Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Coming Next Month

February is the month for lovers. And for romance novels. Book Three of the Lone Star Cowboys series, The Bluest Eyes in Texas, is scheduled for release in time for Valentine's Day. Here's a short preview...


     "You're getting a new patient, Nancy. Starting tomorrow, you'll devote all your attention to this one for the next two weeks. That's all the time you have to get him ready to return to the rodeo circuit, so it will be an intense rehab." Dr. Harris slid the file across the desk.
     "But what about my other patients? I'm really making progress with Anna and Andy. They need me."
     Dr. Harris shook his head. "Can't be helped. This young man is a local celebrity and his parents specifically requested that you, and only you, handle his case. It will be high profile for us and, if you're successful at getting him ready for the Finals, we'll get a lot of publicity."
     "Let me guess. Cooper Saunders, right?" Damn him. Just because he was some kind of star around here shouldn't mean he got preferential treatment. As much as she liked his parents, she resented them interfering with her job. She'd spent weeks getting Anna and Andy to trust her, to respond to their treatment. Anna was finally pulling out of her depression with the help of medication and counseling sessions, and Andy seemed to be gaining control of his anger and frustrations. What would happen to them if she suddenly didn't show up for their sessions and they were turned over to someone else?
     "There's nothing I can do to change your mind?" Nancy asked, knowing the answer from the firm set of Dr. Harris's jaw.
     "No, I promised Mary and Jed that you would personally handle Cooper's recovery."
     "Can I at least do my sessions with Andy and Anna today, so I can explain to them why they'll have a new PT?"
     Dr. Harris stood, indicating the discussion was over. "No. Cooper is waiting for you in room 212. His doctor will brief you in the conference room before you get started. He's already there."
     In other words, hop to it. You didn't keep the busy doctors waiting.
     Nancy gritted her teeth and marched to the conference room. She couldn't wait to meet Cooper and give him a piece of her mind for messing up her other patients' treatments. She didn't even know him. And at this point, she didn't care to know him.
     Shoot, he probably didn't need much more than hand-holding, anyway. Anyone could do that. Even one of his buckle bunnies.
     The doctor smiled when she stepped into the room. She didn't recognize him, so not a local. Nancy sat across the table from him, where a case folder waited. "I'm Nancy Phillips."
     "John Marshall." He nodded toward the folder. "We have a short time table to try to get Cooper ready for the PBR finals." He went over the particulars of Cooper's case and laid out the treatment plan. "Cooper is willing to commit one hundred percent to his treatment. You'll have his complete cooperation. If you have any questions, call me. I'll be checking on his progress daily, as well."
     "Do you really think it's wise for him to ride in two weeks with these injuries?" It sounded like a recipe for disaster to her. There was no way his shoulder and pelvic injuries could heal in that amount of time, and from what she'd read, the finals involved several days of bull riding, back to back. Cooper would be lucky if he didn't end up back in the hospital after the first try.
     "No, I don't, and I've told him that. But he's determined to do it." Dr. Marshall shook his head. "He's planning to retire at the end of this season and he needs the win to help finance his retirement."
     "It won't be much of a retirement if he's paralyzed, or worse."
     "If you can convince him not to try it, my hat's off to you. I've tried everything I can think of to talk him out of it.
     After the doctor left, Nancy took a few minutes to study Cooper's file. Thirty-eight years old, he'd been riding bulls for more than twenty years. While not the oldest bull rider, he was in no shape to be thinking about trying it again. Anyone with half a brain could see he needed to give it up while he could still walk.
     Determined to convince Cooper he was a fool to even think about riding another bull, Nancy headed down the hall to his room.

I don't have a cover yet, but I can tell you this picture will be on it.

Meet Cooper Saunders, professional bull rider. Yum! Can't wait to finish this book and see what you think about his story.

I'm going to invite other authors to comment with details about their February releases, too, so check back often to see what's new for next month.


10 comments:

E. Ayers said...

Hi, Tori.

I've got my next River City Novel, A SON, almost ready for release. I'm trying to get it ready before Feb 1. I'm in that final read-through phase since it came back from my editor. I've even got the cover ready to go and I love this cover!

No western releases for me in February, but I am working on Clare Coleman's diary. It tells what it was like being an early settler in Wyoming from Clare's point of view. (Well, it is her diary.) I'm hoping for a spring release for that one.

Ah, the PBR and a good-looking man on the cover. Fanning face. You know how much I love bull riding. I think you've got a winner!

Stacy Juba said...

Thanks for the opportunity! The audio version of my mystery romantic suspense novel, Twenty-Five Years Ago Today, is coming out in February from Amazon, Audible and iTunes. It's already available in ebook format, but I am excited about the audio edition. It has a fantastic narrator, Erin Moon.

This is the blurb: For twenty-five years, Diana Ferguson’s killer has gotten away with murder. When rookie obit writer and newsroom editorial assistant Kris Langley investigates the cold case of the artistic young cocktail waitress who was obsessed with Greek and Roman mythology, not only does she fall in love with Diana’s sexy nephew, but she must also fight to stay off the obituary page herself.

Mona Risk said...

I just released Valentine Babies. It's going FREE tomorrow for two days. Cute cover. It's a sweet love story, with doctore, reporter and traveling.

I like your excerpt. You're putting the reader right in the heart of the conflict from the first paragraph. I like that and want to see what will happen to them.

Elysa said...

Love your excerpt!

I just released CUPID'S APPRENTICE, a short contemporary Valentine's Day story with a paranormal twist.

To earn her wings, Cupid's apprentice Medarda "Dar" has until Valentine's Day to match two-time Loser Laura Quinn with Boring Brian Hoffman. When Dar's love arrow goes astray and hits the sexy PE teacher Flynn Sullivan instead things get interesting.

Laura loves teaching high school in the small town of Council Falls, but knows it's only a matter of time until her famous mother shows up and the quiet life she's created comes crashing down around her ears.

Flynn's been interested in the shy history teacher for a long time, but it isn't until they're forced to chaperone the Valentine's Day dance together that he gets the opportunity to make his dreams come true.

With time running out can one bumbling Cupid's Apprentice bring together a Jock and a Brain?

And my next Holiday in Council Falls story LUCKY'S LEPRECHAUN will out shortly.

Thanks!
Elysa Hendricks

J. S. Winn said...

Thanks for sharing this spot! February is for Lovers. My new romantic suspense, The Spirit Keepers, will be released this month on Amazon.

Can you escape the wrath of the Spirits?

One of Sandy Jacobs’ ten year old students and his family are accused of Witchcraft. Blamed for the mysterious deaths of two San Anselmo Pueblo children, they’re terrorized by “Boogeymen” Kachina, fierce-looking impersonators of the spirits. Sandy rushes to their aid, but her actions inflame the perpetrators and arouse the opposition of Native born faculty member, Ben Rush. Sandy and Ben clash over the issue while struggling against the attraction growing between them until the harassment culminates in violence. Together they risk their lives to uncover the truth and, in the process, learn lessons as valuable as any they have taught.

Go to my blog at authorjswinn.wordpress.com to see my cover and read the blurb.

Diana Rubino said...

Hi Tori, thanks for this chance for us to promo our books! Beautiful blog.
My romance A NECESSARY END is a paranormal twist on John Wilkes Booth's insane plot to assassinate President Lincoln. It is a 'dark' paranormal because a malevolent spirit haunts Booth to assassinate the 'tyrant' as in Julius Caesar. But since I believe every situation, no matter how foreboding, allows for humor, I've added a few lighter scenes that offer the reader some much-needed relief. How can Booth's plot not leave itself wide open for humor? It was pure comic farce, how he recruited this motley band of adoring disciples and gave them each an assignment in his absurd conspiracy. Yes, Booth sure gets what's coming to him in the end.
I'm offering it for free on Amazon Kindle on Lincoln's birthday, Feb. 9, and President's Day weekend, Feb. 16-18.

Tori Scott said...

These all sound like great books. I can see my Kindle will be getting a work out in February. Thanks for sharing!

Vijaya Schartz said...

LADY OF LUXEMBOURG, Book 4 in the Curse of the Lost Isle, an edgy Medieval Fantasy series, is coming out in kindle anyday now. It was supposed to be a January release, but it may be February.

The paperback version of BLACK JAGUAR, Book 3 in the Chronicles of Kassouk futuristic romance series, is scheduled for February from Desert Breeze Publishing

Jennette Marie Powell said...

The Bluest Eyes in Texas sounds like a fun read! Big, tough guy needing to be taken care of makes for a good story. :)

I have a science fiction romance later this month or in early February, Hangar 18: Legacy. It's about a hot, Air Force officer with psychic abilities who must find and free an imprisoned extraterrestrial thought dead for decades, risking his career, his life, and the life of the woman he loves.

Thanks for inviting us to post these!

Sharlyn D. said...

Tori you excerpt is great!

I just released Take Your Time (by Shar Dimick)

Content to hide behind her camera, Maddy Adams often feels more comfortable observing life rather than actively participating in it. For the past five years she’s focused only on her studies and building her photography career. The summer after her college graduation, Maddy returns to Lake of the Pines for her sister Liv’s wedding. While she’s happy her sister has found love again, Maddy wonders if she’ll ever find love herself. Her college roomie keeps pressuring her to go out with her older brother, who happens to be vacationing at the same lake. Maddy doesn't want to go on another blind date, but after blowing it with the gorgeous man she met on the beach she doesn't have anything to lose. Or does she?

Mason Ellis finds himself on a beautiful house boat docked at Lake of the Pines after finally taking his best friend’s long-standing invitation to visit. He has two long weeks away from his fast-paced software development business to relax and unplug if he can. Six months ago the woman he'd lived with for two years left him for someone else. Tired of meaningless hookups, Mason wants more, but is afraid of getting burned again. When he spies a woman on the beach taking his photo, he's intrigued. However, when he finally meets the mystery photographer, she brushes him off. Meanwhile, his little sister keeps pestering him to go on a blind date with her old college roommate. Maybe a blind date is just what he needs to get back into the dating scene. It's not like it will lead to anything more. Or will it?