D.V. Stone
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  • D. V. Stone Author
  • Around the Fire Blog
  • Books by D. V. Stone
  • Everythng Else

Welcome to the Campfire

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Join the Campfire Crew
​Light a campfire and everyone’s a storyteller.
~John Geddes~

One of my favorite things to do is sit around the campfire with friends. Each week at my virtual fire I'll bring new and old friend to chat about life, books, and writing. So now that you're here, kick back, relax, and join the conversation. Use the comment box to ask questions or leave a bit of wisdom. We'd love to hear from you.

A Wylder West Campfire with Marilyn Barr and her guest.

4/24/2021

 
Good morning ladies and welcome to my campfire. Marilyn could you do the honor of introducing us to your friend?
Marilyn. Thank you for inviting me to the campfire but I couldn’t resist traveling back in time to 1878 to bring Miss Olive Muegge with me. Olive is on her way to Wylder, Wyoming Territory to start a new phase in her life and I thought she deserved a night out with the ladies. 

Wonderful! The camp is a place where we enjoy meeting new people from all over. What’s your preference, coffee, tea, cocoa, wine? The camp fridge is like a magical Chuck Wagon. You speak it, you get it. 
Marilyn. We are coffee drinkers.

DV: I can do Cowboy coffee if you don't mind grounds but since we're modern I think I'll use my Corning percolator?
 How do you take it? 
Olive: Six-shooter not black water, please.
Marilyn: That’s how they ordered full-strength black coffee in the US Wild West. If you didn’t specify, it was automatically watered down to what we call half-caffeinated.

Ugh, what's the point of drinking it then. Six- shooters for all. Olive in your time I would guess "camping" is much more prevalent.
Olive: I’ve never lived in a house so my entire life is what you would call a camping trip. I’m a guttersnipe or what you call an orphan, so I roamed around our beautiful country. I had help from the migrant tribes where I would spend the night in a teepee, asi, or wikiup, but mostly I slept under the stars.
Marilyn: Well, I have it on good authority that your intended Nartan Sagebrush has spent the past seven months building a modest cabin for you. Living in one place will be a big adjustment.
Olive: I can’t wait to meet Mr. Nartan Sagebrush. I heard he is as genuine as a thoroughbred but gentle as a colt. He put this advertisement in the telegraph office in Lusk and a good Samaritan brought it to my person. 

DV: Wait! Advertisement? Like mail order bride? Is that it? Can I see it?
Olive: Oh yes. “A quiet wife for a quiet life.” He’s a leather tanner from what I hear. Isn’t that a fine dream? A permanent home with a vocation to fill my soul with a husband to fill my belly with babies. I haven’t seen Mr. Sagebrush but even if he’s uglier than a bucktoothed opossum, I could love him for giving me this dream.

But Olive, you aren’t exactly a quiet woman…are you worried about getting along with him?
Olive: I know I’m louder than the songbirds in spring. When he sees my heart is in his corner, he will adjust. I hope. Well, maybe I will be focused on not causing trouble.
  

Marilyn can you tell us about your latest project and what’s on the horizon? 
Marilyn: Olive’s book Dance to a Wylder Beat comes out this spring. When her stagecoach rattles into town, she not only rattles Nartan but the entire town of Wylder. 
Olive: How could lil’ole me do that?
Marilyn: Just wait and see. Today is the cover reveal for Dance to a Wylder Beat and we are so grateful to you for hosting us.

Is that you on the cover?
Marilyn: Yes, Nartan insisted Olive was the cover model on the adventure they share. Despite their rocky start, Nartan commits to making Olive happy. Once Nartan commits to something, nothing will change his mind.

The cover is gorgeous and so are you, Olive. I can't imagine he'll be disappointed in you.  Do you have a life motto? 
Olive: My motto is to give everyone a chance for you haven’t seen the world through their eyes. Sometimes the meanest people are the ones who need the most care. If you judge them at first sight, you miss out on the lesson they bring to you. I’ve met gentle souls from Mexico to Montana and learned how to do so many things. I can work leather, pound pemmican, butcher animals, read, and work numbers, because I would listen to anyone willing to talk to me.
Marilyn: Well said, Olive. You are a survivor because you saw the good in everyone you met along your travels.

How long did it take you from conception to publication? How did you do it so quickly, or what circumstances drew the process out.
Marilyn: Olive, I will take this one. I dreamed of Nartan last July – 
Olive: Hey! That’s my man! If you dreamed of him, why won’t you tell me what he looks like? He’s just a shadow on the cover. 
Marilyn: Don’t worry, Olive. I’m happily married and wouldn’t survive on the Sagebrush Homestead of 1878. I can’t live without things you don’t know were invented yet…and no, you will just have to wait and see what Nartan looks like. Go ahead and pout.
Olive: I wasn’t pouting.
Marilyn: I wrote Dance to a Wylder Beat from start to finish in August of 2020. I have never written a book so quickly. It felt as if someone else possessed my fingers on the keys. It flew through the editing process once the level of “old-timey phrases” was established. My only struggle was the balance between Olive and Nartan’s 1878 voice and their 2021 audience. I didn’t want anyone to have to Google what they were saying.
Olive: Who are you calling “old-timey”? What’s a Google? Is it like a newspaper?

Marilyn, looks like you walked into that one. We don’t have time to explain the tech behind search engines. Are there any mentors, authors, or books other than yours you would like to give a shout-out to? 
Marilyn: Dance to a Wylder Beat is part of a multi-author series designed by The Wild Rose Press called The Wylder West. All the books take place in and around the town of Wylder, Wyoming Territory. While all the books presently published take place in 1878, there are other books in the works which tell Wylder’s story from then to the present day. 
The series started with the first four books being released at the same time. Nicole McCaffrey’s The Wylder County Social Club, Kim Turner’s Wylder Hearts, Laura Strickland’s A Walk on the Wylder Side, and Sarita Leone’s A Wylder Christmas establishes the town of Wylder for readers. While the books can be read in any order, readers have loved the different styles and stories of the same town’s people. Next released was Sherrie Lea Morgan’s Wylder Magic, which I just loved. Home in Wylder by Jane Lewis and A Wylder Undertaking by Laura Strickland are the newest releases. A reader can enjoy a wide range of stories from sweet to steamy, and funny to tear-jerking, in Wylder. I have enjoyed every book.

Wow these sound amazing. And readers might not understand the research that goes into not only a particular author's book but all the books in the series to make the cohesive. Can you tell us what literary success look like to you?
Being in the same group as the other Wylder West authors is the definition of success to me. I’m a fan of them all. I’m still shocked my proposal was accepted. I’m waiting for my alarm to wake me up from this dream. I love hanging out in the Wylder West Facebook group with readers and the other authors. The camaraderie is incredible, and I’m honored to be a part of it.


Life Hacks for Authors. Tips, tricks, or anything you specialize in that you would share with others. And if you don't mind how you've dealt with Covid 19.
Marilyn: Olive close your ears. I have made it a goal to learn about a new topic each month we have been in quarantine. From pirate documentaries to YouTube tutorials on making paneer from scratch, I have loved every minute of it. For Dance to a Wylder Beat, I took a non-mechanized leather tanning course with our local historical society at a historical site. When the other students heard I was researching for a romance novel, I became the heel of many “leather uses” jokes…ah-hem... I learned not only would I make an awful leather tanning (little upper body strength) but also the smell would chase me away. Leather was soaked in urine in 1878 to release the fat and hair from it. Then the rawhide was conditioned with a mixture of cedar oil and cattle brains. I was fine scooping the brains from the skulls and mixing the conditioner. It was pulling the skins who had sat in urine for a few days that sent me running for the hills! 

Taking something awful and turning it into a learning and life experience. I applaud you. Now the fun questions If they made a movie about your life, what would the title be and who would play you? 
Marilyn: For Dance to a Wylder Beat, I would have Adam Joaquin-Gonzalez play Nartan Sagebrush. Adam Beach (circa 2010) would play Nartan’s nearly silent brother, Ikshu Sagebrush. Olive Muegge would be played by Maria Gomez circa 1966.

Do you have a special object like a piece of jewelry or keepsake of some sort?
Olive: Since I’ve been on the run my entire life, I have no special keepsakes. If I can’t carry it easily, it is left behind.
Marilyn: Your future husband has many special treasures though. He keeps his ceremonial costume and Shamanic tools in the special chest. Those cultural artifacts are hidden away.
Olive: Why would Mr. Sagebrush hide his spiritual gifts after studying with a medicine man?
Marilyn: That’s for Nartan to tell.
Olive: I will just have to find this chest and go through it for myself.

Teach me something I don’t know in two sentences.
Olive: Marilyn thinks it's funny my skunk eggs are what you call onions. Bird eggs are called cackleberries and lizard eggs are called snake droppings in 1878. 

What do you think the headlines will read 40 years from now?
Marilyn: Olive, this one is for you. What will the headlines look like in the 1920s?
Olive: Oh, my stars! There will be railroads crisscrossing our land from sea to sea. You could hop on a train and go around the world if you liked. The trains would bring more people to feed, so we will have more cattle everywhere. I bet every house will need its own herd. We’ve already seen an influx of cattle coming from Texas to graze on our common green. In twenty years, I bet grazing land will be more expensive than city buildings.

If you could eat anything in the world right now, what would it be?

Marilyn: Pizza. I live for pizza.
DV: Did they have pizza in 1878?
Olive: I don’t know what a pizza is, but I don’t know anything about settler food. I was relieved when Mr. Sagebrush’s advertisement didn’t mention cooking skills.
DV: You should pick up a pizza for Olive before she is returned to 1878. I don't think there's delivery here at Camp.
Marilyn: Wouldn’t that be a blast! Pizza came to America until 1905 so it wouldn’t ruin history too much if we snuck her some.
Olive: I don’t know if I want to mess with explosive food.
Marilyn: It’s not – never mind. I must pick up some pizza before we head back to my time machine, so we better get going.
Olive: Thank you kindly, Ma’am, it’s been a pleasure.
Marilyn: Yes, Thank you so much for hosting Olive and me. Look for more of Olive’s antics in my upcoming release Dance to a Wylder Beat and check out the rest of The Wylder West series by the talented authors of The Wild Rose Press.

I'm so happy you both stopped by. I know you both have a busy schedule but before you leave, could you tell us more about the book, where to find and links to more about you, Marilyn?
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Dance to a Wylder is COMING SOON

Dance to a Wylder Beat
by
Marilyn Barr


  • He wasn’t comfortable in his skin before she crawled under it. Now he burns…

Back Cover
Nartan Sagebrush's name may mean "to dance" in Arapaho, but he dances in secret. Forced to abandon his Shamanic apprenticeship, he is overwhelmed with homesteader life, and even his spirit guides are at their wit's end. Nartan takes fate into his own hands. Instead of divine intervention, a wife will help with his responsibilities and in assimilating into the Wylder community. 

 
Olive Muegge answer's Nartan's "wife wanted" advertisement.  Wildly independent she has secretly dreamed of a family to call her own. The secret she carries inside makes her an outcast and her wild ways don't fit the quiet wife Nartan thinks he desires.
  
Despite their differences, they are drawn to each other but a mistake may drive them apart.  Will Nartan embrace his Shamanic past to save them both or will he choose to rid himself of Olive forever? 

Excerpt
When I turn back, the men are wrestling in a cloud of dust. Dead Eyes’ friends hoot like owls while a small crowd gathers around the scene. Being half-drunk, Dead Eyes is two steps slower than Nartan, who is landing punches on both sides. When Dead Eyes slams his gun on the ground in surrender, the dust settles, and I can study my future husband. 

Nartan’s muscular body straddles the smaller man while his broad chest billows. His hat has blown off in the scuffle, revealing two thick black braids adorned with feathers. Tendrils of raven-black hair wave around his head. “Quiet wife for a quiet life” my bloomin’ butt. This man is a sweet lick of passion wrapped in a delicious exterior. I think I’m gonna like being Mrs. Sagebrush just fine. I can handle an odd stick as long as he has the countenance of Nartan because I’m not as normal as I appear myself.

About
​Marilyn Barr currently resides in the wilds of Kentucky with her husband, son, and rescue cats. She has a diverse background containing experiences as a child prodigy turned medical school reject, published microbiologist, special education/inclusion science teacher, homeschool mother of a savant, certified spiritual/energy healer, and advocate for the autistic community. This puts her in the position to bring tales containing heroes who are regular people with different ability levels and body types, in a light where they are powerful, lovable, and appreciated. 

 
When engaging with the real world, she is collecting characters, empty coffee cups, and unused homeschool curricula. She is a sucker (haha) for cheesy horror movies, Italian food, punk music, black cats, bad puns, and all things witchy.
 
website 
Twitter 
Facebook
Instagram
Amazon author profile
Goodreads
BookBub
And if you are looking for more Wylder West books here the link to Wild Rose Press www.thewildrosepress.com/bookseries/the-wylder-west

​Today's Campfire Guest-Wyoming Author Kim McMahill

4/17/2021

 
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What’s your preference, coffee, tea, cocoa, wine? The camp fridge is like the Starship Enterprise. You speak it, you get it.
All of the above. I must have my morning coffee, I often enjoy afternoon tea (perhaps my English heritage), wine with dinner, and if it’s cold outside or I’m having chocolate withdrawals, I want cocoa.  
​
Tell us, have you ever camped, or as I call what I do, Glamp. If you’re not the camping type. Tell us about your favorite adventure or vacation. What made it special to you.
Growing up in Wyoming, camping is a given. As a kid, my dad’s idea of a family vacation was a packtrip into the mountains. One of the most memorable was a trip into Eagle Creek Meadows. I was probably only six at the time but rode my pony the entire way (I believe the meadows are about 10 miles from the trailhead), except for when my dad thought a river was too deep or swift for me to safely cross he would put me in front of him on his big black horse. My mom would have to lead my pony since my dad was leading the packhorse with all our gear for a week in the wilderness. Over the years, I’ve done all kinds of camping. Recently my husband and I got a camper van, which is a little more my speed nowadays than a packtrip into the remote grizzly country on horseback.

Tell us about your latest project and what's on the horizon.  
I’ve just released the fourth installment in the Risky Research Series, A Measure of Madness (blurb, excerpt, and buy links below). Since finishing A Measure of Madness and waiting for it to be released, I’ve written a novelette (A Formidable Foe) and a micro-read (Midnight in Montana). Both are prequels to the series and free to download. I’m also working on the fifth and likely final installment in the series.   

Do you have a tagline? Life Motto?
I came across a quote a while back by Wilferd Peterson that I’ve adopted as my motto and aspiration as I move forward into the next phase of my life, “Practice the art of adventure by breaking the chain of routine, renewing your life through reading new books, traveling to new places, making new friends, taking up new hobbies and adopting new viewpoints.”

How long did it take you from conception to publication?
Writing the novel didn’t take long (Probably only 6 months) since I already had it sketched out when I conceived the Risky Research Series. However, the publication process can be lengthy. My publisher sets the timeline for editing, cover design, and ultimately when the book will be released, so it can take a while, and it’s pretty much out of my control once I hand it over.

Are there any mentors, authors, or books you would like to give a shout-out to?
One of my favorite authors is James Rollins. I’ve read all of his books that he has written under James Rollins and solo. I also had the opportunity to meet him at a book signing, and he was great – funny, personable, and informative.

What does literary success look like to you?
I’ve had ten novels published, which feels pretty good, but one day I would love to see one of my novels in a bookstore at the airport as I browse titles between flights.

Do you have any tips, tricks, or anything you specialize in that you would share with others. 
Try to keep expectations reasonable. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve talked to believe that just because you have a book published, you’re raking in the dough. For most writers, nothing can be further from the truth. You really have to write for the joy of writing.
 
Now the fun questions  What is your favorite mug or teacup, if neither, T-shirt with graphic or Meme?
I have a coffee cup with a classic National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation quote on it. It makes me chuckle, so I use it year-round, not just during the holidays.

Years ago, there was a commercial that talked about a “Kodak Moment.” It’s a moment in time you catch in a picture. One you never want to forget. What is yours?
My wedding photo. We had an outdoor wedding just outside of Yellowstone National Park – it was stunning. I will be celebrating 35 years with my soulmate this June, and every time I see our youthful faces in that photo, it brings back a flood of wonderful memories.

What’s your favorite cookie?
I love ginger snaps, but not just any old ginger snap. They must be homemade, really gingery, and super soft.

Last book or movie that made you cry?
Pretty much everything makes me cry, which is why I write and read adventure and suspense. I’m not particularly fond of crying, so I avoid sad books and movies as much as possible, but one that always sticks in my mind because I cried the entire movie was P.S. I Love You. After that, I’ve asked more questions before agreeing to a “girl’s night” at my neighbors.

What’s your favorite ‘90s jam?
Although I believe it was released in 1989, The Dance by Garth Brooks was and still is my favorite Garth tune. I like rock music equally as well as country, but the ’90s fell a little short in the rock genre for me. My high school years were more about Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Aerosmith, Heart, and Journey. 

Kim, thank you so much for stopping by the fire. Before you head out on your next adventure will you leave us with a book teaser and where readers can find out more  about you?

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FBI agent Devyn Nash’s pursuit of a deadly organization heats up in this fourth installment of the Risky Research series.
​by Kim McMahill


The FBI locates the mastermind behind Coterie, but attempts to bring him in result in a shootout that sends Coterie’s members scrambling for cover. When Devyn’s partner is left fighting for his life in a Puerto Rican hospital, she becomes more determined than ever to bring them to justice.

Devyn’s decision to ignore her orders and pursue the head of Coterie to Brazil puts her job and her relationship with Sheriff Gage Harris in jeopardy, but she is unwilling to allow those responsible for so much death to live out their lives in paradise.
 
Further Tease
Devyn did as ordered as tears streamed down her checks. She felt like a coward running, but knew it was retreat or die.
Bullets rained around her as she ran in a zig-zag pattern, trying to avoid being hit. She had almost reached the truck when a bullet grazed her ankle, sending her tumbling to the ground. She scrambled to her feet. Fueled with adrenaline, she ignored the pain as she hobbled the last twenty feet to the truck.
As Sofia’s arm lowered, J.R. walked toward her. He knelt on the ground and placed his lips to hers for a long and tender moment. He then slowly rose to his feet and pointed the gun at Sofia.
Devyn couldn’t watch. She threw the truck into reverse and hit the gas. The truck’s tire’s spun and skidded on the dirt and gravel as she raced backwards until she reached a spot wide enough to turn around. Cranking the wheel hard, she spun the vehicle and barreled toward BR-116.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Measure-Madness-Risky-Research-ebook/dp/B08TX7C1BZ/
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-measure-of-madness-kim-mcmahill/1138684987?ean=9781522398837
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-measure-of-madness
 
Blog: http://www.kimmcmahill.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimmcmahill
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/KimMcMahillAuthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimmcmahill/
Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/849945.Kim_McMahill
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kim-McMahill/e/B007IK0EJW/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kim-mcmahill
 

Welcome back to the Campfire Colleen L Donnelly

4/10/2021

 
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Happy Saturday! Just a dab of housekeeping this morning. Many of you know that Rock House Grill is celebrating a 1 year book birthday. The .99 sale is on until April 16th and here's a universal link to all the online booksellers books2read.com/u/49No0k .
Also there are several rafflecopters going on. 
www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ac49ce0b16/  from my  
https://booksonthemic.com/ podcast
www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/post/rock-house-grill-a99 ran a book spotlight and here's the rafflecopter for that www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/92db7750105 
Okay, enough about me. You know that making new friends is exciting, but visiting with old friends is satisfying. Today's guest has been at the campfire before but we love Colleen and are thrilled to have her return. So let's light the fire and pour some drinks. Sit back and enjoy our conversations. And as always we'd love for you to engage. Drop a comment or ask a question. 

Welcome to the campfire, Colleen. What are you hankering for today? The camp fridge is like Hermione Grangers bag. I reach in and pull out what ever I need. 
Thick, black coffee, nothing added to it! 

Ha, I'm pulling out the briki, and you're going to get Greek coffee. 
It's a strong brew, served with foam on the top and the grounds at the bottom of the cup. How's that for hot and thick? Tell us, have you ever camped, or as I call what I do, Glamp. Tell us about your camping trip and While it's cooking tell us about your adventures. What made it special to you?
A smiling turtle burned my first camping memory into my mind forever. Being around 4 years old, I poked through weeds while others fished until I came upon a turtle the circumference of a Frisbee hiding under a bush with a huge smile on his face. I reported him to my parents who assured me turtles didn’t smile. I returned to the bush, peered under it, and there he was, grinning up at me. To prove to me that turtles in general weren’t happy, my parents laid their fishing poles aside and followed me to the bush where the turtle sat, grinning up at them. The turtle turned out to be a snapper, which meant I was led off a safe distance while my dad investigated and discovered a fishing hook lodged sideways in in the turtle’s mouth stretching it into a grin. It only made him look happy, which snappers never are, especially this one.

Poor guy. But I'm glad you were safe. Snappers and put a hurting on you. But they are so cool with their prehistoric appearance. 
Tell us about your projects. I know you usually have a lot going on.
My last book was, “Letters and Lies” the humorous jaunt of an Old West spinster who after being jilted decides to head west and go after her man anyway. 


Do you have a tagline?
Why wait for a new door when you can wedge the one that just closed open again?


What kind of timelines do you have for working on a project?
It generally takes me a year to write and polish a book, then around nine months for the final publication to be released. I had to do a serious rewrite on the beginning of this book (beginnings and endings are crucial to a good story), so it slowed my normal timeline.


It's time for a weekly shout-out to. Who inspired or helped you get where you are today?
As to classics, I love “The Monk” by Matthew Lewis. His book is considered the first Gothic Horror, a harrowing depiction of good vs evil within a person. My favorite living authors are Louise Penny (mystery) and Laura Strickland (a variety of genres, and does them all well).


What does literary success look like to you?
At first, being published by a traditional publisher meant success. When one of my books was picked up by one, success changed to being traditionally published twice. After that, I dared to dream I’d be traditionally published three times. I think I have six traditionally published books now, so I guess I’ve achieved some measure of success.


Life Hacks for Authors.  Do you have any tips, tricks, or anything you specialize in that you would share with others. I’m also interested in how you have been managing your life and writing with COVID-19.
I don’t know if this qualifies as a life hack, but I’ve worked hard to be a good listener. While someone is speaking I don’t ponder what I will say next. When they finish I refrain from sharing a similar experience that shifts the conversation to about me. I either ask questions or make comments that move the subject forward. I focus, don’t interrupt, and only add a scenario about myself only if it adds to what they’ve said. Good listening is a gift that tells someone they are important.         
As for COVID, since I’m far from a social butterfly, my activities – writing, outdoors activities, helping on the family farm – changed or suffered little. A more interesting story would be one of my very social friends who thought the world was coming to an end.

True listening is a gift and a talent. Focusing on what other's are saying take practice and will. Thank you for sharing that. I think if we all abided to that, our world would be a much better place.


Now the fun questions If they made a movie about your life, what would the title be and who would play you?
She Meant Well” Oh, wait, no, that’s what I want on my tombstone. 

What’s your favorite fairy tale?
The Emperor’s New Clothes. Is that a fairy tale?



Favorite childhood book?
Little Hippo


What weird talent do you have?
I’m a crack-shot with a rifle


What’s your go-to coffee order?
Espresso

If you could eat anything in the world right now, what would it be?
​Since I can’t have wheat or sugar, I’d choose a cinnamon roll. I miss those!


No wheat or sugar! And here I was going to ask my husband Pete to make us some of his amazing homemade cinnamon buns. Oh, well how about some veggies? 

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“Letters and Lies”
by Colleen L. Donnelly


Louise Archer boards a westbound train in St. Louis to find the Kansas homesteader who wooed and proposed to her by correspondence, then jilted her by telegram – Don't come, I can't marry you. Giving a false name to hide her humiliation, her lie backfires when a marshal interferes and offers her his seat.
 
Marshal Everett McCloud intends to verify the woman coming to marry his homesteading friend is suitable. At the St. Louis train station, his plan detours when he offers his seat to a captivating woman whose name thankfully isn't Louise Archer.

Everett's plans thwart hers, until he begins to resemble the man she came west to find, and she the woman meant to marry his friend.


Read further from Letters and Lies
“He wrote and changed your plans? Why didn’t you tell me? You know I love hearing his letters.”
Everyone loved hearing his letters. Or at least they’d pretended to. I glanced at my friends, especially the one who’d first suggested I correspond with her husband’s homesteading friend in Kansas who was ready to look for a wife. She dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief while she flicked the fingers of her other hand in a weak wave. I dredged my soul in search of a smile. The man she’d introduced me to truly had penned everything I’d ever wanted in a husband, months of letters which convinced Mama Jim was my open door. Letters I’d foolishly carted from family to friend to blather every word like a desperate spinster. Drat.
“He didn’t send his change of plans in a letter, Mama. He sent them in a telegram.” Don’t come, I can’t marry you. The only words I never shared.  
“Well I imagine your Jim has a surprise for you and didn’t have time to send a letter before you left for Crooked Creek. How thoughtful to wire you instead.” 
Thoughtful…I felt poisoned and Mama would too if she ever found out Jim had shut my open door. Which she wouldn’t, since as soon as I got out there and found him, I’d wedge it back open again. 

Where to get your copy of "Letters and Lies”

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2yNFGNv
Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/3aXuMCl 
iTunes: https://apple.co/2YinxBY
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3bmGatt
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/3pBNDtZ

To find out more about Colleen
http://www.colleenldonnelly.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ColleenLDonnelly
http://www.Goodreads.com/colleenldonnelly
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/colleen-l-donnelly
http://amzn.to/37vcnO4​

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    May 2019

    Welcome to the Campfire

    Welcome to the Campfire is a weekly Saturday blog by D. V. Stone, author of Sweet, Contemporary and Fantasy Romance. Most genres are welcome including non-fiction. I would also love to interview editors, agents, cover artists, marketing gurus, and publishers. If you have a specialty such as English teacher, cowboy, or First Responder, etc.

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