Kristy McCaffrey's Blog: Author Kristy McCaffrey - Posts Tagged "wings-of-the-west"
New Release – The Blackbird by Kristy McCaffrey
I'm so pleased to announce that Book Four in my Wings of the West series, The Blackbird, is now available in digital formats!!
Historical Western Romance
Rating: Steamy
Kindle
Smashwords
***The links for Nook, iTunes and Kobo should be live in a few days.
Arizona Territory 1877
Bounty hunter Cale Walker arrives in Tucson to search for J. Howard “Hank” Carlisle at the request of his daughter, Tess. Hank mentored Cale before a falling out divided them, and a mountain lion attack left Cale nearly dead. Rescued by a band of Nednai Apache, his wounds were considered a powerful omen and he was taught the ways of a di-yin, or a medicine man. To locate Hank, Cale must enter the Dragoon Mountains, straddling two worlds that no longer fit. But he has an even bigger problem—finding a way into the heart of a young woman determined to live life as a bystander.
For two years, Tess Carlisle has tried to heal the mental and physical wounds of a deadly assault by one of her papá’s men. Continuing the traditions of her Mexican heritage, she has honed her skills as a cuentista, a storyteller and a Keeper of the Old Ways. But with no contact from her father since the attack, she fears the worst. Tess knows that to reenter Hank Carlisle’s world is a dangerous endeavor, and her only hope is Cale Walker, a man unlike any she has ever known. Determined to make a journey that could lead straight into the path of her attacker, she hardens her resolve along with her heart. But Cale makes her yearn for something she vowed she never would—love.
First Kiss Excerpt
After they ate and cleaned up, Tess excused herself and went behind the mesquite for privacy, limping but determined to not use her cane. After attending to personal matters, she paused to watch the still nearly-full moon shining brightly in the starry sky. The horses snorted nearby, and she went to them for a brief visit. Gideon happily greeted her with a nudge, and to Tess’s surprise, so did Bo.
She reveled in the affection of the two boys, but when she moved to Moses he rebuffed her, which also made her smile.
“I can respect that,” she whispered.
As she walked back toward Cale and the fire, her foot caught on a rock and she tripped. Falling to the side, she landed hard against a boulder with her injured leg. She must have screamed because Cale appeared within seconds.
“What happened?” he asked. “I was getting concerned when you didn’t return.”
“Nothing.” Hating her weakness, she tried to push his hands away and stand, but her leg gave out. He caught her and held her upright. “I just fell, that's all. I'll be fine. Just give me a moment.”
Cale lifted her into his arms and carried her back to the fire. He settled her atop her pallet and knelt before her. “Tess, will you let me have a look at it?”
Panic swept her. “No.”
“What are you afraid of? That I haven't seen anything so hideous before?”
A response clogged her throat.
He removed his vest, then began unbuttoning the placket on his blue chambray shirt. Alarm snaked down her spine. “What...what are you...”
“I want to show you my injury.”
“Oh.” She really couldn't reconcile her ambivalence. On the one hand, any overture by a man that came close to indicating sexual contact set her heart to pounding and filled her with an overwhelming urge to flee. On the other, slivers of curiosity sometimes whispered in her ear, of what it could be like with a man who cared, of what hidden magic such contact could hold. She carried many stories in her repertoire, and there had been those of wild, desperate longings between a man and a woman, of a love so fierce it changed the world. Could those tales be believed? What would it be like to love a man such as Cale?
He pulled his shirt over his head, and shifted to face her better. Her eyes settled onto his right shoulder. Mottled and disfigured, it was covered with scars intersecting like a spider's web. More marks ran across his chest and ribs, prohibiting the growth of hair in places. He twisted his torso to show her a large, disfigured patch of injured flesh just above his trousers.
“The attack must have been thorough,” she whispered, stunned by what she saw. “Are you in any pain?”
“At times, but it's almost a phantom pain, pulsing with a memory of what it once was.”
She nodded, understanding. “Did it reach the muscle?”
“Some. I can't rotate my arm completely.”
“How can you shoot?”
“It's not bad now. I became proficient using my left arm, for many things.”
She swallowed down her reticence, and pulled the skirt to her waist along with the petticoat. Unable to look at Cale, she kept her gaze down. She brought the drawers as high as she could then rolled the stocking to the edge of her boot so that Cale could see her leg.
He shifted closer and brought a large hand to the side of her calf, causing an involuntary flinch from her.
“Easy.” He studied her leg in the firelight.
She tried to suppress her unease, but her body began to tremble. Shifting her focus to his close proximity, she studied his wide shoulders, noticing the sheen of sweat on his muscled arms. Despite his disfigurement, it was obvious he was a strong man. It both unnerved and drew her in.
He brought his other hand to her leg and the warmth of his touch spread across her skin. As he gently probed the long-healed injury, the shaking of her body increased. Her heart drummed swiftly in her chest, and she struggled to breathe.
Cale brought his gaze to hers, and for a moment their eyes locked. The sadness reflected back caught her unaware.
“Tess, I'm not going to hurt you.” He gently repositioned her stocking, then the pantalets, then the skirt, and scooted away from her. He donned his shirt.
Tension began to drain from her, replaced by a bone-draining exhaustion. “I know.” She’d barely gotten the words out.
“Your leg doesn't look that bad.” Using a stick, he pushed the burning fire around a bit.
Tess tried to suppress the tears, but one slid down her cheek. Thankfully, Cale pretended not to notice.
“The injury is much more than the leg,” she said thickly.
He did look at her now, but she kept her eyes on the flames before her.
“You can recover from that, too.”
She hung her head. “How?” The sob escaped before she could stop it.
“What do you dream about?”
She wiped at her face and frowned. “I'm not sure what you mean.”
“What do you normally dream about?”
“I dream of mi abuela.” She shifted her injured leg to a bent position. It was sore but this sometimes helped the pulsating pain to abate. “I dream of her a lot, actually. I also dream of Hank. Those are usually angry, or rather I'm very angry. I act the role of a shrew. And I dream of...Saul. I don't like those. I try not to remember them.”
“The Apache believe dreams are much more than just stories in our heads at night,” Cale said. “Actually, I've met many Indians—and some gringos—who believe the same. Within dreams we can sometimes make peace in a way we can't do in the waking world.”
“How would I do that?”
“Next time you're with Miller, try to move in the dream differently than you normally do. Try to be more decisive. Maybe fight back.”
Rage flared inside her in an instant. “I fought back.”
“No, that's not what I meant.” He held up his hand. “I'm sorry. I'm not insinuating anything. I just meant that slowly, while inside that dream, try to change the outcome.”
“But what would that do? Turn back time? Make it never happen?”
“No, of course not. But it will heal your spirit.” His gaze met hers. “It'll take time, but it can work.”
“Has this technique helped you?”
“It has.” Cale rubbed the back of his neck then rested an arm on a bent knee, releasing a frustrated sigh. “But some wounds are deep. They have to be peeled away layer by layer, much like an onion. I’m still working on mine, and I’ll admit that the remorse and the shame never quite disappear. But the memory doesn’t sting like a wasp anymore.
“How long do you want to keep suffering?” he continued, his voice sympathetic. “Months, years? You’re eighteen years old, Tess. You're a beautiful young woman with an injured leg, who's thinking of joining a convent so no man will never touch you again. If that's what you truly want, then so be it. But don't let that bastard take your entire life from you before you've had the chance to choose. And by bastard, I mean not just Saul, but Hank, too.”
“You speak about it like it's the easiest thing in the world.”
“Of course it's not easy. Life is a shithole sometimes.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry for the language, but I don't like seeing you recoil like a frightened animal.”
Shame flooded her from the trembling earlier.
Cale moved to her and gripped her shoulders. “You can overcome this. Not every man is out to hurt you.” He brought his hands to her face and cupped her cheeks.
She knew he would kiss her.
She wanted him to, but at the same time her body rebelled, so she closed her eyes.
“Go ahead,” she whispered.
She was surprised by the barest brush of his lips against hers. Slowly, he made more contact, kissing her gently, but with each pass he deepened the connection more. For Tess, it was achingly sweet, sweeter than she'd ever imagined. But her body shook, from head to toe, and her ragged breathing made it difficult for her to calm down, to enjoy her first, real kiss.
He settled in closer, kneeling before her. She kept her eyes shut as his thumb caressed her lower lip, as he nuzzled her cheek.
“Look at me, Tess.” Despite the demand, his voice was kind.
She opened her eyes. His face hovered close to hers, and a hint of a smile tugged at his lips. He only touched her face, nowhere else.
His blue eyes held desire, but he seemed in no hurry to move any faster.
Although he made a point to shave every few days, his newly-budding whiskers poked her. Despite his restraint, his mouth met hers with a growing hunger, stirring a longing that grew inside her abdomen. He tasted of coffee and the stew they’d just eaten, and she liked it.
His mouth retreated, but she moved forward and kissed him, not wanting the contact to stop. He responded, molding his lips over hers. Her hands grasped his wrists, wanting to touch him but hesitant to initiate more.
The kiss became more urgent, and when Tess opened her lips his tongue swept briefly inside, shocking her. She stilled.
He pulled back, but his face remained only inches from hers.
“You don't have to worry,” he said. “You can set the pace. You can always tell me to stop.”
She wanted to believe him. “Why would you do this when there are other women with far less difficulties?”
He grinned and leaned away. “None of ’em are you.”
She didn't know what to say.
Did he mean it? Did it matter if he didn't?
Perhaps she could learn to trust again, to decide if life in a convent was truly the best course of action.
Cale called to her like the magic in a story, giving hope in the words that weren't said. The taste of him lingered on her lips, and her body hummed with something other than panic.
“I have something that might help with the pain in your leg,” he said. She watched him retrieve two fist-sized stones from the fire by pushing them from the flames with a stick, then he placed them in an empty grain sack.
He came to her and crouched, and she wondered if he would kiss her again.
“I’m gonna put this around your knee,” he said. “Then you should try to get some sleep. The heat will help relax the muscles.”
She gave a brief nod when he paused for her permission. Lifting her skirt once again, he wrapped the sack and the hot stones around her damaged leg. She settled onto her pallet as he adjusted the bundle, then pulled the skirt back in place and settled a blanket atop her.
He retrieved a plain buckskin pouch from his belongings, opened it and coated a finger with the yellow substance inside.
“Open your mouth,” he instructed.
“What is that?”
“Ha-dintin. It’s tule pollen, and very sacred to the Apache. It’s also thought to aid in healing.”
She let him slide his finger along her tongue to deposit the substance. The dense powder left a slightly sweet taste.
He leaned down and kissed her forehead.
She grabbed his hand to keep him near. Impulsively, she lifted her head to bring her lips to his.
Despite the terror that pressed in on her, she wanted very much to show Cale that she welcomed his touch.
“I should’ve heated stones for you sooner,” he murmured against her mouth.
“Gracias,” she whispered.
“Sleep well, Tess. Let me guard the shadows for once.”
He slept near to her, and she was glad for his company.
Copyright © 2015 K. McCaffrey LLC
Historical Western Romance
Rating: Steamy
Kindle
Smashwords
***The links for Nook, iTunes and Kobo should be live in a few days.
Arizona Territory 1877
Bounty hunter Cale Walker arrives in Tucson to search for J. Howard “Hank” Carlisle at the request of his daughter, Tess. Hank mentored Cale before a falling out divided them, and a mountain lion attack left Cale nearly dead. Rescued by a band of Nednai Apache, his wounds were considered a powerful omen and he was taught the ways of a di-yin, or a medicine man. To locate Hank, Cale must enter the Dragoon Mountains, straddling two worlds that no longer fit. But he has an even bigger problem—finding a way into the heart of a young woman determined to live life as a bystander.
For two years, Tess Carlisle has tried to heal the mental and physical wounds of a deadly assault by one of her papá’s men. Continuing the traditions of her Mexican heritage, she has honed her skills as a cuentista, a storyteller and a Keeper of the Old Ways. But with no contact from her father since the attack, she fears the worst. Tess knows that to reenter Hank Carlisle’s world is a dangerous endeavor, and her only hope is Cale Walker, a man unlike any she has ever known. Determined to make a journey that could lead straight into the path of her attacker, she hardens her resolve along with her heart. But Cale makes her yearn for something she vowed she never would—love.
First Kiss Excerpt
After they ate and cleaned up, Tess excused herself and went behind the mesquite for privacy, limping but determined to not use her cane. After attending to personal matters, she paused to watch the still nearly-full moon shining brightly in the starry sky. The horses snorted nearby, and she went to them for a brief visit. Gideon happily greeted her with a nudge, and to Tess’s surprise, so did Bo.
She reveled in the affection of the two boys, but when she moved to Moses he rebuffed her, which also made her smile.
“I can respect that,” she whispered.
As she walked back toward Cale and the fire, her foot caught on a rock and she tripped. Falling to the side, she landed hard against a boulder with her injured leg. She must have screamed because Cale appeared within seconds.
“What happened?” he asked. “I was getting concerned when you didn’t return.”
“Nothing.” Hating her weakness, she tried to push his hands away and stand, but her leg gave out. He caught her and held her upright. “I just fell, that's all. I'll be fine. Just give me a moment.”
Cale lifted her into his arms and carried her back to the fire. He settled her atop her pallet and knelt before her. “Tess, will you let me have a look at it?”
Panic swept her. “No.”
“What are you afraid of? That I haven't seen anything so hideous before?”
A response clogged her throat.
He removed his vest, then began unbuttoning the placket on his blue chambray shirt. Alarm snaked down her spine. “What...what are you...”
“I want to show you my injury.”
“Oh.” She really couldn't reconcile her ambivalence. On the one hand, any overture by a man that came close to indicating sexual contact set her heart to pounding and filled her with an overwhelming urge to flee. On the other, slivers of curiosity sometimes whispered in her ear, of what it could be like with a man who cared, of what hidden magic such contact could hold. She carried many stories in her repertoire, and there had been those of wild, desperate longings between a man and a woman, of a love so fierce it changed the world. Could those tales be believed? What would it be like to love a man such as Cale?
He pulled his shirt over his head, and shifted to face her better. Her eyes settled onto his right shoulder. Mottled and disfigured, it was covered with scars intersecting like a spider's web. More marks ran across his chest and ribs, prohibiting the growth of hair in places. He twisted his torso to show her a large, disfigured patch of injured flesh just above his trousers.
“The attack must have been thorough,” she whispered, stunned by what she saw. “Are you in any pain?”
“At times, but it's almost a phantom pain, pulsing with a memory of what it once was.”
She nodded, understanding. “Did it reach the muscle?”
“Some. I can't rotate my arm completely.”
“How can you shoot?”
“It's not bad now. I became proficient using my left arm, for many things.”
She swallowed down her reticence, and pulled the skirt to her waist along with the petticoat. Unable to look at Cale, she kept her gaze down. She brought the drawers as high as she could then rolled the stocking to the edge of her boot so that Cale could see her leg.
He shifted closer and brought a large hand to the side of her calf, causing an involuntary flinch from her.
“Easy.” He studied her leg in the firelight.
She tried to suppress her unease, but her body began to tremble. Shifting her focus to his close proximity, she studied his wide shoulders, noticing the sheen of sweat on his muscled arms. Despite his disfigurement, it was obvious he was a strong man. It both unnerved and drew her in.
He brought his other hand to her leg and the warmth of his touch spread across her skin. As he gently probed the long-healed injury, the shaking of her body increased. Her heart drummed swiftly in her chest, and she struggled to breathe.
Cale brought his gaze to hers, and for a moment their eyes locked. The sadness reflected back caught her unaware.
“Tess, I'm not going to hurt you.” He gently repositioned her stocking, then the pantalets, then the skirt, and scooted away from her. He donned his shirt.
Tension began to drain from her, replaced by a bone-draining exhaustion. “I know.” She’d barely gotten the words out.
“Your leg doesn't look that bad.” Using a stick, he pushed the burning fire around a bit.
Tess tried to suppress the tears, but one slid down her cheek. Thankfully, Cale pretended not to notice.
“The injury is much more than the leg,” she said thickly.
He did look at her now, but she kept her eyes on the flames before her.
“You can recover from that, too.”
She hung her head. “How?” The sob escaped before she could stop it.
“What do you dream about?”
She wiped at her face and frowned. “I'm not sure what you mean.”
“What do you normally dream about?”
“I dream of mi abuela.” She shifted her injured leg to a bent position. It was sore but this sometimes helped the pulsating pain to abate. “I dream of her a lot, actually. I also dream of Hank. Those are usually angry, or rather I'm very angry. I act the role of a shrew. And I dream of...Saul. I don't like those. I try not to remember them.”
“The Apache believe dreams are much more than just stories in our heads at night,” Cale said. “Actually, I've met many Indians—and some gringos—who believe the same. Within dreams we can sometimes make peace in a way we can't do in the waking world.”
“How would I do that?”
“Next time you're with Miller, try to move in the dream differently than you normally do. Try to be more decisive. Maybe fight back.”
Rage flared inside her in an instant. “I fought back.”
“No, that's not what I meant.” He held up his hand. “I'm sorry. I'm not insinuating anything. I just meant that slowly, while inside that dream, try to change the outcome.”
“But what would that do? Turn back time? Make it never happen?”
“No, of course not. But it will heal your spirit.” His gaze met hers. “It'll take time, but it can work.”
“Has this technique helped you?”
“It has.” Cale rubbed the back of his neck then rested an arm on a bent knee, releasing a frustrated sigh. “But some wounds are deep. They have to be peeled away layer by layer, much like an onion. I’m still working on mine, and I’ll admit that the remorse and the shame never quite disappear. But the memory doesn’t sting like a wasp anymore.
“How long do you want to keep suffering?” he continued, his voice sympathetic. “Months, years? You’re eighteen years old, Tess. You're a beautiful young woman with an injured leg, who's thinking of joining a convent so no man will never touch you again. If that's what you truly want, then so be it. But don't let that bastard take your entire life from you before you've had the chance to choose. And by bastard, I mean not just Saul, but Hank, too.”
“You speak about it like it's the easiest thing in the world.”
“Of course it's not easy. Life is a shithole sometimes.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry for the language, but I don't like seeing you recoil like a frightened animal.”
Shame flooded her from the trembling earlier.
Cale moved to her and gripped her shoulders. “You can overcome this. Not every man is out to hurt you.” He brought his hands to her face and cupped her cheeks.
She knew he would kiss her.
She wanted him to, but at the same time her body rebelled, so she closed her eyes.
“Go ahead,” she whispered.
She was surprised by the barest brush of his lips against hers. Slowly, he made more contact, kissing her gently, but with each pass he deepened the connection more. For Tess, it was achingly sweet, sweeter than she'd ever imagined. But her body shook, from head to toe, and her ragged breathing made it difficult for her to calm down, to enjoy her first, real kiss.
He settled in closer, kneeling before her. She kept her eyes shut as his thumb caressed her lower lip, as he nuzzled her cheek.
“Look at me, Tess.” Despite the demand, his voice was kind.
She opened her eyes. His face hovered close to hers, and a hint of a smile tugged at his lips. He only touched her face, nowhere else.
His blue eyes held desire, but he seemed in no hurry to move any faster.
Although he made a point to shave every few days, his newly-budding whiskers poked her. Despite his restraint, his mouth met hers with a growing hunger, stirring a longing that grew inside her abdomen. He tasted of coffee and the stew they’d just eaten, and she liked it.
His mouth retreated, but she moved forward and kissed him, not wanting the contact to stop. He responded, molding his lips over hers. Her hands grasped his wrists, wanting to touch him but hesitant to initiate more.
The kiss became more urgent, and when Tess opened her lips his tongue swept briefly inside, shocking her. She stilled.
He pulled back, but his face remained only inches from hers.
“You don't have to worry,” he said. “You can set the pace. You can always tell me to stop.”
She wanted to believe him. “Why would you do this when there are other women with far less difficulties?”
He grinned and leaned away. “None of ’em are you.”
She didn't know what to say.
Did he mean it? Did it matter if he didn't?
Perhaps she could learn to trust again, to decide if life in a convent was truly the best course of action.
Cale called to her like the magic in a story, giving hope in the words that weren't said. The taste of him lingered on her lips, and her body hummed with something other than panic.
“I have something that might help with the pain in your leg,” he said. She watched him retrieve two fist-sized stones from the fire by pushing them from the flames with a stick, then he placed them in an empty grain sack.
He came to her and crouched, and she wondered if he would kiss her again.
“I’m gonna put this around your knee,” he said. “Then you should try to get some sleep. The heat will help relax the muscles.”
She gave a brief nod when he paused for her permission. Lifting her skirt once again, he wrapped the sack and the hot stones around her damaged leg. She settled onto her pallet as he adjusted the bundle, then pulled the skirt back in place and settled a blanket atop her.
He retrieved a plain buckskin pouch from his belongings, opened it and coated a finger with the yellow substance inside.
“Open your mouth,” he instructed.
“What is that?”
“Ha-dintin. It’s tule pollen, and very sacred to the Apache. It’s also thought to aid in healing.”
She let him slide his finger along her tongue to deposit the substance. The dense powder left a slightly sweet taste.
He leaned down and kissed her forehead.
She grabbed his hand to keep him near. Impulsively, she lifted her head to bring her lips to his.
Despite the terror that pressed in on her, she wanted very much to show Cale that she welcomed his touch.
“I should’ve heated stones for you sooner,” he murmured against her mouth.
“Gracias,” she whispered.
“Sleep well, Tess. Let me guard the shadows for once.”
He slept near to her, and she was glad for his company.
Copyright © 2015 K. McCaffrey LLC
The Blackbird is FREE until Oct. 24.
~ Special Promotion ~
Download THE BLACKBIRD FREE October 20-24th!!
Amazon
Haunted by a deadly attack, Tess Carlisle turns to bounty hunter Cale Walker to find her missing padre. But in the land of the Apache, can he free her heart?
2015 Laramie Winner for Best in Western Romance
Download THE BLACKBIRD FREE October 20-24th!!
Amazon
Haunted by a deadly attack, Tess Carlisle turns to bounty hunter Cale Walker to find her missing padre. But in the land of the Apache, can he free her heart?
2015 Laramie Winner for Best in Western Romance
Wings of the West Epic Sale
By Kristy McCaffrey
It's an epic sale for digital copies of Kristy's Wings of the West series. From March 1 – 15, 2022, grab one or all of them. While the characters overlap, each book can be read as a standalone.
Experience the grit, the hope, and the romance of the Old West with honorable men and courageous women.
The Wren – When Molly Hart returns from the dead, no one is more shocked than Texas Ranger Matt Ryan.
The Dove – Reunited with Logan Ryan on the steps of the White Dove Saloon, Claire Waters hides under the guise of a fancy girl … and lets the ex-deputy believe the worst.
The Sparrow – Within Grand Canyon, raging rapids and ancient spirits sweep Texas Ranger Nathan Blackmore and Emma Hart into a wild adventure.
The Blackbird – Haunted by a deadly attack, Tess Carlisle turns to bounty hunter Cale Walker to find her missing padre. But in the land of the Apache, can he free her heart?
The Bluebird – Molly Rose Simms arrives in Colorado to meet her brother, but instead finds herself searching for the mythical Bluebird mining claim with a man known as The Jackal.
Available on Kindle, Nook, Apple Books, Google Play, and Kobo.
Find all the details here.
It's an epic sale for digital copies of Kristy's Wings of the West series. From March 1 – 15, 2022, grab one or all of them. While the characters overlap, each book can be read as a standalone.
Experience the grit, the hope, and the romance of the Old West with honorable men and courageous women.
The Wren – When Molly Hart returns from the dead, no one is more shocked than Texas Ranger Matt Ryan.
The Dove – Reunited with Logan Ryan on the steps of the White Dove Saloon, Claire Waters hides under the guise of a fancy girl … and lets the ex-deputy believe the worst.
The Sparrow – Within Grand Canyon, raging rapids and ancient spirits sweep Texas Ranger Nathan Blackmore and Emma Hart into a wild adventure.
The Blackbird – Haunted by a deadly attack, Tess Carlisle turns to bounty hunter Cale Walker to find her missing padre. But in the land of the Apache, can he free her heart?
The Bluebird – Molly Rose Simms arrives in Colorado to meet her brother, but instead finds herself searching for the mythical Bluebird mining claim with a man known as The Jackal.
Available on Kindle, Nook, Apple Books, Google Play, and Kobo.
Find all the details here.
National Novel Writing Month and The Canary
By Kristy McCaffrey
Last month was National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo for short. During November, writers from around the world try to write a 50,000-word novel. I signed up to punch out a first draft of my next Wings of the West book, The Canary, and I’m happy to report that I made it to 50k. Is the manuscript readable? Well, kinda ….
This is the fourth time I’ve participated in NaNo, and after much revising I’m happy to say the previous three projects all went to publication (The Blackbird, Deep Blue, and The Starling). The Canary will also need some work, but I’m pleased with what I have.
For previous NaNo’s, my goal was to get to some version of the end of the story, because it often helps to know the ending in order to fine-tune the beginning. This means skipping interior scenes, since my books usually fall between 75-85k.
For this NaNo, however, I changed my method. When I hit 40k, I realized I didn’t like my first chapter. I was working with a fake marriage trope between the main characters, Sarah Ryan and paleontologist Dr. Jack Brenner, but the initial setup left me feeling lackluster. In the first one, Sarah pretends to be married to Jack because she’s run into one of her professors who’s been harassing her, and she’s frightened to be in the Arizona desert with this man. But as I kept writing this premise, I felt it weakened Sarah’s character.
So, for the last 10k of NaNo, I rewrote the first five chapters from scratch, using a different approach to get Sarah and Jack “hitched,” and I like this one much better. I’ll have to tear apart the rest of what I have and repurpose it, but this is how I generally work anyway.
I have a few other projects I must return to, so I’ll start revising The Canary in February. This will allow me time to do more research, which is challenging when trying to write 2,000 words every day. (If you write each day of November during NaNo, you only need 1667 words, but I overwrote so that I could take time off around Thanksgiving).
I will say, though, that the more I read about the dinosaur fossils in the Painted Desert in the late 1800’s, the more intrigued I become.
I’m very excited for this book, and I hope the readers will love it too.
You can pre-order The Canary now at
Amazon
Apple Books
Barnes & Noble
It will also be available at Google Play Books and Kobo but closer to the release date of July 25, 2023.
Would you like a Christmas card from me for 2022? Fill out this Google doc and I’ll add you to the list.
Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Last month was National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo for short. During November, writers from around the world try to write a 50,000-word novel. I signed up to punch out a first draft of my next Wings of the West book, The Canary, and I’m happy to report that I made it to 50k. Is the manuscript readable? Well, kinda ….
This is the fourth time I’ve participated in NaNo, and after much revising I’m happy to say the previous three projects all went to publication (The Blackbird, Deep Blue, and The Starling). The Canary will also need some work, but I’m pleased with what I have.
For previous NaNo’s, my goal was to get to some version of the end of the story, because it often helps to know the ending in order to fine-tune the beginning. This means skipping interior scenes, since my books usually fall between 75-85k.
For this NaNo, however, I changed my method. When I hit 40k, I realized I didn’t like my first chapter. I was working with a fake marriage trope between the main characters, Sarah Ryan and paleontologist Dr. Jack Brenner, but the initial setup left me feeling lackluster. In the first one, Sarah pretends to be married to Jack because she’s run into one of her professors who’s been harassing her, and she’s frightened to be in the Arizona desert with this man. But as I kept writing this premise, I felt it weakened Sarah’s character.
So, for the last 10k of NaNo, I rewrote the first five chapters from scratch, using a different approach to get Sarah and Jack “hitched,” and I like this one much better. I’ll have to tear apart the rest of what I have and repurpose it, but this is how I generally work anyway.
I have a few other projects I must return to, so I’ll start revising The Canary in February. This will allow me time to do more research, which is challenging when trying to write 2,000 words every day. (If you write each day of November during NaNo, you only need 1667 words, but I overwrote so that I could take time off around Thanksgiving).
I will say, though, that the more I read about the dinosaur fossils in the Painted Desert in the late 1800’s, the more intrigued I become.
I’m very excited for this book, and I hope the readers will love it too.
You can pre-order The Canary now at
Amazon
Apple Books
Barnes & Noble
It will also be available at Google Play Books and Kobo but closer to the release date of July 25, 2023.
Would you like a Christmas card from me for 2022? Fill out this Google doc and I’ll add you to the list.
Happy Holidays to you and yours!
The Canary releases next week!
THE CANARY is almost here. Five more days!
I'm so thrilled to get this one out there. I've been working like a dog the past few months on this, and I hope you guys will love it as much as I do.
Paleontologist Jack Brenner enters a fake marriage with Sarah Ryan to protect her in the Arizona wilderness …
+ Marriage of Convenience
+ Medium Spice
+ Painted Desert Expedition
+ Dinosaur fossils
+ Walnuts
+ Bees
The Canary is Book 9 in the Wings of the West series but can absolutely be read as a standalone novel.
Pre-Order Now
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon CA
Amazon AU
Apple Books
Nook
Kobo
Google Play Books
Paperbacks are coming.
Read Chapter One
Here's an excerpt
“Dr. Brenner,” Ralph said. “This woman is looking for you.”
Jack turned and gave a slight nod, trying to ignore the jolt to his senses when he met her gaze.
“Dr. Brenner?” she said, her green eyes shiny with excitement. She extended a hand. “I’m Sarah.”
He was glad the white glove she wore kept their skin from touching. It had been a long time since a beautiful woman had caught his eye. Not since Betsy, really. And he didn’t need a repeat of that.
“I’m so pleased to meet you, sir,” she added, a big smile lighting up her face.
The “sir” caught his attention, and it all began to click into place. She thought Jack was his father. S. Ryan had been hired by Mrs. Parks for the dig.
But maybe he was wrong. Maybe this woman was here for another reason.
He cleared his throat and said, “Sarah …?”
“Sarah Ryan.”
I'm so thrilled to get this one out there. I've been working like a dog the past few months on this, and I hope you guys will love it as much as I do.
Paleontologist Jack Brenner enters a fake marriage with Sarah Ryan to protect her in the Arizona wilderness …
+ Marriage of Convenience
+ Medium Spice
+ Painted Desert Expedition
+ Dinosaur fossils
+ Walnuts
+ Bees
The Canary is Book 9 in the Wings of the West series but can absolutely be read as a standalone novel.
Pre-Order Now
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon CA
Amazon AU
Apple Books
Nook
Kobo
Google Play Books
Paperbacks are coming.
Read Chapter One
Here's an excerpt
“Dr. Brenner,” Ralph said. “This woman is looking for you.”
Jack turned and gave a slight nod, trying to ignore the jolt to his senses when he met her gaze.
“Dr. Brenner?” she said, her green eyes shiny with excitement. She extended a hand. “I’m Sarah.”
He was glad the white glove she wore kept their skin from touching. It had been a long time since a beautiful woman had caught his eye. Not since Betsy, really. And he didn’t need a repeat of that.
“I’m so pleased to meet you, sir,” she added, a big smile lighting up her face.
The “sir” caught his attention, and it all began to click into place. She thought Jack was his father. S. Ryan had been hired by Mrs. Parks for the dig.
But maybe he was wrong. Maybe this woman was here for another reason.
He cleared his throat and said, “Sarah …?”
“Sarah Ryan.”
The Most Challenging Books I've Written
By Kristy McCaffrey
The most challenging books I've written - there are three.
First is THE DOVE.
THE DOVE was my sophomore effort after writing THE WREN (in which I was oblivious to writing rules, marketing, and publishing in general). So while THE WREN was exciting and fun, THE DOVE filled me with trepidation and worry. It was also when I became aware of my general lack of experience in crafting a novel. I'd gotten lucky with THE WREN, but now it was time to deliberately hone my skills (my education was in engineering not creative writing). I had an excellent editor on the first edition of THE DOVE and I'll always be forever grateful for the help and tough-love she gave me. And so began my steep learning curve into story structure, point-of-view, and theme.
The second most difficult book I wrote was THE SPARROW.
While this was the third book I ever drafted (and I was still in craft deep-learning mode), the bigger challenge was the plot itself. I've come to realize after years of writing that I have a strong need for information. I'm at heart "a learner." So when I set out to write about the heroine's shamanic journey through the Grand Canyon, I was dismayed by my own lack of knowledge on the subject. So I stopped writing while I pursued my own shamanic education. (I should also add that my children's lives were very active at this time, so I also set my writing aside to focus on their needs.) It was six years before I returned to this manuscript.
And finally, I found THE STARLING extremely challenging to complete.
At this point, I'd penned nine novels and numerous shorter works, so it was less about my writing ability and more about my state-of-mind. During the creation of this book, I was in the process of losing both my father-in-law and my heart dog, Lily. Despite this deeply sad passage in my life, I learned that consistency could be maintained with the tiniest of steps (some days I could only write 500 words) and kindness toward myself. I was also forced to dig deep in my faith as a storyteller.
The most challenging books I've written - there are three.
First is THE DOVE.
THE DOVE was my sophomore effort after writing THE WREN (in which I was oblivious to writing rules, marketing, and publishing in general). So while THE WREN was exciting and fun, THE DOVE filled me with trepidation and worry. It was also when I became aware of my general lack of experience in crafting a novel. I'd gotten lucky with THE WREN, but now it was time to deliberately hone my skills (my education was in engineering not creative writing). I had an excellent editor on the first edition of THE DOVE and I'll always be forever grateful for the help and tough-love she gave me. And so began my steep learning curve into story structure, point-of-view, and theme.
The second most difficult book I wrote was THE SPARROW.
While this was the third book I ever drafted (and I was still in craft deep-learning mode), the bigger challenge was the plot itself. I've come to realize after years of writing that I have a strong need for information. I'm at heart "a learner." So when I set out to write about the heroine's shamanic journey through the Grand Canyon, I was dismayed by my own lack of knowledge on the subject. So I stopped writing while I pursued my own shamanic education. (I should also add that my children's lives were very active at this time, so I also set my writing aside to focus on their needs.) It was six years before I returned to this manuscript.
And finally, I found THE STARLING extremely challenging to complete.
At this point, I'd penned nine novels and numerous shorter works, so it was less about my writing ability and more about my state-of-mind. During the creation of this book, I was in the process of losing both my father-in-law and my heart dog, Lily. Despite this deeply sad passage in my life, I learned that consistency could be maintained with the tiniest of steps (some days I could only write 500 words) and kindness toward myself. I was also forced to dig deep in my faith as a storyteller.
The Most Favorite Books I've Written
By Kristy McCaffrey
THE WREN and DEEP BLUE
Both of these books were “firsts.”
THE WREN was the first book I ever wrote, along with being the first book I published. The story was inspired by a vision I'd had at the age of fifteen of a girl and two young men.
This was in high school, when my creative impulses were pushing me to write but I didn’t have a clear direction for what that meant. I didn’t come back to this idea until I was thirty-three years old and a young mother feeling very frazzled raising four young children.
Writing THE WREN became an escape from the long but very rewarding days of taking care of my babies. The vision turned into Molly, Matt, and his brother Logan. While I’d always been a big reader, I’d never studied the craft of writing, so THE WREN was a true seat-of-my-pants endeavor, and I wrote a story that I wanted to read.
DEEP BLUE was the first book in a new series that I wrote six years ago. Until then, I’d been writing western romances, but I’ve always loved marine science along with high adventure and wanted to try my hand at this kind of story.
I also loved contemporary romances where the heroine was quite capable but found her match in an equally capable hero. Inspiration for this project ran the gamut of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” to “Jaws 3-D” (I really liked the love story between Bess Armstrong and Dennis Quaid).
Both books are favorites because they represent my attempts at doing something I’d never done before, which was not only to write a book but tackle subject matter I wasn’t entirely familiar with.
(For THE WREN it was the Comanche abduction storyline, and in DEEP BLUE it was understanding great white sharks beyond their reputations as man-eaters.)
Thanks so much for reading!! Kristy xx
THE WREN and DEEP BLUE
Both of these books were “firsts.”
THE WREN was the first book I ever wrote, along with being the first book I published. The story was inspired by a vision I'd had at the age of fifteen of a girl and two young men.
This was in high school, when my creative impulses were pushing me to write but I didn’t have a clear direction for what that meant. I didn’t come back to this idea until I was thirty-three years old and a young mother feeling very frazzled raising four young children.
Writing THE WREN became an escape from the long but very rewarding days of taking care of my babies. The vision turned into Molly, Matt, and his brother Logan. While I’d always been a big reader, I’d never studied the craft of writing, so THE WREN was a true seat-of-my-pants endeavor, and I wrote a story that I wanted to read.
DEEP BLUE was the first book in a new series that I wrote six years ago. Until then, I’d been writing western romances, but I’ve always loved marine science along with high adventure and wanted to try my hand at this kind of story.
I also loved contemporary romances where the heroine was quite capable but found her match in an equally capable hero. Inspiration for this project ran the gamut of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” to “Jaws 3-D” (I really liked the love story between Bess Armstrong and Dennis Quaid).
Both books are favorites because they represent my attempts at doing something I’d never done before, which was not only to write a book but tackle subject matter I wasn’t entirely familiar with.
(For THE WREN it was the Comanche abduction storyline, and in DEEP BLUE it was understanding great white sharks beyond their reputations as man-eaters.)
Thanks so much for reading!! Kristy xx
Heaviest Themed Book I've Written
By Kristy McCaffrey
The heaviest themed book I’ve written is hands down The Blackbird.
If you’ve read the first four Wings novels, then you might be aware of the overarching theme of healing in each one. (The Wren is about finding your way back home, physically and metaphorically, and honoring your truest self. The Dove is about outward healing using medicine. The Sparrow is about spiritual healing. And The Blackbird is all about soul healing.)
The heroine, Tess, has experienced trauma, and with it lingering PTSD (but it wasn’t called that in the 1800’s). Full disclosure—in her backstory she was raped by one of her pa’s gang members. This is not on page. My goal wasn’t to focus on such a heinous act, but to follow Tess’s path back to a place of love. And for that I knew my hero, Cale Walker, would need to be very special.
Cale’s backstory includes a brush with violence (he rode with Tess’s father’s gang years prior), but he managed to extricate himself knowing the broken morality such a path carried. This insight allows him to straddle both worlds (good and evil) so he can lead Tess through it and ultimately help her find the peace she needs.
As a writer myself, I’m fascinated by the magic of storytelling, and so I developed Tess’s character into a cuentista, a kind of professional storyteller. It becomes a way for her to help others and also herself with mythical narratives. Finding the tales I used in the book was a big challenge, but I included local Hispanic lore alongside Apache stories as well as Irish ones (Tess is part-Mexican, part-Irish).
The alchemy that a storyteller practices is as real as a blacksmith’s hammer and anvil. I hope that I was able to show through Cale and Tess’s love story that pain can be transformed into something better and more beautiful.
While The Blackbird carries a heavy theme, it’s a book I’m deeply proud of, and I was thrilled it won the 2015 Laramie for Best in Romantic Western Fiction.
Cale and Tess’s eldest daughter, Dolores, will appear as a side character in the next Wings of the West book. The Swan will release July 10, 2025.
*****
If you missed any of my other posts about my books, here are the links.
The Most Challenging Books I’ve Written
My Most Favorite Books I’ve Written
Books That Were The Most Fun To Write
Favorite Scene I’ve Written
The heaviest themed book I’ve written is hands down The Blackbird.
If you’ve read the first four Wings novels, then you might be aware of the overarching theme of healing in each one. (The Wren is about finding your way back home, physically and metaphorically, and honoring your truest self. The Dove is about outward healing using medicine. The Sparrow is about spiritual healing. And The Blackbird is all about soul healing.)
The heroine, Tess, has experienced trauma, and with it lingering PTSD (but it wasn’t called that in the 1800’s). Full disclosure—in her backstory she was raped by one of her pa’s gang members. This is not on page. My goal wasn’t to focus on such a heinous act, but to follow Tess’s path back to a place of love. And for that I knew my hero, Cale Walker, would need to be very special.
Cale’s backstory includes a brush with violence (he rode with Tess’s father’s gang years prior), but he managed to extricate himself knowing the broken morality such a path carried. This insight allows him to straddle both worlds (good and evil) so he can lead Tess through it and ultimately help her find the peace she needs.
As a writer myself, I’m fascinated by the magic of storytelling, and so I developed Tess’s character into a cuentista, a kind of professional storyteller. It becomes a way for her to help others and also herself with mythical narratives. Finding the tales I used in the book was a big challenge, but I included local Hispanic lore alongside Apache stories as well as Irish ones (Tess is part-Mexican, part-Irish).
The alchemy that a storyteller practices is as real as a blacksmith’s hammer and anvil. I hope that I was able to show through Cale and Tess’s love story that pain can be transformed into something better and more beautiful.
While The Blackbird carries a heavy theme, it’s a book I’m deeply proud of, and I was thrilled it won the 2015 Laramie for Best in Romantic Western Fiction.
Cale and Tess’s eldest daughter, Dolores, will appear as a side character in the next Wings of the West book. The Swan will release July 10, 2025.
*****
If you missed any of my other posts about my books, here are the links.
The Most Challenging Books I’ve Written
My Most Favorite Books I’ve Written
Books That Were The Most Fun To Write
Favorite Scene I’ve Written
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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