Welcome Penny Hudson to Love Bytes !
Penny is here with a Guestpost , shares an excerpt of her new release “Winter’s Risk” also brings with her a giveaway!!
As I write this, I’m sitting on a
comfortable couch, listening to music, and enjoying the fact it’s
thirty degrees cooler inside the house than outside. As a species
we’ve spent thousands and thousands of years perfecting the art of
inside, so why would anyone ever go outside?
comfortable couch, listening to music, and enjoying the fact it’s
thirty degrees cooler inside the house than outside. As a species
we’ve spent thousands and thousands of years perfecting the art of
inside, so why would anyone ever go outside?
Maybe we haven’t perfected everything.
Beautiful scenery has to be balanced against the possibility of
creepy crawlies. Is leaving my air-conditioned cocoon and venturing
out into the world worth it?
Beautiful scenery has to be balanced against the possibility of
creepy crawlies. Is leaving my air-conditioned cocoon and venturing
out into the world worth it?
Sometimes it is. Sometimes we need to find the wild places
and wander around like tourists, reminding ourselves we aren’t the
center of the universe and there’s always some mystery left in the
world we haven’t stumbled across yet. It’s good for the soul.
and wander around like tourists, reminding ourselves we aren’t the
center of the universe and there’s always some mystery left in the
world we haven’t stumbled across yet. It’s good for the soul.
In Winter’s Risk, I wrote two
complicated, stubborn men who have a mutual adoration of the
wilderness, and very different ideas of how to manage and preserve
the area. I wanted to incorporate the sheer love they each have for
the rugged park and all the creatures living there, even with their
professional disagreements. Of course, accidentally-on-purpose getting someone arrested may cross the line from disagreement to outright feud…
complicated, stubborn men who have a mutual adoration of the
wilderness, and very different ideas of how to manage and preserve
the area. I wanted to incorporate the sheer love they each have for
the rugged park and all the creatures living there, even with their
professional disagreements. Of course, accidentally-on-purpose getting someone arrested may cross the line from disagreement to outright feud…
It’s just bad luck when a grizzly turns
up in the middle of their latest spat, and worse luck when Martin is
hurt so badly his life depends on Alex’s ability to set aside their differences and fight to keep him alive.
up in the middle of their latest spat, and worse luck when Martin is
hurt so badly his life depends on Alex’s ability to set aside their differences and fight to keep him alive.
***
Veteran
park ranger Alexander Doyle is tracking a nuisance bear when he runs
across obnoxious environmentalist Martin Ramirez. He and Martin have
clashed before, when Martin and the protestors under his leadership
ended a plan to expand the network of paved trails and improve
accessibility. Given a choice, Alex would rather face the bear.
park ranger Alexander Doyle is tracking a nuisance bear when he runs
across obnoxious environmentalist Martin Ramirez. He and Martin have
clashed before, when Martin and the protestors under his leadership
ended a plan to expand the network of paved trails and improve
accessibility. Given a choice, Alex would rather face the bear.
When
the dangerous grizzly attacks them and Martin is gravely wounded, his
only chance of survival is Alex’s determination to keep him alive
through the night. But they’re stranded miles from any hope of
rescue with the year’s first snowstorm coming in fast.
the dangerous grizzly attacks them and Martin is gravely wounded, his
only chance of survival is Alex’s determination to keep him alive
through the night. But they’re stranded miles from any hope of
rescue with the year’s first snowstorm coming in fast.
***
In this scene Alex Doyle is
hunting a killer grizzly bear, but instead finds his least favorite
hiker. Obnoxious environmentalist Martin Ramirez.
hunting a killer grizzly bear, but instead finds his least favorite
hiker. Obnoxious environmentalist Martin Ramirez.
Alex’s lip lifted in a sneer. Fancy finding him all the way out
here. For a moment he forgot he was trailing a bear that had already
killed two people. He called out to the other man.
here. For a moment he forgot he was trailing a bear that had already
killed two people. He called out to the other man.
“It’s a little out of the way for a protest, don’t you think?”
He was gratified to see Martin jolt and drop his expensive camera.
Pity he had a strap around his neck, and it didn’t plunge all the
way to the bottom.
Pity he had a strap around his neck, and it didn’t plunge all the
way to the bottom.
“What the hell?” Martin spun around and snapped right back,
recognizing him immediately. “Doyle, it’s a free country. I can
hike and take pictures if I want to.” He sounded rather petulant
for a man pushing fifty, but he still acted like it was the 60s. Go
flower power and all that crap.
recognizing him immediately. “Doyle, it’s a free country. I can
hike and take pictures if I want to.” He sounded rather petulant
for a man pushing fifty, but he still acted like it was the 60s. Go
flower power and all that crap.
Alex rubbed his shoulders against the tree, idly scratching his back.
“I’m not after you, you big twat. Have you seen a grizzly? Two
yellow tags?” He didn’t expect Martin to do something as
civilized as help him, and he wasn’t disappointed.
“I’m not after you, you big twat. Have you seen a grizzly? Two
yellow tags?” He didn’t expect Martin to do something as
civilized as help him, and he wasn’t disappointed.
Martin paused, considered his answer, and then jutted his chin out
and glared. Alex had two decades of experience dealing with tourists,
summertime volunteers, cheating boyfriends, and random idiots. Like
the idiot standing in front of him. He knew he was about to hear a
lie even before Martin answered like sugar wouldn’t melt in his
mouth.
and glared. Alex had two decades of experience dealing with tourists,
summertime volunteers, cheating boyfriends, and random idiots. Like
the idiot standing in front of him. He knew he was about to hear a
lie even before Martin answered like sugar wouldn’t melt in his
mouth.
“No sir, Mr. Ranger, sir,” he said sweetly. “I haven’t seen
anything bigger than a bird all day. Can I assist you further, Mr.
Ranger, sir?”
anything bigger than a bird all day. Can I assist you further, Mr.
Ranger, sir?”
“Don’t fuck with me,” Alex snarled, and walked to meet him on
the edge. He could still see the girl’s mangled body if he closed
his eyes. He jabbed a finger toward Martin’s chest, disgusted that
he had ever bothered to ogle him from the treeline. It just wasn’t
fair that someone so useless could have such a nice ass. Martin
looked down at his finger and raised one perfect eyebrow.
the edge. He could still see the girl’s mangled body if he closed
his eyes. He jabbed a finger toward Martin’s chest, disgusted that
he had ever bothered to ogle him from the treeline. It just wasn’t
fair that someone so useless could have such a nice ass. Martin
looked down at his finger and raised one perfect eyebrow.
“What?”
“I don’t have time for your bleeding heart—”
The sharp crack of a stick breaking in the forest interrupted him.
“Shut up,” Alex growled, even though Martin wasn’t talking at
that moment. He wheeled around to face the woods, rifle ready. “Just
shut up. It’s here.”
that moment. He wheeled around to face the woods, rifle ready. “Just
shut up. It’s here.”
***
To celebrate, I’m giving away a copy of Winter’s Risk
to a randomly selected commenter once the tour ends. To enter, just
comment on this post. The giveaway is open until July 21st.
to a randomly selected commenter once the tour ends. To enter, just
comment on this post. The giveaway is open until July 21st.
A complete listing of blogs on the tour
is available at my blog.
is available at my blog.
I hang out on twitter @AnyPennyH and
chatter about beer and movies as often as books and hiking. I hope you enjoyed
reading this post as much as I enjoyed writing it.
chatter about beer and movies as often as books and hiking. I hope you enjoyed
reading this post as much as I enjoyed writing it.
please count me in
You are counted in! 😀
Sounds like a good read
Thank you 😉
Count me in please
I did, you are entered 🙂
Thank you penny
Please count me in for the giveaway. Thanks
I gotcha down for it, thanks for entering! 🙂
Hi, I love the pictures and review and I thank you for a chance to win this book. Great book cover as well.
Thank you 😀 I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
Count me in – new author to me!
You are in! Thanks for entering 😉
Love, love, love the excerpt. You really left me wanting more. Thanks! 🙂
Thank you! That’s what I was going for. 😀
Great excerpt & giveaway!
Thank you! Good luck in the contest 😉
Thank you! Good luck in the contest. 🙂
Thanks for sharing this wonderful post!
You’re welcome, thank you for commenting! 😉
Such an evocative excerpt!
Thank you! 😀
Loved the excerpt! Thanks for the giveaway.
sstrode at scrtc dot com
I’m glad you liked it, thanks for entering! 🙂
Sounds like an interesting read! Thanks for the chance to win!
You’re welcome, good luck in the contest! 😉
This book sounds amazing!!!! Thank you for a chance 🙂
kittyissweet@gmail.com
Thank you, and good luck in the contest! 😀
Please count me in.
No worries, you are counted in. Good luck in the contest 🙂
Congratulations, Kim, you won! Please email me or message me on twitter so I can get the book to you! 😀 😀 😀
Creepy-crawlies keep me indoors more than I’d like sometimes… *shudders*
I know what you mean! Just this weekend I took two steps off the porch and discovered a spiderweb…with a red hornet caught in it…and the spider was a black widow! I took a picture and put it on my twitter but let me tell you, I turned right back around and went inside. Nice, safe, inside…
Please count me in thios looks like a good read.
You are in! Thanks for entering 😀