Blog-a-Book-Scene is a monthly themed blogging endeavor from
a group of authors who love to share excerpts from their stories. Find us on
Twitter with the hashtag #blogabookscene and #PrairieRosePubs.
The theme for August is Alone Again, Naturally. The scene
below is from my western romance novel, The Comanchero’s Bride.
Isabel jerked awake. She lay still, listening, but all she
heard was the incessant wind worrying the brush and buffalo grass. Heart
pounding, she looked to the horses. They stared away from camp, heads high,
nostril flared. It hadn’t been her imagination. Whatever had startled them had
awakened her. Hurrying to them, she quieted them, listening and watching just
as they were. Then the sound came again—the unmistakable crack of distant
gunfire. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, she knew Mingo was at the heart
of the gunfire.
She spent a few minutes soothing the horses while waiting to
hear more gunfire, but no sound came. Walking away from camp with the shotgun
cradled in the bend of her elbow, she found a slight rise where she could view
the land without sky-lining herself. As far as she could see, there was nothing
but empty, endless prairie. No sign of Mingo. No sign of another human being.
She felt suddenly small and alone, a tiny speck on the vast Texas prairie.
Returning to camp, she prayed nothing had happened to Mingo.
She refused to believe he was dead; they’d come too far to fail now, but tears
welled from deep inside, and she swallowed hard, clenching her teeth in
determination to choke back the crippling fear rising in her heart.
Think. Don’t be a ninny. There’s no reason to assume he won’t
return. It’s not dark yet. There’s still time.
But her instincts told her otherwise. He’d been too
apprehensive earlier, edgy. Only now did she realize how much he’d downplayed
his worry for her sake. Their words before he left, the way he’d lingered with
her in his arms, but most of all, the last look he’d taken before he’d ridden
away, she now understood were all he had to give her. He went out to kill
Grayson with the belief he wasn’t coming back…
The Comanchero’s Bride is available on Amazon.com
You will also find The Comanchero’s Bride in this boxed set
of six western romance novels, Under a Western Sky, which is also available on
Amazon.com in digital format or for KindleUnlimited. Click HERE
September's Blog-a-Book-Scene theme is Critters and
Creatures.
Until then,
Kaye Spencer
I have this boxed set and I'm looking forward to reading your story in it. I read some of these stories when they came out as singles. This boxed set is such a bargain I just couldn't resist buying it.
ReplyDeleteAll the best to you, Kaye.
The scene just makes your heart ache. What a story. Doris
ReplyDeleteWhat a scene! I remember reading this passage in your story and being so worried for Isabel and Mingo. This story was full of twists and turns and Mingo is a hot hero! Well done, Kaye.
ReplyDeleteSarah,
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sarah. I appreciate your kind words.
Doris,
ReplyDelete*hugs* Thanks for stopping by.
Patti,
ReplyDeleteI worried for Isabel and Mingo, too. lol Thanks for stopping in.
Kaye when I read this scene I was worried sick. Even though I knew you HAD to make things come out right...GULP...I hoped...I thought... Still, I was right there with Isabel and thinking those thoughts, remembering him holding her a little longer than he might have otherwise, not saying the words that might worry her...SIGH. He is soooo hot.
ReplyDeleteCheryl,
ReplyDeleteMingo was always Antonio Banderas in my imagination. *dreamy*
I kind of thought so...I thought the same thing when I was reading it... SIGH.
DeleteSuch a great book. I loved this one!
ReplyDelete