Spotlight & Giveaway: A MAN OF LEGEND by Linda Broday

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author LINDA BRODAY to HJ!

Hi Linda and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, A MAN OF LEGEND!

 
Thanks for coming to help me celebrate my new release, A Man of Legend. I’m so excited to get this book into readers’ hands.
 

Please summarize the book for the readers here:

Crocket Legend and Paisley Mahone were childhood sweethearts, but a family feud has ripped them apart. Paisley’s family have accused the Legends of stealing their land and now claim they poisoned their water and murdered her father. She’s been away working as a nurse for a Fort Worth doctor and boards the train to go help her brother bury their father. Crockett, a judge now, has climbed aboard the same train on his way back to the Lone Star Ranch.

The chance encounter proves two things: Paisley’s anger hasn’t cooled, and feelings for each other are still there but dormant. Crockett begs her to look at the facts with her head and not let angry words from the past determine the future. However, she refuses to listen.

Crockett knows beyond a doubt that Paisley’s brother Farrel keeps stoking the feud instead of letting it die. Farrel even poisoned their own water and Paisley’s mind. Things escalate in wake of Farrel’s burning hatred and he threatens Paisley’s life. There’s no love lost between her and her brother and she soon sees the truth. He doesn’t care who he hurts or how bad. His small son is getting sicker each day and Farrel blames that on the Legends too.

When Paisley steps in as a nurse on the Lone Star Ranch she finds crossing her brother comes at a price and barely escapes with her life taking refuge with Crockett. She immerses herself with caring for her patients.

The ranch proves to be the perfect place for starting over. The rift between Crockett and Paisley begins to close. She finds the love she once had for him is still there and knows she has to give it another chance.

But Farrel isn’t done, vowing to see her dead. To survive his wrath takes every bit of strength, cunning, and courage both her and Crockett possess. It all culminates into a night of terror with death on their coattails as they try to save her nephew and the future they both can see. But is it still too far from reach?
 

Please share your favorite line(s) or quote from this book:

“As with secrets, they eat at a man, nibbling away a bit at a time until there was little left.”

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

• I had to research so many more topics when writing this story. Some were: rattlesnake bites, casting a broken leg, how to treat gout, what to do for a severely injured back, delivering a breech baby, early oil discoveries, and poison water. Then there was the parrot. What do parrots eat? Which ones talk? This book presented so many challenges.
• This book is set right after the turn of the century, so the time period was one I’d never written. I didn’t know a lot about their clothing. I had to find out if they could have electricity in their homes and about early cars.
• Crockett is a judge which presented yet another challenge. I discovered that judges back then wielded an awful lot of power. A lot more than the modern ones. He could choose jurors, step in when there was no sheriff and take over his duties, appoint deputy U.S. Marshals, to mention a few.

What first attracts your Hero to the Heroine and vice versa?

Her spontaneous nature and willingness to take a dare attracts Crockett. He admired those two qualities when they were young, and as they’ve aged, he loves her tenaciousness and pure grit. She’s tough and goes after what she wants, letting nothing stand in the way.

For Paisley, she sees a man not easily swayed from his convictions. Crockett has honor, loyalty, and immense fairness. But maybe the biggest quality is his love of family and for the land. Crockett is steady and dependable, the exact opposite of her brother Farrel. She knows once Crockett is committed to something there is no changing his path and she admires steadfastness.

Did any scene have you blushing, crying or laughing while writing it? And Why?

In this scene, Crockett takes Paisley to meet a parrot that a friend recently sent him. Their relationship is still shaky and it takes a matchmaking parrot to nudge them a little. I just love the humor and the flirting. Casanova really helps them over the rocky ground.
Here’s a snippet of the scene:

Crockett shot Paisley a look from the corner of his eye. The breeze had loosened little sprigs of hair that curled on her forehead and around her delicate shell-like ear. Dark black lashes framed her beautiful eyes the color of sea foam. She reminded him of an exotic beauty more suited to a canvas hanging in some king’s castle.

“We’re just about there. Are you excited?” Crockett lifted his arm from her shoulders. “After all, this isn’t some ordinary bird.”

“How can I not be absolutely beside myself?”

Her droll voice made him chuckle. “Don’t go overboard with enthusiasm.” He pulled up in front of his home and jumped out. It made him happy that she waited for him to come around, but then he discovered she’d merely been gathering her satchel.

The house was silent when they entered. Maybe Casanova was asleep. Crockett led her into the kitchen and removed the cover from the birdcage. The parrot blinked and fluttered his wings.

“Hello, Casanova.” Paisley’s soft words evoked a loud wolf whistle. She cringed and stepped back.

“Kiss me, baby,” the bird squawked. “Kiss me.”

The stupid bird! Heat rose to Crockett’s face. “I’m sorry, Paisley.”

“Sorry, Paisley,” Casanova mimicked. “Sorry. Sorry.”

Riotous laughter burst from her mouth. “I love you, silly bird.”
“Love you! Love you!”

Paisley swung to Crockett. “Does he repeat everything you say?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Not always. He spends half the day arguing with me. Seems to get a kick out of proving me wrong.”

She giggled. “Who wins?”

“Not sure but I think he does.” Crockett knew he probably looked a tad sheepish, letting a bird get the best of him, but she didn’t know how irritating the parrot was. “If you’d been there, you’d understand. Casanova is mean. Sometimes he sings these naughty little ditties that just about makes even me blush.”

The parrot blinked and rubbed his head on the side of the cage. “Pretty girl. Kiss me.”

“You taught him to say that. I know you did.” Paisley shook a finger. “You’re hopeless.”

“When did I have time?” Crockett crooked an eyebrow. “He’s only been here three days. Hardly time to teach Casanova anything. I assure you he’s parroting what he learned long before arriving here.” He tilted his head and stared. “Do you honestly think I’d tell the bird to say such things?”

Paisley’s lips turned up at the corners. “Yes, I do. I wouldn’t put anything past you.”

Readers should read this book….

This story has drama, romance, and lots of heart. The parrot Casanova adds some wonderful humor. The book will put a warm glow inside and remind a reader that you have to play the cards God gives you. You shoulder through the rough parts and enjoy the good. I think the lesson in this is you can’t pick and choose the parts you want. A life is made up of all things.

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have in the works?

My next release will be in August with a shorter book called FANCY. It’s part of the multi-author Love Train series. And I’ve started a brand new series about three sisters who are outcasts because of their father’s profession. Unwanted in town and made pariah’s, they move out away from everyone and start an orphanage for children who’ve lost parents in an epidemic. I hope to announce a release date for this soon.
 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: A Print copy of A MAN OF LEGEND by LINDA BRODAY by Linda Broday

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: This book concludes the Lone Star Legends series and makes me a little sad. When you finish reading a series do you let it sit in your mind thinking about it for a few days or do you immediately hop into another book?

 
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Excerpt from A Man of Legend:

Paisley glanced up at the sky and inhaled the night air. “It’s really beautiful tonight.”

Crockett watched her. “If memory serves, this is your favorite time of the day.”

A look of surprise crossed her eyes. “You remember.”

“I have everything about you stored in my head,” he said quietly. Including the fact that she liked her steak juicy but cooked through. His hands knew the feel of her satin skin, he knew the taste of her lips, and the hunger darkening her eyes.

Pushing the heated recollection aside for the moment, he cleared his throat. “If I might interrupt your stargazing, how about a glass of wine?”

“I’d love some.” Soft laughter sprang up. “You aren’t trying to get me drunk, are you?”

Crockett lifted a sarcastic eyebrow. “You’ve become quite suspicious of me.”

“With good reason, I think. You can be pretty devious, and who knows what new tricks you learned at law school and in your courtroom.”

“You wound me, fair lady.” He uncorked the bottle and filled their glasses, raising his high. “To a beautiful woman whose light burns brighter than ever. Here’s to new beginnings.”

“New beginnings,” she murmured, clinking her glass to his.

“Paisley, I’ve been trying to keep things from getting too serious, but I have this to say, and I’ll be done.” He met the questions in her eyes. “I’m sorry for causing you hurt and for failing to support your wishes and goals. I was very wrong. I hope you can forgive me. I’m most sorry for Braxton’s death.”

“Thank you for that. But my brother did wrong. I apologize for blaming you. You were doing your job.”

He studied her face and noticed the sorrow filling her sensitive eyes. “If you’re able, can we start over with a clean slate?”

She was silent for a long moment, sipping from her glass. He held his breath for fear she’d spurn the olive branch. And if she did, he didn’t know how long it would take to try again. He just knew he wouldn’t give up.

Not on her. Not on them. Not again.

Finally, she spoke, her voice quiet. “I’d like that, Crockett. We’ve both made mistakes, not just you. I’m relieved that the anger I felt is gone, because it was eating me alive. I never want to feel that way again.” She paused and ran her tongue around the lip of the wine glass. “That being said, we shared a lot of good times, happy times that I never want to forget. I think our relationship went too fast, and then for you it became comfortable. We both had some growing up to do.”

“You are a very wise woman.” He brushed her soft cheek with his thumb.

“Crockett, this doesn’t mean I’m ready to resume what we had. That’s gone. You hurt me badly. How do I know you won’t again? One open conversation won’t fix us.”

He swallowed hard. “I understand, but it’s a start. I will win your trust back. Just don’t shut me out.”

“I won’t.” Paisley glanced down, her dark lashes fanning across her cheeks. “If we find we can go forward, we’ll make new memories because we’re different people now.” She raised her eyes that glittered with unshed tears. “I’m at a crossroads, both with you and my work. My life is uncertain.”

“Let’s take this one day at a time. Nothing has to be settled right now.” He put an arm around her shoulders. “I hate the reason that brought you back, but I’m glad you came.”

“Me too. I think I’m meant to be here. It just feels right.”

A strange spell seemed to weave around them like a golden thread, and he didn’t want to break the perfect moment. He appreciated her honesty and to know the direction of her thoughts. There was a certain release that came after clearing the air.

Finally, he moved. “I think our steaks are ready, Firefly.” He pulled out her chair.

Paisley tilted her head. “When did you first start calling me that?”

“Let’s see. I think it was the summer you turned sixteen. You loved fireflies and used to chase their blinking lights. You always said if you could be reincarnated, you’d want to come back as one.”

The bright light shining inside her was bringing joy to so many.

“I still love them. I want to teach my nephew about them, and I want him to meet Casanova. He’ll be enthralled with the parrot.”

“Bring him any time. He’s a cute kid. Too bad he couldn’t pick a father he could look up to and admire.”

“I agree.” Paisley sliced into her steak. “There’s been such a change in him already since we’ve been here. He’s opening up now that he doesn’t have to be afraid all the time.” She closed her mouth around the bite on her fork.

“Feeling safe is a wonderful thing.” Crockett waved his fork. “How’s the steak?”

“Perfection. I’d forgotten what a Lone Star steak tasted like. Melts in my mouth.”

“Holler when you want your memory jarred again.” He cut into his meat and plopped a good-sized bite into his mouth.

They talked of old times as they ate but steered clear of more soul-searching. Crockett was glad for the earlier chance to clear the air though. He’d needed the sorry-saying. That Paisley had let go of things she’d been holding onto had been welcome news.

With luck, they could forge a new path. And maybe, just maybe, if the gods favored them, somewhere along the way they could find a future.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

Crockett Legend has always loved Paisley Mahone, but a family feud sure can ruin a romance. When her father turned against the powerful Legend clan, she took her family’s side and broke Crockett’s heart into pieces. Now her father’s dead and Paisley and her last remaining brother are convinced the Legends are to blame.

If only he can find a way to prove his innocence…

A chance meeting throws the two warring hearts together, and when their train is held up by outlaws, Crockett and Paisley have to team up to save a young boy from dying. A tenuous truce is born. Together they may have a chance of bringing the truth to light…if they can get to the bottom of who’s been trying to turn the two powerful families against each other. With so many secrets to unbury, it isn’t long before Paisley finds herself in the crosshairs, but Crockett vows there’ll be hell to pay if anyone hurts the woman he loves—or stands in the way of a Legend in the making.
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Meet the Author:

I’m a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of full-length western romance novels and short stories. Watching TV westerns during my youth fed my love of cowboys and the old West and they still do. On a still day, I can often hear the voices of American Indians, Comancheros, and early cowboys whispering in the breeze here on the high West Texas plains. We refer to this land as “cowboy” country and men here still ride the range just as cowboys of old. My stories focus on family life and almost all have children. In my family, I’m the storyteller who loves keeping history alive and making sure it doesn’t get lost. I have three grown children who call me Mom, five grands, and one little great grandson who is never still.
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