Howdy pard,

It’s the festive season – and it’s time to take a break after a long, tough year!

I’ve got some good news and some great news - I’ve found a mess of free novels that you can help yourself to, some genuine footage of legends from the real Old West, and two recipes for cowboy Christmas cookies that are so good you won’t want to leave any for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve…

Settle back, knock the snow off your boots, and take a snifter of this eggnog – it's freshly made, I promise!

Great yuletide reading

Christmas with the family is great and everything, but there’s nothing like escaping all the hubbub, pouring yourself a mug (or a glass) of your favorite brew, sinking into a chair by an open fire and diving into a good book. Check out this selection of free historical fiction novels - more than 30 different titles to choose from.

All genres of historical fiction are covered - there is everything here from World War I and World War II stories, to inspirational, suspense, Christian, mystery, westerns, action and adventure, and even historical romances.

They all have something in common – they are all set in the past – 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:

·        The Master of Verona, by David Blixt

·        Shoot like a Girl, by Kari Bovee

·        Unbound Justice, by Michael Beashel

·        Cards and Kisses, by Jill Wallace

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

https://books.bookfunnel.com/decemberhistoricalfiction/zdpt1xxk26

Cowboy christmas cookies

Christmas is almost here, and take it from me – you always want to have some cookies to hand. Not only do the kids and grandkids love them, the last thing you want to do is leave Santa hungry on Christmas Eve.

In this youtube video, genuine cowboy cooking legend Kent Rollins serves up not one but TWO cowboy Christmas cookie recipes - Cranberry Coconut and Scottish Shortbread Cookies.

Get his cowboy cookie recipes here https://kentrollins.com/christmas-cookies/, watch Kent cook them up here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5K87vEU1z4

The Black Hussars

Talking about Christmas reading, I’m proud to recommend a gritty, action-packed adventure that I read recently – The Black Hussars, by Mitchell Luthi.

Here’s the story (spoiler-free!):

The old gods are dead... But are the new ones any better?

Yaro Anatoly commands the most feared regiment on the continent. His loyalty to the king has seen him wage war in the savage wilderness of Vorgar, the lawless free cities, and in Akasha, the domain of the southern princes.

But when the death of a saint triggers a revolution at home, Yaro finds his own loyalties divided. Can he really serve a king who hates his own people? And who are these new gods?

Download your free copy of The Black Hussars here:

https://storyoriginapp.com/swaps/bf466ccc-5dc0-11ec-9ff2-632d079162c8

Did you know?

During the years that the West was being won, convincing the public of an outlaw’s death could be a challenge, so it became a custom to photograph the body. Outlaws were often posed upright against a wall and photographed as quickly as possible before they stiffened up. The photographs were also necessary to be used as proof for collecting rewards. Basically, if there was no picture, there was no guarantee the outlaw was dead!

A little somethin’ extra

Here’s a lovely little piece of western history I ran across recently - original footage from the dying days of the Wild West!

In the video, you’ll see ‘Little Sure Shot’ Annie Oakley showing off her skills with a rifle, a bucking bronco filmed by Thomas Edison, and Buffalo Bill's Wild West parade from the turn of the twentieth century. Bill himself can be seen raising his hat to the crowd.

You can watch it here – enjoy!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwlgmXHAXxg

Happy trails, and Merry Christmas to your loved ones!

Nick