Barbara Ankrum: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like October - and a Giveaway!

October’s finally here and with it comes awesome fall weather, changing leaves in the mid-west and (Tah-dah!) my newest, shiny book from Tule Publishing, THE COWGIRL’S CHRISTMAS WISH. I’m so excited about this book, not only because it’s my very first Christmas book, (why did I wait so long??) but because my wonderful publisher gave me a beautiful cover for this book, designed by the talented Lee Hyat herself! Isn’t it gorgeous?

When I started writing this book, (the third book in my Canadays of Montana series) I only knew a couple of things. One, there would be a feather involved. Two, a reindeer. And three, there would be some mystical, Christmas-y magic afoot. Now, I don’t want to spoil the fun for you, so I hope you’ll buy it to see what I got up to with Dr. Ben Tyler and my third Canaday sister, Eve. These two were the definition of opposites attract and did not make it easy for me. But as is true with all my books, I fell truly, madly, deeply in love with them both as I wrote their story. In this one, I explore themes near and dear to me about faith, destiny and choices, and how in control of things we really are. I still find it fascinating that the things that call to me in my own life, the questions that haunt me (or sometimes, bless me) are the same ones that end up finding their way into my writing. So, when I say this was a personal kind of story, I mean the themes my characters explored really touched me and I hope they do the same for you.

THE COWGIRL’S CHRISTMAS WISH is available for presale everywhere e-books are sold and will appear on your e-reader on October 24^th! Just in time to get a little holiday escape in before the November craziness sets in. I love hearing from readers and hope you’ll let me know what you think.

Here’s a little sneak peek of my book THE COWGIRL’S CHRISTMAS WISH:

He slid his hands down her neck and bracketed her shoulders from behind, staying any intentions she might have had to ask for a kiss.  For a long moment, he didn’t speak. Didn’t say anything. As if he were trying to find some point of balance he’d lost.  Then he pressed his mouth against the side of her throat in a kiss that reached all the way to her toes.

 “I promised I wouldn’t do this,” he said against her skin, sliding his mouth up the length of her neck.

He nibbled on her earlobe and Eve felt her knees go weak.

“You did. You absolutely did.” She let her head fall back against his shoulder. Heat smoldered through her.

“With good reason,” he added, dipping his tongue into the edge of her ear.

“What reason was that again?”

His arms curled around her waist. “I can’t remember.”

“Oh, wait. Wait. It’s coming to me. We’re trying to get out, unscathed.”

“Impossible,” he said, “and, I’m thinking… highly overrated.”

“Is it?” She rested her hands on his strong forearms. “Why, again, is that?”

He turned her in his arms. “Because no one gets out unscathed. No one.”

Dropping his mouth onto hers, his kiss this time was almost nothing like the last one. This kiss was not apologetic or even tentative, but, instead, full of all the angst and craziness of the last few days. All the moments he’d looked in her eyes and admitted there was more to them than simple friendship.

His tongue plundered her mouth and she welcomed him in. She tasted the sweetness of his breath and the snow-fresh air from outside on him. But all she could think was, finally. Threading her fingers into his hair, she pulled him closer still and any space left between them vanished. No mistaking his desire for her as it pressed up against her. Dampness gathered between her legs.

No one gets out unscathed. True enough. For she could already feel her heart breaking with the hunger of his kiss.

He backed her up against the bed and together they dropped down against the mattress, her atop him. Her breasts pressed up against his chest and in this dress, she imagined she was practically indecent.

Breaking the kiss, she swallowed thickly before lifting her head to look down at him. “So,” she asked, with a small grin, “what are you saying?”

“I’m trying not to talk,” he said, still breathing hard from the kiss. “Talking just screws everything up. I’m better with my hands.”

To celebrate, I’ll give a copy of A COWGIRL’S CHRISTMAS WISH to one lucky commenter. Just tell me your favorite part of the holidays—whichever one you celebrate. Winner will be chosen at 5pm on 10/23 to give everyone a chance to enter. Please check back to see if you’ve won. Winner will have until 10/25 to respond. After that, I’ll choose another winner! Good luck!