Check out #MFRWHooks for The Skeleton Canyon Treasure: #Romance and #Suspense

In honor of Halloween, a little "Skeleton" seemed appropriate!

The Skeleton Canyon Treasure

When Camille Dagneau surprises a strange man in the college machine shop she runs, she is ready for battle. Ryan MacAllister seems equally suspicious of her, but he insists he’s merely looking for his missing uncle, who has disappeared while hunting for a lost treasure. He believes Camie is the key to finding the treasure, and his uncle. But Camie – beautiful, brilliant, and prickly – isn’t about to trust this oversized geologist, or the attraction she feels.

Following the clues in the missing man’s journal will take Camie, Ryan, and the cat Tiger on a trail through New Mexico and Arizona. They’ll visit the Tombstone graveyard at night, uncover clues in museums, and ultimately wind up in Skeleton Canyon, where rumor says nineteenth-century cowboy bandits secreted their treasure in a cave. To rescue Ryan’s uncle, they’ll face steep cliffs, twisty tunnels, and worse dangers in human form, but trusting each other may be the biggest challenge. And they’re running out of time….

Excerpt: In this scene, the team discusses the legendary treasure:

Ryan held a small, leather-bound notebook, turning it over and over in his hands. “Does anyone here know anything about the Skeleton Canyon treasure?” he asked.

“I looked it up as soon as Camie told us the name,” Erin said. She grabbed a book from the coffee table and flipped through it as she spoke. “Skeleton Canyon is in southeastern Arizona, near the New Mexico border. But the treasure came from Mexico.” She frowned. “Lost treasure stories usually involve some pain and death, but this one seems excessive.”

“No honor among thieves,” Ryan said.

“Right,” Erin agreed. “It started with Mexican bandits, the Estrada gang, who looted banks and churches in Monterey, Mexico. Gold bars, diamonds, gold statues – millions in treasure according to some stories. Other researchers say no way, there’s no record of that kind of heist in Monterey. Whatever they got, the gang tried to smuggle it into the U.S. through Skeleton Canyon, loaded on mules.”

Ryan nodded. “But a gang of Arizona bandits, weird name–”

Erin glanced at the book. “The Curly Bill Brocious Gang.”

“Yep. One of them heard about the Mexican gang’s plan. They set up an ambush.”

Rebecca murmured, “I take it these weren’t good guys playing Robin Hood.”

“No way,” Erin said. “Not good guys, and not an especially good plan either. They shot the Mexicans off their horses. Horses and mules scattered. To stop the mules from running away with the treasure, the Americans shot the mules.”

“During that fiasco, some of the treasure got scattered around the canyon,” Ryan commented. “That’s probably why a few random coins have been found.”

Camie wondered if he was annoyed by Erin taking over some of the explanation. Apparently the treasure part of his story was true – or at least as true as any of these legends. If he’d planned to fudge the details, Erin’s quick research had killed that option. But if he’d planned to fake things, he’d have been better off faking the whole treasure, not using one that had been reported in books and on the Internet.

He seemed relaxed enough as he went on. “The American bandits now have the treasure, but no mules to transport it. So they bury it.”

“Most of it,” Erin corrected. “They allegedly divided up some of it and took it with them.”

“And never got around to coming back for the rest?” Sam asked.

Erin gave a sly smile. “It’s much more dramatic than that. Two members of the gang–” She glanced down at her book. “Zwing Hunt and Billy Grounds – decided to double-cross the others. They hired a Mexican who had a team of horses, went back to the canyon and moved the treasure, and then killed the Mexican.”

“Wait, so the treasure isn’t even in Skeleton Canyon anymore?” Camie asked. “Assuming it ever existed?”

“They moved it to another spot in the canyon, or at least nearby.” Ryan met her gaze and smiled. “Assuming it ever existed. Some self-proclaimed experts claim it must be within a day’s ride of the original ambush spot. Hunt and Grounds hid out in a cave in the canyon for months, but eventually they were killed by a sheriff’s posse.”

When Erin opened her mouth, Ryan held up a hand to forestall her. “Fine, one of them was killed right away and one was badly wounded, if that matters. The injured one supposedly made a map before he died.”

“Which of course disappeared, if it ever existed,” Erin said. “The treasure itself may not even be real. Or it could’ve been small enough that they divided it up at the beginning without burying anything.”

“Hunting it seems like a waste of time,” Camie said.         

Ryan shrugged. “That’s not really my concern. “I’m not trying to find the treasure, I’m trying to find my uncle.”

Was he protesting too much? Something about buried treasure gave even the mildest people – of whom Ryan was certainly not one – dreams of swashbuckling adventures. For some it was the fortune, for others the idea of being the one to solve a century-old mystery. Ryan’s ambivalence was in itself suspicious.

Camie leaned forward. “So what exactly do you want from us?”

Ryan held up the notebook. “This is what my uncle sent me. It has the list of clues and notes that got me this far. I’m sharing it in a gesture of good faith. I want to follow his trail and find him.” He grimaced, as if he didn’t like what was coming. “And I need help.” 

If you love suspense and romance, don’t miss this gripping adventure! The Southwest Treasure Hunters novels include The Mad Monk’s Treasure and The Dead Man’s Treasure. Each novel stands alone in this series mixing action, adventure, and romance.

Praise:

“The Skeleton Canyon Treasure is a light, breezy action/adventure/romance that's perfect for summer reading.”

"A great mystery, love story, and search for a treasure.”

Visit all the Book Hooks from #MFRWHooks - You might find your next great read!

Kris Bock writes romantic suspense novels set in dramatic Southwestern landscapes. Whispers in the Dark brings a gothic drama to an archaeology dig at ancient Southwest ruins. In What We Found, a young woman’s life swiftly changes when she finds a murder victim in the woods. In Counterfeits, an artist heads back to the children’s art camp she once knew well – but danger awaits.

The Mad Monk’s Treasure follows the hunt for a legendary treasure in the New Mexico desert. In The Dead Man’s Treasure, estranged relatives must follow a series of complex clues in a competition to locate a buried treasure. In The Skeleton Canyon Treasure, reader favorites Camie and Tiger the cat help a mysterious man track down his missing uncle. Each book stands alone, with no cliffhangers.

A Spooky Tale from the Wild West for #Halloween

The Old West is full of true stories of bandits, shootouts, and lost treasures. Many people attempt to divide historical figures into heroes and villains, lawman and outlaws. In reality, most people are more complex than that, and few famous people from the Old West led blameless lives.

Wyatt Earp is often regarded as a heroic lawman. However, he spent only six years in law enforcement. He also worked as a gambler, buffalo hunter, stagecoach guard, and Teamster, among other jobs. He was arrested for stealing a horse, but he escaped from jail.

Like many famous Western figures, Wyatt Earp wound up in the famous town of Tombstone, Arizona. Wyatt Earp and Ike Clanton allied to find a group of cowboys who had robbed a stagecoach, but the alliance fell apart – possibly because the Clantons were involved in the robberies. This led to the famous shootout at the OK Corral and the deaths of Billy Clanton and the two McLaury brothers, known cattle rustlers. Soon after, Wyatt’s brother Virgil was seriously wounded in a shooting, and their brother Morgan was killed in a shootout. The attackers were unknown, but Wyatt and his gang killed several suspects. He fled town to avoid prosecution.

Many movies have been made featuring Wyatt Earp, most of them romanticizing his life. The truth is more complex.

A Deadly Killer

Curly Bill Brosius, on the other hand, was pure outlaw and a close friend of the Clantons. He was supposedly a crack shot who could hit running jackrabbits and shoot out candle flames without breaking the candles. His idea of a practical joke was to make a preacher dance during a sermon by shooting at his feet. He forced Mexicans at a community dance to take off their clothes and dance naked. He killed at least one man in a robbery, escaped from prison, and led a gang of rustlers in Arizona Territory.

In 1880, in Tombstone, Curly Bill killed popular Marshal Fred White. The Marshal was trying to take Bill’s gun and it went off, hitting White in the groin. Wyatt Earp then knocked Bill unconscious with his gun. White said he didn’t think Curly Bill was trying to kill him, but he died from his wound the next day. Curly Bill was also implicated in some revenge killings and at least one death during a bar fight. He was implicated in the murder of Morgan Earp, but without proof he wasn’t charged.

Violence in the Desert

Curly Bill also might have been involved in the Skeleton Canyon Massacre. Here history and legend get muddled. Some people claim that Mexican bandits looted Monterrey, Mexico, and escaped across the border with a treasure worth $75,000, or $2 million, or $8 million. Others claim there is no evidence of such a heist in Monterrey, and that it’s doubtful such a treasure ever existed in the first place.

Regardless, violence came to Skeleton Canyon, a shallow canyon in southeastern Arizona, not far from the Mexico border. An American gang ambushed a group of Mexicans – possibly the bandits, or else merely vaqueros (cowboys). One story says Curly Bill’s gang shot the Mexicans out of their saddles, which caused their mules to stampede. The bandits then shot the mules to keep them from running away with the treasure, but with the mules dead, the men had no way to transport the loot. Two men from the gang, Zwing Hunt and Billy Grounds, hid the treasure somewhere in the canyon. When they were killed, the location of the hidden treasure was lost. 

Curly Bill had been wounded six weeks before the Skeleton Canyon Massacre and was supposedly still recovering. Was he involved or not? Was the violence over a treasure that would be worth millions today, or merely over some cattle? The debates continue, and some people still hunt for the treasure.

What is most likely true, but is still challenged by some people, is that Wyatt Earp killed Curly Bill in a shootout in 1882. Bill was in his thirties, which considering his lifestyle was a surprisingly long life.

Unsolved Mysteries took a look at the Skeleton Canyon Treasure.

Tombstone is now a popular place for tourists to visit.

History (and Legend) As Inspiration

My adventure novel, The Skeleton Canyon Treasure, was inspired by the legendary treasure. In the novel, set today, Camie and Ryan are hunting for Ryan’s uncle, who disappeared while hunting for the historical treasure. The clues take Camie, Ryan, and the feisty cat Tiger on a trail through the Southwest. Their quest takes them to historic sites such as Tombstone and eventually into the remote canyon, where danger awaits.

“The Skeleton Canyon Treasure is a light, breezy action/adventure/romance that’s perfect for summer reading.”

If you love suspense and romance, try this gripping adventure!

The Mad Monk’s Treasure is the first of the Southwest Treasure Hunters novels. The Dead Man’s Treasure is book 2 and The Skeleton Canyon Treasure is book 3. Each novel stands alone and is complete, with no cliffhangers. This series mixes action and adventure with light romance. The stories explore the Southwest, especially New Mexico.

Crescent Roll Baked Chile Relleno #Recipe – a #Southwest Variation

A well-made chile relleno is an amazing treat. Unfortunately, they can be a bit of a hassle. No doubt some people keep a pot of oil on hand for deep frying the battered, cheese-stuffed New Mexico green chiles, but I don't normally deep fry. This recipe turned out to be an excellent substitution! 

Instead of batter, it uses refrigerator crescent rolls. The chiles are laid out on the crescent squares. They can be whole, but don't need to be. I like to use a Monterey Jack string cheese plus some extra cheddar, but I have used whatever I had on hand. Then they're folded and baked. Yummy! 

Kris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. Whispers in the Dark features archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. What We Found is a mystery with strong romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. In Counterfeits, stolen Rembrandt paintings bring danger to a small New Mexico town.

In The Dead Man’s Treasure, estranged relatives compete to reach a buried treasure by following a series of complex clues. In The Skeleton Canyon Treasure, sparks fly when reader favorites Camie and Tiger help a mysterious man track down his missing uncle.

Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page. Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter for announcements of new books, sales, and more.

Ready for some spooky reads for #Halloween? Check out these #KidLit #Ghosts!

The Haunted series is perfect for young readers who want some chills and thrills without gore or true horror. (Adults can enjoy the fun as well!)

“Haunted is a fun read with some thrills and chills and has the added bonus of some genuine, compassionate personalities.” - School Library Journal

“I LOVED this book. My daughter who is 11 could not put this book down. She read it so quickly and is asking for more!”

“My 10 year old daughter HATES to read. These books kept her interested and wanting to read more. I downloaded all 4 in this series. THANK YOU!!”

“What I loved most of all, was the way my 4th grade daughter got sucked into the story. She's a reluctant reader so it was a joy to see her completely absorbed in a book; she immediately started the second book in the series when she finished, and can't wait for more.” – Amazon readers

Get all four books in the series from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or other retailers.

HAUNTED

Thirteen-year-old Jon and his eleven-year-old sister, Tania, are typical kids – except for the fact that Tania can communicate with ghosts. Their mom and stepdad are producers of a ghost-hunter reality television show, but they don’t know about Tania’s gift, and Tania wants to keep it that way.

Jon can't see ghosts and didn't believe in them, but things are getting too crazy for any other explanation. And if softhearted Tania wants to help the ghosts, Jon will have to protect her and try to keep them both out of trouble.

First the siblings have to find out what happened to keep each ghost trapped in this world. Then they need to help the ghosts move on—sometimes by letting them take over Tania’s body. All this while dealing with their overprotective mother, a stepfather who’d want to exploit Tania’s gift, and a changing assortment of human troublemakers.

Life gets interesting when your sister sees ghosts. And the TV show’s shooting season is just beginning....

Chris Eboch is the author of over 60 books for children, including nonfiction and fiction, early reader through teen. Her novels for ages nine and up include The Eyes of Pharaoh, a mystery in ancient Egypt; The Well of Sacrifice, a Mayan adventure; The Genie’s Gift, a middle eastern fantasy; and the Haunted series, about kids who travel with a ghost hunter TV show, which starts with The Ghost on the Stairs. Her writing craft books include You Can Write for Children: How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers, and Advanced Plotting.

Learn more at https://chriseboch.com/ or her Amazon page, or check out her writing tips at her Write Like a Pro! blog.