I have been so excited for today to get here ever since I started writing my story LOVE UNDER FIRE, Book 3 in our PINK PISTOL SISTERHOOD sweet romances series!
My heroine, Krissy Donovan, is on the verge of spinsterhood because of her unconventional ways in the staid society of Raleigh, North Carolina. But the year is 1899, and women have a bit more freedom in their lives—all, it seems, but Krissy and her two younger sisters. A crack shot, and even a part time teacher at Miz Oakley’s shooting classes, she is “volunteered” by her father to travel to Indian Territory to put on a shooting exhibition at an orphanage in Miz Oakley’s place. It’s a long, tedious journey, but she learns some wonderful things along the way about herself and how to break free of some of the expectations her parents have foisted upon her. She longs for true love and marriage—just not the one her mother has been planning for her!
Johnny Houston, might just be that true love Krissy is yearning for. But how can that be? They hardly know one another, and he’s already made it very plain to her that she is his “last assignment” before he musters out of the cavalry. Escorting her to the very orphanage where he and his brother spent a few painful years when they were growing up is something he wants to complete and be done with. He certainly has no idea of falling in love and getting married, of all things.
But when that mysterious pink pistol shows up, all bets are off and plans change for everyone, proving that there might just be such a thing as love at first sight… Especially when there is an orphanage full of children who need a fresh start, just as Johnny and Krissy do. With so much at stake, and so many obstacles how can they make it all work out?
BLURB:
His last assignment gets complicated when a beautiful sharpshooter targets his heart.
Beautiful Krissy Donovan, a student of Annie Oakley, is asked to put on a sharpshooting benefit for an orphanage. The trouble is, it’s half a continent away. Her father has promised her services, and she finds herself virtually alone in perilous Indian Territory. Krissy’s father realizes he has made a terrible mistake, but a cavalry scout, familiar with the savage land, is the only one who can protect Krissy now.
Rough-and-tumble cavalry captain Johnny Houston resents being asked to take on this last assignment of playing nursemaid to an eastern debutante before he musters out of the army. Johnny understands his duty as a soldier, so turning the order down is out of the question. With a killer stalking them, Johnny has to keep his mind on Krissy’s safety, but an attraction to his stubborn charge could end up compromising his heart.
Memories of his own harsh childhood at the same orphanage haunt him. He has no choice but to make a stand for the children, or some of them won’t survive. Krissy dares to hope she can help in some way, even though it means giving up the lavish future that has been planned for her since birth.
How far will Johnny go with his dangerous rescue plan? Where does Krissy fit into his life? The strange arrival of a beautiful pink pistol with the legacy of its creation may help them survive the deadly odds against them in LOVE UNDER FIRE.
LOVE UNDER FIRE is available in e-book and paperback formats at Amazon, and is enrolled in Kindle Unlimited!
EXCERPT:
Johnny and Krissy are on their way to the orphanage for the exhibition, but just as Johnny expected, there is someone following them. There are secrets he has kept from Krissy, but now it’s time to tell her everything. Here’s what happens:
They walked together toward the riverbank in silence. There was a smooth, flat outcropping of rock hanging over the river that Johnny unerringly moved toward.
Krissy laughed in delight as they neared it. “It’s beautiful here! And perfect.” She gave him a teasing grin. “Something tells me you’ve been here a time or two, Johnny. You knew right where to come for the best seat in the house.”
He looked preoccupied, she thought, but he still kept his hand at her back to steady her as they climbed the upward slope of the ground to get to the rock, and helped her sit. He took the seat opposite her where he had a good view of the area they’d come from.
Krissy realized this wasn’t coincidental, and she reached to rub her hand over the pistol she wore in the belt of her dungarees.
He nodded. “You’re right to be worried, Kris. You keep watch behind me, and I’ll do the same for you, honey.”
A fiery moment of dread slithered through Krissy. “Someone is after us.” It was a statement, not a question. This trip had felt ‘off’ from the moment her father had mentioned it. She supposed that was why she’d not been as enthusiastic about coming as she normally might have been. She just hadn’t listened to her own intuition.
“Yes. I believe so. There’s a lot to say, and some of it is pretty incredible, but don’t discount any of it until you’ve heard me out.”
“Who would want to hurt us?”
“Not ‘us’, Krissy. It’s you they’re after.”
“Johnny—”
“Listen to me.” Impatiently, he shook his head. “I don’t know where they are, or who they are, or how many. They’re out there, though, shading us. Twice today, I’ve seen the flash of metal in the sunlight.” He gave her a cool look. “Far away, but it was there, both times. I expect they’ll make their move under cover of darkness.”
I love that Krissy is confident with using her guns, but until Johnny tells her the rest of this story, she has no idea what kind of danger she is in or how to deal with it. She has no clue as to what is about to happen–especially without Johnny’s protection! This scene and the follow-up talk Krissy and Johnny have makes me think of how many times I’ve been so naïve–and boy, when I found out the truth of what might have happened, I’ve had a good scare or two. Have you ever been in some kind of danger and not realized it until later?
PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT and tell us about it! This will enter you in the drawing for the prizes today!
I would also love to tell you about some wonderful FREE magazines that go along with our books. There will be four of them, and the first three are available NOW! They cost nothing and are full of recipes and stories, as well as a few short interviews of some of the P&P ladies you might be interested in, along with all the latest news and excerpts from the PINK PISTOL SISTERHOOD stories. The links are below for the magazines, so jump on over and snap them up, and be on the lookout for edition #4 coming soon!
Also, don’t miss out on Volume 3 of the Pink Pistol Magazine that just released a few days ago. You’ll find excerpts from Kari Trumbo, Winnie Griggs, and Linda Broday, as well as a short story from Karen Kay, along with recipes, games, and more!
If you missed these first three magazines, here are the links!
Get your FREE copy of the PINK PISTOL MAGAZINE 3 here!
To celebrate the release of LOVE UNDER FIRE, I will be giving away a $25 Amazon gift certificate–(perfect to use on the Pink Pistol stories!) AND will also be giving away one digital copy of LOVE UNDER FIRE!
Be sure to leave a comment to be entered in today’s drawing!
(MORE PRIZES TO BE WON AT THE FB PINK PISTOL SISTERHOOD RELEASE PARTY TODAY–SEE LINK BELOW!)
One more thing you may be interested in is our PINK PISTOL SISTERHOOD READER GROUP ON FACEBOOK! Please join us there for lots of brain teasers (from PAM!) and the latest news about this fun series. EVERYONE IS WELCOME! COME ON OVER TO OUR READER GROUP TODAY FOR MY RELEASE PARTY AND MORE PRIZES!
PINK PISTOL SISTERHOOD READER GROUP
Order your copy of LOVE UNDER FIRE today!