New Release - Panhandle Freight by Livia J. Washburn - Giveaway!

I have been writing Lucas Hallam stories for over thirty years. I'm a big fan of old westerns and I was amazed at the stunts of stuntman Yakima Canutt.  One day I had the idea of writing mysteries about an older stuntman/riding extra who was once a legend of the west.  I was so excited, I even called my husband at work to tell him.  I remember his words to this day.  "Livia, that's a great idea, but you'll never sell it."  I didn't let it stop me.  Now 3 awards, 3 novels, and many stories later I am still writing about Lucas Hallam. PANHANDLE FREIGHT is one of his early adventures.

A bitter winter storm was blowing fiercely when Lucas Hallam rode up to the isolated railroad station. It wasn’t a fit night for man or beast to be out, but Hallam found himself joined by a number of other pilgrims waiting for a train – and one of them just might be a killer. But the big man has a secret of his own . . .

PANHANDLE FREIGHT was a finalist for the Peacemaker Award in the category of Best Short Fiction in 2012, and now it’s finally available as an individual e-book. Full of mystery and action, it’s another fine adventure of Lucas Hallam, author L.J. Washburn’s iconic gunfighter detective.

EXCERPT

“Close the damn door!” the station agent yelled at Lucas Hallam. 

“You’re lettin’ all the warm air out!”

And all the cold air in, Hallam thought as he shoved the depot’s front door closed behind him. People sometimes said there was nothing between the Canadian River and the North Pole except a barbed wire fence, and on a night like tonight, when a blue norther swept down over the plains, it sure felt like that old saying was right.

Hallam was a big, rugged man in a sheepskin coat, with his hat pulled down tight on his head so the wind wouldn’t blow it off. He tugged his gloves from his hands and stuck them in a coat pocket as he crossed the spacious waiting room toward the ticket window.

“I hope you ain’t here to buy a ticket,” the agent said from the other side of the counter. “No passenger trains comin’ through tonight, only a freight that’s due in about an hour.”

“No, I don’t need a ticket,” Hallam told the man, who looked like he wanted to just close up and go home for the night. “I’m here because of that freight.”

He unbuttoned the coat and slipped a hand inside it.

Make sure you leave a comment for a chance to win a free ecopy of Panhandle Freight.

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NEW RELEASE AND A GIVEAWAY! IT TAKES A MAN by Cheryl Pierson

I've talked a bit about the Wolf Creek series before, here. It's one of my most favorite projects I've ever worked on, anywhere, anytime.

The series is the brainchild of Troy Smith, a good friend of mine and an excellent writer and "idea man". His thought was to create a bible to be used by the participants of the series to work from for the fictional post-Civil War town of Wolf Creek, Kansas. Any member of the Western Fictioneer professional writing organization could contribute when their character was called for in the plot structure.

Now, this is quite a daunting task when you think of having at least 23 (and climbing!) people who wanted to contribute, having to come up with plots that would involve at least 6 characters in each book--some of them the same as a common thread-- and keep all the books fresh and interesting. But Troy managed to do it.

Wolf Creek Book 6: Hell on the Prairie, differs. It's an anthology of short stories by some of the contributors about their characters. I loved this idea because each participant was able to write a short story featuring their character(s) and show a depth to their character they might not be able to convey in a collaborative effort such as the other books before this have been.

My story was called IT TAKES A MAN, and of course, Derrick McCain, my foremost character, is at the center of this one. When Derrick and his mother are ominously summoned to the Cherokee settlement of Briartown, Indian Territory, Derrick is determined to set things straight with the man he’s learned is his real father. But once he arrives, he’s distracted by Leah Martin, the beautiful cousin of his best friend’s wife. Leah is hiding a secret—one that could be the death of her. Once Derrick discovers it, will he walk away? Or will he save her…and possibly himself? IT TAKES A MAN to do what his heart tells him.

IT TAKES A MAN was a finalist in the 2014 Western Fictioneers Peacemaker Awards in the Short Fiction category. It was released for a brief time as a single sell story with Western Trail Blazers, and I'm proud to say IT'S BACK! And isn't this cover beautiful? I have to say, this is one of my favorite covers Livia has made for me--I love it. She is a genius when she works her cover voodoo!

I'm giving away a copy of IT TAKES A MAN to one lucky commenter today! Be sure to leave a comment and contact info for a chance to win!

If you just can't wait to see if you won, see the purchase links below--it's a bargain for only .99, and there are lots of other wonderful Wolf Creek stories out there waiting to be read!

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