Book Review: Reilly’s Luck

May16 by Jeff

Author: Louis L’Amour

Number of Pages: 229 pages

What is this book about?

Reilly’s Luck is one of L’Amour’s best novels. In it Will Reilly – an honest professional gambler – becomes the guardian of a four-year old boy named Valentine Darrant. The duo travels the West and Europe as Will makes his living. When Will is killed, Val must make his way alone relying on the skills and judgment Will taught him.

Why should you read this book?

I started reading westerns when I was about fourteen. My dad read them so I asked him what book I should start with. He handed me Reilly’s Luck and I have to say my life has never been the same. Up until then my reading interest was predominately mountain men and western history. Louis L’Amour’s westerns gave me a much richer flavor of the Old West. Reilly’s Luck was no exception.

Reilly’s Luck contains action, adventure, good and evil. I’m betting you will enjoy it as much as I did then (and still do)…and that it just might change your life like it changed mine.

Have you read this book? If you have, what did you think?

Tahosa Treasure: Released!

Jan8 by Hannah

It’s finally here! The day we’ve been waiting for – the official release of our first book, Tahosa Treasure!

We are so excited to have reached this milestone. And, although lot of hard work is behind us, we know that this release is really just the beginning of the work.

Stories don’t tell themselves. They must be told. That’s what we have done through Tahosa Treasure and hope to do with the rest of the Talon Family Series.

We believe very strongly in the message of our book: trusting God when all seems lost. We believe our society – and especially young men – need more books like our book. They need good, clean reading that encourages them to be courageous and strong and full of integrity.

So, even though this official release date is just the beginning, we are so excited to continue working hard to tell the stories God has put on our hearts.

If you would like to pick up a copy of Tahosa Treasure, it is now available on Amazon, Kindle and Barnes & Noble.

Happy reading!!!

A New Year, A New Book

Jan2 by Hannah

Happy New Year 2013!!!

Here at Shadowtime Writers, we are expecting great and wonderful things in the coming 12 months. Tahosa Treasure is set for official release on January 8th – what a way to start off the new year! Look for it then on Amazon, Kindle and Barnes & Noble!

Our number one goal for 2013 (besides successful marketing of Tahosa Treasure) is to see the next book in the Talon Family Series – Winter Chase – published as well. We hope to have it complete and ready for release by this November.

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How?

Good question! I’ve developed a new (and highly sophisticated) approach called “Write for 30 minutes before I get out of bed every morning.” And, you know what? It seems to be working like a charm!

In fact, I predict we’ll beat our November deadline and already be starting working on the third book. Yes! A third! This is going to be one awesome series, people!

What is your number one writing goal for 2013?

Next Up

Sep26 by Hannah

Following up on my last blog post – No Time Like the Present – I’ve been tapping away on my laptop today.

I’m working on the rough draft of the second book in our Talon Family series. The working title is Winter Chase! and we are so excited to have it ready as a sequel to Tahosa Treasure.

Why is it that the first word is always the hardest to write? It is this intimidating, monster of a thing….taunting me, daring me to try to confine it to the page. That first word knows that it’s the flood gates: once it is on paper, the rest of the words pour out like a raging flood.

That first word is more than mere letters. It is a psychological battlefield, one I must win every time I put pen to paper or cursor to page.

The. That’s the first word. The great hulk that rose over me, telling me I better just give up now.

The day was perfect. That’s the first sentence. The psychological battle has been fought and won. All that for four words???

Yes. But four words that will now unleash paragraphs…and chapters…and a book.

A Title Change: Tahosa Treasure

Jul21 by Hannah

The editing phase is almost complete and we are very pleased with the final manuscript!

One big change that came out of the process is a new title. Tate’s editing team did some brainstorming and we did some brainstorming. I have to say that picking a title for a book is somewhat like naming a child. It seems like it should be easy…but it’s not.

In the end, we decided on Tahosa Tresaure. We feel this represents our story well.

So, that’s the title you’ll be seeing from now on when we refer to the book. It will also be the title to look for on Amazon, Kindle and Barnes & Noble once the book is released.

Next up: we can’t wait to see the cover design and layout for the manuscript take shape!

Little Britches: A Book Review

Jun30 by Jeff

Title: Little Britches (Father and I were ranchers)

Author: Ralph Moody

Number of pages: 260

What is this book about?

In 1906, Ralph Moody moved with his family from East Rochester, New Hampshire to a farm outside Denver, Colorado. Ralph was eight years old.

From his first day in school to helping his father make a go at farming on the high plains of Colorado, Ralph’s memory for details coupled with his down home style of telling a good story will make you wonder where the time went.

Why should you read this book?

Ralph Moody’s stories will take you back to another time when character mattered and a man’s word was his bond. He reminds me a lot of my Grandpa Roth. This book is great for youth and adults. Go for it!

Note: Little Britches is the first book in a series of books on his childhood and young adult years. All the books are a great read.

Have you read this book before? If so, what did you think of it?

Conagher: A Book Review

Apr20 by Jeff

Conagher

(Cover image via Barnes & Noble)

Title: Conagher

Author: Louis L’Amour

Number of Pages: 133

What is this book about?

Conagher is one of Louis L’Amour’s best. The setting is southwestern Colorado in the late 1800’s at a time when our country is growing. Westward lies plenty of land and if a man or woman is willing to work hard and take risks the sky is the limit.

The main characters are Evie Teale and Con Conagher. Evie is a widow, who along with her stepson and stepdaughter, run an isolated stage stop. Con is a drifting cowhand who finds himself working for a small cattle ranch battling a larger outfit for control of both land and water. Circumstances throw the two together and they soon realize they have a lot in common.