Blurb Blast: To Have and to Hold by Charlene Raddon

This stop is part of a Virtual Book Tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One commenter on today's stop will receive a copy of one of the author's other books and, at the end of the tour, one commenter will receive a $15 Amazon gift card.  The other stops on the tour can be seen here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/02/excerpt-tour-to-have-and-to-hold-by.html

*****

A woman without a prayer…

A widow with two children, Tempest Whitney had to mortgage everything to repay the money her husband had stolen. But even as she struggles to hold onto her Utah homestead, a scheming rancher buys up her debts, demanding she either get off his land or marry him. Then a dark-haired stranger shows up, claiming to be her dead husband…

A man without a past….

Buck Maddux spent two years in jail for a crime he didn’t commit. Now a death bed promise has brought him to Tempest’s dugout. A man without roots, he doesn’t plan to stay—or to feel so fiercely protective of this feisty beauty he saves from a forced marriage. Suddenly, Buck yearns for a home, a family, a lasting love. But what can he offer Tempest? The surprising answer lies in the forbidden canyons of an ancient Anasazi tribe, where fortune and danger await—along with a passion more precious than gold…

*****
Stunned, Tempest stood there, watching his broad shoulders fade into the rain. Finally, she climbed onto Othello and plodded after the gelding, the mule so slow she feared she would lose Buck in the storm. A hard kick hiked Othello’s speed to a jolting sort of canter that jarred her teeth. When a speckled rump and a long tail ghosted into view, she breathed a sigh of relief. She slowed as she drew abreast of Buck. He stared straight ahead, ignoring her.

“I have to know what happened, Buck. I need to understand.”

“All you need to understand is that I’m no good. For you, for your children, even for myself. You should be damned eager to see my back.”

“I already saw your back, riding off into the storm without me, and I was terrified. Blast it, Buck—” her anger rose as swiftly as the rain fell “—you have no right to decide what’s good for me.”

“I have no rights over you at all, which is what’s best for both of us. Drop it, Tempest. It’s over. You have the gold. Hearts-ease is safe. You don’t need me."

“Stop telling me what I need! I make my own decisions."

Treachery Canyon yawned before them, black and sinister in the spectral mist of the storm. Without pausing, Buck spurred Spook into the dark defile, forcing the mule to fall behind. Tempest wished she had something to throw at him. Blast his hide, why did he have to be so stubborn? “Buck!”

There was no answer. “Damn you, Buck Maddux,” she hollered into the murky shadows. “You listen to me. No matter what you do, no matter what you say . . . I'll still love you. I’ll always love you.”

 *****

Charlene first serious writing attempt came in 1980 when she awoke one morning from an unusually vivid and compelling dream. Deciding that dream needed to be made into a book, she dug out an old portable typewriter and went to work. That book never sold, but her second one, Tender Touch, became a Golden Heart finalist and earned her an agent. Soon after, she signed a three book contract with Kensington Books. Five of Charlene's western historical romances were published between 1994 and 1999: Taming Jenna, Tender Touch (1994 Golden Heart Finalist under the title Brianna), Forever Mine (1996 Romantic Times Magazine Reviewer's Choice Award Nominee and Affaire de Coeur Reader/Writer Poll finalist), To Have and To Hold Affaire de Coeur Reader/Writer Poll finalist); and writing as Rachel Summers, The Scent of Roses. Forever Mine and Tender Touch are available as e-books and after January 24, To Have and To Hold will be as well. When not writing, Charlene loves to travel, crochet, needlepoint, research genealogy, scrapbook, and dye Ukrainian eggs.
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Comments

  1. Anonymous9:21 AM

    Thank you, Karen. I've enjoyed meeting you too, though I would love to know more about you. If you'd like to be added to my list for notices and newsletters, please let me know.

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  2. Anonymous9:22 AM

    I want to say how much I've enjoyed this tour. Thank you, Goddess Fish, for setting it up. And I'm grateful to my host for having me here today.

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  3. Thank you for hosting today.

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  4. I had a vision of the scene in my head...it would make a great movie scene with him riding off into the dark "spectral" mist of a foreboding storm and her trying to keep up on a mule. It's almost evocative of one of those old Clint Eastwood westerns. If you were to cast such a film, who would you see as Buck and as Tempest? You may have answered that elsewhere in the tour...
    catherinelee100 at gmail dot com

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  5. I have enjoyed the tour, thank you.

    Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

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  6. Anonymous10:53 AM

    Good morning, Catherine and Ingeborg. No, no one has asked me about who I would cast as Buck and Tempest. The first man who comes to mind is Anson Mount. Not sure about the female star but I adore Anne Hathaway. I've so enjoyed meeting you both. I'd love to be able to add you to my mailing list for notices and newsletters. Let me know. And thanks for joining my tour.

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  7. Hi Charlene, I just stopped in to let you know I loved, loved this book. Thanks sooo for such a great read.

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  8. Anonymous4:25 PM

    Quilt Lady, are you saying you already read it? In what, one day? Well, I'm glad you liked it. Would you like me to add you to my address list for notices and newsletters so you'll get word when the sequel comes out? Should be in June.

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  9. Another one for my wishlist! Thanks!
    -Amber
    goodblinknpark(AT)yahoo(DOT)com

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  10. Anonymous10:49 AM

    I want to thank all of you who joined me on this tour, as well as my hosts and Goddess Fish.

    Now, it's time to announce the winner of the grand prize, a $15 gift certificate. I had my husband draw the name.

    Quilt Lady, you are the winner. Please let me know if you want it for Amazon or B&N. Congratulations. I'm excited for you.

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  11. Anonymous10:53 AM

    One last message. Please let me know if you'd like to be added to my mailing list for future notices. The sequel to To Have and To Hold is due out in June. You'll want to know when it is released.

    ReplyDelete

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