Saturday, September 27, 2014

Sample Saturday - September 27, 2014

Welcome to Sample Saturday. This week's sample introduces some of the characters of my new short story, Happy Halloween.
~~~ 

Mary Beth sneezed as she took the dusty books out of the carton. Her blond hair fell over her forehead, and she thrust it back with her wrist.

“Sam,” she called to her son in the bedroom. “See if you can find a box of tissue. I think I put some in the hall closet.”

“I can’t find any, Mom,” he shouted over her next sneeze.

She shook her head in resignation. “Then bring me some toilet paper. I know I put that in the bathroom.”

After a moment, Sam came into the room. “Here, Mom.” He handed her one sheet.

“Do you really expect me to blow my nose with just one little piece, Sam?”

“You said ‘some’. Doesn’t ‘some’ mean ‘one’?”

“Oh Sam, I’m just not ready for word games today. Give me a couple more squares, at least. This dust has my allergies going ‘boo!’ already.”

The boy returned with a decent hank of tissue and gave it to her, grinning at some private thought.

Mary Beth blew her nose and looked at Sam, marveling at how much he looked like Bill, and half wishing that he didn’t. “Well?” she asked. “Spill it.”

“Nothing. I just wondered if you’d let me go trick-or-treating after supper.”

“I don’t know, Sammy. With so many kooks out these days, and not knowing the neighbors yet, maybe we’d better pass this year.” She noted his quick look of disappointment, and hastened to add, “You can stay here and pass out candy while I do the laundry. But don’t let Linette out the door. She’ll want to go with me, and it’ll take a while to get your clothes ready for tomorrow.”

~~~

Thank you for visiting. Stay tuned for information about the Blog Book Tour that I'm having from October 6 through 12.

And don't forget to come back next Saturday for another sample of my writing.

Bestselling author Marsha Ward wrote the novella, Faith and the Foreman, in the Timeless Romance Anthology Old West Collection. She is the author of an acclaimed novel series featuring the Owen family. Her novel, Spinster's Folly, won the 2013 USA Best Book Award for Western Fiction, and recently was named Finalist in Western Fiction in the 2014 International Book Awards. A former journalist, Ward has published over 900 articles, columns, poems and short stories. She is the founder of American Night Writers Association, a.k.a. ANWA.

Thursday, September 25, 2014

My New Short Story

Just in time for Halloween, I've published a new short story called Happy Halloween as an ebook.

Although I wrote this piece a number of years ago, this year I took it out, wiped off the grime, spruced it up, made a cover, and finally published it at the appropriate time of year. The ebook is available at both Smashwords, where you can pick up all the formats you need for your devices, and at Amazon, where it's in the Kindle store. It's nicely priced at $0.99. I hope you will enjoy reading it.

Happy Halloween

Mary Beth Larson emerges from the fog of loss in a new location with two young children, determined to start her life again. Glen Hampton and his little kids have already survived their own tragedy. Maybe this Halloween means something besides Trick or Treat. A short story.

Happy Halloween
Smashwords all formats | Kindle

Don't forget that writers and readers appreciate reviews, so after you read, please return to Smashwords or Amazon and leave a review. Putting it up on Goodreads is also appreciated! Thank you!

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Sample Saturday - September 20, 2014

Welcome to Sample Saturday. This week's sample shows Mary Hilbrands pacing in the garden, filled with doubt on the night before her wedding.
~~~ 


Mary stood in the garden, halting for a moment before she resumed her pacing beneath the bower made of lilac bushes. Was everything ready? She had gone over her lists time after time, but felt that she had neglected a detail, some tiny particular that would put a finishing touch on her preparations. She stepped out onto the path again.

Is Rulon this nervous tonight? He had come to see her, but she had refused to let him enter the house, too distraught to entertain him without knowing all was ready for the next day.

She was getting married tomorrow. No. She couldn’t be ready for this huge step. Becoming a married lady. Bearing a ring on her finger. Hearing folks call her “missus” instead of “miss”. This was momentous. She wasn’t ready.

She wanted to flee. She could run away, down the Valley Pike to hide in a crag in the mountains. Somewhere that Rulon wouldn’t find her.

Rulon. What was she thinking? Was Rulon the right man for her, the right husband, the right—she shuddered—lover?

I don’t even know what that means.
~~~

Thank you for visiting. The Official Launch Party on Facebook for Gone for a Soldier was a stupendous success! Stay tuned for information about the Blog Book Tour that I'm having from October 6 through 12.

And don't forget to come back next Saturday for another sample of my writing.

Bestselling author Marsha Ward wrote the novella, Faith and the Foreman, in the Timeless Romance Anthology Old West Collection. She is the author of an acclaimed novel series featuring the Owen family. Her novel, Spinster's Folly, won the 2013 USA Best Book Award for Western Fiction, and recently was named Finalist in Western Fiction in the 2014 International Book Awards. A former journalist, Ward has published over 900 articles, columns, poems and short stories. She is the founder of American Night Writers Association, a.k.a. ANWA.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Just Because: Lots and Lots of Clean $0.99 eBooks!

Hello!

It's time for a Clean eBooks Author Promotion! Yay! I've banded together with several other authors to bring you a bunch of cool books for hardly any cost. One book is FREE!

This promotion runs from Wednesday, September 17, 2014 at 10:00pm MST until Saturday, September 20, 2014 at 11:59pm MST. Enjoy these fantastic, clean eBooks! :-)

Discern, Katon University Book One

Andrea Pearson
$0.99
Kindle, Nook, Smashwords

Nicole Williams is an Arete—a fourth child with magical abilities—yet no matter how hard she tries, she can’t Channel her power. In fact, she seems to be the only student at Katon University who fails at magic.

That doesn’t stop magic from finding her. It starts with magical currents and possessed books before moving quickly to cursed spiders and freaky shadows. Nicole turns to her best friend for help, along with fellow student Austin Young, who is considered by all a magical rarity. He also happens to be the hottest guy on campus and just might be interested in her.

Nicole soon finds herself competing to be included on a university-led expedition to Arches National Park. She is determined to show everyone, but mostly herself, that she does belong. Yet, to qualify for the trip, she must produce at least a speck of Wind magic, and that appears to be impossible.

As the competition progresses, Nicole wonders if she’s making the right choice—especially when she learns that the strange fossils they’ll be studying in Arches might not be as dead as everyone thinks.

Prejudice Meets Pride

Rachael Anderson
$0.99
Kindle, Nook

After years of pinching pennies and struggling to get through art school, Emma Makie’s hard work finally pays off with the offer of a dream job. But when tragedy strikes, she has no choice but to make a cross-country move to Colorado Springs to take temporary custody of her two nieces. She has no money, no job prospects, and no idea how to be a mother to two little girls, but she isn’t about to let that stop her. Nor is she about to accept the help of Kevin Grantham, her handsome neighbor, who seems to think she’s incapable of doing anything on her own.

Prejudice Meets Pride is the story of a guy who thinks he has it all figured out and a girl who isn't afraid to show him that he doesn't. It’s about learning what it means to trust, figuring out how to give and to take, and realizing that not everyone gets to pick the person they fall in love with. Sometimes, love picks them.

Your Eyes Don't Lie

Rachel Branton
$0.99
Kindle, Nook

Sometimes Surviving Isn't Enough . . .

Years of living on the street and fending for herself have made Makay Greyson tough and resourceful, if a bit disillusioned. She's come a long way from sleeping in parks and scavenging for food. Her entire focus is on providing a better life for her young brother, one without fear of loss and neglect.

That certainly doesn't leave time for Harrison Matthews, who from their first meeting sends fire through her veins and upsets all her carefully laid plans.

Makay has done things she isn't proud of to survive, and those choices now threaten the small amount of security she's created-and any chance of a future with Harrison. They've been raised in two very different worlds, and the secrets they both hide can only lead to disaster. There is only one chance to make it right, and one misstep could be fatal.

Your Eyes Don't Lie is a story about facing fears, sacrificing for those you love, and about a girl who thinks she isn't worth loving and a guy who knows she is.

A Fantasy Christmas

Cindy C Bennett, Stephanie Fowers, and Sherry Gammon
$0.99
Kindle, Nook, Smashwords

Three mystical tales that make for fun reading as the weather turns cold. Enjoy the romance, the magic, and the joy of Christmas and fantasy while you snuggle up in a blanket and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate.

Halfling by Cindy C Bennett
Banished from the South Pole, Kara tries to carve out a new life among the elves of the North. It’s not easy with a secret to protect—a secret she's cursed with by the unusual circumstances of her heritage: half-elf, half-fairy. In the North, she’s assigned to work with Seb on a special project. He's the most gorgeous elf she’s ever seen - and the orneriest.


As if being banished wasn’t punishment enough.

Seb introduces her to Trystin, a fairy from the nearby fairy forest. Trystin discerns her secret right away and promises to teach her how to use the powers given to her by the very thing she’s fighting to keep hidden.

Aphrodite by Stephanie Fowers
Nothing is simple for Aphrodite’s daughter, especially love.


Scorned by society in regency England, Affry longs for romance. Upon encountering a dashing nobleman at her aunty's Christmas' ball, Affry gets caught in a lovely intrigue with disastrous results. Worse, she wins the interest of the gods. Now the furies of the underworld and Hades himself are after her.

When all is fair in war, Affry must use love as her weapon—but only for the one who’s stolen her heart.

Loving Marigold by Sherry Gammon
Young Marigold Yarrow has a secret. She’s also in love with Jack Mahoney. In the middle of her ninth grade year, Jack's family up and moves to Port Fare, New York, leaving the small town of Sugar Maple, West Virginia - and Marigold - far behind.


Nine years later Jack and Marigold meet again. They join forces to weed out the shady Abbott boys. The unscrupulous brothers are illegally selling moonshine near her home on Sugar Maple Ridge. And they'll do anything to get Marigold to leave the ridge. Anything.

But this time it could be magic that tears Jack and Marigold apart.


Ride to Raton

Marsha Ward
$0.99
Kindle, Nook, Smashwords

Thinking he's been treated unjustly by his father, James Owen leaves the family homestead to make a new life for himself.

The turbulent world of post-Civil War Colorado Territory is fraught with danger and prejudice that increase his bitter loneliness as personal setbacks threaten to break him. Then James's journey brings him into contact with another wayfarer, beautiful young Amparo Garcés, who has come from Santa Fe to Colorado to marry a stranger. Through a twist of fate, their futures are changed forever when their lives are merged in a marriage of convenience. James and Amparo undertake a hazardous horseback trek over Raton Pass to Santa Fe, battling their personal demons, a challenging language barrier, and winter's raging storms.

"Ride to Raton is a pure western, complete with bad guys and broken hearts and even a dog. The sequel to The Man from Shenandoah features James Owen, the younger brother. Marsha Ward writes a fantastic romance against a vivid southwestern backdrop. James begins this book as a hurt young man, but by the end of the book, I really could see him grow up and become a man. Made tougher by circumstances he has no control over, James realizes that the love he thought he had lost was nothing compared to what Amparo shows him. Amparo is a young Hispanic lady, forced to leave her home in Santa Fe to marry a stranger in Colorado. She bravely faces her uncertain future, relying on her faith to get her through. She is sweet, loving and she provides a great contrast to James's rough exterior. With an ending that surprised even me, Ride to Raton is not your usual romance. However, I do recommend it for western lovers—even the cover is wonderful! Marsha Ward once again shows us her gift for old fashioned storytelling!" ~Jen Hill, Roundtable Reviews

The Husband Maker

Karey White
$0.99
Kindle, Nook

Charlotte’s a girl with nicknames. She may not love being called Charles or Chuck, but the hardest nickname to take is the one she was given in college, the one that’s followed her now for too many years. They call her “the husband maker” and sadly, it fits. Every guy she's dated since high school has gone on to marry the next girl they date. Not two or three girls down the road. The very next one.

Is she doing something wrong or is she just cursed?

When Kyle Aldsworth enters the picture and sweeps her off her feet, Charlotte begins to hope that maybe she's not destined to be single forever. A senator’s son with political aspirations of his own, Kyle's wealthy, handsome, and in need of a wife. Will Charlotte be disappointed yet again, or will she finally be able to make a husband for herself?

Life, Love, and The Pursuit of Free Throws

Janette Rallison
Free!
Kindle

Josie loves hottie Ethan Lancaster, the captain of the basketball team, but she never can do or say the right thing in front of him. So how can it be fair that Ethan is only interested in her best friend, Cami, when Cami isn’t even trying for his affection? Or is he?

Cami dreams of winning her basketball team’s coveted MVP award, and earning the chance to take the court during a special halftime demonstration with WNBA star Rebecca Lobo, but her best friend, Josie, is a better player. So how can it be fair that Josie is a shoo-in for the honor if she is barely interested in basketball in the first place and isn’t even trying to be the best? Or is she?

Told from two points of view, this novel of freshman life, love, and the pursuit of free throws displays the same delightful humor as Janette Rallison's other comedies.

My Forever: A Triple Treat Romance Box Set

Annette Lyon, Karey White, Cami Checketts
$0.99
Kindle, Nook

A Portrait for Toni  by Amazon bestselling author Annette Lyon
Toni has no idea what she’d do without her best friend, Carter. Who else would she be able to vent to about her parents, her job at the dance studio, or her latest relationship woes? That is, until he starts questioning Toni, saying he thinks she has an eating disorder. Then she starts dating Clint, and somehow that puts a deeper wedge between her and Carter. When she’s hospitalized after an on-stage collapse, and Carter stupidly starts in with advice about food and weight, she sends him away. One night after a performance, Toni tries to mend the hurt between them. Instead of finding Carter, she stumbles onto proof that he has feelings for her that go way beyond those of a friend. Toni is left with the very real prospect of losing Carter forever, unless somehow she can return his feelings—but that’s impossible. Isn’t it?

My Own Mr. Darcy by USA Today bestselling author Karey White 
After being dragged to the 2005 movie Pride and Prejudice by her mother, sixteen-year-old Elizabeth’s life changes when Matthew Macfadyen’s Mr. Darcy appears on the screen. Lizzie makes a promise to herself that she will settle for nothing less than her own Mr. Darcy. During the six intervening years, she finds all of her suitors lacking—they just aren’t Mr. Darcy enough. Coerced by her roommate, Elizabeth agrees to give the next interested guy ten dates before she dumps him. She starts dating Chad, but she believes her dream comes true in the form of wealthy bookstore owner Matt Dawson, who looks and acts like her Mr. Darcy. But as Elizabeth simultaneously dates a regular guy and the dazzling Mr. Dawson, she’s forced to re-evaluate what it was she loved about Mr. Darcy in the first place.

The Broken Path by Amazon bestselling author Cami Checketts 
Injured in a debilitating accident at age six, Ethan Searle believes women eye him with a mixture of pity and disdain. He’s tried love before. He won’t again. He meets his match in a precocious two-year old who loves him despite his disability, even while her mother seems bothered by everything about Ethan. Autumn Reader escaped her abusive marriage with her beautiful daughter and a stack of fear. She can’t make the mistake of trusting a man again. Autumn’s daughter becomes enraptured by Ethan. Despite Autumn’s best intentions, she finds herself following her daughter’s example. When her ex-husband reappears, threatening everyone she loves if she won’t submit to his demands, Autumn has to learn to trust or lose her chance at real love.

Still Time

Maria Hoagland
$0.99
Kindle, Nook, Smashwords

Thrust into the chaos of her mother-in-law’s hoarding and forgetfulness, LDS church member Alyssa Johnston wishes she could retreat to a simpler time when her kids were small and almost anything could be fixed with a hug. But reassurance and a quick distraction no longer erase the pain of a missionary son who is struggling, a young teen who is bullied, or a daughter who is distant. As Aly’s own life and relationship with her husband plunge out of control, she wonders if her faith will be enough to keep her family—or herself—from falling apart.

Still Time is a deeply moving story about a woman’s faithful journey into the next phase of her life. You will laugh with Aly, feel her sorrow, and see yourself in Maria Hoagland’s realistic, heartfelt portrayal of a woman’s struggle to keep her family safe and hold back time as long as she can.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Stand Against Plagiarism - Beloved: United! Box Set #3 now available

In July, my friend and fellow author Rachel Nunes learned that someone had stolen her Christian novel, added graphic sex to it, had it for sale as an ebook in the United Kingdom, and was planning to sell it in the United States.

You can read about the personal, professional and emotional turmoil this brought to Rachel and her family, and the resultant legal suit here and in subsequent posts.

People around the globe are aghast at the temerity of the plagiarist, who, it was learned recently, stole the personal and very traumatic recollections of a wounded veteran of a foreign war to use in another of her novels. Many people have banded together to help Rachel fund a lawsuit that, hopefully, will prevent this person from plagiarizing even more writers and authors.

This is going to be an expensive fight. Estimates of the costs begin at $30,000. While Rachel Ann Nunes, the author, has written many novels and is quite popular, the proceeds of her books have gone to help raise a family of seven children. She doesn't have deep pockets, so another writing friend helped her set up a Go Fund Me account here to help raise the necessary money for the suit in federal court. To date, about 20% has been raised. I urge you to click on the link and be as generous as you can to stand against plagiarism. Even five dollars helps, if enough people contribute! (Please spread the word.)

But Rachel wants to give readers another way to stand against plagiarism and get real value for their donations. With the help of willing friends in the writing community who have donated the use of their works, she has created a line of electronic book box sets containing (so far) novellas and full novels. These box sets will only be available for a limited time, so you need to hurry and purchase them soon.

The first, Unseen, contains six spectacular Speculative Novellas.  From futuristic science fiction to romantic fantasy, this set has something for everyone who loves an interesting tale. Authors include Teyla Branton, Andrea Pearson, Stephanie Fowers, Frank Morin, Debra Erfert, and Kathleen Marks.

A second and third box set were released this week. Number Two, Concealed, contains two full-length Mystery novels, one full-length Suspense, and a Bonus Mystery novella, by authors Rachel Branton, Liz Adair, Heather Justesen, and R. L. Tyler. Whether you love romance, mystery, or suspense, this set has something for you.

Number Three, Beloved, contains three Romance novels. Fall in Love with wonderful romances from three popular eras! This collection contains my full-length novel, Spinster's Folly, and novels from Joyce DiPastena and G. G. Vandagriff, as well:

Loyalty’s Web by Joyce DiPastena
Medieval Romance
Heléne de Laurant has not forgotten how the Earl of Gunthar destroyed her father’s castle during Henry II’s war with his sons. Apparently neither have her family and friends, for when someone tries to murder Gunthar, every sign points in their direction. Heléne realizes the only way to prove her loved ones’ innocence is by exposing the true assassin.

As Heléne and Gunthar spar over the identity of the traitor, fierce determination gives way to mutual attraction. Heléne must race against time, and dark secrets of the past, to unmask the would-be killer before the kingdom plunges back into war and takes the life of the man she has unexpectedly learned to love.

Miss Braithwaite’s Secret by G. G. Vandagriff
Regency Romance
When Miss Caroline Braithwaite, the “Incomparable,” leaves London in the middle of the Season, she confides her reason in no one, not even her closest friend. Her sizable court of gentlemen mourn, but no one can tempt her into Society again. Living reclusively in the country, she finally deigns to accept an invitation to her friend’s county house party. Then the Duke of Northcott arrives, fresh from a broken engagement, and none too happy to see her. Caro tries desperately to make her excuses and leave, but then her pride intervenes. Such behavior may reveal her fierce attraction toward him and the fact that it is he who has broken her heart. Deception is at hand in the form of another gentleman who is more than a little interested in her, and looks like he may not take no for an answer. This delicious romance that will carry you back to the Regency period in English history, where manners were dictated by strict rules of fashion. It is the Jane Austen era, populated by gentlemen and ladies of leisure. These books are best enjoyed with a box of chocolates, and are guaranteed to enliven any boredom (ennui) that you may be experiencing!

Spinster’s Folly (The Owen Family Saga) by Marsha Ward
Western Romance
Marie Owen yearns for a loving husband, but Colorado Territory is long on rough characters and short on fitting suitors, so a future of spinsterhood seems more likely than wedded bliss. Her best friend says cowboy Bill Henry is a likely candidate, but Marie knows her class-conscious father would not allow such a pairing. When she challenges her father to find her a suitable husband before she becomes a spinster, he arranges a match with a neighbor’s son. Then Marie discovers Tom Morgan would be an unloving, abusive mate and his mother holds a grudge against the Owen family. Marie’s mounting despair at the prospect of being trapped in such a dismal marriage drives her into the arms of a sweet-talking predator, landing her in unimaginable dangers. This fourth book in the Owen Family saga is infused with potent heart and intense grit.


Don't forget that your purchase of Unseen, Concealed, and Beloved will help Rachel Nunes stand against plagiarism! At the same time, you will be able to stock up on excellent reading pleasure for the Fall. Look for future box sets to come.

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Sample Saturday - September 13, 2014

Welcome to Sample Saturday. This week's sample occurred just after Rulon Owen asked Mary Hilbrands to marry him.
~~~

Mama had plenty to say, Mary discovered soon after Rulon took his leave.

She had swept into the parlor almost before the front door had closed upon the man, dragging Mary with her by a tight grasp on her arm. She thrust her onto the same chair upon which she had sat when Rulon knelt before her, then dropped into the seat opposite.

“You are too young to be a wife,” she said right off.

Mary attempted to turn away that argument, pointing out that her own grandmother had married at the tender age of thirteen.

Mama compressed her lips and wagged her head. “The society was much different in that era. I am raising you to be a lady, and ladies do not wed before a proper age.”

“Mama, this is war time. Rulon is enlisting soon. If I let him go without, if I don’t marry him now, perhaps I will miss my chance entirely.” The idea that Rulon could die brought waves of sadness crashing upon her, almost knocking her against the back of the chair upon which she perched.
~~~


Thank you for visiting! The Official Launch Party on Facebook for GONE FOR A SOLDIER is less than a week away, on September 18! We'll have tons of prizes. Here's a link so you can sign up to attend. See you there!
https://www.facebook.com/events/362631740554070/

Come back next Saturday for another sample of my writing.

Bestselling author Marsha Ward wrote the novella, Faith and the Foreman, in the Timeless Romance Anthology Old West Collection. She is the author of an acclaimed novel series featuring the Owen family. Her novel, Spinster's Folly, won the 2013 USA Best Book Award for Western Fiction, and recently was named Finalist in Western Fiction in the 2014 International Book Awards. A former journalist, Ward has published over 900 articles, columns, poems and short stories. She is the founder of American Night Writers Association, a.k.a. ANWA.

Friday, September 12, 2014

Fresh Book Friday - The Big Drift

Title: The Big Drift
Author: Patrick Dearen
Genre: Western
Publisher: TCU Press
Date of Publication: August 2014


Synopsis:
Will Brite is a Slash Five cowboy working in the Middle Concho region of Texas in the winter of 1884 when a blizzard descends upon him—the likes of which he has never seen. Trapped under his horse and entangled in a barbed wire fence, Will finds an unexpected (and unwelcome) savior in the form of Zeke Boles, a former slave on the run from a bloody, guilt-filled past.

In Zeke’s dark features Will sees a reflection of the haunting memories he has been trying to escape for so long, but he reluctantly offers him shelter for the night at the Slash Five camp. Little does he know that their lives will be inexorably linked in the spring of ’85 through what will be one of the most brutal roundups of the nineteenth century.

Follow Will, Zeke, and the rest of the Slash Fives as they ride through West Texas in search of stray cattle in an unforgettable tale of love, redemption, and true grit.


Excerpt:
Will swung down off the bay and started to mount the iceglazed rocks that served as steps. It would have been so easy to push open the door and forget about this black stranger, so easy to run from the memories and pretend that none of it had ever happened.

But he couldn’t.

He pointed to the shed. “Over yonder by Wampus,” he shouted. “Unsaddle him, turn him in the trap.”

“I holes up in the shed if it’s all right,” said Zeke.

“Yeah.”

Will turned to the door, the guilt building. Whirling, he caught the black man’s arm just as he started to ride away. “You come . . .” Will hesitated, and then forced out the words. “You get done, come on in.”

Not waiting for a response, he reached for the door knob. He had made the offer, and that was all it took to assuage his conscience. Still, Will hoped he never saw him again.


Review:
Patrick Dearen's novels sweep the reader away on adventures as gritty and haunting as the West Texas wind. His newest work, The Big Drift, is no exception. With characters as unyielding as granite and as flawed as a busted four-wire fence, Dearen paints a word picture so compelling as to draw his readers into a maelstrom of dire situations and emotions that linger long after the book has been put away. Bravo!

Buy Links:
Print: TCU Press / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
ebooks: Kindle / Nook

Author Bio:
The author of twenty-one books, Patrick Dearen was born in 1951 and grew up in West Texas. He earned a bachelor of journalism from The University of Texas at Austin and received nine national and state awards as a reporter for two West Texas daily newspapers. His twelve novels include To Hell or the Pecos, inspired by actual events on the Butterfield and Goodnight-Loving trails, and Perseverance, set along the rails in Depression-era Texas. He has been honored by Western Writers of America, San Antonio Conservation Society, Will Rogers Medallion Awards, West Texas Historical Association, and Permian Historical Society. A backpacking enthusiast and ragtime pianist, Dearen makes his home in Midland, Texas.

Find Patrick:
Website / Facebook / Video Trailer


Saturday, September 06, 2014

Sample Saturday - September 6, 2014

Welcome to Sample Saturday. This week's sample shows the interaction of the Owen family. These are the characters:

The Owen Family of Shenandoah County, Virginia
Roderick Owen, farmer, horse breeder
Julia Helm Owen, his wife, whom he calls Julie
Rulon – age 20, sometimes called Rule
Benjamin – age 19
Peter – age 17
Carl – age 16
James – age 14
Marie – age 13
Clayton – age 11
Albert – age 10
Julianna – age 8, also called Jule or Anna
~~~

Rulon had just passed the fried potatoes down to Ben when he leaned back from the table, looked around at the family, straightened his shoulders, and cleared his throat with emphasis.

“Got somethin’ to say, brother?” Ben asked, his eyes twinkling in the lamplight.

“I do,” Rulon declared. He fiddled with his fork, then laid it on the table and got to his feet. “I’m fixin’ to wed Miss Mary Hilbrands.”

“Scratchin’ your itch,” Ben muttered.

Peter was next down the table from Ben. “Maybe in a year or two,” he jeered.

Rulon sat down and picked up his fork. “No. We’ll do it as soon as Mr. Hilbrands gives me his consent.”

Pa spoke. “How long do you reckon before he has an answer for you?”

“He said he’ll talk to Missus Hilbrands and let me know their decision before church on Sunday.” Rulon wagged his head. “I hope Mary has occasion to converse with him and make her feelin’s known. He had a reluctant spirit about him.”

Ben chuckled. “Miss Mary don’t have enough age on her to have an opinion, brother. She ain’t but a year older than James, and he’s a veritable baby.”

“Am not,” James countered from across the table.

“Are too.” Peter dived into the fray, grinning widely.

“Always stirrin’ up trouble,” Rulon said, glaring at Ben, who gave him a triumphant look.

“Quiet,” Pa thundered, slapping the flat of his hand on the table top.

After a moment, once silence had been achieved, Ma spoke up. “Rulon, when did you ask Mr. Hilbrands?”

He looked down the table at his mother. “Today when I was in town. After I read the news, I figured I’d best not wait longer.”

“What news?” demanded his sister Marie.

“War news. Abe Lincoln asked for troops to put down the rebellion in the cotton states,” he said. “I’m going to enlist in a troop of cavalry, if they’ll have me.” He picked up his fork, held it for a moment, then stabbed it into his potatoes. “I want Mary to wed me before I go.”

“Oh Rulon,” said Ma. “You’re too young.”

“Ma.” The distress on her face disturbed him. “I hanker to marry her in any case. Better now than later.” Or never, he dared to think.

“To be a soldier,” she said, her voice low.

“I’m almost too old,” he huffed.

“Can I go, Ma?” Albert was only ten.

“No!”

“They’ll need drummer boys. Or fife players.”

“You don’t play drum or fife, either one.” Carl reached out and attempted to deliver a blow to Albert’s ear, but Albert ducked as Pa pounded the table again.

“Food’s getting cold,” Pa declared. “Discussion’s over.”

Rulon raised his fork and shoved a mouthful of potatoes past his lips, wishing he hadn’t even begun to broach the subject. What an unruly bunch! The sooner he was off on his own, the better.

~~~

Thank you for visiting! Please stay tuned for information about the online launch party for GONE FOR A SOLDIER on September 18. Come back next Saturday for another sample of my writing.

Bestselling author Marsha Ward wrote the novella, Faith and the Foremen, in the Timeless Romance Anthology Old West Collection. She is the author of an acclaimed novel series featuring the Owen family. Her last published book, Spinster's Folly, won the 2013 USA Best Book Award for Western Fiction, and recently was named Finalist in Western Fiction in the 2014 International Book Awards. A former journalist, Ward has published over 900 articles, columns, poems and short stories. She is the founder of American Night Writers Association, a.k.a. ANWA.

Friday, September 05, 2014

Fresh Book Friday and Giveaway! - Ring Around the Rosie

Ring Around the Rosie Blog Tour and Giveaway!



Title: Ring Around the Rosie
Author: Julie Coulter Bellon
Genre: Action/Adventure
Publisher: Self-published
Date of Publication: July 2014


I'm participating in the blog tour for Julie Coulter Bellon's new novel, Ring Around the Rosie! There are awesome prizes being given away, so be sure to scroll down and enter to win!

Synopsis:
Revenge is a dish best served cold . . .


As the ex-wife of a law enforcement officer, Sarah Reed has known loneliness and loss. In order to cope, she makes a life for herself that's full of routine while building a wall of ice around her heart. Everything about her is as predictable as she can make it until a tiny detour for her ex-husband, Ron, changes her life forever. Caught in a bomb crisis, Sarah is taken hostage by a man who wants Ron and everyone around him to suffer—and his idea of suffering is more terrible than Sarah had ever dreamed.

Captain Ron Reed has seen the worst of humanity in his job with the Hostage Negotiation Team, but he never expected his past to come back with a vengeance—literally. Aaron Starks, a criminal explosives expert, has stolen next-gen bomb technology and uses it to force Ron to bargain for the lives of his team and his ex-wife, Sarah, the woman he still loves. But the situation escalates when Ron discovers that Starks has an even bigger objective in mind—using the bomb to show how vulnerable America and her people truly are.

Ron is willing to risk everything to save his country and those he loves, but when negotiations break down, will his sacrifice be too little too late?


Excerpt:
Her words were cut off by a blast of hot air and fire, an explosion so large it blew them all backward. Ron hit the floor hard and lay there dazed and groggy. Glass and debris rained down. Confetti-sized menus and napkins floated like snowflakes in slow motion all around him. For a second the entire world was a silent tunnel with him at the end of it. It would be so easy to just close his eyes and let the blackness suck him down into unconsciousness. But he couldn’t. Not yet. Get up. Get everyone out.

“Sarah?” he croaked. He tried again. “Sarah?” His legs felt like lead and the urge to just lie back was stronger than ever. No. Keep moving. “Claire?” He coughed and tried to catch a breath, but couldn’t get the oxygen to his lungs. With a shallow intake of air, he turned over on his stomach and used his arms to raise himself to a sitting position. The inside of the diner looked like a destructive madman had rearranged it. The booths were toppled or stacked on top of each other. The hostess station was next to him now. The only thing that was still standing where it had before the blast was the four walls, the ceiling, and the antique counter. “Sarah,” he called again. “Bart? Colby?” The little girl. Was she still in the back with her mother?

No one answered. Where is everyone? He crawled forward. Sarah had been nearly right beside him. Now there was no sign of her. He rubbed his eyes and coughed. Moving slowly, he prayed she was alive. It didn’t take long to find her sandwiched between an overturned booth bench and the podium for the hostess station.


Praise for Ring Around the Rosie:
"Julie Coulter Bellon proves once again she is a master at capturing her audience from the very first page . . . Unlike most suspense novels, the most suspenseful portion of Ring Around the Rosie is the first two thirds of the book . . . Suspense readers as well as anyone who just enjoys an absorbing story will enjoy this one."
~Jennie Hansen, Meridian Magazine

"Julie Coulter Bellon is one of my favorite romantic suspense writers, and this book is her best so far! It charters deep emotions and a complex plot. At the same time it traces the resurrection of a marriage. It has good writing, good plotting, and a very satisfying ending."
~Award-winning romance author, G.G. Vandagriff

Buy Links:
Amazon / Barnes and Noble /  iTunes / Kobo


Author Bio:
Julie is married with eight children and eleven published books. She loves to travel and her favorite cities she's visited so far are probably Athens, Paris, Ottawa, and London. She would love to visit Hawaii, Australia, Ireland, and Scotland someday. She loves to read, write, teach, watch Castle, Hawaii Five-O, and eat Canadian chocolate. Not necessarily in that order.

Find Julie:
Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Sign up for my newsletter



Giveaway

Prize #1---$30 Amazon Gift Card
Prize #2---Booklovers Basket
Prize #3---Four Book Set of Hostage Negotiation Team series
Ends 9/15/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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