UPDATE: The winners are…Denise, Jennifer Beyer, and Stacey Kinzebach!
*~*~*

I love writing short stories. I used to submit short stories to publishers all the time because writing short, getting to The End quickly, gave me a rush. Writing short also gave me a chance to try new things out without a lot of risks. It’s how I discovered my love for writing bounty hunter stories! Eventually, I “graduated” to editing and publishing my own collections of short stories because I love the process of seeking stories from talented officers, making choices regarding which stories work together, editing every precious word, and then sending the book out into the world for readers to enjoy. I’m working on volume #7 of my Boys Behaving Badly Anthologies right now—Silver Soldiers—that I think you’ll like.

It releases later this year! The book will be a big thick volume of shorties and will be dirt cheap—just $0.99—like all the Bad Boy anthologies are. No excuses at all for anyone not to pick up a copy!

You can check out previous anthologies by clicking on the covers. And yes, they are all just $0.99—not because they’re not worth 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 a great way to find new-to-you authors!

Contest

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

Excerpt From “In the Wild” inside First Response…

If not for her GPS device, Martika Mills wouldn’t have had a clue where she was. All she knew was that she was soaked to the skin, mud sucked at her boots, and two days into this hunt, she was no closer to finding Marlon Oats.

Earlier that morning, after sliding a twenty to a gas station attendant on the Montana border, she’d thought she was getting close. She’d gotten a description of the car Marlon had “borrowed” on his flight into the wilderness and had found it parked in a narrow roadside viewing point, just inside Yellowstone National Park.

After that, she’d followed the narrow stream into a deep gully off the road, knowing Marlon considered himself quite the fisherman, or so his mother had said. No doubt he intended to live off the land until the heat died down after he’d failed to make his date with the judge in Helena, where he was due to be tried for robbing a pawn shop in Springdale at gunpoint. His mother had been very helpful, liking the fact that Marti seemed like “a nice girl” who might “ask” her son to let her put him in handcuffs rather than shooting him. His mother didn’t want Marlon hurt, even though his skip might cost her the home she’d lived in since she’d married Marlon’s no-account, long-dead father.

Marti was just about to call it a day, figuring she had just enough daylight left to get back to her SUV parked behind Marlon’s at the roadside park, when she spotted a puff of dark smoke rising over the gully. Noting its direction, she climbed up a steep embankment, seeking footholds in mud and rock and grabbing vines along the sides of the rocky face until she stood at the top and realized the land on this side of the stream was flatter and filled with tall spring grass—and a herd of buffalo that didn’t seem to pay her any mind as she bent over and dragged in deep breaths. She glanced at her hands braced on her knees and grimaced, because they were covered in mud, which she shouldn’t give a shit about because her jeans were streaked with dirt as well.

Marlon had a lot to answer for, but thoughts of the rich bounty she’d score kept her from throwing in the towel. Her mother liked to say that stubborn was her middle name, which was a quality that worked well in her line of work. She always got her man because she never, ever gave up. She’d been bounty hunting for nearly three years now, the last one going solo because she didn’t like sharing her bounty with a partner or an agency, although she was considering working for one again. Agencies often served as bail bondsmen, too, and therefore had the downlow first on the richer bounties. Fetch Winter from Montana Bounty Hunters had been working on recruiting her to join a new satellite office he was trying to get off the ground in Dead Horse, Montana, to service southwest Montana and into Wyoming. He needed hunters with experience, and he’d heard good things about her.

She’d heard good things about the agency, too, if you discounted the cable TV show that followed his hunters out of Bear Lodge. Fetch gave his crews a higher percentage of the bounty than most agencies did, and he’d assured her that he wouldn’t be looking to do any spin-off series featuring his other offices, but he had admitted that the bonuses for the hunters who permitted the production crews to accompany them were very generous. The job was hers, if she wanted it. But first, she had to find Marlon Oats.

Trying her best not to draw the herd’s attention, she walked along the edge of the ravine, keeping within the narrow line of trees standing along the edge of the ravine as she made her way toward the place she believed a campfire had been lit.

As she drew closer, she stayed hidden and peered into a clearing. A small tent had been pitched, one that had seen better days. One of the screen windows was torn, and one of the poles that held up the tarp over the door was missing. But she couldn’t make out whether anyone was presently occupying the campsite.

Just then, she heard movement coming from the stream below and a soft off-key whistling. Hunkering down, she waited patiently until the person climbed over the edge of the embankment and stood.

“Marlon, you sweet idiot,” she said under her breath. Her heartbeats quickened, and she drew slow breaths. She needed calm, not adrenaline, to get closer to her target.

Marlon strolled toward his campsite holding a string of four fish, which he lowered into a pot beside the fire. As he began taking them out, one at time, gutting and filleting them, and then tossing the pieces into a pan he’d filled with oil, she moved closer, choosing her footsteps carefully, grateful for the chorus of gargling grunts from the buffalo nearby that masked the sounds her feet made in the suctioning mud.

She studied Marlon to see what challenges he might present. A rifle leaned against the tent, and he held a knife in his hand. Slowly, she dropped her backpack to the ground and drew her own 10mm Remington from the holster on her thigh, and then began to work her way toward the edge of the tree line, knowing she’d eventually have to expose her position to prevent him from making a move toward the rifle.

Soft chuffing grunts sounded from the herd, but she ignored the animals, keeping her gaze fixed on the more dangerous game in front of her.

Then she stepped on a twig, and it snapped.

Marlon’s gaze swung toward her position, and his eyes widened. His gaze shot to the rifle, but she shook her head.

“I’m a Fugitive Recovery Agent, so you know why I’m here,” she said, keeping her tone low and hard.

Eyes still wide, his body tensed as though he was preparing to bolt upwards and make a run for it.

“Don’t even think about running,” she bit out.

He blinked, and his gaze went to something behind her. “Bitch, you might want to think about making a run for it.” Then a smile stretched across his face as he slowly stood and waved his arms.

What the fuck…?

Then she heard it. A deep, gargling grunt. With her handgun still held in both hands in front of her, she darted a glance behind her. Read the rest of this entry »

UPDATE: The winner is…Beverly!
*~*~*

It’s Monday! I’m wide awake despite the time change. Let’s have some fun!

Have you read my Montana Bounty Hunters: Dead Horse, MT series yet? Well, you might want to catch up! I’ll tell you why, but first, here are the links:

Cage
Preacher
Hardman
Chase
Cowboy
Eli

Or you can find more links to other vendors selling these stories by heading to my series page and scrolling down to Montana Bounty Hunters: Dead Horse, MT: Series Page

Okay, with that out of the way, there are a couple of reasons you should catch up reading and soon!

#1

Besides the fact the entire series is packed full of adventure, sexy times, and humor, there’s another story coming your way…

It’s out in June, and I have to start writing it next month, so I’m not 100% sure what’s going to happen (I never do until it happens while I’m writing!). You can pre-order your copy here: Gabriel

#2

This guy…

I had been toying with an idea to branch off the bounty hunters and write some small-town stories, set in Dead Horse. Not planning or plotting. I just kept the idea in the back of my head. UNTIL, I found this photo.

And I knew who he was, where he lives, and I know who she is!!! If you read Eli, you know there’s a repair/body shop called Ride or Die. He’s the owner. And he doesn’t like the way the bounty hunters have taken over his town. They’re not Dead Horse (another line from the stories you’ll just have to read to see why it’s funny). So, I’m thinking about a series name for this offshoot project, and the only one I think fits is, “We’re Dead Horse!”

The series has some fun characters, my favorite being the persnickety waitress, Nadine, who works at the Dead Man Walk-In Diner. She’s always doing or saying something to my hunters that gets their attention, and she’s made quite the impression on some of my readers, so I thought, this girl is somehow related to Nadine. Which will make things a bit sticky and funny for this couple. She’s going to do the chasing, obviously.

So, where does the fun part come in to play for you?

Tell me about them. Suggest some names and a title of a book. Even think of something she can do to try to get his attention. Have fun with it! If you play, and comment below, you’ll be entered to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winners are…Colleen, Miki, bn100, Jennifer Beyer, Debra Guyette, and Stacey Kinzebach!
*~*~*

It’s Monday, a holiday (so kids are home), and it’s the beginning of a week of bad weather. The 8-year-old slept over with me last night and told me to turn off my alarms because she wanted to sleep in. Wish I could sleep in!!!!

Thought I’d take a moment to remind you about the pre-orders I have up. No, I don’t have big old blurbs to tell you about the last two because I haven’t written them yet, and I never know what the story is about until I’m midway through. I know that sounds crazy, but that’s what works for me.

Both of the first two books are EROTIC romance, so be warned! No Tender Mercy comes out on March 22nd! It’s the sequel to Her Sanctuary. If you love Texas and vampires, you’re in for a sexy ride! Dark Seduction, which releases on April 19th, is the sequel to Dark Legacy and is a story I’m republishing. It’s a full-length novel, very sexy, smutty, involves a police investigation, and is full of twists and turns involving vampires and demons. I love the story. It’s my third favorite thing I ever wrote.

These next two are part of a series you should be very familiar with by now! Hot SEAL, Wild Thing releases May 24th! The authors in this series are using song titles as our theme this time around. Of course, I jumped on one of my old favorites. All I know about my hero is that he’s living his life as wild and freely as he can. If you have any ideas why that is, I’d love to hear them! 🙂

If you read my latest bounty hunter story, Eli, then you’ve met Gabriel. And I gave you a huge hint about his possible love interest, so be sure to pre-order so you read their adventure! It releases on June 28th—my birthday!

Contest

For a chance to win your choice of a download from my ginormous backlist, let me know if you plan to read any of these stories! Also, if you want to gripe at me to write a story you’ve been waiting for, let me know! I’ll choose two commenters!

Open Contests

1. Diana Cosby: Valentine’s Day – Birds & Animal’s Love Liam MacGruder! (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win a pretty mug!
2. Story Cubes: Tell me a story… (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Cheryl St. John: My Character’s Clothing Choices (and what it says about her!) FREE in KU! — Get your FREE small-town romance!
4. A Reminder! A Puzzle! And a Contest! Oh, my! — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. January George: The Way Back Home (Contest & Excerpt) — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Kathleen Bylsma!
*~*~*

January

I had a very busy January. Big goals and I hit them all.

 

Some were work-related:

1. Revise and publish my Dark Realm-related short story, “After Dark“. check
2. Write and publish my fifth Montana Bounty Hunter: Dead Horse, MT, Eli: check
3. Complete two editing jobs, one of them a whopper 87,000 words: check

Some health-related:

1. Annual physical: check
2. Start weight loss program (Weight Watchers): check & lost 12 pounds!

Some home-related:

1. Repaint my bedroom, which is 3/4 done (lots of large furniture to work around): check

All of these accomplishments were part of my 2022 Goals/Resolutions, and since I’m following the plan, so far, I’m feeling pretty good. Maybe it’s the 12 pounds I’ve lost so far, or the terrific sleep I’m getting, I don’t know. I played with insomnia for years, but since I started using a CPAP, I get very deep, natural sleep. And I’ve moved my going to bed time earlier and earlier, from midnight to about 9 p.m. so those 4 or 5 a.m. wakeups simply allow me to get so much more done before the rest of the house wakes up—I consider that a huge win.

Yes, I’m happier, getting healthier, and I hope that will be my 2022 trend!

Hate me yet? 🙂

February

I’m going to put it out there and see what happens.

 

For work-related, I plan:

1. To publish my short story from the Cowboys anthology as a single short story release, “Hunk of Burning Love.” I’ll have it in Kindle Unlimited sometime next week and offer it FREE for download on this website from the 11th to the 14th—my Valentine’s Day gift to you.
2. To write and publish the next Texas Vampires novella, No Tender Mercy. (Have you pre-ordered your copy?!)
3. To complete 5 editing projects in February!

For health-related:

1. I’ll continue with Weight Watchers and hope to lose another 5 pounds. I’m not pushing it, because I like how I feel. Slow is good!
2. I’ll begin some low-impact aerobics, which will include a video workout for old people (I’m not old, and my joints aren’t effed, but I like the low-impact part!), plus, I’ll add some outdoor activities, like pool maintenance and blowing the patio—counting the things I should already be doing to get ready for pool season. All of them burn calories and build muscle. Guess I should count housework, too. Blech.

For happiness-related: 

1. I’m going to work on getting my art room better organized, because…
2. I’ll be working on the #100DayProject art challenge beginning February 13th! My third year in a row. Can’t wait! The puzzle I have to work out is how I’m going to fit in daily art with everything else I’m doing!

Contest

Comment on anything you’ve read in this post. Give me suggestions. Tell me what you’re doing to make yourself happier and healthier. Tell me what you plan to read… Like I said, comment on anything for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

At last, at last!

I hope you enjoy reading about Eli falling in love and finding his “fated mate”. Yes, it’s a contemporary romance, but sometimes, a guy really does have just one woman who can reach inside his chest and squeeze the hell out of his heart. Eli finds her in this story.

I’m six books into this series, and I’m still having a blast writing about bounty hunters, but, as I’ve said before, the secret has been making sure I have unique characters every time. No cookie cutters. This time around, my hero is a very reserved man. Someone accustomed to experiencing life at a distance. He’s a former sniper for the SEALs and has closed off his emotions and his ability to connect with the people around him. That is, until he meets his perfect match—a fiercely independent sheriff’s deputy, who with the arch of an eyebrow and a direct, unwavering stare captures his attention. He’s the first “silver fox” of the series, so I enjoyed that aspect as well. In the meantime, there are lots of sexy times, lots of funny shit happening, and of course, we have the Dead Horse crew and townsfolk to add dimension to the excitement.

I hope you enjoy reading about my silver fox! And if you have time, I’d really appreciate it if you’d leave a review. Reviews aren’t for me, they’re for other readers who need to know about your experience with the story. I can say it’s sexy and fun, but readers believe other readers.

Eli

An ex-SEAL sniper, who has spent his life experiencing everything from a distance, finds his self-imposed solitude challenged by the one woman in the world who might have been made just for him.

Eli Pope left the SEALs when he feared that he was losing his humanity. Now, he’s the latest new hire at the Dead Horse branch of the Montana Bounty Hunters. However, working with the tight-knit hunters hasn’t broken through his reserve. He’s still the man on the outside looking in.

Then a chance meeting with Sheriff’s Deputy Kira Ennis sets him on a new path, leaving him hopeful for a brighter future. She’s unlike any woman he’s ever met—independent, smart, brave, and strong in her own right. He begins to believe that she’s the one person in the world meant to end his loneliness, but he hesitates, wondering if it’s right to pursue her when she’s so much younger than he is.

Get your copy now!
Plus, it’ll be FREE in KU!

 

UPDATE: The winner is…Beverly Blank!
*~*~*

So, far there are six stories in my Montana Bounty Hunters: Dead Horse, MT, series. Eli releases sometime after midnight tonight! And there will be more stories. Gabe is already in the works, and you’ll see a short scene featuring my hero and heroine at the end of Eli. How many more stories depends on you! If you still love the hunters, I’ll write them! See below a little of the inspiration for my little town…

 

 Amazon link to Montana Bounty Hunters: Dead Horse, MT

The next story, Gabriel, is already up for pre-order at Amazon…

I’ve had fun building this “world”—my little Montana town called Dead Horse, named after a dead horse that the town’s founders were left as a warning not to stay. That bit was a little autobiographical, because when I bought a house in a rural subdivision in Texas, the house had been empty and unsold for a while. When I walked through the house with the realtor, the next door neighbor tried to talk me out of buying it. I think he didn’t like the idea of having a neighbor next to him, so he invented some wild tales about the house and the property. When we were ready to move in, we had a little “gift” left on our walkway—a large, dead deer that someone had shot. The carcass was just left to rot and stink, and there was evidence it had been dragged there. So, there you go. Southern hospitality—or Texas hospitality. That neighbor poisoned a cat of mine, too…

In the Dead Horse series, there’s a story inside the story about how the town was named and how the hunters became a part of the town’s history. It all goes back to the first book, Cage. All along the way, I’ve introduced the characters who “people” the little town. My favorite is Nadine, the ornery waitress at the Dead Horse Walk-in Diner. (She has some funny scenes in Eli!). The town’s shops all feature that “dead” theme in their names. It’s fun and makes me smile whenever I play in Dead Horse, writing a new story.

I hope you’ve followed along, because I have more in store for Dead Horse—not just the hunters, but the townsfolk, too. I hope you’ll pick up your copy of my latest installment, Eli, or that you’re going back to pick up previous stories to catch up. I promise, they’re all fun, filled with action, sexy times, and people as real as I can write them.

Contest

I’ve run this contest before, and some of you have contributed place names!

I’ve named some of the businesses in the town: Dead Horse Walk-in Diner, Dead Easy Saloon, Dead Center Guns & Pawn, Dead Heat & Air, Dead as a Doornail Hardware (which is now closed, due to the arrest of its owner, so I suppose I need a new hardware store!), Dead End Cemetery, Deadly Delights (the bakery), Dead Horse Realty, Dem Bones Package Store, Ride or Die Body and Repair, Ride or Die Gas Station, and the Drop-Dead Gorgeous Salon. I added a street name in Eli—Casket Lane.

My challenge to you is to name a new business or street. We can have competing businesses, so you can name another hair salon or barbershop, or whatever. I’ve only named one street, so the sky’s the limit! Have fun!

Play for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

Do you love a Silver Fox? Do you love seeing two lonely people find each other? Then you don’t want to miss this story! Eli’s story releases tomorrow night after midnight!

An ex-SEAL sniper, who has spent his life experiencing everything from a distance, finds his self-imposed solitude challenged by the one woman in the world who might have been made just for him.

Eli Pope left the SEALs when he feared that he was losing his humanity. Now, he’s the latest new hire at the Dead Horse branch of the Montana Bounty Hunters. However, working with the tight-knit hunters hasn’t broken through his reserve. He’s still the man on the outside looking in.

Then a chance meeting with Sheriff’s Deputy Kira Ennis sets him on a new path, leaving him hopeful for a brighter future. She’s unlike any woman he’s ever met—independent, smart, brave, and strong in her own right. He begins to believe that she’s the one person in the world meant to end his loneliness, but he hesitates, wondering if it’s right to pursue her when she’s so much younger than he is.

Reserve your copy now!
Plus, it’ll be FREE in KU!

Open Contests

1. Flashback: Ride a Texas Cowboy (Contest–Two Winners!) — This ends tomorrow! Win a FREE book—2 winners!
2. A Saturday Puzzle Contest, and Open Contests! Lots of Prizes! — This ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Opening Scenes… (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Pre-order ELI & Enter the Puzzle Contest! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!