Westward, Ho! by @CallieHutton

Callie Hutton, author

Westward, Ho!
by Callie Hutton
author of Emma's Journey

I remember that from a TV show many years ago. I always had a fascination for wagon trains, whether it was a TV show, a movie or a book. It only seemed natural that when I wrote my very first romance book it would be a wagon train story.

Like most first books, this one sat on my computer while I wrote, sold, and saw published several others. But I always wanted to go back and resurrect Emma’s Journey. Emma called to me, to tell the world her story, how she’d made the journey from Indiana to Oregon, from timid wife to strong woman.

During my research, I found some interesting facts.

For one thing, Fort Laramie, a very popular stop for wagon trains heading west, was actually an open fort. The building, of course, had walls, but the fort itself had none. An entire population of Indians lived outside the main building, their teepees scattered around. The men hunted meat they sold to the Army, and in return, their women and children were protected while they were gone.

Most travelers started off with a wagon load of supplies, furniture, and cherished items from home. Most of it was discarded along the way as oxen wore out, and plowing through mud and rivers, and up steep inclines, made the weight impossible.

Since the weight of the wagon and supplies was hard enough on the animals, most emigrants walked the trail. In fact, with the swaying and bumping, it was probably more comfortable to walk.

Despite some movies and TV shows, horses were not used to pull the wagons. Sturdy and strong, oxen and mules were the animals of choice.

Most likely no wagon train made it from Independence, Missouri—the starting point for most travelers—all the way out west without losing some emigrants along the way. Weather, illness, injuries, and drowning all took their toll. There were also Indian raids that in some cases, killed every person on a wagon train.

While writing Emma’s Journey, I kept thinking about the courage it took to uproot your family from a place you lived most, if not all, of your life and forge west in the hopes of making a better life. How many of us today would have the tenacity to do that? But these are the people who made our country grow.

As much as we like to romance the past—especially important in romance novels—life on the trail was dirty, hard, smelly, and frightening. But had there not been brave and willing people to set forth, we would all be crowded on the east and west coasts. A scary thought.

But then, our country is made up of descendants of pioneers. Except for our Native American population, we, or our ancestors, came from somewhere else, and made that tremendous sacrifice for a better life.

My great-grandparents made it from Ireland to New York. My grandparents made it from New York to New Jersey, where the bulk of the family remains today. I, on the other hand, made it west to Oklahoma. My trek took place in a crowded airplane, with my dog howling the entire time in the baggage hold. At least there was no Indian raid.

Win a $25 Gift Card!

One lucky commenter will win a 

$25 gift card 

to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble 

(winner’s choice) 

In addition, if the winner has not yet read 

An Angel in the Mail 

Callie will send an autographed copy as well.

Drawing will be held Saturday, February 23rd at 9pm Pacific Time. Please be sure to include your email address in your comment!

Be sure to read Callie's interview, which includes an excerpt of Emma's Journey.

Callie Hutton: Emma's Journey #western #historicalromance

Emma's Journey
by Callie Hutton

Romancing The West welcomes author Callie Hutton this week! Callie has been making up stories since elementary school, and putting pen to paper gave her a way to turn off the voices in her head. Writing has always been her passion, and she’s authored several romance novels, with an emphasis on the American West, both historical and contemporary.

Oklahoma is where she hangs her hat with her husband, two young adult children, and three dogs.  You can catch her hanging out at Facebook, Twitter- @CallieHutton, and her home base. Stop by sometime and say hello.

RTW: Tell us about your featured book, Emma's Journey.

CH: Emma Thorpe did not want to leave her life in Indiana to travel to Oregon on a wagon train, but her husband, Peter, had other ideas. Barely three weeks into the trip, Peter is killed, and Emma is shocked that the wagon master won’t let her return home.

Wagon Scout Davis Cooper has decided this would be his last scouting trip, he intends to obtain land in the new Oregon territory, find a wife, and start a family.

When the Wagon Master orders Emma and Davis to marry, she rebels, but eventually comes to realize she can’t go it alone, no matter how stubborn she is. But nothing will make her give up her dream to return home.

Can Davis change her mind, and have the life he’s always wanted with his unexpected wife?

Drawing!

$25 Gift Card

(details below)

RTW: Why do you write Westerns? What aspect of life in the Old West intrigues you the most? Did you work that into Emma’s Journey?

CH: I think what intrigues me the most about the Old West was how strong and courageous the men and women were who ventured forth to start a new life. In Emma’s Journey, she starts out anything but strong and courageous, and that’s part of her journey.

Callie Hutton, author

RTW: If you lived in 1851, what would you visit first? Is there something you’ve been curious about that you can’t find in your research sources?

CH: If I were zapped back in time (I would love to be), the first thing I would be anxious to investigate is all the clothes and furniture that fills museums that look so old. I’d like to see what they looked like when they were brand new. I’d love to visit a mercantile and other stores of the period, as well as a ‘typical’ home.

RTW: Same here. An afternoon in a mercantile would sure be an education! If a person who had never read a Western (any sub-genre) asked you for a recommendation, what novel or movie would you recommend and why? What did the author do to bring the story alive for you?

CH: There are so many. I particularly loved Leigh Greenwood’s westerns. I think his characters were so well developed you felt like you knew them. I also loved Legend by Jude Deveraux. That fascinated me with how the ‘past’ looked one way, and then another way on a second visit. The story itself was unique in that one. Of course, Sandra Brown’s Sunset Embrace and Another Dawn, although she says on her website she has no intention of re-writing the ending of Another Dawn. I think she upset quite few fans with that one. But I loved them both.

RTW: Why must Emma take this particular story journey? What does she have to prove? How does Davis affect her journey?

CH: Although Emma is a married woman, she never really grew up. This trip brings her, kicking and screaming, from childhood to adulthood. And Davis is the one dragging her the entire way.

RTW: Give us a little taste, please!

CH: In this scene Davis and Emma are now married (against her wishes), and they must cross a river. She’s terrified.

Excerpt from

Emma's Journey

by Callie Hutton

Four wagons had already crossed when Emma and Davis’s turn arrived. One wagon had overturned, causing precious supplies to float down river. Even now she could see barrels and boxes floating away. The occupants and their somewhat bruised wagon had made it safety to the other side, however.

Emma climbed up onto the seat, her whole body shaking with fear. She swiped at the sweat gathered on her brow, then gripped her middle. Dear God, she couldn’t do this.

“You ready, darlin’?” Davis reached for her cold hand and squeezed “Trust me, Emma.”

He grabbed the reins, his full concentration on the animals that would lead them across. They started into the river and hit a bump, swaying the wagon. A jolt of fear sped through her. Her eyes grew wide as the animal’s front hoofs hit the swirling, rapid coursing water. Before she could even think about it, she jumped off the wagon seat, splashing in the water, and ran back to shore.

*

“Emma!” Shouting a spew of curses, Davis pulled up on the oxen, but once in the water, they refused to stop. Having no choice, he continued across the river, trying his best to concentrate on keeping the animals from panicking as they went deeper into the water. By the time he reached the other side, muscles he didn’t know he owned burned with the strain of holding the animals tight. Moving his wagon up off the bank, he stopped the oxen and hopped off the seat.

“Davis, you better get that wife of yours under control.” Ezra stomped behind him. “Now whaddya gonna do with her over there, and you over here?”

"I’m going back for her on a horse.” He stalked over to several riders on horses guiding the emigrants from the rider. Davis nodded to Nate. “I’d appreciate the use of your horse, Hale.”

“I can go back for her, Davis.”

“Don’t make me drag you off that animal.” He growled.

After mounting the horse Nate had reluctantly vacated, Davis splashed back into the river and returned to the other side.

Emma's Journey is available at Amazon

RTW: What’s next? Is Emma’s Journey a part of a series?

CH: Not really part of a series, but the Nate mentioned above is the protagonist from my already published book, An Angel in the Mail. I currently have two books under contract, a contemporary western, and a Regency. My current WIP is a time travel to 1872 Kansas.

RTW: Anything else you’d like to add?

CH: I want to thank you for having me here this week. It’s always fun visiting Romancing the West.

Win a $25 Gift Card!

One lucky commenter will win a 

$25 gift card 

to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble 

(winner’s choice) 

In addition, if the winner has not yet read 

An Angel in the Mail 

Callie will send an autographed copy as well.

Drawing will be held Saturday, February 23rd at 9pm Pacific Time. Please be sure to include your email address in your comment!

Character Interview and #drawingforfreebooks at Laurie's Thoughts & Reviews

Much Ado 
About 
Mavericks
by Jacquie Rogers

Read an interview with Jake, the not-your-average heroine of Much Ado About Mavericks at Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews.  While you're there, comment to win one of two Kindle copies or a print copy of Much Ado About Mavericks.  

Here's a blurb of the book.  I can't wait to see what Jake has to say about it, though!

• A sexy ranch foreman who just happens to be a beautiful woman
• A Boston lawyer who wants to settle his father's estate and go back East.
• Rustlers who have another agenda in mind
• Mayhem endangers them all—but can the foreman and the lawyer ever see eye to eye?

Benjamin Lawrence is a highly respected attorney in Boston, but in Idaho Territory, they still think of him as that gangly awkward boy named Skeeter. When he goes back home to settle his estate, he's confronted with a ridiculous will that would be easy to overturn—but can he win the regard of his family and neighbors—and the foreman?

The Bar EL's foreman, Janelle Kathryn aka J.K. aka Jake O'Keefe, is recognized as the best foreman in the territory. But being the best at her job still isn't enough—now she has to teach the new owner how to rope, brand, and work cattle before she receives clear title to her own ranch, the Circle J. The last thing she expects is rustlers. Can she save her ranch without losing her heart?

Drawing for the Kindle copies will be March 3rd at 9pm Pacific Time.

Drawing for the print copy will be March 17th at 9pm Pacific Time. USA shipping only.  The book will be sent as soon as it goes live (it's still being proofed).

In your comment, at Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews, please indicate which (or both) drawing you want to enter.  Don't forget to include your email address or I'll have no way to contact you, and will have to pick another winner.

Good luck!

Jacquie Rogers

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Romancing The West * Blog

♥ Hearts of Owyhee ♥ 

#1 Much Ado About Marshals 

#2 Much Ado About Madams 

#3 Much Ado About Mavericks

A fun short story: Willow, Wish For Me (Merlin’s Destiny #1)

Outlaws--Australian Style, by Alissa Callen

Alissa Callen, author

Outlaws – Australian Style

by Alissa Callen

author of

Beneath 

Outback Skies

Amazon, Random House Australia

Australia and America might occupy different hemispheres, but their history, at times, went hand in hand. Whether someone lived in the Old West or the outback, their experiences were often similar. It was just the frontier that differed.

Gold Rush

It was thanks to the Californian gold rush that a town called Orange, not far from me, came into existence. Edward Hargraves, drawing on his experience from the American goldfields, saw that the terrain and topography of Ophir were similar to the gold mining areas he’d left behind. In April 1851 gold was discovered and Australia had its first gold rush.

Where there was gold there was also lawlessness. Just like the Old West and its iconic outlaws, the Australian frontier also possessed its share of bushrangers. Names such as Ned Kelly, Captain Thunderbolt and The Lady Bushranger are all woven into the tapestry that is our colourful past.

Ned Kelly

Ned Kelly is Australia’s most notorious and famous bushranger. Resourceful and ingenious, he made a suit of armour out of mouldboards, the metal components of a farm plough. (View a video that explains exactly how the armour was made.)

Despite his criminal activities Ned Kelly had many sympathizers as he was seen to be an underdog taking on the authorities. Before his capture and death by hanging, he dictated an 8,000-word letter outlining why he’d turned to crime after believing himself and his family unfairly targeted by police.

Captain Thunderbolt

Captain Thunderbolt is another notable Australian bushranger. Renowned for his horse skills and avoidance of violence, he was termed the ‘gentlemanly bushranger.’ Outside of the town of Armidale, where I went to university, there is a huge rock called Thunderbolt’s rock where he used to hide and wait for the approaching mail-coach. Even to this day mystery surrounds his death. For pictures and more information please visit the Uralla website.

The Lady Bushranger

Just like in the Old West the Australian frontier also had female outlaws. In my local area, Elizabeth Jessie Hickman was known as ‘The Lady Bushranger.’ The horse riding skills that she perfected in a bush circus held her in good stead for cattle and horse stealing. An account of her exploits and life, written by her grand-daughter, can be found at Open Writing Web Magazine.

So, despite Australia and America being hemispheres apart, a common historical denominator joins them. Whether panning for gold in California or Ophir, or whether someone was an outlaw or a bushranger, one thing remains the same, the life lived was a frontier one.

photo 1: Ned Kelly’s armour photo credit: photo credit: Skyco via photopin cc

photo 2: Captain Thunderbolt statue photo credit: photo credit: yewenyi via photopin cc

Alissa Callen lives in Australia and writes Australian contemporary romance as well as American western historical romance.  

She penned Beneath Outback Skies, a rural romance (contemporary, set in the outback). To learn more about the author and her latest release, read her interview and the excerpt of her book.

Free Book!

Leave a comment or question about the Outback

and you could win a Kindle book

What Love Sounds Like

Sweet contemporary set in the outback

(Escape Publishing)

Small print: Please leave your email address or Alissa can't send the book to you if your name is drawn. Drawing will be held February 16 at 9pm Pacific Time. Winner will be notified by email.

Alissa Callen: Beneath Outback Skies #australia

Beneath 

Outback Skies

by Alissa Callen

Romancing The West welcomes a fabulous author from Down Under, Alissa Callen, who writes rural novels set in the Outback similar to what we'd call contemporary western. I'm sure you'll find many commonalities in her interview and enjoy the excerpt from Beneath Outback Skies.

RTW: Thanks for joining us this week, Alissa! First of all, we'd love to read your book blurb.

AC: Paige Quinn will let nothing and no one distract her from caring for her wheelchair-bound father, Connor, and fighting for her drought-stricken property, Banora Downs. Least of all a surprise farm-stay guest named Tait Cavanaugh, whose smooth words are as lethal as his movie-star smile.

Except Paige can’t help noticing that, for a city-boy, Tait seems unexpectedly at home on the land. And he does ask a lot of questions…

It doesn’t matter how much he helps out or how much laughter he brings into her life, she soon suspects he is harbouring a big secret – the real reason he has come to Banora Downs…

RTW: Why do you write Westerns and Australian Rural fiction?

AC: Whether it be in the Australian outback or the American Old West, there was a time when men and women carved out a new life in an unfamiliar and often harsh land. I love writing about strong heroes with a fixed moral code and the sometimes unconventional heroines that fight for what they believe, whatever frontier they might live in. While my rural fiction stories might be contemporary they still echo the core values of my Western historical books—the value of community, loyalty and of being self-sufficient.

RTW: Is there something you’ve been curious about that you can’t find in your Western historical research sources?

AC: I’ve been lucky enough to have lived in Colorado as well as the outback, and am rather addicted to Google, but still remain curious about all the little details of frontier life. Research and photos offer a framework but it is the scents, sounds, tastes and nuances of a world that no longer exists that I wish I could tap into, even just for a day.

RTW: If a person who had never read a Western (any sub-genre) asked you for a recommendation, what novel or movie would you recommend and why?

AC: Ever since I picked up my first Louis LÁmour book I’ve been inseparable from the western genre. I’ve many Louis LÁmour favorites that could recommend but The Tall Stranger and Killkenny are perhaps at the top of my list. Here in Australia there is an iconic poem written by Banjo Patterson called The Man From Snowy River. In the 1980s it was made into a movie and the result is a beautiful and poignant depiction of pioneer life, Aussie style. So in terms of a visual recommendation, this movie would be a must-see.

RTW: Why must Tait Cavanaugh take this particular story journey in Beneath Outback Skies? How does Paige Quinn affect his journey?

Alissa Callen, author

AC: In my rural novel Beneath Outback Skies, Tait is on a quest for redemption. He must reclaim his birthright and assuage his guilt at believing that he let his mother down. In order to succeed he needs to keep two secrets. But the more he helps stubborn country-girl, Paige Quinn, fight to save her drought-stricken ranch, the harder it is for Tait to conceal such secrets.

RTW: Lucky for us, you've contributed an excerpt. Would you set the scene?

AC: Paige Quinn returns from droving cattle to find an unexpected paying guest on her historic ranch. Tait Cavanaugh’s charm doesn’t fool her. He’ll be nothing but trouble.

Excerpt from

Beneath Outback Skies

by Alissa Callen

‘Mr Cavanaugh, your being allergic to seafood does help. We don’t have insurance. So it’ll be in both our best interests if you stayed elsewhere.’ Paige gave what she hoped qualified as a smile. ‘I personally will arrange accommodation in another farm stay closer to town.’

‘I wouldn’t want to cause trouble.’

‘Oh, it’s no trouble. Believe me.’ She inclined her head toward the phone on the office bench. Her fingers curled into a fist at the urge to reach for the hand-set. ‘It just so happens I have the farm stay’s number on speed-dial.’

‘I bet you do.’ His chuckle failed to disguise the determination clipping his words. ‘But you won’t need any insurance. I’m a good boy scout and brought my emergency adrenaline EpiPen.’ The corner of his mouth kicked into a half-grin. ‘I’m sure you’ll have no trouble sticking a needle in me.’

She compressed her lips to stifle a smile.

Gorgeous. Witty. Used to getting his own way.

This city pretty-boy wasn’t even staying a day.

Beneath Outback Skies

is available at:

Amazon, Random House Australia

RTW: Ha! That's what Paige thinks, but we have an idea that's not so. What are you working on now?

AC: For the next little while I will be taking off my rural hat and putting on my western historical hat and finishing a story called Colorado Christmas Bride.

RTW: Please come back when it's released and tell us about it!  Anything else you’d like to add?

AC: Thank you so much for having me. And if anyone has any questions about Australia or the outback would be happy to answer them.

RTW: What a generous offer! And thank you, Alissa, for taking the time to visit with us today.

Free Book!

Leave a comment or a question about the outback

and you could win a Kindle book

What Love Sounds Like

Sweet contemporary set in the outback

(Escape Publishing)

Small print: Please include your email address with your comment or Alissa can't send the book to you if your name is drawn. Drawing will be held February 16 at 9pm Pacific Time. Winner will be notified by email.  For another chance to win, stop by Thursday when Alissa will tell us all about the outback bushrangers.

Dude Ranches by Kate Wyland

Kate Wyland, author

Dude Ranches
by Kate Wyland

Cowboys, horses, wide open spaces, John Wayne movies – the American West has fascinated people for generations. Add the current interest in ecology and nature and you have a resurgence in dude ranches as vacation destinations. The ranches vary widely in what they offer. Some are set in spectacular locations, such as Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon, while others are located in genuine ranching areas with the cowboy experience rather than the scenery as the focus. Some offer luxurious accommodations and gourmet meals, and others have more basic rooms or even camping tents. Working ranches let visitors take part in ranch activities, ala the movie City Slickers, while most are set up to take care of beginner riders. Depending on how active or pampered you want to be, you can find one to suit your tastes.

Looking toward the ranch

The dude ranch in my book Wyoming Escape is loosely modeled after Eaton Ranch in Wolf, Wyoming. Our week-long stay there was so delightful that I wanted keep its memory alive, so I used it as the inspiration for my story. None of the characters or events is based on reality, but some of the scenery and attitudes are. And I did use one name I encountered there.

Cabin

Eaton Ranch is arguably the first American dude ranch. Started in 1879 as a cattle ranch by the three Eaton brothers, it was originally based in North Dakota. So many of their Eastern friends wanted to visit that one guest suggested the brothers charge for room and board so they could stay for long periods without guilt. And a new business was added to the ranching enterprise. In 1904, the Eatons left North Dakota and moved to Wolf, Wyoming, just outside Sheridan. With the impressive Big Horn Mountains as a backdrop, their new ranch provided a more interesting riding experience for their guests. 134 years later the Eaton family still welcomes guests to their ranch and ensure they have a delightful time. Most people become enthralled and return year after year. At our table, the other diners had been coming between ten and twenty-five years. We even met a man in his nineties who had first stayed there when he was eleven.

Trail friends

If you haven’t already, perhaps you should consider a dude ranch vacation. Which type would you like? Luxury, working, trail oriented, or beginner? Comment below to win a copy of Wyoming Escape and see a picture of life at one type.

Wyoming Escape is available at Amazon, BN.com, Smashwords, Apple, Kobo

Free Book!

One lucky commenter will receive a Smashwords coupon for a digital copy of Wyoming Escape. This is good for any ereader. If you don’t have a reader, you can download a free app to read the book on your computer.

Don’t forget to include your name and email address, so we can contact you if your name is drawn. Drawing will be held Saturday, February 9, at 9pm Pacific Time. Comment on this post or Kate's Monday post enters you to win. Comment on both posts for two chances. Good luck!

Kate Wyland: Wyoming Escape #romanticsuspense

Wyoming Escape
by Kate Wyland

Romancing The West welcomes author Kate Wyland, a life-long horse nut who started riding at three years old. While she rode Western as a child, she later became enthralled with Dressage and Quadrille, a drill team type of dressage competition. She also loves trail riding and has taken week-long rides in Ireland, Monument Valley and Wyoming, as well as horse camped in the mountains of California. Kate has three semi-retired horses and can’t imagine life without them. A few years ago, she exchanged her tech writing hat for a fiction writing Stetson. Suspense, romance, horses and sometimes the paranormal are the themes she likes to explore in her books. And she delights in sharing her love of animals and country living.

RTW: Thanks for joining us today, Kate! To start off, please tell us about your book.

KW: One dead body is frightening enough, but a second, plus a dirty cop, sends Mikela Richards fleeing for her life. She finds a hiding place on a Wyoming Dude ranch, where she tries to discover if the murders are connected to a mysterious computer memory stick. Her fragile feeling of safety is disturbed by a compelling Marine.

Back from Afghanistan to heal both physically and emotionally, Shawn Saunders recognizes the type of fear in Mikela's eyes—it's one of the things he's come home to forget. In spite of their reservations, neither can resist the pull of their attraction.

Contest!

To win a copy of Wyoming Escape, please comment at the bottom of the blog. Have you ever stayed at a dude ranch? Would you like to? One winner will be selected at the end of the week.

RTW: Why do you write Westerns?

Kate Wyland
author

KW: I’ve always been in love with horses and ranch life. I had horses in the suburbs of Los Angeles as a kid but I wanted to live on a real ranch. The closest I’ve come is when my husband and I had a three acre horse property in a rural area south of San Francisco. While not Texas cowboy country, many of our neighbors raised cattle and horses and had a very different attitude than was typical in Silicon Valley. I also got to ride in some truly wonderful mountain areas.

Wyoming Escape was inspired by a stay at the famous Eaton Ranch in Wolf, Wyoming. The people and the environment were so delightful I wanted keep the experience alive in my memory. So I put aside the book I was working one and started on Escape.

RTW: If a person who had never read a Western (any sub-genre) asked you for a recommendation, what novel or movie would you recommend and why? What did the author do to bring the story alive for you?

KW: One book that has stayed with me my whole life is Smokey the Cowhorse by Will James. James was not only a wonderful writer but a talented artist too. His illustrations make the story of a Mustang colt that grows up to be a top cow horse come alive. Unlike a lot of popular horse books, Smokey acts, reacts and looks like a real horse. I so wanted to visit the ranch where he lived.

RTW: I enjoyed that book, too! Back to Wyoming Escape—why must Mikela take this particular story journey? What does she have to prove? How does the dude ranch affect her journey?

KW: Mikela has learned through bad experience not to trust people, particularly the police. When she realizes that a dirty cop is probably responsible for the two murder victims she came upon, she runs rather than risk being at his mercy. She hopes the memory stick she found in her car will provide answers to the killings, if she can ever open its encrypted files.

Hiding on a Wyoming dude ranch, she encounters a way of life and set of people far different from what she has known before. She also meets Shawn, an on-leave Marine, who won’t take no for an answer. When the dirty cop finds her, she has to decide whether to trust her new ranch family or continue to go it alone.

RTW: Now that you've piqued our interest, set us up for your excerpt, please.

KW: Mikela Richards is jogging in a wooded park when the sound of gunshots sends her plunging into the bushes and behind a tree. When nothing more happens she starts to creep out of hiding, but retreats back when she hears running footsteps.

Excerpt from

Wyoming Escape

by Kate Wyland

A slim man in a leather jacket ran into view, headed toward the parking area. He looked somewhat familiar and her shoulders relaxed, until she caught sight of his glazed, panicked expression.

And the black nine millimeter pistol in his hand.

Her heart thumped so loudly, she was surprised he didn’t hear it. But something caught his attention. He jerked to a stop and backed around in a small circle, peering into the bushes, and brought the gun up into the firing position she knew well.

Thank heavens she’d worn her navy tights and top, instead of her usual bright colors. If only the shadows cast by the oak trees would screen her blond hair. Completing his circle, the man lowered his arms and jogged up the trail.

She sucked air into her starving lungs. Had he fired those shots? Or had someone shot at him? She reached for her cell phone, then swore softly. Of all the times to leave it at home. Her insides contracted. Even if she had the phone, would she really call the police about a couple of gun shots? After what she went through before?

Mikela stepped out of her hiding place and hurried down the path, away from the intruder and his gun, taking an alternate route back to her car. She jogged on tiptoe, listening for sounds that didn’t belong in the forest. When the trail junction appeared, the tightness in her chest eased.

She turned onto the new path and slammed to a stop. A strange mound lay near the flowering azaleas a few feet away. A dreadful sense of déjà vu swept over her and she had to force herself to move.

Not again, please God, not again.

She took a quick glance then looked away, fighting to control her stomach. A dark-haired man lay sprawled on his back by the side of the trail, his eyes wide open. A dark red stain spread from the middle of his tan polo shirt. The air reeked of blood and human waste. She gathered her courage and inched toward him, then bent to touch his neck. His skin was warm, but no pulse moved against her fingers.

Not again.

Amazon, BN.com, Smashwords, Apple, Kobo

RTW: What’s next? Is Wyoming Escape part of a series?

KW: Wyoming Escape is the first of a series of books set at the Triple H Dude Ranch. It will be followed by Wyoming Hope later this year.

However, my next book to come out will be Forewarning, the first book of another series, Horses and Healers. Set on an Oregon horse ranch, it tells the story of Kasey Martin, an alternative healer who has closed her practice because she’s afraid she was responsible for her husband’s suicide. One night she finds a badly injured man and is forced to use her rejected skills to save his life.

RTW: Anything else you’d like to add?

KW: I love writing stories that involve horses and the outdoors. I think nature grounds us and connects us to what is truly important.

Free Book!

One lucky commenter will receive a Smashwords coupon for a digital copy of Wyoming Escape. This is good for any ereader. If you don’t have a reader, you can download a free app to read the book on your computer or smart phone.

Don’t forget to include your name and email address, so we can contact you if your name is drawn. Drawing will be held Saturday, February 9, at 9pm Pacific Time. Comment on this post or Kate's Thursday post enters you to win. Comment on both posts for two chances. Good luck!