Deadly Cadence

 
Pamela Harris
Book Cover: Deadly Cadence
Part of the Diamond Dust Mysteries series:
  • Deadly Cadence
Editions:ebook, Paperback

In the cutthroat world of competitive cycling, speed isn’t the only thing that kills.

For elite cyclists Logan Seacrest and Reilly Dawson, victory is everything—until their fiercest rival is found brutally murdered, her body impaled in a gruesome, ritualistic display. What should have been a season of triumph spirals into a chilling nightmare.

As they search for answers, Logan and Reilly uncover a dark undercurrent running through the cycling world—one where ambition turns deadly, secrets fester, and the past refuses to stay buried. But Julie’s murder is just the beginning. Something sinister is stalking them, watching their every move. The enigmatic Chief Byrd, the brooding Slade Erde, and his dangerously charming brother Jake all seem to know more than they’re saying. And then there’s the whisper of something else—an unseen force, a presence lurking just beyond the veil of reason.

With every race, the stakes grow higher. With every shadow, the danger closes in. Speed won’t save them. Skill won’t protect them. To survive, Logan and Reilly must face a truth more terrifying than death itself.

About the Author

Pamela Harris

When Pam was five, her mother walked her to the public library, led her to the mystery section, and said, “Pick out some books.”  That half hour began her life of crime. Since the mysteries she enjoyed as a child are no longer with us, she invents her own based on what she does best—exaggerate reality and ride a bike. When she is not writing, Pam can be found cycling, swimming, playing wishful gardener, reading Scientific American, and wandering with the other wildlife in the Rockies.

All That Glitters

 
Paul Colt
Book Cover: All That Glitters
Editions:ebook, Paperback

When a daring heist in San Francisco nets sixty thousand dollars in diamonds and precious stones, the stakes soar higher than ever for Colonel David J. Crook's Great Western Detective League. With Comprehensive Insurance Company footing the bill, veteran investigators Briscoe Cane and Beau Longstreet take the lead, determined to hunt down the elusive Cajun safecracker known as Duval.

But Duval isn't the only threat. Partnered with the ultra-secret criminal syndicate El Anillo, the heist is merely the first move in a sinister scheme to defraud investors with promises of riches from a mythical diamond mine. At the center of the con is the enigmatic Don Victor Carnicero, a ruthless mastermind spinning a web of deception with the dazzling prize of a Jeweled Garden.

As the Pinkerton Agency dispatches Reginald Kingsley and the beguiling Samantha Maples to track the jewels, rival investigations collide in a whirlwind of bribery, jailbreaks, abductions, and murder.

Prepare for a relentless ride with the Great Western Detective League as they navigate treacherous territory, outsmart cunning criminals, and face down ruthless outlaws. The chase barrels toward a thrilling conclusion, where honor, grit, and gunslinging skills are all that stand between justice and chaos in the unforgiving West.

About the Author

Paul Colt

Paul Colt’s critically acclaimed historical fiction crackles with authenticity. His analytical insight, investigative research and genuine horse sense bring history to life. His characters walk off the pages of history in a style that blends Jeff Shaara’s historical dramatizations with Robert B. Parker’s gritty dialogue. Paul Colt History entertains and informs. Paul’s Grasshoppers in Summer, and Friends Call Me Bat are Western Writers of America Spur Award honorees. Boots and Saddles: A Call to Glory received the Marilyn Brown Novel Award, presented by Utah Valley University.

“Pick-up a Paul Colt book, you can’t put it down.”

Other Books By Paul Colt

Twice Upon a Crime

 
Mark S. Waxman
Book Cover: Twice Upon a Crime
Editions:ebook, Hardcover

When Hollywood burns you, it’s time for a rewrite.

Fiona Moore is done playing nice with Hollywood. A former screenwriting star now sidelined by ageism and a biting sarcasm problem, she finds herself jobless, friendless, and left with only her dog and an impressive stash of disdain for the industry that’s ditched her. Enter Jack Reynolds, a bright-eyed, thirty-year-old film student with a boundless love for classic cinema—and a very distracting smile that makes Fiona question if a twenty-year age gap is really such a big deal. Despite her attempts to keep him at arm’s length, Jack is determined to help Fiona reclaim her place in the spotlight, and together they embark on a passionate, if snark-filled, quest to write the next great blockbuster.

But when their hard work is stolen by a sleazy Hollywood producer, Fiona and Jack decide to go off-script. Armed with a screenplay about the perfect crime, they set out to pull off the heist of a lifetime—one that’s clever, classy, and just this side of legal. As their partnership heats up on and off the page, they’ll discover that while Hollywood may be all about illusions, their feelings just might be the real deal.

Fast-paced, funny, and full of twists, Twice Upon a Crime is a madcap caper that will leave you cheering for this unlikely duo—because revenge is sweet, but falling in love is even sweeter.

Published:
Publisher: Rogue River
Genres:

About the Author

Mark S. Waxman

Mark Waxman is a multiple Emmy Award winning writer/producer. He began his career as a CBS executive developing comedy and drama series, during which time he also wrote scripts for The Young and the Restless. After serving as CBS Vice President of Children’s Programming, Mark became Program Director of public television station KCET, where he also wrote, produced and directed over 400 hours of programming for PBS. He then enjoyed contracts with several Hollywood studios, writing and producing numerous prime time series, movies, specials and reality shows for network and cable television.

He created, wrote and produced the internationally acclaimed kid’s science series, Beakman’s World. From 2007-2022, Mark was the sole NBC writer for America’s most beloved and watched TV special, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. His debut novel, The McVentures of Me, Morgan McFactoid, was endorsed by President Obama’s choice for National Teacher of the Year. His comedy novel, The Funny Kid, is the first book targeted to young adults that addresses the issues of childhood obesity. His 2023 novel, The Bones of Ghost Mountain, is a mystery thriller, which explores such lofty questions as: How will you be remembered after you die?

Mark was captain of the UCLA varsity fencing team and collegiate state saber champion.

Mark is blissfully married, has two sensational sons, two delightful daughters-in-law, and three inspiring grandchildren.

The Bogus Bondsman

 
Paul Colt
Book Cover: The Bogus Bondsman
Editions:ebook, Paperback

Only the Strong Survive.

When a faceless New York investor orchestrates a hostile railroad takeover, he unleashes a tidal wave of chaos across the West. His weapon of choice? Over a million dollars in counterfeit bearer bonds, crafted by a ruthless crime syndicate and peddled by a mysterious beauty with a knack for beguiling bankers. As the Texas & Pacific Railroad teeters on the brink, they enlist the notorious Allan Pinkerton to unmask the culprits. But the banks, bleeding from the fraudulent scheme, call on the Great Western Detective League to track down their stolen fortunes.

Colonel David J. Crook taps his top men-Briscoe Cane and Beau Longstreet-to lead the charge. Alongside Pinkerton's sharp-eyed Reginald Kingsley and the dangerously seductive Samantha Maples, they race across the untamed West, from bustling railways to desolate deserts, in a high-stakes pursuit. As Kingsley and Cane match wits with a phantom bondsman, Maples and Longstreet find themselves in a rivalry both fierce and flirtatious, all while staying focused on their quarry.

But the syndicate won't go down without a fight. Ambushes, assassination attempts, and ruthless betrayals follow the detectives' every move, leading to a heart-pounding showdown from Yuma, Arizona, to the dusty streets of El Paso.

Prepare for a relentless ride with the Great Western Detective League as they navigate treacherous territory, outsmart cunning criminals, and face down ruthless outlaws. The chase barrels toward a thrilling conclusion, where honor, grit, and gunslinging skills are all that stand between justice and chaos in the unforgiving West.

About the Author

Paul Colt

Paul Colt’s critically acclaimed historical fiction crackles with authenticity. His analytical insight, investigative research and genuine horse sense bring history to life. His characters walk off the pages of history in a style that blends Jeff Shaara’s historical dramatizations with Robert B. Parker’s gritty dialogue. Paul Colt History entertains and informs. Paul’s Grasshoppers in Summer, and Friends Call Me Bat are Western Writers of America Spur Award honorees. Boots and Saddles: A Call to Glory received the Marilyn Brown Novel Award, presented by Utah Valley University.

“Pick-up a Paul Colt book, you can’t put it down.”

Other Books By Paul Colt

Stolen River

 

A Shawnee Adventure

Bob Giel
Book Cover: Stolen River
Part of the Shawnee series:
Editions:ebook, Paperback

Justice demands a heavy toll... but a man of honor always pays up.

Foy Banning's life changed forever when he witnessed his father, Jeremy, brutally murdered by his father's business partner, Grael Rehnquist. Traumatized and sent east to live with his aunt and uncle, young Foy buried the memory deep within his mind.

Now, ten years later and on his way to medical school in California, eighteen-year-old Foy stops in his old hometown of Bodeen to pay his respects at his father's grave. A chance encounter with his former governess, Meelee, stirs up old suspicions. Jeremy Banning's death wasn't an accident—it was cold-blooded murder.

Determined to unearth the truth, Foy dives headfirst into his own investigation, one that puts him square in the sights of his father's killer. Out of his depth and facing deadly threats, Foy crosses paths with Shawnee, a notorious outlaw with a strict code of honor. Moved by Foy's quest for justice, Shawnee takes the young man under his wing. Together, they navigate a treacherous landscape of hired guns, deceit, and the relentless pursuit of the law.

In a land where justice is as elusive as a desert mirage, will Foy and Shawnee be able to peel back the layers of corruption and uncover the sinister secret about a dam project that Jeremy died for? Or will Rehnquist beat them to the punch, burying the secret of the stolen river along with them?

About the Author

Bob Giel

Bob Giel was born in New York City and now lives in New Jersey. Throughout his life, he has spent time in the East and Midwest, but has never resided in any area that could be termed the West, a bit strange for someone who writes Westerns. However, having loved the Western Genre since he was a kid, he has absorbed so much of the period through books, movies and TV that he feels as if he has been there. The colors, sounds and images stay vividly enough in his mind that he can believe he has experienced them.

The grit and the determination of the people who carved a way of life out of the frontier have helped shape the way Bob lives his life. Because of that era, he keeps his word, he finishes what he starts and he is a true friend. While he was always interested in writing, life got in the way, that is, until he retired. With the decks cleared, he began writing and never looked back.

Other Books By Bob Giel

Wanted: Sam Bass

 
Paul Colt

Wanted: Sam Bass introduces the daring exploits of Paul Colt's Great Western Detective League. In the lawless expanses of the late 1800s West, these bold crime fighters rival the infamous Pinkerton Agency, taking on the most treacherous outlaws and impossible cases.

Sam Bass's infamous reign of terror began in 1877 with a staggering twenty-thousand-dollar stagecoach heist, quickly followed by a sixty-thousand-dollar train robbery. Desperate to stop Bass and his ruthless gang, Wells Fargo and the Union Pacific Railroad turn to rival detectives. Enter David J. Colonel Crook and his maverick band of law enforcement professionals whose unconventional methods specialize in crossing jurisdictions no one else can. Among them is Briscoe Cane, a cunning and deadly bounty hunter tasked with capturing Bass, and Beau Longstreet, a Pinkerton agent who uses his charm and wit to extract information from even the cagiest of sources.

As Cane relentlessly dogs the gang's trail, Longstreet gathers intelligence from his network of female informants. With a fortune in reward money on the line, the two detectives engage in a high-stakes, winner-take-all hunt, culminating in a bloody showdown in a dusty Texas town. Amidst the gunfights and peril, though, Cane and Longstreet forge an unexpected alliance, proving that even in the wild West, camaraderie can bloom in the unlikeliest of places.

Join the Great Western Detective League on a relentless adventure filled with danger, deception, and dynamic duels in pursuit of one the most dangerous outlaws and desperados in the West.

About the Author

Paul Colt

Paul Colt’s critically acclaimed historical fiction crackles with authenticity. His analytical insight, investigative research and genuine horse sense bring history to life. His characters walk off the pages of history in a style that blends Jeff Shaara’s historical dramatizations with Robert B. Parker’s gritty dialogue. Paul Colt History entertains and informs. Paul’s Grasshoppers in Summer, and Friends Call Me Bat are Western Writers of America Spur Award honorees. Boots and Saddles: A Call to Glory received the Marilyn Brown Novel Award, presented by Utah Valley University.

“Pick-up a Paul Colt book, you can’t put it down.”

Other Books By Paul Colt

Rawhide Jake: Lone Star Fame

 
JD Arnold

Lawman. Maverick. Legend. On the unforgiving plains of Texas Cattle Country, a man is either tough or he’s left in the dust… and a man like Jonas V. Brighton doesn’t ride drag. After learning the ropes under his friend Wes Wilson, Jake embarks on his first solo assignment as a stock detective—going undercover to root out a gang of rustlers operating out of the Flying XC Ranch. Amidst the thundering hooves and swirling dust of the spring cattle roundup, he not only takes down the rustlers, he saves the life of the ranch’s cow boss, as well.

Fueled by his exploits at the Flying XC, the legend of Rawhide Jake spreads through every two-bit cathouse and cattle camp on the range. Fame is a double-edged branding iron, though, painting a target on his back for every gunslinger and yahoo looking for glory. With danger dogging his every step, Jake finds solace in the arms of forbidden love and a marriage born from an unexpected twist of fate.

Reuniting with his old partner Wes to run down a vicious new crew of rustlers, they find themselves battling both the outlaws and the raw elements themselves as they try to prevent the largest cattle theft in Texas history. Triumph turns to tragedy, though, when accusations of murder stain Jake's honor, branding him unjustly. Haunted by the specter of injustice, he turns in his badge and leaves the Lone Star State, seeking solace amidst uncharted territories of Arizona.

A thrilling blend of historical fact and wild Western lore, Rawhide Jake: Lone Star Fame is a vivid portrait of a man navigating love, loyalty, and the ever-shifting scales of justice in an unforgiving land where change is the only certainty.

About the Author

JD Arnold

Back in the day, when Jeff was a kid, he watched plenty of westerns on TV, read a few books and always wanted to be a rancher. As it turned out, he never got there. Instead, he is a combat veteran army aviator, former deputy sheriff and death investigator, and longtime CPA. Now he sort of lives a rancher’s life vicariously through the books he writes. After the Rawhide Jake trilogy, there is more to come with the novels Paradise Creek, Sticker Joe Spurlock and a family saga set north of the Mogollon Rim in Arizona.

Jeff lives by the polo fields in Indio, California, with Diane, his wife of half a century, and Sofie, their canine love. His children and grandchildren reside in the next county over to the west. He wishes peace to everyone, everywhere.

Other Books By JD Arnold

Arma del Diablo

 

The Colt of Destiny

Manuela Schneider
Arma del Diablo by Manuela Schneider
Editions:ebook, Paperback

In the arid deserts of Arizona, notorious gunslinger Johnny Ringo meets a solitary end, his trusted Colt Peacemaker in hand. Yet when his body is discovered, the gun is nowhere to be found, creating a historical mystery that still remains unsolved. While many have sought the fabled relic, none have come close to finding it. Until now.

In the modern day, antique firearms expert Michael Kent is hired by a wealthy and mysterious collector who claims to have the key to unearthing Ringo’s famed revolver. As Michael delves into the gun's dark history, though, he uncovers a chilling pattern of evil stretching back to it’s very creation. Amidst ancient monasteries and forgotten graves, he is finally forced to accept the truth he never thought possible—a curse has been laid upon the Colt, binding it to a cycle of vengeance and death transcending mankind itself. Worse yet, he may be the only one who can stop it.

From the dusty trails of the Wild West to the digital highway of the World Wide Web, Arma del Diablo: The Colt of Destiny weaves together a rip-roaring tale of revenge, redemption, and the eternal struggle between good and evil. Can Michael Kent unravel the mystery of the Colt and put an end to it’s malevolent legacy? Or will the curse continue claiming victims, as inevitable and relentless as time itself?

About the Author

Manuela Schneider

As someone born and raised in Germany, author Manuela Schneider’s love of Native American and Western history might be surprising to some. But her fascination with pioneer life, cowboy heroes, and treacherous outlaws have been her constant companion for as long as she can remember.

Schneider recalls that American TV shows like Gunsmoke, Little House on the Prairie, and Bonanza mesmerized her as a child.

In her adult years, Schneider fueled her deep interest in the American West by traveling to the US and visiting historic sites like Tombstone, Monument Valley, and the towering sandstone cliffs of Kanab, Utah.

Experiencing the wild beauty of the Southwest firsthand made her desire to write stories of love, struggle, and survival in the wild, wild West even stronger.

After leaving a successful career in designing motorcycle fashion for the European market, Schneider penned her first Western novel in 2017. To date, Schneider has written six books that often feature strong female characters who are immersed in a battle against hardship, enigmas, and deception while searching for true love and a better life. Drawing energy from powerful pioneer women of our past, this vibrant author creates captivating sagas that ultimately leave readers wondering, Will the story continue?

Three new books are in the publishing process at present. Another four manuscripts are expected to be completed by Fall 2024. Each published book has won awards at different festivals.

Her debut as a songwriter with “Miner’s Candle” and its accompanying short film has achieved great recognition and multiple awards in Arizona, Texas, California, New Mexico, and Europe. The song is played in seven countries worldwide.

When not researching or penning riveting stories about Western boomtowns and Native American life, Schneider can be found traveling all over the world or studying at writing workshops. Her website is http://www.manuelaschneider.com

Other Books By Manuela Schneider

Semper Fly

 
Kent McInnis
Semper Fly by Kent McInnis
Part of the Sierra Hotel series:
Editions:ebook, Hardcover, Paperback

Bestselling author Kent McInnis masterfully concludes his Sierra Hotel trilogy with Semper Fly, a gripping yarn exploring the aftermath of war and the enduring spirit of those who served.

In the wake of the Vietnam War, Rob Amity's life is a portrait of the American dream turned turbulent. After retiring from the U.S. Air Force, he finds prosperity in Oklahoma's oil boom and joy in his marriage to Suzy and her son Sean.

While Rob's passion for flying is reignited after a decade, his return to the skies is marred by a pattern of escalating harassment over his military service. When an ordinary father-son camping trip spirals into confrontation, he dismisses it as nothing more than macho bluster—but he couldn’t be more wrong. Unbeknownst to Rob, he and his family have become pawns in a deadly game targeting veterans. Hunted down and kidnapped during a visit to the Grand Canyon, they’re forced to confront just how deeply the scars of Vietnam still run. How could this have happened in the America they know and love? Will these wounds ever heal? And can they ever hope to fly home in peace, free from the ghosts of the past?

Published:
Publisher: Hat Creek

About the Author

Kent McInnis

Kent McInnis enlisted in the Air Force in 1969, while awaiting acceptance to pilot training. He earned his wings in 1971 at Laredo AFB, Texas, with a class proudly named the Rio River Rats, an homage to the “real” River Rats who risked their lives flying missions over North Vietnam. His first assignment was to return to Laredo AFB as an instructor pilot in T-37 jet trainers. His job was to introduce student pilots to their first jet aircraft and to solo them. After learning the difficult task of instrument flying, students could experience the more enjoyable parts of flying—aerobatics and formation. Because over half of the instructor pilots were returning Vietnam combat veterans, Kent collected their stories as well as his own in film, photos, and journals. This is the source for accurate and entertaining works of historical fiction Kent McInnis brings to his readers.

Other Books By Kent McInnis

Stand-Alone Books

Series: Sierra Hotel

Rawhide Jake: Learning the Ropes

 
JD Arnold
Book Cover: Rawhide Jake: Learning the Ropes
Editions:ebook, Paperback

Rawhide Jake: Learning the Ropes is the first book in a trilogy on the Life and Times of Detective Jonas V. Brighton. Based on a true-life character, it rolls through the adventure of his time in the penitentiary, his first years as understudy to a young and lusty female detective named Jennie Hudson and learning cowboying and stock detective work with his new partner, Wes Wilson, in northwest Texas.

He and Hudson work two cases. One ends up in controversy and the other makes national news as they solve the Doctor Perry Talbott case. After that Jonas relocates to Texas.

Brighton is pretty accurate with a gun, a skill he gained from his Civil War experience. He kills a fellow in self-defense, gains a reputation as a killer, and his partner, Wes, gives him the nickname “Rawhide Jake.” The two of them roam the countryside, eliminating rustlers, saving each other’s lives more than once, and recovering stolen cattle until they receive orders to go their separate ways.

Published:
Publisher: Hat Creek
Genres:

About the Author

JD Arnold

Back in the day, when Jeff was a kid, he watched plenty of westerns on TV, read a few books and always wanted to be a rancher. As it turned out, he never got there. Instead, he is a combat veteran army aviator, former deputy sheriff and death investigator, and longtime CPA. Now he sort of lives a rancher’s life vicariously through the books he writes. After the Rawhide Jake trilogy, there is more to come with the novels Paradise Creek, Sticker Joe Spurlock and a family saga set north of the Mogollon Rim in Arizona.

Jeff lives by the polo fields in Indio, California, with Diane, his wife of half a century, and Sofie, their canine love. His children and grandchildren reside in the next county over to the west. He wishes peace to everyone, everywhere.

Other Books By JD Arnold

Rawhide Jake: Westward Ho!

 
JD Arnold
Book Cover: Rawhide Jake: Westward Ho!
Editions:ebook, Hardcover, Paperback

Embark on an unforgettable journey through the uncharted terrain of the Wild West with Westward Ho, the enthralling conclusion to the Rawhide Jake Trilogy. Meet Jake, a former Texas stock detective turned blacksmith, whose longing for a tranquil existence is shattered by the relentless pull of destiny. Whispers of his feared reputation spread like wildfire, attracting a wave of lawless desperados led by the notorious Ike Clanton.

Forced to confront his past, Jake sets out on a mission to cleanse the land of these outlaws. But just as he seeks solace in California's Central Valley, a tragic riding accident hurls him into the chaos of San Francisco. With a shattered leg, he must adapt and find refuge, yet trouble persists. Unexpectedly appointed as a detective in the burgeoning city of Los Angeles, Jake becomes entangled in a battle against crime and civic corruption, desperately yearning for an escape. Acclaimed author JD Arnold weaves a tapestry of heart-stopping gunfights, pulse-pounding chases, and an unwavering pursuit of justice.

This gripping tale immerses you in the relentless spirit of the American West, where Jake's resilience and determination leave an indelible mark on history. Experience the triumphs and tribulations of a life lived on the edge as Jake confronts his demons, fights for his future, and crafts his legacy. Westward Ho! captures the essence of a bygone era, where courage, adventure, and the pursuit of righteousness reign supreme.

About the Author

JD Arnold

Back in the day, when Jeff was a kid, he watched plenty of westerns on TV, read a few books and always wanted to be a rancher. As it turned out, he never got there. Instead, he is a combat veteran army aviator, former deputy sheriff and death investigator, and longtime CPA. Now he sort of lives a rancher’s life vicariously through the books he writes. After the Rawhide Jake trilogy, there is more to come with the novels Paradise Creek, Sticker Joe Spurlock and a family saga set north of the Mogollon Rim in Arizona.

Jeff lives by the polo fields in Indio, California, with Diane, his wife of half a century, and Sofie, their canine love. His children and grandchildren reside in the next county over to the west. He wishes peace to everyone, everywhere.

Other Books By JD Arnold

The Owl of Death Row

 
John T. Biggs
Book Cover: The Owl of Death Row
Editions:ebook, Hardcover, Paperback

Richard Harjo’s job is to counsel death row inmates in Oklahoma’s notorious McAlester Prison. That usually consists of convincing them heaven is a sort of afterlife work release program, and God is the most gullible parole officer ever. All they’ve got to do to qualify is have faith as they walk quietly to the execution chamber.

No wonder Richard has lost faith in all things supernatural.

Everything changes when he meets a Choctaw murderer named Holabi Minco. Native guards say the inmate is a witch… and they might be right. He keeps a popsicle stick calendar in his cell that tells when people are going to die and does so more accurately than the DOC roster. Minco befriends Richard and sends him on a series of extralegal missions to give him insight into the lives of the other death row inmates. The chaplain crosses paths with a pole dancer, white supremacists, and a secret town full of outlaws that isn’t on any official map. What’s always been a humdrum, hypocritical life is suddenly an adventure. When Holabi Minco’s beautiful daughter, Kinta, enters the picture, Richard is hooked. He quickly finds himself drawn into a complicated plot to break her father out of prison. It involves a slice of something called Dead’n’berried pie, a shoot out on the prison parking lot, and a disappearing act that looks too much like magic. Who could possibly resist?

About the Author

John T. Biggs

Everything John T. Biggs writes is so full of Oklahoma that once you read it, you'll never get the red dirt stains washed out of your mind. The tribes play a significant role. No authentic discussion of the state is possible without them. Traditional Native American legends are reworked and set in the modern era, the way oral historians always intended. One of John's stories, "Boy Witch" took grand prize in the 80th annual Writer's Digest Competition in 2011. Another won third prize in the 2011 Lorian Hemingway short story contest. Eighty of his short stories have been published in one form or another, along with several of his novels.

Other Books By John T. Biggs

Texas Lightning

 
Velda Brotherton, Dusty Richards
Book Cover: Texas Lightning
Part of the The Texas Badge Mysteries series:
Editions:ebook, Hardcover, Paperback

Outlawry. Fire. Murder. An arsonist is on the loose in Saddler County, Texas, burning down ranch houses with the families still asleep in their beds—including children. When the local mercantile is set on fire and his town threatened, it’s the last straw for Sheriff Dell Hoffman, who sets out on an all-out manhunt to run down the perpetrator. He's joined in the pursuit by young Rose Parsons, a bounty hunter with the temper of an angry badger and the trigger finger to match. She has her own reasons for tracking down the man she's come to call the Fire Starter. Her mother was one of his victims, and Rose has vowed to take his head in for the bounty if it is the last thing she ever does. Together, they set out on a high- stakes, hellbent-for-leather chase across the Staked Plains of the vast Texas Panhandle. But no matter how hard they ride, neither Del nor Rose are able to run the rampaging psychopath to ground.

Desperate to put an end to this fiery trail of destruction and murder, they recruit a posse of the toughest hombres around to lend a hand. It's a rough and rowdy outfit, to be sure, including an Apache tracker, two outlaws, and a few of the toughest lawmen this side of the Red River, but they put their differences aside for the common good. On the vast plains of Texas, though, lighting can strike without warning. Can they run this outlaw to ground before he kills again? Or will he elude them once again and burn down everything they know and love before they can stop him?

About the Authors

Velda Brotherton

Velda Brotherton has a long career in historical writing, both fiction and nonfiction. Her love of history and the west is responsible for the publication of 25 books and novels since 1994.

But she’s not about ready to stop there. When the mid-list crisis hit big city publishers, she turned first to writing regional nonfiction, then began to look at the growing popularity of small presses as a source for the books that continue to flow from her busy mind. Those voices simply won’t shut up, and so she finds them a home.

First she obtained a conversion of rights for her out-of-print historical romances and published all six to Kindle. Within a matter of months, she placed a western historical romance, Stone Heart’s Woman, with The Wild Rose Press, an award winning publisher of both print and E books; then a mainstream paranormal, Wolf Song, was accepted by SynergE Books.

Not satisfied that her career might level off, she produced an audio book of Montana Promises along with Jeff Justus. The Montana series is also available as a boxed set. A novella, The Legend of the Rose, based on the true story of Cimarron Rose, is available on Kindle. Stone Heart’s woman is also available in audio.

While Wild Rose Press continues to publish her western romances, including Wilda’s Outlaw: The Victorians, and the second in the series, Rowena’s Hellion, in a change of pace, the press published her Vintage love story, Once There Were Sad Songs. The most thrilling experience in her writing career came when Oghma Creative Media contracted her book, Beyond the Moon, a story she has treasured since its first writing in 1985, and signed her to a four-book contract. One is to reprint the Ozark cookbook containing recipes from her mother’s collection and stories of growing up in Arkansas during the depression,

The most fun she’s had came when owner/designer of Oghma Creative Media, Casey Cowan, suggested a new brand. Sexy Dark and Gritty so well fits her writing style that it was quickly adopted.

This busy writer who has co-chaired a large weekly critique group since 1988, also gives two yearly all-day workshops and mentors promising young writers, plus teaches at conferences in a four-state area. She isn’t sure what will come next. With all those voices in her head, she’s bound to let some of them out to play before long.

Website: veldabrotherton.com

Other Books By Velda Brotherton

Dusty Richards

IF THERE WAS A SATURDAY MATINEE, Dusty was there with Hoppy, Roy and Gene. He went to roundup at seven-years-old, sat on a real horse and watched them brand calves on the Peterson Ranch in Othello, Washington. When his family moved to Arizona from the Midwest, at age 13, he knew he’d gone to heaven. A horse of his own, ranches to work on, rodeos to ride in, Dusty’s mother worried all his growing up years he’d turn out to be some “old cowboy bum.”

He read every western book on the library shelves. He sat on the stoop of Zane Grey’s cabin on Mrs. Winter’s ranch and looked out over the “muggie-own” rim and promised the writer’s ghost his book would join Grey’s some day on the book rack.

Since English teachers never read westerns, he made up book reports like “Guns on the Brazos” by J.P. Jones. The story of a Texas Ranger who saves the town and the girl. Then he sold them for a dollar to other boys too lazy to read when teenagers were lucky to earn fifty cents an hour. In fact, book reports kept him and his buddy in gas money to go back and forth to high school.

After graduating from Arizona State University in 1960, he came to northwest Arkansas, ranched, auctioneered, announced rodeo, worked 32 years for Tyson Food in management, anchored TV news and struggled to get a book of his own sold. The three earlier books on the list were published without his knowledge and only discovered in 2011 as even existing.

In 1992, his first novel, Noble’s Way was published. In 2003, his novel The Natural won the Oklahoma Writer’s Federation Fiction Book of the Year Award. In 2004, The Abilene Trail won the same award. Dusty invests a lot of his time helping others who want to learn how to write by speaking at seminars and conferences all over the United States. There is no difference in writing any kind of fiction. In Dusty’s words, “You simply change the sets, costumes and dialect.”

Dusty’s website: dustyrichards.com
Interview on Youtube: http://youtu.be/n1p4-B6fvjE?hd=1

Other Books By Dusty Richards

The Obituary Collector

 
Gordon Bonnet
Cover: The Obituary Collector
Part of the Snowe Agency series:
Editions:ebook, Hardcover, Paperback

Malice and brilliance are a deadly combination

Dignified, silver-haired Mr. Parsifal Snowe is a bit of an enigma even to his closest associates. He has an air of omniscience, tempered by his courteous and self-effacing demeanor. But how did such a man end up as the leader of a motley crew of psychic detectives?

In The Obituary Collector we go back to 2006, and the founding of Snowe Agency—when Mr. Snowe is asked for help in the case of a series of deaths in a psychiatric hospital, where each is preceded by a note containing clues in the form of literary quotes. Very quickly he sees that the killings are the work of a highly intelligent, but profoundly disturbed, mind.

And when a fourth note is found, he realizes that the murders aren't over yet.

His expertise in history and literature entangles him in the lives of long-term psychiatric patients, including a brash young woman with a dangerous tendency to eavesdrop, an aging former prizefighter, a weary and jaded woman whose elegant appearance belies a history of violence, a schizophrenic arsonist, and a damaged, brilliant young man with an obsession for collecting the obituaries of strangers. But the murders may not be the work of one of the patients—and the staff who cares for them all seem to have something to hide.

Mr. Snowe quickly finds that he won't be able to solve this case alone, and enlists the help of four people—the psychics Troy Seligman, Bethany Hale, and Callista Lee investigating, with the details managed by the ultra-competent but eccentric malaprop Arabella Leidenfrost. But will their efforts be enough to stop a killer who is determined to destroy the patients and staff of Riverside Psychiatric Hospital one after another?

About the Author

Gordon Bonnet

Gordon Bonnet has been writing fiction for decades. Encouraged when his story Crazy Bird Bends His Beak won critical acclaim in Mrs. Moore’s 1st-grade class at Central Elementary School in St. Albans, West Virginia, he embarked on a long love affair with the written word. His interest in the paranormal goes back almost that far, although it has always been tempered by Gordon’s scientific training. This has led to a strange duality; his work as a skeptic and debunker on the popular blog Skeptophilia, while simultaneously writing paranormal and speculative novels, novellas, and short stories. He blogs daily, but is never without a piece of fiction in progress-driven to continue, as he puts it, “because I want to find out how the story ends.” Stay up to date with Gordon and all his writing and appearances on Facebook, Twitter, or at www.gordonbonnet.com. You’ll also find more great fiction on his writing blog, Tales of Whoa.

Other Books By Gordon Bonnet

Never Love A Stranger

 
Harold Robbins
Cover: Never Love a Stranger
Editions:Hardcover, Paperback

Based on a $100 bet with his boss that he couldn’t write a novel, Harold Robbins penned his first book, Never Love a Stranger. Not only did Robbins win the bet, the novel became a bestseller, was adapted into the classic noir gangster film of the same name starring John Barrymore and Steve McQueen, and launched the career of one of the world’s best-selling authors of all time. Never Love a Stranger, still considered one of Robbins’ most powerful books, tells the story of Francis “Frankie” Kane, an orphan growing up in the dirty world of New York’s Hell’s Kitchen. After being kicked out of a Catholic orphanage when it is discovered that he is of Jewish descent, a confused and deeply distraught Frankie turns to a life of crime. It’s the only life he knows, and he’s good at it. Frankie quickly makes a name for himself and becomes one of New York’s most dangerous men, ruling the city with an iron fist and indulging in his passion for sex, power and the best things in life -regardless of whether they’re for sale. But Frankie’s childhood friend, Jerry, grows to become a tough-as-nails district attorney-determined to bring Frankie down. More than 25 New York Times bestsellers later-many reaching the #1 spot-and with over 750 million copies sold to date, Robbins became one of the most successful authors of all time. This is the novel that started it all-giving the world its first taste of Robbins’ world of sex, corruption, and intrigue. (522 pages)

About the Author

Harold Robbins

Harold Robbins (1916-1997) is one of the best-selling American fiction writers of all time, ranking 5th on the World’s Best-Selling Fiction Author List just behind William Shakespeare and Agatha Christie. He wrote over 25 bestselling novels, sold more than 750 million copies in 42 languages, and spent over 300 weeks combined on The New York Times bestseller list. His books were adapted into 13 successful films and television series that garnered numerous Oscar® and Golden Globe® nominations starring Steve McQueen, Elvis Presley, Laurence Olivier, Bette Davis, Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones, and more. Robbins’ personal life was as fascinating to the public as his novels. An enthusiastic participant in the social and sexual revolution of the 1960s, Robbins cultivated a “playboy” image and maintained friendships with stars including Frank Sinatra, Clint Eastwood, Tony Bennett, and Sammy Davis, Jr., and was one of the first novelists to be prominently featured in gossip magazines, earning him the title of “The World’s First Rock Star Author.”

Other Books By Harold Robbins

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