by Jena Galifany
I thought I'd re-share the books I have available since the website is gone. I hope you enjoy the blurbs and excerpts.
First off, we have Shyanne's Secret, a western romance penned under both of my names to establish credibility under my real name and my pen name.
SHYANNE’S SECRET by M. J. Conrad & Jena Galifany
Genre: Romance/Inspirational
SubGenre: Historical / Western
EBook formats ISBN: 978-1-60313-977-9
Cole Jackson promised to take care of Shyanne
Bennett, to keep her secret. It was a promise he intended to keep—and
then her father lynched him. It might take time, but he’d find a way.
Shyanne Bennett loved Cole Jackson, that sassy half-blood. She lost her
mind when he died to keep her secret. Cole promised to take care of her
but how could he once Harvey Bennett hung him? Maybe her heart might
find solace in becoming the wife of his look-alike cousin, Will
Marshall. And then again, maybe the heartache will only begin again.
Excerpt:
Oregon Territory, 1877
Cole Jackson watched from the second story bedroom window as that
man rode away.
“
Good riddance.”
He raked his hair from his face, shoved his hands in his pockets, and
watched until the drunk who’d forced Cole to call him “Sir” for
the last four months rode out of sight. Now Aunt Rita would be happier.
No more fights over the nephew she claimed as kin. No more defending
Cole and his “savage” ways. He’d take care of her
and be the son she’d never been able to have. She didn’t
need someone who hadn’t done anything to make her happy in as
long as Cole had known A.J.
Rita and Anson “A.J.” Baldwin took Cole in when his parents
were murdered. The product of Rita’s brother Seth, and the squaw
he’d married against the family’s wishes so he could qualify
for a larger Oregon land grant, Cole was a tough kid who’d already
learned that being a half-blood living in the community of the white
man was equal to being a scapegoat for the sins of the world. It happened
at the school he’d attended before his parents were killed by
an unidentified group of prejudiced men. He finally dropped out of
school to work the farm. It didn’t get any better once Cole became
part of his aunt’s childless family.
There was always some jerk that thought he was clever for picking on
the Indian. Cole learned to shrug it off, adapt to the situation. If
he fought back, he’d only get in trouble. He was good at fighting.
He could better than hold his own. It didn’t matter, though.
If he lost, he lost. If he won, he lost. So why bother? Justice for
a half-blood in 1870s Oregon was a myth.
Rita Baldwin had to defend her nephew constantly from the day the Baldwins
took Cole in, and had him brought to California. Not wanting to lose
her brother’s property, Rita tried to convince A.J. to take over
Seth’s land grant, but he’d wanted no part of it. Cole
was taken to their homestead in California until he turned eighteen
and could put in a claim for his father’s land. After so much
trouble caused by Cole’s bloodlines and appearance, Rita’s
idea to move back to Heart, Oregon sounded real good.
Heartless, Cole called it. He knew it was no different here than in
California. There were fewer people but everyone knew your business.
In four short months, A.J. had had enough of the small town life, losing
money due to his drinking and gambling, and if Rita didn’t want
to go with him then he’d go back to California alone. Rita didn’t
want to go back to big town life where it was tougher for Cole to fit
in. Fewer people, fewer problems, she said.
Fewer saloons, fewer problems, Cole thought. A.J. gave her an ultimatum—city
life with her husband or small town life with that “breed” who’d
never fit in anywhere. Cole smiled at her decision. “I win.” He
eyed the collection of wooden figures his pa had carved for him: the
wild mustangs fashioned to appear to be thundering across the open
range. “Freedom,” he told them, and headed down stairs
to check on Aunt Rita before he left for town.
He found Rita at the table, her hands wrapped around a cup of coffee.
She stared at the wall of the one-room lower floor of the house Seth
had built with his own hands. Cole placed one hand on her shoulder.
Her dark hair was streaked with more silver than he could recall there
being. She didn’t look up. Cole gave her shoulder a light squeeze,
his slender fingers, like his body, stronger than they appeared.
“
We’ll be fine without him,” he offered.
“
You will.”
The comment was slow in coming, not what Cole expected to hear. He
pulled out a chair and sat down to face her.
Cole placed his hand on hers. “He never did anything for you.
He drank and screamed and cussed you because of me. You’re going
to miss that?”
“
Sometimes…” Her words faltered. She looked Cole in the
eyes. “Sometimes, Cole, I think you were a mistake.” A
faint sigh escaped her lips. She let her gaze fall to her cup as Cole
slowly stood. “Sometimes.”
Cole couldn’t believe what he’d heard. A mistake? Just
like that? A mistake. He shoved in the chair, slammed it against the
table, and made Rita jump, spilling her coffee.
“
Don’t worry, Rita. I won’t be a burden much longer. I’m
eighteen. When I get my land in my name, I’m on my own. I can
claim my own land. I’m heading to town for supplies.” He
stopped at the door, but didn’t turn around. “Will you
be here when I get back?”
“
I wouldn’t leave you.”
“
You just did.” Cole grabbed his jacket from the peg on the wall
and slammed the door as he went out.
* * * *
“
There he is. Isn’t he the sassiest thing on two legs?” Shyanne
Bennett nudged Linda Epson, who sat beside her in the wagon. Cole came
down the road from his farm in a buckboard. She could see him across
the field from where they sat waiting for Mr. Bennett to check the
horse’s hoof.
Linda looked up and grimaced. “You’ve got to be kidding.
Look at him. He doesn’t even cut his hair. It’s longer
than yours.” The breeze tossed Cole’s black tresses around
his shoulders as he drove the buckboard along the hard-packed road
converging with the main road into town.
Dexter Heims rode past. “Ladies.” He nodded, fingered the
brim of his hat and continued on without another word.
Linda smiled after him and nudged Shyanne. “That’s what
you should ask your Daddy to get you for your birthday tomorrow.” She
turned and nodded toward Cole. “Not that.”
Shyanne rolled her eyes at the young man riding ahead of them toward
town, then turned her attention across the grassy field. Cole reached
the fork where his road met the main road and turned toward town.
Shyanne couldn’t wait to get her hands on that man. She ran her tongue
over perfectly shaped lips as she watched him hook the reins under
his thigh, pull a denim jacket on over his cotton shirt, and flip his
thick hair from the collar. Even the fierce glare he wore was sinfully
attractive in her eyes. The smooth lines of those long denim-encased
legs, one boot propped up on the kick-board as the single horse pulled
him briskly along, exuded defiance and attitude. She could watch him
for hours, given the opportunity.
“
Who cares about hair? Look at the rest of him. Right down to his boots,
he’s all animal. Even his walk has attitude. Have you ever watched
him walk?” Shyanne glanced at her father and lowered her voice. “One
day, he’s going to take Dexter Heims apart and I can’t
wait to see it.”
“
He’s an animal, all right. He should be in a cage.” Linda
smirked, and turned her attention to the lace trim on her cuff as Mr.
Bennett jumped aboard.
“
That’s that,” Mr. Bennett announced. “Let’s
get you something pretty for your birthday, Shyanne.” He whipped
the horse into motion, and the wagon lurched forward, nearly colliding
with Cole’s horse.
The animal loudly voiced his disapproval of the sudden intrusion.
Cole stopped, and allowed the Bennett wagon to continue ahead of
him.
Shyanne fussed with her skirts so she could chance a look back at
Cole. Linda nudged her. “If you want to stay out of trouble, you’d
better get your eyes off of that and onto someone like Dex.”
Shy hid her disgust at the thought of Dex anywhere near her. It didn’t
matter what others thought of Cole. Shyanne fully intended to get to
know that half-blood young man much better. Better than any other young
man in town. She wanted him to be hers. He was her fantasy and she’d
get what she wanted. She always did. When it came to Cole Jackson,
he wasn’t any different. Even if she had to keep it a secret,
she’d have him for her own. She was sure he’d be grateful
for her company.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shyanne's Secret is available in Ebook at
Whiskey Creek Press. I hope you will give it a read.
Believe in Dreams!
Cheers!
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