Do What You Gotta Do by Christine Young-Robinson

Purchase Your Copy Today!   Do What You Gotta Do   A compelling story about three sisters who come from a family of wealth-and whose lives are shattered by tragedy, scandal, secrets, and betrayal. The three Houston sisters, Milandra, Noelle, and Kenley, are enjoying a regular day out with their mother, when they come home to find their father lying on the floor-dead! Overcome with shock, their mother falls down the stairs and dies at the feet of her daughters. Despite their grief, the sisters start to make discoveries about the shadowy past of their father-one of South Carolina's wealthiest men. Soon questions arise: Is there really a fourth Houston sister? And what are the true identities of Tessa, their former housekeeper, and Aniyah Sanchez, a mysterious and seductive woman who shows up at the funeral? Worse still, the sisters are devastated to find out that Aniyah has inherited their home, the Houston Estate, and they must move out. Will Milandra, Noelle, and Kenley fight back, or will their fortune stay in the hands of this wild woman from their father's past?   Order Do What You Gotta Do by Christine Young-Robinson  http://www.amazon.com/Christine-Young-Robinson/e/B00J86VYBQ   Excerpt: Do What You Gotta Do   Chapter 1  At last, Aniyah Sanchez would no longer be like a lion locked up in a cage. After spending four years in a South Carolina prison for fraud and kidnapping, she was being released. As she stepped out of her cell, a male prison guard whispered in her ear, "Fruitcake, I'll see you when you get back." Sniffing the fish odor that escaped from his breath, Aniyah turned up her nose. Didn't he know after lunch to eat a peppermint? "Goodbye, Slut," an inmate yelled from another cell to her. "You better get your last feel, Officer Mann," another inmate added. The inmates laughed throughout the ward, including the guard who sported a broken front tooth. He cupped Aniyah's left breast with his right hand. Then he took the club he held in his other hand and placed it between her legs. "I don't think so!" Aniyah snapped her head, brushing him away. "Your time has expired." During her prison term, she had fulfilled the guard's sexual needs in exchange for protection from conflicts that she had endured with other female inmates. Aniyah, almost jogging, hurried ahead until she came to a point where she met up with another guard and other inmates that were being released. Once the official documents were finalized, the guard let Aniyah out of the last door that gave her back her freedom. A chill ran through her body, but it quickly disappeared once the doors were slammed shut behind her. Turning around, she took one last look at the place of residence she had called home. The fourth inmate in line wearing loafers donated by church volunteers, her feet made contact with the concrete ground. Aniyah adjusted her eyes to the sunlight that blinded her. She pulled down on her red spandex dress that had risen up to her hips. It was the same dress she had worn before she became a part of the prison system. Her once slender hips stretched the dress to its limits, but Aniyah strutted as if the garment was brand-new. She faulted her excessive weight gain from her no longer being able to shake her hips in the nightclubs. In prison, she mostly sat on her rear in her cell or in ongoing therapy sessions. Under her armpit, she carried a plastic bag of her belongings and a pair of pumps. Her hands free, she twisted her flowing black hair up in a bun. Other released inmates stopped to say farewell to each other, but Aniyah kept walking, too afraid that she might be called back by one of the guards. Two female inmates ran past her, once they saw familiar faces of loved ones waiting to take them home. Aniyah was not looking for any family to come to her rescue. She would not know her father from any other black man on the streets. He was her mother's one-night stand with no name. Julia, her mother, had died two months ago in Mexico, during the time dyed eggs were given to inmates for holiday treats. Aniyah remembered the day the warden delivered the news to her. Guilt troubled her, since she had run away from home at the age of sixteen, leaving her mother behind to suffer a broken heart.   The only family she had left was her mother's sister, Tessa Sanchez-Chavis. And she was not counting on her self-righteous aunt to come to her rescue. Where am I going? I have no idea. As the heat beamed down on her forehead, sweat dripped down her neck. The spandex dress felt like rubber against her body. "Rosie Aniyah Sanchez." She heard the name echoing in her ears. Her eyes lit up, when she recognized the familiar voice. She locked eyes with her aunt. The solemn look on her face turned into a bright smile. "Aunt Tessa." She studied her aunt, noticing how much she had aged. Streaks of gray highlighted Tessa's jet-black hair. Aniyah, elated, ran into her aunt's arms. "I can't believe you're here." "You're family," her aunt said humbly in her Spanish accent and giving her niece a kiss on the cheek. Together, they strolled to a parked black Mercedes-Benz. Admiring her aunt's ride, before prison life and without hesitation, if a man were driving the Benz, Aniyah would have easily flagged down the ride. She would have unraveled her bun to let her hair fall past her shoulders, propped one hand on a hip and batted her dark brown eyes. Then she would have worked her charm on the man behind the wheel, giving him her middle name instead of using her first name, Rosie. Played him for a sucker. After all the counseling, her former lifestyle of being an escort and manipulating people, especially men, was supposed to be her past, but only time would tell.  Tessa unlocked the car door, hopped in and quickly Aniyah jumped in and took a seat on the butter-colored leather seats. A free ride from her aunt would do. "How did you know I was getting out?" Tessa reached over and gave her niece another loving hug. Then she became emotional. "I've been keeping up with you. And although I can't forget what you did to the Houstons or me, you're still family. I have made peace with it." "How about your lawyer-hubby, Baron?" "He's Mr. Chavis to you from now on. And, he'll never forgive you for what you did to the Houston family, nor him," Tessa admitted with a hint of bitterness. "It's not like it was his money." Reaching down between the seats, Aniyah picked up a bag of boiled peanuts. She cracked open the peanuts, tossing a few in her mouth. While chewing, she continued to speak. "The Houstons are garbage people. Mr. Houston was a male whore. How can you defend him?" "Don't speak of the dead in a bad way," Tessa argued. She recalled working as a young woman in the home of Rupert Houston, owner of Houston Commercial Construction Company. He was a man who loved to have his way with his beautiful female workers. Aniyah sucked her teeth. "Mr. Houston can rot in hell. And so can his spoiled-ass daughters." She slouched back in the seat. In past years, Aniyah had crossed paths with her aunt's prior boss, Rupert. Her greed for money led her to become his mistress. He had promised her a false dream on Lake Murray, South Carolina, to later do away with her.   Aniyah vowed to get revenge on him. To keep her quiet, Rupert included her in his will.  Aniyah took a few more peanuts, folded the bag, and placed it back where she got it. "I still say you were more loyal to his spoiled-ass daughters than you were to me." Staring at her aunt as she drove, Aniyah wanted to grab and shake her. Rupert's unexpected death had left her a happy and wealthy young woman, instead of his three daughters, until Tessa discovered her wrongdoings. Instead of living the life of royalty, Aniyah had landed in prison. Tessa sensed Aniyah was still bitter. "I believe in doing what's right. You had no right to do wrong."     "I didn't want to be a maid like you and mama. I could have sent plenty of money to Mama." Aniyah lowered her voice. "Now she's dead." Tessa was surprised. "I asked the warden to not tell you about Julia." "You should have come and told me yourself." "I didn't want you to be hurt. You couldn't go to Mexico to your mama's funeral." "Did you go?" Aniyah asked sadly. "I went to visit her in her sickbed a month before she went to her heavenly home. She wanted so much for you to come to her bedside. I simply couldn't tell her that I found you. You were in jail for doing bad things. It would have destroyed her. I stayed by her side to the end." Tears flowed down Aniyah's face. "I'm glad you didn't tell her." Tessa softly patted her niece on the hand. "Your mama loved you with all her heart." "I know...I miss her." Aniyah wiped away her tears. "Let's go shopping. You don't need to dress like you're a loose girl." Tessa had witnessed her niece's dress code. The dress had risen up on Aniyah. It resembled a tunic shirt. "I'll go shopping. But I'm not throwing away this dress." "It's too little." Aniyah saw her aunt glancing at her. She tugged at her dress, trying to cover her exposed thighs. "So I gained a few pounds. No big deal." "After shopping, you'll trash it." "This hot dress stays with me." Tessa concluded that it was going to be a long day for her. The sooner she took her niece shopping and got her settled, the sooner she would be rid of her. She sighed. "Aniyah, you have always been difficult." "I think for myself. No one tells me what to do." *** After shopping, Tessa drove Aniyah to a two-story apartment complex in nearby downtown Columbia. Aniyah looked out at the buildings as Tessa parked. Startled, she said, "This is where you and Baron live now. What happened to his house?" "We still have our home. This is where you're going to rest." Aniyah's voice escalated. "Are you for real? Here?" "I'm sorry, but there's no way Baron will let me bring you into our home." "I'm your niece. He can now trust me." "I'm afraid not." Aniyah marveled. She heard the nervousness in her aunt's voice. She was flattered that her aunt thought of her as a threat. In the past, she had seduced her aunt's husband, prior to their marriage, in order to manipulate him to get to his client's fortune. They got out of the vehicle, carrying shopping bags by the handles. Aniyah followed her aunt to the front door. Unlocking it, they entered the one-bedroom apartment. She proceeded to the middle of the living room, while Tessa, clenching her handbag, stayed put near the door. Aniyah felt her aunt's eyes piercing on her, well-informed that she was uncomfortable being alone with her, but her attention was focused on her living arrangements. Next to a small wooden table, she tossed the bags that she held on a futon. Then she headed to see where she would sleep; leaving her aunt on edge to figure out if she would show any signs of psychotic symptoms. Inside the bedroom, Aniyah spotted a four-drawer chest and twin-sized bed that was the bottom half of a bunk bed. Secondhanded crap. "I hope you like it." Tessa dropped the other bags on the linoleum floor. Aniyah mumbled under her breath, "No bigger than a jail cell." Returning back into the living room, Aniyah decided not to complain. She was convinced without her aunt rescuing her, she might be sitting on a bench like a homeless person. Aniyah grinned. "It's good." "There's food in the refrigerator. I've stocked it with a few things, sodas and sandwich meats. In the cabinets, there're cans of corn, black beans and a five-pound bag of rice." "Any steaks, lobster tails or shrimp?" Tessa laughed. "There're frozen foods, and chicken for you to cook. Tonight you can heat a frozen chicken TV dinner." Aniyah went directly into the kitchen adjacent to the living room. She looked in the freezer to see that few products loaded the freezer, including one ice tray. She slammed the door shut. Then she opened the refrigerator section. Removing a can of orange soda, she snapped it opened and took a swallow, quenching her thirst. Tessa entered. As she watched her niece's every move, she noticed the spandex dress Aniyah wore had risen up her thighs. "I say you should change into something more appropriate." Aniyah tussled with the dress. "Stop looking at my clothes. It'll fit fine once I lose a few pounds. I'll get sexy-looking again." Shaking her hips, Aniyah looked around the kitchen, noticing something was missing. "Hold up...no microwave?" "You can use the stove to heat a TV dinner." "Whatever." Aniyah rolled her eyes. "Change your style of dressing. Start off fresh by getting yourself decent work. And, find a good man that you can start a family with," Tessa lectured with an air of sophistication. Aniyah stared at her aunt as though she were a hated prison guard. She had not thought about a job. She twirled around. Cheerfully, she said, "I can use a money man." "It's nothing like making your own money." Aniyah walked past her aunt, stepping back into the living room. Tessa followed behind her while Aniyah searched for any sign of communication technology. "No telephone in here?" Tessa shook her index finger at her. "When you get work, you can buy one." "If you want me to get a job, at least get me a cell phone." "For now, no phone. I'll be coming by to check on you." Aniyah slouched down on the futon. She shoved her fist into the cushion, feeling the steel frame underneath. "I hate being broke." (  Continued...  ) © 2015 All rights reserved. Book excerpt reprinted by permission of the author, Christine Young-Robinson.  Do not reproduce, copy or use without the author's written permission. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only. Christine Young-Robinson is the author of the novel We Didn't See It Coming and the short story "Miss Amy's Last Ride," which was featured in the anthology Proverbs for the People. A wife, mother, and grandmother, Christine resides in South Carolina. She is the co-chairperson of the Eleuthera Book Club. Purchase Do What You Gotta Do by Christine Young-Robinson Genre:  Fiction. Suspense Released  on August 11, 2015 Thank you, Glenda, Charlie and David Cates

Space Cowboys & Indians Lisa Medley

   



Absolutely  Cole Hudson should be played by Jeremy Renner!

Describe yourself what is your worst and best quality?

My best quality? Darling, I have skills you haven’t even seen yet. So yeah, my best quality is obviously

confidence. Some would say my worst quality is my inability to shut up when I should.

What is the one thing you wish other people knew about you?

I’m not the player people think I am. I do have feelings.

What is your biggest secret something no one knows about?

What really happened that landed me in a jail cell for five months.

What are you most afraid of?

Failure.

What do you want more than anything?

To go to space and to be first…at everything.

What is your relationship status?

Complicated.

How would you describe your sense of fashion?

Flight jumpsuits don’t tend to lend themselves to a whole lot of fashion options, but when I’m off duty? I

suppose western/biker would sum it up.

How much of a rebel are you?

There are degrees to that? All or nothing, baby. I’m all in.

What do you considered to be your greatest achievement?

Making the NASA astronaut training program, right up until I got kicked out.

What is your idea of happiness?

A beer in my hand and a sky full of stars.

What is your current state of mind?

Thankful to be alive.

What is your most treasured possession?

My Colt.

What is your most marked characteristic?

Probably stubbornness.

What is it that you, most dislike?

Authority.

Which living person do you, most despise?

There’s a certain asshole in Texas that will be dealt with. He knows who he is.

What is your greatest regret?

Screwing up. Repeatedly.

What is the quality you most like in a man?

Integrity.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Honesty.

Who is your favorite hero in fiction?

Indiana Jones

Which living person do you most admire?

Tessa Hernandez. She’s a helluva pilot. Not bad on the eyes either.

If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?

I probably shouldn’t be so cocky. I can’t help myself.

What is your motto?

Go big or go home.



                                   

Stop.  Who would cross the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three, ere the other side

he see.

-         What is your name? Lisa Medley of Big Cedar

-         What is your quest? World domination…one book at a time.

-         What is your favorite color? All the colors!

Just kidding, there are more than 3 questions.

Which orifice did you pull this story from (from whence did the inspiration come)? My auditory orifice.

I heard a story on National Public Radio about the Rosetta Lander and its mission to HARPOON a COMET

and land the Philae research lander onto said comet. I was all…wait…what? SPACE COWBOYS!!!

What was the most difficult thing about writing Space Cowboys & Indians? The research. I googled the

crap out of this book. I also had some great Twitter exchanges with actual rocket scientists who

answered all of my insipid Earth dweller questions.

What was something you learned while writing Space Cowboys & Indians?

How many real-life private companies were racing to mine asteroids and setup space colonies. It’s

EXCITING how close we really are.

What do you love the most about Space Cowboys & Indians?

The adventure/romance aspect. Space Cowboys & Indians is a movie mashup of Cowboys & Aliens meets

Six Days Seven Nights.

What do you hate the most about Space Cowboys & Indians?

Nothing! This book was so fun to write. I’m already working on Episode 2.

Give us your favorite blurb (paragraph/scene) from the story.

They quieted when Cole stepped around the side of Building 61 and sauntered toward them.

The hair pricked up on the back of Tessa’s arms, and her stomach knotted tighter. Why she had

such a visceral reaction to that man, she had no idea. She needed to let it go. He was on the team.

He was Janson’s guy. And until he proved dangerous, she would have to trust that he wouldn’t

do anything too crazy to jeopardize their mission or their lives.

Trust was such a delicate and intangible thing.

“My chariot awaits!” Cole stretched his arms wide, a bottle of Jameson in one hand and a

side arm on his hip.

“You’re packing…and drinking?” Tessa asked, amazed.

“Noah said you two were the designated flyers. I’m just along for the ride tomorrow, right?

The Jameson is for a celebratory shot. The gun is a Colt. And it’s for rattlesnakes. Trust me,

precious. When I go, it will be with a gun in my hand and booze in my belly.”

Tessa looked at Noah and shook her head. “Still glad you invited him?”

“Yep.”

What are your future plans as an author?

To keep writing great dark fantasy, paranormal, sci-fi romance stories. Three years from now, I hope to

be writing full time because there are many dark corners of romance and beyond still to explore.



Author Name:

Did you always wanted to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?

Writer was always in the back of my mind, but I was a grocery carryout, a waitress, a graphic artist,  a

teacher, and a blood drive consultant first. At one point early on, I wanted to be a marine biologist

until I discovered how much MATH was involved in that career path. I also wanted to be a rock star.

Of course there was the pesky problem of an inability to carry a tune or play any musical instruments.

I want WRITER to describe the second half of my life.

When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?

After I wrote THE END on my first novel, Reap & Repent.

How long did it take to get your first book published?

I was amazingly lucky with my first book. I entered into the Harlequin So You Think You Can Write

contest six months after the books completion. I made it to the Top 28 of more than 700 global entries

before I lost. The book was picked up by Harlequin’s new digital imprint and I was published six

months later. Since then, my rights were reverted and I’ve indie-published all of my books. I love it!

Do you do have another job except for writing and can you tell us more about it?

My day job is working for a local blood bank organizing blood drives across nine counties. I’m

responsible for collecting nearly 10,000 blood donations a year in our community. Yep, I’m a vampire.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 20 words what

would you say?

My latest release is Space Cowboys & Indians. Think a movie mashup of Cowboys & Aliens meets Six

Days Seven Nights. It’s a sci-fi, adventure romance!

Who is your publisher? Or do you self-publish?

I am my own publisher and I publish under the imprint Big Cedar. It’s good to be Queen.

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?

It depends on the length. With a day job, writing time is hard to come by. Space Cowboys & Indians

was 28 days of actual writing over three months. My four other novels took approximately 2-3 times

that many actual writing days over six months.

What can we expect from you in the future?  ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different

genre?

 There will be more episodes of the Cosmic Cowboys Series. I plan to write episode two next. Then it’s

on to book four, Reap & Reckon, of my Reaper Series. I’m also subconsciously plotting a sequel to

Haunt My Heart featuring the Brothers of Peril.

What genre would you place your books into?

The Reaper Series books are Dark Urban Fantasy. Haunt My Heart is straight paranormal romance and

Space Cowboys & Indians is sci-fi, adventure romance.

What made you decide to write that genre of book?

I’ve always had a weakness for monsters and bad boys. Now I write them.

Do you have a favorite character from your books? And why are they your favorite?

Kylen, from the Reaper Series and Reap & Redeem specifically, is my absolute favorite so far. He’s

dark and broken. Just how I like ‘em.

How long have you been writing?, and who or what inspired you to write?

I started writing in July of 2011. I can tell you EXACTLY who inspired me: J.R. Ward’s book Dark Lover

was the first paranormal romance I’d ever read. I read it on vacation the summer of 2010. I LOVED it

so hard. I read everything she had out and went on a paranormal romance bender, reading more than

a hundred books. Soon after it finally occurred to me…I could do that. So I did.

Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?

I have the most awesomest of writing caves. It’s upstairs away from the fray and noise of my family. I

write mostly at night after everyone is in bed. I don’t sleep a lot.

Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?

Yep. Every. One. I love knowing what people think of my stories, and I appreciate when they take time

to post reviews and even reach out to me via social media. It’s the best!

Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?

I almost always choose the title first. It has worked out every time so far.

How do you come up with characters names and place names in your books?

I look at lists of baby names until something catches my eye. I mostly like simple, classic names.

Are character names and place names decided after their creation? Or do you pick a character/place

name and then invent them?

I always pick them before. Once I have the name, they begin to come alive to me.

Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you

go along?

It’s always a surprise to me who my characters turn out to be. It really is like meeting a stranger for

the first time.

Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables

type of "The moral of this story is..")

Good will always triumph over evil…it just might take a while.

Which format of book do you prefer, eBook, hardback, or paperback?

I hate hardbacks. Too bulky and stiff. I was reluctant at first but now I prefer e-books.

What is your favorite book and Why?  Have you read it more than once?

I’ve read two books more than once: Ray Bradbury’s Dandelion Wine is the quintessential summer

coming-of-age book. Stephen King’s The Stand is the ultimate and epic story of good vs evil. Love

them both! I’ve read them both three or four times each.

Do you think books transfer to movies well? Which is you favorite/worst book to movie transfer?

Some do. I’ll almost always read the book before I go see the movie. I think the Harry Potter movies

were superbly done. The worst and most disappointing movie adaptation I can think of is Eragon. That

dragon sucked.

Your favorite food is?

Chocolate

Your favorite singer/group is?

The Black Keys

Your favorite color is?

Your favorite Author is?

J.R. Ward


Stop.  Who would cross the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three, ere the other side

he see.

-         What is your name? Lisa Medley of Big Cedar

-         What is your quest? World domination…one book at a time.

-         What is your favorite color? All the colors!

Just kidding, there are more than 3 questions.

Which orifice did you pull this story from (from whence did the inspiration come)? My auditory orifice.

I heard a story on National Public Radio about the Rosetta Lander and its mission to HARPOON a COMET

and land the Philae research lander onto said comet. I was all…wait…what? SPACE COWBOYS!!!

What was the most difficult thing about writing Space Cowboys & Indians? The research. I googled the

crap out of this book. I also had some great Twitter exchanges with actual rocket scientists who

answered all of my insipid Earth dweller questions.

What was something you learned while writing Space Cowboys & Indians?

How many real-life private companies were racing to mine asteroids and setup space colonies. It’s

EXCITING how close we really are.

What do you love the most about Space Cowboys & Indians?

The adventure/romance aspect. Space Cowboys & Indians is a movie mashup of Cowboys & Aliens meets

Six Days Seven Nights.

What do you hate the most about Space Cowboys & Indians?

Nothing! This book was so fun to write. I’m already working on Episode 2.

Give us your favorite blurb (paragraph/scene) from the story.

They quieted when Cole stepped around the side of Building 61 and sauntered toward them.

The hair pricked up on the back of Tessa’s arms, and her stomach knotted tighter. Why she had

such a visceral reaction to that man, she had no idea. She needed to let it go. He was on the team.

He was Janson’s guy. And until he proved dangerous, she would have to trust that he wouldn’t

do anything too crazy to jeopardize their mission or their lives.

Trust was such a delicate and intangible thing.

“My chariot awaits!” Cole stretched his arms wide, a bottle of Jameson in one hand and a

side arm on his hip.

“You’re packing…and drinking?” Tessa asked, amazed.

“Noah said you two were the designated flyers. I’m just along for the ride tomorrow, right?

The Jameson is for a celebratory shot. The gun is a Colt. And it’s for rattlesnakes. Trust me,

precious. When I go, it will be with a gun in my hand and booze in my belly.”

Tessa looked at Noah and shook her head. “Still glad you invited him?”

“Yep.”

What are your future plans as an author?

To keep writing great dark fantasy, paranormal, sci-fi romance stories. Three years from now, I hope to

be writing full time because there are many dark corners of romance and beyond still to explore.

Stop.  Who would cross the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three, ere the other side

he see.

-         What is your name? Lisa Medley of Big Cedar

-         What is your quest? World domination…one book at a time.

-         What is your favorite color? All the colors!

Just kidding, there are more than 3 questions.

Which orifice did you pull this story from (from whence did the inspiration come)? My auditory orifice.

I heard a story on National Public Radio about the Rosetta Lander and its mission to HARPOON a COMET

and land the Philae research lander onto said comet. I was all…wait…what? SPACE COWBOYS!!!

What was the most difficult thing about writing Space Cowboys & Indians? The research. I googled the

crap out of this book. I also had some great Twitter exchanges with actual rocket scientists who

answered all of my insipid Earth dweller questions.

What was something you learned while writing Space Cowboys & Indians?

How many real-life private companies were racing to mine asteroids and setup space colonies. It’s

EXCITING how close we really are.

What do you love the most about Space Cowboys & Indians?

The adventure/romance aspect. Space Cowboys & Indians is a movie mashup of Cowboys & Aliens meets

Six Days Seven Nights.

What do you hate the most about Space Cowboys & Indians?

Nothing! This book was so fun to write. I’m already working on Episode 2.

Give us your favorite blurb (paragraph/scene) from the story.

They quieted when Cole stepped around the side of Building 61 and sauntered toward them.

The hair pricked up on the back of Tessa’s arms, and her stomach knotted tighter. Why she had

such a visceral reaction to that man, she had no idea. She needed to let it go. He was on the team.

He was Janson’s guy. And until he proved dangerous, she would have to trust that he wouldn’t

do anything too crazy to jeopardize their mission or their lives.

Trust was such a delicate and intangible thing.

“My chariot awaits!” Cole stretched his arms wide, a bottle of Jameson in one hand and a

side arm on his hip.

“You’re packing…and drinking?” Tessa asked, amazed.

“Noah said you two were the designated flyers. I’m just along for the ride tomorrow, right?

The Jameson is for a celebratory shot. The gun is a Colt. And it’s for rattlesnakes. Trust me,

precious. When I go, it will be with a gun in my hand and booze in my belly.”

Tessa looked at Noah and shook her head. “Still glad you invited him?”

“Yep.”

What are your future plans as an author?

To keep writing great dark fantasy, paranormal, sci-fi romance stories. Three years from now, I hope to

be writing full time because there are many dark corners of romance and beyond still to explore.

Space Cowboys & Indians blurb

How can the chance of a lifetime go so horribly wrong?

Mining Engineer Cole Hudson signed up for NASA astronaut training, but after washing out

short of getting his gold wings, he retreats to Alaska where he stakes out a gold claim. When

billionaire entrepreneur Duncan Janson offers him an opportunity to join a mining team on an

asteroid, Cole jumps at the chance.

But nothing is as it seems. Former NASA reject and rival classmate, Tessa Hernandez, is also a

member of the team, and from the beginning of the mission test flight, things go wrong. They

soon discover they’re not the only ones on the asteroid. As they try to escape, they are pulled

through a wormhole and back to the early 1800s New Mexico desert where aliens and Apaches

may be the least of their problems.

BUY SPACE COWBOYS & INDIANS

http://amzn.to/1QFLrOV

Excerpt:

Alaskan gold mine, the Hudson Claim - the near future.



“Goddamn it, Hudson. The washplant is down again.”

Cole ground his molars together before he could unleash the torrent of swears coursing

through his brain in reply. Of course the washplant was down. Again.

This claim would be the end of him.

“Show me,” Cole said.

His foreman, Todd Cargill, held up four shredded washplant screens with holes the size of

bowling balls, useless now for the first step in screening for gold.

Cole squeezed his eyes shut and wondered for the eleven-millionth time this summer why the

hell he’d come to Alaska.

Redemption, he reminded himself.

Wasn’t worth it.

“That was my last replacement screen. Be a week before the supply plane can bring us

more,” Todd said. “No use running dirt until it’s fixed. This way, we’re only making mud.”

Most expensive mud he’d ever not made. A week in the bush with no work? He’d have to

pay the crew, regardless, or he’d lose the whole lot of them. Hell, he still owed them from last

month. They were running out of summer to mine, and they’d barely collected any gold so far.

“Shut it down. I’ll call in the order.”

“What do you want me to tell the guys?” Todd asked.

“Tell them—”

The chop, chop, chop of helicopter blades slowly pounded across the sky until the beast came

into sight on the horizon. What the hell was a chopper doing out this far?

The copter landed on the flat several hundred feet from their dredge, stirring the dust up from

the broken ground and tailings. Covering his face with his arm, Cole coughed into his elbow and

waited for the cloud to settle. The copter blades whirled to a stop, and his small crew left their

work detail to gather around him and see what was going on.

A white-haired man, maybe fifty, maybe older, emerged from the helicopter cabin, quickly

followed by two men wearing sleek black suits, wrinkled from the tactical firearm harnesses

strapped snugly across their chests. They were loaded for bear.

That wasn’t what concerned Cole. He knew he was in for trouble the second the guy’s

thousand dollar cowboy boots hit the turf. The man swatted at the swirling dust on his white shirt

and designer jeans then brushed his hands through his shoulder-length hair three or four times,

shaking it out like the mane of a horse. He cranked up a smile as he made a beeline for Cole.

“Mr. Hudson?” the man asked.

“I’m Hudson.”

“You look exactly like your NASA application photo, Mr. Hudson. Haven’t changed a bit in

the past five months. It was five months you were detained. Yes?”

Todd coughed loudly beside him. “Okay, I think we have things to do. Let’s go, boys.” Todd

urged the crew back toward their office trailer.

Cole was going to have to give his foreman a raise. Right after he beat the dandy in front of

him into a bloody pulp.

“Who exactly are you, and what the hell are you doing here? Surely you didn’t fly that

deathtrap all the way out here just to insult me in front of my crew. Or did you? You with

Montoya?”

The man appeared bewildered for a moment. “Oh my. Let me start over. I…this wasn’t the

impression I intended to make. I’m afraid I started off badly. I’m simply so excited to find you.

Out here.” He motioned toward the distant tundra. “It’s a very, very long way out here.” He

flashed another smile at Cole and offered his hand. “Duncan Janson. You might know me from

the airline ads?”

Cole stared at the man’s smooth, tanned hand. The guy had never worked a day of hard labor

in his life if those hands told the right story—that much was obvious. He knew exactly who he

was, now. Billionaire airline owner and profiteer. What he didn’t know was what he was doing

on his little piece of Alaska.

“You answered the first question. Now answer the second,” Cole said, purposely not taking

the offered hand.

Janson pulled his hand back then clapped them together, clearly proud of himself. “I’m here

to offer you a job.”

“I have a job.”

“This would be quite a different job. Well, maybe not all that different. You’d still be mining,

but you would also have a chance to partake in some of your other passions.”

Clouds slid past the sun, and a gust of wind stirred up a dirt devil near the copter, cooling the

air noticeably.

“What is it you think you know about my passions, exactly?” Cole asked.

Janson twisted his expensive Rolex around his wrist nervously. “Was it not your passion for

space that led to your gambling problem? Trying to raise enough money to continue in the

program? Which led to your legal issues, which led to your detainment and now self-exile here

in this godforsaken place? Isn’t your work here an effort to earn enough money to finance your

first two passions? It’s a bit of a vicious circle, it seems.”

Cole could feel his blood pressure rising. This asshole was on his last nerve five minutes

after meeting him and about one more sentence away from a shallow Alaskan grave.

“What if all of your skills could be utilized to fulfill each of those…passions? You’d be paid

well. Very well.”

“Is this prospect legal?”

“Yes, but it’s not without risks. I want to hire you to do some mining for me.”

“Where? You have a claim in Alaska?”

“I’m afraid my claim is quite a bit farther away from here. Your gambling problem and

detention might have gotten you booted out of NASA’s space program, but your personal

problems are not a deterrent to me. Your other skills and expertise are exactly what are needed

for my project.”

Skepticism scratched at the back of his mind, but Cole couldn’t deny he was intrigued. He

hated Janson’s manner, but he could take his money. No problem. Hell, this job might be the

financial boost he needed to finally make this claim profitable.

“How long is the job, and where is it?” Cole asked.

Janson smiled again, clearly certain he’d already sealed the deal. “I expect the job to take

around six months. All expenses paid, of course. With an option to renew for a second mission

after that, if you are so inclined. Your season here is winding down? Am I correct?”

Considering the ruined washplant screens? Yeah, winding down would be a kindness.

“You didn’t tell me where the job is,” Cole pressed.

“Ah, that’s the best part, Mr. Hudson. The job is on Amun. It’s an asteroid. I want you to

mine it for me.”

Lisa has always enjoyed reading about monsters in love and now

she writes about them, because monsters need love too.

She adores beasties of all sorts, fictional as well as real, and has a

farm full of them in her Southwest Missouri home, including: one

child, one husband, two dogs, two cats, a dozen hens, thousands

of Italian bees, and a guinea pig.

She may or may not keep a complete zombie apocalypse bug-out

bag in her trunk at all times, including a machete. Just. In. Case.

Website | Facebook  | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads | Google+ | Amazon Author Page

FB https://www.facebook.com/lisamedleyauthor

Twitter https://twitter.com/lisamedley

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7824406.Lisa_Medley

Space Cowboys & Indians blurb

How can the chance of a lifetime go so horribly wrong?

Mining Engineer Cole Hudson signed up for NASA astronaut training, but after washing out

short of getting his gold wings, he retreats to Alaska where he stakes out a gold claim. When

billionaire entrepreneur Duncan Janson offers him an opportunity to join a mining team on an

asteroid, Cole jumps at the chance.

But nothing is as it seems. Former NASA reject and rival classmate, Tessa Hernandez, is also a

member of the team, and from the beginning of the mission test flight, things go wrong. They

soon discover they’re not the only ones on the asteroid. As they try to escape, they are pulled

through a wormhole and back to the early 1800s New Mexico desert where aliens and Apaches

may be the least of their problems.

BUY SPACE COWBOYS & INDIANS

http://amzn.to/1QFLrOV

Excerpt:

Chapter One

Alaskan gold mine, the Hudson Claim - the near future.



“Goddamn it, Hudson. The washplant is down again.”

Cole ground his molars together before he could unleash the torrent of swears coursing

through his brain in reply. Of course the washplant was down. Again.

This claim would be the end of him.

“Show me,” Cole said.

His foreman, Todd Cargill, held up four shredded washplant screens with holes the size of

bowling balls, useless now for the first step in screening for gold.

Cole squeezed his eyes shut and wondered for the eleven-millionth time this summer why the

hell he’d come to Alaska.

Redemption, he reminded himself.

Wasn’t worth it.

“That was my last replacement screen. Be a week before the supply plane can bring us

more,” Todd said. “No use running dirt until it’s fixed. This way, we’re only making mud.”

Most expensive mud he’d ever not made. A week in the bush with no work? He’d have to

pay the crew, regardless, or he’d lose the whole lot of them. Hell, he still owed them from last

month. They were running out of summer to mine, and they’d barely collected any gold so far.

“Shut it down. I’ll call in the order.”

“What do you want me to tell the guys?” Todd asked.

“Tell them—”

The chop, chop, chop of helicopter blades slowly pounded across the sky until the beast came

into sight on the horizon. What the hell was a chopper doing out this far?

The copter landed on the flat several hundred feet from their dredge, stirring the dust up from

the broken ground and tailings. Covering his face with his arm, Cole coughed into his elbow and

waited for the cloud to settle. The copter blades whirled to a stop, and his small crew left their

work detail to gather around him and see what was going on.

A white-haired man, maybe fifty, maybe older, emerged from the helicopter cabin, quickly

followed by two men wearing sleek black suits, wrinkled from the tactical firearm harnesses

strapped snugly across their chests. They were loaded for bear.

That wasn’t what concerned Cole. He knew he was in for trouble the second the guy’s

thousand dollar cowboy boots hit the turf. The man swatted at the swirling dust on his white shirt

and designer jeans then brushed his hands through his shoulder-length hair three or four times,

shaking it out like the mane of a horse. He cranked up a smile as he made a beeline for Cole.

“Mr. Hudson?” the man asked.

“I’m Hudson.”

“You look exactly like your NASA application photo, Mr. Hudson. Haven’t changed a bit in

the past five months. It was five months you were detained. Yes?”

Todd coughed loudly beside him. “Okay, I think we have things to do. Let’s go, boys.” Todd

urged the crew back toward their office trailer.

Cole was going to have to give his foreman a raise. Right after he beat the dandy in front of

him into a bloody pulp.

“Who exactly are you, and what the hell are you doing here? Surely you didn’t fly that

deathtrap all the way out here just to insult me in front of my crew. Or did you? You with

Montoya?”

The man appeared bewildered for a moment. “Oh my. Let me start over. I…this wasn’t the

impression I intended to make. I’m afraid I started off badly. I’m simply so excited to find you.

Out here.” He motioned toward the distant tundra. “It’s a very, very long way out here.” He

flashed another smile at Cole and offered his hand. “Duncan Janson. You might know me from

the airline ads?”

Cole stared at the man’s smooth, tanned hand. The guy had never worked a day of hard labor

in his life if those hands told the right story—that much was obvious. He knew exactly who he

was, now. Billionaire airline owner and profiteer. What he didn’t know was what he was doing

on his little piece of Alaska.

“You answered the first question. Now answer the second,” Cole said, purposely not taking

the offered hand.

Janson pulled his hand back then clapped them together, clearly proud of himself. “I’m here

to offer you a job.”

“I have a job.”

“This would be quite a different job. Well, maybe not all that different. You’d still be mining,

but you would also have a chance to partake in some of your other passions.”

Clouds slid past the sun, and a gust of wind stirred up a dirt devil near the copter, cooling the

air noticeably.

“What is it you think you know about my passions, exactly?” Cole asked.

Janson twisted his expensive Rolex around his wrist nervously. “Was it not your passion for

space that led to your gambling problem? Trying to raise enough money to continue in the

program? Which led to your legal issues, which led to your detainment and now self-exile here

in this godforsaken place? Isn’t your work here an effort to earn enough money to finance your

first two passions? It’s a bit of a vicious circle, it seems.”

Cole could feel his blood pressure rising. This asshole was on his last nerve five minutes

after meeting him and about one more sentence away from a shallow Alaskan grave.

“What if all of your skills could be utilized to fulfill each of those…passions? You’d be paid

well. Very well.”

“Is this prospect legal?”

“Yes, but it’s not without risks. I want to hire you to do some mining for me.”

“Where? You have a claim in Alaska?”

“I’m afraid my claim is quite a bit farther away from here. Your gambling problem and

detention might have gotten you booted out of NASA’s space program, but your personal

problems are not a deterrent to me. Your other skills and expertise are exactly what are needed

for my project.”

Skepticism scratched at the back of his mind, but Cole couldn’t deny he was intrigued. He

hated Janson’s manner, but he could take his money. No problem. Hell, this job might be the

financial boost he needed to finally make this claim profitable.

“How long is the job, and where is it?” Cole asked.

Janson smiled again, clearly certain he’d already sealed the deal. “I expect the job to take

around six months. All expenses paid, of course. With an option to renew for a second mission

after that, if you are so inclined. Your season here is winding down? Am I correct?”

Considering the ruined washplant screens? Yeah, winding down would be a kindness.

“You didn’t tell me where the job is,” Cole pressed.

“Ah, that’s the best part, Mr. Hudson. The job is on Amun. It’s an asteroid. I want you to

mine it for me.”

Lisa has always enjoyed reading about monsters in love and now

she writes about them, because monsters need love too.

She adores beasties of all sorts, fictional as well as real, and has a

farm full of them in her Southwest Missouri home, including: one

child, one husband, two dogs, two cats, a dozen hens, thousands

of Italian bees, and a guinea pig.

She may or may not keep a complete zombie apocalypse bug-out

bag in her trunk at all times, including a machete. Just. In. Case.

Website | Facebook  | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads | Google+ | Amazon Author Page

FB https://www.facebook.com/lisamedleyauthor

Twitter https://twitter.com/lisamedley

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7824406.Lisa_Medley

Website http://lisa-medley.com


Sci-Fi Adventure Romance

Words: 37K * 175 pages

Series: Cosmic Cowboys Series, Episode 1

Amazon: $2.99 http://amzn.to/1QFLrOV

Kindle Unlimited: FREE http://amzn.to/1QFLrOV


Glenda, Charlie and David Cates