• Home
    • About Us
  • Services
  • Portfolio
    • Ghostwriting
    • Editing
    • Critiques
    • Formatting
    • My Byline
    • Testimonials
  • Free Reads
  • Reviews
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Contact
HEN HOUSE PUBLISHING
  • Home
    • About Us
  • Services
  • Portfolio
    • Ghostwriting
    • Editing
    • Critiques
    • Formatting
    • My Byline
    • Testimonials
  • Free Reads
  • Reviews
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Contact

Hens Lay Eggs

food for thought

Coming Home

9/18/2020

 

Book Of The Month
Shot from the Hip by Holly Bargo

Gunslingers, ranchers, cowboys, gamblers, and more make their appearance in this exciting collection of short stories set in the American Old West.

Author Holly Bargo takes an unflinching look at this most romanticized of American eras with bigotry, oppression, and hardship leaving their marks. Resilient and resourceful characters rise above those and other challenges with strength and, oftentimes, humor. Clean, sweet romance weaves its magic through many of the stories.

The 12 stories contained within this book were previously published, six in the collaborative collection titled Six Shots Each Gun published with Amazon bestselling author Russ Towne and six published in Holly Bargo’s own collection titled Satin Boots.
Picture

Excerpt 

​“Ma’am?” 

Hunched over as she weeded a row of carrots, Des- sie leaned back on her heels and wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her sleeve. With a sigh, she turned to look at a man silhouetted against the afternoon sky. She took in what details she could: tall, broad shoul- ders, narrow waist, long legs. He wore a pistol at each hip. Cautious, because she did not recognize this stranger, Des- sie slid one hand into her pocket for the heavy pistol she’d begun to carry when her suitors didn’t want to take no for an answer. 

“I’m not interested,” she replied, blinking against the sun. 

“I ain’t sellin’.” 

“Then why are you here?” 

“I heard tell there was a woman lookin’ to manage her daddy’s farm all by herself and thought I’d see if she needed some assistance.” 

Dessie pressed her lips together in a thin line. With her free hand, she waved to indicate her property. “I do, but I’m not looking to marry anyone just to get a helping hand.” 

The man’s white teeth flashed beneath the lowered brim of his hat. “I ain’t lookin’ to get married, ma’am. I’m lookin’ for paid work.” 

Dessie chewed on her bottom lip as she considered this new development. She most certainly could use a strong back and extra pair of hands, but she was short on resources. She decided to be honest with him. 

“I don’t have much money, mister, but I can offer you a place to stay in the barn and three meals a day. You take care of the livestock and crops; I’ll take care of the house, chickens, and garden.” The cow in the barn lowed. She sighed and added, “And I’ll milk the cow.” 

“And laundry,” the man added. “Add laundry and I’ll start this afternoon.” 

She frowned, then decided to compromise. “I’ll wash your dirty clothes with mine, but I won’t be washing extra loads just for you.” 

“Fair enough, ma’am.” 

She rose to her feet, grunting as her knees protested, and held out her hand. “Do we have an agreement, mister?” 

He took her hand and shook it. His palm was dry and dusty. He nodded and replied, “Yes, ma’am, we do.” 

Dessie gestured toward the barn. “If you have a horse, you can stable it there. I’ve got some extra stalls available. Then pick up a sickle and head behind the barn. You’ll see a field of winter wheat. It needs harvesting.” 

“Yes, ma’am.” 

“Call me Dessie. What should I call you?” “John, John McClintock.” 

She nodded at him and watched as he walked away from her, noticing the bow in his legs indicating a life spent in the saddle. She wondered just what she had welcomed into her life and hoped she hadn’t just made the biggest mistake ever. 

Comments are closed.

    Share!

    Picture

    Author

    Hard boiled, scrambled, over easy, and sunny side up: eggs are the musings of Holly Bargo, the pseudonym for the author.

    Follow
    Karen (Holly)

    Blog Swaps
    View Guest Author Posts
    Looking for a place to swap blogs? Holly Bargo at Hen House Publishing is happy to reciprocate Blog Swaps in 2019.
    For more information: 
    Email Us

    Get Your Copy of
    Hen House Publishing Blog via Email:

    Delivered by FeedBurner


    Categories

    All
    Books By Holly Bargo
    Egg Reviews
    Events
    Guest Author
    Interviews
    Mfrw
    Mfrwauthor
    #MFRWHooks
    Reviews
    #SpringfieldOHBookFair
    Status
    #WinterBookFair

    Share

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015

HOME | ABOUT US | SERVICES | PORTFOLIO | TESTIMONIALS | BOOK CATALOG | FREE READS | BLOG | EVENTS | CONTACT
Copyright © 2015 - 2023
  • Home
    • About Us
  • Services
  • Portfolio
    • Ghostwriting
    • Editing
    • Critiques
    • Formatting
    • My Byline
    • Testimonials
  • Free Reads
  • Reviews
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Contact