Blog-a-Book-Scene is a monthly themed blogging endeavor from a group of authors who love to share excerpts from their stories. Find us on Twitter with the hashtags #blogabookscene and/or #PrairieRosePub.
January’s theme is Baby, It’s Cold Outside. The cold wintry excerpt below is from:
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| I Heard the Brides on Christmas Day (Hearts of Owyhee novella) by Jacquie Rogers |
I Heard the Brides on Christmas Day is a novella in the Hearts of Owyhee series, five books and six novellas all set in Owyhee County, Idaho. This particular novella is sweet and wholesome western historical romance.
I Heard the Brides on Christmas Day
by Jacquie Rogers
The Murdock brothers have a fine ranch in Owyhee County, Idaho. The only things missing are wives and kids, so Hec orders a couple of brides for Christmas. The catch is, woman-shy Zeke doesn't know about it. Dinah and Stella have a plan— If the grooms don’t work out, they’ll start a restaurant. Farm chores are hard enough, but a peckish chicken and a raging blizzard don’t help matters. Can Hec and Zeke capture their hearts?
EXCERPT:
Hec had been so deep in thought, he hadn’t even noticed the wind kick up, but when the snow blew sideways into his face like sewing pins, now that got his attention. The horses shied to the side, not wanting their faces in the snow. The blinders would help keep the snow out of their eyes, but still they hopped around in the harness.
Within another few minutes, the blizzard had struck with such force that he had to stop the horses. Hec wasn’t even for sure that they were on the road. White everywhere—right, left, up, or down. Nor did he know how he’d get back home. Best he stay right there and do whatever he could to keep warm. Once the storm lifted, he’d be on his way.
Just as he got off the wagon, a lightning bolt flashed. The horses reared and neighed, then took off.
Hec stood in the middle of what he hoped was the road. Nothing to do but start walking. Cold and lost. What a helluva fix. And he hadn’t even seen his bride yet.
As Hec bent into the wind that slung stinging snow in his face as he walked. The cold and deep snow tired his legs something fierce, but he trudged on despite screaming muscles and bitter cold feet. He couldn’t be sure he was even headed the right direction, but he kept between the two lines of sagebrush poking above the white. In fact, the tips of the sagebrush were the only color at all, and as the snow deepened, even they disappeared.
His face stung and his fingers and toes tingled. He’d never been so icy cold before, to the point of being beyond shivering. In fact, he felt hot and resisted the urge to take off his coat. His mind twisted in odd directions and it took all his willpower to stay focused.
Whether the sun had set, he didn’t know because of the storm-darkened sky. Hec regretted a lot of things he’d done, but the worst mistake he’d ever made was ordering brides. Zeke was probably throwing a conniption fit this very moment and if Hec didn’t survive, his brother would have two wives to contend with.
Hec raised his face to the blackened sky and laughed. He didn’t know why he laughed—so cold—but his brother would curse his soul to hell. He staggered to his feet, the snow clinging to his britches, but his legs wouldn’t hold and he fell to his knees. Now he knew where the end of the road was.
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| Owyhee County, where Hec was lost in a blizzard. (photographer unknown) |
I Heard the Brides on Christmas Day is available at Amazon Kindle. Read for free if you're subscribed to Kindle Unlimited.
Next month's theme will be All You Need is Love, just in time for Valentine's Day.
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This page posted January 4, 2018. All content, including graphics copyright © Jacquie D Rogers 2018, All rights reserved.
