Kristy McCaffrey's Blog: Author Kristy McCaffrey - Posts Tagged "kristymccaffrey"
A Virtual Arizona Visit
By Kristy McCaffrey
We're going through a tough time worldwide. I'm fortunate to live in the beautiful state of Arizona, so let's relax our minds, take a few deep breaths, and enjoy the scenery.
View of the Grand Canyon from the South Rim
My daughter Hannah atop Black Mountain.
Behind her is the Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
My dad on a hike to The Wave, a sandstone formation located along the Arizona/Utah border.
The Wave.
Downtown Flagstaff in Northern Arizona.
Desert storm near our house in Phoenix.
Lake Powell.
This photo was taken by my daughter Hannah at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Tourists like to feed the squirrels, so they're a little chubby.
The serenity of the Sonoran Desert.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting --
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
"Wild Geese" by poet Mary Oliver
All photos by Kristy McCaffrey (unless otherwise stated)
Connect with Kristy
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Blog ~ Pathways
Newsletter
We're going through a tough time worldwide. I'm fortunate to live in the beautiful state of Arizona, so let's relax our minds, take a few deep breaths, and enjoy the scenery.
View of the Grand Canyon from the South Rim
My daughter Hannah atop Black Mountain.
Behind her is the Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
My dad on a hike to The Wave, a sandstone formation located along the Arizona/Utah border.
The Wave.
Downtown Flagstaff in Northern Arizona.
Desert storm near our house in Phoenix.
Lake Powell.
This photo was taken by my daughter Hannah at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Tourists like to feed the squirrels, so they're a little chubby.
The serenity of the Sonoran Desert.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting --
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
"Wild Geese" by poet Mary Oliver
All photos by Kristy McCaffrey (unless otherwise stated)
Connect with Kristy
Website
Blog ~ Pathways
Newsletter
Writing Deep Blue
By Kristy McCaffrey
All this week I’ve been sharing background info on the creation of my romantic suspense novel DEEP BLUE on Facebook, so I thought I’d group it all into a blog post in case any of you missed it and might be interested in my thought process while writing it.
I began my writing career with historical western romances, but I’d always been fascinated by sharks so had long entertained story ideas around them. About 3 years ago, I decided to finally write the book I had been thinking of. Initially, I saw it as more of a thriller (going back to an outline I’d written over 15 years prior), but in light of the devastation to the shark population due to overfishing and shark finning, I knew I wanted to write a story that showed more love to the shark than was usually the case in shark books and movies. I’m a great fan of the movie JAWS, but I wanted to explore the subject deeper than simply the abject fear that people experience when it comes to these often misunderstood fish.
Enter Dr. Grace Mann, my main character. It took a few drafts to smooth her out because at first she was smart but aloof and all business. A bit too cold, unfortunately. When I backtracked and built up her childhood, that’s when I found her overwhelming love for sharks, and the story began to click. (She accompanied her shark researcher father to the Farallon Islands as a child, bringing out her wild nature, an aspect I find really important when excavating a character.) She’s also a computer geek and that played into her rather obsessive nature regarding her work and the underwater sonar array she’s trying to develop.
Part of the backstory for my underwater filmmaker hero Alec Galloway is related to surfing. I read up on big wave surfing (THE WAVE by Susan Casey is an amazing book about giant waves, rogue waves, ship-crushing waves, and she includes chapters about the men who try to surf them – Jaws in Maui, Mavericks in Northern California, and Teahupoo in Tahiti)
I was so intrigued by this that I decided the Galloway family, led by Alec’s dad, Big Jim Galloway, would not only be a surfing family, but Big Wave surfers to boot. This includes Alec’s younger siblings, Tyler (who stars in Book 2, COLD HORIZON) and Brynn (star of upcoming Book 3, ANCIENT WINDS).
While they no longer do this in the present time of their stories, it was a piece of their backstory that showcased the drive and nerve that each of them possessed. It also informs Alec’s character in that he’s a fairly cautious guy because of some of the crazy stuff he’s seen and done. This created some clashes with Grace in DEEP BLUE, since he believes her actions are reckless at times. Grace, of course, doesn’t see it that way.
Photo by Juan Oliphant
How do you feel about this picture? This is Ocean Ramsey, a biologist and shark conservation advocate who spends nearly every day in the water with sharks. She is also the target of much criticism due to her interactions with sharks, especially great whites. I state at the end of DEEP BLUE that my character Dr. Grace Mann was inspired by Ms. Ramsey, and this is true. Ramsey’s interactions and knowledge of marine life, and especially sharks, shows us what’s possible when it comes to human/fish interactions. I find her work fascinating, and it informed Grace in the sense that I knew these types of encounters were possible. I write fiction, and I certainly take poetic license at times, but I do try to couch my storylines in a thread of truth. There’s no easy answers as to whether interacting with wildlife – and in the case of great white sharks, very dangerous wildlife – should or shouldn’t happen. I did explore this further with Grace and another marine scientist in DEEP BLUE: COCOS ISLAND, a follow-up short story. It’s an interesting discussion that I will continue to follow, both in the real world and in my work.
One reason I enjoy writing romances is the fun in creating a scenario for two people to fall in love and following along on that journey. DEEP BLUE, and the second book COLD HORIZON, aren’t strictly romances—these books are more action oriented and I made an effort to make them more readable to a broader audience by not following the standard romance plot, which is generally filled with more internal character musings and structure. Still, at the center of these stories are two people finding their way to each other.
The key to a good romance is finding the inherent obstacle between the couple. For Alec and Grace, it boiled down to a clash between Grace’s love and confidence in the water with sharks and Alec’s caution around such dangerous creatures. I built up these viewpoints by giving each of them specific experiences from their past. For Grace, it was growing up at the feet of her shark researcher dad and absorbing his obsession and respect for great white sharks; for Alec, it was having a healthy respect for the ocean, whether it be via big wave surfing or the loss of a close friend to a great white attack that has continued to haunt him.
From there, it became great fun to write their scenes and let the sparks fly.
During early drafts of DEEP BLUE, I was swamped with shark info that I’d been collecting. I usually take different passes on a manuscript – one to lay out the general outline and pacing, one to add layers to the characters, one to beef up the romantic tension between the hero and heroine, one to add descriptive details. It didn’t really occur to me that I should have a shark main character (as I said, brain overload) but near the end of one of the drafts Bonnie showed up, and it stopped me cold in my writing tracks. She was a very large and very mature female great white shark. An alpha. A true alpha of any creature on earth. I immediately began moving around scenes and rewriting the beginning of the book because Bonnie needed to be present throughout the story. There’s also a secondary shark named Felix, a randy youngin’ who causes all sorts of trouble. If you’ve ever met a teenage boy, then you know what I’m talking about.
While the gist of the story of DEEP BLUE is Grace freediving with great sharks in an effort to observe their behavior without the impediment and noise of scuba equipment, a side story is the testing of a prototype shark sonar array she designed in an effort to detect sharks in a specified grid area. Her goal is to have such an apparatus installed at ‘sharky’ beaches around the world as an early warning system to swimmers and surfers. So, is this a real thing?
I studied shark deterrents already in use and their effectiveness varied. It included such things as repellants (sonar, chemical), underwater nets (as you can imagine, these devastate more than sharks by trapping and killing everything else), and aerial spotters. The sonar array that Grace builds using artificial intelligence was a work of wishful fiction on my part. The idea is that there are multiple layers of code identifying creatures as they enter the grid area. This type of neural network is a “deep learning” program that becomes better over time as it acquires more and more data points. My son Sam, a data engineer, was a huge help as I developed this for the story, explaining to me how this would work. One exciting development was that after the book was published, I came across scientists working on a similar apparatus. So maybe one day you’ll go to the beach and pull up an app on your phone that tells you immediately what’s in the ocean you’re about to step into.
How did I research Guadalupe Island?
DEEP BLUE opens in Monterey, California, but the bulk of the story takes place on a boat off the coast of Guadalupe Island, located on the Pacific Ocean side of Baja California. It’s a fairly uninhabited island, with a handful of fisherman and scientists in residence, and from August until about January, it’s a hotspot of great white shark activity. The males arrive first, and then in October the very large females make an appearance. It’s unknown why the sharks congregate here, but it’s thought that they mate and feed, since there’s a large seal population. (And for the record, no one has ever seen or filmed white sharks mating or giving birth.) There are several companies that ferry customers on live-aboard boats to cage-dive with the sharks, with departures from San Diego, and if you’ve ever watched Shark Week on Discovery Channel, many of the shows have been filmed here.
Still, I found it a challenge to find information about the area so that I could realistically write about it (and since I was unable to go myself). Internet searches turned up general info, but I’m always in search of smaller, more interesting tidbits, the kind of stuff that isn’t on a Wikipedia page. It took me a while, but I finally located several blogs written by people who had visited the area, offering raw first impressions that made the writer in me squeal with delight.
I’ve envisioned the Pathway series as loosely connected standalones, which has been both a pro and a con when it comes to marketing. Because the series isn’t deep, meaning I only have two books currently available, advertising them has been a challenge. Eventually when I have the planned 6-8 books published, it will be easier to do more extensive marketing.
The main reason I wrote DEEP BLUE: AUSTRALIA was to offer a free but exclusive read to my newsletter subscribers, giving them another chance to hang out with Grace and Alec. An author’s newsletter list is a beloved holy grail because it offers us the chance to reach our readers directly (Amazon and Facebook greatly throttle that ability). But … if readers are signed up for too many newsletters, they can be rightly overwhelmed by the email volume in their inbox. It was my hope to sweeten the pot by offering something they couldn’t get anywhere else in exchange for their valuable time.
Last year, I managed to get a coveted BookBub Feature Deal for Deep Blue, but I had to make the book free. The key to making this type of advertising work is to have follow-up books in which to recoup your losses. BookBub deals aren’t cheap and generally run in the hundreds of dollars. I had COLD HORIZON out, but with its mountain climbing theme it was a very different book than DEEP BLUE, so in an effort to compensate for a low read-through rate, I decided to publish AUSTRALIA and charge $2.99 for digital downloads. This is an aggressive price for this type of short, and while other authors do use this price point successfully, I didn’t have the name recognition to pull it off. The result was reader backlash. Being an indie author means I’m able to pivot and switch gears quickly, so I did. I wrote two more short adventures – REUNION ISLAND and COCOS ISLAND – so that I could package all three together for $2.99, giving readers a little more bang for their buck. While I must always consider the economics of creating and pricing my projects, I strive to balance that with reader expectations.
Some people have asked for another novel starring Grace and Alec, but since that can take me upwards of a year to write, these shorts were a way to continue their story while I work on other books in the Pathway universe. I sure hope you enjoy them!
Did you know there’s a bonus scene of Alec’s first impression of Grace over at Book+Main Bites? You can read it here.
To learn more about DEEP BLUE, visit my website.
All this week I’ve been sharing background info on the creation of my romantic suspense novel DEEP BLUE on Facebook, so I thought I’d group it all into a blog post in case any of you missed it and might be interested in my thought process while writing it.
I began my writing career with historical western romances, but I’d always been fascinated by sharks so had long entertained story ideas around them. About 3 years ago, I decided to finally write the book I had been thinking of. Initially, I saw it as more of a thriller (going back to an outline I’d written over 15 years prior), but in light of the devastation to the shark population due to overfishing and shark finning, I knew I wanted to write a story that showed more love to the shark than was usually the case in shark books and movies. I’m a great fan of the movie JAWS, but I wanted to explore the subject deeper than simply the abject fear that people experience when it comes to these often misunderstood fish.
Enter Dr. Grace Mann, my main character. It took a few drafts to smooth her out because at first she was smart but aloof and all business. A bit too cold, unfortunately. When I backtracked and built up her childhood, that’s when I found her overwhelming love for sharks, and the story began to click. (She accompanied her shark researcher father to the Farallon Islands as a child, bringing out her wild nature, an aspect I find really important when excavating a character.) She’s also a computer geek and that played into her rather obsessive nature regarding her work and the underwater sonar array she’s trying to develop.
Part of the backstory for my underwater filmmaker hero Alec Galloway is related to surfing. I read up on big wave surfing (THE WAVE by Susan Casey is an amazing book about giant waves, rogue waves, ship-crushing waves, and she includes chapters about the men who try to surf them – Jaws in Maui, Mavericks in Northern California, and Teahupoo in Tahiti)
I was so intrigued by this that I decided the Galloway family, led by Alec’s dad, Big Jim Galloway, would not only be a surfing family, but Big Wave surfers to boot. This includes Alec’s younger siblings, Tyler (who stars in Book 2, COLD HORIZON) and Brynn (star of upcoming Book 3, ANCIENT WINDS).
While they no longer do this in the present time of their stories, it was a piece of their backstory that showcased the drive and nerve that each of them possessed. It also informs Alec’s character in that he’s a fairly cautious guy because of some of the crazy stuff he’s seen and done. This created some clashes with Grace in DEEP BLUE, since he believes her actions are reckless at times. Grace, of course, doesn’t see it that way.
Photo by Juan Oliphant
How do you feel about this picture? This is Ocean Ramsey, a biologist and shark conservation advocate who spends nearly every day in the water with sharks. She is also the target of much criticism due to her interactions with sharks, especially great whites. I state at the end of DEEP BLUE that my character Dr. Grace Mann was inspired by Ms. Ramsey, and this is true. Ramsey’s interactions and knowledge of marine life, and especially sharks, shows us what’s possible when it comes to human/fish interactions. I find her work fascinating, and it informed Grace in the sense that I knew these types of encounters were possible. I write fiction, and I certainly take poetic license at times, but I do try to couch my storylines in a thread of truth. There’s no easy answers as to whether interacting with wildlife – and in the case of great white sharks, very dangerous wildlife – should or shouldn’t happen. I did explore this further with Grace and another marine scientist in DEEP BLUE: COCOS ISLAND, a follow-up short story. It’s an interesting discussion that I will continue to follow, both in the real world and in my work.
One reason I enjoy writing romances is the fun in creating a scenario for two people to fall in love and following along on that journey. DEEP BLUE, and the second book COLD HORIZON, aren’t strictly romances—these books are more action oriented and I made an effort to make them more readable to a broader audience by not following the standard romance plot, which is generally filled with more internal character musings and structure. Still, at the center of these stories are two people finding their way to each other.
The key to a good romance is finding the inherent obstacle between the couple. For Alec and Grace, it boiled down to a clash between Grace’s love and confidence in the water with sharks and Alec’s caution around such dangerous creatures. I built up these viewpoints by giving each of them specific experiences from their past. For Grace, it was growing up at the feet of her shark researcher dad and absorbing his obsession and respect for great white sharks; for Alec, it was having a healthy respect for the ocean, whether it be via big wave surfing or the loss of a close friend to a great white attack that has continued to haunt him.
From there, it became great fun to write their scenes and let the sparks fly.
During early drafts of DEEP BLUE, I was swamped with shark info that I’d been collecting. I usually take different passes on a manuscript – one to lay out the general outline and pacing, one to add layers to the characters, one to beef up the romantic tension between the hero and heroine, one to add descriptive details. It didn’t really occur to me that I should have a shark main character (as I said, brain overload) but near the end of one of the drafts Bonnie showed up, and it stopped me cold in my writing tracks. She was a very large and very mature female great white shark. An alpha. A true alpha of any creature on earth. I immediately began moving around scenes and rewriting the beginning of the book because Bonnie needed to be present throughout the story. There’s also a secondary shark named Felix, a randy youngin’ who causes all sorts of trouble. If you’ve ever met a teenage boy, then you know what I’m talking about.
While the gist of the story of DEEP BLUE is Grace freediving with great sharks in an effort to observe their behavior without the impediment and noise of scuba equipment, a side story is the testing of a prototype shark sonar array she designed in an effort to detect sharks in a specified grid area. Her goal is to have such an apparatus installed at ‘sharky’ beaches around the world as an early warning system to swimmers and surfers. So, is this a real thing?
I studied shark deterrents already in use and their effectiveness varied. It included such things as repellants (sonar, chemical), underwater nets (as you can imagine, these devastate more than sharks by trapping and killing everything else), and aerial spotters. The sonar array that Grace builds using artificial intelligence was a work of wishful fiction on my part. The idea is that there are multiple layers of code identifying creatures as they enter the grid area. This type of neural network is a “deep learning” program that becomes better over time as it acquires more and more data points. My son Sam, a data engineer, was a huge help as I developed this for the story, explaining to me how this would work. One exciting development was that after the book was published, I came across scientists working on a similar apparatus. So maybe one day you’ll go to the beach and pull up an app on your phone that tells you immediately what’s in the ocean you’re about to step into.
How did I research Guadalupe Island?
DEEP BLUE opens in Monterey, California, but the bulk of the story takes place on a boat off the coast of Guadalupe Island, located on the Pacific Ocean side of Baja California. It’s a fairly uninhabited island, with a handful of fisherman and scientists in residence, and from August until about January, it’s a hotspot of great white shark activity. The males arrive first, and then in October the very large females make an appearance. It’s unknown why the sharks congregate here, but it’s thought that they mate and feed, since there’s a large seal population. (And for the record, no one has ever seen or filmed white sharks mating or giving birth.) There are several companies that ferry customers on live-aboard boats to cage-dive with the sharks, with departures from San Diego, and if you’ve ever watched Shark Week on Discovery Channel, many of the shows have been filmed here.
Still, I found it a challenge to find information about the area so that I could realistically write about it (and since I was unable to go myself). Internet searches turned up general info, but I’m always in search of smaller, more interesting tidbits, the kind of stuff that isn’t on a Wikipedia page. It took me a while, but I finally located several blogs written by people who had visited the area, offering raw first impressions that made the writer in me squeal with delight.
I’ve envisioned the Pathway series as loosely connected standalones, which has been both a pro and a con when it comes to marketing. Because the series isn’t deep, meaning I only have two books currently available, advertising them has been a challenge. Eventually when I have the planned 6-8 books published, it will be easier to do more extensive marketing.
The main reason I wrote DEEP BLUE: AUSTRALIA was to offer a free but exclusive read to my newsletter subscribers, giving them another chance to hang out with Grace and Alec. An author’s newsletter list is a beloved holy grail because it offers us the chance to reach our readers directly (Amazon and Facebook greatly throttle that ability). But … if readers are signed up for too many newsletters, they can be rightly overwhelmed by the email volume in their inbox. It was my hope to sweeten the pot by offering something they couldn’t get anywhere else in exchange for their valuable time.
Last year, I managed to get a coveted BookBub Feature Deal for Deep Blue, but I had to make the book free. The key to making this type of advertising work is to have follow-up books in which to recoup your losses. BookBub deals aren’t cheap and generally run in the hundreds of dollars. I had COLD HORIZON out, but with its mountain climbing theme it was a very different book than DEEP BLUE, so in an effort to compensate for a low read-through rate, I decided to publish AUSTRALIA and charge $2.99 for digital downloads. This is an aggressive price for this type of short, and while other authors do use this price point successfully, I didn’t have the name recognition to pull it off. The result was reader backlash. Being an indie author means I’m able to pivot and switch gears quickly, so I did. I wrote two more short adventures – REUNION ISLAND and COCOS ISLAND – so that I could package all three together for $2.99, giving readers a little more bang for their buck. While I must always consider the economics of creating and pricing my projects, I strive to balance that with reader expectations.
Some people have asked for another novel starring Grace and Alec, but since that can take me upwards of a year to write, these shorts were a way to continue their story while I work on other books in the Pathway universe. I sure hope you enjoy them!
Did you know there’s a bonus scene of Alec’s first impression of Grace over at Book+Main Bites? You can read it here.
To learn more about DEEP BLUE, visit my website.
The Sparrow is now available in German - Verliebt am Grand Canyon
By Kristy McCaffrey
(Translated by Stefanie Kersten)
VERLIEBT AM GRAND CANYON
Wings of the West: Buch 3
Arizona-Territorium
Am Grand Canyon stellt sich Emma Hart einer ungewissen Zukunft – und der Begegnung mit Texas Ranger Nathan Blackmore.
Im Jahr 1877 reist Emma Hart zu dem erst kürzlich entdeckten rauen, zerklüfteten Grand Canyon. Geplagt von Visionen, sucht sie dort nach Antworten zu der Tragödie in ihrer Vergangenheit, dem Verrat in der Gegenwart und nach einer Zukunft, die so fern und unerreichbar scheint und trotzdem ihr Herz zum Klingen bringt. Mit übersinnlichen Fähigkeiten begabt und begleitet von ihrem Krafttier, einem Sperling, will Emma die Traditionen der Hopi erforschen und muss sich dabei einer jahrhundertealten Macht stellen.
Texas Ranger Nathan Blackmore folgt Emmas Spuren bis zum Colorado River und stellt fassungslos fest, dass sie den Fluss mit einem Boot erkunden will. Für ihn ist klar, dass sie diese Reise auf keinen Fall allein antreten wird. Doch während der Fahrt auf dem Fluss zu einem Ort, an dem die Zeit stillzustehen scheint und selbst der kleinste Stein große Kreise zieht, muss er eine Entscheidung treffen. Entweder er akzeptiert das Unbekannte, die Welt jenseits der unseren, und stellt sich den Dämonen seiner Vergangenheit, oder er wird die Frau, die er inzwischen mehr liebt als sein Leben, für immer verlieren.
Ein (über)sinnlicher historischer Western-Liebesroman vor der atemberaubenden Kulisse des Grand Canyon.
AMAZON DE
AMAZON US
GOODREADS
Erhältlich als E-Book und Print-Ausgabe.
Als Kindle-Unlimited-Mitglied lesen Sie ohne Zusatzkosten.
(Translated by Stefanie Kersten)
VERLIEBT AM GRAND CANYON
Wings of the West: Buch 3
Arizona-Territorium
Am Grand Canyon stellt sich Emma Hart einer ungewissen Zukunft – und der Begegnung mit Texas Ranger Nathan Blackmore.
Im Jahr 1877 reist Emma Hart zu dem erst kürzlich entdeckten rauen, zerklüfteten Grand Canyon. Geplagt von Visionen, sucht sie dort nach Antworten zu der Tragödie in ihrer Vergangenheit, dem Verrat in der Gegenwart und nach einer Zukunft, die so fern und unerreichbar scheint und trotzdem ihr Herz zum Klingen bringt. Mit übersinnlichen Fähigkeiten begabt und begleitet von ihrem Krafttier, einem Sperling, will Emma die Traditionen der Hopi erforschen und muss sich dabei einer jahrhundertealten Macht stellen.
Texas Ranger Nathan Blackmore folgt Emmas Spuren bis zum Colorado River und stellt fassungslos fest, dass sie den Fluss mit einem Boot erkunden will. Für ihn ist klar, dass sie diese Reise auf keinen Fall allein antreten wird. Doch während der Fahrt auf dem Fluss zu einem Ort, an dem die Zeit stillzustehen scheint und selbst der kleinste Stein große Kreise zieht, muss er eine Entscheidung treffen. Entweder er akzeptiert das Unbekannte, die Welt jenseits der unseren, und stellt sich den Dämonen seiner Vergangenheit, oder er wird die Frau, die er inzwischen mehr liebt als sein Leben, für immer verlieren.
Ein (über)sinnlicher historischer Western-Liebesroman vor der atemberaubenden Kulisse des Grand Canyon.
AMAZON DE
AMAZON US
GOODREADS
Erhältlich als E-Book und Print-Ausgabe.
Als Kindle-Unlimited-Mitglied lesen Sie ohne Zusatzkosten.
Sneak Peek of my Nano Project
By Kristy McCaffrey
The month of November is known to writers around the world as Nanowrimo, which stands for National Novel Writing Month. Many of us sign up to write a 50K book in 30 days. I’ve done this twice before (for my novels THE BLACKBIRD and DEEP BLUE), and it’s a great way to push the creative muscles and silence the inner critic. This month, I worked on a new addition to my Wings of the West series (historical western romances). And I’m happy to report that I hit my goal! However, this isn’t the entire novel since I tend to write 75K books, so I’ll be revising and adding words/scenes over the next few months.
But I thought I’d share a brief unedited excerpt from my Nano manuscript. This is raw stuff, people, so it will likely be tweaked as I edit the story, but it gives you an idea of what I was going for. Also, I don’t have a title for this book yet. Would you like to contribute a suggestion? Hop over to my Facebook page and leave a comment. I’ll be picking two commenters to win a $10 Amazon giftcard on Sunday, December 6, 2020.
Blurb
Kate Ryan has just been promoted to field agent at the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Her first assignment? Assume the role of “wife” to fellow agent Henry Maguire, already undercover. Only Henry isn’t expecting her …
(Kate Ryan is the daughter of Matt and Molly from THE WREN.)
Excerpt from upcoming Untitled Wings of the West Novel
Location – TBD
1899
Henry scanned the room. Arthur Wingate stood with two gentlemen involved with the railroad, along with a low-level politician whose name Henry couldn’t recall at the moment.
Interesting.
He took a sip of his brandy … barely. He had no intention of clouding his judgment with alcohol this evening. This party was the perfect opportunity to determine relationships, because that had been something until now he’d struggled to learn. Asking questions outright was too obvious, and the players in this game were too savvy for the obvious. Henry needed to blend. And it had taken him six weeks of undercover work to even get to this point.
“Sir.” A valet drew his attention.
Henry nodded his acknowledgement.
“Your wife has arrived, sir.”
My wife …
What the hell? Louise was here? Now?
The agency had agreed that Louise Foster would be summoned when Henry sent word. And he hadn’t sent word. Dammit.
“Of course,” Henry replied. “Thank you.”
“Please follow me, sir.”
Henry thought of abandoning the drink he’d been nursing for the last hour, but instead kept it as he followed the valet through clusters of people laughing and chattering. In fact, he took a large gulp as he walked, to soothe his nerves. Sometimes his own rules needed to be amended. This wasn’t a disaster, he reminded himself. Louise was a good field agent, one he’d worked with before, and he respected her abilities. If she was here now, there must be a good reason. While his cover had included a wife, Henry rather liked working alone, and he’d told Jonesy, his boss, that Louise could join him when it seemed absolutely necessary. And it hadn’t been necessary … yet. But apparently Edgar Jones had pulled rank, thinking differently.
As Henry entered the foyer, his gaze landed on a young woman in a deep blue gown conversing with Arthur’s wife, Lottie, near the front entrance. For a moment, Henry considered what it would be like if he weren’t working, if he could simply pursue a conversation with an attractive woman. He had purposely not set down roots. His work made it impossible. Well, not impossible. He had simply not met a woman who could turn his attention from his work.
Reluctantly, he peeled his eyes from the attractive distraction and searched the foyer for Louise, but she was nowhere to be seen.
“She must have stepped into another room,” Henry said to the valet.
“No, sir.” The young man stopped and gave a nod toward Mrs. Wingate and the stunning woman beside her.
Henry was momentarily confused, an unnatural state since he kept everything in his life compartmentalized and in order. Recovering quickly, he said, “Of course, thank you. I must need my spectacles this evening.” He left the valet before he was forced to converse further, giving even more opportunities for a slip up. He walked slowly to the two women, since he wasn’t certain what he should say. Clearly, the valet had been misinformed.
Henry glanced over his shoulder, catching the backside of the valet as he left the foyer. With a twinge of regret, he made a sharp turn to miss the two conversing women, ignoring a flare of curiosity about the woman in blue. Now wasn’t the time for personal interests. Just as he was passing within three feet of the women, a voice rang out, “Gilbert! Darling!”
Henry stopped and faced the woman in blue who had spoken. She had used his alias. It all became clear in an instant.
She was his wife.
Hell.
He plastered the biggest smile he could on his face. “Sallie, there you are.” He went to her, took her hand, and planted a kiss on her cheek.
His Sallie blushed, her cheeks a bright crimson, and although her skin had been smooth as porcelain, leaving a lingering impression upon his lips, he had to suppress his frustration—and a hint of anger threatening to uncoil in his chest. Instead, he kept his expression amiable and besotted, playing the part, saying, “I had no idea you were coming.”
He took some measure of pleasure when his new wife flinched ever so slightly, no doubt catching the flash of censure he allowed to escape his gaze. He could accept her as his wife, but it didn’t mean he had to like it.
But still, where the hell was Louise? Why had Jonesy sent this much too young of a woman with whom he had no acquaintance and could therefore not assess her skills as an agent? To make it all worse, his pulse had quickened as soon as he’d looked into her clear green eyes. She might be young, but a spark of intelligence snapped the distance between them.
“It was last minute, darling,” she replied, her voice tinged with excitement.
It was too late to turn back now. They had an audience with Lottie Wingate, who was watching them intently.
“I’m thrilled you’re here,” he said, taking Sallie’s hand again. He turned his attention to the older woman. “If you’ll excuse us, I’d like to have a word in private with my beautiful bride.”
“Certainly,” Lottie said. “It was lovely to meet you, Sallie. I hope we’ll have a chance to speak more. And you’ll have to accompany Gilbert the next time he comes here. We could have tea while the men discuss business.”
“I’d like that,” Sallie said.
Having abandoned his drink on side table, Henry tucked Sallie’s gloved hand into the crook of his elbow and led her into the next room. He had wanted to speak privately, but in a flash he knew this would be impossible. It was too risky to engage in any kind of conversation beyond the benign while they were at this party.
“Would you like a drink?” he asked quietly. He definitely needed another one.
Sallie smiled and nodded, sliding a quick glance at him and then letting her eyes roam the room.
They found a waiter and Henry soon had a sherry in his wife’s gloved hand, and he had a whiskey, straight up. He drank it in one swallow. His wife narrowed her eyes, the first sign of backbone in the woman.
“I know my arrival is unexpected, Gilbert,” she murmured over the rim of her sherry glass. She took a sip and then said, “But rest assured, I’m here to stay. You’re not alone any longer.”
Copyright © 2020 K. McCaffrey LLC
All Rights Reserved
The month of November is known to writers around the world as Nanowrimo, which stands for National Novel Writing Month. Many of us sign up to write a 50K book in 30 days. I’ve done this twice before (for my novels THE BLACKBIRD and DEEP BLUE), and it’s a great way to push the creative muscles and silence the inner critic. This month, I worked on a new addition to my Wings of the West series (historical western romances). And I’m happy to report that I hit my goal! However, this isn’t the entire novel since I tend to write 75K books, so I’ll be revising and adding words/scenes over the next few months.
But I thought I’d share a brief unedited excerpt from my Nano manuscript. This is raw stuff, people, so it will likely be tweaked as I edit the story, but it gives you an idea of what I was going for. Also, I don’t have a title for this book yet. Would you like to contribute a suggestion? Hop over to my Facebook page and leave a comment. I’ll be picking two commenters to win a $10 Amazon giftcard on Sunday, December 6, 2020.
Blurb
Kate Ryan has just been promoted to field agent at the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Her first assignment? Assume the role of “wife” to fellow agent Henry Maguire, already undercover. Only Henry isn’t expecting her …
(Kate Ryan is the daughter of Matt and Molly from THE WREN.)
Excerpt from upcoming Untitled Wings of the West Novel
Location – TBD
1899
Henry scanned the room. Arthur Wingate stood with two gentlemen involved with the railroad, along with a low-level politician whose name Henry couldn’t recall at the moment.
Interesting.
He took a sip of his brandy … barely. He had no intention of clouding his judgment with alcohol this evening. This party was the perfect opportunity to determine relationships, because that had been something until now he’d struggled to learn. Asking questions outright was too obvious, and the players in this game were too savvy for the obvious. Henry needed to blend. And it had taken him six weeks of undercover work to even get to this point.
“Sir.” A valet drew his attention.
Henry nodded his acknowledgement.
“Your wife has arrived, sir.”
My wife …
What the hell? Louise was here? Now?
The agency had agreed that Louise Foster would be summoned when Henry sent word. And he hadn’t sent word. Dammit.
“Of course,” Henry replied. “Thank you.”
“Please follow me, sir.”
Henry thought of abandoning the drink he’d been nursing for the last hour, but instead kept it as he followed the valet through clusters of people laughing and chattering. In fact, he took a large gulp as he walked, to soothe his nerves. Sometimes his own rules needed to be amended. This wasn’t a disaster, he reminded himself. Louise was a good field agent, one he’d worked with before, and he respected her abilities. If she was here now, there must be a good reason. While his cover had included a wife, Henry rather liked working alone, and he’d told Jonesy, his boss, that Louise could join him when it seemed absolutely necessary. And it hadn’t been necessary … yet. But apparently Edgar Jones had pulled rank, thinking differently.
As Henry entered the foyer, his gaze landed on a young woman in a deep blue gown conversing with Arthur’s wife, Lottie, near the front entrance. For a moment, Henry considered what it would be like if he weren’t working, if he could simply pursue a conversation with an attractive woman. He had purposely not set down roots. His work made it impossible. Well, not impossible. He had simply not met a woman who could turn his attention from his work.
Reluctantly, he peeled his eyes from the attractive distraction and searched the foyer for Louise, but she was nowhere to be seen.
“She must have stepped into another room,” Henry said to the valet.
“No, sir.” The young man stopped and gave a nod toward Mrs. Wingate and the stunning woman beside her.
Henry was momentarily confused, an unnatural state since he kept everything in his life compartmentalized and in order. Recovering quickly, he said, “Of course, thank you. I must need my spectacles this evening.” He left the valet before he was forced to converse further, giving even more opportunities for a slip up. He walked slowly to the two women, since he wasn’t certain what he should say. Clearly, the valet had been misinformed.
Henry glanced over his shoulder, catching the backside of the valet as he left the foyer. With a twinge of regret, he made a sharp turn to miss the two conversing women, ignoring a flare of curiosity about the woman in blue. Now wasn’t the time for personal interests. Just as he was passing within three feet of the women, a voice rang out, “Gilbert! Darling!”
Henry stopped and faced the woman in blue who had spoken. She had used his alias. It all became clear in an instant.
She was his wife.
Hell.
He plastered the biggest smile he could on his face. “Sallie, there you are.” He went to her, took her hand, and planted a kiss on her cheek.
His Sallie blushed, her cheeks a bright crimson, and although her skin had been smooth as porcelain, leaving a lingering impression upon his lips, he had to suppress his frustration—and a hint of anger threatening to uncoil in his chest. Instead, he kept his expression amiable and besotted, playing the part, saying, “I had no idea you were coming.”
He took some measure of pleasure when his new wife flinched ever so slightly, no doubt catching the flash of censure he allowed to escape his gaze. He could accept her as his wife, but it didn’t mean he had to like it.
But still, where the hell was Louise? Why had Jonesy sent this much too young of a woman with whom he had no acquaintance and could therefore not assess her skills as an agent? To make it all worse, his pulse had quickened as soon as he’d looked into her clear green eyes. She might be young, but a spark of intelligence snapped the distance between them.
“It was last minute, darling,” she replied, her voice tinged with excitement.
It was too late to turn back now. They had an audience with Lottie Wingate, who was watching them intently.
“I’m thrilled you’re here,” he said, taking Sallie’s hand again. He turned his attention to the older woman. “If you’ll excuse us, I’d like to have a word in private with my beautiful bride.”
“Certainly,” Lottie said. “It was lovely to meet you, Sallie. I hope we’ll have a chance to speak more. And you’ll have to accompany Gilbert the next time he comes here. We could have tea while the men discuss business.”
“I’d like that,” Sallie said.
Having abandoned his drink on side table, Henry tucked Sallie’s gloved hand into the crook of his elbow and led her into the next room. He had wanted to speak privately, but in a flash he knew this would be impossible. It was too risky to engage in any kind of conversation beyond the benign while they were at this party.
“Would you like a drink?” he asked quietly. He definitely needed another one.
Sallie smiled and nodded, sliding a quick glance at him and then letting her eyes roam the room.
They found a waiter and Henry soon had a sherry in his wife’s gloved hand, and he had a whiskey, straight up. He drank it in one swallow. His wife narrowed her eyes, the first sign of backbone in the woman.
“I know my arrival is unexpected, Gilbert,” she murmured over the rim of her sherry glass. She took a sip and then said, “But rest assured, I’m here to stay. You’re not alone any longer.”
Copyright © 2020 K. McCaffrey LLC
All Rights Reserved
Release Day - Ancient Winds is out!!
By Kristy McCaffrey
I'm so excited to share that Ancient Winds (The Pathway Series Book 3) is now available in ebook and print.
Can Brynn resist the charm of Dr. Magee in this high-stakes archaeology adventure?
In the jungle, there are no barriers …
Brynn Galloway doesn’t know it, but her academic career in archaeology is about to become a laughingstock. When a rare Sumerian artifact surfaces, her presence is requested in Bolivia, but nothing is as it seems. Soon, she’s entangled in a desperate hunt not only for a valuable antiquity but also for answers to humanity that might stretch across time. And by her side is a sexy mercenary physicist with a maddening belief in space aliens.
Dr. Tristan Magee is in a bad mood. When his latest acquisition—an unusual and as yet untranslated Sumerian cuneiform tablet—is stolen right out from under him and spirited away to the Bolivian jungle, he’ll do whatever it takes to get it back. Unfortunately, that includes partnering with a female archaeologist who proves to be the kind of distraction that brought down civilizations.
A combination of Indiana Jones and Romancing the Stone, with a dash of The X-Files … get swept away in this romantic suspense adventure.
Available wide for one week only. Grab your copy here. On February 22, Ancient Winds will enter the Kindle Unlimited program and will be available exclusively at Amazon.
Would you like a bookmark from any or all of the books? Fill out this google doc and I'll drop them in the mail to you.
Excerpt
Brynn couldn’t sleep and found Tristan sitting by a small fire near the main building. With elbows on knees, he was hunched forward, his gaze intent on the flames as shadows ebbed and flowed across the angles of his face. He sported a few days’ growth of whiskers and his dark hair was curling along the collar of his shirt. The wilderness was slowly consuming them, making them wild in the process, or maybe it was simply the jungle stripping away societal barriers and laying them bare. Brynn suspected, however, that Magee had never paid much attention to such niceties.
“Communing with aliens?” she asked, keeping her voice low so as not to disturb the others who might be nearby. Tristan had been right—privacy was in short supply.
The glint in Tristan’s gaze conveyed annoyed amusement. And maybe something else. The tug in her belly was immediate, and she all but lifted her nose to catch his scent. For a moment she let herself revel in everything male that was Magee: muscle, strength, and possibly the biggest aphrodisiac for her—irreverence.
He motioned for her to sit as he said, “Well, if you consider talking to Dimar interacting with something not of this world, then the answer is yes.”
She took a seat, leaving the one between them empty. Wouldn’t want him to get the wrong idea.
“Sometimes I have trouble sleeping in the jungle,” he said.
“Is that a sleeping aid?” she asked as he took a sip from his canteen.
He replaced the lid. “Nah. Just water. Can you play backgammon, Galloway?”
“Yes. I used to play with my grandfather.”
“I’ll be right back.”
He disappeared, and then returned with a mini version of the game. He unfolded the board and proceeded to set it up on the empty chair between them.
“Why backgammon?” she asked, helping him organize the pieces in the glow of the firelight.
“It was my dad’s favorite. Did you know it’s one of the oldest known board games?”
“I do. They’ve found evidence of it in Mesopotamia. Maybe it was a gift from their alien benefactors.”
“The dice were made from human bones, so no alien intervention likely.”
“You do know your artifacts.”
“I try.” He handed her a die, his hand brushing hers. “Need a refresher on the rules?”
“Nope, I’m good,” she replied, pretending his touch hadn’t left a burn mark.
Copyright © 2021 K. McCaffrey LLC
I'm so excited to share that Ancient Winds (The Pathway Series Book 3) is now available in ebook and print.
Can Brynn resist the charm of Dr. Magee in this high-stakes archaeology adventure?
In the jungle, there are no barriers …
Brynn Galloway doesn’t know it, but her academic career in archaeology is about to become a laughingstock. When a rare Sumerian artifact surfaces, her presence is requested in Bolivia, but nothing is as it seems. Soon, she’s entangled in a desperate hunt not only for a valuable antiquity but also for answers to humanity that might stretch across time. And by her side is a sexy mercenary physicist with a maddening belief in space aliens.
Dr. Tristan Magee is in a bad mood. When his latest acquisition—an unusual and as yet untranslated Sumerian cuneiform tablet—is stolen right out from under him and spirited away to the Bolivian jungle, he’ll do whatever it takes to get it back. Unfortunately, that includes partnering with a female archaeologist who proves to be the kind of distraction that brought down civilizations.
A combination of Indiana Jones and Romancing the Stone, with a dash of The X-Files … get swept away in this romantic suspense adventure.
Available wide for one week only. Grab your copy here. On February 22, Ancient Winds will enter the Kindle Unlimited program and will be available exclusively at Amazon.
Would you like a bookmark from any or all of the books? Fill out this google doc and I'll drop them in the mail to you.
Excerpt
Brynn couldn’t sleep and found Tristan sitting by a small fire near the main building. With elbows on knees, he was hunched forward, his gaze intent on the flames as shadows ebbed and flowed across the angles of his face. He sported a few days’ growth of whiskers and his dark hair was curling along the collar of his shirt. The wilderness was slowly consuming them, making them wild in the process, or maybe it was simply the jungle stripping away societal barriers and laying them bare. Brynn suspected, however, that Magee had never paid much attention to such niceties.
“Communing with aliens?” she asked, keeping her voice low so as not to disturb the others who might be nearby. Tristan had been right—privacy was in short supply.
The glint in Tristan’s gaze conveyed annoyed amusement. And maybe something else. The tug in her belly was immediate, and she all but lifted her nose to catch his scent. For a moment she let herself revel in everything male that was Magee: muscle, strength, and possibly the biggest aphrodisiac for her—irreverence.
He motioned for her to sit as he said, “Well, if you consider talking to Dimar interacting with something not of this world, then the answer is yes.”
She took a seat, leaving the one between them empty. Wouldn’t want him to get the wrong idea.
“Sometimes I have trouble sleeping in the jungle,” he said.
“Is that a sleeping aid?” she asked as he took a sip from his canteen.
He replaced the lid. “Nah. Just water. Can you play backgammon, Galloway?”
“Yes. I used to play with my grandfather.”
“I’ll be right back.”
He disappeared, and then returned with a mini version of the game. He unfolded the board and proceeded to set it up on the empty chair between them.
“Why backgammon?” she asked, helping him organize the pieces in the glow of the firelight.
“It was my dad’s favorite. Did you know it’s one of the oldest known board games?”
“I do. They’ve found evidence of it in Mesopotamia. Maybe it was a gift from their alien benefactors.”
“The dice were made from human bones, so no alien intervention likely.”
“You do know your artifacts.”
“I try.” He handed her a die, his hand brushing hers. “Need a refresher on the rules?”
“Nope, I’m good,” she replied, pretending his touch hadn’t left a burn mark.
Copyright © 2021 K. McCaffrey LLC
Cold Horizon has won First Place in Romantic Suspense!!
I'm so excited to share that COLD HORIZON has won First Place in Romantic Suspense for the National Excellence in Romance Fiction!! This award is sponsored by the First Coast Chapter of Romance Writers of America, based out of Jacksonville, Florida.
This book was a challenge to write, so I'm absolutely thrilled it's resonated with readers. Lindsey Coulson is a favorite heroine for me and has proven to be an inspiration to others with her fortitude and tenacity. And Ty Galloway's work ethic and obvious devotion to Lindsey was a pleasure to write.
If you haven't read it yet, I hope you'll give it a try.
Available in eBook (Kindle, Nook, Apple Books, Kobo and Google Play) and in paperback
Learn more here
Excerpt from Cold Horizon
“All the 8000-meter peaks have been conquered with winter ascents now, except for K2,” Ty said, seeking to change the subject. “As usual, she’s holding out. Here’s another interesting fact—K2 is the site of the most famous belay in mountaineering history.”
“I’m hoping to get a photo as we pass the spot,” Packer said. “I’m gonna put it on my social media with hashtag ‘BadAssBelay.’”
“Why is it so famous?” Brynn asked.
“One man held the force of six falling men,” Ditch replied. “It was in 1953 and the summit of K2 had yet to be reached by anyone. The expedition—only the fifth one here—wouldn’t reach it either. It was an American team led by a man named Charles Houston, an excellent and well-respected climber. They had made it quite high on the mountain when one of their teammates, a man named Art Gilkey, for whom the memorial here is named, became very ill. They had to bring him down in a makeshift stretcher, which is a very dangerous thing to do. At one point, each man slipped in fast succession, becoming entangled in the ropes. A young climber named Pete Schoening was at the end, and he held them all, saving their lives. It was an incredible feat, really. Unfortunately, later, they anchored Gilkey to the mountain while they set up a tent, and he disappeared, likely swept away by an avalanche.”
Brynn took a sip of coffee from her mug. “Don’t all of you find the death in these places unsettling?”
“You can’t let it get to you,” David said. “On Everest, some of the dead are still where they died. You walk right by them.”
“One of the markers to the summit is Green Boots,” Ditch said. “I think he was an Indian climber.”
“They just freeze and are left there?” Captain Juneid asked, having remained silent during the meal.
“It’s too dangerous to move them,” Ditch replied. “It sounds unfeeling, but if they’re dead, they don’t need to get down the mountain.”
“Sometimes climbers try to bring bodies down,” Ty said quietly, glancing at Lindsey. Alison’s body was somewhere on K2. “But most of the time it’s all they can do to get themselves down safely.”
“Well, if I freeze my ass to K2, I give everyone here the green light to leave me,” Packer said. “I’d be happy to spend eternity here. Then everyone can pass me by, referring to the Packer marker.”
Ditch smirked. “You mean they’d be saying ‘The summit is just beyond the asshole blocking the route.’”
Packer let out a whoop. “I’ve been called worse.”
Brynn’s face took on an expression of concern. “I know climbing is addictive—I surfed for years, so I get the mentality—but really, why do you all do it?”
“It beats working,” Packer said.
Ditch finished off his coffee. “Which I don’t think you’ve ever done.”
“If you’re nice to me, I’ll let you rope up with me.”
“I think I’ll rope with Lindsey.”
Packer released an exaggerated sigh. “God, I hate it when there’s a better climber on the team than me. I have to work so much harder. Wait a minute, why do you get to rope up with the lady?”
Lindsey looked at Brynn. “Are you sure you don’t want to take up climbing?”
“Maybe I will. But I can see why you always climbed with your sister.”
“You girls are too picky,” Packer said.
“Just watch yourself,” Ty cut in. “There’ll be no messing around with my sister.”
Glee filled Packer’s face. “But Lindsey’s fair game?”
“No.” Lindsey answered at the same time as Ty.
He immediately regretted the force of his opposition, the hair rising on the back of his neck. The protectiveness for his sister didn’t surprise him, but hell if he wanted anyone laying claim to Lindsey.
Shit. So much for keeping his feelings under the radar.
Copyright © 2019 K. McCaffrey LLC
This book was a challenge to write, so I'm absolutely thrilled it's resonated with readers. Lindsey Coulson is a favorite heroine for me and has proven to be an inspiration to others with her fortitude and tenacity. And Ty Galloway's work ethic and obvious devotion to Lindsey was a pleasure to write.
If you haven't read it yet, I hope you'll give it a try.
Available in eBook (Kindle, Nook, Apple Books, Kobo and Google Play) and in paperback
Learn more here
Excerpt from Cold Horizon
“All the 8000-meter peaks have been conquered with winter ascents now, except for K2,” Ty said, seeking to change the subject. “As usual, she’s holding out. Here’s another interesting fact—K2 is the site of the most famous belay in mountaineering history.”
“I’m hoping to get a photo as we pass the spot,” Packer said. “I’m gonna put it on my social media with hashtag ‘BadAssBelay.’”
“Why is it so famous?” Brynn asked.
“One man held the force of six falling men,” Ditch replied. “It was in 1953 and the summit of K2 had yet to be reached by anyone. The expedition—only the fifth one here—wouldn’t reach it either. It was an American team led by a man named Charles Houston, an excellent and well-respected climber. They had made it quite high on the mountain when one of their teammates, a man named Art Gilkey, for whom the memorial here is named, became very ill. They had to bring him down in a makeshift stretcher, which is a very dangerous thing to do. At one point, each man slipped in fast succession, becoming entangled in the ropes. A young climber named Pete Schoening was at the end, and he held them all, saving their lives. It was an incredible feat, really. Unfortunately, later, they anchored Gilkey to the mountain while they set up a tent, and he disappeared, likely swept away by an avalanche.”
Brynn took a sip of coffee from her mug. “Don’t all of you find the death in these places unsettling?”
“You can’t let it get to you,” David said. “On Everest, some of the dead are still where they died. You walk right by them.”
“One of the markers to the summit is Green Boots,” Ditch said. “I think he was an Indian climber.”
“They just freeze and are left there?” Captain Juneid asked, having remained silent during the meal.
“It’s too dangerous to move them,” Ditch replied. “It sounds unfeeling, but if they’re dead, they don’t need to get down the mountain.”
“Sometimes climbers try to bring bodies down,” Ty said quietly, glancing at Lindsey. Alison’s body was somewhere on K2. “But most of the time it’s all they can do to get themselves down safely.”
“Well, if I freeze my ass to K2, I give everyone here the green light to leave me,” Packer said. “I’d be happy to spend eternity here. Then everyone can pass me by, referring to the Packer marker.”
Ditch smirked. “You mean they’d be saying ‘The summit is just beyond the asshole blocking the route.’”
Packer let out a whoop. “I’ve been called worse.”
Brynn’s face took on an expression of concern. “I know climbing is addictive—I surfed for years, so I get the mentality—but really, why do you all do it?”
“It beats working,” Packer said.
Ditch finished off his coffee. “Which I don’t think you’ve ever done.”
“If you’re nice to me, I’ll let you rope up with me.”
“I think I’ll rope with Lindsey.”
Packer released an exaggerated sigh. “God, I hate it when there’s a better climber on the team than me. I have to work so much harder. Wait a minute, why do you get to rope up with the lady?”
Lindsey looked at Brynn. “Are you sure you don’t want to take up climbing?”
“Maybe I will. But I can see why you always climbed with your sister.”
“You girls are too picky,” Packer said.
“Just watch yourself,” Ty cut in. “There’ll be no messing around with my sister.”
Glee filled Packer’s face. “But Lindsey’s fair game?”
“No.” Lindsey answered at the same time as Ty.
He immediately regretted the force of his opposition, the hair rising on the back of his neck. The protectiveness for his sister didn’t surprise him, but hell if he wanted anyone laying claim to Lindsey.
Shit. So much for keeping his feelings under the radar.
Copyright © 2019 K. McCaffrey LLC
The Crow Brothers Collection
By Kristy McCaffrey
This collection brings together into one great read three short Old West romances set during Hallowtide. Each was previously published (and the content hasn’t changed), but in addition to wide availability (Amazon, Nook, Kobo, Apple Books, and Google Play) they’re now available in paperback. Read to the end for a chance to win a copy.
A little background for each story:
The Navajo medicine man works to restore balance to an individual’s spirit and is usually called upon for illnesses and other maladies. The opposite of this is a sorcerer, and there were rumors that some practitioners dabbled in corpse powder. In The Crow and The Coyote, Hannah Dobbin enlists the aid of a bounty hunter named Jack Boggs—sometimes called The Crow—to help her quest to save her pa’s soul during Hallowtide. Her foe is a Navajo sorcerer.
A Tommyknocker is a type of troll spirit who lives underground and was therefore of great concern to miners. The term originated in the British Isles, but superstitions surrounding the beings filtered into other places. Miners in Colorado took great care to appease the Knockers by leaving a bit of their lunch out for the sprites. In The Crow and The Bear, Jennie Livingstone must enter a haunted ravine near the town of Silverton, Colorado, to find her papa, and her only help is from enigmatic bounty hunter Callum Boggs, known as The Crow, but there's also a spirit named Simon keeping watch over her.
A grimoire is a book of magic. It often included instructions on how to create talismans and amulets, how to perform spells, and how to invoke supernatural entities. In many cases, the books themselves were considered imbued with magical powers, not unlike other sacred texts (such as the Bible). The term ‘grimoire’ comes from the French word ‘grammaire,’ which originally referred to books written in Latin. But by the 18th century, it had begun to be used to describe books of magic. In A Murder of Crows, Eliza McCulloch is determined to reclaim her family book of spells and her only hope is Kester Boggs, a manhunter named The Crow.
Grab a digital copy
Amazon
Nook
Apple Books
Kobo
Google Play
Add to your Goodreads shelf
Enter to win an autographed paperback at Kristy’s website. Giveaway ends October 31.
This collection brings together into one great read three short Old West romances set during Hallowtide. Each was previously published (and the content hasn’t changed), but in addition to wide availability (Amazon, Nook, Kobo, Apple Books, and Google Play) they’re now available in paperback. Read to the end for a chance to win a copy.
A little background for each story:
The Navajo medicine man works to restore balance to an individual’s spirit and is usually called upon for illnesses and other maladies. The opposite of this is a sorcerer, and there were rumors that some practitioners dabbled in corpse powder. In The Crow and The Coyote, Hannah Dobbin enlists the aid of a bounty hunter named Jack Boggs—sometimes called The Crow—to help her quest to save her pa’s soul during Hallowtide. Her foe is a Navajo sorcerer.
A Tommyknocker is a type of troll spirit who lives underground and was therefore of great concern to miners. The term originated in the British Isles, but superstitions surrounding the beings filtered into other places. Miners in Colorado took great care to appease the Knockers by leaving a bit of their lunch out for the sprites. In The Crow and The Bear, Jennie Livingstone must enter a haunted ravine near the town of Silverton, Colorado, to find her papa, and her only help is from enigmatic bounty hunter Callum Boggs, known as The Crow, but there's also a spirit named Simon keeping watch over her.
A grimoire is a book of magic. It often included instructions on how to create talismans and amulets, how to perform spells, and how to invoke supernatural entities. In many cases, the books themselves were considered imbued with magical powers, not unlike other sacred texts (such as the Bible). The term ‘grimoire’ comes from the French word ‘grammaire,’ which originally referred to books written in Latin. But by the 18th century, it had begun to be used to describe books of magic. In A Murder of Crows, Eliza McCulloch is determined to reclaim her family book of spells and her only hope is Kester Boggs, a manhunter named The Crow.
Grab a digital copy
Amazon
Nook
Apple Books
Kobo
Google Play
Add to your Goodreads shelf
Enter to win an autographed paperback at Kristy’s website. Giveaway ends October 31.
The Songbird is Now Available
By Kristy McCaffrey
It's release day!! I had such fun revisiting Matt and Molly from THE WREN along with writing my first western in a good long while. I hope you'll join me in seeing what they've been up to.
This novella finds Matt and Molly 15 years after THE WREN, and Molly's past with the Comanche is about to catch up with her. This story includes other couples from the Wings of the West series, and you'll meet the daughters of the second generation. (Soon to star in their own novels.)
"It was so great to come back ... to read more of this series … can't wait for more." ~ Goodreads Reviewer
“Love, adventure, mystery and thriller all rolled into one.” ~ Goodreads Reviewer
"The themes of past trauma, hope, redemption, and teamwork were prevalent throughout ... I highly recommend this!" ~ Amazon Reviewer
Excerpt
Matt entered the restaurant and hung his hat on a peg, Nathan and Bill Harner behind him. When he spotted Molly sitting with Emma, he made his way to the table and leaned down to kiss Molly’s cheek.
“I want you to meet someone.” Stepping aside, he said, “This is Bill Harner.”
Surprise crossed Molly’s face. “You were at the corral today with the horse with the colorful noseband.”
Bill nodded. “That was me. It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”
“Bill was a Texas Ranger,” Matt said, taking a chair beside his wife. “We ran into him this morning and invited him to supper. I hope you don’t mind.”
“No, not at all.”
Once the men were seated, a waitress took everyone’s orders.
“Were you all in the same company together?” Emma asked Bill, indicating her husband, Nathan, and Matt.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Matt almost smiled at Harner’s formality, since he wasn’t much older than either Molly or Emma. “You were the youngster the year Nathan and I left,” he said.
“It’s really nice to see you again, sir,” Bill said. “I’d heard that you’d been rescued after Cerillo captured you. I guess I wasn’t surprised you didn’t return to duty after that.”
“It was Nathan who got me out,” Matt said, trying to gloss over that memory.
“I’m glad you survived, sir.”
“You can call me Matt.” He’d said as much earlier, but it had apparently not taken.
The waitress brought drinks for everyone. Bill nodded and smiled and took a large gulp of water.
Matt glanced at his wife, taking in her peaked appearance. It was subtle, but he knew Molly better than anyone. Leaning close, he said in a low voice, “Are you all right?” He worried she might be coming down with something. She hadn’t been sleeping well since they’d arrived in Denton two days ago, and even before that she’d been plagued with bad dreams of her Comanche family for the last few months.
Just as he didn’t much care to discuss his capture and incarceration of several months by Augusto Cerillo, a Mexican outlaw, Molly generally didn’t speak of the trauma of her childhood, which had included the murder of her folks. He still had the occasional bad dream. Is that what Molly was dealing with? Was she having flashbacks to what had happened to her when she was young? Did it have anything to do with their own children? Eli was fourteen now, Katie twelve, and Josie was eleven. Molly had been nine when she’d been taken, so their children were a bit older, but still, it was hard to fathom how she had coped.
But she surprised him with a broad smile that instantly transformed her into the beauty he’d been blessed to share his life with these past fifteen years. There was no doubt he would be lost without her.
“I’m fine,” she replied, and clasped his hand in a reassuring squeeze. She turned her attention to Bill. “Mister Harner, how did you come by that noseband on the horse you were showing?”
“My wife made it.”
“Who was that boy with you?”
Bill seemed a bit taken back. “Well, that was my son.”
“Is he ….” Molly’s voice trailed off.
“Is he what?” Matt asked, his brows furrowing. Molly’s behavior was confusing him.
She appeared a bit chagrined and took a sip of her lemonade before saying, “When I was a child, I lived with the Comanche for many years. Your son … he has the look of them. Is your wife also of the People?”
Bill had gone silent, his face pinched and shuttered. Matt didn’t know what to say. Molly rarely confronted others in such a way.
Her eyes widened, and she quickly added, “My apologies. It’s just … when I saw your horse, it took me back to that time.”
Bill cleared his throat. “Mrs. Ryan, I had no idea you were taken as a child. That must’ve been a trying experience.”
“Yes.”
Available in eBook and paperback.
Amazon US: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdAmazonUS
Amazon UK: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdAmazonUK
Amazon CA: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdAmazonCA
Amazon AU: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdAmazonAU
Amazon DE (English version): https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdDEengl...
Nook: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdNook
Apple Books: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdAppleB...
Kobo: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdKobo
Google Play: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdGoogle...
Print: https://www.amazon.com/Songbird-Wings...
It's release day!! I had such fun revisiting Matt and Molly from THE WREN along with writing my first western in a good long while. I hope you'll join me in seeing what they've been up to.
This novella finds Matt and Molly 15 years after THE WREN, and Molly's past with the Comanche is about to catch up with her. This story includes other couples from the Wings of the West series, and you'll meet the daughters of the second generation. (Soon to star in their own novels.)
"It was so great to come back ... to read more of this series … can't wait for more." ~ Goodreads Reviewer
“Love, adventure, mystery and thriller all rolled into one.” ~ Goodreads Reviewer
"The themes of past trauma, hope, redemption, and teamwork were prevalent throughout ... I highly recommend this!" ~ Amazon Reviewer
Excerpt
Matt entered the restaurant and hung his hat on a peg, Nathan and Bill Harner behind him. When he spotted Molly sitting with Emma, he made his way to the table and leaned down to kiss Molly’s cheek.
“I want you to meet someone.” Stepping aside, he said, “This is Bill Harner.”
Surprise crossed Molly’s face. “You were at the corral today with the horse with the colorful noseband.”
Bill nodded. “That was me. It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”
“Bill was a Texas Ranger,” Matt said, taking a chair beside his wife. “We ran into him this morning and invited him to supper. I hope you don’t mind.”
“No, not at all.”
Once the men were seated, a waitress took everyone’s orders.
“Were you all in the same company together?” Emma asked Bill, indicating her husband, Nathan, and Matt.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Matt almost smiled at Harner’s formality, since he wasn’t much older than either Molly or Emma. “You were the youngster the year Nathan and I left,” he said.
“It’s really nice to see you again, sir,” Bill said. “I’d heard that you’d been rescued after Cerillo captured you. I guess I wasn’t surprised you didn’t return to duty after that.”
“It was Nathan who got me out,” Matt said, trying to gloss over that memory.
“I’m glad you survived, sir.”
“You can call me Matt.” He’d said as much earlier, but it had apparently not taken.
The waitress brought drinks for everyone. Bill nodded and smiled and took a large gulp of water.
Matt glanced at his wife, taking in her peaked appearance. It was subtle, but he knew Molly better than anyone. Leaning close, he said in a low voice, “Are you all right?” He worried she might be coming down with something. She hadn’t been sleeping well since they’d arrived in Denton two days ago, and even before that she’d been plagued with bad dreams of her Comanche family for the last few months.
Just as he didn’t much care to discuss his capture and incarceration of several months by Augusto Cerillo, a Mexican outlaw, Molly generally didn’t speak of the trauma of her childhood, which had included the murder of her folks. He still had the occasional bad dream. Is that what Molly was dealing with? Was she having flashbacks to what had happened to her when she was young? Did it have anything to do with their own children? Eli was fourteen now, Katie twelve, and Josie was eleven. Molly had been nine when she’d been taken, so their children were a bit older, but still, it was hard to fathom how she had coped.
But she surprised him with a broad smile that instantly transformed her into the beauty he’d been blessed to share his life with these past fifteen years. There was no doubt he would be lost without her.
“I’m fine,” she replied, and clasped his hand in a reassuring squeeze. She turned her attention to Bill. “Mister Harner, how did you come by that noseband on the horse you were showing?”
“My wife made it.”
“Who was that boy with you?”
Bill seemed a bit taken back. “Well, that was my son.”
“Is he ….” Molly’s voice trailed off.
“Is he what?” Matt asked, his brows furrowing. Molly’s behavior was confusing him.
She appeared a bit chagrined and took a sip of her lemonade before saying, “When I was a child, I lived with the Comanche for many years. Your son … he has the look of them. Is your wife also of the People?”
Bill had gone silent, his face pinched and shuttered. Matt didn’t know what to say. Molly rarely confronted others in such a way.
Her eyes widened, and she quickly added, “My apologies. It’s just … when I saw your horse, it took me back to that time.”
Bill cleared his throat. “Mrs. Ryan, I had no idea you were taken as a child. That must’ve been a trying experience.”
“Yes.”
Available in eBook and paperback.
Amazon US: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdAmazonUS
Amazon UK: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdAmazonUK
Amazon CA: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdAmazonCA
Amazon AU: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdAmazonAU
Amazon DE (English version): https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdDEengl...
Nook: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdNook
Apple Books: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdAppleB...
Kobo: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdKobo
Google Play: https://kmccaffrey.com/SongbirdGoogle...
Print: https://www.amazon.com/Songbird-Wings...
Pre-Order The Starling
By Kristy McCaffrey
A brand new Wings of the West novel is coming August 2nd!!
Pinkerton Henry Maguire is about to gain an unwanted “wife” in the form of new agent Kate Ryan.
Kate is the daughter of Matt and Molly from THE WREN, and THE STARLING is the first of five novels featuring the second generation of Ryans in the Wings of the West series.
Colorado
1899
Kate Ryan has always had a streak of justice in her. When she decides to apply to the Pinkerton Detective Agency, nothing will stand in her way. Initially hired in a clerical position, she quickly works her way up to field agent with the help of her mentor, Louise Foster. When Louise is injured, Kate gets her first assignment and the opportunity of a lifetime.
Henry Maguire has been undercover in the household of wealthy entrepreneur Arthur Wingate. Employed as a ghostwriter to pen the man’s memoir, Henry is also searching for clues to a lucrative counterfeiting scheme. When Henry’s “wife” shows up, he’s taken aback by the attractive woman who isn’t Louise. Now he must work with a female agent he doesn’t know and doesn’t necessarily trust. And because he has another reason for coming into Wingate’s world, Kate Ryan is unavoidably in his way.
Excerpt from The Starling
Kate slid a sidelong glance at him. “Did you learn anything this evening?”
Only that you’re an enigma, and I can’t fathom my reaction to you.
“I did.” Henry hoped he wasn’t slurring his words.
When he didn’t elaborate, Kate said, “Well?” Her tone was tinged with annoyance.
“You sound upset,” he said.
“When I told you to watch the brandy, I didn’t tell you to go and drink the brandy.”
“I’m not happy about this either,” he muttered under his breath. He never let his guard down while working. Until now. Until Kate Ryan.
It was easier to blame her than the fact that he was unsettled about spending time with Wingate more than he had anticipated.
Her eyes lingered on him, and he held her gaze, drinking in the fierce intelligence reflected at him. He’d never had much use for meek women. Kate Ryan’s ambition, dedication, and obvious independence matched his own.
But she was so young. What could she possibly bring to the table? Except that she was beautiful and confident and capable. In that moment, he knew she would go far in the Pinkertons.
The hunger for her ignited in a flash, far more intense than earlier. He turned away before she sensed it, before he did something stupid like try to kiss her. Not that she’d given any indication of reciprocating the attraction.
He clamped down on his very male reaction, knowing it would ruin whatever working relationship the two of them might have. He needed to concentrate on that, because if she was as intelligent as he suspected, he would have a hard time keeping her away from his true mission of ferreting out what had happened to his father.
Pre-Order your digital copy now!
Print will be available in August.
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon AU
Amazon CA
Amazon DE (English version)
Amazon IT (English version)
Nook
Apple Books
Google Play and Kobo links coming soon.
Add The Starling to your Goodreads TBR shelf
A brand new Wings of the West novel is coming August 2nd!!
Pinkerton Henry Maguire is about to gain an unwanted “wife” in the form of new agent Kate Ryan.
Kate is the daughter of Matt and Molly from THE WREN, and THE STARLING is the first of five novels featuring the second generation of Ryans in the Wings of the West series.
Colorado
1899
Kate Ryan has always had a streak of justice in her. When she decides to apply to the Pinkerton Detective Agency, nothing will stand in her way. Initially hired in a clerical position, she quickly works her way up to field agent with the help of her mentor, Louise Foster. When Louise is injured, Kate gets her first assignment and the opportunity of a lifetime.
Henry Maguire has been undercover in the household of wealthy entrepreneur Arthur Wingate. Employed as a ghostwriter to pen the man’s memoir, Henry is also searching for clues to a lucrative counterfeiting scheme. When Henry’s “wife” shows up, he’s taken aback by the attractive woman who isn’t Louise. Now he must work with a female agent he doesn’t know and doesn’t necessarily trust. And because he has another reason for coming into Wingate’s world, Kate Ryan is unavoidably in his way.
Excerpt from The Starling
Kate slid a sidelong glance at him. “Did you learn anything this evening?”
Only that you’re an enigma, and I can’t fathom my reaction to you.
“I did.” Henry hoped he wasn’t slurring his words.
When he didn’t elaborate, Kate said, “Well?” Her tone was tinged with annoyance.
“You sound upset,” he said.
“When I told you to watch the brandy, I didn’t tell you to go and drink the brandy.”
“I’m not happy about this either,” he muttered under his breath. He never let his guard down while working. Until now. Until Kate Ryan.
It was easier to blame her than the fact that he was unsettled about spending time with Wingate more than he had anticipated.
Her eyes lingered on him, and he held her gaze, drinking in the fierce intelligence reflected at him. He’d never had much use for meek women. Kate Ryan’s ambition, dedication, and obvious independence matched his own.
But she was so young. What could she possibly bring to the table? Except that she was beautiful and confident and capable. In that moment, he knew she would go far in the Pinkertons.
The hunger for her ignited in a flash, far more intense than earlier. He turned away before she sensed it, before he did something stupid like try to kiss her. Not that she’d given any indication of reciprocating the attraction.
He clamped down on his very male reaction, knowing it would ruin whatever working relationship the two of them might have. He needed to concentrate on that, because if she was as intelligent as he suspected, he would have a hard time keeping her away from his true mission of ferreting out what had happened to his father.
Pre-Order your digital copy now!
Print will be available in August.
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon AU
Amazon CA
Amazon DE (English version)
Amazon IT (English version)
Nook
Apple Books
Google Play and Kobo links coming soon.
Add The Starling to your Goodreads TBR shelf
Author Kristy McCaffrey
Kristy McCaffrey writes western historical and contemporary romances. She and her husband live in Arizona with their two dogs. Visit her online at kristymccaffrey.com.
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