Carrie is horrified when outlaws attack the stage coach carrying her and her father west, killing the driver, the shotgun guard, and her father. Left alone in the desert with night coming on, her future seems bleak until a stranger reluctantly comes to her rescue.
Bohannon is a gambler, a wanderer, and a half-breed wanted by the law in South Dakota for killing a white man. He has no interest in taking Carrie to Willow Tree Springs to claim the ranch her father bought, sight unseen. But he can't bring himself to leave her behind.
The trail to Willow Tree Springs is fraught with danger, but as time passes, Carrie's fear and mistrust of the man who saved her prove unfounded. By the time they reach their destination, she's fallen in love with Bohannon, and he with her. Together, they begin working on the badly-rundown ranch, restoring the house, rebuilding the barn, planning for the future.
But their future suddenly looks grim when Bohannon is arrested and taken back to South Dakota to stand trial for murder. Against his wishes, she follows him, fearing that a guilty verdict will end her hopes for a life with the man she loves.
THE LATEST NEWS ~
Sad to say, there's no news on the cowboy side of things. AT the moment, my Muse doesn't seem to want to write anything but vampires. I've finished two paranormal books and am currently working on another. Hopefully, she'll get in the Western mood soon!
Hope all is well in your corner of the world, filled with smiles and sunshine and good books!
Wishing you a delightful summer! I can't believe how fast this year is going by!
OLD NEWS ~
I sold several of my books to Mondadori Publishing. The first two of these, Cheyenne Surrender and Hawk's Woman, are now available in Italian.
My vampire/Indian/time-travel book, SECRETS IN THE NIGHT, is available now. I loved writing this book as it has all the elements I love best!
ASHLEY NEWS ~
Coming Soon ~
FOREVER IN DARKNESS
March 25
BEAUTY'S BEAST - reissue
April 10th
SHADOWS OF ETERNITY
No pub date
TWILIGHT LONGINGS
No pub date
Recent releases ~
ENCHANT THE DAWN
MIDNIGHT ENCHANTMENT
TWILIGHT DESTINY
This is Eddie Little Sky. He used to dance at the old Indian village in Disneyland, which is where this photo was taken.
I had a crush on him when I was a young girl and he became the inspiration for all my Indian heroes.
COWBOY'S LAMENT
By
Madeline Baker
No horses in Heaven?
Why, I'd rather stay outside
Unless my favorite old red roan
Is awaitin' there to ride,
Cause my idea of Heaven
Is an endless sea of grass,
An azure sky, a crystal stream,
A snow-topped mountain pass;
A well-broke Texas saddle,
My battered old John B.
But most of all that big red horse
A ploddin' under me.
Now I'm not knockin' angels,
Nor choirs of Heavenly song,
Nor golden streets and pearly gates
Or clouds that roll along,
But I've no use for silver wings,
A tune I cannot carry, and
While golden streets might be grand
I'd rather ride the prairie.
I've spent my life a'wanderin'
From sea to shining sea
And that's how we'd like Heaven
That old red horse, and me.
Copyright August 1981
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
2015 Received the Romantic Times Booklovers Career Achievement Award in Paranormal Romance.
2013 NIGHT’S MISTRESS is the winner in the Fiction Romance category of USA Best Book Awards sponsoredby USA Book News
2012 BOUND BY BLOOD wins ACRA Heart of Excellence contest
2011 EVERLASTING DESIRE wins Best Paranormal in the Volusia Romance Writers Laurel Wreath contest.
2011 EVERLASTING KISS wins ACRA Heart of Excellence contest
2010 IMMORTAL SINS wins Best Paranormal in the Volusia Romance Writers Laurel Wreath contest.
2010 EVERLASTING DESIRE wins USA Book News Contest for best romance
2004 CALLIE’S COWBOY voted Best Silhouette Romance of 2004 by CataRomanceonline.
2003 MIDNIGHT EMBRACE won the Desert Rose Golden Quill for Best Paranormal
2002 CHASE THE LIGHTNING won the Aspen Gold Contest for Best Paranormal from the Heart of Denver Romance Writers
2002 CHASE THE LIGHTNING won the OCC Orange Rose contest for Best Paranormal
2002 CHASE THE LIGHTNING, won the Desert Rose Golden Quill for Best Paranormal
2001 AFTER TWILIGHT is voted Best Paranormal Romance by the readers of Loves Romances.com
2001 AFTER TWILIGHT wins the online PEARL award for Best Anthology
2000 UNFORGETTABLE won the Orange Rose contest for Best California setting
1999 Romantic Times Career Achievement Award—Historical Storyteller of the Year
1995 THE SPIRIT PATH won the Paperback Trader’s Romance Readers Award for Best Indian historical for the second time.
1994 LOVING DEVLIN voted Best Indian Historical by the Puget Sound Romance Readers
1993 THE SPIRIT PATH won the Paperback Trader’s Romance Readers Award for Best Indian historical
1993 My hero, Jarrett, from WARRIOR’S LADY, was awarded a K.I.S.S. award from Romantic Times Magazine
1992 MIDNIGHT FIRE won the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence
1991 WHISPER IN THE WIND won Affaire de Coeur’s Golden Unicorn Award for Best Time Travel
1988 RECKLESS HEART, RECKLESS LOVE, RECKLESS DESIRE won the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice award for Best Indian Series
SOME OF MY FAVORITE QUOTES ~
"If it can be solved, there's no need to worry, and if it can't be solved, worry is of no use."
The 14th Dalai Lama
“Preach the Gospel at all times and,
if necessary, use words.”
St. Francis of Asissi
"God and soldier, we adore, in time of danger, not before.
The danger passed and all things righted,
God is forgotten and the soldier slighted."
Rudyard Kipling
"Having more money doesn't make you happier. I have 50 million dollars, but I was just as happy when I only had 48 million."
Arnold Schwarzenegger.
"As I hurtled through space, one thought kept crossing my mind - every part of this rocket was supplied by the lowest bidder."
John Glenn
"Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet."
Bob Marley