Interview with Cover Model Kevin R Davis

 

In anticipation of my new release coming 3/22/22, I sat down with Cover Model Kevin R Davis to ask him a few questions. I truly admire his life story and how far he's come. Not only is he an amazing model, but he's kind and passionate about his work. Check out the amazing cover below...

1. How did you get into modeling for book cover?

Golden Czermak of FuriousFotog hit me up on Facebook and asked if I would like to do a photo shoot. I was a bit insecure about doing it, after seeing what all the other models looked like, but I didn’t want to not take the opportunity that I had been given. I’m so happy that I followed through with it. 

2. What do you think is your greatest strength as a model?

I think my greatest strength has been that I take it as a serious business. I have worked on my brand and try to work hard at maintaining the standards that I’ve set for my brand. I also work hard to promote the people that I work with and the books that I’m on.

3. Tell me something I wouldn’t know about you just by looking at you.

Well, I may look like a model now, and have things going really well for me, but just 4 years ago, I was a long-term meth addict, homeless and not even sure if I had any future at all. My 4-year clean date is April 16th, and I share my story in hopes that I can inspire others who are where I was. 

4. What goals have you set for yourself as a model?

I’ve actually accomplished so many of the goals that I’ve set so far. My goal is to just continue to try to get better and to diversify my portfolio further. I would like to venture into some fashion modeling, as well. 

5. Tell me about your best, worst, most difficult, or funniest photo shoot.

I would have to say that my most difficult shoot, was my shoot with Chris Butler in Dallas. It being difficult had nothing to do with Chris. 

When I flew into Dallas, we were going to immediately go shoot outside. It was June in Dallas, so we needed to shoot before it got too hot. 

Well, the airline put my luggage on another plane, and I had to wait another 3 hours to get my luggage. 

By the time we got to where we were shooting, it was so hot. On top of that, the place that his models normally changed clothes, happened to be closed that day. 

I was changing clothes, out of my suitcase, in his car, parked on the street. 

I’m not shy, but I was concerned about indecent exposure, if the police came by. 

I was so drenched in sweat and my clothes were sticking to me. I was pretty stressed that I was going to look a mess.

Luckily, we did get some great photos, on that shoot. 

6. Did you choose modeling or did it choose you?

Well, it chose me, but I wanted to model when I was younger. It didn’t work out for me then, but hey, I will take it 30 years later. 

Find him on Facebook: (2) Kevin R Davis | Facebook

To really move forward, sometimes it takes going back to the very beginning.

Trying to escape a bad relationship, and desperate to find a safe place for her daughter, Megan Nash returns to Cooper’s Hawk. Down-on-her-luck, she has no other choice but to ask her estranged father-in-law for help. He still blames her for the accident that killed his son, but learning that he has a granddaughter, he offers them a roof over their heads…just until Megan can get back on her feet. Yet, being civil isn’t part of the bargain.

Ely Dutton has physically healed from a mortar blast that left him injured and scarred, but he’s still on the mend mentally. Realizing hiding away in an isolated cabin on a mountain isn’t helping, he decided to go back to his childhood home. He accepts the position as Sheriff, because a man has to live. He likes things simple, so when an old connection is sparked with Megan, he attempts to ignore his attraction. A relationship, especially with a single mother, isn’t part of his five-year plan.

Further complicating what should have been an easy job as Sheriff, he must shed light on a mysterious death that is connected to Megan. As new clues are exposed, so are the secret layers of her past.

In a quest to navigate their new lives and old demons, Megan and Ely will learn to trust, love with all their hearts, and let go of hurtful ties.

Excerpt:

“Damn. I’m sorry, ma’am.” A pair of piercing blue eyes speared him. A large brown stain marred her pretty frilly, white blouse.

“Oh no. My shirt is ruined.” Her glowing cheeks flushed and her lips turned down at the corners.

“I had my head turned for a second and…shit…again, I’m sorry.”

Before she lowered her gaze, he caught the glint of unshed tears in her eyes. Oh hell, now why would he cry over spilled coffee?

“I know what you were looking at,” her voice cracked. She rummaged inside her large bag and brought out a handful of crumpled tissues, attempting to wipe at the spill but by then the murky wetness had spread. “It’s no use.”

“Can I get you something? I can run into the store here and grab a bottle of water. A towel? Maybe they have a public restroom you can use.”

Her eyes were back on him, all remnants of tears gone in exchange for a stubborn shine. “You’re not the only one using the sidewalk.”

He blinked. What the hell? “Ma’am, it’s only a shirt.”

“Only a shirt?” The color of her eyes turned a shade darker. “Only a shirt? That is only a shirt.” She pointed at his wrinkled, khaki button-down. “This is not.” She stabbed her thumb in the center of her chest.

“Look, I understand you’re pissed—”

“Because you couldn’t keep your eyes off your girlfriend’s ass I’m paying the price.” Tears filled her eyes again. She looked like she wavered a step away from losing her patience right there on the sidewalk.

“Actually, she isn’t my girlfriend—”

“Do you think I care?” She sniffed. Her bottom lip trembled.

“If you’d let me finish a sentence before you cut me off, you’d realize I’m trying to help. It was an accident.” He looked down at the cup and lid laying in a puddle of coffee on the concrete. Ely realized they were growing an audience. Several folks at the food crates in front of the farmer’s market had stopped to watch, some wore smiles and others were whispering. Damn, the last thing he needed was to give folks something to talk about. He planted a smile on his face, hoping that might crush any rumors.

“You think this is funny?” Her drilling eyes worked straight through him.

The last thread of his patience frayed. “You be sure to wash that shirt in cold water. You have a great rest of your day.” He crushed on the cup, picked it and the lid up and tossed them into a trashcan on his way to the office.

Preorder your copy today:

Cowboy Ely (Cooper’s Hawke Landing Book 7) by Rhonda Lee Carver - BookBub

Cowboy Ely by Rhonda Lee Carver | Goodreads

Cowboy Ely (Cooper's Hawke Landing Book 7) - Kindle edition by Carver, Rhonda Lee . Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Author Biography:

Rhonda Lee Carver is a bestselling author of contemporary western and romantic suspense, but she loves to write other genres too. She's known for writing stories that keep readers laughing, crying, gripping the edge of their seats, and screaming all in one book...like riding a virtual roller coaster. Whether she's creating sexy cowboys or tough guys, or sassy, independent heroines, readers are sure to find strong, powerful, memorable characters that are relatable.

By day, she taps into her creative, fictional world but at some point she transitions back into reality where she's a volleyball-stands cheerleader, homework virtuoso (at least she thinks so), amateur nurse to skinned knees, mediocre chef with some awesome microwave skills, pet-guru (all the strays show up at her house), and a Jackie of all trades for her kids who are the loves of her life. Yoga and chocolate keep her sane. Hallmark movies require cuddling up with tissues because she can be emotional. She adds a sprinkle of her own real-life adventures in each story she spins because a little truth never hurt anyone. She wouldn't give up one thing in her crazy, chaotic, ever-amusing life, except, she might do magic tricks for the bungalow on the beach she's had her eye on (GOALS). Writing for Rhonda is like falling in love and finding a new best friend over and over again. Her characters will find a place inside your heart too.

Social Media Links:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rhondaleecarver?lang=en

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Twitter: www.twitter.com/RLCarver

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Cowboy Quotes Through Time By Kathleen Lawless @kathleenlawless

Much of our love affair with cowboys comes to us courtesty of Hollywood.  I thought it would be fun to offer up some of my favorite quotes and see if you can identity either the movie character or actor.  I'll post the answers in the comments below.

1."Are you gonna pull those pistols or whistle Dixie?"

2. "I have two guns, one for each of ya."

3."You can't serve papers on a rat, baby sister. You gotta kill him or let him be."

4."You tell 'em I'm coming... And hell's coming with me, you hear?"

5."It's a hell of a thing killing a man.  Take away all he's got and all he's ever going to have."

6. "I hate rude behavior in a man.  I won't tolerate it."

7. "If you're going to use that gun, you better start on me."

8."Folks around here judge a man by what he is, not what he has."

9."If you repeat a lie often enough, it becomes the truth."

10. "Any man who doesn't care about his friends isn't much of a man."

11. "Learn to be meaner than evil and still love your family and enjoy a sunrise."

12."If he'd just pay me what's he's spent trying to make me stop robbing him, I'd stop robbing him." 

My latest, release is Janie, who revisits the town in Bullet in Widows of the Wild West.

Someone killed her husband.  And now they’re after her!

Janie doesn’t know who or why, only that she can’t run forever and Bullet seems as good a place as any to start over.    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RQ9L8VQ

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

Those Intrepid Reporters

Post by Doris McCraw

writing as Angela Raines

Photo property of the Author

March is National Women's History Month. In honor of the month, I thought a brief look at some of the early women reporters might be fun. 

Most have heard of Nellie Bly. This reporter went undercover in an insane asylum to report on the conditions in those institutions.

 

Nellie Bly
photo from Wikipedia

Bly was born Elizabeth Cochran in 1864. It was a dare from the editor of the New York World that sent Bly into that asylum. What many may not know, Bly took up the challenge to circumvent the world in 80 days. The Jules Verne book was very popular during that time, so it was another way to make headlines. She did and succeeded in her quest by making the trip in 72 days.  For those who might like to read her work, you can search it out on the web. 

The success of Ms. Bly offered other women a role model for investigative reporting. One such was Polly Pry in Colorado. Polly, born Leonel Ross Campbell in 1857, also worked for the New York World and was sent by the paper to Panama to ferret out the rumor about the US building a canal there. When her parents moved to Denver in the 1890s, Nell, as she was known in the family,  started up a conversation with a man on the train. The man, Fredrick Bonfils of the Denver Post. He offered her a job. She eventually took up the case of Alfred Packer, and then went after the corrupt labor unions. 

Polly Pry
photo from Wikipedia

When fired from the Post, she started her own publication "Polly Pry", but after almost being killed when an angry man knocked on her door at night, she eventually sold the publication and returned to New York. New York didn't make up for her missing Colorado. When she returned, the Denver Times offered her a job. They sent her to Mexico to interview Pancho Villa. Polly continued her life as a reporter, including covering WWI. She died at the age of eighty-one. 

There were more such reporters, and worth studying. 

Have a productive month and remember to celebrate those women who paved the way for those who followed. Until next time. 

Link to Ten Days in a Mad-House, Nellie Bly: https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/59899

Link to Polly Pry's article on the Colorado World Fair Commission: https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=CTR19030514.2.9&e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA--------0------

Doris McCraw

 

Wings of the West Epic Sale

 

By Kristy McCaffrey

It's an epic sale for digital copies of Kristy's Wings of the West series. From March 1 – 15, 2022, grab one or all of them. While the characters overlap, each book can be read as a standalone.

 

Experience the grit, the hope, and the romance of the Old West with honorable men and courageous women.

The Wren – When Molly Hart returns from the dead, no one is more shocked than Texas Ranger Matt Ryan.

The Dove – Reunited with Logan Ryan on the steps of the White Dove Saloon, Claire Waters hides under the guise of a fancy girl … and lets the ex-deputy believe the worst.

The Sparrow – Within Grand Canyon, raging rapids and ancient spirits sweep Texas Ranger Nathan Blackmore and Emma Hart into a wild adventure.

The Blackbird – Haunted by a deadly attack, Tess Carlisle turns to bounty hunter Cale Walker to find her missing padre. But in the land of the Apache, can he free her heart?

The Bluebird – Molly Rose Simms arrives in Colorado to meet her brother, but instead finds herself searching for the mythical Bluebird mining claim with a man known as The Jackal.

Available on Kindle, Nook, Apple Books, Google Play, and Kobo.

Find all the details here

Why Write Cowboy Romance? ~ Raine Rochelle

I’m a British author, I’ve never met a cowboy, and yet I love writing stories about them. This appears a little odd to many people; it’s probably the number one thing I’m asked about when I get interviewed or just talk about my writing. The truth is, I love the idea of cowboys, probably for the same reasons as lots of other people do. They are portrayed as clean-living, wholesome and caring, at least in the books I prefer to write and read. And who couldn’t use a bit more of that in their life?

Perhaps the fact that I’ve never met one in the flesh, or even been on a ranch, adds to the appeal for me. After all, I can write from my own imagination and don’t have to worry about someone proving me wrong about them. I know real cowboys are just people, and people have flaws, but so do the ones in my books. They’d be pretty boring if they were perfect, after all, don’t you think?

Of course, I’d be a pretty poor writer if I didn’t do some research on the topic. The internet is a treasure trove of information, and I’ve studied countless articles, and several blogs and videos about ranches, as well as dude ranches—something I find fascinating. I’ve been in touch with several people who have attended dude ranches, and heard about the amount of hard work involved; not everyone’s idea of a holiday, I’m sure, but everyone I connected with loved it.

For many of us, a cowboy romance is a fantasy, and that’s fine. After all, we read fiction to escape reality most of the time. If it’s something that stays in the reader’s—or writer’s—imagination, then is that such a bad thing? It would be wonderful to envision these handsome, kind, salt-of-the-earth types as real people, and maybe they are, but in the meantime let’s enjoy the books for what they are: fiction; a figment of the author’s imagination. And… who knows? One day a real cowboy might just appear and prove me right about them all along…

The Music Box ~ Julie Lence

courtesy of 1st Dibs

In my newest release, Hunter, Tawny Monroe is visiting with Nadine Barlow when she spots a musical box on Nadine’s mantel. The rectangular shaped box (as depicted in the photo to the left) reminds her of the one she left behind when she fled her childhood home and how she enjoyed swirling around her room with a broom as her partner while the tune played. Tawny's poignant memory is something many girls from the early 1800's through today share, with some able to vividly remember the tune. 

courtesy of Noise, cylinder box

History suggests the music box originated in Switzerland in the 1770's and fast became a household item. (They were replaced by the piano player and phonograph in the early part of the 20th century). The tune played is made possible by metal teeth mounted in a line on a flat comb that’s made to vibrate when coming into contact with a revolving brass cylinder. The cylinder is driven by a clockwork (or watch) mechanism, and as it revolves, small pins mounted on its surface pluck the pointed ends of the metal teeth and cause them to produce the music. The notes played are determined by the arrangement of projections on the cylinder.    

courtesy of Noise; disc box

Originally, the music boxes were so small they it fit into a pocket watch. Slowly, the mechanisms evolved into rectangular wooden boxes.  A large box had 96 steel teeth and the cylinder was 13 inches long. Cylinders could be swapped to allow a person to listen to different tunes, but the storing and changing of the cylinders proved tiresome. In the 1890’s, the cylinder was replaced with a large metal disc that had slots on its surface to pluck the teeth. The discs were easily changeable and by the early 1900's  had replaced the cylinders.

courtesy of Hammacher Schlemmer
Thomas Kincaid

During the height of popularity, some music boxes were as tall as a grandfather clock. Most of the boxes were crafted in England, Italy, and the United States, with a pay-to-use version in public places (similar to what we know as a juke box). Thomas Kincaid is one of the most popular designers of the music box. His works are recognized for their Christian themes and inspirational designs, along with glowing lights and pastel colors.     

As technology improved, so did the music box, to include sound quality and production. Today’s modern music box comes in a variety of styles; toys, jewelry boxes and books (I had a musical jewelry box with a little ballerina when I was young), and is something generations to come will surely enjoy, too.   
  

Henley

 

I love having new books to share! 

Today is the official cover reveal and sharing of the pre-order link for Henley, a sweet historical western romance that is part of the new Love Train series! 

Each book features a character with a secret, and an introduction of the hero and heroine on a train!

Woohoo! 

Even more exciting - Henley is going to take place in the town of Holiday, Oregon.

You might recall Holiday from the Holiday Express series that spans several generations, or from my contemporary Holiday Brides series. 

At any rate, Henley Jones is heading to Holiday to marry a man she has yet to meet. This story takes place in 1885, right after Holiday Hope. 

Love is a gamble, and heartbreak is a risk she’s willing to take.

Despite her dreams to set down roots, Henley Jones has never had a place to call home. She’s spent her life on riverboats and railroad cars, tagging along with her gambling father. A shoot-out during a card game results in his death, leaving Henley alone and nearly penniless. Out of luck and options, Henley agrees to travel across the country to the newly established town of Holiday, Oregon to marry a stranger.

A demanding practice in a town clawing its way to respectability keeps Doctor Evan Holt rushing at a hectic pace. He’s far too busy to see to pressing matters like hiring competent help, or finding a wife. When one of his patients orders a mail-order bride, Evan can’t decide if the man is crazy or brilliant. From the moment he meets her, Evan battles an unreasonable attraction to the beautiful, charming woman who seems to be hiding something from her past.

In a town flush with possibilities, will taking a chance on love end with heartache or a winning hand? Find out in this sweet western romance full of the humor, hope, and love.

Henley is part of the Love Train sweet romance series. Look for more books set in Holiday in the heartwarming and wholesome Holiday Express series.

Preorder your copy of Henley today on Amazon!

If you could create a secret for a character in a story, what would it be?

Watch the book trailer for the Love Train Series!

 

After spending her formative years on a farm in Eastern Oregon, hopeless romantic Shanna Hatfield turns her rural experiences into sweet historical and contemporary romances filled with hope, humor, and hunky heroes.

When this award-winning author isn’t writing or covertly seeking dark, decadent chocolate, Shanna hangs out with her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller.

Shanna loves to hear from readers. Follow her online at:

ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Newsletter | BookBub | Pinterest | Goodreads | You Tube | Twitter