its infancy, settled there by Shane and Lacey Blackman in A BRIDE FOR SHANE, currently on sale today only for 99cents.

 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08WRNS4P7

Fast forward a few years, the town is growing and requires someone to uphold the law.  Enter Weston, the town sheriff seeking a mail order bride in A BRIDE FOR WESTON.  Weston releases this Friday, the 24^th. Or you can pre-order now to ensure you have it delivered to your kindle early Friday morning.  Here’s a preview!

         Seeking an unusual woman for matrimony.  A helpmate in the serving of justice.  Marriage in name only.  Sheriff Holmes, Ridgemont, Colorado. 

          Talia spent most of the trip West praying she wasn’t making the biggest mistake of her life.  And Lord knew, there’d been plenty of mistakes thus far in her twenty-some years on earth.  She took solace from the fact that a group of women she knew and trusted from the church back home were convinced this was the right choice. 

          To date, the group had matched dozens of destitute, young, female parishioners with lonely, God-fearing bachelors on the other side of the country.  Two of them even remembered Sheriff Holmes’s father, a preacher who had, unfortunately, been killed doing the Lord’s work.  They encouraged her to put her name forward.    

          “What does marriage in name only mean?” she had asked one of the older ladies from the church who was helping her pen her response to the sheriff.

          “He means it won’t be necessary for you to share his bed.”

          Talia wasn’t sure what kind of helper the sheriff needed, office work perhaps, but compared to working off her deceased husband’s tavern debts, this chance to make a fresh start far from the Brooklyn docks and the tenement where she grew up seemed like the answer to a prayer, and before long she had a train ticket in her hand.

          Her heart rate sped up as the train began to slow.  “Next stop, Durango,” yelled the conductor.  Talia rose and wiped her damp palms on the front of her best skirt.  A dull-colored, serviceable cotton, it had been nothing special to start with, even before it became wrinkled and dusty from the trip.  As she prepared to disembark, she wondered what kind of woman the sheriff was expecting, and prayed he was a kind man.            

          As she stared at her surroundings, inhaling the unfamiliar, dry, desert air, a man approached, dark-hair visible beneath his brown Stetson, sunlight hitting a silver star pinned to his chest.  She smiled tentatively, but he walked right past her as if she was invisible. 

          “Sheriff?” she called.  “Sheriff Holmes?”

          He turned and his eyes raked over her in an impatient way that left her feeling wanting.  He took a tentative step toward her, eyes narrowed.  “Mrs. Frank?”

          Relief flooded through her as she nodded. 

          He came right up to her then.  Tall and broad-shouldered, he loomed over her, making her feel insignificant.  “You’re Mrs. Frank?”

Get your copy here:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097QF2YZC

A BRIDE FOR WESTON is Book 8 of a 9 book series.  See what titles you might have missed here.    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B097HK95X9      

And in case you’re wondering, Ridgemont is growing on me.  My hero, Grant Chisholm, in MAIL ORDER NOELLE, which releases November 30^th, makes a cameo appearance in A BRIDE FOR Weston.  A wealthy cattleman and known womanizer, Chisholm also calls Ridgemont home.

WHY WE CALL THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS BOXING DAY By Kathleen Lawless @kathleenlawless

 

Here in Canada, as well as Australia and other commonwealth countries, the day after Christmas is known as ‘Boxing Day’.  The holiday originated with Queen Victoria in the 1700’s, when the wealthy boxed up gifts to give to the poor. The servants went home with their boxes of treats to spend the day with their families, having worked Christmas day.  Those of us who work appreciate having the day after Christmas to recover or to shop.  Until Canada recently adopted 'Black Friday', Boxing Day was traditionally the biggest, busiest sale day of the year.  

 

With that in mind, it seemed an excellent time to have a BOXING DAY SALE for one of my boxed sets.  Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Volume 2 contains a not-for-sale bonus novella, and will be reduced from $9.99 to only 99 cents.  In Books 4-7 you see each unmarried Mason Brother eventually make his way to the altar.  Each book starts with a wedding.  Here is a snippet from Book 4, BLAKE'S BRIDE, setting the scene for Blake and Storm to find their way to HEA.

 

          It was a perfect day for a wedding.  The park’s gazebo was decked in yards and yards of ribbon, while the shiny white posts were adorned with sprays of wild flowers.  Rows of benches next to chairs borrowed from the café offered guests a spot to sit.  Smack in the center of the gazebo, the seven Mason brothers waited in a straight line.

          Storm, alongside her fellow bridesmaid, Amanda, wiped her sweaty palm on the skirt of her frock and clutched her nosegay tightly.  This was her first time being a bridesmaid.  It was also her first time in such a fancy dress, edged in lace and all, crafted by her own hand. 

          From her vantage point, Storm watched Henrietta, the bride, appear on the arm of her long-time friend Percival Bloom.  Slowly, the duo made their way across the park to the gazebo where Braydon Mason, the groom, waited along with the reverend and the wedding party.  Before today, Storm had never seen the normally confident Braydon Mason look nervous. 

          As the ceremony got underway, Storm snuck a subtle glance at Blake Mason, flanked by his brothers.  Laura, the first Mason Bride, had confided that Blake had a secret.  Storm could relate to secrets.  She had a few of her own.  If only her “big” secret was as innocent as Blake’s.  Lots of folks out west couldn’t read.  As a librarian, she was no stranger to witnessing their struggles, and happy when she was able to help. 

          Blake’s situation was a bit different, and Storm didn’t know if she could help him or not, but she had promised Laura she would try.

 

Learn more about Blake and the entire Mason clan in this set of four full length sweet and clean romances for only 99 cents, starting December 26th for a limited few days.  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08M9L1V2F

 

As the year winds to a close, I’m excited to be part of a new, top secret western historical series coming your way in 2021.   Happy Holidays Everyone!  See you next year.

Kathleen Lawless

Sign up for Kathleen’s VIP Reader Group to receive a free book, updates, special giveaways and fan-priced offers.    http://eepurl.com/bV0sb1

 

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WHEN RESEARCH IS FUN by Kathleen Lawless @kathleenlawless

I’ll never forget my first road trip with my youngest son, just the two of us.  We headed for the prairies because I was researching the old West and I had heard about a recreated western town from that time period, complete with staff (actors?) dressed in period costume, depicting everyday life in those times.

The book I was researching, GRACE’S FOLLY, featured a female physician as the heroine, a career choice that was unusual for the time, but not unheard of.  I had been struggling to research what Grace’s medical bag would have looked like, and what instruments it would have held.

Imagine my delight when we came across a doctor’s home as part of the old-time town, and laid out across the doctor’s bed were the contents of his/her medical bag.  I wasn’t allowed to touch the display, but I did get close enough to snap some useful photos to refer to once I was back at my computer.   That trip was a lot more fun and meaningful than any other research to date. 

Although, recently I set a contemporary book in a spa, for which copious hours of research were required.  Weeks and months of research . . .            

GRACE’S FOLLY IS part of an award-winning, four-book set of Historical Western Romances, WIDOWS, BABIES, AND BRIDES. 

Grace’s life is a lie.  Dex lies for a living.  Will these two ever admit their feelings and face the truth?  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01F9D1AF6

Starting on Saturday, May 23rd, just in time for the long weekend, the boxed set is on sale for the bargain price of only .99 cents, reduced from its regular price of $9.99
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086GGVGP2

Here’s a teaser from GRACE’S FOLLY.  Earlier in the story, Grace hired the hero, Dex, to pretend to be her husband.

Warning:  This is not a sweet romance, and has a medium heat level.

    Grace’s breath caught in her throat. Was it

possible Dex really, truly understood? “Are you

saying we’re not so different, you and I?”

     “On the contrary,” Dex said, his voice a sexy

rumble in his throat. She glanced up, recoiling at the

smoldering look in his eyes as his gaze traveled her

length.

    “You’re afraid to get close to me, afraid to touch

me. I, on the other hand, can’t seem to fight this

compulsion I have to touch you.”

     As he spoke, he pushed her blouse off one

shoulder. Grace trembled at the feather light

sensation of his fingertips grazing her skin.

     “Not so bad, is it?”  He caught her hand in his 

and placed it on his chest. She could feel the steady 

beat of his heart, not nearly so erratic as her own. 

His skin was warm and smooth, textured by the 

thicket of hair which spread across his pectorals, 

angled into a thin line, and disappeared into his trousers.

She moistened her suddenly dry tongue, and the

movement seemed to catch and hold Dex’s

fascination.

     Her knees started to tremble as he stared

hungrily at her mouth, then pushed her blouse off

the shoulder and down her arms. Wet cloth clung

stubbornly to her skin. As he peeled the

uncooperative fabric away from her, she could feel

the faintly abrasive rasp as he worked to separate

her from the garment.

     At last he managed to free Grace from her

blouse. He dropped the sodden garment, and it

landed on the wood floor with an ungracious flop.

He trailed his hands lightly up her bare arms.

     “Put your arms around my neck.”

     When she didn’t comply, he took the initiative

and did it for her, looping her arms across his

shoulders and pulling her close. “I faked being a

doctor today, with your help. It’s your turn now.

Your turn to fake being a wife.”

Get this book and three others for only .99 cents, this weekend only.  

The sale starts Saturday, May 23rd.

If you’re a fan of mail-order brides and secret babies, make sure you check out the sweet western series Widows, Brides and Secret Babies.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084WYL1QX

Kathleen blames a misspent youth watching Rawhide, Maverick and Bonanza for her fascination with cowboys.  Historical or contemporary, cowboys continue to resonate with her today.   

Sign up for her VIP Mailing List and receive a free western novella, as well as updates, special fan-priced sales, and other goodies.  http://eepurl.com/bV0sb1

Sneaky Citizens Change the Fate of Towns by Paty Jager

I'm not sure what it says about me, but I tend to find towns and communities in the history of Oregon that became important due to disgruntled citizens who took measures to get what they wanted.

The first time I featured a unique change of venue for a post office was in my book Marshal in Petticoats. While researching the gold area of NE Oregon, I discovered a town that lost its identity overnight.

Susanville, Oregon

The community of Susanville, Oregon sat  20 miles from Austin, Oregon in the Blue Mountains, on the middle fork of the John Day river and Elk Creek. It was established in 1865 when gold was found. It was named for one of the earliest inhabitants, Susan Ward.

One evening the miners living at a mining camp 2 miles up Elk Creek from Susanville, decided they were tired of wasting time walking to Susanville to get their mail. Under the dark of night, they entered town and stole the mailboxes, cancelling stamp, ink pad, and the building. The people of Susanville woke up the next morning to an empty space where the post office had been.

Now that the camp up the creek was named Susanville, the original Susanville changed their name to Galena.

Something similar happened in SE Oregon. I learned about this while researching for my books Davis and Brody of the Letters of Fate series. While doing my research I discovered the largest town on the freight road from Canyon City a gold mining town to Ft. McDermitt, Nevada was Harney City or Ft. Harney.

Harney county was originally part of Grant County to the North. But it was a several days ride for anyone in the southern part of the county to get to the count seat in Canyon City. When Harney County was made, Harney City was given the temporary county seat.

Burns, Oregon

Burns and 3 other towns were vying for the county seat. In trying to sway voters to pick Burns, the Burns Time Herald printed this in their paper May 17th 1890:  "public buildings erected in Burns are not liable to destruction from cloud-bursts” and that “[the town] is free from the annual mosquito and gnat visitation that afflicts other parts of the county.” Other reasons given were: “Burns has the only brewery in the county” and “the Burns Brass Band, of 18 pieces, is the only band in the county.”

They voting occured and the results were: 512 votes for Burns, 415 votes for Harney City, with the rest of the contenders sharing the remaining 89 votes.

But before these counts were officially made the paper said Burns had won. However, the Harney City citizens  filed a petition saying men from Burns had made threats, bribed, and paid children and drunks to vote for Burns. One of the statements on the petition read: “[Burns] is an unhealthy and sickly place and the inhabitants thereof not law-abiding but notorious and dangerous. Many of the buildings therein of old wood and about to fall in….There is great danger of flood at all times.”

Burns citizens also claimed that Harney City also padded the ballot box.

This feud and petition went on for three years after which time the courts gave the county seat to Burns where it has been ever since. During the feud there were some citizens of Burns who stealthily entered the courthouse in Harney City and stole county records hoping to move the county seat by way of the town who held the records was the county seat. However, they were caught and the records replaced until the state determined the change.

Right now my Letters of Fate Trilogy box set is on sale for $0.99! Get it while it's on sale!

Letters of Fate Trilogy

Three historical western novels filled with steamy romance and the rawness of a growing country.

Davis

Davis Weston receives a letter from his sister asking him to marry a friend. Widowed with two small children and a ranch to run, Mariella Swanson knows she needs help, but isn’t sure her heart, or neighbors, will accept her marrying a stranger. Can the two compromise or will fate once again leave them alone?

Brody

After receiving a letter, Brody Yates finds himself escorted across the country to work on a ranch rather than entering prison. However, a revenge driven criminal, the Oregon high desert, and his grandfather’s beautiful ward may prove more dangerous than anything he’d faced on the New York docks.

Isaac

The last thing Isaac Corum needs or wants is a snooty woman. Dang it all, the woman doesn’t do a single blasted thing she’s told, and Isaac can’t just sit back and let her go traipsing off into the mountains alone…

Universal link: https://books2read.com/u/47zp6R

Paty Jager is an award-winning author of 40 novels, 8 novellas, and numerous anthologies of murder mystery and western romance. All her work has Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters. Paty and her husband raise alfalfa hay in rural eastern Oregon. Riding horses and battling rattlesnakes, she not only writes the western lifestyle, she lives it.

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photos- Harney County Library

Haunted Route 66 in Arizona and a LABOR DAY sale @McCaffreyKristy

By Kristy McCaffrey

Established in 1926, Route 66 was one of the main highways in the U.S. Highway System. Sometimes called the Will Rogers Highway, it became one of the most famous roads in America, running from Chicago to Santa Monica, California. Stops in between included St. Louis, Oklahoma City, Amarillo, Albuquerque, Winslow (Arizona), and Barstow (California). Decommissioned in 1985, sections of the highway have been designated a National Scenic Byway of the “Historic Route 66.”

After World War II, Route 66 became the ultimate road trip for intrepid travelers, leaving a lasting impression in life, and perhaps even in death.

The Hotel Monte Vista in Flagstaff has many ghostly sightings. John Wayne—a guest while filming in Monument Valley—believed he encountered the Phantom Bellboy, who knocks on doors and announces, “room service.” Other spirits include a bank robber who haunts the lounge where he bled to death, an elevator attendant who assists guests, and a woman who stares out the window of Room 305. It’s also been reported that a ghostly Alan Ladd once approached Room 309, which is named after him.

The Red Garter Inn, a former saloon and bordello in Williams, has reports of doors slamming and footsteps when no one is around. Many believe the culprit is a young Hispanic woman named Eve, although no one knows why. Other ghosts include a man who was knifed on the staircase leading to the brothel and an old man who committed suicide.

In 1927, Walter Peck discovered the Grand Canyon Caverns in Peach Springs. He offered tours to Route 66 travelers, pointing out the remains of “cavemen” who later proved to be the skeletal remnants of Hualapai tribesman. Visitors to the caves, especially those who stay overnight, report hearing moaning sounds, seeing shadowy figures, and having rocks aggressively thrown at them from the area where the skeletons were removed. The bunkhouse is also allegedly haunted.

The El Trovatore Motel in Kingman reports that many guests have heard children talking in the parking lot. This has been an ongoing phenomenon for many years. The children are never seen and seem to come from a gorge where Native Americans used to live behind the motel.

La Posada Hotel, located in Winslow, Arizona, was one of the last hotels built for the Fred Harvey Company and designed by the famous Southwest architect Mary Jane Colter. It is said there are ghosts on the property, confirmed by several ghost hunters, but none appear to be malicious. Instead, it’s believed they are the spirits of people who want to return to the most exciting trip they’d ever taken.

Route 66 runs along Interstate 40 in Arizona, and this 158-mile stretch is the longest remaining intact section in the nation.

I've got two books on sale this holiday weekend.

Blue Sage

by

Kristy McCaffrey

What do you do when a woman literally lands at your feet?

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. The sudden appearance of a pretty relic-hunter while he’s collecting his livestock, however, is about to change his mind.

Archaeologist Audrey Driggs arrives in the remote wilderness of Northern Arizona for clues to a life-altering experience from her childhood. When she rolls off a mountain and lands at the feet of rugged cowboy Braden Delaney, it’s clear she needs his knowledge of the area to complete her quest. But if she tells him the truth, will he think she’s crazy?

Together, they’ll uncover a long-lost secret.

This long novella was previously published in the anthology A COWBOY TO KEEP.

AMAZON | NOOK | iBOOKS | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

* * * * * *

Book 4 in the Wings of the West Series.

Can be read as a standalone novel.

The Blackbird

by

Kristy McCaffrey

Bounty hunter Cale Walker arrives in Tucson to search for J. Howard “Hank” Carlisle at the request of his daughter, Tess. Hank mentored Cale before a falling out divided them and a mountain lion attack left Cale nearly dead. Rescued by a band of Nednai Apache, his wounds were considered a powerful omen and he was taught the ways of a di-yin, or a medicine man. To locate Hank, Cale must enter the Dragoon Mountains, straddling two worlds that no longer fit. But he has an even bigger problem—finding a way into the heart of a young woman determined to live life as a bystander. 

For two years, Tess Carlisle has tried to heal the mental and physical wounds of a deadly assault by one of her papá’s men. Continuing the traditions of her Mexican heritage, she has honed her skills as a cuentista, a storyteller and a Keeper of the Old Ways. But with no contact from her father since the attack, she fears the worst. Tess knows that to reenter Hank Carlisle’s world is a dangerous endeavor, and her only hope is Cale Walker, a man unlike any she has ever known. Determined to make a journey that could lead straight into the path of her attacker, she hardens her resolve along with her heart. But Cale makes her yearn for something she vowed she never would—love.

A steamy historical western romance set in 1877 Arizona Territory.

2015 Laramie Award ~ BEST in Western Romantic Fiction

Don’t miss all the books in the series~

The Wren: Book 1

The Dove: Book 2

The Sparrow: Book 3

The Blackbird: Book 4

The Shiny Penny: Short Story, Book 4.1 (available exclusively to newsletter subscribers)

Song Of The Wren: Short Novella, Book 4.2 (available exclusively to newsletter subscribers)

The Bluebird: Book 5

Echo of the Plains: Short Novella, Book 5.5

AMAZON | NOOK | iBOOKS | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

Holiday Hoopla and Hurrahs by Paty Jager

It’s November and since I blog here every other month this is my last blog on Cowboy Kisses for this year.  I’ve had a great year and still more releases and exciting deals for readers to come from me before the ball drops on 2016.

 

I just released book 7 in my Shandra Higheagle mystery series. It’s a Christmas mystery with Shandra’s dog, Sheba, having a starring role in the story. Crazy Lil, Shandra’s employee, spends most of the book doctoring her old mare. So you see, while this is a mystery, it also has western elements. You can check out Yuletide Slaying here.

Another big holiday event for me is the fact, I’m selling print book bundles at a special holiday price and if you live in the United States you get free shipping and my autograph on the books. If I run out of books on hand and need to ship them from the printer, I’ll send you autographed book plates. You can check out the bundles and prices here.

December 1^st, my contemporary western romance, Bridled Heart, will re-release with a new cover and updated material. I interviewed World Champion bareback rider Bobby Mote and his wife to make the hero in the book ring true. The hero, Holt Reynolds, has his sights set on the World Champion bareback title when he becomes intrigued with ER nurse, Gina Montgomery. In the book, they both have a past they’d like to forget, but that same past defines them. From December 1-10^th during the National Finals Rodeo this book will be available for $.99 in ebook. The end of the book is set during the National Finals in Las Vegas.

I’m having a Re-release and Rodeo party on Dec.2nd with seven contemporary western authors. This is to highlight the re-release of Bridled Heart. We’d love to have you stop by to talk rodeo and western romance. They’ll be prizes and lots of fun. You can find the information about this event here.

While it looks like I have a lot releasing right now, I’m also working on the research for the next book in the Letters of Fate series and writing a contemporary western novella for a box set. The life of a writer is never dull or boring!

One of my favorite things during the holidays is baking. I’ll leave you with one of the recipes I use every year in my plate of goodies for friends and neighbors. 

Pound Cake

½ lb butter(softened)

1 2/3 cups sugar

5 eggs

2 cups flour

½ tsp lemon extract

Mix butter and sugar till smooth. Add eggs one at a time. Mix well again. Add flour, then flavoring.

Grease two 4 x 8 loaf pans or four 2 x 4 pans, dust with flour. Bake 50 minutes at 350°. A toothpick inserted should be dry when the cakes are done. Remove from pans while still warm.

Happy Holidays! 

Paty Jager is an award-winning author of 25+ novels and over a dozen novellas and short stories of murder mystery, western romance, and action adventure. She has a RomCon Reader’s Choice Award for her Action Adventure and received the EPPIE Award for Best Contemporary Western Romance.  You can connect with Paty through her social media sites.

blog / website /  Facebook / Paty's Posse / Goodreads / Twitter / Pinterest