UPDATE: The winner is…flchen1!
*~*~*

When I was growing up Westerns were a staple on television.  I probably watched every one produced, either in real-time or syndicated reruns. Gunsmoke, Rawhide, The Rifleman, Have Gun Will Travel, Bat Masterson, Death Valley Days, Branded, Bonanza, Wanted Dead or Alive, High Chaparral, The Guns of Will Sonnett, Maverick. There was even a Northwestern, Here Come the Brides, that I enjoyed. I also remember Alias Smith and Jones, a comedic western. I was so steeped in westerns that in junior high school I got a grade of A++ on a pioneer journal assignment. However, while I can name all the shows I watched, one particular episode sticks with me: an episode of High Chaparral that featured Buffalo Soldiers.

To be honest. if a show — no matter what kind — had a black actor or actress on it I watched it. So no surprise I watched High Chaparral regularly on which Frank Silvera, a Jamaican-American, played the Mexican paterfamilias, Don Sebastian Montoya. It’s no wonder then that even after all these years I can still see the half-page ad description in the old TV Guide on their Buffalo Soldiers episode. I must have stared at the drawing of Black cowboys on horseback forever because the picture is still embedded in my memory. I never learned about Buffalo Soldiers in school. I always had the Schomburg Library to go to find information that was verifiable and books on the history of Blacks and the West by authors like Tom Willard and William Lorenz Katz. Today I’m thankful to the Internet that I can learn directly from the websites of Black history museums like the Black American West Museum & Heritage Center in Denver Colorado.

It’s because of an episode of Bonanza I learned the Chinese used thumbprints as means of identification. The episode on Bonanza that dealt with Little Jo’s birth opened my eyes to racism against Native Americans. I wonder if the children in school today are learning about the role the 9^th and 10^th Cavalry played in the history of the West. Do they know the Chinese invented gunpowder, the compass, and pulp papermaking? Are they learning about the Trail of Tears? I would hope so. I would hope they are being taught by enlightened school systems that uplift the contributions of all cultures to the history of this country.

I don’t watch much TV these days, so I hope what little seeds planted by the stories told on it now grow into trees of truth and not misinformation. In my own small way, I hope the romances I write might do a little planting of their own. So how about you? For a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card, share in the comments any pieces of history you learned from unexpected sources.

Coming Tomorrow! “The Patience of Unanswered Prayer” from Cowboys

A feisty businesswoman about to become the next victim of Post-Civil War revenge receives rescue from an unexpected source

Excerpt from “The Patience of Unanswered Prayer”…

Something sinister wafted in the still night air from the edge of Franklin Adams’s property. The low growl from the wolf by his side signaled the animal had detected it, too.

“Too quiet, eh, Zeb?”

The wolf tensed as if in agreement.

Franklin sucked in a lungful of warm Oklahoma summer air and scanned the sky. Too quiet like that night a week ago when eight sheet-shrouded night riders thought they’d scare him off his land. No jigaboo had money for a spread like this they’d shouted. None should be allowed to have one outside of the Black townships anyway. Calls to tar and feather and ride his nappy-headed ass out on a rail followed.

Steel from Franklin’s Winchester and the attack of Zeb’s wolf pack had put the fear of God into those shivering cowards. All fled screaming into the night, bruised, bloodied, and bullet-ridden. Surely, they hadn’t come back for a second try? Although many a drunk might grow brave and stupid and forgetful, if they let enough time pass and consumed enough whiskey.

A breeze troubled the leaves of the oak in the front yard. Birdwings fluttered anxious sounds into the air.

Yep. Someone was out there.

Buy link: Amazon – https://amzn.to/3iwUhkN
Michal Scott Amazon Author Page – https://amzn.to/2TSHzRn
Website: www.michalscott.webs.com

UPDATE: The winner is… Daun Ann Korty!
*~*~*

On Tuesday, a brand new “collection” arrives! Have you pre-ordered your copy? It’s 72,000 words of sexy goodness—all centered around COWBOYS—and it’s just $0.99!!! The authors are eager to share their stories, and we have some fun planned for the release. There will be contests; authors will be sharing snippets from their stories; and did I say contests? Where? Over at my Collections website. Go check it out now! While you’re there, be sure to subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss out on any of the fun!

Contest

You can check out the first five of my Boys Behaving Badly collections by clicking on the covers. And yes, they are all just $0.99—not because they’re not worth the full price, but because the authors of these stories want as many people as possible to devour their stories! They’re a great deal and great way to find new-to-you authors!

Comment for a chance to win the download of your choice of
one these anthologies!  There will be three winners!

  

 

UPDATE: The winner is…Charlene Whitehouse!
*~*~*

What? You didn’t know it was a thing? Neither did I, but when you do a search on holidays when you don’t want to think too hard about what you’re going to blog about… Well, Leif Erickson Day seemed like a GREAT IDEA!

Who was Leif? A Viking! An explorer! He’s credited with bringing the first colonists to North America around 1000 A.D. Who celebrates his day? Some folks in the U.S., Canada, and in Nordic communities. Since I’m 8% Norwegian (as verified through my Ancestry.com profile!) I have an excuse for my long fascination with Vikings! Remember this book?

Click on the cover!

Yeah, so how should you celebrate Leif Erickson Day? Why not emulate the man? Be bold today! Be adventurous! Have some mead with your dinner tonight and toast the brave explorer!

Puzzle Contest

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift car, I want you to think for just a moment about what might be different about our lives now if Leif Erickson had been the “Big Discoverer” of America as opposed to Christopher Columbus. FUNNY ANSWERS APPRECIATED!

There’s nothing artificial about the popularity of the “fake” trope in romance books. Phony fiancée, temporary wife, stand-in wedding date, boyfriend-for-hire, fake affair. Its popularity isn’t limited to books; how many fake relationship romantic comedies can you name? Here are a few to get you started:

While You Were Sleeping
Overboard
The Proposal
Can’t Buy Me Love
To All the Boys
Leap Year
Green Card
The Wedding Date

Earlier this year, I signed up to write in a fake-date themed anthology. Picture me rubbing my hands in glee, and then picture me doing a happy dance when I learned the story also needed to include a holiday angle.

A holiday fake date—two of my favorite tropes. The story was already loaded with potential for fun, but I ramped up the humor and complications by setting my story in a small town filled with nosy neighbors and interfering friends.

Unwrapping Archie is one of 22 stories in Holiday Fake-Out, a 99¢ limited-time anthology headlined by Heather Graham. It’s the story of Archie Caddel and Anabelle Cypress, best friends since kindergarten, who find it convenient to let their family and friends assume there’s more to their relationship than just friendship. However, on their annual trip home for the holidays, their lie spirals out of control until the truth catches up with them. Things are further complicated when the close-knit townsfolk of tiny Joy Ridge, Pennsylvania, decide to give them a nudge in the right direction.

Let me tell you the 5 best things about writing a fake romance. I hope you’ll share what you enjoy most about reading these romances and check out the Holiday Fake-Out box set!

1. Forced Proximity – Part of the farce is pretending to be in love, or at least infatuated, with each other, which requires the hero and heroine to act like a couple. That often means sharing the same bed, traveling together, or otherwise being joined at the hip.
2. Friends to Lovers – taking a couple who think they’re “just friends” on a journey to romance is so much fun to write because the characters are just as surprised by the turn of events as readers.
3. It’s Complicated – While faking a relationship seems like a simple solution to whatever problem the hero and/or heroine is dealing with, the plan is bound to fall apart at some point. Upping the stakes, shifting priorities, discovering what really matters in life can only happen after the (fake) happy couple has dealt with lots and lots of complications.
4. Fake It Til You Make It – “Oh, you mean we have to hold hands and kiss and maybe do some other juicy stuff to convince everyone we’re a real couple? Twist my arm, baby. Especially when the hero is sizzling hot and irresistible, and I’ve secretly been fantasizing about him for years!” said every fake romance heroine ever.
5. I Didn’t See That Coming – Most fake relationships only require the farce to last for a limited time. Tensions rise as the hero and heroine get closer and closer to the end point, wondering if maybe the romance is real, debating whether they should take a risk and admit they’ve fallen in love, questioning the possibility of a happy ever after instead of a temporary thrill. As an author, driving my characters and the readers to the edge and then wrapping up all the loose ends into a neat little bow is especially satisfying.

About the Author

EmKay Connor is the author of sexy, sassy contemporary romantic fiction infused with quirky humor and engaging characters. Her over-the-top, instalove, escape reads are set in tropical locations, rustic locales, glamorous destinations, and friendly small towns where her heroes and heroines discover passion and fall in love. For more information about EmKay Connor and her books, visit her website at https://sexysassyromance.com/

UPDATE: The winner is Brenda Rumsey!
*~*~*

Buy Link:
https://books2read.com/u/3RnOyY

It’s aliens!

From Ice Barbarians to Spider-men, aliens have invaded romance. Everywhere I look there’s some new alien romance sprouting up, and it’s quickly moving into monster/alien romance as well. There are interesting tales, species that are desperate for mates, human women seeking love, matchmaking agencies, wars… You name it, sci-fi romance writers go for it.

Naturally, I decided to jump into this and kick off a new series as part of the upcoming boxset, Chosen By An Alien.

Twenty stories of alien love. With plenty of action, adventure, and of course, aliens!

My story, “Operation: Pinpoint”, focuses specifically on a futuristic world where humanity has left Earth and travels throughout space on a constant-in-motion mothership. Humanity seeks to further its future existence by making allies with alien species and gaining technology.

Main character Captain Ravenna Joyner is a Space Force Ops Commando on a mission to find her missing lover. She’s roped into an unlikely partnership with an alien called Dravos Trax.

Dravos is Hirudo, a species burdened by severe anemia, and required to feed from the blood of animals to replenish their iron supply. Yes, you read that right— Space Vampires. Dravos is also a prisoner of Space Force and using his tracking abilities to locate a missing vessel is his way of negotiating for his freedom.

The only problem, Ravenna is Dravos fated mate. Between mistrust, betrayals, and a conspiracy that will rock the universe, Ravenna and Dravos are forced to work together even as their connection may threaten everything.

Of course, I’m only one story in a pond drop, there are 19 other adventures as well for just $0.99.

For a chance to win a book from my backlist, tell me this… Are you an alien sci-fi romance fan? What type of aliens do you like?

I finished writing Defending Evangeline yesterday! Woot! It’s longer than my usual story, and it about killed me!

Today will be a busy one. I have to do a final readthrough before I ship DE off to my sister. The story “lives” in her Brotherhood Protectors–Team Trojan world. As soon as I finish that, I’ll be editing one final story for the Cowboys: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology, which releases October 12th! Then it’s straight to another author’s story I have to wrap up the edits for by Friday! Yes, a big busy day!!! Oh, the glamorous life of an author-editor!

Tomorrow, I start another book with a VERY SHORT deadline. Yeah, I’ll be typing until my fingers are little stumps—oh, wait! They already are! But enough whining.

Let me know what stories you’re looking forward to reading, not just mine! And be sure to enter the contests I have listed below. They’re still open!

Open Contests

1. Story Cubes — Tell me a story (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Candice LaBria: Falling Hard (Contest & FREE in KU!) — Win a FREE book and get a FREE read!
3. How big a deal is Halloween? (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Have you pre-ordered your copy? Defending Evangeline (Contest + Excerpt) — Win an Amazon gift card!

You know that feeling when you’d just give anything to get something, don’t you? And you’d totally ask Lucifer, aka the Devil his own self, for help, wouldn’t you?

Welcome to Lionel’s life. Lionel, who is a necromancer and totally never ever would think about losing his breakfast when coming face to rotten face with a corpse, was unlucky enough to run into Lucifer once upon a midnight.  And you know what they say about the Devil: once he drags a de-animated zombie off you, you’ll be his forever. Or something.

While Lionel just does his best to get through life without running face-first into trouble, Lucifer has decided that Lionel would be much better off if the shrewd necromancer ran face-first into Lucifer’s chest. And Lucifer, ever being a gentle and caring Devil, does his hellish best to convince Lionel that all the necromancer needs is to be in the Devil’s bed. At least Lucifer’s housekeeper, Metatron, cares enough to support her boss, and a cursed poodle is very good about spreading drool all over the place.

I think I can almost guarantee that The Devil’s Necromancer will make you chuckle a tiny bit at the very least. Pre-order your copy now (releases October 8, 2021) or get the book from Changeling Press right away.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/394UmXr
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3ljYx7m
Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/3940peY
Apple: https://apple.co/3EewoqR
Changeling Press: https://bit.ly/3kiLa8c

You can also join my newsletter and read the first chapter for free now: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/n9848ubhhj

When the Devil comes calling, all Lionel can do is run, or fall for Lucifer. Running isn’t easy…

Lionel, a necromancer and consultant for the Brunswick Police Department, wants nothing to do with immortals. Specifically, he wants nothing to do with Lucifer, who shows up on his doorstep one day with a ridiculous proposal. Lucifer, also known as the Devil, wants Lionel to be his pretend boyfriend. Except the pretend part is something the Devil doesn’t really seem to care for.

Lucifer has read enough romance novels to know that a good dose of forced proximity might be just the thing to get the stubborn necromancer he desires into his bed. The Devil’s plans are soon complicated when Lionel proves more uncooperative and oblivious to love than Lucifer could ever anticipate.

While the Devil wants to claim Lionel, all Lionel wants is to get away from Lucifer. Meanwhile, magic users are being murdered in the city. Lionel cannot escape the implications of those murders for long, and the case soon takes a different turn. Will Lionel be able to escape the Devil’s thrall, or will the necromancer fall for the immortal seducer?

Publisher’s Note: The Devil’s Necromancer contains scenes involving dubious consent that some readers may find offensive.

About Alexa Piper

Alexa Piper writes steamy romance that ranges from light to dark, from straight to queer. She’s also a coffee addict. Alexa loves writing stories that make her readers laugh and fall in love with the characters in them.

Website: www.alexapiper.com
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