Post from Linda McMaken, Guest for Tuesday September 11, 2012
Thank you Joan for hosting me today, and letting me talk about my newest book, Baer Necessities – Book Two of the Three Baers trilogy. It has just released from Desert Breeze Publishing.
Tell us a little about your books.
The series is set in the fictional town of Sentinel, Wyoming. It’s small town that sees a lot of “action” and not just the ranching kind. Sentinel seems to attract a motley assortment of folks that are in need, searching or just plain, well, crazy but in a good way.
Focusing on the Baer brothers of Hidden Rock Ranch, the books follow the three Baer brothers. Joe Baer was featured in book one Baer Truth; Connor Baer is featured in the current release, Baer Necessities and Matt who just discovered he is a Baer and will get to tell his story in book three Baer Facts. Besides these handsome and rugged modern day ranchers, there are the women who invade their lives, and their souls when they least expect it.
The books are fun, and humorous, a genuine feel good read. The heat level is minimal. While there is a little sex between the two main characters, nothing is explicit or overly graphic. In my books, you’ll enjoy small town life at its best, romance that doesn’t always run on a smooth course, and moments of pure crazy insanity – kinda like real life only with cowboys, friendly bulls, evil tractors and a happily ever after.
What did you choose to write romance?
I started writing romance because without romance life would be pretty darn sad. While the genre is subjected to insults, taunts and ridicule, is there anyone that really doesn’t want romance? Even in the mystery, thriller or science fiction and fantasy genre’s, the hero has a heroine and a romance is almost always part of the story. Very often, the romance is the only thing that makes the hero “human”.
All of us want a “happily-ever-after” and I think that is what makes romances fun and special. For a few hours after a difficult week of reality – jobs, kids, bill paying – a romance lets you leave the world behind.
Why did you choose to set your books in the West?
Even though I’m a Midwest girl by birth, my heart is in the West. My mom used to read me Zane Grey, Louis L’amour, and Max Brand books. She took me to every John Wayne movie that was made and she’d talk about mountain men and cowboys and their free spirits. Cowboys are tough, hardworking, quiet and unassuming, and I think that is what attracts many people to read and attracted me to write about them.
Baer Truth was actually inspired by a family vacation in Wyoming. We passed a cattle ranch where hundreds of head were grazing. I wondered about that ranch family, how long had they lived there? How big was the ranch? Then my snarky muse takes over and says “what if a cowboy on that beef ranch fell for a girl who happened to be a vegetarian?” Baer Truth was born!
If you want a book that is funny, makes you laugh, makes you feel good and lets you escape from the real world for a few hours, Baer Truth and Baer Necessities are perfect. When you read the Three Baers, you’re sure to find that one of them will be “just right” for you.
You can find Linda online at:
Website: http://www.linda-mcmaken.com/
Blog: www.makenwords.blogspot.com
Baer Truth Booktrailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaA8p65oOeo
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lindamcmaken
Twitter: http://twitter.com/makenwords
Her books can be found at:
Desert Breeze Publishing: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/StoreFront.bok
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Three-Baers-Book-ebook/dp/B005HB1J0W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345521283&sr=8-1&keywords=baer+truth
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-three-baers-book-one-linda-mcmaken/1111901113
Blurb:
They thought everything they’d wanted was somewhere – out there. Connor Baer wanted to see
beyond the ranch fences, unlike his father, ranching wasn’t in his blood.
Jessie McIvey wanted more than a cowboy in her future, they were bossy, overbearing and opinionated. She wanted to save world treasures and have an intellectual by her side.
Brought together by a family emergency and an ill-fated trip home, they are facing off over Indian artifacts, water rights, facing Federal time for “borrowing” a satellite, and a being threatened by a man intent on ruining Connor’s life
Excerpt:
It felt good to be home, better than he’d ever imagined it could feel, especially after all he’d ever wanted to do was leave. He wanted no part of small-town ranching life. He’d seen a nice chunk of the world, but not all. He wanted to see everything. No ties to family, just freedom.
Strange, now that he had that life, it really wasn’t that great. He enjoyed the travel and the job, but at the end of the day, he was alone. No one gave a damn whether he had a good day, or a bad one. Nobody to share a meal with, no one to make sure he even came home.
He patted the side of the truck and climbed into the bed to start the engine on the pump.
Then again, Connor didn’t have to answer to anyone. There was no female waiting with crossed arms grilling him about where he’d been or who he was with.
He turned the gas on, primed the pump, and gave the key a turn.
Even if a woman waited, he’d have nothing to tell her because he’d only been at work, and spent the day with rocks.
Nothing. No sound came from the engine. He repeated the process. Still nothing. He checked the spark plug, the wires, double-checked the gas and carburetor, everything checked out. He turned the key, nothing.
“It’s not going to start.” Jessie stared at him from beside the truck.
Her again? His head snapped up at the sound of her voice. “What makes you so sure?” One way or another, he’d start the engine. Priming the pump, he turned the key again. Prime, turn the key, nothing.
She folded her arms across her chest, giving him a look that made him angry and horny at the same time. He tried to focus on the engine.
“You might as well stop, because I have the rotor cap.” Her head cocked to one side, and a curl popped out from under her knit cap, playing across her cheek. “I’m sure you’re well aware that the engine won’t start without one.” A wicked smiled crossed those pouty lips.
An angry burn rolled over him. “Give me the cap,” he ordered, hands on hips.
“No. You’re not drilling here.” She folded her arms across her chest and stared at him.
“Yes, I am.” He jumped off the bed of the truck. “Give me the cap.” He pulled himself up to his full six foot-three inches, glaring down at her. That tended to intimidate the guys he worked with in the oil fields
She matched his stare, and even took two steps toward him. “No.”
He threw a shop rag on the ground. “That’s vandalism and theft lady.”
“It’s saving history, buddy.” She shoved her pointy finger into his chest.
He took in a hard, deep, breath deciding on whether to kiss her or spank her. “Fine, I’ll just go into town and get another one.” He stomped off toward his jeep. Yep, it would be best if he left before he said, or did, something he would regret, like kiss her.
“You’ll have to drive all the way to Riverton. That’s the closest place that carries one, I checked.” He stopped in his tracks and turned around. She had a pouty, victorious grin on her face. In two steps, he stood in front of her. She cocked that little head to one side, a satisfied grin on her face.
He slipped his hand around her waist, and set her on the hood of the truck. “Jessie McIvey, I’m going to hang you by your bibs again if you don’t hand over that cap.”
Her eyes went wide. She smelled like cedar, sage, or some heady fragrance like that. Her canvas coat appeared to be two sizes too big for her, and the blue stocking cap rode low, next to her eyes.
Knee-high cowboy boots banged against the truck as she tried to wiggle out of his hands.
“Connor Baer, you let go of me right now.”
He leaned tight against her legs. “Not until you give me that rotor.” Her hands flew to his shoulders as thunder hammered and lightning echoed off the granite ridge. Raindrops splattered them and hail pinged off the hood of the truck. The clouds opened deluging them in a torrent of rain, and hail.
Connor slid her off the hood and opened the truck door. She scooted across the bench seat as he climbed in under the steering wheel.
“Oh, good heavens what is that smell.” Jessie put a hand over her nose and mouth. “It smells like something dead in here.” She opened the passenger door, put one foot out and disappeared.
All Connor heard was a scream.
What Editors Want You to Know 