E.E. Burke's "Best of the West" with Beverly Wells

Welcome back to Best of the West on Get Lost in a Story. Today I'm delighted to introduce a "new to me" author, Beverly Wells. 

Bev, as she likes to be called, has recently re-released one of her early Western historical romances through Prairie Rose Publications and it sounds wonderful. 

Let's get take look, shall we? And then we'll get to know Bev.

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Searching for true happiness, as well as escape from a controlling family, Morgan Prescott answers a Brides Wanted ad, and leaves New York City's high society life for the wilds of Washington Territory. Her spirit and intelligence carries her through the rude awakening—streets of ankle deep mud, life in a one-room cabin, the hazards of cooking—but they lend  no help when she loses her heart to the one man she can't have. 

     Private investigator Luke Kincaid, a major stockholder in the Union Pacific Railroad, goes undercover as a logging camp foreman to apprehend the railroad's saboteurs. All he needs is a mock wife to strengthen his act, but once he agrees to Morgan filling the role, he finds himself longing for much more—a love he's forbidden to accept or give. 

    Filled with humor, suspense, a heartwarming, poignant sisterly bond with the other woman, and a love between Luke and Morgan that cannot be denied. Written in memory of one special lady and to raise awareness of ALS, Lou Gehrig's Disease.

Here's an excerpt:

        Damn.  Trouble always erupted when women were around a camp.

It came to  him in a flash.  Missy  remained. Yet  that  couldn't be. She didn't fit the description of the woman Hans  had chosen on paper  two  months  ago.  Hell,  he  lacked  too  much  sleep to  play  guessing games. “So, spit it out. What happened?”

Luke watched Missy lean against the  wagon. Lean? It looked as if she wanted to burrow into the wood.

Hans pulled his hands  out of his pockets, gestured  with them in front of him.  “I chose  my bride, and  Albert claimed Lila.” Lila. Ah  yes, Hans  had raved  about  her.  “Tom chose  Sarah instead of Roberta, and Peter wanted Roberta.”

Was  anything   ever   simple?   After  an  exhausting  day  of catastrophes, and this  hopscotch of brides, a  headache  threatened.

“And now the last two don't match, is that it?”

Hans studied his boots, drove  his hands back into his  pockets then glanced at Missy. “We don't know if they'll match.  They've. . . just met.”

It  took a  split second  for Hans' words t o register, to become crystal  clear.  No.  Hans  knew  why  Luke  had  picked  Rosie.  He wouldn't  intentionally  turn the  tables on  him.  But  lust  and  love would, by damn. It made men commit worse crimes.

He swallowed the lump in his throat. “You  chose Rosie.”  His words almost gagged him. He dreaded to hear  Hans'  confirmation. Hans nodded.

Acid  churned in his stomach, and a sour  taste  spiraled  up to his mouth. He'd  purposely picked a  voluptuous dance  hall woman who'd  have no  problem  finding  another  man  after  he'd  finished here. One who most likely would go along with  his scheme and the proposition he offered.

Jaysus! He was in a world of shit.

Meet Beverly

For many years, Beverly Wells devoted her life to family and the medical world. As a nurse in homecare and clinics she also served on the medical reserve corps, a part of Homeland Security, so her reading focused on medical books and journals. That’s until she finally discovered romance novels. Once hooked, she took the plunge and wrote one. Now as an award winning author you’ll find her hammering away another humorous, sensuous (from sweet to spicy) historical romance while incorporating a lesson learned or maybe raising awareness of an important issue. 

Living in the Finger Lakes Region of NYS with her husband and rescued dog, Jamie, she enjoys volunteering at the local shelter, anything Nascar, flower gardening so she can get her hands good and dirty and cooking for gathered friends and family. She adores her two granddaughters to no end. And of course chocolate—that’s a given.

Here's where you can find out more about Beverly:

WEB: www.beverlywellsauthor.com

BLOG: https://beverlywellsauthor.wordpress.com/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Beverly-Wells-Author-158269994276537/

Author Page: www.amazon.com/Beverly-Wells/e/B0070C9RS8

Author Page: http://prairierosepublications.com/authors_2/beverly-wells/

E.E.: How often do you get lost in a story? 

BEV: Every time I read a good romance novel. I read a lot of stories by my favorite authors or am familiar with so I know I’m in for a great ride. If I haven’t read a certain author, but the cover is appealing or the blurb and maybe the excerpt strum my interest, I’ll read it. And once I get acquainted with the hero or heroine, and if they and the plot hold my avid interest, I get so wrapped up in the time, place and senses that I’m totally lost.  Hook, line and sinker.  I must admit until I was thirty and fractured my back I’d not read a romance novel. Hey, raising two active sons and working full time that required longer hours than to allow me much time to read for pleasure. When I fractured my back, my best friend loaned me a stack of varied genre romances, and I became a maniac reader—escapism at its best. It remains in my blood—reading and now writing. And now I read for sheer enjoyment.

E.E.: What was the first book you remember you reading? 

BEV: That’s an easy one. Cinderella. There might have been one before that I don’t remember. A gift from mom and dad, its large, glossy, colorful hard cover and delightful pictures throughout the large print was and still is one of my treasures.  Yep, that very gem sits in my office proud as can be.

E.E.: What turns you off like nothing else? 

BEV: There’s a real toughie, a tie actually. Someone who constantly whines over spilt milk and either throws in the towel easily or doesn’t even exert enough effort to overcome whatever irks me to no end. My motto is if you first don’t succeed, try, try again. But in my book, equally matched, is the person who uses others for their own gain without ever looking back. ARGH! Now, if you’d asked me what sets off my hot spot, I would have said cruelty to animals. But that would be another whole subject and I’d be here for way too long. 

E.E.: Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?  

BEV: I enjoy both. I’ve always adored fairy tales and still do. I watch all the Disney movies and/or read the tales and marvel at them like a young gullible, dazzled child. Yet I also watch movies and/or read fast paced, shoot ‘em up, blow them up, suspense, thrillers, sci fi’s, you name it. I especially enjoy a good cop, military, any of the law enforcement stories.

E.E.: Where do you read and how often? 

BEV: I always read while working out on the machines three times a week at the gym.  Kindles are fantastic for that. As soon as I’ve walked my dog first thing in the morning, I grab my coffee and sit and read—only for a short time mind you, then get to my computer.  And finally I try to read for a half hour in my comfy living room chair before I hit the sack for the night. Another motto I hold true to is one chapter can ease a hectic day away in a matter of a few seconds. Like therapy—it’s good for the soul.

E.E: What is your biggest vice? 

BEV: Chocolate. Any kind will do, but I try to stay with the dark mostly because it’s better for you. I almost swoon as it melts in my mouth. Pure heaven. And being a retired nurse I want so very much to believe all the ongoing studies regarding the benefits of chocolate: antioxidants MAY prevent diseases and also help prevent memory loss, while the plant sterols and cocoa flavanols MAY lower cholesterol levels and improve blood pressure. Of course, I must admit, I’m constantly trying to lose weight and the chocolate isn’t my friend in the least in that aspect.

E.E.: What drew you to write in the genre you do? 

BEV: I write historical romance because I love reading them and am drawn to the past. In the eighteen and nineteenth century most ladies were to be poised, demonstrate those oh-so very proper manners and standards, and I so enjoy pushing those standards to the limits and/or making her a bit feisty because then there’s humor. And I relish adding humor.  Even if it’s just a giggle that should be hidden behind her hand—it makes it more  light- hearted and laughable.  I also like delving into research and marvel at how our forefathers and fore sisters managed way back when. I set most of my stories in the west as I tend to prefer those rough, tough cowboys, the strong, determined women and hardworking western pioneers who worked the land, trudged on for a better life, and stood strong against the perils of nature and more. I do enjoy reading Regency and Medieval romance as well and I hope to—very soon—write a Medieval. My dream. I have two screaming in my head to get onto the computer. But lo, I’ve left my deaconess and gunslinger hanging for a time and must finish that one first. Then…who knows.       

A question to readers: 

Pretend you lived in the mid to late 1800’s, was for some dire reason needing or longing for a better life, would you have dared to venture to a place unfamiliar and far off the beaten path to join an unknown  man in matrimony? And if so, or not so, why?

Thanks so much for joining me today. I hope you enjoyed my chat here half as much as I did in sharing time with you--this part is so much fun for us authors. I also hope you’ll leave a comment as I’ll be giving away a coupon for a free ebook, or if you prefer a print book, I’d love to send you a free copy. E.E. has graciously offered to use Rafflecopter to pick the winner and she’ll send me your email. Good luck to all.

a Rafflecopter giveaway