Mimi Barbour's Blog: Believe!, page 43

Meet our third author of the Western Anthology "Passion's Prize" - E.E. Burke

 








Once again, I'm very happy to introduce another lovely author, E.E. Burke. She's a talented writer and has worked hard to build her career. A finalist and winner of many contests including a Maggie Award, a Daphne Award and RWA's most prestigious Golden Heart, Elisabeth has certainly earned the right to publish her wonderful story, Kate's Outlaw.


This is the last in our series of interviews with three award-winning authors whose fascination with the TV series “Hell on Wheels” led to a historical romance anthology they wrote together. E.E. Burke, author of the novella Kate’s Outlaw , which is featured in the anthology Passion’s Prize is sharing her story with us today. Thank you, Mimi, for hosting us and letting us share about our stories. Mine is the third of three interlinked novellas revolving around a historic railroad race through southern Kansas in 1870. We mentioned that we came up with this idea after watching the AMC television series, Hell On Wheels. Let me explain a little as to why this series inspired me.

 Like Jennifer and Jacqui, I’m a huge fan of Westerns. There are so few anymore with truly legendary characters (think Clint Eastwood and Sam Elliott). Hell On Wheels has those kinds of characters: larger than life, complex and deeply flawed, a mix of good and bad. I love that about the show, and those are the kind of characters I like to write about.

 There is an interview with Anson Mount (who plays Cullen Bohannon) on TV.com where he says he’d rather play the role of a “weak” man, versus the stereotypical strong man. I think what he’s saying is a flawed character makes a much more interesting character, and one we can more readily identify with. I couldn’t agree more.

 Beyond the appeal of writing these kinds of characters, the fact that this show has been a big enough hit to warrant three seasons indicates people are hungry for great Westerns.

 


Now, about our project:
  Jennifer, Jacqui and I made the Golden Heart finals in 2010 with Western historical romances. The idea of writing something together seemed natural, and using the expansion of the railroads as a backdrop was very appealing. Even before I started watching Hell On Wheels, I wanted to set a book in this era because it captures the passions and ambitions that drove America to ultimately become what it is today.

  I’d done quite a bit of research on two railroads in Kansas that engaged in a cutthroat construction race in 1870. When I mentioned this to Jennifer and Jacqui, they were excited about using the race as the backdrop for the book we’d write together. Honestly, we couldn’t come up with better ideas than what really happened: spies, outlaws, saboteurs, fraud, settler riots…gosh, that’s like great movie stuff.

  We decided to write three novellas interlinked by an underlying plot (racing for riches) and a cast of characters drawn from life. We brainstormed the characters, and then each of us took the couple we wanted to write about. I chose the heiress and the outlaw.

  Kate Parsons is the heir to the railroad and the fortune that comes with it. She also happens to be a free-spirited crusader for equal rights. She comes west to prove to her father that she can run the railroad as well as any man.

  Jake Colson is an outlaw, and he happens to be Cherokee. Why make the outlaw a Native American? Historically, the railroad faced significant opposition from the Cherokee (and other tribes in what was then Indian Territory, now modern day Oklahoma), who didn’t want the “smoking dragon” to cross their lands.

  This set up a perfect conflict. Add to that, Kate is wealthy and white and Jake is poor and he’s Cherokee. They face all kinds of obstacles before they can get to their happy ending. And that leads us into my story, which I think will speak for itself.





  The Katy Railroad may have won a contentious race against their rival, but construction comes to screeching stop six miles inside Indian Territory—halted by the Cherokee, who refuse to let the "smoking dragon" pass. With bankruptcy looming, railroad heiress Kate Parsons takes negotiations into her own hands. Her plans go awry when she’s abducted, and worse, finds herself attracted to one of her Cherokee captors, a man so sinfully handsome he could steal more than her fortune if she doesn’t escape.

  Jake Colson, known among his people as Wa-ya, “the Wolf,” didn’t intend to kidnap anyone, but now he's stuck with a white woman whose personality is as bold as her fiery curls. When his partner threatens to kill her before she can expose their scheme to save their land, Jake takes off with his beautiful captive. Now, he must protect the woman he’s named Redbird, and at the same time prevent her father's railroad from steaming ahead.


(Excerpt from Kate’s Outlaw)

 Uk-tena crouched on metal rails with its nose pointed south, directly at the heart of the Tsa-la-gi Nation. Tonight, it didn’t hiss or spew smoke, as usual, but lay silent as a predator anticipating a kill.

Jake crept along the dark side of the locomotive, which his people had named after a mythical serpent. Not because they believed it had special powers. Everyone knew it was just a machine. But like its namesake, the “smoking dragon” had been created as a tool of domination. Its owners were the real monsters—and they had to be stopped.
Clouds skated across the sky. Light from a full moon struck the engine’s iron skin, turning it silver. Jake crouched lower, trying to make himself small. An impossible task when he was taller than most men, including the one in front of him. He stood out when he’d rather fit in.
As he passed between two cars, he glimpsed a bonfire on the other side. Orange flames leapt above the heads of dancers, their writhing silhouettes casting eerie shadows over a patch of ground cleared for the celebration. Strains of fiddle music mixed with shouts of drunken revelry.
The railroad chief’s party had been underway since sunset and wouldn't end anytime soon. Members of the Tribal Council hadn’t attended, even though they were the honored guests, and they’d warned their people to stay away. But there were always those happy to take advantage of free liquor.
Jake and Charley weren't here to drink. They'd come to steal the payroll.
The rhythmic crunch of footsteps came from the other side of the train.
Charley halted. His black clothes and dark coloring concealed him from view, but Jake was close enough to see his cousin’s fingers curl around the handle of his revolver. The gun slithered out of the holster.
Jake’s heart kicked in his chest. If his cousin started shooting with all these armed workers around, they'd both get killed. Of course, if they were caught stealing, they'd be hung from the nearest tree.
Holding his position, he peered beneath the train. Denim-clad legs scissored past. As the footfalls faded, he released a slow breath. By Thunder, this job would be his last. After tonight, they ought to have adequate funds to defend their land from those who wanted to take it.
"There, at the end, the fanciest car," he whispered. "I wager the owner brought the payroll with him."
A moment later, he swung up onto the metal platform, taking care not to tread loudly, and eased the door open. The compartment was dark, quiet.
"I’ll cover the windows. You find a lamp.”
His cousin slipped past. Circling the room, Jake pulled down tasseled curtains, which were rolled up on brass rods. A match rasped, followed by a sulfurous smell, then a soft glow filled the compartment.
Charley lifted the lamp. Light splashed across his features, making the scar more noticeable. During the war, he'd been struck in the face with a saber and the injury pulled his mouth down in a permanent grimace. The worse scars, however, couldn’t be seen. They were the ones on his soul.
“Where do think they stashed the money?” Charley rasped.
Jake scanned the paneled room, which looked more like a fancy office than a railcar. There was a sitting area, a table spread with papers and maps, a large desk positioned in front of bookcases that were pushed up against a partial wall, and beyond that, probably sleeping quarters. Last time, the money had been in a safe, something they’d been able to easily discover. But if there was no safe…
“Maybe it’s in the desk.” He checked the drawers—locked—then ran his hands underneath, feeling for a release that might trigger a secret compartment. "Nothing. I'll bet he keeps the key on him. We'll have to pry it open."
Pulling a knife from a sheath on his belt, Jake went to work on the top drawer.
Charley flipped open the lid on a fancy cigar box and stuffed the contents inside his coat. He threw a frowning glance over his shoulder. "Hurry up. I hear something."
From outside came a scrape on the metal platform.
Jake scrambled to his feet.
"Stay there. Distract them,” Charley hissed. He pressed his back against the wall to the left of the door and pulled a knife from a sheath in his boot.
Growing nervous, Jake shook his head. No bloodshed. That was the deal.
The knob turned and a woman stepped inside, one with hair as bright as a sunset.
Redbird.
Recognition jolted through him. Even though he'd only seen her from afar, there was no mistaking her fiery crown. It was the same woman who’d been following the railroad for months, mostly on the arm of the chief.
Fear flickered across her face, but instead of screaming, she raised her chin and leveled a stern look. "What are you doing in here? This is a private office."
Charley eased up behind her, his eyes glittering with grim intent. Surely, he wouldn't harm a woman.
The knife flashed.
"Tsali, no!" Jake shouted.
Confusion flickered across Redbird’s face a second before Charley clapped one hand over her mouth and jerked her back against him, putting the razor-sharp blade to her throat.
She froze, her eyes huge with terror.
Jake placed his palms on the desktop, prepared to leap over and grab the knife. But he checked himself. If he startled her, she might bolt, and the glint in Charley's eyes made it clear she wouldn't get away.
"Don't hurt her," Jake continued in Tsa-la-gi.
Charley scowled and jerked his chin toward the door. "See if someone followed."
Taking care to be quiet, Jake looked outside. No one lingered by the car and the only sounds were the strains of music and drunken laughter. He shut the door.
Redbird hadn't moved a muscle. Good thing she was smart enough to keep her wits about her. Now he had to calm Charley down.
"Don't see anybody, but we can't risk staying long enough to find the money. Let's tie her up and get out of here."
Charley flicked a dark glance at the petrified woman in his arms. "She's seen us. It'll ruin our cover."
"Only if they connect us with the other theft."
"You know they will if she squawks."
Redbird's frightened eyes darted back and forth and her brow knitted with confusion. Better she didn't understand.
"I’ll cut her throat and we can run. No one will be the wiser." Charley made the remark as casually as if he were discussing the weather.
Horror thundered through Jake, and in a burst of protectiveness, he moved closer. Charley might be right about the danger of letting her go, but killing her was out of the question. "I've got a better idea. Give her to me."
 



***For one lucky commenter, Elisabeth will be pleased to present a Amazon gift copy of her new E-book, Kate's Outlaw. Leave her a message, making sure to include your e-mail address***

 
You can get Kate’s Outlaw as a separate novella on Amazon  or as part of the anthology Passion’s Prize which is available as an e-book or print book also at Amazon
 About the author:

  E.E. Burke writes sexy, suspenseful historical romance set in the American west. Her writing has earned accolades in regional and national contests, including the prestigious Golden Heart®. Over the years, she’s been a disc jockey, a journalist and an advertising executive, before finally getting around to pursuing her dream of writing novels. Her stories are as deeply rooted in American soil as her family, which she can trace back to the earliest colonists and through both sides of the Mason-Dixon line. She lives in Kansas City with her husband and three daughters, the greatest inspiration of all.
 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/AuthorEEBurke
Twitter: https://twitter.com/author_eeburke 
@author_eeburke
 
 
 

Meet our third author of the Western Anthology "Passions's Prize" - E.E. Burke

 







Once again, I'm very happy to introduce another lovely author, E.E. Burke. She's a talented writer and has worked hard to build her career. A finalist and winner of many contests including a Maggie Award, a Daphne Award and RWA's most prestigious Golden Heart, Elisabeth has certainly earned the right to publish her wonderful story, Kate's Outlaw.


This is the last in our series of interviews with three award-winning authors whose fascination with the TV series “Hell on Wheels” led to a historical romance anthology they wrote together. E.E. Burke, author of the novella Kate’s Outlaw , which is featured in the anthology Passion’s Prize is sharing her story with us today. Thank you, Mimi, for hosting us and letting us share about our stories. Mine is the third of three interlinked novellas revolving around a historic railroad race through southern Kansas in 1870. We mentioned that we came up with this idea after watching the AMC television series, Hell On Wheels. Let me explain a little as to why this series inspired me.

 Like Jennifer and Jacqui, I’m a huge fan of Westerns. There are so few anymore with truly legendary characters (think Clint Eastwood and Sam Elliott). Hell On Wheels has those kinds of characters: larger than life, complex and deeply flawed, a mix of good and bad. I love that about the show, and those are the kind of characters I like to write about.

 There is an interview with Anson Mount (who plays Cullen Bohannon) on TV.com where he says he’d rather play the role of a “weak” man, versus the stereotypical strong man. I think what he’s saying is a flawed character makes a much more interesting character, and one we can more readily identify with. I couldn’t agree more.

 Beyond the appeal of writing these kinds of characters, the fact that this show has been a big enough hit to warrant three seasons indicates people are hungry for great Westerns.

 

Now, about our project:
  Jennifer, Jacqui and I made the Golden Heart finals in 2010 with Western historical romances. The idea of writing something together seemed natural, and using the expansion of the railroads as a backdrop was very appealing. Even before I started watching Hell On Wheels, I wanted to set a book in this era because it captures the passions and ambitions that drove America to ultimately become what it is today.

  I’d done quite a bit of research on two railroads in Kansas that engaged in a cutthroat construction race in 1870. When I mentioned this to Jennifer and Jacqui, they were excited about using the race as the backdrop for the book we’d write together. Honestly, we couldn’t come up with better ideas than what really happened: spies, outlaws, saboteurs, fraud, settler riots…gosh, that’s like great movie stuff.

  We decided to write three novellas interlinked by an underlying plot (racing for riches) and a cast of characters drawn from life. We brainstormed the characters, and then each of us took the couple we wanted to write about. I chose the heiress and the outlaw.

  Kate Parsons is the heir to the railroad and the fortune that comes with it. She also happens to be a free-spirited crusader for equal rights. She comes west to prove to her father that she can run the railroad as well as any man.

  Jake Colson is an outlaw, and he happens to be Cherokee. Why make the outlaw a Native American? Historically, the railroad faced significant opposition from the Cherokee (and other tribes in what was then Indian Territory, now modern day Oklahoma), who didn’t want the “smoking dragon” to cross their lands.

  This set up a perfect conflict. Add to that, Kate is wealthy and white and Jake is poor and he’s Cherokee. They face all kinds of obstacles before they can get to their happy ending. And that leads us into my story, which I think will speak for itself.





  The Katy Railroad may have won a contentious race against their rival, but construction comes to screeching stop six miles inside Indian Territory—halted by the Cherokee, who refuse to let the "smoking dragon" pass. With bankruptcy looming, railroad heiress Kate Parsons takes negotiations into her own hands. Her plans go awry when she’s abducted, and worse, finds herself attracted to one of her Cherokee captors, a man so sinfully handsome he could steal more than her fortune if she doesn’t escape.

  Jake Colson, known among his people as Wa-ya, “the Wolf,” didn’t intend to kidnap anyone, but now he's stuck with a white woman whose personality is as bold as her fiery curls. When his partner threatens to kill her before she can expose their scheme to save their land, Jake takes off with his beautiful captive. Now, he must protect the woman he’s named Redbird, and at the same time prevent her father's railroad from steaming ahead.


(Excerpt from Kate’s Outlaw)

 Uk-tena crouched on metal rails with its nose pointed south, directly at the heart of the Tsa-la-gi Nation. Tonight, it didn’t hiss or spew smoke, as usual, but lay silent as a predator anticipating a kill.

Jake crept along the dark side of the locomotive, which his people had named after a mythical serpent. Not because they believed it had special powers. Everyone knew it was just a machine. But like its namesake, the “smoking dragon” had been created as a tool of domination. Its owners were the real monsters—and they had to be stopped.
Clouds skated across the sky. Light from a full moon struck the engine’s iron skin, turning it silver. Jake crouched lower, trying to make himself small. An impossible task when he was taller than most men, including the one in front of him. He stood out when he’d rather fit in.
As he passed between two cars, he glimpsed a bonfire on the other side. Orange flames leapt above the heads of dancers, their writhing silhouettes casting eerie shadows over a patch of ground cleared for the celebration. Strains of fiddle music mixed with shouts of drunken revelry.
The railroad chief’s party had been underway since sunset and wouldn't end anytime soon. Members of the Tribal Council hadn’t attended, even though they were the honored guests, and they’d warned their people to stay away. But there were always those happy to take advantage of free liquor.
Jake and Charley weren't here to drink. They'd come to steal the payroll.
The rhythmic crunch of footsteps came from the other side of the train.
Charley halted. His black clothes and dark coloring concealed him from view, but Jake was close enough to see his cousin’s fingers curl around the handle of his revolver. The gun slithered out of the holster.
Jake’s heart kicked in his chest. If his cousin started shooting with all these armed workers around, they'd both get killed. Of course, if they were caught stealing, they'd be hung from the nearest tree.
Holding his position, he peered beneath the train. Denim-clad legs scissored past. As the footfalls faded, he released a slow breath. By Thunder, this job would be his last. After tonight, they ought to have adequate funds to defend their land from those who wanted to take it.
"There, at the end, the fanciest car," he whispered. "I wager the owner brought the payroll with him."
A moment later, he swung up onto the metal platform, taking care not to tread loudly, and eased the door open. The compartment was dark, quiet.
"I’ll cover the windows. You find a lamp.”
His cousin slipped past. Circling the room, Jake pulled down tasseled curtains, which were rolled up on brass rods. A match rasped, followed by a sulfurous smell, then a soft glow filled the compartment.
Charley lifted the lamp. Light splashed across his features, making the scar more noticeable. During the war, he'd been struck in the face with a saber and the injury pulled his mouth down in a permanent grimace. The worse scars, however, couldn’t be seen. They were the ones on his soul.
“Where do think they stashed the money?” Charley rasped.
Jake scanned the paneled room, which looked more like a fancy office than a railcar. There was a sitting area, a table spread with papers and maps, a large desk positioned in front of bookcases that were pushed up against a partial wall, and beyond that, probably sleeping quarters. Last time, the money had been in a safe, something they’d been able to easily discover. But if there was no safe…
“Maybe it’s in the desk.” He checked the drawers—locked—then ran his hands underneath, feeling for a release that might trigger a secret compartment. "Nothing. I'll bet he keeps the key on him. We'll have to pry it open."
Pulling a knife from a sheath on his belt, Jake went to work on the top drawer.
Charley flipped open the lid on a fancy cigar box and stuffed the contents inside his coat. He threw a frowning glance over his shoulder. "Hurry up. I hear something."
From outside came a scrape on the metal platform.
Jake scrambled to his feet.
"Stay there. Distract them,” Charley hissed. He pressed his back against the wall to the left of the door and pulled a knife from a sheath in his boot.
Growing nervous, Jake shook his head. No bloodshed. That was the deal.
The knob turned and a woman stepped inside, one with hair as bright as a sunset.
Redbird.
Recognition jolted through him. Even though he'd only seen her from afar, there was no mistaking her fiery crown. It was the same woman who’d been following the railroad for months, mostly on the arm of the chief.
Fear flickered across her face, but instead of screaming, she raised her chin and leveled a stern look. "What are you doing in here? This is a private office."
Charley eased up behind her, his eyes glittering with grim intent. Surely, he wouldn't harm a woman.
The knife flashed.
"Tsali, no!" Jake shouted.
Confusion flickered across Redbird’s face a second before Charley clapped one hand over her mouth and jerked her back against him, putting the razor-sharp blade to her throat.
She froze, her eyes huge with terror.
Jake placed his palms on the desktop, prepared to leap over and grab the knife. But he checked himself. If he startled her, she might bolt, and the glint in Charley's eyes made it clear she wouldn't get away.
"Don't hurt her," Jake continued in Tsa-la-gi.
Charley scowled and jerked his chin toward the door. "See if someone followed."
Taking care to be quiet, Jake looked outside. No one lingered by the car and the only sounds were the strains of music and drunken laughter. He shut the door.
Redbird hadn't moved a muscle. Good thing she was smart enough to keep her wits about her. Now he had to calm Charley down.
"Don't see anybody, but we can't risk staying long enough to find the money. Let's tie her up and get out of here."
Charley flicked a dark glance at the petrified woman in his arms. "She's seen us. It'll ruin our cover."
"Only if they connect us with the other theft."
"You know they will if she squawks."
Redbird's frightened eyes darted back and forth and her brow knitted with confusion. Better she didn't understand.
"I’ll cut her throat and we can run. No one will be the wiser." Charley made the remark as casually as if he were discussing the weather.
Horror thundered through Jake, and in a burst of protectiveness, he moved closer. Charley might be right about the danger of letting her go, but killing her was out of the question. "I've got a better idea. Give her to me."
 


***For one lucky commenter, Elisabeth will be pleased to present a Amazon gift copy of her new E-book, Kate's Outlaw. Leave her a message, making sure to include your e-mail address***

 
You can get Kate’s Outlaw as a separate novella on Amazon  or as part of the anthology Passion’s Prize which is available as an e-book or print book also at Amazon
 About the author:

  E.E. Burke writes sexy, suspenseful historical romance set in the American west. Her writing has earned accolades in regional and national contests, including the prestigious Golden Heart®. Over the years, she’s been a disc jockey, a journalist and an advertising executive, before finally getting around to pursuing her dream of writing novels. Her stories are as deeply rooted in American soil as her family, which she can trace back to the earliest colonists and through both sides of the Mason-Dixon line. She lives in Kansas City with her husband and three daughters, the greatest inspiration of all.
 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/AuthorEEBurke
Twitter: https://twitter.com/author_eeburke 
@author_eeburke
 
 
 

Meet a wonderful author and a fine friend, Jennifer Jakes!

 

I'm so happy to introduce another lovely author, Jennifer Jakes. She's published two other books “Twice in a Lifetime” and “Rafe's Redemption”. Also a Golden Heart finalist, Jennifer has worked hard to build a career as an author. Because traditional publishers hesitate to contract western romances, she went the Indie route and there are many who have been glad. Count me as one! My 5 star review for "Rafe's Redemtion" on Amazon was titled "So Good!"

 Today, we have the second in our series of interviews with three award-winning authors whose fascination with the TV series “Hell on Wheels” led to a historical romance anthology they wrote together. Our guest today Jennifer Jakes is the author of the novella Eden’sSin , which is featured in the anthology Passion’sPrize .  Thanks for having me here today, Mimi! The release of Passion’s Prize and Eden’s Sin has been so much fun! We’ve had tons of encouragement from friends and other authors – and the icing on the cake was my debut novel, Rafe’s Redmeption, hit #1 on the Kindle Best Seller list! So all in all, it’s been a fantastic week!  Like Leigh and Jacqui, I’m a huge fan of  the Hell of Wheels TV series. I’m the nut who when I saw the first advertisement 6 months out, I marked my calendar to make sure I could watch the premiere. Yes, that’s how excited I was to see the Historical Western Genre making a come-back. I grew up watching Clint Eastwood movies, along with specialty series like Centennial. For me, anything Western held my attention. That has never changed.    So when we decided to write Passion’s Prize, why did I pick the former prostitute and the soldier? Well, Leigh said she thought I could handle that one. LOL I honestly did laugh and told her I wasn’t sure if that was a compliment, but that I’d be happy to write those characters. You see, I have a weird fascination with Old West prostitutes. How did those women end up in those kind of lives? Did they choose them? Forced into them? I have several research books about that vocation in that era, and if anyone thinks Miss Kitty from Gunsmoke is a real representation, let me assure you that is all lies.   While a few—very few—chose the life, thinking they might get rich, most had no choice. Or their choice was do this or starve. Women working as a laundress or in a factory (in the East) would make pennies per day compared to the dollar(s) per day a prostitute could make. But the conditions in which the lower-class doves worked was deplorable. High-end brothel girls had it pretty good…until their looks faded. Then they slowly made their way down the “ladder” until they died or ended up in a crib-house—a shack where the men didn’t even bother to undress for “servicing”. When a cattle drive would come through town, the crib girls could service up to 75 men in 24 hours.   So on that sad note; I knew Eden’s life of prostitution wasn’t something she would have picked for herself. Coming up with her story was challenging but the research was very interesting. I hope readers will enjoy reading Eden’s Sin as much as I enjoyed writing it! Now here’s an excerpt.  
 
 
EDEN’S SIN
***
Eden smoothed the skirt of her plain brown calico dress and patted her tightly braided bun, draping her woolen shawl over her head. She had to appear a reputable lady of town or else she didn't stand a snowball's chance in Hell of convincing some Army man to hear her out.

Men, especially those in power, didn't respect whores.

The rain had slowed to a drizzle, hanging in the air like a fog. The smell of smoke and manure circled in the air, and she shuddered at the damp breeze. Lifting the hem of her skirt, she stepped off the boardwalk onto the muddy street. Biting back a curse, she tried not to limp. The last thing she wanted was questions from the soldier.

She dropped her gaze and hurried toward the end of town.

Down the street, the sound of men barking orders and hammering tent stakes echoed from the empty lot beside the livery now filled with horses.

Swallowing her doubt, she strode toward the camp.

Would she stoop to lying to claim help for Mary? Yes, why not? Heap yet another sin upon her head. Whatever it took to find justice. At this point murder was the only wicked deed she hadn’t committed—though there were men who tempted her to do just that. Two in this town alone. Judge Parsons one, Henry Stevens the other.

Parsons had already made it clear he had no intention of pursuing the man who raped Mary Rose—a whore in the making. The hateful phrase burned through Eden each time she replayed the scene. He refused to lose the man-power for a search. He didn't want to know if one of his workers committed the crime. Not that she suspected the McGrady Gang. Cormac's men were the most upstanding men in town. Possibly the only upstanding men in town. But the stragglers who hopped from the Joy line to the Katy, always searching for the higher pay wage, those men were cruel drifters with no morals and no conscience. And she intended to see the man guilty of destroying Mary Rose’s innocence prosecuted.

She wove her way through the muddy row of tents already standing, to a large wall-tent at the end of a military street. Poking her head inside the open flap, she spied two men unpacking satchels and setting up a foldable wooden table.

“Excuse me.” She cleared her throat and spoke again. Louder. “Excuse me, gentlemen.”

Both men turned, the taller planting a worn, wet hat onto his dark head. Damp hair, a little too long, curled around his ears.

Her heart pounded, but she swallowed and stood up straighter. Too late to turn back now.

“Yes, Ma'am. Come in. What can we do for you?” His voice was, deep, strong, but not harsh. There was a lot to be known about a man through his voice. Not his words. Words were lies, more times than not. But if a woman knew how to listen, she could learn with what kind of man she dealt. This one she felt, she hoped against hope, was fair.

“I need a word with your commander.” She forced her voice to stay calm, sound refined, the kind of soft elegance she'd learned so many years ago. “Would that be you, sir?” Stepping inside, she dropped the shawl to rest around her shoulders and tried to paste a respectable expression on her face.

“That would be me, Major Bradford, at your service.” He walked toward her, long, lean, a rare handsomeness. She swallowed hard. Damn, why did he have to be handsome? She didn't want to notice a man ever again. Not as long as she lived. The last handsome man she trusted tried to kill her.


***
Thanks again for having me here, Mimi! I want to give a FREE eBook of Eden’s Sin to 1 lucky commentator. So be sure to leave your email with your comment for the drawing!
***



About the Author!Jennifer Jakes

 
After trying several careers—everything from a beautician to a dump truck driver—Jennifer finally returned to her first love, writing. Maybe it was all those Clint Eastwood movies she watched growing up, but in her opinion there is no better read than a steamy western historical.

 
Married to her very own hero, she lives on fifteen acres along with two beautiful daughters, two spoiled cats, three hyper dogs and one fat rabbit.
 
During the summer she does Civil War re-enacting and has found it a great research tool, not to mention she has continued appreciation for her microwave and hot water heater.
 
Her debut novel, RAFE’S REDEMPTION, was a RWA Golden Heart finalist and Won BEST ROMANCE 2011 at DITHR and many other awards. RAFE’S REDEMPTION has since become a #1 Best Seller on Amazon!
 
Her second book, TWICE IN A LIFETIME, was an International Digital Award finalist. It has also recently become a #1 Best Seller on Amazon!
 
Visit Jennifer Jakes at www.jenniferjakes.com or find her books on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Jakes/e/B005OMTLWW/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

 
 *****
 






  

 



 
 

Meet my talented friend and a newly published author - Jacqui Nelson!!

 




  I'm so very happy to be able to introduce Jacqui Nelson. She's a very good friend, a RWA conference roomie and a very talented writer. Jacqui has finalled in and won a huge number of contests including RWA's prestigious and highly coveted Golden Heart. She's one of today's writer's whose dream is to be traditionally published and - no doubt - she will be one day. In the meantime, I know there are many readers who will love her self-published work.


Thank you, Mimi, for inviting me to be your guest today and for hosting me and my anthology partners yesterday as well. When I moved to Victoria in the spring of 2009, it was truly my good fortune to meet you and then (just a few short months later) be your RWA conference roommate in Washington, DC. What a blast I had at my first national conference with you by my side!





Yesterday on Mimi’s blog, my Passion’s Prize anthology partners and I discussed what had inspired our anthology. Today, I’d like to share what inspired the next step—writing my individual novella, Adella’s Enemy .  What inspires me personally?

I adore stories of high adventure, stories that sweep you away to another time and place. So what adventure could I craft around a cutthroat railroad race set in 1870 Kansas?

The starting point

My anthology partners and I began with two ideas:

1) Our stories should relate in some way to the real life construction race between the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad (aka the Katy) and its rival, the Border Tier Railroad.

2) We should aim for stories similar to the “Hell on Wheels” TV series which follows the making of America’s Transcontinental Railroad.

But where to go from there?

Who is my hero?

Every romance story needs a great hero. While brainstorming possible characters as a group, a railroad foreman was mentioned. Many of the men working on the Katy Railroad were Irish, so that was the next logical attribute for my hero. And why not make my Irish foreman a relative newcomer to America, a man who hasn’t lost his delicious Irish accent? But what else?

What motivates my Irish foreman?

I decided my hero would be struggling to understand a new country while dealing with a difficult past from his homeland. Ireland’s Great Famine sprang to mind. Approximately 1 million people died during this famine. Anyone who did survived would’ve known someone who died, someone they might have wished they’d been able to save.

So my hero is determined that no one else will die on his watch. He has a railroad to protect and men to keep employed. And if the Katy doesn’t reach the Indian Territory border before its rival, then the Katy loses the race, and the men lose their jobs. Even worse, they might lose their lives as the desire for rivals to best each other heats up. If any of that happened, my hero would feel he’d failed those who depended on him. Again.

Cormac McGrady was born. 

But who could I throw in the path of my hard-working but tortured Irish foreman?

Who is my heroine?

This actually turned out to be the most difficult part. My anthology partners and I tossed around several ideas: schoolmarm, suffragette, shop keeper. To me, none of the these said, “High adventure.”  Then another word came to mind: spy. A female spy sent to provoke unrest and slow down my Irish foreman’s railroad so the rival railroad could win.

But why is she really a spy?

Because she has a tortured past of her own. At the start of our anthology, the American Civil War had ended only 5 years earlier. Many men working on the railroads were veterans of that war. Could my heroine have a connection to the war as well? Had she been a spy in the war and lost someone dear to her? I decided my heroine was on her own private mission against the man responsible for her twin brother’s death, a man connected to the Katy Railroad.

With this background, my heroine would be a woman with unique talents and a ton of grit. But she just might meet her match in one determined Irish foreman who is as highly invested in keeping the Katy rolling forward, as she is in halting it.

Adella Willows is her name.

Hope you enjoy reading Cormac and Adella’s story!  * * * 
Here’s an excerpt from Adella’s Enemy:  
Adella’s fingers brushed the telegram hidden in her cleavage and she went as still as Cormac. Blast! She’d forgotten about the telegram! She needed Cormac to stay in her hotel room, but she couldn’t let him see the telegram.
“How do you know what I want?” she whispered, stalling for time.
“I don’t. But this is what I want.” In two strides, he devoured the gap between them. Then his mouth claimed hers in a hot, heady possession.
Pressed against the door, all she could do was kiss him back. She did so with abandon. Her skin tingled, and her blood raced as if her body had woken from years of sleepwalking. She didn’t want the feeling to stop. She wrapped her arms around Cormac’s neck and pulled him closer.
He suddenly lifted his head. “I want more than one kiss,” he murmured against her lips. “And I don’t mean merely claiming everything that’s under this dress.” His hand slid up her ribcage to cup her breast.
The telegram! With a gasp, she covered her cleavage with both hands. The corner of the telegram brushed her palm. Thank Dixie. It was still there. But had he seen it? She pressed back against the door.
Cormac retreated as well, lifting his hand to rake it through hair that was already disheveled. Had she done that? He reached for the doorknob and she jumped aside.
“Stay away from the worksite, Adella.” He opened the door without his customary restraint. It banged against the wall. “And, for God’s sake, stay out of trouble. Don’t provoke a man beyond his patience.”
 Passion’s Prize—an anthology featuring the novellas Adella’s Enemy by Jacqui Nelson, Eden’s Sin by Jennifer Jakes, and Kate’s Outlaw by E.E. Burke—can be purchased on Amazon at http://bit.ly/PassionsPrizeKDP and is also available at B&N Nook store and the Apple iStore.
 


Amazon


***For one lucky commenter, Jacqui will be pleased to present a Amazon gift copy of her new E-book, Adella’s Enemy. Leave her a message, making sure to include your e-mail address***


Can the pursuit of an old enemy lead to a new love?



In a race for riches, anything can happen. Five years after the Civil War, a Kansas railroad race heats up as former Rebel spy Adella Willows receives her mission from a Washington senator. Play havoc with the Katy Railroad and derail its bid to win the race. The senator craves wealth. Adella craves revenge against the man responsible for her brother's death. But her plans crumble into chaos when she matches wits with the railroad's foreman, a handsome Irishman torn between two desires: winning the race or winning Adella's heart




Jacqui Nelson writes historical romantic adventures set in the American West and Victorian London. Her love of Western stories came from watching classic Western movies while growing up on a cattle farm. Her passion for Victorian London wasn’t far behind and only increased when she worked in England for four years and explored the nooks and crannies of London on her weekends. Jacqui currently lives in Victoria on the west coast of Canada where she works as a book seller. Her previous jobs have included animator, systems analyst and fundraising event coordinator.

  

Her debut release, Adella's Enemy, is part of the Passion'sPrize anthology and the Steam! Romance and Rails series. She is a Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® winner and three-time finalist.
 
www.JacquiNelson.com
www.amazon.com/author/JacquiNelson
www.facebook.com/JacquiNelsonBooks
www.twitter.com/Jacqui_Nelson   ****

Thrilled to introduce a new Anthology "Passion's Prize" and its wonderful authors!

I have been eagerly looking forward to introducing this wonderful Anthology called "Passion’s Prize" to my blog friends. We have a treat lined up for you. Each day, we'll meet one of the three authors who worked together to produce this book. I don't know about you romance readers, but personally, I have always enjoyed love stories set in the Wild West. Having three of them under one cover is fantastic!!


***



Today, we begin a special series of interviews with E.E. Burke, Jennifer Jakes and Jacqui Nelson, three award-winning authors whose fascination with the TV series “Hell on Wheels” led to a historical romance anthology they wrote together.


Thank you, Mimi, for hosting us and letting us share about our new release, Passion’s Prize. We’re calling it an anthology, but it’s actually three interlinked novellas that revolve around a historic railroad race across the Kansas plains in 1870. Passion’s Prize is the first release in the series, Steam! Romance and Rails, which will feature stories from America’s golden age of steam railroads.
  How did you decide to work together on this anthology?

 Elisabeth: It was almost accidental, or maybe I should say, pre-ordained. Last year, I saw Jennifer at a conference and we were commiserating about how publishers claimed there wasn’t a market for American historical romances. We’d both made the finals of the RWA Golden Heart contest in 2010 with Western romances. And Jacqui had won that year with a Western romance. I remarked, “We ought to write a book together and just put it out there. Find our audience.”

 Jennifer:  And I said, “Yeah! Writing with other Western authors would be great. Let’s do it.”

 Elisabeth: Once I picked my jaw up off the floor, I told her I’d been watching a Western series on television, AMC’s Hell on Wheels. Why not create something like that?
 

Jennifer:  I laughed. Because Hell on Wheels is one of my favorite shows. It’s like a required “course” for Western Historical writers. So I was all about using the HOW era as a base idea.
  Elizabeth: I also mentioned I’d done a lot of research on the railroads for another story I was working on and we could use this.
 

Jacqui: I love it when someone’s done a lot of research and I can just build on their knowledge. And I was thrilled when Elisabeth and Jennifer contacted me after that conference and asked if I would join them on this project. 
 Elisabeth: We wanted to create stories within a story, using characters with their own arcs impacted by an overarching plot line that drives much of the action. Some brainstorming sessions led to three story ideas and our anthology was born.”

 Why railroads?

Elisabeth: Something about railroads calls to my romantic nature. Maybe it’s the passion and excitement of a long-ago era when America expanded its boundaries as fast as men could lay track. I wanted to give readers a glimpse into that exciting time period.

Jacqui: Jennifer and Elisabeth had me onboard at Hello.  And after watching season one of Hell on Wheels at Jennifer and Elisabeth’s urging, I was even more hooked on writing a railroad story. The Hell on Wheels characters are amazing, compelling, tortured, passionate, determined and multi-dimensional. Everything a writer dreams about.
 Jenn: In my Golden Heart book, Rafe’s Redemption, I had touched upon the building of the Transcontinental Railroad and in doing the research on that, it sparked my interest in the expansion of the railways. When Leigh mentioned the Katy, I thought it was very cool since the Katy Trail (the old rail bed) is now a biking/hiking trail and my family and I have gone for bike rides there.
 

What have you enjoyed the most about working together?
 Elisabeth: The opportunity to work with incredibly talented writers who are as jazzed up as I am about Western romance. We feed on each other’s ideas and enthusiasm. I’d gotten very beaten down and had even contemplated throwing in the towel. But coming together with these wonderful friends and fellow writers to publish the kind of fiction we love has revived me and given me back my energy and excitement.

  Jacqui: After working on our anthology for several months, it was a blast to finally meet Elisabeth and Jennifer in person once more at an RWA conference. I felt even more connected to them because of our experiences working together on such an interesting writing project.

  Jenn: I think the accountability of pressing forward with chapters. Yes, I’m a procrastinator and knowing Jacqui and Leigh depended on me to write helped me get my pages done. LOL
 

Tell us a little about the story of Passion’s Prize.
 




Passion’s Prize is based on an actual construction race between two railroads with very long names that were dubbed The Border Tier and The Katy. The race took place primarily in 1870, when both lines were laying track through Kansas as fast as they could to be first to reach the border of Indian Territory (modern day Oklahoma). Congress had promised the winning line free land and the exclusive right to pass through Cherokee lands into cattle-rich Texas. 
 The railroad owners were ambitious men willing to do just about anything to secure the prize. Their henchmen hired spies, saboteurs and even outlaws to disrupt the competition.

 Our stories revolve around three women—a spy, a madam and a railroad heiress—whose lives hinge on the outcome of this race.


Adella’s Enemy by Jacqui Nelson

The race heats up as former Rebel spy Adella Willows receives her mission from a Washington senator—play havoc with the Katy and derail its bid to win the race. The senator craves wealth. Adella craves revenge against the man responsible for her brother’s death. But her plans crumble into chaos when she matches wits with the railroad’s foreman, a handsome Irishman torn between two desires: winning the race or winning Adella’s heart.
 Eden’s Sin by Jennifer Jakes

Passions rise when a beautiful madam must rely on an Army major for help. Eden Gabrielli lives by three rules: Never trust the wealthy, do whatever it takes to survive, and never again believe a decent man could love a whore. But when a blackmailer threatens, she will do anything to protect her sister—even if that means deceiving the handsome and determined Major Bradford, the one man who tempts her to break her rules.
  Kate’s Outlaw by E.E. Burke.

Fortunes fall as the Katy Railroad battles the Cherokee Nation over land rights. With bankruptcy looming, railroad heiress Kate Parsons takes negotiations into her own hands. Her plans go awry when she’s abducted, and worse, finds herself attracted to one of her Cherokee captors, a man so sinfully handsome he could steal more than her fortune if she doesn’t escape. t.
 Rather than share an excerpt—because how could we possibly choose one excerpt from an anthology written by three people? —we’d like to share a small sample of each of our novellas…


Our Opening Paragraphs



 Adella’s Enemy by Jacqui Nelson:

Standing on the fringe of a courtyard full of women, Adella Willows waited to make a bargain with the Devil. Not that the Devil himself was coming to meet her. He was sending a fat, yellow-bellied Yankee senator dressed in a suit as fine as President Grant’s.
 Eden’s Sin by Jennifer Jakes

Rain, rain, rain. Eden Gabrielli stared out the saloon window. The droning downpour seemed never ending. Memories flooded as fast as the creek south of town. Memories swirled in her mind—good, bad. Happy. Sad.
  Kate’s Outlaw by E.E. Burke.

"The Indians call it a smoking dragon.” Kate’s father gestured to a framed image of a locomotive hanging in his private railcar.

Passion’s Prize has just been released and those who are interested can purchase it from Amazon as an ebook or paperback. It will also be available at B&N Nook store and the Apple iStore.


 *************** 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Learn suitable time management – advanced planning is key!!

Okay  - Suitable Time Management -  this one doesn’t work too well for me.
I’m so bad…..!!
My time is precious, I know it. In fact I tell that to my oh-what-the-hell side all the time. But she doesn’t listen too well. She goes along playing on facebook, sending out tweets and…  ahh playingspidesolitaire(I can’t believe I’m admitting this online) The slothful side of me tells us that we’re allowed because winning a game will probably ramp up our brain cells and we’ll write better. Yeah sure!! Darndest thing is - I guess I believe that bullplop cause I keep on playing…. sigh!!
Truly, at one time I detested the promotional side of the business. I really did! I found it difficult to learn all the techie stuff one needed to know to set up profiles on so many different sites, to learn to run my blog, to get followers on twitter and facebook and connect everything. Heck, Goodreads drove me around the bend until I finally broke down and read the help section. Damned if it didn’t help – duh!!
Now – I’m finally admitting the truth. I've begun to love the challenge of promotion. After forcing myself to be involved and learn what I needed to know, I’m getting comfortable with all the different machinations. And surprise!!  It’s become fun. Plotting for all the books, moving them around to get the best limelight whenever possible, even controlling a budget to get whichever book is doing the best out in front of the buyers more than the others. Working the system! It’s a blast. I love it!!
But… the writing is suffering. I have to force myself to keep to a schedule. Ordinary life has a habit of getting in the way and that’s understandable. When it’s the sideline fun stuff, it isn’t acceptable. I need to stop the nonsense. Put my priorities in order. Understand that those books I create are what drive my business. Acknowledge that this is a business. Set up a goal sheet and stick to it. And…
 Phew! Sounds good doesn’t it? If I was a puppet, it would probably work very well. But I’m not. I work according to what makes sense. I'm not writing a book every single day, but when I am things tighten up. Starting my morning by getting my 2,500 words done, to me, that makes sense and fits into my profile of a smart writer. Once I’ve achieved that,  I can use the rest of my precious hours with the various marketing chores, answering my e-mails, and the other 101 responsibilities
Because I have deadlines to meet - set up by myself - but nonetheless worthy, I’m becoming better about limits and targets. Not perfect, but better. Advanced planning is key. When I decide that a book needs to be released by a certain date, even though it was me who set that schedule, I still feel obligated to follow through. There’s a certain amount of pride involved.
Now that I’ve had the experience of writing so many books, I can pretty well gauge the time it will take a new project from beginning to end. As long as the peripherals like editing and formatting fit into the estimated interval, it'll be succeedful and that feels so damn good.  
 I'm a day late to tell you about our Kick Ass Promotion this month and I'm truly sorry. My birthday got in the way and my blog suffered. It's one of those "life" things we all have to accept....LOLBut there is still one day left for you to get the FREE books you want from many wonderful authors.
   FREE - Book #1 & 2 from the Vegas Series

 


 


Explore market strategies! #socialmedia

  
Keep your marketing profitable and targeted. In other words be cost-effective in the way you spend. Promotions can be hugely expensive. Rather than re-inventing the wheel, ask others what they found to be lucrative. Do your research. If you blow a bunch of money and get poor results in either free downloads or sales, rethink that cost.
 
Also take into effect that not every book is on the same level as another. Some have more reviews, there are price differences, many of the authors have a huge backlist and a fan base already in place, others are novellas, or maybe a series book. Covers can be distinctive and make sales. There are so many differences that can drive a book. Start paying attention to help you understand.
 
You can’t write a book everyone will love, therefore maximize your promotion toward those most likely to become your audience. Isolate those people who would be interested in the content of the book. For instance, I know my Vicarage Bench Series and the Angels with Attitudes wouldn’t be of any interest whatsoever to the majority of male readers. On the other hand, I happen to know that there are a few men who’ve enjoyed the grittier, romantic suspense Vegas Series. So, it goes without saying that I wouldn’t aim my marketing to the same crowd for all my books.
 
Identify other work that is comparable to yours and look up those books’ main customers. Explore the connections and what worked to attract them. Then appeal to those books’ readers. On Goodreads ads they ask you to give them a list of authors who write books similar to yours. They know it’s important for you to locate those booklovers.
 
Pinpoint what is special about your book. For instance…when I wrote my time-travel series (Vicarage Bench) I mixed it up a little by deciding that rather than just sending my protagonist back in time, I’d put her spirit into the body of another person, usually one of the opposite sex. Legitimately, I can call it a time-travel romance; the twist just gives it more layers of conflict.
 
Determine some demographics. What age would be most likely to enjoy your book? As mentioned above, is it likely to interest both men and women? Do you really think that an erotica lover will totally enjoy your sweet inspirational love story? Or teenagers who love Sci-Fi would be into a contemporary romance? Aim your books and budget towards the people most likely to write you a great review.   
  Now, work all the above together to get the best strategy. The previous tips can narrow your target audience. Then concentrate on those

Apology and a new cover release for "Let it Ride"!!

It's just recently came to my attention that the release for “Let it Ride” showing in the back matter of my last two published books reads “End of July”.
 
Taking full blame for this error, I want to apologize for those who are waiting for the announcement that it’s been published.
 
Before releasing those books, we decided – okay I decided…..sigh!! that I wanted to get the Surrogate’s Secret out before the next Vegas book. So I moved the release date of “Let it Ride” to the fall. (Notice I’m not promising any specific date. I know I’ll have it written by the end of August… true. But I work with very busy editors and cannot promise that they will have the book finished say by the end of Sept.)
 
After making this decision, I blithely went along my merry way without following up on any previous notices I’d written and did my thing.
 
My thing being a trip to Vegas in July where I did some research for the new book. It’s a legitimate excuse but I should have made sure that any prior date promises had been changed. So now, I’m kinda terrified to make specific promises for any of the books. All I know is that my goal is for the beginning of October.
 
This is another prime example of the type of responsibilities that Indie authors have to take on to themselves. It’s up to us when we put our books out to the public. We have to make arrangements with our editors and deal with those who, at the last minute, have family issues that stand in the way of them being able to fulfill a prior arrangement. It’s on our shoulders that the cover artist we chose has the covers ready for promotion previous to the book being released. And, and…well that another whole new blog, isn’t it?
 
The most important of all… it’s up to us to see that we don’t mislead our readers. And it’s also in our lap to make the apologies when we unintentionally screw up.
 
So… I’m sorry if any of you are waiting to read what happens to Lisa and Jeff in this final book. To make it up to you even a little bit, I’m releasing the cover so you’ll have something to look forward to when the book is finally ready.
 


 
Isn’t it wonderful??? I just loooove Steven Novak my cover artist. ( novakillustration@gmail.com ) Tell him Mimi sent you.  *** 

Develop your own channels in Social Media!

 

Man, I’ve beaten this horse to death!  
 But it was always with the thought of it being for authors who needed to network. I never thought of it as an avenue for a student in Public Relations to build up a platform for future use.

 Makes sense though, doesn’t it? Anyone in the field of making contact with a lot of people has to be familiar with the ins and outs of the places that will get them in front of the masses.

 After all, there are certain paths that have proven to be more effective than others. Don’t blink! They change that fast. So… one needs to keep up with today’s world. (Remember the good old days when we only had television, newspapers, radio, magazines, flyers - blah, blah, blah - peddling to us.)  

 And just because some of these sites are the past routes doesn’t make them any the less effective. There are many people who have remained faithful to the old standbys like radio and magazines,  Facebook and Twitter. My reasoning is that those people are just – just people who want to learn about the news of the day or interact with friends. True, some are there to plug their wares. And since our society is so used to that type of interaction, it’s probably ignored.

 Then again, maybe it isn’t. Connecting with the person who writes your favorite series can be desirable. Finding a representative who sells your favorite Epicure Products can be a real advantage when you happen to Stumble upon someone in your area. Sharing recipes that are personally recommended by a friend on Pinterest makes you more apt to try it than if you found it in some old cookbook like years past.

 It’s the human contact through these networks that makes us want to be involved. Being connected! In today’s world, with the internet, we all have that opportunity. And the sellers of the world know this to be true. Therefore, we’ll have to accept that our favorite meeting places will always be inundated with products for sale.

 Until, that is, a newer and better place comes along to grab attention. And it will. So students, learn all about the first social media platforms to see how and why they were so attractive to the ordinary individual. Then go out and set up something brand new for us to flood to.

 Don’t blink!

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I'm such a shameless promoter -  I hate myself....snicker!

If you have a minute, please like my facebook fan page

Maybe a "Counterfeit Cowboy" - but a truly genuine author - Gail MacMillan!

Today, it gives me great pleasure to introduce a wonderful author and friend, Gail MacMillan.Published by... The Wild Rose Press
 
Her book Counterfeit Cowboy is first on my Kindle which means I'm reading it right now.
Started it today in my bath and the ring around the tub and the wrinkles in my skin (no - not only from old age) tells its own story. I got hooked and couldn't stop.
Now I can't wait to get to bed tonight so I can get back to Shelly and Jordan's story.
Not only does Gail’s writing flow beautifully,
but she's got four troubled teens being mentored by a rich, handsome
country-western singer and a sassy lady vet who wants nothing to do with him.
Now that kind of plot will grab me every time.
    Amazon Page   
I was delighted when my friend Mimi invited me to write about my latest book, Counterfeit Cowboy, on her blog.  Mimi has been a wonderful support and source of inspiration.  I admire both her and her stories. Mimi, like a rare gem, is one of a kind. ( awww shucks!! xoxo)
Now to “Counterfeit Cowboy.”  I started thinking about writing the story several years ago when I was taking riding lessons (I won’t bring my age into the story but let’s just say my children had all graduated from university by that time).  I loved the horse farm where I was taking instruction and the people involved with it.  I saw it as a setting for a story but a definite plot eluded me.  Then, one day while watching a country music video, I began to wonder if any of these “cowboys” actually could ride a horse.  Thoughts began to run together…small, east coast horse farm, country music singing sensation who couldn’t ride a carousel needing to gallop off into the sunset in an upcoming movie.  Where better for him to hide his lack of equestrian skills while learning to master a horse than a secluded New Brunswick farm.  Then make the owner of the farm a no-nonsense veterinarian who saw country music singers as counterfeit cowboys.  Yes, yes!  There were the bare bones of a plot. 
During the time the plot was jelling I was in e-mail correspondence with a remarkable woman, British Columbia rancher Joan Trask.  Joan and her husband Harold generously allowed me to name one of their foals Fancy.  With a silver mane and tail and charcoal grey body, the filly was gorgeous.  Sadly, at two years of age, Fancy became the victim of a tragic accident.  Joan and I wept long distance.  We both knew there’d never be another Fancy. 
The following year I dedicated one of my books to Fancy’s memory but with “Counterfeit Cowboy” I went a step further.  I fashioned the little mare into being one of the  characters.  Thus, “Counterfeit Cowboy” is a tribute to a wonderful animal whose life was like a rose in bloom…brief  but beautiful.      Also Author of -  Holding off for a Hero - Rogue's Revenge - A Breed Apart - Lady and the Beast - Ghost of Winters Past -  Caledonian Privateer 

Blogsite:  http://www.gailmacmillan.ca/