Hi, I’m Gini Rifkin, and I’m so excited to be at N.N. Light’s Book Heaven. My stories of love are wrapped in adventure, and they span many times and places, from contemporary to Medieval.
Living in Colorado, where the moon comes up over the prairie and the sun sets behind the Rocky Mountains, inspiration for my writing is just outside my door. But Readers are the reason we write, and you are so appreciated.
If I need a break from writing or reading, I can sit by the barn and watch my goats play as the ducks wander by and the donkeys bray at their antics. We are so blessed to have animals to share our journey. I don’t take lightly the stewardship of the Earth, and feel fortunate to have my little patch of land, and to be able to rescue these wonderful critters needing help.
I’m also grateful to have such amazing writing groups nearby, their support and recognition mean so much. The Colorado Authors’ League chose Break Heart Canyon as best historical romance of year, and Fatal Recall as best romantic thriller of the year. Undercover Outlaw won the prestigious Beverley award from Colorado Romance Writers of America.
My newest passion is learning to process, spin, and weave wool. I’m going from “lamb to loom” procuring raw fleeces from sheep I know personally, and making my own yarn. Spinning and weaving often lead to dreaming up new stories, and writing in various genres, the sky’s the limit. For a step back in time or into the future, please give one of my books a try. Your next adventure awaits.
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Title: Break Heart Canyon
Author Gini Rifkin
Genre: Historical Western Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Book Blurb:
Unearthing artifacts in Colorado sounded like easy money to Ryker Landry. Then he met the woman who owned the land.
Una MacLaren vows no fortune hunter will desecrate the ancient relics of Break Heart Canyon—even if the man is a handsome scoundrel. Fighting to keep her goat farm afloat as local cattlemen hatch deadly schemes to make sure she fails, she has enough to worry about.
Captivated by the courageous redhead, Ryker joins forces with Una and her Deerhound, MacTavish. But what does he desire most, the woman or the artifacts?
When the mythical white cougar again prowls the rocky cliffs, the legend of Break Heart Canyon draws them into a web of danger. Now only daring and blind trust can save them.
Excerpt:
“Come oot right now. Are you hearin’ me?”
Ryker Landry kept to the shadows. The voice ordering him out of the cave was female—one with a bit of a Scottish brogue. Maybe if he remained silent, calling her bluff, she’d go away.
“I said come oot. I ken you’re in there.”
So much for that idea.
“You got three shakes of a billy goat’s tail to decide. Then ‘Im a sendin’ in MacTavish.””
MacTavish? The image of a brawny Scotsman wrapped in a kilt and a nasty disposition took form in Ryker’s mind. He wasn’t in the mood today for a fight.
Besides, other than a little trespassing, he hadn’t done anything wrong—yet.
Seeing no other option, he eased from the darkness of the cave into the daylight, squinting as the glare of the sun hit him full force.
The female pointing a battered Winchester rifle at his chest stepped back, keeping a safe distance between them. Caught by the breeze, her hair fluttered and curled like a handful of ginger-colored ribbons. The no-nonsense glare in her eyes, as green as the grass upon which she stood, held him in place.
He glanced around for the person she’d called MacTavish, but saw no one other than her dog. So far, the fearsome creature kept to her side—a deerhound by
the looks of him.
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Author Biography
Hi, I’m Gini Rifkin. In my stories of passion and adventure, when my hero and heroine meet, sparks fly and danger usually lurks nearby. My settings include the American West, Medieval England, Victorian England, and contemporary thriller and fantasy. When not reading or writing, I have the privilege of caring for a menagerie of rescue animals including ducks, goats, donkeys, and cats. Born in Illinois, when struck by wanderlust, I moved to Colorado and met my husband, Gary. As we shared the journey, we spent vacations canoeing, doing Mountain Man reenacting, and traveling around this great country. Although Gary has passed on, a little bit of him lives on in every hero I create. I’m a contributing blogger at Cowboy Kisses website, and my writing keeps me hungry to learn new things. Recently I’ve taken up spinning and weaving goat hair! I consider family and friends my most treasured of gifts. I hope you will give one of my books a try, and join the adventure from your favorite cozy chair.
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The Wild Rose Press
Title: Undercover Outlaw
Author: Gini Rifkin
Genre: Romance Historical Western
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Book Blurb
Jesse is determined to track down the man who killed his brother in cold blood. Impersonating an outlaw, his quest for justice becomes a living, breathing, part of his soul.
Trinity is heading to Denver to escape her vicious guardians. When her stagecoach is robbed, Jesse kidnaps her, and all her well-laid plans collide with his, leaving them both in danger.
Trapped in Prairie Ridge by a flood, Jesse and Trinity's feelings soon run as high and wild as the river. When Jesse is accused of murder, Trinity stands by his side, and they take on the town's tyrannical leader. As the city cowers in fear, help comes from an unexpected source, but can it save Jesse from a hangman's noose?
Excerpt:
“What in tarnation is wrong with you?”
With his hat pulled low and his face partially covered with a blue bandana, only the man’s dark eyes were visible. “Didn’t Solomon instruct you on what to do during the hold up?”
Frozen with fear, Trinity stared back, too stunned to answer. Besides, the man’s words made no sense. Who in the blazes was Solomon?
He poked at the brim of a dusty Stetson with the business end of his revolver. The hat slid back, revealing black eyebrows now flattened into a scowl. “Put these in your hatbox and give me the money.” He produced a fistful of papers from beneath his vest. “Then pretend to be scared like the rest of the women.”
Pretend to be scared? She was terrified, but she wasn’t about to relinquish her money or her chance at freedom to this two-bit bandit. She drew back her arm and landed a right cross to his jaw. Pain exploded in her knuckles and radiated up her arm. Hitting a side of beef couldn’t have hurt more.
His eyes flickered, but he didn’t flinch. “That’s more than enough realism.” He glanced back at the other outlaws. “Your overacting is going to get us both killed.” Unsuccessfully, he tried to stuff the documents under the lid of the hatbox clutched to her chest.
Overacting? Why did this man behave as if she should know him? Maybe outlaws were just loco by nature.
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Title: Trapper’s Moon
Author: Gini Rifkin
Genre: Romance American Frontier
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Book Blurb
As a free trapper, mountain man Kade McCauley is wary of the Hudson Bay Company. Their form of vengeance against those who are not part of the company can be deadly. When he and his partner are attacked, he fights back, only to discover one of his shots struck an innocent. A woman who touches his soul, and he will do anything to keep her safe.
While searching for her Native American tribe, Blind Deer crosses paths with Kade—with near fatal results. Once she is patched up, she decides it is safer to travel with him than alone Their uneasy alliance turns to genuine caring, but Blind Deer's past gets in the way, and she must choose between love or old obligations.
But nothing in life is carved in stone except the mountains, and those formidable peaks have been known to change the course of a man's life—or a woman's.
Excerpt:
A smile, cold and cruel, slid across old lady Dalrymple’s face. “One way or another, girl, your heathen soul is gonna be redeemed. Maybe a little time in the dark will help you to see the light.”
The woman disappeared, her laughter fading as the door to the root cellar slammed shut. The blackness descended mercilessly, complete, and dark as a tomb, which seemed fitting enough as Reverend Dalrymple and his wife wished to kill the Red Spirit inside her.
Pounding on the unyielding wood and howling at the top of her lungs, her rage and misery echoed around her. Then she jerked to a halt. Even if they could hear her, no one at the boarding school would come to her rescue.
She wrenched off the too-tight shoes her captors forced her to wear and tore at the dress and camisole restricting her breathing. The heavy beating of her heart shook her body like the once familiar cadence of the drums, and she chanted the prayers her grandfather had taught her. She smelled the woodsmoke, felt the wind on her face, and the remembrance of another time and place gave her strength.
The Christians had stolen her tack belt and hide dress. They had cut off her hair and called her Belinda Dearborn. They tried to destroy everything that made her who and what she was. But as long as she drew breath she would never forget.
Her name was Blind Deer—and she was of The People.
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Title: Fatal Recall
Author: Gini Rifkin
Genre: Romantic Thriller
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Book Blurb
Is she a city kitty in high heels, or a country kitten in cowgirl boots?
Ex-Cop Hudson Kincaid prefers the wide-open spaces. But tracking down a serial killer means hanging out in Denver while he investigates neuroscientist Dr. Marilyn Monrose.
Using EEG results fed through a ramped up virtual reality system, Dr. Monrose can relive the last three minutes of a dead person’s life—a discovery both thrilling and chilling
When word of Marilyn’s experiment is leaked to the press, she becomes the killer’s next target. Now Hudson’s mission turns personal as he races to rescue the woman who has become the best part of his life
Excerpt:
Hud stepped across the threshold and into Marilyn’s lab.
She waited for the security door to close and lock before she spoke. “Let me remind you, PI Kincaid, all information you learn here is classified. In fact, I found out yesterday the Government has shown a passing interest in my work.”
“Our government?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Why?”
“I’m not aware of the specifics. But every application I can come up with sounds like Black Ops, or Army Intelligence, or something equally scary.”
“That sounds ominous. Maybe you’d better explain to me exactly what you’re doing?”
“If I take you into my confidence, you have to promise you won’t tell anyone. If they find out I leaked even one iota of this information, I will disappear. And you might too.”
“What do you mean by disappear?”
“I’ll be transferred to a lab Heaven-knows-where to continue the work until it’s completed, or my contract is up. Hard telling what will happen to you.”
This gave him pause. She sounded serious. But how could he rationalize being in possession of crucial information without sharing the data with the DPD—or at least with Marco?
“Promise me.”
She was taking a leap of faith in trusting him, and the soulful pleading in her eyes made him want to comply. In fact, he wanted to promise her more than to keep his mouth shut. He wanted to promise her sunsets on the front porch and breakfast on the veranda.
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Title Promise Me Christmas
Author: Gini Rifkin
Genre Medieval Romance
Book Blurb
The nights are growing longer and the winter snows are coming—Darkenwald Castle is under siege.
Lord Guy Blackthorne is prepared to lay down his life for his children, his wife, and all who seek his protection. But as renegades, mercenaries, and political intrigue surround his ancient family stronghold, he’s forced to stay his hand against those who would dare to attack his fortress.
As supplies and hope dwindle, Lady Vespa fears Yule will not be one of good cheer, and the children shall have no gifts this year. At least she and Guy have one another, for that she is thankful. But there are few private moments to share their love, and every endeavor to satisfy their passion is interrupted when the enemy attempts to invade the castle.
On Christmas Eve, when a battle to the death begins, Guy faces his greatest challenge. Now Vespa’s wish for a happy Yule celebration turns to a prayer for her beloved’s safety.
Excerpt
Promise Me Christmas, is a beautiful romance, and comes with a dollop of history and humor, and a respectful nod to PTSD. As an added twist, my hero and heroine are already married, but their passion for one another has only grown stronger since saying “I do”. Now, being kept apart as mortal danger threatens, the desire to share that love is nearly overpowering.
****
“Godspeed.” Her smile turned wooden, her hands cold, yet the love burning in her heart was fire enough to destroy a forest. She slipped free a thin strip of silk belting her waist. “Come back to me safe.” She tied the bright fabric to the horse’s bridle. “I’ve grown accustomed to you and do not wish to train a new husband.”
He laughed at that, then quickly sobered. “I love you, Vespa.”
He’d promised to tell her more often and now he had, yet regardless of his good intentions, this was not a statement he tossed about lightly. This pronouncement, issued on the brink of battle where others could hear, was of even greater importance. Did it also mean he feared he may not return to her?
“And I love thee, Guy.” Finding her voice, she breathed out the words, but they were lost to the flurry of activity as he turned and mounted up. Her throat, tightened with fear and the tears she held back, stopped her from repeating the phrase.
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