wrpbks – Fiction Favorites

I am happy to welcome Fellow Story Empire colleague and friend Jan Sikes to Fiction Favorites. She has a new book and is here to tell us about it. So the blog is yours, Jan.

Thank you, John, for offering your blog to promote my new book, Saddled Hearts. I am excited to be here and share with your followers.

While my story is set on a horse ranch, it is also a horse rescue center. Colt Layne is dedicated to saving horses from slaughter. He had decided to turn the ranch into a sanctuary for abused and neglected animals after he inherited the ranch from his grandfather. It was a tribute to the man who raised him and provided a good life.

There is one scene in the story where Colt receives a delivery—a horse that no one can ride or control. I’ll share a snippet of that scene with you.

Excerpt:

Colt stood in front of the quarantine barn early the next morning with two of his ranch hands. He used hand signals to direct the driver of the horse trailer as he backed it up slowly.

When he came to a stop, the man jumped out of the truck cab. “You Colt Layne?”

“That’s me.” Colt extended his hand.

“Need you to sign here for the delivery.”

As he scribbled his name across the form, angry squeals and neighing from inside the trailer raised the hair on Colt’s neck.

One of the ranch hands unlatched the door, then swung it open.

“Got a mean one in there. Been on the rodeo circuit for a few years.” The driver squinted against the morning sun. “It took five guys to load him. So be careful.”

Colt strode to the back of the trailer. There was no mistaking the angry stamping of hooves against the wooden floor and the high-pitched squealing. “I’ll get that one, boys.” He turned to the driver. “What’s his name?”

The driver looked down at the paper in his hands. “Says here it’s Ghost.”

Colt waited until the other three horses were safely inside the barn before stepping up into the trailer. “Whoa, boy. Easy. Easy, Ghost.” He extended his hand toward the gray stallion.

The horse responded by rearing up on his hind legs as much as the trailer and rope holding him would allow. He tossed his head from side to side, whinnied loud and long, and pounded his hooves hard against the trailer floor.

“It’s okay, boy.” Colt approached one small step at a time. “No one’s going to hurt you. Whoa.”

The stallion laid back his ears and bucked against the rope holding him. The whites of his eyes spoke of fear, anger, and distrust.

Drawing in a slow breath, Colt took another step closer, then dodged as the horse attempted to kick him. Keeping his voice soft and steady, he extended his hand and changed position to approach from the side. “Easy, Ghost. Easy. I’m not going to hurt you.”

The horse flicked his ears and snorted.

The deep-seated distrust of humans that Colt saw in the horse’s eyes sickened him. Someone had been brutal in their treatment of this magnificent animal.

***

It breaks my heart to see any animal abused. My oldest daughter has two rescue dogs. The first one, Ginger, was so terrified of everyone, it was heartbreaking. It has taken a long time, but she’s finally decided no one is going to hurt her and has relaxed a little. I know many of you have rescue animals as well. Do you have any stories you want to share? Let’s chat.

BOOK BLURB:

Colt Layne owns the Layne Horse Sanctuary. He lives an idyllic life between caring for the animals and playing music with his band. That is, until a stranger appears with unreasonable demands. When someone murders the man, Colt is arrested. He’s been framed, but by whom and why?

He needs to talk with his deceased grandfather. But that’s impossible. Or is it?

Sage Coventry is gifted with the ability to communicate with the deceased. Skeptical but desperate, when Colt consults with her, he gets more than messages from beyond the grave as she breezes into his heart with sweet patchouli fragrance and tempting lips he longs to kiss.

The race against time to clear his name and save the ranch launches them on a mission that brings shocking revelations.