PLAYING MONOPOLY WHILE TURKEY ROASTS

Please welcome a bestselling author, Charlen Raddon, who also designs book covers.  Remember to comment to be entered in the giveaway of a Kindle Fire 7 on Christmas Eve!

What is your favorite childhood Christmas memory?

The smell of turkey cooking as I play Monopoly with my cousins.

Is there a Christmas song that’s your favorite?

A.   Secular:   “Winter Wonderland”

B.   Religious:  “Ave Maria”

Tell us about your family’s Christmas traditions.

My birthday is nine days before Christmas, so we always got our tree on that day and decorated it. Christmas morning, we would find gifts under the tree and the top of the buffet covered with fruit, candy, gum, and cookies. Mother always made us eat breakfast before we could open gifts and then my sister and I would take turns attacking the presents. We usually got a basket full of drawing stuff or sewing supplies, one big gift like a doll, or a bike, and a few small gifts like socks or a blouse Mother made. There would be coloring books, new crayons, and a book. Mom would cook turkey, stuffing, fresh green beans, Parker House rolls, mashed potatoes, gravy, yams, and we always had cranberry sauce.

What about Christmas do you most enjoy?

Now that my grandkids are grown up, Christmas isn’t as much fun as it used to be. I guess my favorite thing now is when they come over.

Is there something about this holiday that drives you crazy?

Not having anyone to go shopping with.

What do you hope for this Christmas?

A new chain to replace the one that broke on the diamond necklace my husband gave me last year.

Do you have a treasured Christmas food? If so, would you care to share the recipe?

I make a yam casserole that my family demands I make every year. The yams are mashed, and I cover them with a crunchy topping like you find on apple pie. Anyone who wants the recipe, write me, and I’ll send you my Christmas short story eBook. The recipe is in the back.

Do you have a Christmas book you’d like to share?

Yes, my Christmas short story, CHRISTMAS SUPPER SEDUCTION. It’s .99 on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MZXJS3Y

Charlene’s latest release is DIVINE GAMBLE. Here’s the synopsis:

SHE’S A SALOON WOMAN

For fourteen years Maisy Jessup has dealt faro in saloons, saving what she can from her small earnings so she can buy a house where she and her son can be safe from the man searching for her. Once again she’s escaped his wrath. Then Delilah, a saloon girl, is murdered and a high price is placed on the head of a hired gunman known as Wolverine who is suspected of killing her. Maisy resolves to avenge her friend. But when she finally finds the villain, she discovers two shocking facts—he’s innocent, and she’s in love with him. 

HE’S A MINISTER

The Reverend Brose Riker isn’t what he seems. As a hired gun called Wolverine, he barely escaped being hung for a murder he didn’t commit. Now, he’s posing as a circuit preacher and trying to protect Maisy Jessup from a man named Gold Kingsley who wants her dead and tried to hire Riker to find her. Years ago Riker saw her in a hotel hallway and never forgot her. He’s not about to risk losing her again.

ARE SECOND CHANCES TRULY POSSIBLE?

Even if Brose and Maisy survive Gold Kingsley’s vile plans, the future appears hopeless for them thanks to his reputation as a fast gun.  Will life grant them a second chance and allow them to find happiness?

Charlene Raddon, Author

Charlene likes to say she began her fiction career in the third grade when she told the class, during Show and Tell, that a black widow spider came down from the garage roof and bit her (non-existent) little sister to death.

After two years of college as a fine arts major, and a divorce, she moved to Utah, planning to wow the world with her watercolor landscapes—until her sister introduced her to romance novels. She never picked up a paint brush again.

Originally published by Kensington in the ‘90s, Charlene is an Indie author now. She writes western historical romance, except for one contemporary fantasy she hasn’t published yet. It’s a frog princess story about a man napping beside a pond. He awakens when a frog jumps on his chest. The frog kisses him. Suddenly, he has a naked medieval princess sprawled over him. Charlene has a vivid imagination and a romantic soul.

Please excuse Charlene now. She just heard a husky whisper from one of the dusty, shadowed corners of her office. Someone's lurking there, someone long, lanky and lascivious, beckoning to her. She has no intention of playing coy.

Visit Charlene’s webpage, http://charleneraddon.com and sign up for her newsletter.

Her book cover site is http://silversagebookcovers.com .

CHARLENE RADDON'S DIVINE GAMBLE!

Hi, Caroline. Thanks for having me today. I want to tell you about my latest book, DIVINE GAMBLE,  a gritty, sensual American historical western romance. Right now, this book is only .99. Just happens I’m working now on a sequel about Maisy’s son, Dan.

As a girl, Maisy Macoubrie witnessed the murder of her beloved father. She's been running from the killer for fourteen years. If only she could provide a safe home for her and her son… but she'll never get rich dealing faro in saloons, with a cold-blooded killer on her trail.

The Preacher never meant to become a gunman. Sometimes life deals a man a hard hand. Always alone, always hunted, he dreams of all he’s been denied—peace, family, love.

The moment Maisy and The Preacher meet, their lives change once more. United in battle against a powerful enemy, they fight side by side, but can they beat the odds they face? Is love worth the biggest gamble man has ever known?

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DIVINE GAMBLE Excerpt:

The air shifted, and a breeze fanned the back of her neck. Someone had entered the saloon. Seeing Marshal Jake Harker look behind her and frown, she stuffed the bank draft into her pocket. The hair on her neck rose. She turned slowly, expecting to see death staring her in the eye.

A new stranger, built like a freight wagon, stood just inside. Small eyes squinted out from under bushy brows. Dirt and grime smeared his square, pugnacious jaw. He reminded her of Quasimodo, minus the hunchback, but with an ugly scar angled from the corner of his nose, and down across a fat-lipped, down-turned mouth, exposing a jagged tooth. Her father had played Quasimodo once on a beer-soaked stage in Wichita, frightening a five-year-old Maisy near to death. Did he seem familiar to her because he reminded her of that unnerving experience?

The newcomer gave her a bold once-over. He took what looked like a photograph out of his pocket, glanced at it, at Maisy, and, wearing a grisly smile, started toward her. Something behind Maisy caught his attention, and he stopped. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Harker staring at the stranger. The Quasimodo look alike cursed under his breath, spun about and left.

Maisy laid one hand over her heart and pressed the other to her lips as if that would keep her from falling apart. The man had gone but might be waiting for her when she left at quitting time. He must have seen Harker's badge and figured now wasn't the time to grab her. Maisy's heart raced. She closed her eyes and reminded herself of the other times she'd survived Gold's henchmen. She would survive this time, too.

A sudden urge to leave town assailed her. But the stage had left. The ore train from Telluride wouldn't arrive until morning. Why had she ever thought she'd be safe in a dead-end canyon like Pandora occupied? Yes, she had friends here, but she couldn't risk endangering them.

She discreetly closed her bag to hide the card box inside. "Snake eyes! I forgot my card box. Would you keep an eye on things, Jake, while I go back to the boarding house for it?"

"Let Delilah do it. I'd better go with you. Never know what gun-happy drunk might—"

She forced a laugh. "I'm a big girl, Marshal. I've been walking dark streets, storm or no storm, all by myself for a long time now, and I have my Deringer in my reticule. I don't need anyone holding my hand. Besides, Delilah's busy."

"Still, I think..."

"Don't be silly. I'll take Hock. He won't let anything happen to me."

As if comprehending her words, the dog rose and swiped a wet tongue over the back of her clenched hand.

"All right." Harker bent to pet the dog. "I think he'll make you a good guard dog. He knows you saved him. Get back here soon, though."

"I only need ten minutes, I promise. I'll take the back way, and no one will even see me." Slinging her cloak around her shoulders, she took up the bag and headed for the rear door of the saloon, the dog at her heels. The rest of her faro gear would have to remain here. Replacing it all would be expensive, but, if she took it, Harker would know she didn't plan to return and demand to know why.

Every instinct screamed for her to leave Pandora now. But she had to hang onto her wits, had to make plans. One choice would mean a steep and dangerous trek over a trail that zigzagged up the cliff and over the mountain. No, the train remained her best bet. She could only hope she'd be safe in her room until departure time. At least she had her reticule, the bank draft Harker had given her, and her Derringer. She'd managed before; she could do it again.

She had to.

Amazon buy link: http://a.co/4HFhf33

~~^~~

Charlene Raddon, Author

An avid reader, Charlene Raddon never planned to be a writer. A vivid dream changed that. She dragged out a portable typewriter and began to put her dream on paper. Originally published by Kensington Books, Charlene is now an Indie author. All her books have received high accolades, contest wins, and awards. When not writing, she designs historical book covers at her site, http://silversagebookcovers.com where she specializes in westerns.

Charlene’s website: http://charleneraddon.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/CharleneRaddon

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Charlene-Raddon/e/B000APG1P8/