LOVE A LAWMAN?

Welcome to the Cowboys and Lawmen Blog Hop!

Join nearly 50 authors as we share why we love Cowboys and Lawmen. Cowboys are known as bad-boys, but what happens when the bad-boy is also the law in town? What is it about these contradictions that make small town sheriffs, Texas Rangers and ex-outlaws-turned-lawmen so irresistible? Whether you write or love to read about the Wild West or modern day Montana, what do you love most about lawmen who are also cowboys? And what makes them so gosh-darn sexy?

Cowboy Charm Blog Hops now has a companion FaceBook Group. If you'd like to join to receive blog hop and prize announcements here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/453991144693516/

But that’s not all, as you enjoy some awesome blogs and find fantastic books, for every post you comment on with your email address, you will be entered for some amazing prizes.

***PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO QUALIFY***

Grand Prize: A $100 Gift Card for Amazon or Barnes and Noble, your choice. The winner will be chosen at random from comments containing email addresses, and will be announced on May 7. This is open to both US and international readers.

Now to my post. Each day of the blog hop, I'll be giving away an E-book copy of BLUEBONNET BRIDE or another of my books book of the winner's choice.

I love using lawmen as heroes. After all, these are men who daily risk their lives to protect us. That’s what attracts me, I think. They are protectors of those weaker than they. Sums up my own Hero, even though he isn’t a lawman.

I’ll share my most recent lawman hero from one of my books, BLUEBONNET BRIDE: Joel Stone, Sheriff of Radford Springs, Texas, in 1870’s. He fought in the Civil War, he was a Texas Ranger, and has settled to be near his two brothers in the Palo Pinto Mountains of North Central Texas.

Joel is the eldest brother, and he functions as head of the family.  Although he has a good sense of humor, he is thoughtful and deliberate.  Tracking skills aid him in his sheriff’s duties. He runs a clean, safe town and invites lawbreakers to jail or to leave town.

In BLUEBONNET BRIDE, he is not only captivated by the heroine, Rosalyn, but falls under the spell of Lucy, her daughter.  Seven-year-old Lucy calls Joel “Mr. Sheriff” and doesn’t mind asking him to do whatever she wants done.  Which sets up the following excerpt of Joel making a swing for Lucy in a tree that’s a little higher than he first thought.

Lucy did as he asked. He thought he could shinny down the rope so he wrapped his legs and hands around it. He would have been all right if Mrs. Dumas hadn’t chosen that moment to come outside. She shaded her eyes with her hand, but the sunlight hit her hair and turned it molten golden red.

He stared at her and lost his concentration. His legs drooped and his fingers tired of supporting him. He dropped to the ground in a tumble. The fall knocked the breath from his lungs and he lay there amid twigs and leaves. He blinked and tried to focus through watery eyes.

Mrs. Dumas knelt beside him. “Oh my word. Sheriff Stone, are you all right? Is anything broken?”

He sat up and conked his head on the swing seat. He rubbed the spot and grinned. “Not my most glorious moment, but I’ll survive.” He stood, wincing at the pain in his back where he’d hit the broken limb.

“Please let me help you inside. Lucy, get his coat and hat.”

Going anywhere with her sounded good. She took his arm and led him into the kitchen. He didn’t feel at all guilty throwing a limp into his walk.

“Sit at the table and tell me where you’re injured.”

“I’m fine, ma’am. Just need to sit a while and clear my head.” He remembered this kitchen from when the Brown family lived here. Already she’d begun changing the appearance by moving furniture around. The table was much nicer where diners could look at the back yard while eating.

She pumped water into a glass and set it in front of him. “What were you thinking? You could have broken your neck.”

“I realize that now. At the time, it seemed an easy enough task.” He downed the water then smiled at Lucy. “I had a good helper.”

Lucy giggled. “Giant sheriffs can fall after all.”

“Apparently so. The swing’s strong enough for you, though.”

“Mommy, may I go swing now?”

“Just be careful of that broken limb until we can clear it away.”

“I’d better do that.” He started to rise.

She pushed him back onto his seat. “You sit right there until I’m sure you’re all right. Does your head hurt? How’s your vision? Do you see double?” She tilted his head so their gazes met.

“My vision is fine, ma’am, and I sure am glad. You have the prettiest eyes I’ve ever seen.”

She jerked her hand back so fast you’d think she’d been burned. He savored the warmth where her fingers had touched his jaw.

“Humph. Apparently there’s nothing wrong with you, sheriff.” She fisted her hands on her hips. “At least no damage from your fall.”

“I’ll just move that branch out of Lucy’s way and then get back to my business.” He stood and bent to grab his coat from where Lucy had dropped it.

She grabbed his arm. “Wait. There’s blood seeping through your clothes. Sit down and take off your shirt.”

He froze and considered following her request before sanity gained a toehold. “Nothing I’d like better, Mrs. Dumas, than having you tend my cuts and scrapes. Seeing as how you’re a widow on your own, I reckon I’d better get on to Doc Ross’s and let him see if there’s a problem. This is a small town, and I sure would hate if anything I did caused gossip to smirch your good name.”

Her expression softened. “Thank you, sheriff. I appreciate that more than I can say. I’m pleased you’re truly a gentleman.”

Joel pulled on his coat and left. He kicked himself all the way to the doctor’s office.   

Joel isn’t the only lawman hero I’ve written, but he’s one of my favorite. I hope he’ll be one of yours too. Here are the buy links:

Smashwords E-book  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/287177?ref=CarolineClemmons

Amazon in Print or E-book http://www.amazon.com/Bluebonnet-Bride-Stone-Mountain-ebook/dp/B00BHOC7L8/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1367497949&sr=1-5&keywords=caroline+clemmons

Nook E-book http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bluebonnet-bride-men-of-stone-mountain-book-3-caroline-clemmons/1114769632?ean=2940044331914

Stay tuned for future lawman heroes. Part-time Deputy Sheriff Tobias "Bear" Baldwin is the hero of the novella TABITHA'S JOURNEY, that will be released in June 2013. Temporary Federal Marshall Storm Kincaid, is the hero of my fall 2013 release, THE MOST UNSUITABLE COURTSHIP, a continuation of the Kincaid series. Another lawman, Buster Parrish, is the hero in my upcoming Christmas novella, CHRISTMAS ON STONE MOUNTAIN, to be released in November 2013. 

In the meantime, Federal Marshall Matt Peters is the hero of my novella, SAVE YOUR HEART FOR ME. And in second Kincaid book, THE MOST UNSUITABLE HUSBAND, it “appears” that reformed rapscallion hero Nate Bartholomew works as an undercover Pinkerton agent.  

Don't we all love those strong heroes? You can follow along with the blog hop by checking the participants at http://cowboycharm.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by!