One book that you might say that I have read, because I am writing it, is Love Blossoms on Snowy Mountain. I'm gonna give you guys a sneak peak into it today. First comes the back cover blurb....
William Clark's life in a isolated valley between mountains is perfect. But when he finds a woman lying unconscious in the snow on Christmas Eve, his entire world is turned upside down. As the winter passes, he gets to know Claire. But when they go to town in the spring, he learns a secret that turns his world upside down again. Will the secret that William learns force them apart, or can love really blossom on Snowy Mountain?
And now for the first page...
William Julius Clark was up before the sun rose, as he always was. He shivered in the cool air as he reached for his boots. The nights had been getting noticeably colder recently, a sure sign that winter was on it's way. He sighed happily in the darkness as he shrugged his coat on. He loved winter, because then no one could get to him in his little valley between the mountains after the snow filled in the passes.
As William walked to the barn, he smelled snow in the air and quickened his pace. He walked down the aisle quietly, but not quietly enough. Cayenne Pepper poked his head out of the stall and whinnied.
“Cayenne Pepper, I swear, you have got to be part hog, you eat so much! Someday you're gonna eat yourself to death if I don't watch you.” William slapped the horse's neck affectionately before continuing on to the feed room. He frowned as he realized that he was running low on feed, but kept on measuring out the right amount of grain. C. P. nickered as he heard the feed being poured into a bucket and snorted indigently when William teased him with the bucket, keeping it just out of reach and moving it constantly. William laughed and gave Cayenne Pepper the feed. He watched until the horse plunged his face into the grain and was eating before he left the barn.
The sun was coming up, casting it's glow around the mountains and making it seem like they were on fire. William quickened his pace, for he knew with a sense of urgency that he had to make his yearly trip across the mountains, and that he had to start today, or tomorrow at the latest.
The wood that William brought in thumped and clattered into the hearth, and he reached for the coffee pot and bounded out the door, returning in less then a minute with a pot full of water. He swung the pot over the fire, which by now was blazing and heating the cabin up, and stirred up some flapjacks while he waited for the coffee to boil. He made a metal list of what he would need to get, then got out precious paper and carefully wrote it down.
“Lets see. I need feed for the horses, coffee, sugar, flour, salt, tea,” here William paused and rolled his eyes, wondering why he ever got tea when he only got visitors every couple of years. “... probably ought to pick up some rope, extra bridles, halters, and a big bundle of leather. And,” he said, glancing down at his boots, “better pick up a couple pairs of boots.”
That done, William ate and headed out the door, grabbing his coat as he went. Today promised to be chilly, and he had to get all the horses to the west pasture before he could leave.
“Come on C. P., lets go round up those horses.” William settled the saddle into place and tightened the cinch. Cayenne Pepper fidgeted as he stepped into the saddle and William smiled, “You want to run, eh, boy? Don't worry, you'll get a chance to run today. Now lets go.” the horse needed no urging to set off at a lope to the farthest pasture, the one that the horses were kept in during the majority of the spring and summer. They had been riding for less then an hour when they came upon the first of the bands that roamed the big pasture. William smiled when he saw the sleek, fat horses, many with young colts running alongside them. He would be busy this winter and well into next spring, breaking in the young colts. He nudged Cayenne Pepper with his heels, and the huge black sprang forward, neighing happily to the other horses. They snorted and milled around for a minute before settling down again. William shook out his whip with a resounding crack and started to herd the horses towards the run of fences that led to the west pasture, the one closest to the cabin. As soon as they were all in, he closed the gate with a clang and whirled to find the other bands.
By the end of the day, William was tired but happy. He had managed to get all the bands into the run, and from there the work was easy. Then all he'd had to do was herd the horses forward and keep them moving at a fair pace until they got to the west pasture. There they spread out, forming back into bands and claiming territory. William took care of Cayenne Pepper before watching the horses and the sunset.
Before he fell into bed, he put together a pack of food, a couple blankets, and a change of clothes.
And here is inside the front jacket...
William felt his breath catch in his throat, for they were in the exact same spot were he had found Claire less then a week ago. She looked at him, and he said, his throat strangely dry, "I found you right underneath that tree.” he pointed to the weeping willow, “You had a fever when I found you. There was a burlap bag lying next to you that had, at one point, contained food.”
"I can barely remember coming into this circle of trees, but I can remember thinking that at least I would have a bit of protection from the snow.” Claire said as she slipped off Cayenne Pepper's back and walked forward towards the tree. The wind shifted suddenly and both Blue Jay and Cayenne Pepper snorted nervously.
"Claire!” William shouted, but too late, for the huge mountain lion was already barreling down on her.
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