New Release!! Sapphire Waves is now available!!

 

Sapphire Waves is Book 7 in The Pathway Series, but this novella can be read as a standalone.

A second-chance romance in the gorgeous blue waters of the Bahamas.

Dr. Missy Rembert interned at Shark Lab in the Bimini Islands when she was a graduate student, and although she decided to change her field of study from sharks to cephalopods, one thing marked her time there—a fling with Josh McKittrick. Now she’s back in the Bahamas as part of a team exploring a blue hole, and she’s stunned to come face-to-face with the only man she’s ever regretted losing.

Dr. Josh McKittrick never thought he’d see Missy again. After their brief relationship at Shark Lab went south, he was forced to put her out of his mind and work became his haven. He knew she’d switched her research focus, so he was certain they’d never cross paths. He should’ve known better, because seeing her now is bringing back all the old feelings. Missy was the only woman who had broken his heart, and he’ll be damned if he goes through it a second time.

Don’t miss an exclusive bonus story – Deep Blue Hawai’i – featuring Grace and Alec from the novel DEEP BLUE.

Dr. Grace Mann and her boyfriend, underwater filmmaker Alec Galloway, are in the Aloha State for a Galloway family Christmas. While surfing Pipe is on the agenda for the boys, Grace finds a way to get in the water with tiger sharks, but can Alec convince her to stay on dry land long enough for an important question?

Read Chapter One

eBooks available at

 Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

Apple Books | Nook | Kobo | Google Play Books

Paperbacks are coming.

Find it at Goodreads

Excerpt

Josh reached into his pack and pulled out a packet of gummy bears.

“You still eating those things?” Missy asked.

He nodded, tearing the bag open and popping one into his mouth. It was his stress food, and if ever there was a stressful situation, this was it.

Missy Rembert. He’d come to accept that he’d likely never see her again. And now that he had, he was beginning to wish he hadn’t. He didn’t appreciate the tightness in his chest or the constriction of his throat as he sat beside her, pretending that she hadn’t completely broken his heart almost four years ago.

He was over her. He really was.

 

Kristy writes contemporary adventure romance as well as historical western romance. Her stories are filled with emotion and heart, with some steamy bits included. She lives in the Arizona desert with her husband and their rescue dog, Jeb, an American bulldog, and she currently enjoys doting on her new granddaughter while writing her next book. She's also trying to cut back on her chai tea latte addiction. You can find her at kmccaffrey.com and at kristymccaffreybooks on Instagram.

The Pathway Series has new covers!!

 By Kristy McCaffrey

I'm so excited to share BRAND NEW covers for my Pathway series!! They better convey the tone of the books - romance and high adventure - and I couldn't be more pleased with how they turned out.

You can find more info about each story here.

The Sparrow is out in Italian

 By Kristy McCaffrey

Il Passero

Ali del West: Libro Tre

Impetuose rapide e antichi spiriti trascinano Nathan Blackmore ed Emma Hart in una selvaggia avventura nel Gran Canyon.

“I lettori ameranno la storia…” ~ RT Book Reviews

1877

In possesso del dono della chiaroveggenza, e tormentata da visioni, Emma Hart arriva nel Grand Canyon—una regione selvaggia, aspra e, fino a poco prima, del tutto inesplorata—in cerca di risposte sulla tragedia del proprio passato, il tradimento del presente e uno sfuggente futuro che echeggia fin dentro l’anima. Accompagnata da Passero, il suo animale guida, si immerge negli abissi del folclore Hopi, costretta ad affrontare un male che ha resistito ai secoli.

Sulle tracce di Emma Hart, il Texas Ranger Nathan Blackmore arriva al fiume Colorado e, sbalordito, la scopre determinata a percorrerne il corso su una barchetta di legno a fondo piatto. Ma in un posto dove le increspature del tempo sono profonde, la scelta sarà inevitabile. Nathan dovrà accettare il regno invisibile, il mondo al di là del mondo, da cui si era allontanato anni prima, o rischiare di perdere la donna che ormai ama più della vita stessa.

Un sensuale western storico ambientato nel Territorio dell’Arizona.

Disponibile in formato eBook e cartaceo.

Ali del West

Lo Scricciolo: Libro Uno

La Colomba: Libro Due

Il Passero: Libro Tre

Il Merlo: Libro Quattro (In arrivo)

Iscriviti alla newsletter italiana di Kristy per ricevere notizie sui libri.

My Best of 2022

 

By Kristy McCaffrey

It was a hard year. My father-in-law passed away in May. He was a man of charisma and charity, tough yet always there for his family. My beloved chocolate lab, Lily, passed in July after fifteen years. I won’t lie - this one wrecked me most of all. I’d raised her from a puppy, and she was embedded in my soul more than I’d realized until she was gone. But there were bright spots—my younger son got engaged and we’re looking forward to a 2023 wedding. And my first grandchild blessed us with an early appearance—little Scarlett was born five weeks premature, but she’s doing well, getting big and doing all the baby things, which is mostly to make you fall hopelessly in love with her.

 

Here’s my Best of 2022 list:

Best Life Hack
Live in the Moment

It sounds cliché but when my sweet Lily was in hospice the last six months of her life (she started having seizures and slowly lost her ability to walk), my husband and I cared for her around the clock. We took turns sleeping on a mattress in the living room so she was never alone. Every two to three hours we would carry her outside to do her business. She often couldn’t sleep and would pace and pant, or despite medication, she would seize for hours. It was a physically draining time. But I stayed in the moment, taking care with my thoughts (keeping a positive mindset and not wallowing in despair). I wasn’t naïve, I knew what was coming, but it allowed me to fully love her with no regrets. I changed my writing schedule so that my daily goals were very small (write 500 words or edit one page) because my brain was fuzzy from lack of sleep most days. I managed to finish a novel while not beating myself up for not being more accomplished. I learned the immense power we have in the NOW. It gave me the strength to keep going each day, to give Lily her best life until the very end.

Best drink
Hot Chai Tea Latte from Starbucks

I drink it with oat milk, no water, and three pumps of brown sugar syrup (or apple brown sugar syrup during the Christmas holiday). This sugary-caffeine drink has been my indulgence this year, a pick-me-up when I feel low.

Best challenge
My rescue dog, Jeb 

A year ago, we went to the pound and brought home the saddest dog there. We wanted a companion for Lily, and Jeb needed a chance. He’s an American Bulldog, a breed I wasn’t familiar with, so I got to work educating myself. He’s been a handful! In addition to chronic health issues (environmental allergies that require lifelong medication - it’s so bad his toes periodically swell - and a low thyroid that now treated has given him more energy), he’s the most reactive dog I’ve ever had. While he was good with Lily (she always welcomed any new dog into her home with open paws), he hasn’t been good with any other pet. He grabbed the tail of my vet’s office cat and yanked it to the ground, attacked my daughter’s puppy after we accidentally left a door open (Dipsy was ok, thankfully, with only an abscess on his cheek), fought and tried to kill a large rattlesnake (Jeb was bitten in the face), bit my mom’s purse two different times when she entered my house, and well, you get the picture. We’ve been working on training him but he’s very emotional and it’s clear he wasn’t properly socialized as a puppy. He’s always leashed and in control for his evening walks (which he loves) but having people just “stop by” doesn’t work. He’s very loving, but he needs strong boundaries. We won’t give up on him!

Best Show
1883 

Honorable mention: The English

Both shows had complex and emotional stories, and the acting was top-notch. Get your tissues handy.

Best Movie
 Top Gun: Maverick 

An entertaining big cinema experience - just the thing after a long pandemic.

Best shoes
Lined Crocs 

So comfy!

Best Music
Lost Hits of the ’80s on iHeart Radio 

My high school and college years, so … nostalgia.

Best Restaurant
Islands 

Burgers and tacos but the best part is the tv screens that showcase surfing on a loop. It makes you feel like you’re at the beach.

Best Beauty Hack
A Beauty Oil 

I learned that using essential oils on the back of my arms can get rid of those pesky dermatitis bumps. My favorite is Leahlani’s Pua Lei Oil. It smells so good.

Best Body Hack
A Theragun 

I only recently learned of this amazing device that can break up the knots in your muscles. I use it on my neck and my feet (I developed plantar fasciitis this year). They can be quite expensive, but my husband found one at Lowe’s (generic name: muscle massager) for $40 and it works great.

Best Book
I can’t pick a favorite! 

As many of you know, I’m an author so choosing a best book of the year is like favoring one of my children over the other. Impossible! So here’s a “best of” list of what I read in 2022, all excellent.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

A Cold Montana Christmas by Mina Beckett

Hunter by Julie Lence

Twisty Tortoise Tussles by Ann Charles

The Backside of Hades by Ann Charles and Sam Lucky

Shiver by Allie Reynolds

Following Faith by Jacqui Nelson

Continuum by G.S. Jennsen

Inversion by G.S. Jennsen

Echo Rift by G.S. Jennsen

A Lady’s Formula For Love by Elizabeth Everett

Just Haven’t Met You Yet by Sophie Cousens

Book of Night by Holly Black

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey

The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Love On The Brain by Ali Hazelwood

Ocean Wolves by Theresa Beachman

The Queen’s Huntsman by Tanya Anne Crosby

The Six Deaths of the Saint by Alix E. Harrow

 

What are your “Best Of for 2022?” Let me know in the comments!

Wishing you all a blessed holiday and a Happy 2023!!

 

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, and 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 Starling is out!!

 

By Kristy McCaffrey

I'm pleased to share that The Starling is out. Don't miss this new, full-length novel in my 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.

Kate Ryan 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.

The Wings of the West Series Reading Order
Book One: The Wren
Book Two: The Dove
Book Three: The Sparrow
Book Four: The Blackbird
Book Five: The Bluebird
Book Six: The Songbird (Novella)
Book Seven: Echo of the Plains (Short Story)
Book Eight:  The Starling

Click here to order a digital copy (available for Kindle, Nook, Apple Books, Kobo, and Google Play). Or grab a paperback copy.

Excerpt

Kate used the glass of sherry as a shield. It was obvious undercover agent Henry Maguire was stunned to see her and less than happy with her presence. Luckily, she had known who to look for from a photograph Mr. Jones had given her, although it hardly did justice to the man before her.

Henry Maguire had presence. There was simply no other word for it.

His intense blue eyes accented the hard line of his jaw like the frozen slopes of Colorado where her cousin Molly Rose had lived. Kate couldn’t help but notice his clean-shaven face and the citrusy smell coming from him. It was pleasant in a way that unsettled her, and she was entirely uncertain why.

But she had been warned … Henry was expecting Louise Foster, and he would have no idea who Kate was. It was unfortunate that Mrs. Wingate had caught Kate right at the door and had started speaking with her, because it had made contacting her “husband” fraught with danger.

But it was over. Henry had accepted the charade, and they were now working together. He had said he wanted to speak privately, but as yet he hadn’t, so Kate could only conclude it wasn’t safe to do so while at the party. She vowed she wouldn’t break protocol. She wouldn’t say anything to Henry that his loving wife, who had been separated from him for nearly two months, wouldn’t say.

“When did you arrive?” Henry asked.

“Earlier this evening.”

“How did you get here?”

“A man named Francis O’Malley brought me. I hired him.” The Pinkertons had hired him, but she couldn’t say that aloud. “I believe he’s a blacksmith in town, and he runs a livery too. He offered to stay, but I assured him that you would be here and see me home.” Her lips stretched into a smile, but she couldn’t hold Henry’s gaze as he watched her rather intently, so she took in the room.

It was quite festive. The Wingate wealth was on grand display with sparkling crystal chandeliers hanging from tin ceilings, a tiled floor covered in ornate rugs, and stuffed chairs likely imported from Europe.

As she brought her attention back to her “husband” she caught him still staring at her, those ice-blue eyes holding her briefly spellbound. He must have been watching her the entire time she had scanned the room. She shifted, feeling a bit uncomfortable, wanting to clear the air more than anything.

Had she done something wrong? Was she dressed inappropriately?

But a second glance around the room revealed that while her gown might not be quite as fancy as the many ladies in attendance, it was good enough. It had been Louise’s dress, after all, and Kate had to believe her mentor had been very prepared to enter this operation as Henry’s wife.

That was it. Henry was upset about Louise.

She turned to him. “I’m sure you’re worried about my dear sister, Louise.”

He regarded her with interest. “I am,” he replied in a measured tone. “Is she well?”

“Unfortunately, no. She’s indisposed at the moment, but she should be better soon.”

Henry accepted the news with a nod, his gaze conveying a glimmer of concern. Suddenly, Kate felt terrible. It had been clear from Louise that she valued Henry’s expertise, as well as his friendship, but Kate hadn’t thought any further than that.

The additional assignment that Louise had given Kate—privately and outside the dictates of the job—now seemed to take a different tone. Louise had asked Kate to keep an eye on Henry because eight years ago his father had died in an accident in Trinidad, apparently falling to his death down a mine shaft. Kate had inferred that Louise considered Henry compromised, and that it could place him at odds with the job the Pinkertons had been sent to do.

But now the worry in Henry’s eyes, however brief, said something else. Did he and Louise have a relationship that extended beyond business associates? Is that what his irritation was about? Did Henry love her? And why did that thought cause another ripple of unease in Kate?

Ignoring it, she added, “She’ll be all right. You’ve no need to worry. The bullet missed all vital organs.”

His eyes flicked back to her, reflecting shock.

Oh, no. He did love her.

Copyright © 2022 K. McCaffrey LLC

 

Pre-Order The Starling

 

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 CA | Amazon AU

Amazon DE (English Version)

Amazon IT (English Version)

Apple Books

Nook

(Google Play and Kobo links are coming)