New Release -- Tourist Trap (Kingfisher P. I. Book 3) by James Reasoner & Livia J Washburn

 

The search for one of the world’s most wanted fugitives, a swindler who is rumored to have stashed away close to a billion dollars in ill-gotten gains, leads brother and sister private investigators Callista and Joseph Kingfisher to a fabulous, luxurious resort in Mexico. But deep in the jungles of the Yucatan, they discover another secret hidden away, a secret that may mean death for both Kingfishers!

TOURIST TRAP is another lightning-paced, colorful adventure from bestselling authors James Reasoner and Livia J. Washburn featuring plenty of thrills, humor, and excitement, with suspense and plot twists that will leave readers breathless.

EXCERPT:

“He’s running,” she told Joseph as she came out of the car. “I’ll get him!”

“Callie, wait!” he called as he started to circle the front of his car, but of course, she ignored him and dashed after the fleeing figure.

Her eyes had adjusted well enough to the darkness that she could see the man throwing wide-eyed, frightened glances over his shoulder.

“Stop!” she shouted. “William Murphy, you’re under arrest!”

Wait, she thought as she ran. Was she allowed to say that? Would declaring him to be under arrest be considered impersonating a police officer?

Just to be sure she didn’t do anything that would get Joseph in trouble, she added, “I’m a bail enforcement agent!”

That didn’t sound nearly as cool as “bounty hunter”, but it was more technically correct.

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New Release -- KINGFISHER P.I. Book 2: DARK RIDE by James Reasoner and Livia J. Washburn

 

Hired to find out who’s been threatening a Texas state senator’s granddaughter, the two triplet sleuths Callista and Joseph Kingfisher find themselves in more trouble than they bargained for as Callie goes undercover at a therapeutic riding center and becomes involved in a dangerous conspiracy with roots on the other side of the world.

Between international criminals who want them dead, an enigmatic former Special Forces operator who can’t be trusted, federal agents who would like to make the Kingfishers disappear in some black site prison, and the shadowy menace who started the whole thing, Callie and Joseph will have their work cut out just trying to survive this case!

KINGFISHER P.I.: DARK RIDE is the second in a new series of thrilling mystery novels from New York Times bestselling author James Reasoner and the creator of the popular Fresh Baked Mystery series Livia J. Washburn. Mount up for these exciting and entertaining tales from two of today’s best storytellers!

Excerpt:

“Would you like to ride? We have a pony named Ferdinand that would be just right for you, I think.”

Still no response.

“You came out here to ride, didn’t you? Just a few times around the ring. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to keep doing it. But you really ought to give it a try.”

Nothing.

“Who brought you out here?” Callie asked. “Your mom? Your dad? Don’t you think they’d like to see you ride? I’ll help you switch your hat for the special riding helmet and get you mounted up. A nice lady named Connie will be controlling the horse, and I believe Jimmy will be there to help the whole way to make sure nothing happens except that you have a good time.” She reached toward his shoulder. “I really think you’d enjoy—”

“Don’t do that,” an urgent voice said behind her.

The warning came too late. She rested her hand on Tyler Harper’s shoulder.

And the little boy screamed, twisted, and lashed out, swinging his right-hand crutch at Callie’s head.

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New Release -- KINGFISHER P.I. by James Reasoner and Livia J. Washburn

 

KINGFISHER P.I. 

by James Reasoner and Livia J Washburn

Callista Kingfisher is a former mixed martial arts fighter and one of the top stunt performers in Hollywood. But when an accident on a movie set leaves her badly injured, she goes home to Corpus Christi, Texas, to recuperate.

Callie’s triplet brother Joseph is a top private investigator, and when he lands the job of tracking down a fugitive who has disappeared into the thick Piney Woods of East Texas, Callie decides she’ll give her brother a hand with the case. Both Kingfishers are plunged into the middle of a deadly feud between rival crime families, and Callie quickly discovers that the real thing is even more dangerous than making action movies.

New York Times bestseller James Reasoner and critically acclaimed mystery author Livia J. Washburn team up for KINGFISHER P.I., the first in a new series of exciting, action-packed mystery novels that will leave you breathless with their suspense, adventure, and humor.

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Now Available for Pre-order -- KINGFISHER P.I. by James Reasoner and Livia J. Washburn

 

KINGFISHER P.I.

Callista Kingfisher is a former mixed martial arts fighter and one of the top stunt performers in Hollywood. But when an accident on a movie set leaves her badly injured, she goes home to Corpus Christi, Texas, to recuperate.

Callie’s triplet brother Joseph is a top private investigator, and when he lands the job of tracking down a fugitive who has disappeared into the thick Piney Woods of East Texas, Callie decides she’ll give her brother a hand with the case. Both Kingfishers are plunged into the middle of a deadly feud between rival crime families, and Callie quickly discovers that the real thing is even more dangerous than making action movies. 

New York Times bestseller James Reasoner and critically acclaimed mystery author Livia J. Washburn team up for KINGFISHER P.I., the first in a new series of exciting, action-packed mystery novels that will leave you breathless with their suspense, adventure, and humor.

Excerpt:

Patient: Callista Kingfisher

Date: August 27, 3:00 PM

I really don’t remember that much, Doctor. Falling, of course. I remember falling. I mean, it’s hard to forget that feeling of going down and down and down with nothing under you, and knowing what’s waiting at the bottom, and the seconds seem to take forever but at the same time they pass so fast…

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Hallam: A Lucas Hallam Short Fiction Collection (A Lucas Hallam Mystery) by L.J. Washburn

 

HOLLYWOOD IN THE 1920s, WHERE THE GLITZ AND GLAMOR OF THE SILENT MOVIE ERA CONCEALS DARK AND DANGEROUS SECRETS, AND ONE OLD COWBOY USES FRONTIER CUNNING AND GUN-SKILL TO UNCOVER THE TRUTH AND DELIVER JUSTICE IN THIS COLLECTION OF HARD-BOILED MYSTERY STORIES.

From Lucas Hallam’s first appearance in Hallam—where a cowboy who has outlived the days of the Old West becomes a gun-toting private eye and stuntman in the early days of motion pictures in California—to Hollywood Flesh—where Hallam’s most recent case is starting to give him nightmares—Hallam is told as a larger-than-life character.

He tangles with killers, solves mysteries, battles against grievous transgressions, and enjoys memorable moments with his friends while working as a riding extra in a colorful portrait of Hollywood during one of its golden ages.

In each short story, readers will begin questioning … Will Hallam win over evil by the end … or has he finally reached the end of the trail?

Hallam Collection: A Lucas Hallam Short Fiction Collection includes Hallam, The Blue Burro, Pictures in the Stars, Medicine Tongue, Ladysmith, and Hollywood Flesh.

Excerpt

The newcomer was big, too, but he wore a pin-striped suit and a pulled-down Panama instead of cowboy clothes.

He stopped in front of Hallam, looked him up and down in disbelief, and said, "You're a private dick?"

"I'm Lucas Hallam, if that's who you're lookin’ for." Hallam felt an instant dislike for this man, but he kept his voice flat and impassive.

The man jerked a thumb over his beefy shoulder. "Somebody wants to see you, Hallam."

"Question is, do I want to see this somebody?"

The man stiffened. He wasn't used to people asking questions. "You wanna see him if you know what's good for you, Tex," he snapped.

Hallam rubbed his jaw, squinted toward the long black car. He could see a figure sitting in the back seat. "Maybe your boss should do his own askin'," he said slowly.

"Why, you moth-eaten old bastard—" the man hissed. His hand shot out and clamped down on Hallam's shoulder. "You'll come when I tell you to come, you—"

Hallam hit him in the stomach with his left and jerked his shoulder loose. His right swept around as the man gasped and took a step backward. The blow cracked into his jaw and knocked him sprawling. With a growled curse, he reached under his coat and grabbed an automatic out of a shoulder rig.

Just as the gun came clear, the man froze, the point of Hallam's Bowie knife resting easily just under his chin. The blade barely pricked the skin, but it was enough to stop any threat the man wanted to make.

Hallam smiled down at him.

"This ain't a prop, son," Hallam said so softly the man could barely hear him. "You go to movin' too much, it'll slice your head right off. Now take that gun out real slow and put it on the ground."

Now Available -- Never Trifle With Murder (Fresh-Baked Mystery Novel Book 15)

 

It’s early summer in Weatherford, Texas, and retired teacher/amateur sleuth Phyllis Newsom and fellow retiree Carolyn Wilbarger are taking British cooking classes at the local senior center in this suspenseful Fresh-Baked mystery.

In the latest from Livia J. Washburn, the nationally bestselling author of the Fresh Baked Mystery Series, Phyllis Newsom learns to make a trifle that’s to die for…

While Sam Fletcher is playing dominoes with the guys, Eve Turner is busy flirting with the English chef since she has a fascination for English accents and handsome men who can cook. This puts her in competition with a couple of other ladies from the senior center, who also have their caps set for Chef Alfred Dorrington.

The third and final class features desserts, and more than the stove heats up when the trifle is poisoned! Once again Phyllis finds herself involved in a murder case filled with hidden motives and colorful characters.

Includes recipes!

(It took two long years for me to finish the next Fresh-Baked Mystery Novel. I could bore you with the details, but what's the point in that? Here it finally is, Book 15: Never Trifle with Murder. And let me tell you. That trifle is lethal. (Pictured above.) I'm pretty sure each bite has a thousand calories and the tequila doesn't hurt. I added the short story, "The Coconut Bunny Butt Caper" to the trade paperback, since it was only available digitally.  

     

New Release -- The Coconut Bunny Butt Caper (Fresh Baked Mystery Short Story) by Livia J. Washburn

Zachary “Buck” Williams asks Phyllis to help him throw a big Easter shindig with games and food and an egg hunt, inviting everybody from the whole county to join in the fun.

It’s a beautiful spring day in Weatherford, Texas, as kids are running and playing and parents are chatting and sampling wonderful home cooked foods. It was all fun and games until someone played hide and seek with the prize egg leaving Phyllis having to find the culprit.

The Coconut Bunny Butt Caper is a short story that follows DEATH BAKES A PECAN PIE the fourteenth novel in the critically acclaimed and best-selling Fresh Baked Mystery series. Phyllis and her friends tackle another complex case with all the humor, camaraderie, good-hearted warmth, and delicious recipes that have made readers around the world fall in love with this series.

Recipes included!

EXCERPT

     On a beautiful spring day under an almost cloudless blue sky, Phyllis Newsom smiled as she watched the crowd of children running and screaming across the vast green lawn. They descended on the shrubbery and flowerbeds like a swarm of locusts.

     “Dang,” Sam Fletcher said as he stood beside Phyllis. “Don’t get between a kid and an Easter egg, that’s all I’ve got to say.”

     “They’re certainly enthusiastic,” Phyllis agreed. “This reminds me of the big Easter egg hunts that went on when we were young, and even when Mike was a child. I remember taking him to several of them, sometimes put on by family, sometimes by the community or one of the local service clubs. People don’t do things like that anymore. Not much, anyway.” She shook her head. “Just another way that things have changed, I suppose.”

     “They’ve got a way of doin’ that,” Sam said. “But bringin’ back the old days was sort of the whole idea of this fandango, wasn’t it? 

  

The Candy Cane Cupcake Killer (Fresh-Baked Mystery Book 10) by Livia J. Washburn NOW ON SALE!

In this delectable Fresh Baked mystery, Phyllis Newsom returns with a festive Christmas recipe that’s to die for…

‘Tis the season in Weatherford, Texas, and everyone in town is gearing up for the annual holiday parade and tree-lighting ceremony in the town square, where Phyllis Newsom will be serving her much-anticipated candy cane cupcakes. Local rancher Barney McCrory manages to charm one away from her before the ceremony begins. But unfortunately, when the minty confection is finished, so is he.

This isn’t the first time someone has dropped dead after eating one of Phyllis’s treats. But when the paramedics determine the rancher was shot, suspicion swiftly falls on McCrory’s daughter and her husband—who both stand to reap some sweet rewards from his death. Though Phyllis doesn’t want to get mixed up in another murder investigation, something about this case doesn’t sit right with her. With a little help from a tabloid TV news crew, Phyllis must unwrap the truth and restore good cheer to Weatherford before it’s too late...

Includes recipes!

Ebook is only $1.99 from 2/24 to 3/10!

$1.99

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   $1.99

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Christmas Sale DEC 14-16th Only

BLACK & BLUEBERRY DIE (A Fresh Baked Mystery ebook is on sale for only 99 cents December 14-16, 2018) Save $6.00

In the latest from the nationally bestselling author of The Candy Cane Cupcake Killer, Phyllis Newsom returns with a blackberry and blueberry pie recipe that’s to die for…

It’s late summer in Weatherford, Texas and Mike Newsom’s childhood friend is sweltering in prison for a crime he claims he didn’t commit, murdering his wife. So instead of asking his mother to please stop investigating a murder, as he usually does, he asks her and Sam to please help his friend.

Danny Jackson, found guilty of beating his wife Roxanne to death at the ritzy hair salon where she works, was sentenced to prison for 30 years. His pleas of innocence fell on deaf ears, so it’s up to Phyllis to find what actually happened. She finds there are a lot of secrets and lies being told, and Roxanne was in the middle of them all.

Though Phyllis doesn’t want to get mixed up in another murder investigation, her son rarely asks for favors, and certainly not favors like this. She has to untangle the lies and comb out the facts to find what happened that dark night. 

Includes recipes!

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Dan Callahan's daughter was supposed to take care of her fourth grade class's pet mice over the Christmas vacation—or so she claimed. Melissa Logan, the little girl's teacher, wondered why she had gotten close with the handsome single dad, only to have him back off unexpectedly. But when the mice went missing, the truth about everything came out, and the search for the elusive creatures led not only to unexpected secrets from the past but also to the answers that two lonely people had been seeking without even knowing it.

NAUGHTY OR MICE is a heartwarming Christmas novelette from award-winning author Livia J. Washburn. Funny, poignant, and romantic, it's a charming "tail" you won't soon forget.

Now Available -- Death Bakes a Pecan Pie (Fresh-Baked Mystery Book 14)

It’s time for the Harvest Festival again, and Phyllis is determined to bake a killer pecan pie. 

Hollywood comes to Weatherford, Texas, as a movie company arrives to shoot scenes for a film based on the novel by Phyllis Newsom’s friend Eve. But movie fantasy turns to deadly reality as a murder recreated for film turns out to be the genuine article, and once more Phyllis has to track down a cunning killer to see that justice is done.

DEATH BAKES A PECAN PIE is the fourteenth novel in the critically acclaimed and best-selling Fresh Baked Mystery series. Phyllis and her friends tackle another complex case with all the humor, camaraderie, good-hearted warmth, and delicious recipes that have made readers around the world fall in love with this series.

Recipes included!

Who knew 14 years ago that Phyllis and Sam would still be sticking their noses into murder? I sure didn't.  I honestly thought their story ended with book 10, but they wouldn't stay quiet.  Thanks to all the fans of this series for keeping their story alive.

      

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MAIL ORDER BRIDES FOR SALE: THE REMINGTON SISTERS! LIZZY by Livia J. Washburn– March #blogabookscene @prairierosepubs

Blog-a-Book-Scene is a monthly themed blogging endeavor from a group of authors who love to share excerpts from their stories. Find us on Twitter with the hashtag #blogabookscene and #PrairieRosePub.

March’s theme is Beware the Ides of March The excerpt below is from my western romance novel, Lizzy that was included in the boxed set Mail Order Brides for Sale: The Remington Sisters! There are four Remington sisters, and a novel about each romantic adventure and it’s on sale until March 10^th for only 99 cents. This is the scene where the sisters find out their stepfather is even more evil than they originally thought and conspires with other evil men.

EXCERPT

“What is it?” Belle wanted to know.

“I’m not sure, but I know somehow it’s...not good.”

Belle wasn’t one to make a fuss about anything unless it was absolutely necessary. Lizzy could tell she was puzzled and a little annoyed, but curiosity won out and she leaned closer to the door with her three sisters.

“—all settled, then, gentlemen,” Josiah Bloodworth was saying. “You four will marry the Remington sisters and gain a fortune from them—but we will sign an agreement here and now that any monies you receive upon marriage will be split with me down the middle. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t even know there was a fortune to be had by marrying a Remington.”

Lizzy drew back sharply, almost as if she had been struck. She looked at Lola, at Belle, at Bree. All of them stared back at her and at each other with shocked expressions.

The same emotion was in the eyes of each of the Remington sisters.

Horror.

The four sisters have some surprises of their own for Bloodworth. Mail Order Brides for Sale: The Remington Sisters written by Livia J. Washburn, Jacquie Rogers, Cheryl Pierson, and Celia Yeary 99 cent sale ends Saturday March 10^th.

Only 99¢

Available at Amazon

Print | eBook | KindleUnlimited

Coming April Theme April Showers

Until that time,

Livia J. Washburn

  

Website/Blog- http://www.liviajwashburn.com

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/liviajwashburn

Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/liviajwashburn

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/liviajwashburn

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/author/liviajwashburn

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/liviajwashburn

Prairie Rose Publications - http://prairierosepublications.com

MAIL ORDER BRIDES FOR SALE: THE REMINGTON SISTERS! LIZZY by Livia J. Washburn– January #blogabookscene #westernromance #PrairieRosePub @PrairieRosePub

Blog-a-Book-Scene is a monthly themed blogging endeavor from a group of authors who love to share excerpts from their stories. Find us on Twitter with the hashtag #blogabookscene and #PrairieRosePub.

January’s theme is Baby, It’s cold outside.  The cold Alaskan excerpt below is from my western romance novel, Lizzy that was included in the boxed set Mail Order Brides for Sale: The Remington Sisters! There are four Remington sisters, and a novel about each romantic adventure. This is my

Brought up in the wealth and comfort of Eastern “old money” in staid and proper Philadelphia, the Remington sisters are forced to scatter to the four winds and become mail-order brides. In order to gain a fortune, their sinister step-father, Josiah Bloodworth, has made plans to marry them off in loveless marriages. Time is running out, and no matter what lies ahead in their uncertain futures, it has to be better than the evil they’re running from…

LIZZY: Livia J. Washburn

Elizabeth Remington’s world is turned upside down when she is forced to become a mail-order bride. With her cat, Fulton, Lizzy flees to Alaska—only to discover the man she’s to marry is not who she thought he was! Now, she must protect herself from the biggest danger of all—her own heart. Handsome Flint McKinnon has signed his soul away to her step-father, hasn’t he? He’s chased Lizzy across the continent, but can she believe him when he says he loves her?

EXCERPT

From the way Lizzy was having trouble catching her breath, she would have thought she was much higher in the mountains, where the air was thinner.

But it was Flint’s simple declaration that had stolen all the breath from her body. He was looking directly into her eyes, and the sincerity, the utter truth she saw in his gaze, shook her to her core.

“No...” she whispered.

“Yes,” he said. “Why do you think I followed you all the way here to Alaska? I had a bit of money of my own saved—not enough to rescue my uncle’s business ventures—but enough for me to track you down after you disappeared. I hired detectives, and they led me to that matrimonial agency. From there, I learned that you were supposed to marry a man named Gabriel Devery in Seattle. That...that tore me up inside, Lizzy.” The pain in his voice and on his face was undoubtedly genuine. “You fled from marrying me, but you were willing to marry a stranger just to get away.”

“From Josiah,” she said. “To get away from Josiah and his scheme...but I can see...I can see why you felt the way you did.”

“I’m glad of that, anyway. Glad you understand.”

Without thinking about what she was doing, Lizzy reached out and rested her fingers on his forearm. “Why didn’t you tell me all this as soon as you arrived in Harrisburg?” she asked. “Why did you let me stay angry at you?”

“Pride, I guess,” he said with a sigh. “Although how a man who’s just chased a woman all the way across a continent can have any pride left, I don’t know.”

“There’s nothing wrong with a man going after what he wants. No reason not to be proud.” Lizzy swallowed hard. “If that’s what he really...wants.”

“More than anything in the world,” Flint said.

His hands came up, rested gently on her shoulders, urged her toward him. Lizzy didn’t resist. His fingers grazed the side of her neck, slid along her jaw to cup her head with incredible tenderness. It was amazing how those hands, strong enough to swing a pickax or fight for what was right, could be so soft and compelling now in their touch. Her head tipped back, not forced but willingly, instinctively, and her eyes closed as she felt his warm breath brush her cheek.

An instant later, his lips found hers.

Lizzy moaned softly, deep in her throat, as she put her arms around his waist and molded herself to him. The urge to be closer to him, as close as humanly possible, rose up and crashed through her in an irresistible wave. She clung to him as their mouths worked together, hungrily, passionately, and the sensation made her head spin until she felt like she was flying high in the air, higher than any of these majestic mountains that rose around them.

There was no way of knowing how high she might have flown, because at that moment the sound of a gunshot blasted through the gulch and set off clamoring echoes among the slopes.

Lizzy is only one book in Mail Order Brides for Sale: The Remington Sisters! It’s on sale now and also contains novels by Cheryl Pierson, Jacquie Rogers, and Celia Yeary.

On sale for only 99¢

Available at Amazon

Print | eBook | KindleUnlimited

Coming FebruaryTheme All You Need is Love

Until that time,

Livia J. Washburn

  

Website/Blog- http://www.liviajwashburn.com

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/liviajwashburn

Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/liviajwashburn

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/liviajwashburn

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/author/liviajwashburn

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/liviajwashburn

Prairie Rose Publications - http://prairierosepublications.com

Review -- The Great Chili Kill-Off -- Giveaway!

This week we have a fun group of food mysteries for your Thanksgiving dinner reading-Asking for Truffle: A Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery by Dorothy St. James, Dead and Ganache: A Chocolate Whisperer Mystery by Colette London, The Secret, Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams, Assault and Buttery: A Popcorn Shop Mystery by Kristi Abbott, The Great Chili Kill-Off: A Fresh Baked Mystery by Liv Washburn, and The Quiche and the Dead: A Pie Town Mystery by Kirsten Weiss. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of all 6 books, along with links you can use to purchase them. Kings River Life Magazine's Food Mysteries For Your Thanksgiving Holiday includes a very nice review of the 12th Fresh Baked Mystery, THE GREAT CHILI KILL-OFF. Lots of fun reading included.
http://kingsriverlife.com/11/18/food-mysteries-for-your-thanksgiving-holiday/

Now Available -- Mail Order Brides for Sale: The Remington Sisters

Brought up in the wealth and comfort of Eastern “old money” in staid and proper Philadelphia, the Remington sisters are forced to scatter to the four winds and become mail-order brides. Their sinister step-father, Josiah Bloodworth, has made plans to marry them off in loveless marriages—marriages to men who will do his bidding, and help him gain a fortune. But time is running out for the beautiful Remington brides. No matter what lies ahead in the uncertain future they’re headed for, it has to be better than the evil they’re running from…

LIZZY: Livia J. Washburn

Elizabeth Remington’s well-ordered world is turned upside down when she is forced to become a mail-order bride to escape the plans of their sinister step-father, Josiah Bloodworth. With her cat, Fulton, Lizzy flees to Alaska, a wild land in the throes of gold fever—but she soon discovers the man she’s to marry is not who she thought he was! Taking refuge in a saloon alongside rough-and-tumble gold miners and cutthroat claim jumpers, she tries to protect herself from the biggest danger of all—her own heart. Flint McKinnon has signed his soul away to the Devil in Philadelphia, she believes. He’s chased Lizzy across the continent, but can she believe him when he says he loves her? 

BELLE: Jacquie Rogers 

Belle Remington must marry someone else before the dangerous Neville Fenster catches up with her. She's desperate to escape the wicked match her step-father has arranged—so she hightails it out of Philadelphia to the wild land of Idaho Territory to become a bootmaker's mail-order bride. But when she arrives in Oreana, she discovers her groom has been murdered—and now, his brother-in-law, rancher Cord Callahan, insists on fulfilling the marriage contract himself.  Belle’s life depends on a hasty marriage, and an inebriated Cord is happy to oblige. Belle is beautiful and smart as a whip. But she has a secret. When Fenster shows up, can Cord protect the woman he wants to love forever?

SABRINA: Cheryl Pierson

Impulsive Sabrina Remington, the youngest sister, chooses to wed a man she knows her well-bred family will disapprove of. Cameron Fraser is half Scottish, half Cherokee, and all-out dangerous! Though his family owns a ranch, Cam has made his way in the world with his fast draw for many years—he’s a gunman, living barely on the right side of the law. Will Sabrina be able to find a new life, and lasting love, in lawless Indian Territory with him? His skills with a gun may see Cam Fraser as the only man alive who can keep Sabrina safe from her diabolical step-father. With everything on the line as Bloodworth and his henchmen close in, will Cam be able to protect Sabrina from the desperate man who means to kidnap her for his own wicked purposes? 

LOLA: Celia Yeary

As the eldest daughter, Lola Remington made sure her younger sisters were well on their way to escape from their ruthless step-father, Josiah Bloodworth, before she thought of herself. Bloodworth’s intentions are calculated and cruel—and he has determined that Lola will marry his detestable cohort—Uriah Pleasant. Lola makes her escape to a rancher in Texas who waits to marry her. Jackson Theodore Rains is something—self-assured, handsome as sin, tough…and tender. But Lola has stepped into the middle of a violent Range War. To make matters worse, Jack lets her know he had expected someone younger—he wants a big family to fill his home. To cover her disappointment, Lola throws herself into learning how to shoot, how to ride—and how to escape once more when the dangerous Mr. Pleasant unexpectedly finds her and makes her his prisoner. But the main goal was to win Jack’s love—the biggest battle of all.   

     

Recycle and Reuse: Make Shaving Legs Easier

Anyone with back or knee problems knows how difficult it is to shave your legs when they're acting up. Something I've experienced with rheumatoid arthritis which I was only diagnosed with about ten years ago. I've actually had trouble reaching the lower part of my legs with a razor since the day I started shaving.

At age 11 my right knee started giving me trouble, lots of pain, swelling, and a weird blue knot. During sixth grade PE I scared my teacher to death when we were playing leap frog. This was a class where we did a lot of tumbling, cartwheels, and such, and I had great fun with it most days. The best I could ever do was a handstand over to a backbend and then stand back up. I could never do it quickly but I was proud to accomplish that. On this particular day my right knee was acting very fussy and we were leaping high. I told him that I didn't think I could do it. The coach convinced me to try. I think he thought I was scared. Well, I leaped over the person's back but the landing wasn't pretty. For one thing it's hard to jump when your knee doesn't want to bend, so I couldn't get the height I really needed, and then my knee said nope on the landing and I went down and I wasn't sure I was going to be able to come back up. Coach thought he broke me, bless his heart. I did get up but bending the knee was very painful and that was the beginning of the doctors. I had experienced pains in my ankles and other joints for the two years before. Mom would wrap the swollen joint in an Ace bandage and I'd head on to school. The right knee was the worst pain, though.

Doctors were pretty clueless, experimenting on me until finally we all agreed to just let the knee hurt. James was a sweetheart. He took over chores like cleaning the bathtub. There weren't many tools to help when we first married. I remember the first grabber I bought. What a wonderful tool. I have several of those handy tools.

As I got older, especially when I started having to lift my mother, my back started giving trouble too. So then my knee didn't want to bend, and neither did my back. The last thing I wanted to do was ask my husband to shave my legs. He would have, of course, but I didn't like not being able to do it myself. That's when I made razor on a stick.

My first attempt was just a razor attached to a dowel. It worked much better than I thought it would. Handy in the shower and tub. I happily used my stick razor for many years and wished I'd thought of it sooner.

When I was cleaning my father's fishing cabin I found an old mesh shower pouf on a handle.

I knew no one would ever use it again, but as I was about to toss it in the trash a thought occurred to me. I bet I could use that handle...

My new and improved razor on a stick. I bought razors with a curved handle to fit the best with the curved stick. One tie is to keep it from sliding and the second is to keep it stable on the handle. Razors can easily be attached with either wire, like twist ties on loaves of bread, or with plastic zip ties, or good ol' duct tape would also work. Great for quickly shaving legs in the shower or the tub with limited bending.

If you don't have a cool handle, a dowel works fine and can be quickly attached to your favorite razor.

Friday the 13th -- BAKER'S DEADLY DOZEN by Livia J. Washburn

Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in the United States. It occurs at least once every year, and up to three times a year. It’s interesting to find that while there is evidence of both Fridays and the number 13 being considered unlucky, there is no record of Friday the 13^th being especially unlucky before the 19th century. And it’s all where you live, Hispanic and Greek culture find Tuesday the 13^th unlucky while it’s Friday the 17^th for Italians.

Personally I haven’t found Friday the 13^th especially unlucky. We did have someone set a fire in a nearby field on an October Friday the 13^th. Luckily my husband and I both worked from home, so we smelled the smoke and were able to call the fire department and then take our shovels and keep it from a neighbor’s house. Seems to me that was a lucky day, though.

This Friday the 13^th is another lucky day for me personally. It's the release date of the 13^th Fresh Baked Mystery. I am so lucky to be able to continue this series with Baker’s Deadly Dozen.

Baker's Deadly Dozen (A Fresh Baked Mystery) (Volume 13)

Going back to school can be a killer!

Phyllis Newsom and Sam Fletcher come out of retirement to take substitute teacher jobs as a favor for some friends, but they soon realize that the more things change, the more they stay the same. That means getting up early, dealing with students and other teachers, and helping out with extracurricular activities. The problem is, for Phyllis, stumbling over dead bodies is an extracurricular activity!

When murder strikes at the school’s Friday the Thirteenth dance, it’s unlucky not only for the victim but also for the student who’s the prime suspect. Sam’s granddaughter has a crush on the boy and can’t believe he’s a killer. Neither can Phyllis. The police are convinced, though, so the only way Phyllis can help him is to uncover the true identity of the killer stalking the halls of the high school before it’s too late!

EXCERPT

   The light downstairs went out before they reached the stairwell. Phyllis frowned. If Mr. McCracken was down there cleaning he should have been moving around enough to keep the light on. Unless he was inside one of the classrooms, then the light might have gone off, she reasoned.

     Then it came on again.

      Something about the way things were happening made a chill run down her back. She was at the top of the stairs now, so she stopped and called, “Mr. McCracken?”

     A strange sound came from below. It might have been a human groan. Ronnie exclaimed, “What was that?”

     The lights went off again.

     “Ronnie,” Phyllis said, “I’m starting to get the feeling that something is wrong. Go back to the cafeteria and find your grandfather.”

     “What are you going to do?” Ronnie gestured toward the stairs. “Go down there and see what it is we heard? It might be a . . . a monster!”

     “You don’t believe in monsters.”

     “Right now, I don’t disbelieve in them.”

     

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