Welcome, Lily Graison!

Introduction To Series & Giveaway: The Outlaw by Lily Graison

Hello all! I’m Lily Graison and I’ve spent the last nine years writing paranormal and contemporary romance but last year, I tried my hand at historical westerns. A genre I adore!

My husband and I joined a local historical group in our area a few years ago and I spent enormous amounts of time researching, talking with other members, and I eventually dusted off my mother’s old sewing machine to try my hand at making a few dresses from the era. The 1860’s to be precise.

Immersing myself into a bygone era led my adventurous muse to start wandering. It’s no secret I’ve always had a thing for cowboys and sitting around a campfire and cooking over an open flame, it was only natural my new Historical Series would be born from my instant fascination.

The Outlaw is book 2 in my Willow Creek series, a fictional‘old west’ town in the Montana Territory. The series starts with the Avery brothers, four men who are as different from each other as you can get. The Lawman, Morgan Avery, introduced us to the small town of Willow Creek and his brother, Colton, The Outlaw, came riding in with his kidnapped heroine.

Tristan—The Gambler, and Holden—The Rancher, will be featured in books 3 and 4 and will release in the coming months but for now, I want to introduce you to my Outlaw, Colton Avery, with a tasty excerpt that’s sure to please all you cowboy loving readers.

Stepping out on the newly laid wooden sidewalk she set her sights on the outlaws, all sitting on their horses now, looking for one in particular. She found him moments later. He was shouting orders for the others to go. Lifting the heavy gun, she sighted on him and pulled the trigger.

The outlaw’s hat flew over the top of his horse’s head. The animal reared up on its hind legs before the rider was able to get control of him. He turned the beast back to the bank and Sarah lifted the gun again. It wasn’t loaded but she hoped he would think otherwise.

His black hair shined in the noonday sun. It was long, curling over the collar of his coat and fell over is forehead to lie across his eyebrows. Her breath was cut short when he locked eyes with her, lifting his hand to swipe those fallen locks out of his eyes. She was finally able to see them. They were the palest blue she’d ever seen. They held her in place, taunting her inability to handle the gun. The skin around his eyes wrinkled again and she knew he was smiling. She’d nearly shot his head off and the arrogant man was smiling.

“You missed. Again.”

Sarah lifted the gun another inch. “Maybe, but not by much. Shall I keep trying?”

He laughed, a deep rumbling sound that Sarah felt to the soles of her feet. She glanced down the dusty street at the other end of town. The townsfolk were stirring, some running toward the jail. If this outlaw had indeed tied William, the marshal, up it wouldn’t be long before he was loose. Looking back at the outlaw, she noticed he seemed in no hurry to leave. He was still watching her, his arms folded over the pommel of his saddle, his hat abandoned on the ground. She lifted her chin to him when he did nothing but sit there and stare at her. “What are you waiting for?”

“I thought you were going to shoot me.”

She swallowed. He knew the gun was empty. He was taunting her. Lowering the gun, she rested the barrel on the sidewalk. “The marshal will be here soon. Stay where you are.”

His laughter followed her curt demand. He sat up suddenly, swung his leg over the horses back, and jumped to the ground. Sarah tensed and took two steps back.

Picking up his hat, he dusted it off and placed it on his head, lowering the front as he turned back to her. “It’s been a real pleasure, Ma’am, but I’m afraid I’m out of time.” In an act that spoke of his arrogance, or complete stupidity, he raised his hand and lowered the bandanna that covered his face. Sarah stared at him and knew she’d never see another man who looked as he did. Hard, cold and completely heart stopping.

Sarah Hartford always dreamed of a grand adventure. She just never expected to find it in the arms of an outlaw. When her father’s bank is robbed, Sarah doesn’t make the gunslingers’ escape easy. Putting her own safety behind those she hopes to protect backfires when she’s kidnapped by one of the escaping men. Now her only hope for survival lies with the same arrogant man who laughed at her while staring down the barrel of her gun.

Colton Avery spent months planning the perfect heist, every detail fine tuned and executed with precise timing. Nothing could go wrong. That is until he comes face to face with a determined woman holding a shotgun. She aimed at his head and never flinched when she took a shot at him. He wanted her the moment the smoke cleared and he saw her face.

Robbing the bank, and handing over the gang of notorious outlaws to US Marshals, would be routine and boring. Sarah Hartford made it anything but. Taming the woman who stole his heart the instant he saw her was a challenge he was more than willing to take on. All he has to do now is escape the gang of outlaws he just double-crossed, hideout from an Indian raiding party and elude the town marshal who just happens to be his little hellion’s new fiancé.

To read an extended excerpt of this book, and find buy links, visit Lily’s website:http://lilygraison.com

GIVEAWAY

Lily is offering up one copy of The Outlaw to one commenter. To enter, just comment and leave your name and email address. One winner will be chosen on Saturday, March 17.

AUTHOR BIO

LILY GRAISON resides in North Carolina, a stones throw away from the Blue Ridge Mountains and a few hours from the Outer Banks. First published in 2005, her debut novel won a Reviewers Choice Award. The author of 12 books, Lily writes in the Contemporary Romance genre, as well as Paranormal Romance and Historical Western Romance.

When not writing, Lily can be found at her sewing machine creating 1800’s Period Dresses or curled up in a chair with a book in her hand.

To find out more about Lily and her other books, visit her at the following locations.

Website: http://lilygraison.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorLilyGraison

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/LilyGraison

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1879747.Lily_Graison