Mary J. McCoy-Dressel ~ Contemporary Romance

Tag: Whispers of Forever

• Book Hooks #MFRWhooks First Love

  Posted at 2:30 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on April 29, 2020

  

  Welcome back to Book Hooks, a Wednesday Blog Hop through Marketing for Romance Writers. A link at the end of this post will take you to participating authors.

  We’re back with the last snippet for a while in Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas.

  The previous posts prior to this episode can be found here. Jake and his son are about to have dinner when someone called his name. Seeing his first love from thirteen years ago set his soul aflame. Previous to where this snippet starts, Jake told Beth about the situation with Paige leaving him. She told him she’d been divorced. Meet Beth:

  ---

  

  That quick, her eyes took on an empathetic seriousness. It was like Beth to put her own issues aside to be concerned about others—a specialness about her she’d always had—one of the traits he had admired back in the day. Jake shrugged as he held his hat with both hands. “About as good as can be expected, I suppose. I tried to talk her into staying. Today, I realized why she wouldn’t. It’ll be hard on my kid. T.J. is staying with me now. At least that’s my plan.” He peeked around the corner to check on his son. “Hey, Macaroni, you have any kids?” She didn’t, but he made small talk before she rushed off. If it had made sense, he’d grab her hand to keep her from leaving.

  “Still the Macaroni, huh?” Beth snickered, peering away momentarily before reaching into her leather designer purse for a credit card. “No, not yet. With what is going on right now, it’s best I don’t…I guess.”

  He nodded and glanced at his son who looked back at him, straw in mouth, one hand wrapped around the cold glass. “Well, I better get seated. Do you wanna—”

  Their gazes connected. “Take care of yourself, Jake. It was terrific to run into you.”

  Her penetrating stare was hypnotic, and he wanted to turn away from her, but he couldn’t pull his eyes away. Guess she didn’t wanna no matter what it was. How could he let her get away? He could have a heart attack any minute and that’d make her stay. “Yeah, for sure. We’ll probably run into each other again…if you’ll be around. This town isn’t big.”

  At least maybe he wouldn’t avoid her the next time like he always had when she’d arrive. He took a step away but whirled around. “Call me sometime. Let’s catch up.” Those words came out of nowhere. Beth smiled softly, and he was taken back many years. The same gut-wrenching pain from their last good-bye twisted his stomach to the point of nausea.

  “Um, are you in the book?”

  He held his hat against his chest, fingering the brim. “Sure am. I have a ranching business now, so yeah, you can find me in the book, online, ask a neighbor.” He chuckled. “Talk to you later.” Heading toward the booth, he peered over his shoulder. “Welcome back to town.”

  “Jake?”

  Oh, God. Beth. Facing her, he lifted his head in a nod as he did another once over. She looked damn good in a little cotton dress with a denim jacket atop it, but it didn’t hide a glimpse of her alluring breasts. Low ankle boots replaced the cowboy boots she’d worn as a teen. Her hair was ten times longer than he’d ever seen it. A trace of a San Antonio tan still remained. Yet, a tiredness lingered in her eyes. “Yeah?”

  Beth walked up to him, and he got another whiff of her sultry perfume. “Is the Coffee Shoppe still in town?”

  

  What can stand in their way this time?

  Second chance romance.

  A Double Dutch Ranch Series Spin Off Novel

  Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series

  Filled with both anguish and hope, a young boy and two lonely hearts pursue a second chance.

  UNIVERSAL BUY LINK: books2read.com/u/3JKo0A

  ---

  Oh, boy. It looks like Jake’s heart is not going to settle down yet. This time it’s for a different reason.

  Thanks for reading! HERE’S the link to find participating Book Hooks authors.

  

  Young couple credit: © Nolte Lourens | Dreamstime.com

  Posted in #AmWriting, #MFRWhooks, Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas | 12 Comments | Tagged #MFRWauthor, first love, Marketing for Romance Writers #BookHooks, mary j mccoy dressel, Second Chance Romance, western romance, Whispers of Forever

• #AmWriting Short Snippet Saturday: Whispers of Forever~ Probability of Paternity…

  Posted at 3:14 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on November 10, 2018

  

  Hi, Welcome back. If you’re expecting Part 2 this week as I mentioned last week when I posted Part 1, you won’t find it.

  I thought about the post and the rest of the scene all that weekend and decided not to extend the scene here. In fact, I deleted the entire post. For one reason, the scene was taken out of context for those of you who don’t know the story. You missed the beginning when Jake went though accepting the changes about to overtake his and his son’s lives.

  In hindsight, it wasn’t fair to the book. Maybe it gave you the wrong impression about the story, when in fact, it is not about what Paige did. It’s about what happens after Paige did Jake wrong. It’s about a first love coming back into a broken-hearted cowboy, and a little boy’s life. That’s what the story should convey.

  Therefore, the quote I included in the post, should’ve started later:

  When one door closes another door opens, but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.” ― Alexander Graham Bell

  So this week, I choose to post a different scene from Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas. I hope you don’t hold it against me for not continuing with the scene from last week. If you didn’t catch that post, all the better. LOL.  ❤

   

  ---

  In last week’s Short Snippet Saturday excerpt, Paige had mentioned something awful she had done to ensure Jake would let her take Trace to live out of state. If only she could’ve seen into the future. Well, this is Jake dealing with the aftermath of the last cruel thing she had done… 

  

  Beth’s thoughtfulness lightened his heart, but with a shrug, he stood straight. “I want you to be there.”

  Agreeing, she followed him to where Trace watched TV. “We’ll be in my office for a few minutes if you need anything.”

  “All right, Dad. I like this show. It’s a marathon tonight.”

  “Enjoy it.” In the hallway, he stopped and placed his palms against the wall like he needed to hold it up, when in fact, it held him up. His head lowered toward the floor. He closed his eyes, breathing deep. “I’ve been thinking about this moment all evening. I don’t want to know now.” After a few minutes he continued to the office, closed the door, and took his phone out. “I’m sure this message is notification to check my account, not the actual result over voice mail.”

  Beth took a seat in a leather chair near the window that looked out at the front of the property, and she remained quiet.

  Jake dialed. Listened. He played the message with his eyes closed, one hand against the desk to prop himself up. His body felt numb. Disconnecting the call, he nodded and took a seat at his desk. The strength he depended on most of his life dissipated into the hard wood floor beneath his feet. “Yeah. I have a message in my account.”

  Beth came to him and put her arm around his shoulder. He logged in with his computer password and went to his account, again logging in there too. She placed her other hand on his shoulder and spoke softly. Sweetly. “Do you want me to read it?”

  His heart raced faster with each letter of the password, and by time the account opened, he might have a heart attack or stroke. Each move was forced, because this was all done against his will, or his better judgement. Why had this happened? Had Paige hated him that much? “I have to do this myself, but thanks.”

  “Jake, wait.”

  He peered up at her, motionless, his hands still on the keyboard, his little finger ready to hit enter. His voice was sandpapery hoarse. “What?”

  “What will you do… God, forgive me for saying this, but if the result is the same?” Beth stood behind, hugging him, and she leaned down until her cheek pressed against his head.

  “How can I honestly answer? I love that kid, but to know he isn’t my flesh and blood, I don’t know how I’ll respond. Nothing can make me stop loving him…I hope.” Jake leaned his head back against Beth’s body, and she slid her hand over his shoulder to rest against his chest. Yeah, he was glad she was there. “I don’t want to feel any different, but what if I do? What do I tell him if I’m different toward him? He’s already lost his mother, for God sake.”

  “He’s your son. My mom and dad loved me like their own child. I never felt like they didn’t. Honey, Trace won’t know, because I see how you are with him—I can’t imagine you changing. That boy is in your heart, your soul.”

  “Because for almost ten years he was my child. That’s why I’m…” He hesitated.

  “He is your child. You’ve raised him—have loved him through all the ups and downs…and he loves you.”

  “There’s only one way to find out. Either way, he’s never going to know, Beth.” Jake blew out the breath building up inside his body like a gas ready to explode. He had never been afraid of anything, but he was terrified of this. What if the results turned out the same as her rigged test? He dropped his hands to his knees. What if he did tell Trace? Would he want to find his real father one day? “I don’t know if I can do this. I could lose him.”

  “No one would know except you and I. If you want, I can leave the room so only you know.”

  He grasped her hand. “No. You’re a part of this with me.” How could he ask her to love his son if he wasn’t sure himself that he could? Dammit. He was sure. One hundred percent sure. No matter what, that child was his, and he’d love him until the day he died, flesh and blood or not. Jake hit enter and clicked open the PDF attachment. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them. He read: “Child, Trace Lawton. Father, Jake Lawton. Are you reading this, Beth?”

  Still standing behind him, she whispered with empathy in her voice, “Yes,” and squeezed his shoulders.

  Jake scrolled to the bottom of the test, and read: “Probability of Paternity…

  ---

  Thanks for reading!

  If you want to know the results along with Jake, you know what to do. This first book in the series is $0.99, and it kicks off the Spin Off — Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series. For new visitors, please know it’s rare for me to write anything with a cliffhanger, but I couldn’t give away the results. 

  A Double Dutch Ranch: Love at First Sight Spin Off Novel.

  

   

  Enjoy the rest of your weekend. I’ve had a whole inch and a half of snow already, and this morning was 24 degrees! Bah humbug.

  Posted in #AmWriting, #WritersLife, Short Snippet Saturday | 2 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #WritersLife, Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series, DNA test, Double Dutch Ranch Series Love at First Sight, First in a series romance, Full Length Novel, mary j mccoy dressel, Short Snippet Saturday, Short Snippet Saturday: Whispers of Forever~ Probability of Paternity, western romance, Whispers of Forever

• Western Romance Spin Off Series Book 3~ Hooked by Sundown #CoverReveal!

  Posted at 8:53 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on September 26, 2018

  

  Howdy. I won’t dilly-dally here today. Why not start with something I’ve been talking about for too long now? Ha-ha. A Cover Reveal. How about that! By the way, this is the week Hooked by Sundown will be released. I’m excited!

  ---

  So, without further delay, I’m proud to introduce you to Wade (swoon-worthy) Emory and Sophie Price-Daniels.  ❤  You’ve met Sophie’s son Emmett in snippets throughout the past few months.

  Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series #3

  A Double Dutch Ranch Spin Off Series

  Cover Reveal

  

  Hooked by Sundown

  Blurb

  Wade Emory falls fast for women, yet it’s a well-known fact his relationships don’t last. On a trip to the Pacific Coast to visit his ill brother, he slips into his bad habit when he meets a hotheaded mom with a son who spews four-letter words. However, after enjoying nearly a week with them, she and the boy leave early. Before she’s gone forever, he convinces her to meet up again to pick up where they left off on the beach. Then, at home, an unexpected visitor pops in, and he learns the past harbors secrets and lies that don’t always stay hidden. Life’s lessons have taught him that people don’t stick around, so how can he prevent a relationship with Sophie from becoming another failure?

  Sophie Price-Daniels needs a change of scenery. The opportunity arises when she flies to California to bail her trouble-making brother out of jail. When he directs his anger at her and her boy, a stranger steps in, but a hero is the last thing she wants. She’s alone and living in her self-appointed prison of grief, until…until she peers into his warm yet saddened eyes. As desires long forgotten force their way to the surface, she’s faced with a dilemma—to give in to her needs and accept a new future is possible for her and her son—or back away and continue to believe she’s betraying a man who is no longer with them.

  Two lonely people need to trust each other—and themselves—to overcome their unfortunate pasts.

   

  Also in this series:

  

   

  Check out the series where it all began:

  Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight

  ---

  This is one of my favorite covers to date. Hooked by Sundown turned out to be another of my favorite books, as well. Giving this secondary character in the series a book was the right choice. I knew he had a story lurking inside. Poor guy.

  

  ---

  Thanks to:

  My talented cover designer, Dawnè Dominique at DuskTilDawn Designs, for creating more than a dozen covers for me. When she sent me the first draft for Hooked by Sundown, I accepted it with no changes to be made. She has a way of getting into my head and seeing my vision, but with her artistic eye to keep me focused. You know you’ve met the perfect team member when this happens. You have no idea, and I’ll never tell, all the special things she did to create certain aspects of this cover.

  Thanks to the male cover model, Mathias, for bringing Wade to life. As soon as I saw him, I knew he was the same Wade I had in my head. I swear, he walked out of my head and into the door at Period Images. VJ Dunraven sure knows how to capture a moment with her camera.

  Dreamstime Images.

  Thanks so much for coming around today to join me in showing off my newest cover to the world. I’ll return with links when the book is available.

  Enjoy the rest of your week!

  
  

  Posted in #AmWriting, #WritersLife, Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series, Cover Reveal, New Release | 10 Comments | Tagged #CoverReveal, #NewRelease, Alpha hero, amazon, Apple, Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series, Close-knit families, Cover Reveal, cowboy, Double Dutch Ranch Series Love at First Sight, Dreamstime, Finding Kimber, grieving heroine, Hooked by Sundown, iBooks, iTunes, Kobo, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, New Release, Nook, Pacific Coast, Period Images, small town, spin off series, Spin Off Series Book Three~ Hooked by Sundown #CoverReveal, Walmart eBooks, western romance, Whispers of Forever

• #AmWriting Book Excerpt~ Heartbreak’s Reward: The Short Way Home

  Posted at 2:09 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on February 15, 2018

  

  *Waving* I popped in to post an excerpt today. I finished my huge project, and it’s ready to go to the editor. Yay! Guess what? It has a new cover. The newly revised story deserves a new cover. I can’t wait to show it off.

  Before we get to the excerpt, I’ll explain why I chose one from this particular book–Heartbreak’s Reward Book #2. A couple posts back I mentioned pulling Cowboy Boss and his Destiny and Tristan’s Destiny from publication. I did do this, but WOW did it ever break my heart. It didn’t take long for the dread to fall from my shoulders. In the meantime, I’m telling readers who want to start my Double Dutch Ranch Series in the interim, but can’t find book one, to start with Heartbreak’s Reward Book #2 or Whispers of Forever Book #1 in the Spin Off, Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series.

  Another reason I chose this excerpt today is because of  a post I wrote for the 52-Week Blog Challenge tomorrow. A small part of the post pertains to a close-knit family and my relationship with my own sons. I never played matchmaker like my ranch mom.

  ---

  Set up: Jase had come to the rescue of a sexy blonde,  a stranger to Canyon Junction, but he had to call his mom to bring gasoline. Once she met Brenna, her matchmaking skills kicked into play.  Jase stopped by his mom’s house later to return the gas can. The three beers at his moms wasn’t the only beer he’d had this night. Slightly modified from the original.

  

   

  Judy nodded to the third beer in his hand tonight. “You stay off the highway going home. By the way…when are you coming back to church with us?”

  What the hell? “As long as you’re praying for me, I’m good.”

  She put the ice cream away and turned her attention back to Jase. “You never answered me. Are you seeing Brenna again?” She handed the bowl to Destiny and told her she’d be right along to the great room with her.

  Destiny took her snack and left. “Night, Uncle Jase.”

  “Night, sweetie.” He peered at his mom. “I said I don’t know. Leave it at that.” Jase set his hat atop his head. “Please don’t ever do that to me again.” He got his boots from the doorway and pulled them on.

  Judy fanned her hand at him. “You hush, I was trying to help.”

  Jase tossed his hat to the table and wrapped his mom in a big hug. “I know you were. I’m not sure if I’m ready…” He dropped his hands and his mom shoved a lock of hair off his forehead. “Well, Mom. I…I don’t know. One woman ruined my life, and I’m not sure I should chance it again.”

  “Now, Jase, please don’t give up on love.” Judy rested her hand on his shoulder. “You’re too good of a man and never deserved what happened. A day doesn’t go by that I don’t want to hold those babies in my arms. I worry about them, too. When Destiny asks about Jaelle and Joey, it about breaks my heart.”

  Jase picked up his hat. “Well, I’m heading home. Tomorrow I have to start breaking that last horse I bought.” He gave a woeful sigh. “You know, I’m not sure what to do with the kids’ horses. If I get rid of them, it’s like I’m giving up on ever finding them again. But keeping them…is one more reminder they’re…gone.” The beer had made him emotional and weakened his senses. Not what he wanted to show his mother.

  “One day, somehow, we’ll find those kids.”

  Her words choked him up. “I promised the last night they were home, I’d never get rid of our family horses.”

  Judy hugged him and ran her hand over his back. “Then you answered your own question.”

  He appreciated his mom’s comfort, but it’d be better if he hadn’t had so much to drink. “It’s expensive keeping the horses.” He dropped his gaze to the floor but glanced back at his mom. “But…when they come back home, they’ll be wanting them.” His throat constricted and he forced down a swallow.

  “Absolutely.” Judy picked up her cup and made tea. “Well, I best get in there with Destiny now, unless you want to talk some more, honey.” He shook his head. Judy kissed him on the cheek. “Ah, Jase, honey… Brenna seems like a nice woman. Maybe you should think again about starting over, or at least getting out and having fun with someone. That doesn’t mean you can’t still look for Jaelle and Joey. It wouldn’t be giving up by letting another person inside. You deserve more than you’re allowing yourself.”

  He pictured Brenna’s face and remembered her soft body when he’d touched her. How his had responded at touching her. “Mom, I… Maybe you’re right.” Jase gave a short nod. “We’ll see.”

  Judy gave his arm a pat. “Good night, son. You best take the short way home.”

   

  

   

  Featured Image credited to Pixabay.

  Posted in #AmWriting, Excerpt, Heartbreak's Reward | 4 Comments | Tagged #AmReading, #AmWriting, #WritersLife, Arizona, Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series, cowboy, Double Dutch Ranch Series, Double Dutch Ranch Series Love at First Sight, Heartbreak's Reward, Horse rancher, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, Matchmaker, Matriarch, romance series, western romance, Whispers of Forever

• #Reader Giveaways! Gratitude

  Posted at 10:47 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on May 10, 2017

  

  This giveaway has ended. Thank you for participating. You’ll find a new one in the sidebar.

  Welcome to the Reader Giveaways Page at The Kindle Book Review!

  Howdy, Folks! This will be my last post about my new release for a while. Thanks for bearing with me!

  To show my gratitude to my readers for helping my new release, Lassoing the Last Dance, rank in the top 20 in Contemporary Western Fiction and to rank in two other categories on Amazon. Com and Amazon UK, plus hit the Top Ten in Hot New Releases, I’m sponsoring a $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway via The Kindle Book Review Website–Weekly Giveaways.

  This contest runs from May 8 – May 14. No purchase necessary.

  I’ve used this site to promote all of my books more than once, but I’ve never participated in one of their Weekly Giveaways…until now. There are two other offers from authors in this week’s giveaway. Hop on over there to enter for a chance to win.

  ---

  From The Kindle Book Review Website:

  “This is where our 19,000+ subscribers find our amazing Reader Giveaways. Our weekly giveaway sponsors are extremely generous, so your support is greatly appreciated.”

  WIN a $25 Amazon Gift Card compliments of Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, author of Lassoing the Last dance.

  Randy believes he and the woman he meets at the Double Dutch Ranch can survive a long-distance relationship. Then she cuts off communication with no explanation. Moving back home without telling him is proof she’s not interested.  He learns the truth about why she cold-shouldered him, and he’s willing to give their love another try. Will Roxanne’s pride allow the sparks to reignite and burst into a full-blown blaze, or will she let the embers that glowed in their past grow cold?

  Find out in Lassoing the Last Dance! It’s ONLY 99¢ for a limited time and by entering Mary J’s giveaway you could win a $25 Amazon gift card. Enter today and every day!

  NO purchase necessary.

  Good Luck!

  

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  Are you interested in learning more about the Double Dutch Ranch Series and the new spin off series? Lassoing the Last Dance is Book Four out of Five to date. Read more about the Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight and Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series HERE.

  Enjoy the rest of your week!

  Posted in Double Dutch Ranch Series | 8 Comments | Tagged Arizona, Contest, cowboys, Double Dutch Ranch Series Love at First Sight, Lassoing the Last Dance, mary j mccoy dressel, series romance, The Kindle Book Review, Weekly Giveaway, Whispers of Forever, Win

• Meet the Heroine~ This Week’s Star: Beth

  Posted at 3:21 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on February 11, 2017

   

  

  Beth Marconi is the heroine in Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas and the next heroine in my Meet Our Heroines mini-series.

  

  Beth dragged Jake into the picture for this post. Model portrayal- Ben and Gezzi from Period Images

  What can I say about Beth? I published the book in November, so I’ll have to give her some thought. One thing I can say is she pined for Jake for…well, since she was fifteen years old when she met him in the high school detention room. Yep, Beth went to detention. Jake says:

  What could’ve been better to a seventeen-year-old bad-boy? A hottie with a bad bone to send her to detention had fit his bill.

   

  

  • Beth is a compassionate woman. She’s sexy. Fun. A bad-bone still lurks beneath her calm, grown-up exterior. Bad in a good way, of course.
  • She has always been close to her mom, and Beth is  concerned for her mom’s future.
  • Ah, but Beth is pretty with coppery hair and green eyes. She is now my youngest heroine since the other ladies keep aging as all the series move on.
  • Beth is a whiz at math, but she doesn’t use it in her job.
  • This lady wants to be treated as an equal.
  • In high school, she got along better with the guys than the girls, but she had one close girlfriend. The girls bullied her because of her relationship with an older, popular guy in school…Mr. Jake Lawton.

  She’s strong-willed. I repeat…strong-willed. But she can be hurt easily. Give her a line she doesn’t like, and she’ll damn well give it right back… Proof? Jake’s POV:

  Before speaking, he shook his head. If he wasn’t already buzzed, he’d put a damn shot into the coffee. Ross had not acted like the type who’d hire call girls. “Come on. This isn’t the nineteenth century.”

  “Stop making fun of it. This happens more than you think. You don’t know his grandmother. Being the one who raised him, she had a lot of power over his life and future.”

  “Figures. What a wuss! How the hell did you meet Ross? No, wait, don’t you dare tell me you were—” Had Beth been a…a call girl—the way she’d met Ross? God almighty. He sank against the sofa back. Somebody shoot me right now.

  “Shut up. No, I wasn’t! Damn you, Jake Lawton.” Beth rose abruptly, stomping. She stomped not once, not even twice, but three times. “Damn you. How dare you. I don’t know you.” She turned toward the door, came back to shove his shoulder hard, then she took a step.

  “Don’t go. I’m sorry. But dammit, Beth. Have you listened to this story?”

  “I should slap your handsomely, sick-looking face, but it’s apparent someone already took care of the deed for me. Humph!” She sat back down, folding her arms. “Yes. I know how it sounds.”

  End of snippet. Oh, I love this girl!

  ---

  Have you met the other heroines? Judy Carlson, the matriarch of the Double Dutch Ranch can be found on the main page too! Her book will be out in 2019. Click here to find the other heroines.

  Y’all have a real nice weekend.

   

  Posted in #AmWriting, Meet Our Heroines, Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas | 4 Comments | Tagged alpha here, Arizona, contemporary romance, Cowboy Romance Series, first love, Full Length Novel, Holiday Romance, mary j mccoy dressel, Meet Our Heroines, rancher, Second Chance, western, Whispers of Forever

• Contest, Giveaways, and Romance = Cowboys! (in this case) #AmWriting

  Posted at 1:44 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on February 9, 2017

  The Western Romance eBook Giveaway has ended.

  Congratulations to the two Grand Prize winners who won all the books, and congrats to Kim, the winner who won a copy of my book, Whispers of Forever.  

  

  ---

  

  In case anyone is interested, there is another contest also going on. This one is at The Kindle Book Review. Why another one so soon?

  

  This isn’t so soon, but has been going on since February 1st and will continue thru February 15th. What else could it be in February but a Valentine’s Day Giveaway! *Look what you can win: ***Six Gen 8 Kindle eReaders! (Total value is $100 x 6 winners = $600)*** I want one of these myself. #AmReading

  

  Love reading? Enter everyday ’til Feb. 15th!

   Click here for the Giveaway Page.

  *From The Kindle Book Review: There is no purchase necessary to enter or win, but by supporting our authors we can continue to offer these amazing giveaways. If by chance you choose to buy any of our sponsors’ books, a portion of the cost will help support Teen Blast youth centers.

  I’ve reduced the price on Of The Cowboy’s Own Accord during this contest.

  

  Whatever Tomorrow Brings… Their only choice is acceptance.

  Enjoy a surprise excerpt from Dane’s book.

  From Chapter One:

  Today, Judy Carlson tried to be strong for her family’s sake, yet her vow not to cry betrayed her. Dane, her youngest, prepared for his fourth extended tour of duty. He’d be gone in a matter of hours. She folded her arms across her chest while standing at the window in her bedroom—the majestic Superstition Mountain looking back at her. Dane headed to the barn after his ride through the desert. As soon as he untacked the horse, he would barge through the back door. Judy listened. Waited. A few moments later the back door slammed as she expected.

  Tapping on the bedroom door drew her attention. She inhaled a big breath and blew it out. “Just a minute,” she said, grabbing a tissue to dab at the wetness on her cheeks and tossed it into the wicker trash basket beside her desk.

  “Mom? Can I come in?”

  Dane. She summoned up the strength to hold it together. “Come in.”

  When he entered, he closed the door behind him. She forced a smile and walked around her queen-sized sleigh bed toward him.

  He stuffed his hands into his front pockets and took a minute before making eye contact. “Can we talk?”

  “Definitely.” Their eyes met, and for a moment she saw that blond-headed, blue-eyed boy asking for a cookie. She held her arms out and they hugged.

  He patted her back while she patted his. “It’ll be okay, Mom. I hate leaving you guys to worry. You know I’ll be home before you realize it.” His voice came out with an unfamiliar cracking.

  No, she didn’t. Every day was like a hundred piled into one while he was in combat. “I understand.” She lied. “Have you changed your mind about us coming to the base for the deployment send-off?” Send off? Like hell. Sending him off and not knowing if he’d return? It tore at her heart each time. “We can get plane tickets.” Judy wrinkled her nose at the familiar barn smells of hay and horses, on her son.

  Dane stood straight, taking a minute before speaking. He nonchalantly brushed his hair back. “No, not this time.” He took a seat on her bed like he’d done as a teenager who needed answers to some big problem, like what shirt to wear on his first date. His eyes lowered. “It’s not only hard on all of you.”

  It had to be hard for him to admit. “I understand.” Judy slipped her arm around his waist when she sat beside him, and leaned her head against his broad shoulder. “Why did you have to sign up again?” Oh, Lord, she shouldn’t be making it more difficult, because the choice wasn’t always his.

  Dane sat sideways to face her. With seriousness in his eyes and a tilt to his head, he calmly said, “You know why—this is my job.”

  Judy nodded. She knew why all right. Because he had to Ranger up. Well, she’d rather he did giddy-yup out in the Sonoran Desert instead of some desert thousands of miles away. She peered out the window to watch for a moment as the horses galloped in the pasture. An image of peacefulness. “Because this is what you do.”

  ---

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  Posted in #AmWriting, #WritersLife | 8 Comments | Tagged Contest, cowboys, Giveaway, Kindle, mary j mccoy dressel, novel, Of the Cowboy's Own Accord, Romance, romance series, Second Chances, small town romance, valentine's day, western romance, Whispers of Forever

• Win 17+ eBooks! Western Romances #Giveaway

  Posted at 7:38 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on February 4, 2017

  Love Western Romance? Scroll down and check out all the books on the #Giveaway Page? If you like cowboys and cowgirls as much as I do, and I know some of you do, you’ll find something you like. I’m honored to be in the company of so many awesome western romance authors.

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