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Thursday, May 14, 2015

#NewRelease--THE OUTLAW, BILLY STARBUCK by Kit Prate -- Giveaway!!

My first real crush when I was child was – without a doubt – Audie Murphy.  I wasn’t really old enough to appreciate the fact he was the most decorated war hero from WWII; no, my fascination with him was the Saturday afternoon feature film: “The Kid from Texas”.  The scene that really stuck out for me was young Billy the Kid standing on a porch, carving his name on a wooden post.

The film was one of the many “oaters” Murphy starred in.  He was good.  Actually, he was great from my viewpoint; the man could really ride.  And he was outstanding when he was playing a charming, devil-may-care delinquent.  As Billy the Kid of course, and then – later – in a highly underrated film co-starring James Stewart as his older brother; “Night Passage”.

The Outlaw Billy Starbuck morphed from those two characters.  Audie as Billy the Kid, and in his later incarnation as Jimmy Stewart’s train robber brother, Lee McClaine, the Utica Kid.

Murphy’s characters in both of those films died.  I wasn’t happy about that; so in “The Outlaw, Billy Starbuck” I decided to rectify those glaring theatrical errors.  Billy Starbuck was going to have a chance for redemption.

BLURB

When Will Simpson decides to turn outlaw, he does it up right! Robbing trains will bring him the fame and wealth he craves—and will also ensure he’ll end up with the girl he loves. But his first train robbery goes awry and he makes a lifelong enemy of payroll guard Kyle Lassiter, who loses his arm in the heist.

THE OUTLAW, BILLY STARBUCK, as Will calls himself now, turns his attention to the stage lines and the payrolls they carry.  But he’s met his match with expert stagecoach driver Simon Tyree, who is determined to deliver the payroll—along with some unexpected passengers—to safety, come hell or high water.

In a twist of fate, Billy Starbuck realizes he must join with Tyree to keep himself and the woman he loves alive when his old nemesis forces him to show his hand. But will his decision come too late? When vengeance comes calling, will Simon Tyree protect THE OUTLAW, BILLY STARBUCK…

EXCERPT

     “I’ll drive, old man,” he announced, reaching for the reins. In his mind’s eye, he could already see himself as the greatest stage driver in the territory.
     “Not hardly,” Tyree laughed, refusing to let go of the ribbons. “You’ve got a lot to learn before I turn you loose with one of my wagons!”
     The younger man was unperturbed. The vision of his new name loomed before him again, in print this time, on the cover of Ned Buntline’s magazine and Beadle’s dime novels ... and Harpers Weekly!      “I’m going to write,” he announced suddenly. “For Buntline and Harpers!” The sudden change in professions—from outlaw, to stage driver, to writer—didn’t bother him. He had time, lots of time. And when he was old, really old, like Tyree, he would write a book.
     “Billy Starbuck,” he said aloud, ducking when Tyree took a swing at his head. “I’ll write all about the true adventures of Billy Starbuck and how he stole from the rich to give to the poor!

Be sure to leave a comment so you'll have a chance to win a copy of THE OUTLAW, BILLY STARBUCK!

BUY LINKS                         B&N Nook             Smashwords

22 comments:

  1. Thanks for the great job getting this posted, Livia. I'm grateful for the wonderful support in getting our stories out there, and keeping us in touch with our readers.

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  2. Sounds like something I'd definitely like to read. Livia, as usual, did a great job with the cover.

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    1. Livia's covers are wonderful; and what I really appreciate is the way she gives me a chance to choose and have some input in her creations. I think, though, that we are going to have to find a way to clone her; a full grown model that can help pick up the slack. Wouldn't that be great!

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  3. Kit, we are so glad to have you here with us at Sundown Press. I absolutely loved this story--there was not one dull moment, and when I finished reading it I was wishing I'd written it myself. LOL Your characters are so realistic, even the secondary ones. I really did love this story a LOT. Congratulations on your new release, and here's hoping for a ton of sales for you with this wonderful story!
    Cheryl

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    1. That book was a 28 day wonder. I hope that I can start producing like that again, and keep both you and Livia very busy! Thank you for the kid words; and as for that "ton of sales". From your lips to God's ears!

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    2. WOW. Wish I could write like that in such a short time period. That story is soooo good. I had to keep making myself go back and read over parts again to be sure I hadn't missed anything, I was getting so caught up in it--and the editing was just forgotten. LOL

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  4. I also was a fan of Audie Murphy, and his autobiography "To Hell and Back" is such an amazing story. The fact that he was such a good rider, considering the injury he sustained is even more proof of his determination.

    This story sounds so fun and I wish you all the best. What a great character Bill is.

    Doris McCraw/Angela Raines

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    1. It wasn't until I was older and saw him portraying himself in the movie that I learned to appreciate just what an impressive man he was. His injury was terrible, but it was a gift for those of us who enjoyed his films. If he hadn't been wounded, I think he wold have been career military and his fans would have missed a lot. Thank you for the good wishes.

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  5. Congratulations, Kit, on your new release! A new book is always cause for great celebration. Cheryl and Livia always do wonderful things for all of us. I look forward to reading Billy Starbuck, love a good western story. :-)

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    1. Thank you, Shayna! And you are right about the ladies. They certainly know their stuff. I hope you aren't disappointed in the story.

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  6. Kit--I know you're an accomplished author, so this story must be good. I like the title really well. And the excerpt was just right--short and sweet. Congratulations on being with Sundown Press..and I'm so pleased about it, too.

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    1. I've been feeling rather unaccomplished lately, Celia. Good thing I have all you ladies to inspire me (that's Pennsylvania-Deutch for 'thanks for kicking me in the butt'); and keep me on my toes. And it's good to be on board with Sundown.

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  7. Big congratulations on the new release, Kit! Cheryl keeps hiding the new books from me until they're available to everyone else, darn her, and I'm really eager to read this one. The blurb got my attention, and the excerpt sealed the deal. (Glad you gave Audie Murphy's characters a better ending, BTW.) :-)

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    1. I had real trouble watching Audie Murphy bite the dust in those films. Trust me, when the kids in the neighborhood and I went home to replay the movie in the fields at the stockyards, we rewrote the ending! Guess I'll have to sneak the next ms. to you before Cheryl gets her copy, I think you'll like my heroine, Regan. She's a feisty one.

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    2. I'm sure I will like Regan. You haven't failed me yet! (I like scheming, especially when we can scheme against the Okie. **evil grin**)

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    3. Listen you wild Texan! I'm on to you!

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  8. I've always been a huge fan of your writing, Kit. I was thrilled to have a small part of getting THE OUTLAW, BILLY STARBUCK on the shelves.

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    1. It's nice to be "back". Hoping for a very productive summer; and hope to drop a lot more stuff on your desk. As always, your encouragement and help have been a God send.

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  9. Although I never got to see either of those western films, I'm very happy to see you wrote a book to correct the error of their ways, Kit. I really liked the excerpt where the younger man imagines his fantastic writing future with Billy Starbuck's adventures. Congratulations on your new release. I wish you continued success, Kit.

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    1. Thanks for the kind words, Sarah. I couldn't resist that opportunity to turn a delinquent outlaw into a writer...especially one with an inflated ego. I recommend both those movies; especially "Night Passage". Jimmy Stewart and Audie Murphy play off each other really well. And Dan Duryea is in the fulm too, as a real loose canon. Good fun all the way around, especially the scene where Jimmy Stewart plays the accordion and really gets to his wild kid brother.

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  10. Good evening Kit,
    Long time no see, huh?

    Congrats on your new release. Love both the blurb and the excerpt. I have to get my act together and start getting some of your books.

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    1. Hi, LIette! Enjoying those grandbabies? We've got a new great grandbaby on the way next month...so many little minds to corrupt.

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