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Bound for Glory by Tess LeSue – Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

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Bound for Glory by Tess LeSue – Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

 

 

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Description:
An unwilling legend and the woman who made him one face off in this epic conclusion to the Frontiers of the Heart series.

He has many names. They call him Deathrider, White Wolf, The Plague of the West. He’s the ice-eyed killer of the plains; the ghost of the trail; the restless spirit who haunts the frontier from California to Missouri, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. They say he seeks vengeance for his murdered people; they say he never sleeps; they say he moves silently through the night and changes form to run with the wolves. And that he is as beautiful as Lucifer.

At least, so they say. Ava Archer wouldn’t know; she’s never seen him. But that doesn’t stop her from writing about him. The Plague of the West is her bread and butter, and after more than a dozen dime novels, she thinks she probably knows Deathrider better than he knows himself, even if she wouldn’t recognize him on the street. If only rumors of his death would stop getting in the way of a good story….

Those damn stories make Nathaniel Rides With Death’s life an absolute misery. Thanks to his unwanted notoriety, he’s hunted like an animal by an endless stream of gunslingers looking to make a name for themselves. When someone close to Nate is shot by one of the gunslingers, Nate decides it’s time to hunt down the novelist at the root of all his troubles. He has a plan to end this farce once and for all….

 

 

Review:

Bound for Glory by Tess LeSue is the 4th and final book in her western historical romance Frontiers of the Heart series. We meet our heroine, Ava Archer, who is a famous author, who writes about the wicked west and her tales of the infamous, Deathrider or Plague of the West.  Ava has written many tales in her books about the dangerous Deathrider, who kills at will, and even rapes women along the way.  But Ava bases her stories on the gossip of others, and has never really met him.  Deathrider (Nathaniel), whose life is a mess, based on the untrue stories written by a woman who has ruined his life, with her false stories about him; constantly running from those hunting him.  

Ava finds herself in the middle of a hunt, that will bring all the criminals to win a large monetary prize, if they bring back the real Deathrider. Ava is pushed to also join the hunt, especially when a true evil man, Kennedy Voss, wants her.  As she tries to avoid him, she comes across a naked man, who is in bad shape and blind.  Despite her need to move on, Ava agrees to help the desperate man to get him to the next town.   Unbeknown to both of them, they will be surprised when their true identities is revealed.  The injured man is Deathrider, whom Ava thinks is an apache, and Nathaniel, has no idea she is the woman who has caused all his grief.   When Kennedy Voss catches up with them, he forces Ava to join hands with him and pretend that ‘apache” is Deathrider (which he truly is), and they can claim the prize.   There were many comical parts during this adventure, especially when they both discover who the other is. 

What follows is a fun adventure with some danger, excitement and the humorous banter between Nathanial and Ava.   I really liked them together, even though we did not think they could their relationship would ever work.  Will Deathrider ever be able to forgive Ava?  

I do not want to give spoilers, as it is a fun sotry that you need to read.  It was a very exciting and intense but satisfying conclusion.  Bound for Glory was a sweet fun historical western that was adventurous, romantic and humorous, with a great couple. The adventure was not only wild crazy, but a lot of humor along the way.   When they meet dangerous criminals during their travels, the situation becomes tense, and they manage to escape.  Though their relationship grows, Nathaniel discovers more about Ava that threatens to ruin any possibility of them being together.  But Tess LeSue writes a wonderful conclusion, also giving us a glimpse at the previous books couples.    Very well done.  

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

There was a naked man in the desert.
Ava Archer knew trouble when she saw it, and this was trouble with a capital T. She was alone in the desert, her horse was played out, her canteen was bone-dry, and she was out of bullets. This was no time to be running into natives. Even a solitary one. If she had any sense at all, she would turn right around and run in the other direction . . . but Kennedy Voss was in the other direction, and Kennedy Voss was a mean son of a bitch. Besides, she was desperate for water, and maybe this Indian had some.
She’d thought she’d known thirst before—but this was something else again. She felt made of grit and sand, her every pore a desert in miniature, her tongue thick and swollen in her cottony mouth; even her eyes and nose had dried out. And every thud of her horse’s hooves on the ground made a drumbeat: Water. Water. Water. Water.
So Ava kept on toward the man, pulled by the hope of water. As she plodded closer, she reassured herself that at least there was only one of him, and from what she could see, he was in bad shape: he was squatting under the screamingly bright September sun, naked from the waist up, his body a patchwork of bruises, and both of his eyes swollen shut. Ava doubted he could see her. But he knew she was there, because he rose to his feet at the sound of her tired horse dragging his way.
Oh dear. He wasn’t mostly naked, she saw as he stood: he was completely naked. He was also tall, wide, and terrifyingly powerful. A warrior. He was the color of rosewood, his muscles as hard as if he’d been carved from a tree. And he was covered in tattoos, including a sprawling, intricate pattern in the shape of a bird, which stretched its wings the breadth of his thickly muscled chest. His hair was long, loose, and coated in dust; it fell down his back in tangles to his shoulder blades. He was bruised all over, she realized as her gaze drifted down, wincing as she took in the black blotches on his legs. There was a particularly nasty one on his hip, right next to . . .
Ava tore her gaze away. Hell. She was alone in the desert with a naked man. A big, powerful, wounded naked man. And she was heat struck and ill with thirst, barely able to think straight.
She couldn’t have stumbled onto a little old lady instead? Or a nice family, with a pack of kids? A pack of kids and an icy-cold barrel of water . . .
Ava rubbed her hand across her dry mouth. She felt skin flakes come away on her fingers and winced. She needed to get hold of herself. She was growing delirious. This here was just an injured man. Probably an Apache, considering she was somewhere near the Apacheria. Probably. Maybe. Who knew where the hell she was, to be honest. Purgatory seemed likely. Little old ladies and nice families didn’t go wandering around Purgatory—this was the best she could hope for. She should have been grateful that he was just one beat-up Apache and not a whole party. And at least he wasn’t Kennedy Voss. Without even realizing she was doing it, she glanced over her shoulder, as though thinking about Voss might summon him. That man gave her the willies. Voss was likely to be somewhere nearby (she hadn’t had that much of a head start on him), and here she was about to die of thirst right in his path. She didn’t have time to be distracted by naked strangers.


 

 

Tess’s publisher is offering a paper copy of BOUND FOR GLORY to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

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2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please follow Tess LeSue on Facebook.

4. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

5. LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Giveaway open to USA only

8. Giveaway runs from December 04 – 8, 2019

 

 

 

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Bound for Temptation by Tess LeSue – Review & Giveaway

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Bound for Temptation by Tess LeSue – Review & Giveaway

 

 

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Description:
Emma Palmer’s been a lady of the night and a gambler, a thief and a blackmailer, a liar and a peddler of sin. But mostly a lady of the night. She’s spent most of her life as the hard-as-nails, smart-talking ‘Seline’, working her way across the country to the goldfields of California, where she can finally ply her trade on her own terms. And she’s a darn good Madam, if she does say so herself. Her place is clean, her booze is cheap, and her bedrooms are fancy. But when a would-be patron won’t take no for an answer, she’s forced to fight for her life and run. And what better disguise than as a nun?

Tom Slater is a taciturn cattleman at the tail end of a long, hard season on the trail. He plans to have a quiet winter at his old family homestead in Mexico. What he doesn’t plan on is finding a foul-mouthed nun stranded in the middle of nowhere. She has sly green eyes and a way of looking at him that turns his head upside down. Tom doesn’t need to be trailsman to know that this woman will only lead to trouble.

 

 

Review:

Bound for Temptation by Tess LeSue is the 3rd book in her western historical romance Frontiers of the Heart series.  We met our heroine, Emma Palmer (Seline), in the previous book, as she was a madam in her own brothel, and knew both Luke & Matt Slater (previous book heroes).    When we meet Emma, she has sold her place, having saved enough money to travel to California and live a normal life.  But first she has to escape one of the rich locals, who is determined to make Seline his. 

Tom Slater, the 3rd Slater brother, is trying to clear his name, as his brother gave his name as a cover for the  infamous ‘Deathrider’.   When Emma makes arrangements with the real ‘deathrider’  having met him earlier, and Tom is assigned to bring Emma, her two friends and young girl on the trek, which could be dangerous, since she is running away from a dangerous man. 

When Tom meets Emma, the fun begins as the girls are dressed as nuns, to hide their appearance.  In a short time, Tom is beside himself, as he begins to find himself attracted to the Nun (Emma).  I really loved Emma, who is a strong, independent  and a fun heroine, whom you could not help but root for  her.  From the start, she found herself attracted to the hunky Tom, but knew she needed to play the part of a nun, which was hard for her, as she continued to act her rambunctious sassy way; this also confused Tom how she spoke her mind. Emma always had a plan to get out of certain situations, which was pretty hilarious.

The adventure was not only wild crazy, but a lot of humor along the way.   When they meet dangerous criminals during their travels, the situation becomes tense, and they must find away to escape  without revealing their true identities.   When Tom gets injured, things will change as Emma has to help fix his injuries, and it was fun to see Tom appalled; but this led to the truth….she was not a Nun.  Their relationship heated up, but not for long, as  Tom  discovers more truths about Emma’s past.

Tom was a good hero, but to me Emma was the star of this book.  I absolutely loved her.  I also loved how when she lost Tom, she planned to find a way to win him back, but had to travel where the Slater Brothers lived, which did not sit well with the other Slater wives.  Emma was a great cook and baker and used this to start her new life.  Would Tom ever return to his home?  Would he accept Emma’s past?  You will need to read this book to find out.

Bound forTemptation was a sweet fun historical western that was exciting adventure, romantic  and humorous.   I look forward to see what else Tess LeSue has in store for us.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

Tess’s publisher is offering a paper copy of BOUND FOR TEMPTATION to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging onto the site, please refresh the page (at the top of your computer).

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please follow Tess LeSue on Facebook.

4. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

5. LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Giveaway open to USA only

8. Giveaway runs from December 31, 2018 to January 5, 2019

 

 

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Bound for Sin by Tess LeSue – Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

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Bound for Sin by Tess LeSue – Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

 

 

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Description:
WANTED: A resourceful frontiersman, for the purpose of matrimony…

When Georgiana Bee Blunt advertises for a husband, she’s not looking for a handsome man, or a smart man, or a charming man. What she wants is a brute. A no-nonsense, capable backwoodsman who won’t trouble her with talk of love; she just wants someone to get her and her fatherless children safely to California. Matt Slater seems to fit the bill perfectly. The man looks like he could wrestle a bear and not even break a sweat. The only problem is he doesn’t want a wife. Well, not the only problem…

Truth be told, Georgiana has more problems than she knows what to do with. Left holding a gold claim by her not-so-dearly departed husband, Georgina finds her eldest son held ransom by the sinister Hec Boehm and his henchmen, and herself facing a journey of more than two thousand miles to rescue him. With four children in tow. And no nanny.

All Matt Slater wants is to be left alone. He’s spent most his life on his lonesome in the wilderness, and he’s comfortable that way. But then a widow with big blue eyes and the tenacity of a buffalo turns his entire life upside down, and before he knows it, he’s playing caretaker to a pack of kids…and trying not to succumb to their mother’s charms.

 

 

Review:

Bound for Sin by Tess LeSue is the 2nd book in her western historical romance Frontiers of the Heart series.  The story take place during the Gold Rush Days, and LeSue gives us a perfect look at life during those times. 

We meet our heroine Georgina at the start, with her interviewing candidates for a husband.   Georgina needs to find herself a strong man, who can help her go back to California to help find her oldest son, who is being held for ransom (gold land claim).  She has her 4 young children in tow with her, which makes things difficult for her, since the children are a handful.  

Matt Slater, our hero, is the brother of Luke Slater (first book hero), and plans to travel home to Oregon, but on the way will lead a wagon train through rough terrain.  He meets the pretty Georgina, but is determined to stay clear of her trying to find a husband.  He does convince her to join his wagon train, as she will be safe with them. Georgina finds the rugged handsome Matt just what she wants, especially with her also feeling attracted to him.    In a short time, Matt will give in to become her fake fiancée, to help her get around the men following her to make sure she goes to California. 

Once they all leave for the rough trek, Matt will slowly find himself enamored by Georgina, and she even more so, as she watches how he manages to control her children, and they all care for him.  Can Georgina win Matt over?

I loved the way Matt was so great with the kids; perfect father material.  It did not take long for him to give into his feelings for Georgina, as their chemistry was scorching. Together they make plans to go to California to get her son. 

I do not want to tell too much more, as the last ¼ of the book had some twists and turns, which changes things drastically.  What follows is a sweet adventure with some danger, excitement and the humorous banter between Matt and Georgina.   I really liked them together, but there were so many issues that kept them apart; even to the point that I was beginning to lose hope.  Especially as we got closer to the end, things were happily looking up, and a surprise twist blows it all away.  Will Matt ever find happiness with Georgina?  You will have to read the book to find out. 

It was a very intense but satisfying finish.  Bound for Sin was a sweet fun historical western that was exciting, romantic  and humorous, with a great couple.  I suggest you read Bound for Sin, which was very well written by Tess LeSue.    I look forward to the next book by Tess LeSue.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

by Tess LeSue

When I was a kid I was mad for the Anne of Green Gables TV mini-series. I’d read the books but the mini-series was something else again. It was an idyllic, pretty world, complete with a bittersweet soundtrack that was so romantic it made my heart ache. I used to watch my video tapes of it at least once a week, without fail. Both the original series and the sequel, when Anne broke my heart by turning down Gilbert Blythe, and then mended it again by realizing she’d loved him all along.  Who can forget their first kiss, on a twilit autumn bridge over a shining pond? I loved the nostalgia of both series, the sense of time passing, and moments being lost, of the present becoming the past. I loved the sheer beauty of it: the blossoms and wind-swept beaches, the snow-covered fields and the thick woods. I loved Gilbert Blythe; he was the perfect romantic hero. He was tall, dark, handsome, smart – and he knew he loved Anne from the moment he saw her. He didn’t waver. He knew he she was, warts and all, and he loved everything about her. Oh, the look in his eyes when she rejected him. That breathless pain. I also loved Matthew and Marilla and the way they stumbled into parenting, startled by their own joy. I loved the sprawling cast of secondary characters: kindred spirits and inspiring teachers; gossipy neighbours and kind storekeepers; postmistresses and pastors; entire interlocked communities of people, living simple but rich lives, in a time before globalism or modernity. Most of all I loved Anne, who is a heroine for the ages. Whip-smart and independent-minded, she always got back on her feet after a setback and forged ahead no matter the obstacles; she was passionate and impulsive; she was kind. She loved books. She wasn’t afraid to compete with the boys.

When I was a kid watching Anne of Green Gables I never thought of it as a Western, but in many ways it is. A mannered Canadian Western. It’s about a small farming community at the turn of the century, and a girl who arrives, wide-eyed with wonder at the beauty and opportunity she finds. There are dirt roads, horses and carriages, and a simple country life: picking apples, baking, milking cows, going to school in a simple one-room school house. There are hay rides and cotillions, scandals and enduring friendships. While it differs from the American Western in many ways, it has many intersections, not least of which is the intrinsic melancholy for a time and a place that has passed. I kept thinking of Anne of Green Gables as I wrote Bound for Sin (I even re-watched the series, the TV in on the background as I wrote) because for me the thrill and comfort of Anne is also the thrill and comfort I look for in a romance set in the west.

My work is nothing like Anne of Green Gables, and yet the echoes are there. The sprawling casts of characters: quirky and funny and interlocked, their lives woven together so tightly that they can never extricate themselves from one another. Westerns are about people and the ways they forge new communities in wild places. The beauty of both the natural world and the simple life are central to Anne of Green Gables, and are also the focus of the entire ‘Frontiers of the Heart’ series. In Bound for Sin my characters cover almost two thousand miles of some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world: we see the breathtaking beauty of the Cascades, the bleached power of deserts, the majesty of the grasslands in a storm. And, just like Anne, my heroine Georgiana wants nothing more than a place to call home.

In a western home is a modest concept (although not so modest it doesn’t come with comforts). Home is a patch of land and a house, the bounty of nature at your doorstep, family around you, food in the larder, and the chance to live free. Desires common to most humans. When I think of Georgiana’s end point, it’s not unlike Green Gables: a whitewashed house under spreading shade trees, rockers on a wraparound porch, fields and forests for the children to roam, and a kitchen that always has coffee on the stove and a pie on the table. Only Georgiana also has a husband beside her, making short work of both the coffee and the pie, and keeping her well accompanied through the long winter nights.

In this age we live in – of technological saturation, information overload, and 24/7 busyness – the fantasy of old-fashioned country life is a comfort. When you pick up a western, you can leave all the 21st century problems behind and strike out for a new place, a place that isn’t citified, a place where you can enjoy the simple pleasures, and put love in the centre of the story.

 

 

Tess’s publisher is offering a paper copy of BOUND FOR SIN to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging onto the site, please refresh the page (at the top of your computer).

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please follow Tess LeSue on Facebook.

4. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

5. LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Giveaway open to USA only

8. Giveaway runs from September 5 -9, 2018

 

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Bound For Eden by Tess LeSue – Review, Q&A and Giveaway

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Bound For Eden by Tess LeSue – Review, Q&A and Giveaway

 

 

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Description:
Alexandra Barratt has found the perfect man – it’s a shame he thinks she’s a boy.

Fleeing from the murderous Grady brothers with a stolen fortune hidden in her luggage and her younger brother and sister in tow, Alex disguises herself as a boy to join a wagon train headed West … a wagon train captained by the irresistible Luke Slater.

At first, Alex can’t believe the way every woman in town falls at Luke’s feet, including her suddenly flirtatious sister. But when she sees him naked in the bathtub, she finds herself swooning over him too. If only she could wash the muck of her face and show him who she really is…

As for Luke, he has no idea that the ragtag boy in his care is none other than the woman of his dreams. But when circumstances connive to throw Luke and Alex into each other’s arms, their relationship becomes very complicated indeed. In fact, with the brutal Silas Grady in pursuit, keeping their secret becomes a matter of life and death…

 

 

Review:

Bound for Eden by Tess LeSue is the first book in her new Frontiers of the Heart series. Bound for Eden is a western historical romance that was an enjoyable, fun story with some witty humor.   Alexandra Barratt, our heroine, is on the run with her two younger siblings; Victoria and Adam. Having survived the death of their parents, Alex has been pressured by the bad neighboring brothers, who are trying to force her to marry one of them; but they are evil, and bad to the bone.  Alex manages to steal some money from those Grady brothers, and escapes with her siblings to join a wagon train.   She knows the Grady brothers are looking for two girls and boy, so Alex disguises herself as a boy to throw them off.

Luke Slater, who is ready to go home, after a long trek to buy an Arab horse, he meets the boy (Alex) and willingly takes him under his wing, advising him to purchase a wagon and horse to move west.  Before they go, Alex gets to see more then she bargained for in Luke Slater, as it seems that every woman throws themselves at him, as he is a known womanizer.  Luke enjoys the attention, especially in the whore house he visits, where he meets the woman of his dreams (Alex after she cleans up, and calls herself another name), but she manages to run away before he can find out who she is.  Alex finds herself falling for the hot gorgeous Luke, but unfortunately, so does her sister, Victoria.   Alex must keep her disguise and secret, as Victoria throws herself at Luke.

When the Grady Brothers come close to finding them, Luke will step in and help them, thinking that it is Victoria who they want.  They all manage to escape and the wagon train moves west. 

What follows is a sweet adventure with some danger, excitement and the humorous banter between Alex and Luke.   The battle with the Gradys escalates, as they attack the wagon train.   When they are caught and arrested, Alex, Victoria, Adam and Luke feel safe, but the danger will rise again. 

I really liked them together, but this went on a bit too long & I found myself anxious for Luke to wake up and see what others could see; the woman who calls to his heart.  When his brothers find the pretty Alex very attractive, Luke’s anger keeps him at a distance from Alex, who truly does love him; but Luke was blinded by his anger.   The exciting climax, where both lives are in danger and hanging a thread, had me holding my breath to see if they would survive. 

It was a very intense finish, but satisfying finish.  Bound for Eden was a sweet fun historical western that was exciting, suspenseful and humorous, with a great couple and perfect blend of romance.  I suggest you read Bound for Eden, which was very well written by Tess LeSue.    I look forward to the next book by Tess LeSue.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

Hi Tess. Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions today.We are always looking forward to reading about the author behind the book. 

 

Tess: Thank you so much for inviting me along!

 

 

 

TRC:  Would you please tell us something about yourself? 

Tess: I’m a book-addict and working mum who lives in Adelaide, which is the capital of South Australia. I teach Creative Writing and Literature at Flinders University and I write fiction and non-fiction. For fun I like anything to do with food and wine. South Australia is magnificent wine country; we have wineries in the Clare Valley, McLaren Vale, the Barossa Valley, and the Adelaide Hills, and I can’t think of anything better to do on a day off than to go on a winery tour. I love swimming at the beach in summer and skiing in the Australian Snowy Mountains in winter, and I’m a total Zumba-tragic year-round.

TRC:  When and how did you first become interested in writing? 

Tess:  I’ve always written, even before I could technically write. The first book I ever ‘wrote’ was a re-telling of Cinderella. My mum wrote the words out for me, we stapled the pages together and I illustrated it. Even then, romance was my favorite genre. I wrote stories all through school, and then branched out into writing plays in high school and short film scripts at film school. When I was a teenager I wrote a serial story about a girl named TJ Walker, and my entire class passed it around. It was like a soap opera – it used to end on cliffhangers – and the girls in my class used to pressure me for new installments. I remember writing until I got a callous (this was in the pre-computer days). It was nice to have readers and it taught me early on that even if you’re not published, you can always find readers. Because I’ve always read widely (I used to read everything from Alexander Solzhenitsyn to Johanna Lindsey) I wrote widely too. I wrote fantasy and historical fiction, horror and romance. But always more romance than anything else. Writing is a lot like reading to me, only slower. I fall into a whole different world, and it’s just magical.

TRC:   How did you come up with the idea of writing a Western Historical Romance, and your Frontiers of the Heart series.

Tess:  Historical Romance is my drug of choice. I adore it. And it’s my favorite thing to write in the entire world. When I first started writing, I tried out lots of different time periods – including Regencies, obviously, because they’re so popular (and I love them as much as anyone). But it wasn’t until I started writing Bound for Eden that I really fell in love. The heroine, Alex, just popped into my head one day, and she was so sassy and feisty that I was dying to tell her story. And what I loved about Westerns when I started writing them was that they’re so rough and ready and the characters could be so quirky. These are people who don’t fit (for one reason or another) and so strike out for new places, to build new lives. Best of all, the heroines can do everything the heroes do! There are fewer social constraints. There are no ballrooms and fancy gowns and fine manners. The women on the frontier had to be physically able and mentally strong. They were brave and bold and they got down in the muck with the boys. Which can be so sexy. And I love the wide open spaces and the grand sense of adventure.

TRC:  With Bound for Eden released yesterday, can you please give us a brief description of this book?

Tess:  Alexandra Barratt is responsible for her foster brother and sister and when they find themselves targeted by the Grady brothers,  she takes them West, where she assumes they’ll be safe. Unfortunately the Gradys follow. That’s where the fun really begins as, to hide, Alex disguises herself as a boy and signs her family up on a wagon train to Oregon, captained by the irresistible Luke Slater. Luke is tall, dark and too flirtatious for his own good, in Alex’s opinion. As they travel across the country, Alex is the first woman to get to know the man behind the flirt – only because Luke doesn’t know she is a woman. Bound for Eden is a rollicking adventure of mistaken identities and raunchy good fun.

TRC:  You also write as Amy T. Matthews.  What genre do you write under this name?

Tess:  I write historical fiction under Amy T Matthews too, but it’s darker and grittier and more confronting. My novel End of the Night Girl is about a woman who is haunted by the ghost of a murdered Polish Jew. It shifts back in time between the present and the Holocaust, in the 1940s. I also write non-fiction and scholarly articles under the name Amy T Matthews.

TRC:  Can you please tell us what you are working on now, and what you have upcoming in 2018/2019?

Tess: The rest of 2018 is all about the Slater brothers. Bound for Sin is out in September and is about Luke’s not-so-little brother Matt and how he gets tangled up with a widow looking for a mail order groom. And in December 2018 Bound for Temptation will be released, which features the middle Slater brother, Tom, and his adventures with a nun (who might just be a whore in disguise). In 2019 I’m hoping you’ll get to meet the mysterious Deathrider again, and the woman who makes his life an unholy misery (before she gives him a happily ever after!).

TRC:  What is your writing process?  Do you like to outline your story before you start? Do you have a specific place you like to write?  Is there a special time of day that works best for you? 

Tess: My writing process is a mix of utter drudgery and moments of joy. When I’m working on a book I try to write every day; I force myself to sit in the chair until something happens. Generally, I do a bit of pre-writing planning but I’m mostly an organic writer. I know the characters’ names and a bit of backstory when I start and generally I’ll have an idea of one or two big plot points, but otherwise I just follow along behind the characters, watching what they do. I don’t have a set place to write, I move around. I like to sit at the kitchen table if I’m writing during the day, as we have big windows to the garden and it’s nice to sit in the sun, but I also have a study (which is cosy and dim and nice when I’m writing an intense scene) and sometimes I also write in bed (usually when things aren’t going well!). I work full time and have kids so my routine is pretty busy; it’s hard to section off regular times to write. I tend to just write when I can. Right after the kids go to school in the morning is a productive time if I can do it, but generally I get the most done at night, when everyone is in bed and the house is quiet.  

TRC:  When you are not writing, what other interests or hobbies do you have?

Tess: I don’t get much free time, to be honest. If I’m not working, I’m writing. Aside from food, wine, and Zumba, I read a lot and I love film. My second degree was in film (my first – surprise, surprise – was in history and literature). I find it hard to sit still, so I’m usually doing something while I watch. I make patchwork quilts by hand (that sounds crazy, I know, doing the whole thing by hand, but I find it’s a Zen experience). I just finished a quilt for my daughter, made from tiny squares in shades of blue and green, and it took me eleven years from start to finish (Zen…). Now I’m starting one for my partner in Matisse colors. This all makes it sound like I’m indoors all the time… but I love nature and love my garden and try to get out in the world as much as I can to watch the sunsets and enjoy the seasons.

TRC:   Would you like to add anything else? 

Tess: Just that it’s been an absolute pleasure – thank you so much for having me along!
TRC:  Thank you, Tess for answering our questions. We wish you the best of luck with Bound for Eden.

Tess:  Thank YOU!

 

Tess’s publisher is offering a paper copy of BOUND FOR EDEN to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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7. Giveaway open to USA only

8. Giveaway runs from May 3-7, 2018

 

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