Kristy McCaffrey's Blog: Author Kristy McCaffrey, page 3
February 7, 2022
Sneak Peek of THE STARLING
By Kristy McCaffrey
A brand new Wings of the West novel will be coming August 2, 2022.
Colorado 1899
Kate Ryan has always had a streak of justice in her. When she decides to apply to the Pinkerton Detective Agency, nothing will stand in her way. Initially hired in a clerical position, she quickly works her way up to field agent with the help of her mentor, Louise Foster. When Louise is injured, Kate gets her first assignment and the opportunity of a lifetime.
Henry Maguire has been undercover in the household of wealthy cattleman Arthur Wingate. Employed as a ghostwriter to pen the man’s memoir, Henry is also searching for clues to a lucrative counterfeiting scheme. When Henry’s “wife” shows up, he’s taken aback by the attractive woman who isn’t Louise. Now he must work with a female agent he doesn’t know and doesn’t necessarily trust. And because he has another reason for coming into Wingate’s world, Kate Ryan is unavoidably in his way.
Kate Ryan is the daughter of Matt and Molly from THE WREN, and THE STARLING is the first of five novels featuring the second generation of Ryans in the Wings of the West series.
The Wings of the West Series Reading Order
Book One: The Wren
Book Two: The Dove
Book Three: The Sparrow
Book Four: The Blackbird
Book Five: The Bluebird
Book Six: The Songbird (Novella)
Book Seven: Echo of the Plains (Short Story)
Book Eight: The Starling (Coming Soon)
Pre-order The Starling today!!
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon AU
Amazon CA
Amazon DE (English version)
Nook
Apple Books
Add The Starling to your Goodreads TBR shelf
Here's a sneak peek of Chapter One
Trinidad, Colorado
April 1899
Kate Ryan shifted on the hard seat of the buckboard as it rattled along the road. The setting sun cast rays of light from its western position, blossoming like a flower.
“Why didn’t your husband pick you up and take you to this party?” The question broke the spell of her anxious anticipation. The driver, an older burly man the Pinkerton agency had hired at the last minute, glanced at her.
“I’ve arrived a day early and didn’t have the opportunity to send word to Hen—” She caught herself at the last second. “To Gilbert.” My husband’s name is Gilbert. She repeated the mantra a few more times, trying to drill it into her brain. Henry Maguire was the man playing her husband. She was getting the break of a lifetime—the ability to work as a full agent on a case at only nineteen years old—and she didn’t want to spoil it by ruining the other agent’s cover.
“It’s a surprise,” she added in a rush.
“Huh.”
Kate frowned, uncertainty fluttering in her chest. “You don’t think this is a good idea?” Her heart sped along with a steady rat-a-tat-tat, her palms clammy, and her mouth tasting like cotton balls, offering little help in wetting her dry lips.
Her nerves were stretched to the brink.
“He don’t know you’re coming, and he’s at the Wingate’s party without you? It’s just ….” He pulled on the reins, guiding the team around a bend in the road, and cast a sympathetic look her way. “You seem like a nice young woman. I just don’t want you to be disappointed … or have your feelings hurt.”
For a moment, Kate was at a loss as to what he meant, and then it walloped her over the head like her brother Eli sometimes did when the two of them argued. Not an actual wallop but a verbal harangue. Kate, however, had always held her ground with her older sibling. And she would need to do so now.
The man was implying her husband was a philanderer. Of all the circumstances she had anticipated dealing with, this one had honestly never crossed her mind. Mostly, she supposed, because this wasn’t a real marriage. It probably was true that Henry had a woman somewhere, although she knew from the Pinkerton office that he wasn’t married. Well, this driver wouldn’t rattle her. She had a job to do. And part of that job was to be Henry’s loving wife as well as his partner on the job. She could do it. She would do it.
“I’m sure it will be fine. I know my Gilbert, and he would never be anything but a gentleman. He was expecting me tomorrow. I’m just a day early. He left me a note at the house as to where he would be this evening,” she added, warming to the prevarications spilling from her mouth.
“So he knew you were coming? But you said he didn’t.”
“Well, I, ah.” She cleared her throat. “He wasn’t certain when I was to arrive. I was visiting my mother. She’s very ill, you see. I had told him I might arrive tonight, or tomorrow. I told him to go to the party and not to wait for me.” Stop talking, Kate. She folded her gloved hands onto her lap and glanced to the countryside, still visible in the fading light. This lying was going to prove a challenge to her.
Her mentor at the agency, Louise Foster, who had single-handedly gotten Kate this assignment, had told her during her training to keep the mistruths to a minimum. It would make it easier to remember them.
“Well, then,” the driver said. “I’m sure it will be fine. Your Gilbert will be mighty happy to see you.”
They crossed beneath a large wrought iron arch and entered a massive ranch. It had been a long journey from town and Kate’s bottom was sore from the buckboard. She would have been much happier on her own horse, but Edgar Jones, her boss, had insisted she not enter the fray alone. He embraced working with female agents on his payroll, but he was careful with their safety as well.
Mr. Jones had sent word to Henry via a courier that she was arriving, but it was never clear if the message had been received. It had contained Louise’s suggestion that Kate attend the party. Louise had argued with Jones from her hospital bed that Henry was sometimes too stubborn in wanting to work alone and that if they didn’t force Kate upon him, he might keep her away from the investigation. Kate had been uncomfortably present for that exchange, leading her to wonder if Henry was a good agent after all, but underlying the discussion was a genuine tone of concern in both Jones and Louise’s voices.
However, now that Kate was here, a bigger problem was presenting itself—Henry was expecting Louise as his “wife” partner, not Kate. In fact, Kate had never met Henry, so of course he wouldn’t know who she was when she arrived.
Hence her anxiety.
In the distance, the lights of the main house blazed, growing brighter as they neared. The front area was crowded with buggies, horses, and carriages. Her driver was forced to stop some distance from the front porch.
He set the brake, climbed down, and came to Kate’s side. She gathered the full folds of her royal blue gown, quite the fanciest thing she had ever worn. The Rocking Wren, her folks’ ranch, rarely required this level of decorum. She clasped the driver’s hand and stepped down.
She confirmed she had her reticule looped around a wrist and patted her hair, pinned into a fancy upsweep.
She turned to the driver. “I’m so sorry, but I didn’t get your name.”
“Francis, ma’am. It was a pleasure, Mrs. Gilbert ….” He raised a busy brow in question.
“Holmes. And please, call me Sallie.” She was immensely proud that she got her alias correct, although she had no doubt that this was the smallest of tests she was about to endure. Still, she must take every victory she could get.
“Shall I wait for you, Sallie?” Francis asked, his gaze filled with genuine concern.
“No, of course not. My husband will see me home.” She hoped.
Francis donned his hat, giving a nod and a tug on the brim. “It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
“Perhaps I’ll see you again, Mr. Francis ….” She leaned forward and raised a brow.
He chuckled. “O’Malley. I run the livery in town. I’m also the blacksmith. If you need a horse shod, you give me a holler. I’ll do it for free. It’s the least I can do.”
As she started to turn to leave, he added, “And watch yourself in there.”
She looked over her shoulder at him.
“Mrs. Wingate, she can be a little … too much. Don’t let her scare you. People like her sense fear and they pounce. Someone like you don’t deserve that. If you ever have any trouble and your husband isn’t doing his job, you come see me, you hear?”
Kate relaxed her shoulders, feeling the genuine concern emanating from Francis. “Thank you. I appreciate it. I truly do.”
She left him and made her way to the entrance of the grand home, feeling as if every step were taking her into the lion’s den. But she wouldn’t be afraid. She had wanted to have a career in law enforcement since she had turned sixteen. It was why she had pursued employment with the Pinkerton Detective Agency, one of the only places that allowed women—and especially young women—to have a chance to do important work.
The front entrance was open and attended by a butler. Kate took a deep breath and crossed the threshold.
* * *
Henry scanned the bustling ballroom, filled with partygoers chattering away—men in suits and women in gowns awash with color. Everyone loved a good Wingate extravaganza, or at least that’s what Henry had learned in the past week of undercover work.
His gaze rested briefly on Arthur Wingate, his target in this investigation. The man was tall, making it easy to find him in a crowd, his gray-streaked black hair slicked back. He was holding court with three men. While he didn’t recognize the man on the left, Henry knew the other two were involved with a company that imported steel products into Mexico.
It could certainly be a connection in the official case to which the Pinkertons had been contracted. First National Bank out of Trinidad had hired the agency to investigate possible money counterfeiting and insurance fraud. Henry was certain that Wingate was at the center. All he had to do was prove it. But Henry also had a secondary reason for being here, one he hadn’t shared with his boss, Edgar Jones, despite that he and Jonesy were more than employer and employee. They were friends, too. But Henry didn’t want Jonesy and the agency implicated if things went south, and truth be told, Henry wasn’t certain what he would uncover. His father, Hugh Maguire, had gone missing in Trinidad nine years ago. The official story—he was killed in a coal mine explosion, but Henry had reason to believe that hadn’t been the case.
And at the center of it all was Arthur Wingate.
Henry was here to prove that Wingate was a criminal, and maybe a murderer.
Ian’s voice echoed in Henry’s head. “There was an investigation, Henry, and no foul play was found.” He and his older brother often failed to see eye-to-eye, hence why Henry had told no one his true reason for being here, least of all Ian.
He took a sip of his brandy … barely. He had no intention of clouding his judgment with alcohol this evening.
“Sir.” A valet drew his attention.
Henry nodded his acknowledgement.
“Your wife has arrived, sir.”
My wife ….
What the hell? Louise was here? Now?
Jonesy had agreed that Louise Foster would be summoned when Henry sent word. And he hadn’t sent word. Dammit.
“Of course,” Henry replied. “Thank you.”
“Please follow me, sir.”
Henry thought of abandoning the drink he’d been nursing for the last hour, but instead kept it as he followed the valet through clusters of people and the low din of talking and laughing. In fact, he took a large gulp as he walked, to soothe his nerves. Sometimes his own rules needed to be amended. This wasn’t a disaster, he reminded himself. Louise was a good field agent, one he’d worked with more than once, and he respected her abilities. She was also his friend, one of the very few along with Jonesy. If she were here now, there must be a good reason. While his cover had included a wife, Henry rather liked working alone, and he’d told Jonesy that Louise could join him when it seemed absolutely necessary. And it hadn’t been necessary … yet. But apparently Edgar Jones had pulled rank, thinking differently.
As Henry entered the foyer, his gaze landed on a young woman in a stunning blue gown, her dark brown hair swept away from her face. She was conversing with Arthur’s wife, Lottie, near the front entrance. Her poise drew his eye and for a moment, Henry considered what it would be like if he weren’t working, if he could simply pursue a conversation with an attractive woman. He had purposely not set down roots. His work made it impossible. Well, not impossible. He had simply not met a woman who could turn his attention from his job.
Reluctantly, he peeled his eyes from the alluring distraction and searched the foyer for Louise, but she was nowhere to be seen.
“She must have stepped into another room,” Henry said to the valet.
“No, sir.” The young man stopped and gave a nod toward Mrs. Wingate and the striking woman beside her.
Henry endured a brief state of confusion, an unnatural occurrence since he kept everything in his life compartmentalized and in order.
Recovering quickly, he said, “Of course, thank you. I must need my spectacles this evening.” He left the valet before he was forced to converse further, giving even more opportunities for a slip up. He walked slowly to the two women, since he wasn’t certain what he should say. Clearly, the valet had been misinformed.
Henry glanced over his shoulder, confirming the man had left the foyer. With the all-clear, Henry shifted his path to miss the two conversing women, although a twinge of regret flared. A small part of him wondered what would happen if he struck up a conversation with the woman in blue. But now wasn’t the time for personal interests. Just as he passed within three feet of the women, a voice rang out, “Gilbert! Darling!”
Henry stopped and faced the woman who had in a brief span sparked such an intense interest in him. She had used his alias. It all became clear in an instant.
She was his wife.
Hell.
He plastered the biggest smile he could on his face. “Sallie, there you are.” He went to her and planted a kiss on her cheek.
His Sallie blushed, her cheeks a bright crimson. Her skin was smooth as porcelain, leaving a lingering impression upon his lips, and it only added to his frustration.
He kept his expression amiable and besotted, playing the part of a happy and surprised husband, and said, “I had no idea you were coming.” But beneath it all, anger threatened to uncoil in his chest.
He took some measure of pleasure when his new wife flinched ever so slightly, no doubt catching the flash of censure he allowed to escape his gaze. He could accept her as his wife, but it didn’t mean he had to like it, whether she was compelling or not.
But still, where the hell was Louise? Why had Jonesy sent this much too young of a woman with whom he had no acquaintance and could therefore not assess her skills as an agent? To make it all worse, his pulse had quickened as soon as he’d looked into her clear green eyes. She might be young, but a spark of intelligence snapped the distance between them.
“It was last minute, darling,” she replied, her voice tinged with excitement.
It was too late to turn back now. They had an audience with Lottie Wingate, who watched them intently. And Henry had been struggling with Mrs. Wingate ever since he’d gotten here. He’d managed to ingratiate himself with the woman’s husband, Arthur, posing as a writer hired to pen the man’s life story, but Lottie Wingate had been surprisingly suspicious.
“I’m thrilled you’re here,” he said, taking Sallie’s hand. He turned his attention to the older woman. “If you’ll excuse us, I’d like to have a word in private with my beautiful bride.”
“Certainly,” Lottie said, her gaze cool. She was a striking woman with fair skin and red hair that had yet to succumb to graying. “It was lovely to meet you, Sallie. I hope we’ll have a chance to speak more. And you’ll have to accompany Gilbert the next time he comes here.” Henry didn’t miss the hard flash in her gaze. She hadn’t liked Henry from the moment he had arrived. “We could have tea while the men discuss business.”
“I’d like that,” Sallie said.
Having abandoned his drink on a side table, Henry tucked Sallie’s gloved hand into the crook of his elbow and led her into the next room. He wanted to speak privately but in a flash knew this would be impossible. It was too risky to engage in any kind of conversation beyond the benign while they were at this party.
“Would you like a drink?” he asked quietly. He could use another one.
Sallie smiled and nodded, sliding a quick glance at him, and then letting her eyes roam the room.
They found a waiter and his wife’s gloved hand soon held a sherry and Henry’s a whiskey, straight up. He drank it in one swallow. His wife narrowed her eyes, the first sign of some backbone in the woman.
“I know my arrival is unexpected, Gilbert,” she murmured over the rim of her sherry glass, taking a sip. “But rest assured, I’m here to stay. You’re not alone any longer.”
Copyright © 2022 K. McCaffrey LLC
A brand new Wings of the West novel will be coming August 2, 2022.
Colorado 1899
Kate Ryan has always had a streak of justice in her. When she decides to apply to the Pinkerton Detective Agency, nothing will stand in her way. Initially hired in a clerical position, she quickly works her way up to field agent with the help of her mentor, Louise Foster. When Louise is injured, Kate gets her first assignment and the opportunity of a lifetime.
Henry Maguire has been undercover in the household of wealthy cattleman Arthur Wingate. Employed as a ghostwriter to pen the man’s memoir, Henry is also searching for clues to a lucrative counterfeiting scheme. When Henry’s “wife” shows up, he’s taken aback by the attractive woman who isn’t Louise. Now he must work with a female agent he doesn’t know and doesn’t necessarily trust. And because he has another reason for coming into Wingate’s world, Kate Ryan is unavoidably in his way.
Kate Ryan is the daughter of Matt and Molly from THE WREN, and THE STARLING is the first of five novels featuring the second generation of Ryans in the Wings of the West series.
The Wings of the West Series Reading Order
Book One: The Wren
Book Two: The Dove
Book Three: The Sparrow
Book Four: The Blackbird
Book Five: The Bluebird
Book Six: The Songbird (Novella)
Book Seven: Echo of the Plains (Short Story)
Book Eight: The Starling (Coming Soon)
Pre-order The Starling today!!
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon AU
Amazon CA
Amazon DE (English version)
Nook
Apple Books
Add The Starling to your Goodreads TBR shelf
Here's a sneak peek of Chapter One
Trinidad, Colorado
April 1899
Kate Ryan shifted on the hard seat of the buckboard as it rattled along the road. The setting sun cast rays of light from its western position, blossoming like a flower.
“Why didn’t your husband pick you up and take you to this party?” The question broke the spell of her anxious anticipation. The driver, an older burly man the Pinkerton agency had hired at the last minute, glanced at her.
“I’ve arrived a day early and didn’t have the opportunity to send word to Hen—” She caught herself at the last second. “To Gilbert.” My husband’s name is Gilbert. She repeated the mantra a few more times, trying to drill it into her brain. Henry Maguire was the man playing her husband. She was getting the break of a lifetime—the ability to work as a full agent on a case at only nineteen years old—and she didn’t want to spoil it by ruining the other agent’s cover.
“It’s a surprise,” she added in a rush.
“Huh.”
Kate frowned, uncertainty fluttering in her chest. “You don’t think this is a good idea?” Her heart sped along with a steady rat-a-tat-tat, her palms clammy, and her mouth tasting like cotton balls, offering little help in wetting her dry lips.
Her nerves were stretched to the brink.
“He don’t know you’re coming, and he’s at the Wingate’s party without you? It’s just ….” He pulled on the reins, guiding the team around a bend in the road, and cast a sympathetic look her way. “You seem like a nice young woman. I just don’t want you to be disappointed … or have your feelings hurt.”
For a moment, Kate was at a loss as to what he meant, and then it walloped her over the head like her brother Eli sometimes did when the two of them argued. Not an actual wallop but a verbal harangue. Kate, however, had always held her ground with her older sibling. And she would need to do so now.
The man was implying her husband was a philanderer. Of all the circumstances she had anticipated dealing with, this one had honestly never crossed her mind. Mostly, she supposed, because this wasn’t a real marriage. It probably was true that Henry had a woman somewhere, although she knew from the Pinkerton office that he wasn’t married. Well, this driver wouldn’t rattle her. She had a job to do. And part of that job was to be Henry’s loving wife as well as his partner on the job. She could do it. She would do it.
“I’m sure it will be fine. I know my Gilbert, and he would never be anything but a gentleman. He was expecting me tomorrow. I’m just a day early. He left me a note at the house as to where he would be this evening,” she added, warming to the prevarications spilling from her mouth.
“So he knew you were coming? But you said he didn’t.”
“Well, I, ah.” She cleared her throat. “He wasn’t certain when I was to arrive. I was visiting my mother. She’s very ill, you see. I had told him I might arrive tonight, or tomorrow. I told him to go to the party and not to wait for me.” Stop talking, Kate. She folded her gloved hands onto her lap and glanced to the countryside, still visible in the fading light. This lying was going to prove a challenge to her.
Her mentor at the agency, Louise Foster, who had single-handedly gotten Kate this assignment, had told her during her training to keep the mistruths to a minimum. It would make it easier to remember them.
“Well, then,” the driver said. “I’m sure it will be fine. Your Gilbert will be mighty happy to see you.”
They crossed beneath a large wrought iron arch and entered a massive ranch. It had been a long journey from town and Kate’s bottom was sore from the buckboard. She would have been much happier on her own horse, but Edgar Jones, her boss, had insisted she not enter the fray alone. He embraced working with female agents on his payroll, but he was careful with their safety as well.
Mr. Jones had sent word to Henry via a courier that she was arriving, but it was never clear if the message had been received. It had contained Louise’s suggestion that Kate attend the party. Louise had argued with Jones from her hospital bed that Henry was sometimes too stubborn in wanting to work alone and that if they didn’t force Kate upon him, he might keep her away from the investigation. Kate had been uncomfortably present for that exchange, leading her to wonder if Henry was a good agent after all, but underlying the discussion was a genuine tone of concern in both Jones and Louise’s voices.
However, now that Kate was here, a bigger problem was presenting itself—Henry was expecting Louise as his “wife” partner, not Kate. In fact, Kate had never met Henry, so of course he wouldn’t know who she was when she arrived.
Hence her anxiety.
In the distance, the lights of the main house blazed, growing brighter as they neared. The front area was crowded with buggies, horses, and carriages. Her driver was forced to stop some distance from the front porch.
He set the brake, climbed down, and came to Kate’s side. She gathered the full folds of her royal blue gown, quite the fanciest thing she had ever worn. The Rocking Wren, her folks’ ranch, rarely required this level of decorum. She clasped the driver’s hand and stepped down.
She confirmed she had her reticule looped around a wrist and patted her hair, pinned into a fancy upsweep.
She turned to the driver. “I’m so sorry, but I didn’t get your name.”
“Francis, ma’am. It was a pleasure, Mrs. Gilbert ….” He raised a busy brow in question.
“Holmes. And please, call me Sallie.” She was immensely proud that she got her alias correct, although she had no doubt that this was the smallest of tests she was about to endure. Still, she must take every victory she could get.
“Shall I wait for you, Sallie?” Francis asked, his gaze filled with genuine concern.
“No, of course not. My husband will see me home.” She hoped.
Francis donned his hat, giving a nod and a tug on the brim. “It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
“Perhaps I’ll see you again, Mr. Francis ….” She leaned forward and raised a brow.
He chuckled. “O’Malley. I run the livery in town. I’m also the blacksmith. If you need a horse shod, you give me a holler. I’ll do it for free. It’s the least I can do.”
As she started to turn to leave, he added, “And watch yourself in there.”
She looked over her shoulder at him.
“Mrs. Wingate, she can be a little … too much. Don’t let her scare you. People like her sense fear and they pounce. Someone like you don’t deserve that. If you ever have any trouble and your husband isn’t doing his job, you come see me, you hear?”
Kate relaxed her shoulders, feeling the genuine concern emanating from Francis. “Thank you. I appreciate it. I truly do.”
She left him and made her way to the entrance of the grand home, feeling as if every step were taking her into the lion’s den. But she wouldn’t be afraid. She had wanted to have a career in law enforcement since she had turned sixteen. It was why she had pursued employment with the Pinkerton Detective Agency, one of the only places that allowed women—and especially young women—to have a chance to do important work.
The front entrance was open and attended by a butler. Kate took a deep breath and crossed the threshold.
* * *
Henry scanned the bustling ballroom, filled with partygoers chattering away—men in suits and women in gowns awash with color. Everyone loved a good Wingate extravaganza, or at least that’s what Henry had learned in the past week of undercover work.
His gaze rested briefly on Arthur Wingate, his target in this investigation. The man was tall, making it easy to find him in a crowd, his gray-streaked black hair slicked back. He was holding court with three men. While he didn’t recognize the man on the left, Henry knew the other two were involved with a company that imported steel products into Mexico.
It could certainly be a connection in the official case to which the Pinkertons had been contracted. First National Bank out of Trinidad had hired the agency to investigate possible money counterfeiting and insurance fraud. Henry was certain that Wingate was at the center. All he had to do was prove it. But Henry also had a secondary reason for being here, one he hadn’t shared with his boss, Edgar Jones, despite that he and Jonesy were more than employer and employee. They were friends, too. But Henry didn’t want Jonesy and the agency implicated if things went south, and truth be told, Henry wasn’t certain what he would uncover. His father, Hugh Maguire, had gone missing in Trinidad nine years ago. The official story—he was killed in a coal mine explosion, but Henry had reason to believe that hadn’t been the case.
And at the center of it all was Arthur Wingate.
Henry was here to prove that Wingate was a criminal, and maybe a murderer.
Ian’s voice echoed in Henry’s head. “There was an investigation, Henry, and no foul play was found.” He and his older brother often failed to see eye-to-eye, hence why Henry had told no one his true reason for being here, least of all Ian.
He took a sip of his brandy … barely. He had no intention of clouding his judgment with alcohol this evening.
“Sir.” A valet drew his attention.
Henry nodded his acknowledgement.
“Your wife has arrived, sir.”
My wife ….
What the hell? Louise was here? Now?
Jonesy had agreed that Louise Foster would be summoned when Henry sent word. And he hadn’t sent word. Dammit.
“Of course,” Henry replied. “Thank you.”
“Please follow me, sir.”
Henry thought of abandoning the drink he’d been nursing for the last hour, but instead kept it as he followed the valet through clusters of people and the low din of talking and laughing. In fact, he took a large gulp as he walked, to soothe his nerves. Sometimes his own rules needed to be amended. This wasn’t a disaster, he reminded himself. Louise was a good field agent, one he’d worked with more than once, and he respected her abilities. She was also his friend, one of the very few along with Jonesy. If she were here now, there must be a good reason. While his cover had included a wife, Henry rather liked working alone, and he’d told Jonesy that Louise could join him when it seemed absolutely necessary. And it hadn’t been necessary … yet. But apparently Edgar Jones had pulled rank, thinking differently.
As Henry entered the foyer, his gaze landed on a young woman in a stunning blue gown, her dark brown hair swept away from her face. She was conversing with Arthur’s wife, Lottie, near the front entrance. Her poise drew his eye and for a moment, Henry considered what it would be like if he weren’t working, if he could simply pursue a conversation with an attractive woman. He had purposely not set down roots. His work made it impossible. Well, not impossible. He had simply not met a woman who could turn his attention from his job.
Reluctantly, he peeled his eyes from the alluring distraction and searched the foyer for Louise, but she was nowhere to be seen.
“She must have stepped into another room,” Henry said to the valet.
“No, sir.” The young man stopped and gave a nod toward Mrs. Wingate and the striking woman beside her.
Henry endured a brief state of confusion, an unnatural occurrence since he kept everything in his life compartmentalized and in order.
Recovering quickly, he said, “Of course, thank you. I must need my spectacles this evening.” He left the valet before he was forced to converse further, giving even more opportunities for a slip up. He walked slowly to the two women, since he wasn’t certain what he should say. Clearly, the valet had been misinformed.
Henry glanced over his shoulder, confirming the man had left the foyer. With the all-clear, Henry shifted his path to miss the two conversing women, although a twinge of regret flared. A small part of him wondered what would happen if he struck up a conversation with the woman in blue. But now wasn’t the time for personal interests. Just as he passed within three feet of the women, a voice rang out, “Gilbert! Darling!”
Henry stopped and faced the woman who had in a brief span sparked such an intense interest in him. She had used his alias. It all became clear in an instant.
She was his wife.
Hell.
He plastered the biggest smile he could on his face. “Sallie, there you are.” He went to her and planted a kiss on her cheek.
His Sallie blushed, her cheeks a bright crimson. Her skin was smooth as porcelain, leaving a lingering impression upon his lips, and it only added to his frustration.
He kept his expression amiable and besotted, playing the part of a happy and surprised husband, and said, “I had no idea you were coming.” But beneath it all, anger threatened to uncoil in his chest.
He took some measure of pleasure when his new wife flinched ever so slightly, no doubt catching the flash of censure he allowed to escape his gaze. He could accept her as his wife, but it didn’t mean he had to like it, whether she was compelling or not.
But still, where the hell was Louise? Why had Jonesy sent this much too young of a woman with whom he had no acquaintance and could therefore not assess her skills as an agent? To make it all worse, his pulse had quickened as soon as he’d looked into her clear green eyes. She might be young, but a spark of intelligence snapped the distance between them.
“It was last minute, darling,” she replied, her voice tinged with excitement.
It was too late to turn back now. They had an audience with Lottie Wingate, who watched them intently. And Henry had been struggling with Mrs. Wingate ever since he’d gotten here. He’d managed to ingratiate himself with the woman’s husband, Arthur, posing as a writer hired to pen the man’s life story, but Lottie Wingate had been surprisingly suspicious.
“I’m thrilled you’re here,” he said, taking Sallie’s hand. He turned his attention to the older woman. “If you’ll excuse us, I’d like to have a word in private with my beautiful bride.”
“Certainly,” Lottie said, her gaze cool. She was a striking woman with fair skin and red hair that had yet to succumb to graying. “It was lovely to meet you, Sallie. I hope we’ll have a chance to speak more. And you’ll have to accompany Gilbert the next time he comes here.” Henry didn’t miss the hard flash in her gaze. She hadn’t liked Henry from the moment he had arrived. “We could have tea while the men discuss business.”
“I’d like that,” Sallie said.
Having abandoned his drink on a side table, Henry tucked Sallie’s gloved hand into the crook of his elbow and led her into the next room. He wanted to speak privately but in a flash knew this would be impossible. It was too risky to engage in any kind of conversation beyond the benign while they were at this party.
“Would you like a drink?” he asked quietly. He could use another one.
Sallie smiled and nodded, sliding a quick glance at him, and then letting her eyes roam the room.
They found a waiter and his wife’s gloved hand soon held a sherry and Henry’s a whiskey, straight up. He drank it in one swallow. His wife narrowed her eyes, the first sign of some backbone in the woman.
“I know my arrival is unexpected, Gilbert,” she murmured over the rim of her sherry glass, taking a sip. “But rest assured, I’m here to stay. You’re not alone any longer.”
Copyright © 2022 K. McCaffrey LLC
January 18, 2022
Writing Cold Horizon
By Kristy McCaffrey
I’m not a climber, but I’ve always been fascinated by mountain climbing and have followed the careers of many mountaineers. I've always wanted to write a book about it. When I decided to get serious about COLD HORIZON, I read dozens of memoirs by climbers, as well as educating myself about how these types of expeditions were organized. Another great resource were blogs where climbers posted real-time as they tackled K2. While Mt. Everest is the tallest mountain in the world, I was more interested in K2, number two. It’s not located in the Himalaya but in the Karakoram. Climbers must enter through Pakistan, and the trek to base camp is a perilous ten-day hike with little infrastructure. K2 is a technically more difficult mountain than Everest, and it’s more dangerous.
I watched a lot of documentaries too, but one of my favorite films is Vertical Limit (released in 2000) starring Chris O’Donnell, Robyn Tunney, the late Bill Paxton, and Scott Glenn. It gets a lot about K2 wrong, but it’s highly entertaining and perfect popcorn fare.
My Characters
The heroine, Lindsey Coulson, grew up with a mountaineering father. Unfortunately, he dies while on an expedition when she’s young, but she and her older sister, Alison, become climbers in their teens nevertheless. Together they tackle some of the biggest mountains in the world and begin to make a name for themselves. Then Alison dies at K2—the first expedition that Lindsey had skipped—and in her grief, Lindsey stops climbing. But now she’s ready to get back at it, and she knows she must go to K2, so she approaches Tyler Galloway and asks if she can join his team.
Tyler Galloway has grown up with adventurous parents who instilled a love of the outdoors and extreme sports in all three of their children. (His siblings star in the other two Pathway books, DEEP BLUE and ANCIENT WINDS.) He has an appreciation for the natural world and supplements his income by writing about it, but he is also restless at heart and likes pushing himself. He admires Lindsey, even has a bit of a crush on her, but he’s a strong leader who considers the needs of the team over the individual.
The other members of the team are David Shaw, who was Alison’s fiancé and was with her two years ago on K2 when she died. There’s friction between David and Lindsey that plays out in the story. Ed Dittrich, known as Ditch, is older and Tyler’s mentor. He’s a very careful and methodical climber and keeps the team on course. The final member of the team is Billy Packer, an irreverent soul who says the most inappropriate things at the wrong time (he’s the comic relief). Tyler’s sister Brynn also joins them. She doesn’t climb but remains in base camp and acts as the trip manager, relaying messages on the radio and watching the weather forecasts.
What’s it like to climb K2?
K2 is located on the border between China and Pakistan in the Karakoram Mountains. The name K2 is derived from the notation used by the Great Trigonometrical Survey of British India, given because it was the second peak measured in the Karakoram Range. Locally, the mountain is called Chogori. Its icy sides are steep and exposed, and it’s prone to heavy storms and avalanches.
Most climbers approach from the Pakistan side, starting in Islamabad, then take a bus ride to the town of Skardu. From there, it’s a 10-day treacherous hike to get to base camp, situated at 18,000 feet. Climbers usually employ anywhere from 50-100 porters to haul in everything they need.
Each team is embedded with a Pakistani Liaison Officer who makes sure they abide by the rules of the permit (no climbing other mountains, no team jumping, no spying, etc.) Over the next 4-5 weeks, climbers haul gear and fix ropes to successive camps up the mountain. To acclimate their bodies to the altitude, this must be done slowly to avoid life-threatening illnesses such as pulmonary or cerebral edema. The climbing season in the Karakorams is from June to August, with most summits occurring in early August.
The difficulty in climbing K2 lies in the fact that it’s prone to frequent and severe storms that make treacherous climbing conditions even more challenging. The number of climbers who have reached the summit is only a small fraction compared to successful summits of Mt. Everest, and proportionally K2 has the second highest fatality rate of all 8000-meter peaks (Annapurna, the 10th highest mountain, has the most.)
Women who have climbed K2
Wanda Rutkiewicz
Polish climber Wanda Rutkiewicz was the first woman to climb K2 in 1986, which she accomplished without the use of supplemental oxygen. Unfortunately, that same summer, thirteen climbers died on the mountain, including two other women who had also summited – Liliane Barrard (France) and Julie Tullis (Britain). In 1992, Wanda later disappeared and was presumed dead while climbing Kangchenjunga, the third highest mountain.
Edurne Pasabán
There are fourteen mountains that stand above 8000 meters and many climbers have sought to join the Fourteeners Club by summiting each one. Only three women have accomplished it. Edurne Pasabán from Spain was the first in 2010, but she only climbed 13 out of 14 without supplemental oxygen. (The summits of these mountains are at the same altitude at which commercial airlines fly.) Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner from Austria completed her quest of climbing all 14 peaks without supplemental oxygen in 2011 when she finally reached the top of K2 after several failed attempts. Italian Nives Meroi joined the club in 2017.
Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner
The first American woman to summit K2 was Vanessa O’Brien in 2017 (she holds dual American-British citizenship).
Obscure Facts I Found While Researching This Book
There’s no perfect food to eat while climbing, and climbers consume all sorts of strange things: butter in bags, lard, but also chocolate, pop tarts, hard liquor and beer.
Mostly the appetite is suppressed at high altitudes and climbers routinely shed up to 25 lbs. on these expeditions.
Climbers melt snow to drink but glacier water is devoid of any nutrients and some female climbers experience problems with menstruation and hair falling out, so it’s recommended to take supplements to avoid this.
Goraks are large birds that resemble ravens and are present at base camp. They also eat the bodies of dead climbers.
Bodies of dead climbers are rarely recovered (it’s far too dangerous) but are eventually pushed down the mountain via avalanches and ground apart from glacier movement. Body parts will frequently turn up between base camp and advanced base camp.
Climbers can die suddenly from the high altitude. Pulmonary edema will fill the lungs with fluid and cerebral edema causes the brain to swell. If symptoms appear to either of these conditions, the affected climber must descend quickly or risk death.
My entire Pathway series, which currently includes 3 novels and several short stories, combines extreme adventure, exotic locations, and steamy, slow-burn romance. I hope you’ll check out COLD HORIZON. I poured my heart and soul into Ty and Lindsey’s story.
Digital copies of COLD HORIZON are only 99 cents until January 26, 2022.
Grab a copy today!!
I’m not a climber, but I’ve always been fascinated by mountain climbing and have followed the careers of many mountaineers. I've always wanted to write a book about it. When I decided to get serious about COLD HORIZON, I read dozens of memoirs by climbers, as well as educating myself about how these types of expeditions were organized. Another great resource were blogs where climbers posted real-time as they tackled K2. While Mt. Everest is the tallest mountain in the world, I was more interested in K2, number two. It’s not located in the Himalaya but in the Karakoram. Climbers must enter through Pakistan, and the trek to base camp is a perilous ten-day hike with little infrastructure. K2 is a technically more difficult mountain than Everest, and it’s more dangerous.
I watched a lot of documentaries too, but one of my favorite films is Vertical Limit (released in 2000) starring Chris O’Donnell, Robyn Tunney, the late Bill Paxton, and Scott Glenn. It gets a lot about K2 wrong, but it’s highly entertaining and perfect popcorn fare.
My Characters
The heroine, Lindsey Coulson, grew up with a mountaineering father. Unfortunately, he dies while on an expedition when she’s young, but she and her older sister, Alison, become climbers in their teens nevertheless. Together they tackle some of the biggest mountains in the world and begin to make a name for themselves. Then Alison dies at K2—the first expedition that Lindsey had skipped—and in her grief, Lindsey stops climbing. But now she’s ready to get back at it, and she knows she must go to K2, so she approaches Tyler Galloway and asks if she can join his team.
Tyler Galloway has grown up with adventurous parents who instilled a love of the outdoors and extreme sports in all three of their children. (His siblings star in the other two Pathway books, DEEP BLUE and ANCIENT WINDS.) He has an appreciation for the natural world and supplements his income by writing about it, but he is also restless at heart and likes pushing himself. He admires Lindsey, even has a bit of a crush on her, but he’s a strong leader who considers the needs of the team over the individual.
The other members of the team are David Shaw, who was Alison’s fiancé and was with her two years ago on K2 when she died. There’s friction between David and Lindsey that plays out in the story. Ed Dittrich, known as Ditch, is older and Tyler’s mentor. He’s a very careful and methodical climber and keeps the team on course. The final member of the team is Billy Packer, an irreverent soul who says the most inappropriate things at the wrong time (he’s the comic relief). Tyler’s sister Brynn also joins them. She doesn’t climb but remains in base camp and acts as the trip manager, relaying messages on the radio and watching the weather forecasts.
What’s it like to climb K2?
K2 is located on the border between China and Pakistan in the Karakoram Mountains. The name K2 is derived from the notation used by the Great Trigonometrical Survey of British India, given because it was the second peak measured in the Karakoram Range. Locally, the mountain is called Chogori. Its icy sides are steep and exposed, and it’s prone to heavy storms and avalanches.
Most climbers approach from the Pakistan side, starting in Islamabad, then take a bus ride to the town of Skardu. From there, it’s a 10-day treacherous hike to get to base camp, situated at 18,000 feet. Climbers usually employ anywhere from 50-100 porters to haul in everything they need.
Each team is embedded with a Pakistani Liaison Officer who makes sure they abide by the rules of the permit (no climbing other mountains, no team jumping, no spying, etc.) Over the next 4-5 weeks, climbers haul gear and fix ropes to successive camps up the mountain. To acclimate their bodies to the altitude, this must be done slowly to avoid life-threatening illnesses such as pulmonary or cerebral edema. The climbing season in the Karakorams is from June to August, with most summits occurring in early August.
The difficulty in climbing K2 lies in the fact that it’s prone to frequent and severe storms that make treacherous climbing conditions even more challenging. The number of climbers who have reached the summit is only a small fraction compared to successful summits of Mt. Everest, and proportionally K2 has the second highest fatality rate of all 8000-meter peaks (Annapurna, the 10th highest mountain, has the most.)
Women who have climbed K2
Wanda Rutkiewicz
Polish climber Wanda Rutkiewicz was the first woman to climb K2 in 1986, which she accomplished without the use of supplemental oxygen. Unfortunately, that same summer, thirteen climbers died on the mountain, including two other women who had also summited – Liliane Barrard (France) and Julie Tullis (Britain). In 1992, Wanda later disappeared and was presumed dead while climbing Kangchenjunga, the third highest mountain.
Edurne Pasabán
There are fourteen mountains that stand above 8000 meters and many climbers have sought to join the Fourteeners Club by summiting each one. Only three women have accomplished it. Edurne Pasabán from Spain was the first in 2010, but she only climbed 13 out of 14 without supplemental oxygen. (The summits of these mountains are at the same altitude at which commercial airlines fly.) Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner from Austria completed her quest of climbing all 14 peaks without supplemental oxygen in 2011 when she finally reached the top of K2 after several failed attempts. Italian Nives Meroi joined the club in 2017.
Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner
The first American woman to summit K2 was Vanessa O’Brien in 2017 (she holds dual American-British citizenship).
Obscure Facts I Found While Researching This Book
There’s no perfect food to eat while climbing, and climbers consume all sorts of strange things: butter in bags, lard, but also chocolate, pop tarts, hard liquor and beer.
Mostly the appetite is suppressed at high altitudes and climbers routinely shed up to 25 lbs. on these expeditions.
Climbers melt snow to drink but glacier water is devoid of any nutrients and some female climbers experience problems with menstruation and hair falling out, so it’s recommended to take supplements to avoid this.
Goraks are large birds that resemble ravens and are present at base camp. They also eat the bodies of dead climbers.
Bodies of dead climbers are rarely recovered (it’s far too dangerous) but are eventually pushed down the mountain via avalanches and ground apart from glacier movement. Body parts will frequently turn up between base camp and advanced base camp.
Climbers can die suddenly from the high altitude. Pulmonary edema will fill the lungs with fluid and cerebral edema causes the brain to swell. If symptoms appear to either of these conditions, the affected climber must descend quickly or risk death.
My entire Pathway series, which currently includes 3 novels and several short stories, combines extreme adventure, exotic locations, and steamy, slow-burn romance. I hope you’ll check out COLD HORIZON. I poured my heart and soul into Ty and Lindsey’s story.
Digital copies of COLD HORIZON are only 99 cents until January 26, 2022.
Grab a copy today!!
December 28, 2021
The Songbird is Now Available
By Kristy McCaffrey
It's release day!! I had such fun revisiting Matt and Molly from THE WREN along with writing my first western in a good long while. I hope you'll join me in seeing what they've been up to.
This novella finds Matt and Molly 15 years after THE WREN, and Molly's past with the Comanche is about to catch up with her. This story includes other couples from the Wings of the West series, and you'll meet the daughters of the second generation. (Soon to star in their own novels.)
"It was so great to come back ... to read more of this series … can't wait for more." ~ Goodreads Reviewer
“Love, adventure, mystery and thriller all rolled into one.” ~ Goodreads Reviewer
"The themes of past trauma, hope, redemption, and teamwork were prevalent throughout ... I highly recommend this!" ~ Amazon Reviewer
Excerpt
Matt entered the restaurant and hung his hat on a peg, Nathan and Bill Harner behind him. When he spotted Molly sitting with Emma, he made his way to the table and leaned down to kiss Molly’s cheek.
“I want you to meet someone.” Stepping aside, he said, “This is Bill Harner.”
Surprise crossed Molly’s face. “You were at the corral today with the horse with the colorful noseband.”
Bill nodded. “That was me. It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”
“Bill was a Texas Ranger,” Matt said, taking a chair beside his wife. “We ran into him this morning and invited him to supper. I hope you don’t mind.”
“No, not at all.”
Once the men were seated, a waitress took everyone’s orders.
“Were you all in the same company together?” Emma asked Bill, indicating her husband, Nathan, and Matt.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Matt almost smiled at Harner’s formality, since he wasn’t much older than either Molly or Emma. “You were the youngster the year Nathan and I left,” he said.
“It’s really nice to see you again, sir,” Bill said. “I’d heard that you’d been rescued after Cerillo captured you. I guess I wasn’t surprised you didn’t return to duty after that.”
“It was Nathan who got me out,” Matt said, trying to gloss over that memory.
“I’m glad you survived, sir.”
“You can call me Matt.” He’d said as much earlier, but it had apparently not taken.
The waitress brought drinks for everyone. Bill nodded and smiled and took a large gulp of water.
Matt glanced at his wife, taking in her peaked appearance. It was subtle, but he knew Molly better than anyone. Leaning close, he said in a low voice, “Are you all right?” He worried she might be coming down with something. She hadn’t been sleeping well since they’d arrived in Denton two days ago, and even before that she’d been plagued with bad dreams of her Comanche family for the last few months.
Just as he didn’t much care to discuss his capture and incarceration of several months by Augusto Cerillo, a Mexican outlaw, Molly generally didn’t speak of the trauma of her childhood, which had included the murder of her folks. He still had the occasional bad dream. Is that what Molly was dealing with? Was she having flashbacks to what had happened to her when she was young? Did it have anything to do with their own children? Eli was fourteen now, Katie twelve, and Josie was eleven. Molly had been nine when she’d been taken, so their children were a bit older, but still, it was hard to fathom how she had coped.
But she surprised him with a broad smile that instantly transformed her into the beauty he’d been blessed to share his life with these past fifteen years. There was no doubt he would be lost without her.
“I’m fine,” she replied, and clasped his hand in a reassuring squeeze. She turned her attention to Bill. “Mister Harner, how did you come by that noseband on the horse you were showing?”
“My wife made it.”
“Who was that boy with you?”
Bill seemed a bit taken back. “Well, that was my son.”
“Is he ….” Molly’s voice trailed off.
“Is he what?” Matt asked, his brows furrowing. Molly’s behavior was confusing him.
She appeared a bit chagrined and took a sip of her lemonade before saying, “When I was a child, I lived with the Comanche for many years. Your son … he has the look of them. Is your wife also of the People?”
Bill had gone silent, his face pinched and shuttered. Matt didn’t know what to say. Molly rarely confronted others in such a way.
Her eyes widened, and she quickly added, “My apologies. It’s just … when I saw your horse, it took me back to that time.”
Bill cleared his throat. “Mrs. Ryan, I had no idea you were taken as a child. That must’ve been a trying experience.”
“Yes.”
Available in eBook and paperback.
Amazon US: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdAmazonUS
Amazon UK: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdAmazonUK
Amazon CA: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdAmazonCA
Amazon AU: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdAmazonAU
Amazon DE (English version): https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdDEengl...
Nook: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdNook
Apple Books: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdAppleB...
Kobo: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdKobo
Google Play: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdGoogle...
Print: https://www.amazon.com/Songbird-Wings...
It's release day!! I had such fun revisiting Matt and Molly from THE WREN along with writing my first western in a good long while. I hope you'll join me in seeing what they've been up to.
This novella finds Matt and Molly 15 years after THE WREN, and Molly's past with the Comanche is about to catch up with her. This story includes other couples from the Wings of the West series, and you'll meet the daughters of the second generation. (Soon to star in their own novels.)
"It was so great to come back ... to read more of this series … can't wait for more." ~ Goodreads Reviewer
“Love, adventure, mystery and thriller all rolled into one.” ~ Goodreads Reviewer
"The themes of past trauma, hope, redemption, and teamwork were prevalent throughout ... I highly recommend this!" ~ Amazon Reviewer
Excerpt
Matt entered the restaurant and hung his hat on a peg, Nathan and Bill Harner behind him. When he spotted Molly sitting with Emma, he made his way to the table and leaned down to kiss Molly’s cheek.
“I want you to meet someone.” Stepping aside, he said, “This is Bill Harner.”
Surprise crossed Molly’s face. “You were at the corral today with the horse with the colorful noseband.”
Bill nodded. “That was me. It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”
“Bill was a Texas Ranger,” Matt said, taking a chair beside his wife. “We ran into him this morning and invited him to supper. I hope you don’t mind.”
“No, not at all.”
Once the men were seated, a waitress took everyone’s orders.
“Were you all in the same company together?” Emma asked Bill, indicating her husband, Nathan, and Matt.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Matt almost smiled at Harner’s formality, since he wasn’t much older than either Molly or Emma. “You were the youngster the year Nathan and I left,” he said.
“It’s really nice to see you again, sir,” Bill said. “I’d heard that you’d been rescued after Cerillo captured you. I guess I wasn’t surprised you didn’t return to duty after that.”
“It was Nathan who got me out,” Matt said, trying to gloss over that memory.
“I’m glad you survived, sir.”
“You can call me Matt.” He’d said as much earlier, but it had apparently not taken.
The waitress brought drinks for everyone. Bill nodded and smiled and took a large gulp of water.
Matt glanced at his wife, taking in her peaked appearance. It was subtle, but he knew Molly better than anyone. Leaning close, he said in a low voice, “Are you all right?” He worried she might be coming down with something. She hadn’t been sleeping well since they’d arrived in Denton two days ago, and even before that she’d been plagued with bad dreams of her Comanche family for the last few months.
Just as he didn’t much care to discuss his capture and incarceration of several months by Augusto Cerillo, a Mexican outlaw, Molly generally didn’t speak of the trauma of her childhood, which had included the murder of her folks. He still had the occasional bad dream. Is that what Molly was dealing with? Was she having flashbacks to what had happened to her when she was young? Did it have anything to do with their own children? Eli was fourteen now, Katie twelve, and Josie was eleven. Molly had been nine when she’d been taken, so their children were a bit older, but still, it was hard to fathom how she had coped.
But she surprised him with a broad smile that instantly transformed her into the beauty he’d been blessed to share his life with these past fifteen years. There was no doubt he would be lost without her.
“I’m fine,” she replied, and clasped his hand in a reassuring squeeze. She turned her attention to Bill. “Mister Harner, how did you come by that noseband on the horse you were showing?”
“My wife made it.”
“Who was that boy with you?”
Bill seemed a bit taken back. “Well, that was my son.”
“Is he ….” Molly’s voice trailed off.
“Is he what?” Matt asked, his brows furrowing. Molly’s behavior was confusing him.
She appeared a bit chagrined and took a sip of her lemonade before saying, “When I was a child, I lived with the Comanche for many years. Your son … he has the look of them. Is your wife also of the People?”
Bill had gone silent, his face pinched and shuttered. Matt didn’t know what to say. Molly rarely confronted others in such a way.
Her eyes widened, and she quickly added, “My apologies. It’s just … when I saw your horse, it took me back to that time.”
Bill cleared his throat. “Mrs. Ryan, I had no idea you were taken as a child. That must’ve been a trying experience.”
“Yes.”
Available in eBook and paperback.
Amazon US: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdAmazonUS
Amazon UK: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdAmazonUK
Amazon CA: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdAmazonCA
Amazon AU: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdAmazonAU
Amazon DE (English version): https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdDEengl...
Nook: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdNook
Apple Books: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdAppleB...
Kobo: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdKobo
Google Play: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdGoogle...
Print: https://www.amazon.com/Songbird-Wings...
December 17, 2021
The Wren is now available in Italian
By Kristy McCaffrey
I'm pleased to share that THE WREN can now be read in Italian.
LO SCRICCIOLO
Ali del West: Libro Uno
Texas del Nord
1877
Sono passati dieci anni dal giorno dell’attacco al ranch in cui i suoi genitori furono assassinati e lei rapita. Adesso diciannovenne, Molly Hart torna finalmente a casa nel Texas del Nord dopo aver trascorso il resto dell’infanzia con una tribù di Comanche Quahadi. Ad attenderla ci sono una dimora deserta in balìa della polvere e del tempo, nonché l’agghiacciante scoperta del proprio tumulo e la presenza di un uomo che pensava non avrebbe mai più rivisto.
Un vento smanioso spinge Matt Ryan verso le rovine fatiscenti del ranch degli Hart. Guarito di recente, dopo una prigionia che lo aveva quasi ucciso, non prova ormai che un briciolo della brama di verità e giustizia di un tempo. Dieci anni di devoto servizio all’esercito degli Stati Uniti e ai Texas Rangers, in cerca dei responsabili del feroce assassinio di una bambina, non sono serviti a niente se non a scoprire che la rassegnazione non sarebbe mai arrivata. Diretto verso il posto in cui tutto ebbe inizio, s’imbatte con sorpresa in una donna dagli stessi occhi azzurri della piccola che non riesce a dimenticare.
Disponibile in formato eBook e cartaceo.
Acquista Ora
In arrivo
I'm pleased to share that THE WREN can now be read in Italian.
LO SCRICCIOLO
Ali del West: Libro Uno
Texas del Nord
1877
Sono passati dieci anni dal giorno dell’attacco al ranch in cui i suoi genitori furono assassinati e lei rapita. Adesso diciannovenne, Molly Hart torna finalmente a casa nel Texas del Nord dopo aver trascorso il resto dell’infanzia con una tribù di Comanche Quahadi. Ad attenderla ci sono una dimora deserta in balìa della polvere e del tempo, nonché l’agghiacciante scoperta del proprio tumulo e la presenza di un uomo che pensava non avrebbe mai più rivisto.
Un vento smanioso spinge Matt Ryan verso le rovine fatiscenti del ranch degli Hart. Guarito di recente, dopo una prigionia che lo aveva quasi ucciso, non prova ormai che un briciolo della brama di verità e giustizia di un tempo. Dieci anni di devoto servizio all’esercito degli Stati Uniti e ai Texas Rangers, in cerca dei responsabili del feroce assassinio di una bambina, non sono serviti a niente se non a scoprire che la rassegnazione non sarebbe mai arrivata. Diretto verso il posto in cui tutto ebbe inizio, s’imbatte con sorpresa in una donna dagli stessi occhi azzurri della piccola che non riesce a dimenticare.
Disponibile in formato eBook e cartaceo.
Acquista Ora
In arrivo
December 15, 2021
The Origins of Backgammon
By Kristy McCaffrey
Backgammon is one of the oldest known board games and can be traced back 5000 years to archaeological discoveries in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq). The Royal Game of Ur from 2600 BC may be an ancestor of today’s version of backgammon. Today the game is still popular in Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria and throughout the Arab world.
Backgammon involves a combination of strategy and luck (from rolling dice) and is played by two people. Playing pieces are usually called checkers, but also draughts, stones, men, counters, pawns, discs, pips, chips, or nips. The objective for each player is to remove, or bear off, all of their checkers from the board before their opponent can do the same.
Each side of the board has a track of 12 long triangles, called points. Play commences in a horseshoe path with players moving checkers to their home board. Once all checkers are collected, then they can be removed depending on the roll of the dice.
There are many variants to the game as well as the optional use of a doubling cube.
The United States Backgammon Federation (USBGF) was organized in 2009 to help popularize the game in the U.S.
In my book ANCIENT WINDS, Brynn and Tristan play a game of backgammon in the Bolivian jungle.
Excerpt
Brynn couldn’t sleep and found Tristan sitting by a small fire near the main building. With elbows on knees, he was hunched forward, his gaze intent on the flames as shadows ebbed and flowed across the angles of his face. He sported a few days’ growth of whiskers and his dark hair was curling along the collar of his shirt. The wilderness was slowly consuming them, making them wild in the process, or maybe it was simply the jungle stripping away societal barriers and laying them bare. Brynn suspected, however, that Magee had never paid much attention to such niceties.
“Communing with aliens?” she asked, keeping her voice low so as not to disturb the others who might be nearby. Tristan had been right—privacy was in short supply.
The glint in Tristan’s gaze conveyed annoyed amusement. And maybe something else. The tug in her belly was immediate, and she all but lifted her nose to catch his scent. For a moment she let herself revel in everything male that was Magee: muscle, strength, and possibly the biggest aphrodisiac for her—irreverence.
He motioned for her to sit as he said, “Well, if you consider talking to Dimar interacting with something not of this world, then the answer is yes.”
She took a seat, leaving the one between them empty. Wouldn’t want him to get the wrong idea.
“Sometimes I have trouble sleeping in the jungle,” he said.
“Is that a sleeping aid?” she asked as he took a sip from his canteen.
He replaced the lid. “Nah. Just water. Can you play backgammon, Galloway?”
“Yes. I used to play with my grandfather.”
“I’ll be right back.”
He disappeared, and then returned with a mini version of the game. He unfolded the board and proceeded to set it up on the empty chair between them.
“Why backgammon?” she asked, helping him organize the pieces in the glow of the firelight.
“It was my dad’s favorite. Did you know it’s one of the oldest known board games?”
“I do. They’ve found evidence of it in Mesopotamia. Maybe it was a gift from their alien benefactors.”
“The dice were made from human bones, so no alien intervention likely.”
“You do know your artifacts.”
“I try.” He handed her a die, his hand brushing hers. “Need a refresher on the rules?”
“Nope, I’m good,” she replied, pretending his touch hadn’t left a burn mark.
Copyright © 2021 K. McCaffrey LLC
You can learn more about Ancient Winds, a contemporary romantic adventure, at my website.
Backgammon is one of the oldest known board games and can be traced back 5000 years to archaeological discoveries in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq). The Royal Game of Ur from 2600 BC may be an ancestor of today’s version of backgammon. Today the game is still popular in Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria and throughout the Arab world.
Backgammon involves a combination of strategy and luck (from rolling dice) and is played by two people. Playing pieces are usually called checkers, but also draughts, stones, men, counters, pawns, discs, pips, chips, or nips. The objective for each player is to remove, or bear off, all of their checkers from the board before their opponent can do the same.
Each side of the board has a track of 12 long triangles, called points. Play commences in a horseshoe path with players moving checkers to their home board. Once all checkers are collected, then they can be removed depending on the roll of the dice.
There are many variants to the game as well as the optional use of a doubling cube.
The United States Backgammon Federation (USBGF) was organized in 2009 to help popularize the game in the U.S.
In my book ANCIENT WINDS, Brynn and Tristan play a game of backgammon in the Bolivian jungle.
Excerpt
Brynn couldn’t sleep and found Tristan sitting by a small fire near the main building. With elbows on knees, he was hunched forward, his gaze intent on the flames as shadows ebbed and flowed across the angles of his face. He sported a few days’ growth of whiskers and his dark hair was curling along the collar of his shirt. The wilderness was slowly consuming them, making them wild in the process, or maybe it was simply the jungle stripping away societal barriers and laying them bare. Brynn suspected, however, that Magee had never paid much attention to such niceties.
“Communing with aliens?” she asked, keeping her voice low so as not to disturb the others who might be nearby. Tristan had been right—privacy was in short supply.
The glint in Tristan’s gaze conveyed annoyed amusement. And maybe something else. The tug in her belly was immediate, and she all but lifted her nose to catch his scent. For a moment she let herself revel in everything male that was Magee: muscle, strength, and possibly the biggest aphrodisiac for her—irreverence.
He motioned for her to sit as he said, “Well, if you consider talking to Dimar interacting with something not of this world, then the answer is yes.”
She took a seat, leaving the one between them empty. Wouldn’t want him to get the wrong idea.
“Sometimes I have trouble sleeping in the jungle,” he said.
“Is that a sleeping aid?” she asked as he took a sip from his canteen.
He replaced the lid. “Nah. Just water. Can you play backgammon, Galloway?”
“Yes. I used to play with my grandfather.”
“I’ll be right back.”
He disappeared, and then returned with a mini version of the game. He unfolded the board and proceeded to set it up on the empty chair between them.
“Why backgammon?” she asked, helping him organize the pieces in the glow of the firelight.
“It was my dad’s favorite. Did you know it’s one of the oldest known board games?”
“I do. They’ve found evidence of it in Mesopotamia. Maybe it was a gift from their alien benefactors.”
“The dice were made from human bones, so no alien intervention likely.”
“You do know your artifacts.”
“I try.” He handed her a die, his hand brushing hers. “Need a refresher on the rules?”
“Nope, I’m good,” she replied, pretending his touch hadn’t left a burn mark.
Copyright © 2021 K. McCaffrey LLC
You can learn more about Ancient Winds, a contemporary romantic adventure, at my website.
December 3, 2021
Valentine Anthology Coming Soon
By Kristy McCaffrey
I'm excited to be included in an upcoming Valentine anthology featuring a collection of contemporary romance short stories.
Love...what a tricky and powerful feeling.
In this anthology, seven authors are ready to make you swoon over their steamy stories. Are you ready to fall in love?
This anthology includes stories by:
B Crowhurst, Sarah Peis, L.A. Remenicky, Amy Stephens, Kristy McCaffrey, Diana Dawn, and Pandora Snow
WITH EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART is now on pre-order for only 99 cents. (The anthology will be wide for one month and then available in Kindle Unlimited.)
Release Date: February 8, 2022
Buy Links are here.
Add it to your TBR shelf on Goodreads.
My story will be tied to my Pathway series and features great white sharks off the remote Chatham Islands in New Zealand.
SHARK REEF
A Contemporary Adventure Romance Short Story
Dr. Gabe O’Grady has had it bad for Jen Fairfield since the moment they were introduced, but she had a boyfriend at the time, so Gabe stayed in the friend zone. When he learns she’s about to spend three weeks in the remote Chatham Islands off New Zealand tagging great white sharks with a notoriously sketchy filmmaker, Gabe inserts himself into the project to protect her. But her indifference confounds him.
After ending her previous stalled relationship, Dr. Jen Fairfield is blindsided by her true feelings for Gabe O’Grady. After a night out with girlfriends and buoyed by their support, she makes her move with a very forward voicemail after a few drinks. But when O’Grady ghosts her for two months, Jen buries her hurt, certain she’ll never see him again. Then he shows up on her expedition …
When Gabe learns Jen is single, he knows he can’t let a chance with her slide by. But first he must rekindle the friendship that she seems determined to walk away from. He also needs to keep her safe from one of the most dangerous predators on earth.
I'm excited to be included in an upcoming Valentine anthology featuring a collection of contemporary romance short stories.
Love...what a tricky and powerful feeling.
In this anthology, seven authors are ready to make you swoon over their steamy stories. Are you ready to fall in love?
This anthology includes stories by:
B Crowhurst, Sarah Peis, L.A. Remenicky, Amy Stephens, Kristy McCaffrey, Diana Dawn, and Pandora Snow
WITH EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART is now on pre-order for only 99 cents. (The anthology will be wide for one month and then available in Kindle Unlimited.)
Release Date: February 8, 2022
Buy Links are here.
Add it to your TBR shelf on Goodreads.
My story will be tied to my Pathway series and features great white sharks off the remote Chatham Islands in New Zealand.
SHARK REEF
A Contemporary Adventure Romance Short Story
Dr. Gabe O’Grady has had it bad for Jen Fairfield since the moment they were introduced, but she had a boyfriend at the time, so Gabe stayed in the friend zone. When he learns she’s about to spend three weeks in the remote Chatham Islands off New Zealand tagging great white sharks with a notoriously sketchy filmmaker, Gabe inserts himself into the project to protect her. But her indifference confounds him.
After ending her previous stalled relationship, Dr. Jen Fairfield is blindsided by her true feelings for Gabe O’Grady. After a night out with girlfriends and buoyed by their support, she makes her move with a very forward voicemail after a few drinks. But when O’Grady ghosts her for two months, Jen buries her hurt, certain she’ll never see him again. Then he shows up on her expedition …
When Gabe learns Jen is single, he knows he can’t let a chance with her slide by. But first he must rekindle the friendship that she seems determined to walk away from. He also needs to keep her safe from one of the most dangerous predators on earth.
November 1, 2021
The Songbird is on Pre-Order
By Kristy McCaffrey
I'm so excited to announce a new story in the Wings of the West series. I wrote this novella for the fans, who have shown so much love for the series over the years. If you’ve ever wondered what life was like for Matt and Molly after THE WREN, then you won’t want to miss this fun read. (Although they do appear in the short story ECHO OF THE PLAINS, which takes place after THE SONGBIRD.)
This novella serves two purposes – a reunion with fave characters from the series, as well as acting as a bridge to the next set of Wings novels, which will star the daughters of Matt and Molly, and Logan and Claire (from THE DOVE). Keep reading to learn the name of the next novel!
The release date for THE SONGBIRD is December 28, 2021, which also happens to be my 30th wedding anniversary.
Here’s the official book blurb:
Join characters from the Wings of the West series in this novella set fifteen years after THE WREN.
A fair in Denton, Texas, draws folks from far and wide, and Matt and Molly Ryan have come to close a horse deal while also enjoying a bit of rest and relaxation. It’s a family affair with Matt’s brother, Logan, and his wife, Claire, joining them, as well as Nathan and Emma Blackmore, and Cale and Tess Walker.
Meet the daughters of the second generation—Katie and Josie Ryan, belonging to Matt and Molly; and Anna, Sarah, and Sophie Ryan, Logan and Claire’s girls. Ranging in age from eleven to fourteen, they attempt to help a boy falsely accused of theft, but in doing so they uncover a deeper secret. And the connection may lead back to Molly’s time with the Kwahadi Comanche when she was a child.
Look for each of the girls to be featured in a future novel.
You can pre-order your copy now!! (Google Play is coming and the story will also be available in print.)
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon CA
Amazon AU
Amazon DE (English Edition)
Nook
Apple Books
Kobo
Add it to your Goodreads shelf and be notified on release day.
Goodreads
The Wings of the West Series Reading Order
Book One: The Wren
Book Two: The Dove
Book Three: The Sparrow
Book Four: The Blackbird
Book Five: The Bluebird
Book Six: The Songbird (Novella)
Book Seven: Echo of the Plains (Short Story)
Book Eight: The Starling (Coming Soon)
The cover reveal for THE STARLING will be in December for my newsletter subscribers. Sign up here if you haven't already. I'd love to see you there!
An excerpt from THE SONGBIRD
The look on Cale’s face told Matt there was more news.
“Do I have to drag it out of you?”
A smile came and went on Cale’s face. “I fear you’re gonna hate this rumor more than the previous one. McCabe wants to have supper with Molly.”
In disbelief, Matt said, “Does he want to court my wife? I damn well have something to say about that.”
“McCabe’s a prick. That’s no secret. But I think it has more to do with her time with the Comanche.”
That was something Matt preferred to keep private, if only to protect her. He and Molly had been married for fifteen years, but he still couldn’t abide her past being the subject of gossip. However, in the years since she’d had their children, she had spoken on occasion with them of her abduction when she was nine years old, along with the ensuing years she had lived with the Comanche before being rescued by an old miner named Elijah, the very man for whom they had named their son. She was even teaching Katie to speak Comanche.
“It’s up to Molly whether she wants to discuss her past with him,” Matt said. “But I’ll be there if she does.”
Logan and Nathan appeared wearing chaps, their spurs clinking.
“When does the race start?” Cale asked. “Which one is it again?”
“The three-eighths-mile dash,” Logan said. “And it begins in an hour. The purse is up to $50. I hear the betting is favoring me.”
“That’s horseshit,” Nathan said. “If anything, it’s that pony over there getting all the interest.” He nodded toward a corral where an impressive mare pranced back and forth. The man who was watching the animal triggered recognition.
“Is that Bill Harner?” Matt asked.
Nathan looked closer. “I’ll be damned. I think it is.”
Logan pulled on his leather gloves. “Who’s that?”
“Back in ’75, he was on the Rangers with us,” Nathan replied, referring to his and Matt’s time with the Texas Rangers. “But he was just a youngster. That was right before I got Matt away from Cerillo. After that, I don’t know what happened to Bill.”
“Well, he’s standing beside McCabe,” Cale said.
Matt grimaced. “It’s almost enough to avoid Harner, but I’ll go and say hello.”
“We need to head over to the starting line,” Nathan said, his gaze encompassing Logan. “Wouldn’t want our winning boy to miss his moment of glory.”
“You’ll be eating my dust, Blackmore.”
“Good luck,” Matt said as the two of them departed. Matt headed in the opposite direction, but then stopped and turned back to Cale. “You coming? If McCabe starts gabbing like a hen about Molly, I’ll need your backup.”
Cale cocked an eyebrow. “You want me to hold your hand?”
“Like hell. I might need you to pull me off him if he pisses me off. Molly won’t take kindly to me sitting in a jail cell for disorderly conduct. She’s expecting me for supper.”
“Don’t worry. Sheriff Mars owes me a favor. You wouldn’t be in jail for long.”
October 3, 2021
The Crow Brothers Collection
By Kristy McCaffrey
This collection brings together into one great read three short Old West romances set during Hallowtide. Each was previously published (and the content hasn’t changed), but in addition to wide availability (Amazon, Nook, Kobo, Apple Books, and Google Play) they’re now available in paperback. Read to the end for a chance to win a copy.
A little background for each story:
The Navajo medicine man works to restore balance to an individual’s spirit and is usually called upon for illnesses and other maladies. The opposite of this is a sorcerer, and there were rumors that some practitioners dabbled in corpse powder. In The Crow and The Coyote, Hannah Dobbin enlists the aid of a bounty hunter named Jack Boggs—sometimes called The Crow—to help her quest to save her pa’s soul during Hallowtide. Her foe is a Navajo sorcerer.
A Tommyknocker is a type of troll spirit who lives underground and was therefore of great concern to miners. The term originated in the British Isles, but superstitions surrounding the beings filtered into other places. Miners in Colorado took great care to appease the Knockers by leaving a bit of their lunch out for the sprites. In The Crow and The Bear, Jennie Livingstone must enter a haunted ravine near the town of Silverton, Colorado, to find her papa, and her only help is from enigmatic bounty hunter Callum Boggs, known as The Crow, but there's also a spirit named Simon keeping watch over her.
A grimoire is a book of magic. It often included instructions on how to create talismans and amulets, how to perform spells, and how to invoke supernatural entities. In many cases, the books themselves were considered imbued with magical powers, not unlike other sacred texts (such as the Bible). The term ‘grimoire’ comes from the French word ‘grammaire,’ which originally referred to books written in Latin. But by the 18th century, it had begun to be used to describe books of magic. In A Murder of Crows, Eliza McCulloch is determined to reclaim her family book of spells and her only hope is Kester Boggs, a manhunter named The Crow.
Grab a digital copy
Amazon
Nook
Apple Books
Kobo
Google Play
Add to your Goodreads shelf
Enter to win an autographed paperback at Kristy’s website. Giveaway ends October 31.
This collection brings together into one great read three short Old West romances set during Hallowtide. Each was previously published (and the content hasn’t changed), but in addition to wide availability (Amazon, Nook, Kobo, Apple Books, and Google Play) they’re now available in paperback. Read to the end for a chance to win a copy.
A little background for each story:
The Navajo medicine man works to restore balance to an individual’s spirit and is usually called upon for illnesses and other maladies. The opposite of this is a sorcerer, and there were rumors that some practitioners dabbled in corpse powder. In The Crow and The Coyote, Hannah Dobbin enlists the aid of a bounty hunter named Jack Boggs—sometimes called The Crow—to help her quest to save her pa’s soul during Hallowtide. Her foe is a Navajo sorcerer.
A Tommyknocker is a type of troll spirit who lives underground and was therefore of great concern to miners. The term originated in the British Isles, but superstitions surrounding the beings filtered into other places. Miners in Colorado took great care to appease the Knockers by leaving a bit of their lunch out for the sprites. In The Crow and The Bear, Jennie Livingstone must enter a haunted ravine near the town of Silverton, Colorado, to find her papa, and her only help is from enigmatic bounty hunter Callum Boggs, known as The Crow, but there's also a spirit named Simon keeping watch over her.
A grimoire is a book of magic. It often included instructions on how to create talismans and amulets, how to perform spells, and how to invoke supernatural entities. In many cases, the books themselves were considered imbued with magical powers, not unlike other sacred texts (such as the Bible). The term ‘grimoire’ comes from the French word ‘grammaire,’ which originally referred to books written in Latin. But by the 18th century, it had begun to be used to describe books of magic. In A Murder of Crows, Eliza McCulloch is determined to reclaim her family book of spells and her only hope is Kester Boggs, a manhunter named The Crow.
Grab a digital copy
Amazon
Nook
Apple Books
Kobo
Google Play
Add to your Goodreads shelf
Enter to win an autographed paperback at Kristy’s website. Giveaway ends October 31.
August 17, 2021
Cold Horizon has won First Place in Romantic Suspense!!
I'm so excited to share that COLD HORIZON has won First Place in Romantic Suspense for the National Excellence in Romance Fiction!! This award is sponsored by the First Coast Chapter of Romance Writers of America, based out of Jacksonville, Florida.
This book was a challenge to write, so I'm absolutely thrilled it's resonated with readers. Lindsey Coulson is a favorite heroine for me and has proven to be an inspiration to others with her fortitude and tenacity. And Ty Galloway's work ethic and obvious devotion to Lindsey was a pleasure to write.
If you haven't read it yet, I hope you'll give it a try.
Available in eBook (Kindle, Nook, Apple Books, Kobo and Google Play) and in paperback
Learn more here
Excerpt from Cold Horizon
“All the 8000-meter peaks have been conquered with winter ascents now, except for K2,” Ty said, seeking to change the subject. “As usual, she’s holding out. Here’s another interesting fact—K2 is the site of the most famous belay in mountaineering history.”
“I’m hoping to get a photo as we pass the spot,” Packer said. “I’m gonna put it on my social media with hashtag ‘BadAssBelay.’”
“Why is it so famous?” Brynn asked.
“One man held the force of six falling men,” Ditch replied. “It was in 1953 and the summit of K2 had yet to be reached by anyone. The expedition—only the fifth one here—wouldn’t reach it either. It was an American team led by a man named Charles Houston, an excellent and well-respected climber. They had made it quite high on the mountain when one of their teammates, a man named Art Gilkey, for whom the memorial here is named, became very ill. They had to bring him down in a makeshift stretcher, which is a very dangerous thing to do. At one point, each man slipped in fast succession, becoming entangled in the ropes. A young climber named Pete Schoening was at the end, and he held them all, saving their lives. It was an incredible feat, really. Unfortunately, later, they anchored Gilkey to the mountain while they set up a tent, and he disappeared, likely swept away by an avalanche.”
Brynn took a sip of coffee from her mug. “Don’t all of you find the death in these places unsettling?”
“You can’t let it get to you,” David said. “On Everest, some of the dead are still where they died. You walk right by them.”
“One of the markers to the summit is Green Boots,” Ditch said. “I think he was an Indian climber.”
“They just freeze and are left there?” Captain Juneid asked, having remained silent during the meal.
“It’s too dangerous to move them,” Ditch replied. “It sounds unfeeling, but if they’re dead, they don’t need to get down the mountain.”
“Sometimes climbers try to bring bodies down,” Ty said quietly, glancing at Lindsey. Alison’s body was somewhere on K2. “But most of the time it’s all they can do to get themselves down safely.”
“Well, if I freeze my ass to K2, I give everyone here the green light to leave me,” Packer said. “I’d be happy to spend eternity here. Then everyone can pass me by, referring to the Packer marker.”
Ditch smirked. “You mean they’d be saying ‘The summit is just beyond the asshole blocking the route.’”
Packer let out a whoop. “I’ve been called worse.”
Brynn’s face took on an expression of concern. “I know climbing is addictive—I surfed for years, so I get the mentality—but really, why do you all do it?”
“It beats working,” Packer said.
Ditch finished off his coffee. “Which I don’t think you’ve ever done.”
“If you’re nice to me, I’ll let you rope up with me.”
“I think I’ll rope with Lindsey.”
Packer released an exaggerated sigh. “God, I hate it when there’s a better climber on the team than me. I have to work so much harder. Wait a minute, why do you get to rope up with the lady?”
Lindsey looked at Brynn. “Are you sure you don’t want to take up climbing?”
“Maybe I will. But I can see why you always climbed with your sister.”
“You girls are too picky,” Packer said.
“Just watch yourself,” Ty cut in. “There’ll be no messing around with my sister.”
Glee filled Packer’s face. “But Lindsey’s fair game?”
“No.” Lindsey answered at the same time as Ty.
He immediately regretted the force of his opposition, the hair rising on the back of his neck. The protectiveness for his sister didn’t surprise him, but hell if he wanted anyone laying claim to Lindsey.
Shit. So much for keeping his feelings under the radar.
Copyright © 2019 K. McCaffrey LLC
This book was a challenge to write, so I'm absolutely thrilled it's resonated with readers. Lindsey Coulson is a favorite heroine for me and has proven to be an inspiration to others with her fortitude and tenacity. And Ty Galloway's work ethic and obvious devotion to Lindsey was a pleasure to write.
If you haven't read it yet, I hope you'll give it a try.
Available in eBook (Kindle, Nook, Apple Books, Kobo and Google Play) and in paperback
Learn more here
Excerpt from Cold Horizon
“All the 8000-meter peaks have been conquered with winter ascents now, except for K2,” Ty said, seeking to change the subject. “As usual, she’s holding out. Here’s another interesting fact—K2 is the site of the most famous belay in mountaineering history.”
“I’m hoping to get a photo as we pass the spot,” Packer said. “I’m gonna put it on my social media with hashtag ‘BadAssBelay.’”
“Why is it so famous?” Brynn asked.
“One man held the force of six falling men,” Ditch replied. “It was in 1953 and the summit of K2 had yet to be reached by anyone. The expedition—only the fifth one here—wouldn’t reach it either. It was an American team led by a man named Charles Houston, an excellent and well-respected climber. They had made it quite high on the mountain when one of their teammates, a man named Art Gilkey, for whom the memorial here is named, became very ill. They had to bring him down in a makeshift stretcher, which is a very dangerous thing to do. At one point, each man slipped in fast succession, becoming entangled in the ropes. A young climber named Pete Schoening was at the end, and he held them all, saving their lives. It was an incredible feat, really. Unfortunately, later, they anchored Gilkey to the mountain while they set up a tent, and he disappeared, likely swept away by an avalanche.”
Brynn took a sip of coffee from her mug. “Don’t all of you find the death in these places unsettling?”
“You can’t let it get to you,” David said. “On Everest, some of the dead are still where they died. You walk right by them.”
“One of the markers to the summit is Green Boots,” Ditch said. “I think he was an Indian climber.”
“They just freeze and are left there?” Captain Juneid asked, having remained silent during the meal.
“It’s too dangerous to move them,” Ditch replied. “It sounds unfeeling, but if they’re dead, they don’t need to get down the mountain.”
“Sometimes climbers try to bring bodies down,” Ty said quietly, glancing at Lindsey. Alison’s body was somewhere on K2. “But most of the time it’s all they can do to get themselves down safely.”
“Well, if I freeze my ass to K2, I give everyone here the green light to leave me,” Packer said. “I’d be happy to spend eternity here. Then everyone can pass me by, referring to the Packer marker.”
Ditch smirked. “You mean they’d be saying ‘The summit is just beyond the asshole blocking the route.’”
Packer let out a whoop. “I’ve been called worse.”
Brynn’s face took on an expression of concern. “I know climbing is addictive—I surfed for years, so I get the mentality—but really, why do you all do it?”
“It beats working,” Packer said.
Ditch finished off his coffee. “Which I don’t think you’ve ever done.”
“If you’re nice to me, I’ll let you rope up with me.”
“I think I’ll rope with Lindsey.”
Packer released an exaggerated sigh. “God, I hate it when there’s a better climber on the team than me. I have to work so much harder. Wait a minute, why do you get to rope up with the lady?”
Lindsey looked at Brynn. “Are you sure you don’t want to take up climbing?”
“Maybe I will. But I can see why you always climbed with your sister.”
“You girls are too picky,” Packer said.
“Just watch yourself,” Ty cut in. “There’ll be no messing around with my sister.”
Glee filled Packer’s face. “But Lindsey’s fair game?”
“No.” Lindsey answered at the same time as Ty.
He immediately regretted the force of his opposition, the hair rising on the back of his neck. The protectiveness for his sister didn’t surprise him, but hell if he wanted anyone laying claim to Lindsey.
Shit. So much for keeping his feelings under the radar.
Copyright © 2019 K. McCaffrey LLC
June 7, 2021
A Navajo Hex
By Kristy McCaffrey
When I was nine years old, I lived on the Navajo Indian Reservation. 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, so he took a job as an accountant with an arts and crafts store in Window Rock, Arizona—capital of the Navajo Nation. We obtained a house just across the border in New Mexico, in a small town aptly called “Navajo,” supported by a local sawmill. It was 1975.
Navajo, New Mexico (photo taken by author)
One day at one of the stores that employed my father a worker found a Styrofoam cup tucked away on a shelf. Inside were various items that included a torn corner of a $5, $10 and $20 bill. It was immediately clear to those who discovered it that a hex had been placed. Soon thereafter, a medicine man was called. Since it involved all the employees, my dad was allowed, despite being a white man, to participate in the ceremonies conducted.
Window Rock, Arizona (photo courtesy of Shutterstock)
At the first ritual, the medicine man found a buried pot outside the building at the base of the famous local landmark, the window rock. This was accomplished when his hand trembled over the exact location. On the outside of the pot, stick figures represented the employees, and lightning bolts painted above indicated death by lightning strike. At the time, we were having terrible storms every day. Inside were pieces of coral, turquoise, and silver, and a section of human skull.
At the second ceremony, a bowl filled with some type of tea was passed around to ingest, and then each employee was asked to look into a crystal to identify who had placed the hex. My dad says he saw nothing, but it was generally agreed that the perpetrator was a former employee who had been fired. She was part of a major Navajo clan, and her dismissal had possibly angered the wrong people. But the curse spoke of deeper problems within the Navajo and their way of life. The crafts people—those who made Indian jewelry and the iconic Navajo weavings—were at odds with the administration, which included my dad. There were those who wanted progress, and those who didn’t. At the conclusion of the ceremony, after a sand painting was created, the piece of skull inside the pot was burned. Two female employees reported instant relief from a terrible headache that had plagued them all evening. 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. It seemed family members had also been included in the hex.
My dad never attended the third, and final, observance—the Blessing Way—because we had moved back to Phoenix. He has always joked that the hex was never fully removed. As evidence, he cites various mishaps that occur whenever he and my mother return to the Navajo Reservation: car breakdowns, money stolen, and in one instance missing a critical turnoff because five Indians stood in front of a directional sign.
In my recently re-released standalone historical western novel INTO THE LAND OF SHADOWS, I included the hex in the story.
Digital copies are on sale this week for 99 cents.
It’s been five years since a woman came between Ethan Barstow and his brother, Charley, and it’s high time they buried the hatchet. When Ethan travels to Arizona Territory to make amends, he learns that Charley has abruptly disappeared after breaking more than one heart in town. And an indignant fiancée is hot on his trail.
When Charley Barstow abandons a local girl after getting her pregnant, Kate Kinsella pursues him without a second thought. She’s determined he set things right, and even more determined to end her own engagement to him, a sham from the beginning. But an ill-timed encounter with a group of ruffians lands her in the company of Charley’s brother, Ethan, who suggests they search together.
As Ethan and Kate move deeper INTO THE LAND OF SHADOWS, family tensions and past tragedies threaten to destroy a love neither of them expected.
A sensuous historical western romance set in 1893 Arizona Territory. Into The Land Of Shadows is a stand-alone, full-length novel with paranormal elements.
This book was previously published in 2013 under the same title. While the text and cover have been updated, the story remains the same.
Click to read Chapter One and find buy links.
When I was nine years old, I lived on the Navajo Indian Reservation. 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, so he took a job as an accountant with an arts and crafts store in Window Rock, Arizona—capital of the Navajo Nation. We obtained a house just across the border in New Mexico, in a small town aptly called “Navajo,” supported by a local sawmill. It was 1975.
Navajo, New Mexico (photo taken by author)
One day at one of the stores that employed my father a worker found a Styrofoam cup tucked away on a shelf. Inside were various items that included a torn corner of a $5, $10 and $20 bill. It was immediately clear to those who discovered it that a hex had been placed. Soon thereafter, a medicine man was called. Since it involved all the employees, my dad was allowed, despite being a white man, to participate in the ceremonies conducted.
Window Rock, Arizona (photo courtesy of Shutterstock)
At the first ritual, the medicine man found a buried pot outside the building at the base of the famous local landmark, the window rock. This was accomplished when his hand trembled over the exact location. On the outside of the pot, stick figures represented the employees, and lightning bolts painted above indicated death by lightning strike. At the time, we were having terrible storms every day. Inside were pieces of coral, turquoise, and silver, and a section of human skull.
At the second ceremony, a bowl filled with some type of tea was passed around to ingest, and then each employee was asked to look into a crystal to identify who had placed the hex. My dad says he saw nothing, but it was generally agreed that the perpetrator was a former employee who had been fired. She was part of a major Navajo clan, and her dismissal had possibly angered the wrong people. But the curse spoke of deeper problems within the Navajo and their way of life. The crafts people—those who made Indian jewelry and the iconic Navajo weavings—were at odds with the administration, which included my dad. There were those who wanted progress, and those who didn’t. At the conclusion of the ceremony, after a sand painting was created, the piece of skull inside the pot was burned. Two female employees reported instant relief from a terrible headache that had plagued them all evening. 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. It seemed family members had also been included in the hex.
My dad never attended the third, and final, observance—the Blessing Way—because we had moved back to Phoenix. He has always joked that the hex was never fully removed. As evidence, he cites various mishaps that occur whenever he and my mother return to the Navajo Reservation: car breakdowns, money stolen, and in one instance missing a critical turnoff because five Indians stood in front of a directional sign.
In my recently re-released standalone historical western novel INTO THE LAND OF SHADOWS, I included the hex in the story.
Digital copies are on sale this week for 99 cents.
It’s been five years since a woman came between Ethan Barstow and his brother, Charley, and it’s high time they buried the hatchet. When Ethan travels to Arizona Territory to make amends, he learns that Charley has abruptly disappeared after breaking more than one heart in town. And an indignant fiancée is hot on his trail.
When Charley Barstow abandons a local girl after getting her pregnant, Kate Kinsella pursues him without a second thought. She’s determined he set things right, and even more determined to end her own engagement to him, a sham from the beginning. But an ill-timed encounter with a group of ruffians lands her in the company of Charley’s brother, Ethan, who suggests they search together.
As Ethan and Kate move deeper INTO THE LAND OF SHADOWS, family tensions and past tragedies threaten to destroy a love neither of them expected.
A sensuous historical western romance set in 1893 Arizona Territory. Into The Land Of Shadows is a stand-alone, full-length novel with paranormal elements.
This book was previously published in 2013 under the same title. While the text and cover have been updated, the story remains the same.
Click to read Chapter One and find buy links.
Author Kristy McCaffrey
Kristy McCaffrey writes western historical and contemporary romances. She and her husband live in Arizona with their two dogs. Visit her online at kristymccaffrey.com.
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