Adriana Kraft

When it's time to heat things up...

horse racing

A Pony for Christmas? Or some steamy romantic suspense horse stories? #Series #RaceHorses #RomanticSuspense #KU

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Does your little girl want a pony for Christmas?

THIS little girl did, as far back as I can remember. Or better yet, an actual horse. Growing up, I read every book I could get my hands on about horses. King of the Wind, Misty of Chincoteague, Black Beauty, books on how to ride, horse breeds, the parts of a horse, how to care for them.

I even vaguely remember a book I read as a pre-teen about a girl my age at a horse related event who talked her father into buying each of them a raffle ticket for a beautiful horse. He promised if her ticket won, she could have the horse. He left both tickets with her while he went to purchase something, the drawing was held – and she switched tickets and lied and told him she’d won. I remember she eventually broke down and confessed what she’d done; I don’t remember what her punishment was.

I could never understand in those days why my parents wouldn’t let me get a horse. We lived on seven acres – never mind that none if it was fenced, none of it was “pasture,” we had no stable, no tack – and neither of them had ever had any experience with large animals.

Mr. Kraft grew up on a dairy farm, where when he was very little, his father kept a team of matched Belgians. When his father purchased his first gas powered tractor, he kept the horses a few more years to cross-check his rows of corn as he planted. There was no way a farming family was going to keep a pair of horses just for “riding.” They had to earn their keep. But Mr. Kraft kept dreaming anyway.

So perhaps it’s no surprise that In our middle adult years, we found a way to own horses off and on. For a while, some low-end race horses, which gave us an inside view of trackside life and the horseracing industry. Later on, the Arabian/saddlebred foal in the photo above. We poured that love and that knowledge into our four-book romantic suspense series, Riders Up.

All of the main characters in this series love horses as much as we do. Each story features danger, suspense, stunning race horses, courageous heroines, and the complicated men who love them. Each can be read as a standalone. And each story is definitely steamy ~ if you do have a little girl who wants a pony for Christmas, she might have to wait a couple decades to read this series…

All four books are available exclusively at Amazon, and all are free on Kindle Unlimited:

Riders Up Series Buy Link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074CH2C33

Cassie’s Hope (Book One)

High stakes,

a fiery Irish redhead,

her stunning racehorse,

and a fiercely loyal half-blood rancher. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GDWTUGY

 

Heat Wave (Book Two)

Hang onto the land – but at what cost?

Feisty widow hires ace racehorse trainer to salvage her family’s heritage.

Can they survive escalating threats to life and limb?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JZ6GW6G

 

Willow Smoke (Book Three)

When the chips are down, there’s nobody there.

Apprentice racehorse trainer Daisy Matthews has survived the Chicago streets with this mantra but is unprepared for the much older Nick Underwood’s urgent pursuit. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N0DH13I

 

 

Detour Ahead (Book Four)

Threatened race horses,

city slicker attorney,

sexy California wrangler

—what can possibly go wrong?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RPT6YJA/

It doesn’t take any more time to dream big than small. #NewYear #Dreaming #RomanticSuspense #HorseRacing #MFRWAuthor #KU

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Happy New Year!

What are your dreams for this year? Do you even let yourself dream? I hope so.

Part of my daily practice is using the Daily Calm meditation app, first thing after I get up and start coffee. This morning’s meditation was on dreaming, and among other things, it pointed out that every new invention, every solution to every problem, has come about because somebody had a dream.

Mr. Kraft and I have been writing fiction for over two decades, published for a decade and a half. That all got started because of a dream each of us had held since childhood but never nourished until after we got together.

Each of us had also always dreamed about owning horses. As a child, I read every horse book I could get my hands on, including how to care for them, the different breeds, riding instructions, as well as all the famous children’s horse fiction, from Black Beauty to King of the Wind and Misty of Chincoteague Island.

Because we dreamed about it, we’ve been able to own horses at various points in our life; race horses in the early 90s, and a Saddlebred/Arabian gelding a decade later.

 

We pour our dreams and our hopes into our characters, so it seemed appropriate today to pull a quotation from one of them that surfaced for me after my meditation:

“Listen kid, if you hang around me much you’ll have to get used to expanding your dreams. I don’t dream small. It doesn’t take any more time to dream big than small.”

 

BLURB

When the chips are down, there’s nobody there.  Willowy blonde Daisy Matthews has survived the Chicago streets with this mantra, but she’s unprepared for the much older Nick Underwood’s urgent pursuit. The wealthy businessman receives a thoroughbred in payment for a bad debt and is thrust into Daisy’s world. She teaches him about horse racing; he teaches her about love. When Daisy’s seamy brother-in-law threatens Nick’s safety, she doggedly tries to stop him by herself, but flees to the familiar streets when he attacks. Can Nick find her in time – and if he does, will she still want him?

BUY AT AMAZON

Always free to read at Kindle Unlimited

 

End of a Dream ~ Horse Racing #BreedersCup #RomanticSuspense #KU #MFRWAuthor

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Do you follow horse racing? We do, and did even before we got together. I won’t say that’s the reason we connected, but we’ve had a fun ride indulging our passion for horses and horse racing. We have our eye on the Breeders’ Cup races at Del Mar this weekend. This headline from yesterday morning’s news brought back memories…

Favorite is scratched from Breeders’ Cup Juvenile

Jack Christopher, whose 2-for-2 record and big speed figures made him the morning-line favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, suffered a left-shin injury and will not be able to compete in Friday’s race at Del Mar. VSIN.com

A small inheritance a couple decades ago enabled us to briefly own race horses. Mr. Kraft and a trainer friend attended the Barrett’s fall sale in California and came home with two beautiful thoroughbred fillies.

Rainbow’s Legacy was stunning to watch at the barn and in the exercise ring – up on her toes, ears forward, full of energy. She knew she was top dog – you can see how alert and interested she looks in this photo with Mr. Kraft walking her. We couldn’t wait to race her.

And then came the morning we discovered she had a bowed tendon.

We know the horse who can’t run in the Juvenile can heal from his injuries – he’ll run more races, he has a chance to qualify for the Derby and Triple Crown races next year, and he’ll be able to stand at stud. All is not lost – but still, the angst and disappointment felt by all his connections who came to California with such high hopes has to be thousands of times as bad as what we experienced with Rainbow, even though her injury meant she could never race. Our trainer kept her as a brood mare, and she had three offspring who were competitive in low-end races.

We poured all the ups and downs of these experiences into our four-book Horse Racing series, Riders Up, available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited. If you love horses, romance, and suspense, you’ll love the horses, heroes, and heroines in these four stories.

Cassie’s Hope

High stakes, a fiery Irish redhead, her stunning racehorse, and a fiercely loyal rancher

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GDWTUGY

 

Heat Wave

Hang onto the land – but at what cost? Feisty widow hires ace racehorse trainer to salvage her family’s heritage. Can they survive escalating threats to life and limb?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GDWTUGY

 

Willow Smoke

When the chips are down, there’s nobody there. Willowy blonde Daisy Matthews has survived the Chicago streets with this mantra but is unprepared for the much older Nick Underwood’s urgent pursuit.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N0DH13I

 

Detour Ahead

Threatened race horses, city slicker attorney, sexy California wrangler—what can possibly go wrong?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RPT6YJA/

His eyes narrowed and then grew cold… #sundaysnippet #MFRWauthor #Giveaway #sunday8

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This month we’re giving away one autographed print copy of Detour Ahead. The giveaway lasts all month – of course, you can always read it free at Kindle Unlimited! Contest details after our Sunday Snippet.

Be sure to visit Weekend Writing Warriors to check out the rest of today’s exciting excerpts!

Book Four in our Riders Up series is the story of Cassie’s best friend, Tracy Steele. Mourning the recent death of her father and unable to concentrate in her job as a top county prosecutor in Chicago, Tracy gives in to Cassie’s pressure to take a break—for two months, in a time share north of San Diego.

Today’s except follows last week’s, in the resort barns…

EXCERPT

Becoming slightly steadier on her feet, Traci continued her search for McCord. She heard a male voice and slowed her approach. The voice was coming from the end stall.

“You’re gonna be okay, girl.”

Traci warmed at the man’s soothing tone.

“You just took a bad step, that’s all. Don’t know who was more startled, you or the bobcat. This wrap will help keep the swelling down. I’ll check on you later.”

Traci knew immediately when Scott McCord saw her standing there staring wide-eyed like some kid on her first visit to a zoo. His eyes narrowed and then grew cold.

BLURB

Threatened race horses, city slicker attorney, sexy California wrangler—what can possibly go wrong?

Hot-shot Chicago prosecuting attorney Traci Steele works tirelessly keeping rapists off the street to prevent other women from suffering the hell she’s endured, so she resists her friends’ insistence that she take a two month R&R in their California Live Oak condo—until they persuade her to help their rancher friend as a private investigator. 

Though he runs the stables at Live Oak, well-muscled mustached wrangler Scott McCord much prefers working with the racehorses he trains at his ranch, and he can’t believe his old friends have sent a greenhorn female to help him with horse troubles.

The improbable dance between this mismatched pair barely fits in around the escalating suspense of whoever’s after Scott’s horses. Traci is as tenacious in her sleuthing as she is terrified about her inability to ever love a man. Can Scott succeed in gentling her – like he does his horses – before she flees in panic? 

Night Owl Reviews Top Pick This is a story about letting go of your past so you can move on to your future…Add into this touching story of recovery a mystery that will keep you guessing to the very end, and you’ve got a story you won’t be able to put down. Angi

a Rafflecopter giveaway

She was here on business… #sundaysnippet #MFRWauthor #Giveaway #sunday8

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This month we’re giving away one autographed print copy of Detour Ahead. The giveaway lasts all month – of course, you can always read it free at Kindle Unlimited! Contest details after our Sunday Snippet.

Be sure to visit Weekend Writing Warriors to check out the rest of today’s exciting excerpts!

Book Four in our Riders Up series is the story of Cassie’s best friend, Tracy Steele. Mourning the recent death of her father and unable to concentrate in her job as a top county prosecutor in Chicago, Tracy gives in to Cassie’s pressure to take a break—for two months, in a time share north of San Diego.

Having decided she’s put off long enough meeting the man Cassie wants her to help, Traci heads for the resort horse barns…

EXCERPT

Carefully placing one foot directly in front of the other like a fox, Traci entered the stable.

The pungent odors of horse manure and leather greeting her weren’t totally unpleasant, but she preferred those of the Arboretum, or Lake Michigan. Traci stepped down the middle of the stable avoiding the outstretched heads of horses seeking attention and treats.

How could she appear casual when every animal in here wanted a piece of her? Where the hell was McCord? He popped up when she didn’t want to see him and vanished when she did.

Traci glanced down at her white tennis shoes. They were the best she could do; she didn’t own a pair of boots, and tennis shoes had to be better than sandals or heels. She frowned—her shoes were not going to come out of this adventure untarnished. At least she’d had sense enough to put on a pair of jeans, and the light sweater helped with the chill.

Coming to the end of one barn, Traci saw an imposing sign at the entrance to another declaring that resort guests were not allowed beyond that point. She paused and lifted her chin. Although she was a resort guest, she was here on business—and she might be a city girl, but she knew better than to shout in front of a barn full of horses to get McCord’s attention.

BLURB

Threatened race horses, city slicker attorney, sexy California wrangler—what can possibly go wrong?

Hot-shot Chicago prosecuting attorney Traci Steele works tirelessly keeping rapists off the street to prevent other women from suffering the hell she’s endured, so she resists her friends’ insistence that she take a two month R&R in their California Live Oak condo—until they persuade her to help their rancher friend as a private investigator. 

Though he runs the stables at Live Oak, well-muscled mustached wrangler Scott McCord much prefers working with the racehorses he trains at his ranch, and he can’t believe his old friends have sent a greenhorn female to help him with horse troubles.

The improbable dance between this mismatched pair barely fits in around the escalating suspense of whoever’s after Scott’s horses. Traci is as tenacious in her sleuthing as she is terrified about her inability to ever love a man. Can Scott succeed in gentling her – like he does his horses – before she flees in panic? 

Night Owl Reviews Top Pick This is a story about letting go of your past so you can move on to your future…Add into this touching story of recovery a mystery that will keep you guessing to the very end, and you’ve got a story you won’t be able to put down. Angi

a Rafflecopter giveaway

More than she’d imagined… #sundaysnippet #MFRWauthor #Giveaway #sunday8

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This month we’re giving away one autographed print copy of Detour Ahead. The giveaway lasts all month – of course, you can always read it free at Kindle Unlimited! Contest details after our Sunday Snippet.

Be sure to visit Weekend Writing Warriors to check out the rest of today’s exciting excerpts!

Book Four in our Riders Up series is the story of Cassie’s best friend, Tracy Steele. Mourning the recent death of her father and unable to concentrate in her job as a top county prosecutor in Chicago, Tracy gives in to Cassie’s pressure to take a break—for two months, in a time share north of San Diego. Following a harrowing drive on a winding detour, Tracy finally pulls in at the resort.

When Traci wakes the next morning, she dons her robe and heads out to the balcony to sit with her coffee, her banana, and a book…

EXCERPT

Cocking her head to the left, Traci was puzzled by sounds coming from up the street—a steady bop, bop, bop. Curious, she stared as the noise came closer and closer.

“Oh, damn,” she muttered. Below her balcony, not fifty feet away, came the wrangler she’d seen the afternoon before, only now he was astride a black horse followed by three other horses and riders. The sound of horse hooves rhythmically hitting the pavement was steady and loud.

Quickly, before he could notice her staring at him, Traci ducked her chin and focused on her book while watching him out of the corner of her eye. Up close, he was more than she’d imagined. Many women would think he was a heartthrob for sure. His body displayed that natural toned and muscled look, a product of hard work rather than the often exaggerated look acquired in a gym. She swore his full brown mustache twitched when he passed by. He moved with the horse as if they were of the same body.

BLURB

Threatened race horses, city slicker attorney, sexy California wrangler—what can possibly go wrong?

Hot-shot Chicago prosecuting attorney Traci Steele works tirelessly keeping rapists off the street to prevent other women from suffering the hell she’s endured, so she resists her friends’ insistence that she take a two month R&R in their California Live Oak condo—until they persuade her to help their rancher friend as a private investigator. 

Though he runs the stables at Live Oak, well-muscled mustached wrangler Scott McCord much prefers working with the racehorses he trains at his ranch, and he can’t believe his old friends have sent a greenhorn female to help him with horse troubles.

The improbable dance between this mismatched pair barely fits in around the escalating suspense of whoever’s after Scott’s horses. Traci is as tenacious in her sleuthing as she is terrified about her inability to ever love a man. Can Scott succeed in gentling her – like he does his horses – before she flees in panic? 

Night Owl Reviews Top Pick This is a story about letting go of your past so you can move on to your future…Add into this touching story of recovery a mystery that will keep you guessing to the very end, and you’ve got a story you won’t be able to put down. Angi

a Rafflecopter giveaway