Mary J. McCoy-Dressel

Tag: bull rider series

• Daily Prompt: Do It Yourself Ambitions

  Posted at 4:17 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on February 28, 2023

  

  Describe the most ambitious DIY project you’ve ever taken on.

  I shouldn’t take the time right now to write this, especially when I have an unfinished prompt sitting in my Draft Folder. My blog has been lonely too long. Besides, I miss all of you. So, here goes:

  Projects

  I could have written a post for a manual labor project of remodeling a room, or rooms, an outside garden project, or installing a generator in a car. I chose something else. My first self-published book Howdy, Ma’am. The book has such a history, it took two blog posts to write the full timeline: Howdy, Ma’am: the Journey Part one and Timeline Part Two, the Journey of Book. It wasn’t my intention, but it reads like a chapter taken from my memoir, if I ever wrote one.

  

  Brain Work & Responsibilities

  When I say DIY, I mean the mental anguish work of plotting it out, writing the book, editing and revising it on my own. Proofreading and uploading it for publication. Add marketing to the DIY batch.

  Let’s not forget we have to find the time for sitting-the-fanny-in-the-chair. Do you have kids and a full time job? Good luck.

  Learning

  We could count all the studying and research necessary to do the aforementioned as a project too. Albeit, I can’t call the project in its entirety a Do It Yourselfer. If so, I would have formatted it myself, created the book cover, and edited it all myself. Big mistake on all sides – for me. I’m smart enough to know what I can’t do.

  Getting Out of Your Own Way

  This girl is creative but not talented enough to create a cover or good enough to edit my own book. Many of you do your own covers and formatting. Pat yourselves on the back, my friends. A while back, I had to learn how to format when my formatter retired. I still don’t call myself an expert. Every new book takes me through a multitude of emotions from the joy in finishing it to freaking out about preparing it, publishing it, and whatever happens next. I’ve accepted this will not change.

  So, yes, in conclusion, I still say one of the biggest DIY projects I’ve taken on is my dream job of writing and publishing a book.

  Dear friends and visitors, can you think of an ambitious DIY project you have taken on?

  Thanks for reading!

  Mic drop and out. 😎 Peace.

  Posted in #AmWriting, #daily-prompt, #WritersLife | 7 Comments | Tagged #daily-prompt, #WritersLife, book publishing, bull rider series, Daily Prompt: Do It Yourself Ambitions, DIY Project, Howdy Ma'am, mary j mccoy dressel

• A Book Title, BINGO, and a Snippet

  Posted at 4:26 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on June 24, 2020

  I missed Book Hooks Wednesday again. The post almost made it, yadda yadda yadda…

  This isn’t the snippet I had written for Book Hooks. Instead, this one stemmed from an upcoming post I trashed about Book Titles, which included Hey, Cowboy. The scene you’re about to read is why the title for Hey, Cowboy, Book two is what it is. However this scene is from Howdy, Ma’am, Book One. The snippet explains.

  In the beginning, I didn’t want either of these titles to be for the books, but in the end, they were the perfect choice. I have no regrets. 💙

   

  

  ---

   

  Caulder and Velia got to know each other before the season began. She fought the attraction forming between them, but she only fooled herself.

  Set up: Velia did her best to deny what had happened between them the night before, on their first night on the road, no less. She promised herself and him, it would never happen again. We turn the page to the day after: Modified a bit from the original.

  

  As soon as Caulder came out to practice wearing Wranglers and a shirt with the sleeves cut out, and pumped muscles filling her viewfinder, she almost choked on her own lust. “Focus, dammit!” He strutted around the arena like he owned each grain of sand. He went to every bull and talked to them. When he came nose to nose with one big, ugly critter, she had it in her sights.

  She videotaped him around the horses, patting them on the back, and sliding his hand down their flanks. Like he slid his hand down my flank. “Focus.” She got him on video when he wandered to the other side of the arena. Yes, she got one fine part of him strolling away from her—his tight and toned, nice-looking, feel good ass. She stomped. “Why, dammit, why?” Her camera dangled from the neck strap as she watched him.

  She followed and caught him inside the doorway. “Hey, cowboy?”

  

  He turned toward her with a slow glance over her body, and she was aware of the longing in his eyes. She hurried to him and slid her arms around his neck.

  End of excerpt.

  And that, my friends, is where Hey, Cowboy got its title.

  Thanks for reading. Find more on the Bull Rider Series book page.

  

  ---

  Here’s a cute story about the title for Howdy, Ma’am.

  A while back, a long while back, when this book was new, I sent a gift basket to a reader conference with this book included. Cover models were leading a BINGO game. The card squares had book titles on them. I don’t know which cover model, but I heard from the winner of the basket, that the model had a lot of fun calling my book title for this gift basket. When he drew out HOWDY, MA’AM for a spot on the BINGO cards, he’d repeat the title over and over with his deep voice and drawl. He, and the book, got a lot of attention. It made me glad to have kept the title!

  Enjoy the rest of your week!

  Posted in #AmWriting, Bull Rider Series | 5 Comments | Tagged #WritersLife, A Book Title BINGO and a Snippet, Book Hooks, bull rider series, cowboy, Hey cowboy, Howdy Ma'am, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, western romance

• #MFRWhooks Book Hooks: Hard to Refuse

  Posted at 2:15 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on March 25, 2020

  

  Book Hooks Blog Hop

  ~*~

  Howdy, Ma’am

  Bull Rider Series #1

  Sparks will fly!

  This snippet is from Chapter Two. The cowboy has a proposition any photographer would find hard to refuse. This is a three book series featuring the same hero and heroine. Readers have asked for another book in this series. It’s possible there will be a fourth book. Note: This is another book that has been through multiple revisions since its publication in 2012. My writing has changed and this book deserved a new chance. I had new covers made for the series too.

  ---

  “It pays a lot of money. Can you handle a nice income?”

  “I can… But why would I have to leave?” How good was his hearing? She had to ask twice.

  “You need to travel with me. You’re apparently used to traveling.”

  “I have prior engagements to take care of. I’ve already been paid half of my fee for some upcoming shoots. I’d have to take care of things before I do anything.” She twirled some ringlets of hair around her finger. “What are you thinking? I can pick up and ride off with you?”

  “Well, ma’am, it might be kind of nice if you rode off with me. You know what they say about riding off into the sunset?” He snickered. “You have to admit, the sunsets here are pretty nice.” He swept his hair back from his eyes and grinned.

  Humph! Velia rolled her eyes then cleared her throat. She stood.

  “Seriously, the season starts in February. I’d expect you there throughout the season which runs to November.”

  “Almost a year?” Could she have sounded any more shocked?

  He stood beside her and plopped his hat atop his head. “Yep. Nine months, almost a year if you count now.”

  Velia appraised him. Lord, to imagine photographing this man for a year. Her mind whirled; her imagination running wild with anticipation, with, with… She pictured his bulging pectorals sweaty and pumped. “Umm…can I think about it for a few days?”

  “You got time.”

  She tilted her head in question. “How’d you find me? I mean, for the record.”

  “Hey, stopped to get a tire fixed on the way to the Catalina Foothills. Saw your sign. It’s a whim.” He smirked. “Or destiny.”

  

  ---

  

  About the Book:

  Bull rider Caulder McCutchen has a good chance of winning the converted buckle this year, knowing he has to ride harder, go bigger, or go home. Winning consumes him, but it doesn’t take away the pain from a tremendous loss less than two years ago. He hires a feisty photographer to travel the bull riding circuit with him for a season. A little extra publicity can’t hurt, and she’s easy on the eyes. When he finds himself passionately attracted to her, will this sassy little Italian prove to be just what his claim to fame needs—or a disastrous distraction?

  Velia Armano had the strength to walk away from an abusive husband but that doesn’t mean she’s free of him. She moves from Chicago to Tucson, Arizona and opens her own photography studio. Six months into her well-ordered life alone, a hunky cowboy saunters in with his howdy, ma’am and flame blue eyes, offering a job any photographer would find hard to refuse. She accepts his offer and discovers they both have their own obstacles to overcome. While trying to resist his heated embrace and gentle nature, she hopes to find the right answer before the season ends—to remain in her self-appointed exile, or give in to a happily ever after.

  When the season ends, who wins the real prize?

  

  Amazon Purchase Link

  Universal Link

  Authors, have you written a series featuring the same hero and heroine?

  

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  Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. It’s a chance each week to hook readers on your current WIP or any previously published book. Please join participating authors at this LINK.

  Thank you for visiting!

  #StaySafeStayHome

  Posted in #MFRWhooks, Bull Rider Series, Howdy Ma'am | 17 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, #MFRWhooks, Book Hooks: Hard to Refuse, bull rider series, howdy, Ma'am, mary j mccoy dressel

• Short Snippet Saturday: A Merry Christmas at Love House

  Posted at 8:42 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on December 21, 2019

  

  Hello, blog readers. Our Bull Rider Series snippet today is fitting for the holidays. This series follows the story of one couple through happy times, sad times, horrific times, steamy times, and everything in between. My hero and heroine have been together for seven years now. Join Velia Armano, her bull rider Caulder McCutchen, their families–including Caulder’s cousin *Jase and Aunt Judy from the Double Dutch Ranch series. A bull riding friend, Reece “Foley” Wilson is also in attendance as they sit down to Christmas dinner at Love House—their log home in the Allegheny Mountains in Pennsylvania.

  Christmas at Love House:

  A Bittersweet Interlude, Book #3.

  ALERT: I decided not to avoid some SPOILERS in this heartwarming excerpt. However, I did make a couple changes to keep some surprises for those planning to read the series.

  

  

  Caulder came through the doorway and sauntered to the refrigerator for the ale. He set the bottles on a wooden tray waiting on the island counter and wrapped his arms around Velia. “How you doing, babe? Everything smells delicious. You’ve outdone yourself again.”

  She took a minute away from perfecting the ham presentation, to turn into his embrace. The familiar smell of his cologne lingering with a bit of sweat, was one she’d never tire of. “I had so much help. We’ll be ready as soon as I carry in the ham. Will you gather everyone?”

  “Most are already at the table. These smells are hard to resist, as are you.” He gave her a kiss on the forehead. Caulder lifted the tray with ale and waited at the door for her to walk in together. She set the platter in front of his place at the head of the table. He opened the bottles and handed one to who wanted ale then pulled her chair out, but she held up a finger.

  “I need my camera. I’ll be right back.” She rushed into the office and came back with it. Caulder waited at her chair to the right of him, but she pulled it away from the table. “Come here.” She pressed her hand against his shoulder to stand on the chair. “Okay, take a seat, sweetheart.” Velia peered at their entire family around the large rectangular table that needed two dining leaves added.

  “Mommy, why are you standing on the chair?”

  “Taking a picture. Smile, sweetie. Let’s see that McCutchen charm, Granny Garnet.”

  “Thank you for another beautiful holiday, you sweet girl.” Granny’s glowing smile could’ve warmed the whole room. Velia had grown to love this dear lady.

  Kase cocked his head and gave her one of the biggest, toothiest grins.

  “Up here, everyone.” Perfect. Click. Focus. Click again. “Thank you. I’ll send one to all of you.”

  “But you aren’t in it. Set the timer, so you’ll be in it, too.” Caulder lifted her off the chair.

  Velia set the camera on a shelf, peeked around to the viewfinder to be sure everyone was in the picture, set the timer, and rushed back. At the table, Caulder yanked her onto his lap and splayed his hand over her abdomen. “Say giggles everyone!”

  After the shot, Caulder stood and lifted his glass, first to Velia then slowly peering over the crowd of people at their table. He winked at his grandmother. “Merry Christmas. As Velia would say, buon appetito!”

  Glasses remained high as everyone around the table, repeated, “Buon appetito! Salute.”

  They tapped their glasses together. Even Kase lifted his glass of milk and tapped it against anyone who reciprocated. His outgoing personality caused chills to spread from Velia’s head to her toes. She smiled at Caulder, met him halfway, and their lips touched in a heartfelt kiss.

  Laughter, chatter, giggles, and Christmas carols in the background all mingled and filled the room. Velia observed Foley lean over to give Natale a kiss. The smiles they had for each other echoed love. The same look in Foley’s eyes was what she saw in Caulder’s eyes when he looked at her. Real love had been ignited at Love House during this holiday interlude.

  Velia smiled warmly as she glanced across the table. Granny’s gold tablecloth with silver thread intermingled, captured the reflection of candlelight.

  All of their family together brought an overwhelming peacefulness to her soul, but when she peered at her own son, tears welled. His messy, dark hair went all over the place–in his eyes, inside his collar, and poking out from behind his ears–like his dads. Caulder cut a piece of ham for himself but picked it up, holding it in front of Kase’s mouth. Instead of giving it to their boy, he teased by popping it into his own.

  Kase giggled at his dad, then muttered, “That was mine, papa.”

  Velia picked up her glass of sparkling juice, stood, and gave Caulder a squeeze. With a cheery smile, she surveyed those around the table. “I love each and every one of you so much. I’ll reiterate Caulder’s greetings. Merry, merry Christmas.” Her dad nodded and gave her a wink.

  Pride beamed from his face. “Velia, dear, this seems like a good time to tell you something.” He held his glass of wine toward those at the table. “Your mamma and I have decided to look for a part-time place around here. Maybe a time-share.”

  “We’d love to have you here,” said Aiden, Caulder’s dad. “I’ll put you in touch with a good friend of ours from way back. Tell us when you’re ready.”

  “It won’t be for a while,” Lidia said. “Maybe by the time Caulder retires from bull riding. We’ve talked about this for some time. We’ll go to Italy every couple of years, and of course, visit with our boys and sweet nieces and nephew in California.”

  Velia remained standing, trembling now due to the joy bubbling over inside. What would they do when Dante had children, or even Bobby if he found the right woman who wanted to settle at the winery? Her parents might have to get a couple time-shares. Sitting again, she stroked her throat. “Now, let’s finish dinner. The girls made tiramisu for dessert, and I can tell you it tastes fantastic!” She glimpsed Foley. “I have to agree with something Foley had said last night. ‘This is the best Christmas.’” She caught her breath before continuing. “I’ll miss you all so much when you’re gone.”

  “Don’t worry, darlin’. I’ll keep you busy on the road for the next half a year at least before you have to come back to this lonely house.”

  “Honey,” Velia said as she lovingly caressed his arm. “I want everyone here as much as possible, and I have a feeling it will never be lonely at Love House. A Merry Christmas night it is indeed!”

  

  

  *NOTE: For those unfamiliar, Caulder is a cousin to the Carlson cowboys. However, these series are not connected, but, on occasion, the cousins will crossover or are mentioned in each other’s books. Christmas at Love House is one of the books.

  Thank you for reading! Merry Christmas.

  Wishing you tons of peaceful joy and happiness during the holiday in whichever way you celebrate–Kwanzaa Hanukkah, Christmas and more…

  La vita è bella. Ciao!

  Posted in #AmWriting, Bull Rider Series, Short Snippet Saturday | 7 Comments | Tagged bull rider series, christmas, Christmas at Love House: A Bittersweet Interlude, Fictional family Christmas, Holidays, mary j mccoy dressel, saga, western romance

• Short Snippet Saturday: Book #3- Bull Riding on the Ranch

  Posted at 8:01 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on June 22, 2019

  

  Christmas at Love House:

  A Bittersweet Interlude #3

  

  This month on my website and blog, I’m sharing a short snippet from the third book in the series.  These are the new covers for anyone who hasn’t seen them yet. I love the font my designer used for the titles.

  Snippet Set Up: Reece (Foley) Wilson was the youngest bull rider on Caulder McCutchen’s team. He appears in each book in the series. Caulder has taken the kid under his wing. Now it’s Christmas and four years after the second book, and Foley is spending the holiday at Caulder’s family ranch in the Snowy Allegheny Mountains in Pennsylvania. The guys decided to do a practice bull ride.

  Caulder and Velia have many family members visiting at Love House for Christmas. They never expected a new love to bloom between two of their guests. Velia’s three younger cousins, Torre, Natale, and Alba are in this scene. Natale recently turned eighteen.

  If you haven’t met Velia and Caulder by now, how come? Haha, teasing!

  Available at Amazon.

  

  Let’s ride!

  ---

  “Both you girls, step back,” said Caulder. “Pictures later. You don’t just come up here to take pictures. Did you ever see a bull bucking in the chute for crying out loud? A horn could take you out in a minute. Ask Velia all about it.”

  Alba made a face and wrinkled her nose at Caulder. “Okay, bossy.”

  Teenagers! He’d give her bossy later. Aiden stood beside Caulder when Foley eased down on the bull. He held tight to Foley’s vest. Torre came over to act as the front safety guy, ready to hold him back if the bull bucked in the chute while Foley rosined his rope.

  “Come on, Foley,” said Caulder. “Like you told me on my last ride of the season, ‘you can do this.’”

  “Got it.” Getting the bull rope rosined up, he tightened, wrapped, and secured it in his hand. “This feels damn good to be on a bull again with all y’all around.” Once the rope was how he wanted it, he glanced at Natale then nodded to the gate man. “Go!”

  Caulder stepped back when the bull bucked out the gate. “Looking good!” This was like old times when Foley had been his teammate, but either way, he held his breath and said a silent prayer. “Come on, hold on, Foley. Hold on to that rage…”

  The eight second buzzer rang. He loosened the rope on his hand. The crazy bull gave one last buck. Foley got hung up. He ended up running, or more like being dragged alongside the bull. Natale screamed from the sidelines. One of Aiden’s ranch hands followed with the horse and Jase rode another one.

  Foley got his hand free on his own and fell back on his ass. Sitting in the sand, he removed his helmet, got up slowly, and slapped his chest with pride. A flashing smile lit his face as he held his helmet above his head. The first thing he did was seek out Natale.

  “Yeah, baby, you did it!” She jumped up and down at the chute shoving her fists into the air.

  

  Baby? Caulder glanced back and forth from Foley to Velia’s cousin. Their gaze stayed connected until Foley came out of the ring. She took two steps down at a time and ran to him the second her foot hit the ground. Caulder shook his head but cheered to himself. Those two reminded him of him and Velia back some years ago when this had all been new to her. Like Velia, Natale had it bad for a cowboy.

  He went down the steps and to where they stood to break them up. “All right, all right, let me in here you two. Damn, Foley that was a good ride.” Caulder embraced them both and when he parted, he took both of their shoulders to bring them back together. “Carry on.” He winked at Natale and mussed up Foley’s hair like he was a kid.

  Christmas at Love House: A Bittersweet Interlude #3.

  Read a sample.

  ---

  Thanks for stopping by today!

  Here’s a short video showing how to wrap the tail of the bull rope in your hand. Remember, the bull is not standing there waiting for you to take care of business. One of your buddies is standing on the gate pulling the end of your rope tight between wraps. Sometimes, if the rider takes too much time, a judge sets a timer for, I think, sixty-seconds. If you don’t make it out of the chute, you forfeit the ride and points if you would’ve ridden the bull for eight-seconds. Haha, this excites me so much, I could talk about it forever!

  Images: Dreamstime.com

  Posted in #AmWriting, Christmas at Love House, Short Snippet Saturday | 2 Comments | Tagged Allegheny Mountains, Bull ride, bull rider, bull rider series, bull rider series boxed set, christmas, Christmas at Love House: A Bittersweet Interlude, cowboy, Family Christmas, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, Steamy romance, western romance

• Short Snippet Saturday: Easy Feeling of Love

  Posted at 8:59 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on June 8, 2019

  

  Easy Feeling of Love is the title though I could’ve added: But for how long?

  This snippet is from the second book in the Bull Rider Series.

  Set Up: Velia’s first season on the road with the bull rider is over. We’re between season one and the next season, if there is one. Caulder accompanied her back to Tucson where Velia rents an apartment and has her photography business set up, run now by her business partner. Caulder’s SUV had remained at a teammates mansion in the Catalina Foothills where Caulder had lived for a few months last year before the season had started, and when he and Velia met. In this scene, they’re going to pick up his vehicle, or so she thinks… Until all hell breaks loose not long after, which you won’t see in this short snippet.

  This explanation is almost as long as the snippet! Sorry. ❤

  Steamy romance series. (Not the snippet)

  First, let’s see what the book is about. Shortened Blurb:

  

  Bull Rider Series 2

  Hey, Cowboy #2
  A break in the bull riding season finds Velia and Caulder back in Tucson. Family, friends, and rowdy cowboys are brought together to share in joy, and sometimes pain. Happiness is within reach. They need to be strong enough to overcome enemies plotting against Velia’s family—and a possible career-ending injury for Caulder.

  ---

  In Howdy, Ma’am, Book One, Caulder hired her for a season. Now, the season is over… What will become of them?

  Beginning of Chapter Three:

  The drive back to the Catalina Foothills at night evoked a sense of smallness, living in an untamed world under an expansive star-studded sky. The sun had already set and the sky changed from deep blue to an intense violet twilight.

  Cacti and palm trees surrounded the highway, standing like guards in silhouetted form. Even being a photographer, she wouldn’t be able to capture an image this awe-inspiring if she used all the photo manipulation tools she had. She grasped Caulder’s hand and was carried away with the moment, overwhelmed with the easy feeling of love for the man beside her.

  He strummed his thumb over her fingers. “We’ll sit on the patio when we get back if you’d like.” Caulder gave a quick laugh. “Kind of like old times?”

  “Yes, I’d like to, but this time with your hand in mine.” Glancing at him, she observed his sexy profile in the dim glow of the lighted dashboard. Good-looking from any angle. What makes me so…so emotional tonight?

  Peacefulness came into her life as slowly as a feather drops through air, but now it was here. She craved it after hardening her heart for a time. They were almost like different people now. Her torment long over.

  She hoped Caulder no longer hurt so much inside, from his tremendous loss. Loving him is what she’d do until he saw it as a beautiful memory. A memory of the time he’d had…with them. Yes, love him forever is what she’d do. He appeared to be nodding off. “Are you falling asleep? Shall I drive the rest of the way?”

  “No, I’m fine,” he said. “I have a dull headache that won’t go away.”

  ---

  Thanks for reading!

  Have a nice weekend.

  Posted in #AmWriting, Bull Rider Series, Short Snippet Saturday | 10 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, Arizona, bull rider, bull rider series, cowboy, Hey Cowboy Book 2, mary j mccoy dressel, Short Snippet Saturday, western romance

• Short Snippet Saturday: An Accident

  Posted at 11:28 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on March 2, 2019

  

  I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to see the end of winter this year. We’ve had so much snow. It’s hard to believe our snowfall is below average, so far. The whole country is getting slapped with awful weather. What will spring bring? Happy March!

  This snippet comes from Hey, Cowboy, Book #2.

  In the back of this book in my Note to Readers, I stated: Writing this book brought out emotions I forgot I had from joy to heart wrenching pain. I laughed. I cried. I held my breath. I loved.

  In Howdy, Ma’am, Book One, the book opens with Velia returning from Italy after attending her Aunt Dafne’s funeral. Torre is Velia’s cousin and Dafne’s son.

  At the end of this snippet you’ll see the word zio. This means uncle in Italian. I was told by the person who checked my Italian in this series, that words like zio, zia, mamma, papà aren’t capitalized like they are in English. At first, it was hard to get used to writing them without capital letters, but I wanted to be true to my heroine’s use of her language.

  A name has been changed, and a scene has been modified so nothing is given away.

  Sorry for the long introduction.

  ---

  

  Bull Rider Series 2

  “We have to get things straightened out here.” They backed Roy and Caulder against the wall while the sheriff handcuffed Rosemary. He nodded toward Caulder and said to a deputy, “He’s the homeowner, set him free.”

  “Get the handcuffs off him, he’s family.” Caulder tilted his head toward Roy.

  Sheriff Dawson instructed the deputy to release him, too.

  Velia scanned the room. Two had been shot and there were men with guns. She understood their need to secure the place.

  “Anyone else in the house?” asked the deputy who had been there previously to take a report.

  “My cousin? No!” She turned to Caulder. “Is Torre in the…safe room?”

  He gave a short nod.

  “We’ll have to get him, ma’am,” said the sheriff. “Show me where he is.”

  “But my father. Let me remain with him.” Her shoulders shook from sobbing. “My cousin is s-safe for now. He’s only a boy. Please…I don’t want him to see this.”

  “Everyone needs to be in one place until we figure out what’s going on here, and to make sure he’s okay.”

  “I’ll go,” Roy said. He directed the sheriff toward the safe room.

  The EMTs arrived, and they attended to her father while two other techs attended to the second intruder.

  Caulder picked Velia up from the floor. “Come on, baby, let them do their job.” He wrapped his arms around her and held tight.

  One of the techs worked on her father. “We have to move him now.” They rolled his listless body over and prepared him for the trip, then lifted him to the stretcher and adjusted the straps around his body.

  The sheriff returned and spoke to Velia. “Your man is in the other room with the boy and a deputy. I’ll get you to the hospital. You’ll bring the boy with you. We have to question Mr. McCutchen and Mr. Bianco before they can join you.”

  Velia placed both hands on her head. “Are you arresting Caulder and Roy?”

  “We need to question them, ma’am. This is an obvious home invasion, and it looks like you all did what you had to do to protect yourselves.”

  He directed Caulder to remain with a deputy and another one stayed with Roy. Sheriff Dawson took Velia by the elbow and got Torre from the other room. He escorted them to his vehicle.

  Velia held her cousin close against her as they walked outside. The sight of flashing lights and ambulances shattered her heart into tiny pieces. To think this boy had to go through something so traumatic once again in his life. She dropped into the back seat of the sheriff’s SUV, never removing her arm from around Torre’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Torre,” she said sobbing. “Oh, honey, I know you were frightened.”

  “Roy and Caulder told me to stay hidden. Those people wanted to hurt you. I heard gunshots.”

  Velia pulled back. “And you listened. I’m so thankful you listened to them. I’m proud of you.” She released him yet smoothed hair away from his face. His dark eyes held fear and questions.

  “What happened to your face?”

  Her face must have looked a mess. “An accident.” How many times had he heard that excuse from his own mother before she died?

  “Will zio Ric be okay?”

  “I don’t know.” She swiped at tears then embraced him. This must have brought back horrid memories for him. “Torre, I’m just so sorry. So sorry.” Please, let my father be okay.

  ---

  I switched the featured book I had started with this month back to the Bull Rider Series. Mostly, because I’d like to expose the new covers as much as possible.

  Thank you for reading. Enjoy your weekend.

  Stay warm and dry.

  Posted in #AmWriting, #WritersLife, Bull Rider Series, Short Snippet Saturday | 8 Comments | Tagged bull rider series, Hey cowboy, Howdy Ma'am, mary j mccoy dressel, Short Snippet Saturday, western romance

• #AmWriting #MFRWauthor Week 50: It’s All About the Vacation

  Posted at 6:42 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on December 21, 2018

  

  Wow, we have one more week to go in the 2018 Marketing for Romance Writers 52-Week Blog Challenge Blog Hop with our hashtag #MFRWauthor. I have no idea what the future holds for this challenge blog hop. If it has met its end, I’ll come up with something else in this time slot. If not, I fear I will become an absent blogger.

  Week 51: My Fantasy Vacation

  This is a big world. How can anyone limit it to one fantasy vacation? Income, on the other hand, can possibly limit a family to a once in a lifetime trip.

  For my fantasy trip, I wouldn’t need a travel partner, but I’d prefer one. I’m not Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray, Love nor am I Diane Lane in Under the Tuscan Sun.

  I don’t mind traveling alone across my country on a plane or train, but if I ventured on a fantasy vacation, I’d like to have a fantasy partner to travel with me. He can be my age with salt & pepper hair, or he can be younger with any hair. I’d also consider traveling with a best friend or with my boys and daughter-in-law where I wouldn’t have to impress anyone but myself.

  I live in a beautiful country, and there’s so much to see in all fifty states, but I’ll limit my fantasy vacation to one for this post.

  Like many Americans, I’d be interested in vacationing in other countries like Europe, Australia, and Canada. For the record, I have vacationed in Canada.

  For this post, I’d love to plan a fantasy vacation around Tuscany, Italy. I can think of many reasons to visit this part of Italy—beginning with the food and Chianti—a fantasy in itself. I’d tour the country, visit wineries, and take cooking classes in a chef’s kitchen or an Italian grandmother’s home like in the movie Letters to Juliet.

  If I ever made it as far as Italy, I wouldn’t limit it to Tuscany. I’d love to see Milan, too. Oh, the shopping I’d do there on my fantasy vacation, beginning with purchasing red Valentino boots. Hey, it’s my fantasy! The woman who proofed the Italian in my Bull Rider Series lived in Milan on and off in her life and talked about it so lovingly.

  I’d make my way to Venice, which has been my fantasy vacation since way before I knew anything about a fantasy vacation. Greece would be my next stop on the way home.

  As I grow older, which is happening on an hourly basis, I might have other ideas, or even limit it to my country and be happy with my choices.

  As the year counts down, let’s go see what the Marketing for Romance Writers Blog Hoppers are planning for their fantasy vacation. We might get some new ideas for our next fantasy vacation.

  Safe Travels!

  

  All of the images came from Pixabay.

  Posted in #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, 52-week blog challenge | 9 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, #WritersLife, blog hop, bull rider series, Europe, Fantasy trip, Ireland, Italy, Marketing for Romance Writers 52-Week Blog Challenge, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, Milan, Scotland, Tuscany, Vacations, Week 50: It's All About the Vacation, western romance

• #AmWriting Week 42: Prologue or Not? #MFRWauthor

  Posted at 2:54 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on October 19, 2018

  

  Week 42: Prologue or No Prologue?

  If last week’s topic was about Epilogues then this week must be prologues. Indeed, it is, and here we go again. It’s Friday. T.G.I.F. Friday equals Marketing for Romance writers 52-Week Blog Challenge.

  This should be simple to write. I’ve only written two books with a prologue. After revising one of them some years later, I removed the prologue and revised Chapter One to update the beginning to fit what was happening right now. That book is Howdy, Ma’am so anyone with an original copy has the prologue.

  In that book, the prologue was a recommendation from my editor. I agreed. It fit the criteria for using a Prologue. What had happened, had taken place earlier than where Chapter One originally had started.

  I’m including links for different sites I’m familiar with to explain the criteria for a prologue:

  • When to Use a Prologue Writer’s Digest.
  • Pros and Cons of Prologues from The Editor’s Blog.

  My time-travel was my first book with a prologue. It makes sense after all since Chapter One started in the present time. The prologue took place in 1882.

  When I was young, I didn’t read the prologue in books because I didn’t understand why they were there. All I wanted to do was get into the story. Once I understood them, I haven’t skipped one since.

  Have you ever skipped reading a prologue?

  It’s weird this topic comes up now because I had an “episodic hero intrusion” the other night who thinks my current WIP should open with a prologue in his POV. Unfortunately, I don’t want to write this book with a prologue. Soooo…

  I’m the boss here. If I have to tie him to his ranch signpost to make him sweat a little, I damn well will. However, it won’t be easy at four in the morning when he comes out to play in my head. I like to write hero focused romance, which means I can agree about beginning in his POV, but it will be in chapter one, not a prologue. Nope, not for this upcoming book.

  To wrap it up: I don’t use prologues now and don’t know if I ever will again. I do read prologues and don’t mind when they begin stories.

  What’s your take on Prologues?

  To me, it’s not the same answer as the epilogue post. It seems like a prologue doesn’t have the option if the story calls for one unless you want to do a lot of rewriting or write it into your Chapter One. IMO.  🙂

  Thanks for reading. You know what’s next…

  Visit my fellow author participants for Week 42 and Marketing for Romance Writers 52-Week Blog Challenge. If interested in my take on “Epilogues,” click HERE.

  

   

  I appreciate you stopping by.

   

  

  Posted in #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor | 8 Comments | Tagged blog hop, bull rider series, Howdy Ma'am, Marketing for Romance Writers 52-Week Blog Challenge, Week 42: Prologue or Not? #Amwriting #MFRWauthor

• #AmWriting Quickie Update & Short Snippet Saturday

  Posted at 11:01 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on July 7, 2018

  Happy Saturday!

  It seems I’ve missed another week of Marketing for Romance Writers 52-Week Blog Challenge or #MFRWauthor. I wrote it. Honest, I did, but that’s as far as it got. I wasn’t into the topic, anyway. Yesterday turned out to be a busy day though I didn’t accomplish a lot if that makes sense. Last week I missed signing up for the blog challenge, and as you know, I posted it.

  I’m packing and writing. Packing and writing. Packing and writing. You get the idea. The new apartment isn’t mine, yet, but I have to pack as if it is. Today, is the day I check out the place and talk to the manager. Then I’ll do whatever it takes from that point on. Either way, I am moving somewhere. In the meantime, I’m playing the waiting game while– ha-ha– packing and writing while taking care of daily chores and necessities. One book will soon be going to the editor. (YES, it finally has a title.)

  In the next few weeks, if I have something to say, I’ll come back to post and say hi, and I’ll check your blogs, because I’d miss you if I didn’t. Readers, you can contact me, and I’ll reply, but give me a couple days.

   

  

  Find all my books in one place with blurbs and buy links in series order on my page at Books2Read or click on the image above to go to the Bull Rider Series page here. Available at Apple, Nook, Amazon, and Kobo.

  Since it’s Saturday and Christmas in July, I’m posting an excerpt from my holiday novel, Christmas at Love House: A Bittersweet Interlude. This scene is not close to sounding Christmassy, but hey, that’s how my Bull Rider Series rolls.

  

  Okay, now that business talk is out of the way, let’s get to the snippet…

  ---

  Caulder is a cousin to Jase, Tristan, and Dane Carlson from the Double Dutch Ranch Series, but these books aren’t connected per se. However, on occasion the cousins appear in each others books. Jase is visiting Love House for Christmas this year. Jase is who Caulder is talking to in the first paragraph.

  

  In this scene, a fun outing turned to devastation in an instant. Bull rider Caulder McCutchen is a brave, strapping guy, but not so much when he’s in fear of losing everything he loves. Again.

  Modified from the original to avoid spoilers. 

  

  See you all when I see you! Enjoy the weekend.

  Posted in #AmWriting, #WritersLife, Bull Rider Series, Short Snippet Saturday | 10 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, bull rider series, Christmas at Love House: A Bittersweet Interlude, Double Dutch Ranch Series, Marketing for Romance Writers 52-Week Blog Challenge, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, Short Snippet Saturday, western romance

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