When she meets Navajo police officer Sam Tohee, sparks fly fueled by the danger of hunting men who buy and sell little girls. Techno savvy Jordan plots to trap the smugglers and free the rest of the children, but unless she and Sam can find the power to defeat the witches she may not live long enough to save the girls.
Parking by the Weatherford Hotel lifted my spirits. I was off duty and this might be fun. The third floor Zane Grey Ballroom was a popular watering hole for the locals in downtown Flagstaff. The Grey was misnamed since it had never been a ballroom, but always a beautiful bar full of stained glass and gleaming wood. Antique photos of the hotel from its heyday in the late 1890s hung on the walls. The warped old stairs creaked all the way to the third floor where convivial conversation and laughter drifted out over the smoky sounds of jazz. My worries drifted away, and I had a tingle of anticipation. Maybe the blind date and I would walk out of my desert of broken dreams together.
I scanned the crowd for Taylor. She waved at me from a table adjacent to the carved wood fireplace. She and Trace sat beside a tall man with jet black hair, sculpted short on the sides and longish on top. The men stood as I approached. My date had a warrior's face, a hawk nose balanced by high cheek bones and a chiseled jaw. Taylor reached over and grabbed my hand."Hey, you look great." She jerked her thumb toward the warrior. "This is Sam Tohee."
Sam's hand was warm and calloused, his fingers thick and hard as he clasped my own. A grin tugged at the edge of his generous mouth, and when his eyes held mine, it became a slow contagious smile that spread across his face.
I scanned the crowd for Taylor. She waved at me from a table adjacent to the carved wood fireplace. She and Trace sat beside a tall man with jet black hair, sculpted short on the sides and longish on top. The men stood as I approached. My date had a warrior's face, a hawk nose balanced by high cheek bones and a chiseled jaw. Taylor reached over and grabbed my hand."Hey, you look great." She jerked her thumb toward the warrior. "This is Sam Tohee."
Sam's hand was warm and calloused, his fingers thick and hard as he clasped my own. A grin tugged at the edge of his generous mouth, and when his eyes held mine, it became a slow contagious smile that spread across his face.
Truth is stranger than fiction, and years in the news business provided lots of peculiar characters and stories to write about. My books are set in my favorite places, the desert canyons and high mountains of the American West.
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ReplyDeleteWhat is your favorite non-fiction?
ReplyDeleteHi Mai, I am reading a book about the Dulles brothers, John Foster and Marcy. When I read non fiction, I turn to history.
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting Desert Heat!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance!!
ReplyDeleteHi Gabrielle, Thanks for joining in!
DeleteGreat excerpt-Thank you for a great post and contest!
ReplyDeleteHi Betty, I hope you enjoy reading Desert Heat. Thanks for joining in.
DeleteHot cover and hot excerpt. Loved them both.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Such a good time picking the men for the cover!
DeleteEnjoyed the excerpt, sounds like a fantastic read, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHe Eva, Happy you liked the excerpt. Hope you like Desert Heat!
DeleteGreat excerpt, thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you reading the blurb. Hope you like Jordan's story!
DeleteThank you for the chance to win :)
ReplyDeleteHi Lisa, Thanks for joining in the blog!
DeleteIf you could travel to a different country, what would you choose?
ReplyDeleteI would love to see Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. My family all immigrated from there.
DeleteThanks for the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteHi Kimberly, Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy reading Desert Heat.
DeleteI love the cover! Can't wait to read this one :D
ReplyDeleteAh, yes. Those HOT covers! Love scrolling through pages of male models to pick just the right one. Sometimes takes me days....
DeleteWhat is your favorite novel? Thanks for the giveaway. I hope that I win. Bernie W BWallace1980(at)hotmail(d0t)com
ReplyDeleteI have lot of favorites including Gone with the Wind, an oldie but a goodie. I also like Lisa Jackson and Catherine Coulter's books.
DeleteDesert Heat sounds like quite a thrilling story. I can't wait to read it to find out if Jordan is successful in freeing the children.
ReplyDeleteHi Jo-Anne, I hope you enjoy reading Desert Heat. Jordan and Sam have some huge obstacles to scale before the ending.
ReplyDeleteNavajo witchery sounds interesting. How did you research this?
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great story that blends the darkness of gritty reality with the otherwordly.
ReplyDeleteDesert Heat sounds like an excited read ♡ Thank you
ReplyDeleteWow! What a powerful plot; intriguing and compelling at the same time. I felt invested in Jordan and Sam's stories after reading the synopsis and excerpt.
ReplyDeleteThe story touches on real life threats with characters willing to risk all for others. A good feel story! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the excerpt
ReplyDeleteYou like your stories placed in mountains and canyons, do you get your inspirations through them?
ReplyDeleteWhat are your favorite locations to write about?
ReplyDeleteThat's a bit of a dark subject. What made you decide to write a story that involves trafficking?
ReplyDeleteNice Excerpt!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway!
I really like the juxtaposition of ancient dark practices and modern criminal enterprises.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the post and the giveaway!
ReplyDeletelooks tempting
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletethanks for the giveaway
ReplyDelete