Running from a final fight with his drunk and abusive father, Nate had
never planned to return to the town where the only good thing had been a
brunette beauty with more compassion than he deserved. But finding
himself on a ranch for boys facing the same issues not only taught him
how to be a man, it taught him that there was more to life than running.
Nate Walker always did know how to make an entrance, once again turning Jessie Calhoun's routine life upside down. Unfortunately, he'd also had the same impact when he left her mending a broken heart in a cloud of dust and taillights.
But this time would be different.
No longer that gullible, naive girl he left behind, she'd be a fool to fall under his spell again. Especially now that she had more at stake--two very important reasons.
Nate Walker always did know how to make an entrance, once again turning Jessie Calhoun's routine life upside down. Unfortunately, he'd also had the same impact when he left her mending a broken heart in a cloud of dust and taillights.
But this time would be different.
No longer that gullible, naive girl he left behind, she'd be a fool to fall under his spell again. Especially now that she had more at stake--two very important reasons.
ISBN:
978-1-62830-253-0 (paperback)
ISBN:
978-1-62830-254-7 (Digital)
Buy links:
While writing Cowboy on the Run I was on the
quest to find the perfect cover to portray my book. I didn’t want the typical
bare chested hunk embracing a half-dressed beauty. Not that there is anything
wrong with those covers. In fact, I quite like them. I was simply consumed with
what I considered to be the perfect picture…a rugged cowboy hat and a worn pair
of cowboy boots. I had the hat and the boots, I just needed the ideal backdrop.
For
me that happened to be an old, three railed wooden fence. Easy to find, right?
Wrong. Frantic, I talked my husband into joining me on the search. It was a
costly endeavor. After buying a camper so our beloved dogs, Daphne and Maggie,
could ride comfortably and not be left behind, we then had to purchase a diesel
pickup to haul the home on wheels.
Three
hundred miles later, and several stops along the way, I found the fencing I had
envisioned in Gettysburg PA. An adventure in itself. The city happened to be
hosting its 150 year battle reenactment. As a girl fascinated with history, I
couldn’t believe our luck.
 |
| Photo by Devon McKay |
Needless
to say, there was never the necessity to use any of the pics I took. As with
all of the talented cover artists of The Wild Rose Press, Tamra Westberry did
an amazing cover for my book. I absolutely love it.
And
my husband and I had a wonderful week visiting battlefields, shops and museums.
Our adventure went quite smoothly, although that is not often the case which is
something I addressed in my book. Everyday isn’t a pleasant vacation across the
country.
Cowboy
on the Run is a Contemporary Western about first loves, lost love and secrets
to big too hide. It’s about everyday life in a small town and family. A modern
twist on the knight in shining armor rescuing a damsel in distress. In this
case, it’s more like a tarnished shell. And the damsel? Not so distressed.
Although,
I have to admit, a man coming back to reclaim his first and only love and
refusing to take no for an answer certainly makes my knees weak. Finding out
he’s a father to a twin boy and girl gives the story an interesting twist.
Nate,
however, is flawed. There is no doubt about it, the man is screwed up. Oh sure,
he’s sexy as hell with steely blue eyes and a devil may care attitude, but he
comes with baggage. Raised by an abusive, alcoholic father, Nate learned at an
early age how easy it was to run from problems. It takes him a while, but he
figures out running isn’t the solution. Even with this newly found insight,
he’s far from perfect. And the itch to run never goes away. It is always just
below the surface.
Jessie
has grit. Endurance. No matter what knocks her down, she’s able to somehow pick
herself up and face the world again. Such a hammering doesn’t come without a
price. She’s extremely guarded. There’s few people she trusts and defends her
family with the fierceness of a lioness. Whereas Nate struggles with the urge
to run, Jessie is the opposite – stubbornly fighting until the bitter end.
She’s resilient. However, beyond her tough exterior, lies a vulnerable girl
harboring a broken heart.
I identify with these characters and I hope
that my readers will also. My dream is for my stories to inspire others.
Neither life nor love is always easy or pretty, but sometimes you have to fight
for a life worth living and a love worth having. I believe in happy endings and
wish the same for those who enjoy reading my stories.
Excerpt:
Even
after all these years, the sound of his deep, raspy voice still gave her
chills, and she hated herself for this lack of control. Her breath caught in
her throat as his nearness caused a surge of excitement to course through her
veins, overcoming the last little bit of her perseverance.
Sinfully, Jessie allowed herself to
relish, only for a moment, what they once had. She caught herself inhaling his
manly scent – a distinct mixture of leather and masculinity. The heady
fragrance rekindled faded memories she’d tried like hell to forget.
Flashes, like scenes from a movie,
of a time when they had been inseparable. Nights spent holding hands and
staring up at the stars in the back of his beat up pickup, the dreams they’d
shared, the hay barn, the creek…
“I’m not leaving here without you,”
he stated, leaving no room for argument.
As if she could. The thought
filtered away as quick as it appeared, replaced by the blissful heat of his
mouth scorching the tender flesh of her neck. She closed her eyes as the
longing she’d denied for years returned full force.
A shiver of anticipation ran down
her spine and she abandoned all thoughts. He reached for his hat, his body
leaning into her and pulling her out of the lust-enhanced stupor.
She opened her eyes, drawn to a
bouquet of small, purple flowers in the spot where the worn Stetson had been. A
forgotten memory jilted her senses as she stared at the wildflowers, unsettled
by such a romantic gesture.
“Not this time,” he said huskily,
interrupting her thoughts and seducing her with his words once more before
making his way out of the bar.
Devon McKay Bio:
Devon
lives on a farm in Ohio with her very supportive and patient husband, not so
patient teenage son, two dogs, three cats, horde of long horned steers, flock
of chickens, and a trio of pygmy goats. When she’s not rising with the sun to
take care of the daily chores, she’s settling down with a good book or in her
writing den. Currently, she’s working on Staking A Claim – her soon to be
released novel with The Wild Rose Press.
Contact information:
and
can be followed on Twitter under @devonmckay2014
Great excerpt, Devon. Your cowboy sounds so sexy
ReplyDeleteGreat excerpt Devon. Best of luck with Cowboy on the Run!
ReplyDeleteWonderful excerpt. I love the book cover and the book was a great read.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your kind comments and taking the time to visit Melissa's blog. Special thanks to you Melissa for being such a great host.
ReplyDeleteDevon,
DeleteWelcome to the Snarkology! Thank you for sharing your story with us today. More than one place discovered while on a trip has inspired me, so I really identify with this. :-)