#SaturdaySpotlight is on Kara O'Neal @KaraONealAuthor & The Deputy's Damsel!

Good Morning and Welcome!

Today's guest is not new to our blog. In fact, Kara O'Neal is a regular visitor here and I'm always happy to share her new books with you! Many of you know I retired from my insurance job in May and I'll tell you this, if I can get things squared away and some of the irons out of the fires in my life, I only pray to be as prolific as Kara!

Please welcome her back with a peek into her latest Pike's Run book, The Deputy's Damsel. Take it away, Kara!

I’m thrilled to introduce y’all to Joe Lonnigan and Katia Stefanski, the hero and heroine of my newest release, THE DEPUTY’S DAMSEL. This story takes us to Austin where Katia is wrongly of accused of murder, and Joe, a deputy, believes she’s innocent. Joe hides Katia, protecting her from being arrested, which is at great cost to himself. He’s risking his livelihood and perhaps his life.

But his actions caused an even stickier problem that was quite interesting and heart wrenching to write.

Joe’s cousin, Conner, happens to be the sheriff. So, not only is Joe deceiving his boss, he’s also lying to a member of his family. The scenes between Conner and Joe were just as fraught with tension as the moments of fear and despair Katia experiences being wrongly accused of murder.

The family elements in my books are strong and add so much depth to the characters. And as I wrote THE DEPUTY’S DAMSEL, I found the characters having some very real, very gut-wrenching conversations. My heart pounded hard through the last ten chapters!

Reading this romance will give you ALL the feels, I promise!

Blurb: Pike’s Run, Texas, 1887

Katia Stefanski is stunned when she learns her recently deceased step-father has arranged a marriage for her. Even worse, her step-brother intends to honor it. Despite numerous attempts to convince her brother to let her make the choice, she fails. She flees during the party intended to cement her engagement.

Deputy Joe Lonnigan crosses paths with Katia Stefanski and is struck by her beauty and fighting spirit. When he learns she's been accused of the murder of her not-wanted fiancé, he can't believe it. With her step-brother's help, Joe risks everything to keep her hidden and prove her innocence.

But Katia can't let Joe destroy his future. She’s determined to take matters into her own hands, even if it means the noose.

Excerpt: Deputy Lonnigan sat tall in the saddle, his front dark as the moon shone from behind him. He put her in mind of a mysterious night rider, capable of taking what he wanted.

She remembered how strong his chest was, how long his arms. She refrained from gulping and strengthened her resolve. “I’m not going home. I refuse. My friend is just up this road, and I intend to stay with her for a few days.”

A moment of silence passed then the deputy said, “Well, I’m not taking you home. But you are coming with me.”

Confused, she couldn’t think of a reply.

“It’ll be the safest option.” He dismounted.

“Oh!” she gasped and back pedaled. “Don’t you dare,” she warned. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“I’ve got no time to argue.” He advanced on her quickly.

She spun on a heel, preparing to run, but he grabbed her around the waist and lifted her off her feet. She bucked and kicked, dropping her bag in the process.

“Get your hands off me!” she screamed, terror fueling her jabs.

He gave slight grunts then flipped her over his shoulder.

Her breath whooshed out of her, and blood rushed to her head. “Put me down! How dare you!” She pounded her fists on his back.

He bent easily and picked up her bag with his free hand.

Frantic, she hit him harder, squirming against his hold, but his arm was a vise on the back of her legs. Tears gathered. She had no control. No power. She bit her lip to keep from sobbing in frustration and tasted blood.

After putting her bag on the back of the animal, he righted her and dumped her in the saddle. She knew the moon shone enough to reveal the silver tracks of wetness on her face, but she didn’t care. Panting from the exertion of pummeling him, she surged forward to grab the reins. But he was faster and gathered them before she could reach them. He climbed up behind her, just like yesterday, enveloping her in the cage of his arms.

A handkerchief appeared in her line of sight. Her chin wobbled, and she refused to take it.

“Please don’t cry,” he said softly, as he withdrew his offering. “I don’t have time to explain things to you. We’ve got to get off the road.”

She didn’t understand what he meant, but it wouldn’t matter if she asked. The men surrounding her weren’t listening to her anyway. She kept her mouth shut.

He clucked to the horse then kicked him into a gallop.

She tried to pay attention to her surroundings, noting that he passed the lane that led to the Cummings’ farm. They went through a shallow creek then over a rolling meadow until the shadow of a log cabin loomed.

“This belongs to a friend of mine who’s a Ranger. He’s in west Texas fighting cattle rustlers.”

She didn’t care. This man was abducting her. Her heart pounded hard, and her stomach churned with fear. If she couldn’t get away from him on the road, how would she manage to escape him once he had her tied up somewhere?

When they reached the yard, he dismounted first then lifted her at the waist. He kept his arm around her as he led her into the dwelling.

“I’m not gonna tie you up, Miss Stefanski. You’re not my prisoner. I’m trying to help you, so…” He gently disengaged from her. “Don’t run, all right? I’m gonna light a lantern, and then we’ll talk.”

He’d left the door open. The horse was still saddled. She curled her hands into fists as an insane plan developed like a lightning strike. She nodded slowly, not trusting herself to form a verbal reply since she was no good at lying.

As soon as he stepped away, she dashed out into the yard.

“Don’t,” he called.

She clutched the pommel and put her foot in the stirrup, but before she could pull herself up, he circled her waist with an arm and wrenched her back. Using all her strength, she spun and pounded on his shoulders. “Let me go!”

He switched his grip to her wrists, stopping her hits. “Stop. Please, ma’am.”

His hold wasn’t too strong, and she tried to yank away from him, but he tightened his grasp.

“Miss Stefanski, please, I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Then let me go,” she wailed, choking on her fear.

“I can’t, damn it!” he thundered. “You’re wanted for murder.”

Born and raised in Texas, I had to make the state the setting for my first series. From the food to the fun, like floating the rivers, it is the fire in my blood that inspires me. My family and friends take center stage in my books. My sisters and best friends are my heroines, and my husband created my favorite hero. Love and family are the point of my stories, and I seek to entertain, relieve stress, and inspire people. Books can take one on a journey that one can relive over and over. I am extremely grateful to those authors who did that very thing for me. I learned and I fell in love with their words and characters. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Connect with me at the following locations...

Website –  www.karaoneal.com

Bookbub –  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kara-o-neal

Amazon –  http://www.amazon.com/Kara-ONeal/e/B00FL19TH8/

Barnes and Noble –  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/kara+o'neal?_requestid=845025

Facebook –  https://www.facebook.com/KaraONeal84/

Twitter –  https://twitter.com/KaraONealAuthor  @KaraONealAuthor

Pinterest –  https://www.pinterest.com/karaoneal7/

Goodreads –  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7278350.Kara_O_Neal

Blog -- http://www.karaoneal.com/blog

Blog – The Story Continues -- http://www.karaoneal.com/the-story-continues

Oh my goodness, Kara you certainly know how to hook us! What a great excerpt! Thank you for sharing. Good luck and God's blessings with your entire Pike's Run series and any other books you create.

Hope you enjoyed today's post as much as I did, friends an that you'll stop by each week and check out Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Kara O'Neal @KaraONealAuthor & The Inventor's Heart!

Good Morning from Sterlington, LA!

We drove up yesterday for the Dixie Youth World Series. My guy's grandson is playing on SC team for the 3rd year in a row. It'll be his last though, so we hope they win (naturally!)

Today's guest has visited many times so please welcome Kara O'Neal with her book, The Inventor's Heart....

Pike’s Run, Texas, 1885

Alex Davis has just returned to Pike's Run, Texas, from Yale with a fabulous invention that could revolutionize the use of electricity. He can't wait to show his work to his family and his dearest friend in the world, Julia Forrester. But from the first day he arrives home, Julia avoids him. He doesn't understand and tries everything he can think of to spend time with her, but he fails.

Julia Forrester has loved Alex Davis since their school days. He was her confidante and her champion whenever she struggled with her studies. She helped him with his inventions, spending as many of her free hours as possible with him. She'd thought he'd loved her, but when he went off to college without her, her heart broke. And the infrequency of his letters proved his feelings didn't match hers. Now that he has returned, she is determined to move on with her life. She has written a symphony, and she won't let past hopes and dreams overtake her again.

But Alex won't give up, and when Julia confesses the reason for her distant attitude, the "Genius of Pike's Run" realizes his stupidity. He is in love with Julia and will now move Heaven and Earth to have her. But he is battling more than her distrust. Julia has another reason to keep away from Alex, and he sets out to fix it. Will the "genius" be able to prove his theory?

Excerpt

“You don’t want to stay here with me? Why?” Alex tried to calm his rising anger, but hurt at her obvious want to escape him overruled his will. “You prefer to be caught under the mistletoe and kissed by every fellow in town?”

Julia reared back. “I want no such thing!” she declared, trying to tug her hand free of his.

He would not let go. “Could’ve fooled me. Fitzsimmons practically had you off your feet. And Hollister is married and lingered entirely too long when he grabbed you.”

With force, she tried to yank free, but he was having none of it.

“It’s just a game,” she argued with a scowl. “I didn’t plan it, and I can’t control how any of the men kiss me.” She lifted her chin. “Besides, it’s all in good fun.”

Fun? Every embrace had torn him inside out. “None of them should have touched you. You’re my friend.”

“What does that mean?” she asked, her voice rising. “I belong to you?”

He almost shouted the affirmative, but he controlled the overwhelming feeling of possession. Instead, he kept quiet, not knowing how to explain his statement.

“You’ve been gone for five years, and I have other friends. Am I supposed to sit on a shelf waiting for you to come home?” She glared up at him.

Was she considering stepping out with someone? Jealousy roared inside him. “You think another man is better for you than me?”

“Emmet might have swept me off my feet, but at least he paid attention to me, at least he seemed to be interested in me, at least—”

Unable to take her compliments of another man a second longer, he yanked her forward and slammed his lips on hers. As desire engulfed him, he plundered her mouth, snaking an arm around her waist and pulling her up against him.

She moaned, and the sound spurred him on. He shoved his tongue inside, demanding she open for him, needing to prove that he was the man she wanted. He turned her and shoved her up against the wall, and she let out a whimper as she ran her fingers through his hair.

A shudder went through him, and he drank from her, never wanting to let her go. How had he not understood that her arms were his safe place? Why hadn’t he ever realized his best friend could set him on fire? His heart pounded hard, echoing in his ears and making him sing with life.

Born and raised in Texas, I had to make the state the setting for my first series. From the food to the fun, like floating the rivers, it is the fire in my blood that inspires me. My family and friends take center stage in my books. My sisters and best friends are my heroines, and my husband created my favorite hero. Love and family are the point of my stories, and I seek to entertain, relieve stress, and inspire people. Books can take one on a journey that one can relive over and over. I am extremely grateful to those authors who did that very thing for me. I learned and I fell in love with their words and characters. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Connect with Kara at the following locations....

Website –  www.karaoneal.com

Bookbub –  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kara-o-neal

Amazon –  http://www.amazon.com/Kara-ONeal/e/B00FL19TH8/

Barnes and Noble –  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/kara+o'neal?_requestid=845025

Facebook –  https://www.facebook.com/KaraONeal84/

Twitter –  https://twitter.com/KaraONealAuthor

Pinterest –  https://www.pinterest.com/karaoneal7/

Goodreads –  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7278350.Kara_O_Neal

Blog -- http://www.karaoneal.com/blog

Blog – The Story Continues -- http://www.karaoneal.com/the-story-continues

Get your copy of The Inventor's Heart HERE: https://books2read.com/u/3n7oqo

Sounds like another exciting addition to your Pike's Run series, Kara. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with it!

Hope you enjoyed the post friends and that you'll check back weekly for Saturday Spotlight and Wednesday Words with Friends.

Until next time take care and God bless.

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends welcomes Kara O'Neal @KaraONealAuthor & The Ranger's Vow

 Good Morning and Welcome!

Kara returns today to share with us information on another installment in her Pike's Run series, The Ranger's Vow...

I’m happy to share my newest release, THE RANGER’S VOW from the Texas Brides of Pike’s Run series! This story allowed me to delve into the life of Sherry Forrester, a feisty, care-free, loyal lady who sews, shares kisses behind haystacks, goes skinny dipping, and has no wish to get married.

She has her life all planned out and is quite happy with her choices.

But then…

A devil-may-care Texas Ranger shows up and changes all her rules.

And isn’t that always the way? We have a plan, then God laughs and shakes it up. Happens every time. When I was younger, I feared that shake up. I tried to control it. Even bartered with Him when I prayed.

But now that I’ve lived, well, enough years, I’m so glad He’s in charge. Because good gracious, if I had to always steer, Heaven only knows where I would’ve ended up.

So, if you’ve got your long-term goal, and you’re rowing straight and can almost touch it, if the stream becomes rapid, just wait. It’ll straighten out again in the way it should. It might mean heartache along the way, and it might take a few months or even years to quiet the raging river, but it WILL be right.

His will is perfect. His timing is perfect. Just trust Him and all will be well.

Sherry has no wish for a husband, but one night with a Texas Ranger…why not?

One night can’t become two…

Sherry Forrester has her life just as she wants it. No attachments. No pressure from her parents to marry. A little bit of money and the freedom to be the lady she desires. When a stranger rolls into town, mysterious and gorgeous, her interest is piqued. Sherry swore she wouldn't give away her heart, but she longs for one night of passion, and the newcomer is perfectly capable of supplying that.

Texas Ranger Luke "Rip" Calhoun is hoping for a few diverting weeks in Pike’s Run. Along with promising to help the local sheriff catch a wily garter thief, he looks for challenging card games, good whiskey and a willing woman. When Sherry Forrester catches his eye—who wouldn't want her after stumbling upon her skinny dipping?—he does the hardest thing ever and waits for her to choose him to warm her sheets for a night. And only one night. For Luke made a long-ago vow never to let love ensnare him.

But what neither plans on is the hand of fate changing their paths…

Excerpt

Luke caught a flash of pale skin as someone arced beneath the water. His breath stilled when the figure broke the surface, revealing a woman about twenty yards from him swimming to the opposite bank. Luke froze, careful not to move a single muscle lest this be a dream and he woke.

All he could see of the woman was her head as she glided away from his side of the creek. Was she naked? He glanced toward the other side and discovered clothes folded on a rock. He could determine the colors, and white peeked between light blue fabric. He knew plenty about women’s garments, and most of their underthings were white pieces of angelic sweetness. Which meant the lady enjoying the water was as bare as could be.

A smile tugged the corners of his lips, but before he could be accused of peeking more than he already had, he dismounted and used his horse to hide her from his view. At the moment, he couldn’t pull Zeus away for anything, so Luke was stuck until the animal decided he was finished. Of course, Luke didn’t want to leave. While he couldn’t see, and hadn’t seen a damn thing, it was nice being near a woman who courted risk and went skinny dipping.

Hell, there was nothing between her and that water. Not one stitch. His mind conjured all sorts of images as the sounds of her body cutting through the stream reached him.

When a screech met his ears, he knew she’d caught sight of the drinking horse and perhaps its owner’s legs. He let out an exhale and waited for the outburst.

“Who’s there?” she cried. “You get out of here.”

He should, but he wouldn’t. He was never more grateful for his stubborn mount. “I can’t, ma’am. My horse has a mind of his own.”

“Ha! A gentleman would find a way.”

He used his bandana to wipe his brow as he remained hunched over in order to keep hidden. “A man has to take care of his horse, ma’am. Can’t survive without him.”

There was a splash. Had she left the creek—or hit the surface with an irritated hand?

“A convenient excuse so you can spy on me.”

He chuckled. “Ma’am, I can’t see, and didn’t see, one thing, I assure you.”

“You assure me? And what good is that? I don’t even know who you are.”

Damn, but he wished he could look at her. “Nope, you don’t.”

A silent moment, then, “That’s it? You aren’t gonna tell me your name?”

“You gonna tell me yours?”

“Not on your life. Why would I let some drifter know who I am?”

“Drifter? Is that what I am?” He’d been called worse.

“Well, how would I know?”

“Then why’d you call me that?”

Zeus lifted his head, looking toward the lady who shared his creek. Luke kept himself from pushing the horse’s nose back to the water in order to prolong this moment normally only possible in nighttime fantasies. Of course, in his dream the lady usually invited him in.

“Would a gentleman spy on a woman as she bathed?”

“If he’s smart, he would.”

“Ha! So you did peek.”

He grinned and watched a grasshopper jump over the toe of his boot. “I admit I looked, but it’s just my luck I couldn’t see anything. You’re too far away.”

Zeus snuffled then turned his head toward his master. He blinked at Luke as if he wondered what the hell the woman was doing skinny dipping in his drinking water. Luke stroked the black then exhaled. He’d have to leave this sprite.

“I feel sorry for you that you didn’t manage to see anything,” she continued, her tone without an ounce of pity. “I don’t mind telling you I’m as pretty as a picture.”

He laughed outright. “I’ve no doubt of that, ma’am, and I can promise you my mind paints a perfect image, so don’t you fret.” He tugged on Zeus’ reins.

She made a noise that was half-laugh, half-disbelief.

He left the idyllic setting, Zeus following behind him. A smile stayed on his lips as he mounted up once he was out of her line of sight. What a damn fine welcome.

About KARA: Born and raised in Texas, I had to make the state the setting for my first series. From the food to the fun, like floating the rivers, it is the fire in my blood that inspires me. My family and friends take center stage in my books. My sisters and best friends are my heroines, and my husband created my favorite hero. Love and family are the point of my stories, and I seek to entertain, relieve stress, and inspire people. Books can take one on a journey that one can relive over and over. I am extremely grateful to those authors who did that very thing for me. I learned and I fell in love with their words and characters. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Find and Follow Kara at the following SM platforms....

Website –  www.karaoneal.com

Bookbub –  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kara-o-neal

Amazon –  http://www.amazon.com/Kara-ONeal/e/B00FL19TH8/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1465007993&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble –  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/kara+o'neal?_requestid=845025

Facebook –  https://www.facebook.com/KaraONeal84/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/KaraONealAuthor

Get your copy of The Ranger's Vow where all great E-books are sold. Be sure to check out all of the Texas Brides of Pike's Run series! See all of Kara's visits to our blog HERE.

Oh, Wow, Kara this books sounds as enticing as the rest! And you are SO right about the way God sometimes shakes up our plans LOL! We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with it and all of your books.

Hope you enjoyed today's post friends and that you'll stop by weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.

Also, if you're in the mind for free books, check out NN Light's monthly giveaway (see sidebar)! I sent January's winner her copy of My Heart Weeps and Love in Season is up for grabs in February so enter today!

Guess that's all for today so until next time, take care and God Bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Kara O'Neal @KaraONealAuthor & The Editor's Kisses

Good Morning!

Wow. Can you believe we're at the end of January already? I guess time does really fly - whether you're having fun or not LOL!

Today's guest is no stranger to our blog so please welcome Kara O'Neal back with The Editor's Kisses, the latest release in her Pike's Run series....

I’m so excited to tell y’all about my latest release, The Editor’s Kisses! I really enjoyed writing this book because I got to delve into one of my favorite families from Pike’s Run – the Forrester’s – a family of 5 daughters. Yes, FIVE daughters.

Plus, we get a “true love’s kiss” moment. And I adore those so much! 

I had to do a lot of research for this book. I had to learn how to operate a printing press, which was quite interesting. I learned that the type – or letters – are contained in a case. Which is more like a cabinet of drawers than a briefcase. The capital letters were stored in the upper section, and non-capital in the lower section.

And this is how we began dubbing letters “upper case” and “lower case”. Isn’t that cool? I loved learning that!

Writing historicals can be a lot of work, but when you throw true love into the mix, the story comes alive! The Editor’s Kisses is a romance of heart and courage. Of risk-taking. Stephen and Constance take risks in love and in life. And they become better people for it…

A budding suffragette agrees to a fake courtship with the editor for a job…not love.

One kiss changes the whole game…

Constance Forrester is a suffragette determined to change society. When Stephen Dawson, her school chum, starts a newspaper, she asks Stephen to take a risk and employ her as a journalist.

Stephen immediately turns her down. But his interactions with Constance have made the town princess, Madeline Talbut, curious. Stephen has loved Madeline for years, and he concocts a plan: enter into a fake courtship with Constance, and in return, Constance can be a journalist for his newspaper.

It’s a chance Constance can't pass up. So what if she has to attend parties and withstand Stephen's heart-melting kisses? A suffragette must forge through barriers, but when Stephen changes the game, Constance finds herself the object of the editor's desire…

Excerpt

Setting: The Talbut Parlor

The Problem: An annoying parlor game

Madeline’s spinning of Constance was a little rough, but Stephen held his tongue. When their hostess let go, Constance fumbled for a moment before Stephen raised himself up and yanked her into his lap.

The shouts of excitement and delight that went around the room nearly deafened him. People playfully called out “cheater”, but Stephen didn’t care, especially when Constance whisked off her mask and looked immensely relieved to see he’d successfully caught her.

They headed to the closet without fuss. Constance almost looked as if she was dying to climb inside. She probably wanted to get the farce over with.

Once they were squeezed into the confining space, with their chests pressed together in a way Stephen had only fantasized about, she said, “Thank you. I don’t know what I would have done—”

He covered her mouth with his hand, having dislodged it from his side. Then he leaned near her ear. “They might be able to hear us,” he whispered.

She flinched.

He lowered his arm, and she let out a slow breath. He wished he could see her face. For more reasons than to satisfy his worry she was all right.

He did everything he could to ignore the touch of her body along his front. He tried not to remember how she looked, how her eyes lit up, how her expression sharpened when she was interested in something. Why had he watched her all night? 

But he knew. He knew very well. She was captivating. Intriguing. And so damned lovely.

Why was he having feelings for her? Wasn’t his love for Madeline strong enough to withstand attraction for another woman? But if it was, he would be in the closet with his hostess and not the lady he pretended to the world held his fancy.

He had to kiss her. He had to discover if this attachment was real. Besides, if he didn’t kiss her, everyone would wonder why. And for some strange reason, he needed every fellow out there to understand Constance Forrester was his. He closed his eyes and realized his attitude was no better than a caveman’s. But the need to possess and brand raced through him without pause, and he couldn’t fathom how to check it. Except to kiss her and get her out of his system once and for all.

“Constance,” he uttered. “I’m gonna kiss you.”

She flinched again.

“I won’t hurt you, I swear it. But if I don’t kiss you…they’ll all question us and our…attachment.” He was an ass. He was using their agreement to coax her into acquiescence, and while he knew it, and was ashamed of it, he continued. “It will only be for a second. I’ll just brush my lips with yours.”

In the darkness, he felt her slight nod against his chin. His heart pounded at her quiet surrender.

When she pulled back as far as the space would allow and lifted her head to his, heat slashed through him. He’d never needed a kiss as much as he needed hers.

 Madeline had kissed him. Once. Behind the schoolhouse when they were sixteen. And that moment hadn’t caused nearly the anticipation this one did.

He lowered his head and swallowed her gasp. It wasn’t a brush, even though he only set his lips on hers. It was a fire. A shot of whiskey that whipped through him and pooled in his gut. He deepened the connection, and she let him, sighing and sinking into him despite already being as close to him as he could get her.

He melted. He needed to move to the ground and cover her, press her down and make her his. He used his tongue, tasting her. She capitulated instantly and opened her mouth under his. He took what she allowed without hesitation as his free hand came up to grip her waist.

The damn closet was too small. His left hand was wedged between her side and the slender door. But though he couldn’t get his arms around her, he didn’t stop the kiss. It went on and on, stealing his breath, tightening his chest and making him doubt everything he’d ever known about his heart.

Rapid footsteps had him surging backward, and he knocked his head on the wall.

The door flew open, and cool air blasted his cheeks. He and Constance fell out of the space, their limbs tangling as they tried to right themselves.

Peals of laughter rung around them as Stephen reached out a hand to balance her. She latched on as if she didn’t want to let go, and his muscles vibrated with hope she had enjoyed the moment as he had.

It had taken less than a few seconds for him to realize kissing her had been the wrong thing to do. But also the most right, most perfect, most sound judgement he’d ever made in his life.

As those who’d crowded around the entrance to the kitchen went roaring with laughter back into the parlor, he gazed at Constance. And his world tilted.

Her flushed cheeks and bright eyes made his heart constrict with an emotion he was too afraid to name at the moment. But he knew what it was. He knew.

How in the devil had it happened? Was he a fool? A fickle man?

He swallowed. “Do you want to leave?”

And before his eyes, he witnessed a transformation that set his blood on fire. Determination changed her expression, and she lifted her chin.

“Certainly not. I’m quite all right, I assure you.” She gave a shake to her skirts. “We’ve a job to do, Stephen Dawson, and I’ll not let you down.”

She exited the kitchen with a swirl of satin, and he followed with less sure steps. She wouldn’t let him down, he knew it. But he feared he might disappoint her, for if she knew the direction of his thoughts, she would never forgive him. Constance Forrester had no time for any man. She had plans. Plans that didn’t include caring for the heart of the newspaper editor.

About KARA: Born and raised in Texas, I had to make the state the setting for my first series. From the food to the fun, like floating the rivers, it is the fire in my blood that inspires me. My family and friends take center stage in my books. My sisters and best friends are my heroines, and my husband created my favorite hero. Love and family are the point of my stories, and I seek to entertain, relieve stress, and inspire people. Books can take one on a journey that one can relive over and over. I am extremely grateful to those authors who did that very thing for me. I learned and I fell in love with their words and characters. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Find and Follow Kara at the following SM platforms....

Website –  www.karaoneal.com

Bookbub –  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kara-o-neal

Amazon –  http://www.amazon.com/Kara-ONeal/e/B00FL19TH8/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1465007993&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble –  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/kara+o'neal?_requestid=845025

Facebook –  https://www.facebook.com/KaraONeal84/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/KaraONealAuthor

Get your copy of The Editor's Kisses where all great E-books are sold and while you're at it, check out the other Pike's Run books.

This latest edition of the Pike's Run series sounds as lovely as the rest, Kara and we certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with them.

Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight friends. Check back weekly for more great authors and books and be sure to visit on Wednesdays for Words from our Friends! I'll be participating in NN Light's Book Heaven's monthly giveaway all year (see sidebar). January's is almost over so enter today.

Until next time take care and God bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Mary Alford & Heart of Texas

Good Morning Friends!

Fellow Pelican Book Group Author, Mary Alford has been in our spotlight, twice, and shared some treasures with us so please give her a great big Welcome Back this time with her novel, Heart of Texas!

Laney Winters gets the biggest shock of her life when she learns she's pregnant...on the same day she finds her husband in bed with his secretary. With her blissful life exposed as fraud, and her husband wanting nothing to do with raising a child, Laney faces divorce and her greatest fear--moving back home to live with her two eccentric old-maid aunts.

Hiding the demise of her marriage and helping to manage the family diner should be uneventful, but a new man in town has the gossips speculating. Laney's two aunts create an exciting mystery around the stranger, and Laney is sucked into an entertaining game of "Save Jake Montgomery from Aunt Thelma."

When her aunts' latest victim turns out to be the town's new family doctor, Laney must entrust him with her secrets, and along the way, discover that when your life flips upside down it's God's way of giving you a different perspective...and a fresh start.

Excerpt: Ignorance is highly underrated.

  

 It was the picture-perfect day, except for the rain, the bumper-to-bumper traffic, and what was about to take place in just a few hours that would shift the outcome of my life forever. Little did I realize as I prepared to read aloud to the small group of fans who had braved the rain to gather at the bookstore, that come this time tomorrow I’d be rethinking my career.

 But here, for a little while, my life seemed perfect. Perfect husband—even if I had only been married for less than two years. Perfect house. And my newly-released romance, Fast-Moving Train, was getting good reviews. I had no idea my faith would be tested in a major way. And the test would leave me bloodied, bruised, and begging God for answers that would take a whole lot of prayer to understand.

 If I could sum up what I’ve learned about life and love, it would be this: There are good men, there are bad men, and then there are men of the worst possible kind—the ones who steal your heart and leave you wondering—the kind who can’t love.

 But every once in a blue moon, there are men who turn out nothing like you believed. Those are the men who amaze you the most—the Tim Summers of the world. Tim was my miracle—a man who had never been taught how to love, but was capable of giving so much of it.

 I could almost swear as, I sat listening to my best guy talk to my best friend about me, that at last I heard the freight train I’d been expecting from the beginning.

 When I least expected it, I looked up and caught Tim’s gaze as he smiled back at me across the crowds gathered at church that day—just as he had the first time we met. That crazy little lopsided grin of his sent my heart spinning out of control. I was happy. I wasn’t afraid anymore. For the first time in a long time, I had faith. And just like that, just like love—bam—it hit me. That fast-moving train.

 I paused a moment for effect, then whispered quietly, “The End.”

As I closed the book lovingly, I glanced around at the dozen or more people staring back at me in silence. A second later, the room erupted into applause.

 At the back of the gathering, I spotted my agent, Tippy Jennings-Johnson, as she mouthed, “Brilliant.”

The manager of the bookstore had been kind enough to set up a little table for me in the corner of the reading room, close to the coffee shop. While Tippy worked the room, I sat at my post and greeted the fans who stopped by. I still couldn’t believe these people had actually come out to meet me—me. Even now, after five years in the business, I found it hard to fathom there were people out there who would actually buy what I wrote.

 Two hours later, as the last of my fans thanked me for signing her book, Tippy waited patiently for the room to empty.

“Good news, Lane.” Tippy loved to shorten everyone’s name to three or four letters. “I got the word earlier today, but I didn’t want to put any pressure on you before the reading. Your publisher called. They want two more Lois and Tim stories this year. They feel there’s enough material in the story for a three-book series.”

 “Oh... my... goodness.”

Tippy and I jumped up and down with our arms wrapped around each other like a couple of schoolgirls. This was huge for both of us. Tippy and I had pretty much learned the business together.

 My first thought was to share the news with my husband, Tom, the man in whom all of my romance novels had found their beginning. I couldn’t wait to hear his reaction to our good news.

“Tippy, would you mind terribly if I took a rain check on dinner tonight? I’m so excited I can’t wait to tell Tom the news.”

 “Of course not,” she offered with a magnanimous wave of one well-manicured, bejeweled hand. “I’ll just go back to the office and bang out the details for your new deal. We’ll chat more about that in a few days. Call me tomorrow, and tell me all about Tom’s reaction, OK?”

Tippy made a grand exit, and I felt the first pang of guilt. Tippy didn’t know the whole truth. I hadn’t told anyone the other good news I’d learned that day. I was pregnant. I couldn’t wait to share my happiness with my husband, Tom.

 Unfortunately, Tom had not reachable earlier. It wasn’t unusual for him to be difficult to get hold of. My husband was one of the foremost attorneys in Dallas and his client list was made up of elite members of Dallas society. Tom worked terrible hours, sometimes not coming home for days at a time. A few years before we were married Tom took a small apartment close to the office for just such occasions. He kept it after we were married for when he had to work late. Over the past weeks, I could count on one hand the number of times we’d actually shared a meal together. But even though we’d go stretches at a time without seeing each other, I could always reach him on the phone. Not today, though.

 I tried his cell phone and his office several times with no success. There was no answer at either the house or the apartment. I decided to rush back home, where I’d pack an overnight bag, then head over to the apartment to prepare the perfect candlelight celebratory dinner before sharing my good news.

 But throughout the long, congested, rush-hour drive home, an unfamiliar uneasiness in the pit of my stomach continued to grow. I remembered all those times recently when Tom worked late.

 As I pulled into our driveway off Strait Lane, I noticed Tom’s prized black luxury sedan sitting there as well. Not in the garage or even in the driveway, but next to the curb, as if he’d arrived in a hurry. Oddly enough, it didn’t occur to me until much later that there was another car parked behind Tom’s. I slipped the key into the door, hoping to surprise him.

 The house was unbelievably quiet, but strange and confusing signs of life littered the foyer and the hallway leading to the living room. A purse. A jacket. Red stiletto heels. I grew more suspicious with each step.

 I quickly opened the door only to see my forty-year-old perfect husband embracing his secretary.

 His secretary? How cliché.

“What are you doing here, Miss Manning?” No doubt this was the most ridiculous question ever asked, since it was painfully obvious what she was doing here.

 The next few minutes passed in a blur.

 Miss Manning promptly rushed into my recently-remodeled, Italian marble guest bathroom, leaving Tom alone to face his angry wife.

“Laney, I wasn’t expecting you home so soon. Didn’t you have dinner plans with Tippy?”

 “You weren’t expecting me home so soon? That’s all you can say? How long has this been going on, and why is she hiding in my bathroom?” This part I yelled so Miss Manning could hear me clearly.

“Laney, I’m sorry you had to find out like this, but you’re not really surprised, are you? We’ve been drifting apart for a long time.”

Drifting apart? We were still newlyweds in my book.

 I thought we were the perfect couple. All our friends said so. Perfect marriage. Perfect house. Perfect life. So what if our romantic life had been experiencing some dry spells over the course of the past few weeks. There was more to life—right? Besides, how dry could it be? I was standing here, pregnant!

“What are you saying?” I asked in shock as I followed Tom to the foyer of said perfect house. I heard the sound of Miss Manning moving around in my bathroom, and with super-human strength, I managed to resist the urge to drag her bodily out of my perfect house.

“Laney, I’m sorry. I know how hard this must be for you. Believe me, I didn’t mean for it to happen. But Suzanne and I love each other. I’ve never felt so alive before. She makes me want to do crazy things--”

 “Like bringing your girlfriend into our house?” I blurted out, dumbfounded. “You couldn’t just keep her at your apartment?”

Tom at least had the good grace to look embarrassed. “Laney, we’ve had a good run, but things have not been good between us for a while now. You know that.”

I do? Funny, wasn’t I the one who just a few hours ago couldn’t wait to share my good news with my husband?

“How would I know this? Is there some time limit on marriage in your book? One year, you’re fine. Pushing two—oops, time’s up. How would I know this, Tom?”

Wait. Did he just say he loved Miss Manning?

“You love her? How can you love her, she’s only worked for you for a month? Besides you love me, remember? Isn’t that what you told me on my birthday? You can’t love two women at the same time.”

At this point, Miss Manning rushed past us on her way out the door, and Tom went after her like a puppy dog.

 I followed them out the door just in time to see Miss Manning speed away in her bright red compact car, presumably to go wreck someone else’s life.

 Tom spotted me and hurried to start the car, but I managed to catch up before he could get away.

 I stepped in front of his vehicle with my arms crossed.

 Reluctantly Tom cracked the window. He didn’t get out. “Laney, what are you doing?” He did a quick sweep of the area, no doubt to be sure none of our neighbors were watching.

“You are not just walking out on me without hearing what I have to say.”

 “Laney, I wanted us to do this like two civilized human beings, but I see there’s no reasoning with you. I want a divorce. I’m engaged to Suzanne now. It’s time to move on.”

 “You’re engaged? Tom, you’re still married to me.”

 “Not for long. I’ve had the divorce papers drawn up for several weeks now. I was waiting for the right moment, and I guess this is it. How soon can you be out of the house? Suzanne has some decorating ideas she’d like to get started on.”

Dear Lord, please give me strength...

“Suzanne has decorating ideas for my house?”

 “The house is mine to do with what I want.”

Suddenly, I remembered Aunt Selma’s warning the day I’d married Tom.

“Laney, any man who wants you to sign a prenuptial agreement isn’t a Christian, and he’s clearly planning on divorce. You mark my words. You’ll live to regret marrying that man.”

 “Well, I don’t want a divorce and I’m not moving anywhere. I’m pregnant.” I announced it to Tom and the rest of the neighborhood, and then watched as he slumped back against the car seat in shock.

“If this is a ploy to keep me with you, Laney, I have to tell you it won’t work. I won’t stay. I’m not the fatherly type.”

 “What do you mean you’re not the fatherly type? You’d make a wonderful father.” OK, given the present circumstances, this probably didn’t come anywhere near the truth, but still, I had to try. This was the man I loved. The father of my child. I couldn’t just let him go, could I?

“Laney, I don’t want children. I thought I made that perfectly clear to you. I’ve never wanted them. We discussed this in the beginning, remember?”

I racked my brain, trying to remember that discussion, but I came up blank. “We never talked about children, Tom. Not at all.”

 “That’s it, then. Didn’t you get the message? Laney, I can’t be anyone’s father. You’ll have to do whatever you think is best. I won’t be part of it.”

Well, there you have it. Couldn’t be any clearer than that.

“Now, how soon can you be out of the house?”

***********
Heart of Texas can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Pelican Book Group! Now here's a little about Mary....

I grew up in a small Texas town famous for, well not much of anything really. Being the baby of the family and quite a bit younger than my two brothers and sister, I had plenty of time to entertain myself. Making up stories seemed to come natural to me.

As a teen, I discovered Phyllis Whitney and Victoria Holt and knew instinctively that was what I wanted to do with my over-active imagination.

I wrote my first novel as a teen, (it’s tucked away somewhere never to see the light of day), but never really pursued a writing career seriously until a few years later, when I wrote my first inspirational romantic suspense and was hooked.

Today, I still live in Texas, and still create people facing dangerous situations. In fact, I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do.

Learn more about me at www.MaryAlford.net, or send me an email at maryjalfordauthor@gmail.com. You can also find/follow me on Facebook, Twitter (@maryalford13, Google+, Pinterest, YouTube and GoodReads.

Hope you enjoyed today's guest and that you'll join me each week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God Bless!
PamT