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Thursday, November 9, 2017

New Release -- Hero Spell (Liberty Valley, Yesterday and Today) by Josie Malone

When pony farm manager Audra Dawson sets her mind to something, she sees it done! Though her life is filled with “everything horses,” the Silver Lake Pony Ranch in Everett, Washington, is not her only interest—not by a long shot. She has set her sights on the man of her dreams—a man she adores, despite the fact he has other plans. He sees Audra as a friend, potential sister-in-law, and a woman more capable than most Army generals—a cross between Gunga-Din and Alexander the Great—but not someone he wants to be involved with romantically. 

The arrival of Doctor Joe Watkins, a handsome, self-absorbed veterinarian who is also considered a leading authority on equines, makes Audra sit up and take notice. Their reunion is anything but congenial, as Audra orders Joe around like he's a would-be cowboy who just stepped out of a drugstore. But without realizing it, she awakens Joe to his selfish ways and brings him “back” to humanity once more with feelings he’d forgotten he had, and a determination to match her own. Tensions increase, but Joe is set on making Audra his—he needs her as much as she needs him. Sometimes, in the strangest possible ways, dreams do come true!

EXCERPT


     Daylight faded fast and the moon would soon rise. Homicide Detective, Beth Chambers-Morgan sat on her gray Arabian, Tigger, studying the steep hill and the boot-prints in the mud. Her German shepherd, Luke, sniffed at the trail then trotted back to stand next to the stallion, whining softly. The horse pawed before backing up ten feet. She felt the tension in his body and knew he’d bolt in the opposite direction, given the opportunity.
     She glanced at her brother-in-law who sat on a strawberry roan gelding next to her. “You don’t have to do this, Kyle. I trust the cops on the other side to capture that low-life, Smith.”
     “I want to see your world and know for myself he’s under lock and key.A frown creased Kyle’s forehead. “If it doesn’t work, I’ll come home the next time the door is open.”
     “I don’t know that I can open it for you,” Beth said. “It may take both me and the Guardian in the future. And I don’t know who she is. All I can do is tell you again to see my father, Will Dawson. Tell him that I’m all right and ask him for help. Maybe, he will be able to help find the Guardian. He knows more than he acts like he does.
     Kyle nodded. “I’ll find him as soon as I arrive.”
  “Fair enough.” Beth leaned over to hug him. “I promise I’ll try to bring you home on the next Friday the 13th, but it won’t be until September 2013. That will give you a little more than a year. See to it Smith gets arrested and stands trial for his crimes, at least the ones in the twenty-first century. Don’t tell anyone other than Will where you really come from.”
     “You’ve told me that three times already. They’ll think I’m crazier than a bedbug if I let anyone know where I started life."


          

12 comments:

  1. Josie, this was a wonderful story--I thoroughly enjoyed it--especially the kids. (I'm always a sucker for kids in stories.) I always wanted a horse when I was growing up-- I really enjoy your expertise and insights being woven into your storytelling. I don't want to give any spoilers, so will just say, I LOVED IT. LOL

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    1. Thanks Cheryl,
      Enjoy the visit to Liberty Valley - I'm working on the next book which will be Kyle's story.

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  2. The excerpt doesn't seem to fit the story premise, but the story...well that sound so sweet and exciting at the same time. More reading for the winter months. Cool. Doris

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    1. Hi Doris,
      This actually is part of the prologue which takes Kyle Morgan, the marshal's younger brother to 2012 - no spoiler intended - he will meet up with Audra and Joe during the story. Hero Spell is primarily their story and Kyle doesn't get his gal until the next book, A Trail Through Time.

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  3. This story sounds like a winner. I too agree with Doris. I didn't connect the excerpt to the story but am game to go for it. But I've just recently finished reading The Marshall's Lady (loved it by the way) and I'm thinking maybe all tie in with athis will in with Smith again. Hoping I'm right. Wishing you much success with both The Marshall's Lady and Hero Spell. Another one put on my TBR list.

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  4. Hi Beverly,
    Glad you enjoyed The Marshal's Lady. I loved Beth and her hero, Rad Morgan - (Kyle's older brother). Yes, Kyle travels to the future, thanks to Beth's new abilities as a Guardian. He will meet up with Audra and Joe during their story and of course, some other characters too. Don't want to give away too much. Meantime, I'm working on A Trail Through Time which is Kyle's story when he finds Ms. Right - he thinks of her as Miss Right, but you can only take the guy out of the 19th century - you can't take the 19th century out of him.

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    1. Just what I thought--yes!!!--and I look forward to this one and the next. Hot Dog!Thanks. Again wishing you the best.And so good to meet you.

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  5. I'm back with the first scene when Audra and Joe meet again over a sick pony. FYI, Brigid is one of Audra's younger sisters. Enjoy!

    Joe finished by putting a long piece of surgical tubing in his bucket and they headed past the house in the direction of the old two-story barn. She walked silently beside him, still assessing him from under her lashes. She was one of the pack of Dawson girls, but she didn’t stick in his mind. Of course, how old could she have been when he left home twenty years ago?
    “The vet’s here,” Brigid called as she opened the barn door. “It’s not Art.”
    “Really? Which one of his wannabe doctors did he send?” a small woman demanded from the back corner stall. “And why didn’t you step up and drop-kick him through the goalposts of life? I want Art.”
    “We don’t always get what we want.” Joe crossed the open area to where his patient waited, a light-gray mid-size pony, white mucus seeping from his nose and mouth. “I want a million bucks and a goodhearted woman, but here I am with you.” He eyed the petite redhead in front of him. “And you are—?”
    “My sister, Audra,” Brigid introduced them as she approached. “This is Joe Watkins, Art’s son.”
    “No way,” Joe said. “What happened to you?”
    “I grew up,” Audra snapped. “You should try it.”
    “You didn’t grow much.” Joe reached for his stethoscope so he could monitor the pony’s vital signs. “You always reminded me of that fairy in Peter Pan. What was her name? Oh, yeah, Stinkerbelle.”
    He heard a choked-off laugh from Brigid, then concentrated on the suffering equine. The phoned-in diagnosis appeared to be correct. An object was lodged in the horse’s esophagus. Saliva with bits of grain flowed from the gelding’s nostrils and mouth. “How long have you
    been massaging his throat?”
    Audra glanced at her watch. “An hour-and-a-half while I waited for you to show up.”

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    1. Just had to reply AGAIN, after I saw this excerpt. Lovin' it. Oh, this is going to be fun. Once, wishing you much success.

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    2. Glad you enjoyed it, Beverly. Audra is one of my favorite characters - she totally grows in this book.

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  6. Josie,

    I got tickled reading your excerpt and the part "She was one of the pack of Dawson girls, but she didn’t stick in his mind." I've got sisters on the brain from watching "White Christmas". The song that the Hanes sisters sing reminded me of your Dawson girls: "Sisters, sisters, there's never been such devoted sisters. Many men have tried to break us up, but no one can..." *wink*

    I'm also intrigued by the excerpt of the prologue and these lines:
    "Don’t tell anyone other than Will where you really come from.”
    “You’ve told me that three times already. They’ll think I’m crazier than a bedbug if I let anyone know where I started life."

    Lots of interesting tidbits to pull me into your story. Best wishes for lots of sales.


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  7. Thanks Kaye - when you read the prologue, you discover where Kyle actually comes from - hope you enjoy the book. Audra is the oldest and does take care of her sisters. I loved "White Christmas" too.

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