A Christmas Cowboy To Keep

By Kristy McCaffrey

It's that merry time of year once again. Last year I published a contemporary western long novella in the anthology A Christmas Cowboy To Keep, so if you didn't have a chance to read the collection then, be sure to grab a copy now. It includes stories from Carra Copelin, Andrea Downing, Devon McKay, Hildie McQueen, Hebby Roman, and Patti Sherry-Crews.

Only 99 cents at Amazon or read it in Kindle Unlimited

The weather is cold, the atmosphere is festive, and the cowboys are hot. How do you keep a cowboy at Christmas?

CHRISTMAS, LIBERTY, AND THE THREE MINUTE MAN by Carra Copelin

Nashville event planner, Liberty Ann Hart, tries not to fall for a local carpenter, but his charisma is difficult to ignore, especially at Christmas and in the rustic setting of a Texas town called Mistletoe. Daniel Dylan Layman is determined to show the headstrong city woman a country life. Will a Christmas fundraiser spark a lifetime of love?

A CHRISTMAS CAROLE by Andrea Downing

Carrie Matheson is happy to start a new life at the Wyoming ranch she has inherited, but her six-year-old son wants to return to New York. As Christmas approaches and his pleas to Santa receive replies, it’s alarm bells not sleigh bells that start ringing. Tate Schrugge is amused by his new neighbor when she jogs over with some mis-delivered mail, but after she calls him Scrooge, she’s definitely not on his Christmas list. If these two can get together, it might be the Dickens of a romance.

THE PEPPERMINT TREE by Kristy McCaffrey

When an unexpected inheritance draws lawyer Skye Mallory home for the Christmas holidays, she’s surprised by a longing to set down roots in her Colorado hometown. Only one thing stands in her way—a cowboy who broke her heart in high school. Joe Carrigan has returned to the community he left years ago, ready to face his one regret in life—Skye Mallory. But this time, he won’t be so chivalrous.

THE DEVIL’S CHRISTMAS KISS by Devon McKay

Some things never change. Kristen Kelly’s hometown is still Christmas crazy. Her sister, Laney, will always need to be rescued. And Cole Lawson will never stop pestering her. The handsome cowboy has picked right up where they left off, teasing her without mercy. And though her head tells her to run from Cole as fast as she can, her heart has a mind of its own.

SLAY BELLS by Hildie McQueen

Carmen and Jared can’t avoid the sparks that fly between them at first sight. But when a dead body surfaces at the Christmas festival, she becomes a witness and he becomes a suspect. Not exactly the recipe for a perfect match. Can they find love amidst the mayhem and sleigh bells?

THE BEST CHRISTMAS by Hebby Roman

Sofia Rossi and Gar McCulloch meet under challenging circumstances—her estranged son has been admitted to Gar’s ranch rehab-center. Sofia is a successful New York model who had an ill-advised liaison with a wealthy, married member of New York society and lost her son to her ex’s manipulation. Gar is divorced and lost his daughter to a drug overdose. When they bond together to reclaim Sofia’s son, the last thing they expect is to find redemption in each other’s arms, making this their best Christmas… ever.

COUNTING DOWN TO CHRISTMAS by Patti Sherry-Crews

Melody Evans, a professional wedding planner, views happily-ever-after endings with a skeptical eye, but she's never lost her childlike enthusiasm for her favorite holiday—Christmas. To veterinarian rancher Leland Jennings IV, Christmas is just for kids. If he could, he'd skip the whole month of December. But he does believe there’s one woman out there for him, and he's holding out for her. Melody revives Leland's Christmas spirit, and he rekindles her heart.

An excerpt from The Peppermint Tree

Skye made the mistake of glancing at Carrigan. His hooded gaze bore into her, and she almost turned to look behind her for the woman that he was obviously shooting lusty thoughts toward, because it sure as hell wasn’t her.

On top of everything else, she now had to contend with broken radar when it came to men.

Man, she needed another drink.

“You can come to the Ball tomorrow,” Celeste said.

The Mistletoe Ball was an event her folks and many of the people in Durango and the surrounding communities attended every Christmas, and Skye had forgotten completely about it. The last one she’d attended had been five years ago.

Celeste glanced around the table. “We’re all going. I even got a ticket for Tina.”

Carrigan’s date.

An invisible anvil clobbered Skye’s chest. He hadn’t professed to having a wife and kids, so obviously Celeste was playing matchmaker. She had done it plenty over the years, meddling regularly in Skye’s own love life. It was the exact reason Skye had never confided in her best friend about Carrigan. She hadn’t wanted Celeste plotting and planning, no matter her good intentions.

But now Skye would have a front-row seat to the Carrigan and Tina show.

“I don’t have a dress,” she said quickly. “But thanks anyway.”

She avoided looking at Carrigan by draining the rest of her Whiskey Sour.

Copyright © 2018 K. McCaffrey LLC

Write A Novel In A Month #NaNoWriMo

By Kristy McCaffrey

If you’ve been on Facebook or Twitter, then you might have seen posts about National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. During the month of November writers from around the world collectively put their butts in the chair and pound out a novel. There’s a website where you can register your project, track your daily word count, and interact with your friends and colleagues who are also participating. To win NaNo, you must write 50,000 words by November 30. If you’re a writer, you know how tough this can be. And if you’re a reader, you might wonder what all the fuss is about.

I’ve successfully completed two previous NaNo’s—the first was for my western romance THE BLACKBIRD (2014), and the second was my romantic suspense novel about great white sharks titled DEEP BLUE (2016).

How does NaNo benefit a writer? It forces the internal editor to take a vacation. Believe me, this is far harder than it sounds, and is probably the biggest battleground an author will face in trying to complete NaNo. The internal editor not only encompasses good sentence structure and proper grammar, he/she also wants fully-fleshed characters right out of the gate, will insist on researching the name of the road in that western town in 1877 before allowing any more forward movement in the story, and wants to investigate every Irish surname for a secondary character who only appears in one scene. The internal editor can be the harshest of critics, and many a writer has succumbed to crippling self-doubt as a result.

But if an author has already published several novels, he/she must have found a way to work with this ridiculously overbearing boss, right? Excuse me while I laugh hysterically. Okay, I’m back. The short answer is, no. But all is not lost, and that’s where NaNo helps writers to shine. It forces us to push past the persnickety side-commentator and get the story down. NaNo is all about the first draft—those random and sometimes illogical beginnings of our stories. As a reader, all you’ve ever seen is the spiffed up final version of a project, so it’s hard to understand that it didn’t always look that way. Most first drafts would shock the spit right out of you. Just kidding. They’re not that horrifying, but they can be quite the hot mess.

To write 50,000 words in one month (and November only has 30 days), a writer must punch out 1,667 words per day. I usually round up to 2,000, because life doesn’t stop for me to write, so there will be days when I don’t hit that goal. Since my novels tend to be 75-85K in length, writing 50K won’t be the entire book. This leads to the most important advice I can offer about NaNo—make sure you get to THE END. This means that some scenes will be skipped, heavy description and backstory will be lightly touched upon, and character development will be invariably sketchy. But this is a good thing. Getting to the end offers insights that can’t be found any other way, and it will make the first revision pass much more fruitful.

One quirk I’ve learned during NaNo is that my scenes end up out of order. Since I know this about myself, I don’t spend too much time in my transitions from one incident to the next, because I’ll likely be moving them around later. I simply try to find the interior energy of a scene and expound on that as best I can. Then I move on. You can’t dilly-dally during NaNo.

And while it’s true I’ll be forced to discard large chunks of my preciously speed-written prose during the refining stages of the manuscript, it’s never wasted. I almost always learn something from the misstep, either about my characters or a plot direction that wasn’t going to work. I’ve also had delightful surprises. I didn’t find the great white shark star of my suspense book until the very end of the first draft. Her name was Bonnie, and when she arrived she changed the whole tone of the story. That’s why it’s important to get to the end. Once I knew about her, it was clear how I needed to lay the groundwork for her presence earlier in the book, and it completely informed the direction of my revisions.

This year, I’m unofficially participating and I won’t lie, it’s stressful. Some days I just can’t figure out what should happen next, and my mind’s innate tendency to wander off—online Christmas shopping! Let’s do that!—must be held in rigorous check. The manuscript (ANCIENT WINDS, the third book in my suspense series) is unfolding in a choppy and somewhat haphazard way, and it’s downright maddening. But … I’m finding those little gems along the way. (I have a fabulous scene in the Amazonian jungle with my hero and heroine and an anaconda that quite surprised me.) And this is because NaNo doesn’t let up; it forces you to write something. Anything. It inspires innovation.

So, if you’re a writer and haven’t given NaNo a try, consider it. You might astonish yourself. And if you’re a reader, have sympathy for those participating. We won’t be grumpy lunatics for long.

Connect with Kristy

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Read a Book, Help a Cowboy

Today I'm sharing how my author pal Shanna Hatfield supports injured rodeo athletes, along with her wonderful new book release.

* * *

For most rodeo athletes it is a matter of when they get hurt, not if.

Many are uninsured and for those who find themselves out of work for months on end, the injury can be devastating physically, emotionally, and financially.

That’s where the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund steps in. The JCCF provides financial assistance to rodeo athletes who’ve sustained catastrophic injuries that leave them unable to compete for an extended time. Rather than worry about how they’ll pay their bills, they can focus on healing.

Because she grew up around cowboys and loves to include them in the stories she writes, author Shanna Hatfield supports the JCCF through her Read a Book, Help A Cowboy campaign. In its sixth year, the campaign raises funds and awareness for the JCCF. Now through Christmas Eve, Hatfield will donate ten percent of the proceeds from every book purchase to the JCCF.

A wonderful addition to this year’s campaign is Hatfield’s brand-new book called  A Cowboy Christmas. The book features 300 pages of western holiday fun with more than 70 full-color recipes.

The jangle of spurs mingles with the jingle of sleigh bells in this celebration of Christmas—cowboy style!

Welcome home to a western holiday with A Cowboy Christmas. A collection of unique holiday décor, traditions, recipes, and guides for entertaining with ease make this your go-to resource for an amazing western Christmas. Filled with stories of real-life ranch families and rodeo cowboys, get a glimpse into their traditions, try their family recipes, and experience their lifestyles. From preserving memories of the past to tips for wrapping presents, discover the special touches incorporated throughout this book that make it a holiday keepsake you’ll cherish for years to come. Brimming with holiday cheer, recipes with full-color photographs, and one-of-a-kind ideas, this book is a wonderful celebration of the holidays that will help make your Christmas unforgettable.

This book is available from:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Books a Million

Apple

Kobo

Indie Bound

RECIPE

Chocolate Chex Trees

These yummy and adorable trees are so simple to make and a great project if you have kids at home who need something to do. Set them on a disposable plate, foil-wrapped piece of cardboard, or a large sugar cookie wrapped in cellophane for gift-giving!

Ingredients:

3 cups Chex Chocolate cereal

6 pretzel sticks (the thick kind, made for dipping)

½ cup peanut butter

¼ cup Nutella

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Mix the peanut but­ter, Nutella, but­ter, and pow­dered sugar in a bowl.

On whatever you plan to use for a base, mold the peanut butter mixture around the pretzel stick until it stands upright and forms a slight cone shape.

Hold it steady by using the tip of the pret­zel as a han­dle and begin insert­ing pieces of cereal into the peanut but­ter mix­ture in a sym­met­ri­cal pat­tern around the stick. You can tip the cereal pieces up or down, depending on your personal preference. Add more cereal pieces, stag­ger­ing them as you move upward, until you get near the top.

For the top of the tree, use broken pieces or cut them in half to get the smaller scale of branches near the top.

Use two pieces of cereal back to back to form the top.

Dust with powdered sugar.

Makes 6 trees

PRAISE

"Absolutely one of the best Christmas entertaining books I have ever read or seen I would hold this up against even Southern Living’s Christmas book they put out every year and that’s saying a huge thumbs up for A Cowboy Christmas. The recipes are all easy and quick sounding which is always the type of recipe I love to use. Once again Shanna Hatfield is the best at what at she does!"

Goodreads Reviewer

 "Such a beautiful book, and such a wonderful celebration of traditions and ideas to introduce into your own family. Included are heartwarming stories, recipes, craft ideas. This book shares with Shanna Hatfield's readers her joy and enthusiasm for the Western Way of life and the continuity of family that needs to be handed down to the new generations."

Amazon Reviewer

About the Author:
USA Today bestselling author Shanna Hatfield is a farm girl who loves to write. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances are filled with sarcasm, humor, hope, and hunky heroes. When Shanna isn’t dreaming up sassy characters, twisting plots, or testing out new recipes, she hangs out with her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller. She resides near Walla Walla, Washington.

An Interview With Kristy

Tell us about yourself.
I’m an Arizona native, and live with my husband in the desert north of Phoenix with our two dogs and youngest child. My three older kids are grown and gone. My education is in engineering, but I’ve been a passionate writer since I was seven years old.

Where do you get your ideas from?
Book ideas come from everywhere: the news, magazines, the internet, TV, films, and my own curiosity.

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?
Sometimes I use real people as inspiration, but ultimately I develop the character that I need for my story. Character and plot go hand-in-hand for me.

How do you pick your characters’ names?
I often use a baby book to get started, but sometimes I’ll change a name well into writing the story if the current one doesn’t seem to fit. I also love to watch the end credits of movies. Lots of great names to choose from.

What's your writing process?
I mostly write in the afternoons. I tend to plot a little, then write, then get stuck so I’ll plot a little more again. Rinse and repeat.

Is there a drink or food that keeps you company while you write?
I drink water and tea. If I'm particularly stressed over my writing, I tend to turn to candy. Sweetarts, red licorice, and gummies are my favorite. I also chew a lot of gum.

Who are your top 5 favorite authors?
Jane Austen, Katherine Neville, Anne McCaffrey (no relation), Marion Zimmer Bradley, Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes.

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?
Katherine Neville, author of THE EIGHT, an ambitious and complicated novel that I love so much. I’d simply want to talk craft with her.

Were you a big reader as a child?
Yes. Nancy Drew books and Charlotte’s Web were favorites.

When did you start to write?
I’ve been writing compulsively and for fun since I was a child, but I didn’t write my first novel until I was 32 years old and had four children under the age of five underfoot.

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change?
If you mean one of my own books, I wouldn’t. I’m pretty happy with how each of them ended. As for other books, I’m going to extend the criteria a bit to include the season finale of ‘Game of Thrones.’ I hope I’m not spoiling it for anyone since plot points have been plastered all over the internet, but I would change Dany’s character arc. She wouldn’t die, and she’d be on the throne.

Is there a book you wish you had written?
Yes, THE EIGHT by Katherine Neville.

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be? 
The Art of Sleeping-In

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?
This was harder than I thought it would be. I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to choose film characters. I’m a sucker for a strong female lead in a movie. Here’s a few of my favorites: Bess Armstrong from Jaws 3-D; Kate Bosworth from Blue Crush; Sandra Bullock from Practical Magic; Reese Witherspoon from Legally Blonde; Brie Larson from Captain Marvel. Where would we go? A girl’s weekend at a nice resort—hit the spa, eat out, and have a great time chatting about life.

Do you take a notebook with you to write down ideas?
No, but I do take notes on my phone.

Have you considered writing in a different genre in the future?
No. I currently write in two genres (romantic suspense adventure and historical western romance) and it keeps me very busy.

Which genre do you not like at all?
I'm pretty open to reading anything that catches my eye, so I try not to limit myself.

What are you working on right now?
I’m working on Book 3 in my Pathway Series, ANCIENT WINDS. This will feature Brynn Galloway and Dr. Tristan Magee as they search for an ancient artifact. It will be a mix of ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ and ‘The X-Files.’

Any release news?
I'm about to release my first western romance, THE WREN, in German. I'm very excited to expand into a new market.

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?
My husband takes me to lunch.

How can readers keep in touch with you?
Website: https://kmccaffrey.com/
Newsletter: https://kmccaffrey.com/subscribe/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKristyMcCaffrey
Twitter:  https://www.twitter.com/McCaffreyKristy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristymccaffrey/

Book Review: One of Our Own by Cheryl Reavis

Review by Kristy McCaffrey

One of Our Own

By

Cheryl Reavis

Sloan Baron has come to Navajo Country to see her estranged brother, who's in critical condition after a car accident. She has already been caring for two of his children, and now she learns that he has a third child, a young half-Navajo boy. As she navigates the mess her brother has left behind, she finds an unlikely ally in Navajo Tribal Policeman Lucas Singer. Together, they try to unravel the laws regarding children on Indian Reservations. They also fall hard for each other.

This is such a wonderful book! Ms. Reavis has created well-rounded characters that you’ll love and root for and cry over, along with a peek into the traditions and beliefs of the Navajo people. This is a story that will stay with you long after it’s ended. Moving and deeply romantic, I highly recommend.

Find it at Amazon

Jumping Genes and an Excerpt from COLD HORIZON

By Kristy McCaffrey

Jumping genes, or transposons, are small pieces of DNA that have the unusual ability to copy and insert themselves in random places within a genome. These genes—long known as junk DNA—were thought to be nothing more than genomic parasites, but research is beginning to show their importance in evolution.

Most cells in our body contain DNA, a molecule composed of a double helix that carries the genetic instructions required for life. (Mature red blood cells are the only ones that lack DNA, having gotten rid of it to pack themselves full of more hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein). For cells to access the information contained in DNA, they must transcribe it onto a related molecule called RNA. Despite that the same DNA is in almost every cell, not every cell is expressed in the same way, otherwise we would be one giant blob of undifferentiated matter.

Jumping genes were first discovered by geneticist Barbara McClintock in the 1940s. At the time, most scientists dismissed them, but McClintock suggested they might play a regulatory role by determining which genes are turned on and when.

Barbara McClintock

Transposons have been found to jump across plants, animals and fungi as well. The process is known as horizontal transfer, as opposed to the normal parent-offspring transfer, and has had an enormous impact on mammalian evolution. For example, 25% of the genome of cows and sheep is derived from jumping genes.

One such jumping gene is called LINE1, abundant in almost all genomes of mammals. It’s repeated half a million times in the human genome, making up nearly a fifth of the DNA in every cell. Studies of mouse embryos have shown that LINE1 is especially active during early development of the organism, suggesting that the segment might play a key role in coordinating the formation of cells. Researchers believe that LINE1 RNA particles act as a molecular “glue,” switching off the two-cell stage of early development and jump-starting it to the next phase.

There are many different types of jumping genes, including some that drive the evolution of genomes, thereby creating more genetic diversity in a species.

In my book COLD HORIZON, Lindsey Coulson is a chemist who studies jumping genes.

Two years ago, Lindsey Coulson lost her sister on K2, the second highest mountain on earth. Searching for answers, she sets out to climb the Savage Mountain. Mountaineer and freelance writer Ty Galloway has assembled a small team to conquer K2 and welcomes the esteemed climber. But K2 is a force unto itself, as is Lindsey. Both will test his limits. Both will test his heart.

“Blending romance, suspense, adventure, and action, it really was a great thrill ride of a book and one that I gladly recommend.” ~ Jamie, The Romance Studio

Excerpt from Cold Horizon

Lindsey scooped more snow into the pan and set it atop the stove. Ty was all business with her, giving no indication that they were more than friends. A few times she had to stop herself from touching him, or leaning into him, or standing too close. Not that there was any big reason to keep it a secret. Still, she was tempted to kiss Galloway in full view of Fiske if only to get the jerk off her case.

“Ty, you still planning to go to the South Pole?” Beck asked.

“Maybe. It depends on my schedule.” He drank from his water bottle, flinching from the hot liquid.

“You wanna go?”

“I’m interested. Let me know when/if you settle on a date. Maybe you should come too, Lindsey.”

“Why’s that?” she asked.

“It’s the last great frontier. A real feather in any explorer’s cap.”

“I thought space was the last frontier,” Packer said from his spot just outside their circle.

Beck ripped open the wrapper on a candy bar. “We’re nearly in space on this mountain.”

Packer laughed. “That’s for damned sure.”

Fiske took a bite of a power bar. “Mountains are more difficult,” he said around the food in his mouth. “The South Pole is just dragging a sled for miles.”

“It’s all about the mind, Fiske.” Beck broke off a piece of chocolate and popped it in his mouth. 

“Seeing if you have the mental capacity to do it.”

Was it Lindsey’s imagination, or did Beck’s voice hold a hint of sarcasm?

If Fiske noticed, he gave no indication, and said, “I think it a waste of time. Climbing has better goals. Will you climb while you are there?”

Ty shook his head. “No. It would be a trek across ice.”

Beck’s attention shifted to her. “So, what do you think?”

If for no other reason than to irritate Fiske, she answered, “I’ve always wanted to visit Antarctica.”

Ty gave her a sidelong glance, a wicked gleam in his eyes. “Then you should come.”

She smiled and looked away before she did a happy jig over the open invitation.

Packer moved to stand beside her and said, “But please, by all that’s holy, don’t go near any strange creatures and try to study their DNA. We all know what happened in ‘The Thing.’”

“Because that was a completely true story,” Ditch said in a dry tone.

“Did you know that the dot on an ‘i’ is called a tittle?” Packer chuckled.

“Do you get whiplash?”

“From what?”

“Your ADD,” Ditch said.

Lindsey looked over her shoulder at Packer. “That movie wasn’t really that farfetched. The alien functioned like a virus, infecting its host and taking over. Viruses like to jump around, and we humans are ripe for the picking because we like to take a lot of risks. We eat things we probably shouldn’t, and we poke around in places where maybe we should stay away.”

Packer’s eyes widened. “Like here?”

Lindsey smiled. “We do like to push those boundaries. It’s evolution, baby.”

Copyright © 2019 K. McCaffrey LLC

COLD HORIZON is available in ebook and print.

Kindle | Nook | Apple | Kobo | Google Play | Print

Stay in touch with Kristy

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Win a print copy of Blue Sage

Don't miss my August website giveaway - a print copy of my long novella Blue Sage, a contemporary western romance.

Braden Delaney has taken over the family cattle business after the death of his father, but faced with difficult financial decisions, he contemplates selling a portion of the massive Delaney ranch holdings known as Whisper Rock, a place of unusual occurrences. Archaeologist Audrey Driggs arrives in the remote wilderness of Northern Arizona looking for clues to a life-altering experience from her childhood. Together, they’ll uncover a long-lost secret.

Click here and enter today.

Blue Sage can be found at these eBook vendors.

Amazon | Nook | Apple | Google Play | Kobo | Smashwords

Book Reviews: FATHOMLESS and ABYSS by Greig Beck

Reviews by Kristy McCaffrey

If you're in the mood for a techno-thriller à la Jaws after getting your shark fix from Shark Week, then check out these two books by Greig Beck. I've included the Amazon link but his work is also available at other ebook retailers.

Fathomless

by

Greig Beck

A fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller starring none other than a giant shark, FATHOMLESS is the perfect escapist read. Evolutionary Biologist Cate Granger is in search of answers to her grandfather’s disappearance years before and heads to Alaska in search of an underground sea. She and her team find more than they bargained for, and it should come as no surprise that the shark escapes back into the "real" world. This is Jaws and The Meg and Sharknado all rolled up in one, and I had a blast reading it. I did wish that the shark wasn’t so demonized, but there’s no disputing this is a trademark of the genre. Grab some popcorn and sit back for an entertaining ride.

Find FATHOMLESS at Amazon

Abyss

by

Greig Beck

This sequel to FATHOMLESS follows the same characters—biologists Cate Granger and Jack Monroe, as well as many others—and their discovery of more Megalodon sharks lurking in the ocean depths. This time around the action takes place in the abyssal zone of the ocean, nearly 20,000 feet down. You’ll experience the terror of being trapped in a submersible while a frightening menace watches from the inky depths, and be glad that you’re on land. Cate and Jack aren’t as well-drawn as I would’ve liked, but the plot is inventive while remaining firmly anchored in scientific fact. This is escapist horror-movie fare, and I loved it!

Find ABYSS at Amazon

Deep Blue: Réunion Island Correction

My apologies. If you purchased Deep Blue: Réunion Island at the end of July, you may have noticed that Alec confessed something to Grace that he'd already shared in Deep Blue: Australia. Sometimes discrepancies slip through despite my rigorous editorial process. I'm happy to say that as of August 1, all Deep Blue: Réunion Island files have been updated to maintain consistency from the previous novella. If you purchased the book before that date from Amazon and would like to have the updated version, you'll need to contact Amazon customer service and have them push the new file onto your device. Unfortunately, it won't automatically update. I'm not sure how it works on the other eBook platforms (Apple, Nook, Kobo, and Google Play). If you're purchasing the book after August 1, then you should receive the updated file and can ignore this notice.

Thank you to everyone! My readers are awesome (and forgiving). I'm working on another Deep Blue novella, which I hope to have out this fall. Stay tuned!

New Deep Blue Novella Releases

By Kristy McCaffrey

When shark researcher Grace Mann accompanies her boyfriend, underwater filmmaker Alec Galloway, to Western Australia for a commercial shoot with great whites, she envisions relaxing days in the sun and smoldering nights between the sheets. But as Alec’s mood becomes increasingly distant, Grace worries the chemistry they shared—so effortless in the beginning—was starting to fizzle. Is his reticence related to her, or something else? And can she find a way to help him get the footage he needs before his behavior places his life in danger?

Download at your favorite ebook retailer. Click here for more info.

(Please note: This novella was previously accessible only to Kristy's newsletter subscribers, but is now available for purchase. If you would like a free download, sign-up here for the newsletter.)

* * * * *

“Bull shark,” Grace confirmed. “And a big one by the look of it.”

Dr. Grace Mann has joined her boyfriend, underwater filmmaker Alec Galloway, on a trip to the French island of Réunion. Alec and his team—Dan “Double D” Donovan and Stephie Kim—have come to document the capture and relocation of mature bull sharks from the western coastline.

For over ten years, shark attacks have terrorized the people of Réunion, essentially ruining the diving and surfing industry. Angry exchanges between locals who want the sharks culled and a government trying to preserve the ecology of the ocean environment have failed to resolve the issue.

The relocation program is a last-ditch effort to bring a peaceful coexistence between humans and sharks, but Grace’s resolve will be tested as she enters the water with these tenacious predators. Bull sharks didn’t earn their name because they were polite.

Click here to purchase at your favorite ebook vendor.

Excerpt from Deep Blue: Réunion Island

Movement caught her eye, and she barely had a chance to shine the light of her camera toward it when a blunt nose slammed into her, shoving her violently through the water. The beady eye, a black slit against white, watched her, then its gills slid past in a flurry as the fish flicked and turned away, the dislodged camera sinking to the sea floor. Stunned, Grace struggled to keep her regulator in her mouth as the dark abyss swallowed up the equipment in the last bit of light.

She should swim down and retrieve it, but every fiber in her screamed to get out of the water. The shark had every advantage in the dark. Kicking her fins, she headed to the boat. When her head broke the surface, she spit the regulator out.

“Stephie! Get out of the water!”

The men were struggling with the captured shark and their shouts drowned out her voice. Stephie swam closer, struggling to keep her head out of the water, her heavy air tank weighing her down. A fin crested the surface behind her.

Grace ducked under, her mask still on, and pushed Stephie aside, extending her arm and shoving hard when the shark came close. The bull turned and her hand scraped on its rough skin as it bolted away.

Whipping her head above water, Grace sucked in a breath.

“You go,” Grace gasped to Stephie, who was still behind her. “I’ll watch your back.”

Stephie moved quickly to the ladder hanging off the boat, and Grace followed, her gaze continuously scanning the surroundings. A pressure wave pushed into her. She put her face in the water just in time to see a large shadow pass below.

The goddamned shark was beneath her.

Without looking up, she kept moving to where she thought the ladder was. The shadow turned, moving upward, revealing the unmistakable outline of a shark. The aggressive beast was coming straight for her. She readied herself to redirect with her hand, but it would meet her feet first. Did she have enough strength to kick it? Grace really didn’t want it to snag one of her flippers.

Pumping her arms, Grace prayed the boat was behind her.

With the shark almost upon her, she was suddenly yanked from the water. She flew onto the back deck of the boat as the shark slapped the surface with its caudal fin, turned sharply, and splashed her as it spun away.

“What the hell was that?” Alec said in her ear.

With relief, she leaned back into him. “Mother Nature’s perfect creation.”

Copyright © 2019 K. McCaffrey LLC

Pathway Series Reading Order:

Deep Blue

Deep Blue: Australia (A Pathway Novella)

Deep Blue: Réunion Island (A Pathway Novella)

Cold Horizon

Cold Horizon: Telluride (A Pathway Novella)

Book Review: Recursion by Blake Crouch

Review by Kristy McCaffrey

Recursion

by

Blake Crouch

Neuroscientist Helena Smith is trying to create a device that will map memories in the hope of preserving parts of her mother before the woman slides completely into dementia. But Helena’s team accidentally stumbles onto something far more amazing, and terrifying, during her research. Soon pockets of people are experiencing false memories of lives they’ve never lived but are so vivid that it leads many to suicide. This is labeled a ‘syndrome’ and doctors struggle to identify the cause.

Helena’s story parallels that of Barry Sutton, a New York City detective investigating accounts of False Memory Syndrome. He’s also living with the heartbreak of losing his daughter in a car accident eleven years prior. Eventually, Barry and Helena join forces in a wildly inventive plot that will keep you guessing until the end. I don’t want to say too much more because it would spoil the story, but Crouch expertly weaves together the power of human consciousness and the science behind time-travel and multiverses, while challenging the very fabric of reality. The past, present, and future will never look the same again.

Read Recursion at Amazon

Polish Climber Wanda Rutkiewicz and a Giveaway

By Kristy McCaffrey

Polish climber Wanda Rutkiewicz was the first woman to climb K2—the second highest mountain in the world—in 1986, which she accomplished without the use of supplemental oxygen. Unfortunately, that same summer, thirteen climbers died on K2.

Wanda was born in 1943 in Lithuania, but her family moved to Poland after World War II. As a young woman, she earned an electrical engineering degree from the Wroclaw University of Technology.

Wanda Rutkiewicz

Her first major expedition was to the Pamir Mountains in Central Asia, which she found to be an unpleasant experience due to difficult relationships with the other male climbers. After that, she led her own trips, which included a number of all-female expeditions. She was known for her blunt leadership style.

In 1978, she became the third woman and first Polish climber and first European woman to climb Mount Everest.

Her goal was to become the first woman to summit all fourteen 8000-meter peaks. She reached nine, and possibly ten, although she disappeared in 1992 on Kangchenjunga (the third highest mountain), so her summit was in question. During that climb, her partner, Carlos Carsolio, and Wanda started for the summit at 3:30 a.m. on May 12, 1992, from Camp Four at 7950 meters. After climbing for 12 hours in deep snow, Carlos reached the top. As he was descending, he met Wanda. She decided to remain and bivouac (camp in the open—never recommended at such a high altitude and harsh environment) and she would start for the top the following day. She had no food, no utensils for cooking, and no equipment to bivouac. No one ever saw her again, and her body has never been found.

Wanda Rutkiewicz

Rutkiewicz once said, “I never seek death, but I don’t mind the idea of dying in the mountains. It would be an easy death for me. After all that I’ve experienced, I’m familiar with it. And most of my friends are there in the mountains, waiting for me.”

* * *

Click here for a chance to win an autographed print copy of COLD HORIZON.

(U.S. addresses only. If winner is international, then an ebook will be substituted.)

“Packed with action, adventure, and suspense at every turn!” ~ Ann Charles, USA Today Bestselling Author

“The characters are believable, realistic and unpredictable … a thrilling read!” ~ Vicki, reader

Ambition and courage at the top of the world. Ty Galloway has assembled a small team to conquer K2 and welcomes esteemed climber Lindsey Coulson. But K2 is a force unto itself, as is Lindsey. Both will test his limits. Both will test his heart.

Excerpt from COLD HORIZON

That night, Ty bunked in a tent with Ditch at Camp One, while Lindsey was alone next door. Time to change that.

Ty pulled the hood of his jacket onto his head. “I’m going to ask Lindsey to join us.”

“It would be the neighborly thing to do,” Ditch said as he sorted through packets of freeze-dried food.

“Try to clean up the place, would you?” Ty scooted to the front of the tent and unzipped the doorway, then crawled out into the blustery cold and braced himself against the wind. As night descended, an eerie isolation had encompassed them.

“Lindsey,” Ty yelled. “Can I come in?”

“Yeah, help yourself,” came her muffled response.

He unzipped the opening of her tent and got himself inside as quickly as he could, securing the entrance behind him. He remained in the vestibule, so he wouldn’t get snow from his boots all over her tent. He was also careful not to bump into the burner hanging from the tent ceiling that she was using to melt snow. It was easy to have a mishap in a very flammable tent.

“How are you doing?” he asked.

Sitting atop her sleeping bag, she rubbed her wool-clad feet. “I’m a little tired and sore, but otherwise I feel good.”

“You sound surprised.”

She jammed her fingers into her ponytail and scratched her head. “I guess I was a little worried. You never really know how you’ll do until you’re on the mountain doing it.” She hugged her knees toward her chest.

“Wanna share a candy bar for dinner?” He pulled off his gloves and retrieved the treat from his coat pocket.

“Maybe we should split it three ways. Ditch might be hungry.”

“He’s already eaten. He had half a Pop-Tart.”

Ty unwrapped the candy bar, twisted it in half—exposing peanuts resting in a hardened nougat center—and handed a piece to her.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome to hang out in our spacious accommodations,” Ty said. “Ditch likes to play Hearts, and it’s no fun with two.”

She shut off the stove and donned her mitten to carefully remove the pan filled with hot water. “Well, as you can see, I am quite busy.” Holding her water bottle between her feet, she carefully poured the liquid into it.

“If you join us then at least we’ll have an excuse to say no to Elena.”

Lindsey’s head snapped up. “Did she try to get in your tent?”

Regretting his words, Ty said, “No, sorry. I was just kidding.” But he thought he detected a tinge of jealousy in her voice, and he liked it. He couldn’t tell if the flush on her cheeks was from the cold or from her sudden outburst, but either way she looked too damned enticing.

“All right, I’m heading back,” he said, conceding defeat in his efforts to be neighborly.

“Wait. I’ll go with you. It’s kind of lonely in here by myself.”

“You could invite Elena over for a slumber party.”

“Bite your tongue.”

Once she secured the lid on her water bottle, she reached past him for her boots, bumping into him. A charged atmosphere settled around them as it became impossible for Ty not to touch her in such a confined space.

Ditch had encouraged Ty to dial it back where Lindsey was concerned, and yet at the same time he had cautioned Ty against ending up old and alone.

Ty released a laugh, easing the tension sparking between him and the woman who was affecting him far more than he’d ever anticipated.

“What’s so funny?” Lindsey asked, zipping her jacket.

“I was thinking about a passage from Alice in Wonderland. ‘It’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.’”

Lindsey smiled. “‘We’re all mad here,’” she said, quoting another line from Alice with a gleam in her eye.

Ty leaned close. “‘You must be, or you wouldn’t have come....’”

Copyright © 2019 K. McCaffrey LLC

Cold Horizon is now available at:

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