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Thanks, J.j. Devine, for the warm welcome!
Welcome! Thanks for coming along to my website!
This weekend is the big CyCon event…
To find more about Brain to Books, its authors, genres, and the blog tours for this upcoming wonderful weekend at our Cyber Convention and Book Expo, visit the links below! Make sure you drop in to Brackify to vote on our Cover Wars; there are some great Western and Historical Fiction covers over there. Thanks for stopping by.
I have four books in the Cover Wars, if you want to go in and vote for your fav’s!
| Reader Links | Author Links | More Western and Historical Fiction, Wait…..What!! |
|---|---|---|
| Book Expo Events By Genre B2B CyCon Fairgrounds Western Daisy Chain Historical Fiction Daisy Chain Blog Tour |
Shotgun Bo Rivers Ken Farmer John Burlinson K.M. Pohlkamp Ed Ireland J.j. Devine Paul Bishop Lizzi Tremayne Richard WhiteAll of This Genre’s Authors |
Cover Wars Panel Discussion Author Trade Show Joes Bar |
The other theme of this blog hop is True Life Inspirations, which pleases me, as there are one, or two, as the case may be, in my first novel. My True Life Inspiration story is about a horse named “What?”, and his Pony Express Rider, George Scovell. It’s part ofA Long Trail Rolling, Book One of The Long Trails series.
“What?” I hear you say.
Yes, “What?” It’s a horse’s name. A real Pony Express mount… and his awesome rider.
Prior warning: Aleks is a bit of a stroppy chick… Can’t imagine where I got the inspiration for her… LOL.
Excerpt from A Long Trail Rolling:
“—and this,” Xavier handed her a leather sheet with two slots in it, “is your mochila. It—”
“It fits over—” Aleksandra blurted out.
Again. Dios mío! He adored this chica, but she was driving him mad with her impatience and dogged determination about everything. “—it fits over the saddle,” he resumed, glaring at her.
She looked down at the ground. “Sorry,” she muttered, sounding anything but. Scowling, she stood with arms crossed, her fingernails digging into the sides of her buckskin shirt.
“Aleks, there is a list I need to cover with you before you ride. I still have serious doubts about letting you go, but if you’ll listen, you might survive just that little bit longer.”
She stared down at the toe of her boot tapping the ground, then lifted her eyes to his. He could swear she rolled her eyes.
His own narrowed. “You can ride this portion of the trail because it’s safer out here. All the Indian trouble is more than a hundred miles west of here. You’ll be right out of it.”
Raising an eyebrow at him, she smirked and seemed about to make some comment, but held her peace.
I wonder what I’m missing here.
“Look, Aleksandra, you seem to think this is a joke. Station keepers have been dying out there.”
Her face fell. “Yes,” she said, with a little less certainty.
“I haven’t told you about “What?” yet, have I?”
“What?” She frowned, but uncrossed her arms and left off wringing her buckskins to listen, raising one eyebrow and looking at him from beneath her lashes, jaw tensed.
“You don’t seem to understand my concern,” he spoke slowly, word by word.
“What is a “what”?” She still looked annoyed, but curiosity got the better of her.
He held his breath for a moment.
“Young George Scovell, an Express rider, nearly died a few weeks ago in an ambush,” he growled. “What? was an Express Mustang named for his question mark-shaped blaze. Going through the aspen bottoms west of Chokup Pass, What? was uneasy, flicking his ears back and forth, when swarms of arrows flew out of the brush beside them. They were chased by more than thirty Indian braves for over three miles into Diamond Springs Station. They got there, despite two arrows in Scovell’s leg and poor What? full of eleven more.”
“Oh.” Aleksandra’s attitude and scowl melted, her eyes pooling tears.
“That pony delivered Scovell safely, then collapsed. When they got rid of the Indians, Scovell put him out of his pain with a shot to the forehead and buried that pony, right next to the station.”
“He buried him,” she whispered. Eyes glowing through wet lashes, she gave him a crooked grin.
“That was his last ride for the Pony. Dead horses are usually left for scavengers, but young George felt pretty strongly about What?. On his way back East, George showed me his journal entry for the day, complete with a photo of the good horse that saved his life.
Aleksandra’s brow furrowed. “How did they protect themselves from the Indians?”
“Willie, the station keeper, dragged George into the station and defended it from the gun ports until the Indians left. Luckily the cedar post stockade and stone station house were difficult to set alight, so they survived.
“Now do you understand why I want you to listen?” He pulled her into his arms and tugged on her braid. “It would be nice to keep your hair, no?”
Aleksandra looked down at the ground, finally still. “I am ready to listen.” Xavier had to lean down to hear her whisper. “I apologize for making this difficult when you are only trying to keep me safe.”
“It’s okay,” Xavier held her tightly. “Shall we continue?” He raised an eyebrow at her and released her.
“I’m all ears,” she said, turning to face him.
The series:
The historical fiction sagas follow Aleksandra and Xavier from the wilderness of 1860 Utah to Colonial New Zealand.
In A LONG TRAIL ROLLING (Book 1), Aleksandra is alone and running to prevent her father’s killer from discovering their family secret. Disguised as a Pony Express rider in 1860’s Utah, she winds up in even deeper trouble when she rides full speed into the the Paiute Indian War. Can she and Xavier, her Californio boss, escape the Indians on the warpath, and evade the man who’s already killed Aleksandra’s father—and set his sights on her?
THE HILLS OF GOLD UNCHANGING (Book 2) follows Aleksandra and Xavier through the mining camps of 1860s’ Nevada and California, the Sacramento floods and San Fran to Xavier’s Rancho de las Pulgas. As the Civil War rages, secessionists menace California. Embroiled in the Confederates’ fight to drag the new state from the Union and make it their own, can Aleks and Xavier survive? The secessionists mean business. No one will stand in their way—and live.
In A SEA OF GREEN UNFOLDING (Book 3), tragedy strikes in Aleksandra and Xavier’s newly-found paradise in California. Their friend, von Tempsky, invites them on a journey to adventure and a new life in peaceful 1862 New Zealand, but change is in the wind. They reach Aotearoa, only to discover the place is a turbulent wilderness—where the land wars between the European settlers and the local Māori have only just begun.
In TATIANA (Book 4), stableman’s daughter Tatiana rises to glamorous heights by her equestrienne abilities—but the tsar’s glittering attention isn’t always gold. She and Vladimir are pawns in the emperor’s pursuit of a secret weapon. Vladimir must find it—or lose Tatiana and their son, arrested and held as surety against his success. As the odds mount against them, can they find each other again—half a world apart? Coming soon!
Author Bio:
Lizzi Tremayne writes about the Old West, Russia, and Colonial New Zealand, as well as veterinary fiction and non-fiction—all with a horsey flair.
She also now writes contemporary horsey veterinary fiction! Did you ever want to be a vet? Once Upon a Vet School is a new series of contemporary vet fiction. Share Lena’s escapades from the time she decides to become a veterinarian, through her education and practice time in the USA, to her career as a rural equine and sometimes zoo-dentistry veterinarian in New Zealand.
She grew up riding wild in the Santa Cruz Mountain redwoods, became an equine veterinarian at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, and practiced in the California Pony Express and Gold Country before emigrating to New Zealand.
Lizzi has two wonderful, grown-up boys and an awesome partner in this sea of green. When she’s not writing, she’s swinging a rapier or shooting a bow in medieval garb, riding, driving a carriage or playing on her hobby farm, singing, or working as an equine veterinarian or science teacher. She’s multiply published and awarded in fiction, special interest magazines and veterinary periodicals.
Sign up for Lizzi Tremayne’s Newsletter and get one of Lizzi’s short stories for free here
Social Media Links:
Lizzi’s Website : www.lizzitremayne.com/lizzi-tremayne-author
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lizzitremayneauthor
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Free on Kindle Unlimited or buy here: https://lizzitremayne.com/LongTrailRoll
Next Blog Hopper, Ken Farmer!
In our world, the next blog hopper really needs no introduction, but I’ll give it my best shot!
It gives me great pleasure to introduce the next author, (or author-actor!) on our blog hop, the incomparable Ken Farmer!
Ken is a best-selling novelist, famous actor and rancher from Texas. With his Marine Corps service to boot, he has a huge background for storytelling. This self-proclaimed bull—-t artist uses all his skills to write not only about outlaws and peace officers, but about PEOPLE in general.
In addition to Ken’s love for writing fiction, he likes to teach acting, voice-over and writing workshops. His favorite expression is: “Just tell the damn story.”
You’ll find Ken’s blog post at his website, here: KEN FARMER Interviews the Legendary BASS REEVES
Enjoy, all, and thanks again for coming!
xx
Lizzi
To find more Brain to Books authors, genres, and more blog tours for this upcoming wonderful weekend at our Cyber Convention and Book Expo, visit the links below! Make sure you drop in to Brackify to vote on our Cover Wars; there are some great Western and Historical Fiction covers over there. Thanks for stopping by.
| Reader Links | Author Links | More Western and Historical Fiction, Wait…..What!! |
|---|---|---|
| Book Expo Events By Genre B2B CyCon Fairgrounds Western Daisy Chain Historical Fiction Daisy Chain Blog Tour |
Shotgun Bo Rivers Ken Farmer John Burlinson K.M. Pohlkamp Ed Ireland J.j. Devine Paul Bishop Lizzi Tremayne Richard White |
Cover Wars Panel Discussion Author Trade Show Joes Bar |