Before I pull my tarot card, I just wanted to remind you that Hard Knox will be released sometime after midnight tomorrow! Have you preordered your copy yet?
Sunday Tarot
Grrr. The card isn’t actually “The Devil.” That’s Pan, the half-goat/half-man, playing his reed flute while holding the chains of two humans (with horns, why?) who are dancing to his music. It also appears that they are inside a deep dark cave, which, to me, indicates Pan is trying to hide something. When I look at this card, I think it’s telling me that I will be captured by a mood or temptations around me this week that will try to keep me doing things I shouldn’t.
When I check The Mythic Tarot book, it tells me that I can free my “creative power” by gaining knowledge to face “my own darkness.” Okaaaay. I like my interpretation better.
In any case, I will have my work cut out for me to get anything done.
In case you haven’t ordered your copy yet! Here’s a reminder.
After relentlessly pursuing the biggest badass around and failing, Dead Horse, Montana’s wild child offers him an irresistible proposition—one night of passion, one and done, and she’ll walk away forever…
Dead Horse, Montana’s wild child, Carleen Crossley, knows what she wants—or rather—who. She’s spent years chasing after Knox Ramsey, the biggest badass in Dead Horse, MT. However, she’s resigned herself to the fact that her methods of gaining his affection aren’t reaping any rewards. Yes, her antics keep the townsfolk amused, and Knox definitely knows she’s alive, but she has yet to break through his cold, hard heart to claim her man.
For Knox, Carleen is impossible to ignore. She’s everywhere he is. The sexy vixen has made him uncomfortably aware that she’s his for the taking, and the Lord knows he’s tempted. However, he knows he’s not the man for her. He’s his father’s son with his father’s temper, and he won’t succumb to Carleen’s charms because she deserves better than him. So, when her sexy short skirts and heavenly scent drive him crazy, he curls his fists and pretends disinterest to keep from reaching for her.
In one moment of frustration over his refusal to really see her and everything she’s offering, Carleen proposes a deal Knox finds impossible to resist. One night of passion—one and done—and she’ll never bother him again.
When she keeps her promise afterward, Knox’s pursuit begins because once was not enough.
I struggled for a few months at the end of last year and the beginning of 2023. I wasn’t feeling well, broke a hand. Wasn’t motivated. I missed a couple of releases. One, I’m not sure I’ll ever write. The other, Hard Knox, felt…off. I wasn’t ready to write it because it wasn’t where I needed to start my We Are Dead Horse, MT series. So, I took the hit for Hard Knox and moved on to Mica, which I loved writing. I was back with my bounty hunters in my comfort zone. Only then was I ready to tackle Cold Hard Cash, which became the first book in the new series centered around the “townies.” In Cash’s story, you see plenty of Knox and Carleen who are the stars of Hard Knox. I hope you’ll be ready for them because it’s going to be HAWT! It’s out on pre-order now! AGAIN.
Remember, I have the next bounty hunter book, Jackson, coming out in July! I’m writing that story as we speak, and you know what you get with the hunters—lots of action, humor, and sexiness!
A few days ago, I was also given back the rights to a novella that had appeared in the Men in Uniform anthology, published by Entangled a few years ago. My sister, Elle James, put together a new cover for the book, and now, it’s up for pre-order. If you love Navy SEALs, this story is for you. There’s some military complex criming going on, perpetrated by the heroine’s billionaire ex-fiancé, who’s building some high-tech armor for the battlefield—but you’ll need to read the story to see how it all goes down.
I am in love with Dead Horse, MT. The bounty hunters helped me discover this little gem of a town. Now, you’ll get a chance to meet the folks who were born and raised there. I hope you enjoy the journey! Up first? Cash and Lila. There will be laughter and tears, and you’ll get to meet more townsfolk along the way.
The wealthiest man in Dead Horse, MT, decides it’s time to acquire a wife and gives his eminently efficient personal assistant the task of finding the perfect candidate…
The wealthiest man in Dead Horse, MT, Cash Whitaker, decides it’s time to find a wife before he begins his campaign for mayor. He figures having the right wife will increase his likability as a candidate. Becoming the mayor is important because the office will give him the power to protect his town by cleaning out the bounty hunters, who aren’t “Dead Horse” and have put his town on the map for all the wrong reasons.
Being a busy man and knowing his particular skill set doesn’t lend itself to the task, he decides to give the responsibility of finding a wife to his highly efficient personal assistant. He’ll let her put together a list of suitable candidates for him to sort through to find the woman who will help him on the path to his ultimate goal of becoming the governor of Montana.
Lila Hanson is spitting mad that her boss wants her to find him a wife. The single mom has spent two years becoming his ultimate asset, only to have him completely overlook her as the perfect candidate. When she turns to her girl squad to vent, they suggest a plan to open the clueless man’s eyes to what’s right in front of him.
However, a tragic incident throws both their plans into chaos and brings a new intimacy neither can ignore. Now, they have to work together to save an orphaned child.
Cash has called her—on a Saturday, mind you—to ask her to find him a wife…
Lila noted the end of the call and stood with her phone beside her mouth for a few moments as she processed everything Cash had said. What the actual fuck?
He wanted her to find him a wife? She placed her phone on the kitchen counter, then balled up her fists and jumped in place, shadowboxing to let loose her frustrated anger.
When she was breathless, she stopped, dragged in a deep breath, then opened up a message to her group chat. Can you all meet up for lunch?
A few minutes later…
Carleen: I start my shift at the diner at noon. Can take a break when you get here.
Rhonda: Chase is on a hunt. Have Mikayla, but I’m sure she can have a playdate with the neighbor’s kid. The woman owes me one.
Laura: Preacher’s on the same hunt. I can leave Katie in charge at Deadly Delights.
Lila scrunched her nose. Meryl’s in Bozeman, giving some lecture at the University. I could really use her logical brain.
Rhonda: What’s Cash done now?
She blew out a deep breath. Carleen, will that private room be free?
Carleen: Only thing I can think of on the calendar is the garden club meeting from 10:30 to noon.
See you at noon.
She ended the chat without elaborating. At the moment, she was too angry to remain polite. Adrenaline was buzzing inside her.
How dare he ask me to do that? But she knew why he felt comfortable asking. She’d allowed him to define their work relationship, letting him add personal tasks like picking up his dry cleaning and buying gifts for friends and the girls he’d casually dated. In her mind, she’d thought they were building something together, that his successes were hers. Sure, he’d given her bonuses, but she’d thought in her pitiful doormat mind that he’d eventually see her as more than just another useful tool like his iPad or his favorite golf clubs.
No, Cash didn’t see her as anything other than his stalwart, never complaining, never stepping outside her box personal assistant. Damn, she’d wasted two years waiting for him to wake up to the fact that they were perfect for each other.
Well, no more. But what was her next step? Did she throw in the towel? Find a new job? Start dating one of the more emotionally available men in this town?
Her shoulders slumped. She’d done it again. Let a man take over her life to use up and throw away. At least Danny had left Kyleigh with her when he’d decided that Dead Horse was too…dead. And she hadn’t minded when he’d moved from coaching the Stallions football team to taking over the program at a larger, more prestigious school in Texas. For all intents and purposes, their marriage had ended right after Kyleigh’s birth. He hadn’t liked being constrained by fatherhood—especially when his only child was a girl.
She popped a pod in her coffee machine and made herself a cup. Then she dialed her mother’s number to ask her to babysit while she went to lunch with the girls. Kyleigh loved spending time with her Nina. Mama was always parked in front of a computer screen anyway.
Lila realized at that moment that she’d undervalued herself. Her time, her family, and her heart were worth so much more than Cash’s ambitions.
Things were going to change. Exactly what that change would look like was still to be determined, but her girl squad would come to her rescue. They’d been chiding her for months to get off her ass and quit letting him rule every thought and every hour of her day.
She was taking back the reins.
She shook her head. That analogy had her thinking she ought to give a whinny, but she wasn’t a horse to be ridden.
Again, her thoughts halted on that image. “Riding” and “Cash” should not exist in the same headspace. She’d already spent too much time imagining herself in his life. Hell, she’d decorated his house for them, even including a bedroom that could easily be converted for Kyleigh’s use. With pale citrus and green colors, they’d perfectly matched her daughter’s own preferences. The Queen Anne furniture suite had looked like a newer version of Kyleigh’s scratched and cheaper bed and dresser.
Lord, the amenities she’d included in the design of his bathroom…
Lila shook her shoulders and thrust the thoughts of the large whirlpool tub from her mind. She quickly made a mental list of the things she needed to accomplish before heading to the diner to meet with her friends.
Lists kept her mind focused. Visions of a handsome and ridiculous man with short-cropped brown hair, a well-groomed beard, and piercing brown eyes had a way of leading her down pathways her imagination should never roam. She’d never get a thing done if she constantly mooned over him.
First on the list: a long cold shower. Cold as his heart. Cold as her bed. Cold as…
Inwardly, she groaned. Now, what was second?
Contest
Do you love small-town romance stories? Are you ready for We Are Dead Horse? Let me know for a chance to win a $5 Amazon GC!
Today’s graduation day for LaLa, so I’m squeezing in a blog and then going silent for the rest of the day!
As you probably know, I have the first book in my We Are Dead Horse series releasing on Tuesday. I’m so eager for you to meet Cash and Lila, and see what shenanigans the townsfolk get up to. If you’ve read my latest bounty hunter stories, you know the town is full of eccentric characters.
One plug for my book, and then on to the puzzle!
Pre-order your copy of COLD HARD CASH now!
The wealthiest man in Dead Horse, MT, decides it’s time to acquire a wife and gives his eminently efficient personal assistant the task of finding the perfect candidate…
The wealthiest man in Dead Horse, MT, Cash Whitaker, decides it’s time to find a wife before he begins his campaign for mayor. He figures having the right wife will increase his likability as a candidate. Becoming the mayor is important because the office will give him the power to protect his town by cleaning out the bounty hunters, who aren’t “Dead Horse” and have put his town on the map for all the wrong reasons.
Being a busy man and knowing his particular skill set doesn’t lend itself to the task, he decides to give the responsibility of finding a wife to his highly efficient personal assistant. He’ll let her put together a list of suitable candidates for him to sort through to find the woman who will help him on the path to his ultimate goal of becoming the governor of Montana.
Lila Hanson is spitting mad that her boss wants her to find him a wife. The single mom has spent two years becoming his ultimate asset, only to have him completely overlook her as the perfect candidate. When she turns to her girl squad to vent, they suggest a plan to open the clueless man’s eyes to what’s right in front of him.
However, a tragic incident throws both their plans into chaos and brings a new intimacy neither can ignore. Now, they have to work together to save an orphaned child.
Solve the puzzle! It’s a gorgeous landscape, like one you might see if you lived in Dead Horse! Then tell me whether you’ve read my bounty hunters and/or are eager to start this new series for a chance to win a $5 Amazon GC!
Cold Hard Cash, the first in the We Are Dead Horse, MT, series releases May 23rd!
And that’s my Public Service Announcement for the day! If you haven’t already pre-ordered your copies, do so now! *I will pre-order. I will pre-order. I will pre-order.* Did my mesmerizing skills work? 🙂
The Saturday Puzzle-Contest
First, solve the puzzle. Then, for a chance to win a $5 Amazon GC, tell me if this was a scene from a horror or sci-fi movie, what would happen next?
Don’t think too hard! Have fun with it!
I have a boxed set coming out on April 18th! Or at least the Kindle version is arriving then. If you prefer print, it’s ready now! This is a previously released series, a complete series, being offered in a single boxed set for a savings of $5.98 if you were to purchase them separately.
Dangerous Liaisons Pampered travel agent, roughing it at an anti-terrorist training school, escapes through the jungle with an undercover DEA agent when a drug lord mistakes her for a rival’s daughter.
Mutiny’s Bounty A former Navy SEAL races to rescue the passengers aboard a luxury yacht after it’s captured by pirates, but first, he has to rescue the woman he’s trapped with inside a shark cage on the ocean floor.
It Takes a SEAL A travel agent visiting friends in the Bahamas is stranded on a desert island with a sexy ex-SEAL after their private pleasure cruise is interrupted by men who mistake her lover for a reclusive billionaire.
And that’s my sales pitch! They are fun, very, very sexy, adventure stories with super-hawt alpha males. That’s all you need to know, right? I hope you reserve your copy!
Contest
Keeping to the action-adventure theme, here’s your Saturday Puzzle! For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle, then tell me what my hero and heroine are trying to escape?
