Beth Trissel's Blog, page 7

Furbaby Friday with Neil Plakcy!

I’m glad to welcome Neil Plakcy to the blog to share his  beloved dogs and golden retriever mystery, In Dog We Trust.

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Neil: The dog who inspired my golden retriever mysteries was our first golden, Sam, aka Jacoplax’s Samwise Gamgee. He had a huge personality, and just as with the fictional Samwise and Frodo, he became my constant companion.

When I met my partner, he had two dogs: Gus, a collie, and Charlie, a Yorkie. Soon after we moved in together, Gus crossed the rainbow bridge and we chose Sam to replace him. But Charlie had a huge personality, and he had already established that my partner was his human, so Sam bonded with me.

Trainers told us that a tired dog was a well-behaved dog, so I took Sam for forty-five minutes walks night and day around our gated community. We explored side streets and empty lots, and he often tugged me forward, in search of new and exciting smells. People would regularly stop us, either to comment on what a handsome dog he was, or to ask who was walking who.

He had a dozen personality quirks – he’d sit on the stairs, hiding his head, as if because he couldn’t see us, we couldn’t see him. He loved to hide under my bed, requiring one of us to get down on the floor and tug him out if we were ready to go out and wanted to confine him to the downstairs. He hated thunder and fireworks, he chewed pens and cell phones, and when I sat at my computer to write he curled himself around the back of my chair to keep me in place.

I loved him so much that I knew I had to write about him, and because I’d already written a number of mystery novels, I made him into a crime-sniffing dog with a knack for discovering dead bodies, and the ability to provide his human with a regular stream of clues.

The first book in the series, IN DOG WE TRUST, came out in 2010, while Sam was still with me. Within two years he was gone, to be replaced by Brody, and then a second golden, Griffin. Neither of them have Sam’s personality—they’re sweet, well-behaved dogs with few quirks. But watching them every day continues to inspire me for Rochester’s behavior and the clues he can come up with.

Blurb:

42-year-old Steve Levitan has lost everything that matters to him – his marriage, his home and his career. After finishing a brief prison term for computer hacking, he returns to his home town of Stewart’s Crossing, PA with his tail between his legs.

With his parole officer peering over his shoulder, Steve begins a technical writing business and takes a part-time job as an adjunct professor of English at his alma mater, Eastern College. He reconnects with an old friend, the local police detective, hangs out at a coffee shop, and enjoys the natural beauty of Bucks County and the stimulating college environment. Starting over helps him numb the pain of all he’s lost, including the two unborn children his ex-wife miscarried before their divorce.

The last thing he needs in his life is a shaggy, bossy golden retriever. But when his next-door neighbor, Caroline Kelly, is murdered, Steve becomes her dog’s temporary guardian. Rochester seems determined to solve the mystery of Caroline’s death, digging up clues and pushing Steve to investigate. As they nose through Caroline’s past, her friends and her career searching for motives, the bond between man and dog grows.

But it’s only when Steve uncovers a connection between Caroline’s death and some uncomfortable situations between his students and his colleagues that Steve realizes that in order to save his own life, and the life of the dog he’s come to love, he’s going to have to come face to face with a killer with nothing left to lose.

[image error]Excerpt:

I often like to walk alongside the nature preserve that backs up against River Bend in the evening. There’s a long stretch between River Road and the guardhouse, and when I’m there I can imagine I’m in the midst of a wilderness instead of the middle of suburbia.

I waved at the old guy manning the gate, and then side-stepped a big pile of poop, left behind by a dog belonging to one of my neighbors. Probably one of those who ostentatiously carried plastic bags but never stooped to using one.

Many of my dog-owning neighbors liked to walk along the preserve, including my next-door neighbor, Caroline Kelly, who owned a golden retriever named Rochester. I guess the smells out there are more interesting than the ones on our street, even though it’s lined with maples and oaks and nearly every house has a dogwood or lilac tree or a flowerbed filled with the first daffodils and tulips of spring.

I was brooding about the ever-present possibility that I’d be sent back to prison when I heard three short bangs that sounded like someone was shooting off firecrackers, but without the whistle and the whine. The sounds stood out because the rest of the night was so silent—not even a distant siren or the roar of a motorcycle.

A fast-moving black SUV roared past me a moment later, skidding gravel. Rochester came galloping up toward me as soon as it had gone, the handle of his extension leash bouncing behind him the way a convict in a cartoon might drag his ball and chain.

I knew it was Rochester because of the madras bandana that Caroline kept slung around his neck. “Hey, boy, hey,” I said, reaching out to grab him. “Where’s your mom? How’d you get away from her?”

As soon as I had hold of his leash, Rochester executed a sharp 180-degree turn and started running back the way he’d come, this time dragging me along with him. “Rochester! Stop!” I called. “Sit, boy, sit!”

I’d never cared for Rochester. I guess it was clear to him that I didn’t like dogs, and he made it his personal mission to reinforce that opinion. He did a good job of it, too. He was too big, too enthusiastic, too shaggy. Whenever I stopped to talk to Caroline, Rochester tried to jump on me, and Caroline couldn’t keep him in line. She took him for obedience lessons every Saturday, but his exuberance still overwhelmed his manners.

He had huge paws and a big head. His fur was fine and attached itself to me if I even passed within five feet of him, giving my lint brush lots of use. He had big jowls, too, and there was usually a line of drool hanging from them he was happy to wipe off on me. His paws were often muddy, and somehow the tip of his tail was always wet, and when he whipped it against my leg it stung like the touch of a wasp.

Galloping down the street, he ignored my commands to stop, but quickly I saw why he was in such a hurry.

A narrow, grassed-over path from the access road into River Bend led off to an old Revolutionary War cemetery at the edge of the preserve. Caroline had told me she often took Rochester up that path, and cars used it to turn around when they realized they were approaching the entry to a gated community.

As I neared where the grassy path met the roadway, I saw Caroline Kelly lying on the ground. All the activity of the past few minutes formed into a pattern in my head—the shots fired, the speeding car, the loose dog. I looked around as adrenaline raced through my veins. Was the shooter still there? No, he or she must have left in the car that passed me.

I walked up to Caroline, and leaned down next to her. Blood seeped out of her jacket, and there was a growing pool next to her leg. I remembered learning in college biology that if the femoral artery, running through the thigh, was severed, you could bleed out in a matter of minutes.

“Caroline?” I asked. “Caroline, can you hear me?” I had no idea how to do CPR and I was worried I’d do the wrong thing, somehow hurt her further.

I watched for a minute but could not see any rise and fall in her chest. I flipped open my cell phone, my hands shaking, and found my friend Rick Stemper’s cell number. Rick was a police detective in Stewart’s Crossing, and I knew he’d tell me what I should do.

Bio:

Neil Plakcy has written or edited over three dozen novels and short stories in mystery, romance and erotica. His golden retriever mystery series was inspired by his first golden, Samwise. Long walks with his current goldens give him plenty of time to think up new crimes and solutions—and Brody and Griffin provide love, entertainment, and endless piles of fur on the floor.

His website is http://www.goldenretrievermysteries.com.

Buy links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1L5eVgs

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/in-dog-we-trust/id1344604987

Other retailers: https://www.books2read.com/u/mVRVAm

Social Media Links:

BLOG: http://mahubooks.blogspot.com

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001JP4EL6

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/neil.plakcy

GOODREADS: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/126217.Neil_Plakcy

PINTEREST: http://pinterest.com/neilplakcy/boards/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/NeilPlakcy

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave Neil a comment.

Furbaby Friday with Toni V. Sweeney!

I am glad to welcome the talented Toni V. Sweeney to the blog to share a beloved furbaby memory. This is one of the best stories we’ve had on Furbaby Friday, and deeply moving. Get out the tissues.

Toni: The Biggest Dog in the World

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His name was Spud, a name for a big bruiser of a dog—think Spuds McKenzie, the Budweiser dog—and not a toy poodle, but he had the heart of the biggest dog in the universe…

He was Spud McRowdi, son of Conan the Barkbarian.

At birth, Spud weighed two ounces. If I’d put a stamp on him, I could’ve mailed him First Class.

I was there when he was born, saw this tiny creature… just lying there…not moving… blew gently against its tiny pink nose…nothing. In desperation, I took a cotton swab, forced open the toothless mouth and pushed the swab over the lax minute tongue into the little throat. There was a gigantic gag…the puppy started breathing, and I stood there, staring at the tiny miracle of life lying on my palm.

He certainly wasn’t much to look at—not much longer than my middle finger nor even as wide, bulging eyelids resembling a baby bird’s…a turned-up pink nose like a tiny piglet…the hairless tail of a white rat—looked like anything except a dog.

“Ugly little spud, isn’t he?” I quoted the famous line from the movie Ghostbusters, in the scene where the trio have their encounter with the green slime ghost. He was supposed to be named Whitey, but he was Spud from that moment on.

The next day, I made a beeline for the vet’s. He said, “If you can keep him alive two weeks, he might make it,” gave me puppy formula, a 6-ounce syringe, a feeding tube, and instructions on how to feed the puppy using the syringe.

Every two hours day and night for two weeks, I stuffed that feeding tube down that poor puppy’s throat, injecting formula. “This is like taking care of a real baby!” I told my son.

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I also had to keep Spud on a heating pad to keep his body temperature regulated—even in July—and run a vaporizer to keep his respiratory system clear. Ruined the bedroom wall with all that steam, but what the heck?

In two weeks, I was feeding Spud other things through his tube: watery pablum with strained eggs mixed in, apple juice. He now fit in the palm of my hand, was the size he should have been at birth, weighed one pound. His sisters were three times that size.

During the day, Spud slept in an old playpen, protected from those boisterous girl-pups. At night, he snuggled on my pillow. When we went places, he rode in my shirt pocket.

“Is that thing real?” people would ask. “Where’s his wind-up key?”

Suddenly, he began to grow…teeth, for starters. I was beginning to wonder if I was going to have the first dog with dentures, but at six months, two tiny toothpick incisors appeared and then a mouthful of teeth. Spud started growing, and didn’t stop until he weighted 7 whole pounds and was a full 12 inches high at the shoulder, still smaller than anyone else in his family, but big enough, considering how he started out.

Being premature, he was sickly, internally, anyway. He developed kidney failure, was put on a high carb diet. Ironically, the family cat was diagnosed with the same thing 6 months later, though the vet assured me there was no correlation. Nonetheless, both went on the same diet—Ramen noodles, rice, chopped spaghetti, with a little regular pet chow thrown in. Spud gobbled it down and went on his merry way, bullying the entire household.

In Nebraska’s winter, frolicking in the snow in below-zero temperatures, he allowed me to dress him in sweaters and snowsuits, and bore Spring hair-cuts with stoic stolidness—but no nail paint or bows…please! After all, he was a he-man dog, even if he was a poodle.

I talked to Spud as if he were human. He thought he was, anyway. A canine intelligence test showed he had the IQ of a two-year-old person. He became my bodyguard—all 7 pounds of him. When the Gentleman Caller came around, he sat between us like a jealous child. It took him a year to accept the man who became his Best Buddy.

He even had his fifteen minutes of fame as one of the characters in my novel Spacedogs’ Best Friend.

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The end came less dramatically than the beginning. When he became ill, I wasn’t worried; he’d had other bouts…he always rallied…for 14 years…

Not this time. Too weak to stand, he was taken to the backyard, wagged his tail and sniffed the early morning air as he always did. Then, he was carried inside and placed on my bed. He lay his head on his forepaws and took a deep breath and let it out….

[image error]Even now, thoughts of that faithful, loving little creature can make me cry. I can truthfully say I’ve never known any human as affectionate and faithful as that tiny dog. I was “Mama” and he was “my baby,” and we both knew the true meaning of the word “bonded.”

He loved me for no other reason than because he could.

I’d been there at the beginning, I was there at the end, and—to paraphrase another saying—Spuddy, I’m glad to have known you!

Blurb for Spacedogs’ Best Friend:

Against her parents’ wishes, spoiled teenager Jenny Halpin’s doting uncle gives her a space cruise as a graduation gift.  Unfortunately, before Jenny can enjoy much of the voyage, the ship collides with a meteor shower and her escape pod is separated from the others.

Landing on an uninhabited world are Jenny and her pod-mates…three poodles. Not just any poodles. They’re the telepathic royal family of Canaris and they seem to think Jenny’s their servant, existing just to protect and serve them…

Robinson Crusoe had it easy!

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Read about the exploits of the fictional Spud and his family in the novel Spacedogs’ Best Friend at Amazon in Kindle: www.amazon.com/Spacedogs-Best-Friend-Toni-Sweeney-ebook/dp/B00JPOGAN8/

In paperback from:

http://www.classactbooks.com/young-adult/spacedogs-best-friend-461-462-463-detail

***Award-winning author Toni V. Sweeney has numerous titles published in various fiction genres. Visit her Amazon Author Page at:

https://www.amazon.com/Toni-V.-Sweeney/e/B002BLQBB8/

Thank you for stopping by! Please leave Toni a comment.

Furbaby Friday with Veronica Scott!

I’m very glad to welcome Veronica Scott here to share her furbaby and Sci-fi  romance STAR CRUISE: MYSTERY DANCER–her story in the third annual Pets in Space anthology, Embrace the Passion.  I love orange tabbies! My cat, Peaches, is one.

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Veronica: Thanks for having me as your guest today to talk about my furbaby, Jake the Cat! I’ve always been a cat person and have had many feline companions over the course of my life (one at a time, not a house full LOL) but they were always gray  or brown striped tabbies. I used to say I’d never have an orange tabby, apparently as the result of a book my mother read me as a child, wherein an orange kitten wreaked havoc on the household. My mother was always very disapproving of the kitten in the story and I guess I internalized that message!

When I became an empty nester because my daughters took their cats when they moved out after college I needed a cat of my own to keep me company.

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The day I went to the local shelter in 2013 to look for a cat, the one who captured my attention was Jake, who was about eight months old, soft, purred very loudly, had a fabulous ringed tail like a red panda (my favorite wild animal) and…was an orange tabby. (I tried to say he was “cameo colored” for a while but even my very young grandson at the time knew Jake was orange so I gave up the fiction.) My family was in disbelief that I’d gotten a cat who wasn’t gray striped – I couldn’t believe it myself but I adopted him and he’s been the cat of my heart from that day onward. He has the sweetest personality, although at times he believes he’s a ‘house cougar’ and goes tearing around through the place, chasing his toys or his own tail or just burning off energy in general. I keep a very large cat treehouse climbing structure in the corner of the living room so he can sit above it all and survey his territory.

He loves to sit in my lap when I’m reading and will supervise me from a chair next to the desk when I’m writing. Jake’s very much a creature of habit and I used to feed him breakfast at 4:30 AM daily, which is when I’d get up to get ready for the day job. Unfortunately when I was able to become a full time author, Jake didn’t get the memo that we could now sleep in and he still wants to eat at that time!

He’s very companionable and moves to wherever I am in the apartment and checks in on me to get a bit of petting and make sure things are going ok.

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The third annual Pets in Space scifi romance anthology has just been released (as of October 9th) with the theme of pets in space (like Lassie, only on spaceships LOL) and for my story, Star Cruise: Mystery Dancer, I wrote F’rrh, an alien cat with three eyes who is similar to a genie. Each year my co-founder and I, and the authors included in the collection donate a portion of the first month’s royalties to Hero-Dogs, Inc., which provides service dogs to veterans.

[image error]Here’s an excerpt from my 41K novel in this year’s anthology. My heroine-on-the-run, Tassia, has made it through a day of auditions and been hired as a dancer on board the interstellar cruise liner Nebula Zephyr:

Dressing in an oversize T shirt and shorts, she wandered into the kitchenette area of her cabin and found the promised welcome basket. These people try very hard to be kind. Munching on a ration bar, holding a cup of synthcaff, she went into the living area and sat on the couch built into the wall, running through meditation exercises in an attempt to regain her inner calm. The danger wasn’t over, but she had a temporary respite.

Finally, she returned to the bedroom and opened the backpack, carefully removing the few items Xandrina had swept into the bag at the last minute. Tassia arranged the small boxes and miniature statues on the top of the empty bureau with care, trying to appreciate what she still had, not to remember the vast collection in her bedroom at home on Ruatsar Ten, or the beloved relatives who’d given her each of the beautiful items. Soon enough she’d probably have to sell the remaining trinkets, if not on this ship, then later.

“I need to save every credit in salary I can.” She spoke out loud just to hear a voice. Trinkets weren’t important for anything other than the memories attached to them, most of which were now too poignant to revisit.

Picking up the final item, the black lacquer box, she set it in the exact center of the bureau, put her hands together and made a formal bow, then rubbed one hand over the drawing and opened the lid.

Golden motes drifted upward from the interior of the container, twirling in the air as if happy to be set free. As Tassia watched, the sparks came together in the outline of a catlike being. There was a flash of purple and F’rrh sat regally next to the box. Her third eye was closed but, tail curled over her paws, she watched Tassia intently from the other two.

“It is well?” F’rrh asked in the old tongue of Ruatsar, voice raspy as if she was meowing and speaking simultaneously.

“Yes, Knowing One. Your vision was clear, and I pursued it to fruition. Thank you for the gift.”

“We will miss Madame Xandrina,” the cat said. “Yet it was her time to join the goddess and enjoy eternal peace. Our time to continue onward.”

“Do you have any further guidance for me?” Tassia enjoyed using the language of her birth, the syllables falling from her tongue so lyrically. She held her breath as the cat’s third eyelid opened the slightest bit and then shut.

“Not at this time.” F’rrh stretched and reverted into golden flickers of light which flowed into the box as if sucked into the heart of a black hole. For all she knew the box might contain such a thing. Tassia smiled at the whimsical concept.

Unsure if she was relieved or disappointed, Tassia returned to the living room to interact with the ship’s governing Artificial Intelligence, set her alarm as the dance captain suggested and went to bed, able to sleep soundly and without fear for the first time in months. At this rate, she might actually be able to accomplish the mission she’d sworn to complete when she was eight.

Anthology Blurb:

Pets in Space is back! Join us as we unveil eleven original, never-before-published action-filled romances that will heat your blood and warm your heart! New York Times, USA Today and Award-winning authors S.E. Smith, Anna Hackett, Ruby Lionsdrake, Veronica Scott, Pauline Baird Jones, Carol Van Natta, Tiffany Roberts, Alexis Glynn Latner, E D Walker, JC Hay, and Kyndra Hatch combine their love for Science Fiction Romance and pets to bring readers sexy, action-packed romances while helping our favorite charity. Proud supporters of Hero-Dogs.org, Pets in Space authors have donated over $4,400 in the past two years to help place specially trained dogs with veterans. Open your hearts and grab your limited release copy of Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 3 today!

This is the blurb for my story in the anthology, which has something of an ‘Anastasia’ vibe:’

STAR CRUISE: MYSTERY DANCER blurb: Tassia Megg is a woman on the run after the death of her elderly guardian. Her search to get off the planet in a hurry comes when chance directs her to an open dance audition for the luxury cruise liner Nebula Zephyr’s resident troupe. If there is one thing Tassia can do, it is dance!

Security Officer Liam Austin is suspicious of the newest performer to join the Comettes. She shows all the signs of being a woman on the run and seems to fit the Sectors-wide broadcast description of a missing thief, accused of stealing priceless artifacts. As he gets to know Tassia during the cruise, he starts to wonder if she’s something more – a long vanished princess in hiding from deadly political enemies of her family perhaps? And what’s the story with the three-eyed feline companion other crew members swear Tassia brought aboard the ship? Does the animal even exist?

As the ship approaches its next port of call, all the issues come to a boil and Liam must decide if he’ll step in to help Tassia or betray her. Life is about to get very interesting aboard the Nebula Zephyr as Liam tries to uncover the truth. Could F’rrh, the peculiar alien cat he has been hearing about, be the key to the mystery and Tassia’s fate?

Buy Links: Amazon iBooks B&N Kobo Google

Author Bio and Links:

[image error]USA Today Best Selling Author

“SciFi Encounters” columnist for the USA Today Happy Ever After blog

Veronica Scott grew up in a house with a library as its heart. Dad loved science fiction, Mom loved ancient history and Veronica thought there needed to be more romance in everything. When she ran out of books to read, she started writing her own stories.

Seven time winner of the SFR Galaxy Award, as well as a National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, Veronica is also the proud recipient of a NASA Exceptional Service Medal relating to her former day job, not her romances!

She read the part of Star Trek Crew Member in the audiobook production of Harlan Ellison’s “The City On the Edge of Forever.”

Blog: https://veronicascott.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/vscotttheauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Veronica-Scott/177217415659637?ref=hl

Thanks for stopping by. Please leave Veronica a comment!

Furbaby Friday with Linda Nightingale!

I’m happy to have the talented Linda Nightingale here to share memories of her beautiful beloved horse, and her contemporary western romance, Gambler’s Choice, a stellar story.

Linda: In 1980, the year my first son was born, I discovered the Andalusian horse. Like a poster on my wall says, ‘this horse will change your life’. We were breeding the Arabian at the time had garnered some success in the showring. But when I saw the magnificent Andalusian horses, I fell in love and immediately started liquidating my Arab breeding stock to purchase an Andy stallion.

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As usual, I like to start off at the top and work my way up there. I looked all over the country for a THE horse I wanted. I planned for him to be high-schooled (the Andalusian is gifted for the baroque moves—passage, piaffe, lateral work and pirouette) and the airs-above the ground). I received a call from a breeder in Virginia saying that I needed to come see a young stallion named Bonito. I didn’t want him because he was young and unfinished, but he did have a lot of the moves on him at 4 (a mistake I later learned).

But I went to beautiful Middleburg, Virginia to look at Bonito. In the indoor arena, I fell in love white fairytale stallion named Afamado, but he wasn’t for sale. Then they showed me Bonito. He put his head over the Dutch door, taking my heart with one glance. He was a rose-gray with a black mane and tail, both thick and long. His neck was a majestic crest like a carousel horse. I bought Bonito and never looked back. (Linda and Bonito pictured above).

Bonito had been imported from Costa Rica. My hubby and I later went to the National shows in CR and were treated like queens and kings. I also began to broker horses for Bonito’s breeder in this country.

We bred Bonito to mares of various breeds, and consistently he produced offspring of his quality. The Andalusian is gentle enough to breed the stallions in the morning and put him in the show ring that afternoon, without requiring a professional trainer to behave with other horses. He was mischievous and a bit of a handful but always kind. We entered the showring with a vengeance.

At the time, the Andalusian was a rare breed in this country and we wowed the crowd everywhere we went. I did exhibitions in the long lines, parades in the long lines (you have a line each side of the horse and walk very close behind him). His beauty and agility won him many admirers as well as his sweet temperament. I could put a child on him and he was a plow horse, but let me put a foot in the stirrup and he was all fire and show. He knew he had a fan club.

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I showed him to 2 National Championships in Halter and many championships in various classes. I then began to show dressage and perform musical freestyles, but our best luck was in performing exhibitions at horse shows. We had a routine to Phantom of the Opera, and I wish I had that on tape, but sadly I can’t find the old VHS to transfer it to disk. When I was going through my divorce, I’d go to the barn and cry on his neck. He’d fold that lovely neck around me and hug me while I cried. I daresay he was my soul mate. Bonito changed my life.

If you’d like to know more about the Andalusian or the high school movements, leave a comment with a way to contact you, and I’ll be glad to send you an article I wrote for a breed magazine and info on the upper level movements.

Everyone who met Bonito loved him. Even today, twenty years later people remember him.

I have written only one book about horses, but all of my books in one way or another mention the fairytale Andalusian. Gambler’s Choice was just released in audio. For an audio sample, please visit my web site at http://www.LindaNightingale.com

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Blurb:

Becca McQuaid came to England to find the perfect horse but instead met a darkly mysterious challenge in Austen Heath, Baron of Hampton. She’s determined to buy Austen’s stallion Gambler’s Choice. He’s determined not to sell, but the rivals are thrown together by an accident that leaves Austen with a broken leg and the threat he’ll never ride again.

Austen Heath has the title, heritage and manor house…but not the fortune. Becca is wealthy. Her charms are irresistible, but he believes she’s shopping for a Ladyship to go with her money. He has another reason to hold the sexy blonde at arms’ length—the unexplained disappearance of an old friend everyone thinks was his lover. When her body is discovered on his property, he becomes a suspect in her murder.

Excerpt:

[image error]Rebecca McQuaid was in England for one reason.

To find the perfect match.

Size was important. Becca was a tall girl. Money was of no consequence whatsoever. Becca was a wealthy girl. Heart mattered most. He must have the heart to go the distance. She dreamed of a partnership that would last a lifetime. But looks did rank quite high on her list of priorities.

“I simply can’t ride an ugly horse. That would be like dating an ugly man.” Tossing her long blonde hair over her shoulder, she laughed and winked at her friend.

Meg shot her a frown, her tone accusing Becca of being an uncivilized colonist. “Rebecca McQuaid, you say the damnedest things.”

An appreciative chuckle turned her around to squint into the sun. A tall, elegant, dark figure of a man on a magnificent horse caught her imagination mid-stride. She couldn’t see the rider’s face, but she knew he’d overheard the exchange with her friend. He saluted her with a tap of his whip to the brim of his hat as he rode past. Excitement capered over her, and she smiled. The horse’s muscled, blood bay rump glistened. The stallion was sixteen-two hands, fit and impeccably groomed.

“Nice buns. That one’s good-looking enough for me.” She elbowed her friend. “Who is it?”

Meg shaded her eyes. “Gambler’s Choice and Austen Heath. Both horse and rider satisfy your criteria, my dear girl.”

“The horse is handsome.” She wished she had gotten a better look at the bay, but he was a mahogany blaze in the morning sun. “Are you telling me the rider is?”

“That’s the general consensus, but Austen hides in that rambling, dark mansion of his.” Meg studied the pair picking up a trot along the arena. “Fierce competitors. Hard to beat at Intermediate. We’ll see how they handle Advanced.”

“An Advanced horse?” Becca wriggled her shoulders. “I’m in the market.”

“Look elsewhere.” Meg’s finger jutted at Becca’s nose. “Austen won’t sell Gambler for love or money. Guaranteed. Not even for the kind of money you’re willing to spend.”

“Meggie.” She linked arms with her friend. “Everything has a price.”

Meg balked like a donkey. “You’re in a different world, princess.”

“Well, not everything. Love doesn’t have a price.” Pain wrenched her heart as a memory of the breakup with Daniel flashed through her mind. The hurt was too fresh to even think of another man. “But I’m not in the market for love.”

Becca had found that the best way to protect her heart was to play spoiled little rich girl. She had that part down pat, and, as Winston Churchill had said, There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man. She was looking for a horse to fall in love with and help mend her broken heart.

Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Gamblers-Choice-Linda-Nightingale-ebook/dp/B01AB2TCZU/ref=sr_1_2?

About Linda: Born in South Carolina, Linda has lived in England, Canada, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta, Houston and now she is back in the red dirt hills of SC. She’s seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer, having bred, trained and showed Andalusian horses for many years.

Linda has won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers Magnolia Award and the SARA Merritt. She is the mother of two wonderful sons, a retired legal assistant, a member of a National Sports Car Club,and enjoys events with her car. Among her favorite things is her snazzy gray convertible. She loves to dress up and host formal dinner parties.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LNightingale

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindaNightingaleAuthor

Web Site: http://www.lindanightingale.com – Visit and look around. There’s a free continuing vampire story.

Blog: https://lindanightingale.wordpress.com/ – Lots of interesting guests & prizes

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4839311.Linda_Nightingale

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lbnightingale1/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Linda-Nightingale/e/B005OSOJ0U

Book Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03972_A_5-Y

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Thanks for stopping by! Please leave Linda a comment.

Furbaby Friday with JM Stewart!

Welcome JM Stewart ! I’m very glad to have you here to share your furbaby and contemporary romance, Luc.

JM: Hey everybody! So glad to be here with you all. Thanks to Beth for having me. I currently have two dogs, Misty and Tiger. We adopted both from shelters when they were puppies when we were living in Seattle. Have had them for seven years now, and they’re spoiled rotten. Thought I’d share how we ended up with Misty.

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After our German Shepherd, Ruby, died, we weren’t sure we wanted another dog. We’d had her for ten years, so her death left a big hole in our hearts. Six months later, though, hubs and I got the yearning to fill that space again, so I started looking on Petfinder.com. One particular pup grabbed me. A local shelter had a litter of nine puppies, Lab and Shepherd mix. The pup they chose for the pic ended up being Misty. I fell in love with her little face. She had a lot of German Shepherd in her; a black muzzle and ears, and big stripe down her back.

Fast forward a couple of weeks, we finally got the call the pups had reached ten weeks and were ready to be picked up. They sponsored them at the local Petsmart that weekend, so the youngest and I went down. The woman who ran the shelter had a first come, first serve rule. Meaning, applicants who applied first got first choice. So by the time our turn came, four were left, two girls and two boys.

Misty was in a cage with her sister, sleeping. There was chaos all around. Hopeful parents waiting with their kids to pick up their pups. People coming into the store who stopped to peek at the puppies. Misty had no interest in any of it. She just wanted to sleep (a trait she’s never grown out of; she doesn’t want to be bothered when she’s sleeping). lol But when I held her, she curled up in my lap, a little confused at the fuss going on around her but just happy to have a lap. The woman who’d been fostering the pups told me she was content to simply sit beside you on the couch (another trait she’s never grown out of). I fell in love.

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Labs have a lot of energy, did you know that? I do now. lol Boy howdy was she a handful. Big chewer and more energy than any of us knew what to do with. You could walk her an hour twice a day, and she’d still be raring to go. Just a bundle of energy.

She’s so smart, though. Easily trainable and highly motivated by praise. Got the gist of potty training in a week, learned to sit in one day. If you’re a stranger coming up to my house, she has a deep, scary bark. Good for scaring away unwanted solicitors.

New Audiobook–Historical Romance Novel Red Bird’s Song!

I am delighted to have the first story I ever wrote in audio! Narrator Paul-Alexandre Petit did a fabulous and painstaking job.

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More about the story.

In the Beginning: Years ago, while researching family genealogy, I gained the courage to take the leap from penning non-fiction essays about rural life (I live on a farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia) and plunge into historical romance novels set in early America. That first story, Red Bird’s Song, (written and rewritten multiple times) is the book of my heart.

“I loved the descriptions…I felt I was there…Many mystical episodes are intermingled with the events…The ending is a real surprise, but I will let you have the pleasure of reading it for yourself.” –Seriously Reviewed

“This book touched my soul even as it provided a thrilling fictional escape into a period of history I have always found fascinating.”

~ Laurie-J Reviewer for Red Bird’s Song at Night Owl Romance

Red Bird’s Song is a 2012 Double Epic Award Finalist.

[image error](Image of the Alleghenies taken by my mom, Pat Churchman)

My fascination with Colonial America, particularly stirring tales of the frontier and the Shawnee Indians, is an early and abiding one. My English, Scot-Irish (we called ourselves the Scotch-Irish, but are often corrected, so whatever) ancestors had interactions with this tribe, including family members taken captive. In Red Bird’s Song, I honed in on my early American roots in a story featuring the Scots-Irish and an Indian attack that happened to my ancestors.

My award-winning Native American themed historical romance novel Through the Fire is also based on research into my colonial forebears and the French and Indian War.

Though written to stand alone, historical romance novel Kira Daughter of the Moon is the sequel to Through the Fire. These three novels, plus The Bearwalker’s Daughter comprise my Native American Warrior Series.

[image error](Image of family musket, hunting pouch, and powder horn by my mom, Pat Churchman)

Red Bird’s Song (Native American Warrior Series):

Blurb: Taken captive by a Shawnee war party wasn’t how Charity Edmondson hoped to escape an unwanted marriage. Nor did Shawnee warrior Wicomechee expect to find the treasure promised by his grandfather’s vision in the unpredictable red-headed girl.

George III’s English Red-Coats, unprincipled colonial militia, prejudice and jealousy are not the only enemies Charity and Wicomechee will face before they can hope for a peaceful life. The greatest obstacle to happiness is in their own hearts. As they struggle through bleak mountains and cold weather, facing wild nature and wilder men, Wicomechee and Charity must learn to trust each other.~

“With “Red Bird’s Song”, Beth Trissel has painted an unforgettable portrait of a daring and defiant love brought to life in the wild and vivid era of Colonial America. Highly recommended for lovers of American history and romance lovers alike!” ~Review by Virginia Campbell

RED BIRD’S SONG was purchased from The Wild Rose Press by Amazon for republication under their Encore line. Look for it in kindle and print and now audio at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Red-Birds-Song/dp/B07HBBXBT1

RED BIRD’S SONG audiobook at Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Red-Birds-Song-Audiobook/B07HBC72YS

Furbaby Friday with Josie Riviera!

I am very happy to welcome Josie Riviera to the blog to share her darling little furbaby and historical, inspirational, and sweet romance with us.

Josie: My husband and I have one dog, Henry. He’s a shih tzu, and we “inherited” him from our daughter. After years of saying “no” to her begging for a dog, we waited until her 18th birthday. However, she decided to attend university in Northern Ireland, and, 5 years later, she’s still living in Ireland.

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Henry is fun, energetic, and lots of company. He enjoys nightly walks, and is always with me or my husband. Henry has a stomach problem, so he needs to eat special food (sigh), but that doesn’t stop him from loving to eat. Now that our daughter has finished her university studies and completed her Master’s Degree, she’s requested that Henry travel to Ireland to live with her.

However, at this point, we’re keeping Henry with us, content in the Carolinas.

My husband and I disagree about how often Henry should be groomed.

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(Henry with a haircut)

How often do you think a dog should be groomed? Please leave your comments below.

What are you seeking?

Grab my boxed set of three inspirational and historical romances for one low price.

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Dear Friends,

A heartwarming story is the hallmark of a romantic read. Savor the magic of the Romany Gypsies with this collection of historical and Christian romances in my exclusive boxed set.

Seeking Catherine

Will it take more than a dose of Gypsy magic to chase away the doubts between two guarded lovers?

Seeking Fortune

A Golden Pen Winner, Seeking Fortune also received over 6000 nominations on Kindle scout.

Seeking Patience

Will this strong man humble himself to open his heart for his lady?

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Josie Riviera is a USA TODAY bestselling author of contemporary, inspirational, and historical sweet romances that read like Hallmark movies. She lives in the Charlotte, NC, area with her wonderfully supportive husband. They share their home with an adorable shih tzu, who constantly needs grooming, and live in an old house forever needing renovations.

Follow Josie on Bookbub and “like” her Author Facebook page.

If you enjoy reading, free books and ARC’s, join my VIP Facebook group today!

Thanks for stopping by. Please leave Josie a message.

Furbaby Friday with Beth Trissel

Kittens Happen…

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Last Friday, I was given a tiny kitten to care for–for the weekend–but his stay is now indefinite. Sometimes, you just need a kitten, and you didn’t even know it. Hubby would appreciate my finding a home for the baby when he’s older. Meanwhile…I’m getting attached, as are the grandkids and Puppy Cooper. Cooper loves this kitten and frequently checks on it. If the baby mews, he rushes to its box to see if it’s OK, and when I let the tiny toddler explore, Cooper is on its tail. The grandkids are building the kitten a playhouse run out of Amazon boxes with connecting tunnels. Very creative and he has rewarded them by darting through their maze like a hamster. Just between us, I think hubby is destined to have another cat in his life.

When I first began Furbaby Friday, it was as a tribute to my dear little dog and best friend, Sadie. Her passing tore me up more than words can express. I still miss her terribly, and tear up thinking about her, but Cooper, Jilly, our farm dog, Luca, and my kitties are a big comfort. Peaches and Cream have been my babies since they were two week old kittens granddaughter Emma found abandoned. Cream was left in a mud puddle, so dirty we couldn’t tell he was a white kitten. He and Peaches are buddy brothers. Funny bird Kitty Pavel is attached to me in his own way. All my furbabies are rescues, and give back so much to me and the family.

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About a week after Sadie crossed the rainbow bridge, Kitty Percy followed her. A very sad time for us all, especially me. This little kitten that has come into our lives looks a lot like Percy did. Percy and Sadie were pals and snoozed on the couch together. They kept me company through many a writing project and the ups and downs of life. I have missed Percy a lot too, and wonder if this new kitty might be like him. You can’t replace a dearly loved furbaby, but newcomers have a way of finding a place in your heart you didn’t even know you had. They create their own warm home in the deepest recesses of our sentiments, maybe even our soul. Those people who do not love furbabies will never understand. Those who do, need no explanation. We know what our furbabies mean to us. Yes, they are a handful to care for at times, but I cannot imagine my life without them. Nor do I wish to. They are my dear friends and an essential part of my life.

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As of yesterday, the kitten has been named Sparky McGee.

Furbaby Friday With Laurie Ryan

I’m happy to have Laurie Ryan here to share her awesome furbaby and contemporary romance. Northern Lights, with us.

Laurie:

Hi, everyone! And many thanks to Beth for having me here to chat about our furbaby. My husband and I have been privileged to have some pretty awesome animals during our time together. Three of them, a husky named Taschia, a poodle mix called Puddles (picked that up during potty training and it stuck), and a cat named Screamer (again, appropriately named). They were raised together and mostly got along. And the year we lost all three of these members of our family was pretty rough. In fact, we went about five years with no pets because of that.

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By then, though, we couldn’t stand it any longer. We put the word out that we were looking for a cat. Interestingly enough, one came our way within a week. A friend of our son’s called to say she’d rescued a stray. She caught some guys (who will be featured as the villains in one of my books eventually) who were throwing this teeny-tiny kitten up, trying to land it on the roof of a building! She grabbed the frightened kitten and sent the villains packing.

[image error]And that’s how Dude came to live with us. Remember that “appropriate naming” thing above? This was our first male pet since hubby and I were kids, and we kept saying “she” and “her.” So we named him Dude. And the name is soooo right for this cat. He’s the most laid back pet we’ve ever owned. Loves everyone, loves naps, loves to eat, and rarely gets riled. Well, unless a dog or another cat come on the property

 

His lazy—I mean, laid back lifestyle is probably why he’s been stable for several years at seventeen pounds. He’s a hefty boy, loves to cuddle under my chin, and watches bird videos on you tube. And he’s brought us so much joy in these last ten years. I can’t imagine life without our Dude.

Beth: I love this cat!

Northern Lights:

[image error]Finding love in the heart of Alaska.

When New York CEO Renzo Gallini shows up with papers saying he owns the waystation Jess lives and breathes for, she laughs in his face. But things get tense when he’s got the paperwork to prove it…and her father, who apparently signed her home away, is nowhere to be found.

Alaskan native Jess Jenkins has lived most of her life at Last Chance Camp, a man’s world where femininity is relegated to wisps of time behind closed doors. Yet she’s proud of what they’ve built here. Last Chance is all she needs to be happy and no amber-eyed city-boy will convince her otherwise.

Ren left New York on his mother’s foolish errand, to turn an Alaskan truck stop into a vacation destination. He finds little of merit in the wide spot in the road until the small community, led by a fiercely loyal tomboy, shows him there’s more to Alaska than just ruts in the road. That survival depends not just on good planning, but on each other. And love can be found in places where you least expect it.

All buy links can be found here: https://books2read.com/NorthernLights

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About the author:

[image error]Laurie Ryan writes fantasy and contemporary romance. Growing up a devoted reader, Laurie Ryan immersed herself in the diverse works of authors like Tolkien and Woodiwiss. She is passionate about every aspect of a book: beginning, middle, and end. She can’t arrive to a movie five minutes late, has never been able to read the end of a book before the beginning, and is a strong believer in reading the book before seeing the movie.

Laurie lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, in the shadow of Mt. Rainier and a short drive to beach-walking next to the Pacific Ocean, with her handsome, he-can-fix-anything husband and their gray, seventeen-pound cat, Dude.

You can find Laurie here:

Website: https://www.laurieryanauthor.com/

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/beVXAr

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/laurieryanauth/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lryanauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurie.ryan.79

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave Laurie a comment!

Time Travel Romance Somewhere My Love–Free Kindle Thru 8/18

[image error]Somewhere My Love (Book 1, Somewhere in Time) is the story that began my preoccupation with time travel. It spun into the Somewhere in Time series, and now I’ve added a new series with Ladies in Time. Both series are similar and have historical, paranormal, and often ghostly elements. I like a good mystery in my time travels so that’s also an important feature. And above all, romance. These are love stories.

Blurb:  Two hundred years ago Captain Cole Wentworth, the master of an elegant Virginian home, was murdered in his chamber where his portrait still hangs. Presently the estate is a family owned museum run by Will Wentworth, a man so uncannily identical to his ancestor that spirit-sensitive tour guide Julia Morrow has trouble recognizing Cole and Will as separate. As Julia begins to remember the events of Cole’s death, she must convince Will that history is repeating, and this time he has the starring role in the tragedy. The blade is about to fall.

***Somewhere My Love is free in kindle through August 18th, so snap yours up now at:  https://www.amazon.com/SOMEWHERE-LOVE-Somewhere-Time-Book-ebook/dp/B00AFJ7DZ6