Cord Matthews sets his sights on the open Montana Territory when the War Between the States rips everything from him including his own heart, Olivia Bartlett. Cord builds a new dream, but a ghost from his past won’t let him forget what his heart wanted most.
Olivia Bartlett, forced to flee her Virginia home and the man who owns her heart, finds new purpose as a nurse to the wounded at Fort Laramie, Wyoming Territory. But war and separation haven’t diminished her love for Cord Matthews, or her stubborn belief he is coming for her. When tragedy steals another loved one and danger threatens her life, Olivia flees to Montana Territory, seeking refuge.
Reunited on the Montana frontier, can Cord and Olivia hold tight to their love despite the guilt each carries for a past they can’t change and defeat a danger who seeks their destruction?
First,
thanks so much Kat for hosting me and my wild characters, Cord and Olivia, on
your blog. I appreciate the help in
getting the word out about HOME FIRES!
It is my pleasure, Kirsten! Before we get to the excerpt can you please tell my readers what inspired you to write HOME FIRES?
Later Cord disclosed how
he served with Colonel John S. Mosby (one of my favorite commanders during the
Civil War, go figure), but lost the woman he loved to the war. Then I was
introduced to Olivia Bartlett who was serving as an Army nurse at Fort Laramie
in the Wyoming Territory, but headed to a new post in Montana. She explained,
she had been sending letters East to the man she loved who served as a Captain
of Mosby’s Rangers, she’d been sending these messages faithfully for the four
years following the War of Northern Aggression.
Their story of separation and reunion kept my fingers typing, so I could
find out what happened next.
How Cord and
Olivia ended up in Montana was more due to my homesickness for the West than
anything else. I was living near D.C. at the time, but my heart belonged back
home. Initially, the Matthew’s ranch was supposed to be near Fort Phil Kearny
in Wyoming, but after doing the research I found that wouldn’t work with my
timeline. I wanted the story to take place in 1868, and Fort Phil Kearny had
been abandoned by then due to Red Cloud’s War.
Soooo, I went with my second choice and moved the ranch and family up
the Bozeman trail to Montana near Fort Ellis, and the towns of Bozeman and
Virginia City. The move wasn’t too
painful as I lived in Montana for a few years and it became a second home.
The rest of
the story, to quote Paul Harvey, was up to the characters. I am a panster of
the first order, and so I let Cord and Olivia tell me their story from start to
finish; introducing me to their families, friends and enemies as their story
unfolded. With every page, Cord and
Olivia became more entrenched in my heart and their family started tugging a
few heartstrings, as well; especially Cord’s cousin Nathan, who has his own
story.
Below are
the back blurb and a short excerpt from the reunion scene between Cord and
Livy. I hope this story finds a place in
your heart, too! Thanks for stopping by and reading a bit about how this story
came to life.
Excerpt
The rustle of skirts moved closer, but not the clip of boot
heels against the polished slat board floors. Cord’s gaze remained fixed to the
floor, and despite his mind dredging up her betrayal he felt his lips curve
when bare feet peeked from under a navy blue skirt. “Livy.” He whispered. He
lifted his gaze and it locked with eyes so blue they made the Montana sky look
white.
****
“Livy.” His whisper so low she couldn’t be sure if she heard
it, dreamed it, or wished it, but then, his gaze latched onto hers. Her eyes
slid closed against everything flashing in those cinnamon depths. Love. Desire.
Hope. Anger. Hurt. Betrayal. The same emotions poisoning her own mind. Her heart
held tight to love and discarded the rest. .
Driven by an invisible bond to Cord Matthews fiercer than any
human emotion, Olivia stepped forward. She took inventory of the man before
her. He was no longer the sweet young man of twenty, sporting a dashing gray
uniform and heading off to a war his damnable honor forced him to fight. A man
chiseled and hardened by acts and scenes her mind couldn’t conjure stood
filling the small entrance to the Brennan home. Broad shoulders with muscles
straining against a buff chambray shirt skimmed to a narrow waist. The denim
pants, popular in the West, stretched over thick, strong thighs and legs.
Someone cleared their throat and her gaze shot back where deep lines creased
the bronzed skin around his eyes. She admired the man Cord had become. He fit
this rugged land like he’d been born to it.
She dismissed Tom with a wave when he excused himself. One
more step planted her in front of the ghost who haunted her dreams and
nightmares. She inhaled horse, leather, sage, Cord and…home. Before she scolded
herself away from her course, or he could stop her, Olivia lifted to the balls
of her feet, wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his.
His initial jolt disappointed her and she braced for
rejection; but then, his arms snapped around her so strong she thought her ribs
would crack. His mouth slid across hers demanding she deepen the kiss, and she
parted her lips, allowing him full access. His tongue swept the inside of her
mouth, and with a low feral moan Cord’s kiss turned hard and consuming. The
taste of all the sweetest memories of her life with Cord caused her insides to
shake. His embrace tightened on instinct calming the tremors.
Her fingers dug into the strands of silky black hair that
brushed his collar as she pulled him closer. She choked back a cry from the
pleasure and pain his kiss sent through her body. Her lungs burned for air but
she didn’t want to breathe if breathing meant breaking the connection with
Cord. Don’t be a dream. Don’t be a dream. Don’t be a dream. The drumbeat
pounded from her head to her heart.
His mouth was ripped from hers. “Dammit, Livy.”
She tightened her hold around his neck and tried to pull him
back to her.
“I saw your grave.”
Copyright© 2014 Kirsten Lynn, Prairie Rose Publications
Kirsten Lynn
writes stories based on the people and history of the West, more specifically
those who live and love in Wyoming and Montana. Using her MA in Naval History,
Kirsten, weaves her love of the West and the military together in many of her
stories, merging these two halves of her heart. When she's not roping, riding
and rabble-rousing with the cowboys and cowgirls who reside in her endless
imagination, Kirsten works as a professional historian.
Please join
Kirsten on Facebook, Twitter (@KLynnAuthor), www.kirstenlynnwildwest.com and
blogging once a month at prairierosepublications.blogspot.com and
sweetheartsofthewest@blogspot.com
Such a wonderful story, Kirsten! I loved this one. You created some VERY memorable characters, lady!
ReplyDeleteCheryl
Thanks so much, Cheryl! That's music to my ears that Cord and Livy have stayed with you.
DeleteKirsten
I enjoyed your post very much, Kirsten. I already bought the book and look forward to reading it. Unforunately, too many books, too little time and I am working on my own novels. I understand that letting your characters write the book for you. Actually, I usually develop a calendar, list of character details and descriptions and a historical timeline for each my book (or series) before I start writing, and use it for a guide. However, my ABILENE GAMBLE novel I'm working on just took off by itself and I found myself developing characters "on the fly." Good ones, too, fully developed characteristics and personalities. It's a great experience. Glad to know of others who write that way. Much success on your book.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by, Robyn and for getting a copy of Cord and Olivia's story! It's amazing when characters take over, mine do all the time. Best of luck with your stories!
ReplyDelete