Book Releases

Holding On (Colorado High Country #6) —
The Colorado High Country series returns with Conrad and Kenzie's story.

A hero barely holding on…

Harrison Conrad returned to Scarlet Springs from Nepal, the sole survivor of a freak accident on Mt. Everest. Shattered and grieving for his friends, he vows never to climb again and retreats into a bottle of whiskey—until Kenzie Morgan shows up at his door with a tiny puppy asking for his help. He’s the last person in the world she should ask to foster this little furball. He’s barely capable of managing his own life right now, let alone caring for a helpless, adorable, fluffy puppy. But Conrad has always had a thing for Kenzie with her bright smile and sweet curves. One look into her pleading blue eyes, and he can’t say no.

The woman who won’t let him fall…

Kenzie Morgan’s life went to the dogs years ago. A successful search dog trainer and kennel owner, she gets her fill of adventure volunteering for the Rocky Mountain Search & Rescue Team. The only thing missing from her busy life is love. It’s not easy finding Mr. Right in a small mountain town, especially when she’s unwilling to date climbers. She long ago swore never again to fall for a guy who might one day leave her for a rock. When Conrad returns from a climbing trip haunted by the catastrophe that killed his best friend, Kenzie can see he’s hurting and wants to help. She just might have the perfect way to bring him back to the world of the living. But friendship quickly turns into something more—and now she’s risking her heart to heal his.

In ebook and soon in print!


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I grew up in Colorado at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, then lived in Denmark and traveled throughout Europe before coming back to Colorado. I have two adult sons, whom I cherish. I started my writing career as a columnist and investigative reporter and eventually became the first woman editor of two different papers. Along the way, my team and I won numerous state and several national awards, including the National Journalism Award for Public Service. In 2011, I was awarded the Keeper of the Flame Lifetime Achievement Award for Journalism. Now I write historical romance and contemporary romantic suspense.

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Seductive Musings

Friday, February 26, 2010

Final Countdown: 4 is for...



I’ve decided to do a different kind of countdown. For each of the four remaining days, I’ll post that number — and how it relates to the novel in some way. Think of it as Sesame Street for romance readers.

There are four days till Naked Edge hits bookstore shelves, so today’s blog is brought to you by the Number 4.

Four is for...

The Four Directions and Native ways of life





Native traditions and culture make up a big part of this story. If the love story between Kat and Gabe is the beating heart of the story, then Native traditions and ways of life are its soul.

This image above depicts a medicine wheel, representative of many things — among them, the circle of life; the hoop that ties all living things together in existence, and the Four Directions. Different Indian nations have different meanings for each of the Four Directions, and I've seen different spiritual leaders assign different colors to every direction but one: East.

East, which is always yellow, is sacred to many Native culture. Among the Navajo, East is a sacred direction. When they awake in the morning, many traditional Navajo offer a bit of corn pollen to the East or say a prayer or sing a song to the east. Some run toward the east. During her kinaalda (puberty rite), a young woman runs to the East every day. Hogaans are "sung into being" with the door facing east. When women give birth, they face the East. When offering of tobacco is made to the Four Directions, it is first offered to the East.

The heroine of Naked Edge, Kat James is Navajo and grew up in her grandmother's hogaan on the reservation near K'ai'bii'tó in Arizona. She had no electricity or running water and spent her time when she wasn’t in school helping her grandmother by herding and shearing sheep, planting and harvesting corn, and carding wool. She lives a traditional Navajo life — with her share of hardship and heartache.

When she leaves the reservation and moves to Denver to work on the I-Team, she's far away from the songs and ceremonies that are a part of traditional Navajo life. But she's taken under the wing of a Hunkpapa Lakota medicine man and joins in Lakota ceremonies, like so many other displaced Native people of all Indian nations.

Kat's beliefs guide her actions in life. She wants to walk a good path, to walk in Beauty, even though living a good life isn't necessarily easy. She plans to remain a virgin until she meets her true "half-side" — her perfect matching male half.

From the moment she sees Gabe until the last page of the epilogue, Kat holds true to her beliefs, perhaps one reason why she is, in my opinion, the strongest heroine I've ever written. She's not a "kick-ass" heroine, but in her own quiet way she is utterly indomitable, drawing her strength from a deep knowledge of who she is.

It's this very quality that Gabe senses. A man who believes in nothing, he is drawn to her rock-solid goodness and her spiritual strength. In the end it is her inner strength that saves him.

Tomorrow, we look at Number 3... and the power of three friends — Gabe, Marc and Julian — and how they come together to save a woman who is special to all of them.

8 comments:

Amanda said...

Only 4 days!! Its getting close bet you're really excited.
What a great post Pamela really like the countdown concept idea for the posts.

Debbie H said...

If only society held to these ways. I still feel there is some Indian in me, even though I have yet to prove it.

I love Kat. Yes, she is quiet, but she is strong in a different way and that is what draws Gabe to her.

I love the Sesame Street Count for romance readers. LOL

Wow... four days left!!!!!!!!

Kara C said...

I love Sesame Street! LOL
Kat sounds so great. Personally, I'm not that drawn to the 'kick ass' heroine. That may put me in the minority, but so be it. Strength in the heroine is great though, and it seems Kat has plenty of that.
Can't wait to see how Kat and Gabe work through their apparent differences. Well, and to hear from Hunt again is always a plus!
Have a great weekend!

Hi, Amanda — Yep, just four days. Well, less than that now. I STILL don't have my author copies. I'm so bummed. If I did, I'd be giving books away now. Glad you enjoyed the post.

Hi, Debbie — I know what you mean. As for Indian blood, what matters more is connection — being connected to your own beliefs and staying true to them. Most of us know what we believe, but we don't act on it.

And, hey, thanks for the very lovely birthday card, Debbie.

Hi, Cecile — Not long now. :-)

Hi, Kara — I'm not much into true "kick-ass heroines" myself. I've read novels where I've wondered what the hero was for, besides sex. I may be old fashioned or silly, but I still place a very high value on femininity. It's a special quality that I like my heroines to embrace.

JennJ said...

YAY love the countdown and getting to know more intimate details of the culture that makes up Kat's beliefs. She is amazing and Gabe is just *dreamy sigh*

Debbie H said...

You're welcomed, PC! ;)

Mary G said...

Love the dreamcatcher.

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