He's a ruthless predator. She's his prey. Together, it's about to get wild.
COBALT
President of the Kings of Anarchy MC Chapter in Tranquility, Indiana, Brett "Cobalt" Waters feels nothing close to tranquil. Taking over his father's vile and ruthless business keeps him high strung and on edge. After all, he has lives to save and lives to end if he wants to expand the business successfully and lucratively without getting picked up by the law. But when his new business venture brings him face to face with a vulnerable and battered woman, his protective instincts go into overdrive.
JULIE
Accountant Julie Drake knows fraud when she sees it. Questioning the numbers on a new account proves perilous when she pries too deep. Now, there's a bounty on her head. There's only one man who's willing to believe her and protect her. Unfortunately, Julie doesn't realize that Cobalt is the same criminal who’s been hired to eliminate her.
As Julie and Cobalt grow closer, Cobalt's loyalties are tested. How can he destroy the one thing he's been looking for his entire life?Welcome to the Kings of Anarchy MC, where the Kings rule in chaos, and the open road is our Kingdom. With 42 of your favorite authors penning their own chapters in this outlaw empire, you'll dive into a world where rules are a thing of the past. Here, nobody messes with the Kings or lays a hand on their property—because these badass bikers claim their lovers with pride. Enter a universe where loyalty is everything, legends are born, and every ride is unforgettable.
Are you ready to ride with the Kings of Anarchy MC?
Chapter 1COBALT“What the fuck is taking so long to get that pain in my ass in the goddamn metal box and in the crisper? For Christ’s sake, there have been nights where we ran an assembly line with bodies, but tonight you can’t get one in there together. You two idiots have been messing with that asshole for the last twenty minutes. Move, you stupid bastards, I should’ve done it myself. If you want shit done right, do it your motherfuckin’ yourself. Get out of my way, ya two useless pieces of shit.”Listening to my enforcer, Incubus, ripping our newer prospects a new asshole almost brings a smirk to my face, though I’m gonna have to rein him in before he scares these newbies out of our Indiana chapter of the Kings of Anarchy. Son of a bitch, I think to myself as I make my way to the incinerator, I never thought, when I finally took over for my cantankerous ol’ man and became president of the Indiana chapter, I’d be working harder than when I was just a member and brother. Especially doing this pain in the ass kind of work with the patch I’m currently wearing on my kutte. Now that my head is out of my own ass and I’m head of our chapter, I know there isn’t a job within our club or out there in our world—where I walk through on both sides of the law—that if needed, I’d have to get my hands dirty no matter who the fuck I am. When I give it any thought, these scarred paws of mine haven’t been clean in so many goddamn years.The fucker is squealing like a pig off to the slaughterhouse, so I move quickly to the far table to grab some duct tape to shut this motherfucker up before my head blows. I move back to where my brothers are working and rip off a large piece. I push one of the prospects out of the damn way and put the tape over the asshole’s mouth, bringing instant quiet to the area and my ears stop ringing. My eyes catch both of the prospects looking at me like I hung the fucking moon, for Christ’s sake. Incubus is working on removing all the dude’s clothing and jewelry. Even though this bastard thinks he’s getting fried, the original request came in to remove all personal items off of him and hand them off to one of the client’s employees. For the money we are making to shake and bake one dude, I personally don’t care what they want. If they had asked for a hand or eyeball, would have given them someone’s, no questions asked. I smell it before I shift my eyes to see the guy has not only pissed but also shit himself. For a brief second I do feel bad for him. Been thinking lately that maybe I’m getting soft, or maybe it’s just my ol’ man’s voice in my head. Then it hits me that, in all good conscience, I can’t go through with this shit as both Incubus and I are in the know and the prospects ain’t. I turn and hit one of the drawers, pulling out a syringe, and walk back to where everyone is standing. Incubus just finished cutting off all the dude’s clothes and is now ripping any and all jewelry off of him. I can see the absolute terror in his eyes, watching me, though it’s Incubus who moans when he sees what’s in my hand.“Shit, Prez, really? I was looking forward to hearing this jagoff begging then howling as the heat took over right before the sizzle, as he starts to cook like bacon in a frying pan. Now I won’t hear a goddamn thing. When did our club of degenerates start going soft just like this dude’s dick right now?”I stare hard at Incubus until he starts to twitch, which says a lot for this bastard. We served and were in a prisoner of war camp for months together, and I never saw him squirm or give any indication of fear or pain, no matter what was done to him. Underneath all his gruff and posing, he’s a damn good friend and excellent member of this club. I just can’t let this go on the way he’s been playing with me lately, being vocal in front of others. Maybe he’s right and I’m getting soft and, personally, I don’t give a fuck if I am. Gotta have a little humanity some days. I look down to the dude in the box, lying in his own piss and shit, right before I rip the tape off his face, which has him screaming, crying, and begging. Gotta shut him up so I wave the syringe in front of his face, which has him instantly going quiet with just a few sniffles.“This is more than you deserve, but I’m feeling generous tonight. You had a contract with our client that you broke, and you know the rules, asshole. Then when you didn’t hold up your end they warned you numerous times, which you ignored. That’s when they came to us. Their request is that we end your miserable life and since we were well paid, that is exactly what we are gonna do. Once I put this needle in your arm, within a few minutes you’ll fall into a deep fucking sleep and, if you’re lucky, won’t feel a goddamn thing. No, don’t want to hear you beg me or lie to my face, telling me you’re not guilty. None of that is my problem. We were paid to do a job and that’s what we’re doing.”
When I go to pull the cover off the needle, he softly starts to talk after clearing his throat.
“Hang on one minute, please. I’m not going to fight or cause you any trouble. Just need a favor, which I have no right to ask, but I have to. You’re right, I should have held up my end of the deal, but there were extreme circumstances that prevented me from doing just that. Not going to go into it but those assholes knew, and when I begged for mercy and a bit more time they laughed and beat the fuck out of me. I paid partial payments to show good faith and when they told me those payments weren’t gonna go toward my loan because it wasn’t a full payment, knew I was screwed. When I asked for my money back they beat the fuck out of me again. So yeah, you’re right, mister, I should have held up my end but those mafia guys are total assholes, and worse, liars. I’d do it again if it gave me the time with my mom I had. She died of stage four cervical cancer a week ago and, thank Christ, you didn’t pick me up before her funeral. If I wasn’t there my sister would have had a heart attack. Thank you for your kindness, guess I’m as ready as I’m ever going to be. Oh shit, if a woman named Julie somehow starts askin’ questions, please don’t tell her anything and get her the hell outta this town. If those mafia guys find out she’s my sister, oh fuck, can’t think of what they’d do to her for their own fun and games.”
My brain is flying through all of what he just said as I hear a very gruff “son of a bitch,” which comes from Incubus. Guess he’s feeling the same way I am, which is the mafia is using us to end this guy, apparently, without telling us the damn truth. Now what do I do? If we don’t finish this and our asshole contact, Anthony, finds out; it’s war with the mafia, which is something I don’t fucking need. But can we honestly end this guy’s life for falling on hard times? I mean, if what he is telling us is the truth, he tried to pay his debt off, even if it was partially. I can bet my ass the money he borrowed was for something to do with his ma’s cancer and treatment. Just that thought brings up my own mom, who also was taken by that god-awful disease. Shit, knowing we are bringing hell down on our club, I silently scream in my head when I hear Incubus telling the prospects to run to the other side of our building and find a John Doe who’s about the same size as the guy in the box. With puzzled looks on their faces, but smart enough not to ask any questions, they both turn and make their way out of the crematory, and I’m guessing they are going back to the cemetery side.
“All right, Cobalt, what’s your plan? I know you can’t go through with this bullshit, and I don’t question you ever, but we better have a way for this to work for our club. Help me get him out. Asshole, what’s your name?”
With wide eyes that are following every move Incubus makes, he once again clears his throat.
“I go by Stash, though my name is James but most call me Jimmy.”
We both reach for an arm and pull Stash up to a sitting position. Something clicks so I start firing off questions, asking what he did for a living, where he lived, did he have family besides his sister? Without hesitation he answers each and every one of my questions. A thought crosses my mind when he tells me he works in technology, mainly programming and coding. I glance at Incubus, who’s got a shit-eating grin on his face, which tells me once again we’re on the same page. Stash tells us he was living in one of those apartments you rent by the month and he thinks the Mob took all of his shit when they grabbed him the last time. Hesitantly, I bring up his sister, which he tells me is living in a B&B on the outskirts of town and has her own life. Stash continues telling us he tries to keep her away from any shit he’s involved in. The hair on the back of my neck is standing up when I realize what he just told us about his sister. I like all of his answers as we pull him outta the box, telling him to hang on, just as the prospects come back in dragging a body. I hear the pull in of breath but Stash doesn’t say a word. I noticed one prospect has some scrubs under his arm with those flip-flops you get when you are entered into prison. I watch Nickel walk toward Stash, handing him the clothes, along with a container of wipes to clean off with. Dreamer drags the corpse to where Incubus is watching and waiting. Together they lift him into the metal box, then Incubus proceeds to remove the clothes, tossing them into the incinerator behind him. The smell is nauseating but it is what it is, we all have gotten used to it. Obviously Stash can’t stand the smell as he starts to gag. Nickel kicks the garbage can his way just in time.
I walk toward the door, reaching for my cell. Finding the number I want, I hit it and hear it ringing.
“Yeah, Cobalt, what’s up? Did y’all finish the cookout?”
Everything we talk about on our phones is generally in some kind of code, never know if someone is listening.
“Psycho, meet me back at the house, will ya, brother? We need to talk.”
I can hear him moving around and when he tells someone to “shut the fuck up, get dressed, and get the hell out of here” I kind of feel bad interrupting, but hey, he signed up to be my vice president.
“Yeah, Prez, be there in under thirty minutes. Need me to pick anything up?”
I rack my brain for a second then give him a short list of shit before hanging up.
Turning, I’m just in time to see the metal box moving toward the inside of the contraption that is probably hotter than hell. Stash is looking between all of us but isn’t saying a word. This poor motherfucker has been through the wringer. Walking up to him I see his body tense but he holds his ground. Nice is my thought when I stop in front of him.
“Stash, today is your lucky day. We are gonna take you back to our clubhouse and make you an offer you won’t be able to say no to. Well, that’s if you have any brain cells left in your head, motherfucker. One last question, which B&B is your sister Julie staying at? We need to bring her in also, don’t argue, you bastard. Only way she’s gonna stay breathing. Now on that offer, ya don’t have to take it, we will still help ya out but the one thing you won’t get is our protection. Choice is yours. For now, gonna have to ride bitch with one of the prospects. Not a far ride, but it’s kinda cold out. Let me grab ya one of my lined hoodies. Here, fucker, suck on this mint, you smell like vomit. Let’s ride.”
I can see both Dreamer and Nickel bickering about who is going to have Stash riding bitch. I look to Incubus, who shrugs his shoulders. My eyes pin onto Dreamer, who drops his head before he looks back up and nods. All it takes most times is a look with all of our prospects. I’m known to be fair and demanding. Not a bad thing is my thought as I make my way to my bike to pull a hoodie out of one of my bags. I walk back to Stash and hand it to him and hear his soft thanks before going back to my bike, switching it on. As the prospects head back to the clubhouse, Incubus and I make our way to the B&B to pick up Stash’s sister, Julie, before the pain in my ass Mob finds her out there all by herself with no protection. I know one thing we don’t need is another babysitting job. Thinking to myself that this day can’t get any worse, then I remind myself of the club superstitions. If you say or think it then your worst thoughts might come true. The damn shit these brothers put into my head is starting to weigh me down.
D.M. Earl is a U.S.A. Today Bestselling Author who spins stories about real life situations with characters that are authentic, genuine, and sincere. Each of her stories allow the characters to come to life with each turn of the page while they try to find their HEA through much drama and angst. D.M. finds ideas for her next story from within those around her and what she experiences in daily life. Each book has a part of her left behind in it. She lives in Northwest Indiana married to her best friend who was instrumental in the start of her writing career in 2014. When not writing D.M. loves to read, play with her seven fur-babies (yeah crazy) and ride her Harley Dyna Lowrider.
“Enjoy this Ride we call Life.” Remember we only get one chance.
Thanks so much for reading today's post. Hope
you enjoyed it!
Sharon C. Cooper is here to tell us about Waiting for You, Priestly Family Series book 5, a contemporary second chance romance.
There's also a great giveaway.
______________________
They say friends make the best lovers...
Waiting For You
Priestly Family Series Book 5
by Sharon C. Cooper
Genre: Contemporary Second Chance Romance
They say friends make the best lovers...
After a bitter divorce, Jackson Norwood never thought he’d fall in love again.
Especially not with his best friend, Essence Priestly. His attraction to her is
the most powerful thing he's felt in a long time, and he doesn't just want her
as a lover. He wants her to be his wife. Yet she’s determined to keep their
relationship strictly platonic.
Jackson means everything to Essence and her son, and she’s torn between her
love for him and the fear of ruining their years of friendship. But after an
impulsive, passionate weekend together, she can’t deny their chemistry is off
the charts. Jackson woke up the part of her she thought died years ago, and
Essence is tempted to let him have what he wants—her.
But drama from his ex-wife is enough to challenge the strongest connection.
Will Essence and Jackson’s reinvented relationship buckle under the pressure?
Or will their bond grow stronger and lead them to their happily-ever-after?
“Nyla asked if I’d be willing to
share a room with you. I told her it was fine and assumed the two of you had
already talked about it. She even had my overnight bag delivered there.”
“I’m going to kill my sisters. All
of them,” Essence said through gritted teeth, attitude dangling from each word
before she turned narrowed eyes on him. “You know what they’re trying to do,
don’t you? You have to know.”
It took everything within Jackson
not to smile because she was adorable when she was mad. Which he didn’t witness
often. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he lied, earning him a
deeper glare.
Okay, maybe he knew now, but not at
first. He hadn’t thought much of it when Nyla told him of the change because it
wasn’t unusual for him and Essence to share a room. But now that he knew her
sisters might be trying to push them together, Jackson was totally onboard with
their scheming. They all knew how much he adored Essence and how close they
were, but they also knew Essence was afraid to move out of the friend zone. It
would be just like them to butt in.
He and Essence exited the elevator,
and Jackson followed a few steps behind her as she practically stomped down the
hallway to their room. She might’ve been pissed, and he probably should be
thinking about how he was going to get her to lighten up, but damn her ass
looked good in that dress. Watching her shapely hips sway back and forth
rhythmically made his body stir in response. Hell, if he could get her to calm
down, maybe they could have some fun tonight. It was a new year. A perfect time
to start a new chapter in their story. And a little rendezvous in a luxury
hotel would only add to the fun.
As if she could hear his thoughts,
Essence glanced over her shoulder at him without missing a step. If eyes could
shoot invisible daggers, she was definitely shooting them at him, and he felt
them square in the chest.
So much for living out a few
fantasies tonight. Clearly, the hotel room would be for sleeping only.
Normally, Essence was sweet, kind,
and would do anything for anyone. She also had a good sense of humor and took
her family’s antics in stride. She didn’t usually trip over stuff like this,
especially since she and he often shared a hotel room. The two of them, and
sometimes Tray, vacationed together more often than not. Staying in the same
room was a norm. So, it was out of character to see her this pissed.
Essence already had her keycard out
when she stopped in front of their hotel room door. Seconds later, she stormed
inside the room. She didn’t seem to care if he followed her in or not.
Jackson sighed, catching the door
before it slammed in his face. This was going to be a long night. He didn’t
want to argue, and Essence had every right to be mad—just not at him. She was
probably looking forward to relaxing in a beautiful hotel room after a long
day. Hell, a couple of long weeks, and here he was crashing any solitude she
thought she’d get.
Or maybe she was mad because she
had planned to invite that punk ass Romero to the room after the reception.
That thought had Jackson wanting to
question her about the guy. Had their relationship moved up from just casual
dating? Instead of asking, he kept his mouth shut. She was angry at her
sisters, and he didn’t need her to take it out on him. He didn’t have siblings,
but he’d been around hers enough to know they all drove each other nuts
sometimes.
“Oh, and if you think we’re
sleeping in the same bed, think again,” Essence snapped, tossing his duffel
bag, which had been on the edge of the king size bed, to the sofa.
Jackson yawned, then slid out of
his tuxedo jacket and laid it across the arm of the sofa. Next went the bowtie.
“Essence, I don’t know what’s going on with you, but I do know one thing. I’m
not sleeping on the sofa.”
USA Today
bestselling author Sharon C. Cooper loves anything involving romance with a
happily-ever-after, whether in books, movies, or real life. She writes
contemporary romance, romantic suspense, as well as romantic comedy. She enjoys
rainy days, carpet picnics, and family game night. Her stories have won
numerous awards, including The Rochelle Alers Best Series award for her
Atlanta’s Finest Series (2022) and The Beverly Jenkins Author of the Year award
(2021). When she isn’t writing, Sharon loves hanging out with her amazing
husband, doing volunteer work, or reading a good book (a romance of course). To
read more about Sharon and her novels, or to sign up to be notified of her
latest releases, visit www.sharoncooper.net
Thomas Grant Bruso is here to tell us about The Dead Hour, LGBT paranormal horror.
There's also a great giveaway.
______________________
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by >Goddess Fish Promotions. Thomas Grant Bruso will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
PI Bradshaw receives a late night call from a client desperate to find her missing daughter. The woman asks to meet him at a storage unit in upstate New York. The woman hangs up before Bradshaw can inquire further. Woken by the jarring news, Bradshaw decides to meet the frantic, mysterious woman pleading for his help.
Working as a private investigator has its drawbacks. Bradshaw often receives prank calls from clients with run-of-the-mill requests and chooses his cases wisely. But there is something unusual and unnerving about this particular call. The hopeless plea in the woman’s voice and the anonymity of her demand ignite a maelstrom of questions.
While Bradshaw decides whether the call is worth pursuing, a young dead girl from the Other Side visits him, demanding attention and seeking help for the request he just received. Who is this spirit? What does she want? And how is she linked to the caller?
Read an Excerpt
Thunder cleaved the sky, pulling me out of my foggy dream.
In the glass, a flash of white light and a dash of movement scurried past my periphery.
I shuddered at the pale flesh of a disfigured face sneering at me.
I turned.
Nothing -- a line of locked unit doors.
Then footsteps, sprinting away, and a gaggle of laughter from around the corner, along the corridor.
“Hello?” I yelled, chasing another phantom. My legs felt like rubber bands as I dashed to the end of the long hall. I stopped at the stairwell door, out of breath.
The sound footsteps seized. But intoxicating laughter followed.
“Who’s there?” I yelled. “This isn’t funny.”
A mockery of demonic laughter filled the air and cooled my skin.
I stepped back, drew a breath.
Behind me, one of the two elevators dinged. The doors opened.
Curiosity consumed me.
I should not have turned around to the sound.
The lights went out when I did, plunging me into complete darkness.
Up ahead, the exit signs flickered.
I reached into my coat pocket and gripped the small bottle of mace I carried with me when working cases. My heart thrashed behind my ribs, like a pack of hungry rats gnawing through the lining of muscles, tendons, and intestines.
A coldness coiled in the space behind me. A round of knuckles tapped against my head, and the sound of teeth clicked close to my ear. I ran toward the elevator doors. They closed before I reached it.
I banged hard on the doors and pressed the down button several times.
In the dim light of the corridor, I noticed shadowy movement from something skittering across the wall, a chittering screech of insectile legs rushing at me in the dark.
I raced a few feet to the left of the elevators to the stairwell door.
Locked.
About the Author: Thomas Grant Bruso knew he wanted to be a writer at an early age. He has been a voracious reader of genre fiction since childhood.
His literary inspirations are Ray Bradbury, Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Jim Grimsley, Karin Fossum, and Joyce Carol Oates.
Bruso loves animals, reading books, and writing fiction, and prefers Sudoku to crossword puzzles.
In another life, he was a freelance writer and wrote for magazines and newspapers. In college, he won the Hermon H. Doh Sonnet Competition. Now, he writes and publishes fiction and reviews books for his hometown newspaper, The Press-Republican.
Bill Markley is here to tell us about The Life and Times of Jim Bridger, US Western history, mountain man, fur trade, exploration, American Indians.
There's also a great giveaway.
__________________________
US Western History/Jim Bridger, mountain man, fur trade, exploration,
American Indians
Date Published: 08-08-2025
Publisher: Farcountry Press
The Life and Times of Jim Bridger, a new biography by Bill Markley, is a
well-researched work that brings to life the story of Jim Bridger, the
legendary mountain man, fur trapper, and explorer who played a key role in
shaping the American West. From guiding scientific expeditions to pioneering
vital emigrant routes like the Overland and Bridger Trails, Jim
Bridger’s name is etched into the very landscape of the American
frontier. Bridger’s contributions helped lead to the establishment of
Yellowstone National Park, the first national park in the world. His life was
filled with encounters with Native American tribes, fur traders, U.S. Army
officers, and remarkable adventures across the wild West.
Reviews for The Life and Times of Jim Bridger
Bill Markley has established an enviable reputation as a western biographer.
His excellent new biography of Jim Bridger will only augment his status.
Crisply written and carefully researched this biography of the greatest of the
mountain men will both captivate and inform readers for years to
come. --Paul Hutton, author of The Undiscovered Country
Bill Markley has done it again with THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JIM BRIDGER. The
mythic mountain man comes to life in Markley's biography and by the end you
will be ready to go West and discover for yourself the West of Jim
Bridger. --Stuart Rosebrook, editor-at-large, TRUE WEST magazine
Well researched and well told, Markley gives us a fresh look at one of the
giants of the American West. I believe he has captured the man and his
essence. —Bob Boze Bell, executive editor True West magazine
Bill Markley’s The Life and Times of Jim Bridger vividly captures the
adventures of a legendary mountain man whose courage, ingenuity, and deep
connection to the American West shaped a nation’s frontier. From fur
trapping to guiding emigrants, Bridger’s story is a testament to
resilience and cultural fluency, brought to life with meticulous research and
engaging prose. -- Jon Nelson, Board Director for the Museum of the
Fur Trade, Chadron, Nebraska
When the tall, genial Virginian Jim Bridger ventured West as a
“green” teenager in the early years of the fur trade, no one
predicted that he would become known as the legendary “old man of the
mountains." Packing his life with enough adventure for at least ten
mountain men, Bridger led beaver-trapping brigades, hunted buffalo, fought
hostile Blackfeet, married a Shoshone woman, mapped trackless wilderness,
guided the U.S. Army during Red Cloud’s War, and more. Although
illiterate, he spoke several European—and Indian—languages.
Did Bridger really leave the grizzly-mauled Hugh Glass to die alone?
Markley delves deep into his subject’s extraordinary life. Wonderfully
illustrated with period maps and artwork, this book is for anyone who loves
true tales of the raucous fur trading era of the early nineteenth century.
Bridger once said, “Sir, the grace of God won’t carry a man
through these prairies! It takes powder and ball.” And
how. –Nancy Plain, four-time Spur Award winner, past
president of Western Writers of America.
Excerpt
Final Thoughts
During my two-year research of Jim Bridger, my respect for him
has grown. He accepted all people, no matter who they were. Only when
they turned on him would he treat them as enemies. He tried to stay out of
fights, but if one was unavoidable, he was in the forefront.
It’s a shame—and our loss—that he didn’t learn to read
and write. He was
intelligent, creating accurate maps from memory. He learned English, French,
Spanish, a variety of Indian languages, and was proficient in sign language.
After people read Shakespeare to him, he would quote passages from memory.
As to the Hugh Glass story, I believe Bridger was not the teenager who
deserted Glass. Historians have pointed to Bridger because of an 1839 article
that gave the young man’s last name as “Bridges,” based on
old riverboat pilot
Joseph LaBarge’s recollection, and tradition had it on the Missouri that
it was
Bridger. That’s it. When Alfred Jacob Miller sat around a mountaineer
fire
and jotted down the Hugh Glass story during the 1837 rendezvous, the first
name of the person Glass confronted was Bill. If Bridger had been the young
man who deserted Glass, I believe other mountaineers would have ribbed him
about it.
As to Bridger selling Fort Bridger to the Mormons, I don’t believe he
sold
it. He was an honest man, and to his dying day, he never said he sold it,
continuing to
attempt to collect his rental payment from the federal government.
Bridger’s descriptions of the Yellowstone geothermal region to
expedition
leaders and scientists led to its eventual exploration in 1871 by one of those
scientists,
Ferdinand Hayden. The following year, Congress designated it the
world’s first national park.
Jim Bridger was loved by many people, from children to generals. He was
well liked by many tribes. Most of his adversaries respected him. He enjoyed
nothing better than to be out in nature, preferring to sleep under the stars
than
in a tent. It would have been great fun to sit at a campfire and listen
to him tell
of his exploits and tall tales. He was a man in love with the West.
Toward the end of his life, Jim Bridger said, “I wish I was back there
among
the mountains again—you can see so much farther in that
country.”
About the Author
Bill Markley, member of Western Writers of America and multiple winner of the
Will Rogers Medallion award, has written eleven books including biographies
and histories of Old West characters and events. He writes for True West and
Wild West magazines and is a staff writer for Roundup magazine.
Rachel Dacus is here to tell us about her cozy mystery The Deadly Tea.
There's also a great giveaway.
_____________________
This post is part of a virtual book organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Rachel Dacus will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Most sleuths don’t have the advantage of talking to the murder victim for clues, but Saffron has a window into the afterlife. The problem is, she's not a detective and has no wish to be.
In the charming heart of London’s Notting Hill, Saffron juggles motherhood, running an animal welfare foundation, and counseling recently deceased spirits—the invisibles. But her peaceful routine is upended when a spirit insists she solve the mystery of his untimely death. Lucas Troy pops into her awareness claiming he was killed and demanding she figure out who did it. He wants justice before he'll agree to move on. But Saffron's role isn't to play detective, but to help each invisible plan for the next adventure in living. She asks Lucas if he suspects anyone in the circle at his aunt’s tea party where he died. He can’t imagine anyone wanting to kill him, but he persuades Saffron to interview them all.
She feels for Lucas, who had hardly begun his life, and she tries to persuade him that he can have a great future next lifetime, but finally she gives in and agrees to a little investigating. If she finds out something, perhaps he’ll agree to move forward. But the closer she gets to the possible killer, the more she’s in danger. Saffron has no wish to join Lucas in The Room Over There.
Settle in to a cozy mystery with a touch of the supernatural, the heartwarming chaos of family, and the charm of London’s Notting Hill. "Interesting characters, intriguing mystery."
Read an Excerpt
It was glorious to dawdle around the bohemian and vintage shops on Portobello Road, and the addition of rare April sunshine in London made it seem to Saffron like her spa day. Not that she ever got to have those, as most mothers of young children didn’t. But today, browsing and shopping, she indulged herself in a glorious solitude amid the crowds. This busy street was her paradise, and she needed just a few more things for the children’s Easter outfits, but hoping not to find them too quickly.
Traffic and people swirled around her, and she thrilled to the bright colors, food stalls, brushes of music wafting out of open doors. She would forever be a tourist in her adopted city of London. Notting Hill was so like her San Francisco Bay Area, but snootier. In many ways, more exciting.
Peering into windows, she thought about the perfect bow tie she wanted for Percy’s suit, so her seven-year-old son didn’t look like a tiny banker. Four-year-old Freida could use a flower pin for her pinafore dress. Focusing on these ideas was such a pleasure. Saffron tried to wipe the smile off her face, remembering that Londoners did not walk around smiling, though Californians often did.
A passerby jostled her, and as she stopped to check her bag, a low voice drifted down. “Hey! Anyone here?”
Hella damn. An invisible. Another drifting spirit.
“I’m here,” she whispered. “I’m busy, as you can see. You can see me, right?”
“I see a lot of hair. Curly. Are you some kind of animal?”
Saffron huffed. “You’re looking at the top of my head. Come down lower, so you can see my face.”
Some might call it being haunted, but Saffron called it helping invisibles. She wasn’t often contacted by newly dead people, but occasionally one popped into her vicinity. They always needed orientation and comfort after the trauma of dying.
About the Author:
Rachel Dacus is the author of eight novels and five poetry collections. Her fiction features love and relationships, exotic locations and intrepid heroines, and emotional journeys of self-discovery, all with a touch of the supernatural. Her poetry, stories, and essays have appeared widely in print and online literary journals and anthologies. She enjoys life in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area, with its coast and trails where she walks her tiny but mighty Silky Terrier with her architect husband.
Owner of Strange Brew, a popular coffee shop in Silence, she's worked hard and has overcome many obstacles to build the life she has. It's a good life, one that includes work she loves, an apartment to call her own, and plenty of good friends.
But an unexpected phone call comes as a brutal reminder of a time she thought she'd left far behind. Suddenly, she's faced with the choice to turn her back on the beautiful life she created, or break her guilty silence.
Chief Deputy Hugo Alexander isn't sure when exactly he started seeing the quiet coffee shop owner as more than simply a good friend. It's hard to pinpoint the moment when she went from a supportive friend to him and his teenage son, to the woman who features in his dreams and fantasies.
Unfortunately, Bess Choi seems to have him firmly locked in the friend zone, and it's not until worrisome things start happening around her, she cautiously starts lowering the barriers.
But when he discovers she might be in far more danger than she's been willing to let on, he's done tiptoeing around.
Click cover above to listen to an excerpt from Guilty Silence!
USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.
With forty-plus books already published, she continues to create characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy.
Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We've Read All Year Award for "Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, and Finalist for the 2020 Kindle Book Award with “When Hope Ends”, Freya spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!