Saturday Snippet: It Is For You I Wait

This snippet comes from 

Otto's Offer 

Book 3

in both the multi-author Lockets & Lace series

and in the author's own Atwell Kin series

          The jeweler turned back to Otto. “Something I have to show you. A good price I offer if you wish to buy.” He leaned down and unlocked one of the cabinets below the shelf on the counter with the thick glass covering. He brought out a gold locket shining with newness and handed it to Otto.

          Otto brought his palm closer to his face to better study the design etched on the front of the heart-shaped locket. He had seen lockets before, but mostly they were oval or round, and they tended to be larger. Yet, from the heft of the small ornament in his hand, he could tell the jeweler had not skimped on the amount of gold used. Filigree scrollwork surrounded the floral design in the center.

          Otto turned the heart over. On the back, bordered top and bottom by etchings of the same design as the front, was an inscription. “All my love, Otto.”

          Otto looked into the face of the man who had not said a word since he had handed him the gold locket. “It looks like it was made for another.”

          The man nodded. “Ya. A customer with same name paid me to make for wedding gift. He was soon to marry. Later, he comes to me, very sad—what you say, in mourning. With the fever his sweetheart died. His money he asked me to return. I give him most.”

          “Could you not have redone the locket to take the name out?”

          The jeweler nodded. “Ya. Each time I get it out to take out name, something tells me, wait. When I hear you speak German and know your name, I know it is for you I wait.”

 

Otto's Offer is currently on sale for 99 cents until Tuesday, August 20th. PLEASE CLICK HERE for the book description and the purchase link.

You may find all my books, including my four books in my Atwell Kin series, on my Amazon Author Account by CLICKING HERE.

 

Saturday Snippet: She Suspected He Would Doubt Her Story

Today's Saturday Snippet is taken from 
Otto's Offer 
 Book 3, Lockets & Lace series

          “All right, that’s enough! You say another word, Uriah, or move from where you’re standing, I won’t just put you in my jail, I’ll bury you under my jail.” The sheriff turned to face Libby. “Now, miss, I guess I need to hear your side of things.”

          Libby glanced at his face, then away as she sought to calm herself. She had seen the expression like the one worn by the sheriff before in people who looked down on her because of her Indian features. She suspected the man would doubt her story, but she did not know what else to do but tell the truth. “I worked with a woman who helped me write letters to Mr. Chambers through a marriage service. I read the letters, and she wrote the letters back for me since I don’t write well. We decided on Mr. Chambers because he said he was twenty-eight, not too old, and because he claimed to have a large ranch with much livestock. Although I am white and was raised as a white person, I am aware of my appearance which shows some native ancestry. The woman helping me and I were very careful to learn if Mr. Chambers was concerned with the appearance or background of the woman he wished to marry. He only claimed he wanted someone young and strong enough to help on his ranch.”

          “She didn’t tell me she was Injun.”

          Libby swallowed, but she said nothing in reply. She refused to defend herself again.

          The sheriff pinned her with a piercing look. “You still want to marry this man?”

Please CLICK HERE to find the full book description and purchase link. 

Otto's Offer is Book 3 in my own Atwell Kin series. Most of the books in this series are also part of one of the series sponsored by the Sweet Americana Sweethearts blog. Here is how the books line up and the schedule so far:

The Atwell Kin series:

Book 0 - Charlie’s Choice (Prequel)
Book 1 - Virginia’s Vocation (also part of Lockets & Lace series)
Book 2 - Kizzie’s Kisses (also part of Grandma’s Wedding Quilts series)
Book 3 - Otto’s Offer (also part of Lockets & Lace series)
Book 4 - Hannah’s Handkerchief – scheduled for release Spring, 2020
Book 5 - Lyman’s Rescue – scheduled for release Spring 2021

Each is a stand-alone sweet romance.

You may find my books on my Amazon Author Central account by CLICKING HERE. Please click the FOLLOW button to follow me.

 

Saturday Snippet: What Exactly Is There to See?

The following is from my Lockets & Lace novel, Otto’s Offer. Enlisted in the Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, Otto an two other soldiers take a few days leave and visit St. Joseph, Missouri.

          When they stopped midday to rest the horses, Otto quizzed his companions about the city. “What exactly is there to see?”

          Ellis spoke first. “The city itself. It’s up on a bluff overlooking the river. Quite a scene.”

          Carter interjected. “You see a lot of that kind of thing up and down the Missouri and Mississippi.”

          “Ho! The world traveler, are we, Carter?”

           Carter shrugged with nonchalance. “I’ve been around a few places—before the war, of course. However, St. Joe is close enough for us to see the bluffs without getting shot at for our trouble.”

          Not to be outdone, Ellis jumped in. “They say it’s the farthest point west you’ll find a railroad. In fact, there are several that all meet up in St. Joseph.”

          Otto raised his eyebrows with a questioning look. “What about the transcontinental rail they are building out of Omaha? That’s west of the Mississippi.”

          Ellis nodded. “That’s just it, Atwell. They’re still building it. Planning to build it is probably more like it. Of course, I’ve heard there are railroads out west in California and the like. They ship those big engines and the rails around the Horn, if you can believe that. However, there is nothing yet that connects those western states to the East. St. Joseph is the most westerly point you can travel by rail if you are coming this direction from the East.”

          “That’s why the Pony Express had its eastern terminus in St. Joseph. Once the rider took the ferry across the river, the mail could go by rail from there.”

Today, Saturday, May 12th, is the last day of the Lockets & Lace Mother’s Day special where I am offering Otto’s Offer at the sale price of $.99.

Book Tour: OTTO'S OFFER by Zina Abbott

In 1868, Otto Atwell has a 160 acre homestead near Abilene, Kansas and a limp as a result of a Cheyenne musket ball hitting his low back while he marched with the 16th Kansas Cavalry on the Powder River Expedition in 1865. What he doesn’t have is a wife. Then again, what woman would want to marry a cripple?

Libby Jones comes to Junction City as a mail order bride. Not only does the man who sent for her reject her, he tries to sell her to the local brothel to recoup his fee. Otto offers to marry her, but she rejects him in favor of a job with his relatives.

Will Otto’s offer still stand when trouble from Libby’s past catches up with her?   

      

Otto’s Offer is a stand-alone book in the Lockets & Lace series sponsored by some authors of the Sweet Americana Sweethearts blog. 

While they last, an ebook version of the series prequel, The Bavarian Jeweler, is available from the blog without charge.

Click here to download your Free copy

~ Amazon ~ Amazon International ~

My name is Robyn Echols. Zina Abbott is the pen I use for my historical novels. I’m a member of Women Writing the West and I just joined Western Writers of America. I currently live with my husband in California’s central valley near the “Gateway to Yosemite.”

I love to read, quilt, work with digital images on my photo editing program, and work on my own family history.

I am a blogger. In addition to my own blog, I blog for several group blogs including the Sweet Americana Sweethearts blog, which I started and administer.

Connect with the Author here: 

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Top Ten List

10 top favorite things: 

1.  I love my computer so I can use it to write stories

2.  I love my sewing machine so I can quilt when I need a break from writing

3.  I love paper and ink books that fill my bookcases

4.  I love my Kindle, Nook and Deseret Book apps because my bookcases are already full of paper and ink books

5.  I love my camera so I can take photographs

6.  I love my photo-editing program so I can tweak my photos so they look even better

7.  I love Yosemite National Park because it is so pretty in any season

8.  I love museums because of all the wonderful historical items they display

9.  I love Columbia State Park and Mono County because they capture the history of the California Gold Rush

10.  I love my car because it comfortably takes me to all my favorite places

Snippet #3

Otto stepped forward. He cursed to himself as his bad leg gave out on him enough his limp became obvious to anyone watching. He steeled himself and forced out the words, hoping he didn’t also trip over his tongue in the process. “Miss Jones. I’m Otto Atwell. I apologize for not speaking sooner before this man had a chance to attack you. I don’t want to discourage you from working for the Palmers, if that is what you want, for they are fine people. We’re family in a roundabout sort of way. However, you said you came here to marry…”

Jefferson interrupted Otto by clearing his throat. “Otto, I think I know where this is going. Are you sure about what you’re planning to say?”

Otto turned to his father. “Yes, Pa, I am.” He turned back to Libby and introduced the rest of his family and Shorty. “Miss Jones, the Palmers, here, are my uncle’s wife’s parents.”

 Otto paused, and guessed from the way Libby’s lips were parted and her eyes moved from one face to another, she felt overwhelmed with all the family connections. He looked beyond his family group, only to realize the scene held the rapt attention of a growing audience of town people. He closed his eyes, certain he was making a fool of himself. However, he was not a coward. No matter the outcome, he would see it to its end.

“Miss Jones, I know we haven’t exchanged letters, and you know nothing about me but what you can see here right at this moment. However, knowing you came here to marry, and knowing you don’t wish to marry Mr. Chambers, I am making you an offer of marriage. If you agree, I’ll pay Mr. Chambers the fee you say you owe him…”

 

To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page 

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