Felony Melanie and the Prank War, based on characters from the movie Sweet Home Alabama is a laugh-out-loud #YAlit #RomanticComedy #comedy #romcom #romance

Kris Bock has a new release called Felony Melanie and the Prank War, book 3 in the Felony Melanie series of young adult comedies. Kris wrote this series with her brother Douglas J. Eboch, and based it on the movie Sweet Home Alabama which Douglas wrote. Best of luck with the new book, Kris and Douglas!

Felony Melanie and the Prank War

by Douglas J. Eboch & Kris Bock

You met her in the movie Sweet Home Alabama. Now see what Melanie Smooter was like before she became hot fashion designer Melanie Carmichael.

In high school, Melanie Smooter is known as Felony Melanie, the teenage troublemaker of Pigeon Creek, Alabama. Aching to escape the boredom of small-town life, her restlessness sparks many reckless adventures. Her boyfriend, Jake, is always by her side – and the local sheriff is usually close behind.

This week, everyone in town is looking forward to the big football game against Greenville, Pigeon Creek’s hated rivals. Jake is more excited than most – as the new quarterback, he’s poised for stardom. But the lead up to the game becomes as exciting as the game itself when pranksters from Greenville steal Pigeon Creek’s pig mascot. Then Jake’s playbook goes missing, which could get him kicked off the team. Could the pranksters have stolen it as well? Melanie, Jake, and their friends embark on an undercover mission to recover the stolen mascot and find Jake’s playbook before the team is disgraced in front of the whole town.

Head back in time to the early 1990s for this laugh out loud rom com based on one of the best rom com movies of all time.

Sign up for our Rom-Com newsletter and get Felony Melanie Destroys the Moonshiner’s Cabin. These first two chapters from the novel Felony Melanie in Pageant Pandemonium stand alone as a short story. In the future, you’ll get fun content about upcoming Felony Melanie novels and other romantic comedy news and links. Or Visit the Amazon series page for Felony Melanie:  Sweet Home Alabama romantic comedy novels or find the books at other E-book retailers.

Excerpt:

Chapter 1

POP – CRACKLE – BANG!

Melanie jumped so bad she almost smeared her lipstick. It sounded like someone was setting off fireworks out in front of the school. Melanie quickly finished applying her makeup. She hadn’t seen Jake since lunch period, and she wanted to look good for him. She tapped the spot on the mirror where she had carved “MS+JP” back in ninth grade, then scrambled out of the girls’ bathroom to see what all of the fuss was about.

Sure enough, fireworks were going off in front of the sign that normally read “Pigeon Creek High,” but now had a piece of poster board taped over it that read “Go Greenville!” Roman candles shot streaks of flame skyward, while a fountain sprayed colorful sparks and tendrils of white smoke into the air.

Looked like the rivalry week pranks had begun. 

Greenville was Pigeon Creek’s biggest rival on account of two reasons: one, the town was just up the road, the closest school in their district. Two, they were a bunch of snooty rich kids. Pigeon Creek’s football team was playing them Friday night. A swell of pride filled Melanie’s chest at the thought of the game. Jake was the starting quarterback this season. He’d show those Greenville snobs that they’d better not look down on the country kids.

A dozen other students had been drawn out by the commotion. Jolene, captain of the cheerleaders, stomped up and down in her red and yellow cheerleader minidress loudly vowing revenge.

Lurlynn ran over from the practice field in her cheerleader outfit. “What’s going on?”

“Greenville prank,” Melanie said. “Kind of a lame one if you ask me.”

 Lurlynn frowned. “It’ll get worse. You know how this week goes.” “Hey,” Jolene pointed at Lurlynn. “Aren’t you supposed to be watching Oinkers?”

Oinkers the pig was Pigeon Creek High’s live mascot. Pigeon Creek’s team was called the Wild Boars, which was way more intimidating than a farm pig, but wild boars were also a lot harder to manage, so the 4-H kids supplied a stand-in each year. Lurlynn had raised Oinkers to his current chubby 150 pounds. The cheerleaders and pep squad took turns guarding him during rivalry week. Melanie had been a cheerleader for about three weeks, but it just didn’t suit, with all the practicing and silly rules and the mean ol’ coach practically trying to dictate her whole life. When the coach kicked Melanie off the team, it was a huge relief.

“I was watching Oinkers,” Lurlynn said, “but then I heard…” Her face went pale. She bolted back toward the field. Melanie followed.

Oinkers wallowed in a little chicken-wire pen until it was time to run out on the field with the team or do his patented touchdown dance, the one Lurlynn had trained him to do. But now the pen was empty. The fireworks weren’t the prank, they were a distraction.

Lurlynn crouched down, hands over her cheeks. “Oh no.”

Melanie kicked at the gate post of the empty pen. Those Greenville High kids would pay for this.

Jolene strode up. “You had one job!”

Lurlynn snuffled. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry won’t help us beat Greenville.”

“I was only gone for a second.”

Jolene sighed. “There’s a tree stump in my backyard with a higher IQ. If you had an idea, it would die of loneliness.”

Melanie felt bad for her friend, but Lurlynn had screwed up. Course that didn’t mean Jolene had to be such a jerk about it. Melanie patted Lurlynn’s shoulder.

Jake emerged from the gym wearing his football uniform for practice. Melanie ran over and gave him a kiss.

“What’s going on?” He wiped the lipstick from his mouth. “Why’s Jolene pitching such a fit?”

“Greenville kids stole Oinkers.”

“Those—”

“Quiet!” Melanie heard something, off in the woods at the edge of the field.

Oinking.

“They’re still here. Come on!” She took off in the direction of the noise.

Author Bio: 

Douglas J. Eboch is a screenwriter and author who wrote the original screenplay to the movie Sweet Home Alabama starring Reese Witherspoon. In his novel Totally Rad Wormhole, two nerds from the eighties accidentally open a wormhole to today, go to their high school reunion, and meet their future selves. Horrified at what they’ve become, they set out to change their fate.

His sister is the author of over 100 books under the names Kris Bock, M.M. Eboch and Chris Eboch. As Kris Bock, she writes novels of mystery, suspense, and romance, many with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. In the Accidental Detective series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. This humorous series starts with Something Shady at Sunshine Haven. The Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the workers and customers at a small-town cat café, and the adorable cats and kittens looking for their forever homes. 

Sign up for our Rom-Com newsletter and get Felony Melanie Destroys the Moonshiner’s Cabin. These first two chapters from the novel Felony Melanie in Pageant Pandemonium stand alone as a short story. In the future, you’ll get fun content about upcoming Felony Melanie novels and other romantic comedy news and links. Or Visit the Amazon series page for Felony Melanie:  Sweet Home Alabama romantic comedy novels or find the books at other E-book retailers.

Visit Doug’s website or his Amazon page. Find Doug on Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

Visit Kris’s website, Amazon page, or her blog, the Southwest Armchair Traveler. Find Kris on BookBub, GoodReads, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram

Meet @Kris_Bock and learn about her humorous #mysterynovel and The Accidental Detective #mystery series! #amreading #BookBuzz

 

Let's meet Kris Bock and learn about The Accidental Detective, her humorous mystery mystery series! Kris, tell us about yourself.

I started my writing career with children’s literature, writing for kids as Chris Eboch and MM Eboch. My first published book is The Well of Sacrifice – historical drama set in ninth-century Mayan Guatemala. It’s been in print for over twenty years and is used in schools when they teach the Maya. I’ve written over 100 educational work for hire books, and I’ve been a ghostwriter for some popular children’s mystery series starring your favorite young detectives.

I write for adults under the name Kris Bock. I’ve written romantic suspense and a sweet romance series based around a cat café. I have a humorous mystery series coming out this year, with four books scheduled. The first is:

Something Shady at Sunshine Haven: The Accidental Detective Book 1

War correspondent Kate Tessler has followed the most dangerous news stories around the world. But can she survive going home?

Injured in a bombing, Kate returns to her hometown in Arizona to recover. For the first time in her life, she’s starting to feel her age (49), even though she’s living like a teenager again: staying with her father, trying to understand why her sister resents her so much, and running into people who still think of her as Kitty.

Seeing her mother in an Alzheimer’s unit is the hardest part – until an old friend asks her to investigate suspicious deaths at that nursing home. Is a self-appointed “Angel of Mercy” killing patients to end their suffering? Are family members hastening their inheritance? Is an employee extorting money and removing the witnesses? Kate uses her journalism skills to track clues, but the puzzle pieces simply won’t fit.

If Kate can’t uncover the truth, her mother could be next on the killer’s list. 

What inspired this mystery series?

Kate spent thirty years traveling the world as a war correspondent. Now back in Arizona, she finds turning fifty as difficult than the mysteries she solves. This character was inspired by my own experiences. Okay, the part about turning fifty, not traveling the world as a war correspondent. I traveled a lot when younger, but not to war zones. But as I faced fifty, I wanted to create a mystery lead dealing with some of the same issues: aging parents, concerns about financing retirement someday, and a body that doesn’t recover like it once did. I also wanted to give Kate a reason to be adventurous and fearless, thus the background as a war correspondent.

I didn’t necessarily intend to write humor, but both my agent and my editor said they laughed a lot. That comes from how Kate sees the world, which is how I see the world. Laughter helps with the pain.

Why did you set the series in the Southwest?

I’ve lived in New Mexico for over twenty years, three times longer than I’ve lived anywhere else, so this is home. We live in a small town, but I wanted to set the mystery series in a big city. In Arizona, I could create a fictional city within the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. That allows me to use this fictional city government for political issues, and make the mayor an old friend of Kate’s, without stepping on any real toes.

Arizona also provides tons of mystery opportunities. The large senior population attracts scams and abuse. You have the potential for arguments over inheritance (or even murders to get that inheritance sooner). The border with Mexico creates anxiety over immigration and various kinds of trafficking. Plus you have all the usual potential crimes in any large population. I’ll be able to keep Kate busy for years.

Where can people learn more about the series?

Book 1, Something Shady at Sunshine Haven, releases April 7. It’s available for preorder now at various retailers.

You can get a free short story and bonus material when you sign up for my newsletter. This collection starts with a humorous ten-page mystery short story set in the world of “The Accidental Detective” series. It includes information about the books in the series, with the first chapter of book 1. After that are three fun, short stories originally written for children. Newsletter subscribers will also get a thirty-five page novella set in the world of my cat café sweet romance series, and “22 Recipes from the Cat Café,” if they choose. 

Why did you write the cat café sweet romance series?

I’ve noticed lots of sweet, small-town romance series involving dogs, but few with cats. I think it’s because dogs clearly bring people together – think dog parks, walking your dog, obedience training – while cats don’t.

Until you consider cat cafés. These are a relatively recent trend, but you can now find a few hundred cat cafés all around the world. Typically they partner with a shelter, so all the cats you can visit are available for adoption. This gives visitors a chance to spend more quality time with the cats before they choose one. Those of us who can’t keep a cat in the home for whatever reason can at least visit some.

The cat café series is lighthearted sweet romance. Readers call it heartwarming, fun, and delightful. Visit the Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series page on Amazon US or Amazon UK.

What else do you have in the works?

I’m writing a series with my brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. These are prequel novels set when the movie characters are teenagers. Follow the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie.

Sign up for our romantic comedy newsletter and get Felony Melanie Destroys the Moonshiner’s Cabin. These first two chapters from the novel Felony Melanie in Pageant Pandemonium stand alone as a short story. In the future, you’ll get fun content about upcoming Felony Melanie novels and other romantic comedy news and links. Or find book 1 at Amazon US or All E-book retailers.

Kris Bock:

Kris Bock writes novels of mystery, suspense, and romance with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. She has lived in ten states and one foreign country but is now firmly planted in the Southwest, where many of her books are set. Kris writes for children under the names Chris Eboch and M. M. Eboch. She has published over 100 books for young people, including ghostwriting for two children’s mystery series.

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Say Happy #MothersDay with Books from Kris Bock and Sharon Eboch

To celebrate Mother's Day, Kris Bock is here to celebrate the bond she and her mother Sharon Eboch share - a love of writing. And both are having sales this Mother's Day weekend. Here's Kris Bock to tell us about their writing and their sale. Welcome Kris!

A Mother and Daughter say Happy #MothersDay with a free #mystery and a 99-cent #romance

Mother's Day is a time to think about all the ways you treasure your mother. What do you have in common with your mother? Physical features, interests, ethics? I’m lucky to have a mother who is creative, a world traveler, and a bit of a rebel. It’s possible I inherited some or all of those traits from her.

We are also both writers. I came to writing early, with my parents’ support – I’ve been a professional working writer for twenty years. Mom wrote an occasional article, along with business documents and a PhD thesis, before turning to fiction after she retired. As a fan of mysteries, she decided to write her own. She set it in Juneau, Alaska, where we lived while I was in high school. (I’m not featured in the book, but our former dog Bandit is.)

Today we both live in the Southwest – she’s in Arizona and I’m in New Mexico. I write romantic suspense novels set in this region, including my Southwest Treasure Hunters books. These are action-packed adventures with a touch of humor, featuring quests for treasure – whether long-lost, recently hidden, or in human form.

To celebrate this Mother’s Day, I have a romantic suspense novel available for free, while Mom’s cozy mystery is on sale for $.99.

The Dead Man’s Treasure by Kris Bock is FREE May 10-14.

“The Dead Man’s Treasure is fast-paced and a perfect read for the weekend. I highly recommend this one.”

Rebecca Westin is shocked to learn the grandfather she never knew has left her a bona fide buried treasure – but only if she can decipher a complex series of clues leading to it. The hunt would be challenging enough without interference from her half-siblings, who are determined to find the treasure first and keep it for themselves.

Good thing Rebecca has recruited some help. Sam is determined to show Rebecca that a desert adventure can be sexy and fun. But there’s a treacherous wildcard in the mix, a man willing to do anything to get that treasure – and revenge.

Action and romance combine in this lively Southwestern adventure, complete with riddles the reader is invited to solve to identify historical and cultural sites around New Mexico.

“I can’t say enough how much I loved this book! It has mystery, adventure, danger, romance, and above it all family remains a huge theme.”

The Dead Man’s Treasure is book 2 of the Southwest Treasure Hunters novels. Each book features a different hero and heroine, and stands alone with a happy ending. The first novel, The Mad Monk’s Treasure, is $.99 or free with Kindle Unlimited. The Mad Monk’s Treasure, “Smart romance with an ‘Indiana Jones’ feel,” has 4.7 out of 5 stars with 50 reviews

Murder on the West Glacier Trail by Sharon Eboch is on sale for 99 cents – a 67% discount! – from May 10-16!

“This is a fast-paced mystery that keeps you guessing. It has good locale and character descriptions.”

If Kate Foland had known how her bed and breakfast guest would change her life, she might have left her at the airport.

When Kate’s guest is shot to death while hiking in the Alaskan woods, Kate feels compelled to investigate. Sandra Allison seemed like a perfectly nice young woman. So who would want her dead?

Sandra’s archeology work often caused construction delays while Native artifacts were removed. Did a Juneau builder follow up a threat with a gunshot? Or was Kate the intended victim, since Sandra was wearing Kate’s coat and walking her dog? And why is the dog suddenly acting like a scaredy-cat?

“... a fun story with a great sense of local flavor.” 

“...hard to put down!”

“Knowledge of the Juneau area was evident, and at least a couple of the recipes included appear as must tries.”

About the Authors

Kris Bock and her mom Sharon Ebock in the 1970s

In case you’re wondering why we have similar but different last names, Kris Bock is my pen name for writing adult romantic adventures and mysteries. I write for children under the name Chris Eboch.

As Kris Bock, I write novels of adventure and romance involving outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. Whispers in the Dark features archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. In Counterfeits, stolen Rembrandt paintings bring danger to a small New Mexico town. What We Found is a mystery with strong romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods.

Each of the Southwest Treasure Hunters books stands alone in a series mixing action and adventure with romance. The Mad Monk’s Treasure follows the hunt for a long-lost treasure in the New Mexico desert. In The Dead Man’s Treasure, estranged relatives compete to reach a buried treasure by following a series of complex clues. In The Skeleton Canyon Treasure, sparks fly when reader favorites Camie and Tiger help a mysterious man track down his missing uncle.

Read excerpts at my Amazon page or website. Sign up for Kris Bock newsletter.

Kris and Sharon in 2016

Sharon Eboch lives in Tempe, Arizona, where she enjoys reading, quilting, and occasional social activism. Murder on the West Glacier Trail was inspired by her love of cozy mysteries and her years living in Juneau, Alaska, with her family and a dog named Bandit (featured in the book). Originally from Nebraska, she has also lived in Saudi Arabia, San Francisco, and the Seattle area. She has a PhD in Human Development and the Family, which she now mostly uses to attempt to understand her two adult children.

Kris Bock and COUNTERFEITS #EggcerptExcha

I'm participating in an excerpt exchange, and since it's nearly Easter, it's become an Eggscerpt Exchange. Romantic suspense writer Kris Bock is my guest today, and she's sharing an excerpt from her recent release COUNTERFEITS. Please welcome Kris Bock!

Counterfeits

Painter Jenny Kinley has spent the last decade struggling in the New York art world. Her grandmother’s sudden death brings her home to New Mexico, but inheriting the children’s art camp her grandmother ran is more of a burden than a gift. How can she give up her lifelong dreams of showing her work in galleries and museums?

Rob Caruso, the camp cook and all-around handyman, would be happy to run the camp with Jenny. Dare he even dream of that, when his past holds dark secrets that he can never share? When Jenny’s father reappears after a decade-long absence, only Rob knows where he’s been and what danger he’s brought with him.

Jenny and Rob face midnight break-ins and make desperate escapes, but the biggest danger may come from the secrets that don’t want to stay buried. In the end, they must decide whether their dreams will bring them together or force them apart.

‘Counterfeits’ is the kind of romantic suspense novel I have enjoyed since I first read Mary Stewart’s ‘Moonspinners’, and Kris Bock used all the things I love about this genre. Appealing lead characters, careful development of the mysterious danger facing one or both of those characters, a great location that is virtually a character on its own, interesting secondary characters who might or might not be involved or threatened, and many surprises building up to the climax. 5 Stars – Roberta at Sensuous Reviews blog

Get Counterfeits on Amazon.

Excerpt:

Something crashed in a room below. Jenny jumped and dropped her phone. It hit her thigh, then her foot, and went skittering under the bed with a faint scrape against the wood floor.

A man was swearing downstairs. Hopefully that had covered up any sound she’d made. Jenny clenched her hands to control the trembling. She couldn’t imagine her grandmother being friendly with anyone who swore like that.

She had to get out of the house. She wouldn’t wait upstairs for the burglars, if that’s what they were, to find her. If she could get to her car – damn. Her keys were in her purse, which was downstairs on the living room couch. So she couldn’t drive, but she could still go to the Lodge, break in if she had to. Use the phone in the office, call the police.

Still shaking, Jenny crouched and felt along the floor for her shoes. She was wearing flannel pajama bottoms and a tank top; no need to waste time putting on clothes. She was already cold, but her jacket was downstairs, lying over her purse on the couch. It didn’t matter. She just had to get out.

Jenny slipped from the room and down the hall. She paused at the top of the stairs, which were open to the living room on one side. She had to figure out where the intruders were, so she didn’t walk right into their arms. She stood taut, senses straining.

A screech sounded, maybe a chair leg on tile, and then kitchen cabinets clattered open and closed. The kitchen was as far away as they could get from the front door. But were they both – or all, if there were more than two – back there?

What choice did she have? If they kept going through the house, eventually they would find her. She refused to think about what that might mean. She had to get out.

She crept partway down the stairs, sliding one hand along the banister for balance as she craned her neck to search the room below. Nothing moved in the dim living room, but light spilled down the hallway from the kitchen. She thought she heard two voices back there.

Jenny took a breath and held it. She had to go now.

She ran lightly down the stairs. By the time she hit the bottom, she’d reached full speed. The door was slightly ajar. She wrenched at it and hurled herself through. She swung around the door, pulling it nearly shut behind her to hide the sign of her exit. She had one moment to glance toward the back of the house before the door closed. Nothing but the light showed that something was wrong.

Jenny spun around and took one big step away from the house – and slammed into a hard body.

Get Counterfeits on Amazon.

Author Bio:

Kris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. The Mad Monk’s Treasure follows the hunt for a long-lost treasure in the New Mexico desert. Whispers in the Dark features archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. What We Found is a mystery with strong romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. These romantic adventures are FREE with Kindle Unlimited, $.99-$3.99 to buy for the Kindle.

Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page. Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter for announcements of new books, sales, and more.

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Kris Bock - Clothes Make the Character

Kris Bock joins me today with a post about her character's clothes. I always find that what people - and characters - wear says a lot about their personality and the way they feel about themselves. Kris gives us some insight into her character Camie from The Skeleton Canyon Treasure. Take it away, Kris!

Clothes Make the Character Monday with Kris Bock

The Skeleton Canyon Treasure stars Camie, a reader favorite from The Mad Monk’s Treasure, which revolved around her best friend. Camie is brilliant, though her academic career is checkered, and she loves the outdoors – hiking, rock climbing, and mountain biking. Her casual clothes reflect her personality and the lifestyle of a small New Mexico town.

In this stand-alone novel, Camie gets drawn into an adventure by Ryan, an oversized geologist who claims he’s searching for his missing uncle. He needs Camie’s help, so the two of them try to decipher a series of clues in the uncle’s journal, which leads them to the Southeast corner of Arizona. In this scene, they’re camping out with Camie’s tough orange cat, Tiger.


… They worked well enough in tandem as they prepared dinner on her camp stove, but an awkward stiffness had replaced the laughter of their graveyard adventure. Tiger was the only one who seemed at ease as he prowled the campsite, seeming to check that everything was in order. By the time the pizzas had baked and they sat down to eat, the discomfort had the weight of a living thing.

   Finally Ryan broke the silence. “Can I ask you something?”

   “Shoot.” She licked tomato sauce off a finger.

   “You’re obviously a genius.”

   She made a face. “I don’t really like that word.” It was as often an insult as a compliment.

   “Whatever you want to call it, you have plenty of brains. But people are going to see how you look, how you dress, and not expect you to be brilliant. I’m not criticizing, but why don’t you dress, well, more brainy, to give people a better idea of who you are?”

   She sat up straighter, resisting the urge to pull her jacket closed over the cleavage revealed by her tank top. “So, what, I should wear a button-down shirt with a pen protector, put my hair into a bun, and wear glasses I don’t need?”

   A smile tugged at his lips. “Stop, you’re turning me on. Okay, granted, nothing short of major plastic surgery is going to make you anything less than gorgeous. I’m not suggesting you go to extremes. But if I worked in the corporate world, I’d wear a suit to fit in. Dress for success, dress for the job you want, not the one you have. That kind of thing.”

   “You may also have heard of don’t judge a book by its cover?”

   “Sure, but you know people do. That’s the world we live in.”

   “How about live for the world you want, not the one you have? People shouldn’t judge me by my appearance. It’s not my fault if they do. I’m going to wear clothes I like, that I find comfortable, and anyone who doesn’t like it can screw off. Besides, how do we change stereotypes if we always give in to them?”

   He gave a soft grunt that might have been agreement, skepticism, or merely acknowledgement. They ate in silence for several minutes. Camie knew she’d made her point, but she couldn’t help thinking of all the other things she might have said. She remembered the times teachers had accused her of cheating, or of having a boyfriend do her work, because they couldn’t believe she was smart enough to do that well by herself. The times when boys tried to impress her by offering to help when she didn’t need it, when she was smarter, stronger, better than they were. And their offense – even anger – when they realized the truth.

   Tiger, who had been snuggled next to her side, seemed to sense her emotions. He rose, yowled, and stalked back and forth with his tail puffed up in agitation.

   Camie was about to burst out with another rant, when Ryan spoke. “I want to apologize.”

   “Then do it,” she snapped.

   “Okay, I’m sorry I suggested you should change to please anyone else or make their lives easier. It’s unreasonable and I was stupid to say it.”

   She studied him suspiciously.

   “And I should’ve known better, because I do understand what you mean,” he said.

   She raised an eyebrow. “Oh, because you’re so pretty people think you’re dumb?”

   He grinned. “Exactly. Okay, not that, but people make assumptions about me because of my size. Some men immediately get all defensive, like my existence is somehow a threat to their masculinity and they have to do and say dumb things to show how tough they are. And women, well, some women are interested in me because I’m big.”

   Camie stared at him. Was he actually blushing? The shadows cast by the electric lantern made it hard to say for certain.

   Ryan hurried on. “But a lot of them are intimidated, or even scared. Women will cross the street to avoid walking too close to me. I don’t ever want a woman to feel threatened, or a man for that matter. I know I could use my size to intimidate people, but I don’t.”

   “Not ever?”

   “Well … only when someone deserves it. Shoot, I kind of loomed over you the night we met, didn’t I? Well, you have to remember, at that point I thought you might have something to do with my uncle’s disappearance.”

   “And now?”

   He hesitated for a fraction of a second too long. “Now I trust you, of course.”

   She shrugged off his doubt. It wasn’t like she’d laid out her whole heart and mind to him either. Instead she focused on what else he’d said. Things started clicking in Camie’s head. “So you try to make yourself less threatening, smaller, like when you were leaning on the counter at the museum to get closer to Marie’s eye level.”

   He nodded.

   “And you hide behind your charm too.”

   “I guess I should be glad you think I have charm.”

   “Oh, you have buckets of it.”
 

Blurb: The Skeleton Canyon Treasure

Camille Dagneau – beautiful, brilliant, and prickly – isn’t quick to trust, especially when a strange man has broken into her machine shop at night. Ryan McGloin insists he’s merely looking for his missing uncle, who has disappeared while hunting for a lost treasure. He believes Camie is the key to finding the treasure, and his uncle. Camie can ignore the attraction she feels, but she won’t pass up the chance for an adventure.

Following the clues in the missing man’s journal will take Camie, Ryan, and the feisty cat Tiger on a trail through New Mexico and Arizona. They’ll investigate the Tombstone graveyard at night, uncover clues in museums, and ultimately explore Skeleton Canyon, where rumor says nineteenth-century cowboy bandits secreted their treasure in a cave. To rescue Ryan’s uncle, they’ll face steep cliffs, twisty tunnels, and worse dangers in human form, but trusting each other may be the biggest challenge. And they’re running out of time ….

If you love suspense and romance, don’t miss this gripping adventure! The Southwest Treasure Hunters novels include The Mad Monk’s Treasure and The Dead Man’s Treasure. Each novel stands alone in this series mixing action and adventure with romance.

Author Bio:

Kris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. The Mad Monk’s Treasure follows the hunt for a long-lost treasure in the New Mexico desert. In The Dead Man’s Treasure, estranged relatives compete to reach a buried treasure by following a series of complex clues. Whispers in the Dark features archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. What We Found is a mystery with strong romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. In Counterfeits, stolen Rembrandt paintings bring danger to a small New Mexico town.

Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page. Sign up for Kris Bock newsletter for announcements of new books, sales, and more.

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