Bring Me Luck By Julie Lence

I’m so excited. Today is release day for my latest work, Bring Me Luck. People often ask me where I get my ideas for a storyline. The answer for Bring Me Luck is easy. This is the fourth book in the Weston Family Series and features Rachael Weston as the heroine. Fans of the series will remember Rachael is Lucas, Royce and Creel’s sister. When I originally created the series, Rachael had run away from home. No one knew why she’d left or where she’d gone, including me. I’d always wondered about that but never had the time to explore Rachael, until now. And boy, did she surprise me.  Below is a short passage for you to enjoy.   

Excerpt:

“I severed our relationship!” Jess kicked aside the quilts and lunged to his feet. “You ran out on me.”

Anger sprang into her eyes. “I did not. You shunned me on the boardwalk and then you ceased all contact with me.”

“The hell I did.”

“Oh?” She fisted her hands on her hips. “You didn’t shun me?”

Heat crept up his neck, spread to his cheeks. “That I did do, because I didn’t have a choice. Carl was with me. You and I had agreed to not give our families reason to suspect we favored each other until we were ready to tell them.”

“I would’ve accepted your explanation, except…” Her brow furrowed. “What are you doing on your feet? Lie back down before you do more damage to your back.”

“My back’s fine.”

Her gaze rapidly filled with damnation. “You lied about your health?”

“How the hell else was I going to convince you to let me stay?” he groused. “And don’t change the subject. Finish what you were going to say.”

“You know the rest.” She pivoted on her heel and strode toward the kitchen.

“You’re not getting away this time.” He went after her, gently grasped her arm and turned her to face him. “I’ve waited twenty-two years to hear your side of the matter. I’m not waiting any longer. Spill it.”

“My, my, what a tyrant you’ve become.”

Jess rolled his eyes. “I’ve been called worse. Now talk.”

“I’m sure you have.” She wrinkled her nose in distaste before pulling free from his grasp. “I saw Alexandra and Cynthia at the dress shop before I saw you and Carl. Alexandra told Cynthia you didn’t favor relations of any kind. I didn’t believe her, but then, you shunned me and stopped meeting me.” She squared her shoulders. “I waited for you, but you never came.”

“I came,” he spat. “You were nowhere to be found.”

“You’re a liar! I was at your pa’s lineshack every day for a week.” Her gaze narrowed. “Where were you?”

“For a week? What the hell for? Everyone knew Carl and I were in the calaboose.”

“You were not. I would’ve known if Sheriff Crumb had locked you in his jail cell. The gossips’ would’ve talked about nothing else the whole time you were there.”

“I wasn’t in the Coyote jail. I was in the Pueblo jail.”

“Pueblo?”

At the stunned expression on her face, his blood turned cold. Brawling with his brother. Shattered glass. Ten days of miserable hell. He’d always assumed she’d known. Pa had said everyone knew. But she hadn’t, and he swallowed hard, felt the regret for what should have been burn his gut. “I didn’t abandon you,” he said quietly before taking her hand and leading her to the table. “Sit. Let me explain.”

Available at Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/julielence

Other books available in the Weston Family Series:

Luck of the Draw: Royce Weston knows firsthand women are exceptional liars, especially the one who has wormed her way into his family's good graces by claiming amnesia. Since Paige didn't heed his advice at the poker tables, he reasons a bit of "friendly" persuasion is needed to send her packing. But when she matches him trick for trick and has his ranch hands jumping to please her, Royce is thoroughly disgusted. A simpering miss she is not. Sassy and daring, if only she'd give him a reason to trust her…

Lady Luck: Lucas Weston is living proof of the damage a woman can cause. Determined to keep another miss from running roughshod over his heart, Lucas has garnered the reputation of a man who favors flirting and wild times between the sheets. When he's roped into escorting Missy back to her home in San Francisco, he isn't too pleased, until he discovers she uses her poker-playing, whiskey-swilling ways to hide her own fears. What they might be, he doesn't know, but he's going to find out. Drawn to her from the start, Missy represents the opportunity for the life fate cheated him seven years ago. 

 

No Luck At All: The youngest son of a wealthy rancher, Creel Weston spent his childhood breaking wild mustangs and dreaming of becoming a doctor. Being blackmailed into marrying a spoiled socialite wasn't part of his plans, especially when he loved her. He'd take Racine back home with him and find a comfortable ground with her. Trouble was, she wasn't as spoiled as he'd been led to believe, and harbored scars that would take more than his doctoring skills to heal.

The Forgotten Town of Hardman

by Shanna Hatfield

 Two years ago, I decided to write my first historical romance story. While debating whether to use a real town or make one up for the setting, I happened across information about the town of Hardman, in Eastern Oregon.

Although classified as a ghost town today, Hardman was a happening place to be in the 1880s with a skating rink, four churches, a school, and newspaper office among the many businesses located there.

John F. Royse, reportedly one of the most successful farmers in the area, and his brother, were said to be the first permanent settlers in the Hardman country.

Originally named Dairyville, the town was popular as a freighting center and saw promising growth in its early days. Dairyville became known as Raw Dog, while a mile away a rival settlement sprang up, known as Yellow Dog.

Stagecoaches and wagon trains traveling north and south through eastern Oregon and Washington found a convenient stopping point in both Raw Dog and Yellow Dog. The rivalry between the two locations escalated as they competed over which town would secure the stagecoach depot for the area.  When Raw Dog received a permanent stagecoach station, the two towns became one, known as Dogtown.

The town’s name changed to Hardman in 1881 when David N. Hardman, an old pioneer farmer, moved to town and brought the post office with him, by consent of the government, which he previously operated from his farm. The town took the name of the post office and became generally known as Hardman.

It was rumored the railroad would go through Hardman in the late 1880s. When it was routed through Heppner twenty miles to the north, it was a devastating blow to the community, effectively stunting future growth of the town.

By the 1920s, trucks replaced horses, mail routes changed and Hardman began its decline. The last business in Hardman closed in 1968. 

One sunny morning, I begged Captain Cavedweller (aka hubby) to go for a drive and check out what was left of the town.

We drove... and drove... and drove. 

Some of the views, like the one above, were quite spectacular. Others, not quite as much. I think a highlight on part of the trip was contemplating if a particular bit of roadkill was a skunk or a porcupine. We doubled back to confirm it was a porcupine - ironically and tragically killed next to a road marker for Porcupine Lane.

Finally, we arrived in Hardman. It didn't take long to explore what's left of the town.

 Ramshackle is a kind description for many of the buildings.

After seeing the old houses in their current state, it really made me wonder what the town looked like back in the 1890s, the time frame of my Hardman Holidays series.

That curious part of me that wishes I could find some photos from back then can't help but paint the buildings and restore them in my mind's eye.

This is the location of where the school sat, on the little rise before dropping into the heart of town.
The school plays a big role in the third book in the series, The Christmas Calamity, releasing Nov. 13.

Dependable and solid, Arlan Guthry relishes his orderly life as a banker’s assistant in Hardman, Oregon.

However, his uncluttered world tilts off kilter when the beautiful and enigmatic prestidigitator Alexandra Janowski arrives in town. With a broken-down wagon and a lack of finances, Alex takes a temporary position as the schoolteacher, just until Christmas. It gives her plenty of time to spin magic and trouble in her wake as the holiday season approaches. 

Here's an excerpt from the book:

He stopped at the mercantile and perused the goods, searching for something special to share with Alex. Settling on a box of chocolates, he paid for them and smiled when Aleta gave her approval on his selection.

“You chose some of the best confections in the store, Arlan. You can’t go wrong with these.”

He thanked her, slid the box into his coat pocket, and hurried on his way to the school. Halfway there he noticed Alex lurking in the alley behind the saloon.

Quietly walking around behind her, he tapped her on the shoulder. She spun around with a hand over her mouth to stifle her scream. Recognition replaced fear and she swatted him on the shoulder then grabbed his hand, pulling him deeper into the shadows of the alley.

“What are you doing?” she hissed, glancing around to make sure they’d gone unnoticed. “You’re going to get me killed, you ninny.”

“What are you talking about?” His breath stirred the curls near her ear as he leaned close, keeping his voice low. “I was on my way to see you and bring you a surprise when I noticed you prowling around in the alley. I think I’m the one with a right to know what you’re about.”

“I’m getting ready to kill a man so you best stand back and be quiet...”

You’re Invited to PARTY!

You’re invited to join in the online Cowboys & Christmas Facebook Party Thursday, Nov. 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (PST). Drop in anytime during those four hours to enter to win great prizes, chat with guest authors, and more! Here’s the link to the party: http://tinyurl.com/cowboychristmasparty

The Christmas Calamity takes readers back to Hardman just in time for the holiday season. Preorders are available now for just $1.99 on Kindle. You can reserve your copy here: http://amzn.com/B00OGOO994

In addition, the first book in the Hardman Holidays series, The Christmas Bargain, will be available free that day, as well!

Enter to Win Prizes!

To enter the drawing for an Amazon gift card, autographed books, chocolates, original western artwork, and more fun goodies, fill out this form.

http://tinyurl.com/cowboychristmasprizes

Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund®

Nov 7 through Dec. 24, I'll donate 10 percent of the net proceeds from all book sales to the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund. The JCCF is a non-profit organization that assists rodeo athletes who’ve sustained catastrophic injuries and are unable to work for an extended period.

About Shanna Hatfield

A hopeless romantic with a bit of sarcasm thrown in for good measure, Shanna Hatfield is a bestselling author of sweet romantic fiction written with a healthy dose of humor. In addition to blogging and eating too much chocolate, she is completely smitten with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller.

Shanna creates character-driven romances with realistic heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

She is a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, and Romance Writers of America.

Find Shanna’s books at:

Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple

Shanna loves to hear from readers! Follow her online:

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Native Americans: The Navajo

By Kristy McCaffrey

The Navajo have been located in the Four Corners region of the American Southwest since the 12th century. Primarily hunters and gatherers, they were forced to fight—along with many other Indian tribes—the progression of the white population during the early 1800’s, which eventually led to the Long Walk. This arduous journey, which encompassed well over 50 separate treks led by the U.S. Army to the Bosque Redondo in New Mexico Territory, occurred from 1863 to 1866. The accounts of death by starvation, sickness, or violence left an indelible trauma on the people. Although they were allowed to return to their land in 1868, they would never forget this painful period of their history.

The Long Walk

Known for their weavings, Navajo textiles are highly regarded and have been traded for over 150 years. Initially, weavings were used for cloaks, saddle blankets, sashes and other similar items, but after the 1880’s the Navajo began making them for tourists. Strong geometric patterns are an earmark of their work.

Navajo weaver

If a Navajo should become ill, it's customary to consult a medicine man. A typical ceremony lasts for four days, and involves chants and specific herbs that have been collected for the patient. Sometimes a sand painting is utilized, which is later destroyed. The premise of the work of the medicine man is to restore balance to an individual’s spirit.

Navajo sand painting

When I was nine years old, my parents moved my sister and myself to the Navajo Indian Reservation. Needless to say, I very much did not want to go. My dad, who has long had a deep and abiding respect for Native Americans, saw this as a chance to give back with his life. He took a job as an accountant with an arts and crafts store in Window Rock, Arizona. We obtained a house just across the border in New Mexico, in a small town aptly called “Navajo.”

It was 1975 and we lived in a neighborhood that consisted of generic, government housing. We weren’t rich by any means, but when we moved in, it became quickly known that we had a working telephone and my mother was generous in sharing kitchen items. After a time, she had to start saying no. The charity was simply getting out-of-hand. Unfortunately, many of the Navajo were complacent and drank too much. Even as a child, it struck me as a rather depressing place to live.

The view from our front door while living on the Navajo
Indian Reservation, 1975.

I developed a panic-filled fear of AIM walkers, fueled by stories heard from classmates. I now know that this acronym stands for the American Indian Movement, a group dedicated to addressing the issues of present-day Native Americans, but in my scared mind they were ghost-like shape shifters that prowled the wash behind our house. There were many nights I literally shook in terror while trying to sleep, fearing they would snatch me from my bed.

But there were intriguing aspects. A hex was placed on the chain of craft stores where my dad worked. Since it involved all of the employees, he was allowed, despite being a white man, to participate in the ceremonies conducted by a medicine man. Some of his experiences I incorporated into my novel, Into The Land Of Shadows, when the main characters find themselves under the shadow of a curse. During one of the ceremonies at which my dad was present, the medicine man burned a piece of human skull. Two female employees reported instant relief from a terrible headache that had suddenly besieged them. Back at home, at the same time, my mother said I’d been distraught and crying for hours from pains in my head, which immediately stopped when the bone was destroyed. We were all tied to this land in ways none of us quite understood.

Today, the Navajo are the largest federally recognized tribe of the United States.

 Kindle | Nook | Smashwords | Trade Paperback

INTO THE LAND OF SHADOWS

Ethan Barstow has come to Arizona Territory to search for his younger brother, Charley. It’s been five years since a woman came between them and it’s high time they buried the hatchet. He soon learns that his brother has broken more than one heart in town, has mysteriously and abruptly disappeared, and that an indignant fiancée is hot on his trail.

Kate Kinsella pursues Charley Barstow when he skips out of town without a second thought. Not only has he left Agnes McPherson alone and pregnant, but everyone still believes that he and Kate are engaged, a sham from the beginning. An ill-timed encounter with a group of ruffians has her suddenly in the company of Ethan Barstow, Charley’s brother and a man of questionable repute. As they move deeper into the shadows of the Arizona desert, family tensions and past tragedies threaten to destroy a relationship neither of them expects.

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