The Wylder West

Before we let you head off, just a couple more questions... Do you have any hobbies that you’d care to chat about? Skydiving? Baking? Traveling? Whatever interests you—we’d love to hear about it! I have some other talents. I like to oil paint, sew costumes and I make quilt tops for charity with my daughter. I bake pastries and I like to try new things. My daughter and I just tried henna for the first time and we are going to make a regency bonnet. I like creating things. There is a great power in creation. What drew you to write for Wylder?  I love history. I love historical romance. I love the time when we had to write letters, when communication required much more effort. I love researching little tidbits of interesting minutia to share in my stories that bring the time alive for my readers. I also kinda wish I could wear a dress around all day  Are you working on anything new? Do you have plans for a next story that you’d care to share?    I have a whole slew of...

Amey, it's so great to have you on The Wylder West blog this week! Thank you for joining us!  We've heard a bit about Wylder Bride and I think it's fair to say you've got most of us completely intrigued! This one is definitely going on my must-read list.  Do you have any other published work? I have two other novels and two novellas. The Swiss Mishap won third place in a Book Buyer's best contest for Contemporary Romance. And August Blues is my most recent release. It’s about a romance writer who meets the critic who panned her book and he’s hot. They both sound wonderful!  Thank you for this excerpt from The Swiss Mishap :  Marie Claire hung up, a huge grin on her face. “I sent your CV to Eve Claremont. Eve agrees to you give interview. Her English communication is trés bien... better than mine.” Madame Claremont will interview her? A nervous shiver filled her horribly stressed body. Just then, the door opened again. Out came a pencil-thin woman in a pencil-l...

Excerpt from Wylder Bride : Boston, 1879 Maisie Brinley refused to descend the stairs for dinner. Her mother invited the stuffy, self-absorbed, yet wealthy, Ralph Pope to dine tonight. They hadn't invited him to discuss the politics of moving to the gold standard, either. No, this dinner party would end in a marriage proposal.  Perhaps he would arrive tonight on his newly acquired bicycle all the way from the financial district, rebuilt nearly seven years ago after the fire of 1872. When she last saw him at the Boston Common earlier in the spring, he looked so silly balanced upon the two-wheeled contraption. Tying a knot in her sheets, Maisie stifled a laugh against her hand. Leaning out the third floor window to view the other stately brick mansions with mansard roofs along the South Slope of Beacon Hill, she dropped the lengthy rope ladder made from her tightly woven bed sheets to the brick streets below. How would she manage the climb in her skirts? Thankfully, her kid leather b...

Amey, now that we've heard a little bit about Wylder Bride --which sounds amazing, by the way--do you mind filling us in on your early writing career? I'm wildly curious about it and I'm sure other readers are, too.  How did you get started writing? When I was little, I used to write mysteries and I read a ton of Nancy Drew. The stories didn’t really make sense, but to my nine-year-old mine, they did. I also wrote plays that had the same amount of lines for each person because I wanted everyone to be equal. I'm so kind like that.  ;)  But then in college, I took some creative writing classes. Mostly I just loved how books transported me and made me feel certain things. I wanted to do that for other people. What was your journey to publication?  I hit 31 and I lamented to my husband how I always wanted to be a writer but never did. I started lots of books, hit about 20k words and the whole thing fell apart. He told me to sit down and write a scene for a story I had be...

  Amey, welcome to The Wylder West blog!  So glad to have you as this week's author spotlight. I'm sure readers are looking forward to getting to know you and hearing about your Wylder West story! Please tell us about your Wylder story—we love Wylder and want to hear all the lovely details! My story is called Wylder Bride . I always wanted to rewrite one of my favorite stories Cyrano de Bergerac to give Cyrano a happy ending. I love reading historical romance so when the Wild Rose Press issued a call for submissions for stories set in the time of mail-order brides, I had to submit my idea. I love how it turned out. So Maise Brinley is part of the Boston elite mini 1879. She longs for adventure and for a man who cares more about love than wealth creation. She comes across letters for mail order brides and decides to answer one special letter.   Cyrus is a disfigured gunsmith who went to Wylder to hid his face from females. When his best friend asks him to write letters for...

Before we let you head off, just a couple more questions... Do you have any hobbies that you’d care to chat about? Skydiving? Baking? Traveling? Whatever interests you—we’d love to hear about it! I like to crochet, knit, and quilt. Every once in a while I get the urge to bake but its not very often. Once I give in, it will be months before I do it again. I love to travel and have a list of places I want to see. Hopefully, the world gets back to normal soon so I can. I find my greatest happiness when I’m sitting at my computer plotting my next story. What drew you to write for Wylder? Wylder sounded like so much fun to write for. I thoroughly enjoy writing historical western romances.  Are you working on anything new? Do you have plans for a next story that you’d care to share? 1-       I am currently going through my private edits on Key Lime Coconut Curse . A novel for The Wild Rose Press's One Scoop or Two series. It's been great having you here on T...

Virginia, it's so great to have you on The Wylder West blog this week! Thank you for joining us!  We've heard a bit about  Wylder Bachelor   and I think it's fair to say you've got most of us completely intrigued! This one is definitely going on my must-read list.  Do you have any other published work? I have two other books The Wicked Sister and A Fallacious Seduction .  A Fallacious Seduction excerpt:  "I know you remember. Quit playing games, Jenna and answer the question." He let the hammer down slow on his gun and put it back in its holster. "Tell me what I want to know and I won't hurt you." His voice was smooth as Tennessee whisky. It wrapped around her and settled in her stomach. His blue eyes gazed into hers, and Shanna nearly swooned on the spot. With his gun safely in its holster and no longer distracting her, she realized he was more than handsome. he was perfect.  Her mouth dried, and her palms started to sweat. She must have hit h...

  Wylder Bachelo r Excerpt: “There’s nothing to worry about. A stranger came2 in asking questions. He’s gone now. No one knows you’re here.” “Who is he? What did he want?” Miss Jones licked her lips. She must be thirsty again. He poured her another glass of water. She lifted herself up to take the glass. Jackson slid behind her and helped her until she pushed it away. Strangers must frighten her. Miss Jones trembled like an autumn leaf in the breeze.   He laid her back against the pillow. “Mr. Smythe asked about a gunshot cowboy. I sent him to Doc Sullivan.” Miss Jones stiffened and paled a bit more. “Mr. Smythe?” “I won’t let anyone hurt you,” he said. “Do you want to tell me what happened?” Miss Jones lifted tortured eyes to his. “I did. My father wants me to marry a horrible man. I…ran away…and got involved in something I shouldn’t. I got shot in the process.” Her big blue eyes looked up at him. She swallowed a sob. “I can’t go back. Please don’t make me.” ...

  Virginia, now that we've heard a little bit about  Wylder Bachelor --which sounds amazing, by the way--do you mind filling us in on your early writing career? I'm wildly curious about it and I'm sure other readers are, too.  How did you get started writing and what  was your journey to publication? I wrote alphabet bug stories for my kids when they were little to help them read.   I have had stories floating in my head as long as I can remember. One day, I decided to start writing them. I had no idea how start. So, I ordered how to write books off Amazon and read them. I read articles on how to submit stories and ordered a literary guide. One of the most exciting days of my life was when I received an email from Rhonda asking me to send my entire manuscript.   I had submitted to several publishers and she was the first to get back with me. It was awesome.

Virginia, welcome to The Wylder West blog!  So glad to have you as this week's author spotlight. I'm sure readers are looking forward to getting to know you and hearing about your Wylder West story! Please tell us about your Wylder story—we love Wylder and want to hear all the lovely details! When Maryanne Wagner's father runs into money trouble at his bank, he trades Maryanne's hand in marriage for a loan. Her intended is a mean man who likes to hurt women. Maryanne refuses the marriage and robs her father's bank to get his attention. Wounded during her getaway, Maryanne stops at the livery in Wylder, Wyoming and hides in one of the stalls. Chet Jackson Daniels runs the livery in Wylder and is looking for a new beginning. He discovers Maryanne in his livery and helps her against his better judgement. Fresh from a tangle with the law in Boston, Jackson has black and white ideas on what is right and wrong, until Maryanne comes into his life and shows him different.

Before we let you head off, just a couple more questions... Do you have any hobbies that you’d care to chat about? Skydiving? Baking? Traveling? Whatever interests you—we’d love to hear about it! Traveling is my biggest and most significant hobby, but I cannot engage with it often. Hopefully, after retirement, I can pursue it more regularly. The past year has been especially difficult with the pandemic restrictions. However, my granddaughter, born in the January before the March lockdowns, fills the gaps. She is such a delight, and I enjoy every moment with her. I also enjoy hiking with my dogs, brushing the horses, photography, and baking.  What drew you to write for Wylder? The minute I heard about the Wylder series, I petitioned for the postmistress character. My great-grandfather delivered mail on horseback, later became the postmaster of a small post office in North Carolina, and I fell into a job with the USPS after my son was born. My husband and I also have horses and ...

It's so great to have you on The Wylder West blog this week! Thank you for joining us!  We've heard a bit about your Wylder story   and I think it's fair to say you've got most of us completely intrigued! This one is definitely going on my must-read list.  Do you have any other published work?   The most recent published work is the May 2021 release of Reminiscing OverRainbow Gelato , a series addition to One Scoop or Two. Blurb: On the heels of professional failure, flavor chemist Sabrina Bianco travels to Martha's Vineyard to reopen her parents' ice cream parlor, hire a manager, and return to North Carolina before a co-worker snags her promotion. Sabrina didn’t plan to stay long on Martha’s Vineyard, but the opportunity to rekindle her relationship with Tommy O’Brien is almost as important as revitalizing her parents’ ice cream parlor. Excerpt: One glance propelled me from my self-indulgence as I stared into my manifested youth. A summer’s work started the co...

An excerpt from To Ride a Wylder Horse : Essie was in no mood to allow such familiar handling. With the Derringer still in her pocket for reassurance, she snatched the Winchester she kept loaded beneath the counter for just such an occasion. Lifting it, she steadied the barrel against the cottonwood countertop. Its initial fuzziness was polished smooth with plenty of sanding and oil. “Unhand my daughter, sir, while you still got hands.” Before he responded, the front door pushed open again. A man’s silhouette filled the held-ajar opening as he swept a glance over the scene. Backlit from the outer sunlit street, the man practically glowed. His top hat shaded his facial features, but his clothing—fine woolen trousers and coat with tails—indicated he was a man of some means. More than that, they reiterated that he was the man from the train, the one who’d raced to the street the previous morning when she’d prevented Nancy’s fall, and he’d stopped her from falsely accusing her of causing i...

N ow that we've heard a little bit about your Wylder story --which sounds amazing, by the way--do you mind filling us in on your early writing career? I'm wildly curious about it and I'm sure other readers are, too.  How did you get started writing?  What was your journey to publication? The jury is still out on whether or not I was born with a pencil gripped in my palm. A book worm from the time I can remember, I wrote my first novel—in pink ink—when I was nine years old. I even completed it. Writing has always been in my DNA, but publishing is a different story. At 48, with my son in college, I attended a writing retreat and received an immense amount of encouragement. I returned with a hopeful heart and successfully submitted a few short pieces—essays and articles—which did well. The following spring, The Wild Rose Press held a retreat in my home state of North Carolina, which seemed like fate. I attended, met RJ and Rhonda, Carol Henry, other writers, and my future edit...

Welcome to The Wylder West blog, Renee!  So glad to have you as this week's author spotlight. I'm sure readers are looking forward to getting to know you and hearing about your Wylder West story! Please tell us about your Wylder story—we love Wylder and want to hear all the lovely details!   My Wylder story is To Ride a Wylder Horse and is about Wylder’s postmistress, Estelle (Essie) Baumgardner, and her rodeo daughter Augusta (Gus).  Blurb: To protect her young daughter, Essie Baumgardner, Pony Express widow, accepted the postmistress position in Wylder, Wyoming Territory. But Augusta is now seventeen and caught between her two loves—rodeo riding and Clyde Hartshorn. Although Essie longs to travel, she saves her money to send Augusta to Boston until the striking Pierre Lacroix, his daughter, Francine, and the scout and showman Victor Douglas arrive and turn her life upside down. When she finally gets the chance to see the world, will she send Augusta to New England and ...

Before we let you head off, just a couple more questions... Do you have any hobbies that you’d care to chat about? Skydiving? Baking? Traveling? Whatever interests you—we’d love to hear about it! O utside of writing, I love to write song parodies. While my composing is technically writing, I also love playing swing, Disney, and classical piano pieces. In my family, everyone starts piano lessons between the ages of 6 and 8. There are only three of us who currently play but all of us can read music. When we gather around the piano it is like a holiday movie, where everyone sings and plays duets. The piano in the picture is a family heirloom. For the last 5 generations, every kid has learned to play on this piano. When we moved, I listed it as my “priceless possession” to the moving company. They subcontracted a piano moving specialist to help it get from Ohio to Kentucky. It is a Washburn special edition which means it has guitar strings on the inside because Washburn is known for ...

It's so great to have you on The Wylder West blog this week! Thank you for joining us!  We've heard a bit about your Wylder story   and I think it's fair to say you've got most of us completely intrigued! This one is definitely going on my must-read list.  Do you have any other published work?   My opus is the Strawberry Shifters series which begins with my own voice’s novel, Bear  with Me . Alison the Green Witch has sensory processing disorder like me and hides  behind her workaholic, Pharma Exec husband (which I have been guilty of as well).  Alison and Grant’s marriage is strained to the breaking point when they move to  Strawberry, KY for one last chance. Alison hides her status as a green witch from logical  Grant because she doesn’t trust that he will believe in her magic. Too bad Grant’s new  job is managing shifters, collecting data from the night shift (who are vampires), and  leading a territorial war against the Sluagh (...

  One of the main reasons I placed the ad was to get a wife who could make friends in town. How am  I supposed to depend on this hellcat to integrate my brother Ikshu and me into the community? When she pales at my terse words, I plunk her into the saddle with the care reserved for a sack of  potatoes. Maybe she’s cranky from the journey or the gunshark really encroached upon her person. Just  because I didn’t see him touch other parts doesn’t mean he didn’t. I saw red when the scoundrel tried to wrangle her into a private room. I even lost my hat and  flaunted my braids at the townspeople. The self-deprecating thought causes me to stuff said braids into  my hat with more ire than they deserve. “Scheetz, you sure are vain for a man who rolls in a dirt street littered with road apples,” Miss Olive  Muegge says from above me. My lips quirk as I stifle a laugh. Her words shouldn’t warm my insides, but  I’m entertained by her fire. Whatever she thinks...

N ow that we've heard a little bit about your Wylder story --which sounds amazing, by the way--do you mind filling us in on your early writing career? I'm wildly curious about it and I'm sure other readers are, too.  How did you get started writing?  What was your journey to publication? In  December of 2018, my husband dared me to write a paranormal romance  novel. I hadn’t written fiction since high school but have experience in technical writing.  At the time I was reading 300 to 500 pages of paranormal romance a day and I believe he  was trying to get out of buying another bookshelf. He left for a business trip in Europe  while I created Strawberry, KY, and the Strawberry Shifters series. I wr ote Bear with Me , Round of Applause , and was almost finished writing Go  Scorch Yourself in four months. My spouse learned never to dare me to do anything, and  I learned I loved writing paranormal romance as much as I love reading it. My friends...