Maggie Wells's Blog, page 26

Teaser Tuesday – Sandra Jones

HIS MOST WANTED

By Sandra Jones

It’ll take more than a badge to get her to confess her secrets.

Kit Wainwright only meant to stop the thief making off with his beloved uncle’s ashes. He wants to hang up his gun, become a law-abiding citizen and leave his violent past behind. But the mayor takes notice of his sharpshooting skills, slaps a badge on his chest and puts him in charge of cleaning up this lawless town. Starting with tracking down the notorious Velvet Grace.

Bordello owner Cora Reilly never meant to become a crusader. But after shooting the last corrupt sheriff in self-defense, she’s spent the last few months turning her hastily donned disguise into a local legend to defend the girls in her town from riff-raff.

There’s no way Cora can trust the handsome new sheriff. Yet Kit’s kisses leave her wanting to open her arms—and her bedroom—to soothe his grief. Even if it brings him too close to the truth that could send her to the gallows.

Warning: Contains a reluctant sheriff with a keen eye for a moving target, and a take-no-crap madam who isn’t about to let him get close. Okay, maybe just a little bit closer. Just this once…

Available in Print and Digital:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/His-Most-Wanted...

Barnes & Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/his-m...

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebo...

Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/his-...

All Romance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/prod...

Samhain: https://www.samhainpublishing.com/boo...

Author Bio

Sandra Jones is a multi-published author of historical romances. A former bookseller and librarian, she’s always had her nose in a book.

When not researching or writing her next novel, she enjoys being with family, reading, cooking for her husband, and watching British TV. At home in the South, her house overlooks a river and a farm, where most days you can find her working to the sounds of wildlife and cattle.

Sandra loves to hear from her readers. Visit her website at www.SandraJonesRomance.com

Author Links

Website: http://www.sandrajonesromance.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sandra...

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SJonesRomance

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/SandraJones

Teaser:

The gun, still warm from shooting the sheriff, fit just right against Cora Lynn Reilly’s ribs, wedged beneath her breasts between her corset and her blouse. Her heart thundered like a cannonball as she looked for a way to exit the room that wouldn’t require going near the body on the floor, but unfortunately, there wasn’t one. The sound of the blast would likely bring someone upstairs to check on the man, and she couldn’t be caught alone with him.

Balancing on her toes to miss the blood spreading across the boards, she stepped over the first booted leg, her skirt spanning Bill Sidlow’s bloated thighs. She lifted her hem to avoid dragging her petticoat across the man’s torso, now damp and crimson, and set her left foot down with care between his side and his spread-eagle arm.

Don’t look, don’t look. But morbid curiosity got the better of her. She had to be absolutely certain the bastard was dead, so she glanced down at Sidlow’s face. His sightless eyes stared back at her, familiar enough to make a frisson of terror run down her spine again after he’d cornered her against his apartment wall with demands of sex.

“Shoulda known better,” she scolded beneath her breath. But whether she’d directed her words at the sheriff or herself, she wasn’t sure.

He gave no response, his flaccid mouth and sagging jowls glistened with spittle—no different than in life, she supposed. When he’d visited the club earlier that night, he’d pulled her aside to invite her here to his place for a private word, and even then his breath against her ear had been wet and disgusting.

She’d assumed he wanted to talk about business away from the girls and their customers, because if he’d wanted to make any advances of a sexual nature, where better than the Willows, the popular social club she owned on the Row? But she’d been wrong. The sheriff had wanted more than to talk. He’d wanted to take, and that was something Cora wouldn’t allow.

Now, one mistake and a bullet later, she had to get out of his apartment fast before anyone found her here.

Tearing her stare away from the sheriff ’s corpse, she set her body in motion for the door, but the sudden tread of boots on the stairs outside stopped her in her tracks.

“Sheriff? Was that your gun I heard?” Mrs. Murphy, wife of the boarding house owner, called from a short distance below.

Cora’s pulse raced. She scanned the room again. There was a window, but she didn’t

recall seeing a way down. She was certain no one else had seen her enter the building. She couldn’t let Mrs. Murphy find her now, for who would believe a bordello madam who’d shot the sheriff with her pearl-handled pistol in his own bedroom?

No way would she allow anyone to hang her for the likes of Bill Sidlow. She’d never shot anyone else in her life and hadn’t even taken her gun out of its case before tonight. The only reason she’d brought the weapon was in case she was accosted by one of the drunks in the streets outside.

Besides, her girls needed her. Especially now that there would be no one to keep the town’s worst ruffians from their doorstep, and God knew, Fort McNamara had its share of those.

She swept another glance around the room for something she could cloak herself in. The bed was stripped to the sheet, but a long blue velvet drapery hung above the lone window. It would have to do.

A knock sounded at the door. “Sheriff? You all right?” Mrs. Murphy asked again.

Cora vaulted over the body and yanked the heavy fabric from the rod. Returning to the door, she swirled the drape around her head and shoulders until she’d fully cocooned herself, then she waited for a chance to escape.

The door metal rattled. When Mrs. Murphy peeked in, Cora threw her weight against the wood panel, knocking the woman outside off balance, and then barreled past. She descended the stairs, running as fast as she could in the tight wind of her drapery cloak.

As she reached the front door of the boarding house, she heard the woman’s shriek of horror at discovering her boarder’s remains. “Murder! Help, the sheriff ’s been murdered!”

Bursting outside into the darkened street, she kept to the shadows, holding the fabric closed at her neck as she dodged drunken cowboys looking for good times. She averted her face, praying no one would recognize her until she made it back to the bordello.

One thing she knew for certain, after this night, she had better get used to carrying her pistol.

Views – 44

Monday Mayhem – Another year older…

…and not one bit more mature.

I contemplated this dichotomy as I slathered Oxy 10 on my face the other night (stupid hormones). Sometimes I feel like I’m just starting out. Others, I look back at what I’ve accomplished so far and I think, “Wow! I did that!”

Birthdays rarely get me down. No, I’m not crazy about getting older, but there isn’t a damn thing I can do about it, so that’s that. All I can do is keep moving forward and trying to grow. When my forties began, I resolved to try to lead a braver life.

This has been another big year of change. Some sad, some good, and some great. All in all, I’ve tried to not only stay in the moment, but to enjoy that moment to it’s fullest.

On Saturday, Fodder and I were out running errands. It was past lunch time and our tempers were getting a bit short, so we did the only thing a rational person could do in that situation: we stopped at the local ice cream parlor and ate sundaes for lunch.

This year, I made it my goal to ignore other people’s yardsticks and keep my eyes on my own paper. There are days when I’m better at this than others, but for the most part, it helps me lead a happier life.

Well, that and cake.

It’s my birthday today, and I want you to be happy too. If you were here, I’d buy us all one big cake to share. Since we aren’t able to celebrate together, I want you to do this: go buy some cake. A sheet cake, a layer cake, a cake you have to bake, or even just a cupcake. Buy yourself a piece of cake today and eat it. Because birthdays aren’t the only days that need to be celebrated and we all need more cake in our lives.

What can I say? I am a work in progress. I’m also a bad influence.

You like that about me.

Now, go forth and eat cake! Oh, and stick around for the next chapter, I think there’ll be some good stuff coming up.

 

Views – 47

Weekend Writing Warrior – 11/15/15

I messed up last week and forgot to set the time on my scheduled post, so I got bumped. I posted later, but in case you missed it, I shared this little tidbit of news before I got started:

Big News! Remember the story I was sharing about the college football coach and the women’s basketball coach? It sold!!! FULL COURT PRESS (and two more in the Wolcott Warrior series) will be coming from Samhain Publishing in 2016-2017!

For now, here’s another taste of my current WIP, LOVE AND ROCKETS (Coastal Heat #3 – October 2016). This is the story of a rocket scientist who falls in love with a hardworking single mom and her brainy daughter.

****

“I did not, nor was I even thinking about touching your child in any way.”

“Maybe you’d be better off talking to a girl your own age.”

He stared down at her, trying to wrap his mind around the turn the evening had taken. While he and Darla had been a couple years apart in school and were never anything close to friends, he’d always been friendly when he saw her at The Pit. He said please and thank you, rarely asked for anything more demanding than an extra cup of sauce, and always over-tipped. In short, he had no Earthly idea why she took one look at him tonight and leaped directly to the worst possible conclusion. And he didn’t know what to say to her other than what he said every time he waved goodbye to her at the barbecue joint.

“I have to go. See you, Darla. Have a nice day.”

****

That’s all from me this week. Be sure to check out all of this weekend’s Weekend Writing Warrior posts!

Views – 49

Fangirl Fridays!

Got a crush? It’s okay to spill it here. Fictional boyfriends battling it out for your affections in your dreams? Talk movies, TV shows, books, or even video games. Do tell! Anything goes on Fangirl Fridays!

Views – 29

Whatcha Reading

Tell me…whatcha reading?

Views – 25

Monday Mayhem – The thick of it

Got a slow start to my NaNoWriMo projects due to last week’s migraine and general lethargy, but I made up my words over the weekend. Thanks the Julie’s whip cracking, I cranked out almost 4800 words Saturday and managed to stay caught up on Sunday. Going to have to be more diligent this week so I can get ahead. You can keep tabs on me by watching the graphic in the sidebar. If you see me slipping off pace, be sure to yell at me in a public forum.

Weekend Writing Warrior 11/08/15

Big News! Remember the story I was sharing about the college football coach and the women’s basketball coach? It sold!!! FULL COURT PRESS (and two more in the Wolcott Warrior series) will be coming from Samhain Publishing in 2016-2017!

Whoo hoo!

For now, here’s another taste of my current WIP, LOVE AND ROCKETS (Coastal Heat #3 – October 2016).

This is the story of a rocket scientist who falls in love with a hardworking single mom and her brainy daughter.

****

“Are you trying to imply that I’m a bad mother?”

He blinked, wondering exactly how she’d managed such a tremendous leap. “No, I was simply stating the facts.”

“Like the fact that you proposed to my daughter.”

“I offered your thirteen year-old daughter my hand in marriage and the rings of Saturn,” he snarled. “You know what? I’m not sure she ever gave me a straight answer. Maybe I should ask her again. I mean, what girl can resist the promise of a nice debris field?” He faked a step toward the kitchen door, but Darla literally threw herself in front of it to stop him. “Jesus, Darla.”

“Young girls are impressionable, and they love attention from older guys.”

****

That’s it for this week. I hope you’re liking the story so far.

That’s all from me this week. Be sure to check out all of this weekend’s Weekend Writing Warrior posts!

Views – 57

Fangirl Fridays!

Got a crush? It’s okay to spill it here. Fictional boyfriends battling it out for your affections in your dreams? Talk movies, TV shows, books, or even video games. Do tell! Anything goes on Fangirl Fridays!

Views – 30

SOLD!!!

I’m so excited! I finally get to announce that my steamy battle of the sexes, FULL COURT PRESS, has been sold to Linda Ingmanson at Samhain Publishing!!! Check this out:

That’s right – a THREE BOOK DEAL!

FULL COURT PRESS (December 2016) will be followed by RANSOMED HEART (March 2017) and TOSSING THE PLAYBOOK (June 2017)!!!

I can’t tell you how happy I am that this book found an editor who loves it and understands it as much as my #superagent Sara Megibow did when she first read it. Check out the fabulous things she had to say about it: http://ktliterary.com/2015/11/sold-co...

Huge thanks to Sara and Linda for falling for Kate and Danny as hard as I did.

I also owe a huge debt to my Prime Minister of Posisitivty, Julie Doner, for her unflagging support and optimism. I can’t wait to share these stories with you all!

 

 

 

Views – 1

Whatcha Reading?

Tell me…whatcha reading?

Views – 26