Howdy pard,

Make yourself comfortable – you’ve had a long ride to get here!

Things have really been moving around here; I’ve got a snippet of the next Sol Redding western to whet your appetite, I’ve found a pile of free novels that you can help yourself to, and a recipe for sourdough that will leave make your jaw drop.

No, no, don’t get up - barkeep, fetch me two glasses and a bottle of your best redeye!

Another taste of my next western

I’ve been writing up a storm lately, and I’m pleased as punch to report that my next Sol Redding western adventure is coming along nicely.

I’m really enjoying writing it – so much so that I’m going to share another snippet from the first draft manuscript to give you a taste. I’d love to know what you think at [email protected].

**

The scene: Sol finds himself in a heap of trouble, being hunted through the streets of Purgatory by a mob of vigilantes…

"There he is—I've got him."

A ranch-hand raised his rifle and fired a shot north along Silver Drive. A mule brayed and dropped dead, sending the street into panic. Women screamed and grabbed children as they ran for safety. A flock of ravens perched on the roof of the nearby blacksmith's foundry launched into the air with a chorus of furious cawing.

The ranch-hand nudged the newly-dead mule. "Nope, not Redding."

Another cowboy yelled and waved him towards Smith's Livery with his revolver.

“Head around the back there, Tex. I reckon he’s headed for a horse.”

The ranch-hand nodded and levered a fresh shell into his Winchester. He headed east down Governor's Alley. “Either of us catch him, we’ll split the reward.”

“Remember, Holloway wants him alive. Don’t get carried away with that thing.”

Sol crouched behind a pile of crates. He watched the gunmen disappear in pursuit, and grimaced. Holloway's lynch mob had spread across town quicker than he had expected.

Instead of riding out of town to regroup, he was being hemmed in on all sides by armed citizens hungry for revenge.

He counted to three, took a deep breath, and stepped out from behind cover. A sudden commotion sent him scurrying back behind the crates. Two horsemen toting rifles cantered out of the livery and east into Governor's Alley.

“Slow down, Hank. If we see the killer, we’ll be halfway down the street before we can round him up.”

His partner snorted and tapped the stock of his shotgun. “Don’t matter. I’m not plannin’ on a chase. Ol’ Bess here wants to give Reddin' a big ol’ kiss on the lips. There’s no way known he’ll outrun that.”

“You can’t just kill him. The man’s still due a trial.”

Hank laughed. “I’ll have him a trial all right. I’ll be judge, jury and executioner too.”

**

Remember, this is just a first draft and the story could change by the time I publish it. Let me know what you think at [email protected].

Books with a haunted past

Looking for something new to get your teeth into? Check out this new giveaway - more than 50 different novels to choose from featuring characters with a haunted past.

There is everything here from cozy mysteries to romance, westerns, supernatural tales, detective stories, military, action, and crime novels to choose from. They all have something in common – a story with a spooky twist, a haunted hero, or a twist that will send shivers up your spine – and they won’t cost you a cent.

Pick one, pick ten, pick them all – it’s up to you. Here’s a couple of titles to whet your interest:

• Unfathomed, by Erick Mertz
• Tethered, by Vaughan Ashby
• Forever a Villain, by Yolanda McCarthy
• The Nightmare Kingdom, by Rob Bauer

Don’t miss out, folks! Click here to get your free books:

https://books.bookfunnel.com/hauntedpast/phtps9qv9m

Music to get you in the mood

This one’s a personal favorite of mine.

There’s nothing better than curling up in a comfy chair with a new western and a big mug of something to warm you to your toes. Nothing, that is, unless you can add the perfect soundtrack to the experience.

Here’s a link to some of the best spaghetti western movie music you can find – you know, A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, The good, The Bad and The Ugly…

I’m talking an hour and a half of some legendary western soundtracks written by the master of the genre, Enrico Morricone, all free, all in the one place, no need to change the channel or the disc. For me, it makes for a perfect western reading experience.

You can find ‘The Greatest Spaghetti Western Soundtracks of all time right here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7tIqEgRwJY

What’s your favorite western soundtrack or song? Drop me a note at [email protected] and let me know what I’m missing out on!

Sourdough that won the West

Some will tell you the Colt Peacemaker won the West, others will say it was the Winchester ’73. Me? I like to think it was sourdough.

Sourdough was a staple on any chuck wagon because it doesn’t need to be refrigerated (just keep it on the counter covered with a cloth) and it can be substituted for any recipe that calls for milk or buttermilk.

In this youtube video, genuine cowboy cooking legend Kent Rollins will cook up a sourdough that just keeps on giving.

Get his sourdough starter recipe here https://kentrollins.com/easy-sourdough-starter/, watch Kent cook it up here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZpnEHkMvw0

Did you know?

It was more expensive to live in a gold-rush town in 1851 than it is to live in Silicon Valley in 2021, taking inflation into account! If you moved to a Californian mining town in to strike your fortune, you’d more likely end up penniless. A single egg could cost today’s equivalent of $105; a pound of butter would cost about $700 today, while shovels sold for $1,259 each in 2021 dollars. Each! Bear in mind that most miners only found $10 to $15 in gold each day… 

Books with a bang!

While I’m at it, take a look at this bundle of free thriller, suspense and mystery novels, penned by some really talented authors who are offering some of their best work for you to try absolutely free.

Here’s a couple of titles to whet your interest:

• Forgotten Homeland, by Joe Talon
• Ice Station Wolfenstein, by Preston William Child
• This will not end well, by J. B. Stevens
• Brothers & Kings, by Dennis Santaniello

Click here to get your free books!

https://storyoriginapp.com/to/mmUeimT



I’ve been sharing more details about these books on my Facebook and Twitter accounts – head on over to find out more.

Happy trails,

Nick