Cowboy Firefighter Christmas Kiss

Cowboy Firefighter Christmas Kiss will be released in November. I’m so excited about it. Here’s what Publishers Weekly said: “With a little help from Fernando the bull, an overabundance of sweetness, and a healthy dose of mischief, this Christmas story is certainly memorable.”

When Ivy Bryant arrives at Wildcat Hall, she goes from website designer by day to honkytonk manager by night. How to handle it all? Enter Slade Steele—rancher, firefighter, and proprietor of the Chuckwagon Café—who offers his services. Add his award-winning pies and a fiery chili recipe with chocolate to the menu, and folks will stream in the front door. It’s an offer Ivy can’t refuse, even though the passion between them is already at the boiling point.

Excerpt from Cowboy Firefighter Christmas Kiss

As Ivy Bryant stood on her tiptoes with arms raised to toss decorative tinsel over deer antlers on the wall above her head, she heard the side door that led to the Wildcat Hall’s beer garden open and boots hit the floor with a determined stride.

     “We’re closed!” she hollered, not bothering to look over her shoulder. “Come back next week.”

     “You look like you could use a little help,” a man said.

She froze with her hands in the air as she felt the deep male voice with that melodic, slow cadence of a born-and-bred Texan strike her body and go deep, as if she’d been pierced by a flaming arrow. Talk about red-hot. She tried to shrug off the heat, but the chair shifted under her, making her sway.

“Easy does it,” he said. “Chairs have a way of pretending they’re bulls sometimes.”

“Bulls?” She didn’t know whether to laugh at the joke or appreciate he’d tried to make her feel better about almost toppling to the floor. Still and all, if she’d known she was going to have company, she’d have put on something besides formfitting yoga pants and top in hot pink with black trim. He was getting an eyeful.

“In my case, I always tried to pretend bulls were chairs.”

“How’d that work out?” She eyed the antlers, mind half on her next throw and half on the amusing man behind her.

“About like you can imagine.” He sighed, as if life had been unfair. “I finally had to give up bulls for chairs.”

“I bet the bulls were grateful.” She definitely wanted to see the face that went with the voice, but she wanted to finish her task more.

“Yeah…but I’ve broken a few chairs.”

“Maybe even one of the chairs here in the honkytonk.”

     “Might be. Looks like your chair is keeping an uneasy peace with the floor

“That’s one way of putting it.” She rose to her tiptoes again, trying one last time to get the tinsel to disobey the laws of gravity.

“Let me help.” He spanned her waist with large hands and lifted her so she could easily reach the antlers.

She caught her breath in surprise at his strength—and his boldness. But she wasn’t looking a gift horse in the mouth. She quickly twined the antlers with red tinsel until they looked festive for the holidays.

     “Pretty,” he said.

     She shivered in response. What had gotten into her? She should be struggling to get away. Instead, he was revving her up with his hot hands.

     “Got any more tinsel to put up?” he asked in a deep voice gone husky. “I could hold you all day and into next week.”

     “I suggest you put me down before you get into trouble.”

     “If you’re the one handing out trouble, I’d wait in line to get it.”

     She couldn’t help but chuckle because he was laying it on thick in that teasing way Texas men would do to get them out of problems with women. “Better put me down before your arms give out.”

     “Not a chance. You’re light as a feather.”

     She laughed harder. “Guess some women would fall for that one. What are you selling?”

    “As a matter of fact, I’m here to help you, but you might consider it selling to you, too.” He gently set her down so her feet were steady on the floor, and then he stepped back.

     She turned to face him—and felt her breath catch in her throat at the tall hunk of a cowboy. He wore pressed Wranglers that accentuated his long legs and narrow hips, with a wide leather belt sporting a huge rodeo belt buckle. His blue-and-white-striped, pearl-snap shirt tucked neatly into the waistband of his jeans emphasized the width of his shoulders and breadth of his chest. Blond haired. Blue eyed. Square jawed. Full lipped. He looked as if he’d been made to dazzle—and she was sud­denly and breathtakingly susceptible to every single one of his charms.

     “Whatever you’re selling, I think I’m buying.” She spoke the words with a teasing lilt in her voice and a mischievous smile on her face. Still, she meant it. And he probably knew it because he was definitely heartbreaker material. How many women had already fallen to his charms and been left in the dust? She didn’t intend to be a notch on his belt, but if she’d known leaving the city for the country paid off so well in eye candy, she might’ve followed her sister sooner.

He chuckled at her words and held out his hand with a thick, muscular wrist that came from controlling thousand-pound-plus animals. “Slade Steele. If you haven’t heard of me, maybe you’re aware of the Chuckwagon Café and Steele Trap Ranch. Family businesses. I’m not just any guy off the street.”

     “You’re definitely not just any guy.” She slipped her hand into his big one and felt him gently enclose her fingers. “Smart guy to throw a few compliments my way. Guess you’re more than a pretty face.” She tried to keep the teasing going, so their interaction stayed on a light note, but he was still holding her hand and she wasn’t pulling away and his eyes were heating up to a blazing blue fire.

“Nothing but the truth.”

“My sister Fern is the star.” She tried to tug her hand away, but he held on another long moment, nodding as if deciding something or conveying something or accepting something before finally letting go.

     He grinned with a gleam in his eyes, revealing teeth white against the tan of his skin. “Yeah, she is that…but you make the earth move.”

     “Oh my.” She returned his grin while fanning her face with one hand in that old Southern way, as if he was too hot to handle. “You really do want to sell me something, don’t you?”

     “How am I doing?”

     “Not bad.”

Smokin' Hot Cowboys series
A Cowboy Firefighter for Christmas (Book 1)                                                                
Blazing Hot Cowboy (Book 2)
A Very Cowboy Christmas (Book 3)
Hot for a Cowboy (Book 4)

Cowboy Firefighter Christmas Kiss (Book 5)

Kim Redford is the acclaimed, bestselling author of Western romance novels. She grew up in Texas with cowboys, cowgirls, horses, cattle, and rodeos for inspiration. She divides her time between homes in Texas and Oklahoma, where she’s a rescue cat wrangler and horseback rider—when she takes a break from her keyboard. Visit her at http://www.kimredford.com

Kim Redford Has Fun at the Dallas Fantasy Fair

Wish y’all had been with me at the revived Dallas Fantasy Fair just after Thanksgiving this year. I signed books, chatted with old friends like artist David Spurlock, made new friends, and discovered DJ Larry King’s straight-up pickle juice might be a food group all on its lonesome. What’s so special about the DFF is that it combines comic book collectors, comic artists and writers, fine artists, book authors, cosplay awards, and a fortune teller, along with my favorite—carnivorous plants. What’s not to like?

Let me share some photos of my friends who made the DFF special as special can be.

I caught up with Rachael Caine, bestselling author, and artist Cat Conrad over delicious Thai food. We regaled each other with life stories—laughter and pathos all rolled into one—while talking about our upcoming books.

Michael Golden, legendary comic book artist, signed a copy of his fantastic poster of Wonder Woman for my collection. Christ Coates, terrific artist, explained how he got his Mohawk just right. Renee Witterstaetter, fabulous author, publisher, and colorist, shared stories of her world travels.

Holly Hitch, massage therapist, and Caroline Crawford, Twanda Jewelry, took a moment to pose for me while having fun at the DFF.

Over the years, I’ve shared many an interesting panel with award-winning science fiction/fantasy illustrator Brad W. Foster, so we had fun reminiscing about other conventions and what we’re currently creating right now.

 I did mention carnivorous plants, didn’t I? Here’s terrific author and plant expert Paul T. Riddell of Texas Triffid Ranch trying to lure me into taking home a carnivorous plant for my cats. Did I do it? Not yet . . . although Paul’s pretty persuasive. 

And now I’m all set to enjoy the Dallas Fantasy Fair again next year.

Smokin' Hot Cowboys series
A Cowboy Firefighter for Christmas (Book 1)
Blazing Hot Cowboy (Book 2)
A Very Cowboy Christmas (Book 3)
Hot for a Cowboy (Book 4)

Kim Redford is the acclaimed, bestselling author of Western romance novels. She grew up in Texas with cowboys, cowgirls, horses, cattle, and rodeos for inspiration. She divides her time between homes in Texas and Oklahoma, where she’s a rescue cat wrangler and horseback rider—when she takes a break from her keyboard. Visit her at http://www.kimredford.com

Kim Redford Enjoys “Christmas in the Park” at the Choctaw Nation Capitol

What fun it is to enjoy “Christmas in the Park” on the original Choctaw Nation Capitol grounds at Tuskahoma, Oklahoma, with all the colorful lights and inspirational displays that celebrate the season.

For the nightly drive-through, enter at the main gate near the two-story Council House built in 1884 and follow the trail outlined by traffic cones and barriers along a path through brightly lit arches to leaping buffalo, glowing reindeer, gingerbread houses, and all manner of other holiday delights.

The Choctaw Nation Cultural Events program plans and installs the Christmas displays, but many other employees volunteer to make this seasonal light extravaganza a much anticipated success every year. The tour is always free and open to the public from dusk to 9 p.m. through New Year’s Eve.

Choctaw Nation

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Kim Redford is an acclaimed bestselling author of Western romance novels. She grew up in Texas with cowboys, cowgirls, horses, cattle, and rodeos for inspiration. She divides her time between homes in Texas and Oklahoma, where she’s a rescue cat wrangler and horseback rider—when she takes a break from her keyboard. Visit her at Kim Redford.

Kim Redford’s Magical Autumn Getaway in Texas

Autumn is in the air hereabout, so I couldn’t resist a short trip to the rolling hills, deep woods, and blue lakes of East Texas. When I arrived at my destination, I stepped out of my car and immediately saw a small painted rock with “LOVE” written in bold letters on its flat surface. I glanced around the parking lot to see if the person who’d dropped the stone was still in the area, but the special rock and I were all alone on a sea of black asphalt.

Of course, I couldn’t leave this “LOVE” stone—already abandoned once—so I leaned down and picked it up, knowing it’d inspire me later at home while I wrote romance novels.

When I stood back up, I saw a young man in a black three-piece suit with a colorful tapestry vest coming toward me from the activities center. He pulled a black case on wheels behind him.

“Are you by any chance—” I started to ask.

“Yes, indeed,” he said, stopping for a moment. “I’m a magician.”

“I knew it!” After all, I was holding the surprise “LOVE” stone in my hand, and he’d appeared as if by magic. “I really regret I missed your show.”

“Next time,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes and a smile on his lips, then he went on his way.

And I happily went on with my Piney Woods adventure with photographs to reveal just how magical autumn can be in Texas.

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE

Kim Redford is an acclaimed bestselling author of Western romance novels. She grew up in Texas with cowboys, cowgirls, horses, cattle, and rodeos for inspiration. She divides her time between homes in Texas and Oklahoma, where she’s a rescue cat wrangler and horseback rider—when she takes a break from her keyboard. Visit her at Kim Redford.

Kim Redford Shares the Christmas Angel (and Excerpt) from A COWBOY FIREFIGHTER FOR CHRISTMAS

At Christmastime, I’ve long enjoyed setting out a blond-haired angel dressed in a white satin gown holding a golden harp in her hands. “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” plays while the angel’s arms move up and down as if she’s strumming her harp after I punch a red button on the base. I feature this angel in A Cowboy Firefighter for Christmas, particularly important after Trey dubs Misty his Christmas angel.    

Read on for an excerpt from A Cowboy Firefighter for Christmas.

On Wildcat Road, a half-naked man burst out of a pasture and ran onto the two-lane highway. He stopped on the white centerline and waved a bright red shirt back and forth high over his head.

Misty Reynolds slammed on the brakes of her SUV, caught searching for a radio station that wasn’t playing Christmas music.

She gripped the steering wheel with both hands as she screeched to a stop, managing to narrowly avoid hitting the guy. She felt her heart thump hard with the burst of adrenaline and slumped against her seat in relief, grateful she’d been able to stop in time. She forced her breath to a slower, calmer pace.

As the adrenaline rush drained away, and she was able to focus, she got a better look at the stranger and licked her lower lip. This guy was all ripped jeans, cowboy boots, and big belt buckle over buff, bronze, sweaty body. His broad, muscular shoulders tapered to a narrow waist, and his long legs looked as if they belonged straddling a horse. He reminded her of her all-time favorite candy, Texas Millionaires.

It’d been a long time since a man had set her senses on spin cycle. And she’d nearly run him over. She wasn’t sure whether to be annoyed or frightened. She felt a little shaky. Here and now was not a good time or place. Life was shaking her up enough already. She didn’t need this problem.

She was headed toward a wide place in the road called Wildcat Bluff. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex—as in big-city civilization—sprawled a couple of hours south. She had gladly left it and all the Christmas hubbub behind her. She was far away from everything now, except cattle, grass, trees. And the tan­talizing stranger. But what was going on here?

***

He ran the last few steps to her car, pulled on the door handle, and then hit the window with the flat of his hand. “Help me!” he said in a deep voice muted by the closed windows.

“Do you have a medical emergency?” She held up her phone. “No coverage.”

He frowned, drawing his dark, straight eyebrows together, as he shook his shirt at her. “There’s a grass fire!”

She realized his red shirt was blackened and burned in spots. He’d obviously been using it to beat out a fire.

Only minutes to stop it.” He glanced at her backseat, and his face lit up with happiness. “You’ve got towels!” He dropped his tattered shirt.

“Always. Just in case.” Even as the words left her mouth, panic started to seize control. Breath caught in her throat. Chills turned her cold. And she felt pressure on her chest as if from a great weight. She was terrified of fires. They ranked as even more nightmarish than Christmas, ever since that early morning when she was twelve. She stopped that thought in its tracks. No good ever came from reliving the past. Right now, she had to get out of there before a panic attack overwhelmed her. She threw her car in reverse.

“Stop! I’m Fire-Rescue.” He hit her window with the flat of his hand again.

She was startled out of backing up and transfixed by his intense gaze, pinning her in place.

“If that fire gets loose, it’ll burn across these pastures and kill cattle, horses, and wild animals. Timber will go up fast and furious. Wildcat Bluff won’t stand a chance,” the stranger shouted, pounding his fist on the roof of her car.

She felt his urgent words override her panic. She took a deep breath, then released the locks and opened her door. The scent of burning grass hit her and she reeled back against the seat. She put one hand across her nose to reduce the smell of smoke and another across her chest as if in protection.

Thank you!” He jerked wide the back door. He grabbed three towels and slammed the door shut. “Name’s Trey.”

“Misty,” she mumbled, prepared to do—well, what­ever this hot, strong guy thought she could do. He tossed a blue towel onto her lap, and flashed a quick but genu­ine smile.

“Well, come on then, Misty!” He took off toward the smoke and a break in the fence line.

***

“Fire’s out?” She wanted him to confirm what she saw with her own eyes after they’d beaten back the blaze with her towels.

“Yep. Looks good.” He scuffed his boots across the crusty grass. “Can’t thank you enough. If you hadn’t come along when you did—”

“You’d have thought of something.” She interrupted to keep him from saying another word. His melodic voice with the deep Texas drawl couldn’t help but put her in mind of hot sweaty bodies sliding across cool satin sheets.

“I needed a miracle and prayed for one the minute I saw the fire.” He walked over to her. “I heard my answer in your car coming down the highway. I headed back to the road, running flat out. And there you were in your pure white SUV, looking so cool and unafraid of the wild man pounding on your window. You had a miracle in your car. Towels. Not many people would have had them just waiting on a backseat.”

She didn’t feel so cool and unafraid. Still, his words made her thankful that she’d been able to help. “Like I said, I always do. Just in case.”

He clasped both towels in one hand, and held out the other. “Thank you. You’re my Christmas angel.”

Book #1 in Smokin’ Hot Cowboys
Warm up this Christmas with a sexy cowboy firefighter who knows how to ignite flames as well as put them out...
Trey Duval is a rancher, proud as can be of his Wildcat Ranch. He's also the top volunteer firefighter of Wildcat Bluff, Texas, the town that pulls out all the stops for its Christmas festivities.
City girl Misty Reynolds comes to Wildcat Bluff just in time to help Trey put out a suspicious fire, leading him to dub her his "Christmas angel." Unfortunately, Misty's past has left her with terrible memories of fire, and of Christmastime.
As the two are thrown together again and again, Trey finds himself wanting Misty more and more as they troubleshoot dangerous local Christmas tree fires. Though their trust grows slowly, their passion for each other is burning hot...

What people are saying about A Cowboy Firefighter for Christmas:

"The attraction between Trey and Misty is instant, scorching, and flavored with just a hint of sweet innocence. Add in the distilled essence of a perfect small town, and this tale will melt even the iciest heart."

- Publishers Weekly STARRED Review.

"Redford's novel is a fun, sexy read, one that is perfect for the upcoming holiday season." - RT Book Reviews

"With its vividly written firefighting scenes, rich cast of characters and folksy charm, A Cowboy Firefighter for Christmas will keep you warm and toasty and entertained in a big - and I mean Texas big - way." - USA Today Happily Ever After

"A COWBOY FIREFIGHTER FOR CHRISTMAS is the first book in the Smokin' Hot Cowboys series by the talented storyteller, Kim Redford. This very hot and passionate love story has everything: excitement, hot sex and suspense . . . entertaining and emotional tale that is sure to delight the reader" - Fresh Fiction

 Amazon link

Kim Redford is an acclaimed, bestselling author of Western romance novels. She grew up in Texas with cowboys, cowgirls, horses, cattle, and rodeos for inspiration. She divides her time between homes in Texas and Oklahoma, where she’s a rescue cat wrangler and horseback rider—when she takes a break from her keyboard. Visit her at  Kim Redford.

Kim Redford’s New Release: A VERY COWBOY CHRISTMAS

I couldn’t resist sharing this photo of my new Christmas romance that says a lot about what’s between the delectable covers. Read on for an excerpt from A Very Cowboy Christmas.

Sydney Steele needs to wrangle cowboy firefighters to model for her charity Christmas calendar, and Dune Barrett—who she has in mind for Mr. December—is just the man for the job.

When Sydney drove past the turnoff for Cougar Ranch, she thought about Dune living there in his cowboy cabin. Suddenly she wanted to see his place, be there with him, try out his bed. Struck by those thoughts, she realized that all her determination to keep him in the back of her mind had just gone out the window. And she didn’t even care. She just needed to figure out a way to finagle an invitation to his home.

She turned off Wildcat Road and drove under the Steele Trap Ranch sign, feeling a little burst of happi­ness. Nothing was quite as enjoyable as being on acre­age that had been in her family for generations, where there was a sense of love and continuity and heritage.

She stopped next to the farm­house. She cut Celeste’s engine and patted the leather seat next to her. She took a deep breath of the cool air scented with dry prairie grass and evergreen trees. Everything appeared to be just the same as when she’d left it early that morning. A lot had happened since that time—not the least of which was a cowboy named Dune.

She retrieved Kent’s camera and put it in her hand­bag. She quickly got out of Celeste and walked up to the house. She stepped onto the porch and was surprised to see a white poinsettia in a red ceramic pot with a large green bow sitting beside the front door. It definitely hadn’t been there when she’d left home that morning.

She opened the front door, set her purse on the entry table, and went back outside. She checked the beauti­ful plant for a note. She couldn’t imagine who’d sent it to her. She found a small gift card, slipped it out of its envelope, and caught her breath in surprise as she read aloud the message.

“Merry Christmas to the cowgirl of my dreams. xoxo, Dune.”

She clasped the card to her chest with both hands as tears filled her eyes at his touching gesture. He hadn’t forgotten her that morning as she’d worried at the photo shoot. He’d thought of her first thing, or he couldn’t have gotten the plant delivered that day. And not only had he thought of her, but he’d wanted her to know it.

She picked up the poinsettia and walked into her home. She carried the plant to her office and set it on her desk. As she ran fingertips across the delicate leaves, she realized that this plant alone could help get her through the daunting tasks ahead, and yet the biggest help of all would be Dune himself—the cowboy of her dreams.

An Amazon Best Book of the Month!

There's nothing like a firefighting cowboy to keep you toasty warm this Christmas...
Christmas is coming up, and single mom Sydney Steele is determined to make this a holiday to remember for Wildcat Bluff County. She still has to get those pesky, reluctant—and deliciously attractive—firefighting cowboys to pose for her charity calendar. They claim they're too busy pursuing an unknown arsonist to take a break.

Dune Barrett has been flirting with Sydney for months, so he jumps at the chance to give her a hand. And when he agrees to pose as Mr. December, she couldn't be happier. But to really win her over, Dune will have to convince eleven other guys from his crew to exploit their good looks for charity...a task much easier said than done.

Smokin' Hot Cowboys:
A Cowboy Firefighter for Christmas (Book 1)
Blazing Hot Cowboy (Book 2)
A Very Cowboy Christmas (Book 3)

What People Are Saying About A Very Cowboy Christmas:

“Delivers fiery passion with a country-western kick…this heartwarming tale perfectly balances sweet and sensual with just a hint of retro chic.”—Publishers Weekly

“Yee-haw! Redford is back with another smokin’-hot tale . . . It is funny, flirtatious and cute . . . a true standout!”— RT Book Reviews

“Who could resist this sweet-as-honey cowboy firefighter? Ms. Redford's descriptions of the Texas town are so vibrant, and the characters so genuinely endearing, that I embraced it all in a heartbeat.”—Fresh Fiction

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Kim Redford is an acclaimed, bestselling author of Western romance novels. She grew up in Texas with cowboys, cowgirls, horses, cattle, and rodeos for inspiration. She divides her time between homes in Texas and Oklahoma, where she’s a rescue cat wrangler and horseback rider—when she takes a break from her keyboard. Visit her at Kim Redford.

Kim Redford Attends the Choctaw Labor Day Festival

The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (Choctaw Nation) held its annual Labor Day Festival on the capital grounds of the Council House built in 1884 at Tuskahoma (Tvshka Homma), August 31 to September 4, 2017. I was happy to be there along with approximately 250,000 other folks to enjoy music, culture, food, fun, and family.

If you like country and gospel music, you were in for a real treat with great performers filling the air with music every day. I particularly enjoyed listening to the legendary Alabama on Saturday night, sitting with my cousins near the Choctaw Amphitheater while an almost-full moon glowed overhead and a slight breeze cooled my face.

Naturally, I toured the arts & crafts building, lingering over goat-milk soap, Choctaw oil paintings of traditional scenes, hand-made furniture, Western books, turquoise and beaded jewelry, hand-thrown pottery, and so much else. I resisted taking home the entire lot of gorgeous items, but it wasn’t easy.

County fair-type food was there in abundance. I enjoyed traditional Indian Tacos made with fry bread topped by meat, onion, lettuce, tomato, and hot sauce. Of course, I also had to have grilled corn-on-the-cob. If I went even more decadent like the fried cheese cake, I’ll never admit it. Let’s just say everything I tried was delicious . . . and I waited an appropriate time before venturing to the wide variety of exhilarating carnival rides. 

With so much going on for so many days, I can’t possibly pick my favorite, so I’ll just list a few of the fun events: 5K race, gourd dancing, horseshoe tournament, volley ball, basketball, fast-pitch, terrapin race, buffalo tours, art show, storytelling, rabbit stick throw, mobile library, domino/checker tournament, quilt show, bow shoot, golf tournament, Choctaw dancers, and stickball tournament. Okay, I really like to watch stickball (similar to lacrosse) partly because it’s an ancient game of the Americas that at one time was used to decide the outcome of disputes between nations.

As always happens, the festival eventually came to an end with lots of happy folks heading out to their lives across the country while knowing they’d be back in another year to celebrate together again.   

Kim Redford is an acclaimed, bestselling author of Western romance novels. She grew up in Texas with cowboys, cowgirls, horses, cattle, and rodeos for inspiration. She divides her time between homes in Texas and Oklahoma, where she’s a rescue cat wrangler and horseback rider—when she takes a break from her keyboard. Visit her at Kim Redford.