Kristy McCaffrey writes contemporary and award-winning historical western romances. She likes the peculiar, the fascinating, and the scientific; animals and the outdoors; her husband and children; history, symbols, and mythology. Grab a cup of tea and hang out by the fireside. Let's travel together.
By Kristy McCaffrey
.png)
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.
By Kristy McCaffrey
Backgammon is one of the oldest known board games and can be traced back 5000 years to archaeological discoveries in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq). The Royal Game of Ur from 2600 BC may be an ancestor of today’s version of backgammon. Today the game is still popular in Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria and throughout the Arab world.
Backgammon involves a combination of strategy and luck (from rolling dice) and is played by two people. Playing pieces are usually called checkers, but also draughts, stones, men, counters, pawns, discs, pips, chips, or nips. The objective for each player is to remove, or bear off, all of their checkers from the board before their opponent can do the same.
There are many variants to the game as well as the optional use of a doubling cube.
The United States Backgammon Federation (USBGF) was organized in 2009 to help popularize the game in the U.S.
In my book ANCIENT WINDS, Brynn and Tristan play a game of
backgammon in the Bolivian jungle.
Excerpt
Brynn couldn’t sleep and found Tristan sitting by a small fire near the main building. With elbows on knees, he was hunched forward, his gaze intent on the flames as shadows ebbed and flowed across the angles of his face. He sported a few days’ growth of whiskers and his dark hair was curling along the collar of his shirt. The wilderness was slowly consuming them, making them wild in the process, or maybe it was simply the jungle stripping away societal barriers and laying them bare. Brynn suspected, however, that Magee had never paid much attention to such niceties.
“Communing with aliens?” she asked, keeping her voice low so as not to disturb the others who might be nearby. Tristan had been right—privacy was in short supply.
The glint in Tristan’s gaze conveyed annoyed amusement. And maybe something else. The tug in her belly was immediate, and she all but lifted her nose to catch his scent. For a moment she let herself revel in everything male that was Magee: muscle, strength, and possibly the biggest aphrodisiac for her—irreverence.
He motioned for her to sit as he said, “Well, if you consider talking to Dimar interacting with something not of this world, then the answer is yes.”
She took a seat, leaving the one between them empty. Wouldn’t want him to get the wrong idea.
“Sometimes I have trouble sleeping in the jungle,” he said.
“Is that a sleeping aid?” she asked as he took a sip from his canteen.
He replaced the lid. “Nah. Just water. Can you play backgammon, Galloway?”
“Yes. I used to play with my grandfather.”
“I’ll be right back.”
He disappeared, and then returned with a mini version of the game. He unfolded the board and proceeded to set it up on the empty chair between them.
“Why backgammon?” she asked, helping him organize the pieces in the glow of the firelight.
“It was my dad’s favorite. Did you know it’s one of the oldest known board games?”
“I do. They’ve found evidence of it in Mesopotamia. Maybe it was a gift from their alien benefactors.”
“The dice were made from human bones, so no alien intervention likely.”
“You do know your artifacts.”
“I try.” He handed her a die, his hand brushing hers. “Need a refresher on the rules?”
“Nope, I’m good,” she replied, pretending his touch hadn’t left a burn mark.
Copyright ©
2021 K. McCaffrey LLC
You can learn more about Ancient Winds, a contemporary romantic adventure, at my website.
I'm so excited to share that I have my first book in hardcover!
Ancient Winds is now available in digital, paperback, and hardback.
Buy from Amazon
Signed copies available through my Esty Store
Archaeologist Brynn Galloway partners with sexy mercenary
physicist Dr. Tristan Magee to track down a rare Sumerian artifact, but in the
Bolivian jungle there are no barriers … least of all between them.
Ancient Winds Excerpt
Brynn couldn’t sleep and found Tristan sitting by a small
fire near the main building. With elbows on knees, he was hunched forward, his
gaze intent on the flames as shadows ebbed and flowed across the angles of his
face. He sported a few days’ growth of whiskers and his dark hair was curling
along the collar of his shirt. The wilderness was slowly consuming them, making
them wild in the process, or maybe it was simply the jungle stripping away
societal barriers and laying them bare. Brynn suspected, however, that Magee had
never paid much attention to such niceties.
“Communing with aliens?” she asked, keeping her voice low so
as not to disturb the others who might be nearby. Tristan had been
right—privacy was in short supply.
The glint in Tristan’s gaze conveyed annoyed amusement. And
maybe something else. The tug in her belly was immediate, and she all but
lifted her nose to catch his scent. For a moment she let herself revel in
everything male that was Magee: muscle, strength, and possibly the biggest
aphrodisiac for her—irreverence.
He motioned for her to sit as he said, “Well, if you
consider talking to Dimar interacting with something not of this world, then
the answer is yes.”
She took a seat, leaving the one between them empty.
Wouldn’t want him to get the wrong idea.
“Sometimes I have trouble sleeping in the jungle,” he said.
“Is that a sleeping aid?” she asked as he took a sip from
his canteen.
He replaced the lid. “Nah. Just water. Can you play
backgammon, Galloway?”
“Yes. I used to play with my grandfather.”
“I’ll be right back.”
He disappeared, and then returned with a mini version of the
game. He unfolded the board and proceeded to set it up on the empty chair
between them.
“Why backgammon?” she asked, helping him organize the pieces
in the glow of the firelight.
“It was my dad’s favorite. Did you know it’s one of the
oldest known board games?”
“I do. They’ve found evidence of it in Mesopotamia. Maybe it
was a gift from their alien benefactors.”
“The dice were made from human bones, so no alien intervention
likely.”
“You do know your artifacts.”
“I try.” He handed her a die, his hand brushing hers. “Need
a refresher on the rules?”
“Nope, I’m good,” she replied, pretending his touch hadn’t
left a burn mark.
Copyright ©
2021 K. McCaffrey LLC
By Kristy McCaffrey
Here's the playlist I listened to while writing Ancient Winds. It's mostly 70's music, but there's also a few from the 80's, 90's and 2000's. Maybe it will spark a long forgotten gem for you.
By Kristy McCaffrey
I'm so excited to share that Ancient Winds (The Pathway Series Book 3) is now available in ebook. Print should be ready in a few days.
Can Brynn resist the charm of Dr. Magee in this high-stakes archaeology adventure?
In the jungle, there are no barriers …
Brynn Galloway doesn’t know it, but her academic career in archaeology is about to become a laughingstock. When a rare Sumerian artifact surfaces, her presence is requested in Bolivia, but nothing is as it seems. Soon, she’s entangled in a desperate hunt not only for a valuable antiquity but also for answers to humanity that might stretch across time. And by her side is a sexy mercenary physicist with a maddening belief in space aliens.
Dr. Tristan Magee is in a bad mood. When his latest acquisition—an unusual and as yet untranslated Sumerian cuneiform tablet—is stolen right out from under him and spirited away to the Bolivian jungle, he’ll do whatever it takes to get it back. Unfortunately, that includes partnering with a female archaeologist who proves to be the kind of distraction that brought down civilizations.
A combination of Indiana Jones and Romancing the Stone,
with a dash of The X-Files … get swept away in this romantic suspense
adventure.
Available wide for one week only. Grab your copy here. On February 22, Ancient Winds will enter the Kindle Unlimited program and will be available exclusively at Amazon.
Would you like a bookmark from any or all of the books? Fill out this google doc and I'll drop them in the mail to you.
Excerpt
Brynn couldn’t sleep and found Tristan sitting by a small
fire near the main building. With elbows on knees, he was hunched forward, his
gaze intent on the flames as shadows ebbed and flowed across the angles of his
face. He sported a few days’ growth of whiskers and his dark hair was curling
along the collar of his shirt. The wilderness was slowly consuming them, making
them wild in the process, or maybe it was simply the jungle stripping away
societal barriers and laying them bare. Brynn suspected, however, that Magee had
never paid much attention to such niceties.
“Communing with aliens?” she asked, keeping her voice low so
as not to disturb the others who might be nearby. Tristan had been
right—privacy was in short supply.
The glint in Tristan’s gaze conveyed annoyed amusement. And
maybe something else. The tug in her belly was immediate, and she all but
lifted her nose to catch his scent. For a moment she let herself revel in
everything male that was Magee: muscle, strength, and possibly the biggest
aphrodisiac for her—irreverence.
He motioned for her to sit as he said, “Well, if you
consider talking to Dimar interacting with something not of this world, then
the answer is yes.”
She took a seat, leaving the one between them empty.
Wouldn’t want him to get the wrong idea.
“Sometimes I have trouble sleeping in the jungle,” he said.
“Is that a sleeping aid?” she asked as he took a sip from
his canteen.
He replaced the lid. “Nah. Just water. Can you play
backgammon, Galloway?”
“Yes. I used to play with my grandfather.”
“I’ll be right back.”
He disappeared, and then returned with a mini version of the
game. He unfolded the board and proceeded to set it up on the empty chair
between them.
“Why backgammon?” she asked, helping him organize the pieces
in the glow of the firelight.
“It was my dad’s favorite. Did you know it’s one of the
oldest known board games?”
“I do. They’ve found evidence of it in Mesopotamia. Maybe it
was a gift from their alien benefactors.”
“The dice were made from human bones, so no alien intervention
likely.”
“You do know your artifacts.”
“I try.” He handed her a die, his hand brushing hers. “Need
a refresher on the rules?”
“Nope, I’m good,” she replied, pretending his touch hadn’t left a burn mark.
Copyright ©
2021 K. McCaffrey LLC
By Kristy McCaffrey
Greetings to everyone in 2021. I hope you’re all well and safe and healthy. I’m pleased to share that I finally have a release date for ANCIENT WINDS – February 15!! Keep scrolling for the pre-order links.
Brynn Galloway and Tristan Magee’s journey is a combination of Indiana Jones and Romancing the Stone, with a dash of The X-Files. I hope you’ll have fun reading it. It’s a bit of a departure from the tone of the first two Pathway books, DEEP BLUE and COLD HORIZON. Those entailed rigorous and detailed research regarding great white sharks and climbing K2. While I did quite a lot of reading about the Bolivian jungle and historic Mesopotamia, this story is a bit more whimsical. It includes the creatures of the South American wilderness, shamans both good and bad, questionable archaeology, the search for evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence, and time travel. I definitely relied more heavily on my imagination for this tale. So come along for a wild romp through the jungle with a skeptical Brynn Galloway and an irreverent Tristan Magee.
In the jungle, there are no barriers …
Brynn Galloway doesn’t know it, but her academic career in archaeology is about to become a laughingstock. When a rare Sumerian artifact surfaces, her presence is requested in Bolivia, but nothing is as it seems. Soon, she’s entangled in a desperate hunt not only for a valuable antiquity but also for answers to humanity that might stretch across time. And by her side is a sexy mercenary physicist with a maddening belief in space aliens.
Dr. Tristan Magee is in a bad mood. When his latest
acquisition—an unusual and as yet untranslated Sumerian cuneiform tablet—is
stolen right out from under him and spirited away to the Bolivian jungle, he’ll
do whatever it takes to get it back. Unfortunately, that includes partnering
with a female archaeologist who proves to be the kind of distraction that
brought down civilizations.
Excerpt from Ancient Winds
Tristan has recently become acquainted with Brynn while both are looking for a Bolivian guide named Dimar Castanos.
When they disembarked at Copacabana, he (Tristan) made his way to a
bus, following Dimar and his group of customers. Once aboard, he grabbed a
window view, and Ms. Galloway swiftly occupied the seat beside him.
“Good gravy,” she (Brynn) huffed. “It’s difficult to get a seat
together.”
“I didn’t realize we were together.”
“So this tablet is why you’re after Irene?”
“I’m only after her, as you put it, to get it back,
since she stole it from me.”
“Where did you get it?” she asked, plowing forward.
He supposed he should’ve been happy that she’d given him a
night free of an interrogation.
“I’d rather not say.” He leaned against the window and
shifted his hat to cover his eyes, hoping to sleep.
“Was it found in Iraq or Iran? An excavation? An accidental
discovery?” She seemed to be mostly talking to herself at this point. “Has its
whereabouts been known for years and hidden from the public?”
When he didn’t reply, she went silent, but that didn’t last
for long. The bus pulled out and she started chatting again.
“Are you certain it’s not a forgery?”
Tristan gave up his nap and dropped his hat to his lap. “Well,
if I wasn’t sure a few weeks ago, I am now that Irene swiped it.”
“Why would she steal it? I’ve never known her to be a
thief.”
“Look, I’m not here to debate the moral character of Dr.
Caridad with you, since I’m guessing you’re her friend, but if you’re in on
this, then tell me now.”
Brynn straightened her shoulders. “You think I helped her
steal it?”
Tristan waited. Galloway’s countenance didn’t budge as she
watched him. Shrugging, he turned away. Either she was a very good liar, or she
really didn’t know anything about the piece.
“All right,” he conceded. “You didn’t help her. Maybe Irene
took it because she’s a lunatic, and she’s managed to keep her mental illness
hidden from her family and friends all this time.”
“Really? That’s your answer? That if a woman does something
subversive then she must be crazy?”
“No, sorry. I’m just a bit frustrated. Irene is a smart
lady. That’s why I don’t understand any of this.”
“Look, I can assure you that I had no idea the tablet even
existed, let alone that Irene had it,” Galloway said. “She asked me to come
down here to help on an excavation.”
“That must be it then,” he murmured. “She’s gonna plant the
tablet here and pass it off as a South American discovery.”
“That’s quite an accusation. Maybe she has a reasonable
explanation. And what if evidence of Sumerian culture could be found in the
Americas?”
“I’ve heard this song before.”
“Did you get the piece illegally?”
“You think she’s acting as a de facto police force against
the illicit tradings of Tristan Magee?”
She answered with a silent raising of both eyebrows. He
could hear the duh as clearly as if she’d spoken it aloud.
“No, I didn’t get it illegally. At least, I don’t think so.”
He muttered the last bit. He never purposefully went after hot items, but that
didn’t mean he didn’t stumble across them in the underground antiquities
market. He also wasn’t about to tell Galloway that he hadn’t actually seen
the piece before Irene got her grubby little hands on it. There was no denying
that mistakes had been made during the acquisition process, but Tristan didn’t
have the stomach to be censured at the moment. Not by this woman.
“So you don’t know where it was discovered?”
“All the information on provenance is back in the States.” Kinda.
“I didn’t want to travel with any documentation. I’ll admit, I really didn’t
care where it was found, just that it had been found.”
“Why?”
“I have my reasons.”
“If Irene does have this tablet, why would she bring it down
here?” she asked. “She’d never be able to get it through customs. Maybe she
doesn’t have it with her. Maybe you’re wrong.”
Tristan sighed. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”
Copyright ©
2021 K. McCaffrey LLC
Read Chapter One: https://kmccaffrey.com/ancient-winds/
Pre-Order Links
Amazon US: https://kmccaffrey.com/AncientWindsAmznUS
Amazon UK: https://kmccaffrey.com/AncientWindsAmznUK
Amazon CA: https://kmccaffrey.com/AncientWindsAmznCA
Amazon AU: https://kmccaffrey.com/AncientWindsAmznAU
Amazon IN: https://kmccaffrey.com/AncientWindsAmznIN
Apple: https://kmccaffrey.com/AncientWindsAppleBooks
Nook: https://kmccaffrey.com/AncientWindsNookBooks
Kobo: https://kmccaffrey.com/AncientWindsKoboBooks
Google Play: https://kmccaffrey.com/AncientWindsGooglePlayBooks
Add Ancient Winds to your Goodreads shelf: https://kmccaffrey.com/AncientWindsGoodreads
Pre-order now at all platforms for $2.99. On release day the
price will increase to $4.99. Please note: Ancient Winds will become Amazon
exclusive and will enter the Kindle Unlimited program on February 22. If you
buy your books from other vendors, don’t delay.
