New Release -- THE FLIGHT OF LYDIA GRIMM by Richard Prosch

Jo Harper Book 9

Jo Harper and her sidekick, Frog Beemer, are on their way to the movie in small-town Willowby, Wyoming. Beautiful Hollywood heroine, high-flying Lydia Grimm, is Jo’s role model—and she’s sat through Lydia’s latest movie, Wings Aflame! countless times. The only thing that can stop Jo and Frog from sitting through it again is the real thing—wings aflame—right over their heads!

Fantasy becomes a flaming reality on the Wyoming range as a burning airplane falls from the sky, and Jo and Frog grab their horses and ride to the scene of the disaster to help.

But when Frog returns to Willowby for help, Jo is held at gunpoint by the German pilot who has survived the crash!

All bets are off when Jo learns that her captor is involved with the very star she idolizes—Lydia Grimm! Lydia’s in danger, but it’s up to Jo to figure out why—and she’s determined to get to the bottom of this deadly mystery.

Will Frog return with help in time to save Jo? Can Jo unravel the mystery she’s caught up in? With a madman on the loose, Jo has no choice but to join in THE FLIGHT OF LYDIA GRIMM…

EXCERPT:

     “I’d swear that was the sound of a gasoline engine,” said Frog. “Listen! There it is again.”

     “It is a gas engine, but it’s no car,” said Jo, grinning.

     She pointed to the sky.

     “An airplane!” said Frog.

     It was extremely rare to see an airplane in the clear sky above Willowby, but to see one at night, just after she’d been talking about flying, was an exciting change of pace from a typical weekend night. Jo watched the dimly lit shadow putter along the blue horizon. Jo couldn’t help but think how lucky she was to be growing up in such a time as this, when, after centuries of trying, people flew through the air like birds.

     And just like that, something that sounded like a loud firecracker went off above them and the airplane motor started to whine.

     “It’s coming down! The airplane is coming down,” said Jo, pointing at a spark of light falling out of the purple night toward the dark shadows of nearby Autograph Rock. “She’s on fire!”

     “She?”

     “Hurry! Grab a horse and let’s ride!”

GET THE ENTIRE JO HARPER COLLECTION! Books 1-4 are available in the FINDING THE SKY set, and ON SOLID GROUND contains books 5-8! You will want them all!

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#NewRelease: The Saga of Indian Em'ly — 99-cent Boxed Set

Twelve-year-old Wind That Knocks Down Lodges loves his little sister, Cactus Flower, and the wildness of the desert canyonland the Apache call home. But in one night of misunderstanding and mistakes, Knocks Down and Cactus Flower’s innocent world is shaken as they find themselves locked in the nearby fort with the pale face soldiers and their mother’s lifeless body. With no one to lean on but each other, Knocks Down and Cactus Flower must make their way as children of The People in the pale face world—pale faces who have now become the enemy.

After finding themselves at the mercy of the Army, far from Apache Territory and well on the trail to Colorado, Knocks Down must bring himself to trust the soldier Pale Face Joe. But Joe disappears, and when ordered to dispose of the children or else, the other Army soldiers waste no time in depositing them at the nearest Catholic orphanage.

They manage to escape the evil orphanage along with a new pale face friend, Kid McCoy. But they are set upon by a gang of murdering claim jumpers who steal Cactus. With Kid McCoy’s help, Knocks Down goes after her. When they encounter a soldier who was responsible for their mother’s death, they realize he’s set on seeing them dead, as well. How can a boy defeat a battle-hardened soldier? Just when Knocks Down is about to give up, the biggest surprise of all changes everything…


The Saga of Indian Em'ly Books 1-4 is a tale of bold adventure Middle Grade readers won't be able to put down. At only 99 cents, it's a bargain.


Excerpt:

Something wasn’t right. The night animals ceased their songs in unison, and another troublesome cloud shrouded the moon. An icy shiver trickled down my backbone to the tune of silence. The happy drumming coming from the camp, telling the world of the birth of Red Lake’s firstborn son, had slowed to a stop. I froze, pulling Cactus Flower back onto her bottom. She rose from the hard-packed earth, her bottom lip puffed out and her inky eyebrows knitted together above her eyes. Before she could open her mouth to speak, a flock of beating wings sent me cowering, nose first, into the dirt beside her.

“Knocks Down, why did those birds –”

Instinctively, I slapped my hand over her mouth, taking care enough to be gentle. No sooner had she quieted, than another sound echoed through the solemn night air.

“Halt! Who goes there?”

I slipped my finger over my lips, wordlessly instructing Cactus Flower to remain silent. She nodded and I removed my hand from over her mouth.

Now Available

Fabulous Five: Five novels for Middle Grade Readers -- Boxed Set Only 99 Cents

THE PHANTOM RANGER AND THE SKATEBOARD GANG—James And Livia Reasoner

The Texas Rangers’ job is to protect, so when Ranger Jackson’s great-great-great granddaughter needs help, he reports for duty! But how can Codi explain her ancestor’s ghost to her history project partner—and her dad?

Waiting For a Comet (Jo Harper Book 1)—Richard Prosch

Halley’s Comet brings a surprise Jo Harper never expected! Action, humor, and real life history combine for an exciting mystery about one girl’s summertime quest for family, friendship, and justice on the windburnt Wyoming range at the dawn of a new century.

Racing a Dog Star (Jo Harper Book 2)—Richard Prosch

Flung headlong into the Dog Days of summer by multiple mysteries that may or may not be related, Jo Harper and Frog Carpenter face them together and solve them! In this sequel to WAITING FOR A COMET, Jo, Frog and sure-shootin' lady Constable Abby Drake return for another visit to the exciting town of Willowby, Wyoming in the hot, dry summer of 1910.

The Apache and the Pale Face Soldiers (The Saga of Indian Em’ly Book 1)—Sara Barnard

With no one to lean on but each other and the fragile balance between the Apache and the soldiers irreparably upset, an Indian war begins. Knocks Down and Cactus Flower must make their way as children of The People, the Comanche,  in the pale face world – pale faces who have now become the enemy.

On the Colorado Trail (The Saga of Indian Em’ly Book 2)—Sara Barnard

After a dangerous failed attempt at escape by Knocks Down and his sister that leaves Cactus Flower injured, can Knocks Down bring himself to trust the soldier, Pale Face Joe? His life depends on it, and his little sister's does, as well!

Now Available

#NewRelease -- The Saga of Indian Em’ly Book 4: The Journey Home by Sara Barnard -- #Giveaway

BLURB
Twelve-year-old Knocks Down and his little sister, Cactus Flower, manage to escape the evil orphanage along with a new pale face friend, Kid McCoy. But once they escape, they are set upon by a gang of murdering claim jumpers who steal Cactus and leave Knocks Down for dead. 

Determined to find his little sister, Knocks Down gets to the nearest town where they’ve taken her, only to discover she has been sold as a slave! With Kid McCoy’s help, Knocks Down goes after her. Escaping once more, they encounter an old nemesis, a soldier from the nearby fort that was responsible for their mother’s death—and he’s set on seeing Knocks Down and Cactus Flower dead, as well. 

How can a boy defeat a battle-hardened soldier? Just when Knocks Down is about to give up, the biggest surprise of all changes everything on THE JOURNEY HOME…

EXCERPT
    The day passed quickly and in relative silence until Kid realized something. “Say Chief, where is it we’re headed, anyway?”
    I scanned the foreign horizon, an odd feeling suddenly gripping my backbone. “South,” I whispered, “back home, to the land of the Comanche.” Without thinking, I dropped to a crouch and let every sound fade away. Chirping birds, whistling wind, even the breath of Cactus and Kid. Every sound disappeared except the one that had pricked my ear and shot the rash of tingles in the first place. 
    “Something has happened nearby.” 
    Cactus slipped her hand into mine. “I hear it, too. Let’s go.”
    Kid scratched his head. “What’d I miss? I don’t hear nothin’.”

    By the time we arrived at what was left of the pale face camp, Kid heard it too. The dog’s whimpering had grown louder with each step, and more mournful. There hadn’t been but six people in camp, two of them children, and no survivors. The dog, a hulking black beast with pointed ears, low hips and a long tail, lay by the body of the girl. Whining, he licked her face and nuzzled her hands, as if trying to wake her from a deep sleep.

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#NewRelease -- Six-Gun Salad by Richard Prosch -- #FreeGiveaway

It's double-barreled excitement from Painted Pony Books with the release of the latest story in Richard Prosch's critically acclaimed Jo Harper series, SIX-GUN SALAD, as well as a free book promotion for the first story, WAITING FOR A COMET, from August 11 through August 14.

Blurb

Would you cry over spilled potato salad? Would you risk your life for it? Jo Harper can't contain her frustration when a determined Danish lawyer and a hard-headed German farmer get ready to square off with guns over just that.

But things are more than they seem, and an old-world grudge means Jo has less than 48 hours to stop certain violence between these two!

It's an Elizabethan tragedy-in-the-making unless Jo, Frog and Abby can unravel the threads of a dangerous plot that threatens to tear apart not just two families, but the entire town of Willowby, Wyoming.

Excerpt

    Having roped a goat, knocked down three dolls with a rubber ball, pitched horseshoes, and guzzled a lemon soda, Jo Harper wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead.
     Happy cries, laughter, and shouts came from voices of every age, carried on the ever-present Wyoming summer wind, and the mouth-watering smells of grilled sausages and warm rhubarb pie weren't far behind. A passel of boys played baseball to her left.
    Directly behind the church, girls skipped rope.
    A loud clank to her right signaled a new game of horseshoes was underway. It looked like everybody in the community was at the picnic, and there was no way Jo could stay still any longer.
    She was ready for her next adventure.

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Don't miss the first book in this great series, WAITING FOR A COMET, which is now free for the Kindle through August 14!

Whitman Authorized TV Editions

by Richard Prosch

 

I can honestly report that without the genius of the Whitman Publishing Company's authorized editions, and specifically the TV tie-ins, there wouldn't be a Jo Harper series of stories.

As I wrote here and here, many of the Jo's adventures find their origins in the life of my grandpa's Aunt Rose, and my own great-grandma. But those stories wouldn't be in the short, fast-paced adventure format they are without the Whitman influence.

For the folks in Racine, it started in the '40s when the authorized editions broke new ground in presenting stories to young people. As harbingers for the media savvy publishers today, Whitman realized they could cash in on the popularity of radio and movie stars by leasing the rights to them and assigning new, original stories to experienced authors. Second, they were one of the first publishers to recognize the market potentialof properties aimed at a young female audience.

Both trends continued and by the 1960s, a new line of nearly 100 titles based on TV shows was underway. Stories from The Beverly Hillbillies, Bewitched, and The Mod Squad were available next to Annie Oakley, Gunsmoke, and Have Gun Will Travel.

The first western book I ever read was Annie Oakley in the Ghost Town Secret.  Originally belonging to my aunt, I remember it being on the shelf at my grandma's house for several years before I pulled it down and read it in an afternoon. 

I've collected quite a few of the westerns and read them as an adult. I'm happy to report that the books stand up well. In no small part, this is due to Racine's wisdom in signing top notch writers to the tie-in books. 

Many of the westerns were penned by proven scribes in the field: 

Cheyenne and the Lost Gold of Lion Park and Bonanza: Killer Lion, both by Steve Frazee.

Bonanza: Treachery Trail by Harry Whittington.

The Rebel by H.A. DeRosso

Roy Rogers and the Brasada Bandits by Cole Fanin. 

And many more.

These square bound hardbacks were ubiquitous and lmost any antique store in America will have a few copies available for reasonable prices. Along with those shows mentioned above, The Rifleman, Maverick, Rin-Tin-Tin, Tales of the Wells Fargo and Wagon Train also have fine entires.

For a fascinating look at the golden era of western television, licensing, and just plain good reads, give 'em a try! 

Meanwhile, I'll be giving away a copy of the latest Jo Harper adventure, Redbuds and Bullets to a commenter. Just leave a comment for me here or at Facebook (and please message me your email address).

After growing up on a Nebraska farm, Richard Prosch worked as a professional writer, artist, and teacher in Wyoming, South Carolina, and Missouri. His western crime fiction captures the fleeting history and lonely frontier stories of his youth where characters aren’t always what they seem, and the windburned landscapes are filled with swift, deadly danger. Read more at www.RichardProsch.com

New Release -- Racing a Dog Star by Richard Prosch -- Giveaway

A free ecopy will be given to one person who comments today. Be sure to leave a way to contact you if you want to participate in the giveaway.

Blurb: 
Flung headlong into the Dog Days of summer by multiple mysteries that may or may not be related, Jo Harper and Frog Carpenter face: 

An uncanny schoolmaster! 
A bubbling, bucking Model-T! 
Rattlesnake danger! 
Old West outlaws! 
and the worst thing of all...the first day of school! 

In this sequel to WAITING FOR A COMET, Jo, Frog and sure-shootin' lady Constable Abby Drake return for another visit to the exciting town of Willowby, Wyoming in the hot, dry summer of 1910.

Excerpt:
    Right after sunrise on the first day of school, Jo Harper beamed with radiant pride while constable Abby Drake pinned a polished silver star over Jo’s heart. The deputy's badge gleamed in the early sunlight, and just to be sure, Abby bent over and breathed hard, fogging the surface before giving it a final touch with her big, red hanky. Standing tall beside Abby's oak desk, Jo dropped her chin to her neck and tried to read the badge upside down. It sure enough said "Deputy Constable."  She reached up and pinched her own ear. 
    “What’d you do that for?” said Abby.
    “Wanted to make sure it wasn’t a dream,” said Jo. 
    “How dumb is that?” said Jo’s friend, Frog Carpenter. 
    Around them, Abby's office came awake as the shadows of night melted away and the stove's iron coffee pot burped its fresh brewed fragrance into the air. Jo heard the familiar clop, clop of horses and wagons outside, taking to the streets of Willowby, Wyoming and, as befit that progressive year of 1910, she caught the sound of an automobile chugging to life in the distance.
    "You're a full-fledged deputy of the law now, Jo," said Abby. "Even if we do need to keep it between ourselves. I'm not putting it down in my log. It’s too much paperwork, and the city council would never approve a twelve-year-old girl deputy."
    Jo fought the tears coming to her eyes. She blinked hard and turned away from Abby, but the constable hooked a calloused finger on Jo's chin. Jo looked at the old woman and smiled. 
    "A good sob of joy ain't nothing to be ashamed of," said Abby.
    Abigail Drake didn't get to be as old as she was by letting things go. Jo pegged her at around sixty, but with the energy of somebody just starting out. Standing with her back to the window, Abby's windburned features were hidden in shadow. She was far from what anyone would call a ravishing beauty, especially with only one real eye—  and a second one made of glass. But Jo, whose mother died years before, saw the compassion in Abby's face. A warm smile tempered the stern discipline of her jaw and tough, long gray braid hanging over her shoulder. All the good folks in town admired Abby. And the bad people were scared of her to the worn out soles of their shoes.
    Jo wondered if she could ever command the kind of respect from both sides of the law that Abby had earned. She turned to the framed mirror that hung beside Abby's desk. Her gingham red shirt contrasted nicely with the green of her eyes. Unlike other girls on this first day of school, she wore rough beige canvas trousers. Her hair was the color of night, worn long in a sturdy braid that hung straight down her back. She took another peek at the star on her chest. "One day I'll wear this star out in the open."
    "It's best kept between you and me for now," said Abby.

Bio: 

Richard Prosch writes western crime fiction that captures the history and lonely frontier stories of his youth, where characters aren’t always what they seem and the wind burned landscapes are filled with swift, deadly danger. Richard’s work appeared in The Protectors, an anthology to benefit children; and most recently, his short story "Hester's Vanity" was featured in the hardcover anthology Rough Country from High Hill Press. His newest collection, One Against a Gun Horde is now available for Kindle at Amazon.com. His work has also appeared at Optimist International and online at Boys' Life, as well as many non-fiction print publications.

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