Just Made It #BlogABookScene

SO, the July's theme was:

Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer

Descriptors: summertime, sun, beach, water, ice cream social, box supper, starry nights, swimming, swimming hole, summer sports and activities, long days, sitting on the porch swing, lemonade, fishing

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In "Never Had A Chance", the hero, Tom, is attending Maria's birthday/July4 celebration.

"Are you ready to dance with me?" she asked.

Tom softly replied, pushing his cane out in front of him, "I don't think the doctor would approve."

"Very well, I shall keep you company until the dance is over," Maria declared, unwilling to let the chance pass to spend time with him. And if things went well, she would be very happy.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? I don't think your father would approve. He may have accepted that I didn't try to harm you or himself, but he still doesn't trust me," Tom replied as he moved slowly away from Maria.

The farther he moved away, the closer she moved toward him, until her hand shot out, covering the one holding the cane.

"Come, at least you can eat, can you not?" Maria smiled, leading Tom slowly through the crowd toward the food tables.

The closer they came, the more Tom realized he really was hungry. He'd held back, concern for his hesitant host, keeping him from even remotely enjoying himself. It took the determined young woman at his side to pull him out of his self–imposed solitude.

"This all looks and smells so good. I do think there are some new things here for me to try." Tom laughed.

"Then I shall be your guide, answer any questions you may have. But first, you must have one of the green corn fritters, since you did not eat them when I brought them to your room," Maria grinned, pulling the food from the small basket she picked up from a servant. "They are from a family recipe, and I made them myself," just for you, she thought, as he took a bite.

Until next time!

Doris Gardner-McCraw -

Author, Speaker, Historian-specializing in
Colorado and Women's History

Member of National League of American Pen Women,

Women Writing the West,

Pikes Peak Posse of the Westerners

Angela Raines - author: Where Love & History Meet

For a list of Angela Raines Books: Here 

Photo and Poem: Click Here 

Angela Raines FaceBook: Click Here

BEWARE THE JOKE #BlogABookScene #PrairieRosePublicaton @prairierosepub @rewnawomyn1

Mayday, Mayday!..the call for help, but how can you when you were fool enough to fall into the trap.

This months #BlogABookScene is all about being in a tight spot, needing help, danger, rescue, natural disaster, menace, hazard, risk, peril, threat, jeopardy, medical emergency, war, skirmish, battle, gunfight, sword fight. In Tom's case, from "Never Had A Chance"   published by Prairie Rose Publications, once he fell for the practical joke that turned deadly, he had to try to repair what happened, but he has no memory of any of the events. Does he need help!

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From "Never Had A Chance"

"Where you taking me?" Tom asked again.

"To see Mary, she's one of the special girls," Pete replied.

Slowly the two helped Tom up the steps, knocking on the door and walking backwards into the shadow. The two made it into the darkness just as the door opened. Light streaming out from the door outlined a young girl, a girl with curves and substance.

"You must be Mary," Tom said, looking into intelligent and curious brown eyes. "I'm supposed to see you." With those words, he grabbed at the girl, throwing his arms around her. Faintly he heard laughter and snickers behind him. Heard, but they were not registering. The only thing that registered was the feel of this young girl in his arms, with a figure made to be held. He bent his head taking her lips in a kiss.

As the kiss deepened, Tom wondered if this was how his brother–in–law felt when he kissed his sister. Tom gloried in the beauty of what was happening, then the realization hit him that this girl was not one of the 'ladies' as he'd been led to believe. He found himself quickly sobering up. Then this girl, whatever her name was, pushed against his chest. At the same time, Tom heard a man's voice calling, "Maria, who is it?"

Letting loose of her, Tom moved back, shame coloring his face. He pulled his hat from his head, lowering his eyes to the girl, "I'm sorry," he started when he heard the voices behind him.

"There the bastard is," Pete whispered.

"We'll get him this time," responded George, as the click of hammers reached Tom's ears.

Tom, at first confused, saw an older Spanish gentleman move toward the door, then realized the man was a target. Fear for the girl and the man completed his sobering process as he pushed her toward the man and, drawing his own gun, stepped in front of both.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" challenged Tom just as the two guns flashed out of the dark. He felt a double blow, but managed to get his own gun into play, firing at the flashes. He went to give chase, and managed to get down the first two steps when his right leg gave out.

"Damn, I've been taken for a sucker, and I don't…," Tom started saying, then his head hit the ground, bouncing off a rock, then nothing but darkness.

Doris Gardner-McCraw - Author, Speaker, Historian-specializing in

Colorado and Women's History

Member of National League of American Pen Women,

Women Writing the West,

Pikes Peak Posse of the Westerners and

Western Fictioneers

Angela Raines - author: Where Love & History Meet

For a list of Angela Raines Books: Here 

Photo and Poem: Click Here 

Angela Raines FaceBook: Click Here

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE: Blog a book scene

         Anyone else remember those lines from the Beatles song, 'all you need is love'? February's blog a scene is based on that line. For this month of February, the month of Valentine's Day, sweethearts, candy and all the other things we associate with love, I'm sharing a scene from an unusual love story.

       This excerpt comes from the novella, "Angel of Salvation Valley". It has romance, some paranormal aspects and a hero who agrees to kill someone in exchange for his release from prison. Not exactly the recipe for love, or is it?

In this scene, the hero, Drew, has just saved the life of the woman he agreed to kill. 

 "You're looking better," Drew said. "How do you feel?"

"The sleep helped. Would you help me sit up?"

Drew walked over, gently lifting Lizzie into a sitting position. She felt good in his arms. It'd been so long. Drew hesitated, his arms warm from the touch of her. He wanted the feeling to last., but feared what might happen if he didn't let her go. It wasn't just the years without a woman. No, it was something deeper, something specific to her. Drew felt so drawn to her.

"Oh to hell with it," Drew said leaning in. Her lips were as sweet as he'd imagined. As his arms tightened, Lizzie's arms came up around his neck. What started as a tentative kiss deepened into something more. Drew found himself savoring the feel of Lizzie in his arms, her kiss was like the nectar of the gods. He felt at home, this valley was home, she was home.

Time stood still, but need continued to grow in Drew, need for what Lizzie had to offer, and she was offering so much. Yes, he'd kissed, been with women before prison, but nothing like this. Three years, three long years and this was his reward.

http://amzn.to/2E1oRQU

Given a chance at freedom for a crime he didn't commit, Drew Carson must kill for his pardon. Taken to a lush valley where a beautiful woman lives, Luke, Drew's "rescuer", lets him know that the woman is his target--kill her, and he's a free man. But there's something strange about the valley. Time stands still, and nothing is as it seems. Will Drew trade murder for love?

Join me next month when the theme will be 'Beware the Ides of March'. Until next time, happy reading and may your February be filled with fun, love, and lots of chocolate candy.

Doris Gardner-McCraw -

Author, Speaker, Historian-specializing in
Colorado and Women's History

Member of National League of American Pen Women,

Women Writing the West,

Pikes Peak Posse of the Westerners

Angela Raines - author: Where Love & History Meet

For a list of Angela Raines Books: Here 

Photo and Poem: Click Here 

Angela Raines FaceBook: Click Here

"GIFT OF FORGIVENESS" January #blogabookscene

 Gift of Forgiveness - a novella, by Angela Raines – January #blogabookscene #westernromance #PrairieRosePub @PrairieRosePub

Blog-a-Book-Scene is a monthly themed blogging endeavor from a group of authors who love to share excerpts from their stories. Find us on Twitter with the hashtag #blogabookscene and #PrairieRosePub.

January’s theme is Baby, It’s cold outside. The cold wintry excerpt below is from my western romance novella, Gift of Forgiveness

They've both lost so much -
but do they have the courage to try again?

Excerpt:

 "George, I done told ya we ain't to do anything that'd leave a mark... We'll just have some fun somewheres else when we collect the rest of our pay."

George sighed, his breath blowing on Nettie's face making her want to gag. The strain of the pretending was taking a toll on body and mind. Nettie felt the sun starting to set, the air getting cooler. The thought of being left somewhere was terrifying, although if they did leave her, perhaps she could escape and find Albert.

Suddenly, Nettie was thrown off of the horse. Opening her eyes slightly she caught a glimpse of Shorty and George swinging on each other. She started to get up, but her legs wouldn't hold her. The two men started laughing. Nettie fell back, frustration eating at her.

"We knowd you was foolin'," George Smith said, pulling Nettie to her feet.

"Figured if you was foolin' you'd try somethin' if we pretended to be distracted," Shorty Wasson cackled. "An' it worked."

Picking herself up, Nettie felt a cold north wind blow across the area. There was a chance of snow soon, she felt. That terrified her even more.

The Gift of Forgiveness is available on 

Amazon: eBook KindleUnlimited

February’s Blog-a-Book-Scene theme: All You Need is Love

See you in February! Until then Happy Reading

Angela Raines

Angela Raines - author: Where Love & History Meet

For a list of Angela Raines Books: Here  

Angela Raines FaceBook: Click Here

Angela Raines is the pen name for Doris McCraw, author, historian specializing in Colorado and Women's History.