#WIPITUP WEDNESDAY - Longhorn Cowboys - Heart for Home

On the WIPUTIP WEDNESDAY BLOG Melody talks about being sunburnt. I'm so jealous!! I know that sounds bizarre - what kind of normal person is jealous of sunburn?? Well firstly, I'm not "normal". Secondly, we're coming to (hopefully) the end of a rather long, cold, wet winter here at the bottom of the world and I would give anything for enough heat in the sun to burn me right now. Alas, I have to settle for curling up next to our woodburner.

This week I have some very exciting news to share with you all - my western - Longhorn Cowboys Book One: Heart for Home has been accepted by Stormy Night Publications!!! Yay!!!! I don't have any idea at this stage of when it will be released, but I'm sure I'll know once the excitement of acceptance wears off :)

  

Longhorn Cowboys was originally inspired by the good looking, tough drovers on Rawhide - Ramrod: Rowdy Yates played by Clint Eastwood, Trail Boss: Gil Favor played by Eric Fleming and Scout: Pete Nolan played by Sheb Wooley.

Excerpt: A little bell tied to the door jingled merrily when she pushed it open and a short, fat, balding, man frowned over the rim of his thick glasses at her, looking her up and down severely.

            “Ladies should look like ladies. Come back when you’re dressed properly,” he told her stiffly, in a stuffy English accent. The odious little man reminded her of the father of one of her old friends back home – he’d come to Boston from England only a few years earlier and had looked down his nose at her family. They hadn’t been rich enough for his expensive tastes, and he had enjoyed pointing that out to Jessica often.

            “I need to send a telegram,” Jessica informed the man behind the counter. “It’s rather urgent.”

            The man pushed his glasses higher up on his nose and peered at her again, looking her up and down, shaking his head disapprovingly. “Come back when you’re dressed properly.”

            “But Sir …”

            “Come back when you’re dressed properly,” he cut her off.

            “I’m with a trail herd out that way a bit,” Jessica indicated, with a dramatic sweeping of her arm. “I’m a drover. I don’t have anything else to wear.” Which was sort of true; she hadn’t worn her gown since Johnny had snatched her back from the clutches of the Indians.

            “There’s a shop over there.” He pointed directly across the street. Jim’s Mercantile the sign read.

            “Please Sir, it won’t take long,” she pleaded.

            The man shook his head. Then, ignoring her, he turned back to his desk and began to shuffle papers; papers that Jessica was sure didn’t need to be shuffled.

            “Ooooooh!” Growling in frustration, Jessica stamped her foot loudly, sending up a cloud of dust from off her clothing. Turning on her heel, she threw the door open, making the little bell jangle wildly, and stomped off down the street. There was nothing else for it, she’d have to buy herself a dress. So she had to find Johnny. 

I hope you liked my excerpt this week ... keep watching my blog for more news of the Longhorn Cowboys soon!

And like always, check out the other participants this week below: