Meet Author Linda McMaken

Hello, I'm very excited to be here on Goddess Fish to promote my first book, Baer Truth. I love anything to do with the written word and have been a writer for many years. I have written for Elks Magazine, Family Tree Maker, Dog Fancy, RWA University, RWA Reports, Lake Erie Living, Fate Magazine, Chronicles of the Old West, Family Motor Coach, and dozens of others.
Currently, I am the Senior News Editor for Reader's Entertainment News, Senior Media Marketing Manager, and scriptwriter for COS Productions, and I write an online library marketing blog for RT BookReviews, and scripts for Investopedia.com

Book One of The Three Baers Trilogy – Baer Truth – is my first novel. You can learn more on my website. http://www.linda-mcmaken.com/

Blurb:

Abby Clark, vegetarian, punk rock singer gets kicked off the band tour bus in the middle of nowhere. With nothing but a talent for cooking and the singing voice of an angel, she manages to disturb a very cranky, cold-hearted bear, um, Baer.

Joe Baer, a sexy Wyoming beef rancher. He has a ranch mortgage that’s due, and a past that even he never suspected.

Snow, tractors, country superstars, an unforgettable rodeo, and a tornado named Abby, will bring these "baers" out of hibernation.

The Little Backstory

Baer Truth evolved from a camping trip out west. My husband and I took our daughters to Wyoming to see Cheyenne Frontier Days, the "premier" rodeo in the U.S. From that trip my imagination with Wyoming went a little wild, and the Baer Brothers were born – they just didn't end up where I thought they would!

Baer Truth tells the story of Joe Baer and Abby Clark. They are truly from opposite worlds, but underneath their opposing exteriors, they are two souls looking for the same thing – home and family, a place to belong.

Even though Joe's heart is tied to the Hidden Rock Ranch, his family is pretty dysfunctional, and has been torn apart by many things. While he wants to stay on the ranch, he hasn't been able to make it a "home."

Abby has an eclectic background with her own broken family. While she dreams of stardom, making hit records and maybe fixing a few things in her past, she too wants the "home" she never knew.

When you put a vegetarian punk rocker in the middle of beef ranching country, it creates a few memorable moments. There are wayward bulls, possessed tractors, mice on steroids and cowboys who are terrified of tofu!

Welcome to Hidden Rock Ranch, home to the Three Baers. Meet each one in the Three Baers Trilogy - Baer Truth – Book One, Baer Necessities – Book Two (May 2012), Baer Facts – Book Three (February 2013)

Baer Truth received 5 Faires from JBP Reviews

http://jbpreviews.wordpress.com/

Reviewed by Drea:

Abby is a woman who is severely down on her luck, when her life seems to be at its worst her luck changes. But is it enough to make her truly happy?  Abby has got to be one of the best female leads I have read in a while, her personality has so many faucets that spiral so clearly onto the pages you can't help but fall in love with her from page one and continue to do so till the very end.  Honestly I can't express how impressed I was at the gradual build up of her character and just how smoothly she changed from down and weary to just an all around great woman who gets exactly what she deserves in the end.

Joe is about to lose everything he has ever held dear, just when life seemed to be at a loss one woman changes everything.  Joe *sigh* Joe lol.  Is there anything more perfect than a cowboy with wholesome values and awesome good looks add in the his personality and he is every womans dream.  I fell in love with him even when he was gruff around the edges I couldn't get enough of him all the way to the very end.  What he does for the people he loves makes him all that more appealing in my eyes and honestly I am going to tell you its going to be hard for another cowboy to beat him for a while.

With the right mixture of country boy swagger and city girl antics this book will have you laughing, crying, and at the edge of your seats until the very end.  I personally can not wait for the next story in this series.  This author has cowboys and small town acceptance down to an art and I personally HIGHLY recommend this book!

Excerpt – Abby takes a job at Hidden Rock Ranch

They pulled off the main road onto a gravel road. He made several more turns onto smaller and smaller gravel roads, until they reached a rutted, one-lane dirt road. Suddenly the dirt road gave way to a smooth blacktop drive that wound around snow-covered banks, atop which a red snow fence ran as far as the eye could see.

"I think I'm going to have to drop breadcrumbs to find my way in and out of here." Abby couldn't remember ever having been so far from civilization. "Tell me, do you ever get snowed in back here?" As far as she could see in every direction was nothing, absolutely nothing, except hills, snow fence, trees, snow, and huge mountains.

"Occasionally we've been snowed in for a few days. We've got snowmobiles and we can get out for supplies with them."

A lump formed in her throat that refused to be swallowed.

"We've also got the Cat and the Deere with plows and shovels."

Abby had no clue what he was talking about, but as long as those things could get her out of this desolate wilderness, she liked them.

"Nobody's lived at the cottage for awhile. I had the boys go in, knock down the spider webs, and make sure no snakes or anything was living inside, but they don't always get everything. You aren't afraid of spiders and such, are you?"

The lump on her head began to ache. Mike's expression was kind, but odds were she was about to face those things, afraid or not. "I can't say I care too much for them."

"Well, snakes are hibernating this time of year. But they can move about when you start disturbing them. I'll have the boys leave you a hoe just to be safe." The truck slid across the blacktop road. Mike chuckled. "That was fun."

Abby pushed a hand against the dashboard, her mouth becoming suddenly dry. "A hoe? What do I need a hoe for?"

"For hacking the snakes' heads off, honey." Mike was matter-of-fact.

"Hack its head off?" The ache in her head turned to throbbing and was joined by a rumbling nausea deep in her stomach. "Couldn't I just call you or one of the men to come and--" she shuddered-- "hack the thing?"

"Sure, but we're usually out in the field or up at one of the cattle barns. It could be awhile before one of us could get it for you. By then it could disappear under the floor only to pop back out in the middle of the night and snuggle up with you in bed."

"They're cold-blooded, you know, and they like to find a warm spot to sleep. So it would be best if you just hack them when you see them."

Her head swam. Her vision turned gray and began sliding into black. She had gone from a bad dream to a horrific nightmare. Abby pinched her thigh, wincing at the pain. Awake. She was awake. The nightmare was real.

I hope you enjoyed the excerpt. Thanks for joining me on my release party! I will be giving away a copy of Baer Truth to one lucky commenter!

Crack the Whip!

Excecrpt:

“So maybe if you tell me how it happened, I’ll answer your question about me.”

“Fair enough.” He set his cup back in the saucer. “Remember Chad Willoughby, my college roommate?”

Katie nodded.

“Chad’s brother was into the life big time. When Chad graduated from law school, he got Chad a guest pass at the private fetish club he belonged to and said he could bring a friend.” He looked down. “I’d…been to a club twice before when we were together. But never did any more than watch,” he added quickly. “That’s when I brought everything up to you. I was fascinated with the lifestyle and wanted us to try some of these things together.” His grin was rueful. “My idea didn’t work out so well, as I remember.”

“No. It didn’t.” If only she hadn’t reacted so badly. “So what happened at the club?

“It seemed I was finally going to experience the things I’d only fantasized about. Chad’s brother arranged for each of us to have a sub for the evening along with a trained instructor.” He paused to sip more coffee.

“And?” she prompted.

“To be blunt about it, I discovered a desire for it I didn’t even know I had. It was the most explosive night I’d ever had sexually. And that’s taking nothing away from what you and I had together.”

“But you wanted more.” Oh, she was sure of that. She felt a trap opening, yawning like a big hole before her. “On a regular basis.”

“I did. A lot more. And more often. I for sure couldn’t look for action anywhere around the Hill Country. You know how conservative the ranching community is. Not even my brothers know about my…preferences.”

Katie gave him a quizzical look. “So what did you do?”

“Joined the club in Tampa Chad’s brother took us to. They have an arrangement for guest privileges in other clubs around the country. I…took a lot of business trips.” He stopped to take another swallow of coffee.

“Your brothers didn’t ask questions?”

He shook his head. “I timed my trips to coincide with legitimate business. Conventions. Meetings. Whatever.” His eyes raked over her face possessively. “But here’s the plain truth. I really wanted you, Katie. I wanted it all. You and the life.”

“Which is what led to the scene in our hotel room.” When she so childishly ran away. It wasn’t just the things themselves he was proposing. It was the total implication, the fear that she could lose herself in him completely. A very dangerous edge.

He grinned. “Yeah. That was some scene. I still remember how you looked, spread out…”

“Stop.” She held up her hand. “That’s not what I meant. Can we stick to the conversation at hand?”

The look he gave her nearly incinerated her dress. “Afraid to talk about it, sugar?”

How about a hot cowboy with a whip?

Just released By The Wild Rose Press/Wilder Roses
Buy here:http://thewildrosepress.com/wilderroses/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=87&products_id=822
Also available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Fictionwise and All Romance eBooks

When rancher Reece Halliday met the new manager of his fetish club, Rawhide, he was shocked to see Katie Warren, the woman he'd loved and lost because of his sexual preferences. But a lot of time has passed and Katie has discovered the lure and satisfaction of BDSM—including the pleasurable sting of the single tail whip. Will Reece be able to lure her back into his arms—and bed—when he cracks the whip during their private sessions?